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GENESIS 49 JACOB BLESSES JOSEPH & BENJAMIN & DIES

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April 16

GENESIS 49


22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall.
23 The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, 24 yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), 25 by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.”28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. 29 Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— 32 the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

                                                                   – Genesis 49:22-32

GENESIS 49 JACOB BLESSES JOSEPH & BENJAMIN & DIES

Charles Spurgeon comments on Joseph’s blessing from Jacob as his being well-watered and provided for in his deep and real relationship with God. “The main point in Joseph’s character was that he was in clear and constant fellowship with God, and therefore God blessed him greatly. He lived to God, and was God’s servant; he lived with God, and was God’s child.” Though Joseph encountered a lot of cruelty, the Lord never left him and use them to strengthen and prepare him for ruling Egypt wisely. Benjamin was blessed with fierceness to devour the prey which we see in Judges 3 in Ehud who was a Benjamite. After blessing all his sons, Jacob requested he be buried to his father’s land and he died.

REFLECTION

  • Why did Jacob want to be buried in the cave where his father was buried?

GENESIS 49 MORE PROPHETIC WORDS FOR SIX SONS OF JACOB

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April 15

GENESIS 49

13 “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.14 “Issachar is a strong donkey, crouching between the sheepfolds. 15 He saw that a resting place was good, and that the land was pleasant, so he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant at forced labor. 16 “Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls backward. 18 I wait for your salvation, O Lord.19 “Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels. 20 “Asher’s food shall be rich, and he shall yield royal delicacies.21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose that bears beautiful fawns. – Genesis 49:13-21

GENESIS 49 MORE PROPHETIC WORDS FOR SIX SONS OF JACOB

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

On his deathbed, Jacob continues to speak out prophecies for his sons

He spoke of Zebulun becoming a haven for ships and spread through Sidon

Issachar shall be crouching between sheepfolds and will be a servant

Dan shall judge his people and be the serpent but Gad shall raid at their heels

Asher’s food shall be rich and yield royal delicacies while Naphtali is a doe

These are Jacob’s prophetic words for six of his own sons before he died.

If we go to the first book of Chronicles 12:32- 37, these prophetic words of Jacob over his six sons were fulfilled. Issachar’s men had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. Zebulun had 50,000 seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with singleness of purpose. From Naphtali’s tribe came 1,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear.  From Dan’s tribe, 28,600 men were equipped for battle. From Asher 40,000 seasoned troops were ready for battle.  Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war. From this account, we clearly witness how Jacob’s prophecy over his sons were all revealed to him by God’s Spirit. How else could he have foreseen all of these future events if it wasn’t from God? They were not chance they were all in God’s plan, every detail of it.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God revealed to Jacob all these future events before he died?

GENESIS 49 JACOB DECLARES PROPHECY & CURSES ON HIS DEATHBED

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April 14

GENESIS 49

Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.2 “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.4 Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch! 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords. 6 Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger, they killed men, and in their willfulness, they hamstrung oxen.7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you.9 Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him;[a]and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.11 Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

                                                                      – Genesis 49:1-12

GENESIS 49 JACOB DECLARES PROPHECY & CURSES ON HIS DEATHBED

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

On his deathbed, Jacob finally declares all thoughts he had on his sons

He began to declare all things that he had kept quiet for many years

The Spirit of the Lord was upon Jacob as he wisely utters prophetic words

One among four was blessed but the rest received curses from Jacob.

It was finally on his deathbed when Jacob spoke of his son’s sins. He can now finally speak of the prophetic vision that the Lord showed him, just before he breathed his last. Even though he kept silent about all the evil deeds his sons did, he spoke of the consequences of those sins they committed. Only Judah seemed to be blessed among the first four sons of Jacob. It was from him that David will come forth and so will the Messiah as well

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Jacob kept his mouth shut all those years his sons sinned?

GENESIS 48 MORE BLESSING FOR EPHRAIM

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April 13

GENESIS 48

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’ ”Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.” – Genesis 48:17-22

GENESIS 48 MORE BLESSING FOR EPHRAIM

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Joseph noticed that Jacob’s right hand was on Ephraim

He corrected his father and directed it to Manasseh’s head

But Jacob said that he wanted Ephraim to get more blessings

Manasseh will also get favor but the promise will be on Ephraim’s

Jacob also gives his mountain slope to Joseph and not to his brothers

It was to honor the Lord’s plan to hand over what he had to Joseph.

According to Wikepedia.com, the firstborn or firstborn son (Hebrew בְּכוֹר bəḵōr) is an important concept in Judaism. The role of firstborn son carries significance in the redemption of the first-born son, in the allocation of a double portion of the inheritance, and in the prophetic application of “firstborn” to the nation of Israel.

No wonder Joseph wanted his firstborn son Manasseh to get the double portion instead of the younger son. I wonder if Jacob was repeating history since he wasn’t the firstborn son either and yet he was chosen by God to be the one to receive the covenant promise of multiplication and the promised land.

REFLECTION

  • How do we know if Jacob’s blessings on Ephraim was God’s will?

GENESIS 48 JACOB BLESSES JOSEPH & HIS SONS

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April 12

GENESIS 48

10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” 12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). 15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitudein the midst of the earth.” – Genesis 48:10-16

GENESIS 48 JACOB BLESSES JOSEPH & HIS SONS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Joseph presented his sons to his father’s deathbed

Jacob’s eyesight was already going and he can’t see them

So, Joseph brought Manasseh and Ephraim nearer his father

Jacob took them both and placed his right hand on Ephraim

His left hand he placed on Manasseh even though he was the firstborn

Then he blessed Joseph and the boys so that his name will be carried on.

On his deathbed, Joseph and his sons Manasseh and Ephraim gathered to pay homage to their beloved father and grandfather. Here, Jacob mentions how his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham, had that covenant promise from God himself to their family. At this time, he thanked the Lord for allowing him to see Joseph again and also his sons in Egypt. Prior to these verses, we hear Jacob adopting these grandchildren to be like his own two sons. He passed on to them the same blessings he gave all his sons. Jacob wanted these two grandsons to have hierarchy in receiving God’s promise to his offspring.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Jacob placed his right hand on Ephraim and not Manasseh?

GENESIS 48 JACOB ADOPTS EPHRAIM & MANASSEH

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April 11

GENESIS 48

After this, Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’ 5 And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.” – Genesis 48:1-9

GENESIS 48 JACOB ADOPTS EPHRAIM & MANASSEH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

It was seventeen years when Jacob moved to Egypt to see Joseph

This was almost the same number of years when he was sold at Egpyt

Jacob told Joseph of his meeting with the Lord Almighty at Luz in Canaan

God reiterated his plan to make them fruitful and to make them multiply

Jacob claimed Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons

Just like Reuben and Simeon were, then Joseph can have his own after these two.

At this point of Joseph’s story, we are getting ready for the death of Jacob. After hearing of his father’s illness, Joseph brought his two sons with him to see their grandfather. God has allowed Joseph and Jacob to reunite in those seventeen years that Joseph moved Jacob to Goshen in Egypt so he could see his father whenever he could.

REFLECTION

  • Why did Jacob adopt Joseph’s sons before he died?

GENESIS 47 JACOB’S REQUEST TO BE BURIED IN CANAAN

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April 10

GENESIS 47

23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” 25 And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” 26 So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s.27 Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years.

29 And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” 31 And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed. – Genesis 47:23-31

GENESIS 47 JACOB’S REQUEST TO BE BURIED IN CANAAN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

During the famine years that Joseph prospered Pharaoh

He required Pharaoh’s servant to give a fifth of their harvest

Those servants willingly complied, so Joseph made a decree of it

At this time, Jacob was 147 years old and requested Joseph

He didn’t want to be buried in Egypt but in his father’s land

He made Joseph promise that he will do as he requested.

Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years and he was generously provided for by his beloved Joseph. Although Pharaoh treated him well and his entire family, he still wanted to be buried in his father’s land. It was the promised land to Abraham and to his offspring.

Even though that promise wasn’t yet fulfilled, it was the land that God promised to his ancestors. Joseph will comply and arrange when he dies to be buried in Canaan.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think it was significant for Jacob to be buried in Canaan?

GENESIS 47 JOSEPH PROSPERS PHARAOH DURING FAMINE

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April 9

GENESIS 47

13 Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. 14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15 And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” 16 And Joseph answered, “Give your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys. He supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year. 18 And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent. The herds of livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be servants to Pharaoh. And give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh’s. 21 As for the people, he made servants of them[a] from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. – Genesis 47:13-22

GENESIS 47 JOSEPH PROSPERS PHARAOH DURING FAMINE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the seven years of famine came over the lands

Only Egypt and Canaan had food from their grains

So, all the surrounding areas bought grain from Joseph

Joseph’s administration made Pharaoh rich and owned much.

If God wasn’t with Joseph, the whole of Egypt and Canaan wouldn’t survive the famine.They didn’t only survive it, but thrived because of God’s guidance through Joseph. Joseph’s wise administration brought Pharaoh much prosperity and wealth.

REFLECTION

  • Do you think anyone would prosper without God’s hand in it? Why or why not?

GENESIS 46 GOD APPEASES ISRAEL TO GO DOWN TO EGYPT

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April 6

GENESIS 46

So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”5 Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, 7 his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt. – Genesis 46:1-7

GENESIS 46 GOD APPEASES ISRAEL TO GO DOWN TO EGYPT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After knowing that his favorite son Joseph was still alive

Israel took the journey even though he had trepidations

On his way, the Lord God spoke to him in visions of the night

God confirmed to Israel that he need not fear to go to Egypt.

God was with him all the way to see his son who was waiting for him

So went on his journey knowing that he’ll see his son before he dies

All his sons and daughters and all their entire household are to come too

They will all be provided for in Egypt and survive the famine in the land.

Israel must have been over a hundred years old by the time Joseph was sending him to go to Egypt. It is understandable to have apprehensions to travel that far with the entire family with them at that age. He doesn’t know what was going to happen if he did leave Canaan. But the Lord knows his fears and he was appeased in a vision by God himself and he was told that it was alright for him to go and die there in Joseph’s presence.

We are humans and it’s okay to fear at times but for God’s people, he always makes a way to comfort and appease us with the truth.

REFLECTION

  • When has God appeased you when you start to worry or fear about something?

GENESIS 45 ISRAEL’S JOY TO LEARN JOSEPH IS ALIVE

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April 5

GENESIS 45

16 When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, 18 and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ 19 And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Have no concern foryour goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”21 The sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes. 23 To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. 26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”   – Genesis 45:16-28

GENESIS 45 ISRAEL’S JOY TO LEARN JOSEPH IS ALIVE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After Pharaoh and his household learned about Joseph’s family

He generously provided for the brothers to go back and get their father

All of Egypt is under Joseph’s disposal and can have all his family back

Israel was overjoyed to know his favorite son is still alive.

After all those years of suffering and grief over Joseph’s absence has now ended. God has used all the sins of Israel’s sons to Joseph to turn it into blessings. He used it for good so that Joseph can be the link for them to see God’s blessings poured on Israel’s family.

REFLECTION

  • How can the story of Israel’s family bring hope to all sinners on earth?