![]() (:5-6) Reproduced in Succeeding GenerationsĪ. Jacob’s covenant recollections were redolent with faith that God would fulfill the promise through him.ģ. Hughes: The point of Jacob’s recollections of the promises here is that as heir to those promises, he had the right to decide to whom they would go with his blessing. “and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.’” “and I will make you a company of peoples,” “and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous,” Luz = old name for Bethel (28:12-14 35:11-15) – reference here is primarily to the second appearingĢ. “Then Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,’” “When it was told to Jacob, ‘Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,’ Israel collected his strength and sat up in the bed.” (:2) Jacob (Israel) Gathers His Strength to Communicate His Final Blessings Jacob was 130 at this point (47:9), and this is seventeen years later, when he is 147 (47:28), so the boys are at least 19, just a few years older than Joseph when he was sold into slavery.Ģ. When Jacob came into Egypt, two years of famine had past (45:6), so they were at least two. They were born (41:50) before the years of famine came, during the seven years of plenty. Parunak: In picturing this scene, we should keep in mind that these sons are mature young men. “Now it came about after these things that Joseph was told, ‘Behold, your father is sick.’ So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.” (:1) Joseph Responds to Reports of His Father’s Failing Health (:1-7) PREPARATION FOR DEATHBED BLESSING FROM JACOBġ. This was the fourth consecutive generation of Abraham’s descendants in which the normal pattern of the firstborn assuming prominence over the second born was reversed: Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over Reuben, and Ephraim over Manasseh. He got a double inheritance through his two sons who were adopted by Jacob. One reason this chapter is here is to explain why Joseph isn’t listed as one of the tribes in Israel. He adopts Joseph’s two sons as his own, blessing Joseph through them. Steven Cole: In Genesis 48, we see Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, handing his heritage in God to his son, Joseph, and to his grandsons, Manasseh and Ephraim. ![]() In this section he first declares and explains what he wishes to do, then actually performs the adoption, and finally deals with a side-effect of this legal action. Parunak: The point of Jacob’s action in these verses is to elevate Ephraim and Manasseh from being Joseph’s sons to being counted as peers with Jacob’s other eleven sons. It may well be that this is the thing that the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews thinks is the important thing in the life of Jacob, the conviction of things that are not seen. Lewis Johnson: In the remainder of the instances of faith in Hebrews chapter 11, that characteristic of faith shines forth, the conviction of things not seen. ![]() And his sunset faith unleashed the wild grace of God to do its wondrous work in the generations to come. By faith Jacob crossed his hands in worship and blessed his adopted sons as he surrendered his life and the future of his people to God’s word. Hughes: we worship when we, by faith, trust God for all of life and give ourselves to him (cf. “By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.” What event in the life of Jacob would you have chosen to illustrate his faith in God? It is interesting and significant that the writer of the book of Hebrews points to the events of this chapter: JACOB’S DEATHBED BLESSING REVEALS HIS FAITH IN GOD’S SOVEREIGN ELECTION
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