Jacob falls ill and is on his deathbed. He recalls God's blessings and promise. He draws his fav son close and takes his grandsons Manasseh and Ephraim and his own children, reversing the position of his hands and blessing the younger son Ephraim instead of Manasseh. (Ephraim will later dominate the north and represent the northern kingdom of Israel).
Jacob pronounces blessings on his sons and specific curse upon Simeon and Levy, who murdered the Shechemites in revenge over Dinah's rape, and alo on Reuben, who committed incest with his own stepmother.
He dies and is embalmed and buried in Machpelah. Then Joseph dies and is embalmed, ....and gets carried around in an Egyptian sarcophagus.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
1. I was wondering why there was no explanation given to the favouring of Ephraim over Manasseh. It was clear why Abel was favoured over Cain, or why Esau lost his blessing to Jacob, or so I thought.
2. Joseph was highly praised and because of that, Ephraim and Manasseh experienced lots of blessings and victory. It's interesting to note that Joshua, Deborah and Samuel are all from the tribe of Ephraim, while Gideon is from the tribe of Manasseh. These are the 'heroes' of the bible. However, I was puzzled why Jesus should come from the tribe of Judah and not Joseph (ie. from Ephraim or Manasseh). Isn't he much more deserving that Judah to have this amazing honour?
Then I read a little blog and she referred to this verse- Romans 9:10-15:
"Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad —in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls — she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
So, as it was written here:
http://home.clara.net/
arlev/genjudah.htm
Judah was chosen according to God's sovereign choice and God's sovereign grace.
Just like us, I guess.
I guess the important lesson here is that God's choice is not dependent on family lineage. All throught, the message comes through that from the most wacko and dysfunctional people come gems who do super things if they trusted in God and were willing to listen to Him. Converse, some of the people who might have been expected to do well, fail.
Just to follow up....
It's also a lesson for us personally not to keep dwelling on our 'poor' lot in life, or even dysfunctional family background, and to let that cramp our spiritual development. All we need is a listening and willing heart for God to do things in our lives.
Post a Comment