Back in January, I was reading in Genesis 48 about Israel blessing his grandsons through Joseph. Yes, I've already blogged about that, but that blog was about Israel getting to see those grandsons shortly before he shed his earthly body. What I want to focus on now is something I never caught before that particular time of reading.
When Israel/Jacob blessed his grandsons through Joseph, he reversed the order of blessing. You may say, I knew that. I did, too, but hadn't made the correlation of the similar occurrence in his own life so many years earlier. Just as Jacob was the secondborn (not by much, mind you!) and received the blessing of the firstborn, so, too, did he pronounce the blessing of the firstborn upon the second son. I find this interesting, don't you?
Now, I doubt he did this merely because that's how it was in his life. Not to deny our human tendency of doing things 'just because that's the way it's always been done.' No, I believe he was led by God in doing so. At least Manasseh didn't STEAL the blessing of the firstborn from Ephraim, as Jacob had from Esau! And you may say, "Oh, how did he know to do this from God?" Well, perhaps you should read the prophecies Israel proclaimed regarding his sons in Genesis 49.
And, there was no manipulation by either grandson regarding his blessing upon them. In fact, Joseph was the one who was displeased. Verses 17 and 18 say, "When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim's head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head." But, per verse 19, his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations." (Does this sound familiar?) At this point in Israel's life, I don't think he'd have trusted in himself to make this determination. He'd heard this from his (and our) God. In the lives of Israel/Jacob and Ephraim, grandfather and grandson, both received the blessing of the firstborn thought they were the secondborn. Jacob asked for it, Ephraim did not.
Are you the firstborn? Are you the secondborn? But more importantly, are you born again, from above? John 3:3 says this: Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Jacob wanted to see the kingdom of God. Do you? If you are born again, do you long for the blessing/inheritance God has in mind for you? If you're not born again, you can only receive the blessing(s) of God by entering into a relationship with His Son, Whom He sent to purchase your redemption. Yes, He loved(s) you THAT MUCH!!! It's so easy...just ask Him! Revelation 3:20 says, "'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." This invitation is being issued by Jesus Christ...to YOU! He issued this invitation to me almost 31 years ago. I took Him up on it and was 'just going to try it to see if it really worked.' It DID! I've been his daughter for that long now. I'm the firstborn of two. But, guess what...He has blessed me lavishly over these many years. I was the firstborn of two earthly daughters, but Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God the Father. God the Father transferred the blessing of the Firstborn to the secondborn, you and me.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (per Jude 24 & 25)
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