Through GenesisSample

APPROPRIATE BLESSING

Jacob settles in Egypt during the famine and he is coming to the end of his life. We have been seeing a lot of parents blessing their children. Interesting that the Bible mentions that Jacob’s eyes were failing and he could hardly see and he purposely blesses the second before the first making Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. Interesting to note Joseph is not part of the twelve tribes, though he is represented by his two sons. Actually with this blessing there are thirteen tribes in Israel. In the book of Exodus, we see how when Israel goes to the Promised Land it is divided into twelve portions among the thirteen tribes and the tribe of Levi are promoted as priests.

When we look at Jacob blessing his children, we see no logic. Rueben slept with his father’s wife and lost the right of the firstborn. Judah slept with his daughter-in-law, but then he was blessed as a lion and the scepter was promised to him. Joseph was his favorite and, in fact, kept them all alive during the famine, but there was nothing significant of his blessing. From all these, we can see that Jacob looked into the future and saw what the Lord had for them. His blessing was not about what he wanted for his children, but it was about what God wanted to do in their lives. As parents let’s stand in the gap on behalf of our children and let us speak words of appropriate blessing on our children.

Children, look at Joseph. Even after his father died and his brothers’ insecurity got the better of them, he stood his stand and said that what they intended for evil was indeed for their good.

This should be the attitude among siblings. Joseph heard all the blessings and maybe he was not happy with what he got. He was surely upset that Ephraim was placed before Manasseh, but he did what God wanted him to do, be a ruler over his brothers and made sure they lived in peace.