The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Having been reunited with his father, we see an astounding interaction between Jacob and his favored son Joseph. Despite all of the suffering both of these men have gone through, the idea that God is the source of blessing and the necessary recipient of praise is evident throughout their conversation. Jacob has a great blessing in store for his sons in Genesis 49, but it is evident that Joseph is still the favored son. Among his brothers, he receives double portion, one for Ephraim and one for Manasseh. It is here in Genesis 48 that we see Jacob giving the blessing to his grandsons, whom he adopts for his own. Its important to note that whoever Jacob blesses, God also blesses, consistent with God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Read Genesis 48

Jacob is sick and knows he doesn't have much time left. He brings his son Joseph and his now adopted sons Ephraim and Manasseh into his room to give them a blessing. But over the course of the encounter, Jacob reminds the boys of God's hand in Jacob's life and ultimately theirs. He begins by reminding them in Genesis 48:3-4 of how God has kept the promises He made to Jacob. Its both Jacob praising God for what he's done but also reminding Joseph of what God is still doing in the lives of His people. Perhaps there is fear that Joseph will forget the blessing to come and want to stay in Egypt forever, but that is not where God intended them to be.

Again in Genesis 48:15-16 Jacob makes God the center of attention in his encounter with his son. Jacob blesses the boys, the way God wants them to be blessed. Like Jacob over Esau, Jacob also blesses Ephraim, the younger, over Manasseh the first born. Again, Jacob is praising God for how He chose Jacob not based on merit, but by His grace. He is also reminding Joseph that God had much in store for His people, emphasis on the fact that they will at no point deserve it. He reminds Joseph and the boys that it was God who went before Him and led Him as a shepherd, not his own wit or guile.

Finally, in Genesis 48:20-21, Jacob looks to the future for what God will do. He is completely confident that God will follow through with the blessing in their lives so much so that all of Israel (which didn't even exist as a nation yet) would know that it was God at work to bless rather than Ephraim or Manasseh or Joseph working to gain blessing. Once again, Jacob reminds Joseph and the boys that the real blessing is coming. Its not in Egypt, as good as things are now, its in Canaan.

So what then for us? Spend some time reflecting on the blessings that God has given you. We often make the mistake of assuming that God's blessing has to look a certain way. Jacob recognized that the blessing didn't take the form he wanted but rather what God wanted. Remember that the God who led Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph from Ur to Canaan to Egypt and back, is the same God that cares for and leads you now, and the greater blessing is still to come.