| Subject: Gen 48 vss 1-22 Post 215 |
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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 13:04:35 09/03/12 Mon
CHAPTER 48
Genesis 48:1-22 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. 3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. 5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. 6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. 7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem. 8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? 9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed. 12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him. 14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, 16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. 19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. 20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Almost all in the chapter is straightforward and needs little comment. Joseph is made aware of the weakness and frailty of his father and deems it time to visit him with his two sons that Jacob might bless his sons before his death. The blessing was a very important event in the lives of the children of the Patriarchs. God honored them and indeed most likely impressed upon them what to say to the ones being blessed. Abraham blessed Isaac and passed the promise of God and inheritance on to him and God truly blessed according to the words of Abraham. Jacob comes along and is blessed by Isaac and is blessed through subtilty. We all have heard and remember the actions of Jacob where he deceived his father Isaac through the help of his mother. Jacob stole Esau's blessing by feigning to be Esau. Still God honored the blessing just as he honored the birthright that went to Jacob through Esau's selling of his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup.
Jacob recounts the highlights of his life to Joseph and brings to remembrance the death of Joseph's mother in giving birth to his brother Benjamin. All of this is in order and common. As a person approaches death often they tend to remember the things of the past. Some would even say he or she is living in the past. What is noteworthy about the chapter is the breaking of accepted tradition in order to bless a younger son over an older son. It was done with Issac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau and now Ephraim over Manasseh.
Have you ever heard the saying: "I was crossed up" when things didn't go the way we wanted it to be. Manasseh was literally "crossed up" when Jacob knowing and wittingly crossed his arms to put his right hand on Ephraim and his left hand on Manasseh. Why did he do it? Manasseh had done nothing to deserved being placed lower in the blessing then Ephraim yet Jacob did exactly that. Again why did he do it. The answer is that God told him to! Joseph was highly displeased with the set up but did not go against his father in the matter. Possibly he had in mind how that his own father was a second son yet received the blessing.
We have studied in earlier passages this anomaly. It is all about "election". It is God choosing. In the doctrine of election we will find always that it is God setting aside a first and establishing a second. Examples are many. Isaac over Ishmael. Jacob over Esau. Ephraim over Manasseh. Moses over Aaron. David over Saul. Grace over the law. The New Testament over the Old Testament. The sacrifice of Jesus over the sacrifice of bulls and goats. The New Earth over the Old Earth. The New Heavens over those that will pass away. New Jerusalem over earthly Jerusalem. The Last Adam over the first Adam and lastly the new body will supercede the body of flesh that returns to the earth. This old "house of clay" must be set aside that the glorified body of the Christian can come forth.
All of these are examples of God in His sovereignty choosing a second over a first. The first represents all that is messed up by sin. The second represents God's renewing of all things. We have the old man being replaced by the "new man". Ephesians 4:22-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation (lifestyle) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. This is God's order of things and He has shown it through out His word. This truth was in evidence when Jesus told Nicodemus; "Ye must be born again." (Jn. 3:7)
Many of us are chided for using the term "born again Christian". I think the reason for this is that we are thought to claim a higher conversion than someone who does not claim to be born again. Born again simply means that a person must have a spiritual birth that supersedes the natural birth. The natural birth gets you a 3' X 6' X 6' hole in the ground at the end of your life and in eternity it gets you a spot in hell.
Jesus told Nicodemus "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (Jn.3:3) Nicodemus was incredulous. "How can a man enter the second time into his mother's womb?" Nicodemus was looking for physical answers when there were none. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. So we have a world going to hell because they are trying to put reasoning and common sense to spiritual things that must be taken by spiritual discernment.
Nicodemus was trying to make physical application when there was none. Notice the explanation of Jesus to Him. John 3:4-7 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Probably at least 90% of the Christians on this earth equate the water of verse 5 with baptism. It won't work. Never has and never will. Look closely and look at the comparisons that Jesus is making. Verse 5 born of water (here is the first that must be set aside in election) and of the Spirit (this is established in election). Verse 6 Born of the flesh; set aside in election. Born of the Spirit; This is established in election. The water and the flesh birth are one and the same. When carried in the mother's womb the baby is surrounded by water in a sac. This is the natural birth. The water breaks and here comes the baby. You must have the Spirit birth, i.e. born again, to be saved.
One time Peter ran smack up against this truth. Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. It is verses such as this that give people such a fit sometimes. Peter had walked with Jesus, been taught by Jesus, seen His miracles and believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God yet he was not converted!! You might say with Nicodemus; "How can these things be?"
Peter had had a natural "water" birth (and probably was baptized by John the Baptist) yet here is Jesus telling him he must be converted. The word convert means to change in nature, function or purpose. In theology it means to be spiritually reborn or converted. Peter needed his nature changed. He needed to put off the old man and put on the new man. What Jesus was telling Peter was that his nature had not be changed yet and wouldn't be until after the resurrection of Jesus. The key passage to understanding this is: John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) The "new birth" could not take place until after the atoning sacrifice was given and Jesus was raised from the dead in His glorified body. The indwelling Spirit was not given to mankind until after the resurrection.When it takes place in any person that person becomes a spiritual son of God. Immediately. The old man is superseded by the new man.
This thread of "election" is found throughout the entire Bible. Paul connected it with Esau and Jacob in Romans 9:10-12 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
This emphasis on election to me is the meat of Genesis 48.
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