Genesis 48:1-21 Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
“Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.
Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.
Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”
Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.”
So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”
Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”
Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.
And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him. But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn. Then he blessed Joseph and said:
“May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. “Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”
So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.” (Shechem)
Few things are more important than a father’s favor and few things are more painful than a father who withholds favor and affection. After long years of separation from Jacob, Joseph gets to enjoy seventeen years with him before Jacob dies. Presumably, Joseph’s other brothers also enjoy more of their father’s favor now that Jacob has been reunited with Joseph and is no longer obsessing over that loss. Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons, claiming them as his own and promising that they will inherit along with Joseph’s other brothers. Finally, Jacob pronounces special prophecies over Ephraim and Manasseh, proclaiming that while Manasseh’s offspring will be great, Ephraim will become “a multitude of nations.” And Jacob promises that in the future, the Israelites will bless themselves by saying “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.”
These days, fatherhood is under attack. Fractured marriages generally lead to children living with their mothers but without a father’s love, care, and teaching. Many fathers have grown up without fathers to serve as examples and are unsure how to behave. Some proponents of the feminist movement have attempted to push the idea that fathers are unnecessary except as sperm donors; however, that is not true. God has instituted family units for many good reasons. All children need the male perspective as part of their rearing. If fathers are doing it right, they protect, guide, instruct, and teach. Our hospital General Manager consistently quotes his father’s traditional wisdom as part of the foundation for the manner in which he handles himself. Women who grow up with strong loving fathers value themselves and are not easily swayed by flattery or deception from men. Such women are less likely to wind up in abusive situations.
I am a female surgeon functioning in a traditionally male specialty, but I have the greatest respect for good effective fathers. Many of my fellow female surgeons have come from families with strong father figures, but I have not. While my father was able to be effective in public, sadly, he spent much of his private life struggling with depression and only received proper treatment long after I was out of the house. When people speak of fathers as protectors, I have trouble relating because my clearest memories of my father are of a man whose emotional state was so fragile that my mother repeatedly warned us “not to worry your father.” My world might be falling apart; however, I couldn’t share my struggles because it might cause my father concern. It was my mother who held the family together and also interpreted my father for me. “Your father thinks….” It has taken much of my adult life for me to realize Mom was trying to provide what Dad could not, namely, approval and encouragement.
While depression can rob children of proper fathering, so can obsessions with work, gambling, alcohol, etc. Even worse, some fathers are emotionally, sexually, or physically abusive. Joseph’s story graphically illustrates the results of a father with tunnel vision who lavishes all his love on the sons of one wife while neglecting ten other sons. God uses a bad situation to move Jacob’s family to Egypt; however, had Jacob been a better father, God could have undoubtedly worked that out some other way.
What can you do if you have grown up without a strong father figure? Ask God to reveal Himself as your Father. Also ask God to send you men who can model good fathering for you. God longs for all of us to be emotionally healthy, and He has unlimited means of bringing that to pass. If your earthly father has not blessed you, ask your Heavenly Father for His blessing.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us long for a father’s love, approbation, and encouragement. We need a father’s protection. You have proclaimed in Your Word that You are a father to the fatherless. Please come into our lives and provide the fathering we all need. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment