Connecting Scriptures: Psalm 23, Isaiah 55:8-9, Hebrews 11:21

Doesn’t this scene seem a bit familiar?  Instead of blind Isaac, we have an ailing and tired Israel. The stealer of the blessing would be the blesser. Instead of one son playing dress up to fool a father, we have two sons of Joseph, now adopted by Israel as the children that Rachel could have had if not for her passing.  We still have a father who holds favorites close to his heart.  I think these verses show us his growth, though. 

“…the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day.”.  Jacob didn’t always follow God closely, as we have seen, but God still lead him like the stubborn sheep he was.  Doesn’t He do the same for us?  Israel’s growth is further seen in him taking his blessing he received from the “angel who has redeemed from evil…” and passing that directly onto the boys.  Remember the wrestling match with Jesus?  It had marked Israel with a limp and the name he now bore.  It was the knowledge and faith in knowing he would persevere with God.  He wanted that for Manasseh and Ephraim.  

Then came an especially familiar occurrence.  The cultural custom of the older receiving more blessing than the younger would be dismantled again.  As Jospeh maneuvers his sons into just the right hand placement for first and second born, you see a bit of his father in him.  The old Jacob to scheme a bit.  But, nothing would be stolen this time around.  Israel wasn’t blind in spirit as Isaac may have been.  Israel could see clearly what the Lord wanted and was doing.  He is patient to explain to a confused Joseph that the ways of God are just, well, different.  And they are what they are.  In his gentle, “I know my son…”, he assures that Manasseh will be great, as all the sons of Israel are, but Ephraim will be first.

More blessings are on the way as Israel’s death will mark the beginning culmination of our study of Genesis.  

Questions for Reflection

1.  Can you identify with Israel’s blessing statement that God had been his Shepherd all his life long?  How can you praise God today for being your Good Shepherd? 

2.  How have you seen that God’s ways are not the worlds ways?