December 7th, 2011
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Family Succession

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Lord, as I walk through this world, remind me that life is a privilege to be lived to the fullest in gratitude to You.

Read GENESIS 48:1-22

[1] Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. [2] When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. [3] Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me [4] and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’ [5] “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. [6] Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. [7] As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem). [8] When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?” [9] “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” [10] Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. [11] Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.” [12] Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. [13] And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. [14] But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. [15] 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, [16] the Angel who has delivered me from all harm -may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly upon the earth.” [17] When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. [18] Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” [19] But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” [20] He blessed them that day and said, “In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. [21] Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. [22] And to you, as one who is over your brothers, I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord” (Isa. 55:8).

Think Further

In many societies male firstborns are still favored in inheritance, education and succession. This pattern was the norm in ancient cultures, so deviating from it is given special attention in the story of Abraham and his offspring. Isaac is chosen over firstborn Ishmael, Jacob over his older twin Esau, Joseph over his older brothers, and now his younger son over the elder. Family disharmony, deception and favoritism play a large part. We may cry, “It’s not fair!” but God’s plan for his chosen family, who themselves did not deserve it (Deut. 7:7,8), was not based on fairness but on God’s sovereignty. At many critical points he guided human players toward his plan for the world’s salvation.

Joseph, recognizing his father’s impending death, took his two sons, who were by now young adults, for their farewells. The blessing was probably anticipated, but it took unexpected directions. First, Jacob adopted these two grandsons as his own sons, which explains the later inclusion of Manasseh and Ephraim as tribes of Israel, in effect giving Joseph a double inheritance. Then the birth order blessings were deliberately reversed, despite Joseph’s protestations. Both sons were promised greatness, but later history indicates that Ephraim did indeed rise to superior influence and prominence. “Ephraim” sometimes became a synonym — sadly, often pejorative — for the collective of tribes later forming the northern kingdom of Israel. Joseph’s name was not perpetuated in a tribe but he was promised the ridge of land Jacob had bought in Shechem after his brief reunion with Esau (33:18,19). It was nearly 500 years before this literally came to pass (Josh. 24:32) as a key element of God’s promise to the whole nation to return them to their own land.

Apply

Think of situations in your life where divinely ordered circumstances broke into your plans for the future. How did you respond? Thank God for his sovereign wisdom.

Closing prayer

Loving Father, forgive me that I often rush into the day on my high horse, and ride off in all directions. Today, I first seek Your wisdom to guide me.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

Get ENCOUNTER:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store