A Blessing by Faith (Gen 48:1-22)
Speaker: Pr Joshua Yong
Date: 25 Jul 2021

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Sermon notes taken by:

Mrs Audrey Tam

Background and context of the blessings (Gen 48:1-11)

In Genesis 28, Jacob did not understand the significance of his encounter with God at Luz. God promised him physical and spiritual blessings (Gen 28:14-15), but Jacob just wanted food, raiment, and safety (Gen 28:20-21). Now in Genesis 48, Jacob blessed his grandchildren with these promises of God. Jacob was no longer the carnal unbelieving Jacob in Genesis 28. God has given us promises too: promises of salvation, providence, and spiritual blessings. Believers are God's covenant people and the recipients of His spiritual blessings, but many do not appreciate that and yearn instead for lesser, physical things. Jacob blessed his children knowing that God had fulfilled His promises and would continue to fulfill His promises. Jacob adopted Ephraim and Manasseh as his sons, not just his grandsons. Thus, Joseph was now on the same level as Jacob, a double blessing on Joseph. Jacob recognized that God has preserved him and his family and would one day bring them back to the Promised Land. Jacob had the spiritual eyesight to see God working in all things.

We too must look beyond physical things. If we are more sensitive to spiritual things, our responses will be different. We would murmur and complain less, we would be more patient and long-suffering.

Blessings concerning Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen 48:12-20)

Ephraim was given the blessings of the firstborn instead of Manasseh. Before Israel pronounced the blessings, he looked back to the “Angel” (Gen 48:16), God Himself, the pre-incarnate Christ. He told them that this was the God whom he served, and they must also worship, obey, follow, and serve this same God. This was a blessing by faith, for Jacob did not know how this would come to pass. In history, this blessing came to pass: Ephraim would take the lead in the Northern Kingdom and sometimes (during that period) Israel was also called Ephraim.

Jacob’s blessing on Joseph (Gen 48:21-22)

The Hebrew word for “portion” (Gen 48:22) is shechem. And Shechem was in Canaan and was occupied by the Amorites. This is a prophetic blessing by Jacob, for in future, during the time of Joshua and Judges, the Amorites would be defeated. To Jacob, it had already happened. This is an expression of his faith.

Likewise, we have promises from God about Christ's second coming. Do we have Jacob's faith to look at it as if it is already completed? We must have faith and trust in God. The specific promises given to Jacob and to us are different, but the Giver is the same God.



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