In this study of Genesis, we have talked a good bit about generational connectedness. We see, in Abraham’s family, good examples of this, especially in terms of God’s covenant promises. Today’s text will take us, once again, down that road. Jacob is old. Jacob believes he is dying and is ready to put his affairs in order.
Read verses 1-2. We are told, after Joseph’s family settled in Goshen, that this occurs sometime later (non-specific period). Since we know from Gen 47:28 that Jacob lived 17 years after settling there, today’s account would probably have been somewhere around 16 or 17 years after the family settled in Goshen. Jacob is ill and Joseph is sent for. He brings his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him to see their grandfather before he dies. This visit causes Jacob to rally his strength and sit up in bed. Family is an important value to him and Joseph has his heart.
In verses 3-4, Jacob reiterates God’s covenant promises. They are important and what is about to happen will affect inheritances of the land God promised to Abraham and his descendants. Neither Jacob nor Joseph will see Canaan again, but the land is vitally important to the family and the coming generations.
Read verses 5-6. Jacob tells Joseph that he intends to adopt Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. They will become as his sons. These sons were born to Joseph in Egypt when he was believed dead by Jacob. Jacob mentions his firstborn sons, Reuben and Simeon, specifically by name, and many Bible scholars believe it is his intention to use Joseph’s sons to replace the sons which have disgraced the family. By putting Joseph’s two sons in the first and second born slots, he is thereby symbolically giving Joseph rights as the firstborn. This would mean the double-inheritance received by the eldest son as the birthright is being deflected to Joseph through his sons. In verse 7, Jacob also calls out his beloved Rachel, having died prematurely, making the boys the additional sons she was unable to have with him.
Jacob had many grandsons in Egypt, but the two sons of Joseph are chosen specifically to be adopted by Jacob to become first sons rather than grandsons. This increases their inheritance and their status in the family, making them equal with their uncles. From this point in the future, when you see the Bible talking about the sons of Israel or the tribes of Israel, you will never see a tribe of Joseph. You will always, from this point of adoption forward, see Manasseh and Ephraim, spoken of as half tribes. In this way, Joseph received the double inheritance as the birthright of the first-born and is credited with that status (I Chron 5:1). Judah was assumed to be next in line for that privilege, since he was 4th born and the first three sons (Reuben, Simeon, and Levi) had become disgraced. This adoption makes it possible for Joseph’s line to receive a double portion without preventing Judah from receiving his due. The Bible does not tell us whether Judah did, in fact, receive the double portion or whether he did not, but we know that both of Joseph’s sons each received a portion, thus giving a double portion to Joseph’s line. The kingly line (King David and the Lord Jesus) come from Judah’s lineage and the national prestige come from the lineage of Joseph’s son, Ephraim, the traditionally predominant tribe throughout the nation’s history. Later in history, when the nation is divided, the northern kingdom is led by Ephraim and the southern kingdom is led by Judah.
Read verses 8-11. When Jacob sees Joseph’s sons and asks, who are these, he is not asking because of his eyesight or blindness. He is not asking because he doesn’t know them or has never met them. This is more of a ceremonial question, part of the adoption process, much like when a minister asks at a wedding, ‘who gives this woman to be married?’. Most of what occurs in these verses is ritual and ceremonial, but because Jacob is old and apparently cataract stricken, Joseph must help his sons and Jacob come close to each other. Jacob kisses and hugs the boys and expresses his joy at being able to know them in his old age.
Read verses 12-14. This is very ceremonial, such as the customs were in that day when a dying man called his eldest son to him for the blessing. Joseph bows before his father in reverence. This reflects extreme humility and respect (Ex 20:12). Then Joseph takes both of his sons and places them on each side of Israel according to their birth order. But Israel pulls back his hands and crosses them, placing them on Joseph’s sons in the opposite order and gives the boys each his blessing.
In verses 15-16, we can see the blessing that Jacob gives to the boys. In this blessing, Jacob refers to God in three different ways. The third way is unusual in that he refers to Him as ‘the Angel’. Bible scholars like to discuss whether Jacob is actually referring to God, as in ‘the Angel of the Lord’ or whether he is referring to God’s presence in his life through the angels we have frequently seen God send. Through these references to God, Jacob is asking God Almighty (El Shaddai) to bless his grandsons (now his sons). He is asking God to have them be known as sons of his and asking to include them in God’s covenant promises. And we know, from this point on, the boys become equal to the other tribes of Israel in Joseph’s stead.
I want to digress from the text, for a moment, and introduce a concept called reversal of the law of primogeniture. This is what occurs when we reverse the natural application of things according to birth order. With primogeniture, the oldest son is expected to receive the birthright, but here the second son receives ahead of him. This is an important Biblical concept-the idea of the second son.
In the Bible, there are inferences to Adam as God’s first son and Jesus as the second (symbolically, not literally). In history, there were only two men who came to earth perfect and sinless, Adam and Jesus. Adam was created by God and placed on this earth prior to sin entering the world. Thus, for a time, he was sinless; however, he screwed up and we all know the result of that. So, a second son had to come to fix what the first son screwed up.
Now we know that Adam, of course, was never on a level with Jesus, though Romans 5:14 cites Adam as a figure (KJV)/pattern (NIV) of the one who is to come. Remember, this is symbolic only, not literal. Jesus is, in fact, the only Son of God. But in many places in Genesis, we see God choosing to use a second-born son rather than the first-born. As humans, it would be our natural tendency and expectation that this would fall to the first-born but that is frequently not what God chooses to do. We have seen a number of examples already in Genesis, where God passes the covenant promises to Isaac rather than Ishmael, to Jacob instead of Esau, and now Ephraim is being moved ahead of Manasseh. This second-son phenomenon is symbolic of the Adam/Jesus relationship. The second son is more qualified to accomplish God’s purposes than the first. Please read carefully, with prayer, Romans 5:12-19.
Notice in verse 1 of our text, the Bible refers to Joseph’s sons as Manasseh and Ephraim. However, beginning in verse 5, Jacob starts to refer to them as Ephraim and Manasseh. The order is reversed. This is significant.
Let’s talk about this in terms of God’s covenant promise which has to do, ultimately, with sending a Messiah, Jesus Christ, to save man from his sin. God gives the covenant promises to Abraham. The promises pass down to Abraham’s second son, Isaac. Then, they pass down to Isaac’s second son, Jacob. They are partially fulfilled in Jacob who establishes the nation of Israel. Then, the greatness of the nation, its prestige, begins to be realized through the lineage of Joseph’s second son, Ephraim. The Messiah is delivered through the lineage of Judah (not the first-born), but the next in line after the first three born have disqualified themselves.
In the final two verses of this chapter, Jacob addresses Joseph. He speaks of returning to Canaan. We know that neither Jacob nor Joseph returned to Canaan to live, but to be buried. They both lived out the rest of their lives in Egypt. This promise is one that will be fulfilled through their offspring in the distance. But in verse 22, Jacob tells Joseph that he is giving him one more ridge of land than his brothers. This gives Joseph’s offspring the double portion of the land. He is referring to Shechem, where Simeon and Levi wiped out the population. While Jacob did not condone that action, it was done by his offspring in his name, making that land his to give.
Responding to God: Praise and worship God Almighty for who He is and what He has done. Thank Him for giving us His Word that we may learn about Him. Thank Him for your family and ask Him to help you honor and prioritize them appropriately and to make you cognizant of their importance. Ask Him to help you to honor your parents as you should. Spend some time reflecting on times when He has shown Himself real to you in your life and praise Him.
Further Research: On the internet, search for information concerning the law of primogeniture.
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