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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Genesis Chapter 48

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Moses
Date Penned: (1450-1410 BC)
Overview: The Record of God's Chosen People (c 23-50)
Theme: The Story of Joseph (c 37-50)
Message: Jacob Reflects on God's Goodness (v 1-22)

Genesis 48 Commentary

(48:8-20) Jacob Blesses Ephraim -  Jacob gave Ephraim, instead of his older brother, Manasseh, the greater blessing. When Joseph objected, Jacob refused to listen because God had told him that Ephraim would become greater. God often works in unexpected ways. When he chooses people to fulfill his plans, he always goes deeper than appearance, tradition, or position. He sometimes surprises us by choosing the less obvious person, at least by human reasoning. God can use you to carry out his plans, even if you don't think you have all the qualifications.

(48:11) Jacob Gains Grandchildren - When Joseph became a slave, Jacob thought he was dead and wept in despair (37:33-35). But eventually God's plan allowed Jacob to not only regain his son but also gain grandchildren. Circumstances are never so bad that they are beyond God's help. Jacob regained his son, Job got a new family (ob 42:10-17). In the New Testament, Mary and Martha even regained their brother, Lazarus, who had died (John 11;1-44). We need never despair, because we belong to a loving God. We don't yet know what good he may bring out of a seemingly hopeless situation

(48:15) Jacob Recalls God's Goodness - Throughout his life, Jacob spoke of God as the one who fed him. In his old age, he could clearly see his dependence upon God. This marks a total attitude change from that of his scheming and dishonest youth. To develop an attitude like Jacob's, let God feed you as you trust in his provision and care. When people chase after what they want with no thought of God, they are willing to do anything, even what is wrong, in order to get it. Instead, we should trust God and realize that his gifts and blessings are far better.

(48:20-22) Jacob's Boys are Blessed - Jacob was giving these young boys land occupied by the Philistines and Canaanites. His gift became reality when the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh occupied the east and west sides of the Jordan River (Joshua 16-17).


Dave Burnette's Life Application

Multiplied Blessings


Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. There are many applications we can make from each day's text. Today we Continue in the book of Genesis with Chapter 48, and in today's text, we see Jacob, now Israel, meeting his grandchildren. He blesses both of them, along with Joseph. His blessings were multiplied. In applying, we see that the Lord blesses Christians more than we believe. Sometimes is hard to see the blessings in the busyness of life, but the Lord blesses the believer and multiplies His blessing in the lives of our families. Looking back at my life, I can see how simply obeying and following the Lord while applying the Scriptures has produced too many blessings for me to count. The Lord delights in blessing his Children as it fits His plan for our lives. How about you? Are you faced with circumstances that seem impossible? Let us learn from our text today and Israel to see that if we are born again, we are His Children that the Lord delights in blessing His Children. His blessings to you will also be multiplied by your family as we make decisions based on the Word of God.

 

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Genesis 48


Genesis 48

 1And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

 2And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

 3And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

 4And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

 5And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

 6And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

 7And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.

 8And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?

 9And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

 10Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

 11And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

 12And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

 13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.

 14And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

 15And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

 16The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

 17And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.

 18And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

 19And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

 20And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

 21And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

 22Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.