Israel, as we found out at the end of ch47, is nearing the end of his life and he takes this opportunity to bless Joseph’s children, Manasseh and Ephraim.
“Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him… 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 him. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, ‘Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.’ But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.’ So he blessed them that day, saying, ‘By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, “God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.” ‘ Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.” (v10-20 abr)
Mt first observation is this scene sounds a little familiar: “his younger brother shall be greater than he”. If we recall something similar was prophesied over Esau and Jacob (later Israel): “And the Lord said to [Rebekah], ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.’ ” (ch25:23) Once more, that same prophesy, from the greater/younger brother (Jacob) to a great/younger brother (Ephraim). This is why we see “Jacob and Esau” and we will now see “Ephraim and Manasseh” – they are listed in order of blessing (given birthright) instead of ordered by age (default birthright).
Another interesting observation in this chapter is we find out there are now “14 tribes of Israel”, no longer just 12, because Israel “adopts” Joseph’s sons as his own: “And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.” (v5) You might say (as I did) “But I thought there were only 12 tribes of Israel.” True, there were 12 originally, and there will be 12 again, you’ll have to stay tuned (or read ahead a few books). 🙂
My takeaway from this chapter is that our conditions of birth (whether we’re 1st, 2nd, 12th born, or perhaps we’re a sickly child, or adopted, or any other potential scenario) help shape our early development as a person, but those conditions do not define who God calls us to be, and they do not restrict our relationship with God (if we don’t let them). Our conditions of birth, just like any sin or any external circumstance, can be overcome by God’s healing power and our adoption into the kingdom of God. When we are adopted as co-heirs with Christ, we are no longer defined by human terms, we are defined by God’s terms, and our identities become rooted in Him.
Father Lord, almighty Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, thank you for Your heart to free us of our past encumbrances. We all have a past, we have all been labeled, we have all been identified and categorized at some point in our lives. Thank you for adopting us, like Israel did for his grandchildren, into Your family. Thank you that we are now identified as Your children, and we are no longer as children of this world. Thank you that our identities can now be defined by You, and we can look and act like Your children through the gift of salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit within us. We bring praise to You, our beloved Father, who cares for us when nobody else will, and invites us into His home like no other ever will. All glory, honor and praise be to You, O Father of the nations.
~ Conqueror in Training