Genesis 48: Jacob Is As Old As The Guy From "Up" Now

My Summary
Jacob gets sick, and Joseph comes to see him with Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob reminds Joseph of the blessings and promise of God. Jacob says that Joseph's sons will be considered as Jacob's when it comes to inheritance. Joseph then presents his sons to Jacob. Jacob blesses them, putting his right hand on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh and proceeds to bless them. Manasseh was the firstborn so Joseph tried to switch Jacob's hands, but Jacob tells him that the younger will be the greater. Jacob says that he is about to die, but offers a blesing and land to Joseph.

Random Historical Things
1. When Jacob refers to "the angel" in verse 16, he is looking back at many instances of angelic intervention in the lives and families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Gen. 16:7-11, 21:17, 22:11-18, 24:7, 24:40, 31:11, 32:25-31.

2. The younger being blessed above the elder happens several times in Genesis (Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau, Ephraim, Manasseh).

3. Jacob's blessing of making Ephraim and Manasseh like his sons elevates them to the position of having their own tribes of Israel named after them. This blessed them and Joseph, who instead of having one tribe named after him gets two named after his sons.

And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...

1. Notice that Joseph acknowledges that his children are gifts from God. This is something that he has learned from his ancestors. God was very evident in the births of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. We should always remember that children are a gift from God and they belong to Him.

2. We see Jacob making an effort to pass the promise of God to the future generations. He recounts the blessings given to him and his fathers, passes the blessing on to Joseph's sons and gives Joseph land in Canaan. Jacob does not believe that they will stay forever in Egypt. He believes that God will fulfill His promise and bring them back to the land one day. Jacob had faith through the end! He stayed the course! Even when things are going rough for us and God seems far away, have faith that God is bringing you home! No matter how long the journey in Egypt, the Promise Land is coming! Stay the course like Jacob and do not lose faith.