Before Jacob’s death, not only does he bless the sons of Joseph, which we saw in the previous chapter, but now, in Genesis 49, we watch him gathering all twelve of his sons around him, so that he “may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come” (verse 1). Jacob the Patriarch now speaks as Jacob the Prophet, revealing, as the Lord gives insight, the path or future of each of his sons.
This is another chapter full of gems, and though I would love to share about Judah and the revelation of his role in the coming Messiah (Shiloh in verse 10), I am going to focus on what he shares about Joseph. We’ve been able to see through Joseph the parallel to Christ for Israel, as he, through suffering, saved his people from extinction through famine. Joseph is deserving of his father’s praise, and in that praise, we also see how much Jacob has matured in his thinking and understanding of God. So, let’s look at these verses for our gem today:
“Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.
Genesis 49:22-26 ESV (emphasis added)
We already know, from reading the previous chapter, that Joseph is doubly blessed by Jacob, as he includes both Ephraim and Manasseh, his sons, to be counted among the tribes of Israel. This is reflected in this prophecy as well, declaring Joseph a fruitful bough. His tribes would be some of the most populous in Israel.
The suffering of Joseph (in parallel to the suffering Christ), is clear in the next sentence. Bitterly attacked, shot at, and harassed by the archers (referring to the other sons of Jacob), Joseph survives, thrives, and saves his family with the help of the Lord God.
The words highlighted above are the target of my focus today, as Jacob again reveals his understanding of who God is, after years of struggle and loss.
The Mighty One of Jacob: Jacob had wrestled with God (Genesis 32) and paid the price. I can imagine that every time his hip gave him grief, he remembered the encounter, thankful that it was only his hip that was put out of joint.
The Shepherd: This second use of the title of Shepherd for God (Genesis 48:15) reiterates Jacob’s understanding of his relationship with his Creator. The Shepherd who had guided the father had also guided and would continue to guide the son.
The Stone of Israel: Jacob is the first to use this phrase to further develop our understanding of God, and it will be used in similar forms throughout Scripture. The Stone will also be known as the Rock and our Firm Foundation. All of these Jacob brings to mind, as he shares how God was a protection and firm foundation on which Joseph could trust during his days in isolation, prison, and even power.
The God of your father: Though Joseph lived the majority of his life in Egypt, a land full of man-made gods and idols, it would be only the God of his father who enabled him to accomplish all he did. It was the God of his father that opened the way through Joseph for his family’s salvation from famine. It was the God of his father who gave him favor in the eyes of Pharaoh.
The Almighty: El-Shaddai. This is the name God revealed to Abram (Genesis 17:1), which was a turning point in their relationship. He referred to himself as God Almighty, El-Shaddai, the God All Sufficient. This is the one who has his hand on everything, and as he speaks this name to Joseph, he is reminding him that this is the God who had his hand on him and will bless him.
Jacob saw how his God had also been the God who watched over Joseph during all those years he thought he was dead. God had not abandoned him but was present in each moment to bring about his purposes through Joseph. For this reason, Jacob blessed Joseph with such abundance, because he knew Joseph had been set apart from his brothers for the purposes of God.
When you speak blessing into the lives of your children or other believers, what do you reveal of the God you serve? Do you show them that he is the God above all gods? Do you share how he is the God worthy of all blessing and praise because he alone is all-sufficient?
Meditate on the ways you have seen God work in your life, the life of your family, and the life of other believers, then bless others with words of encouragement and grace by speaking his Name.
Grace and Peace
Missed Chapter 48? Read it HERE or Start the series from the BEGINNING
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