Joseph #46: Birthright Reversed

Following the adoption, Joseph maneuvers Manasseh to receive the greater blessing. He is trying to help his father, who is blind, and assumes the firstborn will receive the birthright. But Jacob ignores him. He crosses his hands to bless the younger. Before Joseph can protest, he pronounces the blessing. The theme of which is found in the word "fed," which means "shepherded me." This is the first reference in the Bible to God as our Shepherd. To summarize, Jacob says, "May this God—the Great Shepherd and Angel who redeems, walked with me and appeared to me, fed me, and saved me from all evil, including my own unbelief—bless you."

No sooner are the words uttered than Joseph attempts to reverse them. Joseph was following custom, but for once in his life, he was wrong—and not just wrong but upset.

Joseph is like us. We often think we know what is best for our children. But sometimes, we do not. When our plans for our children are upended, we must not fight God's will. In his providence, the Lord preferred Ephraim to Manasseh. God often reverses our order. He blesses those things that are of lower value to us, and let's die our dearest hopes and desires.

Having bestowed the birthright, Jacob turns his attention to Joseph. He is blunt: I am dying. He speaks of it without any fear. Joseph also accepts his father's impending death. He does not ignore it nor seek to convince himself or others that his death is months or years down the road. In accepting his father's death, he also assents to his father's confession: that the Lord will bring the children of Israel back to the promised land.