7 As I was returning from Paddan,[b] to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
Another chapter that I didn't get any specific point from but like seeing the linkage to what will ultimately be a place that is well known even today.
if you want to see some serious deep thoughts someone else got out of this chapter and the symbolic nature of Israel's crossing of hands read this quick link.
http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1768900-Ephraim-and-Manasseh-Picture-of-Jesus
not sure how he draws all these conclusions but interesting none the less.
knut
To me, the question in this chapter is the switching on the blessing. Just like Jacob and Essau. Not that dis-similar to Isaac and Ishmael. This flipping of the birth-right is interesting to me. Up to this point, it has happened by trickery, or by accident. This time, Jacob does it deliberately. It makes me wonder why. Was God giving him this instruction? It couldn't be a personal preference, because he didn't really know these kids. He had just met them. I keep thinking back to the intent of the book of Genesis. It was written by Moses for the Israelites. Is there a message in this flipping that God wanted the Israelites to know and understand?
ReplyDeleteMore questions than answers today.
The take-away could sound something like this. Don't get to caught up in what you "think you deserve". Our lives work to God's timeline, and to God ultimate goal.....not our own. Our position in life should cloud our humbleness and willingness to do whatever it is that God lays out for us. Not the other way around.
peace
I think your last paragraph nails it...not that the other stuff wasn't good also ;)
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