19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.”
The crossed blessing of the youngest first caught my attention. Its funny I researched it a bit and so many people speak so clearly about what it means--but they say so many different things. so i guess they don't know.
this blessing continued a pattern of the younger son being greater than the older son. I'm not sure what to take from it but one thing that makes sense to me from what i've read is it illustrates God makes his own choices. He does not follow human customs. he can use anyone he sees fit in his plan regardless of stature in our human society.
knut
5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading this chapter last time through. The quick take is on the younger vs the older like you talked about. I see that everywhere in the bible. Even thinking about Gideon and his calling to lead an invasion. He was the least offspring, of the lowest family.......God can take anything and use it for his ultimate glory.
I pulled the above verse out. Mostly because I feel like there's more happening than I am understanding. Why does Jacob want the 2 sons of Joseph, the ones born in Egypt while he was away....why does he want them to be his? What does that signify? I would think it would be the opposite. The sons born while we are all together.....those are mine. But, he says the opposite. Perhaps it might be because they were born with Joseph in God's care, and working toward God's plan? not sure...
tp