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Jacob: A Life of Faith
January 28, 2012

Jacob, known in the Faith Chapter for blessing the sons of Joseph, had come to a time in his life when death was certain and faith might be expected. It is easy to overlook that his faith transcended his mortality and looked forward to a time when a promised would be more fully delivered.

Hebrews 11:21
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

The Book of Genesis introduces us to a variety of persons, and with all of the names mentioned, sometimes this becomes overwhelming. Jacob had a special affinity for the children of Joseph as Joseph was in today's language, his favorite child. Sometimes, a parent has a favorite child, while loving all of their children. And this caused jealousy with his other brothers who decided to sell Joseph into slavery. Jacob was told that Joseph was mauled by a wild animal, and died, and this caused Jacob to be very sad. Imagine how happy he must have been when later he discovered Joseph was alive. Imagine how hard it must have been to believe this at first. Though he might have been angry with Joseph's brothers, Jacob was still happy to see Joseph, and it was this joy that allowed Jacob to be led by God in faith to bless the sons of Joseph. The story of how Jacob and Joseph were reunited involves a famine that required the family to travel to Egypt, where Joseph had been taken to as a slave, and where he was now a high ranking official in the government. So sometimes, God uses bad situations for good, especially when faith is involved.

Genesis 45:25-28
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

As with all people, Jacob came to a time when his life was ending and everyone knew that he would soon die. Joseph knew it was important to take his two sons, Mannasehand Ephraim, and just the visit gave Jacob a little extra strength. It was during this visit that Jacob claimed the boys as his own children, and in faith provided a greater blessing to Ephraim, the younger brother as he knew that while the decendents of both brothers would be great nations, Ephraim's decendents would be a greater nation.

Genesis 48:1-22
And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem. And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

So Jacob came to the end of his life and died. And he lived a life of faith fully aware of the promises. Imaginehow confused he must have felt when Joseph died, how he probably had a gut feeling that through Joseph the promise would be kept alive. Jacob never gave up on that promise. He knew what God promised, God would deliver. Jacob lived a life of faith and died in faith.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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