Title: BLESSED!
Text: Genesis 48: 1-7
Date: May 2, 2010
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
We hear folks say things like "have a blessed day." I want to show you what it is to be truly blessed.
Genesis 48: 1: 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. 2: And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
I. THE FIRSTBORN SON
The firstborn son was entitled to special blessings from the father.
The first born received a double portion from the father. Jacob's firstborn son was Reuben. Listen to this description of the firstborn--
Genesis 49: 3: Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
But Reuben sinned against Jacob and forfeited his birthright.
Genesis 49: 4: Unstable as water, [fallen like water spilled out] thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
WE SEE A TYPE OF ADAM IN REUBEN
Adam forfeited his birthright. He not only lost all blessings for himself but for all the children born into his house--Unstable as water, fallen as water.
Romans 5: 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one;…18: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation;…19: For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners,…
Now, the birthright, the double portion of blessing, goes from Reuben to Joseph.
WE SEE A TYPE OF CHRIST IN JOSEPH
Christ Jesus is the Firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:29: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Consider how Joseph is a type of Christ:
1. Joseph was forsaken of his brethren just as Christ
2. Joseph went down into Egypt, into prison in chains--like as Christ laid down his life and went to the grave.
3. Joseph was released by Pharaoh and given charge of the entire kingdom, to maintain the storehouse to provide for those hungry and in need in Egypt--even so Christ was raised from the dead by God the Father, given all power in heaven and in earth and Christ is the one to whom all must come--who has the charge of the storehouse of blessings.
4. Joseph saved all his father's house, even so in Christ Jesus is free forgiveness, he is the salvation of all the children of his Father entrusted to him in the everlasting covenant before the world began.
We are looking at Jacob the father and Joseph the son as a type of God the Father and God the Son, but for a moment the type changes. Jacob is about to speak of the covenant which God the Father made with him.
II. THE EVERLASTING COVENANT (PROMISE)
The promises of God given freely to each believer is due to the promise God made to his Son, Christ Jesus.
Genesis 48: 3: And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4: 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.
The unbreakable, everlasting promise God Almighty made to Jacob, meant all his children would receive every blessing God gave to Jacob. So it was when God the Father blessed his Son. Like Jacob is a father to Joseph, Christ Jesus is the Everlasting Father to every believer. Those blessings God the Father gave to his Son are given to his children for an everlasting possession.
Ephesians 1: 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Now in Ephesians the next verses speak of adopotion…
Ephesians 1: 5: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Now, let's get back to our text: Jacob is a type of God the Father and Joseph is a type of God the Son, Christ Jesus.
III. AN EXAMPLE OF ADOPTION
Genesis 48: 5: 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.
Joseph--the Firstborn, a type of Christ, comes to his father Israel, a type of God the Father with his two sons--Ephraim and Manasseh. They were born unto Joseph in the land of Egypt. By Joseph presenting these sons to his father Jacob adopted these boys, he said, "MINE! As my own sons, they shall be mine!"
God the Father predestinated the children he chose unto adoption by Jesus Christ to himself.
Christ Jesus came into this Egypt below and by his work he redeemed a multitude of children. He entered into God's presence presenting all his redeemed to God, holy and without blame. By Jesus Christ, God the Father adopted his children--God the Father says, "MINE! As my own Son, Christ Jesus, is mine, they are mine!" Each one of his children is predestinated to the appointed hour when they shall be given the Spirit of adoption by which they call God their Father.
Galatians 4: 4: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5: To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7: Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Those whom God the Father has adopted by Jesus Christ receive inheritance from God, which natural sons do not receive.
Jacob made these sons each a head of their own tribe. He gave them a portion in the land of Canaan. But in the picture, the type--if Joseph had any other children they were considered Josephs' natural sons--they would not receive the adoption or the blessings these two boys received simply because they were Joseph's sons.
Genesis 48: 6: And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
The spiritual application is this: a son born into the house of a believing father may receive gifts from his earthly father but it does not mean he receives any from God the Father. The best commentary on these two verses is in Romans 9.
Romans 9: 6:…For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:…8: That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Here is the point: God's grace is distinguishing, electing grace: spiritual blessings are given from God the Father in Christ to his children of promise, his elect. They are born of the Spirit of God. But this grace is of God to give to whomsoever he will. And what an inheritance it is…
Romans 8: 15: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Application:
Jacob is declaring the blessings of the gospel to his son Joseph so that Joseph will leave Egypt to go to his father and his brethren. Not to look upon Egypt as their home any longer, not to mingle with the Egyptians any longer, now their inheritance is with the people of God. That is why I preach this gospel to you.
The first constraint of grace is "having these promises." (2 Cor 6)
· Having all spiritual blessings in Christ--look away from this world and yourselves, to Christ!
· Seeing that God was able to predestinate us and order all things to adopt us to himself, cause us to receive the Spirit of adoption--look away from this world and yourselves, to your Father!
· Seeing that you are made joint-heirs with Christ--seek no treasure here below but set your affection on Christ your Treasure in heaven!
2 Corinthians 6: 17: Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18: And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 7: 1: Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Our second constraint is the cloud of faithful witnesses like Rachel was to these sons.
Genesis 48: 7: 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.
One writer suggests--He mentions the death and burial of Joseph's mother, Rachel in Canaan, in order that his mother's faithfulness might stimulate Joseph. For if his mother left all, her example ought to induce these sons to bid farewell to Egypt and prepare themselves for taking possession of the land of Canaan.
So we see after giving that great roll call of faith the Hebrew writer says:
Hebrews 12: 1: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2: Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3: For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Dear sinner, I press upon you the urgency to enter into Christ our Rest. There is no lasting blessing from man. This Egypt will afford you only the pleasure of sin for a season. Flee to Christ now by faith and rest in him!
Brethren, as we behold the faithfulness of God the Father toward his Son and toward all those he put in his Son--as we behold God's faithfulness toward all the dear saints who died in faith--let us hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing firm unto the end!
This is what it is to be "BLESSED!"
Amen!