Hebrews 11_20_22

In Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, we have four generations of faith. These men sometimes failed, but basically they were men of faith. They were not perfect, but they were devoted to God and trusted His Word.

CPS: By faith great predictions were made because Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph trusted God would make good on His promise.

Concerning the Marriage and family of Jacob Vs. 20 (Gen. 28:1-4)

Jacob blesses both of his son’s Jacob and Esau. Their names are given in order of blessing not seniority. We know that Esau was older and culturally the blessings of Isaac should have gone to Esau. The author doesn’t mention Jacob deceiving Isaac.

By Faith Isaac was determined to pass the blessings to the next generation as Abraham had passed to him, and as reaffirmed by God.

The Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land that I tell you about; 3 stay in this land as an alien, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham Gen. 26:2-4 “I will make your offspring as the stars of the sky”

When Isaac learned that Jacob had received the blessing intended for Esau, he made no attempt to revoke it; he confirmed it: “yes, and he shall be blessed.” (Gen. 27:33)

Jacob = trickster and Esau says rightly was Jacob named. But we must remember that trickery/deceitfulness is not pleasing to God. But some how the blessing was gong to come to Jacob.

So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb; two peoples will come from you and be separated.

One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger. GEN 25:22-24

Gen 28:1-4

Jacob is sent away to marry. 28:1-2

Esau’s married Canaanite girls and they made Isaac and Rebekah’s life miserable.

Rebekah used this to send Jacob away for good so Esau would not kill him.

But when Esau noticed 1. Jacob received the blessing and 2. Was sent to Paddan-aram to get a wife commanding him not to marry a Canaanite woman, Esau understood that Canaanite women did not please his father so he tried to win his father’s blessing by marrying a descendant of Isaac’s half brother Ishmael.

Jacob’s family is blessed. 28:3

Isaac bestows a blessing on Jacob’s future marriage and their children. “An assembly of people”

Isaac believed God at His word as Abraham had. He knew God would multiply his descendants so vast they could not be counted. (Gen 26) He told him so.

Jacob is given the blessing of Abraham 28:4

Isaac predicts that Jacobs descendants would receive the land that was promised to Abraham (that he was a sojourner in for 100 years).

The land promised to Isaac (he lived there 180 years not receiving the land as promised) (Isaac was in his old age when Jacob left. He could have been in his 90’s perhaps 100)

By faith Isaac knew that God’s promise would be filled, if not in his lifetime, then in the life span of Jacob, if not in the life span of Jacob then in the life span of his descendants.

Application: How long are we willing to stay faithful? How long will we stay patient and wait for God’s promise to us.

You will be delivered…. We will wait our life span as Abraham and Isaac did.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob knowing God’s promise would not fail but be fulfilled!

Because he trusted God so that it was as if he had already received it.

Concerning the Messiah’s Tribal line Vs. 21 (Gen. 48 & 49:10)

The author tells of Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph. This is a testament of his change of character from when he deceived his father and stole Esau’s blessing. The faithful man of God he had become. Jacob was no longer “trickster” but he was “prince of God” along with his character change he had an identity change. “Israel”

Jacob was old and nearing death and could hardly see (Similar state as Isaac when blessed Jacob). Jacob adopts the two sons of Joseph. “They are mine as Reuben and Simeon”

Great statement of the faithfulness of God - Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well.” (48:11)

God is faithful

Joseph put his sons in order of age Manasseh (should have received the greater blessing) then Ephraim younger. But Jacob crossed his hands and bestowed the great blessing on the younger Ephraim. Right hand on Ephraim and left hand on Manasseh

Years earlier his own father had unknowingly blessed him, the younger. But now he was blessing the younger, not through ignorance, but because he was in touch with the God who holds the future.

Israel had faith that his descendants would one day return to the Promised land – Why?

Because God promised the land.

Ephraim became the largest of the tribes and often times Israel was referred to as Ephraim

Joseph the 2nd to the youngest inherited the Birth Right which was reserved for the oldest.

Gen. 48:2 Mountain Slope

Small parcel of land he conquered from the Amorites, possibly where “Jacobs Well was”

So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; John 4:5

BIGGER PICTURE: By faith Jacob blessed his sons.

Where our author only speaks of blessing Joseph’s sons, we must also understand that he spoke to and blessed all of his (Jacob’s) sons.

NB) Then Jacob called his sons and said “gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in days to come.” Gen. 49:1 Prediction by faith.

Grace of God is amazing… Judah the brother who said “ if we kill Joseph we will not gain anything.” “Lets sell him.”

Yet…. I want to look at Judah’s blessing (Gen. 49:10)

The scepter will not depart from Judah…. Judah’s inheritance was in regard to government rule. Rulership would continue in this tribe till Shiloh (the Messiah) came, and in Him it would remain forever.

We find that from the tribe of Judah came Jesus the Messiah.

As Jacob had changed so had Judah… It was Judah who plead for Benjamin and offered himself as a servant to stay in Benjamins place.

Application: Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph along with all of his sons. Because of faith.

He trusted God to be faithful to bring about His promise to give him and his descendant Canaan, and he trusted God to make his sons into a great nation. Even though they were in Egypt Jacob knew God would bring them home.

We can trust God to bring us home… into his kingdom. Through Christ Jesus.

By faith Jacob predicted Judah’s rulership and the promised seed of Eve would come to earth through this once rebellious son.

Contrast: Logically it should have come through Joseph but God’s grace is not deserved nor merited but given.

Concerning the Exodus Vs. 22 (Gen. 50:24-25)

Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… Joseph trusted God. We see this through all his trials, from sold, enslaved, imprisoned, his faith did not waiver because He trusted God.

The most beautiful verse in the narrative of Joseph’s life is Genesis 50:20…. Joseph’s kindness.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

Romans 8:28

Joseph understood they were brought to Egypt for a purpose but God had promised the Land of Canaan. Even on His death bed he said when God comes to your aid and brings you into the Promised land…. Promise to take my bones with you and burry me there.

That is faith, Joseph by faith predicted the Exodus out of Egypt and into Canaan.

His father all those years earlier had told Joseph… Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. Ge 48:21.

Application: This promise rings true still for the believers. The Hebrews who trust Christ’s redemptive work would be delivered and brought into the land of their fathers. That city whose builder and architect is God.

This promise rings true for us. God has delivered us from His wrath and the same city Abraham searched 100 years for and entered into at the time of his death we will enter in to upon our death or the at the gathering of the Church.

Conclusion: Isaac blessed Jacob’s future family because he trusted God would make good on His promise. Jacob blessed His sons Ephraim and Manasseh along with all his sons because he trusted God would make good on His promises. Joseph spoke of the exodus years before it took place saying God will come to their aid, this was years before things got rough for Israel in Egypt, because he trusted God would make good on His promise.