Forgiveness & Fruitfulness

Introduction:

In this series. Have you ever felt like life is an unending uphill battle? Joseph may very well become your all-time favorite bible character by the time we are done with this series. He teaches us that every opportunity comes with obstacles and opposition. He teaches us the power of perseverance.

In this message. We look to a powerful passage. In it is a hidden truth for those willing to dig deep and discern. Today we talk about the things God births in us, the life lessons that follow us forever and how they are connected. Specifically we look to Joseph to learn about the connection between forgiveness and fruitfulness.

Genesis 41:50–52 And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” 52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

THE MEANING BEHIND A NAME

The importance of names in Jewish culture. Anyone reading the bible for much time at all understands the significance of biblical naming. Biblical names:

A biblical name often described a physical or spiritual characteristic. Esau was nicknamed Edom because he was of a red complexion and hairy. Jacob was named such because it means heel grabber, indicative of his birth and his deceitful nature.

A biblical name often described a major life event. This was the case as we will see in Joseph’s two sons. Another that comes to mind is Ichabod. His name means the glory has departed and he was named such because his birth marked the moment the Jews lost the Ark of the Covenant.

A biblical name often communicates a truth about God. Joshua’s name means the Lord is salvation. Zephaniah means the Lord is our hiding place. Daniel means God is my judge.

A biblical name often connected to family genealogy. Any time you see the Prefix “Ben” It means “son of.” It was often used to tie children to a former generation and record genealogical ties.

A biblical name often changed to declare God’s covenant. I’ll use Abraham and Sarah for an example. Before the covenant with God their names were Abram - exalted father and Sarai. Yet after God establishes his covenant he changes their names to Abraham - father of a multitude and Sarah - princess.

Two sons were born to Joseph. I want to start by first paying attention to the language. He gave birth to too sons. Though this is literal, I want you to digest it figuratively for a second. Out of his moment of deepest intimacy and vulnerability, Joseph birthed two offspring. They were byproduct of the culmination of his life. From his life, from his experience, from his hardship two things were born. What has God birthed in you from your current season? What is he producing in you, from you, through you? Every season gives birth to something! Those two boys were named such because they represent the two life lessons God birthed in Joseph during this season in Egypt.

THE FIRSTBORN SON WAS NAMED MANASSEH

Genesis 41:51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”

The meaning of the name. Making Forgetful. At first glance this might seem like a strange thing to name a son. Who wants to project a short attention span on their child. Can you imagine calling his name through the house. Hey, Forgetful, come here. Hey, Made to Forget, take out the trash. Hey, Forgetful, did you remember to make the bed. But his name had nothing to do with a projection but rather a past. It less about what his son would become and more about where he came from.

His name was about a process of forgiveness that Joseph had to work through. It had everything to do with what he had been through when he was 17. It had to do with pain and rejection associated with the day his own brothers faked his death, through him in a bit, debating killing him, and eventually sold him to be a slave. It had to do with never seeing his Father or his Mother again. It had to do with being separated from his brother Benjamin. It had to do with all the feelings of betrayal and rejection and abandonment. It had to do with all his Father’s household put him through.

And here is what he had to say about it. God has made me to forget it. I love that wording. Too many people say I will forgive but I will never forget. Forgiveness without forgetting is a short-term solution. It’s like saying I will let it slide for now but I will hold onto the memory and the pain in the back of my mind. It’s like filing the guilt away for another day. And usually they hold onto it until the next offense where they go into the filing cabinet of their memory and bring it back up. Now the guilt of present and past is laid on the offender. It often proves that what isn’t forgotten isn’t truly forgiven.

Its hard to forget when people have truly hurt you. I’m not taking away from that. Some wounds can last a lifetime. Some of us have the scars to prove it. Specifically, childhood wounds and wounds from family or close friends.

Yet Joseph gives us the key. God made me to forget my struggle caused by my family. Here is what I have learned. If you can forgive, God will help you forget. He won’t necessarily erase it from your memory but he will block out the severity of the pain and heartache. He will help it become a distant and blurry memory instead of a focus at the forefront. He won’t erase it, but he will replace it. He will fill your life with his goodness and blessing until you are overwhelmed and overflow. He can crowd your heart and mind with his goodness until you no longer have room in your heart to harbour your hurt. If you can forgive, he can make you forget.

God made him to forget. You may not be able to let it go, but if you can find the strength to forgive he will take away the sting! God made me to forget the struggle. God helped me forget the hurt. God made the pain a distant memory. Manasseh was a tribute to the work God had done in his heart. Someone needs to let God bring a Mannaseh to birth in your life.

THE SECOND-BORN SON WAS NAMED EPHRAIM

Genesis 41:52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

The meaning of the name. Fruitful. Now thats more like it. His name indicates God’s blessing. It indicates abundance and prosperity. It denotes profitability. Fruitful is another way of saying beneficial. I want you to catch that. God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. The name actually means “double fruitful” according to some scholars. Oh, hear it child of God. Every time he said Ephraim’s name it was a consistent and constant reminder of just how blessed he was. God had been good to Joseph. Every time he called Ephraim’s name he testified of the provision and prosperity that had sustained him.

Double fruitful. Oh, what a thought! What could it allude to?

Could it allude to a double portion? Could it be Joseph’s way of saying God had been better then he had ever deserved? Could it be a way of expressing an overwhelming abundance? More than I deserve! More than I could ever expect! More than I could ever anticipate! A double portion.

Could it declare redemption? What I mean is that God had blessed him twice. Oh, think about it. He had prospered in Potiphar’s house. The Lord had blessed him beyond measure, but the lies of the enemy had taken all of that away. Yet, God had redeemed. God had restored! God had returned it all to him and much more! God had exalted him not once but twice. He had been blessed, brought low, and blessed again. Tell me he isn’t a God of redemption! Tell me he won’t do it in your life.

God caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. I want you to hear this because it is the second thing that God has wrought in Joseph’s life. God made me fruitful in a land that tried to destroy me. God blessed me. He turned every obstacle into an opportunity. Im blessed because he caused everything to work together for my good. He helped me make the most of every situation. My blessing flowed from finding the benefit in every situation. I was able to see the triumph in the trial. I was able to see the good in all things. God used my affliction to bring my affluence. I saw the benefit. I saw the blessing. God turned it into my good.

Why the second son had to be Ephraim. Remember both these boys are named from a life lesson God taught Jospeh. Both of them represent something born in him. One has to do with the power of forgiveness. The other has to do with fruitfulness. One is about God’s grace. The other is about his blessing. But what we might miss is the connection between the two. You ready. You will always birth a Manasseh before you will ever birth an Ephraim. Manasseh must come first! There is a connection. Two things God birthed in Joseph. One came before the other. Hear me right here.

Forgiveness gave way to fruitfulness. God made me forget. God helped me let go of the hurt. He caused the toil and the trial to become a distant memory. He helped me forget. He helped me forgive. And there with the empty hands that hold no grudge I could embrace the blessing he wanted to bestow in my life. Out of a position of forgiveness I found fruitfulness. Hear me right here. Those boys were named in order on purpose. Here is the lesson we must learn. Too many people never find the benefit and the blessing in a land of affliction because they are too preoccupied and imprisoned by past hurts and hardship. You have to learn to let go to embrace what God has next! Some times you must move on. You have to let it go.

You can live in pity or prosperity. But the two never travel together. Don’t live your life looking back. Joseph could embrace the next Chapter because he willingly concluded the prior. God made me forget my toil and those that hurt me and that gave way to the birth of my greatest blessings. Forgiveness always proceeds fruitfulness.

When we grow there is pain.

When we give birth to anything there is pain.