Genesis 48 - Jacob Blesses Joseph's Sons | Bible Podcast, David Alley, Peace Christian Church

In this video listen to Genesis 48 read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.In Genesis 48 Jacob recounts the things God said to him, and passes it onto his son and grandsons. This is a picture of Christianity, and that God’s promises are not for us alone, but for us and our children, and spiritual descendants after us. We are a people. We need to pass on what God has given to us.Next Jacob adopts the two sons of Joseph’s as his own sons, so that they become a part of the twelve tribes of Israel. Technically there are now thirteen tribes, but scriptures always have a way of it being twelve. For example when the land is given out later, the Levites are not given any, but live all through the land as priests. Thus the land is divided into twelve. So there is no tribe of Joseph, but he has a double portion in Israel. Joseph is a technical firstborn.But now Jacob goes to bless the two boys, and blesses them back to front. He puts his right hand on the second born, and left hand on the first born. In doing so he repeats a bible theme where the underdog rises and the firstborn misses out. Joseph himself was not a firstborn, but became an effective firstborn. This also happens with Seth, Isaac, Jacob and with others to come. Indeed Israel itself as a nation is not the best nation, the most numerous, most successful oor most sophisticated. God chose an underdog.And so we too are underdogs, and Christ alone is the true firstborn, but in Christ we achieve firstborn status.