Dec 1999
This week’s letter and the next, will deal with portions of the last parasha of the book of Genesis “Vayechi” (Gen.47:28-50-26). For some of you who are not yet familiar with what a parasha is, it is the weekly portion of the Torah being read in the synagogues.
“Vayechi” (“and he lived”) is one of the most prophetically loaded parashot (plural of parasha) in the entire Tanach, and quite appropriately ends the book of Bereshit (Genesis). The title itself describes God’s sovereign intentions regarding the fulfillment of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Thus, not only did they live, but also became fruitful and multiplied: “and they (Israel) had possessions there (in Egypt) and were fruitful (from the same root as the name “Ephraim”) and multiplied exceedingly” (Gen. 47:27). Many years later Moses, observing the multitude, exclaimed: “YHWH your God has multiplied you, and here you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude. May YHWH God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you!” (Deut. 1:10-11). One of the interesting things to note about the fruitfulness of God’s chosen nation was that it always took place outside the land of Israel. Jacob propagated his family (Goy-nation) (all except for Benjamin) while in Haran. In Egypt he became as numerous as the “stars of heaven”, and of course later, being dispersed into all the nations and lands on the face of the earth, became “as the sand of the sea” or the “fullness of the nations”. A simple mathematical equation would be as follows: Israel came out of Egypt somewhere between 1.5 million and 3 million souls, multiplied by a thousand yields the figure 1.5 to 3 billion souls. Who knows how many out of 6 billion people living on the earth today are a fulfillment of that prophecy?! As we know, “with God everything is possible”, especially when it comes to keeping the covenant that He swore to the patriarchs.
God’s plan of fruitfulness or multiplicity is laid out prophetically in this parasha. Right from its beginning verses we see a Torah, or life, principle in action. Laying on his deathbed Jacob calls for Joseph. The meaning of the root of the name Joseph is “to add to,” in accordance with his mother’s prayer at his birth (to have another son). Joseph’s presences alongside of his dying father is a foreshadowing of the promise “to add to”, or to multiply the life of the one dying (Jacob-Israel). Thus, even under these natural conditions it may be said: "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (Hos. 13:14).
Our Messiah also said: “Truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain (John 12:24). Wheat was one of the biblical symbols that described the House of Joseph.
The years of Jacob’s troubles and sorrows were over. Only the memory of a blood stained garment of his beloved son would linger, as a prophetic picture of what price it would cost the Heavenly Father to redeem these sons of promise (Israel). In those few fleeting moments of Jacob’s life he approached Joseph with reverence and honor as the government of the entire world of Egypt was upon Joseph’s shoulders (“shechem) but yet he was not the king.
Joseph was known as a dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. But far surpassing these attributes was Joseph’s understanding of the faithfulness of the God of his fathers through the very situations of his life. The Torah was being written on Joseph’s heart through his tribulations. The testing of his faith produced wisdom, humility and compassion which then qualifying him to hold the position that he was now in. His life exemplified the prophetic destiny of his entire household. For as a people they were to pass under the rod of God’s judgments, which afterwards would prepare them for their irrevocable call to become a part of a nation of kings and priests.
When Jacob knew he was drawing nigh to death, his first line of business was to strike up his final deal by making Joseph swear to bury him with his fathers. The transaction was for Joseph to put his hand under his (Jacob’s) thigh, just like Eliezer did to Abraham when sealing the oath. This meant that the strength and power of life represented by the thigh, will find expression through the hand of another, who swore or promised to be faithful to the oath. Israel then bowed at the head of his bed, signifying, as it were, having completed the work that God had sent him to do. However, there was still one more thing left for this chosen servant of God, and that was to pass on, by the laying on of his right hand, the most coveted of all blessings that are recorded in the Scripture. This blessing was reserved for a son, a son who has shown himself faithful and trustworthy in the eyes of his father. The son who would now step into the role of his father, and take upon his shoulders (shechem) the right to be the redeemer in the family. In order to have the means to redeem, this son would receive a double portion of the inheritance. However, that was not all that was to be passed on in that solemn moment in history. Jacob, holding the positions of a prophet and a king-priest after the order of Melchizedek in God’s kingdom on the earth, was now obligated to pass on this highest of all positions to his beloved; the right to govern, with the dual role, or the authority of a king-priest. But is that what happened?
Jacob, as he lay upon the bed of his departure from this life heard the announcement: “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you” (Gen. 48:2). There probably was not a more comforting, nor a sweeter word that Jacob could have heard than those spoken by that faithful servant attending him on that final day. With those words, heralding the arrival of his beloved son, he gathered up whatever strength he had left, for he knew he had one last task to perform. But just before doing that, he recalled to Joseph the covenant promise that he had received from God Almighty in Luz (Bet El). “Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession” (Gen. 48:3-4). Jacob was not just telling Joseph this for the purpose of reminiscing. He wanted his son to know that the birthright included the land of Canaan and the covenant of fruitfulness. But please keep in mind that Jacob left out one little part of this covenant reminder, “and kings shall come out of your loins” (Gen. 35:11). Everything that was happening in those moments was under the guiding hand of YHWH. Jacob’s prophetic anointing was working with keen clarity. It was not because of old age that he forgot this portion of the verse. He knew and understood the statutes and ordinances of God’s kingdom government, suggesting that to him the term “kings” was not referring to the kingdoms of men, but to the kings after the order of Melchizedek.
Leaving out that portion of the blessing, he now concentrates on the prophetic destiny and significance of Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Menashe. Because Israel’s eyes were so dim from age, he apparently was not aware that they were present with Joseph; although, he did speak to Joseph very directly about them saying: "And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuven and Simeon, they shall be mine” (Gen. 48:5). Notice Joseph did not argue this point with his father, as he knew the old patriarch had the right to adopt his sons.. “May they be like Reuven and Simeon”, Jacob declared. It was no coincidence that Jacob put Ephraim’s name before Menashe’s, even though Menashe was the firstborn. Thus in the positioning of the lads, he compared Ephraim to Reuven Leah’s firstborn and not Menashe. Joseph was totally unaware of what was happening, as later he questioned the way Jacob placed his hands upon their heads.
Why was Jacob so interested in Ephraim and Menashe? Let us go back to parashat (=”parasha of” ) “Miketz”, where their names are given. “And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manashe: 'for God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.' And the name of the second he called Ephraim: 'for God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction'” (Gen. 41:51-52).
Hidden in these two names is God’s prophetic plan to bless and multiply while in a state of forgetfulness. God intended to bless all the families of the earth through the Abrahamic covenant. Thus YHWH, being faithful to His word, laid the foundations for the fulfillment of this part of the plan of redemption, in (and through) the House of Joseph.
Jacob now gets down to his prophetic ‘business’, and so does the God of Abraham. “And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said: 'Who are these?'” (Gen. 48: 8). Now why would Israel be asking Joseph that question when he had just proclaimed them to be his own, unless he was testing Joseph? Well, if he was, Joseph failed the test by still declaring that those two little ones belonged to him. There is another interesting point in the above scripture. Looking closely we find a very interesting switch. It does not say “Jacob beheld”, but “Israel”. From now on, throughout these next couple of chapters, when Jacob blesses, he does so in his God-given name of Israel.
The above question seems to be eternally on the heart of Jacob, as even later the prophet Isaiah says of him (Israel) that he doesn’t recognize his own children (see Isa. 63:16). Again in another scripture: “Therefore thus says YHWH, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: ‘Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now grow pale; but when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will hallow My name, and hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the God of Israel. These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine’" (Isa. 29:22-24).
If we gain an understanding of what is going on here, in the tent of Jacob, so many years ago, we will not err nor complain about God’s order or instructions. Maybe we should hear again the voice of our father when he says: "Assemble yourselves, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days. Gather together and hear (from the root “sh’ma”), you sons of Jacob, and listen (also from the root “sh’ma”) to Israel your father” (Gen. 49:1-2)!!!
1. "Assemble yourselves, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days. 2. Gather together and hear (from the root “sh’ma”), you sons of Jacob, and listen (also from the root “sh’ma”) to Israel your father” (Gen. 49:1-2)!!!
Before continuing, please note the prophetic tone of the above exhortation.
In verse 1, “assemble”(the root letters a.s.f , ref. last week’s letter), means to “gather together” as at harvest time. The same word is used twice at the end of chapter 49, when Jacob “gathers up his legs”, and “is gathered to his people”. In verse 2, the word translated “gather” is from the Hebrew root k.v.z., like “kibbutz” - a modern day collective and is used more for gathering up people.
Continuing from where we left off last week, Israel takes the two lads in his arms, hugs and kisses them. Then, with tears streaming down his face, he looks into Joseph’s eyes and says, "I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has also shown me your seed!" (Gen. 48:11). Joseph then bows with his face to the ground, yielding to divine authority and order. Next, he places his second born, Ephraim, on his right side and Menashe, the firstborn, on his left, thinking that in this way the lads will be standing in their proper places, ready for Israel’s impartation of the blessing. With all the cast in place, prepared for the scene to be played out according to a given script, the protagonist suddenly changes the rules. Much to his son’s bewilderment, Israel crosses his hands, placing his right upon Ephraim’s head, and the left on Menashe’s. Here is how the Bible depicts this scene: “So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, for Manasseh was the firstborn” (vs. 12-14). Israel’s action was no accident, nor did he ‘slip’ because he could not see. He had already set the order when he adopted them earlier on, announcing that Ephraim was to be like Reuven (who was the first born) and Menashe like Simeon (ref. v.5). The meaning of the boys’ names also provided a ‘prophetic clue’ as to what that order ought to be; that is to say that “doubly fruitful” was to be blessed over “forgetfulness”. It just so happened that later on in history, when they were apportioned their lots in the land, Menashe’s territory included Mount Eval (curse), and Ephraim’s included Mount Gerizim (blessing), with the city of Shechem between the two.
But even though Israel’s hands rested on the lads’ heads, he was actually blessing Joseph. “And he blessed Joseph, (emphases mine) and said: ‘the God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the sent one [angel] who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name [Israel] be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth" (Gen. 48:15-16). The first aspect of the blessing was an acknowledgment of the One who will carry out the blessing. The God of his fathers, his shepherd, his redeemer would bless and be that same faithful, loving provider that he had come to know. Through the anointing that was upon this chosen one, God himself was continuing to order and establish His Kingdom in the earth. Jacob holding the offices of king-priest, was simply carrying out his divine duty as a bond servant of the God of his Fathers. Because of years of faulty replacement doctrines there is a vast ignorance of these statutes and ordinances of the Kingdom of God. This is like is like a curse on Israel. May the lesson of Balaam and Balak be learned, by those thus engaged (ref. Num. 22-24, especially the inferences to the blessings of Judah and Joseph in 24:8-9)!
In this portion of the blessing we notice that Jacob is being referred to as Israel, “and Israel laid his hands...” (v. 16), thus passing on the name “Israel” to Joseph and his sons. “May my name live on in them and in their seed”. Could this be the reason that the House of Joseph (Ephraim) came to be known mostly as the House of Israel?
“Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father: ‘Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head’" (vs.17-18). Here is another instance where the firstborn does not receive the blessing of the inheritance.
“But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know. 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 [descendants] shall become the fullness of the nations’"(v. 19). In this one verse we have a beautiful and powerful prophetic picture of the destiny of the House of Joseph (Israel); as Menashe, they would be a great people (“am”), singular, like in “am Israel”, but forgetfulness (Menashe) would cause them to be oblivious to that fact. This is the mystery of the blindness of Israel. In 722 BC God cut them off (Mount Eval) from the olive tree of Israel by scattering and banishing them. He sowed them into all the nations, but not without first labeling them prophetically: “Jezreel” (God will sow), “Lo Ruchama” (no mercy), and “Lo Ami” (not my people), (Hos.1). Returning to the blessing… Israel continues by turning his attention to Ephraim, upon whom he pronounces fruitfulness, to the degree of becoming the “fullness of the nations”. Here the covenant blessing of multiplicity is being unveiled; God intended on multiplying the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This would not be fulfilled by the House of Judah, but through the house that was called Jezreel. The testimony of how great that sowing was going to be would have to wait for the harvest time. Once the harvest is gathered (a.s.f. or k.v.z), to the place chosen by God, we will know and understand “how great the day of Jezreel” had been. "Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said of them, `you are not My people,' there it shall be said to them, `you are sons of the living God.' Then the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered (k.v.z.) together, and appoint for themselves one head; and they shall come up out of the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel” (Hos. 1:10-11)! Because the people (Am Israel) are “forgetful” regarding their identity, their hearts would have to be turned to their fathers (the patriarchs) by the same prophetic anointing that was on Elijah. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the YHWH. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse"(Mal. 4:5-6).
“So he blessed them that day, saying: ‘by you Israel will bless, saying, `May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!' And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh” (v. 20). Here Jacob seals the relationship between these two aspects of their prophetic future (that is, “fruitfulness” and “forgetfulness”). This blessing is recited over the children on Friday evening, during the welcoming-of-the-Sabbath meal - “kabalat Shabbat”.
Ephraim
“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133).
This week’s letter and the next, will deal with portions of the last parasha of the book of Genesis “Vayechi” (Gen.47:28-50-26). For some of you who are not yet familiar with what a parasha is, it is the weekly portion of the Torah being read in the synagogues.
“Vayechi” (“and he lived”) is one of the most prophetically loaded parashot (plural of parasha) in the entire Tanach, and quite appropriately ends the book of Bereshit (Genesis). The title itself describes God’s sovereign intentions regarding the fulfillment of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Thus, not only did they live, but also became fruitful and multiplied: “and they (Israel) had possessions there (in Egypt) and were fruitful (from the same root as the name “Ephraim”) and multiplied exceedingly” (Gen. 47:27). Many years later Moses, observing the multitude, exclaimed: “YHWH your God has multiplied you, and here you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude. May YHWH God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you!” (Deut. 1:10-11). One of the interesting things to note about the fruitfulness of God’s chosen nation was that it always took place outside the land of Israel. Jacob propagated his family (Goy-nation) (all except for Benjamin) while in Haran. In Egypt he became as numerous as the “stars of heaven”, and of course later, being dispersed into all the nations and lands on the face of the earth, became “as the sand of the sea” or the “fullness of the nations”. A simple mathematical equation would be as follows: Israel came out of Egypt somewhere between 1.5 million and 3 million souls, multiplied by a thousand yields the figure 1.5 to 3 billion souls. Who knows how many out of 6 billion people living on the earth today are a fulfillment of that prophecy?! As we know, “with God everything is possible”, especially when it comes to keeping the covenant that He swore to the patriarchs.
God’s plan of fruitfulness or multiplicity is laid out prophetically in this parasha. Right from its beginning verses we see a Torah, or life, principle in action. Laying on his deathbed Jacob calls for Joseph. The meaning of the root of the name Joseph is “to add to,” in accordance with his mother’s prayer at his birth (to have another son). Joseph’s presences alongside of his dying father is a foreshadowing of the promise “to add to”, or to multiply the life of the one dying (Jacob-Israel). Thus, even under these natural conditions it may be said: "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (Hos. 13:14).
Our Messiah also said: “Truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain (John 12:24). Wheat was one of the biblical symbols that described the House of Joseph.
The years of Jacob’s troubles and sorrows were over. Only the memory of a blood stained garment of his beloved son would linger, as a prophetic picture of what price it would cost the Heavenly Father to redeem these sons of promise (Israel). In those few fleeting moments of Jacob’s life he approached Joseph with reverence and honor as the government of the entire world of Egypt was upon Joseph’s shoulders (“shechem) but yet he was not the king.
Joseph was known as a dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. But far surpassing these attributes was Joseph’s understanding of the faithfulness of the God of his fathers through the very situations of his life. The Torah was being written on Joseph’s heart through his tribulations. The testing of his faith produced wisdom, humility and compassion which then qualifying him to hold the position that he was now in. His life exemplified the prophetic destiny of his entire household. For as a people they were to pass under the rod of God’s judgments, which afterwards would prepare them for their irrevocable call to become a part of a nation of kings and priests.
When Jacob knew he was drawing nigh to death, his first line of business was to strike up his final deal by making Joseph swear to bury him with his fathers. The transaction was for Joseph to put his hand under his (Jacob’s) thigh, just like Eliezer did to Abraham when sealing the oath. This meant that the strength and power of life represented by the thigh, will find expression through the hand of another, who swore or promised to be faithful to the oath. Israel then bowed at the head of his bed, signifying, as it were, having completed the work that God had sent him to do. However, there was still one more thing left for this chosen servant of God, and that was to pass on, by the laying on of his right hand, the most coveted of all blessings that are recorded in the Scripture. This blessing was reserved for a son, a son who has shown himself faithful and trustworthy in the eyes of his father. The son who would now step into the role of his father, and take upon his shoulders (shechem) the right to be the redeemer in the family. In order to have the means to redeem, this son would receive a double portion of the inheritance. However, that was not all that was to be passed on in that solemn moment in history. Jacob, holding the positions of a prophet and a king-priest after the order of Melchizedek in God’s kingdom on the earth, was now obligated to pass on this highest of all positions to his beloved; the right to govern, with the dual role, or the authority of a king-priest. But is that what happened?
Jacob, as he lay upon the bed of his departure from this life heard the announcement: “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you” (Gen. 48:2). There probably was not a more comforting, nor a sweeter word that Jacob could have heard than those spoken by that faithful servant attending him on that final day. With those words, heralding the arrival of his beloved son, he gathered up whatever strength he had left, for he knew he had one last task to perform. But just before doing that, he recalled to Joseph the covenant promise that he had received from God Almighty in Luz (Bet El). “Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession” (Gen. 48:3-4). Jacob was not just telling Joseph this for the purpose of reminiscing. He wanted his son to know that the birthright included the land of Canaan and the covenant of fruitfulness. But please keep in mind that Jacob left out one little part of this covenant reminder, “and kings shall come out of your loins” (Gen. 35:11). Everything that was happening in those moments was under the guiding hand of YHWH. Jacob’s prophetic anointing was working with keen clarity. It was not because of old age that he forgot this portion of the verse. He knew and understood the statutes and ordinances of God’s kingdom government, suggesting that to him the term “kings” was not referring to the kingdoms of men, but to the kings after the order of Melchizedek.
Leaving out that portion of the blessing, he now concentrates on the prophetic destiny and significance of Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Menashe. Because Israel’s eyes were so dim from age, he apparently was not aware that they were present with Joseph; although, he did speak to Joseph very directly about them saying: "And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuven and Simeon, they shall be mine” (Gen. 48:5). Notice Joseph did not argue this point with his father, as he knew the old patriarch had the right to adopt his sons.. “May they be like Reuven and Simeon”, Jacob declared. It was no coincidence that Jacob put Ephraim’s name before Menashe’s, even though Menashe was the firstborn. Thus in the positioning of the lads, he compared Ephraim to Reuven Leah’s firstborn and not Menashe. Joseph was totally unaware of what was happening, as later he questioned the way Jacob placed his hands upon their heads.
Why was Jacob so interested in Ephraim and Menashe? Let us go back to parashat (=”parasha of” ) “Miketz”, where their names are given. “And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manashe: 'for God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.' And the name of the second he called Ephraim: 'for God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction'” (Gen. 41:51-52).
Hidden in these two names is God’s prophetic plan to bless and multiply while in a state of forgetfulness. God intended to bless all the families of the earth through the Abrahamic covenant. Thus YHWH, being faithful to His word, laid the foundations for the fulfillment of this part of the plan of redemption, in (and through) the House of Joseph.
Jacob now gets down to his prophetic ‘business’, and so does the God of Abraham. “And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said: 'Who are these?'” (Gen. 48: 8). Now why would Israel be asking Joseph that question when he had just proclaimed them to be his own, unless he was testing Joseph? Well, if he was, Joseph failed the test by still declaring that those two little ones belonged to him. There is another interesting point in the above scripture. Looking closely we find a very interesting switch. It does not say “Jacob beheld”, but “Israel”. From now on, throughout these next couple of chapters, when Jacob blesses, he does so in his God-given name of Israel.
The above question seems to be eternally on the heart of Jacob, as even later the prophet Isaiah says of him (Israel) that he doesn’t recognize his own children (see Isa. 63:16). Again in another scripture: “Therefore thus says YHWH, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: ‘Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now grow pale; but when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will hallow My name, and hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the God of Israel. These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine’" (Isa. 29:22-24).
If we gain an understanding of what is going on here, in the tent of Jacob, so many years ago, we will not err nor complain about God’s order or instructions. Maybe we should hear again the voice of our father when he says: "Assemble yourselves, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days. Gather together and hear (from the root “sh’ma”), you sons of Jacob, and listen (also from the root “sh’ma”) to Israel your father” (Gen. 49:1-2)!!!
1. "Assemble yourselves, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days. 2. Gather together and hear (from the root “sh’ma”), you sons of Jacob, and listen (also from the root “sh’ma”) to Israel your father” (Gen. 49:1-2)!!!
Before continuing, please note the prophetic tone of the above exhortation.
In verse 1, “assemble”(the root letters a.s.f , ref. last week’s letter), means to “gather together” as at harvest time. The same word is used twice at the end of chapter 49, when Jacob “gathers up his legs”, and “is gathered to his people”. In verse 2, the word translated “gather” is from the Hebrew root k.v.z., like “kibbutz” - a modern day collective and is used more for gathering up people.
Continuing from where we left off last week, Israel takes the two lads in his arms, hugs and kisses them. Then, with tears streaming down his face, he looks into Joseph’s eyes and says, "I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has also shown me your seed!" (Gen. 48:11). Joseph then bows with his face to the ground, yielding to divine authority and order. Next, he places his second born, Ephraim, on his right side and Menashe, the firstborn, on his left, thinking that in this way the lads will be standing in their proper places, ready for Israel’s impartation of the blessing. With all the cast in place, prepared for the scene to be played out according to a given script, the protagonist suddenly changes the rules. Much to his son’s bewilderment, Israel crosses his hands, placing his right upon Ephraim’s head, and the left on Menashe’s. Here is how the Bible depicts this scene: “So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, for Manasseh was the firstborn” (vs. 12-14). Israel’s action was no accident, nor did he ‘slip’ because he could not see. He had already set the order when he adopted them earlier on, announcing that Ephraim was to be like Reuven (who was the first born) and Menashe like Simeon (ref. v.5). The meaning of the boys’ names also provided a ‘prophetic clue’ as to what that order ought to be; that is to say that “doubly fruitful” was to be blessed over “forgetfulness”. It just so happened that later on in history, when they were apportioned their lots in the land, Menashe’s territory included Mount Eval (curse), and Ephraim’s included Mount Gerizim (blessing), with the city of Shechem between the two.
But even though Israel’s hands rested on the lads’ heads, he was actually blessing Joseph. “And he blessed Joseph, (emphases mine) and said: ‘the God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the sent one [angel] who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name [Israel] be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth" (Gen. 48:15-16). The first aspect of the blessing was an acknowledgment of the One who will carry out the blessing. The God of his fathers, his shepherd, his redeemer would bless and be that same faithful, loving provider that he had come to know. Through the anointing that was upon this chosen one, God himself was continuing to order and establish His Kingdom in the earth. Jacob holding the offices of king-priest, was simply carrying out his divine duty as a bond servant of the God of his Fathers. Because of years of faulty replacement doctrines there is a vast ignorance of these statutes and ordinances of the Kingdom of God. This is like is like a curse on Israel. May the lesson of Balaam and Balak be learned, by those thus engaged (ref. Num. 22-24, especially the inferences to the blessings of Judah and Joseph in 24:8-9)!
In this portion of the blessing we notice that Jacob is being referred to as Israel, “and Israel laid his hands...” (v. 16), thus passing on the name “Israel” to Joseph and his sons. “May my name live on in them and in their seed”. Could this be the reason that the House of Joseph (Ephraim) came to be known mostly as the House of Israel?
“Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father: ‘Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head’" (vs.17-18). Here is another instance where the firstborn does not receive the blessing of the inheritance.
“But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know. 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 [descendants] shall become the fullness of the nations’"(v. 19). In this one verse we have a beautiful and powerful prophetic picture of the destiny of the House of Joseph (Israel); as Menashe, they would be a great people (“am”), singular, like in “am Israel”, but forgetfulness (Menashe) would cause them to be oblivious to that fact. This is the mystery of the blindness of Israel. In 722 BC God cut them off (Mount Eval) from the olive tree of Israel by scattering and banishing them. He sowed them into all the nations, but not without first labeling them prophetically: “Jezreel” (God will sow), “Lo Ruchama” (no mercy), and “Lo Ami” (not my people), (Hos.1). Returning to the blessing… Israel continues by turning his attention to Ephraim, upon whom he pronounces fruitfulness, to the degree of becoming the “fullness of the nations”. Here the covenant blessing of multiplicity is being unveiled; God intended on multiplying the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This would not be fulfilled by the House of Judah, but through the house that was called Jezreel. The testimony of how great that sowing was going to be would have to wait for the harvest time. Once the harvest is gathered (a.s.f. or k.v.z), to the place chosen by God, we will know and understand “how great the day of Jezreel” had been. "Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said of them, `you are not My people,' there it shall be said to them, `you are sons of the living God.' Then the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered (k.v.z.) together, and appoint for themselves one head; and they shall come up out of the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel” (Hos. 1:10-11)! Because the people (Am Israel) are “forgetful” regarding their identity, their hearts would have to be turned to their fathers (the patriarchs) by the same prophetic anointing that was on Elijah. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the YHWH. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse"(Mal. 4:5-6).
“So he blessed them that day, saying: ‘by you Israel will bless, saying, `May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!' And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh” (v. 20). Here Jacob seals the relationship between these two aspects of their prophetic future (that is, “fruitfulness” and “forgetfulness”). This blessing is recited over the children on Friday evening, during the welcoming-of-the-Sabbath meal - “kabalat Shabbat”.
Ephraim
“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133).
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