Sermon Manuscript | Faithful Promises Genesis 47-48
Sermon Manuscript | Faithful Promises Genesis 47-48
Gen 47:28 – 48:21 Faithful Promises
Has someone ever made you a promise and they didn’t come through for ya?
Have you ever made a promise and didn’t do what you said you will do.
We have all experienced both of these.
Growing up, I would tell my mom, I won’t be mean to my brother again, but what happens. I’m mean to my brother.
In marriage, I tell my wife, I will pick up my clothes of the floor, two days later my clothes are still there.
But then it gets more serious right. Remember in the OT God gives the commands to the people of Israel in the book of exodus, and what do they say, we will obey these commands.
(Ex. 24:7) “He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people. They responded, “We will do and obey all that the LORD has commanded.””
Moses goes up the mountain for a couple days to receive further instructions from God,
And what do they do They make a false idol, they worship false Gods.
And its not just this one time year after year, generation after generation, they break this promise to God, they disobey God’s commands,
And we do the same, we say things, like God I will never do that again. I will never lose my temper, I will never look at someone lustfully again, I will never have hate in my heart,
By God’s grace and the power of Jesus death resurrection we are freed from our slavery to sin, and we can keep these promises more and more,
But we still fall short.
But here’s the goodnews we will see today, though people are unfaithful to their promises to us, though we are unfaithful to our promises to others, and though we are unfaithful to God our Creator and Savior.
- The Eternal Promise Land (47:28-30)
- Memories of Hope (48:1-4)
- Undeserved Blessings (5-22)
God is always faithful to his promises. Look in Genes 47:28 we will see the promise between Jacob and Joseph.
1. The Eternal Promise Land
“Genesis 47:28 Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years, and his life span was 147 years. Genesis 47:29 When the time approached for him to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor with you, put your hand under my thigh and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt. Genesis 47:30 When I rest with my ancestors, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”
Four parts of this promise
The content of the promise
The basis of the promise
The significance of the promise
1. The way of the promise Look in v.29 – kind of awkward in today’s times, put your hand under my thigh and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. We saw this type of promise being made by placing one’s hand under the thigh one other time in the book of genesis, with Abraham in Gen 24,
in which he wanted his servant to promise to find a wife for his son Isaac from his own land and family.
This might have been a common practice in ancient times when people made a serious promise, but we do have not evidence of any other ANE text that parallel this. So were’ not sure, but it’s a possibility.
I think the best way to understand the way of the promise, let’s look at the content of the promise
The content of the promise – look at the end of v.29 - Do not bury me in Egypt. Genesis 47:30 When I rest with my ancestors, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”
2. Jacob is asking Joseph to promise that He will be buried with his ancestors in the promise land.
Since both promises with Abraham and with Jacob have to do with the family line, remember Abraham’s promise was about finding Issac’s wife and thus concerned his future his offspring and famiy, and Jacob being buried with his family.
So way of the promise under the thigh likely invokes the place of procreation, the place of circumcision as a covenant sign for Abraham’s family, ultimately both of these promises are about family and God’s faithful to take of and bless his chosen people. Which is also related to the baseis
3. The basis of the promise – in v.29 he says “promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness.” This word here for kindness is hesed which speaks of Joseph’s loyalty to his father. This word was used 4 times in chapter 24, with Abraham’s servant seeking Isaac’s wife, another connection back to that story. Both promises promises are dependent on faithfulness.
a. And these two words kindness and faithfulness show that Jacob is fully dependent on others to keep this promise, he will be dead and gone, and thus cannot make anyone keep this promise. He is totally dependent on someone else.
b. This is like our dependence on God, we are totally dependent on his kindness and faithfulness to his promises. For we are in no position to force God to do anything.
i. Through out the OT it speaks of God’s loving kindness and loving faithfulness towards his people.
ii. “Exodus 34:6 The LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, Exodus 34:7 maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.”
c. We have a God who is faithful to his promises, we have a god who is lovingly faithful and forgiving. let us trust in him in all things. We have a God who we can trust.
4. The significance of the promise – Why does Jacob care where he is buried? He will be dead?
a. Like we mentioned two weeks ago when we looked at the symbolism of the promise land and burial. The physical promise land looks forward to the eternal promise land. And so to be buried in the physical promise land, symbolizes Jacob’s hope to resurrected to the eternal promise land and especially important and connected is that Jacob will be with his ancestors who also trusted in God.
b. Christianity is not an indiviudualist religion, if you can’t get along with God’s people here on earth, don’t be surprised when you will be with them in heaven too.
c. This is why many churches have cemeteries, it is to symbolize our hope in the resurrection as a church family, for those who die with faith in Jesus, we are saying we will be together with our spiritual family again in the new heavens and new earth, the eternal promise land.
d. I think over time this symbolism gets lost. People get buried, have a plot in the cemetary, and don’t even no why, it just becomes part of the tradition. We must not lose the truths behind why we do things. We come to gether and sing because the scriptures tell us too. I preach God’s word because God tells us to in His word. We pray because God wants us to pray, Everything we do in our worship should have a biblical reason and truth behind it. And we must remind ourselves of these things because if we don’t, years down the road, we may think all this is just tradition, with no significant meaning.
And as Jacob is looking forward to the eternal promise land, we cannot forget that promise to us who have faith in Jesus.
This promise of eternal life is something we can stake our lives on. It is a true promise, God never breaks his promises, but is faithful to keep them.
Joseph will promise to make sure Jacob’s bones make it back to the promise land,
47:30 cont. Joseph answered, “I will do what you have asked.” Genesis 47:31 And Jacob said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed in thanks at the head of his bed.
And he did.
“Genesis 50:12 So Jacob’s sons did for him what he had commanded them. Genesis 50:13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased as burial property from Ephron the Hethite.”[1]
So we have seen the symbolism of burial, the importance of our spiritual family, God’s faithfulness, Joseph’s faithfulness.
So here’s what we need to do remember and trust in God’s faithfulness. Imitate God’s faithfulness, imitate Joseph’s faithfulness. Be kind, and loyal to other and your promises.
In your friendships, keep your word, be honest, be someone people can depend on.
In every area of your life, in parenting, keep your promises to your kids, Kids be faithful and respect your parents. Be loyal to them.
In your marriage, be faithful to your spouse. Keep those covenant vows that you declared. Right through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, until death do you part.
And at the end of the day God is faithful with us, let us be faithful to others.
Genesis 48:1 Some time after this, Joseph was told, “Your father is weaker.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Genesis 48:2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.
So here’s the scene Jacob is nearing the end, he can barely sit up in bed. And joseph brings him his two sons, likely to receive a blessing and say their goodbyes to their grandfather.
And in this moment Jacob will recount one of the most important events in his life. When he encountered God.
Genesis 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. Genesis 48:4 He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous; I will make many nations come from you, and I will give this land as a permanent possession to your future descendants.’
Jacob is recounting his dream we read about in Gen 28, remember the stairway that was coming down from the sky and God spoke to him, encouraged him, and made this promise.
On his deathbed, Jacob is remembering and telling about God’s presence and promises in his life.
Though he is feeling pains of weakness and death, he remembers the God of Life, God Almighty
When you are sick, when you are on your death bed, remember God’s presence in your life.
Remember when you realized Jesus died for you, remember when Jesus became your Lord and Savior, this is what you hold on to, this is what you share with your kids and grandkids.
I’ve heard stories of people who in their later years in life, could not think as clearly as they once could, some not remembering family members names, but many times these same people could remember hymns they sung in church, about God’s amazing Grace, about Jesus cleansing blood, they could remember when they encountered Jesus.
These are the kind of memories that help you get through the difficult times.
These are the kind of memories that encourage and inspire faith in others.
After Jacob reminds Joseph of this, he claims Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh as his own son.
Genesis 48:5 Your two sons born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt are now mine. Ephraim and Manasseh belong to me just as Reuben and Simeon do.
What is meant by this? Why does Jacob claim Joseph’s sons as his own.
It seems that this is the final blessing to Joseph his beloved son. What else can Jacob give to his son that he doesn’t already have. Joseph is the second in command in Egypt.
This is what he can do, on his deathbed, Jacob can elevate his son Joseph to his equal. As one commentator points out – Quote 1 “By making Joseph’s sons Jacob’s sons, Jacob is in effect elevating Joseph to the level of himself. That is, both men are now ancestral fathers of the tribes of Israel that will come from them.[2] He basically raises Joseph up a generation.
This additional blessing to Joseph also reminds Jacob of Joseph’s mother Rachel and have also been given in honor of her.[3] For at this point Jacob remembers his wife Rachel and says,
Genesis 48:7 When I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way, some distance from Ephrath in the land of Canaan. I buried her there along the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
He also likely mentions Rachel here, because he knows he will soon join here in the eternal promise land.
While death of a loved one difficult, painful, and sometimes unexplainable anguish, we must remember that death is not the end, but for the believer, and you will be with them one day, if you believe in Jesus as well.
Now Jacob will bless his two sons, but in his old age his eye sight is not so good, and he can’t recognize Ephraim and Manasseh, just like his father, Isaac’s, eye sight was bad and gave him the blessing instead of his older brother Esau. Will the same thing happen here, will there a mix up in the blessing between the older and younger?
Genesis 48:8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” Genesis 48:9 And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons God has given me here.” So Israel said, “Bring them to me and I will bless them.” Genesis 48:10 Now his eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought them to him, and he kissed and embraced them. Genesis 48:11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but now God has even let me see your offspring.” Genesis 48:12 Then Joseph took them from his father’s knees and bowed with his face to the ground. Genesis 48:13 Then Joseph took them both—with his right hand Ephraim toward Israel’s left, and with his left hand Manasseh toward Israel’s right—and brought them to Israel.
Knowing that his father can’t see too well, Joseph is helping him out, so he thinks. He is putting the younger son Ephraim on the left, and Manesseh, the older son on the right, to receive the better blessing. Because the right symbolizes the better, its kinda of like when we refer to someone as the right hand man to the boss, that means the highest person, just right underneath the boss.
Of like when Jesus after his death and resurrection is exalted to the right hand of God, it is the highest seat and honor.
Even though Jacob can’t physically see, he can see spiritually, for he will continue the theme of blessing and giving more honor to the younger rather than the older, which is what typically happens by the worlds standards and customs.
Genesis 48:14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and crossing his hands, put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
The blessing of the younger emphasizes God’s gracious blessing on those who don’t deserve it.
Ephraim did nothing to deserve this extra honor and blessing. It was a free gift.
And this blessing and gift to both boys is rooted in God’s blessing. For Jacob recounts God’s goodness to him yet again.
Genesis 48:15 Then he blessed Joseph 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,
He recognizes that God is good shepherd, who has guided him, who has protected him, though he experienced pain and suffering and loss. God was always there with him guiding him.
God the shepherd in the OT finds its fulfilment in Jesus who is prophesied to come and shepherd his people as it says in (Matt. 2:6) “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.””
The coming of the son of God may have been hinted at in the appearances of God’s presence in the form of the angel. As Jacob mentions here in v.16
Genesis 48:16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm— may he bless these boys.
In the same breadth Jacob once again refers to God and this angel. And here he declares that the angel redeemed him. Delivered him, saved him. The very thing Jesus came to do for his people. To deliver and redeem from the greatest of all harms, sin.
God saved Jacob, and so Jacob depends on God to bless his boys. And prays that they would be unified to God’s people.
48:16 cont. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow to be numerous within the land.
He wants them to find their identity and be united to God and his people. They are not Egyptians first, their God’s people first, this is what is meant when he wants them to be called by his name, and the name of Abraham and Isaac.
It is like when tradition of when a wife takes her husbands life name onto herself, she is showing her unitiy and identifying herselft with her husband and her husbands family.
I think there is important application for us today here. That we too would be first identified and united to God and his people, before any other allegiances or identities.
Sure your job is a big part of your life, sure your family is a big part of your identity, sure your citizenship is a big deal, but none of those things are more important than your allegiance and unification to God and his people.
You’re a Christian first, and American second. You’re a child of God first, and a child of your parents second, you’re a sheep amongst God’s flock first, and what ever your profession or place in life is second.
And remember Jacob is blessing the younger brother with greater honor, and Joseph just realized this.
Genesis 48:17 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he thought it was a mistake and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. Genesis 48:18 Joseph said to his father, “Not that way, my father! This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.” Genesis 48:19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know! He too will become a tribe, and he too will be great; nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a populous nation.”
So its not as if the older brother isn’t blessed too. Instead, the younger son, Ephraim’s family and descendants will receive a greater blessing and honor.
So this blessing is really a form of prophecy as well. For this wil come true hundreds of years later we see this in Num 2:18 (Num. 2:18-21) “Numbers 2:18 Ephraim’s military divisions will camp on the west side under their banner. The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud. Numbers 2:19 His military division numbers 40,500. Numbers 2:20 The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. Numbers 2:21 His military division numbers 32,200.”
But at the end of the day, what is the point. Why does it matter that the younger gets more honor and blessing. It is to reinforce the truth over and over again. As one commentator summarizes “Receiving the blessing that God offers does not rest with one’s natural status in the world. On the contrary, the blessing of God is based solely on God’s grace.”[4]
So for us today, when we are tempted toward envy and jealousy remember blessing comes from God and is dependent on his grace.
Though it will be hard to remember this when your neighbor has that nice house and nice car, we must seek to rejoice in others blessings.
The temptation of envy and jealousy is rooted in that you think you deserve more than you have. But that’s not true. We don’t deserve anything good, we don’t deserve any blessing,
We are just like the younger son Ephraim, we didn’t deserve God’s blessing.
We receive salvation by the grace of God, we also receive any spiritual and material blessing by the grace of God.
We should all strive to say with Paul - (1 Cor. 15:10) “But by the grace of God I am what I am”
Genesis 48:20 So he blessed them that day, putting Ephraim before Manasseh when he said, “The nation Israel will invoke blessings by you, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” Genesis 48:21 Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.
Just as they will bring Jacob’s bones back to the land after his death, they will bring Joseph’s bones back to the promise land, although it will be over 400 years before that happens. As we this prophecy come true in read about in (Josh. 24:32) “Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem”
And Jacob has one more blessing for Joseph, he tells him in v.22
Genesis 48:22 Over and above what I am giving your brothers, I am giving you the one mountain slope that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.””
Now the bible does not record this military victory and there is a lot debate about the specifics of this location. And examinations of the Greek and Hebrew manuscripts of this verse.
It does seem that this may be a reference to Shechem as we just saw referenced in the book of Joshua.
And Shechem was the city that some of the brothers destroyed out of revenge for the abuse of their sister Dinah in genesis 34:25.
At the end of the day, Joseph and his descendants were blessed and prophecied to receive a piece of the promise land. Which came true, as evident by Joseph’s bones being buried there.
Joseph did not get see this fulfilled in his life time, we was looking forward to that day, it his hope, the hope of his descendents.
It was ultimately pointing to the eternal hope. The eternal mansion and promise land.
So I’ll close with this.
People may promise you a lot of things. You see ads and commercials on TV and promise you that you will receive happiness and fulfillment in this new game, in this new car, in this new house,
Those are empty promises. True happiness, true fulfillment is found is God’s promises, trusting in his words.
[2] Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 630.
[3] Genesis 48:6 Children born to you after them will be yours and will be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance.
[4] John H. Sailhamer, “Genesis,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1990), 272.
