Yesterday Jacob told Joseph that he was going to treat Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh as if they are his own sons. They are going to share in the inheritance that Jacob leaves to his natural-born children. In today's study and tomorrow's, Jacob rejoices over them and blesses them prophetically upon inspiration of the Lord.
After stating his intention to adopt Joseph's sons as his own, Jacob speaks of the death of Joseph's mother. "As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried here there beside the road to Ephrath.' (That is, Bethlehem.)" (Genesis 48:7) Why does Jacob bring this up now when it doesn't seem to be related to his adoption of Joseph's sons and his blessing of Joseph's sons? I think perhaps it's to convince Joseph to agree to allow him to adopt Ephraim and Manasseh as his own. The day Rachel died was the worst day of Jacob's life other than the day when he was presented with Joseph's bloody coat and was forced to come to the conclusion that his cherished son was dead. Jacob had already been deprived of the companionship of his favorite wife, but then he was deprived of the companionship of his favorite wife's firstborn son for over twenty years. During those years Joseph fathered two sons and Jacob missed their baby and toddler years. He didn't get to experience the joy of being their grandfather until at last he came to Egypt and was reunited with his long-lost son. I think he may bring up the death of Rachel now to help Joseph understand all that he's suffered and to get him to allow him to make Ephraim and Manasseh his heirs as if they are his own sons.
It's at this point that Jacob's weak eyes spot his two grandsons in the room. They've evidently remained quiet until now, perhaps lingering at a respectful distance while their father and grandfather talk together. "When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, 'Who are these?"" (Genesis 48:8) He sees shadowy figures but can't make out who they are even though they are the very people he's been talking about. He will die at 147 years of age and naturally his eyesight is quite poor. If it were possible for any of us to attain that age, we wouldn't expect to see very well. I'm 50 years old and already need bifocals. If I lived to be 147 I probably wouldn't be able to recognize my family members any better than Jacob does. "'These are the sons God has given me here,' Joseph said to his father. 'Then Israel said, 'Bring them to me so I may bless them.' Now Israel's eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. Israel said to Joseph, 'I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.'" (Genesis 48:9-11)
The Lord has done more for Jacob than he ever expected or hoped. For over two decades he believed Joseph was dead. He thought he'd lost his son for good along with the family line that would have come from Joseph. When a parent loses a child, that loss is devastating enough. But the parent also loses so many hoped-for things from the family line of that child. The parent will never have grandchildren or great-grandchildren from their lost child. It completely changes what the parent thought the future of their family would look like. When Jacob mourned the loss of Joseph, he also mourned the loss of the descendants that would have come from Joseph. He mourned the daughter-in-law he never thought he'd have. He mourned the grandchildren he'd never hold in his arms. He mourned the end of this branch of the family tree. But now the Lord has turned his mourning into rejoicing. Not only is his son alive and well, but his son has sons, and now these sons are going to be like his own. When eventually the nation of Israel leaves Egypt, the nation will include the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh.
In tomorrow's study Jacob pronounces blessings upon Ephraim and Manasseh and he speaks prophetic words about the future of their tribes.
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