King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Saturday, January 29, 2022
Chapters: Genesis 48-50
Message: According to The Will of God
Hello My Friend,
My sister-in-law’s grandfather has been fighting for his life, and I just got word that he has now gone home to Jesus. It is fitting that these chapters we are reading today relate to death, it really does not matter how much you prepare yourself or know that God has better plans, that does not stop you from hoping that you could have just one more day. Life truly is precious and a vapor, we have no idea if someone is going to live a hundred years, one, or not even get the chance to be born. When I was praying this morning I kept thinking that even when we fail God, and face so many repercussions for what we have done, He uses it all for good for those who love Him, [And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. – Romans 8:27-30]
According to the will of God, we whom have accepted Christ as our Saviour are more than saints, we are children of God, and have become part of the inheritance that goes all the way back to Abraham. And we will discover that as we come to the end of our reading of the Book of Genesis. Jacob is now one hundred and forty-seven years old, he knew that he was already on borrowed time, and was blessed to been able to spend his last days on earth around his entire family, even if it was in Egypt. Joseph got word that his father was sick so, he brought his sons with him and came to visit with him.
[And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. – Genesis 48:1-6
[as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.] Reuben was guilty of having an affair with his fathers concubine, and Simeon was guilty of killing the family of the man who had been with their sister, Dinah, and yet they were still one of Jacob’s sons, and would receive the inheritance, likewise so will Ephraim and Manasseh. The same is true for every saved, born again, Christian, we are all guilty of something, and yet we are still one of God’s through our faith in Christ alone. There is absolutely nothing that we can do to change who our biological parents are, but that does not define who we are, in fact, many times God will use those who have been born into the least likely situations to go on to do great things. Jesus died for every soul, we are all precious to Him, but He will only save and accept those who believe in Him, [For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. – John 3:16-18]
[And thy issue, which thou begettest after them,] Jacob is telling them that even though they will be separated, they will not have a distinct inheritance, it will be the same as belonging to one tribe. The second that we receive Christ as our Saviour, we are given the same inheritance, it will not be distinct, even though we are separated, we will be one tribe, in fact, we are one body of Christ, [And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. – 1 Corinthians 12:23-27]
Now, as Jacob continues to blesse the young men, he places his hands upon their heads, Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on the Ephraim’s, he did not like it, and even tried to move his hand, thinking that since he could not see very well that he might have made a mistake.
[And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: 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 shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. – Genesis 48:17-21]
[and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.] God makes no mistakes, there are many instances where the younger son or daughter was more successful than the eldest, but that never stopped them from receiving their inheritance. Those who accept Christ as their Saviour are a multitude of souls from every nation. And let me tell you, in the past few weeks as I sat in a classroom with people of all shades and lifestyles, I truly came to understand just what salvation by grace is. Yes, we will all stand before Christ and give an account for what we have done in our bodies after we are saved, but it is only by that grace that He will not cast us into the lake of fire if that account is not our very best, [Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. – Romans 5:1-2]
I am not going to lie to you, my heart is all over the place today, and reading this does not help much. Even though I did not spend much time with my sister-in-law’s grandfather, we did spend a lot of holiday’s together, including these past holiday’s. He had been in a rehab center for quite some time as he was recovering from some incredible feats this past year already, he was able to spend time with his family and when he saw me he gave me the biggest hug as though I was one of his own daughters. It was the sweetest thing I have seen in a while, and I have now come to the conclusion that God often gives us the best time of our lives just before He brings us home, I think that is so that we have something sweet to remember them by. While we are here there are some things that we are purposed for and we will not leave until that happens. After Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons he calls for all of his sons, one by one, blessing them, and foretelling the amazing future of each tribe.
[And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. – Genesis 49:1,3-5,7]
[I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.] This may have been Jacob speaking, but it was God’s words that were coming out of his mouth. The tribe of Reuben would actually not receive an inheritance in the promised land, they wanted land that was outside of it, and were also the first to fall away from God and get captured when God sent judgment on them. As for Levi and Simeon, they really were separated, there was nothing, except for the inheritance that the tribe of Simeon would receive, Levi’s tribe would actually go on to become priests and ministers of God in the tabernacle and later the temple. It is quite incredible to think that God has this all planned out, or rather knows what will become of or befall us, it is even more incredible when we live through it and what we endure along the way. Jacob goes on to tell of what is to come of Judah’s tribe.
[Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. – Genesis 49:8-12]
[Judah is a lion’s whelp:] The lion of Judah, this is none other than the prophecy of Christ, our lawgiver, and King, coming and giving His life for all mankind. There will come a day when both Jews and Gentiles will be gathered together and brought before our King to not only stand before Him, but join Him in His kingdom. This is only for Christ’s believers, and we must come to understand that he will remove anyone who never truly believed. The Book of Revelation actually gives a run down of the tribes that would return and reign with Jesus, notice the tribe that is not included, [Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. – Revelation 7:5-8]
The tribe not included was Dan, this is a result to their bringing idol worship into the family, Manasseh’s family would take their place. Did you notice Ephraim is not listed? That is part of Joseph’s tribe, but Ephraim also brought idol worship into the family when Jeroboam would become king after the tribes were separated. Jesus gave His life, He shed His blood, He died a sinless death so that all who believe in Him might live eternally with Him. Through Him our souls are washed in His blood, we are made clean and will all gather the second He calls us, [But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. – 2 Peter 3:10]
After Jacob gave his blessings, he was at peace and ready to die, and shortly after he spoke he died. Now that their father was gone, his brothers were sure that Joseph was going to get revenge for what they did to him all those years ago. However, he did not seek revenge, he forgave them.
[And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. – Genesis 50:15-21]
[And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.] Love covers a multitude of sin, love covers the pain that we once endured until we have fulfilled the will of God. I have been doing a lot of weeping myself, even before all this, and I will tell you what, there is nothing thicker than blood, and I am talking about more than family that is biologically connected, I am talking about the blood that Christ connects is with, [The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. – 1 Corinthians 10:16-17,31-33]
Today’s Prayer: God, I cannot thank You enough for what You have done for me and in my life since I accepted Your Son as my Saviour, and dedicated my life to You. There have certainly been ups and downs, twists and turns, and yet, Your remained faithful, and kept Your promise to keep me from evil. I really have no idea where You will take me while I remain here, I know I will face more sorrow, more ups and downs, and more trying of my faith, yet I find comfort in knowing that You are preparing a place for me, a much better place. And while Your will for my life may lead me to more twists and turns, I will join in with Jacob and say, “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.” and whenever you are ready to bring me home, I know I will be with You. Praise God! I love you, and pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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