Wed.'s Devo - From Manasseh to Ephraim

Read 1 Chron 7
The sons of Issacar were valiant in war. They were wealthy, virtuous, full of valor and strength. They walked in favor with God. If you are a son of Issacar you will have a servant's heart and the heart of a warrior. You will have favor wherever you go. His stone is the amethyst on the priest's ephod which stands for royalty.
Next we have Benjamin. Benjamin stands for the bride. He was the only son not alive during Joseph's captivity and trials. Joseph went ahead of his family to prepare a place for them and when they came he provided for them. He gave Benjamin 5 times the blessings he gave his other brothers. He was related to Benjamin by blood. The bride knows God because of the blood. Joseph was a type of Jesus going to heaven to prepare a place for us. If you are from the tribe of Benjamin you will be white and pure. You will understand revelation. His stone is jasper and his color is white for purity.
Those from the tribe of Naphtali are the redeemed; those brought back from the land of sin and addiction and now shine like diamonds. Their stone is the diamond and their color is silver.
Those from the tribe of Asher are the faithful, child-like in faith. Asher dipped his feet in oil (his walk was in the spirit). Asherites are fun-loving and innocent. Their stone is the agate which is pink and is the most calming color in our spectrum.
The sons of Manasseh and Ephraim are interesting to me so I did a study on them. This is my conclusion: Gen 41:51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, (worry, miserable pain, sorrow, sin) and all my father's house.
Gen 46:20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph's sons who Jacob spiritually adopted. So instead of there being a tribe of Joseph there were the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. When Jacob came to bless Joseph's sons, Joseph stratgically placed Manasseh in front of Jacob's right hand and Epraim in front of his left. Jacob prophetically crossed his arms (making the symbol of the cross) and blessed Ephraim as the first born spiritually, even though he was the second-born naturally.
Both these sons were born in Egypt (bondage). Before Joseph died he made his sons promise that they would take his bones into the promise land. They did. When they got to the Promise Land 2 and 1/2 of the tribes decided to stay on this side of the Jordan River: Gad, Rueben and 1/2 of Manasseh. The Jordan stands for the Holy Spirit and those who cross that river will enter into the promises of God. There are enemies in their land that need to be driven out but they can have whatever they ask if they contend for it.
I think that we as the body of Christ are moving from the point where God is causing us to forget the pain of our past (Manasseh) and moving into double fruitfulness (Ephraim) In Rev. 7:8 when it mentions the sealed tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim are sealed under one name: Joseph (which is another name for Jesus)
Interestingly the priest's stone for Joseph was the onyx which was black. Black speaks of repentence and a new begining.
Lord, we were born in sin but through your son we are free of our past and are moving into the land of fruitfulness and abundance. Thank you for your merciful kindness that endures forever. Great is your faithfulness.