Thurs.’s Devo - Blessings

Read: Gen. 48-50
We see the principle of the second born play out again in Jacob’s blessing for Ephraim and Manasseh. The first born represents our natural birth - born into sin. The second born represents our spiritual rebirth. Jacob crossed his arms making the symbol of the cross to show us that through Jesus our spiritual rebirth will be much more prosperous than our natural.
This principle is also seen in his prophecies to his own sons. Reuben, his first born is a picture of our unregenerated self: unstable, yet strong, dignified, powerful on the outside. Simeon and Levi stood for the scribes and the Pharisees. They knew the law but their jealousy led them to kill Jesus in the most cruel and inhumane way. Judah is the line that the Messiah would come, so he is blessed. From Judah would come the deliverer who would put an end to Satan’s power. Zebulun means a dwelling which stands for the place we can hide in Christ. This is the place of rest and refuge from the storms of life. Dan stands for the truth that will stop lies and reroute people’s plans. Gad stands for the army of God that will rise up in the last days and fight for the truth. Asher means happy and he stands for the person who lives in the prosperity of the Lord. Naphtali is the intercessor who wrestles with God and wins. He is the encourager. Joseph is the person who lives through persecution and perseveres till the end. He reaps the blessings of God. Benjamin is the tenacious warrior who contends against evil forces and wins.
Once again, Jacob charges them to bury him in the same burying place that Sarah and Abraham and Rebekah and Isaac were buried. Remember on the 19th we learned that this burying ground meant “city of four”? Jacob will be the third patriarch buried here. Jacob was “gathered unto his people”, which means he was reunited with them in Sheol in an underground city. If this seems “new-agey to you I would encourage you to dig deeper. It is really Bible and the new-agers stole it from truth. This land would one day be called the city of Hebron and become a city of refuge.
Lord, help us to understand the power of a blessing and give them more freely to our children and those we meet.