Prayer: Father, You do the choosing, You do the ordering. My life is in Your control. Amen.
Reading: Joshua 16 key: vs. 1
“The allotment for the children of Joseph went from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east to the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.” TLV
Attention: When we investigate the family of Jacob (Israel), according to Genesis 29-35 it is recorded that Jacob had two wives who were sisters and they each had a handmaiden. Jacob had children by all four women. Their names are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.
Today’s passage establishes that Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph’s children, so they would also be Jacob’s grandchildren. If the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel make up the twelve tribes of Israel, how did Ephraim and Manasseh suddenly secure an allotment of land? We find the answer in Genesis 48. Jacob/Israel knew that his time was drawing near so he called for Joseph and then Joseph’s sons to bless them. In giving his blessings to Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph witnesses his father crossing his hands and blessing the younger Ephraim with the right hand which should be traditionally on Manasseh the eldest son. Joseph tries to correct his father, but Israel responded, “But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will become great. But his younger brother will become greater than he and his seed will be the fullness of the nations.” Then he blessed them that day saying, “In you shall Israel bless by saying: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’” Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh (Genesis 48:19-20).” TLV
Adonai chooses whom He will choose. He promotes whom He will promote. He had Israel bless who He chose to bless. We all have families. Many of us have witnessed rivalry among our family members and you may have experienced the collateral damage it causes. May we learn from the lives of those in Scripture how to avoid rivalry and how to heal the damage caused by rivalry.
Adonai loves us all. May we see ourselves and others through His eyes. May we treat everyone the way we would want to be treated.
Action: I choose today to drop the bitterness which rivalry brings and see that Adonai has a plan for each of us and while others may mean us harm, Adonai purposes to bring good out of it (example Joseph, Genesis 45:7-8).
Yield: I choose today to yield to God’s plan.
Engage: I choose today to engage with God in His plan for my life.
Relationship: I choose today to stay in intimate fellowship with God.
Prayer: Father, I easily get derailed and lose sight of Your plan for my life. Help me to understand the bigger picture and not get encumbered by the little things which get me off course. Amen.
Memory Verse: Matthew 7:3-5
“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the beam is in your own eye? Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” TLV
Music Video: Mercy Me—The Love of God https://youtu.be/oWnvmKoLWUU
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”