Gen 49: 13-18

Zebulun since he will live by the sea will be a trader since the tribe will settle at the Sea of Galilee (but didn't include Sidon) and it didn't extend to the Mediterranean. However, they too will trade with them. Issacher would use his rawboned strength to be a farmer. They would be blessed with good land but they will labor hard. Dan would spawn the judge of Samson who was a small viper who took down the Phillistines, despite of his flaws. He would deliver his people from  oppression. The tribe of Dan would fight for his people.

It is interesting how each son would ultimately fulfill their destiny. Names did mean something back then as they would play a huge part of their development.

All in all, a decent weekend. Still much to be done to get the place ready for the masses next Sunday. I plan on making a dish (Thai curry mussels) to go with the seafood theme of the evening. Still just one more gift to get and I am done.

Praise for today: I look for your deliverance , O Lord. Gen 49:18

Gen 49: 8-12

Judah was the first son to be addressed as far as the blessing goes. The older ones were not given as nice a treatment by Jacob but now Judah will - with good reason. Jesus is from the lineage of Judah and that's why he is referred to as the Lion of Judah who will take the throne. He will be an overcomer of his enemies and will gain the praise and respect that is due him. The tribe of Judah was the one who led Israel into war and was the one who would gain the victory. From Judah, David and Solomon would follow as their greatest kings. While their descendants would rule afterwards, most of them were not loyal and thus fostered the split between the tribes. Ultimately, Jesus would be the one who will be seated on the throne and will unite the world. Jacob described the land that Judah will have as one that is extremely properous and uses crazy analogies to prove the wealth that will be generated from the land. The person from that land will be healthy because the land is healthy as well.

Got home relatively early after the party last night even getting stuck in some construction traffic. Still a decent time and good grub. Today, I got the delivery that I was waiting for early, did my laundry and now ready to face the great outdoors.

Praise for today: Judah, your name means “praise”. And your brothers will praise you.

You will overcome your enemies.  You will be like a man who puts his hand on the neck of his enemy.

Your father’s sons will bow to give you honour. Gen. 49:8

Gen 49:1-7

As the end of the book draws near, Jacob now turns his attention to the rest of his sons and gives them his blessing and prophesy. It is interesting to note that not all of his sons were blessed and ultimately their descendants were denied land and prominence in the new nation. Reuben (from whom a great sandwich is named, ha!) had all the makings of being the leader and the chosen one but because of his sin of defiling his father's concubine he was not. Simeon and Levi, were the ones who killed on behalf of Dinah's attackers an entire tribe of men. Their cruelty even streched to attacking livestock and used the covenant between the tribes to their advantage and killed. All three of these tribes received little prominence and/or no land (Levites) as they entered into the promised land.

From the commentary:

The tribe of Levi became very important. Moses belonged to this tribe. And God appointed families from this tribe to become the priests. Because they were priests, they were responsible for all the people in Israel. So, the tribe of Levi could not receive its own region. Instead, the people from this tribe received their own towns. These towns were in every region in Canaan (Joshua chapter 21). So, people from the tribe of Levi were available to help people from all the tribes to worship God.

So ultimately, they were the servants of the other tribes.

Today, I will head home after my company's holiday party and relax tomorrow. In some ways I look forward to it but the mass of humanity becomes sometimes too much. Oh well....

Praise for today: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. Luke 1:68

Gen 48

Jacob's legacy comes from the fact that he starts the blessing in this chapter that will shape the future of Israel. He takes the two sons from Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim and claims them as his legacy. Any other children born to Joseph afterwards would not be included. With his failing eyesight and advanced age, he proceeds to bless the younger rather than the older (via the right hand) which displeased Joseph. When Joseph tried to correct him and asking him to bless his firstborn, Jacob refused stating that while the older will have prominence but the younger will have it all. Because of Joseph receiving the birthright, his sons will have future benefits (Joshua 16,17).

Long day yesterday but ended with our department's cocktail party at a local restaurant. Crowded but able to escape after an hour or so. Still nice to get together with others outside the work environment.

Praise for today: The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps. Ps 85:12,13

Gen 47: 13-31

Reality set in as the famine became more severe and was prolonged (7 years). As a result, Pharaoh became much more important as a ruler. This happened because of Joseph’s great skill. He bought the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. And Joseph also arranged regular taxes that made Pharaoh much more wealthy. At the end of the chapter, Jacob was very old. Soon, he would die. So, he called Joseph. Jacob asked Joseph to promise to bury him (Jacob) in Canaan. Jacob wanted his descendants to realise that Egypt was not their permanent home. Instead, God had promised Canaan to them. Joseph made the promise. In fact, Joseph would ask his own descendants to make a similar promise about his own body, too.

God did make good on his promise to Jacob about the greatness of Israel in Egypt and that God "will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes". (46:4). I often wonder and debate where my own final resting place would be when I and Irene pass. I guess it will be at Kensico Cemeterary  in Vahalla, NY where my sons have to go to just one place to visit their grandparents and us. Still seems distant especially since we ourselves only go there once a year. I guesss I would rather be visited more often, oh well. Ps 6: 5 just came to me now: No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?

Praise for today: From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Ps 3:8

Praise for today:

Gen 47: 1-12

The time has come when Joseph presents his father and his brothers before Pharaoh. He chose to present only 5 of them. They told him of their occupation and of their plight in Canaan where the drought was so severe that their flocks suffered. They requested to live in Goshen where they were granted along with their father to live in the best part of the land. Pharoah trusted Joseph's judgment so that if any of them possesed any special abilities to tend to the livestock, they could be put in charge of Pharoah's livestock. Jacob was then presented to Pharoah where he told him his age (130) and then blessed Pharoah and left. Joseph settled the family in Egypt and gave them the best part of the land, as Pharoah directed and gave them and all of his father's household food.

Unlike himself, Jacob didn't equate his significance to Abraham and Issac. Pharoah attributed significance to him based upon the abilities of his son. Still even Jesus refers to him when mentioning God to the Israelites.

What a lousy day on Friday! A foolish and careless mistake will haunt me for years to come, yet God will and has seen fit to love me and protect me. Shortcuts will always lead to failure.

Praise for today:Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. Ps 57:1

Gen 46

On the way to Egypt, Jacob stopped at Beersheba - a special place for him  and Isaac (26:4) and there God confirmed that it would alright for Jacob and his clan to settle in Egpyt. Unlike God's warning to Isaac, God blessed and gave a plan for him and his family in Egypt. Then the Bible gives an account of all of Jacob's clan which does become confusing but the bottom line is that 70 people were on that trek along with all of the the stuff that was accumulated by Jacob since Canaan days. Jacob and Joseph were very happy to see each other again. Joseph knew that Jacob would encourage him. Joseph still had his important work to do for  Pharaoh. Until now, Joseph was probably the only person in Egypt who served the real God. The Egyptians served idols. But now Joseph had Jacob to support him. Joseph arranged a place where his brothers could work. They would continue to be  shepherds albeit under the guise of livestock raisers since shepherds were a detestable occupation. So, they would not become rulers. But Joseph continued his important work for  Pharaoh.

Long day yesterday on my first day back. Still glad it's over with and heading back home tonight. Did my minute holiday decorating in my apartment to get me in the "holiday"spirit. Tomorrow is the tree getting and more stuff to do for Christmas.

Praise for today: Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Ps 66:20