Expressed Emotions or often missed

Genesis 48:1-9

The written word can often be the most misunderstood means of communication, it take great skill to write in a way that the reader understands the emotions expressed in the writing.  Often in business emails can cause the lost of a customer, and even the company to be sued or a battle to formed between departments.  Often when reading the Scriptures, I miss the emotions that are taking place, Genesis 48 is full of feelings and emotions, and if we read past them we will miss some of the story.

Joseph is told that his father is ill, he not sick with a cold, he is about to die.  How Jacob has been in Egypt for sixteen plus years at this time but Joseph has been running the country and has not spent the quality time or even the amount of time a son would want with his father.  When Joseph arrives at his fathers bedside he is very weak and yet Jacob/Israel has much to tell his son.  “Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.”

Jacob maybe dying, but just telling his favorite son about hanging out with Creator God is a very emotional moment, and can’t you just see his eyes flashing, and his voice getting stronger as he shares this encounter he has had with God.  He also wants Joseph to fully understand that the two sons he had while in Egypt before Jacob arrived are as much his sons as Reuben and Simeon are in fact he was adopting them so they would be part of his inheritance.  Then he shares about Joseph mother the love of his life, Rachel and how he buried her in Bethlehem. 

Earlier I made the statement that Joseph had not spent the time he had hope for with his dad, for many reason, distance of travel, but the main one was his busy schedule.  Joseph sons must be in age between 18-20 years of age and look what Jacob/Israel ask; “When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?”  Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.”  It is also true that Israel eyesight was very poor and that could contribute to his statement.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice