Tuesday, January 14, 2014

14 January 2014 - Jacob and Joseph

Isaac married Rebekah when he was forty years old
She was barren, but Isaac prayed in a way quite bold
She got pregnant with twins who jostled inside of her
God told Rebekah that the “older will serve the younger”
The firstborn was Esau who was all hairy and red
Then came Jacob, grabbing Esau’s heel instead
Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game
But Rebekah loved the one with Jacob as his name

Esau, exhausted from a day’s work, came in one night
For some of Jacob’s stew, he parted with his birthright
This upset the Lord, as per Malachi 1 verses two and three
Esau is called godless, in Hebrews 12:16-18 we do see
For a single meal, he sold his inheritance right as the eldest son
When he wanted to inherit the blessing, this could not be undone

From a very young age, Jacob’s son Joseph tended sheep
Jacob loved Joseph and gave him a bright robe to keep
Because of this, his brothers despised him and were mean
Joseph had dreams whose meaning were not hard to glean
Implying that his brothers would end up bowing down to him
Thus jealousy filled his brothers’ hearts right up to the brim

Acts chapter seven talks about the covenant of circumcision
Isaac, Jacob, and their heirs all received God’s provision
Jacob’s sons became known as the twelve patriarchs
Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave due to his remarks
But God gave Joseph wisdom so he gained Pharaoh’s goodwill
He thus helped his family when a great famine did destroy and kill
On their second trip to Egypt, Joseph’s identity was revealed
Because of his actions, the rifts in the family were soon healed
All seventy five members of Jacob’s family moved to Egypt
This is where they lived and died, according to God’s script

When Jacob died, Pharaoh allowed him in Canaan to be buried
So to the river Jordan, Joseph and his brothers the body carried
The brothers worried that Joseph would be holding a grudge
But he told them that for their wrongs, he was not the judge
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good”
To save many lives, as only one with God’s favor could
In Genesis fifty, Joseph promised for their families to provide
“He reassured them and spoke kindly to them” after he cried
“In all things God works for the good of those who love him”
This is repeated in Romans 8:28 as well as many a hymn

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