Jacob, just like his father Abraham, had many encounters with the Lord. It is because of their great faith in God, that He spoke with them and led them on their journeys. It was God’s counsel that strengthened them each day and in their gratitude towards God and what He did for them and their family, there was made sacrifices unto God. All this was taught to their children, to lift up God in all things and obey His commands. Now, in Jacob’s later years before His death, this was also made known unto Joseph and his sons. As Jacob was to bless Ephraim and Manasseh, this is what he said, 1“God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” (Genesis 48:15,16) How amazing was the faith of Jacob as he said that it was God who fed him all his life. It was God, who is all mighty, that he went to for daily nourishment and counsel. It was because of this faith that the angel of the Lord redeemed him from all his sins. I mention the angel of the Lord, since only the Lord God has the power to forgive and because it was mentioned again unto Moses that this is no ordinary angel but the Lord God himself.
Unto Moses did God come unto also, while being called an angel of the Lord, as he was in Mount Sinai. It is recorded, 2“and the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:2-6) One thing you should notice here is that the angel that appeared unto Jacob and to his fathers was called “the angel of the Lord”, along with the name God. Jacob may have called Him an angel, but more was spoke of and made known to us through Moses and even Mary. Now, speaking of Jesus, He is the same person that is spoken of here. This was made known through Mary, when she spake of her unborn Son and said, 3“He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.” (Luke 1:55,56)
In knowing that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and all the prophets of the Old Testament, this puts Him as more than just a man but God. Having this knowledge should help people know that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Just as He redeemed Jacob from His sins, He has the power to do the same for anyone that calls upon His Name in prayer. He was what gave Jacob new life, as he was fed by His goodness and grace all his years. And if He can do this for Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, Moses and all the other prophets and believers in the Lord God throughout time, He can surely do miracles in Your life, if you trust in Him. It was God that spoke through Jacob unto Joseph’s sons and blessed them. The same can be said for anyone that puts their trust in the Lord. His blessings will poor down upon everyone that gives them their whole heart. It doesn’t take much for Jesus to save a person from their sins, but only a willingness to follow Him. May you desire this, if you haven’t already, starting today. Jesus is the Lord God Almighty and is mighty to save. Remember this as you go throughout your life. If there is anything holding you back, then don’t hold onto it anymore, but confess those sins to God. The Lord will see this and then give you new strength to overcome all sin. What a great God we serve. Jesus is the way to salvation. All praise and glory to His holy Name.
Let us pray:
Lord God Almighty, I am grateful to know You and to have Your presence in my life. It is Your Words that give me new strength each day that I read the Bible. In prayer, have I come to know You as my Lord and Savior, for only You have the power to redeem me of my sins and give me strength to overcome my addictions. Where there was no power to resist the temptations of the evil one, I am now able to withstand them because of my great faith in You, oh God. Because You have taken my evil desires and transformed them unto Your perfect will, I am able to think more clearly and not give into sin as easily. It is only when I let my guard down is when I am susceptible to doing things that I know are wicked in Your sight. This breaks my heart and brings tears to my eyes each time I sin and fall, because of the lusts of the flesh. I don’t want to do things that I know You hate, and therefore, I put my whole trust in Your will and not my own. It is my desire to walk in Your ways and be holy as You are holy, for that brings me happiness in this life. I don’t want there to be anymore sorrow to hang over my head for what I have done, but to walk free of this sinful lifestyle and to honor You in my new walk. You are my God and I love You more than this life. I pray that You will take me by the hand and lead me from here on out. I love You God and I never want to live apart from Your love again. Thank You for saving me from my sins and dying for me on the cross. It is because of what You’ve done, that I am forgiven. I am different because of Your mercy and compassion for my life. These things I pray and give You all the glory and the praises You deserve. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Genesis 48 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
8 And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?
9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.
18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
2Exodus 3:1-16 (KJV)
1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
3Luke 1:46-56 (KJV)
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
