Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1972
“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, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads.” Genesis 48:15,16.
JOSEPH was one by himself. In Jacob’s family he was like a swan in a duck’s nest—he seemed to be of a different race from the rest, even from his childhood. He was the son of old age, the son of the elders, that is, a child who was old when he was young, in thoughtfulness and devotion. He reached an early ripeness which did not end in early decay. In consequence of this, Joseph was one by himself in the peculiarity of his trials. Through his brothers’ hatred of him, he was made to suffer greatly and, at last, was sold into slavery and underwent trials in Egypt of the severest kind. “The archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him, and hated him.” But, Brothers and Sisters, see the recompense, for he had blessings which were altogether his own. “His bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.” He was as distinguished by the favor of God as by the disfavor of his brothers.
When Jacob is old and about to die, Joseph receives from him a blessing all to himself, in addition to that which he received with his brothers. In the 49th chapter we read, “Gather yourselves together, and hear, you sons of Jacob: and hearken unto Israel, your father.” And they did so and received as a family such blessings as their father’s prophetic eyes foresaw. But before this, “by faith, Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph” at a private interview especially granted to them. Had not his tribulations abounded, his consolations would not so have abounded! Do you seem, yourself, my Friend, to be marked out for peculiar sorrows? Do the arrows of affliction make your life their target and are you chastened above all other men? Do not be regretful, for the arrows are winged by Covenant Love which designs, by their wounds, are to prepare you for a special work which will lead up to a special benediction from your Father who is in Heaven!
The day will come when you will be grateful for every smart you now endure—yes, grateful for that bitter pang of unkindness from your brothers, though now it tortures your heart. The abundance of the Revelation of God is usually joined with a thorn in the flesh either before or after it. Notwithstanding your grief, there shall yet be born to you, as to Joseph, a Manasseh, for God shall make you forget all your toil, and an Ephraim, for God shall make you fruitful in the land of your affliction. You shall be blessed above all others! “Even by the God of your father, who shall help you; and by the Almighty, who shall bless you with blessings of Heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: the blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.”
Surely it is good for a man that he bears the yoke in his youth—his shoulders shall be the better able to bear the government when God shall lay it upon them! Instructed by affliction, the man shall become a father to his people and a comforter to the afflicted.
Our text tells us that Jacob blessed Joseph and we perceive that he blessed him through blessing his children which leads us to the next remark, that no more choice favor could fall upon ourselves than to see our children favored of the Lord. Joseph is doubly blessed by seeing Ephraim and Manasseh blessed. Dear young people, to whom I now speak, your fathers can say, “We have no greater joy than this, that our children walk in the Truth of God.” If any of you who are unconverted knew the deep searching of heart of your parents about you, I think you would not long be careless and indifferent about Divine things. And if you could conceive the flashes of heavenly joy that would light up your parents’
hearts if they saw you saved in the Lord, it would be an inducement to you to consider your ways and turn unto the Lord with full purpose of heart. God, Himself, next to giving to His chosen the Covenant of Grace, can do them no greater earthly kindness than to call their children, by His Grace, into the same Covenant! Will you not think of this?
Those of us who are parents are bound to do our best that our children may be partakers with us of the Divine inheritance. As Joseph took Ephraim and Manasseh to see their aged grandfather, let us bring our children where blessings may be expected. Let us be careful of the company into which we take our sons and daughters. Let us never conduct them where they may receive harm rather than benefit. Carefully, lovingly, wisely—using no undue severity—let us guide them into likely places for the Divine benediction and encourage them to seek the blessing for themselves by the fact that their parents are seeking it for them. The father who will not seize every opportunity of getting a blessing for his Eph-raim and Manasseh is not likely to see the lads seeking the blessing for themselves. Especially should this care be taken by parents who are growing rich—whose offspring will be tempted by this very fact to seek grander society than the poor people of God can afford them.