Blessings of Joseph

Introduction

Genesis 49:32 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:”

    The above promise verse is something that fulfilled in the life of Joseph. The blessings that were poured upon him was like the branches that climbed over the wall. The Lord gave his divine grace to Joseph to overcome all the obstacles that came in his way. Jacob loved Joseph than anyone in his family and gives him a long standing blessing. Despite the fact that Joseph was ill-treated and attacked by his brothers, he went on to be a fruitful bough. Since the hands of the Lord was with Joseph, he was eloquent and successful. Even in our lives, our Lord is able to bless us like how he blessed Joseph and made him a ruler of the nations. As a part of today’s meditation, let us meditate how the hands of the Lord blessed Joseph amidst of all his troubles.

Fruitfulness in affliction

Genesis 49:22-23 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:”

    We see here that the archers grieved and hated Joseph. The situation that he went through was totally depressing. Joseph was hurt because of the arrows that they shot at him. Though Joseph was afflicted and hurt, he kept doing good things to them. Joseph did not stop doing good things to them when they shot at him. Similar situation we see when we read in Genesis 13:8,11 ‘And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.’ We see here there was a confusion that Abraham faces in the above passage. In Genesis 14:16 ‘And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.’ We can clearly see Abraham does not act vindictive but he does good to his brother. In both the cases, we see Joseph and Abraham did a fruitful thing to settle the bad things that they faced in their lives. The habit of settling good things to the ones who afflicted us is what we call a fruitful life.

The hands of God in hatred

Genesis 49:23-24 “The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)”

    The archers not only grieved Joseph but they also hated him. The hands of the Lord was with Joseph when he was facing an enmity and it enabled him to stand against it. The ones that hated Joseph had no real good reasons to hate him. When Joseph was facing a hostile situation, the hands of the Lord did not forsake him. The divine power of God strengthened the hands of Joseph. Even in our lives, there are a lot of people who are jealous on us for no reason. This is what happens when the children of God are blessed abundantly. The hands of the Lord that was with Joseph will be with us amidst of all enmities and hatred in our lives. The hands of the Lord will not forsake us, it will lift us up and blesses us abundantly.

The strength of God in persecution

Genesis 49:24 “But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel)”

    We see Joseph was troubled in his entire life and he was persecuted by many people. But despite of all this eccentricities, the strength of the Lord was with him as a guiding armor. The power of the Lord took up the battle of Joseph. When we the children have the divine strength of the Lord in our lives, we can overcome and conquer anything and everything. We read in Genesis 49:25 ‘Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:’ As this verse clearly confirms that the Lord God will be with his children to strengthen them. May the power of God guide us and protect us from all forms of satanic troubles and persecutions in our lives. Amen.