In Genesis 49, we see Jacob on his deathbed; and here we see him at his best. He showed himself a noble man in many things; but his final scene is by far his best. Like the sun at sunset, Israel appeared most glorious when he was leaving this world. Spurgeon said, "Like good wine which runs clear to the very bottom, unalloyed by dregs, so did Jacob, till his dying hour, continue to sing of love, mercy, and goodness, past and future. Like the swan, which (as old writers say) singeth not all its life until it comes to die, so the old patriarch remained silent as a songster for many years, but when he stretched himself on his last couch of rest, he stayed himself up in his bed and, although with faltering voice, he sang a sonnet upon his offspring."
In verses 22-26, Jacob gives his richest, fullest benediction to his beloved son, Joseph. Let’s read it together.
(Genesis 49:22-26) "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: (23) The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: (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:) (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: (26) The blessings of thy 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."
The title of my message tonight is Boundless Blessedness. Without question, the benediction here given to Joseph speaks of the blessedness of him of whom Joseph was a type and picture, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the one spoken of here is Christ our Lord, the blessedness here bestowed upon Joseph is also a declaration of that boundless blessedness which is the portion of God’s elect. So, as we read these lines, I will endeavor to show you how that everything written in these verses applies first to Joseph, then to our Lord Jesus Christ, and then to all who are Christ’s.
- Joseph was made to be a fruitful bough (v. 22).
(Genesis 49:22) "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:"
Without question, this refers to Joseph’s seed, his children, which are here compared to a tree so heavily loaded with fruit that its branches hang over the wall of the garden in which it stands. I do not doubt that the promise here given refers to Joseph’s physical seed; but it goes beyond that. This is a prophecy concerning the boundless fruitfulness of our great Joseph, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The fruit of our great Savior’s substitutionary sacrifice at Calvary is a great, innumerable host of redeemed sinners who shall serve him forever (Isa. 53:7-11; Ps. 22:30-31).
(Isaiah 53:7-11) "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (8) He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (9) And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. (10) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (11) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."
(Psalms 22:30-31) "A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. (31) They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this."
This promise is also a promise concerning each of God’s elect in Christ. Every child of God, every true believer shall be a fruitful bow, bringing forth fruit unto God, by the power of his grace, who declares, "From me is thy fruit found." (Hos. 14:8; Gal. 5:22-23).
(Galatians 5:22-23) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
- All God’s Josephs in this world are marked, hatted men (v. 23).
(Genesis 49:23) "The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:"
Joseph had to endure the envy of his brothers, by which he was grieved, the temptations of Potiphar’s wife, the slander she heaped upon him, and the uncaused hatred of them all.
Our Master, like Joseph, was hated without a cause. He was tempted in the wilderness, envied by the Pharisees, hated by the Jews, slandered by his enemies, grieved in his very soul, and at last slaughtered on trumped up charges as a common criminal.
Let none who follow the Son of God expect better treatment while living in this world. The disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord. Though blessed of God, boundlessly, everlastingly blessed of God, in this world, every child of God has the lot of Joseph. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven." Every believer must endure…
- The Temptations of Satan
- The Envy of Men
- The Betray of Friends
- The Slander of Evil Tongues
- The Hatred of Many
This is our lot in this world; but it is as surely a part of our blessedness as the most pleasant things we experience (Luke 6:20-26).
(Luke 6:20-26) "And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. (21) Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. (22) Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. (23) Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (24) But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (25) Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. (26) Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets."
- Joseph was a man made strong by the Mighty God of Jacob (v. 24).
(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:)"
- Though many archers took aim and shot their arrows at him, Joseph’s bow abode in strength. -- That is to say, he was so strong that he never sought to retaliate.
- That is how our Master suffered evil at the hands of men.
- That is how our Lord teaches us to deal with wicked men, when we are the objects of their assaults (1 Pet. 2:20-24).
(1 Peter 2:20-24) "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (21) For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (22) Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (23) Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
- Joseph was made strong by his God. – His strength was not the strength of nature, but of grace.
- Look at the last line of verse 3. – "From thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel."
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Shepherd and Stone of Israel, is that One who was sent from "the Mighty God of Jacob" to redeem and save his people.
How I love these two great titles here given to the Son of God.
- Christ is the Shepherd of Israel – Our Almighty Protector and Provider, who carries his lambs in his bosom.
- The Son of God is the Stone, the Rock of Israel, upon whom we are built, our Foundation and Support.
- In verses 25-26, Jacob pronounced a sevenfold blessedness upon Joseph, a sevenfold blessedness upon all who are God’s.
This is boundless blessedness indeed!
(Genesis 49:25-26) "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: (26) The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors (a greater blessedness than that given by any earthly father!)unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, (The blessedness of Divine Separation) and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren."
(2 Corinthians 6:14-18) "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
(2 Corinthians 7:1) "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
(Ephesians 1:3-6) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."