Faith That Blesses In An Unusual Way

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Hebrews 11:21

Israel Before and After God

Jacob, before God transformed him into Israel, was a grabber, and he was a scoundrel,  but The God of Israel transformed his life, and HE blessed him to be a blessing. Even as his own blessing was unusual, later, as a transformed man, and as a new creation, his Faith blessed in an unusual way that can help each of us glorify God, live more fully, and no matter what we were before becoming Christ Followers, we can be the unique new creation people God wants us to be, individually and collectively. Then we, too, can have the kind of 21st century faith that makes us blessed to be a blessing, in accordance with God's will, and for HIS glory.

His Faith Blessed Beyond His Lifetime (21a)

Jacob’s blessing wasn’t limited by dying. Death had no control over the destiny of his God given blessing. Yes, he was an old dying man, but Scripture says:

“By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons…”

Even on his deathbed, Jacob’s faith was forward‑facing. His words lived long after he was gone. His blessing laid a foundation and shaped the future of Israel, the tribes, and the unfolding Eternal Covenant of our LORD and Savior Jesus, the Messiah. Faith that blesses doesn’t stop when an earthly journey comes to an end. This kind of faith leaves a spiritual wake that continues to move long after the vessel has passed.

His Faith Blessed Through the Next Generation — Indirectly but Powerfully (21b)

Unlike the other 11 tribes of Israel, Jacob didn’t bless Joseph directly. Oh, In Genesis 49, he did give a blessing that was among the other tribes, as they were given blessings; however, in this instant, the Hebrew writer tells us  he blessed Joseph through his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. That’s unusual. It shows us that faith sometimes does not necessarily follow the ordinary. For we serve The Only ONE True Extraordinary God who often works through unexpected ways of grace — and Jacob’s blessing of Joseph’s sons became Joseph’s blessing as well.

And then Jacob did something even more unusual: He blessed the younger over the elder. Joseph protested. Jacob refused. Why? Because God given faith sees what mere human perspective cannot. Faith speaks what God reveals, not what culture expects. Jacob’s blessing overturned the normal order of things, and it aligned with God’s sovereign plan.

 His Faith Led Him to Worship (21c)

Hebrews says Jacob blessed “and worshiped.” Faith that blesses is never just about words spoken over others. It is about adoration directed toward God.  Look at this new man Israel, which Hebrews still calls Jacob! His final act wasn’t grasping, deceiving, or manipulating. It was worship. The rascal became a worshiper. The deceiver became a disciple. The heel‑grabber became a man who bowed in reverence. Friend, that’s transformation!!!

His Faith Leaned on the Symbol of the Good Shepherd (21d)

Jacob worshiped “as he leaned on the top of his staff.”

That staff wasn’t just a walking stick. It was the symbol of THE Good Shepherd who was to come through his descendants, and Jacob had spent years carrying it. You see, it represented:

  • God’s guidance!

  • God’s protection!

  • God’s discipline!

  • God’s presence!

  • God's salvation through Jesus who is OUR Good Shepherd.

This staff, upon which he leaned with the last ounce of his strength, was the symbol of the Good Shepherd long before "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." It was an ancient symbol long before Jesus revealed Himself as the Shepherd of our souls. Jacob leaned on that staff because he had leaned on God his whole life,  especially after becoming Israel.

Sisters and Brothers, as Followers of the Good Shepherd, today, we have the same grace. We can be born again, through faith in Jesus and we can lean on HIM, We can lean into HIM. We can bless by faith. We can worship even in weakness. We can worship even when our world is coming to an end. We can speak blessings that outlive us.

If we let Him, the Good Shepherd of our souls, will make our faith a blessing in unusual ways too.

Spiritual Food For Thought

Jacob’s story reminds us that faith is not necessarily neat, predictable, or conventional. As we live through these latter days filled with wickedness, wokeness, weirdness and evil, the gift of faith God wants us to have, IS transformative! It is forward‑looking to the coming of our Lord Jesus! It's looking forward to our home not made by human hands! It looks forward to the home of our citizenship, even Heaven! This faith is worship filled. And it leans on Jesus, the Shepherd who never fails!

I hope, and I pray, our faith blesses in unusual ways! May our God given Faith bless in ways ways that echo into the future, as God's Kingdom comes! May our faith honor God, and align with HIS sovereign plan!

Prayer

Dear God in Heaven,

We thank YOU for faith that comes from YOU, from YOUR revealed will, from YOUR Word, O God. No matter what our lives were like, BC, Before Christ, and no matter what we are going through, today. Now that we can come to YOU through YOUR Son, we ask YOU to produce in us an unusual faith: Let the faith, that YOU provide us, live beyond this short time we have hear on Planet Earth. Let our faith be used to bless others, in each generation, directly and indirectly. As we journey through life, may this faith YOU give us, transform us to become people who worship YOU, and may we pass this Faith on so that others around us may know Jesus, the Good Shepherd, as Savior and LORD.

In Jesus Name.

AMEN!

 

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