Like Ephraim and Manasseh

May God may you like Ephraim and Manasseh,

Favored—

Graced.

All your days.

When Joseph brought his boys to their grandfather

Why did Jacob cross his arms?

The old patriarch knew that the strong right hand of

Higher blessing

Should rest on the firstborn son—

The deserving one.

But old Jacob crossed his arms and place his

Right hand on Ephraim, the second born,

The undeserving grandson.

Joseph tried to correct the scandal,

But Jacob refused to re-order his hands.

He left his right hand on the younger brother’s head.

Why?

Because that is what God has done for you.

Christ, the firstborn of all creation,

Who only deserved His Father’s right hand of blessing,

Hung on the cursed cross

And felt the forsakenness

Because the Father crossed his arms in the heavens,

And extended his right hand of blessing to

All the Ephraims— to the second borns,

To the undeserving ones—

To you and me.

He who knew no sin became your sin

And you became His righteousness.

So I bless you to walk in the favor of the

God who crossed His arms for you.

* * *

Today’s blessing is inspired by the mysterious scene of Jacob blessing his grandsons with crossed arms:

Genesis 48:14 (ESV) — 14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn).

As I explain fully in my new book, The Power to Bless (Baker Books, releasing Feb 2, 2021), for 3700 years, Jewish fathers have blessed their children to be “as Ephraim and Manasseh”, but no rabbi has satisfactorily explained why. Not until Christ’s cross did it all make sense. God has given you the blessing that should have been reserved for Jesus only. And that’s the Gospel! My new book explains it all! Pre-order the book today from Amazon and get the audiobook FREE!