the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 1 of 5
Genesis 49:19-33
When the Church has been taken, the "hour of temptation" will come "upon all the world" (Revelation 3:10). A believing remnant of Israel will come through this terrible tribulation. We can see this in the words addressed by Jacob to Gad. Benjamin speaks to us of the King (Christ) setting up His reign after the destruction of His enemies, while Asher and Naphtali represent the people finally blessed by the establishment of the kingdom.
Even though he knows that he will not be on the earth at that time, the child of God should be interested in these things and rejoice in thinking that the true Joseph (Christ), who has been hated and rejected, will have the supreme power and will be there in blessing to the whole world. "Joseph is a fruitful bough . . . whose branches run over the wall:" (v. 22), beyond the borders of Israel. The blessing will reach to the nations who are strangers to the promises. Thus Jesus, the true Joseph, was "separate from his brethren" (the literal meaning of Nazarene). Formerly "sorely grieved" and "hated" (v. 23), God has now "highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9-10). This name, above all others, this name of Jesus: God our Saviour, is it great even now to your heart?
