Upon first glance this appears to be nothing earth shattering. The text mentions Manasseh and Ephraim in verse four and in that order, Manasseh first as the oldest and Ephraim next, as the younger. But in the division of the land, it is Ephraim that receives his land first, the younger is placed over the older. You are going to have to think back to Genesis and remember the presentation of these two boys by Joseph to his father Jacob.
Manasseh and Ephraim are the sons of Joseph born to him in Egypt. The boys were brought to the aged Jacob, Joseph’s father, for blessing. Joseph placed Manasseh opposite Jacob’s right hand and Ephraim, Jacob’s left. But the blind old Jacob crossed his arms so that his right hand was upon Ephraim and he gave the younger the blessing of the eldest…something that was highly unusual!
Here in Joshua, the Holy Spirit, without buzzers and bells simply reminds us again, as Ephraim is blessed first, that God has his plan and His ways and they are not always according to our thinking. The younger son was blessed as the firstborn rather than the older, Manasseh. The well-established theme continues to take center stage, even in this quiet, unassuming way, chiefly;
…that the blessing did not follow the lines of natural descent or natural right. The blessing was a gift of grace bestowed upon those who could not claim it as a right. The fulfillment of God’s blessings is never left in human hands. This is foundational in the Kingdom of Grace. Nothing we have been given is ours by right but ours by God’s unmerited favor. God does not give us according to our deserving but according to His mercy…lest we all be lost.
That is what Paul was saying to the church at Corinth. Take human convention and all our brilliance and throw it out the window. God does not look upon the proud and self-confident, His attention is upon the humble, the broken and contrite, the one needing to be done for. This is illustrated a thousand different ways in the Bible.
In this text, the one reading it or hearing it read, would have nodded his head and said, “That’s right, it wasn’t Manasseh as everyone thought, but rather, the Lord placed the blessing on the younger…He does things like that!”
Ecclesiastes revels in this reality. It is as though Solomon is teasing us: Which do you think is better: a funeral or a birthday party…mourning or having a celebration? Which is better, laughter or sorrow? What cheers your heart more, a sad countenance, or happy one? Would you rather sing songs with fun people or get rebuked? Which best describes God: One who makes crooked things straight or One who makes things crooked?
And in every example, we are inclined to pick the opposite of what the Holy Spirit is saying. Our God is a dangerous God…He plays with knives…he does make things crooked…We should fear Him and be silent and learn His ways, for they are not our ways.
We are at heart, in so many ways, bound to this world. We want life to fall out in an outline so that everything is black and white, we want it easy, every question to fit nicely, neatly into its spot, predictable and manageable.
But there is much about life that is not black and white…things don’t always line up and fall out on command. Life is messy, situations are dark and hard to see through. And God is not predictable, tame, or easy to comprehend. Once we get past all our bravado and insecurities marauding as confidence, we can begin the discipline of admitting we don’t know and resting in the arms of Him who does.
I will tell you, for I have seen it, over and over again, YOU have seen it over and over again, and some of you may be frustrated even this morning, how often we see those who think God simple, easy and safe, the Christian life an add on to the things that YOU want…it is a temptation for all of us, to look around and conclude what we see is all there is…and…and I want it!
This view of God is shallow and so is the life that embraces such a perspective. The only thing that is not shallow is the hole that folks feel themselves in for their unwillingness to find their joy between Sundays in our God’s crooked ways.
Jesus tells us it is the poor in spirit that are blessed, it is the meek who inherit the earth…the first will be last, the last are first…the greatest is the one who is least, the one who loses everything is the one who has everything at the last. You love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you…you lead by serving, you live by dying. The ways of God are not the ways of man, nor are they to be scrutinized by those who are lost in the deceits of a sinful, broken world or who cannot escape the swirling pool of their heart’s own malevolence.
In the servant songs of Isaiah, especially chapter 53, we see what would have been a shock to everyone who heard the prophecy read: The Messiah, the Hope and Consolation for the people of God would be so marred that He didn’t even look human. Jesus, the Son of God and only Hope for the world, was considered by men, to be rejected of God, smitten of him and afflicted, but all of this was so that he might bear OUR reproach. That illustrates the nature of our God…the question is only, do we really know Him?
Prayer: Father, I confess that in my heart I seek to tame You so that I can control You and pursue what I want, but lie to myself that I am really doing Your will. Forgive me my pride, arrogance and lack of trust. I believe…help my unbelief!!! I lay down my plans and surrender my life to You and to Your purposes for me. Help me to experience Your grace and mercy in all the ordinary of my Wednesday, in Jesus name, Amen.
Gospel Song: Softly and Tenderly (Acapella!)