Before we move on to naming the leader of the last tribe of Israel’s army; I want to elaborate on how the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh were a bit different and set apart in their ways. After this is discussed it will be interesting to notice if their two new leaders, Elishama and Gamaliel are anything like the two founding sons of Joseph that the tribes were named after.

Of all the tribes of Israel; these two sons were the most blessed by Israel. Many scholars have pondered the reasons for that fact.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to our every-Thursday bible study called COME AS A CHILD. Today we are considering the naming of the leaders of Israel’s army from the perspective of the scriptures from Numbers, Chapter two.

Thanks for joining in with us!

If you wish to review last week’s lesson you may find it here: http://GOD IS MY REWARD – COME AS A CHILD LESSON 248.

MORE REASONS THAT ISRAEL BLESSED THESE TRIBES THE MOST

Last week we studied how these sons were blessed by Israel because they had been the sons of his beloved Joseph. This week we want to go deeper into the reasons for those greater blessings as there seems to be much more than one specific reason. The study of these facts gives all of us a clear pattern of why God sometimes choses to bless some more than others. It has a lot to do with strength and character, love for your fellow man and the desire that you have for the greater good of the family and your heritage.

So let’s go back just one more time and revisit Ephraim and Manasseh a bit more.

WHY THESE TWO FOR A PRAYER MODEL; WHY NOT JOSHUA OR DAVID OR DANIEL?

As we mentioned in last week’s lesson; it is common for the Jewish people to pray a prayer over their sons and ask God that they be like Ephraim and Manasseh.

What was so special about Ephraim and Manasseh that all of Israel would want generations and generations of their sons to inherit their character traits above all the other leaders?

It wasn’t just one thing.

These were many things.

THE ABILITY TO RISE ABOVE MEDIOCRITY

Isn’t it strange that Joseph’s two sons who were born and raised in Egypt, who came from a very secular society which was not known for a high degree of character and integrity, would be singled out as special enough to be elevated above all of the other grandchildren of Jacob, and also given a separate special blessing by their grandfather?

This very thing seems to have happened in spite of the culture of their youth, because these two boys had obtained the strength needed to maintain their own beliefs and they had been able to keep rising above the low ungodly and pagan lifestyle that they were exposed to.

Jacob saw these character traits in them and he was impressed.

THE ABILITY TO RESIST PEER PRESSURE

He quickly noticed that they were not weak and they did not conform to peer pressure.

GOOD MORALS AND HONESTY

Israel admired that these two boys had good morals and they were always honest and fair.

A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF FAMILY VALUES

Jacob saw that these two were close and always lived as family, neither son being jealous or considering himself higher than the other.

There was nothing these two brothers would not do for one another. They moved as a team and they cooperated with each other whenever a little give-and-take was necessary in their relationship.

THEY WERE NOT MATERIALISTIC

Jacob looked at them and saw that they would not be divided by jealousy and envy, and that they would not fight over material things and possessions.

The traits of family values and the fact that they were not a bit materialistic were traits that were very unlike Joseph and his brothers.

It was also a trait very unlike Jacob and his brother Esau.

Isaac and Ishmael had also had constant conflict.

Let’s be honest; we can go all the way back to Cain and Abel if we want the full history of human relationships and how they had developed so far.  Israel definitely wanted to reverse this trend in the life of these two grandsons and their sons and descendants.

A FATHER WHO WANTED TO REVERSE THE DIRECTION OF HIS DESCENDANTS

Perhaps Jacob saw in Ephraim and Manasseh, brothers that would not argue, that would live and love in community instead of trying to outshine each other as individuals, and brothers who would look after the greater good of all instead of choosing pride and greed for themselves.

Jacob did not want this pattern of history to repeat itself again through the sons of his lineage; he wanted things to improve and to be better than ever for his future descendants.

WAS THE HAND CROSSING A TEST – OR PERHAPS A REVERSAL?

You even have to wonder if crossing his hands was not a test to Manasseh; in order to see if what Jacob thought of him was true.

There was no need for Israel to worry though.

Manasseh humbly took the blessing that Jacob gave and was also happy for his brother.

These two young men had always looked after each other; there was no need to suspect this would change in the days ahead.

In reversing the order of the hands of blessing; was Jacob/Israel hoping to reverse the hatred, greed, envy and lack of love from the past?

BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD IN BLESSING THE FAMILY

Jacob must have been reassured when he followed God’s led and the boys did not flinch or turn away from him.

Each of them had respect for the grandfather and they were trusting in his wise leadership for their best interest, even if they did not always understand.

Even Joseph, when he thought his father had made a mistake at first, held his peace when he saw that Jacob was simply performing the blessing in accordance with God’s will.

I find it both interesting and sad that the sons who had been raised in another culture turned out to be the ones who truly appreciated their heritage and planned to carry out the family values all the way to the end.  They truly loved becoming a part of the nation of  Israel. 

Perhaps it is not so strange though.  When I look around America today; I can see the same traits in the present generation.  Those who were born into a great and mighty country cannot appreciate it’s true values and those who come here from another land cherish being here.  

WILL THESE CHARACTER TRAITS LIVE ON?

Now we have heard Moses declare from God that Elishama and Gamaliel will be the new leaders of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh’s army. Will the good traits of Joseph’s sons live on with them?

Will they be able to bring their tribes to a place of true family values, honesty, integrity and love for one another?

Time will tell the whole story as the Children of Israel continue to follow God through the wilderness journey.