On Day 17, we learnt that there was no formal record of Abraham blessing Isaac his son rather, it was recorded that he gave all he owned to Isaac (read Genesis 25:5). Also, the only record of Isaac receiving blessings can be found in Genesis 25:11, God blessed Isaac.
The above facts, helps us understand that Isaac did not have first hand knowledge of how a blessing is given by a father or from his father, even though his father will definitely have blessed him, the words and procedures he used were not spelt out in the Bible. Also, it was not recorded that Abraham blessed Isaac by speaking into his future. For these reasons Isaac blessed his sons by faith.
By virtue of the blessing Isaac gave to Jacob and Esau, Jacob saw the effects and manifestations of the blessing in his life. This made him know the importance and potency of the blessing as a result, he ensured that he blessed his children before he died, actually this was what he did before he died.
Why was Jacob a man of Faith?
Jacob had a lot of twists and turns in his life and these were more than enough to call him a man of faith. But, they were not the basis on which he was called a man of faith. The reason why his father, Isaac, was called a man of faith was the same reason he is called a man of faith, as seen in the Scriptures (read Hebrews 11:21). Therefore, Jacob also blessed when he was dying i.e sick (Genesis 48:1).
What was so special about this?
The events, twists and turns in Jacob's life and that of his children, could have made it impossible for him to bless his children a while before his sickness and death like Isaac; but, Jacob knew the power and importance of the blessing. So, he blessed when he was sick and dying.
Jacob changed an order via the blessing.
In Genesis 41:51-52 the names of Joseph's sons in their birth order are stated, "And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." In the account recorded of Jacob in Hebrews, we see that it was only the blessing Jacob gave to Joseph's children that were recorded, this was significant not basically because other blessings were irrelevant. And, not necessarily because of the first son becoming the last incidence that repeated itself in Joseph's family. But, because of the revelation correction that Jacob by understanding and experience, helped his son Joseph to understand via his blessing. (Read the accounts in Genesis 48:14,17,20)
According to the meanings of the names and birth of Joseph's sons, we realize that Joseph believed God first made him forget all his toil, and all his father's house before God caused him to be fruitful in the land of his affliction. But, when Jacob blessed the children he changed the order to let Joseph know that it is the other way round. Which is that, God has caused him to be fruitful in the land of affliction that is why he was able to forget all his toil and father's house (which actually he did not forget cause he did feel the pain again when he meet his brothers after long years). Hence, FRUITFULNESS MAKES A MAN FORGET HIS TOIL AND SORROW.
This was why the blessing of Jacob was by faith, it was a prophetic revelation of the operations of God.
Grace to you.
Jesus is Lord.
Ps:Listen to this teaching, God has something in it for you
