Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(7/29/22)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 7/29/22 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Genesis 48

Manasseh and Ephraim

48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[a] appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’

5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. 7 As I was returning from Paddan,[b] to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”

10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”

12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers
    Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,
the God who has been my shepherd
    all my life to this day,
16  the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
    —may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
    and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
    on the earth.”

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said,

“In your[c] name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
    ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[d] and take you[e] back to the land of your[f] fathers. 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[g] than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

Footnotes

a Genesis 48:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
b Genesis 48:7 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
c Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
d Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
e Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
f Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
g Genesis 48:22 The Hebrew for ridge of land is identical with the place name Shechem.

_______________________________________________________

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Hallelujah.


Abba, Father, How Wonderful You Are!

And LORD, Our God,

How Excellent is Your Name Over All the Earth!

You Alone Are Worthy To be Praised,

For You Alone Are The One true God of The Universe.

We Thank You, Father, For Your Holy Word,

Which You have allowed to be preserved through Your People,

We Thank You for Revealing Your Secrets Through Your Word,

To those who have will have eyes to see,

and ears to hear.

How Wonderful You Are,

How Holy and Righteous and Just in Your Judgments!

You Alone Are Worthy To Be Praised,

For You Alone Are The One True God!

Let all that has been Concealed
Be Revealed.

Father, We Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem,
According To Your Will and Promise.
We Pray That You Will Forgive The Sins
of Our Own Nation,
and Lead us all to Godly Repentance.
Create in Us Clean Hearts, Oh LORD,
and Renew a Right Spirit Within Us.

This we Pray Together,
As We Await Your Messiah,
Blessed Be He,
To Set Up His Kingdom,
And Make All Things Right.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Genesis 48

Manasseh and Ephraim

48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[a] appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’

5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. 7 As I was returning from Paddan,[b] to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”

10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”

12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers
    Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,
the God who has been my shepherd
    all my life to this day,
16  the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
    —may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
    and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
    on the earth.”

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said,

“In your[c] name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
    ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[d] and take you[e] back to the land of your[f] fathers. 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[g] than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

Footnotes

a Genesis 48:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
b Genesis 48:7 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
c Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
d Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
e Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
f Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
g Genesis 48:22 The Hebrew for ridge of land is identical with the place name Shechem.

_______________________________________________________

As a high school art major, I read everything there was to read about Vincent Van Gogh. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts had a superb collection of his work, and I was there nine hours a week for extra art classes, so I got to see the "real thing" up close and personal. I was so immersed in Van Gogh that, when I visited the MFA a half century later, I was seriously upset that they had moved the exhibits around and changed the arrangement of the paintings. Works that needed to be viewed from a distance were stuck in narrow galleries, and I couldn't even find "Roulan the Postman" I was so annoyed that I wrote a review right here on this site.

Vincent was a tormented soul (which really appealed to my teenage angst!), and some of his issues (such as his seizure disorder) could be considered congenital, but not all. Vincent, though considered the first-born, actually wasn't. An older brother had died in infancy and was buried in the churchyard where Vincent's father was a minister. The problems began when Vincent learned to read his own name. You see, the dead infant was ALSO named "Vincent Van Gogh" and the poor kid had to walk by the grave every day of his childhood. That has GOT to have some kind of impact!

Vincent's baby brother Theo didn't have this issue growing up. But something led Theo to take care of his big brother Vincent till the last day of his life. In many ways Vincent became totally dependant on Theo for his very sustainance, and also for affirmation of his art. Theo worked tirelessly to show Vincent's paintings and sell them, with the discouraging result of selling only ONE of Vincent's paintings for a few franks. Theo struggled to get Vincent proper health care for his depression, and often paid out of his own pocket for Vincent's hospitalizations. Irving Stone immortalized this relationship with two books, "Lust For Life" and "Dear Theo". In many ways, the "older served the younger", because, without Theo being a surrogate "BIG BROTHER", Vincent probably would not have survived at all to fill our lives with his wonderful paintings.

In today's puzzling passage, we see the elderly Jacob crossing his arms to bless Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph's two sons. Joseph is naturally confused by this action, just as we are. He tries to correct his father, but is in turn admonished by Jacob that this is the way it is going to be. In his old age, Jacob is under no illusions about his sons. He recognizes that Reuben has dishonored himself due to his defilement of his father's bed, that Simeon and Levi's murderous rage against Shechem has disqualified them, and that Judah is now in place as the "Firstborn". He also seems to know that Manasseh and Ephraim will be switched in the future. Remember, "Manasseh means "Forgetfulness". As the Firstborn, he should NOT forget his heritage, and yet, when , over 450 years later, when the Israelites finally reach the Promised Land, the Tribes of Reuben and Manasseh opt to stay EAST of the Jorden. Even though they fulfill their military obligations to Moses and Joshua, they decide that they are fine with not entering into Canaan. Could it be that they forgot God's Promises?

Meanwhile, Ephraim, the younger, becomes a strong tribe and is fruitful in the Promised Land. And that is what "Ephraim" means.

So, this time at least, Jacob wasn't doing any tricks or sleight of hand. He was prophesying exactly what would be happening in the future.

Come snd Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[etabeta]

My prayers always. God bless.

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Etabeta, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[NEWwoman]

Amen, left that other site

God is Sovereign and often chooses the younger. (I say this as the younger sister. ;) )

Joining in prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem and for our beloved America.

[redryder_90]

Amen

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, NEWwoman, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, redryder_90, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[DarthVader]

Amen !!! <><

Psalm 49

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

1 Hear this, all you peoples;
give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life,*
there is no price one can give to God for it.
8 For the ransom of life is costly,
and can never suffice,
9 that one should live on for ever
and never see the grave.*

10 When we look at the wise, they die;
fool and dolt perish together
and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves* are their homes for ever,
their dwelling-places to all generations,
though they named lands their own.
12 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
they are like the animals that perish.

13 Such is the fate of the foolhardy,
the end of those* who are pleased with their lot.
Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,*
and their form shall waste away;
Sheol shall be their home.*
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me.
Selah

16 Do not be afraid when some become rich,
when the wealth of their houses increases.
17 For when they die they will carry nothing away;
their wealth will not go down after them.
18 Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy
—for you are praised when you do well for yourself—
19 they* will go to the company of their ancestors,
who will never again see the light.
20 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
they are like the animals that perish.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, DarthVader, For Your Prayers and Wonderful Psalm For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Hiskid]

Amen. Father, make changes in our Nation so that we will be a supporter and a blessing to Israel.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Hiskid, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Jeanbl]

Amen thank you. Joining in prayer.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Jeanbl, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS