Crossed Hands of the Greater Blessing

Written By Adam Dragoon

Sermon Summary

In Genesis 48, we encounter a profound moment where Jacob, nearing the end of his life, blesses Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. This story is rich with symbolism and spiritual insight, revealing God's unexpected ways and the transition from the old covenant to the new. Joseph, who had endured immense suffering and emerged as a leader in Egypt, brings his sons to Jacob for a blessing. Traditionally, the firstborn, Manasseh, would receive the primary blessing. However, Jacob crosses his hands, placing the greater blessing on Ephraim, the younger son. This act signifies God's sovereignty and His tendency to subvert human expectations.

The names of Joseph's sons carry deep meaning. Manasseh means "causing to forget," symbolizing the old covenant and the law, which helps us move past the pain of our past. Ephraim means "fruitfulness," representing the new covenant in Christ, which brings abundant life and spiritual fruitfulness. The old covenant, with its laws and sacrifices, was necessary but incomplete. It pointed to the need for a greater, more perfect covenant, fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Through the cross, Jesus accomplished what the law could not. He became the ultimate sacrifice, offering us grace and the opportunity to live a life of fruitfulness in Him. Just as Jacob's crossed hands signified a new order, the cross of Christ signifies the transition from law to grace. This story reminds us that God's ways are higher than ours, and He often chooses the unexpected to fulfill His purposes. We are called to embrace the new covenant, living not by the letter of the law but by the Spirit, bearing the fruit of a transformed life in Christ.

“God’s ways are higher than ours, and He often chooses the unexpected to fulfill His purposes.”
— Pastor Adam

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Key Takeaways

  1. Destiny and Transformation: Destiny is not merely a destination but the transformation of our character through life's trials. Joseph's journey illustrates how God prepares us to be the right person for His purposes, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a right heart amidst adversity. [01:52]

  2. The Significance of Names: The names Manasseh and Ephraim symbolize the transition from the old covenant to the new. Manasseh represents forgetting past pain through the law, while Ephraim signifies the fruitfulness of life in Christ, highlighting the progression from law to grace. [08:39]

  3. The Role of the Law: The law serves as a mirror, revealing our sinfulness and need for a Savior. It is a necessary step in understanding our need for grace, but it is not the final solution. The law points us to the greater covenant fulfilled in Jesus. [13:46]

  4. God's Unexpected Ways: God's plans often subvert human expectations, as seen in Jacob's blessing of Ephraim over Manasseh. This act foreshadows the new covenant, where grace supersedes the law, and God's purposes are fulfilled in unexpected ways. [25:10]

  5. The Cross and New Covenant: The cross is the ultimate symbol of God's grace, where Jesus took our place, fulfilling the law and offering us a new life. Through the cross, we receive the blessing of the firstborn, becoming co-heirs with Christ in the new covenant. [31:05]

Bible Reading

  • Genesis 48:8-20 NKJV - Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who [are] these?" 9 And Joseph said to his father, "They [are] my sons, whom God has given me in this [place]." And he said, "Please bring them to me, and I will bless them." 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, [so that] he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, "I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!" 12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought [them] near him. 14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid [it] on Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh [was] the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said: "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16 The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." 17 Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for 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 also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations." 20 So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!' " And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh

  • Romans 5:17 NKJV - For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

  • Hebrews 8:6-13 NKJV - 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 7 For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- 9 "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 "For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 "None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 13 In that He says, "A new [covenant]," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Observation Questions

  1. What significant action does Jacob take when blessing Joseph's sons, and how does Joseph react to it? [04:54]

  2. What do the names Manasseh and Ephraim mean, and how do they relate to the covenants mentioned in the sermon? [08:39]

  3. How does the sermon describe the role of the law in the Old Covenant? [13:46]

  4. What is the significance of the cross in the context of the new covenant, as explained in the sermon? [31:05]

Interpretation Questions

  1. How does Jacob's crossing of his hands during the blessing symbolize God's unexpected ways and the transition from the old to the new covenant? [25:10]

  2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the new covenant in Christ is superior to the old covenant? [17:22]

  3. How does the story of Joseph's life illustrate the concept of destiny as transformation rather than just a destination? [01:52]

  4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of understanding our need for grace through the law? [13:46]

Application Questions

  1. Reflect on a time when your expectations were subverted by God's plans. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [25:10]

  2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of living by the Spirit rather than the letter of the law. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a Spirit-led life this week? [18:23]

  3. Consider the meaning of the names Manasseh and Ephraim. How can you apply the concept of "forgetting past pain" and "fruitfulness" in your current life situation? [08:39]

  4. How can you embrace the new covenant of grace in your daily life, especially in areas where you might be relying on your own efforts? [29:28]

  5. The sermon mentions the fruit of the Spirit. Choose one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit to focus on this month. What specific action could you take to cultivate it in your interactions with others? [20:04]

  6. How can you ensure that your understanding of God's plans is not limited by your own expectations or traditions? [33:49]

  7. Reflect on the idea that God's ways are higher than ours. How can this perspective change the way you approach challenges and decisions in your life? [38:17]

  • Let's open up our Bibles to the book of Genesis, chapter 48.

    Once again, this message is inspired directly through my daily Bible reading. We have a Bible reading plan that our church is a part of. If you would like to be a part of that, we encourage you to do so. You can find that on our church website, but through the YouVersion Bible app.

    And so if you are keeping up with those daily readings, you will have already read this scripture. But it really struck my heart as I read it. This is a story that I've read many, many times. But I love when the Word of God, when the Holy Spirit reveals new truth by using His Word.

    How many have ever had that experience? A story you read a hundred times, but for whatever reason, God points out a new and fresh truth in His Word. And that is exactly the case with this scripture this morning.

    Genesis, chapter 48. It's the story of Jacob as Joseph brings his two sons to his father. Now, you know the story of Joseph, who had spent a lifetime away from his family. He had been rejected by his brothers, sold into slavery, worked as a servant in Potiphar's house, falsely accused of sexual immorality, and put in prison. Joseph has quite a story.

    And through all of that, God's blessing was always on him. He kept his heart right. And the story of the life of Joseph is, keep your heart right, no matter what you're going through, and God will raise you up. And that's what happened with Joseph.

    When the time was right, God prepared him, not only... Listen, I got a statement for you this morning. Destiny is not just the place that God is bringing you to. Destiny is the person that you're going to be when you arrive there.

    And that's the story of Joseph. God had prepared him through all of these difficult times to be the right person in the right place to manage the wealth and the resources of the nation of Egypt, to be a blessing to all nations around. One of those nations that needed help was Jacob and his family.

    As Jacob sends his other sons, Joseph's brothers, into Egypt to purchase grain. You know the story that the brothers, they are recognized by Joseph. They don't recognize him. They thought he was dead, long gone. But he knew them. He saw them. And there's a process of restoration. And there's a whole powerful story there.

    And so Joseph is reconciled to his brothers. But then they bring his father. They bring Jacob. And Jacob comes down to Egypt. And there is a restoration and a healing of relationship. And it's a beautiful story.

    And that catches us up to where we are in this chapter, in Genesis chapter 48. Now, as Jacob is about to pass away, there is something very important that Jacob has that he needs to pass on to the next generation.

    Jacob has the blessing of the covenant that God first gave to Abraham that was passed down to Jacob's father, Isaac, and now passed to Jacob. And now Jacob is growing old. He's getting ready to pass on into eternity.

    And so his role as the patriarch of the family is now to pass on that blessing to another generation. And that's where we pick up our story. In Genesis chapter 48, Joseph, who is still in Egypt managing the affairs, understands that there is power in the blessing of the patriarch.

    And so what he does is he brings his two sons. These are two sons that are born to him in Egypt. Their names are Manasseh and Ephraim. He is going to bring his two sons to their grandfather, Jacob, because he wants them to receive a blessing before Jacob dies.

    And that's where we pick up the story. If you join me in Genesis chapter 48 and verse 8. Let's read it together, verses 8 through 20.

    It says, "Israel," that's Jacob, "saw Joseph's sons and said, 'Who are these?'" Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons whom God has given me in this place." And he said, "Please bring them to me, and I will bless them."

    Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, "I had not thought to see your face, but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring."

    So Joseph brought them from beside his knees and bowed down with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him.

    Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

    So if you're getting the picture, Joseph has lined up his boys so that the firstborn would be under the right hand, and the secondborn would be under the left hand. That's because the blessing comes through the right hand. And Joseph has lined them up properly according to tradition.

    But when Jacob goes to bless the boys, he crosses his hands so that the blessing of the firstborn will be on the younger.

    Verse 15, he blessed Joseph and said, "God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless these lads. Let my name be named upon them in the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."

    But Joseph is upset about this. When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. So he took hold of his father's hand to remove it, so as to put it on Manasseh's head.

    And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head." But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people. He also shall be great, but truly the younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."

    So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you, Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and Manasseh.'" That's significant because the order should have been Manasseh and Ephraim. But the blessing goes Ephraim and then Manasseh.

    Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers."

    Let's pray for a moment.

    Lord, we come by the precious, precious blood of Jesus. I pray this morning that you would help us, that you would speak to us through this profound story, the wisdom of God. I pray that you would help us today to understand your grace, your mercy, and your power that is in the new covenant of Christ.

    I'm praying, God, that you would speak to your people in Jesus' mighty name. God's people would say, "Amen."

    Let's look this morning at living in the greater blessing. And today I want to look, first of all, at the meaning of Manasseh. These boys were the sons of Joseph. They were born to him in the land of Egypt.

    And you can't understand this scripture, this story without understanding the life of Joseph. He had a rough life. He had a difficult time. He had a harder time than most likely anybody here.

    And yet, through all of his difficulty, his pain, his travail, his loneliness, his betrayals, his false accusations, his spending time in prison unjustly, through all of this time, God has kept him.

    And as God raises him up to this place of prominence, part of that is that he is able to marry a wife and have children. When this first child is born, you know that in the Old Testament, names carry great meaning.

    The name is going to define not only what the parents have been through, but also define the life of that child going forward. And it's interesting when you begin to study the name that Joseph gave to his two sons.

    The first son is named Manasseh. And that name literally means "causing to forget." The idea behind the name of his first son is that by bringing him into the world, God has blessed Joseph. And this blessing is so great that it's helping him to forget the pain of his past.

    That's the name, Manasseh. You have caused me, your presence, your blessing has caused me to forget the pain of my past.

    And what I see in these two boys is I see a revelation of the two covenants in the Word of God: the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Manasseh, causing to forget, is a necessary first step.

    In the same way that Joseph was able to move on from the pain of his past, God also wants Israel to move on from the pain of their past in slavery. So follow with me. This is a metaphor for the nation, God's people. And it's also going to be a metaphor for you and I.

    So God's people spend time. If you fast forward into the book of Exodus, you know that the nation of Israel multiplies. And for 400 years they are in slavery in Egypt.

    And as they are in slavery, God is going to bring Moses to be their deliverer through miracles and signs. And by the way, the blood of a perfect spotless lamb. That lamb is going to be slaughtered. God's going to bring them out of Egypt.

    And this is a picture, how many know, of salvation? Everybody tracking so far? Salvation is when we were in bondage to our sins. Then the blood of a sinless lamb, Jesus, dies on the cross for us.

    And because of the blood of Jesus, we can walk out of our slavery and into the promised land of God's blessing. So this metaphor is carrying through.

    In the story of the Israelites, then, under Moses as their deliverer, their leader, God brings them into the wilderness. They're wandering there. And the first place they stop is Mount Sinai.

    And at Mount Sinai, God gives them what? He gives them the law. It's the first of many laws. It's the two tablets that God writes on these stone tablets with His own finger.

    And the Bible says they receive the law that day. That is the first of many laws that Moses gives them. And God is going to give them this law. The law is a gift.

    So you have the book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. These are the telling of the laws. And so God gives them the law. And the law represents for us the Old Covenant.

    Why did God give them the law? He wanted them, just like Joseph, who had been through a terrible time, to be able to forget the pain of their slavery.

    What God understands and what we need to understand is that they cannot walk into their promises until they have forgotten their pain. Are you with me? This is a powerful truth of life.

    The reason that the Israelites were wandering so long is because you can take the slaves out of Egypt, but it's much more difficult to take the Egypt out of the slaves.

    Even though they were free, they were still thinking and acting as they did back in Egypt. And so the story of the time wandering in the wilderness is that through the law, God is trying to help them to forget the pain of their slavery so that they can go into the promise of their future.

    And this is the same path that God has for us. God wants us to forget the pain. This is our Manasseh. Our Manasseh is the Old Covenant, the law.

    You know what the Bible says about the law? Romans 3, verse 20: "Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in His sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin."

    We thank God for the law. You know why? Because without the law, like Paul said, Paul says, "I would not know that I was a sinner." It is the law which brings conviction of our sins.

    How many have ever felt that before? When you read the Word of God, when you read the laws of God, it brings us under condemnation. And that's a good thing. But that's not enough.

    The law is our Manasseh. It is God trying to deliver us from the pain of our past. The Old Covenant was important, but it was temporary.

    The laws of Moses were pointing forward to something far greater. Hebrews 8, verse 7: "If the first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second."

    Because finding fault with them, He says, "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant." Everybody say "new covenant."

    "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." The Old Covenant was critical, was important, without which we would not know the depth of our wickedness before the Lord.

    But the Old Covenant is our Manasseh. It's step one. The problem is this: There's a lot of people who get stuck at step one.

    Who get stuck in a cycle of Old Covenant living. And just like the Jews of history, just like the people who exist under the laws of Moses, it is a revelation of God, but it is an incomplete revelation.

    Think of how they expressed their faith. The Jews of the Old Testament. They have a system of sacrifices. So if I want to get my heart right with God, there's a process that I have to follow.

    There are feasts. These days, as a faithful Jewish man, I have to be in Jerusalem three times a year. There's a system of sacrifices. I have to either bring a lamb or a bull or a goat or a bird if I'm poor.

    I have to bring some animal. And as I bring that into the tabernacle, then later on into the temple, I'm going to transfer my sins onto this animal that has done nothing wrong.

    I'm going to hand that over to the priest. And the act of faith, the faith that they had was to slaughter those animals. The temple and the tabernacle was a place of blood.

    It was a place of sacrifice. It was a place where all day, every day, the blood was flowing down. And on the most holy day of the year, the Yom Kippur, the high priest would go into the most holy place and he would make one sacrifice for the entire nation, all the people of faith together that he would make a sacrifice.

    And he would make a sacrifice for them. But all of that is important, but it's not final. It's not enough. It's incomplete.

    The blood of bulls and goats and birds is a temporary cleansing. Because how many understand? As soon as those sacrifices are made, as soon as that blood is spilled, those people would come out of that temple and go right back to the same life.

    And the sacrifice is not final. The same is true if we try to live under the Old Covenant of the law. If all we have is Manasseh trying to forget, it is not enough.

    God did not send His Son Jesus simply to forget the past. But He calls us to an abundant life in Christ. And that is the New Covenant, which is, I believe, represented in this scripture through the second son, Joseph, whose name is Ephraim.

    Now, when we do a study on the name of Ephraim, you will discover something amazing. The name Ephraim means "fruitfulness."

    So with his second son, Joseph names him Ephraim. This is Genesis 41, verse 52: "The second son he named Ephraim and said, 'It is because God has made me fruitful.'" Say "fruitful."

    "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." So this is the next step. God has delivered me from the pain of my past, but more than that, this son is a forward-looking son.

    He said, "God has made me fruitful," symbolizing increase, abundance, newness of life. And this symbolically, metaphorically points us to the New Covenant, which is in Christ.

    How many know this morning, Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly? A fruitful life. John 10, verse 10: "The thief did not come except to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that they may have life and that they might have it more abundantly."

    Jesus said, "I am the vine." John 15, verse 5: "I am the vine. You are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit." Say "much fruit."

    "For without me you can do nothing." Here's the simple way to understand Manasseh and Ephraim. The Old Covenant is about following rules. The New Covenant is about relationship.

    The Manasseh way of life is about making lists and following them. The Ephraim life is about bearing the fruit of relationship through Jesus.

    Through Christ, we are no longer striving; we are abiding and bearing fruit. Galatians 5, verse 22: "But the fruit of the Spirit."

    Anybody know? Love, joy, peace, long suffering. You know what it means to have long suffering, right? It means to suffer for a long time with a smile on your face. Kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

    What I'm trying to show you is that the Ephraim kind of life is the life that God wants us to live—a life of fruitfulness for the kingdom of God. And just as Ephraim received a greater blessing, so the New Covenant is greater than the old.

    Now, that's why this story attracted my attention because here in this story, we have so many amazing truths all wrapped up into one. God has a pattern of superseding what's supposed to happen with what He wants to happen.

    This goes all the way back to the very first sons that are born to Adam and Eve. We have Cain and Abel, right? Cain is the firstborn. Abel is the secondborn. And Cain is supposed to be the responsible one.

    But Abel brings a sacrifice to the Lord. God recognizes that sacrifice, doesn't recognize Cain's. And so Cain kills his brother Abel and he becomes a picture of wickedness throughout the Bible.

    We have the sons of Abraham. As Abraham made that foolish decision to sleep with his maidservant Hagar, out of that relationship comes Ishmael. Ishmael is Abraham's firstborn, yes? But that's the son of the flesh instead of the son of the promise.

    And later on, their faith is confirmed and Isaac is born. The promised son that God said that you will have a son and will be from your own body. You and your wife, at 90 years old, they have a child. And that's Isaac.

    And Isaac, when he grows, I just preached about it a couple of weeks ago, he takes the place of prominence. They have to kick Ishmael out. Remember that story? They had to say goodbye to Hagar and Ishmael.

    Can I just remind you? You got to say goodbye to your flesh. You got to say bye-bye. You're no longer welcome here. But I care. I care about those things. It's who I am. It's part of my personality.

    Yes, Abram cared about Ishmael too. That was his son. And he had to send him away. He had to say goodbye to Ishmael so that Isaac could thrive.

    We see it again in the sons of Isaac, twin boys that are born, Esau and Jacob. And we see Esau, who is supposed to carry the birthright through the generations.

    But one day he comes in. He's been out in the fields hunting all day. He's tired. And Jacob has been cooking up a stew all day. And Jacob says, "You trade to me your birthright. I'll give you a bowl of beans."

    And the Bible calls Esau a wicked and a carnal man because he traded the blessing of God for a bowl of stew. Again, a decision made in flesh, in weakness. And Jacob receives the birthright.

    It's the younger who becomes the bearer of the blessing. You see the pattern emerging. And this is the same Jacob who received that blessing that now, later on, he's about to die.

    And now these two sons are before him: Manasseh on his right, Ephraim on his left. And Joseph has lined them up perfectly. I can imagine Joseph thinking to himself, "Oh, yes, I love this Manasseh boy. I'm preparing him for greatness."

    And Joseph is bringing him to his dad. And he wants them to receive the blessing. He said, "Manasseh, make sure you're over here on the left side so that you're under dad's right hand."

    And he's lining them up. "Make sure you're wearing your tie, boys. Make sure you got everything together. Let's do it right."

    And he lines them up perfectly. And here comes Jacob. And with one move, he messes up all of Joseph's plans.

    What he does is he takes his hands and he crosses them. Didn't see that one coming. And when he does that, he is undermining Joseph's will, but he's doing God's will.

    Now, here's the point. Here's the reason why this is important for you. Sometimes we get our lives all figured out. How many have been there?

    We get our lives all figured out. This is the way I like it. This is how it's supposed to be, Lord. Firstborn should have the blessing. Let me put them right here.

    And sometimes God will throw a monkey wrench into your plans. God will cross His hands on you and say, "Wait a second. I thought it was supposed to be like this." And it turned into that. Can you handle that?

    We see in our scripture that Joseph starts getting upset. When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, verse 17, it displeased him.

    Ever been there? "Lord, no. Let it not be so, Lord." That's like Peter. When Jesus starts talking about going to the cross, and Peter says, "No, not so, Lord. Let it never be."

    And what does Jesus say? "Get behind me, Satan. For you are not mindful." Peter thinks he knows what's best for the plans and the purposes of God. But Peter doesn't know. He receives a rebuke.

    Sometimes we need a rebuke when it comes to our purposes and plans. But what we also see so powerful in this scripture, as Manasseh is a stand-in for the Old Covenant and Ephraim represents the New Covenant of grace and fruitfulness.

    When God, when Jacob crosses his hands, it's like God is making a statement to us. This New Covenant in Jesus supersedes and overpowers the Old Covenant.

    And isn't it interesting, the sign that he makes with his arms? Cross. Cross. At the cross, all of this is a foreshadowing. Without Jacob understanding, without Joseph, without even Ephraim or Manasseh understanding, all of it points forward to the superior covenant in Christ.

    Hebrews 8, verse 6: "But now He, Jesus, has obtained a more excellent ministry. He is a mediator of a better," say "better," "a better covenant, which was established on better promises."

    For if the first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Hebrews 8, verse 13: "In that, He says, a new covenant has made the first one obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away."

    Just the same way that Ephraim is the second born but received the first blessing. So also Jesus, the second Adam, brings a greater inheritance than the first.

    This is what Paul says. Paul says in Romans 5, verse 17: "By one man's offense, death reigned through the one. Much more, those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ."

    As through one man's offense, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation. Even so, one man's righteous act, the free gift, came to all men, resulting in the justification of life.

    For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience, many will be made righteous.

    Now I hope that I haven't left you with too much confusion. But the reason for this powerful message is this. When Jesus came to the scene, He did not come to throw away the Old Testament, the Old Covenant. He came to fulfill it.

    He came to complete it. There's a reason why you didn't bring your goat with you this morning. You didn't bring a sheep with you, or a lamb, or a, well, that's the same thing, or a bird.

    There's a reason why my ministry does not include sharpening knives. Because we have the greatest sacrifice of all. As Jesus laid down His life for the sheep, the great shepherd gave His life; He completes the system of sacrifice.

    He said, "I didn't come to do away with the law. I came to fulfill the law." And we have to, as people of God living under the New Covenant, appreciate that through the crossed hands of grace, the rightful son took our place.

    When Jacob crossed his hands and puts the younger son above the older, he's also making a statement. He's saying that the works of Christ are greater than anything you can do.

    The work that He did on the cross is more effectual and more powerful than anything we can do. We try to make up, right? We come to Christ and we get a sense of, "Man, I need to shape up. I need to try to do better. I need to make sure to meet my quotas," right?

    We got to do all the things and say all the right words and memorize all the right facts and get myself lined up. And that's not evil, but it's Old Covenant.

    Jesus came because He's the only one who could ever live the perfect life. You ever try to be perfect? Didn't work out so well, right?

    Jesus lived the perfect life in your place. And God, just like Jacob, God crosses His hands and places the blessing on you and I because of the life of Jesus.

    At the cross, there is a transfer. There is a transfer. There is a miraculous transfer. There is a transaction that takes place at the cross.

    Jesus, on that cross, how many know what He received? He received our sins. He received the punishment from God for our sins, something that He did not deserve.

    But on the cross, God is placing that punishment on the Son, Jesus Christ. And when we come to Him to turn from our sins and trust and believe that there is a transfer, the transference, the blessing that Jesus received, deserved, now is received by you and I.

    How crazy is that? When we trust and believe in Jesus, the transfer is that we get to put our sins, that God puts the punishment of our sins on Him, and in return, we receive a blessing.

    The blessing of the firstborn. Doesn't it say in Romans that we become co-heirs with Christ? The same blessing that Jesus deserved is now transferred to simple people like us.

    How amazing. How powerful. And just like Ephraim, he's going to spend the rest of his life saying, "Man, I was expecting that Manasseh would be the blessed one."

    But instead, the hands were crossed. See, grace replaces works. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9.

    I want to tell you, God's ways are not your ways. His thoughts are not your thoughts. We think the ones who are strong, the deserving, the powerful, the mighty, the great, they're the ones deserving.

    But no. Paul says, 1 Corinthians 1, 27: "God has chosen the foolish things." Thank God. Thank you, Lord, for choosing the foolish things. That's me.

    He chose the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.

    As Jacob crossed his hands, it was not confusion. It was not old age. It was divine revelation.

    And he's showing us in that very primitive, and without understanding all that he was doing, he showed us how God would bring salvation, not through human effort, but through divine grace.

    Here's the lesson I want you to take away this morning. God doesn't follow your traditions. He doesn't do things the way you think He should. He doesn't meet all of your expectations.

    You know why? Because that would make you God. We so often want to serve the God that is made in our own image.

    "God, you've got to think like me and be like me and act like me." And that's how we become little g gods. But that's not the way it works.

    God will subvert your expectations. Jacob could see what Joseph could not. Even though physically he was blind, Jacob could see something in the Spirit, even though spiritually he was spiritual.

    This tells us we need to be led by the Spirit, and not by the flesh. Not just by what looks right on paper.

    Don't be surprised when God will cross His hands in your life. Expecting it to work out one way, and it works out a different way.

    He chooses what to the world looks least likely, and raises up the unexpected.

    I think about, as we close, I think about the story of David. David is the son of Abraham. David who would become the greatest king in Israel's history.

    And where did he come from? He was the least of all his brothers. You know what's so crazy about that story? Here comes Samuel to bless. He's going to pour out the oil on one of Jesse's sons.

    God has spoken to him. It's one of the sons of Jesse. You need to go down to the house of Jesse and find the son that I blessed.

    So Samuel takes his oil, and he says, "I'm going to bless one of those sons." And Jesse says, "Come on boys, time to line up. One of you is going to be blessed as the king of Israel today."

    And so he lines them all up. Number one, number two, number three, number four. Didn't even think to call David. Where's David? Who cares? It's not going to be him.

    He lines up all of his sons. And starting at the beginning, Samuel looks at him, he's like, "Wow! This guy's got it! Look at him, he looks like a king! He's got it all! He's got the broad shoulders. He's got the furrowed brow. He's got everything a king would need."

    He's taller than the rest. The only problem is, he starts to bless him, and God says, "Nope. It's not him."

    He says, "Well, surely then, it's got to be the second one." God says, "Nope, not him either." And he goes down the line, son after son after son, and there's nobody left, and God says, "No, it's not him, it's not him, it's not him!"

    Samuel finally is like, "Is this everybody?" "Oh, actually, no, there's that weird kid, David. He's out there cooking in the sun with the sheep. Do you really want us to call him? That one? The weird one who's talking about fighting the bears all the time?"

    He says, "Yeah, bring him. Call him." And here comes David. He comes out of the hills. Probably got wool on his clothes. His hair's all messed up. He's all sweaty and smelly.

    Haven't been a while since he took a bath. But here he comes into the presence of the prophet, and God says, "That's the one. Bless him, Samuel. Bless him."

    And right there in front of all of his older brothers, all of them looked the part. But David, David gets the blessing.

    Pour the oil on his head. And from that moment, God has, in God's eyes, he has received the blessing to be the king of Israel.

    Now, it's a while before that actually happens, right? But from that moment, David is blessed. He receives the anointing. The Holy Spirit symbolically poured out on him.

    And what God says is, "Don't look on the outside. Don't look at what man sees. Look at the heart."

    This is the crossed hands of God's purpose and plan. You might be looking at yourself this morning saying, "What could God do with somebody like me? There ain't no way."

    I can very distinctly remember when God called me to be a preacher of the gospel. I was not in the cards. I was not on deck. I was not even in the ballpark. I was not on the radar screen. Wasn't even on the same planet.

    I said, "God, is that even possible?" God said, "I've chosen the foolish things." Thank you, Lord. Thank you. I'll take that.

    Foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And I want to tell you, this is how God moves in our lives.

    I challenge you. God's plans are higher than your plans. His thoughts are higher than your thoughts. His ways are beyond your ways.

    You've got to learn in your life how to go with what God is doing instead of dictating to God how it's supposed to be.

    And in this, we will find that the grace of the New Covenant is so far superior to the laws of the old.

    Let's bow our heads and close our eyes. God wants to put the Ephraim blessing on your life. The blessing of fruitfulness, grace, mercy, love.

    In order to do that, we have to be aware and knowledgeable about our sins. The Bible truly convicts us and brings us to a point of understanding.

    We have all fallen short of God's glory. There is no one righteous. If we be honest for a moment, every person here, from the front to the back, the left and the right, every person, we stand guilty before a holy God.

    It's the Word of God that reveals that to us. It's His law which brings revelation that we have all fallen short. We've broken His commandments. We've run from God.

    And there is separation between us and God and our sins. If you can come to that understanding and realization, God will cause you to begin to forget your past.

    Forgiveness is possible because of the cross of Jesus Christ. We're here this morning because Jesus came, was sent by His Father to pay the price on that cross, defeat sin and death, and then be raised up on the third day.

    His resurrection gives us power over death, power over sin, power over the grave. I wonder, have you received that power?

    Under the old law, under the old system, we might find temporary joy, temporary satisfaction. The religion of the world can make us feel better temporarily, checking the box and going to the church service.

    It can be helpful to lead us, but it's not enough to save us. There is insufficiency in religion. What we desperately need is the New Covenant of grace.

    And if that's you, you want to receive that today by faith. The Bible says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved." That belief is a trust.

    Leaving all else behind and putting all of your trust in Jesus, the one who died for you. You turn from sin and trust in Jesus, the Bible says you'll be born again.

    Old things will pass away; everything can become new. We will no longer be dependent on a system of laws and standards. No, we will be dependent on the Spirit of God in the New Covenant.

    I wonder if you're here today, you're not right with God, but you want to be. I would love to pray with you. Somebody's here. God's convicting you of your sins. You're not sure about the condition of your heart.

    Would you come in faith, in repentance to the Lord Jesus to set you free? Is that you? Quickly, just lift up your hand. Somebody here. God's dealing with your heart. Would you respond with an uplifted hand?

    I want to give you new life, new possibility, new heart, a new covenant. You need that today before you leave. Could I see your hand? Is there anyone else quickly unsaved or perhaps backslidden in your heart?

    Maybe like the prodigal, you've been running from the Father's house. It's time to come home. Time to come home. Is that you? Quickly, the Lord's calling you. The Father waits for you.

    Would you receive that faith by the precious blood? Is there anyone else? Quickly, with uplifted hands. Thank God.

    I want to open up this altar for prayer. This altar today is a recognition. Lord, what you provided for me at that cross, just like when Jacob crosses his hands and blesses the younger instead of the older, that cross was a subversion of what was expected.

    The Jews always expected they would be the ones to carry the message throughout the generations. But at the cross, God opens the door for every person, Jew and Gentile, saved and unsaved, righteous and unrighteous.

    And He calls us all to a life, a new life, in Christ. And I want to encourage you this morning at this altar, we can lay hold of that New Covenant of grace.

    I don't have to follow the list of do's and don'ts. No, because when we get saved, I want to serve the Lord. My heart is changed.

    Amen. We're going to open up this altar for prayer with one that lifted up his hand. Would you come this morning?

    Let's stand up to our feet. We're going to find a place to pray for a few moments. Lord, at this altar, I want to put my trust in You, the One who sets the captives free.

    Would you come? We're going to pray together here at this altar. Would you find comfort in the New Covenant here at the altar?

    Maybe there's someone here who needs to surrender your life to the purpose and the plan of God. Maybe you sense the crossing of hands. That God is subverting your expectations this morning.

    Maybe God is challenging you to do something you were not expecting like He did in my life. We're going to pray for a few moments here at this altar, allowing God a few moments to speak to our hearts directly.

    We have an altar because we believe God can speak to us directly. He doesn't need a preacher. Would you come? We're going to pray for a few moments.

    We believe God to help us. Let's cry out to the Lord while we sing for a few moments.

Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for Daily Devotionals based on this message over the next five days.

Written with Love by Pastor Adam Dragoon

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Adam Dragoon
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