Bible Verse of The Day – 7-9-20

Genesis 48:20 (NKJV) 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.

We want to talk today about the importance of these two names, Manasseh and Ephraim.

These are the names of the two sons of Joseph, also known as Zaphnath-Paaneah, and his wife, Asenath. Both names mean something very important.

The first-born son, Manasseh, means making forgetful.

Genesis 41:51 (NKJV) 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”

You see, it was very important for Joseph to let God help him forget what was done to him (Genesis 37:18-28).

Yes, we all know that what Joseph  went through in his father’s house was wrong. What was done to him was unfair and unjust. But it happened; his brothers sold him into slavery. You can’t take that back. You can’t undo it.

This is a hurtful thing for anyone to have to experience. But it didn’t end there for Joseph (Genesis 39:7-20)

Another unfair thing happened to him when Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph to be with her. Joseph refused. He would not do such a thing.

In her anger at his refusal, she made it look like he was the one making unwanted advances toward her.

Joseph ended up being thrown into prison because of her lies. And he was there for many years, serving time for a crime he did not commit.

God helped Joseph forget his toil, his suffering, his pain and anguish regarding all he went through.

Now, Ephraim meant fruitfulness.

Genesis 41:52 (NKJV) 52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

God’s fruitfulness was on Joseph’s life no matter where he was on that path of afflictions. As a slave or in prison, Joseph saw God’s hand on his life.

Let us say today that without Manasseh, being able to forget or let go, letting God take away the pain and sorrow of the losses in our lives, there will not be an Ephraim, fruitfulness.

They come together as a pair.

In order for Ephraim (the fruitfulness of God) to work, we have to have the Manasseh (the forgetting and the letting go of our hurtful past) birthed in our hearts.

If we are truly ready for His fruitfulness in our lives today, we need to give up the sorrow, the bad memories and the pain.

Let God take it. Walk in His peace and let our future be fruitful and blessed forevermore.

Amen.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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