1 Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather around. I want to tell you what you can expect in the days to come." (The Message)
Jacob moves from blessing the sons of Joseph to now focusing upon his own sons. When you read the blessings it might feel like some of them are more of a curse than a blessing. But Jacob/Israel has discerned his son's strengths and personalities and he gives them a word about their future because of who they have become. The Bible says that both blessings and curses are passed down through the generations. Today we have a better understanding of how both the good and bad sides of family dynamics impacts the life of individuals. This chapter invites us to consider what might be the blessings and curses of our own families.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- As you read over the blessings Jacob/Israel gives to his sons which blessing would you like to receive? Which one would you not want to receive?
- How do you think these last words given to the brothers impacted the way they saw their future?
- What role do you think your family history had in determining your current life?
- What might you embrace in your family history to help you become who God desires you to be? What do you need to reject in your family history that is keeping you from being who God wants you to be?
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