The impact Joseph had on his world

Jacob pronounces an amazing blessing on his son Joseph, starting in Genesis 48:15 and finishing off in verse 20, when Jacob says to Joseph, “In your name (Joseph) will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

Jacob was right too, because Israelites and Jews have been pronouncing that very blessing on their sons for centuries, and still do today. With good reason too, when taking into account how Jacob’s blessing on Joseph unfolded in Joseph’s life first of all, because Joseph had an enormous impact on the Egyptians and the world where he grew up. 

When Joseph got permission from the Pharaoh in Genesis 50:5-6 to go back to Canaan to bury his father, “All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him – the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt” (7).

The whole lot went with Joseph, all the top officials running the country. “Chariots and horsemen also went up with him, it was a very large company” (9). And after several days travelling and feeding that huge company and finally arriving at Jacob’s burial spot, they all “lamented loudly and bitterly” while Joseph “observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father” (10). And they were all willing to do this because of their deep respect for Joseph. Not only had he impacted their world, he’d impacted these Egyptians personally too.

Which brought to mind what Christianity has done to people and the nations where it has grown too. Because we’re now discovering what happens when Christian nations ditch their Christian heritage for man-made alternatives. And especially in those nations that many have thought are the modern day manifestation of the original Ephraim and Manasseh, on whom Jacob’s blessing was pronounced.

Because a child could colour in the nations on a map where Christianity took root and prospered, due to the obvious and enormous impact on those nations’ economies and well being. Which ties in so well with God’s promise to Abraham to bless the whole world, because when people cotton on to what Christ accomplished in his death, and now in his resurrection, the nations in which they live change hugely for the better, and so do the people – just as they did in Joseph’s day.  

In which case what is it about the Christian message that creates such an impact? Or put another way, “Why is Christianity so good for the world?”….(next blog)