The Promise Of A Faithful Father

For the past year I have discussed the story of Joseph, and how he was hated by his brothers for being his father’s favorite. As a result he was sold into slavery. But ultimately he was made the ruler of Egypt.

As I read and researched the story, especially the incident involving his father Jacob, I could not help but notice the faithfulness of God concerning his servant Jacob. Genesis 48:3 says, "And Jacob said to Joseph, God Almighty appeared to me at Luz [Bethel] in the land of Canaan and blessed me."

Jacob, weak and frail, remembered the time when he ran from his brother who was pursuing him. He remembered how he tricked his brother out of his birthright. He recalled how he left Beersheba and headed toward a place called Haran. It was there that Jacob remembered a dream he had of a ladder set on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!

And behold, the Lord stood over and beside him and said, I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father [forefather] and the God of Isaac; I will give to you and to your descendants the land on which you are lying. And your offspring shall be as the dust or sand of the ground, and you shall spread aboard to the west and the east and the north and the south; and to you and your Offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed and bless themselves" Genesis 28: 10-14.

In the book of Acts 3:25, the apostle Paul speaks of the promise saying, "You are the descendants (sons) of the prophets and the heirs of the covenant which God made and gave to your forefather, saying to Abraham, And in your seed (Heir) shall all of the families of the earth be blessed and benefited." If this sounds familiar, it should because it is the same promise God spoke to Jacob at Haran. Yes, God was faithful to Abraham and to Jacob.

The individual to whom Jacob was speaking (Joseph) was also an heir. When Jacob was nearing the end of his days, he called for Joseph who came to see his father. Jacob, remembering the words God spoke to him, blessed Joseph saying, "God [Himself], before Whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac lived and walked habitually, God [Himself], Who has [been my Shepherd and has led and] fed me from the time I came unto being until this day." He also blessed the sons of Joseph saying, "Let my name be perpetuated in them and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them become a multitude in the midst of the earth."

To understand God’s promise it is important for you to recall how Jacob thought his son Joseph was dead. If Joseph had been killed, the promises of God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob concerning their seed would be null and void. Instead, not only was Joseph alive, he had seed of his own which would cause them to be fruitful and a multiplicity of people. To say it plainly, God was faithful concerning his promise, dating all the way back to Abraham. God’s promises are faithful not only to us, but to those who would come years after we have been called home. Our children will be the recipients of the promises God made to us because they are our seed.

Allow me to ask you how many people have given you something, and told you to go and get everyone related to you so that they can have a piece of the pie? This is exactly what happened to Joseph and his sons. They were blessed because of the words spoken to their forefathers.

After reading this story, I am enlightened knowing that the promises God made to me will still be a reality in the lives of my offspring.

One of the reasons I chose to write this article is because far too many of God’s people are doing without. They accept nothing instead of something. They declare that lack is the will of God. "Well, my not being blessed must have not been God’s will. Maybe, he has something else for me."

Let me ask you dear people, "If the best that this world has to offer is not what God has for you, then what? If his promises of a better life is not intended for you, then who? Far too long have God’s people been tricked into believing that it is a humbling experience to suffer lack. Let me quote the Creator in answering that statement, "Not So." We are suppose to be fruitful, our seeds multiplied, and our stores increased. To settle for anything less is not God’s will. His promises are faithful and his words are sure.

The writer of Philippians encourages us regarding these matters as evidenced by his commands in the 4^th Chapter, verse 9, " Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you." Knowing that God has promised to bless us and to be with us (as he promised Abraham and his seed), this author instructs us to live our lives with that assurance.

We must have the belief and assurance that Jacob had when he passed on his inheritance. He knew of the faithfulness of God because he had witnessed it firsthand in the lives of his grandfather, Abraham, and father, Isaac. He passed on those promises to all of his offspring.

To close, let me remind you that God is faithful concerning all of his promises. He will never leave you nor forsake you. All that he requires is that, "We are to make our petitions known unto God through prayer and in peace he will preserve us."

The promises of God (a faithful father) were extended to Abraham and his seed. For those of you who are not aware, we are Abraham’s seed and heirs of the promise.

By Naomi J. Brown