Forgetful And Fruitful

“Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, ‘It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.’ The second son he named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.'” - Genesis 41:51.

MANASSEH  - Making to Forget

“God has made me forget all my troubles and all my father’s household.”

            Joseph named his first son Manasseh as God made him forget all his troubles. He forget the pain of being sold into slavery by his brothers and his awful days in prison. So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt - Genesis 37:28. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined - Genesis 39:20.             

EPHRAIM - Fruitfulness 

“God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

               Joseph named the other son as Ephraim to represent how God made him fruitful in the land of his affliction. Not only did God made Joseph forgetful but he also fulfilled the dream He had promised Joseph and made him as the second in command of all the land. And, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt” - Genesis 41:41,44. 

          God brought Joseph so much joy in the latter part of his life that he forgot the pain he had endured and he was fruitful in the land of affliction. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children - Genesis 50:20,21. 

              God who made Joseph forget his past sorrows and made fruitful in the land of his suffering will make us also forget our past sorrows and make fruitful in the land of our suffering. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you - Genesis 17:6.             

                                                       

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We thank You for blessing us. We thank You for making us to forget all our past sorrows and making us fruitful in the land of our suffering.