The Lord Establishes Everlasting Covenants
“And I will establish my covenant between Me and you and your offspring
after you, throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to
be God to you and to your offspring after you.”
Genesis 17:7
The Lord Establishes Covenants for Our Family Lines:
The book of Genesis ends with the final days of Jacob’s life. He gives specific blessings to Joseph and Joseph’s sons and then to the rest of his sons. The Lord establishes us in favor and provision. The Lord is an eternal God with a higher perspective than our own (Is 55). His covenants He establishes with us are for our family lineage. Think of the covenant and promise the Lord gave to Abraham that his descendants would be greater than the sand on the shore. When Abraham died, his family was still relatively small. It would be many generations still until they were a large nation crossing the wilderness.
“And all of these, though they gained [divine] approval through their
faith, did not receive [the fulfillment of] what was promised, because
God had us in mind and had something better for us so that they [these
men and women of authentic faith] would not be made perfect [that is,
completed in Him] apart from us.” Hebrews 11:39-40 AMP
Hebrews 11 is an iconic chapter in the Bible and is sometimes referred to as the Hall of Faith as it lists many people from the Old Testament highlighting their faith. This chapter ends with, “though they gained [divine] approval through their faith, did not receive [the fulfillment of] what was promised…” Many of the promises and covenants of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. His covenants and promises exceed far beyond a single life span. Each of those people mentioned saw in part fulfillment of promise during their lifetime, but more complete fulfillment was generations after them.
The plans and promises for you are also for your children and their children. As we engage with the plans the Lord has for us, we are making a way spiritually for our descendants after us. This is more than just modeling something for them. This goes beyond the physical; it is a spiritual blessing.
Take Hold of Your Promises
About 500 years after the blessing of Joseph’s son, Ephraim, was a woman named Hannah. We do not know for sure that she was a descendant of Ephraim, but based on the fact that they lived in the hill country of Ephraim (1 Samuel 1:1) and some context clues in Hannah’s prayer, I am going to suggest she was. Hannah was barren and went to the temple, pleading her deep desire and affliction. The Lord heard her cry and blessed her with a son whom she dedicated to the Lord. Samuel was one of the greatest prophets and judges of all time and was the one to anoint and instruct King David. Hannah had more than just a desire for a child. I believe there was a deep longing in her bones for a promise fulfilled. Ephraim means “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction (Gen 41:52)” and Jacob’s blessing on Ephraim was “bless the boys.. and
let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth (Gen 48:16).” Hannah’s prayer and praise in 1 Samuel 2 included phrases such as “the barren has borne seven (1 Sam 2:5)” and “he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor (1 Sam 2:8). Hannah was made fruitful in her affliction. The Hebrew phrase for
Ephraim means “Double Ash Heap to Double Blessing.” I believe Hannah knew the promise of her family line and petitioned fervently for the blessing promised.
“Therefore, [inheriting] the promise depends entirely on faith [that is,
confident trust in the unseen God], in order that it may be given as an
act of grace [His unmerited favor and mercy] so that the promise will be
[legally] guaranteed to all the descendants [of Abraham]—not only for
those [Jewish believers] who keep the Law but also for those [Gentile
believers] who share the faith of Abraham, who is the [spiritual] father
of us all—” Romans 4:16 AMP
There seems to be a partnership here of taking hold of a family promise through faith/trust and prayer/petition. Look at the first three matriarchs of our faith family. Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel all struggled with infertility. What an interesting dichotomy to be given the promise to have so many decadents that it was greater than the stars and still struggle with infertility, but for each of these women, it says that the Lord heard and opened their womb. We are invited to know the promises available to us through the Word and through our family lines in order to take hold of them through faith and petition.
Start a New Line of Promise
If your family line has more negative choices and curses, all hope is not lost! The blessing Jacob gave to Levi and Simeon was that they would be scattered and divided in the land of Israel because of their actions years before in revenge and anger (Gen 48:5-6). During the golden calf incident in the Wilderness with Moses, the Levi tribe used their zeal for the Lord rather than self-justice (Exodus 32). They became the tribe that were the priests to the Lord for all of Israel. They were scattered through the land like the prophecy said, but now in honor and special inheritance from the Lord. The Lord is the ultimate redeemer. He exchanges curses for blessings to restore not only the individual but also their children and their children’s children. Amy Zaffke, Assistant Director
