There's an interesting pattern that begins to emerge in Scripture by the time we get to Genesis 48. Joseph brings his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to Jacob in order to receive his blessing. These types of blessings were more than just well wishes in the Old Testament; they carried significant meaning in the order and progress of life, even being prophetic in nature. In this case Jacob recognizes Joseph's two sons as his own (v5-6). You will find them listed amongst the tribes of Israel further along in Numbers (Num 26) and other books.
The odd thing that happens here, however, is how Jacob selects Ephraim, the younger brother, over Manasseh, the older brother. This was not the normal order of things and so represents an act of sovereign choice. If you notice, Cain was the older brother, yet Abel's offering was accepted and Cain's rejected. It's actually debated why, but the fact of it remains. But then Noah is chosen through whom God will save the earth. Shem, Noah's firstborn, is chosen who would be ancestor to Abram. Abram, another firstborn, is chosen for God's covenant of blessing. From Abram, Isaac is chosen as the child of promise. From Isaac, another younger son, Jacob is chosen over Esau. From all of his sons Jacob chooses Joseph as his favorite, then chooses Ephraim, the younger, over Manasseh, the older.
What's the point? The point is that we have this Americanized ideal of fairness, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's also not necessarily a biblical thing. We have made the rules of fairness part of our culture. Items such as age, seniority, performance, connections, wealth, etc. determine who gets what. But God doesn't work that way. God chooses sovereignly and oftentimes it doesn't square with our sense of fairness.
I know many pastors, myself included at times, who think things are not fair. Why does God raise up that person? Why doesn't God raise up me? We look at our lives, compare them to others, and then question the wisdom of God. Scripture says God raises up and God tears down. Clearly God has the power to do both, but we don't like to give Him the right. How presumptuous we can be at times, because when God doesn't do what we want Him to do, we pout, get angry, quit, feel sorry for ourselves. None are immune it seems from this condition. Perhaps we should learn with the apostle Paul to be content in all things as from the Lord:
"11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Php 4:11-13
We often hear and quote v.13 because it sounds like a victory verse, and it is. But we don't hear too much about v.12 because sometimes we abound, but we don't like to be abased. Sometimes we are full, but we avoid being hungry. Sometimes we have much, but we hate suffering need. Yet in Christ, we learn to endure both abundance and abasement.
Why? Because when we love and trust God, then we accept with thanksgiving whatever comes from His hand.
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