Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."GENESIS 50:19-20+Meant for GoodNow, because [Joseph] hears that his b...  Read More

[Jacob] drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.GENESIS 49:33+Falling Asleep in FaithThis is a form of speech which belongs entirely to the saints and the go...  Read More

This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him.GENESIS 49:28+Suitable BlessingsIf [these prophecies] are compared with the New Testament, we...  Read More

"I wait for your salvation, O LORD."GENESIS 49:18+I Will WaitI understand this statement to mean that the great man and patriarch Jacob foresaw that the most grievous calamities and dangers were threa...  Read More

"He has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes."GENESIS 49:11+From Cleansing to CleansingWe are not only made drunk by the Spirit and know what "the Spirit of wisdom and un...  Read More

"He has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes."GENESIS 49:11+What Christ's Blood BringsWe should give thanks to God for having been baptized and absolved unto the promise ...  Read More

"The scepter shall not depart from Judah ... until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples."GENESIS 49:10 (according to Luther's translation)+The Kingdom of ChristThis golden te...  Read More

“Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father."GENESIS 49:2+Threat and PromiseThe main teaching and argument of this chapter is why and to what end God threatens and promises. He...  Read More

"Behold, I am about to die."GENESIS 48:21+No Need to Fear DeathWe are in death. We see that we die and breathe out our life, that the body decays and is consumed by worms. . .. But he who believes, as...  Read More

Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers."GENESIS 48:21+God Will Be with YouLook, I ask you, at Jacob's fai...  Read More

"The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys."GENESIS 48:16+The Angel of BlessingJacob calls God an Angel in the same way in which he said above after the struggle: "I have seen the Lo...  Read More

Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years."GENESIS 47:9+Years of SojourningThese are words of the spirit and of faith that thinks about another life. For [Jacob] doe...  Read More