In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the blessings and prophecies given by Jacob to his sons before his death. He starts by discussing Joseph, who was described as a fruitful bow by a well, symbolizing his success and influence even in foreign lands. The preacher highlights how Joseph's descendants, Ephraim and Manasseh, played a significant role in spreading the gospel in Gentile territory. The sermon also mentions Benjamin, who was closely associated with Judah and remained loyal to the house of David. Overall, the preacher emphasizes the importance of staying connected to the God of Israel and warns against the idolatry that eventually led to the division of the kingdom.

Now we come to Joseph. Verse 22, "...Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall." Now Joseph, you see, had left the land, gone down into Egypt, but he still was a witness for God there. And you'll find that Ephraim and Manasseh were put in the land where actually the Samaritans were later on. It was called Gentile territory in Christ's day. Great place for witness. The gospel went into that area. My, you could follow each one of these through in such a very remarkable way. And then we have here, verse 23, "...the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him. But his bow of bowed in strength, and the arms of his hands, were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. From thence is the shepherd the stone of Israel." The shepherd and the stone, you see. Verse 25, "...even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts and of the womb." Actually, the two tribes that came from Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, became very prominent, important tribes. But out of these tribes also there came the division of the kingdom. They were just that potent, by the way. Now we have here, verse 26, "...the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of thy progenitors, unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren." The thing Jacob does is to try to tie Joseph and the two tribes that are going to come from him back to the God of Israel, the God of Jacob, the Creator, the Redeemer. And why? Well, it's these two tribes, especially Ephraim, that led into idolatry and caused the division of the kingdom. For we have Jeroboam out of the tribe of Ephraim leading, and it was up in these two tribes that the two calves were placed for worship. So that he did well, you see, to call them back to the God of his fathers. Now, he gives then, having given Joseph, Joseph is next to the youngest, we have Benjamin, verse 27, "...Benjamin shall raven as a wolf in the morning, and he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil." This is a strange prophecy concerning Benjamin. But again, why, you will find that Benjamin was closely identified with Judah, so much so that Benjamin went with the tribe of Judah, the division of the kingdom. They are the only tribe that stayed with the house of David. This is a remarkable prophecy that has other fulfillments. We're not going into detail on all these. Just make a remarkable study to just spend time on following these twelve sons into the twelve tribes and the history of the twelve tribes.