Deuteronomy 33:13-17 – Seek the giver and not only the gift

Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob whom Rachel bore for him. He was the one Jacob gave the multi-colored coat. At a young age, he was given two dreams to prepare him for high office. But he was too young and immature to handle the revelation then. Unwisely, he boasted too much. So seething with jealousy, his brothers sold him to Egypt. But God kept His dream for Joseph and through the tough circumstances of his early years, he was forged. In Egypt, he became the second in command of the nation. Joseph had two sons who were born in Egypt namely, Ephraim and Manasseh. That is why in the blessing Moses pronounced over his tribe in Deuteronomy 33:13-17, he included them in the last two lines of verse 17.

The land to which God was giving to the children of Israel had already been described in Deuteronomy 8:7-1o. Moses told them saying. “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.” Now in his blessing on the tribe of Joseph in Deuteronomy 33:13-17, Moses called for the richness of the land to be on them. He asked that they would inherit the riches of the land to which they were going.

 Interestingly, Moses referred to God as “Him who dwelt in the bush.” He must have recalled how he was called to God’s service by the burning bush which was not consumed by the fire. Moses recognized that it was God who worked the wonders behind the burning bush. The God of the burning bush was the one who had called and commissioned Moses to deliver the people of Israel from their bondage in Egypt to bring them into the promised land. The last two lines of verse 16, “Let it come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers”, was obviously referring to Joseph's tenure in the second-highest office in Egypt. He was the human instrument that God used to bring the people of Israel to Egypt where they would grow into a nation. Now his tribe would be entering into the richness of the promised land. Using the metaphor of the strength of the ox, in verse 17, Moses anticipated that Joseph's people would be strengthened to drive the enemies out of their possession. He then concluded by mentioning how the portion of Joseph would be given to his sons who formed the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.  

The blessings of Joseph were made possible by “Him who dwelt in the bush.” Without the LORD,  none of the rich blessings that Moses pronounced over the tribe of Joseph would be possible. A life full of riches without God can never be meaningful and fulfilling. It would be like what the Lord said of the Laodicean believers in Revelation 3:17 that say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” but yet oblivious that they were “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” In all our possessions, don’t leave God out. The most important quest of life is to seek God and live out His purpose. The blessing of life must lead us to appreciate and worship God even more. Let us seek the giver and not only His gift.