Genesis 48 invites us into a profound meditation on how God's blessings often arrive in unexpected ways. As Jacob approaches his final moments, he adopts Joseph's two sons—Ephraim and Manasseh—elevating them to equal status with his own sons. This isn't merely a family arrangement; it's a testament to God's redemptive work through loss and grief. Jacob explains that these boys represent the children Rachel would have borne had she lived, transforming tragedy into legacy. The most striking moment comes when Jacob deliberately crosses his hands, blessing the younger Ephraim over the older Manasseh, defying cultural convention and Joseph's expectations. This 'crisscross blessing' echoes a pattern woven throughout Genesis—God consistently choosing the younger, the unexpected, the unlikely. We see it with Abel over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, and now Ephraim over Manasseh. Jacob's actions reveal a man who, though physically weak, remains spiritually strong (hence the alternating use of "Jacob" and "Israel" in the text). 

The question becomes deeply personal for us: Will we dissent or consent when God's blessings arrive differently than we imagined? Joseph's discomfort with his father's blessing reveals our own struggle when divine favor doesn't match our plans. Yet Jacob's clarity—'I know, my son, I know'—reminds us that God's vision transcends our limited perspective. This passage challenges us to release our grip on how we think blessings should look and trust the God who sees what we cannot. The sermon challenges believers to maintain faith in promises that extend beyond our lifetimes, and to walk with integrity before God as the patriarchs did. Finally, the message also highlights the importance of remembering both God's blessings intertwined with our hardships, noting that Jacob experienced approximately 20 difficulties but also received at least 20 significant blessings throughout his 147 years.