Genesis 41:50-52 (ESV)
Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
One of the puzzling things about the story of Joseph is the question as to why he never sent someone to search for his brothers and father? Once he was given all that power, why didn’t he immediately find out how his family was doing? Remember, he has spent several years in jail because of the envy of his brothers. Of course the remarkable thing about Joseph is that he did not hold a grudge or look for vengeance. But, why didn’t he at least go inquire about them? He was second in command of all Egypt. The above passage gives us insight into this question. Joseph was confined to prison for 13 years (compare Genesis 37:2 with 41:46). He had plenty of time to think about all this. But, note what the passage. God did a miracle In Joseph’s life. God gave him the capacity to forget his family. When he was given this new lease on life and put in charge of Egypts food supply, God gave him a wife. That wife bore him a son. That first born son was named Manasseh, which meant, “causing to forget.” This is a marvelous truth that God gives us about getting past something. God, in His sovereignty, can cause us to to forget a horrible past wrong against us. But, God also gave him a second son named, Ephraim, which meant, “double fruitful.” Not only did God remove the hurt, in His sovereignty He replaced the hurt with double the blessing (two boys). This all happened during the time of the seven years of God’s blessing. God removed the hurt in Joseph’s life. That is the blessing that God can do for us. We can allow Him to do the work of forgetfulness. Our human spirit cannot forget like God can forget. But, if we allow God to heal our hearts, God can cause us to replace hurt with double the blessing. Probably the greatest example of this same truth is found in the end of the story of Job. Note what God did for Job and I can do for us in regard to our hurt, as well:
Job 42:12-17 (ESV)
And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days.
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