If we follow the blessings to Abraham we note that the blessing was passed on to Isaac, not his other son Ishmael. Isaac being called the son of promise provided by God through a body considered as good as dead. This son of promise God said needed to be offered as a sacrifice but God relents as Abraham states, "God will provide for Himself the Lamb" Genesis 22:8.

The son of Promise or ultimate seed is Christ and He is to be offered as a sacrifice. "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself" Daniel 9:24-27

His sacrifice was not for Himself but for reconciliation of sinful man and to make an end of the record of sins of others. The promised Seed is the one in whom the world is truly to be blessed.

The promise passes on down to only one of his sons. Esau, who was the firstborn and supposed to receive the blessing and birthrite. He loses it because he considered it of no value. But Jacob who wasn’t entitled to it considered it of great value and sought it dutifully. Jacob also wrestled with God and wouldn’t let go no matter what and therefore overcame before Him. Then Jacob was no longer just the one who will receive the blessing and birthrite but also the title – Israel, literally meaning, "Prince of God" or Son of God.

The Messiah is described as seeking to restore Israel and be a blessing for the gentiles whom seek Him. "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious." It shall come to pass in that day That the LORD shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth." Isaiah 11:10-12

The amazing thing is that the birthrite and blessing went first to Israel and then to the gentiles. Jesus did this when sending out the 12 first with feeding the multitudes and then with the pouring of the Holy Spirit. The literal descendents generally considered it of no value and lost their birthrite or blessing and those who overcame with God are called Israel or sons of God.

Some will say that Israel has never really lost that birthrite or blessing but we will discuss that in the next article and prove what the Word of God teaches.

From the blessing to Israel the blessing only passes once more and not to all the children of Israel but only to one of the 12 children, Joseph. Joseph was someone who was obviously highly esteemed by his father and that caused many of his brothers to be jealous, envious and hateful enough to want him dead. Then one day they sold him into slavery into Egypt meaning it to be for his destruction and the end of hearing about his greatness. However, they were greatly surprised to see that although they meant him harm he later became their savior, so that all Israel would be saved. Joseph declares this himself on a couple of occasions, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." Genesis 50:20

Likewise Jesus was also obviously highly esteemed by His heavenly Father, through all the miracles and healings, and his brethren sought his harm because of their jealousy of him and sought his death. Yet God allowed it like in Joseph in order that he may save all of them alive. They thought it would end the name of Jesus and remembrance of him but instead he became the most famous person in history and is always before them.

The promise and birthrite however passes to Joseph through his sons. Lets take up the account in Genesis 48:14-22.

"Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph (note who he blessed – his children are Joseph), and said: "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."

This again is the same analogy as to what occurs with Esau and Jacob, but the firstborn is still blessed but not as mightily in number as the latter one who will be even more blessed or numerous.

So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!' " And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Now in stating that the gentiles then become above natural Israelites is anathema to Messianic Jews who believe they are special because of the Messiah but also because of their birthrite – yet Rev 7 that we examined previously clearly states that the Gentiles will be a greater multitude. Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. (Now some can think this means his literal bones as was done but it is also futuristic about the Word of God returning to Heaven to be with His Father and not knowing corruption.) "Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers". Likewise the Christ is King of Kings and is special as the Firstborn of his brothers that He may be preeminent in all things. Colossians 1:18

Then the passing on the blessing stops. Why? Because the blessings and on whom they fall show facets of the Christ and of His blessings. They are ultimately Blessings on Christ.