This may actually be the shortest post I have done or will do, so hang on to your hats, here goes. Never try to get even with someone, although you may have the power and ability to do so. Okay, there is your lesson.
Oh, you need more? Begin reading in Genesis 41:1 and read through the end of the book. You have just read about the greatest example of meekness ever witnessed short of Jesus Christ himself. Oh, yeah what was that Hebrew lesson I taught on a few weeks ago? Could it have been something called.....fractals? Yes, I think that would be the word. Could Joseph be a fractal of the Messiah? Hmmmm. Let us explore that thought.
Joseph (one of 12 brothers) was a young man when his brothers - ten out of eleven, sold him to a caravan of peddlers. Those peddlers then sold him to Pharaoh as a slave. After years of serving Pharaoh (and ending up in prison for quite a few of those through no fault of his own), Joseph comes to be quite powerful within the government. He is given a new Egyptian name and most likely looks very Egyptian. His God has given him the ability to interpret Pharaoh's dreams which involves seven years of great harvest followed by seven years of great famine. It is during this time of famine that the story unfolds.
Those older wise-guys who sold him into slavery many years ago have shown up in Egypt to buy food. Joseph is a very powerful man. He literally holds, within his power, life and death to the multitudes. Joseph has been placed in charge, of all the food in the land, by Pharaoh himself. Joseph recognizes the brothers, but they don't recognize him. Aha! He can finally get even with them for what they did to him. "Sell me into slavery and make me have to live in a dank dark prison, will you!"
Now be honest, isn't that what you would have done? How many of us make the statement regularly, “if I were them I would let em have it!” We throw out statements of that nature all the time. We watch the news and judge people who are arrested. We declare that if we were the judge we would throw the book at them! "If I were his wife......" "If I were the supervisor......" Joseph could have snapped his fingers and had them all thrown into the dungeon. They would have spent the rest of their days on the chain gang or put to death, if that's what he chose for them. After all Joseph had the power and servants who would do whatever he ordered them to do, without question. So, what did he do?
If you read the narrative through with a western mindset, it sounds as though Joseph is toying with the brothers in order to be cruel to them. He insists they bring back the younger brother, but they must leave one brother behind, for collateral. He then orders his servant to put their money back into their sacks. This act causes the brothers great anguish for many months when they discover the money upon their return home. Our story continues with the brothers returning to Egypt bringing the youngest brother with them, much to the Father's dismay. The return trip does not bode well. As they re-stock on supplies and are leaving, Joseph's servants pursue them and accuse them of taking a goblet from Joseph’s house. It is found in the youngest brother's sack, after being planted there by a servant at Joseph's instruction.
Hopefully you have been learning from my posts that you must read God's Word from an Eastern mindset, though. As we readjust our thought process we can see that rather than toying with the brothers, Joseph is merely testing the situation. It is of absolute necessity that he be able to know whether the ten who sold him still have animosity toward the youngest brother, Benjamin, the only other child of his mother Rachel. Did you catch the two times Joseph was so overcome with emotion at seeing his brothers he had to turn away from them or leave their presence in order to collect himself? No grudges here, just overwhelming love.
Rather than repaying them with vengeance, Joseph confesses who he is and grants them immunity and a place to live. He brings them into the safety of Egypt where they can live in comfort and peace, for their lifetime. Shortly after his father’s death he tells the brothers,
“Although you intended me harm, God intended it for good: in order to accomplish – it is as clear as this day – that a vast people be kept alive.” Genesis 50:20
Aren't you glad that God doesn't pour out His vengeance on us? Talk about someone with the power to unleash everything on us and give us what we deserve! And think about this, with every person we would love to "give it" to, there are probably five that would love to "give it" to us. I tend to forget there are probably just as many or more that I have wronged out there, as have wronged me.
Oh to have eyes to see such insights into the things which come our way! Joseph was truly a man led by the spirit of God, so much so that he holds a special place in the teachings on the Messiah and it is more than just a fractal! Let us take a look at the Messiah fractal and also look at a new concept. The Jews teach there will be two Messiahs; Messiah ben (son of) Joseph and Messiah ben David. Mashiach ben Joseph must come first. (whoo hoo! you think he might already have? - See if you think Yeshua came as this Mashiach the first time!) Let's look at the similarities between Joseph and Yeshua (Jesus).
(Excitement building.......)
1. Joseph and Yeshua have this connection thing with the land of Egypt (Matt 2:13-15)
2. Genesis 41:38 "Could we find another like him - a man in whom is the spirit of God?"(take your pick of NT verses!)
3. Joseph was 30 years old when he came to power or into his leadership role; Yeshua was approximately 30 when he began his ministry.
4. Genesis 41:55 "Go to Joseph. Whatever he tells you, you should do." (Water into wine story John 2:5)
5. Genesis 42:8 "Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him." (Was it not true that the brothers, (Jews), of Yeshua did not recognize him either?)
6. Genesis 42:18 "on the third day, "Do this and live" (hmmm, where else have we read something about the third day and live?)
7. Genesis 42:24 "He turned away from them and wept" And again in Genesis 42:30 "so he went into the room and wept there." (And was it not also recorded that Yeshua wept?)
8. Genesis 44:10 "What you say now is also correct" (Are these not almost the exact words Yeshua replied to the woman at the well?
9. Joseph became a Redeemer for his generation by devising a plan, for storing up enough food during the seven years of good crops, in order to have food enough to last during the seven years of famine. Yeshua became the Redeemer for not only His generation, but for all mankind!
The previous nine statements or quotes are a concept I want to introduce to you known as verbal tallies. A verbal tally is a portion of scripture or one kind of odd word from scripture that leads you to another portion of scripture and connects the two. To be truly in keeping with the teachings, they should be read the other way around. For example when you read the quotes from the New Testament it leads you to the scriptures in the Torah. The problem with most Christians is that we are very familiar with the New Testament, but have only a vague remembrance of Torah.
Now, do you want to hear more of the teachings on the Messiah? Okay, well here are the things taught by the Jews regarding the Mashiach ben Yoseph:
1. Mashiach ben Yoseph will prepare the world for the coming of the final redeemer, Mashiach ben David.
2. Mashiach ben Yoseph will be killed and resurrected.
3. His death will be followed by a period of great calamities or tribulations which will occur before the coming of the Mashiach ben David.
Does any of this ring a bell with you? This makes me excited about the coming of the next phase of the Messiah, does it you? I am setting on GO, BABY!!!!!
I am also getting so excited about what is to come in the Parashat readings for the coming year. We have only just begun and the next month should get you ramped up and blow your mind. I guarantee they will totally change your way of thinking about God and your relationship with Him! (For the way better I might add, but your paradigm may have to make a major shift in the process!)
I know I am behind and am hoping to start fresh in the New Year! As I close out my posts for 2012 and get ready to ramp up for the New Year to come, I want to leave you with a blessing which will be for you and your family in 2013.
May the Lord
God, maker of heaven and earth, pour out blessings upon you. May your desire be for His Torah and to dwell
in His tents!
Thank you for reading and please feel free to pass this post along to all your friends or anyone who wants to go deeper in the Word of God. You are welcome to give me your comments and insights. I learn as much from you as you learn from me. In fact, I have a tidbit to pass along in a short little post that I learned from a friend recently. It may be that the comment you make today, is needed by another reader for “such a time as this.”
Shalom!!!
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