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This Torah
portion focuses on the life of Joseph. Our story
picks up with the famine in Egypt and that part
of the Middle East, in fulfillment of the dream
of Pharaoh and the interpretation of Joseph. Joseph
is the mighty Prime Minister of Egypt. His 10
brothers, but not his full brother Benjamin, come
to Egypt to buy food. The brothers didn’t
recognize Joseph, but Joseph recognized his brothers
who had so terribly mistreated him.
Out of
revenge, perhaps even out of justice, Joseph could
have killed them, but didn’t. Instead, he
was gracious to them, and hoped to be reconciled
to them. But first he tested them to see if they
were the same kind of men who allowed him to be
sold into slavery, and if his relationship with
them could be redeemed. So, he didn’t reveal
himself to them. Instead, he accused them of being
spies. They were arrested and spent three days
in jail. They were instructed to bring their youngest
brother Benjamin back with them to verify their
truthfulness. In the meantime, Simeon was kept
by Joseph as a captive to make sure that they
would return. Joseph allowed them to buy grain,
but had their money returned to them, placing
it in the sacks of grain they had purchased.
The brothers
returned to the land of Israel and to their father
Jacob. Eventually, they ran out of food and have
to return to Egypt. They took Benjamin with them,
and double the amount of money they took before,
and came to Joseph. Joseph invited them to eat
with him. They ate together, and Joseph sold them
more food, but again, returned their money to
them by hiding it in the sacks of grain he sold
them.
But this
time, he hid a silver cup in Benjamin’s
sack. After the brothers leave, he sent a man
to confront them. Lo and behold, the missing valuable
cup is found in Benjamin’s sack! They return
to the powerful Prime Minister of the mighty Egyptian
empire, prepared to be his slaves for the rest
of their lives.
Judah,
with great nobility, and out of compassion for
his father who loved Benjamin, and having guaranteed
Benjamin’s safety to his father and wanting
to keep his word, and also I think feeling remorse
over what happened to Joseph years earlier, offered
to exchange his freedom so that Benjamin would
be released. Joseph now sees that Judah, and most
likely the rest of his brothers, are different
men than the ones who allowed him to be sold into
slavery, and after testing them, finally revealed
himself to his amazed brothers, and was wonderfully
reconciled to them.
Joseph
understood their concerns and assured them that
he was not angry with them, and did not intend
to harm them. In fact, he told them that he knew
this entire situation came under the providence
of God. The Almighty had been using all of them,
including Joseph’s mistreatment, to further
His plans. The Creator had been working behind
the scenes, making sure that Joseph would be in
Egypt at the right time, and prepared for his
great task, so that he could save many people,
particularly the lives of the very important Chosen
People, during this seven year famine.
The brothers
go back to the land of Israel, tell the good news
to Jacob, that all was well, that Joseph was alive,
and was the mighty Prime Minister of Egypt! The
family decided to move to Egypt. They are welcomed
by Pharaoh, given positions as shepherds of his
livestock. They are allowed to settle in the rich
land of Goshen.
The famine
continued. Joseph sold the excess grain that he
stored during the seven good years. Joseph wound
up with all the money of the Egyptians, then their
animals, lands and then the people of Egypt themselves,
greatly strengthening the position of his benefactor
- Pharaoh.
The life
of Joseph covers about 13 chapters of the Scriptures.
Why does the Word of the living God give so much
attention to the life of this one man? Joseph
is one of the greatest men who ever lived!
He was
great in character. He is one of the most righteous,
most faithful, and best men who ever lived, and
we can learn what it means to be a good man from
Joseph. Despite suffering through some of the
greatest trials and disadvantages, he overcame
them all with great faith in God. He suffered
much, and yet remained faithful.
He was
great in godliness. He was faithful to the Lord
throughout great trials, and great riches and
power.
He was
great in forgiveness. He had the authority to
punish those who harmed him, but he forgave them.
He was
great in ability. He was gifted by the Lord to
interpret dreams. He was a very able leader and
administrator. He rose from being a slave to become
Prime Minister of Egypt, one of the greatest nations
of the world; and he was one of Egypt’s
greatest Prime Ministers. God used Joseph to keep
the Chosen People alive, and save the lives of
multiplied thousands in Egypt and surrounding
nations.
Joseph
is great because of his impact on the Jewish people.
It was because of Joseph that the Jewish people,
at a crucial time in our national existence, while
we were young and fragile, moved into Egypt. Egypt
was like an incubator. While we were in Egypt,
the Lord isolated us, and protected us, so that
our nation could grow and be prepared to accomplish
the great things that God was calling us to. Joseph’s
descendants, the tribes of Ephraim and Manesseh,
played a prominent role among the Jewish people,
and the life of Joseph is one of the primary reasons.
Joseph
is great because he is a type, a symbol of the
Messiah. Joseph is one of the greatest men who
ever lived, but his life points us to Someone
Even Greater. There are many similarities between
the life of Joseph and the life of Messiah Yeshua.
Both were
the favored son of their father.
Both were
righteous.
Both were
meant to be the heads of their family. Both were
meant to lead their Jewish brothers as well as
others nations.
Both were
rejected by the majority of their brothers.
Bother
suffered unjustly.
Both remained
faithful to God in the midst of their suffering.
Both were
thought to be dead but in actuality were alive.
Both were
vindicated by God.
Both were
revealed to their brothers after a long time.
Both were
merciful and gracious and forgiving.
Both were
elevated to power and glory and wealth and honor.
Both were
the prime minister of the king of a powerful nation.
Both gave
salvation to Israel and other nations.
Thank
God for Joseph, and the One greater than Joseph
- Yeshua, the King of Israel and the Savior of
the world!
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