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The Revealing of the Messiah

Vayigash - ויגש : “And came near”

Gen 44:18-47:27

Preface: I thought I would take this week’s portion, and combine it with what we have learned, in the last two portions. Then instruct you on how, the life of Joseph alludes to Yeshua through thematic analysis of the scriptures.  Though, before I do, here’s a short essay on how Joseph’s revealing, is thematically related to Yeshua’s revealing.

The Revelation of Joseph: “When Joseph declared, “I am Joseph,” the masterful plan of God became clear to his brothers. Their questions were answered. All that had happened over the last twenty-two years fell into perspective. So, too, will it be in the time to come when God will reveal Himself and announce, “I am the LORD.” The veil will be lifted from our eyes and we will comprehend everything that transpired throughout history.

Read {Gen 43:5.} For those of you who think, the Church has replaced Israel, you haven’t come to grasps, with how Joseph revealing, is a foreshadowing of the Messianic’s redemption to come.  I say this for more than two decades; Joseph’s brothers had lived in a state of anguish and remorse. They were responsible for their brother’s exile and their father’s suffering. Now everything seemed out of kilter. Somehow unbeknown to them, the Egyptian viceroy’s cup had been found in Benjamin’s bag. Therefore they were about to lose Benjamin and break their father’s heart again in doing so. They were humiliated in the eyes of the Egyptians viceroy, who accused of being thieves and of being spies. They felt helpless under the irrational whims of a Gentile ruler. Meanwhile, their families back home, were near to starvation. They felt, the whole world was coming apart about them. It must have seemed that God had utterly abandoned them.

Though, when the Egyptian ruler declared, “I am Joseph,” the light came on and everything changed. For the scales were lifted from their eyes.  Thus, they then discerned how all of the pieces of the puzzle fitted together. Everything became clear as G-d’s master plan fell into place before their eyes.

For all those who think, the Church has replaced Israel, they fail to discern, how? Like Joseph’s brothers, they are in the dark.  I say this, because the revealing of Joseph is a prophetic pattern of the Messiah’s reconciliation of Israel. Just as Joseph’s revealed his identity on his term and in his own time frame. So too the Messiah will reveal His identity to the Hebrew people on His terms and within His time frame.

Remember how Joseph upon revealing himself, how his brothers did not believe the viceroy of Egypt, was indeed Joseph. {Gen 44:3} Why is this meaningful?  Well, the Gentile world including the Church, have so misrepresented Yeshua {the Messiah} to the Hebrew people, they cannot accept the fact, Yeshua is indeed the Messiah.

Note, during the first two years of the famine it was Joseph, who provided bread for the world.  Quite simply the world would have perished, if it hadn’t been for Joseph, “the Bread-Man.” Therefore Joseph’s provision of bread is simply a picture of salvation from Yeshua. Therefore, the Torah teaches us that just as Joseph provided bread for life for the world. During the first two years of the famine (while He was separated from his brothers), so likewise, Yeshua would provide salvation (hint, Bread of Life?) to the world during the 2,000 years he was separated from His brothers!  As you can see, the thematic parallels between Joseph and Yeshua are right on the money!

Joseph’s revealing brought about a moment of clarity to his brothers; for they comprehended just who Joseph was. No, longer did they view him as a Gentile, who was estrange to their Hebrew heritage, but as Joseph a fellow Hebrew, the one they had persecuted.

So too, will it be with the Messiah, for when that day comes. The scales will suddenly fall from the Hebrew people’s eye, and they will perceive Yeshua, for who He really is, the Messiah the One, who they persecuted.    Zec 12:10

In summary, all of these thematic parallels teach us the following; {Gen 37-43} specks of Yeshua’s first coming. Whereas {Gen 44-50} pertain to Yeshua’s second coming, when He will be accepted by His brothers, and hail as “the King of the world.”

Along this line of thought, when did Joseph choose to reveal Himself to his brothers?  He did so, two years into the famine.  Why is this significant?  Just as Joseph chose to reveal Himself to his brothers, two years into the famine, Yeshua will reveal Himself after two thousand years.

Joseph ultimate purpose: According to {Gen 45:6-7} what was the Almighty’s Divine purpose in sending Joseph to Egypt, and exhorting him as viceroy of Egypt?  “It was to save his family.”  For Joseph said, “God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”  Gen 45:7

According to {Gen 47:25} why, were the Egyptians so, appreciative of Joseph?  “Joseph had saved their entire country.” Not only did Joseph save Egypt, he saved the entire known world, of his day.

In a nutshell the story of Joseph, is a story of life and death. Had not Joseph been despised by his brothers, and sold as a slave bound for Egypt. He wouldn’t have been falsely accused by Potiphar’ wife and thrown into prison.  Therefore, he wouldn’t have correctly interpreted the butler and the baker’s dreams. Neither would have he had the opportunity to meet Pharaoh. Hence, he have had correctly interpreted, Pharaoh’s dreams.  And finely Pharaoh wouldn’t have appointed Joseph as viceroy, second in charge in all of Egypt. If just one of these chains of events failed to occur, the entire known world of Joseph’s days would have perished.  Likewise had Yeshua failed, to go the Cross in order to die for our sins, the entire human race would have been destine to perish.

On this note remember after Joseph’s revealing how he stated, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.”  {Gen 45:4-5}  The point being, Joseph could have held a grudge against his brothers though, Joseph seen the big picture, for had not his brothers sold him as a slave bound for Egypt. They along with the entire world would have perished. Likewise had Yeshua thought of Himself and not discerned the big picture, the world would have perished. Can you discern now, how the gospels are taught in the Torah?

Let’s review the course of action Joseph took, in order to save Egypt. You will recall, during the seven years of plenty, under Joseph’s direction. Egypt stored one-fifth of its grain so they would have enough grain to survive during the seven years of famine. Now let’s examine this fact, if you saved one fifth of your income over the next seven years.  Do you think your savings would be enough to sustain you during seven years without a regular income?  I seriously doubt it.  Yet, this is what happened, for Egypt had plenty.  {Gen 41:48-49} Not only did Egypt have plenty, they had enough to sustain the entire known world. How could this be, for the numbers just don’t add up?

How could this had happened, for if Joseph would have rationed the grain. It still wouldn’t have been enough. Yet the Torah states, Egypt had enough to not only sustain themselves, but the entire world. The only explanation possible is that G-d multiplied the grain!   Can you think of an event in the book of Samuel that is thematically related to this occurrence?

Remember when Elijah instructed the widow woman, to give him a morsel of bread. How the widow woman informed him, “I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”   Elijah then replied, “Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus said the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD will send rain upon the earth.   1 Kings 17:11-14

To make the story short, when the widow woman did as Elijah instructed her, neither did the barrel of flour, nor did the cruse of oil, become empty.  {1 Kings 17:16} Apparently G-d multiplied the oil and the flour.  Now can you think of an event in the Br’int Hadanshah {New Testament} that is thematically related to both of the events mention?

It all is in the number: Remember how the number five kept popping up in depicting the way in which Joseph readied Egypt, for the approaching famine. Joseph implemented this plain so, that he could provide bread to the world.

Now read {Matt14:13-21, or Luke 9:10-17,} note how the number five likewise keeps on popping up in this narrative.  There were five loaves of bread.  There were five thousand men.  Yeshua made the crowd sit in groups of fifties. Do you discern, the thematically parallels in the two stories, how they are obvious and purposeful?

Remember how Yeshua stated, “I am the bread of life.”  {John 6:48} The known world would have perished, had not Joseph provided grain to make bread.  In short Joseph provision of bread is a prophetic picture of salvation. I say this because just as it was Joseph, saved the entire world, it was Yeshua {the bread of life,} who saved the entire world.

Note how the number five is the central axis in both accounts. Why is this?  In the account of Joseph, it is placed there to teach us that it is a prophetic picture of Yeshua. I say this for  just as the number five is the central axis in telling us, of how Joseph implemented his plain.  Likewise the number five is the central axis in telling us, how Yeshua fed the five thousands too.

What would have happened, had not Joseph provided them with grain to make bread? They would have perished, right. Well, the number symbolized “grace.” I mention this  fact, because we all are save by “grace.”  This is why we know the story of Joseph is a prophetic picture of the work of the Messiah.  For He brought life to those who would otherwise have died!

Note how the bread in which Yeshua fed the five thousands, were barley bread.  Why is this noteworthy?  Well, the Torah’s prophetic picture of the resurrection is when the High Priest waved the barley sheaves on “the third day,” before the Almighty.

That said we all know, how Yeshua rose on “the third day.”  Well as Yeshua arose from the grave on the third day, the High Priest was waving barley sheaves before G-d in the temple.  Therefore, whenever see barley being mention, you are reading of a prophetic picture of Yeshua.

Remember how the number five is closely associated with grace.  Do you think, this is by happen chance? No, for we are saved by grace, provided that we partake of the bread of life.  The Torah teaches us of this fact, through how Joseph provided the bread of life.  Likely it was barely grain that Joseph doled out, for it was barley bread that Yeshua fed the five thousands with. Plus remember barley is a Messianic prophecy of Yeshua, in which Joseph was a type of.

In this week’s portion we are told, of how Joseph acquired practically all of the land in Egypt, along with virtually all of the wealth, in the region.  For people traded their lands along with their wealth, for grain to sustain them during the famine.  Once Joseph acquired this wealth, he then turned it all over to Pharaoh. Gen 47:13-22

Before we examine how Joseph’s action, is thematically related to Yeshua, the Sages offer an interesting insight into how and why, Joseph acquired practically all of the land in Egypt, along with virtually all of the wealth, in the region. The primary purpose of the famine was to cause Jacob and his family to migrate to Egypt. For remember how G-d had told Abraham, his descendants would dwell in a strange land.  Though, in foretelling of this event, G-d added an interesting addendum that is often overlooked. For He added, when their time dwelling as slaves in the land was over, they would depart the land with the wealth of the land.  Gen 15:13-14

In light of this the Sages states, G-d’s plain for history is not as obvious as it might appear to be, for example. The famine had another purpose other than bringing Jacob to Egypt. For two centuries later after events depicted in this week’s portion, Abraham’s descendants would leave Egypt, with enormous wealth. {Ps 105:37} Where did this vast wealth come from, you ask?

Well, this week’s portion goes into detail, how Joseph acquired virtually all of the wealth in the region, and turned it all over to Pharaoh. Therefore the vest wealth the children of Israel departed Egypt with, was the vest wealth amassed by Joseph, as the result of the famine.  Can you discern now how G-d enters into events, to accomplish His purpose?

Remember how Pharaoh exalted Joseph to {viceroy} his right hand, which is a prophetic picture of how G-d exalted Yeshua to His right hand.  Hence wouldn’t this make Pharaoh, a prophetic picture of the Father?  Bearing in mind just as G-d is the ruler of the universe, Pharaoh was supreme ruler of Egypt.

I asked this question, for if you can view Pharaoh as being a prophetic picture of G-d, you can then discern, the thematic link of Pharaoh’s action, to that of G-d’s.  In like Pharaoh, G-d exalted Yeshua to His right hand in heaven. {Phil 2:9} Do you see, how often the Torah uses relationships among men, to paint a Messianic picture of the Messiah, for example?

Remember how Joseph practically acquired all of the wealth of the land and of the region.  He acquired all the wealth all of the cattle, everything!  Once he did so, he turned it all over to Pharaoh.  How is Joseph’s action here, thematically related to Yeshua’s?

Read {1 Cor 15:22-28.} Note how G-d has exalted Yeshua to the highest in heaven and on earth. He did so to the extent to where every knee shall bow, upon the mention of His name. {Phil 2:9-10} Yes, G-d has presently exalted Yeshua high above everything though there is coming a day, when Yeshua will hand over all of his’ authority back to the Father.  Now let’s review, how {1 Cor 15:22-28,} is thematically equivalent to this week’s portion.

It was Pharaoh, who was the supreme ruler in Egypt though; it was Joseph, who dealt with the most important issues of the land.  So likewise according to {1 Cor 15:22-28,} Yeshua is presently ruling all things, until a time in which He will return all authority back over to the Father.

At this present time, Yeshua is ruling all things even though; He is subject to the Father’s will.  This hierocracy will remain in place through the last days. Days in which will try men’s souls, days in which the prophets label as “Jacob’s trouble.” {Jer 30:7} Why is this significant?

According to the Sages, what drove Jacob to send Benjamin to Egypt with his sons, were his grandchildren came to him, begging for morsels of bread. Hence, it could be said, the famine tried men’s souls of Jacob’s days, worrying where their next meal would come? The point being this is the time frame in which Joseph’s ruled Egypt to the extent, no one entered Egypt, without his knowledge of it.  Though we may not discern it at times, Yeshua rules heaven and earth with the same authority.

Do you discern, how the time frame in which in Joseph reigned in, is thematically related to the time frame in which Yeshua is reigning in?  No, it’s not going to get any better folks, it gone to get worst.  For we are quickly approaching a time frame, unlike any other in human history a time frame, which will try men’s souls. Yet, the good news is, just as Joseph {the bread man} provided for Jacob and his family, Yeshua {the bread of life} will provide for our needs.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: May the LORD bless you and keep you. May the LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you. May the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” Num 6:22- 26