MY SCRIPTURE STUDIES

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Seek God. Engage with His voice in the Bible and start in the beginning.

November 30, 2013

Miketz... "At the End"


Genesis 41:1–44:17 is the Torah portion called Miketz מִקֵּץ and in Hebrew it means: "At the End." 

The scroll unrolls in Miketz to Pharaoh’s dream that Joseph deciphered for him. 

Miketz wraps up the portion telling us that Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house in Egypt not knowing who he really was. They discovered their long lost brother. 

Joseph was alive, and they fell to the ground before him. 

In my Scripture studies I've learned this story is prophetic. The book of Ezekiel paints the picture. Ezekiel 37 promises Judah will see the latter day Joseph for who he is and they will be reunited in Messiah as one new man. 

The story of Joseph is a Bible big deal, ir begins in Vayeshev וישב "He Settled" (Genesis 37:1 - 40:23) and continues through the Torah portions of Miketz מקץ "At the End" on to Vayigash ויגש "He Drew Near" (Genesis 44:18 - 47:27). It concludes the book of Genesis with Vayechi ויחי "And He Lived" (Genesis 47:28 - 50:26). 

Joseph is the longest story in Genesis for God reason. At first glance it's about the life story of Joseph, what he did to save people and the restoration of his family. 

If we step back though, we might see the names of the Torah portions point to a glorious reunion through Messiah:

The Joseph parshas reveal the end from the beginning just like God promises in Isaiah 46:9-10:
"Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.'"
Praise God, the first trip second trip dispute on who Messiah is will be resolved and Joseph's story is a big clue. The dividing wall of Jew and Christian will be healed because these prophetic portions provide the answer for the world to come that is summed up by the Genesis Torah portions Vayeshev וישב Miketz מקץ Vayigash ויגש Vayechi ויחי :

He settled (it) in the end, he drew near … and he lived.

What a great blessing as the 12th Torah portion teaching in Genesis wraps up Joseph’s last words to his brothers and they finally recognize him: 
“So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones. “In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.” Genesis 50:21
At first glance, the conclusion of the Genesis Torah teaching looks to be only a story about Joseph and his brothers, but I pray you will see there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. 

So, let's dig into some of the Torah treasures we can find and let's start with the name Joseph. In Hebrew, Yosef יוֹסֵף means "he has added"... 

Added what?

It's important to know Joseph was the firstborn son of Rachel and Jacob. 

Rachel was Jacob's first love, but she did not conceive life in childbirth for many years. When Joseph was born, she named her precious newborn and prophetically declared God would add another son. 

She was blessed and Benjamin was Rachel's second son, but sadly she lost her life at his birth.

Years later, while in Egypt due to a famine, Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons and incredibly gave Joseph's second born son Ephraim the firstborn title and inheritance rights that Reuben had lost due to his adultery against his father Jacob. 

Joseph couldn't believe what was happening. 

Fast forward to the Exodus story, and we can see it shows us that Elohim God kept his promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, a multitude. The Exodus account reveals the sojourner nations that left Egypt with Jacob's family that would enter together into the Promised Land. 

If we open our eyes, we can see Paul was writing about Abraham's promise in Romans 11 as he described the grafting by faith of wild branch nations that could enter together into the Kingdom of God. 

The Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob kept His word.

He brought everyone that would follow Him out of Egypt whether they were direct descendants of Jacob, adopted to stranger sojourners that made the right choice to follow the God of Israel.

All of them came into the covenant blessing we call the Ten Commandments. The mixed multitude included the wild branch adopted sons of Joseph. Practically on his death bed, Jacob's crossed his right hand and passed over Manasseh to Ephraim. 

The boys were much like Ishmael whose mother Hagar was an Egyptian. Both Manasseh and Ephraim were the sons of Asenath their Egyptian mother whose name declares she was dedicated to the false goddess "Neith" that Egypt's Pharaoh gave in marriage to Joseph as his wife. 

Her dad Potipherah was a pagan priest of On (that's Heliopolis), his name means "he whom the Ra gave" (Genesis 41:45). Neith was the goddess of childbirth and the cosmos and the mother of Ra. Ra was was the ancient Egyptian fake-god deity of the sun that Egyptians regarded Ra as creator of the universe and the source of life. 

Asenath and Potipherah literal carried the names of their Egyptian cult idols. Their family was dedicated to worshiping the oldest deities of ancient Egypt that you can still carved on remaining hieroglyphs. Not only that, the obelisk of the Temple of Ra-Atum placed there by Senusret I, the second pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt that most think ruled c. 1971 BC to 1926 BC stills stands today in the Cairo Governorate in Heliopolis ("City of the Sun").

As you can see, their mother was not Jewish, not even close, but the boys were adopted, grafted by Jacob into the family of Israel in keeping with the great promise given to his grandfather. When God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing to all the world, He meant it, and He will continue to keep and add others to His great promise as He continues to turn what looks cursed into blessing!

Our Almighty God blessed Joseph in Egypt and beyond. In the end, he not only saved his brothers, he saved his family, and the mixed multitude of nations of people in Egypt that wanted to join Israel and leave Egypt. They were there at Sinai and 40 years later they all crossed the Jordan together. 

How do we know? 

In the end, the prophet Isaiah tells us The Lord's House of Prayer (Isaiah 56:7) will be front and center in the Kingdom of God and that it will be a house of prayers for all nations. The book of Revelation agrees with a census noting Manasseh among the 12 tribes with “all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues” surround God's throne (Revelation 7:9).

Not only that Joshua 16:4 declares: "The people of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance" but Ephraim departed Judah (Isaiah 7:17) just like Justin Martyr and Melito of Sardis many years later also rejected the Jewish people (more on that in a moment).

Almighty God reveals the "at the end" restoration. The summary is found in Jeremiah chapter 30 and it continues on throughout Jeremiah chapter 31, but it you can't grasp the big if you just read two to three verses declared at the end of chapter 31 as so many insist on doing.

The foundation begins in Genesis with Joseph's family story and Yeshua gives the following declaration for good reason and it ties back to Isaiah and Jeremiah linking the big story of Joseph with the mixed multitude today: 
"For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me." John 5:6
Can you imagine the look on the faces of the two men walking on the road to Emmaus as Yeshua likely included bits and parts of Joseph's story to underscore their understanding of Messiah's first mission. 

Think about this. It would be unusual to omit any Torah portions about Joseph. After all, Joseph's story is the longest account in the writings of Moses. Here's an account of what was said on the road to Emmaus:
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:27
Joseph's story points to Messiah's first trip and second. If we take a look at Joseph's two dreams, we can see they are prophetic shadow pictures that point to Yeshua's first and second trip. In the first dream, Joseph saw his family as a grain harvest, his grain sheaf arose and stood upright. Joseph told his brothers: 

"And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf."

That's a prophetic shadow picture of the cross as well as the ascension described in Luke 24:50-53. The beginning of Joseph's story reveals how the family of Israel was driven out of Canaan because of famine and it outlines the betrayal of Joseph, but Judah stepped up and saved his little brother.  

Forty years after Yeshua's Passover, a remnant of Israel that included the descendant of brothers Judah and Benjamin were driven out of their homeland into exile by Roman assault.

Today, Yeshua is just like Joseph. He remains disguised, unknown to the vast large majority of His Jewish brothers just as Jacob's sons including Judah and Benjamin did not recognize Joseph as the one that saved them from famine's certain death. And one day, like Joseph, Yeshua will be seen for who He is as Yeshua Hamashiach. I think He may very well repeat Joseph's words to his brothers:
So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. Genesis 45:4-5 
About 2,000 years ago, the Emmaus road trip pointed back to parallels in the Torah. 

When I started writing about my Scripture studies I noted that the Joseph story points to Yeshua's return in glory in a study titled The Lost Sheep Scriptures and pointed to Joseph's second dream asking;

Have you ever considered Jesus was first known only to the Jewish people 2,000 years ago? 

His family was Jewish, the disciples were Jewish, the multitudes were Jewish, but over time, a disguise arose in the Torah famine of replacement theology. In Greek thinking, Christians were taught by second century antisemitic church leaders like Justin Martyr and Melito of Sardis to reject their brothers saying the Jews hung Jesus on the cross. 

The Council of Trent adopted that lie ignoring the fact that Roman centurions slapped and whipped Him and the relentless beating only stopped when they nailed Him on a Roman torture stake with two criminals. 

Yeshua lives today because of the power of God in resurrection and God's plan for the restoration of His Kingdom includes the Jewish people. No matter what the Council of Trent says, the Jewish people are front and center. 

Joseph's bones were returned to the Promised Land in Shechem where he started searching for his brothers. In the end, the Jewish Messiah of Israel will return to Jerusalem alive and well and He will by God's power, bring Joseph's bones back to life just like Lazarus. Perhaps Joseph knew that. That's not in the Bible, but Joseph will awaken to new life back home to welcome his Messiah King. That's the vision given in Joseph's second dream with a clue from Jacob. 

We can know because Rachel had already died after giving birth to Benjamin on the road home after Labin finally released the family, yet Jacob spoke of Joseph's beloved mother as if she were alive and well:
“Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 
But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” Genesis 37:9-10
The word "behold" is found in Joseph's description of both dreams. 

In Hebrew, "behold" is הִנֵּה "hinnêh" and it's a Torah treasure found throughout the Hebrew Bible as an embedded promise for Messiah to come. It means "to see" and an Ancient Hebrew Lexicon Dictionary says: "The pictograph נֵּ represents the idea of looking toward something of interest. The הִ is a seed representing continuation. Combined these pictures mean "a looking toward something continually.""  

Miketz is the start of the "behold" Torah treasure "at the end." There are many amazing parallels in Genesis that we can behold for Yosef and Yeshua. Both were:

• Born through a womb blessed by God.
• Loved by their father.
• Obeyed their father.
• Of the family of Israel.
• A shepherd of their father’s sheep.
• Recipients of prophecy from God.
• Sent to seek and find their brothers.
• Plotted against.
• Hated for their words by brothers.
• Had garments dipped in blood.
• Robbed of their robes.
• Sold for silver.
• Taken to Egypt as part of God's redemption plan.
• Stripped and put in a pit.
• Lied about concerning coming out of the pit.
• Rose up to glory on earth.
• Given a new life.
• A salvation blessing to others.
• Righteously refused temptation.
• About 30 years old at the beginning of their ministry.
• Falsely accused.
• Condemned with two prisoners.
• Linked with bread and wine.
• Suffered for the sake of saving multitudes.
• Exalted to power.
• Provided food for the hungry.
• Forgave transgression against them.
• Servant that became highly exalted.
• Did something to provide salvation to the world.
• Bowed to in honor.
• Purposeful in keeping identity hidden.
• Not recognized by their brothers.
• Offering love and reconciliation.
• Taken up out of Egypt.
• Exalted to rule.
• Promised Israel's return to the Promised Land.
• Returned to their father.

Beginning in Genesis 42:24 we see that Joseph cried out weeping seven times for his brothers and father. He wept loudest when he revealed his identity to his brothers (see Genesis 45:1-2). After Jacob was buried they asked for forgiveness it was granted in love.
"So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died: 'Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." 
Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants." But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." Genesis 50:16-21

Like Joseph, Jesus wept too. 
The good news is the weeping is not over. 
Our Savior will be seen again.
 Judah will say forgive, the trespass of your brothers.


Deep weeping is a physical and glorious gift from our Creator. He will pour out the water of life like tears for everyone asking for forgiveness.

The Genesis portion known as "VaYechi" concludes Joseph's story for now. 

Believe it or now, VaYechi is Hebrew for "and he lived. So we must know the whole story of Joseph "speaks" of our living Savior in many ways as his brothers turned against him and did not recognize him. Joseph was put in a pit, hated for the truth, falsely accused and even condemned with two prisoners, the wine maker and bread baker. 

In the end, Joseph was restored to his brothers. Yeshua's story will be the same.

If we dig for the redemptive silver in Joseph story, there's much more to "see" at the end of Genesis.

We should know God declares the end from the beginning. Isaiah tells us that (see Isaiah 46:10).

The beginning is Genesis and its end can be found if we look for the glory of our Messiah King. Joseph is well known for his dreams and vision and another is hidden in Genesis 50 after we are told of Joseph's weeping.
"Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” Genesis 50:23-25
To find the name of the 3rd generation of Ephraim's sons... we only need to fast forward to 1Chronicles 7:20-21 "The descendants of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son..."

Tahath תַחַת in Hebrew is spelled with three Hebrew letters "Tav-Hey-Tav." Their ancient Paleo-Hebrew picture symbols show us:
Tav appears as a cross, and represents covenant,
Hey is a picture of behold.
If we look at any Hebrew Torah scroll, we can see that the vav, a "stake' that appears just before the name "Tahath" in Chronicles. Joseph's great grandson is Tahath. Joseph knew him.

When inscribed in the ancient Hebrew script Tahath looks like this:


Joseph saw Tahath... Yeshua saw the cross and there were two prisoners on either side, yet He lives !!

"Then crucified with him are two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on the left" Matthew 27:38
Please take the time to study Matthew 4:4-10. Study chapters 11, 21 and 26 too. Check out Joshua 8:31, 1Kings 2:3 and Psalms 40:7 which and remember: 

"It is written..."

On the road to Emmaus we all need to know in our heart of hearts just "Who is the One Called Jesus." A big part of that is to follow His Torah teaching and explanation of God's Word. The advice is endurance in old truth, it the message in Revelation:
"Here is the patience of the holy ones, those who keep the mitzvot of God, and the faith of Yeshua." Revelation 14:12 HNV
If you think He did away with it or shifted time with a new religion, you may not know it, but your Messiah is disguised like an Egyptian. That means it is time to repent and return in faith as believers and doers in line with God's covenant voice. 

Many are called by God's Spirit to be set apart for His service. Do you hear it?

Take a stand. Today is the time. If you know you need to get your life right with God, don’t wait for tomorrow or a disaster, get it right with Him now!

What does this all mean? 

It's end time. The time to repent and return to God's voice, return to hear and do His words and walk in the faith of His Kingdom path so that you can ready your lamp for your assignment. 

Stretch out your hand, and take from the tree of life, and live forever.

Open a Bible, read it, listen to God's voice and do Yeshua's teaching about the forever jots and tittles. 

You can learn how the things which are written in the Torah, the Prophets, and the Psalms are concerning Messiah and you can teach others to live life like Jesus, it's love in God's way:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:16-17
Today is the time, open your eyes if you're in spiritual famine, dead in your own valley of dry bones.

Look up and you'll recognize Messiah from Abraham's promise passed on to Isaac and Jacob as written by Moses in the Torah. You can see Him too in the Prophets and the Writings.

Repent and walk your Emmaus Road with Messiah. Study the Scriptures He taught every Sabbath that are filled with doing life God's way in the Kingdom, and tell others about Him. Be a gatekeeper until the house is complete.

Shalom.