Bar’chu et YHVH
ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!
Baruch ata YHVH Eloheinu
melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu eht Torah-to.
Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”)
(Bless YHVH
the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One for all eternity. Blessed are
you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have selected us from among
all the peoples, and have given us your Torah.
Rom 11:5
So therefore also, at this present time a remnant according to the
choice of favour has come to be.
Before
the foundation of the world YHVH knew who this remnant would be – Paul defines this remnant: Rom 9:16 So, then, it is not of him who is wishing,
nor of him who is running, but of Elohim who shows favour.
This Torah
portion is better understood when seen in the light of a remnant of the flock
of Yakov – Yakov’s sheep and the central role they will play in the destiny of
humanity.
Gen 43:24
And the man brought the men into Yosĕph’s house and gave them water, and
they washed their feet. And he gave their donkeys fodder.
Gen 43:25
And they made the present ready for Yosĕph’s coming at noon, for they
heard that they were to eat there.
Gen 43:26
And when Yosĕph came home, they brought him the present which was in
their hand, into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.
Gen 43:27
And he asked them about their welfare, and said, “Is your father well,
the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
Gen 43:28
And they said, “Your servant our father is in good health, he is still
alive.” And they bowed their heads down and did obeisance.
Gen 43:29
And he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Binyamin, his mother’s son,
and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said,
“Elohim show favour to you, my son.”
Gen 43:30
And Yosĕph hurried, for his emotions were deeply moved towards his brother,
and he looked for a place to weep, and went into his room and wept
there.
Gen 43:31
Then he washed his face and came out, and controlled himself, and said,
“Serve the food.”
Gen 43:32
And they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the
Mitsrites who ate with him by themselves, for the Mitsrites could not eat food
with the Heḇrews, for that is an abomination to the
Mitsrites.
Gen
43:33 And they sat before him, the
first-born according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth,
and the men looked at each other in astonishment.
Gen
43:34 And he took portions to them from
before him, but Binyamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And
they feasted and they drank with him – Luke 7:34
Gen 44:1 And
he commanded the one over his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food,
as they are able to bear, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
Gen 44:2
“And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the
youngest, and the silver for his grain.” And he did according to the word of
Yosĕph which he spoke.
Gen 44:3
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their
donkeys.
Gen 44:4
And when they had gone out of the city, not having gone far, Yosĕph said
to the one over his house, “Rise up, follow the men, and when you overtake
them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?
Gen 44:5
‘Is this not the one from which my master drinks, and with which he
indeed divines? You have done evil in what you have done.’ ”
Gen 44:6
So he overtook them and spoke these words to them.
Gen 44:7
And they said to him, “Why does my master say these words? Far be it
from us that your servants should do according to this word.
Gen 44:8
“See, we brought back to you from the land of Kenaʽan the silver which we found in the mouth
of our sacks. How then should we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?
Gen
44:9 “With whomever of your servants it
is found – he shall die and we shall become my master’s slaves as well.”
Gen
44:10 And he said, “Now also let it be
according to your words: he with whom it is found becomes my slave, and you are
innocent.”
Gen
44:11 And they hurried, each man let
down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack.
Gen
44:12 And he searched, with the oldest
first and with the youngest last, and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack.
Gen
44:13 And they tore their garments, and
each man loaded his donkey and went back to the city.
Gen
44:14 And Yehuḏah and his brothers came to Yosĕph’s house,
and he was still there. And they fell before him on the ground.
Gen
44:15 And Yosĕph said to them, “What
deed is this you have done? Did you not know that a man like me indeed
divines?”
Gen
44:16 And Yehuḏah said, “What do we say to my master? What
do we speak? Or how do we clear ourselves? Elohim has found out the crookedness
of your servants. See, we are my master’s slaves, both we and he also with whom
the cup was found.”
Gen
44:17 But he said, “Far be it from me to
do this. The man in whose hand the cup was found, he becomes my slave. And you,
go up in peace to your father.”
Once
again how does one understand the ‘’Yosef story’’? Is it possible that a small
remnant of Yosef will come into power, anointing and authority in the last days
‘’during a new world order’’ Civilizations during that great famine collapsed
and disappeared?
Is
it possible that we as believers need to relook and re-examine all our past
ideas of eschatology?
Will
all of society be owned by one Pharaoh who has complete control over all
peoples?
Will
a Yosef people be finally set free from their false prisons of religious ideas
and begin to rightfully take up their positions as the anointed ones who will
provide bread and provide guidance when there is a great darkness and famine
over all the earth?
The
purpose of these Yosef people will be to re unite the family of YHVH. This will
require great wisdom and skill – as we see in our parashah reading.
The Time of the End
Dan 12:1 “Now at that time Miḵa’ěl shall stand up,
the great head who is standing over the sons of your people. And there shall be
a time of distress, such as never was since there was a nation, until that
time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found
written in the book,
Dan 12:2 and many of those who sleep in the dust of
the earth wake up, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches,
everlasting abhorrence.
Dan 12:3 “And those who have insight shall shine
like the brightness of the expanse, and those who lead many to righteousness
like the stars forever and ever.
Dan 12:4 “But you, Dani’ěl, hide the words, and
seal the book until the time of the end.[a] Many shall diligently search and
knowledge shall increase.” Footnote: aSee Dan_12:9.
Finally maybe to understand Yosef we need to look to the
144 000 witnesses in the book of Revelation chapter 7 and 14.
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan
lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn
ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you
have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our
midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn.)