Genesis 44:18-47:27 (Reconciliation! Yosef and brothers)

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

PARASHA: “VaYIGASH” (and he drew near) GENESIS 44:18-47:27


In this Parashah, we read that “he (Y'hudah) drew near” to Yosef, and shows himself as truly repentant for his past actions against Yosef, for selling him for the price of a common slave. And we see the reaction of Yosef once he hears Y'hudah, he then reveals himself as his TRUE self, their BROTHER. Before, Yosef stood in front of his brothers as “judge” now he stands before them with “open arms” as “Family” “Savior” and “Provider” Mashiach. But it took a repentant and contrite heart to bring about the “revelation”.

It is interesting that “Y’hudah” offers to exchange places with Benjamin. He would stay and be a slave to Yosef, and Benjamin would be set free. We can see the symbolism in our relationship with Messiah Yeshua. The name “Y’hudah” bears the most Holy name of Adonai, the letters YHVH. We see the complete spelling in Hebrew; Yod, Hey, Vav, Dalet, Hey. Y’HUDH. The letter “D’ (dalet) symbolizes a “door” and it is one of Yeshua’s titles; “I AM the Door” (John 10:9). Our relationship with our Heavenly Father must come through Yeshua, who is the “door”. As Y’hudah was willing to change places with Benjamin, Yeshua DID change places with us, He took our sins and gave us His righteousness, our sinfulness for His Holiness.

Before we come to Yeshua as a repentant sinner, He is our JUDGE, and as a Holy God, and Judge, he has the right to judge us guilty as lost sinners, yet all this changes when we come and accept him as Savior and LORD, THEN, our position changes, we become members of “Mishpochah Adonai” (Family of God) and Yeshua is our mediator to our Heavenly Father. Yeshua is no longer our “judge” but our Savior, Redeemer, and Messiah, (Yeshuah, Goel, Mashiach)

We see something similar. Pharaoh named Yosef his “right-hand man” or Viceroy” Prime Minister if you could call him that. Yosef had to get Pharaoh's permission for his family to go down to Egypt, and of course, permission was granted. For us to get right-standing before our Holy God, we go through Yeshua, who is GOD, in the flesh, as Yosef was “Pharaoh” in a sense, when Pharaoh could not leave the palace. Yosef spoke in the “Name of” Pharaoh, as Yeshua represents the Father who is in Heaven.

…..We see the words of Yosef in 45:3 “Ani Yosef!” powerful words, what do they symbolize in the ancient Hebrew letters, “Ani” (I) “Alef” (strong leader, God) “Nun” (who gives life) “Yod” (does mighty works) and the name “Yosef”: “Yod” (who does works) “Vav” (connects) “Samekh” (to lean on, to support, to uphold) “Pey” (mouth, to speak) so, the name “YOSEF” in certain words can mean “He who does might works, speaks to (us) (to his brothers) and connects them to him through support.

The words; “Ani Yosef” if spoken to others that were not his kin, would not have caused a reaction, the same way if we would say to someone who does not know us; “I am _______” (and you say your name), the other person would probably say; “so what?’ or “OK, I am ______” But these words, spoken to his brothers caused a sort of “mixed-emotion” reaction, troubled at these words, they could hardly believe their hears, and seeing their brother dressed as an Egyptian, but now, the family is reunited again. As family members, we often offend others and even God through our negative actions, yet once sins are confessed, and the wrong-doing understood and dealt with, the hurts are mended, and there is forgiveness, in this case, Yosef forgiving his brethren.

Yosef points out three things; 1) He told them what they did (sold him into slavery) 2) He told them that they are forgiven (As God forgives us all) 3) He told them that God had planned it all. (We are all part of God's plan)

The Bible teaches us that we disobeyed God, broke his commandments, and cast Him aside for the things of the world. Yet, as repentant sinners, we can come CLOSE to Him through Yeshua, and He will let us know that we are forgiven. Yosef is the model "Yeshua" who forgives his brethren. We must also do the same for those who have hurt us, as our "neighbor" is our "brother" or "sister" (a distant relative) YES! we are! Are we not all related to either Shem, Ham, or Japheth, the three sons of Noah?

He spoke words of comfort to his brothers, promising them “support” throughout the years of famine, they could “lean on him” and thus have that “connection” so we see that “Yosef” (I know, everyone is used to spelling it “Joseph” (the regular English spelling) but the Hebrew does not have a “J” so “Yosef” is the correct and original spelling. “Yosef” is related to our “Messiah Yeshua” in that “Both have spoken words of comfort to us, through His WORD, and we are connected to him through his blood and being “born again” and we can “Lean on Him” who has set captives free. Yosef, who once was a captive slave, went down to Egypt, sold for 20 pieces of silver, (the price of a slave back then), and became the “Savior” of many lives through the distribution of food in that time of famine.

Yeshua, who went “down to Egypt” as a baby. Came “up out of Egypt” and was sold for “30 pieces of silver” (the price of a slave then in his times) and became the “Savior” of the world, and saved the world of “Spiritual death and spiritual famine”

We see in Chapter 47 that “Jacob” (who is ISRAEL now) goes down to Egypt, with his family of 70 (includes children, grandkids, servants, etc.) “Israel” and “Yosef” meet. Yosef's legal name is “Yosef Ben Israel” or “Ben Jacob” The name ISRAEL comes from “Yasher El” (straight to GOD) Yosef is happy to see “Abba” again and goes “straight to God” as we believers should be happy to go “straight to God” through Yeshua.

Jacob at the beginning does not believe his sons when they tell him that Yosef is alive. It took the evidence of the cartloads of food and goods from Egypt to convince him. He had to see to believe. The same thing was with Thomas, the Talmidim of Yeshua told him that Yeshua was there, that he was alive, be he didn’t believe them until Yeshua appeared to Thomas. He told him to put his hand on the nail wounds, and on the spear wound, and “believe” and not to “disbelieve”. Anyone can believe when confronted with the physical evidence, but “Blessed are those that believe and do not see” (the physical evidence). That is what faith is all about.

We further see that Yosef cares for his family, bringing them DOWN from Canaan to Egypt, which is now, considered "Food Land" the "Land of PLeanty" They come down as 66 souls. 70 in all being the whole family of Jacob. 66 who came down with Jacob and 4 already in Egypt (Yosef, his wife Asenath, his two children Manasseh and Ephraim) This is where the promise of making Abraham a nation comes into being. The "nation" starts with 70 souls, and leave Egypt under Moses with about 3,000,000 in 400 years. We are on this earth "Canaan" for a time being, yet Messiah will call for us and take us home in his timing, From "Canaan" to "Egypt" then back to "Canaan" for us, from our "Canaan" (earth) to the "New Jerusalem" .

This is the beginning of Israel's “sojourn” in the land of Egypt, interesting fact, “Yosef” in a way “Enslaved the Egyptians” by taking from them their land, cattle, and money, in exchange for food. Later on, the “worm turned” and the Egyptians, under the power of a different Pharaoh (who some think was “Ahmose”) enslaved ISRAEL, until the time of Moshe.

Israel is still enslaved to tradition, religiosity, and blind eyes that refuse to recognize Messiah Yeshua, as the promised “Mashiach” that the Torah speaks of. Yet many are coming to Mashiach, but there are still many more that need “Yeshuah” (Salvation)

Greetings to all and seasons greetings. Happy Holidays, as we remember the event of the birth of Messiah Yeshua at this time (not the date). He came into this world to teach the Torah, heal the sick, raise the dead, and die for our sins, as Yeshua, Messiah Ben Yosef. He brought LIGHT into the DARKNESS of this world. He will return to sit on the Throne of David, as "Yeshua, Messiah Ben David, the Lion of Judah.


Ben Avraham

9:30 pm, December 24th. At home in San Salvador, El Salvador