Thursday, December 17, 2015

Torah Trails #11 Vayigash



Torah Trails
Rabbi Yehudah “Tochukwu” ben Shomeyr
Kristopher Shoemaker

#11 Vayigash
Gen. 44:18-47:27
Ezk. 37:15-28
Acts 7:9-16
Memory Verses: Ge. 45:8. Ezk. 37:28, Acts. 7:9-16

Gen. 45:1, 3, 4, Acts. 7:13

How did Joseph make “himself know” to his brothers? After all he was older, clean shaven and did not have the customary beard of Hebrews, his hair was covered and he was clad in Egyptian garb. He spoke Egyptian to them and had an interpreter translate. He looked like an Egyptian Ruler! There was no way they could have known it was Joseph, he was completely transformed!

So, how did Joseph make “himself known” to his brothers? He likely began speaking Hebrew, took off his head covering to reveal the wavy dark Hebraic hair. To totally convince them he might have opened his robe to reveal his circumcision, something Egyptians did not have.

When we humble ourselves and allow God to transform us and make us a new creature and when we encounter loved ones from our former life, they might not recognize us and look upon us as a foreigner or a stranger. To convince them it’s really us, we need to de-robe ourselves, become naked and genuine and bear our souls before them.

Ezk. 37:21

Yeshua has the same problem we and Joseph have. His brothers, His loved ones, didn’t recognize Him. Like Joseph whose soul was Hebrew and dedicated to God, but whose body was clad in Egyptian garments, so too Yeshua whom Gentiles call Jesus is a Jew through and through, but looks like a Greek philosopher than a Jewish Rabbi or Messiah. We must “de-robe” and take this Jesus from among the heathen and bring Him back into His proper Hebraic context and return Him, Yeshua, to the Land of His People and make Himself known as Savior, the Jewish Messiah to His brethren.

“Abba YHWH Elohim, equip and empower us to correctly and successfully make Yeshua known to His brethren, the Jewish People. In Yeshua’s Name, Amen!”