Conceal and Reveal
Our Torah portion this time is Genesis 44:18-47:27. It is called Vayigash. We are now at a point where all the brothers are down in Egypt standing before Pharaoh. Joseph has now told them they all can go home except Benjamin, the one in whose sack the cup was found. It is here that Judah decides to speak up and tell Joseph the whole story of the family and begs him to keep him in prison in place of Benjamin. In verse 44:28, you see Judah telling Joseph how their father had thought their brother Joseph had been torn in pieces. I believe it is here that Joseph realizes why his father has never came looking for him in all these years. He finally realizes that Jacob thought he was dead. No wonder he never came looking for him! This scene also reveals another object lesson. Before this, Joseph did not have any idea if the brothers had ever accepted Benjamin anymore than they had accepted him. After all, Benjamin was Rachael's son also and no doubt Jacob's favorite after he thought Joseph was dead. Had the brothers grown past this insane jealousy they had over the sons of Rachael? Had their hearts softened toward hurting the father as in times past? With Judah stepping up and volunteering to take Benjamin's place, Joseph could see their hearts were different now. It is now Joseph whose heart is broken and he resorts to tears, identifying himself to his brothers. The brothers tremble in his newly revealed truth to them. I'm sure they are greatly afraid it's "pay back" time for them and Joseph could have done anything he wished to them. But Joseph only embraces them. He informs them not to be afraid, why? Joseph was a picture of the Messiah and the Messiah is a forgiving God. Most of us would have taken this opportunity to get a little satisfaction in punishing them. After all, look at what all Joseph was put through. He was thrown in a pit, sold into slavery and spent 12 years in a prison for something he didn't do. But Joseph tells the brothers not to worry, it was ELOHIM who sent him to this place, not them.
Joseph recognized that nothing happens like this by accident. His brothers were merely the instrument that Elohim used to accomplish his purposes. Elohim used the brothers to preserve all their lives. This only took place two years into the famine, there were still five more years left of it to go. Now Joseph sends his brothers back to bring all their families down to Egypt. Pharaoh gives them wagons to bring all their belongings in. It was prohibited for wagons to be exported from Egypt, but here Pharaoh himself commanded the use of the wagons, not Joseph. He gave them much grain and supplies to last them for the journey, both there and back. As they were preparing to leave, Joseph tells them one little piece of advice, see that you don't quarrel along the way. He knew his brothers were still well capable of getting into an argument before they got home! When they arrived home, they informed Jacob that his son is still alive. Jacob can't believe they are telling him the truth. When he sees all the wagons, he finally believes them. Can you imagine finding out the seventeen year old child you thought was dead all these years was still alive? Now Jacob stops on the journey to Egypt in Beer-Sheva to offer sacrifices to Elohim. Then a strange phase is recorded. It states Elohim spoke to Israel/Jacob in the visions of the night. This is the only place where a vision is recorded in this context. Jacob was concerned about taking his entire family down into a pagan land. For Jacob, this was a night of exile. So YHVH appears to him in a night vision and comforts him, telling him not to be afraid and in Egypt he would make of him a great nation. We see here also where YHVH tells Jacob that Joseph shall put his hand upon Jacob's eyes.
Generally, we've always looked at that statement as just simply saying that Joseph will eventually see Jacob again. But that statement is a Hebrew expression meaning that Joseph will be the one who closes Jacob's eyes in death. With this statement, Jacob goes on his way. Now his father and brothers get to the land of Egypt. The first thing Joseph tells his brothers is that he is going to introduce them to Pharaoh. But he also tells them if Pharaoh should ask what their trade is, they should answer they are herdsmen. They did not like people who raised sheep in Egypt, which Jacob did. So Joseph informs Pharaoh they have arrived and takes five men up to meet with him. Isn't it interesting that Joseph chose 'five' brothers to put forth before Pharaoh, the number of the Torah. Joseph was a picture of the Messiah remember, so when he chose five men, I think of how YHVH is choosing us to put forth the Torah in this day and time before people. Then Jacob brought in his father to meet the Pharaoh. This was an instance of two monarchs meeting each other. You had a monarch of the spiritual world meeting a monarch of the physical world. Jacob was very reverent toward Pharaoh, he even blessed him. So Joseph blessed his family with food all during the famine. Other people were coming to Joseph to buy grain, but soon the money ran out. Then they gave their cattle for food.
Then that year ended and the next one came and they were out of food again. This time they had to give Joseph their land and themselves. But the land of the Kohanim was not sold. Pharaoh had protected the priests and continued to feed them through the famine. These were pagan priests of course, not YHVH'S priests. Joseph moved the people into designated groups. Joseph informed the people they would be like sharecroppers. Their seed would be provided by Pharaoh. They were to give one fifth of everything back to Pharaoh and they could keep the other four fifths to live on. But they had no say so in where they lived from now on. The only requirement was they stayed and worked the land assigned them. The one thing it is said Joseph did that was a smart move, was to move them with groups of people they were familiar with. This way they felt more at ease being moved to a different location. In this parasha we begin with Joseph concealing himself from his brothers. I'm sure until the end he did not know himself what was going on. He didn't know why he was sold as a slave or put into prison for twelve years. But the one thing I always admire about Joseph was he never complained! At the end YHVH let him know that he had placed him in the place he was at for a reason. YHVH revealed that reason and it was to save lives. You may be going through a time of 'concealment', but be of good cheer, YHVH will 'reveal' his plan for 'your' life! Shalom
Joseph recognized that nothing happens like this by accident. His brothers were merely the instrument that Elohim used to accomplish his purposes. Elohim used the brothers to preserve all their lives. This only took place two years into the famine, there were still five more years left of it to go. Now Joseph sends his brothers back to bring all their families down to Egypt. Pharaoh gives them wagons to bring all their belongings in. It was prohibited for wagons to be exported from Egypt, but here Pharaoh himself commanded the use of the wagons, not Joseph. He gave them much grain and supplies to last them for the journey, both there and back. As they were preparing to leave, Joseph tells them one little piece of advice, see that you don't quarrel along the way. He knew his brothers were still well capable of getting into an argument before they got home! When they arrived home, they informed Jacob that his son is still alive. Jacob can't believe they are telling him the truth. When he sees all the wagons, he finally believes them. Can you imagine finding out the seventeen year old child you thought was dead all these years was still alive? Now Jacob stops on the journey to Egypt in Beer-Sheva to offer sacrifices to Elohim. Then a strange phase is recorded. It states Elohim spoke to Israel/Jacob in the visions of the night. This is the only place where a vision is recorded in this context. Jacob was concerned about taking his entire family down into a pagan land. For Jacob, this was a night of exile. So YHVH appears to him in a night vision and comforts him, telling him not to be afraid and in Egypt he would make of him a great nation. We see here also where YHVH tells Jacob that Joseph shall put his hand upon Jacob's eyes.
Generally, we've always looked at that statement as just simply saying that Joseph will eventually see Jacob again. But that statement is a Hebrew expression meaning that Joseph will be the one who closes Jacob's eyes in death. With this statement, Jacob goes on his way. Now his father and brothers get to the land of Egypt. The first thing Joseph tells his brothers is that he is going to introduce them to Pharaoh. But he also tells them if Pharaoh should ask what their trade is, they should answer they are herdsmen. They did not like people who raised sheep in Egypt, which Jacob did. So Joseph informs Pharaoh they have arrived and takes five men up to meet with him. Isn't it interesting that Joseph chose 'five' brothers to put forth before Pharaoh, the number of the Torah. Joseph was a picture of the Messiah remember, so when he chose five men, I think of how YHVH is choosing us to put forth the Torah in this day and time before people. Then Jacob brought in his father to meet the Pharaoh. This was an instance of two monarchs meeting each other. You had a monarch of the spiritual world meeting a monarch of the physical world. Jacob was very reverent toward Pharaoh, he even blessed him. So Joseph blessed his family with food all during the famine. Other people were coming to Joseph to buy grain, but soon the money ran out. Then they gave their cattle for food.
Then that year ended and the next one came and they were out of food again. This time they had to give Joseph their land and themselves. But the land of the Kohanim was not sold. Pharaoh had protected the priests and continued to feed them through the famine. These were pagan priests of course, not YHVH'S priests. Joseph moved the people into designated groups. Joseph informed the people they would be like sharecroppers. Their seed would be provided by Pharaoh. They were to give one fifth of everything back to Pharaoh and they could keep the other four fifths to live on. But they had no say so in where they lived from now on. The only requirement was they stayed and worked the land assigned them. The one thing it is said Joseph did that was a smart move, was to move them with groups of people they were familiar with. This way they felt more at ease being moved to a different location. In this parasha we begin with Joseph concealing himself from his brothers. I'm sure until the end he did not know himself what was going on. He didn't know why he was sold as a slave or put into prison for twelve years. But the one thing I always admire about Joseph was he never complained! At the end YHVH let him know that he had placed him in the place he was at for a reason. YHVH revealed that reason and it was to save lives. You may be going through a time of 'concealment', but be of good cheer, YHVH will 'reveal' his plan for 'your' life! Shalom