Like the Spokes on The Wheel
Like the Spokes in a Wheel Welcome to the last parasha in Genesis! It is called Vayechi and covers Genesis 47:28-50:26. This parasha begins with a famous person's death. We've had a few of those lately in today's time. But this person was not a famous emcee, a starlet with a head of hair that could make a woman weep, or a famous singer who wore only one glove. But he was more famous than all of the above. He was not even comparable to any of those people, because his fame was not in his voice or his looks. He was one of the three famous patriarchs of all time, Jacob. His fame was a spiritual footprint in time. Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years and died at a hundred and forty-seven years old. His was certainly not an easy life. But YHVH gave him seventeen peaceful years at the end with food, favor and the enjoyment of having all his family with him. Yet his time to leave Earth had come and he had two things on his mind. One was not to be buried there in Egypt and the other was to impart the blessings upon his sons before his death.
Joseph is told that his father is gravely sick and he takes his two sons Menashsheh and Ephraim and rushes to his side. We see these sons referred to in our English translations as 'lads' and we see them as being about nine or ten years old. That has to be far from the truth judging from the numbers we have to work with in the Scriptures. It says in chapter forty-eight, verse five, that Joseph had these sons "before" Jacob ever came down to Egypt. Now if Jacob had been in Egypt for seventeen years before he died, then that would make the boys have to be at least seventeen years old or older. Jacob never came to Egypt until two years into the famine. Before that if you remember, there was seven years of plenty. Joseph was given his wife at the outset of his reign. So these 'lads' could have been even over twenty. But we know that had to be at the minimum seventeen. Sometimes you just have to do the math to get your answer:. Jacob never recognized them when they entered. But remember Jacob was old and his sight was growing dim.
Jacob proceeds to bless Joseph's sons and give them the standing as if they were his own sons. He even tells them they are on the level of his sons Reuben and Simeon. If you remember Reuben was actually the first born son of Jacob and Simeon his second. Of course Reuben messed up and lost out on his birthright by his sleeping with Jacob's concubine/wife, Bilhah. It is said that Ephraim spent his time studying Torah with Joseph, while Menashsheh was more concerned in assisting Joseph in running the government. So Jacob begins to bless Ephraim and Menashsheh. We know that he puts his right hand on the head of the second born, not the first. It was customary for the person doing the blessing of the firstborn to use his right hand. Joseph proceeds to correct his father, but Jacob tells Joseph he knows exactly what he is doing. So Jacob proceeds in putting his left hand on the head of Menashsheh and his right on Ephraim. Jacob lets them know that both of them will be great, but Ephraim will be the greater of the two. Jacob prophesies that Ephraim's seed shall become the fullness of the nations.
Jacob even tells Joseph that YHVH will again bring Joseph back to the land of his fathers. He just doesn't tell him that it would be after he dies. No need to be THAT detailed, right:? Now it is time for Jacob to be gathered to his fathers and he wants to tell his sons what will happen to them in the latter days. Some of the things he told them didn't sound so terribly well on their part. He more or less rebukes Reuben for his past actions and tells him he is unstable as water. Then Simeon and Levi were not much better. They were responsible for killing all those innocent men of Shechem during the incident of Dinah. He says they are instruments of cruelty. In their displeasure they hamstrung an ox for fun. Some famous writers such as Rashi, say this was referring to what they did to Joseph, not a literal animal. Where as, Rambam says it was literally an animal and happened at the time they slew all the men of Shechem. I'll say one thing, if it was a literal animal which they cut the muscle in its leg for fun, they are on 'my most unfavorable' list! I despise the actions of people who hurt little kids or animals.
Now as for Judah, he has good things to say about him. But he did say, the scepter would not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet UNTIL SHILOH comes. Shiloh did come and it was Yeshua. But if you read the Hebrew commentaries, most will say that just means when the Messiah comes, Judah will be elevated along with him. I highly disagree with that! That word "until" Shiloh comes, disproves that idea from being true. There is nothing said about "sharing the deity role" in that statement. As to Joseph, Jacob says in chapter forty nine, verse twenty-two, that he is a fruitful bough whose branches run over the wall. That verse by the way, is the verse we named our ministry from, House of Joseph. That is because we wish to be just that, a fruitful bough for Yeshua who reaches over the wall to all people, both Hebrew, Christian and non believers as well. Jacob wished to be buried in the cave of Machpelah where Leah was buried. Also buried there were his forefathers Abraham and Isaac and their wives. So he makes Joseph take a vow that he would take him there to bury him when the time came.
After all that, it says Jacob just gathered up his feet and died. Those patriarchs sure knew how to die didn't they:? Now Joseph has the task of having Jacob embalmed. This was NOT the Hebrew way to deal with the dead body. But Joseph had to take him all the way back to Kanaan and with the heat, the body would decay on him before he could get it in the ground. It wasn't like he was going to the cemetery down the street. So Joseph has to get permission to leave Egypt to bury his father. You will notice that Joseph does not go straight to the Pharaoh to ask him for this favor. He approaches someone in his household to intercede for him. The commentaries believe he approached the queen's handmaid, who in turn approached the queen and she went to Pharaoh on Joseph's behalf. But first there was forty days of mourning done for Jacob. It says the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days! Then all of Joseph's house, along with chariots and horsemen and even the servants of the household of Pharaoh went with Joseph to bury his father. When they came to the threshing floor of Atad beyond the Jordon River, they stopped and mourned for seven more days. This is where the Jewish people arrive at what they call 'sitting sheva' for seven days for their deceased. Now Joseph and all the people now return back to Egypt. The brothers at this point begin to wonder among themselves if they might be in trouble now.
After all, maybe Joseph didn't do anything to them before because their father was still alive, but now he's passed away. So they cook up a plan, what's new:? They send a man to go tell Joseph that Jacob commanded them before he died to tell Joseph not to hurt them. He was to forgive them of all they did to him as Jacob commanded, or so they said. But what did Joseph do when he heard this, he wept. That Joseph sure was one good hearted man! All the brothers went and fell down at his feet and told him they would be his servants. But once again Joseph explained to them how even though they thought to do evil against him, it was all in God's plan. They were only the instruments that YHVH used to save many, many people. He spoke kindly to them and told them not to be afraid of him, he w ould take care of them and feed them and their families. Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. He lived long enough to see Ephraim's children on his knee to the third generation. When he knew he was to die soon, he instructed his brothers. He told them that YHVH would eventually bring them up out of this land and back to the land that was promised to their forefathers. Joseph was the first of the twelve sons of Jacob to die. He instructed them to take his bones with them when that time came. Although that time of leaving Egypt was not to be in their life time. Joseph was blessed to have the famous patriarch Moses take his bones back to the homeland. Joseph was embalmed also. He was of course buried in Egypt. Jacob and Joseph are the only two of the Hebrew people to be embalmed that we know of. This was not their custom, it was the custom of the Egyptians, the pagan custom.
But in both these cases there was a specific reason why YHVH let them be embalmed. The Hebrew way was to bury the body the same day as the death. Personally, it is my opinion that embalming is not the way we should go, but that's my opinion. You know I'm always happy to give it:. So we end the book of Genesis on a rather sad note with the death of Joseph. From the beginning of the birth of the patriarchs, to the birth of the father of the twelve tribes, it has been a journey of their lives. We've seen their good points and their bad points. But one thing we do know is, they all had a part to play in humanity. Yet they were all individuals too, just as we are today. Like the spokes in a wheel, they were all necessary to the working of YHVH'S plan for mankind. Take out a spoke here and there and see how well your bicycle works! Shalom
Joseph is told that his father is gravely sick and he takes his two sons Menashsheh and Ephraim and rushes to his side. We see these sons referred to in our English translations as 'lads' and we see them as being about nine or ten years old. That has to be far from the truth judging from the numbers we have to work with in the Scriptures. It says in chapter forty-eight, verse five, that Joseph had these sons "before" Jacob ever came down to Egypt. Now if Jacob had been in Egypt for seventeen years before he died, then that would make the boys have to be at least seventeen years old or older. Jacob never came to Egypt until two years into the famine. Before that if you remember, there was seven years of plenty. Joseph was given his wife at the outset of his reign. So these 'lads' could have been even over twenty. But we know that had to be at the minimum seventeen. Sometimes you just have to do the math to get your answer:. Jacob never recognized them when they entered. But remember Jacob was old and his sight was growing dim.
Jacob proceeds to bless Joseph's sons and give them the standing as if they were his own sons. He even tells them they are on the level of his sons Reuben and Simeon. If you remember Reuben was actually the first born son of Jacob and Simeon his second. Of course Reuben messed up and lost out on his birthright by his sleeping with Jacob's concubine/wife, Bilhah. It is said that Ephraim spent his time studying Torah with Joseph, while Menashsheh was more concerned in assisting Joseph in running the government. So Jacob begins to bless Ephraim and Menashsheh. We know that he puts his right hand on the head of the second born, not the first. It was customary for the person doing the blessing of the firstborn to use his right hand. Joseph proceeds to correct his father, but Jacob tells Joseph he knows exactly what he is doing. So Jacob proceeds in putting his left hand on the head of Menashsheh and his right on Ephraim. Jacob lets them know that both of them will be great, but Ephraim will be the greater of the two. Jacob prophesies that Ephraim's seed shall become the fullness of the nations.
Jacob even tells Joseph that YHVH will again bring Joseph back to the land of his fathers. He just doesn't tell him that it would be after he dies. No need to be THAT detailed, right:? Now it is time for Jacob to be gathered to his fathers and he wants to tell his sons what will happen to them in the latter days. Some of the things he told them didn't sound so terribly well on their part. He more or less rebukes Reuben for his past actions and tells him he is unstable as water. Then Simeon and Levi were not much better. They were responsible for killing all those innocent men of Shechem during the incident of Dinah. He says they are instruments of cruelty. In their displeasure they hamstrung an ox for fun. Some famous writers such as Rashi, say this was referring to what they did to Joseph, not a literal animal. Where as, Rambam says it was literally an animal and happened at the time they slew all the men of Shechem. I'll say one thing, if it was a literal animal which they cut the muscle in its leg for fun, they are on 'my most unfavorable' list! I despise the actions of people who hurt little kids or animals.
Now as for Judah, he has good things to say about him. But he did say, the scepter would not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet UNTIL SHILOH comes. Shiloh did come and it was Yeshua. But if you read the Hebrew commentaries, most will say that just means when the Messiah comes, Judah will be elevated along with him. I highly disagree with that! That word "until" Shiloh comes, disproves that idea from being true. There is nothing said about "sharing the deity role" in that statement. As to Joseph, Jacob says in chapter forty nine, verse twenty-two, that he is a fruitful bough whose branches run over the wall. That verse by the way, is the verse we named our ministry from, House of Joseph. That is because we wish to be just that, a fruitful bough for Yeshua who reaches over the wall to all people, both Hebrew, Christian and non believers as well. Jacob wished to be buried in the cave of Machpelah where Leah was buried. Also buried there were his forefathers Abraham and Isaac and their wives. So he makes Joseph take a vow that he would take him there to bury him when the time came.
After all that, it says Jacob just gathered up his feet and died. Those patriarchs sure knew how to die didn't they:? Now Joseph has the task of having Jacob embalmed. This was NOT the Hebrew way to deal with the dead body. But Joseph had to take him all the way back to Kanaan and with the heat, the body would decay on him before he could get it in the ground. It wasn't like he was going to the cemetery down the street. So Joseph has to get permission to leave Egypt to bury his father. You will notice that Joseph does not go straight to the Pharaoh to ask him for this favor. He approaches someone in his household to intercede for him. The commentaries believe he approached the queen's handmaid, who in turn approached the queen and she went to Pharaoh on Joseph's behalf. But first there was forty days of mourning done for Jacob. It says the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days! Then all of Joseph's house, along with chariots and horsemen and even the servants of the household of Pharaoh went with Joseph to bury his father. When they came to the threshing floor of Atad beyond the Jordon River, they stopped and mourned for seven more days. This is where the Jewish people arrive at what they call 'sitting sheva' for seven days for their deceased. Now Joseph and all the people now return back to Egypt. The brothers at this point begin to wonder among themselves if they might be in trouble now.
After all, maybe Joseph didn't do anything to them before because their father was still alive, but now he's passed away. So they cook up a plan, what's new:? They send a man to go tell Joseph that Jacob commanded them before he died to tell Joseph not to hurt them. He was to forgive them of all they did to him as Jacob commanded, or so they said. But what did Joseph do when he heard this, he wept. That Joseph sure was one good hearted man! All the brothers went and fell down at his feet and told him they would be his servants. But once again Joseph explained to them how even though they thought to do evil against him, it was all in God's plan. They were only the instruments that YHVH used to save many, many people. He spoke kindly to them and told them not to be afraid of him, he w ould take care of them and feed them and their families. Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. He lived long enough to see Ephraim's children on his knee to the third generation. When he knew he was to die soon, he instructed his brothers. He told them that YHVH would eventually bring them up out of this land and back to the land that was promised to their forefathers. Joseph was the first of the twelve sons of Jacob to die. He instructed them to take his bones with them when that time came. Although that time of leaving Egypt was not to be in their life time. Joseph was blessed to have the famous patriarch Moses take his bones back to the homeland. Joseph was embalmed also. He was of course buried in Egypt. Jacob and Joseph are the only two of the Hebrew people to be embalmed that we know of. This was not their custom, it was the custom of the Egyptians, the pagan custom.
But in both these cases there was a specific reason why YHVH let them be embalmed. The Hebrew way was to bury the body the same day as the death. Personally, it is my opinion that embalming is not the way we should go, but that's my opinion. You know I'm always happy to give it:. So we end the book of Genesis on a rather sad note with the death of Joseph. From the beginning of the birth of the patriarchs, to the birth of the father of the twelve tribes, it has been a journey of their lives. We've seen their good points and their bad points. But one thing we do know is, they all had a part to play in humanity. Yet they were all individuals too, just as we are today. Like the spokes in a wheel, they were all necessary to the working of YHVH'S plan for mankind. Take out a spoke here and there and see how well your bicycle works! Shalom