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Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Genesis 44:18–47:27: Want God’s mercy and love? Have mercy and love for others

The Torah reading ויגש Vayigash (“he approached,” Genesis 44:18–47:27) covers the response of Yehudah (Judah) and the brothers to the accusation by Yosef (Joseph). It’s important to understand why Yosef is doing this, because it helps us understand God and ourselves in a different light. This passage gives us a shadow of the great interceding mercy and sacrifice of Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ).

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 44: Yosef slips his silver cup to Ben-Yamin

In Genesis 43, Yosef (Joseph) hosted a large banquet for his brothers and household staff. At the time of the account in Genesis 44, Yosef was still hidden from his brothers. He is the second in command of Mitsraim (Egypt), one of the world’s most powerful nations of the period. This account of the actions of Pharaoh and Yosef is a parable of what the Father and the Son planned to do to and through a group of believers in God, a group called Israel.

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 43: Ben-Yamin appears before Yosef in Mitsraim

The account of Yosef and his once-estranged brothers reaches a crescendo in Genesis 43, as those 10 return to Mistraim (Egypt) with Ben-Yamin (Benjamin), Yosef’s younger brother. There are a number of parallels between Yosef’s life and that of Yeshua the Messiah in this part of the account.

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 42, part 3: Yosef foreshadows ‘Savior of the World’

We’ve already explored how Yosef’s life parallels that of Yeshua the Messiah. In part 3 of this study of Genesis 42, we explore the another parallel in the ancient Egyptian name of Yosef (Joseph) and in the three days of imprisonment of his brothers.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 33-34: Last days of Moshe; final blessings for the 12 tribes

The last two chapters of Deuteronomy contain Moses’ final blessings and prophecies for the 12 tribes of Israel then a description of his death, a passage he didn’t write. There are no curses here. God, through Moshe, is uplifting the people.

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 49:22–33 — Ya’akov blesses his 12 sons — Ben-Yamin and Yosef; Ya’akov dies

We read the prophesies of the last days given to Joseph and Benjamin by Israel, their father. He also gives the final instructions for his burial. He wanted to be buried with his father and grandfather.

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 49:16–21 — blessings for Dan, Gad, Naphtali, Asher, Joseph, Benjamin

We finish this chapter discussing the prophesies related to Dan, Naphtali, Asher, Yosef (Joseph) and Ben-Yamin (Benjamin). If we look at these prophesies as only relevant to the sons of Ya’akov (Jacob), we are missing out on the messianic significance of every one of these prophesies.