What does it means to “finish well” in life and faith? Drawing from the Bible’s accounts of Jacob, Joseph, Judah, David, Solomon and others, in this study we discover that starting strong isn’t enough. It’s about persevering, repenting when we stray and renewing our minds with God’s word. Like running a race, we need encouragement, wisdom and a willingness to adjust course. Finishing well is a journey of growth, trust and continual action.
In this study, we explore how Joseph, Caleb and Yeshua (Jesus) each faced suffering and testing, yet chose to trust God’s plan over their own desires. Judah’s heartfelt plea for Benjamin shows true repentance and growth, while Caleb’s wholehearted faith is rewarded after years of waiting. Yeshua’s suffering brings ultimate glory to Heaven and salvation available to all. Together, these accounts reveal how God orchestrates even our free will choices for His redemptive purposes, calling us to maturity, unity, and wholehearted devotion to Him.
The Torah reading וַיִּגַּשׁ Vayigash (“he approached,” Genesis 44:18–47:27) explores respect, family responsibility and trust in God. There’s an emphasis on respecting parental authority as a reflection of honoring God and prioritizing obedience to God over obeying human authorities.
The narrative of Yosef (Joseph) in Egypt highlights trust in God amid adversity and concludes with a call to acknowledge and preserve family legacies, discarding traditions violating God’s standards. In this study, we will see that the accounts of Yosef and his older brother Yehudah (Judah) exemplify the importance of learning from one’s mistakes and the importance of standing up against injustice, as well as the intertwining of faith, respect, and moral responsibility across generations.
The ancient saying “familiarity breeds contempt” could easily sum up how Yosef’s brothers treated him in his early years and how many leaders of Yisra’el treated Yeshua. The prophetic parallels between Yosef and Yeshua the Mashiakh sharpen further in this week’s Torah section, וַיִּגַּשׁ Vayigash (“he approached,” Genesis 44:18–47:27).
In it, the brothers’ contempt turns to fear when they realize their plots against Yosef have put them at his mercy. It’s also a picture of the Day of the LORD, when Yisra’el then the world must confess, “Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 118:26; Matthew 23:39; Luke 13:35).
The account of Yosef (Joseph) in Genesis 37–50 is key to unlocking the role of Israel and Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) in the world and throughout the Bible. And the Torah reading ויגש Vayigash (“he approached,” Gen. 44:18–47:27) is pivotal point in his story.
Just as Judah and his brothers did not recognize the gentile Egyptian governor as their flesh and blood Hebrew brother Joseph, many Christians may not recognize their Jewish Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth, when He returns to Earth for His bride.
In Torah reading ויגש Vayigash (“he approached,” Genesis 44:18–47:27), Joseph disguised himself as a gentile to save Egypt and the entire world from famine. Yeshua’s apostle Paul tells us that the Messiah disguised Himself from His Jewish kin for a time for the sake of the Gentiles, but He will reveal Himself as our Jewish Messiah at His second coming. The question is, are we prepared to see Him as He really is?
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).