Today’s Parashah is Miketz. "Miketz," means "At the end" and it is found in Genesis 41:1. The words “the end” makes one think of the end times. Yoseph's imprisonment finally ends when Pharaoh dreams of seven fat cows that are swallowed up by seven lean cows, and of seven fat ears of grain swallowed by seven lean ears. What lessons from this can we apply for today? What is G-d trying to tell us for our present situation? We learn from this Parashah that the Pharoah had two dreams that he called upon his wise men to interpret. Can the wisdom of man discern G-d’s ways?
1 Corinthians 2:14
14 Now the natural man does not receive the things from the Spirit of G-d to him they are nonsense! Moreover, he is unable to grasp them, because they are evaluated through the Spirit.
We are not to lean on the wisdom of man.
Proverbs 3:5 CJB
5 Trust in Adonai with all your heart; do not rely on your own understanding.
This is very important, especially in the days that we are living in. To trust and rely upon G-d! The wise magicians of Pharaoh should have understood that when the Nile was overflowing that the cows are healthy and fat. Therefore, seven fat cows meant seven years of plenty, seven leans cows equaled seven years of famine. They should have understood this basic principle. When the Nile is low the irrigation, drinking water, and vegetation suffers. Then the cows become lean. Today the Nile is shrinking due to rising sea levels. Does this have prophetic value for our lives today?
When Pharaoh learned of Josephs interpreting skills, he was brought out from prison. Yoseph (a type of Yeshua) interpreted the Pharoah’s dreams correctly. He was made second in charge of the Kingdom and was seated by Pharoah! Yoseph literally was taken from the pit a likeness of hell. His is brothers rejected and had thrown him in it, only to be raised up as second in charge of the kingdom! Like so Yeshua was rejected by his brothers, descended into the pit of hell (Ephesians 4:9) was raised up and seated at the right hand of G-d.
The Pharaoh was instructed by Yoseph that he should put aside 1/5 of their produce in storage. Perhaps we should start to follow Yoseph’s advice and set aside 1/5 of our own income towards preparation? Bereshit 41:32 says that Pharoah’s dreams were doubled because G-d fixed these things to happen. When the bible repeats something it gives a sense of urgency and emphasis to the meaning. i.e. Verily verily (truthfully, truthfully). It stresses the point. Not acting on these words was not an option. The Pharoah was so impressed with Yoseph that he declared “Can we find anyone else like him? The Spirit of G-d lives in him!” (Bereshit 41:38). So much for the teaching that no had the Spirit of
G-d until after Yeshua. Yoseph was filled with the Ruach as was our Master Yeshua filled with the Ruach.
Luke 4:1 CJB
4 Then Yeshua, filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, returned from the Yarden and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness…
Another parallel portraying Yeshua as Mashiach ben Yoseph. In Bereshit 41:40 Pharaoh declares that only he will be greater than Yoseph. In Yochanon 14:28 Yeshua says that he is going to the Father who is greater than he. In Bereshit 41:42 Pharaoh places his signet ring on Yoseph’s hand. That was the Pharaoh’s signature, or his name that he had given to Yoseph. This gave him the authority of Pharoah. Yeshua was given the Fathers Name which gave Yeshua the authority of the Father.
Yochanon 17:11 Holy Father, guard them by the power of your name, which you have given to me…
Yoseph was made to ride in a chariot in Bereshit 41:43. Jewish tradition regards a Chariot – merkavah in Hebrew as a throne. The throne was supported and moved by the Cheribim and is known as a vehicle/chariot/throne. This is based on an interpretation of Ezekiel 1:10 and relates to Revelation 4. This also appears in the Dead Sea Scrolls. In Bereshit 41:43 the Pharaoh says that those who are before the thrown will “bow the knee.” This was seen in Yoseph’s dream when the sheaves of grain (his brothers), bowed down to Yoseph’s sheave of grain! Then later the brothers unknowingly bowed down to their brother when they came to purchase grain from Egypt. Ultimately every knee shall bow to Yeshua Philippians 2:10-11. This is a beautiful picture of how eventually all of Israel will recognize their brother Yeshua! The Haftarah portion is found in Zechariah 2:10-4:7. The harmony found in the scriptures testifies of its divine value.
Zechariah tells of the glorious culmination of when evil and Satan is done away with and G-d dwells in our midst again! The curse will be reversed from the fall in Gan Eden. G-d will choose Jerusalem once again. Yehoshua (which the name Yeshua derives from) will be the High Priest who will usher in an age of peace and renewal. Zechariah tells of G-d’s servant the branch referring to the branch of Jesse/Yishai (the Davidic line to Mashiach). He will remove iniquity from the land. And along with the High Priest it is said that those that sit before him and his friends will be a sign to the others. (that’s us!) We will have access. Previously access to the tree of life had been guarded by the Cheribim. Yeshua is our High Priest, the root of Jesse! (Isaiah 11:1) All will know G-d and Torah as they sit under their fig tree (Zech 3:10). To Sit under the fig tree was a Hebraism meaning studying Torah. It will be a time when all people will dedicate themselves to the Lord. Which tells of the feast of dedication which we are now in.
G-d’s word just masterfully builds on itself so beautifully.
Today it is all coming together in the midst of all the troubles falling on Israel and the world. Who would ever believe that a tract of land about the size of New Jersey which be the catalyst that determines the fate of the earth? Well, if that small tract of land is where G-d plans on dwelling, then we see why there is such a struggle with Satan. He believes that he can stop the Jewish people, he can gain Israel and the world for himself. With the increase in troubles comes an increase in G-d’s hand in protecting Israel and His land. He reveals Himself through His defense of Israel. So much so that those in Israel are now in great expectation of the Mashiach coming! A similar event happened as Rome was oppressing Israel in Yeshua’s day. In Yochanon 10:22–28 we see this expectation for Israel’s Mashiach.
Yochanon 22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Yeshua was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Mashiach, tell us plainly.” 25 Yeshua answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
As Yeshua walked through Solomons Colonnade during the Feast of Dedication, he assures us that his sheep will be given eternal life and will never perish! That is the comfort that all believers carry with them in this turbulent age. As Yoseph was raised up, so too was Yeshua to the right hand of G-d and is ruling over His kingdom. Our King! As the world is in disarray with the wisdom of the world, we are comforted by the wisdom of G-d. Zechariah and Yeshua foretold the followers of the High Priest will dwell with G-d. They have access to the kingdom and eternal life. The Parasha starts out with Miketz “in the end.” This is taken from when Yoseph was in the end of his time in prison and brought to Pharoah. Yet in the ultimate end, we will all be cleansed and brought before our G-d through Yeshua.
Shalom in Yeshua’s Name,
R’ Yehudah/Ken
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