Tag Archives: Genesis

Genesis 42–46 Two Brothers and the Two Houses of Israel in End-Time Prophecy (Pt 3)

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Judah Approaches Joseph (Gen 44:18)

Judah came near to Joseph willing to lay down his life for his younger brother (Gen 44:18–34). This is another prophetic picture of the future Messiah who would come to this earth in willingness to give his life as a ransom to save his brothers. The Scriptures call Yeshua the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev 5:5) who initiated the process in seeking to save his brothers who were spiritually lost (Rom 5:8; Luke 19:10; Matt 18:11; ), and who Yeshua referred to as the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 10:6; 15:24).

Joseph Had to Reveal Himself (Gen 45)

The brothers didn’t recognize Joseph because he resembled an Egyptian; he had to reveal himself to them. Today, Christians (the descendants of Joseph according to Gen 48:16, 18 and Rom 9:24–27 and the descendants of Abraham according Eph 2:11–19; Gal 3:7, 14, 28, 29), are revealing themselves to their brother Judah through several ways:

  • Through donating money to Jewish relief agencies.
  • Through Christian tourism of Israel.
  • Through Christian interfaith organizations (Bridges for Peace, Christians United for Israel, Christian Friends of Israel, etc.).
  • Through the Messianic Jewish Movement
  • Through the Messianic Israel Movement.
  • Through America’s (and Britain’s) military, political and economic support of the nation of Israel.

Two Messiahs in One Story

Judah and his brothers didn’t recognize Joseph; he had to reveal himself to them (Gen 45:1–4). They were “blinded” to who Joseph was. Most of Judah has spiritual blindness to this day (Rom 11:25). They are largely blind to Yeshua the Messiah, son of Joseph, and to the fact that Christians (many of whom are the descendants of Abraham through Joseph) are their long lost brothers. So in our story, Judah plays a dual role: that of spiritually blind Judah and that of the Messiah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His former role is prophetically emblematic of the Jewish nation including the modern Jews who have been largely blind to their Messiah (the Son of Joseph), and in the latter role as Yeshua the Messiah who was willing to lay down his life to save his brothers.

Even as Judah was a prophetic antitype of the Jewish people and the Jewish Messiah, likewise Joseph also fulfilled an antitypical role of the Messiah. He too was the spiritual father of his people—Ephraim and Manasseh—the dominate tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who went into apostasy and become as “lost sheep” among the nations of the world (Hos 7:8; 8:8; Ezek 34:16 and numerous other scriptures). Therefore, Joseph prophetically represents the “lost sheep of the House of Israel” and the Messiah who would come and seek out those sheep.

The Jewish sages have seen a prophetic picture of the coming Messiah Son of Joseph, the Suffering Servant in the story of Joseph. They have written about the Suffering Servant, a Messiah Son of Joseph figure, who they felt would be a descendant of Ephraim and who would come to redeem the lost sheep or exiles of the House of Israel in preparation for a second Messiah to come. They refer to him as the Conquering King or Messiah the Son of David. Although I have found no instances where they also identify Judah with the coming Messiah, it is not hard to see some allusions to this in the interplay between Joseph and Judah. Let’s note what the sages write about Joseph as well as the descendants of his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Notice the striking similarities between modern Christians and those the Jewish sages viewed would be the followers of Messiah Son of Joseph?

What kind of blessing was this prediction that one day [Jacob’s] descendants—the Ten Tribes—would be scattered among the nations? R. Munk explains: while it is true that the dispersion was caused by the unfaithfulness and sinfulness of Ephraim’s descendants (Hos 7:8ff), Jacob’s blessing was not in vain for “they will return to God” and will have their share in the world to come ([Talmud] Sanhedrin 110b). And R. Eliezer adds: ‘Even the darkness in which the Ten Tribes were lost will one day become as radiant as the day’ (according to the version of Avos d’Rabbi Nosson 36). And in the perspective of history, did not these exiled children of the Patriarchs enlighten the nations among whom they were scattered? They did so by teaching their conquerors the fundamental ideas of the knowledge and love of God, ideals they had never forsaken. Hence they too have a messianic vocation and their Messiah the … Messiah son of Joseph (Succah 52a), also called Messiah son of Ephraim (Targum Yonasan on Exodus 40:11), will play an essential role in humanity’s redemption, for he will be the precursor of the … Messiah Son of David…. (emphasis added, note bolded part).

 

Genesis 42–46 Two Brothers and the Two Houses of Israel in End-Time Prophecy (Pt 2)

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Joseph Meets His Brothers (Gen 42)

While in Egypt, Joseph became aware that his brothers (and father) were still alive. He recognized who they were, but they didn’t recognize him, since he resembled an Egyptian (a Gentile).

In the end times, Christians, who many of Joseph’s descendants would become according to Genesis 48:14 and 16, have begun to recognize Judah as their brother. Until this time, most of Christianity had either persecuted the Jews, believed that Christians had spiritually replaced the Jews, or were ambivalent toward the Jewish people. This attitude of many Christians toward Jews, however, began to change in the 1960s with the beginning of the “Jews for Jesus” movement which helped Christians to become aware of the need to evangelize the Jews. The result was that many Christians themselves began to become interested in the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith. Beginning in the 1960s, many Messianic Jewish congregations began forming for Jewish believers in Yeshua, but surprisingly often seventy-five percent of the members of those congregations were actually non-Jewish “Gentile” Christians who were seeking to understand and even practice the Jewish roots of their faith!

From the Jews for Jesus or Messianic Jewish Movement of the 1960s came two unexpected results:

  • As Messianic Jewish congregations formed, a large percentage were “gentiles” and not Jewish.
  • In the early 1980s, the Messianic Israel or “Two-House” Movement was birthed through Angus and Batya Wootten.

In this latter movement, which is occurring in the 21st century church, Christians are beginning to open their eyes not only to the fact that the Jews are their brothers, but that they themselves are Israelites and are descendants from the ancient tribes of Israel (Gen 48:14, 16; Rom 9:24–27). As this is occurring, very few Jews (as was the case with Judah Continue reading →

 

Genesis 42–46 Two Brothers and the Two Houses of Israel in End-Time Prophecy (Pt 1)

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I post this  teaching nearly every year. Some of you have read it before, but we have many new readers to this blog who haven’t read it. Hopefully this post will be a blessing to both our old and new friends. It contains very important truths relevant to understanding Bible prophecy and end times events. Parts 2 and 3 will follow.  Enjoy!

Natan

Biblical Types and Antetypes

A major key to understanding biblical prophecy is to recognize the relationship between antetypes and types in the Scriptures. This means that an event or a series of events occurred once, was recorded in the Scriptures, and then at a later time a similitude of the event repeats itself, but with different characters and scene.

An antetype is a type or pattern of something that occurs before the actual event occurs (sometimes incorrectly referred to as an antitype, which means opposite rather than before). In other words, the first event predicts or points prophetically to the future event. This is a way for the Creator to give clues and hints about future events that will come to pass. Those who are ardent students of his Word and those “who have (spiritual) ears to hear” will pick up on these clues and be able to have a sense of what the Creator is going to do at some future date. In this way, those who diligently seek him are rewarded with understanding or “inside information” about what he is planning to do in the future. At the same time, his divine plans and purposes will be obscured from those who don’t have a diligent heart to seek him Continue reading →

 

New Video: Understanding the Prophetic Mystery of Jacob’s Ladder

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The video explains one of the greatest mysteries of the Bible — Jacob”s dream of a ladder to heaven. this is the sotryof hte gospel message, which takes us from the Genesis all the way to the Book of Revelation.

 

Joseph: YHVH’s Blessing and Favor in Adversity

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Genesis 39:2, 21, 23, YHVH was with Joseph. This phrase is repeated three times in this chapter to emphasize an important spiritual principle. Even in the midst of Joseph’s unfair persecution first as a slave then as a prisoner, his faithfulness to YHVH insured YHVH’s divine protection and favor in these adverse circumstances. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but YHVH delivers him out of them all (Ps 34:19), and YHVH promises to accompany his people through the floods and fires of adversities (Isa 43:2). Joseph’s prevailing through adverse and unjust circumstances with YHVH’s help should be a great source of encouragement for every believer.

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Joseph…a successful man. Even as a slave, YHVH blessed and prospered Joseph. YHVH can prosper us in any work situation in which we find ourselves — even if we’re not much better than a slave. If we but will apply ourselves to work hard and diligently, while staying faithful to YHVH as Joseph did, YHVH will prosper and promote us. Laziness, greed, theft, covetousness and irresponsibility has never gotten anyone anywhere in any employment situation.

 

What’s In a Name and How It Points to Messiah

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The Scriptures are full of wonderful details and puzzle pieces that when fit together form the glorious picture of YHVH’s gospel plan of salvation. The following story is yet another example of this.

Genesis 38:29, Pharez [Heb. Peretz]. This name means “breach” or breaking through by pressing forward.” It is from the root word meaning “breach, gap, bursting forth, outburst; broken wall.” Yeshua is from this branch of Judah. Peretz received his name because of the violent nature of his birth. He was born before his twin brother, Zerah. The Peretz family line was the more prominent of the Peretz-Zerah family lines.

Matthew Henry in his commentary notes that it’s a wonder that of all the tribes Yeshua should proceed from this one considering its incestuous origins and YHVH’s displeasure over such sin. Yet Henry goes on to say that YHVH chooses human instruments not because of their merits, but out of grace, and that Yeshua came into the world to save sinners, even the chief of sinners, including those of his own family. Moreover, the worthiness of the Messiah wasn’t to be found in any meritorious moral qualities of his ancestors, but in himself alone. It is a wonder that the Jews boast at all about their lineage in light of its incestuous origins. As Jeremiah warns, a man should not glory in anything they are or have done but only that “he understands and knows me, that I am YHVH which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth, for in these things I delight” (Jer 9:23–24).

The inclusion of the accounts of Judah, Tamar, Pharez and Zerah further confirm the divine origin of the Scriptures. It is the generally accepted tradition in both Jewish and Christian circles and the opinion of conservative biblical scholars that Moses wrote the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). Genesis 38 gives important background information about the founding of the tribe of Judah and, more importantly, about the origins of the Messiah who was born out of this tribe. Other than a couple of oblique prophecies, there is no overt indication in the Torah that the Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel, would could come from the tribe of Judah, yet Moses included the inglorious details of the founding of this tribal family therein for no apparent reason. Those of us looking back in history at the Messiah’s birth can see how Genesis 38 fits perfectly into the overall biblical redemption story, but those in times past looking forward to the Messiah would have likely been hard pressed to see this. From our vantage point, this is yet another proof of the hand of the Divine Providence in the writing of the Scriptures.

 

The Descendants of Esau Are Ephraim and Judah’s Arch-Enemy in the End Times

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I’ve posted this study before, but I’m doing so again, since the information contained therein is more relevant than every before. We are watching biblical prophecy being fulfilled like never before, and the roots of current events are to be found in the pages of the Bible.

Understanding history is the key to understanding present and future events! 

Edom has been a perpetual enemy of Israel (currently, the Jews and Christians) from very early times. Esau (Edom) hated Jacob and wanted to kill him. The Amalakites who attacked Israel when they were coming out of Egypt were Edomites. Likely Balaam was an Edomite. Haman was an Edomite as was King Herod. I’ve probably forgotten a few along the way. Jumping forward, we have Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Islamic State, Hezbollah, Al-Kaida, and Islam et al in general displaying Edomite characteristics. Edom is on the rise in traditional Christian nations including America, and they have made it clear that they want to take over and dominate those nations. They’re currently attempting to do so through terrorist intimidation and immigration invasion and population proliferation. 

Let’s face it. We have Edom in the White House! He supports Edomite/Islamic causes and kowtows to Islam at every turn to the detriment of Christians and this nation’s traditional allies. 

So take a look at this study and discover for yourself how relevant ancient biblical history really is to us today. The wheel keeps turning. There is nothing new under the sun. Cycles keep repeating themselves. If you understand these cycles, you’ll have a better grasp of current and future event.

Natan

 

A Study of Genesis 35

The Ancestry of Modern Arabs

Esau and his army stood in the way preventing Jacob from returning to his homeland. This event is prophetic of what will happen in the end times.

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We have already identified who the sons of Jacob are, how they were divided into two camps, or two houses, and two kingdoms (the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Israel). But who are the descendants of Esau?

Many, if not most of the modern Moslems (especially the Arabs) trace their lineage back if not biologically then spiritually to Ishmael, the son of Abraham by Hagar. Islam in its holy book, the Koran, claims that it was Abraham and Ishmael who founded the religion of Continue reading →