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Shevat 6, 5762 /
Jan 19, 2002
Shevat 5, 5765 /
Jan 15, 2005
Shevat 5, 5768 /
Jan 12, 2008
Shevat 5, 5771 /
Jan 8, 2011
Shevat 3, 5774 /
Jan 4, 2014
Shevat 8, 5777 /
Feb 4, 2017
Shevat 6, 5780 /
Feb 1, 2020
Shevat 6, 5783 / Jan 28, 2023
Yehudah Shalach / He Sent Judah
SCRIPTURES should be read first
Praise of
Yahweh (Yehudah) leads the way.
(V.46:28) Now
Judah (is the one) Jacob sent before him to Joseph, to prepare before/teach
ahead the way to Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. Reuben,
the first-born, lost his position through the sin concerning Bilhah. Simeon and
Levi, the next two in line, lost the position through their impetuous ways with
Shechem. Judah was fourth in line, and had earned some trust with his standing
up for Benjamin. Judah was sent ahead to prepare for a family that would not
live like the Egyptians, but needed a community setup for purity and worship and
teaching God’s way to others – Torah observance before Moses.
(V.29) And
Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; as
soon as he appeared before him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long
time. Joseph, who had not seen his father for 22 years, came to him, not as
“Viceroy of Egypt”, but as a respectful son. Joseph, it is taught, did not live
a long life because he previously dishonored his father, allowing him to be
called “your servant” (v.43:28; see also Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and
your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your God
gives you”).
(V.30) Then
Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you
are still alive."
In other
words, Israel could now die in peace, because he knew that Joseph was doing well
before God. Israel/Jacob would live another 17 years.
(V.47:8) The
Pharaoh asked the elderly man, “How many are the days of the years of your
life?” Israel answered, “The days of the
years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant
have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers
lived during the days of their sojourning.” Israel’s answer implies that he had
not really “lived”, but only “sojourned” temporarily in lands not his own. Also,
he had not had peace, but one evil circumstance following another (his brother
Esau desiring to kill him, Laban tricking him concerning marrying Rachel, then
cheating him of his wages, Rachel dying, his sons creating havoc for him, then
Joseph being lost for 22 years).
David shares a
similar idea of years being few (Psalm 39:5): “Behold, You have made my days
as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; surely every man at
his best is a mere breath.”
(V.13) Israel
came down to Egypt in the second year of the famine. In the third year, Joseph
collected all of the Egyptian’s money for grain. In the fourth year, he
purchased all of their livestock for grain. In the fifth year, Joseph obtained
title to all of their lands for grain. In the sixth year, the Egyptians became
indentured servants in return for grain. In the seventh year of the famine,
Joseph gave the Egyptians seed to sow for the next year’s crops. Joseph moved
the Egyptians around (moving all of City A to City B, City B to City C, and City
C to City A) so that the people would not feel connected to certain lands as
owners.
Thus Joseph
purchased everything for the Pharaoh, picturing how Yeshua would purchase
everything for his Father.
After the
famine was over, Joseph required the Egyptians to return one-fifth of every crop
to the Pharaoh’s treasury.
(V.28) The
length of Jacob’s life was “seven and forty and one-hundred years”. This
indicates that he only considered the last part of his life “living”: it was the
only part that was peaceful, and with all his children.
Israel and his
family came to Egypt to “sojourn” (v.4), but they obtained ownership of land and
“settled” (v.5). However, Israel did not give up the desire for the Promised
Land, and instructed Joseph to bury him in Canaan (v.29).
In chapter 48,
we see Israel prophetically blessing his sons, and counting Ephraim and Manasseh
as his own sons in inheritance (Joseph thus receiving a double portion). This
account of a blessing is in contrast to the way Jacob received his promised
blessing by deceit (Genesis 27). We can also see from the case of Balaam
(Numbers 22) that God’s promised blessings do not need our sinful intervention
in order to succeed. David said (Psalm 39:1): “
‘I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue.
”
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In 1 Kings 2,
David, like Jacob, is approaching death, and charges his son Solomon to walk in
God’s ways.
Moses was sent
ahead to teach us the way. In a like prophetic manner, Yeshua was sent ahead to
teach us the way.
“Yahweh
your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your
countrymen, you shall listen to him” – Deuteronomy 18:15.
“Moses
said, ‘Yahweh your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your
brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says to you. And it will
be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed
from among the people’” – Acts 3:22-23.
Moses was sent
with signs from God to authenticate his work. He was gave detailed instruction
for setting up the Tabernacle services, with animal offerings. These offerings,
from Adam’s time, pictured Yeshua as our needed sacrifice. Moses went on to
teach us how to walk with God.
Yeshua was
sent with signs from God to authenticate his work. He clarified degraded Temple
rituals before becoming our sacrifice. He further taught us how to walk with
God.
The praise of
Yahweh leads us towards repentance from dead works, and faith in the Living God
(Hebrews 6:1). While some teach “just believe,” we must first know what we are
to believe, or rather, in who we are to believe. We must know who He is, through
someone praising His attributes, before we have a reason to turn from the way of
death to a life-giving faith.
Joseph’s
brothers, who previously despised him, learned who Joseph was, and repented, and
came to him for life. But Joseph put them through some tests first.
In our worldly
life, we despised Yeshua. But when we learned who He was, we repented, and came
to Him for life. But He puts us through some tests. David said (Psalm 39:11): “With
reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity”.
Overcomers – those whose faith is witnessed by their actions – have a glorious
future, as we read in our last reading.
In this
Apostolic portion, we see the promise and description of the ultimate Canaan:
the New Jerusalem on a renewed earth. There is no more hunger, no more
unpleasant life, and no more shortness of days. We will worship and serve God in
spirit and in truth, and no one will have to teach another to “know God”, for
all will perfectly know Him, from the greatest to the least (Jeremiah 31:34).
The title,
“The Revelation of Yeshua the Messiah,” does not mean the book contains various
revelations concerning the future. It means that the prophesied events are to
reveal the Messiah – to remove the veil so that He may be clearly seen. Like the
revealing of Joseph who was veiled as an Egyptian, it is the unveiling – the
revealing of Yeshua as Messiah!
David says
(Psalm 39:7-8): “And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish.”
“You shall call His Name Yeshua, for He shall save His people from their sins”
– Matthew 1:21.
Readings:
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who chose us from among all peoples by
giving us Your Torah.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the
Torah."
(V’et Yehudah shalach l’fanayo el-Yoseph
/ Now Yehudah he-sent before-him to-Joseph)
Reader 1*
Amen. 28 Now he sent
Judah before him to Joseph, to point out the way before him to Goshen; and they
came into the land of Goshen. 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went
up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; as soon as he appeared before him, he
fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time. 30 Then Israel
said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still
alive." 31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household,
"I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, 'My brothers and my
father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; 32
and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; and they
have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.' 33
"When Pharaoh calls you and says, 'What is your occupation?' 34 you
shall say, 'Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even
until now, both we and our fathers,' that you may live in the land of Goshen;
for every shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians." 47:1 Then Joseph
went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks
and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and
behold, they are in the land of Goshen." 2 He took five men from
among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Then Pharaoh said
to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" So they said to Pharaoh, "Your
servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers."
Reader 2*
Amen. 4 They said to
Pharaoh, "We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your
servants' flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now,
therefore, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen." 5
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.
6 "The land of Egypt is at your disposal; settle your father and your
brothers in the best of the land, let them live in the land of Goshen; and if
you know any capable men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock."
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh;
and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many years
have you lived?" 9 So Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my
sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant have been the years of
my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days
of their sojourning." 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from
his presence. 11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers and
gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the
land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered. 12 Joseph provided his
father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to
their little ones.
Reader 3*
Amen. 13 Now there was
no food in all the land, because the famine was very severe, so that the land of
Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14
Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the
land of Canaan for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money
into Pharaoh's house. 15 When the money was all spent in the land of
Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said,
"Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone."
16 Then Joseph said, "Give up your livestock, and I will give you
food for your livestock, since your money is gone." 17 So they
brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the
horses and the flocks and the herds and the donkeys; and he fed them with food
in exchange for all their livestock that year. 18 When that year was
ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, "We will not hide from my
lord that our money is all spent, and the cattle are my lord's. There is nothing
left for my lord except our bodies and our lands. 19 "Why should we
die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we
and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, that we may live and
not die, and that the land may not be desolate." 20 So Joseph bought
all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every Egyptian sold his field, because
the famine was severe upon them. Thus the land became Pharaoh's.
Reader 4*
Amen. 21 As for the
people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt's border to the
other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the
priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the allotment which
Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they did not sell their land. 23 Then
Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have today bought you and your land for
Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land. 24 "At
the harvest you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be your own
for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and as
food for your little ones." 25 So they said, "You have saved our
lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's
slaves." 26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt
valid to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of the
priests did not become Pharaoh's. 27 Now Israel lived in the land of
Egypt, in Goshen, and they acquired property in it and were fruitful and became
very numerous. 28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years;
so the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven years.
Reader 5*
Amen. 29 When the time
for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Please,
if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal
with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30
but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me
in their burial place." And he said, "I will do as you have said." 31
He said, "Swear to me." So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the
head of the bed. 48:1 Now it came about after these things that
Joseph was told, "Behold, your father is sick." So he took his two sons Manasseh
and Ephraim with him. 2 When it was told to Jacob, "Behold, your son
Joseph has come to you," Israel collected his strength and sat up in the bed.
3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in
the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and He said to me, 'Behold, I
will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company of peoples,
and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting
possession.' 5 "Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land
of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be
mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 "But your offspring that have been
born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their
brothers in their inheritance.
Reader 6*
Amen. 7 "Now as for me,
when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the
journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her
there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)." 8 When Israel saw
Joseph's sons, he said, "Who are these?" 9 Joseph said to his father,
"They are my sons, whom God has given me here." So he said, "Bring them to me,
please, that I may bless them." 10 Now the eyes of Israel were so dim
from age that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them close to him, and he
kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, "I never
expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as
well." 12 Then Joseph took them from his knees, and bowed with his
face to the ground. 13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right
hand toward Israel's left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's
right, and brought them close to him.
Reader 7*
Amen. 14 But Israel
stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the
younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands, although
Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God
before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my
shepherd all my life to this day, 16 The angel who has redeemed me
from all evil, Bless the lads; And may my name live on in them, And the names of
my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of
the earth." 17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on
Ephraim's head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father's hand to remove it
from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 Joseph said to his father,
"Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his
head." 19 But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know;
he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger
brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude
of nations." 20 He blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will
pronounce blessing, saying, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!'" Thus
he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph,
"Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the
land of your fathers. 22 "I give you one portion more than your
brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow."
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who in giving us Yeshua, the Living
Torah, has planted everlasting life in our midst.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the
Torah."
______________________
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who selected good prophets, delighting
in their words which were spoken truthfully.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, Who chose the
Torah, Your servant Moses, Your people Israel,
and the prophets of truth and
righteousness."
1 Kings 2:1-4
Reader 8* Amen.
As David's time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 "I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and
show yourself a man. 3 "Keep the charge of Yahweh your God, to walk
in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His
testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may
succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 so that Yahweh
may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons
are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and
with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
2 Kings 13:14
When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die,
Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, "My
father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"
Psalm 39 (To be sung.) For the choir
director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I said, "I will guard my ways
that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle while
the wicked are in my presence." 2 I was mute and silent, I refrained
even from good, and my sorrow grew worse. 3 My heart was hot within
me, while I was musing the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: 4
"Yahweh, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know
how transient I am. 5 "Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,
and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; surely every man at his best is a mere
breath. Selah. 6 "Surely every man walks about as a phantom; surely
they make an uproar for nothing; he amasses riches and does not know who will
gather them. 7 "And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
8 "Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of
the foolish. 9 "I have become mute, I do not open my mouth, because
it is You who have done it. 10 "Remove Your plague from me; because
of the opposition of Your hand I am perishing. 11 "With reproofs You
chasten a man for iniquity; You consume as a moth what is precious to him;
surely every man is a mere breath. Selah. 12 "Hear my prayer, O
Yahweh, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a
stranger with You, a sojourner like all my fathers. 13 "Turn Your
gaze away from me, that I may smile again before I depart and am no more."
Revelation 21:1-10, 22:1-10
Reader 9* Amen.
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for
the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any
sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And
I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is
among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God
Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from
their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any
mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." 5
And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He
said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." 6 Then He said
to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I
will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without
cost. 7 "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be
his God and he will be My son. 8 "But for the cowardly and
unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and
idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and
brimstone, which is the second death." 9 Then one of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me,
saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me
the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
Reader 10* Amen.
22:1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as
crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the
middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing
twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the
tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer be
any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His
bond-servants will serve Him; 4 they will see His face, and His name
will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be any night;
and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun,
because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
6 And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the
Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His
bond-servants the things which must soon take place. 7 "And behold, I
am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this
book." 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when
I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me
these things. 9 But he said to me, "Do not do that. I am a fellow
servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the
words of this book. Worship God." 10 And he said to me, "Do not seal
up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
"Blessed are You, Yahweh
our God, King of the Universe,
Rock of Ages, righteous
throughout all generations.
You are the faithful God,
promising and then performing, speaking and then fulfilling,
for all Your words are true
and righteous.
Faithful are You, Yahweh
our God, and faithful are Your words,
for no word of Yours shall
remain unfulfilled;
You are a faithful and
merciful God and King.
Blessed are You, Yahweh our
God, Who are faithful in fulfilling all Your words."
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