Jacob Never Dies

An excellent post from Meaningful Life Center:

The Seeds of Today’s World have been Sown; The Stage Set

As the solar year comes to a close with terrorism on the rise and an uncertain future looming ahead of us, we read the concluding chapter of the first book of the Torah. Endings require summations – sort of an accounting of where we stand and where we are headed.

Fifteen years have passed since the dawn of the 21st Century. Just as we entered the new century, our comfort zones were rattled by the attacks of September 11, 2001, serving as a unwelcome precursor of events to come; a rude awakening to the world in which we now live.

To understand and make some sense of these turbulent times – both the physical times and the spiritual ones – we must look behind the scenes, into the historical forces which have led to and shaped our current universe. We need to travel beyond these world shaking events study the spiritual events of these times, as related in the weekly Torah portions that we have been reading these last months…

To read more of this post from Meaningful Life Center, please click here

Vayigash 2015 (he came near)

Torah Portion: Genesis 44:18-47:27

Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28

New Testament: Luke 15:11-32, John 20:14,25-28, Romans 11, Rev. 12:1-6

We are poised for a dramatic climax this week as Joseph’s identity is unmasked. In last week’s cliffhanger, the brothers went to Egypt to buy grain from the brother they had sold, though his Egyptian appearance rendered him completely unrecognizable. Thus, we saw a type and shadow of Messiah stripped of His Hebrew identity.

Vayeshev 2015 (and he dwelled)

Torah Portion:  Genesis 37:1 through Genesis 40:23
Haftarah Portion:  Amos 2:6-3:8
New Testament Portion:  Matthew 27: 28-29, John 10:11, John 19:24

After devoting a mere chapter to the genealogy of Esau, the Holy Spirit redirects the reader to the object of the narrative, the called and chosen who are destined to become the Bride of Jesus/Yeshua and the light of the world.

Vayishlach 2015 (and he left)

Torah Portion: Genesis 32:4 through Genesis 36:43
Haftarah: Hosea 11:7 through Hosea 12:12 or Obadiah 1:1-21
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Rev 7:1-7

This week Jacob returns home to Canaan after 20 years toil in Laban’s house where Jacob’s children were born in the midst of fierce competition between his wives.  Sage Iben Ezra estimates Reuben to be 12 years of age at the time of Jacob’s departure for Israel.  Jacob’s return to the land portends much for the return of his children at the end of days.

Vayetse [and he departed] 2015

Torah Portion: Genesis 28:10 through Genesis 32:3
Haftarah: Hosea 12:13 through Hosea 14:10
New Testament: Mat 21:42, Mat 27:57 through Mat 28:6, Luke 1:33, John 1:45-51

Last week, in Toldot, after falling into Rebekah’s snare, Jacob was forced to flee for his life from his brother, Esau.  Before sending him away, Isaac granted the blessing intended for Jacob all along.

Toldot 2015 [Family History]

Torah: Genesis 25:19-28:9

Haftarah: Malachi 1:1-2:7

New Testament: Romans 9:6-16, Hebrews 11:20, 12:14-17

This week, in between the stories of Esau selling his birthright and Rebekah convincing Jacob to deceive Isaac into believing he is the elder son, we find a sidebar that seems strangely out of place.

Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands.

And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” (Gen. 26:1-5)

Noach [Noah] 2015

Torah Portion:  Genesis 6:9–11:32 Haftarah Portion:  Isaiah 54:1–55:5 New Testament Portion:  Luke 17:26-27, Hebrews 11:7, 1Peter 3:20, 2Peter 2:5, 3:9-14

The concluding words of last week’s Torah portion read “but Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh.” (Gen 6:8)  We arrive this week at the building of the ark and the salvation of one family from a worldwide calamity.  Encompassed in the “secret place of the Most High. . . in the shadow of the Almighty,” Noah’s family rode out the mother of all storms. 

Vayechi – And he lived

Torah Portion: Genesis 47:28-50:26

Haftarah: I Kings 2:1-12

New Testament: Hebrews 11:21-22, 13:14

In last week’s lesson, Joseph not only revealed his identity to his brothers; but, more importantly, he revealed his forgiveness for their sins against him. Joseph embraced them and kissed them and urged them to bring their father and their families to Goshen, where Joseph provided all the food that the family needed and “gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded” (Gen. 47:11).

Vayigash – he came near

Torah Portion: Genesis 44:18-47:27

Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28

New Testament: Luke 15:11-32, John 20:14,25-28, Romans 11, Rev. 12:1-6

The story of Joseph and his brothers will come to a dramatic climax this week as Joseph, at last, reveals his identity.   Last week, the brothers went to Egypt to buy grain and there encountered the brother they had sold and thrown into a pit, though his Hebrew character was concealed by his highly Egyptian appearance.

VAYESHEV – AND HE DWELLED

Torah Portion:  Genesis 37:1 through Genesis 40:23
Haftarah Portion:  Amos 2:6-3:8
New Testament Portion:  Matthew 27: 28-29, John 10:11, John 19:24

After devoting a mere chapter to the genealogy of Esau, the Torah returns to the object of its narrative, the called and chosen who are destined to become the Bride of Yeshua and the light of the world.

Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. (Gen 37:1)

Unlike Esau, who departed Canaan and settled in the land of the Horites, Jacob dwelled in Eretz Israel, albeit as a sojourner, just like his father and grandfather.   No doubt, after all of Jacob’s trouble and turmoil, he is ready for peace and quiet.   But, it is not to be.   The family must descend to Egypt to fulfill the purposes of God.   Recall that God told Abraham his descendants would be in bondage for four hundred years.