Parashat Miketz

Parashat Miketz

Genesis 41:1-44:17; 1 Kings 3:15-4:1; 1 Corinthians 11: 8-25

That which goes down must go up. Joseph descended from the highest place, to the lowest place, and then to the highest place. From the highest: the favored son of Israel, prince over his brothers. To the lowest: a cistern, a slave and a prisoner. To the highest: Governor over Egypt and prince over his brothers. So too, Messiah descended that He might ascend.
The story of Joseph and his brothers beautifully illustrates for us the relationship through the centuries between the Messiah and His brothers in the flesh, the Jewish people. Like Joseph, Messiah was called to lead His people, Israel, and to perform the miracle of salvation/deliverance for them. It was to be both a spiritual and a physical deliverance. He would spiritually redeem them from their sin when He died an atoning death and would physically redeem them from destruction by the hands of all of their enemies-especially in the last and ultimate deliverance in the end of days.

As in the Joseph story, when Messiah lived among His people and revealed to them what His purpose and calling from God was, a significant portion of the spiritual leadership of His people rejected Him. Instead, they handed Him over to the Romans to crucify Him. At this, many in Israel thought that they could simply dismiss the Messiah-and many still think that, too.

However, Messiah had other plans for His people. Through the years, the sons of Jacob would experience various forms of trials and afflictions. Ironically, many of these troubles came at the hands of those who claimed to know and love the Messiah. The children of Israel have truly suffered through the past centuries. Each time, however, without most of His people realizing it, Messiah has worked a mighty deliverance for the sons of Jacob. Messiah has provided for and cared for Israel through the years because He loves them.

The trials of the children of Israel have had much the same meaning as those of the brothers of Jacob. It has all been masterfully designed by the LORD Himself to bring Israel to the point of realizing that they made a mistake by rejecting both the written Torah and the Living Torah. The prophets foretold that in the end of days, Israel will experience one last time of severe testing. Zechariah tells us that Israel will be surrounded by her enemies and on the verge of being destroyed-just as the famine was threatening to destroy Jacob and his family in Genesis. In the story of Joseph, we learned that at just the right moment Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, there was genuine repentance, and he was then able to accomplish their deliverance from the threatening famine. So also will it be in the end of days for Israel. Zechariah promises that at just the right moment, Messiah will reveal Himself to His brothers, the sons of Israel. They will look upon Him as J oseph's brothers did-with great repentance and with many tears.

Finally, Messiah will work a great and mighty deliverance for His people and they will know Him as their Savior and Deliverer, having their sins forgiven.