Genesis 45:4

And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.”

Just as the life of Jacob merges with the destiny of Israel, the life of Joseph, Jacob’s son, merges with that of Yeshua.

Joseph was born of a barren womb and His brothers rejected his God-appointed leadership over them. At the time appointed, because of jealousy they threw him in a pit where according to Jewish literature Joseph stayed three days and three nights. Later, They sold him for the price of a slave and brought the blood of a goat to his father as a substitute to his own. Joseph then spent time in a prison where he became steward, to eventually rule over the entire gentile world.

Doesn’t that tell us of the story of Yeshua who: was born of a barren womb, whose God-appointed leadership was rejected by his brothers because of jealousy;; who spent three days and three nights in a pit; was sold for the price of a slave, spent time in the prison ministering to the disobedient spirits and who later became the ruler over most the gentile world?

Since the life story of Joseph tell us of the beginning of Yeshua’s life, could the end of it reveal to us the future? Wise King Solomon did say, What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

We must not fail to mention that not all of Joseph’s brothers were against him. Benjamin was still at Jacob’s side and was not part of the plot against his brother. Benjamin loved and believed in his big brother Joseph!

When Egypt faced a famine so dire that it threatened the very life of the empire, God raised Joseph to save Egypt. Egyptians looked to Joseph as he who saved then from famine. Canaan also suffered so Joseph’s brothers came to buy grain from the Egyptian Viceroy, who of course was Joseph. The brothers didn’t recognize their brothers. Joseph looked, acted and spoke like an Egyptian. Joseph recognized his brothers and proceeded to test tehm to see if their heart was changed. He tested them by creating a situation where Benjamin would be enslaved. At that moment, Judah offered his own self as ransom for the life of Benjamin which showed Joseph the change of heart. Whereas before, they gave their brother to save their lives, now they were ready to give their lives to save their brother. This is the time when Joseph revealed himself to them and said:”I am your brother: Joseph!”

What does this tell us? Who is Benjamin today? Would he be the Jew who did not reject and sale Yeshua? Will then there be a time in the soon future when God will test ‘Judah’ with ‘Benjamin’? In present-day Israel the conflict between Orthodox and Messianic Jews is fierce. It is a 2,000 year old conflict. Will Judah pass the test so that eventually, Yeshua reveals Himself to them and say: “I am your brother: Yeshua!” The Hebrew Scriptures say he does. May it come quickly, even in our day!