Revelations 2:23

I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

 

Before he was ready to bestow blessings upon them, Joseph tested his brothers. While far was from him the desire to exact vengeance on them, Joseph needed to test his brother’s spirits. They needed to experience a little of what he experienced, so Joseph created a set of circumstances that would serve as a litmus test of their character.

Joseph spent three days and three nights in the pit not knowing what would happen to him; so his brothers would spend three days and three nights in the jail not knowing if they would live or die. Trying to preserve their inheritance away from Rachel’s son, Leah’s children tried to rid themselves of Joseph. Now, Judah would have to sacrifice himself in order to save Benjamin, the second son of Rachel. All this showed Joseph that his brothers had truly learned and matured. Their repentance needed to be coupled with the fruits of behavior appropriate with their misdeeds.

As Joseph did, the Master spent three days and three nights in the earth because of us, His jealous brothers. He was later brought to God who like Pharaoh, established Yeshua over the gentiles, until such a time when a famine came that brought Joseph’s brothers to him for help.

Will there be a time of sore trouble for Jacob/Israel that will force him to his brother Yeshua for help? Will Israel spend three days and three nights in a pit? Will Messiah test the heart of Israel in the end of days? Will there be a Benjamin? Some speculate that the Holocaust was the trouble, because since then like Joseph did, Yeshua revealed Himself to many of our people. This new Jewish Messianic movement could represent Benjamin, the brother who did not despise Joseph! We can certainly see the end from the beginning in all these things.

Before sending them on their way to bring their father, Joseph had a festive royal meal with his brothers. This speaks to us of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb following the Revelation of Messiah spoken to us in Revelations (Revelations 19:9).

Even today, all our hearts are being tested. The approaching Feast of Chanukah should remind us of our brothers who stood firm refusing to compromise their faith with the corrupt standards of the world around them. May we be like those Maccabees of old who when tested came out without even the smell of smoke. May we refuse to assimilate to the ways of the world. May we bravely and zealously pass the test, come out clean on the other side, ready to recline for a festive royal meal at the table of the Master at the end of the age.