Vayechi“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19

28 And Ya’akov lived in Eretz Mitzrayim seventeen shanah; so the whole age of Ya’akovwas a hundred forty and seven shanah.

29 And the time drew near that Yisroel must die; and he called bno Yosef, and said unto him, If now I have found chen in thy sight, put, now, thy yad under my thigh, and do chesed (kindness) and emes (truth) with me; bury me not, now, in Mitzrayim;

30 But I will lie with my avot, and thou shalt carry me out of Mitzrayim, and bury me in their kever. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he swore unto him. And Yisroel prostrated toward the rosh hamittah (head of the bed). (Why do you think Israel did this?)

Refresher – “Taking an Oath” Genesis 24:2-3

The Chumash says…This did not imply a lack of trust in Joseph. Rather, Jacob made a realistic assessment of the political problem

that would arise when Joseph sought permission for the burial outside of Egypt. Pharaoh would take it as an insult to the land that

had given generous hospitality to Jacob and his family, and he would understand the request as a demonstration that Israel’s

allegiance did not belong to Egypt. Only if Joseph were to take a solemn oath would Pharaoh deem it improper to stand in the way.

Indeed, when Pharaoh gave permission to Joseph, he emphasized that he was doing so because Joseph had sworn to do so (Gen 50:6)

Ramban, Sforno

Vayechi

“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19

Vayechi“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19

48 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Yosef, Hinei, Avicha is choleh (ill); and he took with him his two banim, Menasheh and Ephrayim.

2 And one told Ya’akov, and said, Hinei, the ben of thee Yosef cometh unto thee; and Yisroel strengthened himself, and sat up upon the mittah (bed).

3 And Ya’akov said unto Yosef, El Shaddai appeared unto me at Luz in Eretz Kena’an, and made on me a brocha,

4 And said unto me, Hineni, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a kehal of ammim (assembly/holy convocation of people); and will give HaAretzHazot to thy zera after thee for an achuzzat olam (everlasting possession).

5 And now thy two banim, Ephrayim and Menasheh, which were born unto thee in Eretz Mitzrayim before I came unto thee into Mitzrayim, are mine; like Reuven and Shimon, they shall be mine.

6 And thy moledet, which are born to thee after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the shem of their achim in their nachalah (inheritance).

7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in Eretz Kena’an in the way, when there was yet but a space of land to go unto Ephratah; and I buried her there by the derech Ephrat; the same is Beit-Lechem.

The reason Jacob was giving a double-portion

to Joseph’s sons….he loved Rachel.

8 And Yisroel beheld Bnei Yosef, and said, Who are these?

9 And Yosef said unto aviv, They are my banim, whom Elohim hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, now, unto me, and I will make upon them a brocha.

10 Now the eyes of Yisroel were dim from age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11 And Yisroel said unto Yosef, I never expected to see thy face; and, hinei, Elohim hath showed me also thy zera.

12 And Yosef brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground.

13 And Yosef took them both, Ephrayim in his yamin (right hand) toward smol (left of) Yisroel, and Menasheh on his smol (left) toward yamin (the right hand of) Yisroel, and brought them near unto him.

14 And Yisroel stretched out his yamin (right hand), and laid it upon rosh Ephraim, who was the younger, and his smol (left hand) upon rosh Manasseh, guiding his hands intentionally; for Menasheh was the bechor (firstborn).

▪ Ephraim and M’nasheh are being adopted as “sons”….not grandsons of Israel.

▪ They are receiving the firstborn inheritance on behalf of Joseph, in place of Reuven, as indicative by the “double portion” they will receive from Jacob.

▪ Ephraim was younger, but Jacob placed him ahead of Manasseh.

▪ Name Ephraim means –“fruitfulness”; Manasseh means “forgetfulness”

I Chronicles 5:1-2

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he

was the firstborn, but when he defiled his

father’s marriage bed, his rights as firstborn

were given to the sons of Joseph son of

Israel; so he could not be listed in the

genealogical record in accordance with his

birthright, 2 and though Judah was the

strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from

him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to

Joseph)—

15 And he made on Yosef a brocha, and said, HaElohim, before whom my Avot Avraham and Yitzchak did walk, HaElohim Who was Roeh (shepherd) to me all my life long unto this day,

16 The Malach (Angel) which redeemed me from kol rah (all harm/evil), may he make a brochaon the ne’arim (boys), and let my shem be named on them, and the shem of my Avot Avraham and Yitzchak; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of ha’aretz.

17 And when Yosef saw that aviv laid his yamin upon the rosh Ephrayim, it displeased him; and he took hold of yad aviv, to remove it from rosh Ephrayim unto rosh Menasheh.

18 And Yosef said unto aviv, Not so, Avi; for this is the bechor; put thy yamin upon his rosh.

19 And aviv refused, and said, I know it, beni (my son), I know it; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly achiv hakaton (younger brother) shall be greater than he, and his zera shall become a multitude of Goyim.

20 And he made a brocha on them that day, saying, In thee shall Yisroel bless, saying, Elohim make thee like Ephrayim and like Menasheh; and he set Ephrayim before Menasheh.

21 And Yisroel said unto Yosef, Hinei I die; but Elohim shall be with you, and bring you back unto the Eretz Avoteichem.

22 Moreover, I have given to thee one portion above thy achim, which I took out of the yadHaEmori with my cherev (sword) and with my Keshet (bow).

▪ Consider for a moment that Ephraim and Manasseh were sons of an Egyptian mother, raised in the Egyptian court. They seemed to be outside the collective identity of the sons of Israel.

▪ Despite this situation, Jacob adopts them. Ephraim and Manasseh can be compared to the Gentile believers in Jesus. The Gentile Christians have been born in the years while the Messiah is estranged from His brothers.

▪ Type and shadow….Joseph’s “Gentile” sons called “Forgetfulness” and “Fruitfulness” have forgotten the house of Jacob, but they have been fruitful and increased exceedingly. Like Ephraim and Manasseh, they have been raised as strangers to Jacob and the sons of Israel. Through the firstborn rights conferred upon Yeshua the Messiah, the only begotten of the Father, an amazing reversal of fortune befalls the Gentile Christian. They are adopted into the commonwealth of Israel, no longer regarded as foreigners to Israel but as fellow citizens.

▪ Let’s consider that the church has taught a theology of replacement and substitution by which we believe the church has replaced and even superseded Israel. We have taught that the church is the New Israel. We have taught that if a Jewish person wants salvation or any inheritance in the covenants of promise, he or she must forsake Judaism and convert to Christianity. This story contradicts replacement theology. The sons of Jacob were not adopted into the family of Ephraim and Manasseh, rather Ephraim and Manasseh were adopted into the family of Jacob to become sons of Israel. Israel does not join the Gentile church; the Gentile church has been spiritually untied with Israel. (Romans 9:4-5) Depth of the Torah pg 425-426

▪ Review the Abrahamic Covenant, talk about the New Covenant

▪ Review the name El-Shaddai

▪ Review the role of G-d’s Chosen people

▪ Talk about the Hope for the Gentiles

▪ Look at some terms: Physical Israel vs. Spiritual Israel

▪ Get a handle on the 12 or is it 14 tribes of Israel

▪ Two Houses: Northern and Southern Kingdom

▪ Discuss “ Ephraim”

▪ Prophecy of Reuniting: Ezekiel 37

▪ Looking at End Times: Revelation

▪ Romans 11…G-d’s Perfect Plan

▪ See Handout… In Genesis 48…we see reference to a “kahal ammim”.

▪ Who were these covenants given to?

▪ Even the New Covenant? – see Jeremiah 31 if necessary

▪ Pg 286 Tom Bradford discusses “The Family of G-d”

▪ Who is the family of G-d? Thru whom did the Messiah come? To whom does He refer to as His chosen?

▪ What Christians try to do with the Jewish/Hebrew people is to “replace them” as the family of G-d. Tom Bradford describes this as “error of worst sort…because it is a premeditated attempt to dishonor G-d’s chosen nation of Israel, to steal from them their inheritance (the covenants G-d made with them)

▪ To whom belong the “covenants”?

▪ The role of the Jew is to bring salvation to the world (right now thru their stumbling Ro 11), the Messiah as seed, and their repentance and acceptance before or at His return initiates the next chapter of the story (after the time of the Gentiles is over). They have an irrevocable calling

▪ How long is Israel….Israel? (Jeremiah 31:35-37) until the sun stops giving off light and waves cease to occur in the oceans an stars disappear and the moon stops shining.

▪ Debate Footage… (8:30 – 22:30) ▪ https://ffoz.org/discover/theology/debate-in-

birmingham.html?fbclid=IwAR3y-xFPYIiIch7Rrj4_1sk32bht5vjodGcjjfBwrbDN_9lV14iR85DjgUY

Romans 3:1

Then what advantage has the Jew?

Romans 9:4-5 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to

sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the

receiving of the law, the temple worship and the

promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them

is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who

is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Romans 11:28-36

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for

your sake. But as regards election, they are

beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For

the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to

God but now have received mercy because of their

disobedience, 31 so they too have now been

disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to

you they also may now[a] receive mercy. 32 For

God has consigned all to disobedience, that he

may have mercy on all.

In this debate, Rabbi Kinzer alludes to the 69 or

so times that Israel is mentioned in the NT and

how that most consistently ties back to the

corporate identity of the Jewish people. Worth a

watch!

▪ Because there is no mention of the New Covenant being a “universal covenant” made between G-d and the Gentiles, Gentiles have no part of this New Covenant unless they are somehow declared by YHVH to be part of either the house of Israel or the House of Judah. (pg 287)

▪ Romans 11 explains how this works.

▪ Romans 2:26-29 ▪

26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded[a] as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically[b] uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code[c]

and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

▪ Galatians 3:26-29▪

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is [a]neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you [b]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s [c]descendants, heirs according to promise.

▪ Tom Bradford states (pg 288) that G-d’s definition of being a true Jew is the condition of one’s heart, not his flesh. It is his spiritual standing with YHVH not his genealogy that matters. Spiritual standing is based on the provisions of the covenants made with Israel in which faith in Yeshua – that He is who He says He is, that He is G-d and that He is able to declare you clean and holy – is the only means to salvation.

▪ Who is missing?

▪ Why?

▪ Did G-d give the land to Israel or not? (Numbers 34)

▪ How did it work for the Levites?

▪ During the rule of David, he united all 12 tribes in Jerusalem.

▪ After his death, one of this sons, Solomon, inherited the throne and for awhile did well.

▪ He expanded the territory and built the Holy Temple; but…

▪ He had a lady problem. A problem which led to worship of ancestral gods of foreign nations. I Kings 11 speaks about King Solomon’s wives leading him astray into idol worship.

▪ G-d tried to warn him a couple times. Consequently, as an act of divine judgment, Solomon’s kingdom was divided after his death.▪ REHOBOAM (Solomon’s son) – Judah and Benjamin and

eventually the Levites (SOUTHERN KINGDOM)

▪ JEROBOAM (Ephraimite, an official of Solomon’s labor force) –The other 10 tribes (NORTHERN KINGDOM)

▪ What happened to the Northern Kingdom? And when?

▪ Where does the Scripture talk about bringing the two houses (2 sticks) back together again? Has this happened?

▪ Hosea 7:8-9

8Ephraim mixes himself with the [f]nations;Ephraim has become a cake not turned.9 Strangers devour his strength,Yet he does not know it;Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him,Yet he does not know it.10 Though the pride of Israel testifies against him,Yet they have not returned to the LORD their God,Nor have they sought Him, for all this.

DISCUSS:

The Ephramite Movement or

the Two-House Theology

Brit-Am Association advocating that Britain and America are two of the ten lost tribes of Israel

▪ 1970’s – There was a Hebrew Christian Movement knows as the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America▪ Was a missionary enterprise designed to make Christianity look

attractive to the Jews

▪ Began to rethink/reflect on its identity and purpose…were they Jews as a missionary endeavor or were they Jews under “covenantal obligation”

▪ Changed their name to the Messianic Jewish Alliance of American, signifying a shift in practice away from traditional Christianity and toward a full-fledged form of Judaism. They were still believers but had rediscovered their distinct identity as Jews.

▪ Many Gentile Christians found themselves attracted to the movement but could not become official members of the MJAA; merely “honorary members”

▪ From this “slight”, the Two-House Movement emerged as a solution. At the core, the proposed answer was simple and elegant: Gentile Christians who were attracted to the feasts, laws, and customs of Israel might just be descendants of the ten lost tribes.

▪ They began to call themselves “Ephraimites” and began applying OT prophecies and promises to themselves as physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

▪ Out of this the Two-House Movement was launched and something known as “One Law” (Ex 12:49; Gal 3:28)

▪ “Who is Israel?” – One prooftext (Gen 48:19)▪ Batya Wootten published this paper in 1998 articulating that a large number of modern Gentile

Christians are descendants of the ten lost tribes.

▪ Gentiles are obligated to obey the commandments of the Mosaic Law (not legalistically but as a response to salvation)

▪ Based on Ezekiel 37:15-28; Ephraimites and Jews will be reunited as one body in the land of Israel and will become an invincible army fighting against the Philistines.

▪ Does not accept the traditions of rabbinic Judaism.

▪ Advocates for this leave behind mainstream Christianity

▪ All “halachic distinction” between Jew and Gentile is erased based on “One Law”; net effect is that Jews are no longer considered a distinct people, making them extinct. This movement is likely to be interpreted by Jews as a direct attack on them and Judaism.

▪ Anglo-Saxon as descendants of the 10 tribes, British Israelism▪ Steven M. Collins and Yair Davidiy Collins is associated with the remnants of what is known as

the “Worldwide Church of G-d”, a Sabbatarian Christian denomination established by Herbert Armstrong

▪ With the conditions of Britain/England, a nation composed of millions of practical unbelievers in Christ, and ripe for apostasy, reuniting with the Jewish people after 2500 years ago robs the Jewish nation, the true Israel, of many promises in relation to their future by applying them to the British race (Ephramites).

Genesis 48:19 English Standard Version (ESV)19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I

know. He also shall become a people, and he also

shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall

be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a

multitude[a] of nations.”

▪ This is an end-times prophecy. This has never happened. It can happen only after Israel was reborn as a nation, which occurred in 1948.

▪ We know who Judah is….these are the Jews.

▪ What is inescapable is that there is going to be a joining of the Jewish people with those who find out they are Ephraim.

▪ This has already begun to happen.

▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBTiLsDdRGM Tribe of Manasseh

NO TRIBE IS REALLY LOST…

G-D KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE.

JESUS REFERRED TO 12 TRIBES,

JOHN REFERRED TO THEM

▪ There is one place that Ephraim is NOT mentioned. Revelation 7:1-8 Which other tribe is NOT mentioned?

1 After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the land, on the sea or on any tree.

2 I saw another angel coming up from the east with a seal from the living God, and he shouted to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea,

3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads!"

4 I heard how many were sealed - 144,000 from every tribe of the people of Isra'el:

5 From the tribe of Y'hudah 12,000 were sealed from the tribe of Re'uven 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 12,000

6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000 from the tribe of Naftali 12,000 from the tribe of M'nasheh 12,000

7 from the tribe of Shim'on 12,000 from the tribe of Levi 12,000 from the tribe of Yissakhar 12,000

8 from the tribe of Z'vulun 12,000 from the tribe of Yosef12,000 from the tribe of Binyamin 12,000

**Dan and Ephraim are missing. Dan had a serious ongoing problem with idolatry. Some even think that the Antichrist will arise out of a connection the tribe of Dan. Ephraim, if the Gentile nations, could be missing due to the RAPTURE. (Bradford is speculating!)

PSALM 102

14 Surely Your servants find pleasure in her stones

And feel pity for her dust.

15 So the nations will fear the name of the LORD

And all the kings of the earth Your glory.

16 For the LORD has built up Zion;

He has appeared in His glory.

17 He has regarded the prayer of the destitute

And has not despised their prayer.

18 This will be written for the generation to come,

That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.

▪ Why is it that G-d gave His Torah to 12 tribes of Israel, then gave us our Savior through the house of Judah, the Jewish part of Israel, only to have the torch of the gospel passed from the Jews to the Gentiles, and finally for the Jews and the Gentiles to be at odds with each other for centuries?

▪ Romans 11:11-26

Vayechi

“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19

Vayechi“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19

Which tribe

belongs with each

picture….

49 And Ya’akov called unto his banim, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the acharit hayamim (last days).

2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye Bnei Ya’akov; and pay heed unto Yisroel Avichem.

3 Reuven, thou art my bechor, my koach (strength), and the reshit (first) of my strength, the excellency of honor, and excellency of oz (power):

4 Unstable as mayim, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to mishkevei avicha(thy father’s bed, i.e. incest); then defiledst thou it; he went up to my couch.

5 Shimon and Levi are achim; kelei chamas (instruments of violence) are in their swords.

6 O my nefesh, enter not thou into their sod (secret, council); unto their kehal, mine kavod, be not thou united; for in their anger they slaughtered ish, and in their ratzon (self-will) they lamed shor (ox).

7 Arur (cursed) be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel; I will dispense them in Ya’akov, and scatter them in Yisroel.

Prophecies…not just about the son, but about the future

destinies of the entire tribe. Jacob’s prophecies stretched all

the way through the history of Israel and into the last days.

▪ 2 Elements about the Firstborn Blessing▪ The double portion

▪ Right to lead or rule over the tribe

▪ Deuteronomy 21:15-17 forbids a father from giving theebirthright to any son other than the real firstborn.

▪ Reuben received neither of these!

▪ Why? I Chronicles 5:1-2 (Genesis 35:22)

▪ Future: ▪ When we search the Scriptures, we find that the tribe of Reuben did not produce one single military leader,

king, prophet, or judge; not one of Reuben’s descendants is mentioned in the Bible as having attained a position of particular value or honor , nor of accomplishing anything of significance.

▪ The tribe of Reuben also decided not to enter the Promised Land, but to settle for “good enough” on the east side of the Jordan River, outside the land the Canaan (Bradford pg 307)

▪ Moses even declares in Deuteronomy 33:6 “Let Reuben live and not die out, even though his numbers grow few.”

▪ Our sinful ways can introduce characteristics into our families that are detrimental and long-lasting in their effects.

The mandrakes in Reuben's

coat-of-arms are based on

the episode related in Gen.

30, where young Reuben

brought his mother Leah

mandrakes from the field.

The biblical phrase on the

tab is from Deut. 33:6, "Let

Reuben live."

Simon was one of the strongest tribes during the

wandering in the desert but later became one of the

weakest in consequence of losses suffered during

the battles for the Promised Land. It was eventually

absorbed by mighty Judah. Formerly the city of

Shechem was situated within the boundaries of

Simon and the gate of the city therefore appears on

the tribe's. The biblical phrase on the tab is from

Deut. 33:5, "...and the tribes of Israel were

gathered together.“

The Levites "kept the charge of the tabernacles of

testimony" (Num. 1:53); they had no territory of

their own and were dispersed among the other

tribes. Their emblem was the ephod of the High

Priest on which were engraved, upon precious

stones, the names of all tribes. The biblical phrase

on the tab is from Deut. 33:10, "They shall teach

Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law."

• Both of these brothers were reminded of their

involvement in the incident at Shechem.

• Jacob was so ashamed of those brutal murders that he

wished to disassociate himself from the two sons.

• FUTURE: The tribe of Simeon completely lost its

importance. In the first Israelite census the tribe

numbered 59,300 (Num. 1:23); for unknown reasons, its

population was reduced to 22,200 by the end of the

wilderness wanderings (Num. 26:14). Neither the

Blessing of Moses (Deut. 33) nor the Song of Deborah

(Judg. 5) mentions the tribe. From Joshua 19:1 and 1

Chronicles 4:24–43, it is clear that Simeon was largely

swallowed up by Judah and remained unsettled until

quite late in the monarchy period.

• FUTURE: Levi lost the right to inherit land and own

tribal territory. They were scattered throughout the

tribes. They were divided and separated and became

the priests of the land of Israel…the Cohanim.

8 Yehudah, thou art he whom thy achim yoducha (they will praise you); thy yad shall be in the oref (neck) of thine enemies; Bnei Avicha shall bow down before thee.

9 Yehudah is the cub of an aryeh (lion); from the prey, beni (my son), thou hast gone up; he stooped down, he couched like an aryeh, and like a lioness; who shall rouse him?

10 The shevet (sceptre) shall not depart from Yehudah, nor a Mekhokek (Lawgiver) from between his raglayim (legs), until Shiloh come; and unto him shall be the obedience of the amim (peoples, nations).

11 He ties his foal unto the gefen (vine), and his donkey’s colt unto the choice vine; he will wash his levush (garments) in yayin, and his robe in the dahm anavim (blood of grapes);

12 His eyes shall be darker with yayin, and his shinayim (teeth) whiter than cholov(milk).

▪ Receives only part of the firstborn blessing, that of leadership. Judah was to be like a lion in strength and power. Also the scepter would not depart from Judah

▪ FUTURE: Jacob’s blessings over Judah began to see their fulfillment when David a shepherd from the tribe of Judah, rose to the throne over all the tribes of Israel. David began a dynasty of kings that held the throne in Jerusalem until the Babylonian exile.

▪ One of the titles of the Messiah is “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah”. He is the ultimate scepter. He also

▪ Tom Bradford points out that even religious Jews believe that the Messiah will be from the tribe of Judah and the lineage of David. Messiah ben Joseph could prove such a lineage…will Messiah ben David? (see pg 311)

The most famous

heraldic symbol

belongs to the tribe of

Judah, which displayed

a lion on its shield. This

tribe became the most

powerful and

constituted the

Kingdom of Judah. The

lion is the symbol of

strength and is featured

as such in innumerable

works throughout the

ages. This animal is

one those most

frequently mentioned in

the Bible, appearing

about 130 times under

6 different names. The

biblical phrase on the

tab is from Gen. 49:9,

"Judah is a lion's

whelp."

In the most literal sense,

the statement implies that

the other tribes will

acknowledge the

headship of the tribe of

Judah. In the future, the

house of David will rise

again with the coming of

Messiah son of David. He

will stand at the head of

the tribe of Judah. His

brothers, the Jewish

people, will acknowledge

Him and confess Him.

Philippians 2:10-11

“every knee will bow in

heaven, on earth and

under the earth – and

every tongue will confess

that Yeshua Messiah is

Lord”

(Shadows of the Messiah

pg 284)

Yehudah, thou art he whom thy achim yoducha (they will praise you); thy yad shall

be in the oref (neck) of thine enemies; Bnei Avicha shall bow down before thee.

Yehudah is the cub of an aryeh (lion); from the

prey, beni (my son), thou hast gone up; he

stooped down, he couched like an aryeh, and

like a lioness; who shall rouse him?

He couches, he lies down (ravatz, crouching alert) as

a lion, and as a lion, who dares rouse him up? (Gen

49:9)

He couches, he lies down (shachav, relaxing to sleep)

as a lion, and as a lion, who dares rouse him?

(Numbers 24:9) (Bil’am son of B’or’s curse which turned out to be a blessing)

A parallel prophecy in the Torah says the lion “will not lie down until

it devours the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain” (Numbers

23:24) Like a sleeping lion, satiated after the kill, Judah will be at

peace. Just as the surviving animals would never dare to rouse the

slumbering lion, neither will any of the surviving nations dare to

challenge Judah again.

Rashi explains the prophecies of the lion as referring to the era of

King David and King Solomon. The lion tearing the prey symbolizes

King David, who made ware on Israel’s enemies and subdued them.

The lion lying down to rest refers to David’s son King Solomon, who

enjoyed an era of peace and prosperity as Scriptures says. “So Judah

and Israel lived in Safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree,

from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon” (I Kings 4:25)

King David and his son Solomon prefigure the wars of Messiah

followed by the peace of the Messianic Era. The lion-prophecies also

speak of the time of peace that will come after the wars of Messiah

(Gog and Magog) followed by a time of peace in the Messianic Era.

SHILOH – read Bradford pg 110)

▪ Some Scriptures use “to whom obedience belongs” in place of the word Shiloh

▪ Some define the word “Shiloh” to mean “He whose right it is”

▪ Later in the OT, we will see that there is a town in Canaan called Shiloh, and it’s there that the tabernacle of the wilderness will rest for many years. This town is in the territory of Ephraim. It was the first holy city of the Holy Land.

▪ Shiloh is now another name for the Messiah (Taken from Shadows of the Messiah pg 292)▪ Rabbinic work “Targum Onkelos”

paraphrases the passage about Shiloh as “until the Messiah comes, for his is the kingdom.”.

▪ Also the Misrash Rabbbah says, “Shiloh alludes to the Messiah King.”

▪ The great Torah commentator Sforno understood the word Shiloh to indicate the Messiah will bring an era of universal peace. A Yemenite midrash says, “Shiloh is an expression for the tranquility of the days of Messiah, when a man will not lift a sword against his neighbor; instead, they will drink and rejoice.

He ties his foal unto the gefen (vine), and his donkey’s colt unto the choice vine; he will wash his

levush (garments) in yayin, and his robe in the dahm anavim (blood of grapes);

Should bring to memory Zechariah 9:9

…Look! Your king is coming to you. He is

righteous, and he is victorious. Yet he is

humble – he’s riding on a donkey, yes, on a

lowly donkey’s colt.

Also, “Choice Vine” refers to the nation of

Israel. The Messiah tethering His colt to the

choice vine means that the messianic

salvation is tied to the nation of Israel and

for Israel. This alludes to the ingathering of

the exiles of Israel at the commencement of

the Messianic Era. (Midrash Lekach Tov in Yalkut

Moshiach: Vayechi, 382-383)

13 Zevulun shall dwell at the seashore; and he shall be a haven for oniyyot (ships); and his border shall be unto Tzidon.

14Yissakhar is a strong chamor (donkey) lying down between two saddlebags;

15 And he saw that a menuchah (resting place) was tov, and haaretz that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became oved (submitting, enslaved) at forced labor.

16 Dan yadin (shall judge) his people, as one of the Shivtei Yisroel.

17 Dan shall be a nachash beside the derech, a viper along the orach (path) that biteth the ikkvei sus (the horse heels), so that its rider shall fall backward.

18 I have waited for Thy Yeshuah (Salvation), Hashem. Refer to Bradford text on page 314)

▪ Zebulun’s destiny was to be in commercial ventures; he would be a merchant and a trader.

▪ FUTURE: His territorial allotment will put them as a land bridge between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. They never possessed territory all the way to the seashore, but they had shipping and trade interests on both seas.

▪ Issachar’s symbol was that of a donkey. Though it sounds demeaning it was not so to the people in Jacob’s day.

▪ Another set of symbols were the sun, moon and stars derived from a phrase in I Chron 12:32 that the children of Issachar had understanding of the times.

▪ FUTURE: The tribe of Issachar was blessed to receive the best agricultural land in all the land of Israel, the beautiful and fertile Jezreel Valley.

▪ Also, the Jewish sages seem to infer that Issachar must have been Torah scholars. It is said the tribe of Zebulun provided for Issachar’s financial needs so that they could devote themselves to Torah scholarship. (Depths of the Torah pg 438)▪ Gen 49:14-15 Targum Pseudo Yonatan “Issachar is a donkey in the

study of Torah; a strong tribe, knowing the order of the times; and he lies down between the limits of his brethren. And he saw the rest of the World to Come that it is good and the portion of the land of Israel that it is pleasant; therefore he bowed his shoulders to labor in the Torah, and unto him shall come his brethren bearing presents.

Zevulun settled on the country's seaboard and as

symbolized by its emblem was engaged in

navigation. This idea is conveyed in the biblical

phrase, "Zebulun (...) shall be for a haven of

ships" (Gen. 49:13).

Issachar's territory was the plain of Esdraelon,

from the sea to the banks of the Jordan. This tribe

is frequently mentioned together with Zebulun

indicative of their being neighbors and

maintaining close relations. The tribe's emblem of

sun and stars is derived from the biblical phrase,

"And of the children of Issachar, which were men

that had understanding of the times" (1 Chron.

12:32), which appears on the tab. Other

representations of Issachar reflect the dependence

of this tribe on the Phoenicians, in whose products

the tribe dealt — as a carrier of loads (see also

Menorah stamp), as a donkey (on the Jewish

National Fund stamp), or as a laden camel (in the

synagogue of Aix-la-Chapelle).

▪ Son of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaiden, Dan’s blessing seems to be a 2-part blessing▪ Dan means “judge”; and he would be a judge in Israel

▪ That he should be a serpent, a horned snake in the path that bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls off backward

▪ FUTURE: Dan was the first of the tribes to institutionally accept idolatry. They also abandoned their allotted territory, between Benjamin and the Philistine coastlands and headed north, they grew weary of constantly fighting the Philistines, where they became a center of idolatry among the tribes of Israel.

▪ It is said that Samson rose out of the tribe of Dan; he was a judge, brought forth by G-d as a deliverer for the tribe of Dan from the oppression of the Philistines; even Samson had a terrible time resisting the pagan influences of the Philistines.

▪ They are not mentioned in the OT listing of tribal genealogies of 1 Chronicles 2, they are omitted in the NT listing of tribes that will make up the 144,000 sealed Israelite witnesses told about in Rev 7. However, the Millennial kingdom, 1000 year reign described in Ezekiel 48, Dan does receive an inheritance but does not warrant being worthy to be a part of the 144,000 in the end. (Bradford pg 313)

The original area of the

tribe of Dan extended from

Jaffa southward. Samson

was a son of this tribe. As

it could not conquer its

entire territory, Dan

looked to settle elsewhere

and the tribe moved north

to the source of the Jordan

River, captured the city

Laish, and settled there. In

Jacob's Blessing Dan was

promised that he "shall

judge his people" (Gen.

49:16), a reference

symbolized by the scales of

justice on the stamp. The

phrase appears on the tab.

19 Gad, gedud (raider) shall raid him; but he shall raid akev ([at] the heel).

20 Out of Asher his lechem shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.

21 Naphtali is a doe let loose; he giveth goodly sayings.

22Yosef is a ben of a fruit-tree, even ben of a fruit-tree near an ayin (spring, well); its daughters (i.e., branches) run over the wall;

23 The ba’alei khitzim (archers) provoke him, and shoot at him, and hate him;

24 But his keshet (bow) remained steady, and the arms of his hands remain strong, from the hands of the Avir Ya’akov, from there, from the Ro’eh, Even Yisroel;

25 And from El Avicha, who shall help thee; and Shaddai, who shall make brocha over thee with Birkat Shomayim above, Birkat Tehom that lieth beneath, Birkat Shadayim and of Rekhem.

26 Birkat Avicha surpass the Birkat of my progenitors unto the utmost border of the giveotolam (everlasting hills); they shall come on the rosh Yosef, and on the brow of the Prince among his achim.

After the conquest of the country, the tribe of

Naftali settled in the north where played a

central role among the tribes located there.

Naftali is represented by a gazelle or

running stag. The biblical phrase on the tab

is "Naftali is a hind let loose" (Gen. 49:21).

The tribe of Gad settled in the land of

Gilead, east of the Jordan. It did battle

against Amon and Moab coming from the

south, wandering tribes from the east, and

Aram from the north. The emblem resembles

a camp in reminiscence of the biblical

phrase -on the tab- "Gad, a troop shall

overcome him" (Gen. 49:19).

The coastal strip from the foot of Mount

Carmel up to Sidon was inhabited by Asher,

the fertility of whose land was indicated by

an olive tree or —as represented on stamps

of the Jewish National Fund or in the

synagogue of Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany—

by ears of corn or fruit. The biblical phrase

on the tab is "Out of Asher his bread shall

be fat" (Gen. 49:20).

• Gad is going to be constantly

oppressed and under attack, but in the

end, Gad will overcome.

• His borders were exposed to several

longtime enemies, including the

Moabites and the Ammonites.

• Asher’s portion of land was some of the

most fertile in the Holy Lands…famous

for their corn and olive oil.

• Naphtali was destined to be of graceful

beauty, swift, and quick to react.

• Their territory is part of the Galilee,

that Jesus recruited most of His

disciples and began His ministry.

Joseph was the principal tribe in central Eretz Israel, which split

into Manasseh and Ephraim. The fertility of Joseph's country is

symbolized by the sheaf on the stamp. The biblical phrase on the

tab reads, "...blessed of the Lord be his land" (Deut. 33:13).

27 Binyamin—a ze’ev (wolf) which tears in pieces; in the boker he shall devour the prey, and at erev he shall divide the plunder.

28 All these are the Shivtei Yisroel; and this is it that Avichem spoke unto them, and made a brocha on them; every one according to his brocha he blessed them.

29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people; bury me with Avotai in the me’arah (cave) that is in the sadeh of Ephron the Chitti,

30 In the me’arah that is in the sadeh of Machpelah, which is near Mamre, in Eretz Kena’an, which Avraham bought with the sadeh of Ephron the Chitti for an achuzzat kever (burial estate).

31 There they buried Avraham and Sarah his isha; there they buried Yitzchak and Rivkahhis isha; and there I buried Leah.

32 The purchase of the sadeh and of the me’arah (cave) that is therein was from the BneiChet (Heth).

33 And when Ya’akov had made an end of commanding his banim, he gathered up his raglayim into the mittah, and expired, and was gathered unto his people.

The favorite son of Jacob, Benjamin has remained the symbol of the tender

youngest child. The tribe of Benjamin, however, was considered

particularly warlike and courageous. To this tribe belonged Saul, the first

king, and Jonathan, his son. The symbol of the tribe was the wolf, a

predatory animal. The biblical phrase on the tab reads, "...in the morning

he shall devour the prey" (Gen. 49:27).

• Benjamin’s blessing was anything but flattering.

He was characterized as a “wolf”, viscous and

merciless.

• He was a buffer between the North and the South.

He was at the center of a terribly chaotic series of

wars between the tribes of Israel. (Story of

Gibeah – Bradford pg 317)

• The holiest of cities lies in this

territory…Jerusalem.

• Famous Benjaminites: Saul, Esther and Mordecai,

& Paul

Vayechi

“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19

Vayechi“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19

1 And Yosef fell upon the face of Aviv, and wept over him, and kissed him.

2 And Yosef commanded his avadim the rofe’im (physicians) to embalm Aviv; and the rofe’im embalmed Yisroel.

3 And arba’im yom were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed; and the Mitzra’im mourned for him shivim yom (seventy days).

4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Yosef spoke unto the Bais Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found chen in your eyes, speak, now, in the oznayim (audience) of Pharaoh, saying,

5 Avi made me swear, saying, Hinei, I die; in my kever (grave) which I dug for myself in Eretz Kana’an, there shalt thou bury me. Therefore let me go up, now, and bury Avi, and I will return.

6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury Avicha, according as he made thee swear.

7 And Yosef went up to bury Aviv; and with him went up all the avadim of Pharaoh, the zekenim (leaders) of his Bais, and all the zekenim of Eretz Mitzrayim,

8 And kol Bais Yosef, and his achim, and Bais Aviv; only their little ones, and their tzon, and their bakar (cattle), they left in Eretz Goshen.

9 And there went up with him both merkavot (chariots) and parashim (horseman); and it was a very great machaneh(company/caravan). (Bradford alludes to this being for protection and that there was trouble brewing pg 320)

10 And they came to the goren (threshing floor) of Atad, which is beyond the Yarden, and there they mourned with a gadol and very bitter lamentation; and he made evel (mourning) for Aviv shivat yamim (seven days).

11 And when the inhabitants of HaAretz, the Kena’ani, saw the evel (mourning) in the goren (floor of) Atad, they said, This is a grievous evel to the Mitzrayim; therefore the shem of it was called Evel Mitzrayim. It is beyond the Yarden.

12 And his [Ya’akov’s] banim did unto him according as he commanded them;

13 For his banim carried him into Eretz Kena’an, and buried him in the me’arah (cave) of the sadeh of Machpelah, near Mamre, the sadeh which Avraham had bought for an achuzzat kever (burial estate) and made the purchase from Ephron the Chitti.

14 And, after burying Aviv, Yosef returned into Mitzrayim, he, and his achim, and all that went up with him to bury Aviv.

15 And when the Achei Yosef (the brothers of Yosef) saw that Avihem was dead, they said, What if Yosef will hate us, and will certainly requite us all the ra’ah which we did unto him.

16 And they sent word unto Yosef, saying, Avicha did command before he died, saying,

17 So shall ye say unto Yosef, Forgive, now, the peysha (crime/wickedness) of thy achim, and their chattat; for they did unto thee ra’ah; and now, forgive the peysha of the Avdei Elohei Avicha. And Yosef wept when they spoke unto him.

18 And his achim also went and fell down before him; and they said, Behold us, we are thy avadim.

19 And Yosef said unto them, Fear not; for am I in the place of Elohim?

20 But as for you, ye intended ra’ah against me; but Elohim intended it for tovah, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save Am Rav(much people) alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not; I will provide for you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto their hearts.

22 And Yosef dwelt in Mitzrayim, he, and Bais Aviv; and Yosef lived one hundred and ten shanim.

23 And Yosef saw Ephraim’s bnei shileshim (children to the third generation); also the Bnei Machir Ben Menasheh were brought up upon the birkei Yosef (knees of Yosef).

24 And Yosef said unto his achim, I die; and Elohim will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto HaAretz which He promised by oath to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya’akov.

25 And Yosef made the Bnei Yisroel take an oath, saying, Elohim will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my atzmot (bones) from hence.

26 So Yosef died, being in age one hundred and ten shanim; and they embalmed him, and he was placed in an aron (coffin) in Mitzrayim.

▪ This was a book of Foundations and Firsts

▪ This world exists within the Reality of Duality – the things we see and experience are both physical and spiritual in nature.

▪ SANCTIFICATION – Process of dividing, electing and separating.

▪ DIVINE PROVIDENCE – He leads the way and directs our paths even when we don’t realize it (or don’t deserve it)

▪ In all these things…we see the CHARACTER OF G-d.

Hazak, hazak, v’nit’chazek!Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!

Vayechi

“He Lived”

Torah: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftorah: I Kings 2:1-12

Gospel: John 13:1-19