VAIYIGASH וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ (And he came near) GENESIS 44:18-47:27)

PROPHETS: EZEKIEL 37:15-28 | GOSPEL: LUKE 24:30-48

by Min. Donald H. Garrett

TORAH:

This Torah portion breaks in on the accusation against Benjamin. Of course Joseph had set it up to test his brothers. Judah steps up and offers himself in place of Benjamin. This is an example of Yeshua offering himself for us. Yeshua was of the tribe of Judah.

Joseph couldn’t contain himself when he saw Judah’s willingness. He showed himself to his brothers. Upon learning of Joseph’s brothers, Pharaoh unconditionally accepts them and blesses them because of Joseph.

Before Ya’akov (Jacob) left for Egypt, he was comforted by YaHVaH to not fear going their. The procession from Canaan to Egypt was 70 males and 14 wives. 84 people in the household of Jacob ( see Deut. 10:22). What neither Scripture touches on is the daughters. Surely there were daughters also. I would guess Jacob’s household was over 100 people that came to Egypt because all of their servants would have came. This wasn’t just an old man and his sons, but a small village of people, plus their livestock. Some communities today are smaller than that. Look at it another way in today’s standards, with 14 wives that would equate to 14 households (or more as some today are only the man and his children). Imagine 14 (or more) houses full of people just packing up and moving to another location today. It would leave an area completely vacant.

How does this portion end? With Joseph acquiring all the land and livestock of the Egyptians for Pharaoh. Yet, his family 👪acquired their own property in Goshen while the Egyptians lost theirs. Plus, they were fruitful and multiplied. Basically they had large families with many children and livestock. Would this be cause for later resentment?

PROPHETS:

This is a prophetic announcement to everyone that YaHVaH is reuniting the houses of Yisrael that were separated between Yehudah (Judah) and Yoseph (Joseph). YaHVaH has the prophet use two pieces of wood for a demonstration to the people. Why? Because us humans are visual and need something to witness to make it believable. YaHVaH has the prophet further declare that his servant David will be King over them; one shepherd for all of them [This is a Messianic reference to Yeshua, who is both the lineage of David and referred to as the Good Shepherd]. YaHVaH further states through the prophet that His Servant David will be a leader forever [This is another reference to Yeshua, the only lineage of David capable of being a leader “forever” since human beings die, but the Son of God does not].

GOSPEL:

In this Scripture, Yeshua is traveling with some of His disciples after His resurrection. They do not recognize Him until He has dinner with them and broke bread with them. Their eyes were opened and they saw who it was, but then He was gone. They could hardly wait to get to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). Upon arriving, there were 11 disciples talking about Yeshua’s visit to Simon. They told of their visit on the road and then, Yeshua appeared in the midst of them all. However, they were all afraid. Why? Hadn’t they just been talking about Yeshua’s miraculous visitations before? Yeshua had to show them He was real, not a spirit, by letting them inspect His body. And yet, they hesitated. Only after Yeshua took meat and honey with them did they grasp it was Him. Only then did He open up the Scriptures for them to understand.