MyServant

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Va-yeishev, which translated into English means, "and he settled". The title comes from the first verse of the reading portion: "Now Jacob dwelt (yawshav - dwell, abide, inhabit, remain, continue, to cause to be inhabited, to marry in order to give a dwelling to, endure establish, to sit down, be seated, thrones, where judges sit) in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan." (Gen. 37:1).  As we can see from the Hebrew meaning of "settled/dwelt", it means more than to live in a place. What the meaning also tells us is that a seated place of authority is being established, like the throne of a king, or the judicial chair of a judge. This idea is also used as scripture tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. It is a position of high authority. Paul wrote of Christ's seated position: "...and what is the exceeding greatness of His (God's) power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He (God) worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He (God) put all things under His (Christ's) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:19-23, see also Ps. 110:1-2, Acts 2:32-33 and 36, Heb. 1:3-4).

     As the verse above speaks about the physical dwelling place of Jacob, something even more powerful is being established in Jacob's yaw-shav "dwelling/settling place" - a seat of spiritual authority that will be established in Jacob's generations to come. Verse 2 says: "This is the history (toldot - establishing generations, origin of generations) of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) his brothers. And the lad was with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the sons of Bilhah and (*vaw-aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad (ra' - wicked, evil, hurt, mischief, bad, harm, grievous, ill) report (diba - slander, defamation, whispering, spread a rumor) of (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) them to his father."

     These sons were Jacob's sons by his wives' two maids. Those sons would also become part of the twelve tribes of Israel along with the sons of Leah and Rachel. So we also see a very important family of sons who will also dwell/settle in this land. These sons are also signified as having spiritual importance by the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega (*see note below) directly modifying them in the written Hebrew and connecting them with the identity of the Messiah/Christ (see *note below). Joseph brought an evil, false or slanderous report against these particular sons to his father according to the Hebrew meaning of the words above.

     It is important to understand that when God is establishing a powerful foundation in the earth that will change the toldot history of generations, we should not speak evil against it, including false accusations or unsubstantiated rumors.

     Joseph, the second youngest of Jacob's sons would then have dreams in which his eleven brothers and his father, Jacob, would bow down to him. (Gen. 37:5-11). As Joseph ran to tell them of the dreams, his father and brothers were offended by the dreams which Joseph shared, but his father kept the dreams in mind.

     Joseph's prophetic dreams would come to pass at the appointed time later in his life, but Joseph would have to learn to exercise his prophetic gifting and office from the position of a most humbled servant first, tried by extreme and bitter circumstances, before the LORD would exalt him into his prophesied position of rulership in Egypt. Joseph had to learn that his rulership would not come about because of how important he thought he was, but because of his submission as a servant to God. Even as he would rule in Egypt with the favor of God, acknowledging God's power (see Gen. 41:15-16), making a way of survival for both Egypt and his father and brothers through a long-lasting famine, he would still do so as a servant to Pharaoh and Egypt (see Gen. 41:39-46), and ultimately as a servant of God, for the rest of his life. Even Pharaoh would discern the glory of God upon Joseph's life and rename him Zaphnath-Paaneah, thought to mean "God speaks and He lives", also "Salvation, Savior of the Age/World." (Gen. 41:44-45). Not only was Joseph elevated in position because of the spiritual gift which God had given to him, but it would also be made evident to Egypt that the LORD was alive and all-powerful.

     Why is it so essential that God is glorified by the giftings given to us, rather than an individual such as Joseph? God must receive back to Himself the glory of our service to Him in these spiritual giftings so that Israel, and the world can know with absolute assurance that God is more powerful than any other god, or any man. Jesus, the perfect Servant according to Isa. 52:13-15, Isa. 53:11-12, spoke and prayed that God would glorify Himself through Jesus. (see Jn. 12:27-30, Jn. 13:31-32, Jn. 17:1-5). Even the glory that Jesus has given to us is for the purpose of revealing and glorifying Himself and the Father to the world. (see Jn. 17:22-23). This revealing of the LORD by His servants assures the world that God IS, and He is able to deliver the individual, the family, the nation, the world out of any difficult circumstance, heal any disease, redeem out of every wickedness and debt owed, and save any soul that believes His power and authority to do so. The LORD intends everyone to know that it is He who can forgive sins, raise the dead and grant eternal life, through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. The Book of Hebrews says: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God), for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb. 11:6). The spiritual gift does not testify only of the individual who has it, but, more importantly of God, Who gave the gift and operates through it. We, as servants, are a living testimony by word and deed through the gifts that have been given to us that God IS.

      I am calling this study 'The Tale of Two Prophets' because a second prophet will learn from a young age the servant principle that Joseph only learned through extreme hardship. We will see a difference between the two prophets from their beginning. I think it is a difference that impacts our lives also as we walk in and with Christ.

     Our second of two prophets comes from another part of the Va-yeishev Sabbath reading portion. This is the prophet Samuel, who was not only a prophet, but the judge of Israel. He was an anointer of kings over Israel, including David, from whose royal line the Messiah/Christ would descend.

     Because his birth was an answer to his mother's prayers, Samuel's mother dedicated him from the time that he was weaned as a servant of God. He was the child of her vows. (see 1 Sam. 1:9-11). Little Samuel ministered before the LORD in the tabernacle at Shiloh and served Eli the priest there. Eli was very old, and his sons who also served in the priesthood were corrupt and led God's people into transgression through their own greed and lusts. Eli made a weak attempt to correct them, but they ignored their father. A prophet, name unknown, had come to Eli earlier and warned him that the LORD would judge Eli's house. The LORD also said through this prophet: "Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed (masiah/"maw-shee-akh" - Messiah [Christ in Greek], anointed One) forever." (1 Sam. 2:35).

     Eli was old and his eyes had grown dim. The light of the Lamp of the LORD, which stood before the ark of God was about to be extinguished in the tabernacle. It was supposed to be kept lit by the priests throughout the night. The LORD began to call young Samuel during the night. Samuel had not yet heard the LORD speaking to him, so he thought Eli was calling him. Three times Samuel went to Eli that night to see what Eli needed. We can see Samuel's servant heart here. Finally, Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling Samuel, and Eli instructed him to answer the next time he was called: "Speak, LORD, for Your servant ('ebed/'abad - servant, bondservant, slave, worshipper of God/to serve, to do, service, work, serve as subject) hears", and Samuel did so. (1 Sam. 3:9-10).

     The LORD spoke to Samuel and again prophesied His judgment against Eli's house because he did not restrain (kaha - dim, utterly darkened, restrained, grow dim, rebuke, used of a lamp about to go out, eyes that become dim, a spot on the skin) his vile (qalal - light thing [as opposed to being heavy], lighter, light, lighten, curse, vile, treat with contempt and dishonor) sons. God's spiritual light and Lamp, and the light of His servant priesthood were allowed to grow dim until becoming in danger of being extinguished, but the vileness of his sons had been allowed to continue by Eli.

     Samuel did not exalt himself upon hearing the Word of the LORD to him. We read: "So Samuel lay down (sakab - lie down, lay self down [see Jn. 10:15], lodge, be poured out, lie down in rest or death, to prostrate self before) until morning, and opened the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) vision." (v. 15). Unlike Joseph running to tell his brothers and father of the prophetic dreams that exalted him, Samuel did not run to tell Eli of the judgment that the LORD had spoken against Eli's house. He did not disclose the Word of the LORD until Eli insisted. (v. 17-18).

     Immediately afterward, scripture says: "So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. Then the LORD appeared (ra'a - see, look, behold, show, appear, seer, perceive, discern, distinguish, foresee, heed, consider, have vision, cause to gaze at, to be visible) again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. (v. 19-21). Samuel prophesied and was recognized for it by all Israel, but it is the LORD who became ra'a (see above) seen, perceived again in Shiloh because of His spiritual gift in the hands of His trusted and faithful servant, Samuel.

     The Sabbath reading portion from 1 Sam. 3, above mentions the Lamp of the tabernacle, and how the corrupt priesthood under Eli neglected that Light until it was almost extinguished. This weekend, begins the Festival of Lights, also called the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), which Jesus observed in John 10:22-25. This Feast commemorates the miracle of God which kept His Light burning in the temple for eight days, well beyond the short supply of oil available to keep it lit. The Lamp, or Hanukkah menorah, has eight candles, instead of the usual seven, representing those eight miracle days. There is also a ninth candle set apart from and set above the other candles in the Hanukkah menorah. This ninth candle is the first to be lit, and from this candle, the other candles of the menorah are lighted. This ninth candle is called the shamash. "Shamash" means "the helper" or "servant". It is not extinguished after it lights the other candles, but stays lit, ready to "serve" in case one of the other candles blows out. The shamash ninth candle uses its gift of light to make other lights shine also. It is always ready to preserve the sanctity of the other eight miracle lights, as expressed by rabbis. 

     As you light the Hanukkah menorah, or see one in use, pay special attention to the lone candle that serves as "the servant" to the other candles. To me that servant candle represents Jesus, the Light of the world, but us as well, whom Jesus also called "the light of the world." The purpose of this light, as Jesus said was so that men would see not just us, but our good works and glorify the Father in heaven. (see Mt. 5:14-16).

     If you would like to know more about the role of servant to the LORD, you can join my prayer: "Father of heaven and earth, blessed Son and Holy Spirit, You have called us and gifted us to be Your servants, bearing witness not to ourselves, but to You, as the one true Savior of man. Our service bears witness to the fact that You ARE, You APPEAR, You SPEAK, and You HEAR, unlike the idols created by men. Your true servants know Your mind and Your heart. Help me, Lord, to be a faithful and true servant for the glory of God. Help me, Lord, to be a servant light that lights others in Your name. Help me, Lord, to keep Your Lamp lighted and lifted up for the whole world to see and believe, being able to discern and distinguish Your great presence and appearing among men. I ask this in the name and after the likeness of Your faithful Servant/Son, Jesus. AMEN."

Settled

      This Sabbath's reading portion is titled Va-yeishev, meaning "And he settled", and begins in Gen. 37. It is also the Sabbath reading portion before Hanukkah and Christmas, which occur on the same day this year. The title of this Sabbath portion comes from the first verse in Chapter 37: "Now Jacob dwelt/settled (yasab - dwell, inhabitant, sit, abide, remain, continue, to marry and give a dwelling to, have one's abode, sitting on a throne or seat of judgment) in the land where his father was a stranger in the land of Canaan."

     This Sabbath portion is going to tell us not just where a physical dwelling might be, but where a spiritual dwelling must be.

     The second verse of Gen. 37 begins: "This is the history/generations (toldot - descendants, results, generations, proceeding) of Jacob. Joseph being seventeen years old..." For a mysterious reason, the report of Jacob's generations is going to begin here with Joseph, his second youngest son. Why do the generations of Jacob begin with Joseph? It is important to note that when the Hebrew word toldot is used for "generations", an important spiritual precept or revelation, a foundational precept, is being established at this moment that will be carried down the generations.

     Let's continue with v. 2: "...Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad/evil (ra'/ra'a  - evil, wickedness, mischief, hurt, bad, trouble, sore, affliction, ill, grievous, hurtful, unkind or vicious/evil, evil doer, break, harm, injurious) report of them to his father."  (v. 2)

     This verse does not say that the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, who were Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher, had done something evil, but that the report that Joseph brought to his father was an evil report. In fact, the Hebrew word used here for "report" is the word diba, which means "evil report, whispering, slander, infamy, defamation, defaming, spread slander, spread a rumor, that which glides stealthily." These brothers of Joseph were the sons of his father's two concubines, although the word "wives" is used here. Could it be that Joseph as the son of one of Jacob's wives, Rachel, resented, or thought less of the sons of his father's concubines? Imagine how these four brothers felt when Joseph gave their father, Jacob, the evil report? 

     Although these four sons were not from either of Jacob's two recognized wives, they are listed among the twelve tribes of Israel and would be among the tribes that would settle the Promised Land and establish the nation of Israel. Joseph was yet young, and although he would rise to a high position and save a nation from famine, he would have a great deal to learn along the way. The LORD would humble Joseph before He eventually raised him into a high position second only to Pharaoh in Egypt. While it's true that Joseph had a prophetic gift, especially in the realm of dreams and interpretation, he would have to learn wisdom and discretion in operating in this spiritual gift from God.

     I think that the record of Jacob's toldot history/generations started with Joseph in Gen 37 is for the purpose of revealing where Jacob yasab "settled" or abided spiritually. This is shown in what Jacob did after receiving Joseph's evil report about his brothers: "Now Israel (Jacob) loved (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic (kutonet/katep -  tunic, undergarment, usually of linen, to cover/shoulder, shoulder blade, to clothe) of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." (v. 3-4).

     The English phrase "of many colors" used to describe this special tunic given to Joseph by his father, Jacob, has nothing to do with colors, many or otherwise. The phrase translated as "many colors" is the Hebrew word pas/pasas, meaning "palm, sole of the foot, long tunic reaching to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet/to disappear, vanish, do away, blot out [especially sins]." This gift of the tunic from his father, Jacob, represented a covering of grace that blotted out the sin of his beloved son, Joseph. Proverbs 6:16-19 describes the six things that God hates, and the seven that are an abomination to Him. Among that list are: a lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. According to the Hebrew words used in these verses from Gen. 37, Joseph would have been guilty of these things that God hates.

     This is where Jacob spiritually dwelt and this is where he abided - in the ministry of the atonement covering of sins (by the Messiah/Christ), and this is the spiritual precedent that was set that his toldot generations should follow. This atoning or spiritual covering would save Joseph's life when his angry brothers had determined to kill him.

     As Joseph journeyed through testing and trying circumstances that would cause him to become the person whose habitation is with God, then he would walk in the purpose that God had set him apart from his brothers to fulfill. 

Instead of murdering Joseph, as they had originally planned, his brothers sold him into slavery, and he was then taken to Egypt. The brothers took the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) tunic that his father had made for Joseph, smeared it with blood, and used it as evidence to convince Jacob that Joseph was dead (Gen. 37:32). 

     In Egypt, Joseph was purchased from Ishmaelite traders by a man named Potiphar, who was an officer of Pharaoh. (Gen. 39:1). Then scripture says: "The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man...and his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him...the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field." (v. 4-5). Because Joseph's master saw the favor of the LORD upon Joseph, he put Joseph in charge of all that he had.

     Joseph was then falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, and thrown into Pharaoh's prison: "But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison." (Gen. 39:21). Because of the favor of the LORD, the keeper of the prison gave Joseph authority over the prisoners, and the prison keeper: "...did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper." (v. 22-23).

     Physically, Joseph dwelt/settled in the household of an Egyptian as a slave, and then he physically dwelt in Pharaoh's prison, but spiritually, Joseph's habitation was with the LORD. Although he could not physically wear the tunic that his father had given him, the spiritual covering or habitation of grace that the tunic represented still operated in Joseph's life. When Pharaoh raised Joseph up into a position of authority in Egypt, he changed Joseph's name to Zaphnath-Paaneah, which has been translated as meaning "God lives and He speaks", also "Treasury of the Glorious Rest". Pharaoh also clothed Joseph in garments of fine linen (ses/sayis - bleached white, fine linen or silk, fine Egyptian linen, whiteness/alabaster, to bleach, to whiten, white marble). (See Gen. 41:42, 45). This is what Pharaoh saw in the life of Joseph, a man who dwelt in God, and a man in whom God dwelt. It is also granted to the Bride of Christ to be clothed in "fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." (Rev. 19:8).

     From another reading portion of this Va-yeishev Sabbath before Hanukkah and Christmas, the young child, Samuel, will discover what it means to dwell with God. Samuel's birth was a miracle, and his mother dedicated him to the service of the LORD at the tabernacle: "But Samuel ministered before the LORD, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe (me'il - robe, coat, a covering), and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer yearly (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) sacrifice." (1 Sam. 2:18-19). Samuel ministered to the LORD in the tabernacle at Shiloh under Eli the priest even though he "did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him." (1 Sam. 3:1, 7). We see again a loving parent who covered her miracle child with a gift of a special little robe in order for him to serve before the LORD. We can also see the empty religion of a priest with this precious child protege under his tutelage in the tabernacle of the LORD, but he had not taught the child to know the LORD. However, Samuel had been covered by grace.

      The child Samuel began to hear the prophetic Word of the LORD in the days when the Word and revelation of the LORD were rare. (1 Sam. 3:1). The Word of the LORD began to call to Samuel when the lamp of God was so neglected by the indifferent and corrupt priesthood that it was just about to go out in the tabernacle, but the LORD "came and stood and called out" to Samuel...So Samuel grew, and the LORD was (haya/hava - to be, to arise, to appear, to come, to be established, to abide, to remain, exist, to breathe) with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD." (v. 19-21).

     Both Samuel and the priest, Eli, physically dwelt in the tabernacle at Shiloh, but it was Samuel who spiritually dwelt with the LORD in His covering of grace. The LORD was with Samuel.

     From another reading of this Sabbath, scripture says to bind the Word of God received from your father and mother to yourself as if you are wearing (perhaps like the coat or tunic that Jacob gave to Joseph, and Samuel's mother gave to him), and dwelling with it: "Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep they will keep you; and when you wake they will speak with you." (Prov. 6:21-22). The Word of God through the parent is to be treated as if it is your closest family member. (Prov. 7:1-4). This is part of the miracle of dwelling with God.

     The LORD gives this prophetic promise to Zechariah in this Sabbath's reading portion: "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the LORD. Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst..." (Zech. 2:10-11). The promise is not just to know the LORD, but to dwell, abide, and remain with Him.

     Jesus described how God, the Father, dwelled with Him: "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." (Jn. 14:10-11).

     If we can understand how Jesus and the Father dwelled within each other, we can then understand the meaning of what Jesus wanted for us. He said: "Abide (meno - abide, dwell, remain) in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me...If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you...As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love." (Jn. 15: 4, 7, 9).

     Both Joseph and Samuel received special robes as a covering. Isaiah prophesied about the garments we receive with salvation: "...He (the LORD) has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered (ya'at - to clothe, to cover) me with the robe of righteousness...." (Isa. 61:10). This is fulfilled in Messiah/Christ, as Paul wrote: "For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on (endyo - be clothed, clothed in, clothe with, as if sinking into a garment) Christ." (Gal. 3:27).

     The blessing contained in the phrase "The LORD was with him" as used above, is fulfilled if we dwell with and in Jesus Messiah/Christ.

     If you would like to know more about being clothed in Christ, you can join my prayer: "Father in heaven, You have clothed me in a robe of Your righteousness and grace through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I have been joined together with Jesus, and He is joined together with You. The command of Christ is to abide or dwell in Him. By Your Holy Spirit, teach me, lead me and help me to remain in my dwelling place in Jesus, my Savior and Lord. Help me to mature and grow in the understanding of this powerful precept of dwelling in grace. Let this dwelling place in Christ that I inhabit witness to others as both of the lives of Joseph and Samuel gave evidence to others that the LORD was with them. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

      *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.     

GreatLight

      Isaiah perceived a great spiritual darkness upon the land. God's people were seeking the words of wizards and mediums, instead of seeking God. Isaiah wrote the Word of the LORD: "To the law and the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them...they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they shall be driven into darkness." (Isa. 8:19-22, excerpt). There is no doubt that we can say that Isaiah's prophecy is still working today in our time. The prophets wrote of the great darkness that will precede the day of the LORD, and His appearing in the last days. Jesus also prophesied: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven..." (Mt. 24:29-30). Even before the absence of natural light, there will also be spiritual darkness and deception (Mt. 24:9-12). As this darkness spreads, the light of the gospel of the kingdom of God will be preached to all the world (v. 14).

     It looks like a time of spiritual darkness is now covering the earth and its people, as we have turned away from God, and His Word. However, Isaiah then wrote this prophecy: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined." (Isa. 9:1-2, excerpt). The LORD will not allow darkness to rule His creation. His light will rise up. Sometimes, we are so intent upon looking at the darkness that we forget that we have been called to be light, which we will see later.

     Jesus physically changed His dwelling place from Nazareth to Capernaum, in order to show the fulfillment of this prophecy of Isaiah (see Mt. 4:12-17). Also, using the foundation of Isaiah's prophecy above, a heavenly Jesus called Saul of Tarsus, renamed Paul, into salvation and ministry to the Gentiles:  "...to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." (see Acts 26:15-18, excerpt).

     Hanukkah begins this week. It is also called the Feast of Lights, or the Feast of Dedication. Believers in Christ generally ignore this feast, although Jesus observed it (Jn. 10:22-30). It was during this feast that Jesus was asked to say plainly whether He was the Christ, The Messiah, The Anointed One, promised by God. He answered plainly that He was, and had demonstrated that He was, but they had not believed Him.

     This Sabbath reading portion titled Va-yeishev, meaning "And he (Jacob) settled (yasab - dwell, inhabit, abide, remain, tarry, continue, settle, marry, sit down)", as found in Gen. 37:1. Perhaps what we will learn in this Sabbath's portion will cause us to re-examine the importance of Hanukkah to us, the Believers in Christ. This portion covers Gen. 37 through 40.

     Last week we read about "Jacob's trouble". This week, while dwelling in Canaan (meaning "lowland, merchant, trafficker/bring anyone low, humble, bring down, vanquish, humiliate, fall to one's knees, depressed"), Jacob's troubles and sorrows increase and darken to such an extent that he will not be able to be consoled. He will say, on the occasion of what he believes to be the death of his most favored son: "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." (Gen. 37:35). Here are some of the terrible troubles that came into Jacob's life: 

• The sons of Jacob conspired to kill their brother Joseph because they envied him for receiving their father's favor, and because Joseph told them of his dreams of rulership which offended them. The brothers would eventually sell Joseph to slave traders for twenty shekels of silver, and tell their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast. Jacob was crushed in spirit.
• One of Jacob's sons, Judah, left the family camp and married a Canaanite woman, Shua ("wealth, to be rich/to cry for help or freedom from some trouble"). Judah had three sons with Shua but two were killed by the LORD for their wickedness. 
• Judah mistook his widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar, for a harlot, and had twin sons with her. One of Tamar's sons by Judah, Perez, was the forefather of the line of David and Jesus.

     Jacob's favorite son, Joesph, hated by his brothers, sold into slavery in Egypt, was meanwhile falsely accused and thrown into Pharaoh's prison and forgotten by one who owed him a favor. However, to all who encountered Joseph in Egypt, he would be the rising light of revelation that not only raised him to rulership in Egypt, but saved that nation, and provided food and rich land for his father and brothers in Egypt during a time of great famine. Though deep darkness covers the land and people, the LORD raises a light.

     In another reading portion from this Sabbath, Israel is caught in a period of spiritual darkness. The priests are corrupt and apathetic. That darkness is described this way: "And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation." (1 Sam. 3:1). Into this darkness, the boy Samuel, a miracle birth, was brought to the house of God to minister to the LORD, serving Eli the priest. As the result of a vow made by his mother, Samuel served in the house of God even though he was not a Levite. He was from the tribe of Ephraim (1 Sam. 1:1-2).  The spiritual condition of the house of God under the priesthood of Eli and his sons was growing dark: "...while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim (kehe/kaha - dim, be dark/be darkened, grow weak)

 that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered 'Here I am!'".  (1 Sam. 3:2-4). According to the statutes of the Law of Moses, the priests were to make sure that the golden lampstand (menorah in Hebrew) of the LORD remain lit throughout the darkness of the night hours (Ex. 27:20-21, Lev. 24:1-4). However, in this case, Eli, his eyes darkened, and resting during the night, neglected the keeping of the Lamp of the LORD. It is in this condition of darkness that the LORD raised up the boy, Samuel, who became a judge and prophet of Israel, and through him, the prophetic Word of the LORD and His revelation was restored to Israel. Samuel would eventually anoint Saul as the first king of Israel, and later David, who would replace the rebellious Saul.

     The feast of Hanukkah, itself, is observed as a memorial to a time in the history of Israel, when an enemy desecrated the temple of God in Jerusalem before being defeated by the Maccabee family. The Lampstand of the LORD in the re-dedicated (cleansed, purified, sanctified) temple was about to be extinguished because there was only one cruse of pure oil on hand, which would keep the Lamp lit for only one day. By a miracle of God, the Lamp remained lit for eight days, while the new supply of special oil could be prepared for it. (see The Miracle of Hanukkah, Talmud). The LORD would not allow His Light to go out.

     In another reading for this special Sabbath during Hanukkah, the prophet Zechariah wrote of a vision given to him of the Lamp pf the LORD supplied by an unending source of oil. The vision of the Lamp and the oil brought this Word of the LORD for Zerubbabel, the governor presiding over the difficult re-building of the Temple of God in Jerusalem: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, ' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!...The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.'" (Zech. 4:1-9). According to the vision of Zechariah, the eternal light produced by the Lamp of the LORD is continually supplied by the oil of the Holy Spirit. In this light, nothing is impossible, and darkness cannot prevail. We see a similar description as the vision of Zechariah applied to the two witnesses in the Book of Revelation who will have a testimony to deliver in a time of spiritual darkness (Rev. 11:3-14).

      Jesus identified Himself as eternal Light: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (Jn. 8:12, see also Jn. 1:1-5, and 14, and Gen. 1:1-2).  He is a light that is from above, and not of this world (Jn. 8:23). We should not be surprised then that Jesus observed the Feast of Lights/Dedication, or Hanukkah. It is especially important to observe the powerful meaning of this feast as we see spiritual darkness trying to cover the earth. Jesus told us that we, being part of Him, were also the light of the world - not just any light, but light that is set high on a Lampstand, or menorah: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.". This light that we are, by the oil of the Holy Spirit, in the manner of Christ, is the light of the Kingdom of God, and the same light into which we were saved (1 Peter 2:9).

     Each night, as a Hanukkah candle is lit, this prayer is said: "Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, who makes us holy with Your commandments (see also Jn. 17:17, Prov. 6:20-23), commanding us to kindle (light) the Hanukkah lights."  Here is another prayer offered during Hanukkah, which is especially needed today: Al HaNissim. The other prayers spoken while lighting the Hanukkah candles praise God for His miraculous salvation, as you can see in this video: Lighting the Hanukkah Menorah. David also wrote about the connection between the LORD's light and His salvation: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps. 27:1). For me, the observance of Hanukkah is for all who desire to proclaim and praise our Father of Lights (James 1:17), and especially for those who believe in His Son, Jesus, the Light of the world.

     Isaiah wrote this Word of the LORD: "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around and see...Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy..." (Isa. 60:1-5, excerpt).

     If you would like to know more about our purpose in the Kingdom of God as the light of Christ in the present time of spiritual darkness and trouble, you can pray with me: "Dear Father, how You have blessed us with Your light, and the light of Your Son, Jesus! This would have been enough of a miracle, but You also told me that I am of the same light, made to shine into the darkness. During this season of Lights and Dedication, let me dedicate myself to sanctification in Your Word of truth. Fill me with the oil of Your Holy Spirit so that I can shine with Your testimony. Darkness is here, but You will never allow the darkness to overcome Your eternal light of salvation. Instead of fearing the darkness, let me light a candle. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

     

Lights

This week's sabbath reading portion is titled Va-yeishev, which means "and he settled". This reading is assigned for the sabbath before Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication, or the Festival of Lights. The lighting of the eight-branched menorah, or Hannukiah, during this feast memorializes the miracle eight-day multiplication of the oil needed to light the golden Lamp in the Holy Place of the Temple. The Maccabees had to re-dedicate the Temple after defeating the occupying Hellenists of the Seleucid Empire in 134 BC, who had deliberately defiled the Temple of God in Jerusalem, and persecuted the practice of Judaism. Since these sabbath readings for this week are connected to the Feast of Dedication, which Jesus observed (see Jn. 10:22-30), I am going to consider them in the context of light. There is also the fact that these main readings are found in the Book of Genesis, or B'reshiet in Hebrew, the Book of Beginnings. What "beginnings" is God establishing in these chapters from Genesis? These readings from Genesis this week deal with Joseph, one of the two sons of Jacob born to his wife, Rachel. Joseph had a great purpose to fulfill, unlike any that we had previously seen in Genesis. Through the gifts given to him by God, Joseph would eventually successfully guide both Egypt and Israel through a seven year famine. We can learn a great deal from the events of Joseph's life, but the one thing that I would like to study, because of the association with the Festival of Lights, is the fact that Joseph was repeatedly placed into circumstances of darkness, yet his personal spiritual light from God was always evident. This light, combined with the gifts from God, would lead to Joseph's deliverance, and his elevation. First, as a lad, he experienced the envy and hatred of his brothers, because Joseph had the favor of his father, Jacob: "But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." (Gen. 37:4). One of the first times that we see Joseph's spiritual light is when, even after the mistreatment and hatred shown to him by his brothers, Joseph quickly agreed to his father's request that Joseph go to check on his brothers to see if they needed anything. The brothers were a distance away watching the flocks, yet Joseph answered his father's request saying, "Here I am" (v. 12-14). There is a special light seen in Joseph in his quick obedience to the will of his earthly father, Jacob. The brothers hated him to the point where they considered killing him (v. 18-20). Even from a young lad, Joseph never answered his brothers' unreasonable hatred with hate. Instead of killing him, his brothers stripped Joseph of his tunic that had been given to him by his father, threw Joseph alive into a dark, dry pit (bor/bur/barar - cistern, dungeon, well/to examine, bore into, to search out (the infinite), to declare/to dig, engrave like letters on a stone). The pit is a place of darkness and death, but as we can see from the root meaning of the word, it is also a place from which to search out the infinite and declare it. Something is engraved upon us, and upon the darkness around us. After throwing Joseph in the pit, his brothers sat down to eat (v. 23-25). They threw their brother away and then they ate a meal - that is cold, very dark behavior. It does not end there however. They then sold their brother to passing Ishmaelite/Midianite traders for a profit of twenty shekels of silver (v. 25-28). When the merchants get to Egypt (misrayim/masor/sur - besieged, distress, stronghold, assault, beset, bind up, enclose), they sell Joseph into the darkness of slavery to the household of Potiphar (meaning "belonging to the sun"), a captain of the guard for Pharaoh, and the chief of the executioners (v. 36). Again, Joseph is in a dark place - the dark place of betrayal, slavery, the spiritual darkness represented by Egypt - alone and separated from his beloved father and home. While Potiphar's name refers to natural light, Joseph shines with a spiritual light from God that illuminates him in favor and excellence. Because of this, Potiphar placed Joseph in charge of everything he owns: "And his master saw that the LORD was with him (Joseph), and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight...the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he (Potiphar) had in the house and in the field." (Gen. 39:1-5). The blessing of the LORD was upon Potiphar's house because Joseph's spiritual light was there, but Joseph himself was still a slave. When Joseph was falsely accused of a terrible crime by Potiphar's wife, being bitter at his rejection of her, Joseph was then thrown into another dark place - the king's prison (Gen. 39:7-20). However, you can't imprison spiritual light: "But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who e=were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his (Joseph's) doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper." (Gen. 39:21-23). Although things worked out well for the warden because of Joseph, Joseph was still in prison! But wait, Joseph's light is still shining, and God will lead Joseph into his future and world-changing purpose because of it. Even in prison, Joseph did not walk away from the spiritual gift which God had given him - dreaming and the interpretation of dreams. After a few years, Joseph would be brought up out of prison to stand before Pharaoh himself, in order to interpret Pharaoh's dreams which were troubling to the king. No one else, even his magicians, could interpret the mystery of the dreams for Pharaoh (see Gen. 41:14-16). Because of this, Joseph was promoted by Pharaoh to a position of life-saving power and authority in Egypt (see Gen. 41:38-43). In Genesis, the Book of Beginnings, God is teaching us the importance of His light in us, His people, especially and most importantly, in the middle of the darkest places. Although Joseph was gifted by God, we can also see that it was God's special light within him that preserved him through the worst circumstances. Natural light can be covered, closed off, and even sovereignly and terrifyingly darkened by God as a sign of His Son's coming (see Isa. 13:10, Joel 2:30-31, 3:15, Mt. 24:29-30, Rev. 6:12), but spiritual light cannot be hindered - except by the people of God themselves as we will see. In another of this week's sabbath readings from 1 Samuel, we will see what happens when God's people neglect their spiritual light. A great spiritual darkness began to overtake God's people: "And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation (open vision)." (1 Sam. 3:1). This darkness prevented the revelation of God from reaching His people. What had caused this darkness? Eli, the high priest, was lying down in his place. His eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could no longer see. The golden Lamp in the tabernacle, which was at Shiloh at this time, was about to go out, although the priests were supposed to refill it so that it would burn continually through the nighttime hours (v. 2-3). Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, had "made themselves vile", and Eli did not restrain them (v. 13). The vileness of the house of Eli was to such a great extent that the LORD said that it could not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever (v. 14). The two sons would eventually take the ark of the covenant from the Holy of Holies, and lose it to the Philistines in battle! (see 1 Sam. 4:3-5, 10-11). They thought the ark could save them, but they had long before given up the light of the presence of God within them. However, God sent a little light into their midst through the small child, Samuel, who had been dedicated to the LORD by his mother when he was born through a miracle. Even before Samuel had knowledge of the LORD, the LORD began to speak to him (1 Sam. 3:7). For the first time in a long time, the prophetic Word of the LORD would again come to Israel through this child. When the LORD called Samuel in the night, Samuel would answer, "Here I am!", as Joseph answered his father, above. The child, Samuel, delivered the Word of judgment against Eli and his house. The light came, and the darkness began to recede: "So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD." (1 Sam. 3:19-21). We started with a spiritual darkness in God's people that prevented the LORD's Word and revelation, but that which was lost returned with the light in Samuel. Not only did Samuel serve as a great prophet and judge guiding Israel, but he would also anoint David as king of Israel. David would, in turn, become a psalmist in scripture who brought the Word of the revelation of the LORD to many generations, as well as being named as a patriarch in the genealogy of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, through a covenant based upon the prophetic promise of God. From another sabbath reading portion of this week before Hanukkah, we have this from the prophet Amos about the necessity of the presence of the prophetic, revelatory Word of the LORD: "I raised up some of your sons as prophets, and some of your young men as Nazarites (dedicated to sanctification from birth). Is it not so, O you children of Israel?...But you gave the Nazarites wine to drink (which is forbidden to them by vow), and commanded the prophets, saying, 'Do not prophesy!'...If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it? Surely the LORD God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The LORD God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?" (Amos 2:11-12, 3:6-8). We have already learned that spiritual darkness upon the people of God dims their spiritual eyes, and prevents them from receiving the Word and revelation of God. The prophetic Word of God is vital to the survival of His people. Amos wrote that there are urgent warnings delivered by God to His people through the prophetic word. If the revelation is dimmed to us by darkness, God's people become like lambs before wolves. The people of God are continually tempted to give up their light by the seduction of many things that appeal to us, especially to our eyes (see this sabbath's reading portion from Prov. 6:20-7:5). When our light becomes darkness, the darkness flourishes. Jesus warned His followers of the importance of being spiritual light: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand (menorah), and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Mt. 5:14-16). Light begets greater light; the greater light being the glory of God. Jesus also gave this warning to His followers about becoming darkness: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good/single (haplous - whole, good, sound, fulfilling its office, as a particle of a union), your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad/evil (poneros/ponos/penes - evil, full of labors, annoyances, hardships, of a bad nature, causing pain and trouble, great trouble, intense desire, toiling for daily subsistence), your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters...You cannot serve God and mammon (riches)...Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness." (Mt. 6:21-24, Lk. 11:33-36). The light of the world is not the sun, it is the light of Jesus in us. The nature of the light that has been entrusted to us is very great. Light was God's first spoken creation, and its purpose was to drive back the prevailing darkness that was upon the earth, and to set a division between the two (Gen. 1:2-4). The Hebrew word and root for "darkness" is hosek/hasak, which means "darkness (as of Hades), obscurity, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness/to confuse, surrounded by darkness, of eyes becoming dim". From the beginning, Jesus was and is the Person of Light: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (katalambano - to lay hold of as to make it one's own or in order to use it, to seize, take possession of, of evils overtaking one, of a demon tormenting one) it." (Jn. 1:1-5). Jesus also said, as we know: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (Jn. 8:12). This light is not natural light. It is Christ, and the essence of life. Are we seeing more death, evil, misery and darkness in the world today? It is not because darkness has the power to seize this light, but could it be because the people of God have given our precious light of life in Christ away to the darkness? Then "how great is that darkness!" (see above Mt. 6:23). In our reading portions for this week, when darkness began to prevail over His people, God sent a child full of light into the circumstances. The birth of Christ was the same, as the dark of night was split, and lit up by the angels declaring the glory of God to the shepherds (Lk. 2:8-15), and by the unusually bright star shining in the night sky that called the Magi to honor the new King, laying in a manger (Mt. 2:1-2, 9-11). What a privilege it is to carry the light of life through Christ within us! At this time of year especially during the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, when we light the candles of the menorah, and also celebrate the birth of Christ during Christmas, it is the perfect time to re-dedicate our lampstand, ourselves, that carries the Light of the world. If you plan to light the candles of a menorah this Hanukkah, there are several traditional blessings that may be said: "Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light." Or: Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time." Finally: "Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion." There is also a Messianic blessing for the lighting of the menorah for those who follow Christ: "Blessed are You, LORD our God, who has sanctified (dedicated) us by His commandments (see Jn. 17:17, 1 Tim. 4:4-5) and has given us Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, the Light of the world." If you would like to learn more about being the light of the world, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You commanded the light to divide and limit the darkness, and You sent Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of life in men, and to be the Light of the world. Jesus told us to take His Light in us, and to set it upon the Lampstand for all to see. As long as this Light is shining, the darkness cannot overpower it. Fill me with Your living Word that sanctifies me, and the oil of Your holy Spirit, so I can re-dedicate myself and carry this Light of life for all. Let the Light of Your Son, and the Light of Your glory continue to shine in me, and in the world. Your Word in Isaiah says that he saw the angels declaring, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth if full of His glory!" This is my declaration also. Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, and Your Son, Jesus, the Light of the world. I ask and believe these things in Jesus' name, AMEN."