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YOSEPH AND HIS DREAMS
12/23/2011
YOSEPH AND HIS DREAMS
Yoseph had two dreams. We know the 11 sheaves (Dream one) and 11 stars (Dream two) represent his brothers, with the sun and moon representing his father and mother (Genesis 37:5-11). But could there be another interpretation? 11 sheaves of grain – representing the Earth and its ruling authorities Sun, moon, 11 stars – representing the Heavens and its ruling authorities -- all which bow down to him. We are told in Genesis 1:17, 18, Y’ah put the lights in the heavens to rule. The sun, moon and stars representing the government of the heavens, as the sheaves of grain represent power and governments on earth – all of which bow down to Messiah of which Yoseph is a picture. “Elohim, therefore, has highly exalted Him (Y’shua) and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Y’shua (Jesus) every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth and of those under the earth, …” Phil. 2:9,10 “If ten is the number which marks the perfection of Divine order, then eleven is an addition to it, subversive of and undoing that order. If twelve is the number which marks the perfection of Divine government, then eleven falls short of it. So that whether we regard it as being 10+1 or 12-1, it (11) is the number which marks disorder, disorganization, imperfection, and disintegration. Regarding the eleven sons of Jacob, eleven told of the disintegration and disorganization in Jacob’s family, which made it possible for it to be said ‘one is not.’” (Numbers in Scripture by E.W. Bullinger ; page 251) We know the governments of earth are in chaos and disorder and disarray. Even in heaven, if Satan has not yet been thrown out and still has access to the Throne, there is an element of chaos and rebellion. Bowing down to Messiah’s authority will bring order out of chaos and obedience out of rebellion. Genesis 37:7 “See, we were binding (481) sheaves (485) in the midst of the field, and see, my sheaf rose up and also stood up. And see, your sheaves stood all around (5437) and bowed down to my sheaf.” 481 – binding - alam – mem, lamed, alef – to tie fast, bind 485 – sheaves - alum- mem, lamed, alef – past part. of 481, a sheaf, something bound ‘See, we were binding (481) something which was already bound’ (485) or ‘We were prohibiting on earth what was already prohibited in heaven.’ Matthew 16:19 “And I shall give you the keys to the reign of the heavens, and whatever you bind (or prohibit) on earth shall be having been bound (or already prohibited) in the heavens, and whatever you loosen (permit) on earth shall be having been loosened (is already permitted) in the heavens.” (The Scriptures, the Amplified, and the New American Standard) What defines what one is bound by or loosed from (prohibited from or permitted) but an oath, an allegiance, a government? The Oath or government or power is the Covenant that Y’ah made with us and which our fathers made with Him. Our allegiance should be only to Him. The Covenant was made in Heaven, and given to us here on the earth. It is in effect in Heaven, as it is the Father’s will and as we are told to pray: “Thy Kingdom (reign) come, Thy will (Torah/Covenant, Psalms 40:8) be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:9,10) According to Rabbi Moshe Yoseph Koniuchowsky of the Restoration Scripture, ‘binding’ and ‘loosening’ are Hebraic idioms for exercising authority – prohibiting and permitting or disallowing and allowing. What are governments but ruling authorities? We know our authority is from Elohim and His Messiah. “And Y’shua came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18) The Covenant defines what Y’ah prohibits and what Y’ah permits. The Covenant is His authority which has been given to us. The Messiah is the personification of the Torah/Covenant, the Word made flesh (John 1:14), coming from heaven and demonstrating and fulfilling it for us on earth. As such, the Covenant and the Messiah define the Father’s will and is the point where heaven and earth meet. In Psalms 40:8, Messiah speaking “I delight to do Your will, O My Elohim, yes, Your Torah is within My heart.” Torah is the Father’s will, and it is in the heart of the Messiah to do it. We are told to put these words in our hearts, too, that “[we] might be one as [they] are One”… (John 17:11b). We must be in obedience to the Father’s will (as was our example in Messiah) for His Kingdom to come or for us to be permitted to be a part of His Kingdom. The Kingdom which Messiah is coming to rule is the Nation of Israel, the12 tribes of Israel as one nation (with one heart) doing the Father’s will. This emphasizes once again the eternal nature of Y’ah’s Covenant (Torah). The Covenant defines His kingdom. The Covenant is the authority of His Kingdom. To do away with His Covenant (Torah), as some want to do, is to do away with His Kingdom. It cannot be done. Both are eternal. They were binding sheaves (binding what is already bound/keeping covenant) in the field (in the world-Matthew 13:38). This is what makes us a holy and a peculiar people. In other words, by this picture, Y’ah is giving Israel her commission to give the Bread of Life (Messiah) to the nations around her by bringing Y’ah’s Covenant (Torah), Y’ah’s deliverance (Messiah), to the world. The Torah/Covenant without Messiah is pointless. The Messiah without the Torah/Covenant is a false Messiah. Messiah Y’shua (Jesus) did not come to do away with the Torah but to fulfill or complete it. And it is out of His completeness that we receive grace to be able to follow Him who followed Torah. (Matthew 5:17, John 1:16,17) They were obviously harvesting the grain. Matthew 13:39b tells us the harvest is the end of the age. Matthew 28:19,20 “Therefore, go and make taught ones of all the nations (world), immersing them in the Name…..teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you (all that I have prohibited/bound and all that I have permitted/loosed – teaching them My Covenant, My will, to recognize My authority). And see, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” The Hebrew Gospel of Matthew by George Howard (which predates the Greek), reads for Matthew 28:19, 20 – “Go and teach them to carry out all the things which I have commanded you forever.” Yoseph’s sheaf, as a picture of the Messiah, was in the center (in the midst of them - the very place where Y’ah says He will be with us – “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For look, I am coming, and shall dwell in your midst, declares Y’ah.” Zech 2:10), with all Israel’s seed (his 11 brothers) around Him, bowing down to Him, demonstrating Messiah’s rulership, kingdom and power on earth, making order out of chaos. Genesis 37:7b “…And see, your sheaves stood all around (5437) and bowed down to my sheaf.” 5437 – cabab – beit, beit, samech – to revolve, surround or border, be about on every side Messiah and Torah have to be the center of our world, with everything, including us, revolving around Him and His will (Torah). This is again played out in Matthew 28:16-18: “And the eleven taught ones went away into Galil, to the mountain which Y’shua had appointed for them. And when they saw Him, they bowed to Him, but some doubted. And Y’shua came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority (everything which is bound and/or loosed) has been given to Me in heaven (sun, moon, stars) and on earth.” (sheaves of grain) In Genesis 45:1b,3,4 “…So no one stood with him while Yoseph made himself known to his brothers. (“He came to His own and His own received Him not.” John 1:11) And Yoseph said to his brothers, “I am Yoseph, is my father still alive?” But his brothers were unable to answer him, for they trembled before him. Then Yoseph said to his brothers, ‘Please come near to me.” Luke 24:36-37 “And as they were saying this, Y’shua Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ And being startled and frightened, they thought they had seen a spirit.” And Y’shua then puts them at ease of who He is by having them ‘come near to Him’ and feel his scars and by eating – thereby making Himself known to His brothers; showing again, the similarities between Yoseph and the Messiah in revealing themselves to their brothers. At first, there is disbelief and then fear upon recognition, and finally being overcome with joy. Yoseph stated his “sheaf rose up (resurrection) and also stood up” (intercession). Y’shua was made our High Priest or Intercessor by an Oath (or Renewed Covenant). (Hebrews 7:2-28, Isaiah 42:6,7) Before He could become our Intercessor, before He could ‘stand up’, He had to be resurrected or rise up. Yoseph was thrown into the pit and remained there, I believe, for 3 days – why? - because he had all his brothers initially put in prison for 3 days. (Gen. 42:17) This also being a prophetic picture of death, burial and finally resurrection, which Messiah, the firstfruits, accomplished for us. What is the significance of the brothers being symbolically dead and buried? Was it just spite on Yoseph’s part or something more? Romans 6:4 tells us, “We were therefore buried with Him through immersion into death, that as Messiah was raised from the dead by the esteem of the Father, so also we should walk in newness of life.” Yoseph was symbolically ‘resurrected’ from the pit and the brothers set free or resurrected from prison, with Yoseph saying to them on the third day, “Do this and live”, we are told in Genesis 42:18. He was testing them to see if they had changed and were walking a new walk. Then, some 22 years later (calculated from Genesis 41:46 & 45:6 – He was 17 when he was sold, he is now 30. According to 45:6 the 7 years of plenty had passed and they were 2 years into the famine.), Yoseph interceded for his brothers, as a picture of our High Priest, to save their lives by giving them the Bread of Life. (Messiah - John 6:35) Maybe the significance of the number 22 = 20 +2: 20, kaph – to bless/ 2, beit – house: After being ‘resurrected’, Yoseph blessed and interceded for his brothers, giving them life – as does our Messiah. He blesses the House of Israel as a complete and restored family. So Yoseph, representing Messiah, had/was the Bread of Life (John 6:35). In order to live, all had to come to him to receive this bread. When his brothers came, their silver was put back into their bags, illustrating their salvation was priceless and could not be bought. Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace you have been saved, through belief, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim, it is not by works, so that no one should boast.” On the other hand, the Egyptians had to give everything they had – their money, their flocks, their herds, their lands, even themselves. “We are not our own. We are bought with a price.” (1Cor. 6:19,20) “So then everyone of you who does not give up all that he has, is unable to be My taught one.” Luke 14:33 Even though seeming opposites, both views are necessary for true believers. We cannot buy our salvation with silver and gold but we must be willing to give up everything we have for Him. Y’shua Messiah is the Covenant (Torah), as we’re told in Isaiah 42:6, therefore, He is the key to and authority of the Kingdom. “I, Y’ah, have called You in righteousness, and I take hold of Your hand and guard You, and give You for a covenant to a people, for a light to the gentiles,…” Y’ah deals with mankind in Covenants. Y’ah deals with mankind through Y’shua Messiah. “All came to be through Him (Messiah), and without Him (Messiah) not even one came to be that came to be.” John 1:3 “And out of His completeness we all did receive, grace upon grace, for the Torah was given through Moses – the Grace (gift, our ability through Him) and the Truth (Torah) [together] came through Y’shua Messiah.” (John 1:16-17) Y’shua is the Gift of Grace and Truth given to us, as the Torah without Grace, cannot benefit us. Grace is a gift that can only be received through the covenant of Messiah. Genesis 45:5b,7 “…for Elohim sent me (Yoseph speaking) before you to preserve life. And Elohim sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth and to give life to you by a great escape.” Elohim sent Yoseph before Israel to preserve a remnant and save lives. Have we seen this? Genesis 46:28 “And he (Jacob/Israel) sent Judah before him to Yoseph, to point out before him the way …..” Israel sent Judah to Yoseph to show the way. Judah will lead the way in the restoration when they finally understand the two-house truth and Y’shua. [comment from Rabbi Koniuchowsky] Genesis 44:18 “And Judah came near to him (Yoseph) and said, “O master, please let your servant speak a word in my master’s hearing and do not let your displeasure burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.” Right now, I seem to be seeing Yoseph (Ephrayim) making most all the overtures toward Judah. However, I am understanding the Scriptures to say that Judah must come near to Yoseph. To a large extent, the United States is Yoseph and has been a haven for Judah and all Israel – to preserve a remnant and save lives. As Y’ah is waking us up to our identity, we look in large part to Judah to “point out before us the way…” And so, in Jeremiah 3:18 “In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.” We must be careful here, as Judah must walk with Yoseph and Yoseph must walk with Judah, before we can go together. “Can two walk together except they first meet?**” (Amos 3:3) We are not to follow the orthodox rabbi’s, as they are still missing a critical key to the Kingdom – Messiah Y’shua. Neither are we to follow those who say Torah has been done away with or replaced. They also are missing a critical key to the Kingdom. [**A Prayer to Our Father, pg 8,9 by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson. The word for “agreed” is strong’s #3259, yaad, yud, ayin, dalet and means ‘to meet’. Two can walk together without agreeing on everything but they must first meet to walk together. Judah and Yosef have yet to meet recognizing one another as brothers.] It is time for us to come together as brothers, as one house, one nation, with one heart, united in the Covenant/in Torah through Y’shua Messiah. Judah must come near to Yoseph. Yoseph must reach out to and accept Judah as the brother he is. Together we constitute the Kingdom of Heaven. We are His Covenant people. He is the Elohim of Israel –ALL ISRAEL! “To the Torah and to the witness/testimony! [True believers run to both the testimony of His resurrection, along with a life grounded in Torah-obedience.] If they do not speak according to this Word, [Messiah Y’shua and Torah – they’re the same] it is because they have no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20 [The blindness of both houses does not allow light to enter, when one of the two key parts of true faith are missing.][comments by Rabbi Koniuchowsky] “Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those keeping the commands of Elohim [Torah/Covenant – Key 1] and the belief of Y’shua.” [Resurrected Messiah/Renewed Covenant - Key 2] Revelation 14:12 “They were binding sheaves in the field.” ‘They were binding what is already bound in heaven out in the world. They were keeping Covenant as a light to the nations because they are the people of Y’ah – which is the whole purpose of Israel. Matthew 16:19 “And I shall give you the keys to the reign of the heavens, (Kingdom of Heaven - restoration) and whatever you bind on earth (sheaves of grain) shall be having been bound in the heavens, (sun, moon and stars) and whatever you loosen on earth (sheaves of grain) shall be having been loosened in the heavens.” (sun, moon, stars) Notice ‘keys’ is plural. There are two keys to the Kingdom, or to the restoration of ALL Israel: the Torah or Commands of Elohim the Witness or Testimony of our resurrected Y’shua Messiah. It takes both keys to unlock the Door to the Kingdom and restore Israel. And yet, they are One – as we must be. “See, we were binding sheaves (keeping Covenant) in the midst of the field (out in the world), and see, my (Yoseph/Y’shua’s) sheaf rose up (resurrection to life) and also stood up (our High Priest making intercession for us). And see, your sheaves stood all around (making Messiah/Bread of Life the center of our lives) and bowed down to my sheaf” (recognizing Y’shua’ (Jesus) authority as our Savior/Deliverer/Lord). In this one verse, the Messiah, the Covenant, resurrection, intercession and redemption and what they mean to us are all taught. Keeping Covenant out in the world (being obedient/a light to the gentiles) through our resurrected Messiah/Savior (He is our life. We cannot do it on our own), leads to our resurrection and redemption through His intercession for us. “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, ….” John 3:36 “….set-apart by the Spirit unto obedience…” “Now that you have cleansed your lives in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned brotherly love….having been born again….through the living Word of Elohim which remains forever, ……the Word of Elohim remains forever. And this is the Word, announced as Good News (the Gospel) to you.” 1Peter 1:2b, 22,23b, 25 “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, you are servants of the one whom you obey, whether of sin to death OR of obedience to righteousness.” Romans 6:16 [Psalms 119:172b “…for all your commands are righteousness.”] Obedience to His commands through Y’shua (Jesus) Messiah gives life. Y’ah cannot condone rebellion in His Kingdom. Disobedience is rebellion and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. (1Samuel 15:23) (Revelation 21:8) As an addendum: [Some say Israel, as the 12 tribes, is obsolete as we are all one in Messiah. But it must be recognized that to be one in Messiah also means being in covenant with Him. We cannot be one with Him and outside of His will at the same time. Messiah Himself says in Matthew 15:24, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” So who is Israel? Israel is His covenant people. Does this include you? Messiah’s reign/throne is established forever. “…He remains forever… (Hebrews 7:24) “I shall not profane My covenant, neither would I change what has gone out from My lips. Once I have sworn by My set-apartness, I do not lie to David: His seed (singular – i.e., Messiah) shall be forever and His throne as the sun before Me; like the moon, it is established forever, and the witness in the heaven is steadfast.” (Psalms 89:34-37) His covenant is forever. “He has remembered His covenant forever, the Word He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and established it to Jacob, for a law, to Israel, an everlasting covenant, …” (Psalms 105:8-10) Israel is forever. “Y’shua said to them (His disciples), ‘Truly I say to you, when the Son of Adam sits on the throne of His esteem, you who have followed Me in the rebirth shall also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28) “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me a great city, the set-apart Jerusalem, descending out of the heaven from Elohim……and having a great and high wall, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.” (Revelation 21:10,12) Israel, as defined by its twelve tribes, is not obsolete nor ever will be. You may not know who you are or where you belong – but Y’ah does. Grace and Torah meet in Y’shua Messiah (Jesus). The Covenant is His authority which has been given to us. We say He is Lord of our lives – but is He really? Do we live by His Covenant? Do we recognize and live by His authority or have we substituted our own? The Covenant (Torah) and the Messiah (gift of Grace) define the Father’s will and is the point where heaven and earth meet. Heaven and earth must meet in our hearts. “Hear, O Israel…”
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