Gen 41:45a And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah (“Decipherer of Secrets”);
Joseph interpreted dreams and revealed their meaning to those around him, and so Pharaoh gave him the name Tsofnat Paneach (Zaphnathpaaneah), which means the “Decipherer or Revealer of Secrets.” Yeshua (Jesus), at his first advent, coming as the suffering servant or otherwise known as “Mashiach ben Yosef,” also came revealing secrets, not as an interpreter of dreams, but as one who disclosed the secrets of men.
Yeshua’s teaching consistently exposed the innermost thoughts of the heart, forcing them into the light. As the living Word of God, His words, like a sword, cut through deception and went straight to the motives of men. Exposing sin through deep conviction, He presents the opportunity for real and sincere confession. He can then remove those sins through His atoning death.
Yeshua’s insight and the conviction of His word are a gift. If He probes you in the secret places, it’s only because He loves you so much and because He wants to reveal His grace and power to cleanse you. When you read His Word or seek Him in prayer, don’t be surprised if you discover some of your own secrets, things you may have even hidden from yourself. He will reveal what He wants you to see, what He wants you to confess, and what He wants to help you change. And then, you will also discover a “secret” love He was waiting to show you.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]This verse in Nehemiah connects the observance of a Holy day with the joy of the Lord. Our identity as “saints” (literally, “holy ones”), called to be holy, means we are and ought to be set apart from the world. But does that mean a solemn and joyless life of boredom as some have been led to believe? I have heard statements like, “I’m miserable, but at least I’m holy!” No, to be simultaneously holy and miserable is “oxymoronic” (if I may coin an adjective). It contradicts the very Spirit of God!
In 70 AD Jerusalem finally fell to the mighty Roman army led by Titus after a long siege. To commemorate the Roman victory over the Jewish rebellion, an arch was erected in Rome known to this day as the Arch of Titus. This famous arch depicts the fall of the Temple and its artifacts paraded in a processional described by the historian Josephus’ in his account, “The Jewish War.”
Genesis 24 recounts the marriage of Issac and Rebekah. As the offering of Isaac by his father Abraham was a clear picture or type of our Heavenly Father’s offering of His Son Yeshua, we may also view this marriage as a picture or type of Yeshua’s marriage to his Bride.
I just read an interesting article discussing how the current crisis is spawning worry and anxiety syndrome amongst many people. An emotional environment is sweeping the land. The effects may be subtle, but they’re serious. Do we want to contribute to this?
In Israel, we often see goats and sheep roaming the countryside. Driving through rural Israel often involves suddenly stopping to allow a herd of sheep or goats to cross the road. But interestingly, I have never seen “sheep kill” on the side of the road in all the years that I’ve lived in Israel. It’s because sheep don’t roam without a shepherd!
Set my mind on things above where my life is hidden with Christ…
…every problem, every issue, every fear, every practical matter concerning nature and flesh, to be reckoned in the light of a spiritual identity, a reality which I cannot see, a Heaven which is somewhere outside my universe. And Paul says, “Seek that!” How do I do that? How do I stretch my attention into the Heavenly realm…set my mind on things above?
The Sabbath is a weekly experiential reminder of the FREEDOM we experience from bondage to sin. In the above passage, Moses explicitly connects the celebration of Shabbat with deliverance from slavery. Isaiah 61:1 beautifully expresses Yeshua’s saving work bringing good news to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives, and opening the prison to those who are bound, a wonderful message of deliverance and freedom.