Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Approaching a new year always seems to carry a sense of adventure and expectation, although that attitude is not normally mixed with the level of trepidation we might be feeling just now. Moses’ successor Joshua, one of two faithful spies, seems to have embodied this sense of courageous expectation much of his life, but even he needed an extra dose of Divine encouragement as the Lord commanded him to cross the Jordan and take possession of the promised Land.
Three times YHVH exhorted Joshua, a man with a great deal of natural bravery, to be “strong and (very) courageous”. God knew what Joshua would be facing, even a lot better than the general himself, and so in a pivotal and personal message, He spoke to him: “Do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” [ Joshua 1:8 ]
It is impossible to overestimate the value of this simple truth, this amazing promise, this unmitigated provision! God is (and will be) with us. Anyone who has truly experienced this reality knows its inestimable value. We glibly quote this passage from Romans 8 when the dangers are minimal or the challenges are not really too challenging. But what a difference now as we face a New Year which may well threaten our freedom, our well being or our very lives.
But God is with us by His Spirit; and His Spirit is NOT “a spirit of fear, but of love, of power and of a sound mind.” [ 2 Timothy 1:7 ]
Therefore, nothing that happens this coming year can threaten your union with Messiah Yeshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, if indeed, He dwells with you. He is the embodiment of Love, and “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear;” [ 1 John 4:18 ]. Daniel prophesied of the end days that “those who know their God will display strength and take action;” [ Daniel 11:32 ]. So, whatever the coming days call for, consider yourself equipped! Go out with joy, be led forth with peace….and a very happy and blessed New Year!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]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 as “Mashiach ben Yosef” also came revealing secrets; not as an interpreter of dreams, but as one who disclosed the secrets of men…
Being hated without cause is an aspect of Messianic prophecy that applies to both Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David. Just as Joseph was hated by his brothers, and David was hated by Saul without cause, is it any wonder that Yeshua (Jesus) was hated by the world without cause…
Another interesting correlation we draw from Mashiach Ben Joseph is how Joseph was the object of his father’s (Jacob) love, just as Yeshua (Jesus) was loved of our Heavenly Father. This preference Jacob had for Joseph was unequivocal, and it was also pretty controversial among his brothers.
Continuing this study of Mashiach Ben Yosef (Messiah “Son of Joseph”), I want to focus on another aspect of the rabbis’ understanding; that Mashiach ben Yosef will come first, and prepare the world for the Kingdom of the Lord.
Another aspect of Mashiach ben Yosef, is that the world would resist his authority.
When Joseph told his family of his dreams, they were outraged at the suggestion that their younger brother would reign over them. They simply had no idea that God would make Joseph exactly the kind of ruler they needed.
When Joseph became ruler over Egypt, his name was changed, and his identity was altered so that he no longer appeared or lived as a shepherd son of Israel from the land of Canaan, but as an Egyptian Prime Minister. The transformation was so thorough that when his ten brothers arrived in Egypt he was totally unrecognizable to them. This true story beautifully illustrates Mashiach ben Yosef (Yeshua/Jesus at His first coming), and contains a prophetic picture pointing to Yeshua and His Jewish people living today as we approach the Second Coming.
Joseph, the son of Jacob grew up caring for flocks, a shepherd boy,(Genesis 37:2). While we might have a romantic view of an easy pastoral life among sheep and goats, the main responsibility of a shepherd was to protect the flock against hungry predators (wolves, lions, etc.) looking for an easy meal, actually quite a dangerous job. The shepherd loved his sheep; and Joseph was a good shepherd.