Monday, 13 December 2021

He's Alive, Be Revived!

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The last words of the Torah reading last Tuesday were these, Genesis 45:27b ... the spirit of their father Jacob revived. We have to see this for what it is. There is so much more than meets the eye. We are going to see the image of the salvation story of Yeshua; the greatest story ever told. But more than that; the greatest story ever lived.

In this part of the story, Joseph is the kinsman redeemer. For 17 years, Jacob believed that Joseph was dead. 1,500 years later, Yeshua was crucified and reported to be dead. Joseph reemerges as a ruler who has life-giving provision for his brothers (his father's family). Yeshua also reemerges with life-giving provision for His brothers (His Father's family).

At the Passover Seder we follow a custom that is a worldwide practice among all Jewish people, even non-Yeshua following families. It's called Yachatz, the breaking of the middle matzah. Why is the middle piece of matzah taken? Because Yeshua is always in the middle.

Rabbi Trail: In the robes of the High Priest, the middle robe is blue (blue is Yeshua's color - more on that another time). It is between the white inner garment, which is next to the man, and is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, and the multi-colored outer garment of glory, which is representative of God the Father. Yeshua is always the "man in the middle" standing between us and the guilty verdict. End RT.

This middle matzah is broken into two pieces, just as Yeshua is broken for us. +Then half of it is hidden, until it is found. The hidden piece is called the "afikomen." There is much speculation about the meaning of that word. Personally, I see "He is coming" as a strong possibility. Today, Yeshua is hidden from most Jewish people until He is found.

And when He is found, He will be the bread of life. At the Seder, we use the afikomen as the bread of communion, just before the 3rd cup (the cup of salvation), the cup of His first coming is consumed after prayer. Just as the spirit of Jacob revived when he came to believe that Joseph is alive, the spirit of all of the children of Israel (Jacobs new name) will revive when they come to believe Yeshua is who He says He is and that He is alive today.

Let's close by pairing Isaiah 11:11-16 together with Ezekiel's two sticks ... Isaiah 11:11a It will also come about in that day that my Lord will again redeem - a second time with His hand - the remnant of His people who remain 16a So there will be a highway for the remnant of His people who remain ... Ezekiel 37:21 "Then say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim: 'Behold, I will take Bnei-Yisrael from among the nations, where they have gone. I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land ... 23b I will save them out of all their dwellings in which they sinned. I will purify them. Then they will be My people and I will be their God.

How does this happen? The prophesy over Israel is repeated in chapter 39. It ends with the promise of a spiritual outpouring of the Spirit of God. Ezekiel 39:29 I will never again hide My face from them. For I have poured out My Rauch upon the house of Israel. It is a declaration of Adonai.

Jacob was revived by news that Joseph is alive. Israel will be revived by news that Yeshua is alive.