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Exodus 1-5
This portion begins by recounting Israel’s enslavement to the Egyptians.  As we will see when God enumerates the curses for those who fail to keep His law, bondage is one of the curses that appears on His list – Deu 28.  Here is another recurring theme that we see not only in the scriptures but throughout human history – humanity wins its freedom through righteousness only to then to forget God, indulge in wickedness and then back into bondage.

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Genesis 48-50
This portion closes Genesis or what some might call the Book of the Patriarchs.  One of the consistent themes that we see throughout the scriptures is the concept that fathers are kings and priests.  In Genesis, this concept manifests itself through the Melchizedek Priesthood –  the Hebrew word Melchizedek meaning king of righteousness and the priesthood that does not necessarily come through a particular lineage and for which is the type of priesthood that the Patriarchs and fathers held.   

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                Link to video teaching on Tzitzit.
                Link to product page of the Name of God plaque.

Genesis 44-47
In a previous post, we touched on the idea of the birthright son carrying the responsibilities of the father if he was unable.  The father’s primary responsibility to the family was to be a provider and protector of the family – aspects of the father’s role as king.  In this portion of the story of Joseph, we see this come to fruition in a dramatic way as Joseph saves his parents and siblings from a seven-year famine.

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Genesis 41-44​​
In the previous post we considered the pattern of descent, which the prophet Isaiah sets out in his teachings of the Gospel.  In this portion, we’ll see how Isaiah considers ascending to higher spiritual levels.  Here, Joseph became a great ruler in Egypt only second in Egypt with Pharaoh; and, we saw God orchestrate the ascension of Joseph, but Joseph had to endure a trial to get there. 

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    Link to article on Faith, Repentance and Baptism.

Genesis 37-40​
In an excellent secular example of Isaiah’s teaching of ruin before rebirth, suffering before salvation and humiliation before exaltation, we see it in the life of Joseph in Egypt.  This portion recounts the betrayal of Joseph by Potiphar’s wife and an unjust imprisonment. Experiencing the descent phase of ruin, suffering and humiliation, Joseph is unjustly imprisoned for two years.