Miketz: From the end — מקץ

Thoughts on Torah for Last Week:

Additions to our page on Spiritual Coaching:
    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.

---

​New Testament authors refer to this descent phase as a Baptism of Fire.  We’ll continue to see this descent pattern throughout the scriptures from Israel’s exile as a nation into the wilderness for forty years to the Trial of Job to Jehovah’s condescension as Yeshua/Jesus to save humanity.
 
In Biblical theology, before God raises someone to a higher spiritual level, there is a time of trial and testing of one’s loyalty to Him.  The overall process is illustrated below:

​In the story of Joseph in Egypt, this pattern looks like this:

And in a spiritual context, this pattern looks like this:

​Video teaching on the Baptism of Fire.

​Isaiah Chapter 9
The righteous are delivered and return to lands of promise.
 
God’s endtime servant exhibits attributes similar to Israel’s God – counsel, valor, fatherhood and kingship.
 
The wicked suffer extreme starvation and resort to eating their offspring.
 
The Jews suffer another round of anti-Semitism as the wicked find a scapegoat for their woes.

---

Resource Links for this Week's Portion

TORAH: GENESIS 41:1-44:17
GOSPELS: Luke 24:13-29

Listen and Read the Portion
First Fruits of Zion

​​Commentary with Nehemia Gordon


HAFTARAH: ISAIAH Chapter 10

Commentary with Avraham Gileadi, PhD