mordekhi v yisraela

Suggested Messianic Writings reading: 1 Corinthians 14.13-25

Shalom,

There is much in Scripture regarding the blessing of the first-born. Customarily, the first-born son had the birthright, that is, he was entitled to the first rank and leadership among his brethren and would receive a double share of the inheritance from the parents. Because this was considered to be such a gift of importance, we read of it numerous times in the Word. But along with this is the fact that also many times the first-born is displaced for one reason or another. Rabbi Shmuel has spoken into this, and there are many writings available on the subject.

An early instance is Esav (Esau) losing his birthright and the blessing of the firstborn. Even though he sold it for a bowl of lentils, Ya’akov (Jacob) knew he had gained it dishonestly, so there is no further mention of the matter.
His later deception was a separate issue; apparently Yitz’khak (Isaac) knew nothing of the earlier encounter. But Ya’akov eventually and deceitfully ended up with the larger, more bountiful blessing, leaving a heartbroken Esav with
very little. We had seen a similar situation earlier in Torah, in the case of Yishma’el (Ishmael) and Yitz’khak, except in that case Yishma’el was sent away by his father Avraham. Both of these instances are a case of reverse primogeniture, in which the oldest son should have received everything in the inheritance, but was displaced by a younger sibling receiving it all. Torah would later speak against this, declaring that the first-born son should dutifully
receive what was rightfully his.

In the case of the twelve sons of Ya’akov, we know that Re’uven (Reuben), because of his wrong-doing, was stripped of the honor of the first-born, which was “pre-eminence in dignity and pre-eminence in power” (Gen 49.3 ESV). Because of this, his tribe “attained to no position of influence in the nation” (K&D Commentary). Centuries later, the blessing given to the tribe of Re’uven by Moshe (Moses) was rather weak: “Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few” (Deut 33.6 ESV). Re’uven’s rank of leadership was transferred to Y’hudah (Judah); his double portion to Yosef
(Joseph).

In another instance of the same, the first-born blessing intended for Yosef’s son M’nasheh (Manasseh) was taken from him and given to his younger brother Efrayim (Ephraim), when they were adopted and blessed by Ya’akov.

These are just a few cases, but in each we see that the younger ones who received the blessings went on to greater prominence than the displaced elder brothers. We see much unrest in the middle-east yet today because of the displaced firstborn descendants of Yishmael and Esav. Similarly, although probably having little to do with the current middle-east unrest, the legacy of M’nasheh was seldom heard from in the later Tanakh. In fact, many of them seem to have drifted eastward; remnants being discovered in India in our own day. Rabbi Shmuel’s belief is that if an Israeli of prominence would apologize to their Arab brethren for undergoing centuries of the legacy of displacement [not quoting exactly], something would break for the positive in that arena of the world in the spiritual realm.

In reading this week’s parashah, a little phrase struck me, and I have a new theory as to why the nation of Israel on the whole did not accept Yeshua as Messiah. In Sh’mot 4.22, Adonai instructs Moshe to go before Pharaoh and demand that Israel be released to go worship, for “Israel is My firstborn son…” (emphasis mine). Pharaoh and Egypt did not let this firstborn go, so their own firstborns were later “displaced”.

But could the reason be that Israel did not accept Yeshua, the son of G-d, as their own was because this was a case of the displaced firstborn? “This is my beloved Son [Yeshua], in whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him.” Of course, there is a vast difference between the Holy Sonship of Yeshua and the sonship of Israel, but nevertheless, Israel is called the “firstborn”.

Just as much of the church fell into the trap of believing replacement theology, since it was a non-truth taught as truth for a long time, perhaps Israel on the whole has listened to and believed a non-truth about being displaced as the elder son of Adonai, particularly when the church de-judaized itself, claiming to be the “new Israel”. Any fallacy, if taught as fact long enough, will become truth to people. It is as Sha’ul (Saul, also known as Paul) wrote in 2 Corinthians 10.5, concerning speaking the truth and using spiritual warfare prayer, “We demolish arguments [speculations, logic] and every arrogance [pride] that raises itself up against the knowledge of God; we take every thought [deduction] captive and make it obey the Messiah.”

Perhaps in a similar instance of the middle-east situation above, a highly prominent church leader needs to apologize to Israel for “displacing” them.

As I said, just a thought that struck me, do with it what you will.

שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם – Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim – Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Pray for the safety of Messianic believers in the Israel military forces. Pray for the displaced firstborn syndrome to be routed at its root, which is hasatan.

Torah: Vayechi (And he lived), B’resheet (Genesis) 47.28-50.26
Haftorah: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 2.1-12
Suggested Messianic Writings reading: 1 Kefa (1 Peter) 1.1-9

Shalom,

We have reached the end of B’resheet (Genesis), the first book of Torah. Back at the beginning,
when Ah-dahm (Adam) and Khavah (Eve) were cast from the Garden, the promise of One to come who
would bring redemption was given. Khavah believed that Kayin (Cain) was the One, and when he failed,
generation after generation of mankind awaited some kind of a deliverer. And as mankind distanced itself
farther and farther from its Creator, the hope turned into mythologies, rumors and legends. Yet the truth of
the promise remained, and continued through the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitz’khak v’Ya’akov (Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob). In B’resheet 49, Ya’akov prophetically narrowed the scope down with the
announcement that the Promised One would come from the tribe of Y’hudah (Judah).

In 49:10 the term שִׁילֹה Shiloh (Shee-loh) first appears in Scripture. Most scholars admit to one
degree or another that this term refers to the Messiah, although the history of why it does is uncertain; but
the fact is that Jewish sages wrote of this belief before the time of Yeshua. It is translated thus in the CJB:
“The scepter will not pass from Y’hudah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his legs, until he comes to
whom [obedience] belongs; [or: until Shiloh comes] and it is he whom the peoples will obey.”
B’resheet 49:11 notes that this One will wash his clothes in wine, and dip his robes in the blood of
grapes. This prophetic analogy is given again in Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 63, and this could also be what
Yochanan (John) was referring to in Revelation 19:13 about the robe soaked in blood, for the Rider on the
white horse “treads the winepress….”

Yosef (Joseph) believed in this redemption, for prior to his death he received a promise from his
brethren that when they were delivered from Egypt, they would carry his bones with them. Yosef was
embalmed most likely according to Egyptian custom and placed in a coffin. Zola Levitt Ministries has an
interesting article concerning the discovery of the possible location of the tomb of Yosef in Egypt, on their
website at www.levitt.com/essays/joseph.html. Sh’mot (Exodus) 13:19 relates that Moshe carried the
bones of Yosef out when Israel left Egypt, and later on as Y’hoshua (Joshua) conquered the Promised
Land, the bones of Yosef were buried at Sh’khem (Shechem), an area given to Yosef by Ya’akov at his
death, in B’resheet 48:22. Although the context is not clear how or when Ya’akov actually gained the land
by a militant conquest, the land came to be known as Ya’akov’s gift to Yosef, as we see in Yochanan
(John) 4.5: “[Yeshua] came to a town in Shomron [Samaria] called Sh’khem, near the field Ya`akov had
given to his son Yosef.”

Messianic Rabbi Russ Resnik notes that the wording in B’resheet 50.26 says that Yosef was
placed in a coffin, rather than saying that Yosef was buried. In other words, the bones of Yosef were
placed into a location wherein it was possible to access them for travel. The above web article explains
how this was possible. Of note also is that the CJB translation of Hebrews 11:22 states that Yosef
“remembered about the Exodus of the people of Israel, and gave instructions about… his bones”
[emphasis mine]. Only by faith in HaShem can one truly remember about and believe in a future event.
And the name Yosef comes from the root yaw-saf יסף , one definition of which is, “to gather together, to
consolidate, to bring people together.” This Yosef did.

So B’resheet ends, not simply with the death of two great Patriarchs, Ya’akov and Yosef, leaving
us hopeless, but rather we see the hope of the promise of redemption. The Ramban wrote, “Thus
concludes the book B’resheet… it tells of what has occurred and of new things that will occur even before
they spring up in the hearts of the people.” Messianic Jews believe that Yeshua is Shiloh, the Promised
One; Pre-Messianic Jews are still unclear on exactly who this is. As Sha’ul (Saul, also known as Paul)
pointed out, [spiritual] blinders must be [spiritually] removed.

And so we have finished the book of B’resheet, Genesis. I leave you with the blessing
pronounced at the end of the reading of each book of Torah:

!חֲזַק! חֲזַק! וְנִתְחַזֵ! Kha-zakh! Kha-zakh! V’neet-kha-zayk!
Be strong! Be strong! And let us be strengthened!

שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָםִ – Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim – Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Pray for
the safety of Messianic believers in the Israel military forces. Pray for Israel to seek out her G-d in these
trying times. Pray for [spiritual] eyes to be opened to see Yeshua for who He is – Messiah of Israel.