What parashat Vayigash is teaching us about the Second Coming of our Messiah ( Messianic perspective)

"And I will pour upon your Bais ( House) of David and upon the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, the Ruach (Spirit) of Chen (grace) and Tachanunim ( supplications for grace) and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced ( dakar in Hebrew= pierce through)-ref: Yeshayah Isaiah 53:5 (Targum Hashivim); Tehilim ( Psalms) 22:17) and they shall mourn for Him ( Moschiach) as one mourns for his yachid ( only son) and they shall grieve in bitterness for his bechor (first born)." Zechariah 12:10 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

And Yehudah came forward towards him... 

"Vayigash elav Yehudah...", this is how the Parasha starts...Yehudah steps forward in order to offer himself as a ransom in order to liberate his brother Benyamin, for the sake of his aged father.

Soon Yosef will not be able to contain himself and will reveal his identity to his brothers. Yosef sobbed so loud in front of his brothers that the Egyptians were able to hear it.

The "long lost brother" invited at a kosher table

Can you imagine a reunion between Yeshua and His folks? Can you picture the emotions, the cries of pain and joy? So will it be, when Israel will find its long lost brother...

The story of Yosef and his brothers is a story of envy and jealousy. Most of his brothers disliked Yosef for three main reasons:

1. Yosef ( along with Benyamin) was Jacob's favored wife's son. (Genesis 37:3)
2. Yosef had powerful dreams from the Spirit of Hashem that clearly indicated that he would rise in power above his brothers.
3. Yosef was reporting Jacob about his brothers' bad behavior: "These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father." (Genesis 37:2)
   

Two betrayers, same name, similar motives

Although I had read the story of Yosef and his brothers many times, some obvious parallel with Yeshua's story didn't come to my mind until Yeshua said to me two days ago: "Yosef and I were both sold out by a man named Yehudah."

Both, Yeshua and Yosef were sold out of jealousy by a person named Yehudah.
While Yeshua even had people on his side within the Sanhedrin, like Nicodemus and Yosef of Arimathea, Reuben, Lea's firstborn, had in mind to save his youngest brother's life and to bring him back to his father. However, Hashem's plan was different in both cases.

While we may consider that Yosef had to suffer greatly in his personal life, Hashem had in mind to save Israel from the upcoming famine.
Hashem always has a broader vision than men's very selfish sight.
It was also His plan to sacrifice Yeshua for mankind's Salvation. For this to happen, Yeshua had to die a very painful death, seemingly cursed and abandoned from God and men, on the " tree of Salvation". 
For the nations to be saved, Israel's sight had to be temporarily veiled.

"Then one of the twelve, whose name was Yehudah Ish-Kriyot, went to the leading priests. He said! "What will ou give me to hand Him over to you?
They counted out thirty pieces of silver for him and from that moment on, he sought an opportunity to betray Him." Matthew 26:14-16

A Jewish interpretation of Yosef's tears

According to a Talmudic interpretation, Yosef, who fell on Benyamin's neck and wept, foresaw prophetically the destruction of the 2 Temples. 

Our Messiah Yeshua too predicted the destruction of the Temple:

" As He went out of from the Temple, one of His disciples said to Him: "Rabbi, look how beautiful these stones and buildings are! Yeshua answered him and said: " Do you see these great buildings. Not one stone will remain on another that will not be torn down." Mark 13:1-2 Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels

Our Lord also wept over Yerushalayim's destiny, because He knew what His folks would endure for not recognizing the time of their visitation:

" When He drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying:
If only you yourself knew, while it was still your day, the way of Shalom. But now it is hidden from your eyes. For look, days are coming when your enemies will pile up siege mound around you and encircle you and assail you from all sides. They will tear down the ground you and your children within you. Not one stone will remain on another stone, because you did not know the time of your punishment." Luke 19: 41-44 Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels

The link provided above will unveil details about Rachi's interpretation.
While some people prompted to mock and discard this view about the biblical episode of Genesis 45, it really makes sense in regards to Yeshua's Second Coming and also offers some interesting parallels with the haftara that is usually associated with the parasha Vayigash, i.e, Ezekiel 37:15-28. 

"Again a message came to me from the Lord: "Son of man, take a piece of wood and carve on it these words: "This represents Judah and its allied tribes.'Then take another piece and carve these words on it: 'This represents Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel. Now hold them together in your hand as if they were one piece of wood.When your people ask you what your actions mean, say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take Ephraim and the northern tribes and join them to Judah. I will make them one piece of wood in my hand'."Then hold out the pieces you have inscribed, so people can see them. And give them the message from the Sovereign Lord: I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home where they have been scattered. I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or two kingdoms. They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful apostasy. I will ckeanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.""My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees. The will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lives. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever.And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbersn and I will put my Temple among them forever. I will make ly home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And when my Temple is among them forever, the nations will know that I am the Lord, who makes Israel holy."

           Ezekiel 37: 15-28

Is it important to consider that the text of Ezekiel 37 is linked with Yosef's reunion with his brothers? Does this prophetic text carry a broader,  Messianic vision?
I'll answer "yes" to both questions and here is why:

• Going through the Hebrew text will allow you to notice a very recurrent word אחד , Echad

Echad is associated with several symbols " ets echad", a unique tree, melech echad, a unique king, roe echad, a unique shepherd.

Echad points at the Unicity of Hashem. 

The tree is a symbol for man and Torah. One Torah will rule for all.

One king will rule. In end times, Moschiach King Yeshua will reign over the nation of Israel.

Roe Echad, unique Shepherd he will be. 

Let's have a look at our times. While Israel is being hated by a great majority of nations all over the world, Hashem already started gathering many Jews for their return to Israel. Many persons have made their alyah. This is made possible because the times of our Messiah's return are getting closer and closer. 

The Berith Shalom and the Berith Olam ( alliance of peace and everlasting alliance) will be made possible by the Return of Moschiach King. When Yeshua will reign, peace will be implemented in the Holy Land.

I have no idea if the word "mikdash" has to be interpreted in the physical term ( as a Third Temple) , but I know that when Yeshua returns, the Spirit will dwell among us all abundantly.

David will reign through Moschiach ben David, and Gentiles will be reunited with Jewish people in One New Man, for the glory of Adonai. Everybody will worship Hashem in truth by then.

• Facing the " long lost brother"

To many Jews and Israelis, Yeshua may look like Yosef in his Egyptian clothes. 

Many Jews envision Him as a Gentile, for many reasons.

Many Jews also consider Him as cursed, because they don't envision that He took this curse that was upon us all to redeem each and everyone.

Now imagine when the time will be ripe and Yeshua will stand before His Jewish brothers, stating: " ani Yeshua" ("אני ישׁוּע")

Like Yosef's brothers, they will realize that some of them mistreated Him when He first came to live among them- and that the religious establishment wanted Him dead. 

Terror will probably strike their minds when they will realize that Yeshua is the Messiah King that have been waiting for so long, who came and is coming back!

They will mourn and supplicate Yeshua.

Yeshua will then give them all a glance of loving kindness and save ALL Israel.

Then He will reign over His truthful servants, the ones He grafted in and the people of Israel.

Evil shall be destroyed forever and one love will dwell among us through the Spirit of Hashem. 

Come soon, Lord Yeshua!

Amen.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling