Dreams & Ears to Hear

Shabbat Shalom Loved Ones!

Last week we followed Joseph’s fiery trials and “unfair” opportunities for growth. You and I should take notice. Throughout his hard times, he never murmured, complained, blamed or disobeyed YHWH but he grew in faith and trust. Our own troubles will most likely increase also as these times of “Jacob’s Troubles” are upon us on the Earth (Comment: Israel the people-not the Jews’ only troubles as we may have been taught.) We are grafted into Israel and heirs according to the promise of Abraham by believing on and following Messiah Yahshua according to (Gal 3:29) And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise; and (Rom 11:17) But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, (Rom 11:18) do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. (Rom 11:19) You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." (Rom 11:20) Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; (Rom 11:21) for if YHWH did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. (Rom 11:22) Behold then the kindness and severity of YHWH; to those who fell, severity, but to you, YHWH's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. (Rom 11:23) And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for YHWH is able to graft them in again.” If we do not continue in our unbelief, we also will be grafted into Israel!



Joseph never took credit for his favor from Potiphar or Pharaoh but as we see in our quick reminder that even in his interpreting dreams he gave credit to YHWH-where it belonged! This is a lesson for us to humble ourselves. We must decrease and He must increase in us! (Gen 40:5) Then the cupbearer and the baker of the sovereign of Mitsrayim, who were confined in the prison, dreamed a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. (Gen 40:6) And Yosĕph came in to them in the morning and looked at them and saw that they were sad. (Gen 40:7) And he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in confinement of his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” (Gen 40:8) And they said to him, “We each have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” And Yosĕph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to Elohim? Relate them to me, please.”



Dream interpretations do belong to YHWH. We must seek intimacy with Him!



(Rom 11:23) And they (we) also, if they (we) do not continue in their (our) unbelief, will be grafted in… I think we can now see truth glaring at us. We must get rid of unbelief. You may respond, we are believers, we are not in unbelief! I expect we may not know how deceived we really are. Imagine with me for a moment that you and I are and have been greatly deceived by the enemy of our souls. Were we possibly deceived doing or having done Churchianity and its added pagan feasts and holidays? Are many being or have already been deceived by Rabbinic Judaism’s added laws and rules for men to obey other men? Most likely we must come out of darkness into light; it is not legalism to obey YHWH laws and precepts- that is called obedience and always brings blessings. Legalism is obeying religion; those manmade traditions which always entails obeying added or subtracted from YHWH’s precepts. (Deu 4:2) “Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it1, so as to guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim which I am commanding you. Footnote: 1See also 12:32, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18-19. Perhaps we should consider doing what He says, maybe starting with doing His Sabbath. If He is truly the Creator and we are the created it is in the realm of possibilities that we don’t get to create or name our own Sabbath, perhaps He expects us to keep His Sabbath as the first of the Moedim or set apart appointments with Him. Could we possibly be playing into hasatan’s hands by following other than YHWH’s commands, still believing we are justified before the Father of all Creation? (Mat 15:1) Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Yahshua from Jerusalem and said, (Mat 15:2) "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." (Comment: tradition is literally takanot- added rules and precepts by the Pharisees that override Moses as they say they sit in the seat of Moses and you must obey them- Yahshua told them – “Do what Moses says. But do not do what they (Pharisees) say- for they say and do not do!” what Moses says) (Mat 15:3) And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of YHWH for the sake of your tradition? (Mat 15:4) "For YHWH said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.' (Mat 15:5) "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to YHWH," (Mat 15:6) he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of YHWH for the sake of your tradition. (Mat 15:7) "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: (Mat 15:8) 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. (Mat 15:9) 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"



Yikes- in VAIN they worship? Yikes again. In VAIN we may worship? This is astonishing and should waken us from our slumber. Now we may see; how far we have fallen unaware.



We must come out from her my people or now partake of her plagues. We are approaching a great storm of apoplectic proportions. His Moedim or appointed times are upon us and we know not the time of day. What appointed times you question. He satisfied His Spring Feasts down to the day and hour upon His first coming as Messiah Ben Joseph, the suffering servant sent to gather the 12 brothers, as these Moedim are His appointments promised as a shadow of good things to come. He will soon satisfy the Fall Feasts of YHWH with uncanny precision. He even warned us that we would understand His appointments and they would not surprise us, (because we obey and actually DO them) but would surprise those in the world who did not keep nor even understand His Feasts or appointed times. Let’s take a quick look at the Scripture:



(1Th 5:1) Now, brothers, as to the times and the seasons, (Comment: Moedim- set apart appointments also known as rehearsals of things to come) you do not need to be written to. (1Th 5:2) For you (yourselves) know very well that the day of יהוה comes as a thief in the night.

(1Th 5:3) For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. (1Th 5:4) But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. (1Th 5:5) For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. (1Th 5:6) So, then, we should not sleep, as others do, but we should watch and be sober. (1Th 5:7) For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.



SO WE MUST GET RID OF UNBELIEF AND PAGAN TRADITIONS! HOW?



We make a choice to honor YHWH rather than honor men; friends and family. (John 5:41) I receive not honor from men. (John 5:42) But I know you, that ye have not the love of YHWH in you. (John 5:43) I am come in my Father's name, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. (John 5:44) How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from YHWH only? (John 5:45) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust. (John 5:46) For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me: for he wrote of me. (John 5:47) But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words? This is how we come out of her. We make the decision to obey and honor YHWH rather than receive the honor of men given us by our keeping inherited EXTRA-BIBLICAL traditions!



That rids us of pagan traditions but how do we rid ourselves of unbelief?



Remember all things are possible for YHWH, the only reason they are not possible for you and I is our UNBELIEF! What gets rid of unbelief? PRAYER AND FASTING according to Yahshua! Prayer AND Fasting, not prayer without fasting or fasting without prayer! If we really care about our loved ones we will seek YHWH’s face with prayer and fasting and quit worrying…Yahshua promises in Revelation to throw the fearful (worriers) into hell with the adulterers, murderers etc. Why? Because, if that is who we become under great fiery trials we have trusted the power of hasatan to do us harm, more than the power of YHWH to deliver us! (Could this apply to you and me? NOT IF we pray and fast and overcome! Let’s look at the Scripture and please note the real topic: Belief or Unbelief; the topic is not the size of the demon passenger.



(Mar 9:17) And one of the crowd answering, said, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who has a dumb spirit. (Mar 9:18) “And wherever he seizes him, he throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, and gnashes his teeth, and he wastes away. And I spoke to your taught ones that they should cast him out, but they were not able.” (Mar 9:19) And He answered him and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to me.” (Mar 9:20) So they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into convulsions. And falling on the ground, he rolled about, foaming at the mouth. (Mar 9:21) And He asked his father, “How long has he been like this?” And he said, “From childhood, (Mar 9:22) and often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if it is at all possible for you, have compassion on us and help us.” (Mar 9:23) And יהושע said to him, “If you are able to believe, all is possible to him who believes.” (Mar 9:24) And immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “I believe Master, help my unbelief!” (Mar 9:25) And when יהושע (Yahshua) saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You deaf and dumb spirit, I order you, come out of him, and never again enter into him!” (Mar 9:26) And crying out, and convulsing him much, it came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said that he was dead. (Mar 9:27) But יהושע, taking him by the hand, lifted him up, and he arose. (Mar 9:28) And when He came in to a house, His taught ones asked Him separately, “Why were we unable to cast him out?” (Mar 9:29) And He said to them, “It is impossible for this kind (Comment: the topic is unbelief) to come out except through prayer and fasting.” Now that we are prepared to enter in to Yahshua’s destruction of the works of the devil by obedience and prayer and fasting, let’s turn our study toward this week’s Torah portion and draw near to the restoration of YHWH’s plan.



This week’s Torah Scriptures: Vayigash “And He drew near”

Genesis 44:18-47:27; Ezekiel 37:15-28; Luke 5:1-35 (increased);

Judges Chapters 7, 8, and 9



(Gen 44:18) And Yehuḏah came near to him and said, “O my master, please let your servant speak a word in my master’s hearing, and do not let your displeasure burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh. (Gen 44:19) “My master asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ (Gen 44:20) “And we said to my master, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young child of his old age and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ (Gen 44:21) “And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, and let me set my eyes on him.’ (Gen 44:22) “And we said to my master, ‘The boy is not able to leave his father, for if he leaves his father, his father shall die.’ (Gen 44:23) “But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you do not see my face again.’

(Gen 44:24) “And it came to be, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my master. (Gen 44:25) “And our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’

(Gen 44:26) “But we said, ‘We are not able to go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we shall go down, for we are not able to see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ (Gen 44:27) “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons, (Gen 44:28) and the one went out from me, and I said, “Truly, he is torn, torn to pieces!” And I have not seen him since. (Gen 44:29) ‘And if you take this one from me too, and harm comes to him, you shall bring down my grey hair with evil to the grave.’



Joseph finally sees that his brothers really love their father.



(Gen 44:30) “And now, if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us – since his own life is bound up in his life – (Gen 44:31) then it shall be, when he sees that the boy is not with us, that he shall die. So your servants shall bring down the grey hair of your servant our father with evil to the grave. (Gen 44:32) “For your servant went guaranty for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall be a sinner before my father forever.’ (Gen 44:33) “And now, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a slave to my master, and let the boy go up with his brothers. (Gen 44:34) “For how do I go up to my father if the boy is not with me, lest I see the evil that would come upon my father?” (Gen 45:1) And Yosĕph was unable to restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he called out, “Have everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Yosĕph made himself known to his brothers.



Joseph confesses YHWH’s plan details and reveals it is meant for good!



(Gen 45:2) And he wept aloud, and the Mitsrites and the house of Pharaoh heard it. (Gen 45:3) And Yosĕph said to his brothers, “I am Yosĕph, is my father still alive?” But his brothers were unable to answer him, for they trembled before him. (Gen 45:4) Then Yosĕph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And when they came near, he said, “I am Yosĕph your brother, whom you sold into Mitsrayim. (Gen 45:5) “And now, do not be grieved nor displeased with yourselves because you sold me here, for Elohim sent me before you to preserve life. (Gen 45:6) “For two years now the scarcity of food has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there is neither plowing nor harvesting. (Gen 45:7) “And Elohim sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to give life to you by a great escape. (Gen 45:8) “So then, you did not send me here, but Elohim. And He has set me for a father to Pharaoh, and master of his entire house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Mitsrayim. (Gen 45:9) “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Yosĕph, “Elohim has made me master of all Mitsrayim. Come down to me, do not delay. (Gen 45:10) “And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. (Gen 45:11) “And I shall provide for you there, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty, because five years of scarcity of food are still to come.” ’ (Gen 45:12) “And look, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Binyamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. (Gen 45:13) “And you shall inform my father of all my esteem in Mitsrayim, and of all that you have seen. And you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” (Gen 45:14) And he fell on his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck. (Gen 45:15) And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers spoke with him.



Note that YHWH does not offer only survival- but the very best!



(Gen 45:16) And the report of it was heard by the house of Pharaoh, saying, “The brothers of Yosĕph have come.” And it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants. Gen 45:17) And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “Say to your brothers, ‘do this: Load your beasts and go, enter the land of Kenaʽan, (Gen 45:18) and take your father and your households and come to me, and I give you the best of the land of Mitsrayim, and you eat the fat of the land. (Gen 45:19) ‘And you, you have been commanded to do this: Take wagons out of the land of Mitsrayim for your little ones and your wives. And you shall bring your father, and come. (Gen 45:20) ‘And do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Mitsrayim is yours.’ ” (Gen 45:21) and the sons of Yisra’ĕl did so. And Yosĕph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them food for the journey. (Gen 45:22) He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments, but to Binyamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. (Gen 45:23) And he sent to his father this: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Mitsrayim, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, and bread, and food for his father for the journey. (Gen 45:24) So he sent his brothers away, and they left. And he said to them, “Do not quarrel along the way.” (Gen 45:25) And they went up out of Mitsrayim, and came to the land of Kenaʽan to Yaʽaqoḇ their father. (Gen 45:26) And they told him, saying, “Yosĕph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Mitsrayim.” And Yaʽaqoḇ’s heart ceased, for he did not believe them. (Gen 45:27) But when they spoke to him all the words which Yosĕph had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons which Yosĕph had sent to transport him, the spirit of Yaʽaqoḇ their father revived. (Gen 45:28) And Yisra’ĕl said, “Enough! My son Yosĕph is still alive. Let me go and see him before I die.” (Gen 46:1) And Yisra’ĕl set out with all that he had, and came to Be’ĕrsheḇa, and brought offerings to the Elohim of his father Yitsḥaq. (Gen 46:2) And Elohim spoke to Yisra’ĕl in the visions of the night, and said, “Yaʽaqoḇ, Yaʽaqoḇ!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Gen 46:3) And He said, “I am the Ěl, Elohim of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Mitsrayim, for I shall make you there into a great nation. (Gen 46:4) “I myself am going down with you to Mitsrayim and I myself shall certainly bring you up again. And let Yosĕph put his hand on your eyes.”



(Gen 46:5) Yaʽaqoḇ rose up from be’ĕrsheḇa. And the sons of Yisra’ĕl brought their father Yaʽaqoḇ, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to transport him. (Gen 46:6) And they took their livestock and their property which they had acquired in the land of Kenaʽan, and came into Mitsrayim, Yaʽaqoḇ and all his seed with him. (Gen 46:7) His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed he brought with him to Mitsrayim. (Gen 46:8) And these were the names of the children of Yisra’ĕl, Yaʽaqoḇ and his sons, who came into Mitsrayim: Re’uḇĕn was Yaʽaqoḇ’s first-born. (Gen 46:9) And the sons of Re’uḇĕn: Ḥanoḵ, and Pallu, and Ḥetsron, and Karmi. (Gen 46:10) And the sons of Shimʽon: Yemu’ĕl, and Yamin, and Ohaḏ, and Yaḵin, and Tsoḥar, and Sha’ul, son of a Kenaʽanite woman. (Gen 46:11) And the sons of Lĕwi: Gĕreshon, Qehath, and Merari. (Gen 46:12) And the sons of Yehuḏah: Ěr, and Onan, and Shĕlah, and Perets, and Zeraḥ – but Ěr and Onan died in the land of Kenaʽan. And the sons of Perets were Ḥetsron and Ḥamul. (Gen 46:13) And the sons of Yissasḵar: Tola, and Puwʽah, and Yoḇ, and Shimron. (Gen 46:14) And the sons of Zeḇulun: Sereḏ, and Ělon, and Yaḥle’ĕl. (Gen 46:15) These were the sons of Lĕ’ah, whom she bore to Yaʽaqoḇ in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the beings, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three. (Gen 46:16) And the sons of Gaḏ: Tsiphyon and Ḥaggi, Shuni and Etsbon, Ěri and Aroḏi, and Arĕli. (Gen 46:17) And the sons of Ashĕr: Yimnah, and Yishwah, and Yishwi, and Beriʽah, and Seraḥ, their sister. And the sons of Beriʽah: Ḥeḇer and Malki’ĕl. (Gen 46:18) These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laḇan gave to Lĕ’ah his daughter. And these she bore to Yaʽaqoḇ: sixteen beings. (Gen 46:19) The sons of Raḥĕl, Yaʽaqoḇ’s wife: Yosĕph and Binyamin. (Gen 46:20) And to Yosĕph in the land of Mitsrayim were born Menashsheh and Ephrayim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. (Gen 46:21) And the sons of Binyamin: Belah, and Beḵer, and Ashbĕl, Gĕra and Naʽaman, Ěḥi and Rosh, Muppim and Ḥuppim, and Ard. (Gen 46:22) These were the sons of Raḥĕl who were born to Yaʽaqoḇ: fourteen beings in all. (Gen 46:23) And the son of Dan: Ḥushim. (Gen 46:24) And the sons of Naphtali: Yaḥtse’ĕl, and Guni, and Yĕtser, and Shillĕm. (Gen 46:25) These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laḇan gave to Raḥĕl his daughter, and she bore these to Yaʽaqoḇ: seven beings in all. (Gen 46:26) All the beings that went with Yaʽaqoḇ to Mitsrayim, who came from his body, besides Yaʽaqoḇ’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six beings in all. (Gen 46:27) And the sons of Yosĕph who were born to him in Mitsrayim were two beings. All the beings of the house of Yaʽaqoḇ who went to Mitsrayim were seventy.



Restoration of the son to the Father



(Gen 46:28) And he sent Yehuḏah before him to Yosĕph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen. (Gen 46:29) And Yosĕph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Yisra’ĕl. And he appeared to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time. (Gen 46:30) And Yisra’ĕl said to Yosĕph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.” (Gen 46:31) And Yosĕph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I am going up to inform Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Kenaʽan, have come to me. (Gen 46:32) ‘And the men are shepherds, that they have been men of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds, and all that they have.’ (Gen 46:33) “And it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ (Gen 46:34) that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been men of livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ so that you dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Mitsrites.” (Gen 47:1) Then Yosĕph went and spoke to Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Kenaʽan. And see, they are in the land of Goshen.” (Gen 47:2) And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. (Gen 47:3) And Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.” (Gen 47:4) And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to dwell in the land, because there is no pasture for your servant’s flocks, for the scarcity of food is severe in the land of Kenaʽan. And now, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”



Pharaoh gets blessed for his kindness! Note that Joseph had mercy on all- keeping only ownership but giving up 4/5 of production giving hope!



(Gen 47:5) And Pharaoh spoke to Yosĕph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. (Gen 47:6) “The land of Mitsrayim is before you. Settle your father and brothers in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of capable men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.” (Gen 47:7) And Yosĕph brought in his father Yaʽaqoḇ and set him before Pharaoh. And Yaʽaqoḇ blessed Pharaoh. (Gen 47:8) And Pharaoh said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “How old are you?” (Gen 47:9) And Yaʽaqoḇ said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.” (Gen 47:10) And Yaʽaqoḇ blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. (Gen 47:11) So Yosĕph settled his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Mitsrayim, in the best of the land, in the land of Raʽmeses, as Pharaoh had commanded. (Gen 47:12) And Yosĕph provided his father, and his brothers, and his entire father’s household with bread for the mouth of the little ones. (Gen 47:13) Now there was no bread in all the land, because the scarcity of food was very severe, and the land of Mitsrayim and all the land of Kenaʽan became exhausted from the scarcity of food. (Gen 47:14) And Yosĕph gathered up all the silver that was found in the land of Mitsrayim and in the land of Kenaʽan, for the grain which they bought. And Yosĕph brought the silver into Pharaoh’s house. (Gen 47:15) And when the silver was all spent in the land of Mitsrayim and in the land of Kenaʽan, all the Mitsrites came to Yosĕph and said, “Give us bread, why should we die in your presence? For the silver is gone!” (Gen 47:16) And Yosĕph said, “Give your livestock, and I give you bread for your livestock, if the silver is gone.” (Gen 47:17) So they brought their livestock to Yosĕph, and Yosĕph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks they owned, and for the herds they owned, and for the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year. (Gen 47:18) And when that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We do not hide from my master that our silver is all spent, and my master also has the livestock we owned. There has not any been left before my master but our bodies and our land. (Gen 47:19) “Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and let us and our land be servants of Pharaoh. And give us seed, and let us live and not die, and let the land not lay waste.” (Gen 47:20) And Yosĕph bought the entire land of Mitsrayim for Pharaoh, because every man of the Mitsrites sold his field, because the scarcity of food was severe upon them. And the land came to be Pharaoh’s. (Gen 47:21) And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Mitsrayim to the other end. (Gen 47:22) Only the ground of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had portions allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their portions which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore they did not sell their ground. (Gen 47:23) And Yosĕph said to the people, “Look, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. (Gen 47:24) “And it shall be that in the harvest you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. And four-fifths is your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.” (Gen 47:25) And they said, “You have saved our lives. Let us find favor in the eyes of my master, and we shall become Pharaoh’s servants.” (Gen 47:26) And Yosĕph made it a law over the land of Mitsrayim to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the ground of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s. (Gen 47:27) And Yisra’ĕl dwelt in the land of Mitsrayim, in the land of Goshen. And they had possessions there and bore fruit and increased exceedingly.



Now we see the joining back together of Judah and all his companions and Ephraim (Scattered and lost sheep of Israel-YOU) and your companions- What Yahshua came to do! Gather the 12 brothers back as family! YHWH shall be our Elohim BACK in the promised land- Israel! We flee paganism!

(Eze 37:15) And the word of יהוה came to me, saying, (Eze 37:16) “And you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it, ‘For Yehuḏah and for the children of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yosĕph, the stick of Ephrayim, and for all the house of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’ (Eze 37:17) “Then bring them together for yourself into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand. (Eze 37:18) “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’ (Eze 37:19) say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the stick of Yosĕph, which is in the hand of Ephrayim, and the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, his companions. And I shall give them unto him, with the stick of Yehuḏah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.” ’ (Eze 37:20) “And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes. (Eze 37:21) “And speak to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the children of Yisra’ĕl from among the gentiles, wherever they have gone, and shall gather them from all around, and I shall bring them into their land. (Eze 37:22) “And I shall make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl. And one sovereign shall be sovereign over them all, and let them no longer be two nations, and let them no longer be divided into two reigns. (Eze 37:23) “And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be my people, and I be their Elohim, (Eze 37:24) while Dawiḏ My servant is sovereign over them. And they shall all have one shepherd and walk in my right-rulings and guard my laws, and shall do them. (Eze 37:25) “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Yaʽaqoḇ My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and my servant Dawiḏ be their prince forever. (Eze 37:26) “And I shall make a covenant of peace with them – an everlasting covenant it is with them. And I shall place them and increase them, and shall place my set-apart place in their midst, forever. (Eze 37:27) “And My Dwelling Place shall be over them. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. (Eze 37:28) “And the gentiles shall know that I, יהוה, am setting Yisra’ĕl apart, when my set-apart place is in their midst – forever.” ’ ”



Obedience moves us from the Natural to the Supernatural realm

(Luke 5:1) And it came to be, while the crowd was pressing upon Him to hear the word of Elohim, He stood by the Lake of Gennĕsar, (Sea of Galilee) (Luke 5:2) and He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. (Luke 5:3) And entering into one of the boats, which belonged to Shimʽon, He asked him to pull away a little from the land. And He sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat. (Luke 5:4) And when He ceased speaking, He said to Shimʽon, “Pull out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:5) And Shimʽon answering, said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught none, but at your word I shall let down the net.” (Luke 5:6) And when they did so, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking, (Luke 5:7) and they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they were sinking. (Luke 5:8) And when Shimʽon Kĕpha saw it, he fell down at the knees of יהושע, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a man, a sinner, O Master!” (Luke 5:9) For astonishment had seized him and all those with him, at the catch of fish which they took, (Luke 5:10) so too were Yaʽaqoḇ and Yoḥanan, the sons of Zaḇdai, who were partners with Shimʽon. Then יהושע said to Shimʽon, “Do not fear, from now on you shall catch men.” (Luke 5:11) And having brought the boats to land, they left all and followed Him. (Luke 5:12) And it came to be when He was in a certain city that see, a man covered with leprosy saw יהושע. And he fell on his face and begged Him, saying, “Master, if you desire, you are able to cleanse me.” (Luke 5:13) And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I desire it. Be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. (Luke 5:14) And He ordered him to say it to no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a witness to them, as Mosheh commanded.” (Luke 5:15) And the news about Him was spreading even more. And large crowds were coming together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their sicknesses.



Sometimes it is necessary to pull away and spend time with your Father



(Luke 5:16) But He was often withdrawing Himself to lonely places and praying. (Luke 5:17) And on a certain day it came to be, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the Torah sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galil, Yehuḏah, and Yerushalayim. And the power of יהוה was there to heal them. (Luke 5:18) And see, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed. And they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Him. (Luke 5:19) But having found no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the house-top and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before יהושע. (Luke 5:20) And having seen their belief, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” (Luke 5:21) And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins except Elohim alone?” (Luke 5:22) And יהושע, knowing their thoughts, answering, said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? (Luke 5:23) “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? (Luke 5:24) “But in order for you to know that the Son of Aḏam possesses authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Luke 5:25) And at once, having risen up before them, he took up what he had been lying on, and went away to his house, praising Elohim. (Luke 5:26) And astonishment seized them all, and they praised Elohim and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen extra-ordinary feats today!” (Luke 5:27) And after this He went out and saw a tax collector named Lĕwi, sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow Me.” (Luke 5:28) And he, having left all, rose up and followed Him. (Luke 5:29) And Lĕwi made a great feast for Him in his house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. (Luke 5:30) And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled against His taught ones, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” (Luke 5:31) And יהושע answering, said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. (Luke 5:32) “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”



Fasting anyone?



(Luke 5:33) And they said to Him, “Why do the taught ones of Yoḥanan fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?” (Luke 5:34) And He said to them, “Are you able to make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? (Luke 5:35) “But days shall come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days.”



YHWH knows us: if we are self made/powerful- we tend to take all the credit!

(Judges 7:1) And Yerubbaʽal, that is Giḏʽon, and all the people who were with him rose up early and encamped by the fountain of Ḥaroḏ, so that the camp of Miḏyan was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. (Judges 7:2) And יהוה said to Giḏʽon, “The people who are with you are too many for me to give Miḏyan into their hands, lest Yisra’ĕl boast against me, saying, ‘my own hand has saved me.’ (Judges 7:3) “And now, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him turn back,. (Judges 7:4) and leave Mount Gilʽaḏ.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people turned back, while ten thousand remained and יהוה said to Giḏʽon, “The people are still too many. Bring them down to the water, and let me prove them for you there. And it shall be that of whom I say to you, ‘This one goes with you,’ let him go with you. And of whomever I say to you, ‘This one does not go with you,’ let him not go.” (Judges 7:5) So he brought the people down to the water. And יהוה said to Giḏʽon, “Everyone who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, separate him from everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.” (Judges 7:6) And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men, and all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water. (Judges 7:7) And יהוה said to Giḏʽon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I’ve you, and shall give Miḏyan into your hand. Let all the other people go, each to his place.” Judges 7:8) And the people took food and their ram’s horns in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Yisra’ĕl, each to his tent, but kept those three hundred men. Now the camp of Miḏyan was below him in the valley. (Judges 7:9) And it came to be, on that night, that יהוה said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand. (Judges 7:10) “But if you are afraid to go down, go down, you and Purah your servant, to the camp. (Judges 7:11) “And you shall hear what they say, and after that let your hands be strengthened. And you shall go down against the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to the edge of the formation of fives who were in the camp.



Dreams



(Judges 7:12) And Miḏyan and Amalĕq, and all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as many as locusts. And their camels were as numerous as the sand by the seashore. (Judges 7:13) And Giḏʽon came, and see, a man was relating a dream to his companion, and said, “See I had a dream, and see, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Miḏyan, and it came to a tent and smote it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent fell down.” (Judges 7:14) And his companion answered and said, “This is nil else than the sword of Giḏʽon son of Yo’ash, a man of Yisra’ĕl. Elohim has given Miḏyan and all the camp into his hand.” (Judges 7:15) And it came to be, when Giḏʽon heard this dream related, and its interpretation, that he bowed himself down. And he returned to the camp of Yisra’ĕl, and said, “Arise, for יהוה has given the camp of Miḏyan into your hand.”(Judges 7:16) And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a ram’s horn into the hands of all of them, with empty jars, and torches inside the jars. (Judges 7:17) And he said to them, “Watch me and do likewise. And see, when I come to the edge of the camp do as I do. (Judges 7:18) “And I shall blow the ram’s horn, I and all those with me, then you shall also blow the ram’s horns round about all the camp, and say, ‘For יהוה and for Giḏʽon!’ ” (Judges 7:19) And Giḏʽon and the hundred men who were with him came to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, as they had but newly posted the watch. And they blew the ram’s horns and broke the jars that were in their hands. (Judges 7:20) And the three companies blew the ram’s horns and broke the jars, and held the torches in their left hands and the ram’s horns in their right hands for blowing. And they cried, “For יהוה and for Giḏʽon!” (Judges 7:21) And each stood in his place, round about the camp. And all the army ran and cried out and fled, (Judges 7:22) and the three hundred blew the ram’s horns, and יהוה set the sword of each one against the other throughout all the camp. And the army fled to Bĕyth Shittah, toward Tserĕrah, as far as the border of Aḇĕl Meḥolah, by Tabbath. (Judges 7:23) And the men of Yisra’ĕl were called from Naphtali, and from Ashĕr, and from all Menashsheh, and pursued Miḏyan. (Judges 7:24) Then Giḏʽon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephrayim, saying, “Come down to meet Miḏyan, and capture from them the watering places as far as Bĕyth Barah and the Yardĕn.” So all the men of Ephrayim were called and captured the watering places as far as Bĕyth Barah and the Yardĕn. (Judges 7:25) And they captured two princes of Miḏyan, Orĕḇ and Ze’ĕḇ, and slew Orĕḇ at the rock of Orĕḇ, and Ze’ĕḇ they slew at the winepress of Ze’ĕḇ while they pursued Miḏyan. And they brought the heads of Orĕḇ and Ze’ĕḇ to Giḏʽon beyond the Yardĕn. (Judges 8:1) And the men of Ephrayim said to him, “What is this you have done to us by not calling us when you went to fight with Miḏyan?” And they contended with him sharply, (Judges 8:2) and he said to them, “What have I done as compared with you? Are the gleanings of Ephrayim not better than the grape harvest of Aḇiʽezer? (Judges 8:3) “Elohim has given into your hands the princes of Miḏyan, Orĕḇ and Ze’ĕḇ. And what was I able to do as compared with you?” After he had said that their rage toward him subsided. (Judges 8:4) And Giḏʽon and the three hundred men who were with him came to the Yardĕn, passing over, weary yet pursuing. (Judges 8:5) And he said to the men of Sukkoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, sovereigns of Miḏyan.” (Judges 8:6) But the leaders of Sukkoth said, “Are the hands of Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” (Judges 8:7) And Giḏʽon said, “Because of this, when יהוה has given Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna into my hand, I shall tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!” (Judges 8:8) And he went up from there to Penu’ĕl and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penu’ĕl answered him as the men of Sukkoth had answered him. (Judges 8:9) So he spoke also to the men of Penu’ĕl, saying, “When I come back in peace I shall break down this tower!” (Judges 8:10) And Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna were at Qarqor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East. Now those who had already fallen were one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword. (Judges 8:11) And Giḏʽon went up by the way of those who dwell in tents on the east of Noḇaḥ and Yoḡbehah. And he smote the camp while the camp was at ease. (Judges 8:12) And Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna fled, and he pursued them, and captured the two sovereigns of Miḏyan, Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, and shuddered the entire army. (Judges 8:13) And Giḏʽon son of Yo’ash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Ḥeres, (Judges 8:14) and captured a youth of the men of Sukkoth and questioned him. So the youth wrote down for him the leaders of Sukkoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. (Judges 8:15) And he came to the men of Sukkoth and said, “See: Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’ ” (Judges 8:16) And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson. (Judges 8:17) And he broke down the tower of Penu’ĕl and slew the men of the city. (Judges 8:18) And he said to Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, “How were the men whom you killed at Taḇor?” So they answered, “They were like you, each one looked like the son of a sovereign.” (Judges 8:19) And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As יהוה lives, if you had let them live, I would not slay you.” (Judges 8:20) And he said to Yether his first-born, “Rise, slay them!” But the youth would not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth. (Judges 8:21) Then Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and fall on us. For as a man is, so is his might.” So Giḏʽon arose and slew Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks. (Judges 8:22) So the men of Yisra’ĕl said to Giḏʽon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have saved us from the hand of Miḏyan.” (Judges 8:23) But Giḏʽon said to them, “I do not rule over you, nor does my son rule over you. יהוה does rule over you.” (Judges 8:24) And Giḏʽon said to them, “I have a request to make of you, that each of you gives me the ring from his spoil.” They had rings of gold, because they were Yishmaʽĕlites. (Judges 8:25) And they said, “We shall certainly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the ring from his spoil. (Judges 8:26) And the weight of the gold rings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred pieces of gold – besides the crescent ornaments, and the pendants, and purple robes which were on the sovereigns of Miḏyan, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks. (Judges 8:27) And Giḏʽon made it into a shoulder garment and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Yisra’ĕl went whoring after it there. And it became a snare to Giḏʽon and to his house. (Judges 8:28) Thus Miḏyan was humbled before the children of Yisra’ĕl, and they lifted their heads no more. And the land had rest for forty years in the days of Giḏʽon. (Judges 8:29) And Yerubbaʽal son of Yo’ash went and dwelt in his own house. (Judges 8:30) And Giḏʽon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives. (Judges 8:31) And his concubine who was in Sheḵem also bore him a son, and he gave him the name Aḇimeleḵ. (Judges 8:32) And Giḏʽon son of Yo’ash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Yo’ash his father, in Ophrah of the Aḇiʽezerites. (Judges 8:33) And it came to be, when Giḏʽon was dead, that the children of Yisra’ĕl again went whoring after the Baʽals, and made Baʽal-Berith their mighty one. (Judges 8:34) Thus the children of Yisra’ĕl did not remember יהוה their Elohim, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies round about, (Judges 8:35) nor did they show kindness to the house of Yerubbaʽal, Giḏʽon, according to all the good which he did for Yisra’ĕl. (Judges 9:1) And Aḇimeleḵ son of Yerubbaʽal went to Sheḵem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the clan of the house of his mother’s father, saying, (Judges 9:2) “Please speak in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Yerubbaʽal rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ And you shall remember that I am your own flesh and bone.” (Judges 9:3) And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem. And their heart inclined toward Aḇimeleḵ, for they said, “He is our brother.” (Judges 9:4) And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baʽal-Berith, with which Aḇimeleḵ hired worthless and reckless men. And they followed him. (Judges 9:5) And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and slew his brothers, the seventy sons of Yerubbaʽal, on one stone. But Yotham the youngest son of Yerubbaʽal was left, because he hid himself. (Judges 9:6) And all the masters of Sheḵem gathered together, and all of Bĕyth Millo, and they went and made Aḇimeleḵ sovereign beside the terebinth tree at the post that was in Sheḵem. (Judges 9:7) And they informed Yotham, and he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out, and said to them, “Hear me, you masters of Sheḵem, and let Elohim hear you! (Judges 9:8) “The trees went forth to anoint a sovereign over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘reign over us!’ (Judges 9:9) “And the olive tree said to them, ‘shall I leave my oil, with which they esteem mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’ (Judges 9:10) “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come, reign over us!’ (Judges 9:11) “And the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?’ (Judges 9:12) “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come, reign over us!’ (Judges 9:13) “And the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which rejoices mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’ (Judges 9:14) “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come, reign over us!’ (Judges 9:15) “And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me as sovereign over you, come, take shelter in my shade. But if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Leḇanon!’ (Judges 9:16) “And now, if you have acted in truth and integrity in setting up Aḇimeleḵ to reign, and if you have acted well with Yerubbaʽal and his house, and have done to him as his hands did to you – (Judges 9:17) for my father fought for you and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Miḏyan, (Judges 9:18) but you have risen up against my father’s house today, and slew his seventy sons on one stone, and set up Aḇimeleḵ, the son of his female servant, to reign over the masters of Sheḵem, because he is your brother – (Judges 9:19) if then you have acted in truth and integrity with Yerubbaʽal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Aḇimeleḵ, and let him also rejoice in you. (Judges 9:20) “But if not, let fire come out from Aḇimeleḵ and devour the masters of Sheḵem and Bĕyth Millo, and let fire come out from the masters of Sheḵem and from Bĕyth Millo and devour Aḇimeleḵ!” (Judges 9:21) Then Yotham ran away and fled, and he went to be’ĕr and dwelt there, for fear of Aḇimeleḵ his brother. (Judges 9:22) And Aḇimeleḵ governed Yisra’ĕl three years, (Judges 9:23) and Elohim sent an evil spirit between Aḇimeleḵ and the masters of Sheḵem. And the masters of Sheḵem acted treacherously against Aḇimeleḵ, (Judges 9:24) in order that the violence done to the seventy sons of Yerubbaʽal might come, and their blood be laid on Aḇimeleḵ their brother, who slew them, and on the masters of Sheḵem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brothers. (Judges 9:25) And the masters of Sheḵem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed over by them along that way. And it was reported to Aḇimeleḵ. (Judges 9:26) And Gaʽal son of Eḇeḏ came with his brothers and passed over to Sheḵem. And the masters of Sheḵem put their trust in him, (Judges 9:27) and went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards and trod out, and held a feast. And they went into the house of their mighty one, and ate and drank, and cursed Aḇimeleḵ. (Judges 9:28) And Gaʽal son of Eḇeḏ said, “Who is Aḇimeleḵ, and who is Sheḵem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Yerubbaʽal, and is not Zeḇul his officer? Serve the men of Ḥamor the father of Sheḵem! But why should we serve him? (Judges 9:29) “If only this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Aḇimeleḵ.” And he said to Aḇimeleḵ, “Increase your army and come out!”

(Judges 9:30) And when Zeḇul, the governor of the city, heard the words of Gaʽal son of Eḇeḏ, his displeasure burned. (Judges 9:31) And he sent messengers to Aḇimeleḵ by deceit, saying, “See, Gaʽal son of Eḇeḏ and his brothers have come to Sheḵem. And see, they are besieging the city against you. (Judges 9:32) “And now, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. (Judges 9:33) “And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, then rise early and rush upon the city. And see, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall do to them as your hand finds to do.” (Judges 9:34) And Aḇimeleḵ and all the people who were with him rose up by night, and laid in wait against Sheḵem in four companies. (Judges 9:35) Now Gaʽal son of Eḇeḏ went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate and Aḇimeleḵ and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait. (Judges 9:36) And when Gaʽal saw the people, he said to Zeḇul, “See, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!” But Zeḇul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains like men.” (Judges 9:37) And Gaʽal spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another company is coming from the Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.” (Judges 9:38) And Zeḇul said to him, “Now where is your mouth with which you said, ‘Who is Aḇimeleḵ, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? I beg you, go out and fight them now.” (Judges 9:39) So Gaʽal went out, leading the masters of Sheḵem, and fought Aḇimeleḵ. (Judges 9:40) And Aḇimeleḵ pursued him, and he fled from him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. (Judges 9:41) And Aḇimeleḵ stayed at Arumah, and Zeḇul drove out Gaʽal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Sheḵem. (Judges 9:42) And it came to be the next day that the people went out into the field, and they informed Aḇimeleḵ. (Judges 9:43) And he took his people, and divided them into three companies, and laid in wait in the field, and looked and saw the people coming out of the city. And he rose against them and smote them. (Judges 9:44) And Aḇimeleḵ and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city. And the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and smote them. (Judges 9:45) And Aḇimeleḵ fought against the city all that day, and captured the city and slew the people who were in it. And he broke down the city and sowed it with salt. (Judges 9:46) And all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem had heard that, and entered the stronghold of the house of Ěl Berith. (Judges 9:47) And it was reported to Aḇimeleḵ that all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem were gathered together. (Judges 9:48) So Aḇimeleḵ went up to Mount Tsalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Aḇimeleḵ took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry, do as I have done.” (Judges 9:49) And all the people likewise cut down each one his own branch and followed Aḇimeleḵ, and put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the men of the tower of Sheḵem died, about a thousand men and women. (Judges 9:50) Aḇimeleḵ then went to Thĕḇĕts, and he encamped against Thĕḇĕts and captured it. (Judges 9:51) However, there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women and all the masters of the city fled there and shut themselves in, and went up to the top of the tower. (Judges 9:52) And Aḇimeleḵ came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the door of the tower to burn it with fire.



If YHWH be against you who can stand? Evil may triumph for a time but righteous judgment from the Righteous Judge is coming!



(Judges 9:53) But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on the head of Aḇimeleḵ, and crushed his skull. (Judges 9:54) He then immediately called the young man, his armor-bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. (Judges 9:55) And when the men of Yisra’ĕl saw that Aḇimeleḵ was dead, each one went to his own place. (Judges 9:56) Thus did Elohim repay the evil of Aḇimeleḵ, which he had done to his father to slay his seventy brothers. (Judges 9:57) And all the evil of the men of Sheḵem Elohim turned back on their own heads, and the curse of Yotham son of Yerubbaʽal came on them.



(Psa 30:2) O YHWH my Elohim, I cried to you for help, and you healed me. (Psa 30:3) O YHWH, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit. (Psa 30:4) Sing praise to YHWH, you His righteous ones, and give thanks to His holy name. (Psa 30:5) For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.



May YHWH bless you loved one! May He keep you and may He lift up His countenance upon you and give you the SAR Shalom, the Prince of all Peace, Yahshua Messiah! May He hear your yes agreement with His word and instructions in prayer and amen agreement of His Word in all your prayers, that your joy for your loved ones comes in the morning!



(Rom 13:12) The night is far spent, the day has come near. So let us put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Rom 13:13) Let us walk becomingly, as in the day, not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in living together and indecencies, not in fighting and envy, (Rom 13:14) but put on the Master יהושע (Yahshua) Messiah, and make no provision for the lusts of the flesh. Thanks Loved One, for your prayers for us!


Shalom to your home Loved One,
Thurston

Hannukah- Feast of Dedicating the Altar

Happy Hannukah! Repenting and Dedicating our lives to Him!

Sometimes Loved One, the road must be repeated. That is why it is a Torah Cycle. (Comment: the cycle is likened to the ancient path we are to return to; a path is often considered “a beaten path” due to returning to it often) We must learn to seek YHWH for His love and compassion to download to us; for others in our lives. Sometimes we only understand after returning many times. We can read the Scriptures over and over and then out of nowhere it seems, YHWH reveals new Truth to us! I can remember telling Yahshua once that the job description of the angelic beings (Seraphim) flying around the Throne Room in Heaven and saying holy, holy is YHWH might get boring after a few thousand years. (Isa 6:1) In the year that Sovereign Uzziyah died, I saw יהוה sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Hĕḵal. (Temple) (Isa 6:2) Above it stood seraphim. Each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. (Isa 6:3) And one cried to another and said, “Set-apart, set-apart, set-apart is יהוה of hosts; all the earth is filled with His esteem!” (Comment: Many versions declare holy, holy is YHWH) (Isa 6:4) And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (Isa 6:5) And I said, “Woe to me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips – for my eyes have seen the sovereign, יהוה of hosts.” Then our loving King dropped in my spirit that He reveals more of His glory to them. (Comment: glory according to Moses’ report was a revealing of more of His goodness and mercy) This creates an instant surge of joy and enthusiasm in these angelic beings! In like manner He reveals to us as more of Himself as we seek Him with all our hearts. Why is this so important? Obviously in fiery trials and testing’s we sometimes feel abandoned and at our end. Some even become hope-less. We must join ourselves to Him by getting in His presence and being restored- regularly! (Rom 5:1) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with YHWH through our Master Yahshua Messiah, (Rom 5:2) through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of YHWH. (Rom 5:3) And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; (Rom 5:4) and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; (Rom 5:5) and hope does not disappoint, because the love of YHWH has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Rom 5:6) While we were still helpless, (Hopeless also?) at the right time Messiah died for the ungodly. (Rom 5:7) For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. (Rom 5:8) But YHWH demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet transgressors of Torah (sinners), Messiah died for us. (Rom 5:9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of YHWH through Him.

Truth Seekers, we have studied and reviewed much about the coming darkness and fiery trials we can expect in the days ahead. Please do remember the Scriptures declare this Exodus will be a far greater deliverance than even Moses and Israel crossing the Red Sea. Thank you for your prayers and intercession as I am meeting part of our family of loved ones in South Africa and they are delightful people indeed!

Once again we need to remind ourselves why you and I and they are Family and as such you (we) are “Loved Ones”! I consider all “Truth Seekers” family and therefore loved ones. Once again, here’s why; (Matthew 12:46) While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood without, desiring to speak with him.(Matthew 12:47) Then one said unto him, Behold, your mother and your brothers stand without, desiring to speak with you. (Matthew 12:48) But he answered and said unto him that told him, who is my mother? And who are my brothers?



(Matthew 12:49) And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, behold my mother and my brothers! (Matthew 12:50) For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Understand if we are willing to humble ourselves and submit to the will of YHWH and do the Father’s will (His TORAH! /Instructions) we are Yahshua’s (Jesus) family!



We should also realize a truth: Jeremiah prophesied that in the DAY OF AFFLICTION (Comment: Hebrew idiom for Jacob’s Trouble or also known as the Great Tribulation in the last days) we would recognize (YHWH reveals truth) and become aware of the fact that we have added to and subtracted from His FEASTS and commands! These are lies that really don’t please Him because they have pagan roots and are manmade (added and subtracted from the WORD) traditions that make the word of YHWH of none effect! (Jer 16:19) O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.(Deu 4:2) “Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it1, so as to guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim which I am commanding you. Footnote: 1See also 12:32, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18-19.



Can we even imagine thinking we were serving YHWH our whole lives’ and hear Him tell us we inherited lies and were workers of lawlessness- that He never knew us and to depart from us; that we actually were disobedient following pagan traditions we inherited? This experience would and will cause many to go screaming in horror, weeping and gnashing of teeth, into the flames of hell! Heaven- Oh Yah- Change us NOW! Reveal your TRUTH to us that we may be pleasing in your sight! Nothing is too hard for you YHWH!



There it is in a nutshell once again. You are family if you are humble enough to be a truth searcher. One who desires truth and obedience to your Creator- more than you want acceptance from men and their traditions. This group would include us who are willing to pick up our burial stake and follow Him. Why do I use burial stake? Because you and I must be willing to decrease as He increases in us. He changes not and that only leaves you and I to do the changing, Yahshua put it like this: (Matthew 16:24) Then said Yahshua to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. (Matthew 16:26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?



We must be willing to humble ourselves and accept the engrafted word when we discover truth. This losing our life for Him is not just physical. As we are changed into His image we are losing our old person (ality) and gaining HIM! To the degree we are hungry for Him we will be changed- no more or less. (Matthew 5:6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.



How do we hunger and thirst for righteousness?



(James 4:7) So then subject (submit/humble) yourselves to Elohim. Resist the devil1 and he shall flee from you. Footnote: 1Or adversary. (James 4:8) Draw near to Elohim and He shall draw near to you. Cleanse hands, sinners. And cleanse the hearts, you double-minded! (James 4:9) Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. (James 4:10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Master, and He shall lift you up. You and I must change and receive the engrafted word of LIFE, (HUMBLE OURSELVES) turn in repentance and OBEY HIM. We can no longer say we love Him and not do what He says! (Luke 6:46) And why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?



Do we call Him Lord and Master but not obey Him? Are we of those that think His LAW (Commentary: Law was translated that but it is Torah-Instructions in Hebrew) is done away with and ALL fulfilled? Hopefully, we will rethink that position! The Spring Feasts alone are fulfilled. Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Shavuot were fulfilled down to the day and hour! He was the Passover Lamb, 3 days later the High Priest was still in seclusion as was prescribed of the High Priest prior to offering the thanksgiving for the first fruits of the Earth, when He said “Don’t touch me Mary, I have not yet ascended to My Father.” He is and was the High Priest! Seven sevens (weeks) later He sent the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) on Shavuot, the anniversary of giving the Torah (Law) at Mt. Sinai. He came the first time to be Messiah Ben Joseph, the suffering servant to be the Lamb of YHWH (God) sacrifice.



He is coming a second time very soon as Messiah Ben David, the Reigning King! He will rule His Kingdom from Jerusalem! Is He now ruling? NO. It is not all fulfilled! Let’s look at what Yahshua said about the Law being done away with and WHEN this will occur! (Mat 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. (Mat 5:18) For verily I say unto you, until heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, until all be fulfilled. (Mat 5:19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Even to us casual observers, heaven and earth have not passed! Let’s acknowledge that fact as a truth and return to Him as we study this week’s portion and allow Him to restore ALL things- especially us!



(Jer 30:3) 'For behold, days are coming,' declares YHWH, 'when I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah.' (Comment: this means you and I who are grafted into Israel by grace by faith in Yahshua and are heirs now of Abraham according to the promise) YHWH says, 'I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they shall possess it.'" (Jer 30:16) 'Therefore all who devour you will be devoured; and all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity; and those who plunder you will be for plunder, And all who prey upon you I will give for prey. (Jer 30:17) 'For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds,' declares YHWH, 'because they have called you an outcast, saying: "It is Zion; no one cares for her."' (Jer 30:18) "Thus says YHWH, 'Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwelling places; and the city will be rebuilt on its ruin, and the palace will stand on its rightful place. (Jer 30:19) 'From them will proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who celebrate; and I will multiply them and they will not be diminished; I will also honor them and they will not be insignificant. (Jer 30:20) 'Their children also will be as formerly, and their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all their oppressors. (Jer 30:21) 'Their leader shall be one of them, and their ruler shall come forth from their midst; and I will bring him near and he shall approach me; for who would dare to risk his life to approach me?' declares YHWH. (Jer 30:22) 'You shall be my people, and I will be your Elohim.'"



Here are the Torah Scriptures this week: Milketz “At the End”

Genesis 41:1-44:17; 1 Kings 3:15-4:1; 1 Kings 7:40-50; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Judges Chapters 4, 5. And 6

Remember Joseph gave the credit to YHWH for interpreting Dreams!

(Gen 40:1) And after these events it came to be that the cupbearer and the baker of the sovereign of Mitsrayim sinned against their master, the sovereign of Mitsrayim. (Gen 40:2) And Pharaoh was wroth with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. (Gen 40:3) So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Yosĕph was a prisoner. (Gen 40:4) And the captain of the guard put Yosĕph in charge of them, and he served them. So they were in confinement for some time. (Gen 40:5) Then the cupbearer and the baker of the sovereign of Mitsrayim, who were confined in the prison, dreamed a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. (Gen 40:6) And Yosĕph came in to them in the morning and looked at them and saw that they were sad. (Gen 40:7) And he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in confinement of his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” (Gen 40:8) And they said to him, “We each have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” And Yosĕph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to Elohim? Relate them to me, please.” (Gen 40:9) So the chief cupbearer related his dream to Yosĕph, and said to him, “See, in my dream a vine was before me, (Gen 40:10) and in the vine were three branches, and it was as though it budded – its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. (Gen 40:11) “And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand. So I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” (Gen 40:12) And Yosĕph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. (Gen 40:13) “Yet, within three days Pharaoh is going to lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you shall put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former ruling, when you were his cupbearer. (Gen 40:14) “But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me. And mention me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. (Gen 40:15) “Truly I was stolen away from the land of the Heḇrews. And also I have done naught that they should put me into the dungeon.” (Gen 40:16) And the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, and he said to Yosĕph, “I also was in my dream and saw three white baskets were on my head, (Gen 40:17) and in the uppermost basket all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” (Gen 40:18) And Yosĕph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. (Gen 40:19) “Yet, within three days Pharaoh is going to lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree. And the birds shall eat your flesh from you.”

(Gen 40:20) And on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, it came to be that he made a feast for all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and of the chief baker among his servants, (Gen 40:21) and he restored the chief cupbearer to his post of cupbearer again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, (Gen 40:22) but he hanged the chief baker, as Yosĕph had interpreted to them. (Gen 40:23) And the chief cupbearer did not remember Yosĕph, but forgot him.



Ten brothers are the Scattered Ten Tribes called Ephraim in: (Eze 37:19) Say unto them, Thus saith YHWH Elohim; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.



(Gen 42:1) And when Yaʽaqoḇ saw that there was grain in Mitsrayim, Yaʽaqoḇ said to his sons, “Why do you look at each other?” (Gen 42:2) And he said, “See, I have heard that there is grain in Mitsrayim. Go down to that place and buy for us there, and let us live and not die.” (Gen 42:3) And Yosĕph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Mitsrayim. (Gen 42:4) But Yaʽaqoḇ did not send Yosĕph’s brother Binyamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some harm come to him.” (Gen 42:5) And the sons of Yisra’ĕl went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the scarcity of food was in the land of Kenaʽan. (Gen 42:6) And Yosĕph was the governor over the land, he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Yosĕph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. (Gen 42:7) And Yosĕph saw his brothers and recognised them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly, and said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Kenaʽan to buy food.”



When we are dressed up in pagan sun god worship and Easter fertility worship we are not easy to recognize by our brothers of the faith!



(Gen 42:8) So Yosĕph recognised his brothers, but they did not recognize him. (Gen 42:9) And Yosĕph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!” (Gen 42:10) And they said to him, “No, my master, but your servants have come to buy food. (Gen 42:11) “We are all one man’s sons, we are trustworthy, your servants are not spies.” (Gen 42:12) But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” (Gen 42:13) And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Kenaʽan. And see, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” (Gen 42:14) And Yosĕph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’ (Gen 42:15) “By this you shall be proven: By the life of Pharaoh, you do not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. (Gen 42:16) “Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you are kept in prison. So let your words be proven to see whether there is any truth in you, or else, by the life of Pharaoh, you are spies!” (Gen 42:17) And he put them all together in prison for three days. (Gen 42:18) Now Yosĕph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear Elohim: (Gen 42:19) “If you are trustworthy, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house, and you, go, bring grain for the scarcity of food of your houses. (Gen 42:20) “And bring your youngest brother to me, and let your words be confirmed, and you do not die.” And so they did. (Gen 42:21) And they said to each other, “Truly, we are guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the distress of his life when he pleaded with us, yet we did not listen, that is why this distress has come upon us.” (Gen 42:22) And Re’uḇĕn answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ and you would not listen? And see, his blood is now required of us.” (Gen 42:23) And they did not know that Yosĕph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.

(Gen 42:24) And he turned himself away from them and wept, but came back to them and spoke to them. And he took Shimʽon from them and bound him before their eyes. (Gen 42:25) And Yosĕph commanded and they filled their sacks with grain, also to put back every man’s silver to his sack, and to give them food for the journey. And thus it was done for them. (Gen 42:26) So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and went from there. (Gen 42:27) And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his silver, for there it was in the mouth of his sack! (Gen 42:28) And he said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned, and there it is, in my sack!” And their hearts sank and they were afraid, saying to each other, “What is this that Elohim has done to us?” (Gen 42:29) So they came to Yaʽaqoḇ their father in the land of Kenaʽan and reported to him all that befell them, saying, (Gen 42:30) “The man, the master of the land, spoke to us harshly, and took us for spies of the land. (Gen 42:31) “But we said to him, ‘We are trustworthy, we are not spies. (Gen 42:32) ‘We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Kenaʽan.’ (Gen 42:33) “And the man, the master of the land, said to us, ‘By this I know that you are trustworthy: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for the scarcity of food of your households, and go. (Gen 42:34) ‘And bring your youngest brother to me, then I know that you are not spies, but that you are trustworthy – I give your brother to you, and you move about in the land.’ ” (Gen 42:35) And it came to be as they emptied their sacks, that look, the bundle of each man’s silver was in his sack! And when they and their father saw the bundles of silver, they were afraid. (Gen 42:36) And Yaʽaqoḇ their father said to them, “You have bereaved me – Yosĕph is no more, and Shimʽon is no more, and you would take Binyamin! All this is against me.” (Gen 42:37) So Re’uḇĕn spoke to his father, saying, “Take the lives of my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I myself bring him back to you.” (Gen 42:38) But he said, “My son is not going down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any harm should come to him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my grey hair with sorrow to the grave.” (Gen 43:1) But the scarcity of food was severe in the land. (Gen 43:2) And it came to be, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Mitsrayim that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” (Gen 43:3) But Yehuḏah spoke to him, saying, “The man vehemently warned us, saying, ‘You do not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ” (Gen 43:4) “If you let our brother go with us, we go down and buy you food. (Gen 43:5) “But if you do not let him go, we do not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You do not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ” (Gen 43:6) And Yisra’ĕl said, “Why did you do evil to me to inform the man that you still had another brother?” (Gen 43:7) And they said, “The man kept asking about us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we informed him according to these words. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” (Gen 43:8) And Yehuḏah said to Yisra’ĕl his father, “Send the boy with me, and let us arise and go, and live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. (Gen 43:9) “I myself shall stand guaranty for him – from my hand you are to require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. (Gen 43:10) “For if we had not delayed, truly by now we could have returned this second time.” (Gen 43:11) And their father Yisra’ĕl said to them, “If so, then do this: Take some of the best fruit of the land in your vessels and bring a present down for the man, a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds. (Gen 43:12) “And take double silver in your hand, and take back in your hand the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. It could have been a mistake. (Gen 43:13) “And take your brother, and arise, go back to the man.



When we are guilty of transgression we lose all hope (Our hearts condemn us!) before we repent- note how they imagined their own judgment!



(1Jn 3:18) My little children let us not love in word or in tongue alone, but in deed and in truth. (1Jn 3:19) And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall set our hearts at rest before Him, (1Jn 3:20) that if our heart condemns us, Elohim is greater than our heart, and knows all. (1Jn 3:21) Beloved ones, if our heart does not condemn us, we have boldness toward Elohim. (1Jn 3:22) And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we guard His commands and do what is pleasing in His sight.1 Footnote: 1Prov. 28:9, John 9:31, Jm. 5:16. (1Jn 3:23) And this is His command, that we should believe in the Name of His Son יהושע Messiah and love one another, as He gave us command. (1Jn 3:24) And the one guarding His commands stays in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He stays in us, by the Spirit which He gave us.1 Footnote: 1John 14:23-24, Acts 5:32, Rom. 8:7-11, 1 John 2:5, 1 John 4:13.



So let’s look at what our minds do before we repent! I expect here is where we see Jacob’s prayer for them answered in



(Gen 43:14) “And Ěl Shaddai give to you compassion before the man, so that he shall release your other brother and Binyamin. And I, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved!” (Gen 43:15) And the men took that present and Binyamin, and they took double the amount of silver in their hand, and arose and went down to Mitsrayim, and stood before Yosĕph. (Gen 43:16) And Yosĕph saw Binyamin with them, and said to the one over his house, “Bring the men home, and make a great slaughter, and prepare, for these men are to eat with me at noon.” (Gen 43:17) And the man did as Yosĕph said, and the man brought the men into Yosĕph’s house. (Gen 43:18) And the men were afraid because they were brought into Yosĕph’s house. And they said, “It is because of the silver, which was put back into our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, to throw himself upon us and fall upon us, to take us as slaves, our donkeys too.” (Gen 43:19) So they came near to the man over the house of Yosĕph, and spoke to him at the door of the house, (Gen 43:20) and said, “O my master, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, (Gen 43:21) but it came to be, when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks and saw each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack, our silver in its weight. And we have brought it back in our hand. (Gen 43:22) “And we have brought down other silver in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.” (Gen 43:23) But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your Elohim and the Elohim of your father has given you treasure in your sacks – your silver had come to me!” And he brought Shimʽon out to them. (Gen 43:24) And the man brought the men into Yosĕph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. And he gave their donkeys fodder. (Gen 43:25) And they made the present ready for Yosĕph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they were to eat there. (Gen 43:26) And when Yosĕph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand, into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.



Here YHWH is working on Joseph’s heart for forgiveness and compassion!



(Gen 43:27) And he asked them about their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” (Gen 43:28) And they said, “Your servant our father is in good health, he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and did obeisance. (Gen 43:29) And he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Binyamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “Elohim show favor to you, my son.”

(Gen 43:30) And Yosĕph hurried, for his emotions were deeply moved towards his brother, and he looked for a place to weep, and went into his room and wept there. (Gen 43:31) Then he washed his face and came out, and controlled himself, and said, “Serve the food.” (Gen 43:32) And they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Mitsrites who ate with him by themselves, for the Mitsrites could not eat food with the Heḇrews, for that is an abomination to the Mitsrites. (Gen 43:33) And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at each other in astonishment. (Gen 43:34) And he took portions to them from before him, but Binyamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they feasted and they drank with him. (Gen 44:1) And he commanded the one over his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as they are able to bear, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. (Gen 44:2) “And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and the silver for his grain.” And he did according to the word of Yosĕph which he spoke. (Gen 44:3) As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. Gen 44:4) And when they had gone out of the city, not having gone far, Yosĕph said to the one over his house, “Rise up, follow the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? (Gen 44:5) ‘Is this not the one from which my master drinks, and with which he indeed divines? You have done evil in what you have done.’ ” (Gen 44:6) So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. (Gen 44:7) And they said to him, “Why does my master say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do according to this word. (Gen 44:8) “See, we brought back to you from the land of Kenaʽan the silver which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then should we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? (Gen 44:9) “With whomever of your servants it is found – he shall die and we shall become my master’s slaves as well.” (Gen 44:10) And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found becomes my slave, and you are innocent.” (Gen 44:11) And they hurried, each man let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. (Gen 44:12) And he searched, with the oldest first and with the youngest last, and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack. (Gen 44:13) And they tore their garments, and each man loaded his donkey and went back to the city. (Gen 44:14) And Yehuḏah and his brothers came to Yosĕph’s house, and he was still there. And they fell before him on the ground. (Gen 44:15) And Yosĕph said to them, “What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that a man like me indeed divines?”



Confessing our sin brings repentance which yields the fruit of deliverance!



(Gen 44:16) And Yehuḏah said, “What do we say to my master? What do we speak? Or how do we clear ourselves? Elohim has found out the crookedness of your servants. See, we are my master’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.” (Gen 44:17) But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose hand the cup was found he becomes my slave. And you go up in peace to your father.”







Easy times always seems to bring disobedience and wickedness

(Judges 4:1) And when Ěhuḏ was dead, the children of Yisra’ĕl again did evil in the eyes of יהוה.

(Judges 4:2) Therefore יהוה sold them into the hand of Yaḇin the sovereign of Kenaʽan, who reigned in Ḥatsor. And the commander of his army was Sisera, who was dwelling in Ḥarosheth Haggoyim. (Judges 4:3) The children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה because he had nine hundred chariots of iron and for twenty years he harshly oppressed the children of Yisra’ĕl. (Judges 4:4) And Deḇorah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappiḏoth, was ruling Yisra’ĕl at that time. (Judges 4:5) And she was dwelling under the palm tree of Deḇorah between Ramah and Bĕyth Ěl in the mountains of Ephrayim. And the children of Yisra’ĕl came up to her for right-ruling. (Judges 4:6) And she sent and called for Baraq son of Aḇinoʽam from Qeḏesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl commanded, ‘Go, and you shall draw towards Mount Taḇor, and shall take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zeḇulun, (Judges 4:7) and I shall draw unto you Sisera, the commander of Yaḇin’s army, with his chariots and his company at the wadi Qishon, and shall give him into your hand’?” (Judges 4:8) And Baraq said to her, “If you go with me, then I shall go; but if you do not go with me, I do not go.” (Judges 4:9) And she said, “I shall certainly go with you. Only, there shall be no esteem for you in the journey you are taking, for יהוה is going to sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” So Deḇorah arose and went with Baraq to Qeḏesh. (Judges 4:10) And Baraq called Zeḇulun and Naphtali to Qeḏesh. And he went up – ten thousand men under his command – and Deḇorah went up with him. (Judges 4:11) And Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite, of the children of Ḥoḇaḇ the father-in-law of Mosheh, had separated himself from the Qĕynites and pitched his tent near the terebinth tree at Tsaʽanayim, which is beside Qeḏesh. (Judges 4:12) And they reported to Sisera that Baraq son of Aḇinoʽam had gone up to Mount Taḇor. (Judges 4:13) So Sisera called all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Ḥarosheth Haggoyim to the wadi Qishon. (Judges 4:14) And Deḇorah said to Baraq, “Rise up! For this is the day in which יהוה has given Sisera into your hand. Has not יהוה gone out before you?” And Baraq went down from Mount Taḇor with ten thousand men after him. (Judges 4:15) And יהוה destroyed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Baraq. And Sisera leaped from his chariot and fled away on foot. (Judges 4:16) But Baraq pursued the chariots and the army as far as Ḥarosheth Haggoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword, not one was left. (Judges 4:17) Sisera, meanwhile, had fled on foot to the tent of Yaʽĕl, the wife of Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite, for there was peace between Yaḇin sovereign of Ḥatsor and the house of Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite. (Judges 4:18) And Yaʽĕl went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me, do not fear.” So he turned aside with her into the tent, and she covered him with a blanket. (Judges 4:19) And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him a drink, and covered him. (Judges 4:20) And he said to her, “Stand at the door of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and asks you, and says, ‘Is there a man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’ ” (Judges 4:21) But Yaʽĕl, Ḥeḇer’s wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into the side of his head, and it went down into the ground – for he was fast asleep and exhausted – and he died. (Judges 4:22) And see, as Baraq pursued Sisera, Yaʽĕl came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, let me show you the man whom you are seeking.” And when he went into her tent, there lay Sisera, dead with the peg in the side of his head. (Judges 4:23) And on that day Elohim humbled Yaḇin sovereign of Kenaʽan in the presence of the children of Yisra’ĕl. (Judges 4:24) And the hand of the children of Yisra’ĕl grew stronger and stronger against Yaḇin sovereign of Kenaʽan, until they had cut off Yaḇin sovereign of Kenaʽan.



We can also learn to bless YHWH in our trials ahead!



Judges 5:1) And on that day Deḇorah and Baraq son of Aḇinoʽam sang, saying, (Judges 5:2) “For leaders leading in Yisra’ĕl, for the people volunteering, bless יהוה! (Judges 5:3) “Hear, O sovereigns! Give ear, O princes! I, I do sing to יהוה; I sing praise to יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl. (Judges 5:4) “יהוה, when You went out from Sĕʽir, when You stepped from the field of Eḏom, the earth shook and the heavens poured, the clouds also poured water. (Judges 5:5) “The mountains flowed at the presence of יהוה, this Sinai, at the presence of יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.

(Judges 5:6) “In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Yaʽĕl, the highways were deserted, and the travelers went in crooked ways. (Judges 5:7) “Leadership ceased, it ceased in Yisra’ĕl, until I, Deḇorah, arose – a mother in Yisra’ĕl arose. (Judges 5:8) “They chose new mighty ones, then fighting was in the gates! Neither a shield nor spear was seen among forty thousand in Yisra’ĕl. (Judges 5:9) “My heart is towards the lawgivers of Yisra’ĕl, the volunteers among the people. Bless יהוה! (Judges 5:10) “You who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk along the way, declare it! (Judges 5:11) “By the voice of shouters, between the places of drawing water, there they recount the righteous acts of יהוה, the righteous acts of His leadership in Yisra’ĕl; then the people of יהוה shall go down to the gates. (Judges 5:12) “Wake up, wake up, Deḇorah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Arise, Baraq, and lead your captives away, O son of Aḇinoʽam! (Judges 5:13) “Then He set the remnant to rule the nobles; יהוה came down for me against the mighty ones. (Judges 5:14) “Out of Ephrayim their root is against Amalĕq. After you, Binyamin, with your peoples, out of Maḵir lawgivers came down, and out of Zeḇulun those who handle the scribe’s reed. (Judges 5:15) “And the heads of Yissasḵar were with Deḇorah. And as Yissasḵar, so was Baraq sent into the valley under his command. Among the divisions of Re’uḇĕn there were great searching’s of heart. (Judges 5:16) “Why did you remain among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleating of the flocks? The divisions of Re’uḇĕn have great searching’s of heart. (Judges 5:17) “Gilʽaḏ remained beyond the Yardĕn, and why did Dan remain on ships? Ashĕr continued at the seashore, and remained by its landing places.

(Judges 5:18) “Zeḇulun is a people who risked their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the field. (Judges 5:19) “Sovereigns came, they fought, then the sovereigns of Kenaʽan fought in Taʽanaḵ, by the waters of Meḡiddo; they took no spoils of silver. (Judges 5:20) “From the heavens they fought; the stars from their courses fought against Sisera. (Judges 5:21) “The wadi of Qishon swept them away, that age-old wadi, the wadi of Qishon. O my being, you have trampled in strength! (Judges 5:22) “Then stamped hoofs of horses, with the galloping, galloping of his steeds. (Judges 5:23) ‘Curse Mĕroz,’ said a messenger of יהוה, ‘curse, curse its inhabitants, because they did not come to the help of יהוה, to the help of יהוה among the mighty.’



People rejoice when wickedness is removed!



(Judges 5:24) “Blessed above women is Yaʽĕl, the wife of Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite – above women in tents she is blessed. (Judges 5:25) “He asked for water, she gave milk; she brought out curdled milk in a bowl for nobles. (Judges 5:26) “She stretched her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. Then she pounded Sisera, she smashed his head, she pierced and struck through the side of his head. (Judges 5:27) “Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell – destroyed.

(Judges 5:28) “Through the window the mother of Sisera looked, and cried out through the lattice, ‘Why does his chariot delay to come? Why have the steps of his chariots tarried?’

(Judges 5:29) “The wise ones of her princesses answered her, indeed, she answered herself,

(Judges 5:30) ‘Do they not find and divide the spoil: a girl or two for each man; a spoil of dyed work for Sisera, a spoil of dyed work embroidered, dyed work richly embroidered for the necks of the looter?’ (Judges 5:31) “So do all your enemies perish O יהוה! But let those who love Him be like the sun rising in its might!” And the land had rest forty years.



Mankind (including Israel- Us) never takes long to fall away from YHWH, do evil once again bringing His judgment! Again we cry out to YHWH!

(Judges 6:1) And the children of Yisra’ĕl did evil in the eyes of יהוה, and יהוה gave them into the hand of Miḏyan for seven years, (Judges 6:2) and the hand of Miḏyan was strong against Yisra’ĕl. And before the faces of the Miḏyanites the children of Yisra’ĕl made for themselves the refuges which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. (Judges 6:3) And it came to be, whenever Yisra’ĕl had sown, that Miḏyan would come up, and Amalĕq and the people of the East would come up against them, (Judges 6:4) and encamp against them and destroy the increase of the soil as far as Azzah, and leave no food in Yisra’ĕl, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. (Judges 6:5) For they came up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts. And they and their camels were without number. And they came into the land to destroy it. (Judges 6:6) Thus Yisra’ĕl was brought very low because of Miḏyan, and the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה. (Judges 6:7) And it came to be, when the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה because of Miḏyan, (Judges 6:8) that יהוה sent a prophet to the children of Yisra’ĕl, who said to them, “Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, ‘I have brought you up from Mitsrayim and I brought you out of the house of bondage, (Judges 6:9) and I delivered you out of the hand of the Mitsrites and out of the hand of all your oppressors, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. (Judges 6:10) ‘And I said to you, “I am יהוה your Elohim, do not fear the mighty ones of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. And you have not obeyed My voice.” ’ ” (Judges 6:11) And the Messenger of יהוה came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Yo’ash the Aḇiʽezerite, while his son Giḏʽon threshed wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the eyes of the Miḏyanites.

(Judges 6:12) And the Messenger of יהוה appeared to him, and said to him, “יהוה is with you, you mighty brave one!” (Judges 6:13) And Giḏʽon said to Him, “O my master, if יהוה is with us, why has all this come upon us? And where are all His wonders which our fathers related to us, saying, ‘Did not יהוה bring us up from Mitsrayim?’ But now יהוה has left us and given us into the hands of Miḏyan.” (Judges 6:14) And יהוה turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours, and you shall save Yisra’ĕl from the hand of the Miḏyanites. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6:15) And he said to Him, “O יהוה, with what do I save Yisra’ĕl? See, my clan is the weakest in Menashsheh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:16) And יהוה said to him, “Because I am with you, you shall smite the Miḏyanites as one man.” (Judges 6:17) And he said to Him, “Please, if I have found favor in Your eyes, then show me a sign that it is You who are speaking with me. (Judges 6:18) “Please do not move away from here, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.” And He said, “I shall stay until you return.” (Judges 6:19) And Giḏʽon went in, and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ĕphah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot. And he brought them out to Him, under the terebinth tree, and presented it. (Judges 6:20) And the Messenger of Elohim said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. (Judges 6:21) And the Messenger of יהוה put forth the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. And fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Messenger of יהוה went from his sight. (Judges 6:22) And when Giḏʽon saw that He was a Messenger of יהוה, Giḏʽon said, “Oh Master יהוה! I have seen a Messenger of יהוה face to face.”

(Judges 6:23) And יהוה said to him, “Peace be with you! Do not fear, you do not die.” (Judges 6:24) And Giḏʽon built an altar there to יהוה, and called it: יהוה Shalom. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Aḇiʽezerites. (Judges 6:25) And the same night it came to be that יהוה said to him, “Take the young bull of your father, and the second bull of seven years old, and you shall throw down the altar of Baʽal that your father has, and cut down the Ashĕrah that is beside it. (Judges 6:26) “And you shall build an altar to יהוה your Elohim on top of this rock in an orderly way, and shall take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the image which you cut down.” (Judges 6:27) And Giḏʽon took ten men from among his servants and did as יהוה had said to him. And it came to be, because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, that he did it by night. (Judges 6:28) And the men of the city arose early in the morning and saw the altar of Baʽal was broken down, and the Ashĕrah that was beside it had been cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which was built. (Judges 6:29) And they said to each other, “Who has done this deed?” And when they had inquired and asked, they said, “Giḏʽon son of Yo’ash has done this deed.” (Judges 6:30) And the men of the city said to Yo’ash, “Bring out your son, so that he dies, for he has broken down the altar of Baʽal, and because he has cut down the Ashĕrah that was beside it.” (Judges 6:31) And Yo’ash said to all who stood against him, “You, would you plead for Baʽal? You, would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a mighty one, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been broken down!” (Judges 6:32) So that day he called him Yerubbaʽal, saying, “Let Baʽal plead against him, because he has broken down his altar.” (Judges 6:33) Now all Miḏyan and Amalĕq and the people of the East, were gathered together. And they passed over and encamped in the Valley of Yizreʽĕl. (Judges 6:34) Then the Spirit of יהוה came upon Giḏʽon, and he blew the ram’s horn, and the Aḇiʽezerites gathered behind him. (Judges 6:35) And he sent messengers throughout all Menashsheh, who also gathered behind him. And he sent messengers to Ashĕr, and to Zeḇulun, and to Naphtali. And they came up to meet them. (Judges 6:36) And Giḏʽon said to Elohim, “If you are saving Yisra’ĕl by my hand as You have said, (Judges 6:37) see, I am placing a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you are saving Yisra’ĕl by my hand, as you have said.” (Judges 6:38) And it was so, and he rose early the next morning and pressed the fleece, and wrung dew out of the fleece, to fill a bowl with water. (Judges 6:39) And Giḏʽon said to Elohim, “Do not be displeased with me, and let me speak only this time: Please let me try only this time with the fleece, please let it be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” (Judges 6:40) And Elohim did so that night and it was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.



Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU! You are truly the most dependable and trustworthy brothers and sisters (prayer warriors and intercessors) on the planet. As you have been so faithful to seek YHWH Elohim on our behalf; so YHWH is moving to deliver you and your Loved Ones. “If we ask anything according to the will of the Father and we know He hears us; we KNOW we have the thing we asked for!” (1Jn 5:14) This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1Jn 5:15) And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. I have met so many wonderful brothers and sisters in South Africa. I know you would enjoy them greatly also! May YHWH give back 30, 60 and 100 fold your prayers answered for your loved ones! He always hears heart rendered prayers!


Shalom to your home,
Thurston