Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach (Happy Holidays)! Because this Shabbat (Sabbath) falls within the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah, it is called Shabbat Hanukkah. Parsha Miketz (At the End) Genesis 41:1–44:17; Numbers 7:24–35; Zechariah 2:14–4:7 (2:10–4:7); “When two full years had passed [miketz], Pharaoh had a dream.” (Genesis 41:1 Since this week’s Parsha falls on the third day of the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah), a special Haftarah portion containing a vision of the golden Temple Menorah is read, as well as a portion from Numbers for the third day of Hanukkah. In last week’s study, Joseph seemed to be destined for trouble despite his prophetic dreams that revealed a grand destiny. In this week’s Parsha, Pharaoh has two related prophetic dreams that cause him intense anxiety. When his magicians and wise men cannot interpret the dreams, Pharaoh’s butler suddenly remembers the uncanny abilities of the Hebrew slave Joseph (Yosef). Pharaoh’s dreams are so disturbing that he wastes no time in calling Joseph out of prison. (Genesis 41:14) After Joseph is cleaned up and made presentable, Pharaoh tells him, “I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” (Genesis 41:15) Joseph, in a perfect balance of humility and boldness, tells Pharaoh that he is unable to interpret the dream, but God can and will do it. Despite years of hardship and adversity, Joseph has lost none of his confidence in God. “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Genesis 41:16) Only after setting the record straight on this does he tell Pharaoh that the dreams forewarn of a coming season of plenty, followed by a season of famine and lack. More Than a Dreamer “So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” (Genesis 41:38) Joseph not only interprets the meaning of Pharaohs dreams, he also gives him practical advice on how to deal with the coming crisis. He is no mere dreamer: he is a wise, prudent and practical man. Like Joseph, we also must be able to hear the voice of the Lord and know how to act upon the insights God gives us. And just as it was evident to Pharaoh that God had filled Joseph with His Spirit of wisdom, our lives should be characterized by wisdom, as well. We cannot entertain the idea that Joseph had a special gifting or anointing unavailable to us. The Word of God promises us wisdom if we will ask for it. In last week’s Parsha, Jacob grieved deeply because he believed his favorite son, Joseph, had been killed by wild animals. In this week’s Parsha, the famine drives him to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain. That grain is only available because Joseph was wise enough to create a plan for stockpiling it during the seven years of plenty that preceded the famine. But Jacob and his family know nothing of this. They only know there is grain for sale in Egypt. When his brothers see Joseph for the first time in many years, they only see a prince of Egypt; they will not recognize their brother until he reveals himself to them. Nevertheless, Joseph is now in a position to save both his family and Egypt. Shabbat Hanukkah Haftarah (Prophetic Reading) “When the altar was anointed, the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.” (Numbers 7:10) The Hebrew word Hanukkah (חנכה), which means dedication, is related to the khinukh, which means education. Both words are derived from the root chet-nun-kaf (חנך), meaning to dedicate, inaugurate or initiate. In the Book of Numbers (7:84), the word hanukkat is used in conjunction with the altar: hanukkat hamizbeach (dedication of the altar). Once Moses had finished setting up the Tabernacle, he dedicated the altar to the Lord. After that, all the leaders presented their grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings of bulls, rams, lambs, goats, oxen, and silver and gold plates filled with flour and oil, and incense. We could understand from this that the completion of a project might actually represent a new beginning. Also, it is only when we have dedicated our work to the Lord that our true education begins, and we are led into all that He has for us. The Temple and the Temple Service continued to be the focus of Jewish life from the time of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai until the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, a period of approximately 1,500 years. The First Temple, which was built by Solomon, lasted roughly 400 years before it was destroyed and the Jews were carried into captivity to Babylon. Zechariah returned from Babylonian exile when King Cyrus permitted the Jewish people to return to their Land in the year 538 BC. In the Shabbat Hanukkah reading, Zechariah has a vision of the Temple Menorah, although the Second Temple had not yet been built. “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps.” (Zechariah 4:2) In this reading, the Jewish People had attempted to rebuild the Holy Temple, but they became discouraged. Disasters and intense opposition filled them with dismay, and the building process came to a halt. The Prophet Zechariah, however, roused the people from their despondency with a vision of the Lord living among His people: “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you … and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent Me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as His portion in the Holy Land and will again choose Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 2:10–13) The people perhaps were tempted to think that returning to the comforts of Babylon would be easier than repenting and striving to rebuild in the Holy Land. They might have even worried that God wasn’t behind their efforts. But Zechariah’s vision left no doubt that the Lord had chosen them and Jerusalem. “I am going to bring My servant, the Branch and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.” (Zechariah 3:8–9) This idea of deliverance in a single day is also present in Parsha Miketz. Like the returned exiles from Babylon attempting to rebuild the Temple, Joseph probably had his share of desperate moments. On the human level, he had been forsaken and forgotten in prison. But God’s plan for him was still active, and He had not stopped watching over him. In fact, God had positioned him to be in the right place at the right time to fulfill his destiny. And suddenly, in just one day, Joseph went from the prison to the palace. In a single day, God delivered Joseph from prison. Although we have been delivered and set free, there might be times we find ourselves tempted to despair when we are in a difficult situation. When we come to the end of our own strength, asking, “What am I doing here in this difficult place?” we should remember Joseph and be reminded that God is in control—no matter how bad the situation looks. Sometimes we think that an improvement in our situation is going to take time—a lot of it! But when we put our trust in the Lord, He will give us the victory and bring us to a place that is far better than we could have imagined. It can happen in one day! God is the Lord of Breakthrough and the Master of the Breach. (1 Chronicles 14:11) “It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them.” (Psalm 44:3) The First Hanukkah Hanukkah is the anniversary of the re-dedication of the Temple after it was defiled by the Greco-Syrian armies (circa 166 BC). By all rights, the Jews should have been utterly defeated, for they were completely outnumbered. This is the lesson of all Jewish history: God accomplishes His will through His Spirit. It can become our history as well if we will allow God’s Spirit to have free reign in our lives, rather than relying upon our own abilities. “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit (Ruach), says YHVH Tzavaot (Lord of Hosts).” (Zechariah 4:6) At the time of the first Hanukkah in ancient Israel, only a remnant of God’s people were dedicated to Him and to His Torah. The rest had been assimilated into the Greek culture and its pagan faith. Therefore, Hanukkah was not simply about fighting a battle between a small band of Jewish freedom fighters called the Maccabees and the Greco-Syrian military forces; it was about fighting a deeper spiritual battle between a holy faith founded on the Word of God and the powerful forces that strive to lure God’s people into paganism. Of course, that battle is still ongoing today. But Haftarah Hanukkah reminds us that the battle belongs to the Lord. Although we live in this world, our ultimate allegiance is to God and His Word. May we re-dedicate ourselves during this season of Hanukkah to become vessels that are truly worthy of Him. You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, LORD, You made for Your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, Your hands established. (Exodus 15:17)
Posted on: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 10:44:37 +0000
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