Disciples of Jesus Christs' Parsha Miketz, Sabbath Dec. 24 2011

Disciples of Jesus Christs' Parsha Miketz, 
Sabbath Dec. 24 2011. Parsha Miketz, Genesis 41:1-44:17.
Haftorah Amos 2:6 through Amos 3:8

Genesis 44:1-34 A Silver cup in the sack

Joseph sends his half-brothers home with a sack of food, each is given grain but he intends to modify one of the sacks; which is the youngest - his brother. Genesis 44:1. However once the morning arrives, the men are on their way to leave Egypt and return to the land of Canaan with their sack of food, and silver. Joseph instructs his servant to go after them and bear an allegation in regards to the silver cup that is used for divination. So the servant catches up with the brothers and deny that they have the silver cup, and also recommend that the one that has stolen the cup is put to death and the remainder are used as slaves (Genesis 44:2-18).

Joseph decides that he will not kill the men because of the divination cup, after speaking with Judah who knows that Joseph is equal to Pharaoh, meaning whatever he says is final; which means that their guilt has caught up with them it is like the worst kind of bad Karma. Then Joseph asks about his brother Benjamin and his Father, Israel. On one hand, if the half-brothers go back to their father Jacob, with the food, then he will send them again for food. Moreover, if they take Benjamin and leave him to fin for himself and ends up in slavery like Joseph, their father will be full of sorrow his last days (Genesis 44:17-34). It is only until Joseph runs a rouse on the half brothers to make them think about what their father would say and think do they realize that they should never repeat the devious incident that got him sold into slavery in the first place. It is sad, but believe it or not a Black Man can not go anywhere. Some people are very rude and they will not say or well this person is around the wrong place at the wrong time, let us just simply be pleasant and cordial and send him on his way.

Jeremiah 49:13. King James Version (KJV)

 ¹³For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

Jeremiah 49:17. King James Version (KJV)

 ¹⁷Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

Jeremiah 49:18. King James Version (KJV)

 ¹⁸As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it.

Luke 1:11-32. New International Version (NIV) Show resources

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

 ¹ Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  ³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

    ⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins^[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

 ¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.    ¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

   ¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

   “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

   ²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

   ²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

   ²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

   ²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

   ³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Recommended Readings

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary. Genesis 44. http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=1&c=44 

Lambert Dolphin. "Brief History and Final Destiny of Edom." http://ldophin.org/edom.html  Last reviewed, Dec. 8th 2009.

Introduction to Obadiah; The Identity of Edom (Obadiah). http://www.ucgstp.org/bible/brp/oba1.htm  Last reviewed, Dec. 8th, 2009.

Bible Magazine. "The Way to Jerusalem: Edom of the Latter Days." http://www.biblemagazine.com/library/wj-jrsm/wj-chapter4.html  Last reviewed, December 8th, 2009.

Syria uprising: timeline. The Telegraph. Key dates in the nine months of violence and repression in Syria. Reviewed on Fri. Dec. 23 2011. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8952698/Syria-uprising-timeline.html

Last Convoy of American Troops Leaves Iraq. The New York Times. Reviewed on Fri. Dec. 23, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/19/world/middleeast/last-convoy-of-american-troops-leaves-iraq.html