Reflection for V’yigash

“The Family Reunited”

Acts 7:9-16 (esp. 13-15)

excerpted from TorahScope Apostolic Scriptures Reflections

In the third installment on the life of Joseph, which is being examined this week in V’yigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27), the emphasis focuses on the second visit of the brothers. A kind of family reunion occurred, as Joseph’s brothers went back to Canaan to get their father Jacob, and then they returned to Egypt with him. You might be moved to tears by the thought of how, after so many years separated, Joseph was finally able to see his father.

Considering this week’s selection from the Apostolic Scriptures, we can note how Stephen appealed to the reunification of Jacob’s family, in his defense before the Sanhedrin:

“The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him 10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time. On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh. Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.[1] Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, himself and our fathers; and they were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem” (Acts 7:9-16, WMB).

Looking at more of Stephen’s defense, he made an appeal to the Prophets. He compared the persecution and execution of many of the Prophets, to what his detractors were doing to him, in failing to hear what he had to proclaim. His declarations were so profound, that his detractors were provoked to stop him from convicting them of having hardened hearts. Coming to a crescendo of condemning statements, Stephen exemplified the similar character traits of not only Joseph, but also Yeshua. He died a martyr’s death, in standing firm for the truth of the gospel:

“‘You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. You received the Torah as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!’ Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Yeshua standing on the right hand of God, and said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord. They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, ‘Lord Yeshua, receive my spirit!’ He kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, ‘Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!’ When he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:51-60, WMB).

Stephen had a heart similar to Joseph, who was able to forgive his brothers for selling him into slavery, as before dying, he prayed to the Lord to not hold his death against those murdering him. Joseph was mature and wise enough to understand how it was God’s will to send him ahead, for the ultimate deliverance of Jacob’s family:

“Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come near to me, please.’ They came near. He said, ‘I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing and no harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. So now it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt’” (Genesis 45:4-8, WMB).

Stephen, obviously filled with the Holy Spirit as the text indicates (Acts 7:55), echoed the heart of the Lord Yeshua. He too asked His Father to forgive the executioners who were unjustly putting Him to death:

“When they came to the place that is called ‘The Skull’, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. Yeshua said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots” (Luke 23:33-34, WMB).

Seeing how Stephen emulated both the Patriarch Joseph and the Messiah Yeshua, should be very encouraging to us as people of faith. We should all strive to emulate them. There is no doubt from reading the Scriptures, that the Second Coming of the Messiah will be preceded by much turmoil and tribulation. There will most likely be many, who will be alive at that future time, who will be called upon to exemplify the character traits of figures like Joseph and Stephen. Even if you are not called to live in those end-times, there are still some important questions you might want to ask yourself, considering your own state of spirituality:

• How would I react given some of the challenges faced by Joseph and Stephen?
• Do I have godly attributes similar to Joseph and Stephen?
• Am I ready to forgive those who do me harm?
• Can I forgive my brethren, and recognize God’s sovereign hand on whatever circumstances arise?
• Am I ready to face persecution for the faith, and will I be confident to proclaim the gospel of the Messiah and His Kingdom to come?

Has the Almighty prepared you to be useful for Him in His Kingdom’s work? Have you allowed the words of the Scriptures, which have perhaps been given to you throughout a lifetime of discipleship, to enable you to declare His goodness to all you encounter? Lord, please make us ready, able, and willing—no matter what comes in our lifetime! Allow us to be able servants of You, who can speak forth Your truth when the situation requires it!

NOTES

[1] This is according to Genesis 46:27, as found in the Greek Septuagint:

“And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in the land of Egypt, were nine souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came with Joseph into Egypt, were seventy-five souls” (LXE).