CANDLEGLOW LESSON for PARASHAH VAYESHEV
(Genesis 37:1-40:23) Week Nine
“So, it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long-sleeved robe he was wearing and took him and threw him into the cistern. (The cistern was empty; without any water in it).” (Genesis 37: 23-24 CJB)
It was by stripping away Joseph’s beautiful and symbolic robe, that the brothers could take a step back, band together, and look toward their own future in a new way; a future that would not include Joseph. With dreams of revelation, divine appointments, and heavenly anointing upon his life, Joseph changes and is made humble; maturing as a man because of his slavery in the courts of an Egyptian Pharaoh.
Joseph obediently stepped into a NEW robe; a heavenly robe with a design created by the Divine Weaver. This robe was the one which placed him in the role of servant and priest, leading him in new directions of service to Pharaoh and the nation of Egypt, in service to his God.
This heavenly-ordained robe was not worn to elevate Joseph, but to testify to his life now in Egypt under Adonai’s direction and covered by the grace of God as he served Him. Joseph bent down low in the PIT, in the Egyptian courts, and even imprisoned, as the servant of Adonai. His heavenly Father covered him in a new robe which was designed to bless his family, the Nation of Egypt, and the world which suffered famine and strife.
This is the Lesson of the Two Robes. We may be elevated by an outward showing of favoritism by others in our earthly life, which can send us into bondage, if we hold too tightly to the status of Prince or Princess.
This is the Lesson of the Two Robes. We see as Joseph’s motivations lean into Adonai and His ways, how his entire life-force takes on a Kingdom perspective, not a Joseph perspective. The two robes of Joseph’s life are part of the beautiful Tapestry of Torah. See the coat of many colors, made expressly for Joseph by his earthly father, Jacob. The fabrics and stitches saved for this coat were from the robes of his mother and grandmother. This coat of many colors brought pain and sorrow to his brothers, and slavery and bondage to Joseph. This coat was stitched together with pride and favoritism, and was worn in arrogance.
This is the Lesson of the Two Robes. This lesson is for us, dear seeker. Do we covet and hang onto relationships in life which elevate us to Prince or Princess status in the eyes of others? Do we hold on too tightly to a robe, which is a snare? “She grabbed him by his robe and said, ‘Sleep with me!’ But he fled, leaving his robe in her hand and got himself outside.” (Genesis 39:12 CJB)
CANDLEGLOW LESSON FOR SHABBAT
When we have taken off the old robe of arrogance, putting on the new robe of righteousness, this heavenly robe brings freedom. By the covering of the Spirit of God, we are FREE to FLEE from sin, and walk uprightly as a servant and priest of the Most-High.
“Then, so far as your former way of life is concerned, you must strip off your old nature, because your old nature is thoroughly rotted by its deceptive desires; and you must let your spirits and minds keep being renewed, and clothe yourselves with the new nature created to be godly, which expresses itself in the righteousness and holiness that flows from the truth.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 CJB)
On this special Shabbat which intersects our traditional Advent Calendar, but also ushers in the celebration of Hanukah meaning The Festival of the Dedication (Re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish Maccabees won the war against the Syrian Greeks; reclaiming the Jewish Temple) may we intentionally pause!
The Sabbath is a ‘Holy Pause’ in life, in order to breathe in the fragrance of the Lord and all the promises of God over our lives. May we be able to see with the eyes of our hearts that…
We are never more beautiful than when clothed in the glorious righteousness of the will of our Father, through Messiah, His Son!
May you be blessed as you celebrate the birth of the Light of the World, the miracle of the eight days of light for the Temple Menorah, lit by only one day’s worth of oil, and of the Sabbath rest which ushers in both remembrance’s!
Shabbat Shalom!
Sydney