CANDLEGLOW LESSON
PARASHAH VAYIGASH (Genesis 44:18-47:7) Week 11
Joseph was favored by God. This was clear for all to see. Joseph was aware of God’s overarching shepherding of his life. God’s plans and purposes continued to unfold before Joseph’s eyes, albeit a slow reveal. The word revelation means to reveal by unveiling. When veiled, our eyes strain to see, and the message from the Kingdom of God may be missed altogether. Joseph’s brother’s eyes were veiled to the power and the truth of Adonai.
As they viewed Joseph’s coat of many colors, and his deep relationship with father Jacob who ordered Joseph to oversee their lives, they saw through veiled eyes. All they could see was their lack, instead of God’s sovereignty over Jacob’s family. Remember the story of Cain and Abel? Abel’s sacrifice was pleasing to the Lord because Abel had the eyes of the heart to see what pleased God. His brother Cain saw Abel’s good fortune only as his personal lack. In Biblical history we see many others who also went the way of Cain, and murder became their delight.
This is the Lesson of Alignment. In Hebrew, the word Yachad means One, Together, or Aligned. The lesson of Yachad points us inward, into our heart and the condition of it. Is our heart filled with the love and fear of Adonai above anything else? In the Shema prayer each morning, Jews pray, “Veyachad…Make our heart one, to love and fear your name.” It is in the holy quest to be aligned with Adonai and His sovereignty that the veils are lifted off of our eyes, dear seeker.
This is the Lesson of Alignment. Joseph knew Adonai and Adonai knew Joseph. This is the result of seeking and finding the Lord in all His beauty, in all the many facets of His attributes which pour forth over humanity, and over our individual lives. This alignment is attributed to seeking after the Lord upon a well-worn path. He will never disappoint, in our spiritual journey to find Him and draw near!
How many times did Joseph answer on behalf of the Lord? How often did Joseph give God all the glory? How often did Joseph patiently rest and abide in Adonai? Even imprisoned, until the day Adonai finally moved in Joseph’s behalf, he patiently served right where he was. The truth is wrapped up in the beautiful proof about Joseph’s heart. There was a wholeness and completeness inside of Joseph’s soul, attributed to Adonai’s secret abiding presence.
This is the Lesson of Alignment. In the virtuous and miraculous lives of the Patriarchs, there is an ancestral truth which runs deep! They were aligned in spirit and truth with their God. They sought His holy alignment, and with it came the personal anointing and advancement onto the blueprint of history and their unique part woven into THE TAPESTRY OF TORAH and the Lessons from the Wilderness, which still teach and refine the inner man, to this day!
CANDLEGLOW LESSON FOR SHABBAT
On this beautiful December Sabbath, may we take heart and be encouraged that our journey to draw nearer and nearer to God’s truth and abiding presence will be blessed by His continual unveiling of His Revelation!
I see the hands of the Father gently lifting the veils, which cloud our spiritual eyes, one by one, week by week, and from glory to glory, as our alignment with Him increases! May it be so for us all! Amen
Shabbat Shalom!
Sydney