Yosephs Second Dream

by Craig Peters

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I, and your mother, and your brothers indeed come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth? 11 And his brothers envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind. Bereshit/Genesis 37:9-11

a In the Kingdom of hwhy, there is nothing that goes unseen or unrewarded. While hwhy

will most assuredly punish all iniquity,1 He also delights in blessing and rewarding authentic, loving acts of righteousness.2 Yosephs desire to walk uprightly would eventually be greatly rewarded, but this would not occur apart from considerable loss and suffering. The account of the patriarch Yosephs very real and extended sufferings, of the events that brought about his exaltation in Egypt and his reconciliation with his brothers, of that overwhelming time of restoration to his mourning fatherit all has to be one of the most moving true-life stories in the entirety of Scripture. This present work endeavors to share the amazing fulfillment of the Word of hwhy to Yoseph, the Word which was given to him through two very special dreams.

Yosephs First Dream We begin this section by reading and pondering the account of Yosephs first dream. The name of Yoseph means hwhy adds/increases and it has the same root word as the word translated more in this text: 5 And Yoseph (Powy) dreamed a dream, and told it to his brothers, and they hated him yet the more (powy) 3. 6 And he said to them, Hear now this dream, which I have dreamed! 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the fields, and behold, my sheaf rose up, and stood upright.4 And behold, your sheaves came round about and bowed down to my sheaf. 8 And his brothers said to him, Will you indeed be a king over us? Will you indeed rule over us? And they hated him yet the more (powy) 5 for his dreams and for his words. Genesis 37:5-8

1 2

Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 7:9-10, Psalm 58:10-11, 62:11-12 Psalm 11:7, 58:10-11, 62:11-12, 146:8 3 This word for more has the same Hebrew root word as the name of Yoseph (Powy). 4 upright = yashar = rSy. Because Yoseph walked uprightly, even in the midst of immense trials and persecution, he was eventually exalted above his brothers. 5 This word for more has the same Hebrew root word as the name of Yoseph (Powy).

Those who speak the Word of hwhy will be hated, but as Elohim did with the brothers of Yoseph, the sovereignty of the Most High will oversee the affects of the resulting persecution. And while it has already been indicated in a footnote, it is of great importance to note the sheaf of Yoseph arose and stood upright. This word for upright is yashar ( rSy ). The Spirit revealing that because Yoseph walked in uprightness, even in the midst of immense trials and persecution, he was eventually, though not immediately, exalted to stand as a sovereign ruler in the courts of Egypt and was, thus, exalted above his brothers. Both Yoseph and Daniel are examples of how a throne is established by righteousness;6 both men walked in uprightness before being exalted by Elohim to rule over others.7 When the famine later compelled Yaacob to send the ten brothers of Yoseph to buy food in Egypt,8 and when those ten bowed before him,9 his first dream had still not been completely fulfilled as it required all of his brothers to bow before him.10 As difficult as it may have been for Yoseph to contain himself, he had to follow the Word of hwhy. So he orchestrated the retrieval of Benyamin. In the process, Yoseph worked to bring his brothers to repentance. Even as he had been betrayed with twenty pieces of silver, Yoseph used silver (in various forms) to call to account those brothers who had betrayed him.11 When Benjamin finally came to Egypt,12 all eleven sheaves bowed before Yoseph. His first dream had been fulfilled and Yoseph could then reveal himself to his brothers. What a moving occasion this was as they had all come full circle. Yoseph was alive! He had been promoted to rule over Egypt! His first dream had been fulfilled! The Word of hwhy had come to pass! Yoseph had risen and stood upright, and hwhy used this faithful man to preserve alive the seed of Yaacob, the descendants of Abraham.13 Yosephs Second Dream We begin this section by once more reading and pondering the account of Yosephs second dream: 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I, and your mother, and your brothers indeed come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth? 11 And his brothers envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind. Bereshit/Genesis 37:9-11
6 7

Proverbs 16:12, 25:5, 29:14, Isaiah 16:5 Psalm 75:6-7, Daniel 4:17, 24-25, 32 8 Genesis 42:1-3 9 Genesis 42:6 10 Genesis 37:5-8 11 Genesis 42:25-35 (money = silver), 43:11-15, 17-22, 44:1-31 12 (and it did take some convincing! Genesis 43:1-10) 13 Genesis 45:4-13, 50:19-21

For some years now, the Spirit has continued to confirm that, since his mother, Rachel, was already dead when he received this vision,14 Yosephs second dream can only be a reference to his greatness and reward in the First Resurrection. This being the case, the above Scripture becomes one of the strongest texts in the Torah and Prophets that prove the reality of the resurrection from the dead. After recently hearing a brief explanation of this dreams actual meaning, a dear sister quietly wondered if the mother here mentioned could have been referring to another wife of Ya'acob/Jacob. And at least one other has adamantly protested the mother referred to by Yaacob was Leah. Because that view falls so short of what hwhy intended to convey, for the sake of all believers, it seems beneficial to further explain why this second dream must refer to Yosephs reward and greatness in the Resurrection. 1. The Splendor of the Sun, Moon, and Stars The language and concepts used as Yoseph describes his second dream are used elsewhere to describe post-resurrection events: The use of the sun, moon and stars, to describe Ya'acob, Rachel, and the eleven brothers. Shaul, the emissary, would later write of how a mortal body sown in corruption (buried in the earth15) would later be raised to incorruption in the resurrection, and he there indicated that it will shine with the splendor of a heavenly body (one like the sun, another like the moon, and still others like the stars): 36 You simple one, that which you sow is not made alive, unless it dies: 37 And that which you sow, you sow not that body that shall be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat, or of some other grain:16 38 But Elohim gives it a body as it has pleased Him, and to every seed its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the splendor of the celestial is one, and of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one splendor of the sun, and another splendor of the moon, and another splendor of the stars: for one star differs from another star in splendor. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in splendor: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 1Corinthians 15:36-44 Still referring to the resurrection, recall how Yochanan (John) wrote of having seen the resurrected Messiah and His face was like the Sun shining in its strength:

14 15

Genesis 35:16-19 John 12:24 16 The use of grain conveys an earthly setting, as do the sheaves of grain in Yosephs first dream.

And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shining in his strength. Revelation 1:16 They Will Bow Down Before You According to his dream, the sun, moon, and eleven stars will bow down before Yoseph. Once more, referring to the greatness/reward of overcoming believers in the First Resurrection, the Messiah promises this: 9 Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of those that say they are Yahudim (Jews), and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and bow down before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Revelation 3:9 While no one should think Jacob, Rachel, and his eleven brothers are of the synagogue of Satan, we still see from this text how those believers who overcome through suffering will be honored with the Messiah in the Resurrection. In his second dream, Yoseph was promised to be among this exalted group, and he clung to that Word and promise of hwhy during his time of severe and extended suffering.17 2. The Sufferings of the Messiah Many believe Yoseph to have been a prophetic type of the Messiah. We concur with that view for many reasons. And the Word states that, if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him: 11 Steadfast is the word: For if we died togetherwe also shall live together; 12 if we do suffer togetherwe shall also reign together ... 2Timothy 2:11-12 In advance of his being exalted to reign over Egypt, Yoseph did endure the sufferings of the Messiah: Yahudah/Judah (Judas) was the one who suggested Yoseph be sold to the caravan and nine of the brothers would eventually conspire to sell him for 20 pieces of silver.18 Yet it was Yahudah/Judah (Judas)19 who betrayed the Messiah for 30 pieces of silver. And in Hebrew, Yahudah (Judas) adds to exactly thirty:

30 = (5) h + (4) d + (6) w + (5) h+ (10) y = hdwhy = Yahudah

17 18

Psalm 105:16-22 Genesis 37:26-27 19 (the same Hebrew name as Judah)

 Yoseph suffered physically and emotionally at the hands of his brothers and he suffered physically and emotionally when they betrayed him into the hands of Gentiles.20 The Messiah was also betrayed into the hands of the Gentiles.21 Both were stripped of their garment(s).22 In Egypt, Yoseph suffered false witness23 and ingratitude24 although he had done no wrong to those people. The Messiah suffered likewise: 21 For even to this were you called: because the Messiah also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 Who committed no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: 23 Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously. 1Peter 2:21-23 [There are likely still many more parallels between the sufferings of Yoseph and the Messiah.] As the Last Days are fulfilled upon us, we do well to hold these truths close to our hearts since many multitudes of believers will increasingly share in the sufferings of the Messiah in the times ahead. The account of Yosephs very real and very extended sufferings, of the events that brought about his exaltation in Egypt and his reconciliation with his brothers, of that unspeakable, overwhelming time of restoration to his mourning fatherit all has to be one of the most stunning, most miraculous, and most moving truelife stories in the entirety of Scripture. We bless the Name of hwhy whose unspeakable love and sovereign Hand worked such a miraculous accountfrom start to finishto fulfill His awesome Word and to provide us with such immense benefit and edification. For whatever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have expectation. Romans 15:4 C.P. 12-21-2011
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20 21

Psalm 105:17-18, Genesis 42:21 Matthew 20:19. Mark 10:33 22 Genesis 37:23, Matthew 27:28 23 Genesis 39:2-20 24 Genesis 40:1-23

Craig Peters is a Messianic author who ministers the Word of YHWH, in part, through free articles provided to feed the Messiahs sheep worldwide. He believes the Spirit reveals the Hebrew misparim (numbers), as given in the inspired Alef-Beit, provide us with the Most Highs very own Commentary on His Eternal Word.
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