Genesis 45 "in the beginning" 45
JOSEPH MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN
1 Joseph could not control himself in front of his servants any longer, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave now." So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
When he heard the heroic self-sacrifice of Judah [Genesis 44:33] and realized all the affection of that proposal--a proposal for which he was totally unprepared--he was completely unmanned; he felt himself forced to bring this painful trial to an end.
2 Joseph cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and the people in the Pharaoh's palace heard about it.
3 Then Joseph said "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" The brothers could not answer him, because they were very afraid of him.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When the brothers came close to him, he said to them, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold as a slave to go to Egypt.
5 Now don't be worried or angry with yourselves because you sold me here. GOD (Elohim-The God Family) sent me here ahead of you to save people's lives.
This is a major theme of God, that God is able to turn around the fate of people. God can turn bad into good, and even sins that we do, can be turned into a blessing. Cain is an example. The mark of Cain, was a result of his great sin, but it turned out to be a blessing from God
6 For two years now, the famine has been with us, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
The KJV uses the words "neither be earing nor harvest--" "Ear" is an old English word, meaning "to plough" (compare 1 Samuel 8:12, Isaiah 30:24). This seems to confirm the view given (Genesis 41:57) that the famine was caused by an extraordinary drought, which prevented the annual overflowing of the Nile; and of course made the land unfit to receive the seed of Egypt.
7 So GOD (Elohim-The God Family) sent me here ahead of you to make sure you have some descendants left on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Again, a messianic role here.
8 So it was not you who sent me here, but GOD (Elohim-The God Family). GOD (Elohim-The God Family) has made me like the father to the Pharaoh of Egypt. I am in charge of his palace, and I am the lord (adown) of all the land of Egypt.
The real translation is "the father to the Pharaoh. There is no Egyptian title of that name. I think this implies that this Pharaoh was very young, maybe like King Tut, 14-15 years old and Joseph at 35 is like his father!
9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don't delay.
10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.
11 I will care for you during the next five years of hunger so that you and your family and all that you have will not starve.'
12 You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you.
13 So tell my father about how powerful I have become in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. Now hurry and bring him back to me."
14 Then Joseph hugged his brother Benjamin and cried, and Benjamin cried also.
The KJV "And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck." The sudden transition from a condemned criminal to a fondled brother, might have occasioned fainting or even death, had not his tumultuous feelings been relieved by a torrent of tears. But Joseph's attentions were not confined to Benjamin. He affectionately embraced every one of his brothers in succession; and by those actions, his forgiveness was demonstrated more fully than it could be by words.
15 And Joseph kissed all his brothers and cried as he hugged them. After this, his brothers talked with him.
16 When the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased.
17 So the Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers to load their animals and go back to the land of Canaan
18 and bring their father and their families back here to me. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they will eat the best food we have here.
19 Tell them to take some wagons from Egypt for their children and their wives and to bring their father back also.
20 Tell them not to worry about bringing any of their things with them, because we will give them the best of what we have in Egypt."
21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey
22 He gave each brother a change of clothes, but he gave Benjamin five changes of clothes and about seven and one-half pounds of silver.
23 Joseph also sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father on his trip back.
24 Then Joseph told his brothers to go. As they were leaving, he said to them, "Don't quarrel on the way home."
25 So the brothers left Egypt and went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
26 They told him, "Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt." Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.
27 But when the brothers told him everything Joseph had said, and when Jacob saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him back to Egypt, he felt better.
28 Israel said, "Now I believe you. My son Joseph is still alive, and I will go and see him before I die."
Israel Also called Jacob.
Genesis 46 "in the beginning" 46
Israel’s Journey to Egypt
1 So Israel set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the GOD (Elohim-The God Family) of his father, Isaac.
Beer-sheba--That place, which was in his direct route to Egypt, had been a favorite encampment of Abraham (Genesis 21:33) and Isaac (Genesis 26:25), and was memorable for their experience of the divine goodness
2 And GOD (Elohim-The God Family) spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said: Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here I am.
3 I Am God (El), the GOD (Elohim-The God Family) of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation.
Hebrew I am El not Elohim. El is a singular form of Elohim, thus "I" is employed and not we.
4 I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. But you will die in Egypt with Joseph attending to you.
5 So Jacob left Beersheba, and his sons took him to Egypt. They carried him and their little ones and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for them.
6 They also took all their livestock and all the personal belongings they had acquired in the land of Canaan. So Jacob and his entire family went to Egypt—
7 sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters—all his descendants.
8 These are the names of the descendants of Israel—the sons of Israel—who went to Egypt: Reuben was Israel’s oldest son.
9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul. (Shaul’s mother was a Canaanite woman.)
11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (though Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah,J ashub, and Shimron.
Puah: As in Syriac version and Samaritan Pentateuch (see also 1 Chr 7:1); Hebrew reads Puvah.
14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons of Leah and Israel who were born in Paddan-aram, in addition to their daughter, Dinah. The number of Israel’s descendants both male and female through Leah was thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad were Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malkiel.
18 These were the sons of Zilpah, the servant given to Leah by her father, Laban. The number of Israel’s descendants through Zilpah was sixteen.
19 The sons of Israel’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
20 Joseph’s sons, born in the land of Egypt, were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their mother was Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.
21 Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These were the sons of Rachel and Israel. The number of Israel’s descendants through Rachel was fourteen.
23 The son of Dan was Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These were the sons of Bilhah, the servant given to Rachel by her father, Laban. The number of Israel’s descendants through Bilhah was seven.
26 The total number of Israel’s direct descendants who went with him to Egypt, not counting his sons’ wives, was sixty-six.
27 In addition, Joseph had two sons who were born in Egypt. So altogether, there were seventy members of Israel’s family in the land of Egypt.
Greek version reads nine sons, probably including Joseph’s grandsons through Ephraim and Manasseh (see 1 Chr 7:14-20).
In the speech of Stephen (Acts 7:14) the number is stated to be seventy-five; but as that estimate includes five sons of Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:14-20), born in Egypt, the two accounts coincide.
Israel’s Family Arrives in Goshen
28 As they neared their destination, Israel sent Judah ahead to meet Joseph and get directions to the region of Goshen. And when they finally arrived there,
29 Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet Israel, his father and presented himself to him. He embraced his father and wept, holding him for a long time.
30 And Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.”
31 To his brothers and his father's family, Joseph said, "I will go and tell the king you are here.
32 I will say, 'My brothers and my father's family have left the land of Canaan and have come here to me.
33 Then he said, “When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation,
34 this is what you should tell him: 'We, your servants, have taken care of farm animals all our lives. Our ancestors did the same thing.' Then the king will allow you to settle in the land of Goshen, away from the Egyptians, because they don't like to be near shepherds."
Genesis 47 "in the beginning" 47
Jacob Settles in Goshen
1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my family, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen."
2Joseph chose five of his brothers to introduce to the Pharoah.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What kind of work do you do?" They answered Pharaoh, "We are shepherds, as were our ancestors.
4 They also said to him, "We have come to live here awhile, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants' flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen."
5 Then the Pharoah said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you,
6 and you may choose any place in Egypt for them to live. Give your father and your brothers the best land; let them live in the land of Goshen. And if any of them are skilled shepherds, put them in charge of my sheep and cattle."
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and introduced him to the Pharoah, and Jacob blessed the Pharoah.
The idea that Jacob blesses the Pharoah shows two things. One that the Pharoah looks up highly to Joseph, and thus Joseph's dad is even greater and second that God is telling us that Jacob is greater than Pharoah! Hebrews 7:7
8 Then the Pharoah said to Jacob, "How old are you?"
9 Jacob said to him, "My life has been spent wandering from place to place. It has been short and filled with trouble—only 130 years. My ancestors lived much longer than I."
Though a hundred thirty years, he reckons by days (compare Psalms 90:12), which he calls few, as they appeared in retrospect. Jacob died when he was 147. Isaac 180, Abraham 175.
10 Then Jacob blessed the Pharoah and left.
11 Joseph obeyed the Pharoah and gave his father and brothers the best land in Egypt, near the city of Rameses.
12 And Joseph gave his father, his brothers, and everyone who lived with them the food they needed.
13 The hunger became worse, and since there was no food anywhere in the land, Egypt and Canaan became very poor.
14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan. People paid for the grain they were buying, and he brought that money to the Pharoah's palace.
15 After some time, when the people in Egypt and Canaan had no money left, they went to Joseph and said, "Please give us food. Our money is gone, and if we don't eat, we will die here in front of you."
16 Joseph answered, "Since you have no money, give me your farm animals, and I will give you food in return."
17 So people brought their farm animals to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. And he kept them alive by trading food for their farm animals that year.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, "We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.
19 Surely both we and our land will die here in front of you. Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we will be slaves to the Pharoah, together with our land. Give us seed to plant so that we will live and not die, and the land will not become a desert."
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for the Pharoah. Every Egyptian sold Joseph his field, because the hunger was very great. So the land became the Pharoah's,
21 and Joseph made the people into slaves and he moved the people into the cities.
22 The only land he did not buy was the land the priests owned. They did not need to sell their land because the Pharoah paid them for their work. So they had money to buy food.
23 Joseph said to the people, "Now I have bought you and your land for the Pharoah, so I will give you seed and you can plant your fields.
24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children."
25 The people said, "You have saved our lives. If you like, we will become slaves of the Pharoah."
26 So Joseph made a law in Egypt, which continues today: One-fifth of everything from the land belongs to the Pharoah. The only land the Pharoah did not get was the priests' land.
27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.
28 Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, so he lived to be one hundred forty-seven years old.
Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years the same number of years Joseph lived with him in Canaan! But here is another play on the number 17..... Abraham lived 175 years or 5X5X7...........Isaac 180 years or 6X6X5.............Jacob 147 or 7X7X3. In this sequence, the squared numbers increases by one, as the last number decreases by 2! Furthermore, the sum of each equation is 17!
29 When Israel knew he soon would die, he called his son Joseph to him and said to him, "If you love me, put your hand under my leg. Promise me you will not bury me in Egypt.
30 When I die, carry me out of Egypt, and bury me where my ancestors are buried." Joseph answered, "I will do as you say."
31 "Swear to me," he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
Genesis 48 "in the beginning" 48
The Blessing Splits: Tribe of Joseph Becomes Israel: RACE... Ephraim becomes the 13th tribe.
1 And it came to pass after this, word came to Joseph, “Your father is sick.” And he took his sons with him, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to see you,” Israel gathered his strength and sat up in his bed.
3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty (El-Shaddai) appeared to me at Luz [Bethel] in the land of Canaan and blessed me.
4 He said to me: I will make you fruitful, and I will multiply your descendants. I will make you into many nations. And I will give this land of Canaan to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.
Everlasting is just that. This is a promise from God that these sons would become the greatest nations on earth. This is the promise of RACE.
5 “Now then, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived, will become mine! I am claiming them as my own sons. They will be my sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are.
Jacob (Israel) here adopts the two boys, making them equal to all the other sons. There are now 13 tribes of Israel and no longer twelve! Ephraim is now the 13th tribe as the number 13 becomes a national identification for this tribe. Ephraim is The United States of America. The reasons for this procedure are stated (1 Chronicles 5:1,2). It shows why Reuben did not get any of the blessings and why Judah received the blessing of GRACE or the Messiah.
6 But any children born to you in the future will be your own, and they will inherit land within the territories of their brothers Ephraim and Manasseh.
7 “Long ago, as I was returning from Paddan-aram, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. We were still on the way, some distance from Ephrath, we call Bethlehem. So with great sorrow I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath.”
With great sorrow: Jacob is admitting his sadness that he could not have Rachel buried in the family grave.
8 Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. “Are these your sons?” he asked.
9 “Yes,” Joseph told him, “these are the sons GOD (Elohim-The God Family) has given me here in Egypt.”
And Jacob said, “Bring them closer to me, so I can bless them.”
The are going to receive the blessing of RACE and not GRACE.
10 Israel was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Israel kissed and embraced them.
11 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now GOD (Elohim-The God Family) has let me see your children, too!”
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.
13 Then he positioned the boys in front of Israel. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Israel’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand.
Joseph is assuming that the oldest boy is to get the bigger blessing. He is wrong. He thinks that his father can't see and is making a mistake, but throughout the Bible we see God breaking from the norm and blessing the underdog! Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau and David over his brothers.
14 But Israel crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn.
15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the GOD (Elohim-The God Family) before whom my grandfather Abraham
and my father, Isaac, walked—
the GOD (Elohim-The God Family) who has been my shepherd
all my life, to this very day,
16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—
may he bless these boys.
May they preserve my name [I.E. The name "Israel belongs to BOTH boys!]
and the names of Abraham and Isaac.
And may their descendants multiply greatly
throughout the earth.”
17 But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a nation of many nations.”
Now, Manasseh is certainly well-blessed and promised that he will be a great nation, but Ephraim is told that he will be comprised of a multitude of nations, or made up of many nations.
20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May GOD (Elohim-The God Family) make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but GOD (Elohim-The God Family) will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors.
22 I have given you something that I did not give your brothers—the land of Shechem that I took from the Amorite people with my bow and arrows."
To Joseph, they get the promised land, not to any other og his boys. Now, this is where the dividing of the birthright and the blessing first occurs. Instead of both going to the eldest son, as tradition dictated, we now see a God-ordained division. This division came in 3 ways -- 1. God causes Jacob to bypass the oldest son, Reuben, for either the birthright or the blessing. 2. God causes Jacob to separate the birthright from the blessing -- since Judah was given the birthright [GRACE] and Joseph was given the blessing [RACE]. 3. God then further divides the blessing between Joseph's two sons. And so, we see for the first time a division between the physical benefits and the spiritual blessings. This division will be found causing many moments of tension and temptation in the ensuing history of the nation of Israel.
Race vs Grace:
If it could be proved that Israel returned with Judah from the Babylonish captivity, it would only prove that her prophetic history was not fulfilled, and that those prophets which both Jews and Christians have received as the true prophets of God, are but lying prophets. For Jeremiah also has given utterance to prophetic sayings which are in full accord with those of the prophets already quoted, and which cover the same ground, but give additional facts. As in the following:
Jeremiah 16:14 “But the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when people who are taking an oath will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’ 15 Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ For I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors.
16 “But now I am sending for many fishermen who will catch them,” says the Lord. “I am sending for hunters who will hunt them down in the mountains, hills, and caves. 17 I am watching them closely, and I see every sin. They cannot hope to hide from me. 18 I will double their punishment for all their sins, because they have defiled my land with lifeless images of their detestable gods and have filled my territory with their evil deeds.”
19 Lord, you are my strength and fortress,
my refuge in the day of trouble!
Nations from around the world
will come to you and say,
“Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage,
for they worshiped worthless idols.
20 Can people make their own gods?
These are not real gods at all!”
21 The Lord says,
“Now I will show them my power;
now I will show them my might.
At last they will know and understand
that I am the Lord.
We have given the above quotation in full and at length, because, as a prophecy, it contains the facts of the casting out and return of Israel, together with a brief epitome of their history while thus cast out. Let us notice them:
1.
"I will cast you out of this land." We know that they were taken into Assyria.
2.
"Into a land that ye know not." They were not to remain in Assyria.
3.
"Neither ye nor your fathers." A land unknown to the entire race, and as they were among the most, if not the most, civilized nations on the earth, we are safe in saying that it was to be a long way from their home; that they were to move on through the nations until they came into unknown regions, into the uninhabited, unexplored wilderness beyond the pales of civilization.
4.
"And there shall ye serve other gods day and night." They can then and there get their fill of idolatry.
5.
"I will not show you favor," i.e., not ease their punishment, until, as he says, he has first recompensed "their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable things," i.e., Jeroboam's calves, Ahab's image of Baal, Moloch, etc.
6.
When he says that he will not show them favor, the context proves that he means for a certain season or period. For he says, "I will bring them again into their land " , i. e., the Samaritan portion of Palestine.
7.
"I will send for many [Hebrew, rab -- abundant, enough, plenteous, a multitude] fishers." Jesus said to his disciples, "I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17) . He came to his own tribal house, Judah, but his own received him not, and then he said unto them: "Your house is left unto you desolate." (Matthew 23:38, Luke 13:35). But he said to his fishers, "Go to the lost sheep of the HOUSE of Israel." (Matthew 10:6) , Six hundred and thirty years prior to this, one hundred and twenty years after Israel had been cast out, and before the house of Judah were taken to Babylon, God had said through the mouth of Jeremiah,
"My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds [their priests, who were of the lowest type of the people] have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains; they have gone from mountain to hill [wandering], they have forgotten their resting place," [i.e., their home.] (Jeremiah 50:6)
"And they shall fish them." These gospel fishers of men are successful. Lost Israel takes the bait and is fished. Hallelujah!
All this is in harmony with the prophetic history of Israel, as read by the other prophets. For when Hosea is being used to prophesy concerning Israel being hedged in with walls and thorns, and losing her paths, the Lord further adds,
"Behold I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably [marginal reading: speak friendly to her heart] unto her. And it shall be in that day saith the Lord that thou shalt call me Ishi [my husband] and shall call me no more Baali [my master]. For I will take the names of Baalim [plural of Baal] out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their names," (Hosea 2:14, 16, 17).
Is it any wonder that this same prophet declares,
"Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?" (Hosea 4:8).
Concerning this fact of Israel's receiving the gospel while cast out:
"Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel," (Jeremiah 31:2).
The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Hence the lost sheep of the house of Israel receive the gospel blessings because of the fishers which are sent to them.
9.
"And after (that) I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them." The violent protest of our brother, from whose commentary we quoted on a former occasion, is prima-facie evidence that this prophecy concerning the hunting for them has been, and is being fulfilled; it is as follows:
"Hence, all of this hue and cry about the lost tribes, ransacking all the world to find them, and writing vast volumes, is a piece of twaddle and nonsense. Thousands of people are now studying (Glory to God!) great books (Thank God for them!) which claim to identify the 'lost tribes.'"
Amen! and amen! For God says: "They shall hunt for them."
Another of those who object to so much hunting, Rawlinson, has unwittingly proved this prophecy to have been fulfilled, for he says: "They (the ten tribes) have been found a hundred times in a hundred different localities." This proves that the Lord, in order that his word of truth might be fulfilled, has, to say the least, raised up one hundred hunters. Had Prof. Rawlinson said, "They were supposed to have been found a hundred times in a hundred different localities," we could not doubt that his statement was true. For it is true that thousands are studying, and writing, and ransacking the world, to find the lost tribes of Israel; and the prophecy concerning the hunters and the hunted, stands vindicated, albeit many have hunted in vain.
Otherwise, we are forced to the conclusion that one of the holy men who was moved by the Holy Ghost to write the Bible was jesting, when he wrote concerning a corps of men who should become hunters of that which was not lost. And since God has furnished the hunters -- for it is by reading his Word that they become inspired to hunt -- we would be forced to conclude that he would play, or juggle, with the credulity of the human race.
10. It is evident from the declaration, "They are not hid from my face," that the people in question were hid from others. Else, why should the Lord say that they were not hid from him?
"If they were not hid from the Lord, who were they hid from?"
We answer --THE HUNTERS.
11. The nineteenth verse relates to Gentiles who shall come unto the Lord, from the ends of the earth. The Hebrew word (Goy) which is here translated Gentiles, is often translated, nations, people, tribes, and, far away people. God had told Israel that he would cast them afar off, and in Jeremiah 1:10 this same Hebrew word is translated nations. In Jeremiah 31:9, while speaking to Joseph-Ephraim-Samaria-Israel, the Lord says:
"I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations [Goy], and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him."
12. And in this prophecy which we are considering, we are told that these nations shall yet come "from the ends of the earth," and say: "Surely our fathers have inherited lies." (Jeremiah 16:19) How so?
Do not forget, Hosea has prophesied concerning the same people, saying that in the place where it shall be said unto them, "Ye are Lo-ammi, or not the people of God," (Hosea 1:9) there it shall be said unto them "Ammi," or "Ye are the sons of the living God." (v. 10) These people shall return to their home and to their Lord, who will be there about the time they get there. And they shall say: "We have inherited lies, for we have been told that we were not the seed of Abraham, but now we know that we, too, have Abraham as our father."
13.Then, saith the Lord, "I will cause them to know mine hand, and my might; and they shall know that my name is the Lord" (Jeremiah 16:21), i.e., Jehovah.
So we find that while Israel was taken into Assyria they were not to stay there, but were to wander into an unknown country, called the wilderness; and that eventually, when they have fulfilled their destiny by becoming "many nations," the head of the nations is in the isles of the sea, and that the Lord is to gather them from there. So it is evident that the school of teachers, who say that Israel returned with Judah from Babylon, do not know where the Birthright kingdom is, thus making it quite clear that they are lost even to those who say that there is no lost Israel.
The above facts are in harmony with still other authentic history as contained in the apocryphal book of Ezra, i.e., Esdras. Mind you, we do not assert that this book is inspired, although there are thousands who, with ourselves, believe it is. But we give it simply as corroborative history. Esdras had seen a vision in which there were two companies, one a warlike and the other a peaceful company. The declared explanation of the peaceful company is as follows:
"Whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peaceful company, those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Hosea, the king whom Shalmanesar, the king of Assyria, led away captive; and he carried them away so they came into another land. But they took counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwell, that they might keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land.
" And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow passage (the gate) of the river. For the Most High then showed signs for them, and held still the flood till they were passed over, for through that country there was a great way to go, namely, a year and a half. And the same region is called Asaareth (Margin: Ararath, same as Ararat or Armenia, which are only different forms of the same word). Then they dwelt there until the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come, the Highest shall stay the springs of the streams again, that they may go through: therefore sawest thou the multitude with peace," (2 Esdras 13:39-47).
Every statement made in this extract is corroborated by unquestioned canonical writings, as we have shown, except one; and Isaiah settles that one as follows:
"The Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod. And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria -- like as it was in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt," (Isaiah 11:15, 16).
Mind you, he does not say that they shall come from Assyria; he is speaking of the remnant of his people which are left from Assyria, i.e., the Assyrian captivity. The tongue of the Egyptian sea is not en route from either Babylon or Assyria. The tongue of the Egyptian sea is a tongue of the Red sea, and the river with seven streams, mouths, or delta, is the river Nile, which waters Egypt; and these are in a direction from Palestine which is diametrically opposite to that of Assyria and Babylon.
After all, it is not so much a question of the lost ten tribes, for some out of all the tribes returned to the kingdom of Judab, in the days of Rehoboam, the first king of Judah. This is no doubt the reason that the Jews, upon their return from Babylon, offered the twelve bullocks for all Israel, as a burnt offering unto the Lord. But it is a question of the lost house of Joseph, that is, THE LOST BIRTHRIGHT. The Jews, although denationalized and scattered everywhere, have never been lost; but, as foretold, they have always been so "well known" that they have become a "by-word"; consequently, they have never been hunted for. But there is a prophecy in the Psalms concerning a people by the name of Israel, who are spoken of as the hidden people of the Lord, and whom he is called upon to defend from their enemies. Of these it is declared:
"They have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against THY HIDDEN ONES. They have said, come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name ISRAEL may be no more in remembrance," (Psalm 83:3, 4).
Hence, there is a people who bear the name of Israel, which, as we have learned, is the name of the birthright nation, which if it is not now hid, has in the past been hid from all except the Omnipotent One. http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/judah-sceptre-joseph-birthright/joseph-israel-lost-part2.html
Controversy: Is America Manasseh or Ephraim? The Armstrong's make a strong case for the British as the tribe of Ephraim. I do not agree for several reasons:
1) Ephraim was the younger brother. Anyone today would call The USA the younger brother of England and not the other way around.
2) Multitude of Nations. This to the Armstrong's meant The British Commonwealth of Nations. A Commonwealth of many nations. However, if translated a nation comprised of many nations, then the USA would be the logical choice!
3) The #13. One can not get around this fact. Ephraim is the thirteenth tribe. The number thirteen has symbolic meaning to America. We are the nation which represents the number thirteen. Our nation seal:
13 original colonies,
13 signers of the Declaration of Independence ,
13 stripes on our flag,
13 steps on the Pyramid,
13 letters in the Latin above,
13 letters in " E Pluribus Unum",
13 stars above the Eagle,
13 bars on that shield,
13 leaves on the olive branch,
13 fruits,
and if you look closely, 13 arrows.
And, for minorities: the 13th Amendment.
The USA is Ephraim!
4)The United States as Ephraim
by William F. Dankenbring:
"Although virtually no one has noticed it, God has left the identity of modern Israel in the most obvious place one could imagine -- in the very name of our great nation! Our nation is the only nation in the world directly named 'company of nations'! "Not only that, but Manasseh was to become a great nation, and only one modern nation is known as being 'great' in its very name -- Great Britain! "The official name of Great Britain is of course the United Kingdom -- a single great nation. The United Kingdom and the United States. A nation and a company of nations. "To those of us who have strongly believed that the United States is Manasseh this requires some adjustment in thinking. But if the reader will withhold judgment until all the evidence can be considered, it will be seen that the United States is Ephraim, and that once the mental adjustment is made, this understanding makes many times more sense than believing our nation to be Manasseh! "The important thing to grasp is that the United States fits both the type and the biblical interpretation of 'company of nations.'
The house of Israel was a company or union of equal members, none of whom were sovereign. This fits the United States. It does not fit Great Britain or the British Commonwealth. The British Commonwealth has never been a company of equal states. Britain has always been one great nation. Whereas the British Commonwealth is a collection of scattered, independent, satellite nations around the world under the authority of the single great nation Britain. The United States is an assembly of fifty united states who have given up their sovereinty in the interests of collective political union and are, for the most part, united geographically, as was the house of Israel anciently. The United States began with thirteen states. When we reached the West Coast we had 'filled up' our land with forty-eight states, perhaps paralleling the forty-eight cities for the Levites in ancient Israel. Then we added two more to reach a 'fullness' of fifty, or five times the number in the house of Israel of old [and the Jubilee number!]. The United States is the company, fullness, assembly, or convocation of states that Ephraim was to become" (ibid., p.87).
On the other hand, if Ephraim were the nations of Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc., then when the prophecies of Hosea speak of Ephraim "calling to Egypt" or "going to Assyria," which of those nations would be meant? (Hos.7:11). If Ephraim were composed of widely scattered nations, the prophecies of Hosea would be inexplicable; it would be impossible to determine to which "part" of Ephraim they applied, or how they could possibly apply to every "nation" of Ephraim! Obviously, the prophecies directed toward Ephraim in the Bible are directed to ONE UNITED COUNTRY, one sovereign nation, UNITED TOGETHER -- as Ephraim was historically, and as the United States is, today! The very words of the U.S. Constitution reveal our national identity! The Constitution begins, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union . . ."
The U.S.A. -- A Union of "Nation-States" Ephraim was to become a united company or assembly of peoples. Isn't it interesting that the United States is famous around the world for being the "melting pot" of the nations? The United States has more emigrants from more diverse locations, than any other nation on earth! This is both a strength, and a fatal weakness. The prophet Hosea foretold this condition would describe Ephraim in the last days! Hosea wrote, "Ephraim MIXES with the nations; Ephraim is a flat cake not turned over [white on one side, baked black or brown on the other side!]. Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realize it. His hair is sprinkled with gray, but he does not notice" (Hosea 7:8-9).
The United States began with thirteen colonies, and a flag of thirteen stripes and thirteen stars. Ephraim was the "thirteenth tribe" of ancient Israel! Mere coincidence? Ephraim's very name means "double fruit." It is the United States which exploded onto the world scene, becoming a world power in the days of Theodore Roosevelt at the turn of the century, and the twentieth century has been hailed as "America's Century," and world peace "Pax Americana." In a very short time, historically speaking, the United States grew, burgeoned, with rippling muscles, and grew past his older brother Manasseh, yet they are united by language and cultural ties unlike that of any other separate nations on the face of the earth! They are true brothers, sometimes arguing, squabbling, fighting, but back-to-back against any common enemy from the outside!
The Greatness of Ephraim
Jacob prophesied that the younger brother, Ephraim, was to be greater than his older brother, Manasseh. Manasseh, the firstborn, was the older brother. Which nation is older -- the United States or Great Britiain? That fact alone should tell us that Great Britain was the older brother, Manasseh, which was to be "great," and even has the word "great" in its name, unlike any other country on the earth today! But what about the United States? Is it greater than Great Britain, even as Ephraim was to be greater than Manasseh? Let's face this question honestly and squarely, without pride, pretence, or hypocrisy. The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world in terms of resources, business and assets, and gross national produce -- although we have also become the world's biggest debtor nation by far due to our sins and living beyond our means during the past decade. We comprise only six percent of the world's population, and yet we control over 40 percent of the world's wealth! We are the breadbasket of the world. Our gross national product is over $5 trillion dollars annually. Either California or New York could be the world's fifth or sixth richest nation in the world. The state of Illinois produces more than the entire continent of Africa! The eight industrial states from New York to Illinois produce as much as the Common Market, the Soviet Union, or all of Latin America, Africa, most of Asia except Japan, and the Middle East combined! Gred Doudna writes concerning the greatness of America, versus that of Great Britain: "Jacob plainly, clearly, says Ephraim was to be greater than Manasseh.
The United States is greater than Britain by far. Britain is now no more than a second-rate power on the world scene. It is the United States which is the greatest and most powerful nation the world has ever seen. "Younger Ephraim was to be greater than older brother Manasseh. This alone, apart from anything else, should conclusively settle the question of which is Ephraim and which is Manasseh" (p.89). Ephraim's national wealth and prosperity in the End Time was prophesied by Hosea. The prophet foretold, "Ephraim boasts, 'I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin'" (Hos.12:8). It has been the United States which has soared to the status of the richest of nations during the end times -- not Great Britain. The comparison in national wealth is meaningless -- there is no comparison. The economy of the United States has been the engine that has driven the free world since the end of World War II. It has led to postwar recovery of the entire Western World. Further, there is no comparison in military power between the two nations in the last days.
Hosea prophesied of Ephraim -- or the United States of America -- "When Ephraim spoke, men trembled; he was EXALTED in Israel. But he became guilty of Baal worship and died. Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen" (Hos.13:1-2). Some have suggested that since the United States is obviously greater than Britain, when Ephraim was prophesied to be greater, can be explained by the fact that Ephraim was to be a company of nations, whereas Manasseh was to be the greatest single nation. But that is NOT WHAT THE PROPHECY SAID! Jacob plainly said, without equivocation: "Nevertheless, his younger brother will be GREATER than he" (Gen.48:19). Now notice the time sequence of Jacob's blessing. Manasseh he mentioned first, that he would be great. THEN he mentioned Ephraim would be greater than his brother. Timewise, therefore, we see that Manasseh was to shoot to greatness first, even as Great Britain did. But then, later, his younger brother Ephraim was to shoot past him, and surpass him in greatness, wealth, and military might! This is just what happened! Britain became a great country, and colonizer, first; but then America suddenly grew up, burst her bonds, and became the economic, industrial, and military colossus of the world -- the greatest UNITED STATES the world had ever seen in all its history! What an amazing, incredible fulfillment of Jacob's prophecy, uttered almost 4,000 years ago, shortly before his death! In Genesis 35:11
God told Jacob that his progeny would become "a nation and a community of nations." Notice which came first -- the single nation. Then the community of nations, or "united states," were to follow. Again, this is exactly what history records. The single nation -- Great Britain -- came first historically and was great, and Britain "ruled the waves," the British pound was the international currency, and the "sun never set" on the British Empire. But then the "company of nations" or "united states" followed, and surpassed the greatness of the British Empire at its height. After World War II, no nation and no empire could compete with the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! It ruled the sea lanes of the world; its currency, the dollar, was the foundation of international trade. Thus Ephraim, the United States, surpassed his older brother, Manasseh, or Great Britain.
It was all prophesied long ago! Says Gred Doudna: "The British Empire used to rule the seas and the world, but God is concerned with the end-time in Bible prophecy, the time we are living in, the time the Bible was written for. That's now -- not 100-200 years ago or more. To explain Britain's supposedly being Ephraim by saying that Britain was at one time greater than the United States, that she used to be greater in the 1800's, is entirely unsatisfactory. What about now? Prophecy was written for the twentieth century, not the eighteenth or nineteenth. One of the strongest and most persistent objections to the whole 'Anglo-Israel' theory is this fact of Britain's ignoble decline and current second-rate status. Yet it confirms modern Israel's true identity and the truth of Jacob's words if we but realize that our nation, the United States, is Ephraim!" (p.90). Population Explosion! One of the tremendous blessings God promised the descendants of Israel in the end-times was great fertility and fruitfulness, the blessings of the womb (Gen.17:6, 22:17, Deut.28:4).
Jacob referred to Joseph as a "fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall" (Gen.49:22). The descendants of Israel in the End Time were to be "as the sand of the sea" (Isa.10:22). "Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel?" (Numbers 23:10). The population of Britain is about 60 million. The population of the United States is 240 million -- about four times as much! The prophet Hosea indicated that of all the Israelite nations, Ephraim was to become the most fruitful; "even though he thrives ["be fruitful," KJV, "flourishess," Tanakh] among his brethren," God foretold, "an east wind from the Lord will come, blowing in from the desert; his spring will fail and his well dry up. His store house will be plundered of all its treasures" (Hos.13:15). "The more they increased, the more they sinned against me," God foretold (Hos.4:7, Tanakh). These Scriptures show that Ephraim was to be the MOST FRUITFUL of the tribes of Israel -- the MOST POPULOUS! The only nation descended from ancient Israel which can truly fit this description today in the United States!
Ephraim -- "Doubly Fruitful" If the United States is NOT Ephraim, the most populous, "doubly fruitful" Israelitish nation -- then who is? Fruitfulness, flourishing population, can also refer to the rate of growth. The growth rate of the United States has been nothing short of phenomenal -- from virtually nothing to 240 million in only 200 years! During that time Britain has grown from 15 million to 60 million -- four times. But the United States has grown from a population of 3,240,000 in 1784 to 240,000,000 in the same length of time -- an exponential population growth of nearly 70 times over! No country in history has, like the United States, literally come from out of nowhere, and literally EXPLODED in population growth and power, both military and economic! Truly, the United States -- modern "Ephraim" -- has experienced a dramatic population increase. Truly it has lived up to its name -- and is "DOUBLY fruitful"! Vast Natural Resources Promised Recall that God promised outstanding natural resources and blessings to the descendants of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, with Ephraim receiving the "double portion" as the "birthright son" of the two. This promise of the choicest gifts of heaven above, of the deep below, of the everlasting hills and valleys, and most fertile fields, and precious metals, has been fulfilled nowhere like it has in the United States. God also promised national greatness, and prestige and honor among the other nations. Again, this promise has been fulfilled nowhere as much as in the United States! God said of Isaac's descendants, "May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness -- an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed" (Gen.27:27). Although these blessings would accrue to all the children of Israel, as the primary inheritor of the BIRTHRIGHT, they would accrue to Ephraim most of all! For we read in I Chronicles 5:2, "the rights of the FIRSTBORN belonged to Joseph.
Balaam prophesied of Israel, "How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters" (Numbers 24:5-6). Isaiah was inspired to prophesy of Ephraim, "Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley -- to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine" (Isa.28:1). A land of hills and mountains, lakes and rivers, and fertile vast valleys, Ephraim is characterized. What land fits that Biblical description more than the United States? The KJV translates this passage "fat valleys," the Living Bible has "rich valleys." Either way, no nation on earth has richer, fatter, more fertile and vast valleys than the United States of America! "Fat valleys" is a symbol of rich agricultural bounty. Of the two, the U.S. and Britain, which is known as the "breadbasket of the world"? Of the two, which is known for its abundant wine production? Britain is famous for its ales and beer, and Scotland for its whiskey, but the United States is world famous for its wines -- especially California wine!
The United States has such world renown agricultural valleys as the San Joaquin, San Fernando, Oregon, Ohio, Cumberland, Shenandoah, etc. This passage in Isaiah 28:1 also speaks of the "flower" of Ephraim's "glorious beauty." What nation on earth is more famous for its "glorious beauty" and natural scenery than the United States? From sea to shining sea, from the redwoods and Sequoias of California to the majestic waters of Niagara Falls, to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee to the Mojave Desert, from the Grand Canyon of the Colorado to the paint pots and geysers of Yellowstone, from the Grant Tetons of Wyoming to the towering granite spires of Yosemite, from the Everglades of Florida and the Texas Big Bend Country to the waters of Waikiki, Hawaii, you name it -- no country on the face of the earth can compare with the glorious beauty of Ephraim -- the United States of America! We sing the song, "O beautiful for spacious skies, for ambers waves of grain; for purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain -- America, America, God shed His grace on thee; O crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!" We sing the song, "God bless America, land that I love; stand beside her, and guide her, with the light from the light from above." We sing, "This land is your land, this land is my land, From the Gulf Stream waters, to the New York island, this land is made for you and me." But as we sing these inspiring, rich, bountiful songs, little do we realize that we are singing the songs of Ephraim -- the youngest son of Joseph, who was to inherit the blessings of the FIRSTBORN! The "glorious beauty" of Ephraim in the glorious and awe-inspiring beauty of the United States!
A few years ago I took my family on a trip through the summer. We went through the National Parks of Mount Rainier, the Northern Cascades, Glacier in Montana, Yellowstone and Grant Tetons in Wyoming, and dropped down to the Canyonlands, Arches National Monument, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park -- we covered seven National Parks in just one trip, but didn't have time for Yosemite, Sequoia, King's Canyon in northern California, or Crater Lake in Oregon. Nor did we have time for the Big Sur country along the California coastline, or the beautiful Oregon coast. But we saw enough to be overwhelmed by the greatness of the heritage of the beatiful places God has bequeathed to the children of Joseph, Ephraim in particular! The United States has the Great Plains, the Mississippi River system, the Great Lakes -- the finest breadbasket and grazing land, commercial water base and drainage system of the whole world. The Great Plains are the greatest area of useful land in the world. Half the fresh water of the world is contained in the Great Lakes system. Incalculably rich deposits of iron ore, coal and limestone lie along this great waterway. In this region was erected the world's greatest steel industry that helped make America the strongest and richest nation on earth. The famous words of Abraham Lincoln express the truth: "We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.
"It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness" (quoted in Ascent to Greatness, Raymond F. McNair pg.196). Hosea the prophet further describes the blessings that would come to Ephraim as the recipient of the blessings of the firstborn of Israel, and then to all Israel. God says of Ephraim, "I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place" (Hos.9:13). What nation on earth has a more "pleasant place" than the United States? What mercantile city today more resembles ancient Tyre, the mercantile hub of the ancient world, than New York City? Here again are further allusions to the identity of modern Ephraim -- the United States! Why were the vast, farflung resources of North America left virtually untapped and unused for millennia until the arrival of the Anglo-Saxon descendants of ancient Jacob, or Israel -- the peoples of Ephraim, and Manasseh? Was it all "manifest destiny," as our forefathers believed? Moses was inspired to write: "When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel" (Deut.32:8, NIV). God reserved the choicest portions of the earth for the birthright tribe of Israel. He gave the beautiful North American continent to the sons of Joseph -- Ephraim the part belonging to the United States, and Canada the portion He reserved for Manasseh, and some of the children of Reuben. Interestingly, it was Joshua -- an Ephraimite -- who led the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
Today America is a new "Promised Land" of our time. Millions of foreigners strive to emigrate here, legally or illegally, regarding this fair land as the "last best hope for mankind." Interesting, also, that Joseph was the brother that was "separated from his brethren" (Deut.33:16, KJV). Modern Joseph, also, is "separated" from his brothers -- other Israelitish nations -- by the Atlantic Ocean! Only Ephraim, and a portion of Manasseh, are located on the North American continent, thus "separated" from their brother nations in northwestern Europe! Hosea says of Ephraim, "like a wild donkey wandering alone" (Hos.8:9). Balaam said of Israel, "I see a people who LIVE APART and do not consider themselves one of the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel?" (Num.23:9-10). When Ephraim was born, Joseph gave him that name, saying, "It is because God has made me FRUITFUL in the land of my suffering" (Gen.41:52). Like his father Joseph, Ephraim has been fruitful in the land of his affliction or early suffering. The early colonists in North America underwent extreme privation and troubles, before the foundation was laid for a new land, a new nation.
The exploits of the voyagers on the Mayflower, most of whom perished en route to the New World, and the harrowing difficulties of the Pilgrims, and the settlers at Jamestown, in a sense duplicate the earlier sufferings of their forefather Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, and cast into the dungeon of Pharaoh and virtually forgotten there. On the other hand, Manasseh means "Causing to forget." When he was born, Joseph said he named him that, "Because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household" (Gen.41:51). Notice how this name reveals the nature of Manasseh. Britain, the older of the two sons, has truly "forgotten all his father's household" -- and even his national identity, despite all the evidence around them! There are the historical records and legends of Jeremiah bringing the king's daughters to Ireland, where Princess Tea married into the royal line already established by early Israelites. There was the nameof Tara, the ancient Isrish capital, meaning "Torah." There was the Stone of Scone, or Jacob's Pillar Stone, and its traditions and history. There were the royal genealogies, which trace the British monarchy back to the line of King David! There was the very name "British" itself -- which is Hebrew for "Covenant man." And, the very name "Saxons," which derives from "sons of Isaac." Over the centuries, God caused ancient Israel to go into captivity. While there, they eventually lost their true identity, being far removed from the land of Palestine. God later released their captivity, and led them to their new inheritances, in Western Europe, the British Isles, and the New World. He blessed them, and caused them to become great. But Manasseh, despite all the legends, history, and evidence, lost the knowledge of his own identity, and "forgot" who he really was, just as his name implies! Here then is more evidence that Manasseh is Great Britain, and Ephraim the United States of America!
These Biblical allusions would fit perfectly to two peoples, both descended from Joseph, both dwelling apart as he did from his brethren -- who was "separated from his brethren" (Deut.33:16, KJV) -- dwelling apart from the Old World countries -- in the island of England, and in the "New World," the Western hemisphere! The "Coastlands of Ephraim" The prophet Isaiah was inspired of God to write, "Ephraim is MY FIRSTBORN" (Jeremiah 31:9). He was to dwell in the "north lands" and "the ends of the earth" (verse 8). He was to dwell in the "isles afar" (v.10), and the "coastlands" (Isa.49:1, Tanakh). What description better fits the United States, with the longest habitable coastline of any nation? It is in the northern hemisphere; it is "far off" and at the "ends of the earth" from Jerusalem; and it is a long and valuable "coastland." No other land can combine all these qualifications, like the United States -- modern Ephraim! When God scattered His people in 718-721 B.C., he drove them among the peoples of the earth; "yet in DISTANT LANDS they will remember me," He foretold (Zech.10:9). He prophesied of them, "Stand silent before me, coastlands, And let nations renew their strength" (Isa.41:1). Did not the United States, free from the yoke of European wars and oppression, and the weakening influence of pagan religion, receive a NEW BIRTH in a NEW LAND of pristine opportunity and magnificent wealth -- free from the stifling influences of paganism and heathen customs?
God literally brought His people Ephraim to "distant lands," and "coastlands." The same Hebrew word yam is translated "sea" and "west." Therefore, the "islands of the sea" or "coastlands of the sea" could just as readily be translated as "coastlands of the west." Needless to say, the United States is a "coastland of the WEST"! -- far west of Jerusalem! Isaiah writes, "Look! These are coming from AFAR, these from the NORTH and the WEST, and these from the land of Sinim" (Isa.49:12, Tanakh). If you draw a line due north of Jerualem to the North Pole, and due west, and followed both of them till they intersected, the section of the globe carved out would include Europe, and North America -- the portion of the globe which includes most of the Israelitish nations of the earth -- The United States, Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, and France! Hosea the prophet wrote, "Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day . . ." (Hos.12:1, NIV). The east wind blows WEST. Thus Ephraim was prophesied to move to the WEST of Jerusalem.
The United States lies in part due west of modern day Israel and Jerusalem! God says of His firstborn son Ephraim, "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? . . . I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man -- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come TREMBLING FROM THE WEST" (Hos.11:8-11, NIV). When we look carefully at a map of the globe, we find that the Northern hemisphere and the western hemisphere -- North America -- most perfectly fulfills the description of "coastlands" afar off to the north and west of Jerusalem! To be candid, any reference which can apply to Britain applies with even more forcefulness to the United States! And to the far northwest from Jerusalem, we come to America's 49th state -- the state of Alaska, the largest state of all! In ancient times, Manasseh was divided into two parts -- one part dwelt on the other side of the Jordan river, and one part went with Ephraim, and settled near them. Isn't it interesting that in modern times, too, part of Manasseh chose to remain in England and Britain, while many others chose to come to the New World, and settled in Canada, near modern Ephraim?
The parallels are too striking to ignore! In ancient Israel, west Manasseh's southern border was Ephraim, and constituted the longest border between any two tribes of Israel. Even so, today modern Ephraim (the United States) still lies to the south of Manasseh (Canada), and the border between the two peoples is the longest unfortified, friendly border in the world! No passports are required to cross between the two countries. When Joshua gave each tribe its territory in ancient Canaan, we read, "There were towns belonging to Ephraim lying among the towns of Manasseh, but the boundary of Manasseh was the northern side of the ravine and ended at the sea. On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the sea . . ." (Josh.17:9-10). Isn't it also interesting that today the western borders of Manasseh and Ephraim STILL terminate at a western sea -- the Pacific Ocean? Greg Doudna points out: "West Manasseh had 'ten portions' of Canaan (Josh.17:5). Canada has ten provinces. West Manasseh's land area was larger than that of Ephraim's. Canada occupies a larger land area than the United States.
No geographic, social, or racial barriers separate our two nations. We speak a common language. We are eachs other's best trade partner. We are just like brothers" (p.96). Moses said of Joseph's descendants, 'Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh' (Deut.33:17). The populations of the United States and Canada are about 240,000,000 and 24,000,000 respectively -- a ratio of ten to one -- just like the ratio or proportions used by Moses! Could anything be more striking? The 2,520 Years of Punishment The leader of the ten-tribed northern kingdom of Israel was the tribe of Ephraim, whose capital city was Samaria. The ten-nationed kingdom went into exile in 718 B.C. by the Assyrians (I Kings 17). They were to be "punished seven times" for their sins (Lev.26:18,21,24,28). A "time" equals a year in fulfillment of prophecy (Rev.12:6, 14-16). A promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and "Joseph." And it is our nation which has received these blessings! Writes Gred Doudna: "The ending of this seven times period of 2520 years punishment marks the emergence of Ephraim alone as a separate nation in its own right -- apart from any other Israelite nations!" (p.112). Doudna continues: "It was not until the seven times were finished that God allowed Ephraim to rise to national greatness. It was our nation which has had to wait 2520 years to receive the blessings, and it is also our nation which has received those blessings, abundantly, filled to the brim and running over. "At first Ephraim was just one of Israel's thirteen tribes.
After the split with Judah, Ephraim took its place as leader of the ten-tribed house of Israel. In the centuries following the captivity, Ephraim became particularly allied with his older brother Manasseh, as Jacob had predicted, and together they grew and prospered in Britain. "Britain before 1800 was Joseph -- both Manasseh and Ephraim combined. Why was Britain so great before 1800? Partly because Ephraimites were still there -- they had not yet migrated to America! "At this time of the ending of the prophecy of the seven times period, the final separation occurred in the process of several millennia. God set Ephraim apart as a sovereign and independent nation, signifying this by giving Ephraim the choicest land in the entire world on the very year ending the seven times period. "After this no further split or separation was possible. Ephraim was now by itself -- one indivisible nation. This is why the Civil War resulted in defeat for the Confederacy and victory for the Union. This is why the United States is one nation today, not many divided and conflicting, independent nations as it could have been. The history of the growth and preservation of the United States is a story of God's hand in history. "The separation of younger Ephraim from Manasseh occurred almost 200 years ago [this was written, remember, in 1974]. The British nation continued as Manasseh and maintained its position throughout the 1800's as a great empire, as the fledgling United States struggled to survive, expand, produce, build, grow, and prosper in the new Promised Land. And prosper it has! "One day Britain woke up to realize her empire was gone, her prestige vanishing, and that she was no longer great. At the same time the United States grew until it found itself the greatest nation ever in history! "Manasseh had been surpassed by younger Ephraim!" (pp.113-114).
Genesis 49 "in the beginning" 49
Jacob’s Blesses His Sons:
The Last Will and Testament of Jacob[Israel] before he dies, setting up who gets what. This is a legal document here and God will grant these wishes, as we will see. This is not to the sayings of the dying saint, so much as of the inspired prophet, that attention is called in this chapter. Under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit he pronounced his prophetic benediction and described the condition of their respective descendants in the last days, or future times.
1 Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the last days.
Here Jacob is predicted the world's future! IN THE LAST DAYS: This prophecy was pertinent to the Latter Time prior to the Messianic Era. Many believe that we are in the times s poken of. The Commentary "Sfat Emet" (R. Yehudah Arye Leib of Gur, 1847- 1895) points out that these final blessings follow on from the blessing to Joseph and that in effect all the tribes receive their blessing through that given to Joseph. We are very familiar with the END TIMES. Jacob is giving us a his vision of it!
2 “Come and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power.
4 But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife you defiled my marriage bed.
marriage bed always implies in Hebrew of a place for sex and not to sleep.
We identify Reuben with France. REUBEN forfeited by his crime the rights and honors of primogeniture. His posterity never made any figure; no judge, prophet, nor ruler, sprang from this tribe. Some read into this verse a reference to a future attempt by Reuben to conquer Jerusalem and fighting in Israel. The Franks (French) led the Crusades that did conquer Jerusalem for awhile. Will the French participate in a future attempted European intervention in Israel? See 1 Chronicles 5:1-2
5 “Simeon and Levi are two of a kind. Their weapons are instruments of violence.
These harsh words are for what these two boys did in chapter 34 after their sister was raped.SIMEON AND LEVI were associate in wickedness, and the same prediction would be equally applicable to both their tribes. Levi had cities allotted to them (Joshua 21:1-45) in every tribe. Levi are part of the modern Jews, along with Benjamin.
6 May I never join in their meetings. May I never be a party to their plans. For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport.
THEY SLEW A MAN : the menfolk of Schechem? Chapter 34.
7 A curse on their anger, for it is fierce and also a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.
On account of their zeal against idolatry, they were honorably "divided in Jacob"; whereas the tribe of Simeon, which was guilty of the grossest idolatry and the vices inseparable from it, were ignominiously "scattered." Simeon = mainly Celts (Irish, Welsh, Bretons a lot in Quebec)
Levi = mainly amongst the Jews.
Also many teachers and policemen from Simeon and Levi. Many policemen in the USA of Irish descent (Simeon and Dan?) and quite a few Levis in the present Israeli police and security forces.
INSTRUMENTS OF CRUELTY in Hebrew clei chamas i.e. tools of violence.
Police brutality? Do not get me wrong. Many policemen are very brave, dedicated, and self- sacrificing people sometimes of heroic proportions. They also sometimes in some cases (all over the world) have a darker side.
8 Judah, your brothers will praise you;your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. All your relatives will bow before you.
In the last days the righteousness of the faith of Judah will be acknowledged:
"In those days ten men out of all the languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you" (Zechariah 8:23).
Before he died Israel blessed his sons. He said unto Judah Yehudah Atah Yoduchah Acheecha (In Genesis 49:9)
This is translated in the KJ as Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise... but actually in Hebrew the verse says: Yehudah, you are he whom your brothers shall acknowledge the righteousness of: The key word Yoducha [translated in the KJ as shall praise] means acknowledge the righteousness of i.e. the brothers of Judah, the other tribes, the tribes that went into exile and lost their identity, that did not keep the law are destined to acknowledge that Judah had been in the right.
See also: Numbers 10:14, Judges 1:2. Besides the honor of giving name to the Promised Land, David, and a greater than David--the Messiah--sprang from it. Chief among the tribes, "it grew up from a lion's whelp"--that is, a little power--till it became "an old lion"--that is, calm and quiet, yet still formidable.
Judah are JEWS! That simple
9 You are a lion's cub, O Judah. You return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the messiah, to whom the scepter belongs.
The King of Israel will be JEWISH until the Messiah returns. UNTIL SHILOH COME: translated here as Messiah because that is what is meant. Shiloh--this obscure word is variously interpreted to mean "the sent" (John 17:3), "the seed" (Isaiah 11:1), the "peaceable or prosperous one" (Ephesians 2:14)--that is, the Messiah (Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:12); and when He should come, "the tribe of Judah should no longer boast either an independent king or a judge of their own" [CALVIN]. The Jews have been for eighteen centuries without a ruler and without a judge since Shiloh came, and "to Him the gathering of the people has been."
11 He ties his foal to a grapevine,the colt of his donkey to a choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
This is an obvious reference to the passion of Christ, the donkey he rode and the blood he shed for our sins. He washed his robes in blood! Further proof that the Messiah is a KING and not a priest (Levite) as the Jews so wrongfully thought.
12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.
13 “Zebulun will settle by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships; his borders will extend to Sidon.
ZEBULUN was to have its lot on the seacoast, close to Zidon, and to engage, like that state, inmaritime pursuits and commerce. The Tribes: Zebulon = Holland. I/3 of Holland is below sea-level, another 1/3 is subject to periodic sea-flooding, i.e. 2/3 of the country is dwelling on the shores of the sea. This is the only country in the world where this holds true. In Ancient Times a people called Sabulingoi dwelt in the region of Northern Holland. Sabulingoi in Hebrew means People of Zebulon. Northern peoples at that time switched "s" for "z".
14 “Issachar is a sturdy donkey, resting between two saddle packs.
that is, it was to be active, patient, given to agricultural labors. It was established in lower Galilee--a "good land," settling down in the midst of the Canaanites, where, for the sake of quiet, they "bowed their shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute." I believe that Issachar is Switzerland, some references to this, but I am not sure.
15 When he sees how good the countryside is and how pleasant the land, he will bend his shoulder to the load and submit himself to hard labor.
16 “Dan will govern his people, like any other tribe in Israel.
Dan--"a judge." The modern day Denmark [Danmark] and some parts of Sweden (Swedan) and Ireland. AND THEY CALLED THE NAME OF THE CITY DAN, AFTER THE NAME OF DAN THEIR FATHER, WHO WAS BORN UNTO ISRAEL: HOWBEIT THE NAME OF THE CITY WAS LAISH AT THE FIRST[Judges 18:29].
AND THEY CALLED THE NAME OF THE CITY DAN: This was a tribal trait of theirs to call localities by the name Dan. See also Judges 18:12 above where even a place of temporary encampment was also given a name recalled Dan. This was foreseen in the blessing of Jacob above [Genesis 49:17]. Cf. Place-names such as, Dan, Danaper, Doneister, Danube, Denmark, Donegal, etc. THE NAME OF DAN THEIR FATHER. The descendants of Dan were proud of their forefather and always recalled their ancestry. We find The Children of Don in Wales, the Tribe of Dana in Ireland, and the Danes in Denmark who said they descended from Dan the Great and had come from the city of Dana in Western Turkey and were brothers to the Angles and Jutes who like them were descended from Israel their forefather.
17 Dan will be a snake beside the road, a poisonous viper along the path that bites the horse’s hooves so its rider is thrown off.
Some consider this meaning that from Dan will come the antichrist. In Revelation it is noted that the tribe of Dan is left out of the 144,000 Israelites. It could also be the opposite. Levi was so valied because of Moses, that they were left out of the land in Moses portioning of Israel. They became priests! Is it possible that Dan, like Levi becomes great during the end times and is given status above the other tribes? Maybe one or both of the Two Witnesses are from Dan! Could the rider on the horse be the rider on the White Horse of Revelation, an antichrist figure? I think so. I think this is a hint that in the End Days, someone from Dan will cause great harm to the Catholic Church.
18 I trust in you for salvation, O LORD (Jesus)!
This here is for a reason. Again, is it a clue about the future of a famous Danite to come?
19 “Gad will be attacked by marauding bands, but he will attack them when they retreat.
GAD--This tribe should be often attacked and wasted by hostile powers on their borders (Judges 10:8, Jeremiah 49:1). But they were generally victorious in the close of their wars. Gad is identified with Sweden
20 “Asher will dine on rich foods and produce food fit for kings.
Asher is identified with Scotland according to many historians
21 “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
NAPHTALI--The best rendering may be, "Naphtali is a deer roaming at liberty; he shooteth forth goodly branches," or majestic antlers [TAYLOR, Scripture Illustrations], and the meaning of the prophecy seems to be that the tribe of Naphtali would be located in a territory so fertile and peaceable, that, feeding on the richest pasture, he would spread out, like a deer, branching antlers. Some say that the New Zealanders and the peoples of South Africa. I honestly have no real idea.
22 "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.
a fruitful vine -denotes the extraordinary increase of that tribe (compare Numbers 1:33-35, Joshua 17:17, Deuteronomy 33:17). The patriarch describes him as attacked by envy, revenge, temptation, ingratitude; yet still, by the grace of God, he triumphed over all opposition, so that he became the sustainer of Israel; and then he proceeds to shower blessings of every kind upon the head of this favorite son. The history of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh shows how fully these blessings were realized. Joseph is the United States and the British peoples around the world.Fruitful vine: In Hebrew "Ben Porat" which can also mean "A Powerfully Fertile Son" or "A Son of Power". In the Hebrew Bible when several meanings are possible it is often deliberate and ALL the different meanings are intended. near a spring or well: In Hebrew: "ali ayin" which can also mean above (al) all seeing eye (ayin). We thus have a "Powerful Son" overseen by the Eye of Providence as depicted on the Great Seal overlooking the Pyramid (Picture of Egypt) symbol of Joseph (see: Midrash Numbers Rabah 2;5). Some believe Joseph built the one of the pyramids! WHOSE BRANCHES RUN OVER THE WALL: This hints at overseas expansion of America and England. HE SHALL POUR THE WATER OUT OF HIS BUCKETS, AND HIS SEED SHALL BE IN MANY WATERS, AND HIS KING SHALL BE HIGHER THAN AGAG, AND HIS KINGDOM SHALL BE EXALTED [Numbers 24:7].
23 Archers attacked him savagely; they shot at him and harassed him.
Arrows are part of the symbolism of the USA and 13 appear grouped together on the dollar bill. Also, here is a promise that the world will hate us, and always try to ambush us. Pearl Harbor, 9-11, and again in the future.
24 But his bow remained taut, and his arms were strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.
God shows Himself in this world through Judah and Joseph. This is what Scripture indicates even though it may be difficult for us to accept or understand how or why. We are a Holy People and have a corresponding obligation. STONE/ROCK: A hint here that the Stone of Scone, Jacob's pillow, would be found in Joseph, were it is today.
25 May the God (El) of your father (avikha) help you; May the Almighty(Shaddai) bless you with the blessings of the heavens above, and blessings the deep waters below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.
Instead of Elohim, or El Shaddai. Here El avikha, rarely used.
BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN ABOVE: climate and agriculture.
BLESSINGS OF THE DEEP WATER BELOW: Water and mineral resources.
THE BREASTS, AND OF THE WOMB: Health and fertility and bounty and family life all gifts from the Almighty.
26 May the blessings of your father surpass the blessings of the ancient mountains, reaching to the heights of the eternal hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, who is a crown prince among his brothers.
CROWN: The crown is in Joseph! That is where the Jewish line of David will be found according to the word of God. If God isn't wrong, then we can understand who this is today.Some read this as a blessing of protection through separation. Steven Collins points out that America and Britain are geographically separated from the rest of the world, as are Australia and New Zealand. Napoleon remarked that Britain could not be considered part of Europe.
27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, devouring his enemies in the morning and dividing his plunder in the evening.”
Benjamin became a part of the modern name race of Jews, along with Levi.. Paul said he was a Benjaminite. "devouring his enemies in the morning and dividing his plunder in the evening" Some see this as a prophecy concerning Saul/Paul. He started out as Saul, killing his enemies, and ended up as Paul preaching the gospel (spoils!).
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he told his sons good-bye. He blessed each one with an appropriate message.
Jacob’s Death and Burial
29 Then Jacob instructed them, “Soon I will die and join my ancestors. Bury me with my father and grandfather in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
30 This is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a permanent burial site.
Genesis 23:16-20
31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, are buried. And there I buried Leah.
32 It is the plot of land and the cave that my grandfather Abraham bought from the Hittites.”
33 When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.
Genesis 50 "in the beginning" 50
Jacob is Buried
1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
On him, as the principal member of the family, devolved the duty of closing the eyes of his venerable parent (compare Genesis 46:4) and imprinting the farewell kiss.
2 He commanded the doctors who served him to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel.
In ancient Egypt the embalmers were a class by themselves. The process of embalmment consisted in infusing a great quantity of resinous substances into the cavities of the body, after the intestines had been removed, and then a regulated degree of heat was applied to dry up the humors, as well as decompose the tarry materials which had been previously introduced. Thirty days were alloted for the completion of this process; forty more were spent in anointing it with spices; the body, tanned from this operation, being then washed, was wrapped in numerous folds of linen cloth--the joinings of which were fastened with gum, and then it was deposited in a wooden chest made in the form of a human figure.
3 It took the doctors forty days to prepare his body, the usual time it took. And the Egyptians mourned him for seventy days.
Embalming took 40 days.
4 When this time of sorrow had ended, Joseph spoke to the pharaoh's officers and said, "If you think well of me, please tell this to Pharaoh:
5 'When my father was near death, I made a promise to him that I would bury him in a cave in the land of Canaan, in a burial place that he cut out for himself. So please let me go and bury my father, and then I will return.' "
6 The Pharaoh answered, "Keep your promise. Go and bury your father."
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him—the officials of his court and all the officials of Egypt.
8 Everyone who lived with Joseph and his brothers went with him, as well as everyone who lived with his father. They left only their children, their flocks, and their herds in the land of Goshen.
9 They went with Joseph in chariots and on horses. It was a very large group.
10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they cried loudly and bitterly for his father. Joseph's time of sorrow continued for seven days.
11 The people that lived in Canaan saw the sadness at the threshing floor of Atad and said, "Those Egyptians are showing great sorrow!" So now that place is named Sorrow of the Egyptians.
12 So his sons did as their father commanded.
13 They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried it in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre. Abraham had bought this cave and field from Ephron the Hittite to use as a burial place.
14 After Joseph buried his father, he returned to Egypt, along with his brothers and everyone who had gone with him to bury his father.
15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph is still angry with us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?"
16 So they sent a message to Joseph that said, "Your father gave this command before he died.
YOUR FATHER, not their father...
17 He said to us, 'You have done wrong and have sinned and done evil to Joseph. Tell Joseph to forgive you, his brothers.' So now, Joseph, we beg you to forgive our wrong. We are the servants of the God of your father." When Joseph received the message, he cried.
18 And his brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves,"
19 Then Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Can I do what only GOD (Elohim-The God Family) can do?
20 You meant to hurt me, but GOD (Elohim-The God Family) turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done.
21 So don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your children." So Joseph comforted his brothers and spoke kind words to them.
22 Joseph continued to live in Egypt with all his father's family. He died when he was one hundred ten years old.
23 During Joseph's life Ephraim had children and grandchildren, and Joseph's son Manasseh had a son named Makir. Joseph accepted Makir's children as his own.
MACHIR THE SON OF MANASSEH: Eventually received an inheritance that was largely east of the Jordan. His descendants were also known as HaMachiri. This name in Medieval Latin was rendered America. Through Americo Vespucci, the name was given to America which Continent is dominated by descendants of Menasseh.
The Death of Joseph
24 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but GOD (Elohim-The God Family) will take care of you. He will lead you out of this land to the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
This is his knowledge of the prophecy to Abraham that the Israelites would live for 400 years in Egypt. The national feelings of the Egyptians would have been opposed to his burial in Canaan; but he gave the strongest proof of the strength of his faith and full assurance of the promises, by "the commandment concerning his bones" [Hebrews 11:22].would be conducted in the highest style of Egyptian magnificence and his mummied corpse carefully preserved till the Exodus.
25 Then Joseph had the sons of Israel make a promise. He said, "Promise me that you will carry my bones with you out of Egypt."
-He lived eighty years after his great increase in the prosperity of the kingdom, and also of his own family and kindred--the infant Church of God.
26 Joseph died when he was one hundred ten years old. Doctors embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Coffin is an Egyptian word and is never mentioned again in the Bible.
Later a picture representing Egypt was chosen as the symbol of Joseph. The pyramid in the American Great Seal (seen on the dollar bill) immediately recalls Egypt to the mind of whoever sees it.
Notes on Genesis:
Garden of Eden: The Bible says regarding the location of Eden: ‘And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads’ (Genesis 2:10). Two of these rivers are called Hiddekel (Tigris) and Perath (Euphrates).
This is why many Christians believe that the original garden was located somewhere in the Mesopotamian region (around present day Iraq) where the modern Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow. However, the Bible records a devastating worldwide Flood, many centuries after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden. Sedimentary layers, sometimes miles thick, bear mute testimony to this massive watery upheaval which tore apart and buried forever the pre-Flood world.
After the Flood, the survivors moved to the plain of Shinar (Sumeria/Babylonia) which is where we find rivers today called Tigris and Euphrates. These are therefore clearly not the same rivers. They run on top of Flood-deposited layers of rock containing billions of dead things. They were probably named after the original pre-Flood rivers, just as settlers from the British Isles to North America and Australasia applied familiar names to many places in their ‘new world.’
Note also that the Bible speaks of one river breaking into four, only two of which were called Tigris and Euphrates. This is not what is found in the Middle East today.
The Garden’s actual location on the globe can never be established—maybe it was where we now find the middle of the Pacific Ocean!
We do not know where the garden was. It may have been Egypt, thus explaining why Shem may have moved there (or back there) see note on Cherubim below. I have pondered that it was ATLANTIS, the mythical land that was destroyed and has been the basis of folklore ever sense. Atlantis may have been in the middle of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean or even near America!
Cherubim: Winged creatures who support the Throne of God, or act as guardian spirits. They appear in the Bible (the book of Ezekiel) as bearing the throne and chariot of God, and hence later conceived as a type of angels. They are also mentioned in Genesis 3:24 as guardians (or protectors) of the Garden of Eden. They were placed at the gates of the Garden to prevent humans from re-entering and thus gaining access to the Tree of Life. They also formed the mercy seat on the Ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:18-20). They are found in the Holy of Holies, on the Mercy Seat of the Ark (Ex. 25: 18, 22; 1 Kgs. 6: 23-28; Heb. 9: 5), and in the visions of Ezekiel (Ezek. 10; Ezek. 11: 22). In the account of the Fall, cherubim are represented as keeping “the way of the tree of life” (Gen. 3: 24). Satan was one: "Thou art the anointed CHERUB that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. "By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee" (Ezekiel 28:12-17). There can be no mistaking the reference to the devil in this passage, for he is said to have been in "Eden the garden of God."
How long did the garden of Eden survive? We have no further information, except that by the very fact that God placed guardian cherubim at the entrance to the garden, it is obvious the garden remained for a considerable period of time - that God intended that Adam and/or his future progeny would be denied access to the garden of Eden - called the "garden of God." There is every reason to assume that the garden of Eden was obliterated at the time of the Noachian deluge! In other words, it's quite likely that the cherubim (the Bible does not state how many were so assigned) were stationed at the entries of the garden of Eden, perhaps one-sixth of all human history until now. Think about it. Adam and Methuselah were contemporaries. Men lived to great age during the pre-flood period. For all of these hundreds of years, approximately ONE THOUSAND YEARS, these great creatures were stationed at the entrance to the garden of Eden, refusing entry to any humans who assayed to enter into the garden! (Garner Ted Armstrong:Satan's greatest deception) I believe it is reasonable to assume that the famous "sphinx" in Egypt was built by the early peoples either before or after the flood to represent the Cherubs of the garden. According to David Fasold and Ron Wyatt, the Pyramids (which is directly behind the great Sphinx, contains the mathematical formula to fins the location of the ark. They believed that SHEM, son of Noah moved to Egypt and built these references and he was an eye witness to Cherubs guarding the Garden of Eden.
The Diet before the Flood: This is controversial. I would say that most scholars would say that meat was never eaten in the Garden, or until after the flood. The latter I dismiss right out of hand, as God sacrificed the first animal, right after the sin of Adam and Eve and Abel was a keeper of sheep. Noah was also told to take seven pairs of clean animals, obviously to eat. The question to me is did God prohibit clean meat before the fall of man. I think the answer is simple. Logic is needed. We were made in the image of God. We look like God, and God has all of our physical attributes. We are the fleshly form of the spirit-God. Our digestion system did not change after creation. We produce ACID to eat meats! Only carnivores do this. There is not any herbivores that make stomach acids. In addition to this, we have canine teeth! I think that if man never ate meat in the Garden, it was only because Adam wasn't there long enough to eat meat! God had every intention of meat being eaten by our design, but before God instructed Adam on the correct way of preparing clean meat, Adam had already sinned. The Bible does not tell us if the Garden experience was several days, weeks, or years long. Since God said, "Be fruitful and reproduce" to them, and I am sure God made them fruitful, this implies that they were in the Garden for a very short time...
The Names of God: Old Testament Genesis
It is obvious that there are no words in any language that can describe God. For this reason, we see literally dozens of names for the same two beings, and many of these names may even be of pagan origins. El, Elohim can be always used to describe pagan Gods. Yahweh (Jehovah) to the best of my knowledge is never used to describe a pagan god, and this is why the name was so scared and the true pronunciation of it is unknown!(http://ldolphin.org/Names.html). It is known as The Tetragrammaton. The idea that God did not want most people to know His name is significant! It is not important for us to know His true name (Revelation suggests that His true name will not be revealed until The Lord Returns.Revelation 19:12). The fact that God answers to so many names signifies the fact that it is His presence and His Spirit that is holy and not just the spoken word. If your word for God Almighty is 'Toolhowdoit,' God will answer to it, and if you use that name 'Toolhowdoit,' as a but of jokes or to ridicule God, you are in trouble! God reads the heart and not our words!
EL: God ("mighty, strong, prominent") used 250 times in the OT See Gen. 7:1, 28:3, 35:11; Nu. 23:22; Josh. 3:10; 2 Sam. 22:31, 32; Neh. 1:5, 9:32; Isa. 9:6; Ezek. 10:5. El is linguistically equivalent to the Moslem "Allah," but the attributes of Allah in Islam are entirely different from those of the God of the Hebrews. ELAH is Aramaic, "god." Elah appears in the Hebrew Bible in Jer. 10:11 (which is in Aramaic, and is plural, "gods"). In Daniel (the Aramaic sections) Elah is used both of pagan gods, and of the true God, also plural. Elah is equivalent to the Hebrew Eloah which some think is dual; Elohim is three or more. The gods of the nations are called "Elohim." The origin of Eloah is obscure. Elohim is the more common plural form of El. Eloah is used 41 times in Job between 3:4 and 40:2, but fewer than 15 times elsewhere in the OT. See the Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Elohim.
ELOHIM: God (a plural noun, more than two, used with singular verbs); Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Gen. 1. God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong. Eccl., Dan. Jonah use Elohim almost exclusively. See Gen. 17:7, 6:18, 9:15, 50:24; I Kings 8:23; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 40:1. Elohim is a uniplural word showing that more than one make up ONE GROUP. The group here is the GODHEAD!
EL SHADDAI: God Almighty or "God All Sufficient." 48 times in the OT, 31 times in Job. First used in Gen. 17:1, 2. (Gen. 31:29, 49:24, 25; Prov. 3:27; Micah 2:1; Isa. 60:15, 16, 66:10-13; Ruth 1:20, 21) In Rev. 16:7, "Lord God the Almighty." The Septuagint uses Greek "ikanos" meaning "all-sufficient" or "self-sufficient." The idols of the heathen are called "sheddim."
ADONAI: Lord in our English Bibles (Capitol letter 'L ', lower case, 'ord') (Adonai is plural, the sing. is "adon"). "Master'' or "Lord" 300 times in the OT always plural when referring to God, when sing. the reference is to a human lord. Used 215 times to refer to men. First use of Adonai, Gen. 15:2. (Ex. 4:10; Judges 6:15; 2 Sam. 7:18-20; Ps. 8, 114:7, 135:5, 141:8, 109:21-28). Heavy use in Isaiah (Adonai Jehovah). 200 times by Ezekiel. Ten times in Dan. 9. NOT to be confused with "ADOWN" also rendered lord (small caps) but only means Mister, or Sir.
JEHOVAH: (YAHWEH) LORD in our English Bibles (all capitals). Yahweh is the covenant name of God. Occurs 6823 times in the OT First use Gen. 2:4 (Jehovah Elohim). From the verb "to be", havah, similar to chavah (to live), "The Self-Existent One," "I AM WHO I AM" or 'I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE" as revealed to Moses at the burning bush, Ex.3. The name of God, too sacred to be uttered, abbreviated ( . . . . ) or written "YHWH" without vowel points. The Tetragrammaton. Josh., Judges, Sam., and Kings use Jehovah almost exclusively. The love of God is conditioned upon His moral and spiritual attributes. (Dan. 9:14; Ps. 11:7; Lev. 19:2; Hab. 1:12). Note Deut. 6:4, 5 known to Jews as the Sh'ma uses both Jehovah and Elohim to indicate one God with a plurality of persons. More on this name in Exodus. This is a BIG SURPRISE HERE for many...
JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide." G
ABHIR: 'Mighty One', ("to be strong") Gen. 49:24; Deut. 10:17; Psa. 132:2, 5; Isa. 1:24, 49:26, 60:1.
EL ROI: "God of Seeing" Hagar in Gen. 16:13. The God Who opens our eyes. The only time and the only person to have this term used to them.
STONE: Gen. 49:24... This is Christ for sure.
EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (God of everlasting time) Gen. 21:33; Psa. 90:1-3, 93:2; Isa. 26:4.
en. 22:14. From "jireh" ("to see" or "to provide," or to "foresee" as a prophet.) God always provides, adequate when the times come.
