Vayechi | ויחי | "He lived "

Vayechi | ויחי | "He lived "       My sTudy is from Torah Portions, First Fruits of Zion.

• Torah: Genesis 47:28-50:26   

The Torah says little about life after death.  It is more concerned with how life is lived here on earth. A sect of Sadduccees, who did not believe in an afterlife were known in the time of the apostles. Another sect were the Pharisees who did believe in an afterlife and resurrection fromt he dead.  The Pharisees believeed that God promised to give the land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and not to their descendents. The patriarchs died in faith and without receiving the promises. (Hebrews 11:13). Jacob made Joseph promise that he would be buried in the tomb with his fathers in Canaan.  

• Israel (Jacob and his family) lived in the land of Egypt in Goshen with possessions and grew exceedingly becasue of Joseph.
• Jacob being old, asked Joseph that he not be buried in Egypt but back to his fathers’ burial place in the cave in the field of Machpelah bought by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite.  Joseph agreed.
• Jacob then blessed Joseph’s sons as his own sons… “May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.” Asking God to cause one’s negative past to be forgotten and his future to be fruitful.
• Jacob blessed Joseph by blessing his sons and then told him, "Behold I am dying but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers and gave one portion about his brothers to him."
• Jacob called his sons so that he might tell them what was in their futures which was a result of sin for the most part...
• Reuben   who was Jacob’s might and the beginning of strength, excellency of dignity and power, but unstabel as water so that he will not excel. He sinned by sleeping with Jacob's concubine and not worthy to recieve the first born birthright so that Joseph's sons received the first born birthright.
• Simeon and Levi who are two of a kind, instruments of cruelty, with no honor, no council but self-willed so that they murder.  Their anger is cursed and they will be divided and scattered.
• Judah whose brothers shall praise and bow down to you and your hand is on the neck of enemies.  Judah is a lion’s whelp (still dependent) and lies down as a lion but in the future Judah will rule and the people will obey. The donkey bound to the vine and its colt to the choice vine. He washed his garments in wine & clothes in the blood of grapes, who’s eyes are dark and teeth are white.  [Symbolic ~ Shiloh (the peaceful one) will come and  bind his donkey and colt to a vine. Shiloh will be washed in wine (blood). His eyes will be dark and his teeth white.]
• Zebulun will dwell in the sea and is a haven for ships.
• Issachar is a strong donkey, lying between two burdens, restful and pleasant; and ends up as  a band of slaves.
• Dan is a judge, a serpent, a viper that bites the horse’s heels and causes the rider to fall back saying I have waited for your salvation, O LORD.
• Gad as warriors who are trampled but triumph at the last.
• Asher is rich, with much bread and royal dainties.
• Naphtali as a deer on the loose using beautiful words.
• Joseph is a fruitful bough by a well whose branches run over it; archers grieved him but his bow was strength & he was strong by the hands of God & God will bless from heaven and from the deep, and blessings of children and fathers, of land and rule.
• Benjamin as a ravenous wolf who devours  prey in the morning and divides the spoil at night.
• Then Israel (Jacob) died and was embalmed Egyptian style & after 40 days, Joseph pleaded with Pharoah to let him take his father to the land of Canaan to bury him and he did. 
•  Afterwhich, Joseph’s brothers feared that he would seek revenge after Jacob’s death but Joseph reassures them that all is well.
• Joseph's last days... They continued to live in Egypt together.  When Joseph was 110 years old,  he died and was embalmed and buried in Egypt.

 

We are born and we die.  What we do with the life that is given to us is what ultimately counts with God.