Just as Judah and his brothers did not recognize the gentile Egyptian governor as their flesh and blood Hebrew brother Joseph, many Christians may not recognize their Jewish Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth, when He returns to Earth for His bride.

In Torah reading ויגש Vayigash (“he approached,” Genesis 44:18–47:27), Joseph disguised himself as a gentile to save Egypt and the entire world from famine. Yeshua’s apostle Paul tells us that the Messiah disguised Himself from His Jewish kin for a time for the sake of the Gentiles, but He will reveal Himself as our Jewish Messiah at His second coming. The question is, are we prepared to see Him as He really is?

Joseph’s testing of his brothers was pretty obvious, particularly regarding his favoritism towards Benjamin. Joseph’s entrapment of Benjamin as a thief catches his older brothers so off guard they don’t  know what to think so they operate under the assumption that the governor’s accusation against Benjamin is true.

Judah’s plea to the governor of Egypt for Benjamin’s life is purely emotional. As the brothers interacted with Joseph at various times, there were some things that were amiss, such as the return of their money the first time and how he was able to seat them in perfect birth order but, when Judah confronts Joseph, he is careful not to accuse Joseph of any wrongdoing. 

He appeals to Joseph’s heart, which is what you do when you have no concrete facts to present in your defense. However, did Joseph believe Judah? At some level Joseph did believe him but at another level, Joseph still did not believe that Judah or the other brothers were honest men.

Even though Judah tells Joseph several times over the course of their interactions that their father is alive, the first question Joseph asks after he reveals his true identity is “Is my father still alive?” Joseph knew his brothers knew how to lie. 

What Joseph didn’t know until he put them to the test is that Judah has grown up since experiencing the death of his own sons and how he protected his youngest son.

Judah also had greater empathy for Jacob and his anguish over Joseph and Benjamin. Judah would rather go into slavery than to see his father lose another son. 

Joseph has learned that Judah has really grown up, now Joseph can have a real relationship with him and the rest of his brothers. 

Later when the brothers go to Egypt to bring Jacob back to Egypt, Jacob didn’t believe Judah and his other sons either, their lies had been exposed. 

The brothers didn’t believe Joseph either when he first revealed himself to them either. 

Joseph is a messianic figure. Joseph lived before the Messiah and fulfilled a part of the Messiah’s mission. The partial fulfillments of various pre-Messianic figures helps us know who the Messiah is when we actually see Him. 

There are some parts of Joseph’s life that parallel Messiah Yeshua. 

Joseph

Yeshua

Joseph was imprisoned with two notables of Pharaoh’s house.

Yeshua was crucified with two thieves. 

One prisoner lived (wine=blood), other died (bread=flesh). 

One of the thieves repented and gained eternal life, the other thief did not repent. 

Joseph asks the survivor to remember him. 

Yeshua promised to remember the repentant thief. 

All of the family are under his authority

All of His people are under His authority

Now let’s compare Joseph to King David and Yeshua Messiah so we can see the Messianic threads more clearly. 

David had many sons but the son that caused him the most grief was Absolom, but of all of David’s sons, Absolom was the one whose life had the most Messianic hints (except mayby Solomon). 

Joseph

David

Yeshua