Dreams, Visions & Prophecy – Vayeshev – Dec. 13

The manifestation of supernatural gifts amongst believers in Yeshua as the Messiah continues to grow and mature as believers learn to use these gifts in fellowship with God through His Holy Spirit. Signs and wonders along with dreams and visions have been manifested exponentially over the past 50 years as we see an unprecedented work of God through His Son Yeshua in and through those who call on His Name. Dreams and visions are a means today that God especially uses to speak to people from Muslim backgrounds.

Does God still speak through Dreams and Visions?

The supernatural manifestation of spiritual gifts is a controversial issue because with the authentic and genuine display of the power of God is always the counterfeit and imitation. In the same way that spiritual gifts were used and abused in the first century amongst believers (1 Corinthians 12 – 1 Corinthians 14) so there is much abuse in regards to the spiritual gifts today. Because of this abuse, some believers want to throw out any and all manifestation of supernatural spiritual gifts and some conservative pastors and teachers will go as far as claiming the complete cessation of supernatural spiritual gifts from the time that the Bible was completed, around 100 AD.

One of the most famous Christian pastors today who is very outspoken on the cessation of supernatural spiritual gifts is John MacArthur. John MacArthur is a respected Christian pastor and teacher, however, his hard and fast stand on the cessation of supernatural spiritual gifts today goes far and beyond what the Bible teaches. To learn more about John MacArthur’s position on this issue click one of these links: A Study on Spiritual Gifts or Strange Fire Conference
To read a balanced perspective regarding spiritual gifts in response to John MacArthur, please read this Calvary Chapel perspective

Joseph & the Supernatural

This week’s Torah Portion focuses on the generations of Jacob. The generations of the patriarchs of the faith always focused on one chosen individual or one particular son. The generations of Terach focused on Abraham (Gen. 11:27-30). The generations of Abraham focused on the life of Isaac (Gen. 25:1-11). The Generations of Isaac focused on Jacob (Gen. 25:19-24). And finally the generations of Jacob focused on his son Joseph (Gen. 37:2). Joseph was the chosen one and his life is the focus throughout most of the last third of the book of Genesis.

The story of Joseph is not new to any of us. Joseph was the beloved son of his aging father. Joseph received the multicolored robe from his father and was honored above his brothers. Joseph gave negative reports to his father about his brothers and his brothers hated him for it.

The Dreams of Joseph

To complicate the family situation with Joseph and his brothers, God gave Joseph two dreams. These two dreams conveyed the same meaning; Joseph would one day be in a position of authority and even his own family would bow down to him. The reaction of Joseph’s brothers was that they hated him even more and became jealous of him (Gen. 37:8,11).
Joseph heard from God through dreams and as we see later in this week’s Torah Portion, Joseph was an interpreter of dreams (Gen. 40:8), much like the prophet Daniel (Daniel 2:28). Joseph was not only the beloved son of his father but he was also a prophet of God. Joseph’s family rejected this notion that what he had dreamed was from God. Joseph’s family rejected his dreams and rejected him (Gen. 37:1-20).

A Prophet Without Honor

The words of Jesus are true, “A prophet is not without honor except in his home town, among his own relatives, and in his own household” (Matt. 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24). Joseph was a prophet who was rejected by his own household and his own relatives. However, I wonder if Joseph was not a bit immature in his prophetic gifting. Joseph had a dream and related it immediately to those whom it would affect. God used this to fulfill His plan in the end but I wonder if it would not have been wiser for Joseph to wait until the proper time to share these dreams with his family?

Joseph was quick to judge his brothers and focused on the faults of his brothers (Gen. 37:2). For those who have the gift of prophecy, judgement is usually a character trait that reveals itself in relationships. It appears that Joseph had this judgmental characteristic as well. He was a bit proud and needed to learn humility. Joseph would soon learn humility through 13 years of training.

One day when Joseph went to check on his brothers at his father’s request, his brothers saw him from a distance and plotted to kill, however, they were persuaded by Reuben to throw him in a pit instead (Gen. 37:21-24). Then later Judah persuaded his brothers to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite slave traders rather than kill him (Gen. 37:26-28). Joseph is taken down to Egypt and is sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Joseph found favor in the eyes of his master and was put in charge of his whole house. It wasn’t long after, however, that Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph. Joseph resisted her seductive ways and fled from her. Potiphar’s wife then made a false accusation against Joseph and Joseph was sent to prison (Gen. 39).

Learning to Walk in the Prophetic

We don’t know exactly how long Joseph was in prison for but It was probably at least ten years. We know that it was a total of 13 years that Joseph was in Egypt before he was released from prison and elevated to second in command beside Pharaoh. So for a period of 13 years Joseph was living in a foreign land after been rejected by his family. Then after having some success in this foreign land he was falsely accused and sent to prison for an undetermined amount of years. We know that the LORD was continually with Joseph during his imprisonment (Gen. 39:21-23). God had not abandoned Joseph or forgotten him. God would use these years in a foreign land and in prison to humble Joseph and refine his prophetic gifting.

Persecution and Suffering for the Sake of the Name

Believers in God today must understand that being a believer and receiving revelation from God does not exclude us from hardships in this world. Yeshua taught that following after Him and pursuing righteousness will include persecution and false accusations as the prophets from of old were falsely accused (Matt. 5:10-12).

We read in the letter to the Hebrews that faith will include suffering, reproach, and tribulations (Hebrews 10:32-39). We must not throw out our confidence in God. We must not be those who shrink back in faith but rather those who endure to the end. Joseph demonstrated this kind of faith and endurance during his years of suffering.

Attitude is Everything

During Joseph’s stay in prison the cupbearer and the chief baker were also sent to prison and Joseph attended to them (Gen. 40:1-4). One night the cupbearer and chief baker both had a dream and they were troubled by their dreams. Joseph noticed their dejected state and inquired why they were this way. They told him that they each had a dream but had no one to interpret it. Joseph proclaimed in faith and confidence, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me” (Gen. 40:8).

While Joseph was in jail he kept his faith in God. He had a good attitude and learned to trust in God not matter what happened to him. He never grew bitter and never became angry at God, from what we know. Joseph himself was serving a sentence for a false accusation, however, he still had a servant’s heart and had compassion for others. Instead of focusing on the injustice done to him he was seeking to bless others in whatever way he could.

Do you feel like you are in a prison that you cannot escape from? Do you feel like you have been unjustly accused? Has God given you dreams and visions years ago but you don’t see the fulfillment of them yet? Don’t lose hope! Don’t give up! Keep your faith in God and wait on Him. In His perfect timing He will set you free and fulfill His promises.

God’s Refining Process is in the Pit, Not the Palace!

The cupbearer and chief baker explained their dreams to Joseph and he gave individual interpretations to each one, the cupbearer would be restored to his position in three days and the chief baker would be hanged. Joseph asked the cup bearer to remember him when he was restored to his position before the King of Egypt for he explained that he had been stolen away from the land of the Hebrews and even in Egypt he had done nothing wrong to deserve being sent to this dungeon, literally -“pit” (בור) [Gen. 40:1-15]. This is the second time Joseph finds himself in the pit, once when his brothers threw him into a pit and now when he was falsely accused. Both times he had done nothing to deserve this treatment.

In our civilized and educated society, we often think we can study our way into knowing God. There is a reality of hard work and academic preparation that is extremely helpful and wise in properly handling God’s Word, however, knowing God must go beyond the text. There is a relational reality that must be entered into to truly hear God’s voice and know Him intimately. God’s refining process is in the pit not in the palace!

The LORD Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets

Joseph was a prophet of God that learned to trust God whatever the circumstances were. The Bible teaches us that God uses His prophets to declare His revelation among men. Prophets are God’s instruments on earth to reveal Himself. It is recorded in the book of the prophet Amos, “Because the LORD my lord does nothing without revealing His secrets to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). God desires to speak to His people and it is often through individual prophets whom He chooses.

Joseph was a prophet of God who received the secrets plans of God before they happened. He spoke these prophecies in confidence and was ridiculed, mocked, beaten, and rejected by his own family. He continued to use his gifting as God gave him the opportunity and God eventually used his gift of prophecy to bring him before the King of Egypt.

The gift of prophecy, as described in the New Testament, entails speaking God’s Word to His people for their edification. This is what the Apostle Paul taught to the believers and is part of our recorded Scriptures today (1 Corinthians 14). “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1)

However, the Scriptures also give us very clear instructions to not believe everything a so called “prophet” may speak. John the Apostle gives us this warning, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). We need to be discerning and not stray from the foundation that God has given to us in His Word and test words of prophecy.

Let us learn from the life of Joseph to have ears to hear what God wants to speak to His people today, even if it is in a dream. May we be a people that have faith in God whatever the situation, give Him permission to refine us along the way, and always be ready to serve others. May we speak the truth and revelation that God gives us so that others may know that there is a God who wants to make Himself known on this earth!

Shabbat Shalom!

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Torah Portion: Gen. 37:1 – Gen. 40:23

Hafatara: Amos 2:6 – Amos 3:8

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