"And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him." Genesis 37:4; "But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." John 15:25 ; "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

Being hated without cause is an aspect of Messianic prophecy that applies to both Jesus and Joseph. Just as Joseph was hated by his brothers, and David was hated by Saul without cause, is it any wonder that Jesus was hated by the world without cause -- thus fulfilling a Messianic Psalm. [Psalm 69:4]. And should it surprise us that He is still hated? And if Jesus was hated without a cause, should we expect our lives to be any different? As thousands of saints suffered intense persecution in ages past, and thousands are still being persecuted today (126,000 martyrs last year alone), they prepare(d) the way for the salvation of millions of others. Since Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends," the love expressed by the martyrs is a tremendous source of inspiration to all of us. Brothers & Sisters, as we are rapidly approaching the end of the age, we can expect persecution to be on the rise. We're sent out as sheep among wolves – so lift your head high when suffering persecution for the Lord. Your response of faith and love could well lead to the salvation of the ones persecuting you! PERSECUTION IS COMING? ARE YOU READY?

"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." Hebrews 1:8,9

As we continue our study of Messiah, we observe that both Joseph and Jesus were chosen or "anointed" for a special task. When Jacob gifted his son Joseph with a coat of many colors, lifting him up above his brothers, he reflected Joseph's calling by the Lord for a life work as a leader. The preparation for this role was grueling. Joseph endured the fires of testing, sold into slavery, thrown into prison, and seemingly abandoned by God he must have wondered to himself, “Why is this happening?” It seems clear from hindsight that Joseph was learning the deep humility required for God's kind of leadership. We also see the humility of the Son of God in His Incarnation and crucifixion. ("My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?") So as Joseph saved the whole world from physical death by starvation, Jesus saved the whole world from spiritual death, the judgment of sin. Brothers & Sisters, if you have seen signs of your own anointing for a specific task, and find yourself in the midst of painful "unexplainable" trials and tribulations, you're in good company. God gives responsibility to people of character. Both Joseph and Yeshua are beautiful examples of the kind of leader God loves--a humble one. YOU ARE CHOSEN FOR A TASK!

"And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah (“Decipherer of Secrets”);" Gen 41:45a

Joseph interpreted dreams and revealed their meaning to those around him, and so Pharaoh gave him the name, Tsofnat Paneach (Zaphnathpaaneah), which means the "Decipherer or Revealer of Secrets." Jesus, at his first advent, coming as the suffering servant or otherwise known as "Mashiach ben Yosef," also came revealing secrets, not as an interpreter of dreams, but as one who disclosed the secrets of men. Jesus's teaching consistently exposed the innermost thoughts of the heart, forcing them into the light. As the living Word of God, His words, like a sword, cut through deception and went straight to the motives of men. Exposing sin through deep conviction, He presents the opportunity for real and sincere confession. He can then remove those sins through His atoning death. Brothers & Sisters, Jesus's insight and the conviction of His word are a gift. If He probes you in the secret places, it's only because He loves you so much and because He wants to reveal His grace and power to cleanse you. When you read His Word or seek Him in prayer, don't be surprised if you discover some of your own secrets, things you may have even hidden from yourself. He will reveal what He wants you to see, what He wants you to confess, and what He wants to help you change. And then, you will also discover a "secret" love He was waiting to show you. REVEALER OF SECRETS!

"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors." Genesis 37:3; "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17" ; "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." 1 John 3:1

Another interesting correlation we draw from Joseph is how Joseph was the object of his father’s (Jacob) love, just as Jesus was loved of our Heavenly Father. This preference Jacob had for Joseph was unequivocal, and it was also pretty controversial among his brothers. Competition among siblings seemed to infect the family just as it can in many of our own families. But the beauty of Joseph's place in his father's heart emerges when we realize that, as a type of Jesus, Joseph powerfully illustrates the love our Heavenly Father has for all of us, equally and intensely, so there's no need or cause for competition among us. Now Jacob's love for Joseph was connected with his love for Rachel and the long wait for a son by his beloved wife. Joseph didn't have to do anything to earn Jacob's love. It was not based on his performance, even though it turned out that his character was pretty sterling. Likewise, our Father's love for us is totally based in His love for Yeshua, not on our performance. Our HIGHS do not exalt us, and our LOWS do not depress us in the sight of the Father. Our acceptance is not dependent on us but rather on Him who sits on the throne, Who never changes! Brothers & Sisters, rejoice, for you are accepted in the “beloved!” You may say to yourself, "There's nothing good here!" But remember that God the Father is seeing His Son when He looks at you. Your struggle against temptation and sin only proves that you have been lovingly adopted into His family, and fully identified with His beloved Son. Realizing this is a source of tremendous freedom, prompting deep gratitude and a growing desire for relationship with God. Shalom! YOU ARE BELOVED!

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matthew 24:14

Continuing this study of Jesus (Messiah "Son of Joseph"), I want to focus on another aspect of the rabbis' understanding; that Messiah will come first, and prepare the world for the Kingdom of the Lord. According to their teaching he will do this by fighting God’s wars against "Edom", which is collectively understood as the enemies of Israel in the time preceding the restoration of the Messianic Kingdom by Jesus. This preparation is known as Ikvot Mashiach – the Footsteps of Messiah. Their expectation was that the entire world would be thus readied for the arrival of Messiah, the glorious King. Messianic and Christian believers understand that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of Messiah in His first coming, and we anxiously await His return to fulfill the role of Jesus. During this long interval, we who know Jesus, the Suffering Servant, also "walk in His footsteps", preparing the world for His return. This "walk" also engages us in a war. "Edom" represents the earthly man, the man of flesh, an enemy against whom we struggle daily, facing many battles and obstacles as we prepare ourselves and our brethren in holy living for our expected Bridegroom's arrival. Walking in His Footsteps means living a life of expectant preparation, and calling others to this walk as we preach the gospel of the coming Kingdom to all the nations. Brothers & Sisters, let us follow faithfully in His footsteps, fighting in the spirit, the battle with "Edom", our sinful nature, and winning souls through holy living and sharing the gospel of salvation at every opportunity. FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MESSIAH!

"And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words." Genesis 37:8 ; "But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us." Luke 19:14

Another aspect of Jesus is that the world would resist his authority. When Joseph told his family of his dreams, they were outraged at the suggestion that their younger brother would reign over them. They simply had no idea that God would make Joseph exactly the kind of ruler they needed. Likewise, the world is outraged by Jesus's claim to be ruler of this world. Never mind that His astounding humility completely qualifies Him to be loved, worshiped, and respected. Joseph won the hearts of his brothers through the grace, forgiveness, and love that he showed them after they had rejected and sought to kill him. Jesus wins our hearts the same way, and yet we still find resistance to His authority in some areas of our lives. The longer I walk as a believer, the more I find myself between two realities. As my life becomes more consecrated and I realize how Holy He truly is, I become increasingly aware of my own true condition, "Woe is me, for I’m a man of unclean lips!" My life may seem to be holier to the world, while inside, my spirit is crying out, "Lord, Help me!" It's because I can see and feel more clearly the areas in my soul that are still not submitted to Him. Yet His Spirit is constantly nudging me, "I want this part of your life too!" Brothers & Sisters, if the Spirit of God is nudging you to surrender something, somehow, somewhere... it’s time to give it over to Him. Don’t wait another day. Take a moment and say once again, "Lord, I want you to reign over all my life!" WILL YOU LET HIM REIGN?