The Righteous Lifted Up
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Our Torah portion now deals with the story of Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob. But in verse 3, Moshe used the name Israel to show us the fulfillment of Gen. 25:23:
“Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one person shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.”
So the twelve sons of Jacob will soon become a nation—Israel.
Joseph’s story provides an entry to another fulfillment of Adonai YHVH’s prophecy to Abraham in Gen. 15:13–14, where his descendants will be strangers in a land and afflicted for four hundred years:
“Then He said to Abram: ‘Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them for four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.’”
From then on, Joseph will be Adonai’s instrument to save Israel from the future famine. Joseph is also a foreshadowing of Messiah Yeshua as a suffering servant who will eventually be lifted up:
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V.3 Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob, just as Yeshua is the only begotten Son of the Father. In Genesis 25:28, Jacob was the favorite son of Rebekah. Now Jacob, as a father, chooses Joseph as his favorite, considering he was the son of his old age. Mark 1:11 says, “Then a voice came from heaven, ‘You (Yeshua) are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”
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V.3b Joseph wore a tunic with length, just like Yeshua. In John 19:23, “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Yeshua, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic.” The Hebrew word behind “coat of many colors” is ketonet passim, which means “a tunic with length either in the sleeves or even in the hem of a garment.” Joseph’s tunic could signify that he would be the leader of Jacob’s household.
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V.2 Joseph was a shepherd, just as Yeshua is the Good Shepherd in John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
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V.4 Joseph was hated by his brothers, just as Yeshua was. John 1:11 says, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” Joseph’s brothers hated him because of Jacob’s treatment of him and because of his dreams. Likewise, Yeshua, the Promised Messiah, was hated and rejected by His own people.
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V.12–13 Joseph was sent by Jacob to Shechem to check on his brothers, just as Yeshua was sent by His Father (John 6:57). Joseph’s mission was to bring back a report to his father. Yeshua’s mission is to fulfill the Torah, as He is the Torah made flesh and came not to abolish it (Matt. 5:17–19).
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V.18 Joseph’s brothers planned to kill him, just as the people shouted “Crucify Him!” when Pilate wished to release Yeshua. Joseph’s brothers acted out of hate and envy, while Yeshua was destined to die as a ransom for our sins.
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V.28 Joseph was sold by his brothers for twenty shekels of silver, just as Yeshua was sold by Judas for thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15). In Exodus 21:32, if an animal killed a servant, the owner had to pay thirty shekels of silver. From this, we can see that the lives of Joseph and Yeshua were deemed of little value by those who betrayed them.
Chapter 37 also reveals the conflict within Jacob’s family—hatred, favoritism, jealousy, and anger. But these things happened so that Joseph would be sold and brought to Egypt. There he gained the trust of Pharaoh’s household, was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, and was imprisoned despite his innocence.
In prison, he interpreted dreams, which led to his return to the palace and, eventually, to interpreting Pharaoh’s dream. Pharaoh was pleased and appointed him governor. Through Joseph’s leadership, they prepared for the famine, which brought his family to Egypt. Joseph played a tremendous role in saving them from the severe famine. This story demonstrates how Adonai lifted Joseph out of painful and difficult situations to fulfill His plans and promises.
Our Torah portion also reminds us of the importance of studying the Torah and the Prophets, or the Tanakh. We cannot fully understand who Yeshua is if we begin only with the Synoptic Gospels. Today, we’ve seen foreshadowings of Yeshua in Joseph’s life.
Colossians 1:15,17
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
John 1:1–2,14
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And the Word (Torah) became flesh (Yeshua) and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 5:46–47
“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
The pit may be dark, but it is often the place where purpose begins. What man uses to bury, God uses to build.
When life throws you into a "pit" of rejection, betrayal, or injustice — will you trust that Adonai is shaping you for something greater? Reflect on your past hardship and identify how it prepared you for a current strength.
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Our Haftarah portion deals with the persecution of the prophet Jeremiah for speaking the truth. He told the people, “Whoever stays in the city will die by the sword, famine, and plague; but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live.” The officials reported Jeremiah to King Zedekiah, and the king allowed them to decide his fate. They threw Jeremiah into a pit without water.
An Ethiopian eunuch, Ebed-Melech, interceded for the prophet. He told the king to spare Jeremiah from hunger. With the king’s help and some men, they pulled Jeremiah up using ropes and lifted him out of the pit.
We learn two lessons from our Haftarah. First, there is persecution when speaking the truth about Adonai’s instruction. When I became a grafted believer and started living according to the Torah, I was accused of being part of a cult. At first, I was affected—but later, I overcame it.
Second, Adonai YHVH is always there to rescue us. He is our refuge and strength. Remember this: “In spite of persecution, there is God’s intervention.”
2 Timothy 3:11–12
“My persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted.”
Truth-tellers may be thrown down, but they will never be forsaken. Adonai always sends a rope when the message must rise again.
Like Jeremiah, are you willing to speak truth even if it costs you comfort, reputation, or approval?
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In the Apostolic portion, Yeshua arrived at the Jordan to be immersed by John. Why was He immersed? John’s immersion symbolized T’shuvah (repentance). But Yeshua did not come to repent—He came to forgive and cleanse those who do. His immersion shows that He is the promised Messiah.
In verse 16, after Yeshua had been immersed, He came up immediately from the water. John may have only officiated the immersion, as in Jewish custom (according to wildolive.co.uk and eztorah.com), immersion is self-administered—by squatting until fully submerged.
A voice from heaven declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” echoing Psalm 2:7:
“I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’”
The waters of obedience prepare the ground for divine affirmation. Those who go low in surrender are lifted high in calling.
Yeshua humbled Himself to fulfill all righteousness. In what area of your life is Adonai calling you to obedience?
The theme of our parasha is “being lifted up.” In the Torah, Joseph—Jacob’s favorite son—was chosen to suffer and foreshadow the Messiah. He was thrown into a pit and lifted up to save his family. In the Haftarah, Jeremiah was thrown into a dungeon but was lifted up by the king’s order. In the Apostolic portion, Yeshua came up (lifted up) from the water, and the Father was pleased with Him.
Returning to my introduction—it’s no joke to fall into a deep hole, whether literally or into life’s trials. But the Hand of God will suddenly come to rescue us and lift us out of danger.
This Parasha teaches us that the journey of being lifted up often begins in a low place — a pit, a prison, or a place of rejection. Joseph, Jeremiah, and even Yeshua experienced deep trials, yet none of their circumstances were outside Adonai’s sovereign plan. What man intends for harm, God repurposes for redemption. Whether you're thrown into a pit by betrayal, silenced for truth, or misunderstood for righteousness, Adonai sees, knows, and in due time, lifts His servants to fulfill His covenant and reveal His glory.
Psalm 40:2 (NIV):
“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”
Before God lifts us to our destiny, He often lowers us into places where only faith can breathe. The pit is not your end — it’s where His promise takes root.
Your pit may be part of your purpose.
Shabbat Shalom,
Topher
shema.com
haaretz.com
firstthings.com
scholarship.wordpress.com
claudemariottini.com
hebrew4christians.com
thetorah.com
hoshanahrabbah.org
The MacArthur Study Bible
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