Today I didn’t have any life group on, so I decided I’ve visit the local synagogue that is within Albert Street in Brisbane city. I had wanted to visit this for awhile, but I’d either forget or I’d have life group on. Anyway my visit went something like this. I walked up to the synagogue and was greated by a man who told me to leave my bag in the outer room, and then I was instructed to put on this round circular cap thing on my head (I don’t know its name), which made me feel a little self-conscious…lol.. my cap wasn’t as nice as the other ones…haha… anyway I was told to grab a book from this thing that was in the middle, its like the picture below except it had a bookshelf around on the outside, its where the guy leading the meeting sings out the psalms and songs.
Anyway I just watched everyone one and read the book (it had both Hebrew and English), After a heap of singing out hebrew things, a guy stood up to give a short message. He talked about Joeseph and how they consider him righteous because even though he was tested to commit immorality he remained pure, and even though he was put in jail he remained faithful to God. This of coarse drew my attention, I had often wondered how the story of Joseph related to Jesus. Just as Joseph is considered righteous because he remained faithful to God when tested, Jesus was faithful to God in all things, even to the point of Death. Just like Joseph was tested and tried, sold into slavery and thrown into Jail, Jesus has gone through punishment of a sinner. Being sentenced to death on the cross, Jesus went through to Sheol, the bars of Sheol. And Just like Joseph was first tried and tested and then made 2nd over all egypt and having done so was able to provide food so that His father and brothers who where promised to be a great nation would not die, Jesus after his visit to Sheol sits at the right hand of God till all his enemies will be made a footstool (soon to happen I believe). And just as Joseph provided food so does Jesus through His body offer food (spiritual food) to all those that will call on His name.
[22] “Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.
[23] The archers bitterly attacked him,
shot at him, and harassed him severely,
[24] yet his bow remained unmoved;
his arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
[25] by the God of your father who will help you,
by the Almighty who will bless you
with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that crouches beneath,
blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
[26] The blessings of your father
are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents,
up to the bounties of the everlasting hills.
May they be on the head of Joseph,
and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.
(Genesis 49:22-26 ESV)
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