The CUP

[duxrow]

Benjamin's Cup

Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath:<u> the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? John 18:11

Genesis 44:2 "And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, Gand his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken".
[Benjamin was the youngest; the 12th son, and his name means "son of the right hand" (where Jesus is now)]

There are many similarities between Jesus and the eleventh son of Jacob (Joseph), He was hated by his half-brothers who thought they had killed him; he resisted the charms of Potiphar's wife; he interpreted the dreams, etc., but when Joseph PLANTED his silver cup in Benjamin's sack (labeling him as a thief), the reason for him doing this was never given.. not to me, anyway. Why would such a godly man as Joseph want to frame his kid brother in such a way?

Not until Jesus spoke of "the Cup from his Father" is it clear how the Genesis account is an allegory concerning the spiritual cup -- Not a physical cup of tea or `coffee, but rather an assignment from the Almighty!

Benjamin hadn't been with the brothers on their first trip to Egypt, and before they returned to Canaan, Joseph told them 'they wouldn't see his face again unless Benjamin was with them'. Sound familiar? You'd better have Jesus in your heart, or you won't be seeing him either!

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[Charisma]

This is a great subject, which I will try to reply more to, tomorrow.

[duxrow]

This is a great subject, which I will try to reply more to, tomorrow.

Allegories a favorite of mine too http://www.cswnet.com/~tracie/Allegory.htm

[heb13-13]

Allegories a favorite of mine too http://www.cswnet.com/~tracie/Allegory.htm

Very nice, Dux.

"Now we're chewing on Eagle Food instead of regurgitated buzzard food!"



Rick

[Charisma]

Hi Bob,

I'm going to assume you're following me, and jot a few thoughts here.

I re-read Genesis 43 - 45, and one of the striking things is how Joseph (as a type of Jesus) kept returning their money while supplying their need.

There is a kind of reverse logic in Joseph commanding his steward to put his cup in Benjamin's sack, made all the more poignant by Jacob having sent double money the second time, in case the first time of its return had been 'an oversight'. The righteousness of Jacob, and of Judah, and of the whole group of brethren when they had been pursued by the steward and found to be still with their money and the cup, stands out. In an era when things were not stored under lock and key, and a man's word really did count for something, they were genuinely embarrassed and concerned at how they would be treated on their return to Joseph's house.

This is very touching, even though one could charge them with a lot of nastiness to Joseph when they were younger, now that they have their own wives and children, they would have been more appreciative of why Jacob had been so upset all these years because of Joseph's imagined death. Judah as one of the older ones, seems to have had his father's confidence, possibly because he was able to hold his head up for having talked his brothers out of murdering Joseph. There are many reflex images in this account, with many shadows in both directions.

My first thought about giving Benjamin the cup, is that Joseph wanted to sup with him. Turn that around, and it is that Jesus wants us to sup with Him. There is also the matter of silver often being representative of man, which speaks of Jesus' identification with us here on earth.

Another point I noted (and this is not a 'plug' for the prosperity gospel), is that the brothers had been to Egypt once, because they thought they were in famine, but when Jacob agreed to send Benjamin with them, and the second amount of money, he added, 'take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:' Genesis 43:11.

Two chapters later, when Joseph has re-introduced himself to them, he is saying, 'Genesis 45:11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet [there are] five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.'

And so, we learn that 'poverty' means -
no 'best fruits', 'balm', 'honey', 'spices', 'myrrh', 'nuts', 'almonds'.

Is this one of the reasons that Jesus told of the lord who told his servant to 'compel' those in the highways and byways, the fields and the hedgerows, to come in to his banquet? That the Lord knows there is plenty, and His generosity (of which Jacob's and Joseph's are shadows) cannot bear to see the cup of wrath which He took for us, being wasted?

[duxrow]

Hi Charisma -- too many Bob's here -- make it dux if you please.
More to the story in Genesis: that Joseph was NOT in pedigree of Jesus, and neither is husband of Mary!
Both Joseph and Benjamin may be seen as types of Jesus: because the first meant 'the Lord will add a son', and the other is 'son of the right hand' (where Jesus is now).
Ten were half-brothers, but Benjamin was full -- reason for the 5X food?
/s/ dux