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!

..

[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

[Charisma]

Hi dux,

Glad you got back to this thread.

More to the story in Genesis: that Joseph was NOT in pedigree of Jesus, and neither is husband of Mary!

Did I say something that made you think otherwise?


I've been thinking about the Gen 43 - 45 account even since I posted, and it occurred to me that Joseph made his brothers feel some of the pains he had felt when they went home having sold him to passing traders.

At his hand, they experienced various separations and angst over the welfare of Benjamin and their father, and, he set them up to be accused of something they hadn't done. He also kept Simeon imprisoned for a season. Then, after they had all had a taste of their own medicine, he let his barrier down. But in all of his treatment of them, he didn't abuse his position and power to truly repay them for the way they had wronged him.

[duxrow]

Agree, Charisma, and note how WE are a type of Simeon (hostage), as well as 'spies' searching the scriptures; awaiting the return of 'our brothers' along with the beloved son.

Wouldn't you like to know Mrs.Potiphar reaction to Joseph's rise to power? ha.

[Silence]

A few thoughts about the things going on with Benjamin, Joseph, and the others -

In a allegorical sense "Benjamin" was responsible for Joseph going to Egypt in the first place. His name means "Son of the Right Hand" and he symbolizes the authority and ability to rule. As Joseph was growing up, it probably appeared to his brothers that he was the one being groomed by his father to fill this role in the family upon his death. (maybe Benjamin was too young at the time?) They didn't like the favoritism being shown to Joseph or the implications from the dreams he told them about, so they came up with a plan to get him out of the way. In a certain sense, Joseph and Benjamin cannot really be separated since Joseph's name prophesies Benjamin's addition. Maybe Joseph came to realize that the struggle to be the "right hand man" of the father in the family was the reason for the strife going on.

Getting Jacob to let go of Benjamin was prophetic of the Lord's attempt to get the nation of Israel to give up on their attempts to bring in the kingdom of God in their own strength. As long as that is held onto, you cannot come into Joseph's presence. Benjamin's mother gave up everything in birthing him, and it was only when Jacob was faced with losing everything to famine that he was willing to let go of everything that Benjamin meant to him.

It is interesting that the cup used to frame Benjamin with was used for divination. We humans seem to be pre-occupied with the ability to predict the future. But that desire for foreknowledge is probably only sustained by the mistaken notion that we will be able to use it as a way of gaining power and also in thinking that if we know about something before it takes place, there will be steps we can take to avoid or mitigate any unpleasant things we see headed our way. This might be why there are places in the bible that say "It (eating a scroll of prophecy) will sweet as honey in your mouth, but in your stomach it will turn sour". Sometimes there is nothing that can be done but suffer through it.

The binding and imprisonment of Simeon is a prophetic type of the blindness cast over Israel when they didn't recognize their Messiah. Joseph was ruling over all of the world, but no one in Jacob's family knew it. "Faith comes by HEARING, and HEARING by the word of God". Simeon means "hearing".

It is also interesting that Joseph was not moved to reveal himself to his brothers when they admitted among themselves that they were in this mess because of their sin against him, it was only when Judah described the terrible effect that the loss of Benjamin would have on their father that Joseph could no longer restrain himself.

[duxrow]

These two sons were specially loved by their father Jacob.

Hardly a word about the baby daughter just prior to Joseph. Intriguing?
Perhaps the Great Author is downplaying the female agenda of the OT. ??

You say?