Judah and Joseph: the 12 Tribes of Israel

Since we're witnessing Israel's pride cycle, let's talk about what Judah and his brothers did to their brother Joseph, Jacobs favorite son. Andrew Lloyd Webber told the story in his play Joseph and his Technicolor Dream Coat. 

Joseph had 12 sons, not one. Judah was just one son. Joseph was the favorite. Now we can talk about bad parenting and how playing favorites is obviously going to create problems but let's look at what they did to their own brother. 

Judah and his brothers were jealous of Joseph and his dreams so they decided to throw him down a well and murder him. That's not very godly. They then felt guilty and decided to sell him to be a slave to Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt. They did that. They were jealous of their brother so they sold him to be a slave and lied to their father about it. Now, how does this story apply to the Palestinian conflict? Wait 'till I tell ye.

The Palestinian conflict started off as one great big dysfunctional family fighting over birthrights. Abraham had two sons, Isaac had two sons. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. Kind of a dumb thing to do but it does provide us with a thoughtful metaphor for our day. Don't sell your soul for a bowl of soup. Abraham had two sons, Isaac had two sons and God help us Jacob had 12 sons. 

The Jews in Israel are predominately from the Tribe of Judah but there are 12 tribes not just one. Judah wasn't the oldest son. Jacob blessed each tribe with special promises. He said the scepter shall not depart from Judah. King David and his house were of the tribe of Judah.

Levites held the priesthood by birthright. It was called the Levitical priesthood. Aaron, Moses' spokesman, was of the tribe of Levi. After the civil war when Moses caught them dancing naked around the golden calf when he came down from mount Sinai, he said who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me. 

The Levites gathered and slew 3,000 brain dead idiots trying to lead them all astray. After that the priesthood became known as the Aaronic priesthood named after Aaron. John the Baptist held that priesthood because he was a descendant of Aaron and Levi. That's why Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized. 
 
When Jacob blessed Joseph he said Joseph is a fruitful bough. He would have many descendants like Abraham. His descendants would be like the sand on the sea. So obviously if Judah is only one tribe and Joseph was to have far more descendants than Judah, where are they? Where are the other 12 tribes? After David died, the kingdom of Israel was split in two before it was scattered around the world. The Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel. Then because of wickedness, both kingdoms were broken and scattered across the world. 

When we think of the story of Joseph, a boy who had a dream and was sold to be a slave, we think of the American dream like Rocky Balboa. We don't think about bullies committing atrocities. That's the pride cycle. Invading Lebanon and ethnically cleansing Gaza is being a bully. No one respects that. 

So we saw how Joseph's brothers could be bullies yet Joseph was destined to rise above them. My point is the Jews in Israel are just one tribe. At some point in life, they're going to have to learn to share because that is one of the most important lessons in life we will ever learn. Judah has to share with his other brothers as well as his cousins. Vex not the stranger that sojourneth with thee. How we treat others will determine how we will be treated. As ye sow, so shall ye reap. 

Netanyahu bombed a Jewish synagogue in Iran. That wasn't very Godly. He did it because they were orthodox Jews. They didn't believe in the Fascist redefinition of Zionism. They lived in Peace in Iran based on the principle of religious freedom. That's Zionism. Neve Shalom Wahat Al Salam, that's Zionism. This Neo Con Fascist ethnic cleansing is not Zionism. 

The synagogue they destroyed in Teran was a heritage site that held century old Torahs. Netanyahu is a bad man. That's the thing with ethnic cleansing. First you start with one group, then you move on to anyone who disagrees with you.