PropheticRest

This is a special Sabbath. It is the seventh Sabbath reading portion since the last feast, which was Simchat Torah, or Rejoicing in the Torah. To me that means an emphasized or multiplied Sabbath rest in the LORD, and I think we can also see that emphasis in this week's Sabbath reading in Genesis 28. In this chapter, we find one of the great spiritual visions of scripture. Jacob had left home in fear of his brother Esau's anger, not only over the birthright that Esau had given away, but also because Jacob had deceived his father Isaac into giving him the patriarch's blessing that Isaac would have given to Esau (Gen. 27). After leaving his home, Jacob was on his way to his mother's family in Haran. On his journey, as night fell, Jacob found himself in a "certain place" (maqom - to raise, establish, confirm, become powerful, to be fulfilled; also "a condition of body or mind") located between Beersheeba and Haran. He placed a stone (eben - sacred or precious stone, foundation stone, root meaning: to build (a house), to establish a family) under his head and began to dream. In his dream, he saw: "...behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven, and there the angels of God were ascending and descending upon it." (Gen. 28:12). The activity of ascending and descending from the Hebrew words used mean: to come up before God, raise, recover, restore; and then descent, abundantly, come down (pertaining to revelation), to be prostrated in humility, subdue. Above the ladder in this dream, the LORD sat and confirmed the covenant promise that He had given to Abraham and Isaac, that the land on which Jacob lay would be given to him, spreading north, south, east, and west, that Jacob's descendants would be too numerous to count, and "in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (v. 14). Jacob had gained the birthright through Esau's neglect and contempt for it, and here, the LORD assured Jacob of the covenant promise as well. God additionally made a personal promise to Jacob that He would be with Jacob and keep him until He brought Jacob back to this land. The LORD said, "I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." (v. 15). Waking up, Jacob is awed and frightened saying, "...this is the gate of heaven!", and names this place "Bethel", meaning House of God (v. 16-19). Jacob anointed the stone upon which his head had rested with oil. Jacob's experiences away from home cover several chapters in Genesis. At one point, Jacob will physically try to overpower a Man, demanding a blessing from Him (Gen. 32:22-30). Jacob later identified this Man as God (v. 30). The Man dislocated Jacob's hip in order to prevail. From that encounter, Jacob will be renamed "Israel" by the Man, meaning: "God prevails", "fighter of God", "God contends", to exert oneself, have power (as a prince). Jacob had received the promises of God, but often relied upon his own strength, plans, and desires to get what he wanted. Jacob wanted Rachel, for example, and was never interested interested in her sister, Leah, for his wife. However, Judah, the tribe of the Messiah, the Seed in which "all the families of the earth shall be blessed", came through the undesired wife, Leah. God arranged for Jacob to be married to Leah first. The vision of the ladder and the angels descending and ascending upon it, should have revealed to Jacob that the blessings of the LORD do not come through a man's own strength and plans, but are sovereignly determined and provided by God, using the angels He sends to accomplish His work. Falling into the trap of relying upon our own strength is a mistake that can easily be made. We sometimes may think that we are achieving God's will and purpose by trying to manipulate or even force certain situations, but this is really an offense to God, and can bring questionable results. We read last week about toledot (see previous post), and how a spiritual type and continuing pattern is established by a man, creating a group defined by this type, even to future generations. In another part of the Sabbath reading for this week, the prophet Hosea wrote of how Jacob's repeated reliance upon his own strength had the toledot effect upon his future seed: "The LORD also brings a charge against Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds He will recompense him. He (Jacob) took his brother by the heel (aqab - assail insidiously, circumvent, overreach, supplant, to defraud) in the womb, and in/by his strength (on - physical strength, might, force, goods, wealth) he struggled/had power (sara - contend with, exert oneself, to be a commander, to wage war, arranging) with God." (Hosea 12:2-3, New King James Version). Before Jacob and his twin were born, the LORD spoke the prophetic Word concerning them (Gen. 25:23). As Jecob grew, scripture described him as "mild/plain" (v. 27). The English translation here does not really express the true meaning. Translated here as mild/plain is the Hebrew word tam/tamam meaning with its root, "complete, perfect, morally innocent, finished, clean, be at an end, done". The LORD described here a prophetically established and completed Jacob, and His purpose in Jacob, even while he was still a youth. The striving, scheming and wrestling of Jacob were not necessary. Judah, the tribe of the future Messiah, fell into the same toledot pattern, according to this week's Sabbath reading in Hosea above. Even so, because of His irrevocable promises to Jacob/Israel, when Jesus the Messiah came, that named Seed promised to Jacob, He said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mt. 15:24). Both in Greek, oikos, and in Hebrew, bayit, Jesus' use of the word "house" not only involves a physical house or tabernacle, but also the people of the house including family, descendants and all persons belonging to it. God kept His promise to Jacob/Israel, regardless of Jacob's physical exertions, and sent salvation to his descendants, and, in addition, as also promised, that blessed Seed of salvation "to all the families of the earth". The LORD had promised Jacob: "I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." We also can take our rest and assurance in His prophetic purpose towards us. Especially in these unsure and even dangerous times, this is a great blessing that has been given to us. If you would like to enter into the prophetic rest of the LORD, you can join me in prayer: "LORD of Heaven, Maker and Finisher of all, I give You full control of my life, my purpose, my future. Forgive me when I have not trusted in the prophetic words that You spoke over me before I was even born. I did not come into the world by my own strength, but you sent and purposed me. In that same Spirit of God, I want to live and fulfill my life. When I struggle and wrestle in my own strength, remind me that You are with me, and have not left me, that you completed me before You began me. Jesus died for my sin, and rose from the dead, to overcome the world and all that would exalt itself against Your completed will, Father. He won the victory on my behalf. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Who leads me in all righteousness, and fills me with the power from on high. I ask this in Jesus' name, AMEN."