Go!

Last week, we saw how God established His elect people. This week, we will see how God established, through a covenant with Abram/Abraham, the land promised to His elect people. This will be important in the end times before the return of Christ, as it has been throughout history. It started with a command from the LORD to "Go!...Get out!" That is also the title of this week's Sabbath reading portion, Lech L'cha, which covers Gen. chapters 12 through 17. Last week we saw that the Hebrew people (Eber) descended from Noah's oldest son, Shem. Continuing down the line of Shem's descendants, we eventually come to Abram, who would later be renamed "Abraham" by God. Abraham would be a spiritual earthquake, changing the course of history forever. However, first, the LORD had to move Abram from the Chaldean (Babylonion) city of Ur, to the territory of Canaan, which was inhabited by the descendants of Noah's second son, Ham. Abram's father had earlier relocated his family, including Abram and his wife Sarai, from Ur to Haran, an Assyrian city (Gen. 11:31-32). However, this was not where God wanted Abram to dwell. He commanded Abram to "get out" of his father's house, and "go" (yalak, yalak [2X] - to go, walk, to die, live, manner of life, to lead, bring, carry, cause to walk, flow, take away, vanish, lead away) to a land that God would show (ra'a - reveal, be made visible, discern, perceive, be exhibited to, have vision, cause to see) him (Gen. 12:1). We think that God wished to establish from Abram and his descendants the land that would be called "Israel", and that is true, but the plan of God is not limited to that, and does not end there, as He revealed to Abram: "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curse you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (v. 2-3). From the Hebrew words used above, Abram's departure was not just for himself, but to lead or bring others "out" as well. Abram did as the LORD commanded and departed (yasa - exit, come out, go forth with purpose, lead out, to deliver, break out) from Haran (haran/harar - dried up, parched/to burn, be scorched, charred, melt, dry up, be angry, destroyed by heat) (v. 4). Abram is leading others out of a place that destroys by an angry, burning heat. This is not just about Abram, but Abram as a symbol of deliverance for others. Abram did indeed bring others out: "Then Abram took (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Sarai (sarai/sar/sarar - princess, nobility/ruler, commander, governor, chief, leader, task master/have power, rule over, prevail over, to hold dominion, act as a prince) his wife and Lot (covering over face making sad, veil, wrap tightly, hide, do secretly, incantation) his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people (nefes/napas - souls, life, living creature/to breathe, refresh, breathe upon, current of air) whom they had acquired (asa - make, wrought, keep, commit, prepare, accomplish, act with effect, celebrate, ordain, bring about) in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan (meaning merchant, traffick, bring down, subdue, vanquish, depressed, bow down). So they came to the land of Canaan." (v. 5). The command given to Abram to "get out" will change the spiritual landscape. While God was establishing new boundaries for the inhabitants of the land, He was also pulling down old spiritual boundaries. The people that Abram established were not only his physical descendants, but many spiritual descendants also, as a hero of faith in the Word of the LORD to him, just as the LORD prophesied (Heb. 11:8-10). One of Abram's descendants was Jesus, who blessed all of the people of the world with the promise of everlasting life through Him. One of the things that Abram believed God for was a heavenly city built by God (Heb. 11:10, see also Rev. 21:1-6, 22:1-5). Jesus, although He was physically born approximately two thousand years after Abram, knew Abram, and Abram knew Jesus, as Jesus revealed to those who questioned Him: "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham...Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad...Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." (Jn. 8:52-58). If you accept Abraham as a father of your faith, than you must accept all that Abraham knew by the revelation of God, and by which he walked the physical and spiritual land. The LORD told Abram: "Lift (nasa - be lifted up, exalted, lift oneself up, rise up, to carry or bear continuously, endure, forgive) your eyes now (na - pray, please, in entreaty or exhortation) and look (ra'a - look, behold, perceive, inspect, foresee, have vision, learn about, distinguish, consider, discern, to be visible) from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever...Arise (qum - raise, establish, bring on the scene, confirm, perform, stand, become powerful, be fulfilled), walk in the land through its length (orek/arak - physical length, forever in length of time/to be causitive, long of time, extend, stretch, lengthen) and its width (rohab/rahab - width, expanse, great breadth of heart and understanding/to grow wide, be enlarged), for I give it to you." (Gen. 13:14-17). Abram was being asked by God to "see" from a heavenly perspective, not necessarily from an earthly one. He was to "see" prophetically, supernaturally, from this spiritually raised position. He was to bear and carry this vision from the LORD, inspect it, discern it, study it, or meditate upon it, according to the meanings of the Hebrew words used. God entrusted His vision to this man. This land was promised to Abram, and his (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) seed, or descendants (see Gen. 13:15-16 in Hebrew). The walk with which Abram was to walk the land was a walk through time, and heart and understanding, as well as physical length and width. We sometimes view Abraham as an "Old Testament" figure only, but God viewed Abraham as having presence and spiritual influence throughout time. In other readings from this Lech L'cha, or "Go!", Sabbath portion, the prophets wrote about the eternal importance and meaning of Abraham's life. And this eternal presence of Abraham was to be a comfort to God's people: "Comfort, yes, comfort My people!' says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned..." (Isa. 40:1-2). One of these comforts, a word which also includes the meaning "to repent", lies in the fact that the LORD called the generations of Abraham: "Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last, I am He...you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob (Abraham's grandson), whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you, and not cast you away...Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing." (Isa. 41:4, 8-9, 12). The LORD remembers Abraham and His many and diverse descendants forever, and is committed to them. This is their continual comfort. In another Sabbath reading for this week, the Word of the LORD calls upon His people to look to Abraham: "Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness; you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him." (Isa. 51:1-2). What does the LORD expect His people to see as they "look to" and reconnect with their patriarch, Abraham? As Jesus said above, the same thing that Abraham discovered: the One who leads to comfort, joy, gladness, thanksgiving and justice (v. 3-4), the One who is righteousness and salvation, the One whom Abraham knew in his walk with eternity and the enlarging of his heart and understanding: the Messiah/Savior/Lord Jesus. The LORD continues: "My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth...But My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished...But My righteousness will be forever, and My salvation from generation to generation." (v. 5, 6, 8). Here's a hint regarding the connecting to Abraham. The LORD also says to His people: "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it will die in like manner." (v. 6). When God tells His people to lift up their eyes, it is the same word, nasa (see above), with which Abram was instructed to "see" - with a supernatural, prophetic sight from the realm of the heavens: to carry and bear that vision received from heaven until it is manifested in the earth. It is no coincidence that as the signs of the end times before Christ's return become more and more difficult, Jesus told His disciples to "...look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." (Lk. 21:28). Peter wrote that "we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Pet. 3:13). How many of us are "looking" in this manner, and how many of us have our eyes fixed instead on the things which are here, now, natural and passing away? If Abraham is a father of your faith, you must "see" what he saw. If we are counted as Abraham's children, both natural and by faith and Spirit, then we must do the works of Abraham, as Jesus said (see above). We have seen here that Abram saw both a natural and supernatural (the City of God mentioned above) land. In another reading selection from this Sabbath lesson, Lech L'cha, or "Go!", the prophet Jeremiah reveals a powerful image as he calls God's people to repent, turn from their own sinful ways, and return to the LORD. By doing so, the LORD will transform them. The LORD also said: "At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne (kisse/kasa - seat of honor, throne, dignity, authority, power, canopied [covered] throne, royal throne, the tribunal of a judge, the seat of the high priest/cover, conceal, hide, to cover over sins, to pardon) of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD (YHWH - "Behold the hand, Behold the nail"), to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their own evil hearts." (Jer. 3:17). Nations shall be transformed as well by the Throne of the LORD. The supernatural vision of the land, as well as the natural vision, contains the Throne of the LORD. Ultimately, it is from this Throne that the Lord, who is the Lamb, says: "Behold, I make all things new...It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega (aleph-tav), the Beginning and the End..." (see Rev. 21:5-6). Abraham was not just an "Old Testament" patriarch. He carried the vision of God that extends into our time, and all time into the future. It is the same vision that made a way of salvation for all, both physically, as Jesus is a descendant of Abraham, and spiritually, as Abraham removed from Haran the people (souls) who belonged to him, and obediently lifted up his eyes to see, and walk the length and width of the land. If you would like to know more about our forefather of faith, Abraham, and his works, you can pray with me: "Father in heaven, You elected Abraham to receive Your prophetic promises, Your vision, and Your walk for my sake. As I seek a closer relationship with You, I look back to Abraham, whom You called, "My friend". Jesus called His disciples His friends as well. Teach me by Your Spirit, to lift up my eyes, and see in the way that You would have your people to see. Teach me to walk the land carrying the prophetic vision of the new things promised in Your Word. Let me do the works of Abraham of which Jesus spoke, works of faith in the One Abraham knew outside of time, Jesus, my Savior. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

Election

Moses asked to see the personal glory of the LORD. How would the LORD answer Moses' prayer, while keeping him alive, "...for no man shall see Me and live."? According to what we read in this account, the LORD protected Moses through His power of election: The LORD said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD (YHWH - the Hebrew pictographic letters meaning: "Behold the hand, behold the nail") before you. I will be gracious (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega/Jesus: Rev. 1:8, 21:6, 22:13) to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion/mercy on (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega/Jesus) whom I will have compassion/mercy." (Ex. 33:19-20). The apostle Paul wrote of this same event with Moses as he explained the election of God: "...so then it is not of him who wills (in this case referring to Moses), nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy...Therefore, He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills, he hardens." (Rom. 9:11-18). This election pertains to whom God chooses to show mercy (example given: Jacob, Moses), and of whom He chooses not to show mercy, and to harden in heart instead (example given: Esau, Pharaoh)..."(...that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him who calls." (Rom. 9:11). So the election of God is to accomplish His purpose. The Concordance defines "election", the Greek word ekloge/eklogemai, as meaning: "the decree made from choice by which God determined to bless certain persons through Christ by grace alone; of the act of God's free will by which before the foundations of the world He decreed His blessings to certain persons". As we can see in the above encounter with Moses, God marks those whom He chooses to show grace and mercy with the Hebrew letters aleph-tav, the title of Christ revealed in the Book of Revelation. We will see that the Hebrew letters that form the words "grace" and "mercy", the components of election as mentioned, also contain the identity of the Son of God. As Paul pointed out, the election is not according to our works (we cannot earn it), but the will of God as He executes His plan for the earth. We will see much more about grace and mercy, and their involvement in the election of God, during this Sabbath reading portion titled No'ach, meaning "rest/resting place". This is the name of Noah, who is first seen in Gen. 5:29, so named because he would be a comfort to the difficult toil of man in the midst of the earth, which the LORD had cursed as a result of the sin and fall of man (see Gen. 3:17-19). The Noach Sabbath reading is found in Gen. chapters 6 through 11. We will see the election of God run through the account of Noah and his sons. Out of all of the people of the earth, only Noah was elected to find (masa - find out, meet, get, secure, detect, be recognised) grace in the eyes of the LORD. Grace, one of the components of election, recognised Noah. The word "grace" used in this verse is the Hebrew word hen, meaning "grace, favor, pleased, precious, acceptance, elegance, kindness, beauty, good will, supplication, prayer". The pictographic Hebrew letters of the word hen, or grace, can mean "Behold, the Son, the Heir to the throne". We are familiar with the story of Noah. The spiritual condition of the hearts of the people of the earth were filled with violence and evil continually. God would judge and cleanse the earth with a flood of waters (Gen. 6:5-7). The LORD instructed Noah to build an ark according to His specifications that would hold all of Noah's family, including three sons and their wives (Gen. 6:17-19), and male and female animals living on earth, both clean and unclean animals. This was a covenant of safety in the aleph-tav ark (which is a picture of Christ), high and lifted up above the waters, sealed in by God Himself, that the LORD made with His elect, Noah, and all of us who will receive it. The same waters that flooded the earth in judgment, caused the ark to be lifted up above the judgment: "Now the flood was on the earth forty (arbaim - fourth, forty, four-fold, to square, four-sided, a doorway) days. The waters increased and lifted up the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega/Jesus) ark, and it rose high above the earth." (Gen. 7:17). As the flood waters receded, and the dry ground appeared, as a sign of His everlasting covenant promise to Noah, His elected, to never flood the earth with water again, the LORD established the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega/Jesus) rainbow in the sky (Gen. 9:12-17). This is a good time to learn what the Hebrew word for "rainbow", or "bow", qeset/qasa/qas, means: "bending an archer's bow, shooting arrows/harden, stiff-necked, grievous, struggle against/to lay a snare, to lay bait, to set a trap". This should have a particular warning for the times in which we live. Be careful with the signs of God, or you will fall into the trap that has been set for the grievous, the stubborn and the rebellious. As we look at the election of Noah, after whom this Sabbath reading portion is named, we can see some interesting details: "This is the genealogy/generations (toldot/yalad - generations, birth, course of history, account of men and their descendants, begetting or account of heaven/bring forth, travail, to act as midwife) of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect (tamin/tamam - without blemish, complete, perfect, without spot, whole, blameless/end, finished, perfect, done, completely, crossed over, destroy uncleanness, accomplish) in his generations (dor/dur - generation, many, all, an age, the period, the circuit, ages to come/to move in a circle, go around, to remain, inhabit). Noah walked with (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega/Jesus) God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, Japheth." (Gen. 6:9-10). The LORD is making much of the importance of Noah's generations. Two different Hebrew words are used to describe the generations in the above verse, and both of those Hebrew words mean much more than "descendants". Something would be accomplished, completed, in the ages to come. Noah was described as "perfect". We can see in the Hebrew word and root that a description is given that could only depict Jesus Christ. This shouldn't surprise us because Noah walked with the Aleph-Tav/Alpha and Omega/Jesus God, before the Aleph-Tav Christ was physically born. Then in the verse, we are immediately pointed to Noah's three sons. In fact, the setting of end time events was "established and completed" through the "generations" of Noah: his three sons. Scripture says that all of the people of the earth are descended from Noah and his three sons after the flood (see Gen. 9:18-19). The name of Noah's first son, Shem, means "name, famous, conspicuous position, mark with a sign, the celebrated name of God {HaShem}, to call on the name Jehovah (YHWH - meaning "Behold the Hand, Behold the Nail"). From Shem's descendants, came the Hebrews (Eber), Abraham, Judah, David and others, which are all included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Gen. 11:10-32, and see Lk. 3:33-36). Ham/hamam, whose name means "hot, heat, enflaming, inflame oneself, hot and burning with lust", is also the name by which the Egyptians refer to themselves. Canaan, and all of the tribes thereof, Sodom and Gomorrah, Gaza, Assyria and Nineveh, Cush (Ethiopia) nd Put (Libya) (see Ezek. 38:5), Nimrod in Babel and Shinar, are also descendants of Ham (Gen. 10:6-12), and have been, and in the end times, will be aggressors against Israel. Ham, as we know, was cursed by his father, Noah, because he scorned his father, who had found grace in the eyes of the LORD, and His election (see Gen. 9:20-27). This had nothing to do with the color of Ham's skin, or the races of some of his descendants. That is a man-made lie, and it never came out of the mouth of God. These descendants of the cursed Ham became the enemies or oppressors of the people of Israel. The last mentioned son, Japheth, is very interesting. His descendants spread northward to eventually populate Europe and parts of Asia. Japheth's (yepet/pata) name means: "entice, deceive, persuade, flatter (see Dan. 11:29-32), allure, silly one, gullible, seduce, delude". His descendants include: Gomer, Magog, Tubal, Meshech, Togarmah. These nations and peoples constitute Russia, parts of Asia Minor, and areas of central Europe, and are mentioned specifically as those nations who, according to the prophecy in Ezek. 38:1-6, 8-9, will be drawn by God as into a trap, in a massive invasion and war against Isreal in the end times.The scenario for the end times was set in place by God's election of Noah. Jesus connected the events and signs of the end times before His return to "the days of Noah" (Mt. 24:36-37). Again, the election of God, whether for His favor, or for the hardening of hearts, is not haphazzard nor arbitrary. Election is used to further the strategic plan of God for His creation, including man. I have often wondered why God selected Noah, but now I can see more clearly the hidden plan of God for the end times in the generations of Noah. You can't out-plan God! Often, we are preoccupied with the cares of the moment, or of the day to come, while God has already planned out eternity. Also included in this Sabbath's reading portion, is an event in which people tried to attain the election of God through their own will and strength. The descendants of Ham (see above), who dwelled in the plains of Shinar, said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name (Shem, same as above) for ourselves, lest we be scattered (pus - scatter, disperse, break to pieces in order to scatter into dust, shake to pieces, dash to pieces) abroad over the face of the whole earth." (Gen. 11:1-4). They wanted to make themselves a name (Shem) of the elect of God in order to avoid the consequences of being the unelected. Their efforts were not successful (see verses 7-9). The LORD has made a way for anyone who so chooses, by the drawing or leading of the Father and the Holy Spirit (Jn. 6:43-45, 1 Cor. 12:3), to become part of "the elect" of God, as we will see, but it isn't by our own strength and plans. The LORD sovereignly rules over His election of men. In another reading from this Sabbath's portion, Noach, the LORD assured those whom He described as a barren woman, of His eternal election. He said that He has called them, and with great mercies and everlasting kindness He will gather them and have everlasting mercy on them: "My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,' says the LORD, 'who has mercy on you." (Isa. 54:1-10). Here is our second component of election, as we saw with Moses' encounter with God, above: mercy (raham - mercy, compassion, love, pity, to fondle, tender affection, gentle emotion, cherishing, soothing). This chapter of Isaiah comes immediately after the suffering Messiah/Servant, who was sacrificed for our sins, was revealed in Isaiah chapters 52 and 53. Of course, according to scripture, this Servant Messiah of God is His "Elect One" (Isa. 42:1, 1 Pet. 2:6), and we who believe take part in Christ's election through God's abundant mercy (1 Pet. 2:6, 1 Pet. 1:2, 3-5). As referred to in Isa. 45:4, and Isa. 65:9-10, Israel is named as God's elect, in addition to being descendants of Shem. Our election by grace and mercy is through the Elect One, Jesus Christ, and His sacrifice made for us. As the elect in Christ, Paul wrote about what our conduct and character should be: "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another...even as Christ forgave you....but above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Col. 3:12-16). This is how we show forth our gracious and merciful election through Christ. If you would like to learn more about the election of God, you can pray with me: "Father, through Your beloved and elect Son, Jesus, You have made me part of Your elect. I thank You for the grace and mercy that You extended to me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can exhibit Your election of me as Paul described. I pray for any and all others who would seek Your election, salvation, and deliverance through Jesus. Noah walked with Aleph-Tav God, and was a man through whom You could accomplish Your purpose in the earth, even through many generations. I pray the same for my life as well. I ask these things in Jesus' name, AMEN."

Creation

This Sabbath, we go back to the beginning of the Sabbath readings, to the Book of Genesis. This sabbath reading portion is titled B'reshiet, which means "In the beginning", and is also the Hebrew name for this first Book of the Bible. This reading portion specifically covers Genesis chapters 1 through 4. God, Elohim (aleph-tav: same as Alpha and Omega, the title of Christ in Rev. 1:8, 21:6, 22:13), begins to speak His Word in creation. At the opening of Genesis, all that exists, heaven and earth, is shrouded in a thick, deep darkness (hosek/hasak - obscured by darkness, as of Hades, meaning also misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness/surround by darkness, to make darkness). Whatever earth was, it was without form (tou - formless, confusion, waste, nothingness, place of chaos), and void (bou - emptiness). The waste was so great that the darkness extended onto the face (panim - face, presence, location, turn towards, approach) of "the deep" (tehom/hum/hamam - depth, primeval ocean, abyss, grave/make a great noise, destroy, make an uproar, agitate, be in commotion, disturb/destroy, consume, crush, confuse, break). From the meanings of the Hebrew words used, we can see that it was a horror. However, in the middle of this dark void, the Holy Spirit moved upon (rahap - shake, flutter, grow soft, hover, to brood, affected with the feeling of tender love, cherish) the waters (mayim - danger, violence/watersprings, washing, refreshing). Something that was dark and emptied with violence and chaos was going to be transformed into cleansing watersprings of refreshing. (see Gen. 1:1-2). The prophet Jeremiah saw a vision that is similar to the scene we are given in the beginning of Genesis, and his vision can give us a deeper understanding. What he saw in a vision concerned what was coming to the people of God, and caused him to cry out in pain. He wrote: "O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart...Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is plundered....I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light...I beheld, and indeed there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled...the voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself; she spreads her hands saying, 'Woe is me now, for my soul is weary because of murderers!" What was the cause of this desolation, so much like the conditions of Gen. 1:1-2? The LORD spoke to Jeremiah, saying: "For My people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good, they have no knowledge...For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken. I have purposed and will not relent, nor will I turn back from it." (Jer. 4:19-31, excerpt). This is a terrible thing. Because of this vision from God, Jeremiah cried out to God's people: "O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?...Your ways and your doings have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reaches to your heart." (v. 14, 18). Jeremiah cried that the people of God would be cleansed in their hearts. The righteousness of Jesus Christ has been given for our cleansing. Do we seek and desire it? Christ in us is our only hope of glory (Col. 1:24-29). Can the unrepented sins of God's people really affect creation in such a way? Yes. We read from our Sabbath portion tht when Adam listened to other voices instead of the voice of God and sinned, God told him: "Cursed is the ground for your sake..." (Gen. 3:17). When Cain murdered his brother Abel, the LORD told him: "So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you..." (Gen. 4:11-12). The good news, however, from Genesis 1, is that God (Elohim aleph-tav) spoke (amar, amar - speak, answer, command, vow, promised) the words that told the spiritual light (or - bright, clear, flood, light of life, light of face, luminary, glorious, kindle, fire, become light, shine) to be (haya/hava - become, exist/to breathe) (Gen. 1:3). This creation of light marked the first day. A day in Genesis 1, and in Hebrew, does not fade from morning to night, or from light to dark, but the darkness/night becomes light/day. Darkness is ended by the arrival of light. The command for light "to breathe" defined the first (ehad/ahad - first, to unify, to collect/to join oneself together to, ravage with united powers, "sword of three edges") day. It was not a natural light, because the natural light-givers, the sun, the moon, and the stars, were not created until the fourth day (v. 14-19). The good news is that the Light of the World, Jesus the Messiah, came also and brought us out of the kingdom of darkness and into His marvellous light as He saved us from death itself. I want to make note at this point of a special astronomical event called a "ring of fire", a rare kind of solar eclipse, that is occurring around this Sabbath, and pertains to our study of creation. While a "ring of fire" is also associated with the birthing process (see also Rev. 12:1-6, a sign in the heavens: a fiery red dragon seeks to devour a male child who will rule the nations as soon as a woman gives birth to him), in this case, "the ring of fire" refers to the outer ring of light of the sun that is expected to be visible during the rare annular solar eclipse, when the moon completely darkens the sun. At the same time, NASA intends to launch three rockets during the annular eclipse in order to study the effect of the event on the ionosphere. The designer of this NASA study project, Dr. Aroh Barjata, said that he deliberately chose the name APEP for the project, the name of an Egyptian demon god, because this god was an enemy of the Egyptian sun deity. This demon, APEP, was/is a god of darkness and chaos (see Gen. 1 above), that seeks to devour light, order and truth. This Egyptian demon god is depicted as a giant serpent, and was also called Evil Dragon and Lord of Chaos. In mythology, this demon god "was believed to have existed from the beginning of time in the waters of primeval chaos" (see also Gen. 1:2). It was thought that the demon inhabited the underworld as well, and was therefore also called "an Eater of Souls". This NASA study project is flying into the heavens under the name of this demon destroyer of light. Man often chooses and installs darkness and chaos, rather than light and truth. Many might view these Egyptian gods and goddesses as pure mythology, but the LORD does not view them in that way: "For I will pass through the land of Egypt, nd will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD." (Ex. 12:12). So man, by the spiritual authority which God has given him, will, this B'reshiet Sabbath, willfully re-establish the name of this demon god in the heavens through this mission. This is no small matter, and may hold great prophetic significance in the time we are living, in view of the verses from Rev. 12 and the grave prophetic events which are about to break out on the earth. We read in Genesis 1 that God, Elohim aleph-tav, spoke light into the darkness, established an ordered creation out of the chaos that existed, set divisions and boundaries between the elements (Gen. 1:4-5, 6-9), and spoke life into every level of creation: in the air, on the land, and in the seas (Gen. 1:20-25). Eventually He spoke and created man with His hands, whom He created in His own form and image (Gen. 1:26-28). John 1:1-5, also records the role of the spoken Word of God, which is Christ, as light, and life. Man may act as an accessory to the works of this demon of darkness, APEP, but God's Word of light, order, and truth will stand. God's people must do all that God has ordained for them to do in order to be the children of light and day, rather than the children of darkness and night (see 1 Thess. 5:5-6). It is a further injustice, it seems to me, that man named the heavenly bodies, the planets, which God hung in space in perfect gravitational balance and distance from each other, after Roman and Greek (Uranus) gods and goddesses. God, Elohim aleph-tav, also specifically named our planet ehretz in Hebrew (Gen. 1:10), which is translated in our Bibles into the old Anglo-Saxon word, Ertha, or "earth". The Hebrew name for our planet, ehretz, specifically given by God, is very important because of the pictographic meanings of the individual Hebrew letters of the word. The letters aleph, reysh, and tsadde can mean: "the authority of the Lord (Adonai), who is the Highest, pulls towards the desired destination of the harvest of the righteous". We sometimes consider creation a completed work of God from the very distant past, but the work is ongoing, not ended. The other Sabbath reading portions for this week all testify to God's continuing absolute authority over all of creation, from the time and place of its beginning, to the appearance of the new creation to come. God's Word still holds His creation together in the order that He ordained it. Isaiah wrote that this same ultimate and complete authority that we see in creation (Isa. 42:5), is the same authority that will establish other things: "Behold! My Servant...My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him...He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail..." (v. 1-4). "...give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house...I have held My peace a long time...Now I will cry like a woman in labor...I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight..." (v. 6-16, excerpt). The same creative authority sent His Servant, the Messiah, to free man from the darkness. In David's psalm written about God's perfect foreknowledge and creation, both of David and man in general, he says of His God: "If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall fall on me', even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb...I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works...When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth...And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." (Ps. 139:11-15). The same God of the immense creation, is the same God that wonderfully and miraculously formed each one of us. The same God that called the chaos into order, is the same God who meticulously writes each of our days in His book. His creative power and authority is extended to the most personal, intimate knowledge of, and attention to, each one of us. How humbling, yet how enriching! As we saw from examples above, however, man often fails to view God with the humility that should result from the knowledge of this truth, which David considered too wonderful for him to attain. Even a righteous man (Job 1:8) can fall into the temptation offered to his pride and self-absorption (Job 29:1=25, 30:1). We see this in our next reading portion from this Sabbath, as God confronted an embittered Job with the sovereign power and authority that is seen in His creative work. The LORD asked Job: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?... Who determined its measurements?...Or who shut in the seas with doors?...When I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; When I said...'Here your proud waves must stop!'...And caused the dawn/dayspring (sahar - morning, dawn, light, whence riseth, the end of dark night; seek early, diligently seek for, painstakingly search for, break forth as light; see also Lk. 1:76-79)) to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?...Have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this." (Job 38, excerpt). When man becomes too proud in their "knowledge" to bow before the Great Creator, we also would do well to consider these questions that the LORD asked His beloved Job. In these days when darkness, terror, and chaos have been embraced and promoted by man, it is more important than ever to learn the lessons of B'reshiet, the beginning work and authority of God, Elohim aleph-tav, and His Aleph-Tav Son: "He (the Son, Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." (Col. 1:15-18). If you would like to learn more about our Creator and King, you can join in my prayer: "Father of all creation, and Father of my life, I come before You reminded of Your immense knowledge and power, as well as the love by which You brought order to destructive chaos, light into the oppressive darkness, and life and man into the earth by the Word of Your mouth. I exalt and magnify YOU, and Your Son, our Salvation, over all things visible and invisible. What can compare to Your greatness? It is too wonderful for me! You order and care for my life with the same lovingkindness. Fill me with the Holy Spirit, who teaches me about You and Your Son of Light and Truth. I ask for these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

Elevation

As we approach the end of the Feast of Tabernacles this week, we come to the eighth day of the feast, which is called Simchat Torah, or "Rejoice in the Torah" (the first five books of the Bible). This eighth day observance and Sabbath is given by the LORD in Lev. 23:33-36. Simchat Torah also celebrates the completion of all of the Sabbath readings for the year, to the end of the Book of Deuteronomy, and looks forward to the new cycle of Torah readings that will start again at "the beginning", or B'reshiet in Hebrew, which is Genesis chapter 1. We can see Christ, the Word of God, as being the end and the beginning, as He calls Himself in Revelation, the Alpha and the Omega, or Aleph-Tav in Hebrew. Many associate the number eight of this day with "new beginnings", but in Hebrew, it means oil, fatness, and one step above perfection. Simchat Torah is celebrated with joy, and even dancing around the Bimah/Biemah/Bema of the synagogue, the elevated platform from which the Torah is read, while holding the Torah scrolls. The word Bimah, is an example of post-Biblical Hebrew, adopted from the Greek word used in the New Testament when referring to the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:9-10, Rom. 14:10-11). Bema means in Greek, "a raised place, platform, official seat of a judge, throne, judgment seat of Christ, a step, the space which a foot covers". The Greek root word is basis, meaning "the foot as being that with which one steps". It is interesting that the meaning includes a step with the foot. It reminds me of the scripture that promises that upon His return, the foot of Jesus will touch upon the Mount of Olives (see Zech. 14:1, 4-5, Acts 1:9-12). Looking at it from this point of view, we can see why the tradition of rejoicing in the Torah, even dancing around the Bimah platform with the Torah, has prophetic meaning. The Word, which includes the Law that indicts and convicts us of sin, became flesh, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:1-5, 14), and shed His atoning blood as a sacrifice to sprinkle upon the Mercy Seat for the remission of our sins. What would have been an occasion for condemnation before the Bema judgment seat of the Word, has now become an occasion for clamorous rejoicing for those who have been covered by the Word's atoning blood. The same Word that condemns us, also leads to and testifies of the Word that saves us (Jn. 5:38-40). The last two chapters of Deuteronomy are read for Simchat Torah. Like the Bimah/Bema platform, both of these chapters deal with the elevated places of God. Moses is soon to die. In his final words to the Israelites before they enter into the Promised Land without him, Moses speaks a blessing over each of the tribes of God's (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega -see Rev. 1:8, 21:6, 22:13) children. Beginning his blessing, Moses spoke of three specific elevated places of God from which He dealt with the people: "The LORD came (bo - come in, enter, be fulfilled, to return, be introduced) from Sinai (meaning "thorny"), and dawned (zarah - rise up, arise, shine, appear, shoot forth on beams of light) on them from Seir (meaing "hairy, rough, goat, devil, satyr, afraid, storm, come like a whirlwind, sweep away, come as a storm"); He shone forth (yapa - shine, show self, light, send out beams, cause to shine, to give light) from Mount Paran (paran/pa'ar- place of caverns/to boast (of self), vaunt self, get glory to oneself, boast against), and He came with ten thousands (root word rabab - multiplied, shoot out lightnings or arrows) of saints (qodes/qadas - holy, consecrated, dedicated/prepare, appointed); from His right hand came a fiery law for them. Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words." (Deut. 33:1-3). The three elevations mentioned here by Moses, Sinai, Seir, and Paran, were also sites where Israel came under the deception of the spirits of darkness, and acted with rebellion and presumption against the LORD (see Ex. 31:18-32:6; Deut. 1:27-28, 42-45; Num. 13:26-29). In all cases, as Moses relates above in Hebrew, the LORD deposed those spiritual enemies, and occupied those elevations with His light (see also Jn. 8:12). The LORD was not alone, but His multitude of saints were with Him. Scripture tells us that the saints, we who believe in Christ, also are associated with, and are to walk, in that same light (Mt. 5:14-16, 1 Thess. 5:4-5). From the Hebrew meanings of these three mountains mentioned here, we can see that these three mountains or elevations represented dark elements or strongholds of darkness, even the darkness of the underworld (caverns), suffering (thorny), and the very character of evil (self-boastful-see below). The prophet Isaiah brought the judgment of the LORD against the self-boasting and self-elevation of Lucifer (helel/halal - "light-bearer", shining one/to be boastful, to shine forth light, foolish): "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Satan), son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars (kokab - blazing, shining, of the Messiah, of God's omniscience) of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights (bama/bamah - high place, mountain/cultic platform) of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the pit." (Isa. 14:14-15). We can see from this prophecy of Isaiah's that God displaces Lucifer from the high place to which he has elevated himself. Moses tells us in Deut. 33 that God did so with His arrows of light. Although Lucifer associates himself with light, that light cannot compare with the far greater Light of God, and of His Son, the Light of the World, the Light of creation and life: "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (katalamban -to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain) it." Lucifer will never be able to lay hold of, nor possess for himself, that perfect and superior Light of God. However, we should notice also the interesting mention of the "mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north" in Isaiah's prophecy. This holds special meaning to us. Not only does the word for congregation, mo'ed/ya'ad, mean an assembly of people, but the meaning also includes "appointed time, appointed place, feasts of the LORD, sacred season, appointed sign or signal, betrothed". Lucifer wanted to ascend in order to control appointed times, places, and seasons, and the betrothed of the Lord, Christ's Bride. Daniel wrote a prophecy regarding the one who is called the anti-christ, whose desire is to change times and laws: "He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law..." (Dan. 7:25). Lucifer would love to control these things, but he will not succeed. The congregation of which Isaiah is writing, is "on the farthest sides of the north". This assembly, according to the Hebrew meanings, is from the thighs, loins, and generative parts of "the body". This assembly is made up of "esteemed" ones hidden from discovery in the secret places, protected by God. Paul wrote about the mystery hidden from the beginning, but revealed to the saints by the appearance of Jesus Christ. The glorious riches of this mystery is made known among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (doxa - splendor, brightness, majesty, most glorious condition, most exalted state, a thing belonging to God and Christ). (Col. 1>26-27). This hidden assembly and sign, protected through the ages by God, could well be the believers in Christ, the saints of the Most High, both Jew and Gentile. in addition, Paul wrote that our warfare as saints in Christ is in the high places: "...against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:12). The good news is that we do not fight against this evil in high places with our own strength, weapons, and boastfulness, but clothed in the armor of God (Eph. 6:13-18), praying always in the Holy Spirit, and as Moses said, with the glory light of Christ in us. From our Simchat Torah reading, the LORD gives us one more example of doing battle in the places of elevation. It was time for Moses to die, but the obedient servant of God was not done gaining a last spiritual victory for the LORD. The LORD commanded Moses to go up Mount Nebo: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses that very same day, saying: "Go up this mountain of the Abarim (abarim/eber/abar - "regions beyond"/region on the other side, passage/pass beyond, pass through, march over, to vanish, to perish), Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view (aleph-tav) the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession; and die on the mountain which you ascend..." (Deut. 32:48-50). And Moses went up Mount Nebo, and died there, and the LORD buried him in a valley in Moab, in a place not known to man (see Deut. 34:1, 5-6). So what was Mount Nebo? "Nebo" is of foreign derivation. Nebo was a Babylonian false god who presided over learning and letters. The Babylonians worshipped the planet Mercury, which is also connected to the word "Nebo", and was used in illustrious names like Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. To the Greeks, the god was called Hermes, and in Latin, Mercury, and to the Egyptians, the same false god was called Toth. However, by the obedience of Moses in ascending the Mount, and sealed in his death, Nebo now means "Prophet" to the glory of God! Jesus told us: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill (oros - a mountain, as lifting itself above a plain) cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Mt. 5:14-16). Jesus was not just talking about us as Light, but Light in an elevated place in the Spirit. This is the prophetic promise of the LORD for these last days of Christ's return: "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem...O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD." (Isa. 2:2-3, 5). If you would like to learn more about the power of the light of the Lord in its elevated place, you can join with me in prayer: "Heavenly Father, in his last blessing of your people, Moses revealed the warfare power inbued in Your Light. The elevated places inhabited by the spiritual kingdoms that rule this world, have become inhabited instead by the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ. However, You do not come alone, as Moses said, but You include Your "ten thousands" of arrows of Light: Your prophets, the saints, and all of those who fear Your name (Rev. 11:15, 18). Lord, by Your Word and Holy Spirit, teach me how to walk as Your Light, as a city high on a mountain, that all may see and glorify YOU. I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus. AMEN."