Elected

      From the beginning, the LORD was bringing into manifestation the not-yet-seen things that were in Him from before the beginning. One of the greatest promises that existed before the foundation of the world, and would be manifested at the appropriate time, was the promise of the Savior/Messiah/Christ who would rescue mankind from the inevitable consequence of sin, which is death. Titus wrote of that promise from eternity this way: "...in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but in due time manifested His word..." (Titus 1:2-3). Both Peter and John's Book of Revelation also tell us that the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus, was not slain only on a date in history, but was slain in eternity before the world even manifested. (see 1 Pet. 1:18-21, Rev. 13:8). 

     In the same way, the creation in Genesis Ch. 1 reveals that God set the seed of future generations in every living thing, to bring forth after its own kind. The woman, Eve, contained the purpose that would bring forth all living (see Gen. 3:20). However, especially mentioned in the curse upon the serpent, is the Seed which refers to the Savior, Jesus that had been set within Eve that would crush the lying serpent's head. (see Gen. 3:14-15). Not only would the Seed of the woman crush the serpent's head, but there would be an eternal enmity ('eba/'ayab - enmity, hatred, hostility/to hate as one of an opposite tribe, to be an adversary, to persecute as an enemy, to breathe or blow with anger and hatred) between the woman (and her Seed of Deliverance) and the seed of the serpent/Satan, according to the above verses. We will also see this eternal and violent hatred and persecution again below.

     We must start from this point of knowing that the LORD set every seed of life of every generation from before the beginning. Those who know the LORD are assured by scripture that they were known by Him before they were ever born. (see Ps. 139:13-17, Rom. 8:28-31). 

     This understanding will help us with this week's Sabbath reading portion titled Toldot, meaning "Generations", and begins in Gen. 25:19: "This is the genealogy/generations (toldot/yalad - descendants, results, proceedings, generations, account of men and their descendants, birth, history, origin/beget, be born, bring forth, midwife, child, delivered, birth, labor, lineage, declare pedigrees) of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham begot (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Isaac." 

     The Hebrew letters that compose the word toldot, or generation/descendants, are very interesting in meaning, and interestingly placed within the word. The letters are tav-vaw-lamed-daleth-vaw-tav. The repeated letters that mean "cross/covenant" and "nail/peg/joining", tav, and vaw, surround the two letters, lamed-daleth, that mean "the shepherd's staff that urges forward to the door." Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd (who gives His life for the sheep)," and He also said, "I am the Door of the sheep." (Jn. 10:7-11). He goes before, calling His own sheep, and the sheep follow Him in because they know His voice. (Jn. 10:3-4). So within the word toldot, I see a picture of the cross, the Shepherd, Jesus, and the sheep who follow Him. 

     We can see then that Jesus created a kind of "generation" or "line of descendants" through the work of the cross. As Isaiah Ch. 53 prophesied about the Servant of God, referring to a future Jesus, who would give His life for the sins and transgressions of God's people, the prophet also refers to a "generation" and "seed": "And who will declare (*[vaw]-aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) His generation (dor - age, dwelling, evermore posterity, habitation)? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken." (v. 8). The question is asked here, "How will His generation be declared when He has been cut off from life, and therefore there are no descendants?" However, Isaiah also reveals the answer: "...When You (LORD) make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see (ra'a, meaning to prophetically see, discern, perceive, foresee) His seed (zera/zara - seed, child, fruitful, offspring, descendants, posterity of moral character and practitioners of righteousness, harvest, produce of fields/sow, bearing, yielding, to scatter seed), He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand." (v. 10). We who have believed and received Jesus' sacrifice for our sins are His spiritual seed, His spiritual fruit, descendants, posterity.

     There were toldot generations or lines of descendants that were identified as being those that would bring forth the Messiah/Christ even before Israel became a nation in the land. This line of descendants would be challenged severely by the one, the serpent or Satan, who did not want his hated enemy, the Messiah/Christ, to be born from this elected generational line. 

     This Sabbath reading portion will also show us that when the LORD revealed His election of one line of descendants that carried the Messiah/Christ's seed over another, the line not elected would go to war against them. Those who were not elected both coveted and resented the elected.

      In this toldot Sabbath portion, (*Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Isaac married (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Rebekah, and he pleaded to the LORD that Rebekah would conceive because she was barren. The LORD heard Isaac and Rebekah did conceive. However, Rebekah felt the children (twins) in her womb struggling together (rasas - oppressed, broken, break, bruised, crush, struggle, crush to pieces, grievously oppress, "a crushed reed", to treat violently) and so she enquired of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD concerning this. The warfare against the elected one had already begun in the womb. The LORD revealed this about the babies in Rebekah's womb: "Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve ('abad - serve, worshipper, serve as a subject) the younger." (Gen. 25:20-23).

     Although the twins would be born together, the people and nations that came from each would remain separated. The election would go to the younger twin, and the older twin would serve that younger brother. 

     The two brothers were born and the first-born twin was named Esau, and the younger twin was named Jacob. Rebekah knew that Jacob, the younger twin, was the elected one because of the prophecy given to her by the LORD. As the twins grew, they were of different characters. Esau, the older, who despised (baza - despise, contemptible, vile person, scorn, worthless, make light of) his birthright, sold that birthright to Jacob, the younger, for nothing of greater value than a bowl of red lentil stew when he was hungry. (Gen. 25:29-34). 

     Rebekah also managed through deception to gain Isaac's paternal blessing over Jacob rather than Esau. This blessing included the words: "Let peoples serve ('abad - see above) you, and nations bow down (saha - worship, reverence, bow down to royalty or God) to you. Be master (gebir - lord, ruler) over your brethren, and let your mother's sons bow down (saha - see above) to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!" (Gen 27:29). This is the royal election of the Messiah/Christ, who is both King and God, passed on from Isaac to Jacob, the younger son, as the LORD prophesied previously to Rebekah.

     As a result of his father's blessing of Jacob, "Esau hated (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Jacob...and Esau said in his heart, 'The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Jacob." (Gen. 27:41).

     Generations later, in another reading portion from this Toldot Sabbath, Esau's descendants, which became the nation of Edom, also sought to destroy Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, and the judgment of God was rendered against them. The seed of election, the Messiah/Christ, had already been identified as coming down the toldot generations of King David (see 2 Sam. 7:16-18), who was of the tribe of Judah. The LORD condemned Edom for their actions against Jerusalem/Judah: "For violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever...You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity...You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off them who escaped...As you have done, it shall be done unto you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head...But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions...and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,' for the LORD has spoken." (Obadiah v. 10-18, excerpt).

     Many generations before, Edom had also refused to help Israel when they were in the wilderness after their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. (see Num. 20:14-21). Moses had requested that Edom allow Israel to follow The King's (melek - king, royal, prince) Highway (derek - journey, manner, path, direction, course of life, way of living), which passed through Edom. Edom had refused to allow them to do this and gathered an army to keep them out.

     The descendants of Esau were the nation of Edom, as mentioned. However, that nation was also called Idumea. The Herods were Idumean kings that took the throne of Israel. The first Herod, Herod the Great of Judea, sought to kill all of the young male children of Bethlehem in order to kill the Messiah/Christ Child, Jesus, after He was born. This event is known as "The Slaughter of the Innocents." (see Mt. 2:16-18). Again, we see the enmity of the serpent for the woman and her Seed, and the despising for the election of God. This enmity is concentrated upon the Savior Messiah/Christ.

     The hatred of Esau for his brother Jacob did not remain between two individuals as we see above, but it was carried down the toldot generations of Esau against the elected of God, who were identified as those who carried the Seed and the promise of the Messiah/Christ. The hatred is about more than the land. It is the hatred that the serpent/Satan of the Garden of Eden carries for the prophesied Seed (of the woman), and the people who have been elected to carry that Seed. The hope in and prayers for the Messiah/Christ, the King of Israel, are still held in the hearts of Israel.

     From another reading portion from this Toldot Sabbath, the LORD reminds Israel/Jacob that He elected them even as He hated (sane - to utterly hate an odious enemy) Esau the twin brother of Jacob.  However, the prophet Malachi wrote that even though the LORD elected Israel/Jacob, they did not appreciate Him as their Father and Master, and they despised (baza - see above) His name. (Mal. 1:2-3, 6). Israel was elected by the foreknowledge of God, yet they treated Him with the same baza contempt that Esau had regarding his birthright. It is very grievous when the elect despise or take for granted their election.

     What does this understanding of election mean for those, both Jew and Gentile, who believe that Jesus is Messiah/Christ, the Son of God?

     Jesus described our direct attachment to Him and the resulting fruit of that attachment. He used the illustration of Himself as the vine, and us as the branches produced by that vine. So long as we remain attached to Him as our Vine, we will produce much fruit. Without Him as our life-giving vine we cannot produce that fruit (see zera/zara above as being His seed/fruit/harvest). (Jn. 15:1-8). This is what it means to be the toldot spiritual descendants of Jesus.

     Jesus also pointed out that because He chose us, we, like Him, will be hated and persecuted by the world (Jn. 15:18-25), which brings us back to that same enmity between the serpent and the woman who has the Seed. This enmity is eternal and ongoing.

     This enmity continues to manifest against Israel and also those who believe Jesus, the Messiah/Christ. The Book of Revelation gives us the prophetic unveiling of this continuing enmity against the royal woman who gives birth to the promised Seed: "...And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne...the dragon...that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan...persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child...And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Rev. 12, excerpts).

     One reason that the serpent continues to war so continuously against the woman, who I believe are the elect of Israel/Jacob, and those who are Christ's progeny and fruitful seed in the earth, is because both will play a role in the return of Messiah/Christ to rule and reign on earth. Jesus told Jerusalem: "...for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" (Mt. 23:39). Jesus was not referring to His entrance into Jerusalem when the crowds previously said: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!" (Mt. 21:9), because His words over Jerusalem above are said after that event.

     They will call out to Him again, He will answer, and they will see Him again.

     The Book of Revelation closes with the words of Jesus and this prayer to Him from His chosen disciple, John: "He (meaning Jesus) who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20).

     The elect, and the seed of Christ are still testifying, and calling out.

     If you would like to learn more about the elect of God in the earth, you can pray with me: "Father, You have elected individuals and generations of descendants in order to fulfill Your gracious plan of Salvation through Your Son, Jesus. Although Satan continues his enmity against You, You have rescued and preserved Your people. You have placed within those whom You elected a purpose and fruitfulness that will yield a great harvest for Your Kingdom, and for Your King of Kings, Jesus. Please Father, I never want to despise Your election, but ask that by Your Word and Your Spirit in me, and Christ in me the hope of glory, that I would show forth the good and miraculous works of Your election through Christ so that others may see them and praise God. Let my testimony and prayers bring Jesus closer to moment of His return. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

TwoPeoples

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Toldot, which means "Generations, Archetypes, Beginnings." Toldot is not just "generations", but the beginning of a spiritual precedent or type which will carry through generations into the future. One of the precedents that we see in this Toldot portion is a fight to the death, and God's judgment against it.

     Abraham had only one child with his wife, Sarah, and the child's name was Isaac. He had another child with his wife's maid, Hagar, whose name was Ishmael. After Sarah died, Abraham married Keturah and had several more children to whom he gave gifts, but "Abraham gave (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) all - that - he - had to Isaac." (Gen. 25:5). The covenant inheritance that Abraham received from God was given to Isaac. 

     Isaac married (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Rebekah but she was childless for twenty years. "Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived..." (Gen. 25:21). The word "pleaded" used in this verse is very powerful in its extensive meaning in Hebrew. It is the word and roots atar/eter/atar, which mean "to pray, entreat, plead, supplicate, intercede, to burn incense in worship, to breathe odors or perfume, to hear and answer/abundance, plenty/to be abundant, plentiful, to multiply, make abundant, to accumulate." We see the meaning "to burn incense in worship" as connected to prayer in the Book of Revelation: "And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand." (Rev. 8:4).

     Also, part of God's covenant with Abraham, which was passed on to Isaac, included the concept of great multiplication (see Gen. 22:15-18). We see this multiplication in Isaac's life in another form also. In the middle of famine in the land, Isaac sowed seed in the land of the Philistines ruled by King Abimelech and reaped in the same year a hundredfold as he experienced the LORD's blessing. (Gen. 26:11-14). We can see a meaning of abundance and multiplication also connected to the Hebrew words atar/eter/atar above.

     The LORD heard and answered Isaac's prayer, and Rebekah, Isaac's wife, conceived. However, she noticed a great problem with her pregnancy: "...the children struggled together (rasas - oppressed, bruised, break, crush, crush in pieces, grievously oppress, crack in pieces, treat violently, to dash one another, to make run) within her; and she said, 'If all is well, why am I like this?' So she went to inquire (see atar/eter/atar above) of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD." (Gen. 25:22).  As we can see from the meaning of rasas in the above verse, this was not just a "struggle", or a wrestling match, but this could become a fight to the death between the children in her womb. When Rebekah inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered and told her: "Two nations (goy/geva/gev - nation, people, Gentiles, body, corpus/the back, the body/back [as beaten], body) are in your womb, two peoples (le'om - people, folk, gather) shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger." (Gen. 25:23).

     Two archetypes or toldot were coming into being in Rebekah's twins. These archetypes are or will be in a violent struggle to the death. Who are these archetypes? When the twins grew older, one, Esau, who was the first born, would be a skilled hunter (sayid/sub - prey taken in hunting/hunt eagerly, lie in wait, to chase, to hunt, to take, to supply oneself, to lay a snare for fowl or for men) in the fields. The younger twin, Jacob, is described as "a mild (tam - perfect, complete, undefiled, upright, quiet, innocent, pure, gentle, pious) man dwelling in tents (ohel - tent, dwelling, tabernacle, sacred tent of Jehovah)." (Gen. 25:27).

     Although both men came from the same knowledge of covenant, eternal inheritance and salvation as being near descendants of Abraham's household, and both men's names are preceded by *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in the written Hebrew of v. 28, one man, Esau was violent, and even sought to kill his brother, Jacob (Gen. 27:41). He sought the things of the field bound to the earth, including his own provision. The other man, Jacob, was of heavenly character and sought the dwelling place of God according to the descriptions above. One man, Esau, despised his birthright as the oldest, considering it of no value when he had great needs and temptations of the flesh, while the other man, Jacob, following the revelation of the LORD given to his mother, sought and valued that birthright (see v. 29-34). This is the same picture that we have as Satan tempted Jesus during Christ's forty day fast in the wilderness. Jesus clung to the Word of God and to His heavenly inheritance and birthright in the face of every temptation and challenge (see Lk. 4:1-13).

     Remember in the prophetic Word to Rebekah, these two men would be archetypes or toldot of two different peoples. These two types of peoples go beyond the natural descendants of the two men.  Esau's descendants are identified in scripture as Edom. They sought to harm God's people at every opportunity. The prophet Obadiah, from another reading portion from this Toldot Sabbath, wrote the judgment of the LORD against the people of the archetype of Esau: "For violence (hamas - violent, violence, cruelty, wrong, damage, injustice, oppressor, unrighteous, false (witness), unjust gain, violated, made bare, violently taken away, maltreat) against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever...For the day of the LORD upon all nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head." (Obad. v. 10, 15). The LORD also said that there would be no survivor remaining of the house of Esau (v. 18). As for the house of Jacob, the LORD declared: "But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possession." (v. 17).

     Understanding that the people of the archetype of Esau are not limited to genetic descendants but also include spiritual descendants, Paul wrote of an unrighteous people who will see the wrath of God, even though "what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them...although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting..." (Rom. 1:18-19, 21, 28). Like Esau, these people of whom Paul wrote are not ignorant of God nor the inheritance found in God but choose instead corruptible and perishing things that reflect their violent and unthankful hearts. God considers them to be without excuse (v. 20).

     In the Book of Revelation, there is prophesied a spiritual power, called the fiery red dragon, who will hunt and pursue the woman who is pregnant with the male Child, the Messiah/Christ, who was to rule the nations, and "to make war with the rest of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." God supernaturally protects the woman from destruction. (Rev. 12). The dragon's greatest enemy is the descendant of Jacob, the Messiah/Christ, and those who believe in the Messiah/Christ and say so. The genetic and spiritual descendants of the archetype Jacob are the house of Israel, and the believers of the Messiah/Christ who is from that nation/house.

     This also will be in many cases a fight to the death.

     The prophet Malachi from another reading portion of this Toldot Sabbath delivered a mournful prophetic message to Israel from the LORD: "I have loved (ahab - love, friend, beloved, lovely, loveable, to desire, to breathe after) you,' says the LORD. Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' 'Was not Esau Jacob's brother?' Says the LORD. Yet (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Jacob I have loved; but Esau I have hated (sane - to hate, enemy, odious, utterly), and laid waste his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness." (Mal. 1:1-3).

     The written Hebrew connects Jacob with the Messiah/Christ, while Esau has had his *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega mountains removed from him. After all, Esau had despised his *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega inheritance and birthright.

     The thing that makes this prophetic Word so sad for the LORD is that the very people who descended from the archetype or toldot, Jacob, showed that they had lost all reverence and thanksgiving for the LORD. They had grown so cold toward the LORD that they were unaware of their falling so far from Him. The LORD had to say to them: "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence? says the LORD of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Your name?" (Mal. 1:6). This people's attitude toward the LORD was reflected in their attitude towards their offerings and service to Him. While His own people despise Him, the LORD said that from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, He would make His name great among the Gentiles, "in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations,' says the LORD of hosts." (v. 11). 

     Esau despised the eternal and incorruptible things of the LORD, but the LORD sadly acknowledges that although He loved the toldot archetype Jacob over his brother, the people of Jacob also show this same disrespect and contempt.

     Those who have been called to follow the archetype of Jacob, seeking the inheritance of Abraham including the Messiah/Christ, the inheritance of God, also need to keep this warning in mind as the days ahead before the return of Christ become more turbulent and dangerous. Jesus said to His disciples: "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Mt. 24:12-13). Paul also wrote of the danger to faith: "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day (of Christ) will not come unless the falling away (apostasia/apostasion/aphistemi - defection from truth, apostacy, falling away, forsake/divorce, repudiation, something separative/cause to withdraw, become faithless, depart from, remove, excite to revolt) comes first, and the man of sin is revealed...who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped..." (2 Thess. 2:3).

     The account of the brothers and archetypes Jacob and Esau is not limited to their physical descendants, but also to those who are spiritual descendants of the toldot types. In this season dedicated to Thanksgiving in several nations, it is also time to affirm which archetype or toldot we will follow. As Joshua said to the Israelites: "...choose for yourselves this day (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the LORD." (Josh. 24:15).

     If you would like to know more about following the call of the LORD and His eternal things, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, I give You all thanksgiving and praise as the Most High God. You have shared Your inheritance with me through Your Son, Jesus Messiah/Christ. I have been adopted and joined into the promises given to Abraham through faith in Your Son. Fill me with Your Word and with Your Holy Spirit, and seal my heart, mind and spirit, so that I will walk with You all the days of my life, and my whole household also. Keep me steadfast in faith and faithful in love for You and Your kingdom. Let those people be multiplied in abundance who come to You seeking the eternal promises of life and salvation, of deliverance and safety, of blessings, peace, mercy, grace and love. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

     *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     

     

     

Hearts&Nations

"And He (God) has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being..." (Acts 17:26-28, Deut. 32:7-8, Job 12:23). There isn't a nation or group of people in the world for whom God has not ordained a time that they should find and know Him. The nations are not about race, as we read here in Acts, but about the blood of all life, and the heart of worship. In this week's Sabbath reading portion called Toldot, or "generations/genealogy", from Gen. 25 through 27, it seems to me that the LORD is teaching a principle that can be a mystery to us. The starting verse is: "This is the genealogy (toldot/yalad - descendants, results, proceedings, generations, genealogies, account of men and their descendants, origin of things/to bear, bring forth, declare pedigree, gender, birth, midwife, lineage) of (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega [see Rev. 1:8, 21:6, 22:13, as relating to Jesus Christ]) Isaac, Abraham's son." (Gen. 25:19). The concept of toldot, as we know from scripture, is very important to God and His plans. He makes careful mention of who begat whom. There is an additional meaning of the Hebrew word toldot that captures interest in regard to this Sabbath's reading portion. Toldot also includes the root meaning "wicked bringing forth iniquity, to bring forth fraud, iniquity". Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. The LORD made a separation and difference between the two brothers that will carry through their generations forever. Esau, the elder brother, sold his birthright to his younger brother, Jacob, for a serving of lentil stew. Scripture says that Esau despised his birthright as the elder son (Gen. 25:34). Esau later sought the blessing as his father's favorite, but it was too late (v. 34-37), and when he discovered this, he threatened to kill his brother, Jacob. Esau's hatred of his brother carried down the generations, as we will see, and Jesus would also warn of this hatred (Mt. 5:21, 1 Jn. 3:14-15). Jacob was sent to his mother's family to find a wife, but Esau married local Canaanite women, and then a daughter of Ishmael (Gen. 28:8-9). Before Esau married the daughter of Ishmael, we read: "When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah." (Gen. 26:34). The Hittites descended from Ham, a son of Noah, and Ham's son, Canaan. The Hittites were a very ancient nation of people whose name in Hebrew means "fear, terror, dismayed, break in pieces, discourage, beaten down, shattered, broken, break down by violence, confusion and fear". Abraham, Esau's grandfather, would not accept any free land from the Hittites for the burial of Sarah, his wife, but insisted on paying them market price in silver, with the transfer done by deed in front of witnesses (Gen. 23:12-18). He was very cautious in dealing with the Hittites, and perhaps he would have been very shocked to find that his grandson had married into that nation. According to Jewish oral history, but not mentioned in scripture, Esau's wife, Judith, was also known as Oholibamah/Aholibamah (meaning "tent of the high place") because she built altars in the high places, or bamot, for idol worship. There is further mention of her as a matriarch of Esau's children in Gen. 36. We had the initial problem with Esau regarding his despised birthright and intention to kill his brother because of it, and now we see Esau has begun a toldot, or genealogy, with the Hittites. As we saw in part of the definition of toldot, this will be a matter of the "wicked bringing forth iniquity" throughout history. In another portion from this Sabbath's Toldot reading, the prophet Obadiah will speak the judgment of the LORD against the descendants of Esau, which became the nation of Edom. While Esau and Jacob struggled against each other even from the womb, that struggle continued between the two nations that would come from them: Edom and Israel. When Israel was travelling through the wilderness under Moses, Edom refused to sell them anything to help them survive, nor to allow the Israelites to cross their territory (see Num. 20:14-20). When Judah was taken away into Babylonian captivity generations later, Edom took advantage of it, and settled onto their land near Hebron. Obadiah wrote the judgment of the LORD: "In the day that you stood on the other side - in the day that strangers carried captive his forces, when foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem - even you were as one of them. But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in their day of destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity...nor laid hands on their substance...You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped; nor...delivered up those among them who remained..." (Obad. v. 11-14). The LORD said to Edom: "The pride of your heart has deceived you...You who say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?" (v. 3). For their violence against their brother Jacob/Israel, "...shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever...and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,' for the LORD has spoken." (v. 10, 18). Present-day nations should heed the warning as to how they should treat Israel, especially during Israel's times of trial. Obadiah said: "For the day of the LORD upon all nations is near. As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head." (v. 18). Scripture tells us that the LORD sets the boundaries of the nations, and we read here that the LORD sees the condition of the heart of a nation. Edom continued to carry the hatred of a brother in their hearts as their forefather Esau had done. After the Babylonian captivity of Judah, mentioned above by Obadiah, the Edomites inhabited a portion of Judea, and that territory was called Idumea. Herod the Great was an Idumaean/Edomite who married into what was left of the once-ruling Jewish Maccabee family, and whom Rome supported as it declared Herod to be "King of the Jews". Although Herod was also said to be half-Jewish through his mother, he was no doubt one of the most blood-thirsty tyrants of his age, and killer of the children of Bethlehem as he unsuccessfully sought to destroy the baby Jesus. His son, Herod Antipas, also known as Philip Tetrarch, who had previously ordered the execution of John the Baptist, had Jesus mocked and beaten in his court before Christ's death (Lk. 23:6-12). Here again we see the wickedness in the heart of Esau against his brother, Jacob/Israel, carried to a future generation. In another portion from this Toldot Sabbath reading, the prophet Malachi also wrote the Word of the LORD against Edom: "They (Edom) may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, and the people against whom the LORD will have indignation forever. Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, 'The LORD is magnified beyond the border of Israel'." (Mal. 1:4-5). The LORD traces their history of wickedness back to Esau (v. 3). History tells us that the Edomites had turned their backs on any knowledge of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God of their grandfather, Abraham, and their father, Isaac, and had instead worshipped a false god called Qaus, or Qos. However, the purpose of the Book of Malachi was not to write the judgment against Edom, but to indict God's own people, His own nation, Israel. Even as the LORD pointed out to Israel that He had graciously loved and chosen them, Jacob, long ago instead of Esau, saying to them, "I have loved you", Israel had stopped loving the LORD in return. Even though the nation was still carrying out its worship of the LORD, God knew the resentment that was secretly harbored in their hearts. He said that His priests despised His name! They expressed their contempt for Him by bringing to Him their least, rather than their best (v. 7-8). They treated the LORD with less fear and honor than they treated their political leaders. The LORD's name was profaned, as the LORD saw that in their hearts they said: "The table of the LORD is defiled; and its fruit, its food, is contemptible'. You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!' And you sneer at it, says the LORD of hosts." (v. 12-13). By the end of the Book of Malachi, the LORD prophesied of a work that He would do to cleanse, purge, refine, and renew their hearts towards Him (Mal. 3:1-3). God's people of the heart do not worship and give to Him to fulfill a religious obligation only, but to express their love and understanding of Who He is, and what He has done, and will do, for them. The LORD sees the hearts of the people and the nations. Finally from this Sabbath, the Book of Proverbs contrasts the paths of the wicked with those who learn the ways of the LORD: "Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil...For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall. They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day...give attention to my words...Keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." (Prov. 4:14-23, excerpt). Others may judge by the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7), including the heart of a nation. What are our hearts revealing of us to the LORD, and what is the heart of our nation revealing to Him? This is His promise: "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You." (Ps. 22:27). If you would like to know more about the LORD's dealings with the toldot generations, the nations, and the people, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You are King over all of the earth. You have set the nations, and You will weigh them in the balance. You promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, and that all of the nations of the earth would be blessed because of him. Your Son, Jesus, the returning Messiah, will rule the nations with a rod of iron. Let my heart be cleansed and filled with love for You, and let my manner of life reflect that love and worship. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that Your Word would dwell in my heart as an inward circumcision, an inward renewal. I pray also for my nation. It exists because, at the appointed time, You created and set its boundaries so that my nation would know that You are God. Help the heart of my nation to turn back to You as we seek Your face, and Your forgiveness. I thank You, Father, in the name of Your Son, Jesus. AMEN."

Archetypes

The definition of "archetype" is: the original pattern or model of which all subsequent things of the same kind are representations or copies. The Greek roots of this word "archetype" in English are "to begin, to rule" + "type". This week's sabbath reading deals with the same thing, and is titled Toledot, meaning "generation(s)". However, the meaning of toledot is really more about "archetypes", and since we are in Genesis, or B'resheit, the Book of Beginnings, we will see the beginning of two archetypes that are still being represented today, even after many generations. Not only is an archetype the beginning of a pattern, as its Greek meaning shows, but an archetype also rules the subsequent copies. The sabbath reading of Toledot starts in Gen. 25 with the account of Isaac, Abraham's son and heir, and his wife and kinswoman, Rebekah. Rebekah had not been able to have children: "Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived." (Gen. 25:20-21). Rebekah noticed that something was strange about her pregnancy. There was a struggle within her womb. so she inquired of the LORD, and the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger." (v. 22-23). Rebekah indeed gave birth to twins, Jacob and Esau, who struggled against one another before they were born, and after. Esau was the first born and the older of the two, with Jacob born holding onto Esau's heal (v. 26). The twins' personalities were different also. Esau was described as "a skillful hunter (yada + sayid), a man of the field (ish + sade)". Jacob was "a mild man (tam/tamam), dwelling in tents (ohel/ahel)" (v. 27). Here we have our two archetypes. The descriptions from the Hebrew tell us that Esau was knowledgeable in taking prey, and "making a provision for the journey", a man in contrast to God, husband, attached to the ground. He provided for himself. In the Hebrew words used, Jacob is described as "perfect, undefiled, upright, complete, morally innocent, coupled together, completely crossed over, and an inhabitant of the tabernacle, the sacred tent of Jehovah, clear, shining, and bright". The Word of God presents Jacob as one who is spiritually perfect and complete, and inhabiting the tabernacle of God. Although both men were of the same generation from Abraham because they were his twin grandsons, they were a different kind of generation from each other regarding toledot, or archetypes. Because they were archetypes, there will be copies or representations that proceed from each of these two men. Jesus would also speak regarding the generations, or toledot, of Abraham as we will see. In last week's sabbath reading, we saw that Abraham was referred to as elohim nasi, meaning "the risen God of forgiveness and atonement, who suffered and laid sin upon Himself" (see last week's post titled "Kings"). The New Testament tells us that Abraham, along with Isaac and Jacob, dwelled in tents/tabernacles, and was waiting for the city whose builder and maker is God (Heb. 11:9-10). Abraham was not "attached to the ground", as Esau was, but considered himself as a foreigner and a visitor in it (Gen. 23:4). In this same spirit, Abraham gave his nephew, Lot, his choice of land first, and Lot chose the finest land to the eye (Gen. 13:9-11). Because Abraham showed that he did not covet a place in the earth, God then gave him and his descendants all the land as far as the eye could see (Gen. 13:14-15). It is also mentioned in this part of this week's sabbath reading that the older brother Esau sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob for a simple meal when his own hunting for provision had yielded nothing. Scripture says of this: "Thus Esau despised (baza) his birthright (bekora/bekor/bakar)." (Gen. 25:34). The birthright refers to the inheritance rights of the first born, also called primogeniture. In the Hebrew meaning, "birthright" also includes the idea of being "first fruit, new fruit, to bear early, to rise early". Esau considered being the firstborn of Isaac, who was "the child of promise/covenant", as we are also, to be contemptible and vile, from the meaning of "despised" (see Gal. 4:28). In another portion of this week's sabbath reading, the LORD clearly states: "Yet Jacob I have loved; but Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness." (Mal. 1:2-3). Although the LORD clearly condemned the archetype of Esau, and those who came after him, spiritually modeling themselves after him, He also has a problem with the children of Jacob, whom He favored, and to whom He gave the birthright promises. The LORD said that these generations of Jacob did not regard the LORD with respect and love in return for the love and favor that He had shown them: "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? If I am a Master, where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts to you priests who despise My name..." (Mal. 1:6). The Hebrew word for "despise" used in this verse is the same word with which Esau despised his birthright - baza. From another of this week's sabbath readings, the Book of Obadiah, a prophetic word regarding the destruction of the land of Esau, or Edom. This destruction comes on "the day of the LORD", and that "...no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau, for the LORD has spoken." (v. 15, 18). As the prophet wrote, future generations modeled themselves after their archetype Esau, in despising the covenant promise of God, the birthright. This would lead to their destruction. As we saw with Esau, birthright is not determined by the facts of the flesh, but by the spirit of a man, and the archetype of Esau is still with us. Jesus spoke about the difference between those who come from "above", and those who come from "beneath". As with Jacob and Esau, there is no similarity between the two. Esau had contempt for the model of Abraham, who was called by the term elohim nasi in scripture (see above), even though Esau was a direct descendant of Abraham. Esau was initially born with the birthright, and while it meant nothing to him, it meant everything to Abraham. The Word says this of another, Jesus, Who came in His Father's name, meaning "God is Salvation", Who laid our sins upon Himself, and became our forgiveness and atonement: "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power/right (exousia/exesti - power, authority, jurisdiction, strength, permission, to be lawful) to become sons/children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (Jn. 1:10-13). We see more as Jesus said to those who did not receive Him: "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.' Then they said to Him, 'Who are You?' And Jesus said to them, 'Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning..." (Jn. 8:23-25). The account of Jacob and Esau is not about the the assuredness of the covenant and salvation by the flesh. If assuredness in the flesh existed, Esau would not have been able to sell it., because nothing could change the fact that Esau was the firstborn. However, the supernatural birthright of the covenant from "above" given to Abraham, and confirmed through the archetype of Jacob over Esau, speaks of those who are born from "above", rather than "beneath", and of the Spirit, rather than of the flesh. Do we model ourselves after our Archetype, Jesus, Who was born from Above? Or do we despise it, neglect it, and eventually "sell" it, preferring instead those things that are attached to the ground, as Esau did? Paul said to the believers in Galatia: "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth...Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect in the flesh?...Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture...preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed.' So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." (Gal. 3:1-9, excerpt). If you would like to know more about being modeled after our Archetype from Above, Jesus, and being blessed with "believing Abraham", you can join me in prayer: "Blessed and Great Father, because of Your Son, I have received the birthright of eternal life that comes from You. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to be an Archetype from which many would come. Let me be one who is modeled after Christ. I am so thankful, especially in this season of Thanksgiving, that you gave me the legal right to be called Your descendant, Your son, and I don't ever want to take it for granted, or forget the honor of that gift. Help me to not be attached to the things of the ground, the world, but to have my eyes upon You, and the things of the Above, dwelling in Your tabernacle. Having begun in Your Holy Spirit, keep me from walking after the flesh. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Election

The portion of scripture assigned for this Sabbath comes in part from Gen. 25 and Mal. 1. It is titled Toledat, meaning "Generations". This Sabbath portion is about the election of Jacob by God. Isaac's wife, Rebekah, did not conceive, so Isaac pleaded with the LORD, because his wife was barren. Rebekah did then conceive, but she felt troubled during the pregnancy and she went to inquire about it of the LORD. The LORD told Rebekah that there were two different peoples in her womb: "Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger." (Gen. 25:23). Jacob and Esau were the twins born to Rebekah and Isaac. Jacob was the elect of the LORD. His brother was not. Election does not depend upon natural circumstances. Esau was born first (v. 25), but he was not elected. Isaac preferred and favored Esau (v. 28), but Esau was not elected. The elect cannot be accurately identified from a physical appearance (Gen. 27:15-19, 23). Those not elected cannot perform a work to gain election (Gen. 27:38-39, 28:8-9). There is contention, even enmity, between those who are the elect of the LORD, and those who are not (Gen. 27:41). From Mal. 1, and the Book of Obadiah, the haftarah portions of this Sabbath, we can see that those who are not elected despise the LORD (Mal. 1:2-5). We also read how the LORD judges how those who are not the elect treat those who are (Obadiah). If the elect of the LORD are persecuted, then the LORD is also persecuted (Acts 9:3-5/Acts 22:6-8). The Malachi portion also reveals that the LORD will not tolerate His elect treating Him in the same disrespectful and disregarding manner as those who are not elected. By doing so, they are showing that they despise their election. From the title of this Sabbath portion, we can also see that those whom the LORD sovereignly elects will impact generations to come. In the New Testament, we are also called the Elect through Christ. Before we think too highly of ourselves on this account, we should keep in mind that we didn't choose the Lord, but He chose us first, as is the case in election - it is sovereign: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will..." (Eph. 1:3-5) and Jesus said, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you." (Jn. 15:16). Jesus went on to say, in that same truth of our election: "These things I command you, that you love one another (see Colossians below). If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." (v. 17-18). It is probably good to note at this point what the word "elect" means in Hebrew. The Hebrew word is bakher, and its root word is bakhar. It means chosen, elect (of God), choice, selected, to appoint. It also means to require, to prove, to try, to examine. The world is going to try the elect. The LORD is going to examine and prove His elect. There is something required of the elect. Our example this Sabbath, Jacob, was tried all his life. We often think that we are being attacked by our spiritual enemy, but our own election also tries us, proves us, and examines us. Our election requires a response from us in these circumstances. Regarding our election through Christ, Paul had this to say: "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 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 in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Col. 3:12-17). If I am being tried, proven, and examined based upon the above requirements of the elect in Christ, I will need the help of the daily work of the Holy Spirit perfecting me. At this time, the nation, the world, and even the Church are in an uproar over the recent election of a man. I believe that we would serve the spiritual interest of the nation, the world, and the Church better, if we truly understood the election of God through Christ in us. May the Lord reveal the height, the depth, and the breadth of His election to us, so that we may, by the help of the Holy Spirit, live out what it requires of us. Our Father has elected us through Christ.