Spirit

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Mikketz, meaning "at the end of". This reading comes on the Sabbath after Hanukkah, and also after Christmas this year. 

     Have you ever been "at the end of " yourself where trying circumstances have wearied and discouraged you? When the promise of God seems to be out of reach? One of the people written about in this Sabbath portion might have been feeling that way. His name was Zerubbabel.

     Judah and Jerusalem had been held in captivity in Babylon for seventy years when they were released and allowed to return to Jerusalem, which is also what the prophet Jeremiah had prophesied would happen. The first returnees had come back to Jerusalem and had a huge re-building project ahead of them because Jerusalem had been left in ruins when the Babylonians had laid siege to it. Zerubbabel was in charge of building the (second) temple of the LORD.

     Zerubbabel was among the captives who first returned to Jerusalem. He was also the grandson of the nineteenth and last king of Judah, named Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin became king when he was eighteen years old, and three months into his reign, the Babylonians took Jerusalem, and the king along with many inhabitants of Jerusalem were taken into captivity to Babylon (2 Kings 24:8-12, 15). Jehoiachin was imprisoned there for thirty-seven years until it was discovered that he was a king, and he was not only released from prison, but exalted above all other kings who were held captive (2 Kings 25:27-30). Now, at the end of this time of captivity, this king's grandson, Zerubbabel, had returned to Jerusalem with the other miraculously freed captives.

     The building of the temple, of which Zerubbabel was in charge, was experiencing extremely slow progress. There was great opposition from the local population of adversaries outside of Jerusalem who did all that they could to halt the restoration work (see Ezra 4:1-5). Then there came a stunning prophecy from Zechariah that we read in this week's Mikketz Sabbath portion. This prophecy not only empowered Zerubbabel's building of the temple, but it will give us insight into Jesus' all-powerful anointing, as well as having an impact on end time events before the return of Christ.

     Perhaps Zerubbabel's struggle to build the temple in Jerusalem, and his eventual spiritual empowerment is reflected in the meaning of Zerubbabel's name. The general meaning is "sown in Babylon". However, if we break the name down into its parts, we find the word zarab, which means "to make narrow [like a stream that dries up], perish, pour out, flow off, dry up, flow away." The second half of his name is the word babel, which means "confusion, to mix, fade away." However, the root word, according to the Concordance, balal, means, "fresh oil, to overflow with oil, anoint." From his name, perhaps Zerubbabel was a man who was spiritually drained and overwhelmed, maybe even discouraged, but there is a root pointing to the anointing (of oil) of God. Isaiah wrote this about the anointing of God: "It shall come to pass in that day that his (the Assyrian's) burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke (ol - yoke, of servitude and calamity) from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil." (Isa. 10:27). The title given to Jesus of "Messiah/Christ", for example, refers to "the anointing, the anointed One", and He does indeed break the yoke of sin and death off of our lives. The anointing of God changes everything, even the whole world, as we will see.

     The prophecy of Zechariah, which would have an impact on Zerubbabel's work and the future, began with an unusual vision from the LORD: "Now the angel...wakened me...and he said to me, 'What do you see?' So I said, 'I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. The two olive trees are by it (see also Ps. 52:8), one on the right of the bowl and the other at its left.' So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked to me, saying, 'What are these, my lord?' Then the angel...answered...'Do you not know what these are?' And I said, 'No, my lord.' So he answered and said to me: 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!' Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?..." (Zech. 4:1-10, excerpt).

     According to the vision, there are two living olive trees that continually supply the seven lamps on the golden candlestand, or menorah, with oil. This Sabbath reading portion comes in the middle of the celebration of Hanukkah, or Festival of Lights, a miracle involving the multiplication of the oil for the menorah in the temple many generations previously. The seven lamps represent the seven eyes of the LORD which scan/run to and fro throughout the whole earth (v. 10). To us, the oil of the Lampstand represents the Holy Spirit who searches all things of God. Paul wrote: "But God has revealed them (the hidden wisdom) to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God...Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Cor. 2:10-12, see also Jn. 14:26).

     This prophetic word from Zechariah to Zerubbabel is one of the prophecies credited in scripture as being the reason for the successful building of the temple no matter what rose up to try to block it: "So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo (meaning "His witness"). And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia." (Ezra 6:14).

      As we saw how the spiritual anointing (of oil) revived and empowered Zerubbabel to complete the building of the house of the LORD, scripture tells us that Jesus was this anointing and was filled with this anointing (and light) of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said this about Jesus after he saw the Spirit rest upon Jesus in the form of a dove (see Mt. 3:16-17): "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]!" (Jn. 3:34 Amplified Version).

 

     Paul also wrote of Jesus, warning the church not to be deceived by the philosophies of men: "For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and so you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." (Col. 2:8-9). The Godhead spoken of here by Paul also includes with the Son, Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit. As Paul also indicated, this same fulness dwells in us as we are in Jesus. Jesus Himself gave to His disciples the Holy Spirit prophetically (Jn. 20:21-23), and then in manifestation in the Upper Room after His resurrection and ascension (Acts 2:1-4), and it wasn't just for the original twelve disciples but for every believer in Christ (Acts 19:1-7).

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     Do we understand what this gift received from Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, of the anointing of the Holy Spirit really means in our lives? Some believers are actually taught that the full anointing of the Holy Spirit is not for them, and that it is no longer needed. How sad and wasteful of the power of God! Some believers believe in the receiving of the Holy Spirit but limit the meaning of the receiving of the Holy Spirit's anointing to operating in spiritual gifts. However, it means even more than that. The anointing is the same anointing that destroys the yoke of which Isaiah prophesied. It is the same anointing and Holy Spirit that destroyed every obstacle standing in the way of the will of God, as it did for Zerubbabel, and created a headstone out of that same obstacle with joyful shouts of "Grace, grace!" to it. I believe that same "headstone" of the temple/house of God built by Zerubbabel with "grace" attached to it was a prophetic reference to the Messiah/Christ, Jesus, as Peter said (Acts 4:11-12 ), and is also named as the Head over all things, and over all things pertaining to His Church of believers (Eph. 1:22). Why would we want to limit the fulness of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Christ certainly did not limit the Spirit. It is even the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead! (see Rom. 8:9-11). I hope in the same resurrection for myself, don't you? Then we need to thank the Holy Spirit Who is to dwell in each of us, and the One Who baptizes us in the Holy Spirit, Jesus the Anointed One (Mt. 3:11-12).

     From this same prophecy of Zechariah's also comes a time-changing and world-changing event in the days before the return of Jesus, which, according to what we are seeing happening now, could be very soon.

     

       The prophet Zechariah received an explanation from the angel who brought him the vision regarding the two olive trees and the two olive branches that drip oil into the receptacle of the golden lampstand:  "Then he answered me and said, 'Do you not know what these are?'   And I said, 'No, my lord.' So he said, 'These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."  (Zech. 4:"12-14).

     The Book of Revelation mentions the coming of two witnesses, who are also prophets, who are sent to testify in the last days before Christ's return: "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.' These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth." (Rev. 11:3-4).

     The purpose of these two witnesses, who are associated with the olive oil anointing, is so important that they are given great power and authority, and able to do signs and plagues. Although the beast of the bottomless pit will make war against them and kill them, after three and one-half days: "the Holy Spirit/breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them...And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them." (v. 7-12). 

     This anointing that destroys the yoke, as Isaiah described it, gave the two witnesses power and authority from heaven, and we see the power of resurrection from the Holy Spirit raise them up as well. The witness of these two prophets will be one of the last chances that dwellers on earth in those days will get to hear and receive the Gospel that will save them.

     The LORD is building His spiritual house of living souls redeemed by His Son (see Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Peter 2:5-8) and nothing will stand in the way of that, as Zerubbabel found out.

     If you would like to find out more about the anointing that destroys the yoke, and the work of the Holy Spirit in us, you can pray with me: "Our Father, You sent Your Son, Jesus the Anointed One, to save me and baptize me with Your Spirit. Help me, Lord, not to limit the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, but to walk in that infilling according to Your Word. Remove any self-righteous spirit from me that takes pride in the humbling gift of Your Spirit in me. As David prayed, "Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Ps. 51:11). Help me not to grieve the Holy Spirit by walking in sin. Give me ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to me in order to teach and guide me in the Words of Jesus. I ask this in Jesus' name. 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. 

     

Settled

      This Sabbath's reading portion is titled Va-yeishev, meaning "And he settled", and begins in Gen. 37. It is also the Sabbath reading portion before Hanukkah and Christmas, which occur on the same day this year. The title of this Sabbath portion comes from the first verse in Chapter 37: "Now Jacob dwelt/settled (yasab - dwell, inhabitant, sit, abide, remain, continue, to marry and give a dwelling to, have one's abode, sitting on a throne or seat of judgment) in the land where his father was a stranger in the land of Canaan."

     This Sabbath portion is going to tell us not just where a physical dwelling might be, but where a spiritual dwelling must be.

     The second verse of Gen. 37 begins: "This is the history/generations (toldot - descendants, results, generations, proceeding) of Jacob. Joseph being seventeen years old..." For a mysterious reason, the report of Jacob's generations is going to begin here with Joseph, his second youngest son. Why do the generations of Jacob begin with Joseph? It is important to note that when the Hebrew word toldot is used for "generations", an important spiritual precept or revelation, a foundational precept, is being established at this moment that will be carried down the generations.

     Let's continue with v. 2: "...Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad/evil (ra'/ra'a  - evil, wickedness, mischief, hurt, bad, trouble, sore, affliction, ill, grievous, hurtful, unkind or vicious/evil, evil doer, break, harm, injurious) report of them to his father."  (v. 2)

     This verse does not say that the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, who were Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher, had done something evil, but that the report that Joseph brought to his father was an evil report. In fact, the Hebrew word used here for "report" is the word diba, which means "evil report, whispering, slander, infamy, defamation, defaming, spread slander, spread a rumor, that which glides stealthily." These brothers of Joseph were the sons of his father's two concubines, although the word "wives" is used here. Could it be that Joseph as the son of one of Jacob's wives, Rachel, resented, or thought less of the sons of his father's concubines? Imagine how these four brothers felt when Joseph gave their father, Jacob, the evil report? 

     Although these four sons were not from either of Jacob's two recognized wives, they are listed among the twelve tribes of Israel and would be among the tribes that would settle the Promised Land and establish the nation of Israel. Joseph was yet young, and although he would rise to a high position and save a nation from famine, he would have a great deal to learn along the way. The LORD would humble Joseph before He eventually raised him into a high position second only to Pharaoh in Egypt. While it's true that Joseph had a prophetic gift, especially in the realm of dreams and interpretation, he would have to learn wisdom and discretion in operating in this spiritual gift from God.

     I think that the record of Jacob's toldot history/generations started with Joseph in Gen 37 is for the purpose of revealing where Jacob yasab "settled" or abided spiritually. This is shown in what Jacob did after receiving Joseph's evil report about his brothers: "Now Israel (Jacob) loved (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic (kutonet/katep -  tunic, undergarment, usually of linen, to cover/shoulder, shoulder blade, to clothe) of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." (v. 3-4).

     The English phrase "of many colors" used to describe this special tunic given to Joseph by his father, Jacob, has nothing to do with colors, many or otherwise. The phrase translated as "many colors" is the Hebrew word pas/pasas, meaning "palm, sole of the foot, long tunic reaching to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet/to disappear, vanish, do away, blot out [especially sins]." This gift of the tunic from his father, Jacob, represented a covering of grace that blotted out the sin of his beloved son, Joseph. Proverbs 6:16-19 describes the six things that God hates, and the seven that are an abomination to Him. Among that list are: a lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. According to the Hebrew words used in these verses from Gen. 37, Joseph would have been guilty of these things that God hates.

     This is where Jacob spiritually dwelt and this is where he abided - in the ministry of the atonement covering of sins (by the Messiah/Christ), and this is the spiritual precedent that was set that his toldot generations should follow. This atoning or spiritual covering would save Joseph's life when his angry brothers had determined to kill him.

     As Joseph journeyed through testing and trying circumstances that would cause him to become the person whose habitation is with God, then he would walk in the purpose that God had set him apart from his brothers to fulfill. 

Instead of murdering Joseph, as they had originally planned, his brothers sold him into slavery, and he was then taken to Egypt. The brothers took the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) tunic that his father had made for Joseph, smeared it with blood, and used it as evidence to convince Jacob that Joseph was dead (Gen. 37:32). 

     In Egypt, Joseph was purchased from Ishmaelite traders by a man named Potiphar, who was an officer of Pharaoh. (Gen. 39:1). Then scripture says: "The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man...and his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him...the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field." (v. 4-5). Because Joseph's master saw the favor of the LORD upon Joseph, he put Joseph in charge of all that he had.

     Joseph was then falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, and thrown into Pharaoh's prison: "But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison." (Gen. 39:21). Because of the favor of the LORD, the keeper of the prison gave Joseph authority over the prisoners, and the prison keeper: "...did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper." (v. 22-23).

     Physically, Joseph dwelt/settled in the household of an Egyptian as a slave, and then he physically dwelt in Pharaoh's prison, but spiritually, Joseph's habitation was with the LORD. Although he could not physically wear the tunic that his father had given him, the spiritual covering or habitation of grace that the tunic represented still operated in Joseph's life. When Pharaoh raised Joseph up into a position of authority in Egypt, he changed Joseph's name to Zaphnath-Paaneah, which has been translated as meaning "God lives and He speaks", also "Treasury of the Glorious Rest". Pharaoh also clothed Joseph in garments of fine linen (ses/sayis - bleached white, fine linen or silk, fine Egyptian linen, whiteness/alabaster, to bleach, to whiten, white marble). (See Gen. 41:42, 45). This is what Pharaoh saw in the life of Joseph, a man who dwelt in God, and a man in whom God dwelt. It is also granted to the Bride of Christ to be clothed in "fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." (Rev. 19:8).

     From another reading portion of this Va-yeishev Sabbath before Hanukkah and Christmas, the young child, Samuel, will discover what it means to dwell with God. Samuel's birth was a miracle, and his mother dedicated him to the service of the LORD at the tabernacle: "But Samuel ministered before the LORD, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe (me'il - robe, coat, a covering), and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer yearly (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) sacrifice." (1 Sam. 2:18-19). Samuel ministered to the LORD in the tabernacle at Shiloh under Eli the priest even though he "did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him." (1 Sam. 3:1, 7). We see again a loving parent who covered her miracle child with a gift of a special little robe in order for him to serve before the LORD. We can also see the empty religion of a priest with this precious child protege under his tutelage in the tabernacle of the LORD, but he had not taught the child to know the LORD. However, Samuel had been covered by grace.

      The child Samuel began to hear the prophetic Word of the LORD in the days when the Word and revelation of the LORD were rare. (1 Sam. 3:1). The Word of the LORD began to call to Samuel when the lamp of God was so neglected by the indifferent and corrupt priesthood that it was just about to go out in the tabernacle, but the LORD "came and stood and called out" to Samuel...So Samuel grew, and the LORD was (haya/hava - to be, to arise, to appear, to come, to be established, to abide, to remain, exist, to breathe) with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD." (v. 19-21).

     Both Samuel and the priest, Eli, physically dwelt in the tabernacle at Shiloh, but it was Samuel who spiritually dwelt with the LORD in His covering of grace. The LORD was with Samuel.

     From another reading of this Sabbath, scripture says to bind the Word of God received from your father and mother to yourself as if you are wearing (perhaps like the coat or tunic that Jacob gave to Joseph, and Samuel's mother gave to him), and dwelling with it: "Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep they will keep you; and when you wake they will speak with you." (Prov. 6:21-22). The Word of God through the parent is to be treated as if it is your closest family member. (Prov. 7:1-4). This is part of the miracle of dwelling with God.

     The LORD gives this prophetic promise to Zechariah in this Sabbath's reading portion: "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the LORD. Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst..." (Zech. 2:10-11). The promise is not just to know the LORD, but to dwell, abide, and remain with Him.

     Jesus described how God, the Father, dwelled with Him: "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." (Jn. 14:10-11).

     If we can understand how Jesus and the Father dwelled within each other, we can then understand the meaning of what Jesus wanted for us. He said: "Abide (meno - abide, dwell, remain) in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me...If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you...As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love." (Jn. 15: 4, 7, 9).

     Both Joseph and Samuel received special robes as a covering. Isaiah prophesied about the garments we receive with salvation: "...He (the LORD) has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered (ya'at - to clothe, to cover) me with the robe of righteousness...." (Isa. 61:10). This is fulfilled in Messiah/Christ, as Paul wrote: "For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on (endyo - be clothed, clothed in, clothe with, as if sinking into a garment) Christ." (Gal. 3:27).

     The blessing contained in the phrase "The LORD was with him" as used above, is fulfilled if we dwell with and in Jesus Messiah/Christ.

     If you would like to know more about being clothed in Christ, you can join my prayer: "Father in heaven, You have clothed me in a robe of Your righteousness and grace through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I have been joined together with Jesus, and He is joined together with You. The command of Christ is to abide or dwell in Him. By Your Holy Spirit, teach me, lead me and help me to remain in my dwelling place in Jesus, my Savior and Lord. Help me to mature and grow in the understanding of this powerful precept of dwelling in grace. Let this dwelling place in Christ that I inhabit witness to others as both of the lives of Joseph and Samuel gave evidence to others that the LORD was with them. 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.     

Sent

     This week's Sabbath reading portion, which begins in Genesis 32, is titled Va-yishlach, meaning "And he sent". The title is based upon the Hebrew word, salah, which means "to send [out], send [forth], sow, stretch out, loose, send a messenger, send an angel, weapon [Arabic]."

     In this Sabbath portion, Jacob sent (salah - see above) messengers (malak - angel, messenger, ambassadors, representatives, king, deputy, one sent, messenger of God, prophet, priest, teacher), and then eventually gifts, to his brother Esau as Jacob returns with his family to his homeland from Assyria. When Jacob left twenty years earlier, Esau had sought to kill him. How would Esau receive his brother's return? Jacob was afraid and distressed, and prayed to God on behalf of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) people (see v. 7) with him: "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you...Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children." (Gen. 32:9-11).

     As Jacob sent (salah - see above) presents (minha - gift, tribute, present, sacrifice, offering to God, to apportion) ahead to Esau, who was coming with four hundred men, Jacob bowed before Esau seven times as they neared each other. Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, fell on his neck and kissed him. Esau questioned Jacob about the gifts that he had sent ahead, saying to Jacob, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself." Jacob answered him: "No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. Please, take my (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.' So he urged him, and he took it." (Gen. 33:1-11). Jacob apportioned (see minha above) to Esau some of the increase that he had gained over his years of service to his father-in-law Laban. The blessing which Jacob brought to his brother Esau was connected to the Messiah/Christ, signified by the presence of *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in written but untranslated Hebrew before the phrase "my blessing". This is the source of the divine power that delivers from death found in salah "sent".

     The gifts that Jacob had salah "sent" ahead after praying to God, had the power to calm the murderous rage of Esau, and the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) servant Jacob, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the women and his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) children came out of the encounter preserved alive. 

   

      Above, Jacob compared seeing Esau with seeing the face of God. Jacob had just had a wrestling encounter with "a Man", demanding a blessing from him, at a place that Jacob would name Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (Gen. 32:24-31). Jacob had also then seen his brother face to face and his life was preserved. At this time of this wrestling match with "a Man", Jacob's name was changed to "Israel", meaning "God prevails, he will rule as God, contender, soldier for God, have power, persevere, prevail, contend with, have power as a prince, set in order, be a leader, a commander, a prince, a noble." Having had this previous encounter with "the Man" and persevered against him, was God showing Jacob that he would also persevere against Esau successfully?

     From another Va-yishlach Sabbath reading portion, the LORD prophesied that He would send His messenger: "Behold, I send (salah - see above) My messenger (malak - see above), and he will prepare the way before Me, and the LORD, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like launderer's soap...He will purify the sons of (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering (minha - see above) in righteousness." (Mal. 3:1-3).

     Although three of the same words: salah, malak, minha, are used in the verses above, we are not dealing with a vengeful Esau here. We are dealing with the Holy God and the pure offering/gift due Him from His priests on behalf of His people. A Messenger will be sent by God and the purpose of the Messenger will be to purge and cleanse a negligent priesthood on the day of the LORD so that they do not perish before His face. The LORD is going to appear suddenly, and if they wish to remain alive, they had better accept the Messenger that the LORD will salah send to them.

     We see another example of the preservation power of the salah sent in Psalm 107: "Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted...and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent (salah - see above) His word (dabar - spoken, talk, speech, word, utterance, thing, decree, message, answer, commandment, promise, provision, power, portion) and healed (rapa - to heal, repaired, cure, make whole, mend by stitching, stitch together) them, and delivered (malat - save, deliver, preserve) them from their destructions (sehit - pit, pit-fall, sink down). Oh that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" (Ps. 107:17-21). When God's people were about to perish because of their own wickedness, God sent His spoken Word, and they were preserved from death. We will see who this spoken Word was that was sent by God to heal His people. Jesus is described as the spoken Word (logos in Greek) of God (see Jn. 1:1-5, 14). Jesus also described Himself as having been "sent" by God in order to preserve life: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him (the Son) might be saved." (Jn. 3:17, see also Jn. 5:37-38, Jn. 6:44, Jn. 8:16 and 18). Jesus repeatedly described Himself as being sent (Greek apostello - send out, send forth, to order one to go to a place appointed) by His Father, God. He was sent to save us from destruction, in the same way as we read in the Psalm above.

     The apostle John also wrote: "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 Jn. 4:9-10).

     Again, we see that the thing or Person that is sent by the will of God is for the preservation of life. While we can immediately see without difficulty this truth in the sending of Jesus by the Father for the preservation of life, we need to also see the following mystery that was revealed by Jesus concerning us.

     Jesus sent out His disciples: "And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits...So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them." (Mk. 6:7, 12-13, see also Lk. 9:1-2, 6). Even before the cross, the disciples, being ones who were sent by divine will, brought salvation, deliverance and healing life to many.

     After the resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples: "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive/remit (aphiemi - to send away, to send forth, to bid going away, forgive, keep no longer, give up a debt) the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain (krateo - hold, keep, take hold, hold fast, get possession of, seize, to have power over) the sins of any, they are retained." (Jn. 20:21-23). In the very same way that Jesus was sent, He then sends us, as His disciples. With our being sent by divine ordinance goes the authority to bring life with the forgiveness of sins, rather than death by the retaining of sins. Jesus was sent that we might have life and that more abundantly (Jn. 10:10), and we are sent by Him with the same purpose. 

     As Jesus sent out His disciples after His resurrection, He also said of all those who believe: "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will be no means hurt them; and they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mk. 16:17-18).

     Some may think that the only ones that Jesus sent were His immediate disciples. However, the New Testament makes clear that all believers in Christ are sent by Him. The apostle James wrote: "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man avails much...he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a/his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:14-20, excerpt).

     Jesus commanded us to be salt, as a preservative of truth and life, and light, as showing the way through darkness, so that men would see our works and glorify God (Mt. 5:13-16). This Sabbath's reading portion, Va-yishlach, or "And he sent", brings us into the understanding of what it means in our lives to be sent, filled with the Holy Spirit, by the will of the Father and the Son.

     

     If you would like to know more about being sent by Christ, you can pray with me: "Father in heaven, You sent Your only Son, Jesus, to become life to those who were perishing in their sins. In the same manner, Jesus sent His disciples, and those who would believe because of them, into the world to bring preservation and life through Christ to others. Help me to fulfill this purpose given to me by Jesus Christ as He sends me in His name to be salt and light. Fill me with the Holy Spirit who will guide me and teach me how to live effectively in the commission by which Christ sends me, and to prove with my life "that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). 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.     

      

Leaving

      The title of this Sabbath's reading portion is Va-yeitze, which means "And he left." The title comes from the first verse of the reading portion: "Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran." (Gen. 28:10). The Hebrew word for "went out" as used above is yasa, which has a very rich and full meaning: "out, forth, proceed, go, depart, go forward, proceed to something, go forth with purpose, to deliver, be brought out, break out, bring forth, lead out, be risen, to germinate and expand like a plant, water flowing or gushing out of a fountain, running through a boundary, the end of a period of time." Up until this point, the only guidance that Jacob has had from the LORD is through the advice of his mother, Rebekah, who received prophetic revelation from the LORD regarding her two sons. According to the meaning of yasa above, Jacob would now be going forth from something and proceeding toward something else. Old boundaries would be overrun. Like gushing waters breaking out, however, the journey will not be controlled by Jacob, but by his own personal interaction and revelation from the LORD. The only guidance he has in leaving his familiar home and the murderous rage of his brother, Esau, is his parents' instruction to go find a wife from among Rebekah's relatives in Haran (see Gen. 28:1-5).      

     As we will see, the LORD takes us out of our familiar circumstances, sometimes having to push us out, in order to bring us into a deeper place with Him. He brings us into a time when He will give us a prophetic promise, and then the test comes as to whether we will hold on to that promise through both good and trying circumstances. We read in the Psalms: "He sent a man before them - Joseph - who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him." (Ps. 105:17-19). Upon receiving the prophetic Word of the LORD will we hold on to it through all testing circumstances? Peter wrote: "And so we have the prophetic word (regarding the prophesied appearing of Jesus as the Son of God) confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;" (2 Pet. 1:19). The interaction with the LORD, which is often prophetic, is the light that continues to be present even in the darkest days, until those days become light within us. The light within us cannot help but manifest outside of us as well.

     As Jacob travelled north from Beersheba, he came to "a certain place" and spent the night as it had gotten dark. This "certain  place" will turn out to be about the first tenth along the way of the journey to Haran, his destination. "And he took one of the stones (eben/bana - a stone especially associated with building or repairing, obtaining children) of that place (maqom/qum - rise up, establish, stand, confirm, continue, abide, sure, accomplish) and put it at his head (as his pillows: (mera'asot/mer'asot/ros - bolster, pillow, at his head/place at the head, dominion, headship, principality/head, chief, beginning, captain, first, choicest, height, top), and he lay down (sakab - lie down, rest, sleep, in death, death bed, be poured out, of those who are dying, in speaking of the death of kings) in that place to sleep (sakab - see previous)." (Gen. 28:11).  By placing that stone at his head, Jacob built or established something for himself and his future children which would be his ruler, his chief, his prince. We will see later who this stone represents. We also see a parallel with the sleep of death here as well. Receiving the prophetic direction or revelation of the LORD into our lives, we must go through a certain kind of death to self and death to the things of this world followed by an awakening to a new understanding and acceptance. We have to bow our knee to the higher, far superior God of all.

     While sleeping, Jacob had a special dream. He saw a ladder "set up on earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it..." (v. 13). In the dream, the LORD confirmed to Jacob His covenant promise made to Abraham for the land and the multiplication of his descendants. The LORD again repeated to Jacob the covenant made with Abraham: "...and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (v. 14). The LORD added to the promise: "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." (v. 15). Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." (v. 16). Jacob woke from sleep and was afraid (yare - fear, afraid, tremble, dreadful, inspire reverence or godly fear or awe, stupendous) and declared, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" (v. 17). It is almost as if Jacob had experienced a spiritual resurrection from death after experiencing this remarkable sight in his dream.

     Jacob immediately created a memorial in that place: "Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) stone that he had put at his head, set it up (sum - set up, ordain, mark, appoint, establish, transform into, make for a sign, call a name, convey, preserve, purpose) as a pillar (masseba - monument, personal memorial, column, standing image, something set upright), and poured oil (semen/saman - olive oil, as medicine or unguent, for anointing, fruitful, fatness that breaks the yoke: see Isa. 10:27/to shine, to cover with fat) on top of it. And he called the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) name-of-that-place Bethel ("house of God - bet'el/bayit/bana - temple, family, dwelling habitation, shelter or abode for animals, family of descendants, sepulchre, eternal home/build, establish, cause to continue, built up, repair, obtain children); but the name of that city had been Luz ("almond tree/hazel" - the first tree that awakens in spring after winter sleep) previously." (v. 18-19).

     To me, the aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega stone mentioned above that is anointed with olive oil is a prophetic picture of the Messiah/Christ to come, who also, as the ladder mentioned in Jacob's dream, reconciles together all things created in heaven and earth. (Col. 1:15-20). Once the promise or prophecy is made by the LORD, His presence will not leave the person as the LORD said to Jacob. (see also Deut. 31:8, Mt. 28:19-20). In another verse of scripture, the LORD says to Joshua in a later generation: "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." (Josh. 1:5). This is the light that Peter wrote of above that rises within us as we hold onto the prophecies and promises of the LORD to us. 

     Jacob left again on his journey to his relatives from that *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega place of Bethel as a changed man. However, there has been a change. When the scriptures say that "So Jacob went", we have a different Hebrew word and meaning after Jacob's encounter with the LORD. The word used here for "went" is nasa, meaning: "to lift, carry, support, sustain, endure, be lifted up, exalted, rise up, be carried, forgive, furnish, grow, increase, set up a banner, raise up and carry like the ark of the covenant." Jacob would not be going on his journey alone any longer, but with the presence of the LORD that goes with His prophetic promise.

     Although the prophetic promise of the LORD given to Jacob tested him (see Ps. 105 above) for twenty years, through some trying circumstances and disappointments, the light of the favor of the LORD was discernable in his life. His relative and father-in-law, Laban, became aware that he personally prospered after Jacob came into his family, and was very reluctant to allow Jacob to leave to return home. Laban said to Jacob: "Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake...Name your wages, and I will give it." (Gen. 30:27-28). That light of favor becomes apparent if we treasure the prophetic promises of God within us.

     From another of this Sabbath's reading portions it is written: "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold...By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life." (Prov. 22:1, 4). It is not by the ways of the world, but by the ways of the LORD that we live and are sustained.

     From another of this week's reading portions concerning yasa or "leaving", the king of Syria, Ben-Hadad, with thirty-two other kings mustered up a large army together to come against Samaria, in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They were coming for the gold, silver, and royal household of the King of Israel. King Ahab, the king of Israel who was rebellious towards God, was facing certain defeat against this large enemy coalition army. King Ahab consulted with his advisors, who told him not to give the King of Syria what he was demanding. The huge enemy army had just been commanded by their drunken leaders to get ready to attack: "Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab, king of Israel, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD... Then he (King Ahab) mustered the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) young leaders of the provinces...and after them, he mustered all the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) people, all the children of Israel - seven thousand." (1 Kings 20:1-13). "So they went out (yasa - see above) at noon...The young men of the provinces went out (yasa - see above) first. These young leaders of the provinces went out (yasa - see above) of the city with the army which followed them....Then the king of Israel went out (yasa - see above) and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter." (v. 16-21).

     The army of King Ahab, led by (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) young lads "went out", with the prophetic promise of the LORD, against a huge enemy army. The prophet came back after the successful battle and warned King Ahab to "take note and see what he should do", because the same king of Syria would be back again to come up against him in the spring. When the time came in the spring, the LORD again sent a prophet to direct King Ahab by the prophetic Word of the LORD, which the king only partially obeyed (1 Kings 20:42-43). This would lead to Ahab's eventual downfall.

     The prophetic Word of the LORD works powerfully through His *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega Messianic/Christ people. The Book of Revelation says: "...I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit (pneuma/pneo - Holy Spirit, a life-giving spirit, life, spirit, breath, breeze/to breathe, blow, the wind) of prophecy." (Rev. 19:10). 

     Jacob had to leave his home behind for many years, but he was accompanied by the presence of God and the Word of prophetic promise. It is breath and life-sustaining power in us from the One who IS the prophetic Word. It becomes the light within us that sustains us and others with us through the darkness.

     If you would like to know more about the role of the prophetic promise of God in our lives, either through His written Word, or by the revelation of His Spirit, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father from Whom all perfect gifts flow, I treasure and rely upon Your prophetic promises to guide my leaving and my arriving in my natural and spiritual travels. Your Word becomes light and favor that all can see as You promise to be with me. Let me not rely upon my own strength nor my own will in determining my course but direct my path according to Your great godly wisdom and knowledge. Let that prophetic promise that You have placed within me always guide me back to You if I wander off of the path that You have set for me. I ask these things for myself and for my household in Jesus' name. 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.

     

     

     

HolySpirit

 

     This Sabbath's reading portion is titled Chayyei Sarah, meaning "the life of Sarah". The title comes from the first verse of Genesis 23: "Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah." The Hebrew used here for "life" is the word and roots hay/haya/hava, which not only mean "life", but also "save, quicken with life, revive, restored to life or health, continue in life, revive from death, to declare, to show, to breathe, breathe out." It also contains the meaning "flowing (fresh) of water". Breath or breathing out are the root of life and the return to life as we see above.  "Breath" is the word ru-ach, or "spirit". Ru-ach HaKodesh is the Holy Spirit of God and is also the Spirit of life and revival of life. Jesus said: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.  The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (Jn. 6:63).

     Although the beginning of this Sabbath's reading portion deals with the death of Sarah, Abraham's wife, throughout all of the assigned reading for this week, including Gen. 23, Gen. 24, Prov. 1, 1 Kings 1, and Ruth 2, I found a common thread running through all of these sections: the qualities of the Holy Spirit leading to "the life of Sarah."

     In Gen. 23, Abraham must find a place to bury his wife, Sarah, and insisted on a deed, a legal guarantee, from the sons of Heth, also known as the Hittites, from whom he purchased the burial place for four hundred shekels of silver. He paid the full price for the piece of land: "...the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded/made sure (qum - raise, raise up, establish, confirm, sure, be set and fixed in place, make binding, endure) to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city." (v. 17-18). And there Abraham buried (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Sarah (meaning "noble woman, princess, wife of the king, queen, prince, rule reign, have power, govern").

     The importance of Abraham's obtaining of the deed is found in the meaning of the Hebrew word qum as shown above. Not only is the deed a binding guarantee, but the Hebrew word qum is also associated with being "raised up". Abraham was establishing the fixed precedent that Sarah would be raised up with this deed. The apostle Paul wrote about the Holy Spirit being the same guarantee to us, and also the Spirit's role in resurrection from the dead: "...you were sealed (sealed for security, marked, confirmed) with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee (price paid in security for something) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His (Christ's) glory." (Eph. 1:13-14, see also 2 Cor. 1:21-22).

     In regard to the Holy Spirit and resurrection, Paul wrote: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death...if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life (zoopoieo/zao - produce alive, make alive, give life, restore to life/to breathe [see hay/haya/hava above]) to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Rom. 8:2, 11). In the Greek language, "Spirit" is the word Pneuma, meaning "breath of the nostrils, a life-giving Spirit, the vital principal by which the body is animated." When this Sabbath portion became titled Chayyei Sarah, or "Life of Sarah", we can see the promise of God of resurrection through Christ by the Holy Spirit that Abraham established at her death. It is a brilliant example of revelation faith on Abraham's part, and the genius found in the depths of the Word of God.

     After Sarah's death, old Abraham sent his most trusted servant to secure a wife from his relatives for his son Isaac in Gen. 24, another reading portion from this Sabbath. Abraham promised his servant that the angel of the LORD would go before him on this mission. As we read the family members from Abraham's brother, Nahor, we see that Bethuel begot (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Rebekah. (Gen. 22:20-23). The servant traveled to Abraham's distant relatives in Mesopotamia with ten camels carrying precious goods and riches for the future bride and her household. In order to find the yet-unknown bride for Isaac, the servant asked the help of the LORD in revealing the ordained bride. The servant asked the LORD to reveal the bride who will draw water from a well for himself and his camels. The servant made the camels kneel outside the city of Nahor (breathing hard) by a well of water (Gen. 24:1-14). It was Rebekah who came to the well, and not only gave Abraham's servant water to drink, but all of the camels as well until they were finished drinking. Camels drink a great amount of water, especially after traveling in the desert. One camel can drink forty to sixty liters of water in just a few minutes, and Rebekah filled the thirst of all ten camels from the water of the well. Abraham's servant knew by this sign from the LORD, that he had found the bride for Isaac. Rebekah also told him that she was indeed related to Abraham's family. She agreed to leave her family immediately and travel to Abraham's son Isaac. When Isaac saw Rebekah and heard all that had taken place from the servant, "...Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent...and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." (v. 15-67, excerpt).

     The prophet Isaiah connected the Holy Spirit with water. The LORD said to Israel: "For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring." (Isa. 44:3). Jesus also stood and cried out to the crowd, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart/belly/soul will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive..." (Jn. 7:37-39).

      The verses above tell us that Rebekah comforted Isaac who was still mourning his mother, Sarah's, death. Jesus told His disciples that He would send the Helper/Comforter (parakletos - called to one's side for aid and succor, an advocate, consoler, intercessor) from His Father to them after He leaves them. Jesus identified the Comforter as the Holy Spirit (see Jn. 14:16-17, Jn. 15:26, Jn. 16:7).

     Rebekah's name means "to ensnare by beauty, a rope for a noose". This sounds like a negative meaning, but it is also the character of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, and therefore their need for Jesus as Savior (Jn. 16:8-11, 1 Cor. 12-13). It is the Holy Spirit that convicts and draws a person to Christ. We see this again in another reading portion from this Sabbath, where we read that Wisdom cries out in the streets to those who are heading to destruction: "Turn at My rebuke; Surely I will pour out My Spirit on you; I will make My words known to you." (Prov. 1:20-23, Jn. 14:25-26).

     In another Sabbath reading portion, we see a connection between water and life as mentioned above when David had his son, Solomon, anointed as King in order to foil the plans of another son who was trying to usurp the throne. David ordered Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet to take (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Solomon to the Gihon ( meaning "labor to bring forth, draw up, take out, break forth of light, burst forth with babe") River (a geographic place also known to some as "the fount of the Virgin"), anoint him king, blow the trumpet (shofar), and sit Solomon on the throne, "and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah." (1 Kings 1:32-35). According to the meaning of this river of water where a king was established and anointed, which also includes a connection to "the Virgin", and the bursting forth of a babe, we can connect this river to the Holy Spirit as the angel spoke to the Virgin Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Lk. 1:35). There is no life, and no resurrection to life, especially associated with the Messiah/Christ line of the royalty of God, including our title Chayyei Sarah, "the life of Sarah", without the Spirit of life, who is the Holy Spirit. This is the source of our title Chayyei Sarah, "the life of Sarah/Princess/Prince".

     In another reading portion from this Chayyei Sarah, or "Life of Sarah" Sabbath, we see another precious quality of the Holy Spirit from the Book of Ruth. Naomi and her two Moabite daughters-in-law all became destitute widows. Naomi's deceased husband, Elimelech's, name means "My God is King." Would Elimelech's death and the deaths of his two only sons mean the death of the ordained royal line of the Messiah/Christ? We will see how God's prophetic plan never fails.

      The widow Naomi planned to go back to her deceased husband's family in Israel, near Bethlehem, for their support. Her daughters-in-law wanted to go with her and did not want to stay in their native Moab, but Naomi urged them to stay since they had family there. One daughter-in-law, Orpah, kissed her mother-in-law good-bye, "but Ruth clung to her", and movingly swore to dwell with Naomi and to never leave her (Ruth 1:14-17). In describing the Holy Spirit to His disciples, Jesus said, "And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Comforter/Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth...for He dwells with you and will be in you." (Jn. 14:16-17). When Naomi and Ruth (meaning "friendship, companion, pasture") returned to Israel and the Bethlehem area, Boaz, a relative of Naomi's deceased husband and a man of great wealth, noticed Ruth gleaning the leftovers of grain in his field, as the poor are allowed to do, while his harvesters gathered the main grain crop. He then heard the report of how Ruth came with Naomi and had stayed with her and helped her. Boaz favored Ruth and told her she was to remain in his field where she would be safe and not go to another field. He also blessed Ruth "by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." (Ruth 2:11-12).  Boaz then said to Ruth: "...when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the young men have drawn." (Ruth 2:1-9). We see another reference to drawn water here as we saw above, perhaps another mention of the Holy Spirit.

     Boaz's name means "strength, swiftness" according to Strong's Concordance, but I also see the Hebrew words bo + 'uz in his name which mean "enter, come in" + "bring into refuge or safety". One of the pillars in front of the temple of Solomon was named "Boaz" (see 1 Kings 7:21), I believe for this very meaning, in order to say to all "Enter into the refuge and safety of the LORD." Boaz became that pillar pointing to the entrance to the place of refuge and safety for Ruth.

     Boaz married Ruth and "the LORD gave her conception" of a son. The women around her declared at this time: "...And may he (the child) be to you a restorer of life (nepes/napas - breath, that which breathes, soul/to take breath, to be breathed upon, refreshed) and a nourisher of your old age..." (Ruth 4:15). Their child would be the grandfather of King David, and the ordained royal house of the Messiah/Christ to come. (see Ruth 4:17). The promise of the royal lineage of Messiah/Christ did not end with the deaths of Elimelech, Naomi's husband and her sons, but was fulfilled by one of his relatives, Boaz.

     The Holy Spirit plays a necessary and blessed role in the life of every believer in Jesus Christ. He is the fountain of the waters of life and resurrection. He is the breath, the Comforter, and the Helper who makes miracles happen in and through our lives. He teaches and reminds us, as the Spirit of truth, all that we must know in our walk with Christ and His salvation from the Words of Christ.

     If you would like to know more about the Holy Spirit or to receive Him in your life, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son, Jesus, to save us, and to baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit. This same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, raises us also, and also seals and guarantees our inheritance in Him. Baptize me to the full in the water and fire of Your Holy Spirit, who is Your promise to me as a believer in Jesus as Lord. Fill my life with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Fill my mouth with the words and language of the Holy Spirit, who speaks the words of Christ. I ask this in Jesus' name. 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.

     

Covenant

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Va-yeira, which means "And He appeared", found in the beginning of Gen. 18: "Then the LORD appeared (ra'a - behold, to appear, present oneself, to be seen, look at, perceive, consider, have vision, look intently at, to cause to see, to cause to gaze at, look at each other, to face) to him (Abraham) by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day." (v. 1). In the Hebrew meaning of ra'a "appeared", not only does the LORD appear in order to be seen, but He causes Abraham to be able to see Him and perceive Him. We contrast this with the appearance of the angels of the LORD in Sodom. The corrupt, debauched and abusive men of Sodom could not perceive the men who appeared in their city as angels (Gen. 19:4-5), while Lot, Abraham's nephew perceived immediately that these men were different as soon as he saw them, and he sought to protect them. Lot greeted the men/angels in the same manner as Abraham had greeted them earlier (Gen. 18:2-8). Lot, as Abraham did, also rose to his feet from sitting in the gate of the city to go meet them. He bowed to the ground before them, and offered them the items needed to wash their feet (Gen. 19:1-2). Lot also made them a feast as Abraham did (Gen. 19:3). Abraham was willing to sacrifice his child, his son, whom the LORD gave back to him (Gen. 22:2-14), and Lot was willing to sacrifice his daughters (Gen. 19:8), whom the angels spared in the escape from Sodom before its destruction (Gen. 19:12-13). The population of Sodom, with the exception of Lot were spiritually blinded and could not ra'a see and perceive, so the angels also physically blinded them to prevent them from carrying out their evil ideas (Gen. 19:9-11). It is also interesting that Lot's sons-in-law could not ra'a see and perceive the warning that they were given: "So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, 'Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!' But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking." (Gen. 19:14). 

     Paul wrote of the kind of ra'a vision we must have: "...while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor. 4:18). How and what are we "seeing"? What are we looking at as being so important to us? It could make the difference between our deliverance and destruction. Sometimes it seems that much of our lives is focused on the things that are passing away rather than the things that endure forever. The very substance of our faith is not in things seen but in things yet to be seen. (Heb. 11:1).

     One reading portion from this Sabbath warned God's people about putting their confidence in the things that can be seen with natural vision rather than seeing with ra'a vision the eternal things of God. The prophet Jeremiah received the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) word of the LORD and, standing in the gate of the LORD's house, warned all who went in and out of that gate that they were facing destruction. God's people had placed their confidence, not in a repentant and restored relationship with God, but in a building - the temple of God in Jerusalem. Jeremiah must be wrong, they said. Surely God would not allow an enemy to enter Jerusalem, the place of the House where He has put His name! Jeremiah told them: "Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these." (Jer. 7:1-4). God's people did not obey the voice of God and were committing spiritual abominations and injustices and then saying that the temple of the LORD delivered them to do these things. (v. 8-10, 23-24, 30). God's people found out through great difficulty that Jeremiah's warning had been the true Word of the LORD, and the LORD was willing to allow Jerusalem and His temple to be overrun by a conquering enemy in order to deal with the evil hearts and minds of His own people, called by His name. Do we also define our covenant with God by, and put our confidence in, temporary things which can be destroyed in a moment?

     How we "see" also affects our covenant with God, or lack of one, as we will read.

     The LORD made a covenant with Abraham that would change history and create a new people belonging to Him. The LORD said to Abram/Abraham: "And I will establish (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Gen. 17:7-8). The Hebrew word for "covenant" is berit/bara/bara, meaning "covenant, alliance [of friendship, of marriage], pledge, agreement, a compact in the sense of cutting/cause to eat, to select/create, form, shape out, choose, create new conditions and circumstances, create transformation, create birth, create something new, create miracles." Look at the amazing things included in the meaning of "covenant"! A new creation is formed that did not exist before the covenant. Paul wrote of this new creation found in our covenant with God in Christ: "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh...Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:16-17). The Book of Revelation says: "Then He (Jesus) who sat on the throne said, 'Behold (idou/eido - see/to see, to perceive, to understand, to notice, to discern, to discover, to turn eyes, mind, or attention to anything, to examine, to experience any state or condition), I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful. And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." (Rev. 21:5-6). Do we truly ra'a see and perceive this or do we look upon things after the flesh or natural appearances? Are we continuing to be part of the old and perishing, or the new and eternal creation in Christ?

     Covenant, as we see above, includes the creation of miracles and births as part of its meaning in Hebrew. The LORD wanted Abraham to believe in something not yet visible and totally impossible by the natural appearances. He wanted Abraham to believe God for a son, although Abraham was very old, and his wife was barren (Gen. 18:10-14). However, God created a miracle, a birth as promised, and Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 21:1-3).

     In another reading portion from this "And He appeared" Sabbath is from 1 Samuel 1. Hannah (hanna/hanan/hana in Hebrew), whose name means "grace, favored, mercy, entreaty, prayer/gracious, supplication, besought, to seek favor, implore favor/encamp, rest in tent/tabernacle, abide in tents/tabernacles) was childless because "the LORD had closed her womb." (1 Sam. 1:6-7). Year by year, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Hannah went up to the house of the LORD in Shiloh with her husband and his second wife to make offerings. Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the LORD and saw Hannah praying. She was so involved in her supplication to the LORD for a son that Eli feared that she was drunk (v. 12-14). Hannah answered that she was not drunk "but have poured out my (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) soul before the LORD." (v. 15). Eli answered Hannah saying: "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) petition which you have asked of Him." (v. 17). Hannah's face was no longer sad after hearing this. The LORD later remembered (zakar - remember, the origin is the idea of piercing, penetrating, infixing) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Hannah and: "So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) name Samuel, saying, 'Because I have asked for him from the LORD." (v. 19-20). Samuel became prophet and judge of Israel and would anoint David to become king after Saul. This began the royal line of the Messiah/Christ Jesus. A new circumstance, the royal title of the Messiah/Christ, was created with the birth of this miracle child.

The creative miracles can also be found in a covenant relationship with a servant of God. In another reading portion from this Sabbath, the prophet Elisha manifested the creative miracles of a covenant relationship with those connected to him. These miracles included the multiplication of costly oil for a widow of one of the sons of the prophets, and her sons, who were in deep debt. As we also saw above, there is mention of a door or doorway. Elisha told the poor widow: “And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it (the continual flow of oil) into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones. So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it (the oil) out…” (2 Kings 4:1-5). The oil continued to flow until all the containers were full.

To me, the various mentions of doors, doorways and gates above represent the anointing and presence of Christ, who said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture (nome - pasturage, fodder, food, feeding, the needful supplies for the true life, growth, increase).” (Jn. 10:9), as well as a spiritual opening between heaven and earth for us to enter. (see Rev. 4:1-2). Other creative miracles found in this chapter occurring from out of a covenant relationship with Elisha, the prophet of God include a miracle birth, and the miraculous transformation of the dead returned to life. When Elisha went into the chamber with the dead child, he "shut the door behind the two of them." The child became alive and was returned to his mother. (2 Kings 4:32-37).

From our Sabbath reading portion also comes an interesting covenant formed between a king and the servant of God, Abraham. Part of God's expressed covenant with Abram/Abraham included the promise "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you..." (Gen. 12:3). So a fruit of this covenant is that its blessings can be received by those who bless Abraham. In this Sabbath portion, Abraham had two recorded encounters with Abimelech (meaning "My father is king/great king/king of kings"), King of Gerar ("a lodging place", the place of the kings of the Philistines, from the root word garar meaning to drag away roughly). Gerar was in south-central Canaan. From their first encounter in Gen. 20, we find out that Abimelech is a king who hears from God (in a dream) and obeys His voice. In order to correct an inadvertent wrong that he had done to God and Abraham by taking (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Sarah into his household, the king tells Abraham to dwell wherever he wishes in the land ruled by Abimelech, King of the Philistines. The king also gives Abraham a thousand pieces of silver, and also sheep, oxen and servants in order to do justice. Abraham prayed to the LORD for Abimelech and his household, and God healed that household so that all in it were able to bear children. The LORD had made the whole household barren because of the inadvertent wrong or sin done by the king. (Gen. 20). Again, we see miracle births related to covenant between Abraham and God.

     Later, in another encounter with King Abimelech of the Philistines and the commander of his army named Pichol ("strong"/mouth, command, to shatter everything into pieces and to scatter into corners or blow away), Abimelech said to Abraham: "God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore, swear (saba- swear, adjure, take an oath, seven oneself by repeating an oath seven times) to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring (nin/nun - offspring, son, progeny/perpetual increase) or with my posterity (neked - posterity, progeny, race, kindred, tribe); but that according to the kindness that I have done you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt. And Abraham said, 'I will swear." (Gen. 21:22-24). Then Abraham rebuked (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Abimelech because servants of the king had seized (gazal - tear away, carry off, plunder, take away by force, rob, to flay, strip off skin from the flesh, wounded) water from a well that was dug by Abraham. Abimelech told Abraham that he had not been aware that such a thing had happened. Abraham then took sheep and oxen, setting aside seven ewe (female) lambs, and made a covenant between himself and King Abimelech. Those seven ewe lambs, Abraham explained, were to be a witness that it was Abraham that had dug the well, and he called the place Beersheba because of the seven-fold oath that the two had made. Abraham then planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called on the name of the Everlasting God. Abraham remained in the land of the Philistines many days after that. (Gen. 21:25-34).

     What does this encounter mean and why does it matter? The Philistines would have a history of trying to take the covenant inheritance of the Israelites. They even, at one point, grabbed the ark of the covenant in battle! What is that inheritance? The inheritance is not just the natural land, but salvation. Abimelech first took (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Sarah, who had given birth to the son of promise, Isaac. Then Abimelech's servants, without his knowledge, violently seized a well of Abraham's. These wells dug by Abraham represented not just natural water, but also because of God's covenant with Abraham, the wells of the living water of salvation (see Isa. 12:2-3, Rev. 21:6). The line of Messiah/Christ would be established from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and not from any other root. Salvation cannot be taken by force. This new creation, new birth, came out of the covenant (see meaning above) relationship between God and Abraham, and later, between God and David, and then between God, Jesus and us as believers. However, look at what Abimelech did - he placed the well-being of his offspring and posterity into the safekeeping of Abraham, a man who was already very old. Abraham made a sworn oath and then a blood covenant with Abimelech, witnessed by seven ewe lambs. To me, these little ewe-lambs represent the future believers in Christ, the fruit of salvation, and the Holy Spirit within those believers (for detail see Rev. 1:4-5, 11-12, 16, 20). Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree, which not only represents a single tree, but a grove of trees, or multiplication. When I read in Revelation that the heirs of salvation have come out of every nation (race), kindred, tribe and tongue (Rev. 5:9, 7:9-10), I cannot help but think of Abimelech's posterity (see above meaning) being included in that description. The Philistines' origin has recently been traced by DNA analysis of graves from 1200 B.C. to Crete and the northern and western nations surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. They are part of the group called "the Gentiles". It was the timing of God that salvation must first come to Israel and the Jewish people, and then to the Gentiles (see Rom. 1:16-17). Jesus confirmed this as a Canaanite (Gentile) woman sought Him out for a miracle. He reminded her that He was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but then she did get her miracle because of her faith (see Mt. 15:21-18). Perhaps these Philistine Gentiles tried to take or seize this covenant promise prematurely and incorrectly, out of the ordained spiritual timing and order of God. However, Abraham's sworn oath and blood covenant made with King Abimelech of the Philistines will stand forever and produce a grove of trees bearing much fruit. It is also a reminder to the people of faith, both Jewish and Gentile, that the wells of salvation were dug, guarded and repaired for all of us by Abraham and his descendants.

     If you would like to learn more about the everlasting nature of covenant, you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father of covenant and everlasting promises, Your promises live forever. By Your covenant, You create new things, new conditions and circumstances, transformation from one thing to another, births and miracles. The greatest covenant of all is the covenant that You created through the body and blood of Your Son, Jesus, our salvation. Your covenant does not pass away but is remembered and fulfilled throughout all time. You established a world-changing covenant with Your servant and friend, Abraham. Nothing is impossible with You, LORD, and You are still bringing souls into Your covenant of salvation. You have preserved the wells of salvation for them. You have no partiality but have established Your eternal kingdom from every nation, kindred, tribe and tongue that includes all who will accept the gracious provision of salvation. For Your faithfulness, I praise Your holy name, and the name of the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. 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 Α Ω , 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.