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.