MyServant

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Va-yeishev, which translated into English means, "and he settled". The title comes from the first verse of the reading portion: "Now Jacob dwelt (yawshav - dwell, abide, inhabit, remain, continue, to cause to be inhabited, to marry in order to give a dwelling to, endure establish, to sit down, be seated, thrones, where judges sit) in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan." (Gen. 37:1).  As we can see from the Hebrew meaning of "settled/dwelt", it means more than to live in a place. What the meaning also tells us is that a seated place of authority is being established, like the throne of a king, or the judicial chair of a judge. This idea is also used as scripture tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. It is a position of high authority. Paul wrote of Christ's seated position: "...and what is the exceeding greatness of His (God's) power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He (God) worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He (God) put all things under His (Christ's) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:19-23, see also Ps. 110:1-2, Acts 2:32-33 and 36, Heb. 1:3-4).

     As the verse above speaks about the physical dwelling place of Jacob, something even more powerful is being established in Jacob's yaw-shav "dwelling/settling place" - a seat of spiritual authority that will be established in Jacob's generations to come. Verse 2 says: "This is the history (toldot - establishing generations, origin of generations) of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) his brothers. And the lad was with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the sons of Bilhah and (*vaw-aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad (ra' - wicked, evil, hurt, mischief, bad, harm, grievous, ill) report (diba - slander, defamation, whispering, spread a rumor) of (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) them to his father."

     These sons were Jacob's sons by his wives' two maids. Those sons would also become part of the twelve tribes of Israel along with the sons of Leah and Rachel. So we also see a very important family of sons who will also dwell/settle in this land. These sons are also signified as having spiritual importance by the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega (*see note below) directly modifying them in the written Hebrew and connecting them with the identity of the Messiah/Christ (see *note below). Joseph brought an evil, false or slanderous report against these particular sons to his father according to the Hebrew meaning of the words above.

     It is important to understand that when God is establishing a powerful foundation in the earth that will change the toldot history of generations, we should not speak evil against it, including false accusations or unsubstantiated rumors.

     Joseph, the second youngest of Jacob's sons would then have dreams in which his eleven brothers and his father, Jacob, would bow down to him. (Gen. 37:5-11). As Joseph ran to tell them of the dreams, his father and brothers were offended by the dreams which Joseph shared, but his father kept the dreams in mind.

     Joseph's prophetic dreams would come to pass at the appointed time later in his life, but Joseph would have to learn to exercise his prophetic gifting and office from the position of a most humbled servant first, tried by extreme and bitter circumstances, before the LORD would exalt him into his prophesied position of rulership in Egypt. Joseph had to learn that his rulership would not come about because of how important he thought he was, but because of his submission as a servant to God. Even as he would rule in Egypt with the favor of God, acknowledging God's power (see Gen. 41:15-16), making a way of survival for both Egypt and his father and brothers through a long-lasting famine, he would still do so as a servant to Pharaoh and Egypt (see Gen. 41:39-46), and ultimately as a servant of God, for the rest of his life. Even Pharaoh would discern the glory of God upon Joseph's life and rename him Zaphnath-Paaneah, thought to mean "God speaks and He lives", also "Salvation, Savior of the Age/World." (Gen. 41:44-45). Not only was Joseph elevated in position because of the spiritual gift which God had given to him, but it would also be made evident to Egypt that the LORD was alive and all-powerful.

     Why is it so essential that God is glorified by the giftings given to us, rather than an individual such as Joseph? God must receive back to Himself the glory of our service to Him in these spiritual giftings so that Israel, and the world can know with absolute assurance that God is more powerful than any other god, or any man. Jesus, the perfect Servant according to Isa. 52:13-15, Isa. 53:11-12, spoke and prayed that God would glorify Himself through Jesus. (see Jn. 12:27-30, Jn. 13:31-32, Jn. 17:1-5). Even the glory that Jesus has given to us is for the purpose of revealing and glorifying Himself and the Father to the world. (see Jn. 17:22-23). This revealing of the LORD by His servants assures the world that God IS, and He is able to deliver the individual, the family, the nation, the world out of any difficult circumstance, heal any disease, redeem out of every wickedness and debt owed, and save any soul that believes His power and authority to do so. The LORD intends everyone to know that it is He who can forgive sins, raise the dead and grant eternal life, through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. The Book of Hebrews says: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God), for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb. 11:6). The spiritual gift does not testify only of the individual who has it, but, more importantly of God, Who gave the gift and operates through it. We, as servants, are a living testimony by word and deed through the gifts that have been given to us that God IS.

      I am calling this study 'The Tale of Two Prophets' because a second prophet will learn from a young age the servant principle that Joseph only learned through extreme hardship. We will see a difference between the two prophets from their beginning. I think it is a difference that impacts our lives also as we walk in and with Christ.

     Our second of two prophets comes from another part of the Va-yeishev Sabbath reading portion. This is the prophet Samuel, who was not only a prophet, but the judge of Israel. He was an anointer of kings over Israel, including David, from whose royal line the Messiah/Christ would descend.

     Because his birth was an answer to his mother's prayers, Samuel's mother dedicated him from the time that he was weaned as a servant of God. He was the child of her vows. (see 1 Sam. 1:9-11). Little Samuel ministered before the LORD in the tabernacle at Shiloh and served Eli the priest there. Eli was very old, and his sons who also served in the priesthood were corrupt and led God's people into transgression through their own greed and lusts. Eli made a weak attempt to correct them, but they ignored their father. A prophet, name unknown, had come to Eli earlier and warned him that the LORD would judge Eli's house. The LORD also said through this prophet: "Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed (masiah/"maw-shee-akh" - Messiah [Christ in Greek], anointed One) forever." (1 Sam. 2:35).

     Eli was old and his eyes had grown dim. The light of the Lamp of the LORD, which stood before the ark of God was about to be extinguished in the tabernacle. It was supposed to be kept lit by the priests throughout the night. The LORD began to call young Samuel during the night. Samuel had not yet heard the LORD speaking to him, so he thought Eli was calling him. Three times Samuel went to Eli that night to see what Eli needed. We can see Samuel's servant heart here. Finally, Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling Samuel, and Eli instructed him to answer the next time he was called: "Speak, LORD, for Your servant ('ebed/'abad - servant, bondservant, slave, worshipper of God/to serve, to do, service, work, serve as subject) hears", and Samuel did so. (1 Sam. 3:9-10).

     The LORD spoke to Samuel and again prophesied His judgment against Eli's house because he did not restrain (kaha - dim, utterly darkened, restrained, grow dim, rebuke, used of a lamp about to go out, eyes that become dim, a spot on the skin) his vile (qalal - light thing [as opposed to being heavy], lighter, light, lighten, curse, vile, treat with contempt and dishonor) sons. God's spiritual light and Lamp, and the light of His servant priesthood were allowed to grow dim until becoming in danger of being extinguished, but the vileness of his sons had been allowed to continue by Eli.

     Samuel did not exalt himself upon hearing the Word of the LORD to him. We read: "So Samuel lay down (sakab - lie down, lay self down [see Jn. 10:15], lodge, be poured out, lie down in rest or death, to prostrate self before) until morning, and opened the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) vision." (v. 15). Unlike Joseph running to tell his brothers and father of the prophetic dreams that exalted him, Samuel did not run to tell Eli of the judgment that the LORD had spoken against Eli's house. He did not disclose the Word of the LORD until Eli insisted. (v. 17-18).

     Immediately afterward, scripture says: "So Samuel grew, and the LORD was 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 (ra'a - see, look, behold, show, appear, seer, perceive, discern, distinguish, foresee, heed, consider, have vision, cause to gaze at, to be visible) again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. (v. 19-21). Samuel prophesied and was recognized for it by all Israel, but it is the LORD who became ra'a (see above) seen, perceived again in Shiloh because of His spiritual gift in the hands of His trusted and faithful servant, Samuel.

     The Sabbath reading portion from 1 Sam. 3, above mentions the Lamp of the tabernacle, and how the corrupt priesthood under Eli neglected that Light until it was almost extinguished. This weekend, begins the Festival of Lights, also called the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), which Jesus observed in John 10:22-25. This Feast commemorates the miracle of God which kept His Light burning in the temple for eight days, well beyond the short supply of oil available to keep it lit. The Lamp, or Hanukkah menorah, has eight candles, instead of the usual seven, representing those eight miracle days. There is also a ninth candle set apart from and set above the other candles in the Hanukkah menorah. This ninth candle is the first to be lit, and from this candle, the other candles of the menorah are lighted. This ninth candle is called the shamash. "Shamash" means "the helper" or "servant". It is not extinguished after it lights the other candles, but stays lit, ready to "serve" in case one of the other candles blows out. The shamash ninth candle uses its gift of light to make other lights shine also. It is always ready to preserve the sanctity of the other eight miracle lights, as expressed by rabbis. 

     As you light the Hanukkah menorah, or see one in use, pay special attention to the lone candle that serves as "the servant" to the other candles. To me that servant candle represents Jesus, the Light of the world, but us as well, whom Jesus also called "the light of the world." The purpose of this light, as Jesus said was so that men would see not just us, but our good works and glorify the Father in heaven. (see Mt. 5:14-16).

     If you would like to know more about the role of servant to the LORD, you can join my prayer: "Father of heaven and earth, blessed Son and Holy Spirit, You have called us and gifted us to be Your servants, bearing witness not to ourselves, but to You, as the one true Savior of man. Our service bears witness to the fact that You ARE, You APPEAR, You SPEAK, and You HEAR, unlike the idols created by men. Your true servants know Your mind and Your heart. Help me, Lord, to be a faithful and true servant for the glory of God. Help me, Lord, to be a servant light that lights others in Your name. Help me, Lord, to keep Your Lamp lighted and lifted up for the whole world to see and believe, being able to discern and distinguish Your great presence and appearing among men. I ask this in the name and after the likeness of Your faithful Servant/Son, Jesus. AMEN."

Appeared

The title of this week's sabbath reading. Va-yeira means "and He appeared", referring to this first sentence of Gen. 18: "Then the LORD appeared to him (Abraham) by the terebinth trees (plains) of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day." (v. 1). There is so much contained in the Hebrew words of this first sentence, that I don't want to present them in a confusing manner. We can start with the word "appeared". This is the Hebrew word ra'a, which means all of the usual meanings connected with the idea of "appearing". However, it also means "to see the face of God- a privilege conferred to few mortals, to be admitted to behold God", and "to enjoy the light, to live", "to see Jehovaah in the land of the living", "to be taught in visions divinely brought as said of the prophets". The terebinth or plains of Mamre in Hebrew refers to a place of great strength, mighty and strong like an oak; a ram as a symbol of the strength of God as a sacrifice, as food, and as dyed skins for the tabernacle, the curled horns of a ram twisted together for strength. One of its root meanings is to be invigorated, to beat the air with wings in order to rise up. The word for "tent" used in this first sentence is ohel/ahal meaning "tent, tabernacle, dwelling/to shine, a shining vibrating appearance". The door, petah, is an entrance or an opening, but also means "to begin, to utter words, to open the mouth to speak". The use of the word "day" or yom, can mean a single day, during daytime as opposed to the night, or it can also refer to "continually as yesterday, today, and tomorrow, perpetually, in all time", If you put all of this information together from just one sentence, we can see that this is not going to turn out to be an ordinary day in Abraham's life! This is a prophetic day, a day of great power and vision. As Genesis is the Book of Beginnings, or B'reishit, we will find a beginning being established here that will bless the people of God, and affect the rest of time. When the LORD appeared to Abraham, He appeared as three men together, which is a Trinity. When Abraham saw the three men, "...he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, "My LORD, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant...".(v. 2-3). Abraham quickly made arrangements for the Men to rest, wash their feet, and he had his household prepare a full meal, including a tender and good calf which Abraham had run to the herd to select himself (v. 6-8). Abraham stood by them under the tree as they ate: "Then they said to him, 'Where is Sarah your wife?' So he said, 'Here in the tent' (v. 9). We know the rest of the story. The LORD promised to return "according to the time of life", and Abraham's wife would have a son. This was a miracle, because both Abraham and Sarah were old, and had not had a child together (v. 10-11). In fact, Sarah, who had been listening at the tent door, found this prophecy to be very funny, considering their advanced ages, but the LORD wasn't joking. In fact, the LORD said to Abraham, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" (v. 14). Here we are seeing the beginning of something important for us to know, and we will see more in another reading portion from this week's sabbath. In 2 Kings 4, we read about a noble woman from Shunen: "Now it happened one day that Elisha (a prophet with a double-portion anointing) went to Shunem, where there was a notable (gadol - great, high, mighty, important, be magnified, of God Himself) woman, and she persuaded (hazaq - strong, prevail, courage, be resolute, press, be urgent, prevail upon, use one's strength) him to eat some food, and from then on, whenever he was in the area, he would turn in there, or turn aside there, to eat (2 Kings 4:8). Now Elisha's name (el-eeshua) means "God is Salvation". The unnamed woman of Shunem, meaning double portion of rest, practically dragged "God of Salvation" into her house to eat, and wouldn't take no for an answer. She and her unnamed husband even built a chamber (aliya/ala - roof chamber, upper room, going up, light arose, ascent, ascending the steps that went up to the temple/come up, arose, to come up (before God), to be a burnt offering, to raise, recover, restore) onto their house so that the prophet of God could rest there in their home during his travels in the area. There are some similarities here to the story of Abraham above, as we can see. "And it happened one day...he (Elisha) said to Gehazi (meaning "Valley of Vision"), his servant, 'Call this Shunammite woman'...and she stood before him." (v. 11-12). The prophet then asked his servant to ask the woman, '...What can I do for you?' because she had been concerned for him with all of this care. He offered to speak to the king, or to the commander of the army on her behalf, but she told him that she was fine among her own people and didn't need anything from those highest, most powerful earthly authorities. Who would turn down a favor from the king? But there was nothing that she wanted or needed that could be granted by an earthly king. Then the prophet's servant told him that she had no son, "and her husband is old". The prophet called her in to him again, and she stood in the doorway of the upper chamber(v. 14-15). Like Abraham, the only thing the Shunammite woman needed could only be miraculously given to her by God. The prophet said to her, "About this time next year, you shall embrace a son." Like Sarah, Abraham's wife, the Shunammite woman thought that this was absurdly impossible, "But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time (mo'ed/ya'ad - appointed time or season, tent of meeting, appointed sign, set feast, congregation, synagogue, of the feast sacrifices/assemble together, betrothed, to engage for marriage, come together at an appointed time or place) had come, of which Elisha had told her." (v. 16-17). There was a prophesied appointed time set to conceive and bear a child for this woman who had prevailed upon Elisha, "God of salvation", to enter into her house to eat food. This does not end the story of the Shunammite woman and the prophet Elisha. Sometime later "it happened one day" that her miracle son suddenly collapsed in pain. The woman sat the child on her knees (berek/barak - to bless, to adore, to praise, or to curse, blaspheme) until noon (sohar/sahar - midday, window for light (as in Noah's ark), a double light/to squeeze out oil, to make oil, to glisten) when he died. She enclosed the child in the prophet's upper chamber of her house and shut the door. She held that child in the place of blessing, praise and adoration to God, rather than in the place of cursing and blasphemy, until the precious, shining anointing oil had been squeezed out in her prayers. She then immediately left to go to the prophet at Mount Carmel at the greatest speed. The prophet saw her coming, and sent his servant to run to meet her. What she had been speaking up to this point is "It is well." Elisha sent his servant to race ahead. Then he also came to the woman's home because of her insistence, to the chamber that had been set aside for him where the child was now laid, and the child was revived to life by Elisha. The woman fell at Elisha's feet, and bowed to the ground. (v. 18-37). This household, that had prevailed upon "God is salvation", or Elisha, to come in, experienced not only a miraculous birth, but the raising of the dead as well. In another of this sabbath's reading portions, Hannah ("grace, entreaty, prayer, mercy, supplication, favor, pity, implore favor, to be shown consideration, to dwell, to pitch a tent"), who was barren and scorned, went up yearly with her husband and his other wife to worship and sacrifice at the tabernacle of the LORD at Shiloh (1 Sam. 1:1-3). Jewish tradition says that Hannah came with her family to Shiloh to observe Passover, but this is not written specifically in scripture. Her husband repeatedly asked her to eat the meal, which could have been the Seder meal, if it was indeed Passover, but her soul was too sorrowful. Hannah's husband, Elkanah (meaning "God has created") provided her with a double portion offering to give to God. She finished eating and drinking, and approached the tabernacle where Eli (ala- see above root for "chamber" - ascension, going up, etc.), the priest, was sitting "on the seat by the doorpost (mezuza/ziz - doorpost upon which the hinges turn/abundance, fulness, moving creatures or any moving thing) of the of the tabernacle of the LORD". (1 Sam. 1:1-9). There before Eli and the door of the tabernacle, Hannah wept bitterly and prayed because of her barrenness. Hannah vowed to the LORD that if He would remember her and give her a male child, she would offer that child back to the LORD in His service (v. 11). The priest, Eli, had at first thought that Hnnah was a drunken worshipper of the false god Belial because of her behavior. When Hannah told him that this was not so, Eli agreed with her prayer that the LORD would grant Hannah her petition, and told her to go in peace (v. 12-17). In any case, Hannah did indeed conceive and bear a son, who would grow to be the prophet and judge of Israel, Samuel. Hannah also went on to have additional children. In fact, 1 Sam. 2:21 says, "And the LORD visited (paqat - to visit, attend to, to pay attention to, to be watched over, to observe, to care for) Hannah, so that she conceived, and bear three sons and two daughters." So this week's sabbath readings titled Va-yeira, or "and He appeared", introduces us to a special phenomenon, when we join the LORD in a place where "He appears", and miracles, and answered prayers occur. We make a place, a tent door, an upper chamber (see also Lk. 22:7-8, 12-14, where Jesus keeps the Passover with His disciples in an upper room), where we meet the Salvation of God, not for everyday earthly needs, which your heavenly Father already knows you have need of (Mt. 6:30-32 - Don't pray as the Gentiles do!!), but pray there instead for the "impossible". God also spoke to Moses at the door of the Tent of Meeting: "All the people saw the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses." (Ex. 33:9-11). Jesus talked to a lukewarm church about meeting Him in this special spiritual place, and inviting Him in: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20). That lukewarm, self-satisfied church, Jesus said, would go from being ineffective to being "overcomers" with Him. Jesus, the Salvation of God, also said, "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately...Blessed are these servants...Assuredly I say to you that he (the master) will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them." (Lk. 12:35-37). And, as Judas (not Iscariot) asked Jesus how He would manifest Himself (emphanizo/emphanes - to show oneself, appear, make known/God giving proof of His saving grace and thus manifesting Himself) to His disciples, but not to the world, Jesus answered: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (Jn. 14:22-23). We see another example when Jesus is constrained (parabiazomai - to compel by employing force or by entreaties) to come in and stay, when He would have continued on, in a way similar to the Shunammite woman with Elisha, above. Jesus then sat at the table with them, and broke bread with them, and their eyes were "opened", and they knew Him (Lk. 24:27-35). Sadly, in the last sabbath reading portion for this week, the prophet Jeremiah wrote of how the people of God mis-used and abused this special and intimate spiritual place of meeting with the LORD, mixing in their worldly and profane beliefs, yet still expecting the LORD to manifest Himself as He did with Abraham, the Shunammite woman, and Hannah. This profane mis-use of the house called by the name of the LORD had turned it instead into a den of thieves. They received judgment when they could have received the appearing of the LORD, and "the impossible" from their prayers. (Jer. 7:1, 11, 20). Jesus also cleansed the temple, the place for meeting God, from being a den of thieves, and immediately afterwards, "...the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them." (Mt. 21:12-14). If you would like to learn more about the place where the LORD appears to us, and dines with us, you can pray with me: "Dear Father, God of our Salvation, do not pass by here, but come in and dine with me. Help me to understand how to prepare an upper chamber for You in my heart, which is the door of my tent, where the impossible becomes possible, because You have said, "Is there anything too hard for the LORD?" Let me prepare for You the finest things that I have, and then run to answer Your knock, and receive Your appearing. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."