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Judgment was about to ratchet up for Pharaoh. Before this point, YHWH had been “coaxing” Pharaoh with plagues that caused a great deal of discomfort, lost property, and inconvenience. But not anything that had brought about death to humans.

The next act of YHWH against Egypt was going to be a matter of life and death. A grievous hail would destroy man, beast and crops. YHWH, through Moses, gave fair warning to the Egyptians of what was to come. He also offered a simple solution to those individuals desiring to be saved from it:

Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die. (Exodus 9:18-19 KJV (Unmasked))

Nothing complicated involved with being saved from death here. All one had to do was take YHWH at His word and act according to His instruction to be saved from the coming wrath. They simply had to bring whatever they didn’t want destroyed inside and out of the fields. Crops would be ruined but human and animal life would be spared.

And, as promised, it came about that:

He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field. (Exodus 9:20-21 KJV (Unmasked))

And so, as we read further on, all that remained in the fields perished along with the crops. All who believed YHWH and followed His simple path to life ended up living.

In a number of weeks we will get to the book of Numbers. There we will see judgment being brought upon YHWH’s own people, Israel. Similarly, we will again see YHWH give a simple solution to any individuals desiring to be preserved from that judgment. The people of Israel had already been given fair warning previously that cursing would come with rebellion against YHWH. Nevertheless, they rebelled.

The people complained, as was their custom, against YHWH and against Moses. As an act of judgment YHWH sent a curse of fiery serpents to Israel. Bites from those fiery serpents resulted in many deaths among the Israelites.

The people repented and Moses interceded. Rather than immediately taking away the serpents, YHWH offered a simple solution:

And YHWH said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 21:8-9 KJV (Unmasked))

Moses did as instructed. Those who believed they would be saved by YHWH by obediently looking at the snake on a stick lived. If any scoffed at the idea, or didn’t believe it would work, they wouldn’t bother getting to the bronze serpent and looking at it. So they died.

That bronze serpent of Moses was an important object lesson centuries later when Yeshua gave fair warning and a simple solution to a Pharisee named Nicodemus one night:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15 KJV)

That was fair warning and a simple solution for Nicodemus’ sake. And for ours as well. Because of sin we face eternal death, or separation from YHWH when we die. But there is a readily available solution that will result in eternal life–if we follow the simple instructions!

Getting hit by hail or being bitten by a fiery serpent wasn’t a sure thing for those facing them in the biblical accounts of judgment we looked at today. It’s conceivable to think that there were some who were outside and yet escaped getting hit with hail. And not everyone did get bitten by a serpent.

But throughout the ages mankind has not escaped death itself. That has been a sure thing. So it behooves all of us to consider the words of Yeshua and act accordingly to His fair warning.

We must be sure to follow His simple instruction as to how we might be saved from the wrath of judgment to come. And we must not let the simplicity of the solution fool us into complicating, and thereby not following, what YHWH said we should do.

Many people do just that. They complicate YHWH’s simple way of salvation by attempting to justify themselves. They disbelieve YHWH and trust in themselves. They try to earn their salvation with good works. They place faith in their own ability to be righteous enough in their own activity to merit YHWH’s favor. Try as they might, though, they will miss the mark:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23 KJV)

And though we have sinned and earned our wages of death, still YHWH offers us eternal life as a gift:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJV)

And a gift is not earned as are wages for work done, but rather it is offered to those who reach out and accept it. In this case, we reach out for the gift of grace from YHWH believing Him in the matter:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

How do we reach out in faith? It’s not complicated at all:

…The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:8-11 KJV)

Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. Believe what? That Yeshua died in your place as a sacrifice of atonement for your sins:

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (ie. satisfaction of YHWH’s requirement that the soul that sins will die) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:24-26 KJV)

Having been thus born-again into His Kingdom under His New Covenant, we are free and equipped to conduct ourselves as new creatures and according to our new nature:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 KJV)

What good works? Those that Yeshua taught and modeled for us: Torah by love and the Spirit. And that is another other topic. But as to our topic today, let us make sure we are not ignoring YHWH’s fair warning, nor His simple and clear instruction on what to do to be saved from the wrath to come.

I trust that all my readers have already heard YHWH’s fair warning and have heeded His simple solution to acquire eternal life. But that is not always the case. So let us examine ourselves and be sure we are not trying to earn righteousness before YHWH, but rather that we desire to walk in righteousness because we have already accepted His free gift of eternal life and are now under His New Covenant.

There is a big difference. One way leads to death and one way leads to life. We must take opportunity today of YHWH’s fair warning and follow His simple instructions to be delivered if we have not already done so!

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Parashah (portion) 14: Va’era (I appeared). Exodus 6:2-9:35. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2010 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

Very often speaking YHWH’s truth or following His will makes situations with the world get worse before they get better. This can be very disconcerting to the young in faith. It’s easy to feel that YHWH’s call leads directly to the “parting of the Red Sea.” But that spectacular stuff doesn’t often come first.

The fact is that the “downs” we experience with the world when responding to YHWH are as much a part of His work as the “ups.” The downs, from His servant’s perspective anyway, are not the end of the story. And often they are the lead up to His working in behalf of His servants in a mighty way.

Moses experienced this misunderstanding that is so common among YHWH’s people:

And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all. Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. (Exo 5:22-6:1 KJV)

Moses couldn’t wrap his mind around the turn of events. YHWH had sent Him in answer to the Hebrews cries for relief but now everything was getting worse for them! Moses said, in effect, “What is going on here?!” Moses didn’t see the bigger picture in which the down was the prelude to the up.

The intensified mistreatment of the Hebrews at the hand of Pharaoh was a part of YHWH’s work in delivering Israel from bondage. Without the down, YHWH’s complete purposes would not have been worked out.

What purposes? Perhaps one reason was that YHWH wanted the Hebrews driven from the land so there would be no possibility of going back when the trip to the promised land got rough. YHWH intensified the judgment against the Egyptians to the point of taking all their firstborn so that the Hebrews would be utterly detested in their sight. No going back after that!

Another reason for the increased cruelty, I believe, was to give YHWH final cause to “close the books” on Egypt’s enslavement of Israel with both a very clear and distinct judgment against Egypt and a very clear and distinct display of backing for His people Israel.

Whatever the reasons, it is clear that the downside of Moses’ encounters with Pharaoh were very much a part of YHWH’s plan. We see this often in Scripture, in both the Tanakh (“Old” Testament) and the New Testament.

Yeshua promised that the world would hate us when we do things “right.” That’s a definite downer. But it’s also the prelude to being lifted up by Him. For example, Romans 8:28-29 is a great promise whereby we can be assured that the bad things that happen to us are part of the experiences that are being used by YHWH for our good. The downs are part of the up!

What “downs” are you experiencing today? If you’ve been walking in YHWH’s call for your life, generally and specifically, then that down is part of the “up” to come. You may feel, as Moses did, like questioning YHWH’s program. But rest assured that the program will finish for the good of His people. Hang in there, the Red Sea is somewhere up ahead and you’ll get there by and by!

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Parashah (portion) 13: Sh’mot (Names). Exodus 1:1-6:1. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2010 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

“Who’s in charge here, anyway?” We ask that question when we run into chaotic or seemingly unmanaged situations that need to be brought into order and control. Sometimes the events of life will put that question on our lips in regards to the whole world itself.

When we discuss issues related to YHWH’s being “in charge” of all things, we are addressing what theologians call His “sovereignty.” Here’s a reasonable definition of YHWH’s sovereignty:

The Sovereignty of God is the biblical teaching that all things are under God’s rule and control, and that nothing happens without His direction or permission. God works not just some things but all things according to the counsel of His own will (see Eph. 1:11). His purposes are all-inclusive and never thwarted (see Isa. 46:11); nothing takes Him by surprise. The sovereignty of God is not merely that God has the power and right to govern all things, but that He does so, always and without exception. In other words, God is not merely sovereign de jure (in principle), but sovereign de facto (in practice).

“Sovereignty of God.” Theopedia, An Encyclopedia of Biblical Christianity. 4 Nov 2009, 18:57 UTC. 26 Dec 2009, 08:04 . http://www.theopedia.com/index.php?title=Sovereignty_of_God&oldid=50075. Emphasis mine.

So who’s in charge here? YHWH’s in charge of all things all the time. Good things? Yep. Okay things? Right. Bad things?! All things!

And even better, nothing ever takes Him by surprise. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil incident? No. The tower of Babel? Nope. The enslavement in Egypt? Uh-uh. Judas Iscariot? Check the gospels for yourself. The cross? No way.

These and everything else have “played into His hands” to bring about the effect He always intended to bring about in the end! It has always been all about YHWH’s plan. Step-by-step toward His purposes. And all with human freewill very much a part, but never apart, from what YHWH planned on accomplishing.

The events that befell Jacob’s son Joseph are a perfect example of the sovereignty of YHWH. They are also a great example of a man of faith in YHWH’s sovereignty regardless of circumstances.

Joseph, at about seventeen, was jumped by his brothers who intended to kill him. Then they decided to show some mercy (and make their efforts a bit more profitable) by selling him into slavery instead.

Brought to Egypt and sold, Joseph rose to prominence as a slave to an important Egyptian named Potipher. Potipher’s wife falsely accused Joesph of a crime that tossed Joseph from a “cushy” job right into prison.

Building his way back up, Joseph became chief servant of the prison master. In due time, he comforted a fellow-prisoner with an interpretation of a dream. The fellow-prisoner, the Pharaoh’s cupbearer, promised to whisper a good word about Joseph in Pharaoh’s ear when he was released back into Pharaoh’s service.

Once freed, the cupbearer promptly forgot Joseph. Joseph remained in prison two whole years more until his day arrived. And what a day that was!

YHWH had lined up all the pieces, put them together, and set into play the events that catapulted Joseph to the position of number two man in all of Egypt. He even became “a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. (Gen 45:8 KJV). All that in about a dozen years!

Joseph had been handed staggering power in light of his humble, and even despised (shepherd to slave to prisoner) background. Yet it did not go to his head. He understood exactly who was in charge.

And so, we see Joseph’s faith in the sovereignty of YHWH in his handling of those very brothers who had set out to kill him just a bit over a decade previous:

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life…And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God…(Gen 45:5-8 KJV)

Now that is a man of faith in the Sovereignty of YHWH! And his life is a perfect picture of the sovereignty of YHWH too. Joseph understood that all of the seemingly terrible circumstances that befell him were under the will of YHWH and were a part of a plan to work out YHWH’s plan for good.

That’s was Joseph’s destiny. But he was more than a puppet. He played a part in “partnership” with YHWH. We have to read between the lines to see this aspect of the narrative.

Rather than sitting around depressed and bitter about his lot in life, Joseph did something. The right something. He let his light shine in the dark places in which he was put. As he applied himself, YHWH prospered him.

Joseph’s keepers knew a good thing when they saw it. They could see that he prospered in what he did. By placing Joseph in key positions in which Joseph applied his talents, YHWH was lining him up for the next step in His plan.

As Potipher’s slave:

And his master saw that [YHWH] was with him, and that [YHWH] made all that he did to prosper in his hand. (Gen 39:3 KJV [Unmasked])

And as the prison master’s servant:

The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because [YHWH] was with him, and that which he did, [YHWH] made it to prosper. (Gen 39:23 KJV [Unmasked])

YHWH was working behind the scenes. Joseph was doing while YHWH was prospering him. All of that was serving to line up Joseph to fall into place each step of the way. Though it might look like Joseph was a victim of unjust circumstances, he clearly was not. Not when one looks behind the scenes.

What about us? Do we have that kind of faith? We certainly have the assurance that YHWH is sovereign over the circumstances in which we find ourselves. And we are also assured that they hold a great destiny for us:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom 8:28-29 KJV)

Notice the beginning of those verses. It doesn’t say that all things are good. It says all things work together for the good. In other words the good, the bad, and the ugly things in our lives are being used by YHWH to work out His purpose for our lives.

And that purpose? To be made like Yeshua! We are being formed into the image of His Son. That is our destiny. And YHWH is using all things to make that happen.

So do we: Complain? Become discouraged? Wallow in bitterness? Quit? No way! Our circumstances are tailor made for us each individually by YHWH and they are designed to make us shine eternally!

The circumstances of our lives are the abrasive grit thrown in over us in the tumbler of life. When the tumbling and polishing is finished, we come out as beautiful, smooth, and shiny gems. We have YHWH’s promise on that.

So let’s take Joseph’s example. He had a great promise, and so do we. He had the confidence of knowing YHWH, and so do we. He suffered injustice at the hands of others, and so do we. He had faith in YHWH’s sovereignty and applied himself diligently in whatever circumstance he found himself. So, do we?

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Parashah (portion) 11: Vayigash (He approached). Genesis 44:18-47:27. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

A dozen years after the dreams of greatness that so infuriated his brothers, Joseph found himself in front of Egypt’s Pharaoh. Now, after a decade-long process of advancement by forced servitude and promotion by betrayal, YHWH had brought Joseph to the threshold of the next step in the shaping of His people.

Joseph’s opportunity? He was faced with giving an interpretation of Pharaoh’s prophetic dream concerning milk cows and ears of corn. Pharaoh’s regular interpreters couldn’t make sense of the dream. Joseph had been recommended as a diviner of dreams by Pharaoh’s cupbearer who had briefly been a prison-mate of his a couple of years earlier.

Once brought before Pharaoh, Joseph demonstrated that He walked humbly with YHWH. He told Pharaoh that the interpretation of dreams belongs to YHWH. Joseph also demonstrated his faith by assuring Pharaoh that YHWH would give an interpretation. And then he demonstrated something else. A key component of the entire event.

It is very subtle and very easy to miss. But it is there in plain sight. Having provided the interpretation of the dream, Joseph then said:

…Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? (Gen 41:32-38 KJV)

Here’s a question. Of which part of Pharaoh’s dream was that an interpretation? Answer: It wasn’t. Take a look for yourself (Gen 41:17-24). It’s not in there! Well then where did it come from?

It was a demonstration of godly wisdom. Understanding was one thing, but the wisdom to use what was understood was the vital part of moving to the next step of YHWH’s plan.

And it was that godly wisdom that placed Joseph squarely where YHWH wanted him. The interpretation only opened the door for Joseph. It was the godly wisdom that followed which carried Joseph through the open door and into his destiny.

Note what Pharaoh said: “Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?” Joseph not only interpreted the dream, he suggested the wise course of action (which was not part of the dream). That wise plan of action would require a person of great wisdom to oversee it.

And Joseph had just demonstrated that he was the perfect person to fit the job! And that job, as Joseph recognized, was vital to YHWH’s plan for His people. In speaking to his brothers later Joseph said:

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (Gen 45:7 KJV)

Joseph’s promotion to a position second only to Pharaoh paved the way by which YHWH took a tribe of seventy descendants of Jacob plus their wives and placed them squarely within the sheltering confines of a strong nation (Genesis 46:3). There they would remain, albeit not happily in the end, but still safely, until YHWH was ready to take them out. And at that point of departure they would be a nation of hundreds of thousands of His people.

As Joseph pointed out, interpretations belong to YHWH. And we know that wisdom comes from YHWH also. And we need both. Wisdom is required to rightly apply interpretations, whether they be interpretations of dreams or of Scripture.

Just understanding what YHWH is communicating to us is not enough. We must be able to wisely apply what we understand in order to be where He wants us to be.

In seeking understanding from YHWH, we must also seek wisdom from Him. He has made it available to us, but we must seek it out:

Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. (Pro 2:3-9 KJV)

It’s no small thing to understand what YHWH is saying to us. But it is not enough. We must have godly wisdom in order to rightly apply those things in which we have gained an understanding.

Do you understand what YHWH is saying to you? Great! Got wisdom to go with that? That’s what it’s going to take to rightly apply what you understand YHWH to be telling you. And that will carry you forward to your destiny in YHWH.

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Parashah (portion) 10: Mikketz (At the end). Genesis 41:1-44:17. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

Prayer was foundational to the ministry of Yeshua/Jesus. It is vital to us. That’s a great reason to take every opportunity presented in the Bible to study prayers said by our fathers and forebears in the faith. Genesis 32:9-12 offers us a glimpse of Jacob’s prayer to YHWH. Let’s try to glean a few things from it this week.

Our reading (Genesis 32:3-36:43) opens up with Jacob returning to his father’s land after working twenty years in Haran for his uncle Laban. There was bad blood between the two upon parting but that had been settled by the end of last week’s reading.

Having settled differences with Laban behind, he was now going to have to settle differences with his brother Esau going forward.

Twenty years previous Jacob had left his father Isaac’s house to find a bride from among his relations back in the “old” country. This was the stated purpose. Jacob’s trip also served the purpose of getting Jacob out of Esau’s sight.

As you’ll recall, Jacob needed to leave because Esau had been biding his time waiting for opportunity to kill Jacob. This was to be in retaliation for Jacob stealing his father’s blessing from him. Now we find ourselves twenty years later in the text.

Jacob decided it would be prudent to send a messenger ahead of him to send greetings to Esau. Jacob was “sticking his toe in the water,” so to speak, to find out how hot it was back home with Esau. Turns out it was very hot.

Upon hearing of his brother’s return, Esau had set out with a greeting committee of 400 men! That was most definitely not the “Welcome Wagon.” Esau was out for blood. And with 400 men, he was intent on getting it.

Perfect time for prayer. And Jacob does just that. Now we have opportunity to peek in at his words. Let’s take a look by breaking it down into parts and pulling out some applications.

You Talking to Me?

There is no question as to whom Jacob was addressing his appeal. Nothing fuzzy or theoretical at all. He was speaking very specifically and narrowly:

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, YHWH… (Gen 32:9a KJV [unmasked])

When using generic translations of YHWH’s name such as “God” or “LORD” exclusively, as is the case with most English translations, we tend to developing a vision of YHWH in theoretical or generic terms.

That ends up presenting the very real risk of thinking of Him somewhat impersonally. He is anything but impersonal! Of course no one does this on purpose. But let’s think about it.

Referring to specific things by their generic classification ends up, to some extent, causing us to think in terms of general constructs rather than in specifics. The same is true of people.

For example: It’s true that I’m specifically Jim. It’s also true that, in general terms, I’m a human-being. If I walk into a room full of people I don’t know and some say, “A human-being just came in here.” Well, okay. I would think it a bit odd, but hey, they don’t know me yet. So I’m good with that.

But if it’s a room full of people who do know me well, I would be surprised, perhaps insulted, if they continually referred to me in generic and impersonal terms like “human-being” rather than specifically and personally as “Jim.”

It’s unnatural to use generic terms exclusively when addressing someone we know personally. Even when we have nicknames for people, we use their real name in some situations. There are other problems with it too.

If some continually referred to me as “human-being” when discussing me rather than Jim, others listening would be getting all kinds of pictures in their head of their version of a “human-being,” rather than specifically of me, Jim.

Even worse, the speakers themselves, who know me and have a picture of me in their head as they refer to me, might even begin to think of me in generic terms even though they know me personally.

The more one knows me personally, the more my name is imbued with my personality, character, and history when spoken or heard. When those who know me hear or say my name, they instantly get some impression, feeling, and instant recognition that reflect their opinion and experience of me. (No comments, please.)

To name me “human-being” only dilutes that effect because that general classification can only ultimately invoke a generalized impression. If not in us, certainly in others when we use generalized terms exclusively.

So the way we think of YHWH may become “diluted” by our impressions and perceptions of gods in general. But He is YHWH. He is named. He is not Allah, Mithra, Zeus, the Cosmos, the Force, the old man in the sky, or the Great Pumpkin. He is specifically YHWH. It is YHWH we serve.

Which YHWH? There’s only one. But if you need more specifics, He is YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and now, in our text, Jacob. It is He, nobody else, to which Jacob addressed his prayer. He is personal, He has a name. A name that is used over 6,000 times in Scripture. Kind of strange so few generally know it.

There are other positions and arguments regarding the name of YHWH and the use of it. You might want to investigate these further. For now, just consider whether or not it would be appropriate for you personally to use His name when addressing Him, just as Jacob did.

I do, but I’m not saying you should. That’s for you to decide. I won’t judge you based on what decisions you make. All I’m saying is that I’ve come to my “working understanding” of the matter and I encourage you to seek your own if you don’t already have one.

You Did Say…

After addressing YHWH personally and directly, Jacob starts out by basing His prayer on solid ground: the promises of YHWH.

… which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: (Gen 32:9b KJV)

YHWH says it, and it will be so. Sometimes we need to voice that back to Him. Not to remind Him but to remind ourselves. It serves to put everything back into perspective for us. If He promised, He bound Himself to perform it. That’s the kind of God we serve.

This is no capricious Greek-style god that changes its mind on every whim and often has bad intent toward pesky humans. Remember, this is YHWH. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. What He promises comes to pass. He takes great personal interest in His creation.

This raises an important question: Do we know what specifically He has promised to us? We need to if we’re going to rely on them! Consider this:

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2Pe 1:3-4 KJV)

Wow! He’s given us everything necessary in regards to life and godliness! We can lay our hands on all that through the “exceeding great and precious promises” that He gave us! What promises? That’s why we have to read our Bibles! That’s where we learn what they are and also, if applicable, the conditions under which they apply.

Finally, when we remember, and take seriously enough to repeat to YHWH the promises He has made to us, we demonstrate our faith. That pleases YHWH. Remember what Hebrews says:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6 KJV)

By bringing up His promises right in the beginning of our prayers, we start out by actively expressing our faith. Faith is required to please Him. Best to start off our requests for help in a manner that pleases the one who can, and will, help us!

We’re Not Worthy!

Jacob then proceeds from the solid foundation of the reality of YHWH’s promises to the reality of the situation for Jacob: Though promised to him, it’s more than He deserves.

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. (Gen 32:10 KJV)

Humility before YHWH is the only right response for us. We owe it all to Him. He gave us far more than we deserve, no matter how much or little we consider ourselves to have received in life.

It is a matter of recognizing the reality of our situation. YHWH owes us nothing. We owe Him everything. We seek mercy and grace, not anything that is rightfully due us. Keep in mind Peter’s admonition:

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time… (1Pe 5:6 KJV)

With YHWH, as with all Kings, humility is the way to approach.

I Really Need Some Help!

YHWH has promised us help, and though we don’t deserve it, we been told, shown examples of, and encouraged to turn to Him for help. Jacob sets one of those examples for us here:

Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. (Gen 32:11 KJV)

We have been told to cast our cares upon YHWH. He wants us to rely on Him for help. That’s how He builds His relationship with us.

We’re Talking About the Big Picture Here

Finally Jacob sums up his appeal by placing this instance for help within the context of the bigger picture of YHWH’s promises. Though Jacob faced a momentary and passing crisis, it jeopardized the whole big eternal picture.

And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. (Gen 32:12 KJV)

If Esau succeeded in wiping out Jacob and his family, where would that leave YHWH’s big-picture, destiny-type, promise to him? Not fulfilled. No way that was going to happen!

What big picture promises has YHWH made to you? Once again, our destiny in YHWH is spelled out clearly in Scripture. In order to know our destiny as YHWH’s people we need to read and study our Bible. Once we know, we can place our prayers in the bigger context of YHWH’s purposes for us.

So there we have Jacob’s prayer. He made his appeal to the God he knew personally and who had promised some things to him. But even though promised, they were not deserved and Jacob recognized that before YHWH. He then cast his cares upon YHWH, making his appeal not only on the previously mentioned specific promise, but also on the bigger picture promise that involved his entire destiny as spelled out by YHWH.

Jacob’s prayer holds some great lessons for us to apply to our own prayers. But to apply them to our prayers we must intimately know the One to whom we make our appeal, the basis upon which we may make that appeal, and the proper perspective in making an appeal. The better we get to know His Word to us, the more we can pray like Jacob.

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Don’t miss a week! Get JimDrashZ on the weekly Torah portion delivered by email. Simple and free sign-up with this form!

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Parashah (portion) 8: Vayishlach (He sent). Genesis 32:4(3)-36:43. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

This week’s parashah, or Torah portion reading, is Genesis 28:10-32:3. In it we see the births of eleven of Jacob’s twelve sons as YHWH/God continues to lay the foundation for fulfillment of His promise to make Abraham into a great nation. As with the birth of children, the birth of the nation of Israel was not without labor pains.

A whole lot of living went on in the twenty years that are covered by this week’s Scripture passage. Those twenty years represent a kind of “wilderness” experience for Jacob. The years start with Jacob’s journey alone to seek out his mother’s family in the “old country” of Haran. They end with the beginning of his journey back to the promised land with eleven sons, one daughter, and all their mothers.

During those years we see YHWH shaping Jacob into a father and leader of His people. Besides the physical growth of Jacob’s family, Jacob was growing in character and experience too. YHWH had sent Jacob to “finishing school” at the proverbial “School of Hard-Knocks.” During his years there, YHWH had protected and provided for Jacob while revealing Himself step-by-step.

YHWH Sends Jacob to the School of Hard-Knocks

Gone were the days when Jacob dwelt under the glow of being his mother’s favored son (Genesis 25:28). No longer would he be a “plain man living in tents” (Genesis 25:27), but would rather be a “man of the field” as was his brother. But whereas his brother was a cunning hunter, Jacob would be an attendant to sheep and cattle.

His description of the experience at the end of twenty years:

This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
(Gen 31:38-41 KJV)

Jacob live a rough life. The fact that his uncle was the boss didn’t help. His uncle was a man who got his money’s worth out of the hired help. In fact, he got more than his money’s worth! He cheated Jacob continually.

The last verse in that passage introduces us to another aspect of Jacob’s training. He was given the experience of being on the receiving end of deceiving relatives.

Jacob was not innocent in this area himself. He had used guile to defraud Esau out of what was rightfully his. This of course was within the realm of providence, and only possible because of the fatal character flaws that disqualified Esau from being the inheritor of YHWH’s promise to Abraham in the first place.

But still, Jacob’s methods of moving the process along were not quite “kosher” in light of YHWH’s character. And the nation of Israel was to be a light of YHWH’s character. Some moral sensitivity, in the form of “what goes around comes around” would be provided Jacob in Haran.

The changed wages and constant changing of the rules by Laban after Jacob made good-faith agreements was bad enough. But the crowning “as you sow so shall you reap” moment came on Jacob’s first wedding night.

Having served Laban seven years to earn Rachel as his wife, Jacob finds that Rebekah’s guile is matched by her brother Laban:

And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? (Gen 29:25 KJV)

Ouch. That is ironically similar to Jacob’s donning of goatskins in order to cozy up to his blind father, thus tricking him into a blessing not his. But not to worry, Laban had a “deal” to fix things up: serve another seven years and Jacob could marry Rachel, too. Nice uncle. But perhaps that is just what Jacob needed.

Meeting his match in this area would provide him with a sensitivity to being taken advantage of by family. Perhaps it might bring him down a notch and make him realize he was a little less clever than he thought.

We can’t say for sure but, if nothing else, that experience would certainly toughen him up and prepare him to deal with deception at the hands of family. He would need it for such disappointments to come in his future.

Finally, in the life-experience category, Jacob was taught to stand up for himself through his experience in Haran. One might wonder at Jacob’s twenty year submission to his uncle’s mistreatment. While in Haran, he never did stand up for himself. When he left, it was by YHWH’s call. In responding to YHWH, Jacob snuck out and ran away. Hardly a dignified departure for one who would become a great nation!

One gets the sense from this week’s Torah portion that Jacob preferred to avoid conflict. But conflict must not be avoided by leaders. It must be managed. One must actually stand up for themself in order to learn to manage conflict. And now, at the end of the twenty years, Jacob finally finds it within himself to stand up to Laban and continues in his emergence as a leader:

And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? (Gen 31:36 KJV)

He won the argument. Then again, it helped that YHWH had warned Laban in a dream to watch what he said to Jacob. But then, Jacob always had the promise and the experience of YHWH’s protection in Haran. After the twenty year experience he was now moved to tap into that promise.

YHWH Revealed Himself Progressively to Jacob

Another important aspect of Jacobs “wilderness” was that through it YHWH progressively revealed Himself and the work He was doing through, and in behalf of, Jacob.

On the way to Haran, in Luz, Jacob went to sleep:

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven… And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac… And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. (Gen 28:12-16 KJV)

Jacob’s first personal experience with YHWH leads Him to set up a monument to Him and make a vow, something along the lines of a covenant, with YHWH whereby he would make YHWH his God if YHWH would protect and provide for him and return him again to his father’s house in peace.

YHWH kept His part, and Jacob kept his vow. Thus we see Jacob’s wilderness years culminate with a call home:

And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I… I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. (Gen 31:11-13 KJV)

It is interesting to note that YHWH made a clarification in Jacob’s thinking, which served to further reveal Himself, when he spoke to Jacob in the call-home dream:

And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. (Gen 31:12 KJV)

It was possible, likely really, that Jacob would think that his superstitious activity involving striped and spotted sticks had resulted in the success of his deal with Laban. But YHWH clarified Jacob’s thinking by letting him know that it was He who had made it work out in order to repay him for the treatment received from his uncle. It kind of strikes me as a divine “Just saying…” which of course makes it much more fearful and sobering to receive than under normal circumstances.

Over the twenty years, YHWH had adhered to the conditions of Jacob’s vow. And Jacob did the same. When peace was arrived at by Laban and Jacob they secured it with a treaty in the form of a vow:

And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. (Gen 31:51-53 KJV)

Notice that they sealed their peace treaty by swearing in the name of their God. Laban swore in both YHWH’s name and also in the name of his and his father’s God. Jacob swore only in the name of YHWH. His vow was kept. YHWH was his God.

Since the vow Jacob made was contingent on protection and provision on YHWH’s part, let’s back up briefly and summarize how YHWH did that.

YHWH Protected and Provided for Jacob in Haran

As was noted previously, YHWH honored the requirements Jacob requested in his vow. This can be seen in the following examples.

YHWH gave Jacob prosperity:

And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses. (Gen 30:43 KJV)

YHWH kept Jacob from being cheated:

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. (Gen 31:42 KJV)

YHWH protected Jacob from physical harm:

And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. (Gen 31:24 KJV)

YHWH gave Jacob heirs:

And he (Esau) lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he (Jacob) said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. (Gen 33:5 KJV)

So we see that the twenty years of Jacob’s wilderness experience were designed by YHWH to shape the person by whom He would carry out His purposes. During the shaping process YHWH was also giving Jacob heirs. In so doing, He was putting the means by which the promise was to be delivered in place at the same time.

YHWH shaped Jacob’s strength and character, gave him life-experience he needed to lead the infant nation, and revealed Himself to Jacob step-by-step. This holds a very important lesson for us as YHWH’s people.

YHWH is the God of promises, and He is also the God who shapes us to be able to receive those promises. In the process of moving us toward receiving what He has promised, we are also being moved toward being ready to receive those promises.

So first, we must know what promises He has made to us. We must read His word in order to do that. Then we must believe Him and hold on to those promises while waiting for His timing to bring them to fruition.

Sometimes we see His hand move quickly. But other times He works over a period of years. But those years are not in vain. They are the days of our lives in which YHWH shapes us into the vessel that will be able to contain His promise. And in the process, He grows us into an ever deepening personal relationship with Himself. A relationship by which He provides for us and protects us on His part, and we walk ever more closely with Him as our God on our part.

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Don’t miss a week! Get JimDrashZ on the weekly Torah portion delivered by email. Simple and free sign-up with this form!

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Portion 7: Vayetze (He went out). Genesis 28:10-32:3(2). Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

This week’s parashah, or Torah portion reading, is Genesis 25:19-28:9. Within that portion of Scripture, we find a very important lesson for all children of YHWH/God:

And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. (Gen 25:29-34 KJV)

A dictionary definition of birthright would be “a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth.”

Long after Esau’s day, according to Torah, an Israelite’s birthright consisted of inheriting a double portion of material goods (Deut. 21:17). Also included would be status as patriarch and priest of the house. But in Esau’s case, the birthright was far, far more valuable.

Esau stood in a unique position that has only been held by a couple people in this entire world since creation. He stood in line, as first born, to inherit the promises YHWH had made to Abraham.

Those promises, passed on to Isaac at Abraham’s death, included inheritance of the land of Canaan, preservation of the true faith, and being the line through which Messiah would come into the world (see Gen. 18:18-19, for example). All that we now connect with Jacob was once rightfully in line to be inherited by Esau.

What happened? Esau considered all of that to be worthless. He obviously didn’t believe it had value. This is not surprising as, by his description in Scripture, one might well conclude that Esau was an earthly and sensual person, driven by base emotion and physical need. He considered his birthright to be worthless as compared to his momentary state of being famished.

Esau portrays a person driven by immediate physical gratification and with no understanding or valuation of what YHWH has him in line to receive in the future. Sadly, many believers today follow in Esau’s footsteps. They are, in a way, children of Esau in that they too are selling their birthright for “a morsel of meat.”

Consider just one aspect of our “birthright” as the children of YHWH:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. (1Jn 3:1-7 KJV)

Our birthright in Messiah, brothers and sisters, is to be like Him when He appears. We who hold to the hope of this birthright as His child “purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” That’s purify as in set-apart, sanctify, or make holy unto YHWH.

Far too many claiming to be in Messiah’s camp today consider YHWH’s grace to be a cheap thing. They despise His correction and they use His grace as a kind of license to sin. They have undervalued their birthright. They are selling it for a “mess of pottage.” They spend so much time in the marketplace of sin and sensuality that they fail those tests of 1 John by which John warned us not to be deceived. But they are self-deceived. Let it not be so with us.

Ours is a privilege and honor to be in the Kingdom of YHWH, having entered in through the doorway of Messiah and having been sealed with His Spirit. It is a honor to be sanctified unto YHWH, seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness. That is our right, by being “born-again” of the Spirit into His family. As His children, it is our birthright to be like Him.

Let us make sure we are not walking in the way of Esau when we approach those “exceeding great and precious promises” by which we “might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2Pe 1:4 KJV).

And further, let us not let anyone deceive us, as did Esau, into selling our birthright in Messiah. There are many false teachers and prophets who, “when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage (2Pe 2:18-19 KJV).

Draw close to YHWH, read your Bible everyday so you will know what your birthright in Messiah is, and consider these vital words to us from the author of the book of Hebrews:

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Heb 12:13-16 KJV)

Our birthright is worth far more than the morsels of meat offered by this world. Let us not sell it and find ourselves one day caught up in red-faced foolishness from which there is no escape.

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Portion 6: Tol’dot (History). Genesis 25:19-28:9. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

Our fifth parashah, Hayyei-Sarah, covers Genesis 23:1-25:18.

Isaac was a child of great hope to Abraham. YHWH/God had promised and confirmed Isaac as the line through which Abraham was to be made a great nation. Isaac was Abraham’s ultimate future. His promised hope.  In this week’s Torah portion we see some interesting ways that Abraham “protected,” or sanctified his future in Isaac.

Abraham was careful to set apart his promised future through Isaac in three important ways as he prepared Isaac for furthering the chosen family lineage. Abraham set apart his future from the pagan influence around him, from the land he left behind, and from future distraction and dilution.

Abraham set apart his promised future from the pagan influence around him.

And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. (Gen 24:3-4 KJV)

Abraham dwelt among pagans and maintained relationships with them. He did business with them. But he did not become one of them. He himself maintained his faith in YHWH and followed in YHWH’s Torah (Genesis 26:5).

He would not allow his son Isaac to be carried away into following strange gods by taking a wife for him from among a heathen people. He sent a servant out the the “old country,” Haran, to his father’s people.

That these people respected YHWH is obvious in their response to Abraham’s servant. When recounting YHWH’s divine confirmation of Rebbecca as Isaac’s intended bride:

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. (Gen 24:50 KJV)

Thus Abraham secured a wife for Isaac that would be less likely to introduce pagan influences into his home and thereby distract him into following strange gods. He kept his future in Isaac separate, sanctified, and set apart from the paganism of his environment.

While reaching back to his roots for his son’s wife, it is interesting that Abraham kept Isaac far from his distant relatives and sent a servant back instead.

Abraham set apart his promised future from the land left behind.

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. (Gen 24:5-6 KJV)

Abraham specifically made arrangements for Isaac not to go back to his father’s old country. Isaac was not to leave the promised land under any circumstances.

Perhaps unrooted with a family of his own in the not-yet-received promised land, and the loss of his mother which was to be comforted only when he finally married Rebbecca, Isaac might be a tempted to remain in Haran and settle down there. Abraham set apart Isaac from such temptation by making sure he would not even go there to begin with.

But even with Isaac married and settling down in the promised land, there was still some setting apart that Abraham needed to do in order to protect his hope through Isaac.

Abraham set apart his promised future from future distractions and dilution.

But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. (Gen 25:6 KJV)

Abraham had already sent Ishmael away decades ago, at the behest of Sarah. But after Sarah’s death, Abraham fathered other sons through later concubines. These were others sons of Abraham by the flesh, not of the promise as was Isaac.

These sons, half-brothers of Isaac, would dilute the inheritance of Isaac and possibly cause confusion and strife for Isaac. Abraham set apart Isaac as his sole heir by separating any contenders for the position by distance and with their own inheritances to look after.

There is much we, New Covenant follower’s of YHWH in Messiah, can learn by Abraham’s example here.

We too are recipients of great and precious promises. Promises by which we might be “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). We are also heirs ourselves:

And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal 3:29 KJV)

So we must set apart ourselves, even as father Abraham set apart Isaac, for our promised future. Like Abraham set apart Isaac from the pagan influences around him, we must set ourselves apart from pagan influences surrounding us. Such influences are subtle and many. We do well to search them out and set them aside, out of our house, casting them back into the pagan culture from which they come.

Just as Abraham set apart Isaac, we must set apart ourselves from the “land left behind.” Where we came from before we entered the New Covenant by faith in Yeshua/Jesus is our “old country.”

At times, like a siren-call, we are drawn by memories of the “good old days” and summoned back to serve sin. At other times, we long for the “leeks and garlic of Egypt” as we grow tired of Manna in the wilderness. But there is no going back for us. There must not be. We are a set apart people:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light…(1Pe 2:9 KJV)

We must not go back into the darkness. We must not in any way go back even for a visit. We must stay in the marvelous light even though others turn back and leave us.

Finally, as Abraham did with Isaac, we must set apart ourselves from future distractions and dilution of our attention to Messiah. There are so many “rabbit trails” for us New Convenant believers to run astray from the truth that is in Messiah.

Many claim to be the “true heirs” of the ways of Messiah, but they are proved to be only “half-brothers,” and no heirs at all, by the way they line up against the truth of Scripture. We must avoid the controversy and excitement of chasing after every wind of doctrine and focus our energy on reading and studying YHWH’s Word for truth.

Remember, the Spirit has been given to us as a Teacher, the Law has been written in our new hearts of flesh, and Scripture has been given which is:

…given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2Ti 3:16-17 KJV)

We must set ourselves apart from half-truths and lies about our faith that threaten to dilute and cripple our ability to walk in the truth which has been given to us by YHWH.

Like father Abraham protected his promised hope, we must protect our promised hope by not “marrying” into pagan influence, by not going back to the “old country” of sin in our past life, and not allowing our Truth to be diluted with half-truths. By setting apart ourselves unto YHWH, as Abraham set apart Isaac to YHWH, we walk forward into our destiny of New Covenant children of YHWH.
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This “drash” (seeking) is on Portion 5: Hayyei-Sarah (Sarah’s Life). Genesis 23:1-25:18. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

Our third parashah, Lekh L’kha, covers Genesis 12:1-17:27. In it we see almost a quarter-century of Abraham’s life, from age seventy-five to ninety-nine. We start at his call to leave Haran and the promise of God/YHWH to make him the father of many nations and a blessing to all families of the earth. By the end of the Scripture portion, we see Abram, renamed Abraham, at the doorway to receiving his promised heir.

Out of the many lessons to be learned in this passage, today we will look at one: Abraham the peacemaker.

At age seventy-five, Abram began a new journey at the call of God/YHWH. With him, Abram took his nephew Lot. The two families and all who were with them, and their possessions, left their home in Haran to travel south.

Both men had many possessions, according to Scripture. Through their travels, they eventually found themselves at Beth-El. Then:

…there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. (Gen 13:7 KJV)

The strife was solved with speed and with no recorded animosity. In the solution to this conflict I see four principles that qualify Abram as an outstanding peacemaker. We can learn from Abraham’s peacemaking example here in order to become better peacemakers ourselves.

Why should we want to become better peacemakers? To follow in Jesus/Yeshua’s footsteps and live according to the Kingdom principles He taught:

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Mat 5:9 KJV)

All of us who desire to pursue that quality of character will benefit by considering these four principles to be learned through Abraham’s example.

1. Abram acted first to solve the conflict. Abram was the elder, and “ranking,” relative to Lot. It would seem that Lot should have been eager to end the conflict in respect and honor toward his uncle Abram. But in this instance Abram took the initiative to end the strife before it grew any worse. Also note that Abram did not wait for the problem to “go away” or to “solve itself.” Abram acted first to promote peace:

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. (Gen 13:8 KJV)

Brothers and sisters, why should we wait for the other person in our conflict situations to come forward to heal the rift? What an honor it is, rather than a shame, to show mature grace towards others, especially to those who should be taking the first steps toward reconciliation.

Does it really matter, if the end is peace, who took the first step in arriving at a peaceful solution? Only pride stands in the way of taking the high-road and pursuing peace even when the other should more rightly make the first move.

Abram’s first move was obviously a sincere effort to make peace rather than to “argue” for peace. This points us to the second example we can learn about peacemaking from Abram’s example.

2. Abram offered Lot an attractive solution.

Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. (Gen 13:9 KJV)

What faster way to achieve peace with Lot than to offer him first choice of the land, even in the likely prospect that Lot would take the better portion.

This demonstrates that Abram was interested in peace, not advantage. Why did he need the best now? Had not God/YHWH promised Him plenty. Abram believed the promises of God/YHWH, and he had no need to have the advantage in the current conflict.

We have been promised much from God/YHWH also! We do not lose when we give! We gain, and we have confidence in the One who sees and will reward our peacemaking. We can consider it an act of grace and generosity when we allow someone to have the more advantageous option in our pursuit of achieving a sure solution to conflict.

This does not mean being a “doormat” to be walked over. It is a decision to accept the lessor in material riches to achieve the greater good of godly action. This is mature. It is definitely not what the world teaches. But it is the godly example laid down in Scripture, with the life of Jesus/Yeshua as our prime example.

This first-choice was indeed sincere, as demonstrated in the next principle.

3. Abram allowed Lot to take the better.

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. (Gen 13:10-11 KJV)

Lot recognized the better option and chose it. Surely Abram recognized it was the better also. But no complaint was recorded. As Abram had offered, so it was.

Ironically, Lot’s better choice turned out to be worse! In the end, he ended up losing everything, even his wife, as he made a hasty exit from the judgment that befell his home in Sodom. As we will see in future Scripture portions, Lot’s character flaw in this instance plays in other ways and he ends up suffering the consequences.

Consider that Lot’s decision of the better land acted to send Abram in the other direction, away from Sodom and Gomorrah. Certainly God/YHWH was at work in shaping events to bring about His plan and promise for the benefit of Abram!

Pursue peace and don’t be afraid to consider accepting the lessor to achieve it. Be open to the Spirit’s leading into sacrifice. God/YHWH is at work behind the details and inner-workings of your day-to-day life. If you follow the lead of His Spirit, even when it doesn’t make worldly sense, you will find yourself blessed in the end. Trust Him.

This leads us to our next principle. What Abram was willing to give physically, he gave emotionally. He was not going to extract a “price” from Lot for choosing the better.

4. Abram did not harbor ill-will toward Lot.

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. (Gen 14:14-16 KJV)

How many would be tempted to let Lot suffer the consequences of his selfish choice? Especially if he chose selfishly to our disadvantage? Abram’s character is sound. He doesn’t hold a grudge over a perceived or actual wrong in Lot’s self-interested actions in solving their conflict.

Abram was first to offer a solution, though it rightly should have been Lot who was eager to solve the problem. The actual solution “cost” Abram the choicest land, though it rightly should have gone to him. Abram held no grudge. He harbored no ill-will. That’s why he was quick to see his duty to his brethren.

Rather than letting Lot solve his own problems when calamity fell, Abram acted immediately, at a cost and a risk to himself, to save his nephew.

The world in which we live is rife with conflict and animosity. By the grace of God/YHWH, and by the leading and power of His Spirit in us, we can become accomplished peacemakers in it. In so doing we will be living up to Kingdom standards and will rightly be called the children of God/YHWH.

In closing, it must be noted that our four principles will likely prove disastrous if applied foolishly. By all means, like Abram, strive to attain peace with those who are willing to achieve peace with us. There are, in this world, those who do not want to make peace. We must take the words of Paul seriously:

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (Rom 12:18 KJV)

The key there is “as much as lieth in you.” In solving conflict with some, there are cases where peace is not possible because it is not in them.

For these reasons it is vital that we follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in all cases of their application, as we should always be doing anyway. What is important about the principles is that they should always reflect our attitude, and not necessarily our action, at least not our immediate action, when the Spirit leads us to different action.

May God/YHWH bless you in your peacemaking!

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This “drash” (seeking) is on Portion 3: Lekh L’kha–Get Yourself Out. Genesis 12:1-17:27. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

This week’s parasha (portion) covers Genesis 6:9-11:32. In it we see the completion of Noah’s ark, the universal flood, and the entrance into the post-flood world. YHWH establishes a covenant between Himself and Noah and all the generations to follow. The repopulation of the earth commences through the blood lines of Noah’s three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

As the world population grows, so does man’s pride and desire for self-determination and control outside of YHWH’s will. This culminates with the tower of Babel, where YHWH practices worldwide crowd control by “confounding” their language.

Not being able to understand each other, the people scattered themselves across the face of the earth as they regathered into language groups. Finally we are given a list of the descendants of Shem through to Terah, father of Abram.

Taking a “bird’s-eye” view of the entire Scripture portion at hand, we can learn some valuable general principles regarding our Creator and His world.

Our Creator is personally involved in the cultivation of His creation.

Noah walked with YHWH as a just and blameless man. But the rest of his generation was corrupt to the point of no return. Noah’s walk moved Him closer back to the original intended fellowship between YHWH and His creation as pictured in the Garden of Eden. The rest of the generation moved away from relationship with YHWH.

Had YHWH been a disinterested force of creation, then there would have been no concern about mankind’s ways, good or evil. There would have been no saving of Noah, who walked with YHWH, and there would have been no removal of those whose ways promoted rejection of YHWH.

That YHWH desires a relationship with His creation is evident in His personal involvement in moving His creation towards a personal relationship with Himself. At that time of the judgement by universal flood, the only way for YHWH to advance His creation the next step toward a world in which all have a personal relationship with Himself was to remove that which incorrigibly broke relationship with Him.

As an indication of His patience toward His creation, YHWH had waited until the last possible person to work with was left. Noah was the only person left with whom YHWH could refocus His creation toward fellowship with Himself. After Noah, there was no one else that walked with Him.

Our Creator judges His creation.

Just as dark is the absence of light, Evil is the absence of YHWH. What YHWH created was good. Evil hasn’t been created, it is the condition of YHWH-lessness. When creation breaks fellowship with the Creator, as was allowed as a possibility by YHWH, evil is left in its place. YHWH is not ignorant or disinterested in evil. He judges it.

This does not mean He judges it immediately. Rather, He is patient and long-suffering with His creation. But ultimately, sooner or later, judgment comes. In our text, after about 1656 years between Adam and the flood, judgment day came. Though thousands of years have passed since judgment on a cataclysmic world-wide scale, it will ultimately come universally to all of the YHWH-less again. Yeshua told a parable regarding that coming day:

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Mat 13:27-30 KJV)

Our Creator provides a way of salvation to His creation.

But what of those who desire to enter that intended relationship between Creator and created? YHWH provides the way into that relationship. He does it by saving from coming judgment, and by opening a way into fellowship with Him for us.

In our text, we see that YHWH revealed His plans to Noah, and actually called him into partnership with His plan. In building and stocking the ark, Noah’s obedience to YHWH’s direction and his belief of YHWH’s warning, played a part in YHWH’s plans in preserving him, his family, and all the living creatures on the face of the earth.

Our Creator establishes the terms of relationship with Himself.

After the flood, YHWH established a covenant with all of mankind. Genesis 1:1-17 gives the details of this covenant. Relationship with YHWH comes on His terms. He sets the basis for fellowship. If we enter into relationship with our Creator, we do it on His terms.

If YHWH is slow to judge, it does not mean He has accepted our terms of engagement. Nor does it mean He “gets over” our broken relationship. It simply means He is giving us a bit longer to “see the light,” accept His terms, and enter into fellowship with Him. In the end, His terms will prevail.

Our Creator’s plan will be accomplished with or without man’s cooperation.

As an example of this concept, we can consider the Tower of Babel from this week’s text. Rather than participate in YHWH’s purposes, as codified in the covenant with Noah, mankind had grown to a point of pride and rebellion.

They had decided to establish a name for themselves and keep from being scattered over the earth. They were “reaching for the Heavens.” They weren’t undertaking this project to be closer to YHWH, but rather, in a sense, to dethrone Him.

Certainly they were working against YHWH’s purpose of filling the earth, as implied in His requirement that His people replenish the earth. They had decided they liked that corner of the planet, and that’s where they would establish their “world.”

YHWH judges the world again, not with destruction, but with dispersion. What they had set out not to do (be scattered over the earth) was the very thing that resulted in them actually being scattered over the earth.

Mankind had a chance to participate in YHWH’s plan in fellowship and partnership with Him. They refused. They ended up participating in YHWH’s plan without His fellowship, under harder conditions, and in spite of their own plans. Either way, with or without creation’s cooperation, YHWH’s purpose for creation will advance and be accomplished.

Our Creator’s plan advances selectively and with purpose.

Previously we saw the cultivation of YHWH’s plan for His creation through the line of Seth through to Noah. Now we see the continued cultivation toward His purposes picked up In Noah’s son, Shem. This is followed through to Terah, Abram’s father. The line of YHWH’s work in behalf of His creation will continue through the line of Abram when the narrative is picked up again.

Drawing the principles together:

YHWH has a plan for His creation that includes a personal relationship with Him. Those purposes are still being worked out in our day. Are we in line with those purposes? Today is the day to make that determination and then act on what is found. YHWH is not disinterested in evil, He is patient with His creation. But the day of waiting will end. Judgment day will come.

YHWH has provided a way into the intended relationship with Him. He offers the way of salvation through faith in the atoning work of His Son, Yeshua, on the cross. He provides the basis of fellowship with Himself by way of instruction in His righteousness. He places His Spirit within us so we can walk in His righteousness.

These are His terms. There is no other way. Yeshua said:

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.(Joh 14:6 KJV)

The apostles testimony:

Neither is there salvation in any other (than Yeshua): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.(Act 4:12 KJV)

Paul’s instruction by the Spirit:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.(Rom 10:9-11 KJV)

As to walking in fellowship with Him after we are saved:

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.(1Jn 3:2-4 KJV)

In fact, our walk in His ways are indicative of our actual relationship with Him:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Mat 7:21-23 KJV)

If we set ourselves against His purposes, individually or collectively, we don’t upset His plans or purpose in creation. All we do is place ourselves in the path of the coming judgment.

His purpose will prevail with or without our cooperation. But if we do cooperate, in fellowship with Him and His purposes, then we are allowed to participate in the work He is doing in creation.

These principles were at work in creation in the days of Noah and his descendants, and they are still in operation today. It has long been too late for those who perished in the flood of Noah. But it is still “today” for us. Today is the day to enter into a personal fellowship and walk with YHWH.

This “drash” (seeking) is on Portion 2: Noach–Noah. Genesis 6:9-11:32. Join us each week for scripture readings that take us through the first five books (Torah) of the Bible in a year.

JimDrashZ on Parashot HaShavua (Weekly Torah Portions) at http://jimzboran.com/category/jimdrashz/

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Copyright 2009 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.