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The BibleTruth.cc Torah Study Series Parashat Lech Lecha "Go Forward" Bereshith [Genesis] 12:1-17:27 Lech lecha, meaning, you go, are the words Yahuwah spoke to Avram as he called him to come out of his hometown and to travel to the Land which would someday belong to Israel. Theme The theme of Parashat Lech Lecha Sedarim The Famine Which Sent Avram and Sarai to Mitzrayim The Word of Yahuwah Appears to Avraham Circumcision as the Sign of the Covenant Prophetic Pictures in this Week's Torah Portion Prophetic End Time Shadows in the Torah Parashah
12:1
Yahuwah had said to Avram, "Leave your country, your people and your
father's household and go to the land I will show you.
A Study of the Covenant Promises Made to Our Ancestor Avraham Hebrews 10:35,36 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of Elohim, you may receive what was promised. What is the “great reward”? Same as Avraham’s? Ber 15:1 Beresheet 12:1-3 Now YHWH said to Avram, "Walk yourself from your land, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Leave Your Country 12:1 is a call to come out of Bavel (Babylon) - From: Bavel To: the Land I will show you Followers of Messiah are called to follow the pattern of Avraham Revelation 18:4 Come out of her, my people Mattityahu 16:24 Then Yahusha said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to follow after me, he must deny himself, take up his stake, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life? Stake: stauro,j “stauros” upright, pointed stake’ or ‘pale’ a pole to be placed in the ground and used for capital punishment, cross stauro,w “stauro-ow” 1. to stake, drive down stakes 2. to fortify with driven stakes, to palisade: 3. to crucify, hang Deny himself – renounce claim, disown, humble oneself Take up his cross – “pole or stake (tent peg)” – probably an allusion to the desert wanderings when Yisrael took up their tent stakes and followed the cloud and fire at Yah’s beckon – wherever the Dwelling Place went, the people followed. cf Matthew 10 disciples are “moving their tents” vss 38, 39 Follow – “walk in his footsteps” i.e. obey Torah or follow the tent (as above) The Blessing
“To Bless” - %r;B' “barak” to kneel, bless, praise, salute, curse (used euphemistically), to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity (to make fruitful, prolific, i.e. impregnate), longevity, etc Its major function seems to have been to confer abundant and fruitful life upon something (Gen 2:3; 1Sam 9:13; Isa 66:3) or someone Acts 3:25,26 25 "It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which Elohim made with your fathers, saying to Avraham, 'AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.' 26 "For you first, Elohim raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways." Romans 4:5-9 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom Elohim credits righteousness apart from works: "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN YHWH WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT." Gal 3:13,14 Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "-- in order that in Messiah Yahusha’ the blessing of Avraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. What is the curse of the Law? It is all the bad things that happen to you when you refuse to obey the Law!! See Devarim 28-30 Ephesians 1:3-4 3 Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our Master Yahusha the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be set-apart and blameless before Him. In love
1 Peter 3:8-12 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, "THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. "HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. "FOR THE EYES OF YHWH ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF YHWH IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL."
The Seed Ber 12:7 YHWH appeared to Avram and said, "To your seed I will give this land." Ber 13:15 For all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed forever. Ber 24:7 'To your seed I will give this land' Who is the Seed? Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Avraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Messiah. About Adam’s Seed Ber 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel." [r;z< n.m. sowing, seed, offspring Many Descendants Ber 13:14 YHWH said to Avram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed (descendants) forever. "I will make your seed (descendants) as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Ber 17:7 "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and to your seed after you. Seed Also Means Descendants Ber 16:10 Moreover, the angel of YHWH said to her, "I will greatly multiply your seed so that they will be too many to count." Gal 3:29 And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Avraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. Heb 11:12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.
Who Are Avraham’s Descendants? Romans 4:13-17 For the promise to Avraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of fidelity. For if those who are of (man’s) law are heirs, fidelity is made void and the promise is nullified; for (man’s) law brings about wrath, but where there is no law (of man), there also is no violation (of Torah). For this reason it is by fidelity, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the fidelity of Avraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") Not all of Abraham's descendants by birth are children of the promise, but only those who are born by the power of Elohim's Spirit. Paul notes that “not all who are descended from Israel (the nation) are Israel (Elohim's true, spiritual people). Nor because they are his (natural born) descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ In other words, it is not the natural children who are Elohim's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring” (Romans 9:6-9). And Shaul tells the Galatian believers that "you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise" (4:28).
The Inheritance Ber 13:14,15 "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your seed (offspring) forever" Ber 15:18 On that day YHWH made a covenant with Avram, saying, "To your seed (descendants) I have given this land, From the river of Mitzraim as far as the great river, the river Euphrates Ber 17:5-8 No longer shall your name be called Avram, But your name shall be Avraham; For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed (descendants) after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and to your descendants after you. "I will give to you and to your seed (descendants) after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their Elohim."
Yisrael: Who is the Rightful Owner of the Promised Land? Moses explained to the Israelites that the land did not belong to them. Among some other regulations he gave them concerning the Year of Jubilee, Elohim commanded through Moses that "the land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants" (Lev.25:23). Likewise, Yahusha told a parable about Israel and himself. He explained that a landowner rented his land to some farmers and then went on a journey. When harvest time arrived, he sent one servant after another to collect the fruit of the land, but his servants were sent away empty-handed by the farmers. Finally, he sent his own son. "But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'this is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him" (Matthew 21:38,39). Ber 13:14-17 YHWH said to Avram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed (descendants) forever. "I will make your seed (descendants) as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your seed (descendants) can also be numbered. "Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you." Ephesians 1:9-12 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Messiah, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Messiah would be to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 2:11-13 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision " by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands-- remember that you were at that time separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Yisrael, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah Yahushua you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. Ephesians 2:19,20 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Elohim's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yahushua Himself being the corner stone Ephesians 3:4-6 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Messiah, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Messiah Yahushua through the gospel
Here is Paul's Great Mystery Then and Now
What Did Yahusha Teach Would be the Inheritance of His Talmidim? "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Land" (Matthew 5:3,5). Quoting Teh 37:11 But the humble will inherit the Land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity. "Listen, my brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" (James 2:5)
Who Will Inherit Eretz Yisrael and When Will It Be Inherited? Hebrews 11:13 All these (Abel, Enoch, Noach, Avraham, Yitchak, Yaacov, Sarah) died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore Elohim is not ashamed to be called their Elohim; for He has prepared a city for them. 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because Elohim had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. The Promise to the Congregation at Laodicea Revelation 3:20-21 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
The Restoration/Renewal of All Things "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28). When is this? Matthew 25:31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” Yahusha will not come down out of heaven only to go back to heaven with his saints, as many churches teach. On the contrary, Peter explains that "he must remain in heaven until the time comes for Elohim to restore everything as he promised long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3:21). Thrones I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Yahusha’ and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Messiah a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4). The Promise to the Congregation at Thyatira Revelation 2:26-27 'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father….
Tehillah 26-9 – What is Messiah’s Inheritance? "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain." "I will surely tell of the decree of YHWH: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. 'You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'"
Revelation 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Elohim. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of Elohim, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
The Promise to the Congregation at Philadelpia Revelation 3:12 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My Elohim, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My Elohim, and the name of the city of My Elohim, the new Yerushalayim, which comes down out of heaven from My Elohim, and My new name. The New Yerushalayim Revelation 21:1-3 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Yerushalayim, coming down out of heaven from Elohim, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself will be among them
The Day of YHWH 2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of YHWH will come like a thief (remember Matt 24:42,43), in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of Elohim, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Messiah Yahusha is King Over the Earth "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Yerushalayim will go up year after year to worship the King, YHWH Tsva-ot (of Armies), and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles" (Zech 14:16). And YHWH will be king over all the earth; in that day YHWH will be the only one, and His name the only one (Zech 14:9).
The Promise to the Congregation at Ephesus Revelation 2:7 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of Elohim.‘ Revelation 22:1-2 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
The Problems with the Popular Interpretation of Yochanan 14 In the popular Christian view, “In my Father’s house” is interpreted to mean “in heaven.” The “mansions” or “dwelling places” are believed to be living quarters in heaven. Some translations say “I am going there (i.e. heaven) to prepare a place for you” But there isn’t there! Verse 3 “where I am, there you may be also” is interpreted as “I will take you back there (i.e. heaven). 1 "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in Elohim, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. This interpretation which is so popular is not correct! The Exegesis: consider Rules of interpretation, Consider the immediate, then the wider context. Consider the meaning and usage of the words . Let's find out now what it really means. My Father’s House Is this a place? Or just what is it? Hebrews 3:2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moshe also was in all His house. 3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moshe, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is Elohim. 5 Now Moshe was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Messiah was faithful as a Son over His house-- whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. See also 1 Timothy 3:15; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19; 1 Peter 2:5; 4:17 "My father's house" is a reference to the family or people of Elohim (not to "heaven"). “Mansions” or “Dwelling Places” Monh pronounced “mō-nāy” a staying, abiding, dwelling, abode Occurs only in verses 2 and 23: Yahusha answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode (monay,) with him. How did the Father and Yahusha “make their abode” with the disciple? Preparing a Place 3 Preparations were accomplished by Yahusha when he returned to heaven: •The work of atonement (cf Heb ) •Sending of the Ruach HaKodesh •The preparation of the New Yerushalayim: Hebrews 11:16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore Elohim is not ashamed to be called their Elohim; for He has prepared a city for them. Summary of Yochanan 14: In the household of the family of Elohim, there are many "openings" or places for people to find a spot. (The invitation is open to all) Yahusha was going to prepare a place, that is, make atonement for his disciples, so that they may be in the family of Elohim. Him going to heaven is also to make ready the New Jerusalem. Messiah is going to return with the New Jerusalem and his disciples will dwell with him there so that "where he is, you may be also." The Famine Which Sent Avram and Sarai to Mitzrayim
10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Avram went down to Mitzrayim
to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
13:1 So Avram went up from Mitzrayim to the Negev, with his wife
and everything he had, and Lot went with him.
14:1 At this time Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar,
Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim
The Word of Yahuwah Appears to Avram
15:1 After this, the word of Yahuwah came to Avram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Avram. I am your shield, your very great reward." Dabar is a very common word in Hebrew, usually rendered word. The BDB Lexicon lists our word as rb'D': n.m. speech, word. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) gives us these renderings: word, speaking, speech, thing, etc. And the Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT) adds matter as another typical translation. Dabar is most often translated word, words, thing or matter. What we in the English language refer to as the Ten Commandments in Hebrew is actually the ten devarim, or ten words, or ten matters. The book of Deuteronomy has a Hebrew name of Devarim, because it reads, "These are the words which Moses spoke to the sons of Israel...." Additionally, the TWOT describes further the usage of this word: In the KJV dābar (the verb) is translated by about thirty different words and dābār (the noun) by more than eighty. Some of these are synonyms but many are not. All, however, have some sense of thought processes, of communication, or of subjects or means of communication. The noun dābār stretches all the way from anything that can be covered by the word thing or matter to the most sublime and dynamic notion of the word of God. As with the English language word word, the Hebrew dabar has a generous range of meanings and applications. In Bereshith 15:1, we are introduced to the phrase d'var Yahuwah. After these things, the word of Yahuwah came to Avram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Avram. I am your shield, your very great reward." This designation is frequently used in the Torah and the Prophets. The TWOT has this to say about our phrase: Gerleman notes that the singular construct chain dabar YHWH "the word of the LORD" occurs 242 times and almost always (225 times) the expression appears as a technical form for the prophetic revelation (THAT, I, p.439). In other words, the word of Yahuwah is a direct communication from Elohim. Elohim is conferring a message to someone. Often, we see in the Tanach the expression d'var Yahuwah followed by a directive consisting of a stream of words: Then the word of Yahuwah came to him: "This man will not be your heir..." (Bereshith 15:4). That night the word of Yahuwah came to Nathan, saying: "Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what Yahuwah says...' " (2 Samuel 7:4-5). And the word of Yahuwah came to him: "What are you doing here, Eliyahu?" (1 Kings 19:9). The word of Yahuwah came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Yirmeyahu 1:4-5). Clearly, the d'var Yahuwah is the term which identifies when the Creator of the universe is meeting, speaking and interacting with mankind. But a careful examination of the usage of this phrase will bear out that the phrase is more than merely a "technical form for the prophetic revelation." The d'var Yahuwah is personified in its usage and stands in the place of Yahuwah himself. The d'var Yahuwah, as a name or title of Yahuwah himself, both appears and speaks. The d'var Yahuwah is not merely a message from Yahuwah, it is Yahuwah himself appearing and speaking. In the New Testament, the 4th Gospel makes the point that Elohim is never seen: No one has ever seen Elohim, but Elohim the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (the 4th Gospel 1:18). Elohim, natively, is not part of creation - he stands outside of the created world. Thus, Elohim in his native form, cannot be seen because he does not consist of created matter. But Elohim has made himself visible to human beings, a point which is virtually indisputable if the biblical record is considered. The Bible tells us many, many times that the d'var Yahuwah appeared to someone or spoke to someone. If it were merely a verbal communication from heaven, we would not be told that he appeared, or was seen. It should not be thought a strange thing that Elohim would want to interact with human beings. After all, he created them in his own image. And if Elohim wanted to appear before human beings, he would likely appear in human form, because the human form is fashioned after Elohim's own form. Then Elohim said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So Elohim created man in his own image, in the image of Elohim he created him; male and female he created them. (Bereshith 1:26-27). And this is precisely what we find in the biblical record. Elohim appears in human form and walks and talks with people. One example of this is when Yahuwah appeared with two other messengers and walked and talked with Abraham: Yahuwah appeared to Avraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Avraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. (Bereshith 18:1-2). He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he said. Then Yahuwah said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. (Bereshith 18:8-10). When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Avraham walked along with them to see them on their way. Then Yahuwah said, "Shall I hide from Avraham what I am about to do? (vss 16-17). Yahuwah appeared to Avraham as a man, and Avraham recognized and knew that this was Yahuwah. A second example of d'var Yahuwah appearing to a person is found in 1 Samuel: Now Samuel did not yet know Yahuwah: The word of Yahuwah had not yet been revealed to him. Yahuwah called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that Yahuwah was calling the boy. (1 Samuel 3:7-8) It says that the word of Yahuwah had not yet been revealed to him because Samuel had not yet seen Yahuwah revealing himself to him. Back in Bereshith 15, the d'var Yahuwah appeared unto Avraham. The d'var Yahuwah is the physical manifestation of Yahuwah when he appears and communicates with human beings. This is what the 4th Gospel means when he writes, No one has ever seen Elohim, but Elohim the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (the 4th Gospel 1:18). The d'var Yahuwah is Yahuwah the Creator manifesting himself as a human being and speaking to people with a human voice so as to interact with humans in a manner which can be understood by humans. Next, the content of the message that Yahuwah appeared unto Avram to deliver. 16:1 Now Sarai, Avram's wife, had
borne him no children. But she had an Mitzrayimi maidservant named
Hagar;
Ber 16 is an account of how people tried to fulfill Yah’s promises in their own way. Sarai became impatient with Yah and tried to bring about a fulfillment of his promise. Thus the “flesh” attempted to do it, instead of the “Spirit” The result: anger and discord, jealousy and hatred. Yishmael means “El hears” because Yahuwah has heard your affliction 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man. He will be hostile to everyone, and everyone will be hostile to him. He will live away from his brothers (literally “against the face of all his brothers”)." ar<P, (“pere’”) wild ass (prob. from swiftness) -- wild ass; fig. of wilfulness; of lust (i.e. Israel's love of idolatry); of poor desert-dwellers, nomads Sha’ul’s Commentary on the Hagar Story Gal 4:21 Say to me, you who wish to be under Torah, do you not hear the Torah? Under the Torah = under the authority of oral, man-made torah The Torah = the Scriptures (written Torah) – the words which proceeded from the mouth of Yahuwah and which were then written down. Free and Slave Gal 4:22 For it has been written that Abraham had two sons, one by a female servant, the other by a free woman. 23 But he who was of the female servant was born according to the flesh, and he of the free woman through promise. The female servant = Hagar, to whom was not given the son of the inheritance The free woman is Sarah because she was promised a Seed who will inherit. 24 This is allegorical, for these are the two covenants: one indeed from Mount Sinai which brings forth slavery, which is Hagar, 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Yerushalayim which now is, and is in slavery with her children.
Allegory is the expression, by means of symbolic figures and actions, truths or generalizations about human existence. Did “Mount Sinai” cause all Yisrael to go into slavery? (NO! It was Israel's rebellion against Yahuwah that caused their slavery) The Allegory Explained Mt Sinai stipulated captivity for those who disobeyed the commandments of Yah: Devarim 28:14,15 But you must not turn away from all the commandments I am giving you today, to either the right or left, nor pursue other elohim and worship them. But if you ignore Yahuwah your Elohim and are not careful to keep all his commandments and rules I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force… Thus, Hagar represents those who do NOT fully obey written Torah! Captivity For the Disobedient Devarim 28:41 You will bear sons and daughters but not keep them because they will be taken into captivity. 2 Divre haYamim 6:36ff "The time will come when your people will sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin!) and you will be angry at them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their land, whether far away or close by. When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, 'We have sinned and gone astray, we have done evil!‘ When they return to you with all their heart and being in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor
The “Other” Covenant at Sinai Gal 4:26 But the Yerushalayim above is free, which is the mother of us all. Those who obey the written Torah – the Covenant with all its rules and right-rulings, will be free to inherit the promises. This Yerushalayim (which is coming down out of heaven) is the mother of all who withdraw their fidelity from the world, and are faithful to Messiah and to the written word.
The Barren and the Married Gal 4:27 For it has been written, “Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who do not have birth pains! For the deserted one has many more children than she who has a husband.” The allegory is further explained by reciting a quote from Yeshayahu 54:1 The desolate woman is Ephraim (the northern kingdom), The married woman is Yehudah (the southern kingdom). Yah Divorced Ephraim Yeshayahu 50:1 This is what Yahuwah says: "Where is your mother's divorce certificate by which I divorced her? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold because of your sins; because of your rebellious acts I divorced your mother. Yirmyahu 3:8 She also saw that I gave wayward Yisrael her divorce papers and sent her away because of her adulterous worship of other elohim. Even after her unfaithful sister, Yehudah, had seen this, she still was not afraid, and she too went and gave herself like a prostitute to other elohim. See also Hoshea 1
Who is the Persecutor? Gal 4:28 And we, brothers, as Yitshaq was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him born according to the Spirit, so also now. We are sons of Yitshaq, who follow in the footsteps of the faithfulness of his father Avraham – we, too, follow in trusting obedience to Yah’s commands. Yishmael (the son of the slave woman = Pharisees, Orthodox) persecutes Yitshaq (the followers of Yahusha’ and the written Torah) See Bereshith 21:9
30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the female servant and her son, for the son of the female servant shall by no means be heir with the son of the free woman.” Bereshith 21:10 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female servant but of the free woman.
(Messiah was always speaking in parables.) The servant to be cast out: Mattityahu 21:20,21 When the disciples saw it they were amazed, saying, "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" Yahusha answered them, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. A commentary on “present day Jerusalem”? The unbelievers would be cast out. Luke 12:42-48 The Master replied, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the Master puts in charge of his household servants, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his Master finds at work when he returns. I tell you the truth, the Master will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave should say to himself, 'My Master is delayed in returning,' and he begins to beat the other slaves, both men and women, and to eat, drink, and get drunk, then the Master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two, and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his Masters will but did not get ready or do what his Adonai asked will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know his Masters will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked. Circumcision as the Sign of the Covenant 17:1 When Avram was ninety-nine years
old, Yahuwah appeared to him and said, "I am Elohim Almighty; walk
before me and be blameless.
Prophetic End Time Shadows in the Torah Parashah
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