Weekly
Reading
- Genesis 12:1-17:27
- Isaiah 54:1-55:5
- Romans 4:1-25
The Torah Portion at a Glance
YHWH calls
Abram, commanding him to "go from your land, from your birthplace
and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you."
There, YHWH says, he will be made into a great nation. Abram and
his wife Sarai, accompanied by his nephew Lot, journey to the Land
of Canaan, where Abram builds an altar and continues to spread the
message of One Elohim.
A famine forces
the first Hebrew/Ivrim to depart for Egypt, where beautiful Sarai
is taken to Pharaoh's palace; Abram escapes death because they
present themselves as brother and sister. A plague prevents the
Egyptian king from touching her and convinces him to return her to
Abram and compensate the brother-revealed-as-husband with gold,
silver and cattle.
Back in the Land
of Canaan, Lot separates from Abram and settles in the evil city of
Sodom, where he falls captive when the mighty armies conquer the
five cities of the Sodom Valley. Abram sets out with a small band
to rescue his nephew, defeats the four kings, and is blessed by
Malki-Zedek the king of Salem (Jerusalem).
YHWH seals the,
Covenant between the parts with Abram, in which the exile and
persecution of the people of Israel is foretold and the Holy
Land is bequeathed to them as their eternal heritage
Still childless
ten years after their arrival in the Land, Sarai tells Abram to
marry her maidservant. Hagar conceives, becomes insolent toward
her mistress, and then flees when Sarai treats her harshly; an
angel convinces her to return and tells her that her son will
father a populous nation. Ishmael is born in Abram's 86th
year.
Years later,
YHWH changes Abram's name to Avraham ("father of multitudes") and
Sarai's to Sarah ("princess"), and promises that a son will be born
to them; from this child, whom they should call Yitzcha'ak /
Isaac ("will laugh"), will stem the great nation with which Elohim
will establish His special bond. Abraham is commanded to
circumcise himself and his descendents as a "sign of the covenant
between Me and you."
The
Messiah in the Torah Portion
The idea of a
pre-incarnate Messiah posits that Y'shua appeared in flesh and
bones before the virgin birth in Bethlehem. (Think of the fourth
man in the fiery furnace of the book of Daniel who "looked like the
son of YHWH." This teaching verifies that Messiah is the eternal
Savior who was, and is and is to come.
In this week's
Torah portion, the Moshiach mysteriously appears to Abraham, not
once but several times. First the Bible speaks of an unknown King
of Salem named Melkizadek that visits with Abraham. This king is
also a priest. "And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought forth
bread and wine. And he was the priest of the most high Elohim. And
he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of El Elyon, possessor
of Heaven and earth. And blessed be the most high Elohim, who has
delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of
all," Genesis 14:18-20.
Who would
deserve Abraham's tithe more than holy and righteous Elohim,
Himself? Indeed, Melchizedek could very well be Y'shua before the
incarnation. (Some suggest Melchizedek was Shem or the angel
Michael or some other figure.) The English name Melchizedek is a
transliteration of two Hebrew words, melek and tzedek." The Hebrew
term "melek" means "king" and the word "tzedek" is translated
"righteous." Who is the king of righteousness but Y'shua
HaMoshiach?
Melchizedek is
mentioned in the book of Psalms, Hebrews and even the Dead Sea
Scrolls. Melchizedek is a priest forever according to Hebrews 7:3
as is Messiah. Also see Hebrews 7:17 and 5:6. It is also
interesting that Melchizedek was without descent. The Bible gives
no records of his ancestors or descendants. "Without father or
mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of
life, like the Son of YHWH he remains a priest forever," Hebrews
7:3. Of Y'shua it says that He was of ancient times. "But you,
Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old, from ancient times," Micah 5:2.In
1947, scrolls from the Jewish Essenes were discovered which
affirmed that they believed Melchizedek would return as the
Messiah. Melchizedek was/is a righteous priest in whose lineage
Y'shua ministered as seen in Psalm 110:1-4.
Another clear
reference to Y'shua is made in Genesis 15:1, "after this, the word
of YHWH appeared to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I
am your shield, your very great reward."' A casual reading of this
verse would miss the literal Hebrew word picture. "The word of
YHWH" doesn't normally appear to; words are usually heard. Yet, to
Abraham the devar YHWH appeared! "The word became flesh and dwelt
among us," John 1:14. The Hebrew and Aramaic rendering of this
passage in Genesis makes such an appearance of Y'shua
believable.
During the times
of Y'shua the Old Testament was translated into the Hebrew dialect
Aramaic so most of the Jewish population could read the text.
These translations are called "targums." In the Aramaic Targum,
the term for "word" is "memra." The term "memra" is found
throughout the Old Testament as a character in the Bible. Before
the book of John was written, the Jewish people were familiar with
the Almighty being the "memra" or "word." The "memra" appeared to
Abraham in a vision. After the "memra" appeared to Abraham, the
Scriptures declare that "Abraham believed the WORD of YHWH." The
Aramaic Targum reads, "And Abraham trusted in the Memra of YHWH,
and He counted it to him for righteousness." Y'shua is the "memra"
- the Word made flesh. Y'shua is the priest, the King of
Righteousness.
Finally,
consider these words from Y'shua in John 8:54-59, "Y'shua answered,
If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that
honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your Elohim: Yet ye have
not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not,
I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his
saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it,
and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty
years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Y'shua said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. Then
took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went
out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed
by."
Applying the
Portion to Life Today
"If you belong to Christ/Messiah you are Abraham's seed and heirs
according to the promise," Galatians 3:29. This verse from the
book of Galatians shows us that all who are born again are of the
very seed of Abraham. The word "seed" in this verse is "sperma."
Believers are physically descended from the sperm of Abraham and
part of the commonwealth of Israel. This is the seed of the
righteous that has inherited the covenants of blessing made with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
YHWH has
promised to give us the Land of Israel. YHWH has promised to make
us innumerable. YHWH has promised to bless those that bless us and
curse those that curse us. YHWH has promised and YHWH keeps His
promises.
As descendants
of Abraham; as bondservants of Messiah we have a duty to make a
difference in our world. Everywhere Abraham went; his life shared
the message that the Almighty blesses those that seek Him in
faith. Abraham's life was an example of how a person lives through
faith in YHWH. He wasn't perfect, but he prevailed through the
tests and trials he faced. It was in Ur of Chaldeas, or Babylon,
that Abraham was living when he heard the still small voice of YHWH
calling him out. Our father left the comfort zone of his father's
home without any true knowledge of where he was going or what would
come of his journey. He survived famine, made peace with those at
odds with him, and even obeyed when he was told to cut the skin of
his own body.
Y'shua said in
John 8:39 that "if you are the children of Abraham then you should
do the things Abraham did." This call was to the religious crowds
who kept the minutia of Torah and yet lacked true faith in YHWH.
It is our trust; our belief; our faith in YHWH that moves mountains
and sets us apart from others who simply go through the religious
motions. "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would
later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he
did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the
Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in
tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same
promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and builder is YHWH," Hebrews 11:8-10.
The pattern in
the patriarch's life is very similar to how YHWH works today.
First, Abraham heard the call of YHWH while in the land of sin and
the bondage of Babylon. Then Abraham made a confession of faith
and began his journey towards the Promised Land. When he arrived
in Canaan he built an altar to YHWH and YHWH blessed him saying,
"to your offspring I will give this land." As his sojourn
continued the blessing grew. First he was promised the Land and a
blessing. Then he was promised multiplicity and the "length and
breadth" of the ground that he walked. As Abraham walked
faithfully with YHWH he would continually build altars and would
continually receive additional blessings. When Abraham's faith was
exhibited through continual obedience he continued to experience
the presence of YHWH. The faith of Abraham was powerful to sustain
him through the trials of his life. Do you have such trust? Would
you leave your home, job, and comforts to travel to a place you
have never seen? Abraham did and in the end was blessed for his
faithful obedience.
Portion Points
to Ponder
- From what land was
Abram called from? Where is this located today? Why is this
significant?
- Is the blessing and
curses given to Abram still applicable today?
- How old was Abram when
he left the land of his fathers? Why do people give or retire when
they reach 60 or 70? Should a person's ministry end when they
reach a certain age?
- What does it mean that
the "word of YHWH appeared to Abram?" Who or what was this
referencing?
- The famine caused Abram
to journey to Egypt. How is this similar to Joseph's family that
would later go to Egypt and endure a famine?
- Did Abram sin when he
told Sarai to tell the Egyptians that she was his sister? Did
Sarai sin by obeying Abram?
- When Abram left Egypt
did he leave empty handed or did he take with him the best of
Egypt? How was this similar to Exodus 12:36?
- Why did Lot and Abram
part ways? Is such a break sometimes necessary for people
today?
- Lot chose a land that
was well watered like Sodom and Egypt. What is significant about
how these areas watered their land? Did these lands have to depend
upon the early and the later rains?
- Abram is promised
descendents as numerous as the stars and the sand. His seed will
be so great that it can not be counted. Is this just the Jewish
people? Why or why not?
- What can be learned
from the battles of war between the kings in Genesis 14?
- Melkizadek appears to
Abram with bread and wine. Who is/was Melkizadek?
- What does the bread and
wine symbolize? How has this tradition been repeated by mainstream
Judaism?
- Before the Law was
given from Mt Sinai we read of Abraham tithing to Melkizadek.
Should believers follow this example and give a 10% tithe to the
local priest or teacher?
- In Genesis 15 YHWH
makes it clear that Isaac is the heir of Abram. What about
Elizier's son? What about Ishmael?
- Genesis 15:3 says that
Abram believed the word of YHWH and it was accounted to him as
righteousness." Was it solely belief that blessed Abram or did
works play a part? What does "righteous" mean?
- The cutting of the
sacrifices in Genesis 15 is a puzzling event. Reread this section
and then discuss the sacrifice, horror of Abram, prophecy of exile,
return from Egypt, judgment of plagues, and death of Abram.
- A "smoking furnace and
burning lap" passed between the sacrifices in Genesis 15. Is this
is the same cloud by day and fire by night that led the Israelites
in the wilderness?
- Abram had sexual
relations with a woman that was not his wife in Genesis 16. Was
this sin? Did it end in a blessing or a curse?
- "The angel of YHWH' met
Hagar to encourage her. Who is this messenger? Is there a
difference between "AN angel of YHWH" and "THE angel of YHWH?"
- In Genesis 16 the angel
of YHWH prophecies about the descendants of Ishmael. Who are these
people?
- Ishmael's seed is
prophesied to be a "wild man whose hand is against everyman." How
is this true today?
- YHWH commanded Abram to
"walk before me and be perfect" in Genesis 17. Is such a walk
possible? How does this walk of holiness connect to Genesis
15:3?
- Abram's name is changed
to "Abraham." Sari's name is changed to "Sarah." What do these
changes mean? Why would YHWH make such changes?
- The command of
circumcision or "brit milah" is given in this week's Torah
portion. Is brit milah necessary for salvation today? Was brit
milah ever required for salvation?
- What does brit milah
symbolize? Do you think the procedure of circumcision is the same
today as it was thousands of years ago?
- What does it mean that
the uncircumcised person "will be cut off" from among the
people?
- Genesis 17 shows an
amazing confession about Ishmael. Did Abram want Ishmael to be the
son of promise?
