TORAH and GLORY SCHOOL
Torah and Glory School Parsha Commentary Course
Word and Spirit
An education ministry of Bless the Land
Written by Hutch Church
November, 2011
Introduction: The Torah and Glory School lessons are based upon the whole Word of God—the Torah (Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, the Tanakh (includes the remaining books of the Old Testament, also referred to as the Prophets and Writings), and the Apostolic Scriptures (entire New Testament of Brit Chadashah). Throughout our lessons we exalt Yeshua and emphasize the nature, value, and necessity of living and serving within the full, active ministry of the Holy Spirit. We believe the return of Believers to (a) the study and standards of the Torah, (b) the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh), and (c) their Hebraic heritage will usher the Body of Messiah into greater intimacy and identification with Yeshua, separate His people from the spirit of the age, and equip us more completely for discipleship and service in the end-times.
We invite you to invest one year of your life in study and spiritual growth. The Torah and Glory School offers two levels of association: 1. Reader level. The lessons are available for use to everyone. 2. Student [Talmidim] level. Here, people actually enroll in the school, commit to working our program, and invest one year of their lives into intense spiritual transformation. For information concerning the Torah and Glory School, and the process, requirements, and advantages of enrollment, click HERE. You will be taken to our school's Introduction Page where the program will be explained.
Parsha Lesson Five: Chayei Sarah ("The life of Sarah")
Torah: B'resheit 23:1--25:18
Haftorah: 1 Kings [Melechim Alef] 1:1-31
Brit Chadashah: Luke [Luka] 9:57-62, 1 Corinthians [Qorintya Alef] 15:50-57
Sections: 1. Welcome 2. Weekly Commentary 3. Study and Hearing 4. Prayer 5. Conclusion
Section 1: Welcome to the Word
Bet. In Hebrew bet is used as the number two. It is used to number the second commandment given on Sinai (Exodus 20:3). Beta, the Greek letter, was formed from bet. Our English letter “b” is derived from bet also. Each verse in Psalm 119:9-16 starts with bet. The structure of the letter pictures a house with whatever would be inside it. The eight-verse stanza points out that it is what is inside a person or a family group, with regard to spiritual and moral values (“now abideth faith, hope, love, these three…” 1 Corinthians 13:13), that is important. Seek YHVH this week and live these verses.
“With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your Word” (Psalm 119:13-16).
What is in the heart will come out of the mouth. Thus the psalmist, who rejoiced in the Torah, was able to set before people words of edification. Indeed, all Israelites were to know, store up, and teach YHVH’s Law to one another [“…and you shall talk of them…”] and, in particular, their children [“…teach them diligently unto thy children”]. But we can only talk wisely and with strength of that which we know and understand. It is by persistent meditation that we begin to grasp the full force of His truth. The psalmist writes, “I will never forget thy Word.” Why not? It was inside him, laid up in his heart. Pray for spiritual hunger.
“Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Mt. 5:6)
.
The analogy of spiritual things to eating and drinking is not restricted to the New Testament (Luke 12:30) but is seen also in the Tanakh. "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters..." (Isa. 55:1). The essence of the fourth beatitude of Messiah, though, is not in the actual activity of consumption, but in the sincere desire for spiritual truth, in the craving. There is a progression in His teaching. First, He spoke of the poor in spirit. Then He spoke of those who mourned over their poverty of spirit, who recognize their own spiritual deficiency and are empathetic concerning the spiritual needs of others. Next, He spoke of those people who were meek, and ready to receive whatever teaching or correction that was necessary for their renewal and restoration. In this beatitude He addresses those who earnestly desired, who deeply longed for what they lacked--a right relationship to the Almighty, and sanctification. These wanted full righteousness--YHVH's righteousness; to exhibit His unfaltering love and walk in His unswerving correctness. They were not after rewards. Those He addressed sincerely desired a right standing before YHVH. They believed in and genuinely wanted a holy life. Their irrepressible desire to be free from sin, become justified, and act in accordance with divine, moral law, was a gift from above, a divinely implanted quality, an unabated motivation, a consuming force. Yeshua simply says of them,"...for they shall be filled." Righteousness is obtainable only through faith in Messiah Yeshua. Those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness" today are believers who want to live out His righteousness. They realize that in this quest lies freedom, victory, and joy. Mankind longs for happiness and finds many avenues by which it attempts to satisfy itself, but in the end is disappointed. Only experiencing His righteousness brings satisfaction of soul, and the wise are therefore determined to possess and abide within it to the fullest possible extent. The words of the Master are more understandable now. "...the kingdom of heaven suffers violence [It is forcibly entered.] and violent men take it by force [They do not take "no" for an answer, but seize it for themselves]" (Mt. 11:12). He was talking about the spiritually hungry and thirsty whose lives are journeys into His kingdom and righteousness, and who do not allow anything to resist their progress. This describes you and me. We are among those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is why we are returning to our Hebrew roots. We have decided to press forward and experience the kingdom, power, and glory of YHVH this year in a greater measure than before. Tamid kadima—Always forward!
Section 2: Weekly Commentary
Last week: In VaYera (:"And He appeared") Abraham received an unexpected, personal visitation at his tent from the Holy One of Israel and two angels. He interceded for the righteous of Sodom and Gomorrah, and went to Mount Moriah by divine edict intending to sacrifice his son, Isaac. At the mount Elohim substituted a ram for the patriarch's son, and Abraham received a deeper revelation of the Almighty, that of Him being YHVH-Jireh, which interpreted means, "In the mount the Lord [His provision] shall be seen." Basically, His Name tells us that at the point/moment of our need His provision will come forth. The Almighty revealed Himself to Abraham (and to us) as "Provider". Paul confirmed that designation when he wrote to the generous Philippian believers, "But my Elohim shall provide all your need according to His riches in glory by Messiah Yeshua" (Phil. 4:19). We learned from VaYera that personal faith and one's revelation of YHVH are progressive in their development and keep growing throughout the life of a servant of YHVH/a disciple of Yeshua.
This week: Chayei Sarah opens with the death of Sarah and closes with the death of Abraham. Old age had overtaken them at their respective times, but not before they had fulfilled their service and accomplished YHVH's will for them. They were both examples of the "good and faithful servant" referenced in Matthew's Gospel, chapter twenty five. We are not judged based upon our accomplishments, but upon our faithfulness. "Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2). We learn from the lives and deaths of Abraham and Sarah that the true estimate of a servant's life and influence is found in his/her relationship to YHVH and His Word. A servant is a "minister," not a "lord." The word minister originally referred to someone being an "under-rower" on a large boat, a common sailor who manned an oar and who was usually found among the lower class of workers. Ministers were about equal to "steerage" class people who slept in the dank, lower level of the boat's hull that was below the waterline. Ministers today would do well to remember that we are mere servants of Messiah, under-rowers, who have no authority or power of our own other than what we receive of Him. We are only equal, not superior, to those we serve. Ministers are therefore stewards, and our chief requirement and qualification is faithfulness--loyal service to Yeshua and His flock. Abraham and Sarah were the first Hebrews, true pioneers and settlers in Canaan, and faithful stewards of His promise. They are illustrations of faithfulness, our examples of the faith, service, and patience required of Israelites to obtain the promises of YHVH and bear fruit that endures even after death (Hebrews 11:8-12). Parsha Chayei Sarah ("Life of Sarah") includes these momentous events: the death of Sarah, the marriage of Isaac to Rebecca, Abraham's reunion with Hagar [Keturah] and the subsequent birth of six more sons, and finally, Abraham's death and burial
.
Torah
Torah Note #5: We have learned that the Torah consists of the first five books of the Tanakh, or Old Testament. Further, we have seen that Torah also refers to the oral tradition, or the oral law, that has been passed down through the generations since Moses received the Commandments from YHVH on Mount Sinai. Torah also refers to the whole body of Jewish religious writings, commentaries, and teachings. The Jewish Bible consists of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings, twenty-four books in all. The Christian Bible includes the New Testament, which is also called the Apostolic Scriptures. The Talmud refers to the vast collection of Jewish Oral Law, religious instructions, and traditions.
The Torah contains 613 commandments, many of which pertain to the individual and domestic behavior. Thus, while it deals with concepts of God and profound existential issues, the Torah is imminently practical as well. It puts focus on the family as the center of Torah society. For instance, in Exodus 20:12 we read: "Honor your father and your mother in order that your days shall be lengthened upon the land that the Lord God has given you." In Hebrew this is called kibbud av v'em. Good works, kind words, kindness in general, charity, visitation, mercy, and hospitality are principles of good personal behavior extolled by the Torah. The essence of the Torah is expressed by what we commonly call "the Golden Rule." Yeshua Messiah spoke of it in Matthew 7:12 where He said, "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the law and the prophets."
Paul summarized the Torah's principles for personal and public life in Ephesians 5:1, where he wrote: "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Messiah also hath loved us, and has given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor." Love is the core of the Law (Instructions for life). To be a follower of God is expected to be an imitator of Him. It means to do what He does, as He does it, because He does it. This did Yeshua. "The Son can do nothing of himself but what He sees the Father do: for what things soever He does, these also do the Son likewise" (John 5:19). Yeshua is the Living Torah.
1. "And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: there were the years of Sarah's life" (B'resheit 23:1).
Sarah was the beloved and faithful wife of Abraham, the mother of the promised seed, Isaac, and is considered today as the spiritual mother of all believers. When she died she was 127 years old; Isaac was thirty-seven at the time. She is the only woman whose age is mentioned in Scripture. One rabbinic writer said her age revealed that Sarah had the exuberance of a seven year old, the beauty of a twenty-year old, and the wisdom of an one-hundred year old. In any case, she was a woman of faith, even as her husband was a man of faith. "By faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, even when she was past age..." (Heb.11:11). She died in Canaan, in YHVH's land, her inheritance.
Abraham had lived as a wanderer and pilgrim in Canaan, but with the death of Sarah, he actually purchased land for a sepulcher. The friend of El Shaddai desired to acquire a proper burial site, a sepulcher befitting the greatness of his wife. He found such a site at the Cave of Machpelah, which means “double,” or having two chambers. [The name suggests that couples would be entombed there.] With the cooperation of the children of Heth, who was the son of Canaan, the son of Ham, Abraham negotiated with the wealthy owner, Ephron, and paid what is considered an exorbitant price for the property. It was a practical and necessary acquisition, but also an act of faith in the promise of Elohim (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:17-18). Abraham paid silver for the Cave of Machpelah in which he buried Sarah, and the cave and field became a token, or pledge, “…the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not [yet] seen,” of the whole land which his seed would one day possess.
“Sarah died in Kiriath-arba which is Hebron in the land of Canaan” (verse 2).
An interesting comment from the Chumash, Stone Edition, page 107: “The city was so named because four giants lived there (see Numbers 13:22); or the name was given prophetically because four illustrious couples would be buried there: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah (Rashi).”
Thus was the death and burial of the Matriarch Sarah. As noted, she was an aged woman, a princess, wife of Abraham, and mother of the promised seed. She was doubly blessed. In time, Abraham, Rebecca, Isaac, Leah, and Jacob were laid to rest in the cave. Only Rachel, of the great patriarchal family, is absent.
After the burial of Sarah, Abraham turned his attention to another important family matter, that of finding a wife befitting the heir to the promise, his son Isaac.
2. "And Abraham was old...and said unto his eldest servant of his house that ruled over all he had...I will make thee swear by the Lord...go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac" (B'resheit 24:1-4).
The legacy of Sarah had to be perpetuated, and the promised seed must be propagated. These were the deep concerns of Abraham. He knew it was time to find a suitable wife for Isaac. But Abraham was protective of his house, and determined to keep his only heir, Isaac, secure in the land of Canaan, close by his family camping and grazing grounds. The patriarch would not send off his own into the world of the Chaldeans to find himself a wife, lest he become "...turned back again to Egypt" (Luke 9:63). Abraham remembered well (a) the idolatry in Chaldea, and (b) the outcome of his nephew Lot, who had strayed from sound wisdom and flirted with the corruption of Sodom. The divine call that had brought Abraham from Mesopotamia would not be recklessly jeopardized. The sacred inheritance would not be endangered by exposing Isaac to the temptation of remaining in "the old country" if his wife refused to return with him to Canaan. So he instead placed his trusted servant Eliezer under a solemn oath--"Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh"--to find and fetch an appropriate wife from Abraham's own people, among whom there was still knowledge of the One True Elohim, and bring her back to Canaan and his son, Isaac. He was careful to have this accomplished while Isaac remained in the land, as he was the only divinely appointed heir to the soil. Under no conditions would Isaac be permitted to marry a daughter of the Canaanites, an already doomed, pagan race. Abraham was a man of faith and had confidence the mission would be successful and blessed.
Learn: True faith, based on the Word of God, has clearer sight than sense and reason. May our steps be guided by the Spirit as was the mind of Abraham and the heart of his servant. Eliezer was a trusted messenger, steward over the property of the patriarch, obedient, as becomes a servant, and wise, as would be expected for a man of his age. Foremost, he was a man of prayer and faith. [Note: Eliezer is a type of the Holy Spirit (a) Who has quickened and guided the Zionist movement and the restoration of the Jews to the land of Israel, and (b) Who the Father has sent to gather from the nations, restore, equip, and return to the Father's house, the Bride of Messiah Yeshua. The Spirit is currently restoring many believers, who are in covenant with YHVH through faith in the blood of Messiah, to the knowledge of their faith's Hebraic origins, their Israelite identity and responsibilities, and their heritage of the Spirit and Torah of YHVH. From this perspective, Rebecca is a type of the Bride.]
The world's wisdom, which had called out to Lot from the gates of Sodom and Gomorrah, would have told Abraham to find a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanite pagans, and thus, through ungodly alliances, gain stronger footing and favor in the promised land. But Abraham was influenced and led by the Spirit of YHVH to obtain a wife for his son from his brother's family, and success for the venture would be granted to him. Abraham had learned from the episode of Hagar and Ishmael that faith in the Almighty, YHVH-Yireh, must always be dominant over personal expediency [governance by self-interest].
3. "And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee...And it came to pass, before he [Eliezer, Abraham's servant] had done speaking that, behold, Rebecca came out" (B'resheit 24:12-14).
Eliezer arrived at his destination, Nahor in Haran, close to the hour of sunset when the maidens went forth to draw water from the public well. He likely spent much of his traveling time praying for wisdom and discernment, and in communion with the Elohim of Abraham. He was not looking for a girl of wealth or of a high social position for Isaac, but for one of modest means who was familiar with the work of a household. He was looking primarily for good character. With reverent humility and simplicity he prayed for kindness to be showed to his master, Abraham, and left himself out of the prayer altogether. The divine response was shown as Rebekah came forth and kindly offered to water Eliezer's camels. Her appearance, kindness, offer of hospitality convinced Abraham's servant that she was YHVH's choice for Isaac, and he bowed and worshiped the Almighty with thanksgiving.
"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of Elohim in Messiah Yeshua concerning you" (1 Th. 5:18).
Note: YHVH is as willing and eager to answer our prayers as He was to answer those of Eliezer, servant of Abraham. By prayer, seemingly insurmountable difficulties can be overcome.
Eliezer greeted Rebekah, explained his mission, and gave her gifts. She then ran to tell Laban her brother of her encounter. When he saw the bracelets of gold upon Rebekah's hands, Laban rushed out to bring Eliezer back to his tent to entertain him. He was a hospitable man--"Come thou in, blessed of the Lord"--but, like the rest of us, not immune to covetousness. With reverence for Elohim, Abraham's servant related the account of his venture, which Laban and Bethuel acknowledged as directed by the Almighty. Eliezer’s proposal, the first speech recorded in the Bible, was admirable and persuasive. The bride’s relatives consented, and agreed to the union. They were richly rewarded with expensive gifts, and a meal was served. In the end, Rebekah agreed to leave with Eliezer ("I will go"), accompany him to Canaan, and become Isaac's wife. A fraternal benediction was spoken over her as her family sent her away: "...be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them" (v. 60). It complimented the similar prophetic blessing given to Abraham--"I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore" (B'resheit 22:17)--would be fulfilled through Isaac's and Rebekah's offspring.
The whole venture went better than the loyal servant would have expected, and therefore he recognized the hand, mercy, and favor of the Most High in guiding him and bringing success to his undertaking. Whatever our challenges may be, let us follow the example of Eliezer and lay them before YHVH, because He loves us and has redeemed us, and will continue His support of us. Further, when we make our supplications for the welfare of others, the advancement of His Kingdom, the restoration of Israel, and the reconciliation of Judah and Ephraim, he will send an answer of peace, as He did for Eliezer (Phil.4:6-7).
4. "...the servant took Rebecca, and went his way. And Isaac came...And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel...the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother's Sarah's tent, and took Rebecca, and she became his wife..." (B'resheit 24:62-67).
As the camel train carrying Rebekah drew near to Abraham's home, Isaac was in the field, his place of regular prayer and fellowship with YHVH. [Note: His example is a divine exhortation for the reader to similarly enter into to daily prayer and meditation in the Scriptures, and enjoy the communion of the Spirit. These sweet disciplines provide great enrichment and protection for the soul of the maturing saint.] He mourned his mother but also anticipated the arrival of a bride he had never met. Hence, he had been earnestly praying, beseeching the Most High for a suitable, compatible mate. While he was praying the answer was arriving. Isaac "brought her into his mother Sarah's tent." She became his wife and was loved and invested with all the matronly honors and privileges as the new matriarch of the house. Both Sarah and Rebekah were women of faith, modesty, humble service, strength, and they were protectors and guardians of their ho
mes.
5. "Then again, Abraham took a wife...Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Abraham gave all he had to Isaac" (B'resheet 25: 1-2, 5).
Abraham took a second wife [or concubine; pilgash]. Some people think she was Hagar, who had returned to the region with Ishmael. But her name is given as Keturah [Hebrew origin; means incense; the name was revived by the Puritans]. We believe she was probably a servant to the family, as was once Hagar. In any case, Abraham's powers had been rejuvenated for the conception of Isaac, and apparently continued undiminished. "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance [irrevocable]" (Romans 11:29). He and Keturah had six sons. Nevertheless, Isaac, Abraham's son with Sarah, was constituted as his heir in compliance with the counsel of Yahweh.
6. "And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life...an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years...and his [eldest sons] son Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah..." (B'resheet 25:7-9).
The patriarch lived to a good old age and his end was peaceful. "...Abraham gave up the ghost [or, "...breathed out his spirit" into the arms of Elohim]" (B'resheet 25:8). The passing of others is described in the same way: Isaac (ch. 35:29), Jacob (ch. 49:33), David (Psalm 31:5), and Yeshua (Luke 23:46). He was buried in the promised land, in his own tomb, close to the remains of Sarah, in the Cave of Machpelah.
7. "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac [enriched Isaac with great temporal and material prosperity]..." (B'resheit 25:11).
"Although Abraham had many descendants, he carefully distinguishes the line of divine blessing. His peaceful end at 175 years set the seal upon a long life of faith and fellowship with God. His two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, although they live apart came together to meet at their father's grave. The influence of such a character as Abraham's is very elevating, even in the sphere of the world. Ishmael was not entirely forgotten, but Isaac, as the true heir of Abraham, hands on [was chosen to pass on] the blessing of the covenant." [1]
8. "Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham" (B'resheit 25:12).
Isaac and Rebekah continue the story of redemption. After the death and burial of Abraham, Ishmael had no significant personal role in the ongoing story of the patriarchs or in the history of Israel. Ishmael was a prince in the world. His name means, “God Hears,” and it thereby proclaims perpetually that the Almighty is essentially a Hearer of prayer, and is not far from them that cry out to Him (21:17). Even those scattered, who are far off, He will hear: “…if My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their lanre” (2 Chron. 7:14). The name was a fitting designation for Ishmael. A. YHVH heard the afflictions of his mother before his birth. B. At his birth, Abraham believed the report of Hagar regarding the testimony of the angel. C. When the lad laid beneath the shrub in the wilderness, YHVH heard his cry (Beresheit
21:17).
Ishmael’s days were numbered at 137 years when he died, and he was gathered to his people, going into the unseen ether to be in the society of like-minded souls and kindred spirits. It is certain that at death the good and the wicked will be separated and gathered to their respective, suitable places. Ishmael was not the heir of promise. Thus, the descendants of Abraham’s eldest son, though they developed and arose to historical importance, are listed…but the story goes forth with Isaac.
Haftorah
1. "Now King David was old and stricken in years..." (1 Kings 1:1).
Our haftorah reinforces the natural progression of life observed in the Torah portion, that of the son ascending to the place of his father, and the mother replaced by the daughter-in-law. The passage details King David growing old and tired. We read how His health was failing and he was perpetually cold. Abishag, a young maiden, was employed to provide bodily warmth for the weakening monarch. Adonijah, one of King David' sons, a spoiled, pampered but gifted youth, was nevertheless soured by a disregard for the rights of others, and vain ambition; "I will be king." He conspired with an undiscerning, unfaithful priest named Abiathar, and other base fellows and made plans to illegally ascend to his father's throne in the anticipated event of David's death, even though the king intended for Solomon to be his heir and succeed him. "Then King David answered, and said, Call me Bath-sheba...I swear unto thee...Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me...he shall sit upon my throne in my stead" (1 Kings. 1:28-30). Nathan and Bath-sheba warned David, and with his agreement, and the assistance of the faithful priest Zadok, they thwarted the rebellious son's scheme. Solomon--the one who had been chosen by David in the first place--ended up on the throne of his father.
Abraham had sons also, two of which were Ishmael and Isaac. But Isaac, his son by Sarah, was selected by the Almighty as the heir of Abraham (B'resheit 15:4; 17:15-21; 21:10). There was no attempt on the part of Ishmael to preempt his brother Isaac and seize his father's estate and power. The promises of the covenant would follow Isaac's genealogy. Abraham distinguished Isaac by giving him material and spiritual possessions, and by keeping Isaac with him, under his tutorage and care, while the other sons were sent away with lesser gifts. Thus, "...Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac" (B'resheit 25:5), including religious instructions, and by these he constituted Isaac his heir according to divine appointment. Learn: A father or mother makes a living for his/her family best by bringing into the home, week-by-week, along with the paycheck, a full measure of instruction on the Spirit and Truth of Yeshua.
Yeshua: The Living Torah "I did not come to abolish but fulfill" (Mt. 5:17).
“…everything that [Yeshua] spoke was the Word of God because, after all, He is fully God (Jn.1:1, 18; 10:30; 1 Jn. 5:20). Luke, the writer of the third Gospel (i.e., the ‘good message,’ story of God, one of the four written firsthand accounts of the life of [Messiah]: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) states clearly that when people heard [Yeshua] they heard the Word of God (Luke 5:1). Note that while the OT prophets usually began their message with some form of ‘This is what YHVH says,’ [Yeshua] introduced His sayings with ‘I tell you…’ (e.g., Mt. 5:18, 20, 22, 32, 39; 11:22, 24; Mk. 9:1; 10:15; Lk. 10:12; 12:4; Jn. 5:19; 6:26; 8:34). He had divine (i.e., of God) authority within Himself to speak the Word of God. It is so important to listen to Jesus’ words that He Himself says, ‘whoever hears My word and believes on Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned (Jn. 5:24). [Yeshua] is so closely identified with the Word of God that He actually is called ‘the Word’ (Jn. 1:1, 14; 1 Jn 1:1; Rev. 19:13-16). [2]
1. "And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Yeshua said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath nowhere to lay His head" (from Luke 9:57-6
2).
While He journeyed to Jerusalem Yeshua was approached by many people, some of whom wanted to be enlisted in his service and included among his disciples. In this passage, three actual incidents of men inquiring of Messiah are grouped to serve as examples of how Yeshua replied to such people, and in so doing reveals the nature of Abrahamic faith. The would-be followers of the Master were told in simple, straightforward terms what was required of those who offered to be included in His service and company. The same standard was required of Abraham when he first heard the call to go to a new land many centuries earlier. Using the backdrop of the churlish rejection Yeshua had just received from Samaritan villagers to emphasize His point, He said to the first man, "...but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Comforts and ease were not priorities in His service, nor were such things likely. To the second He said, "Let the dead bury their dead." Yeshua told the man to go and preach at once. The family funeral would only cause him to delay and then probably neglect the divine summons altogether. To the third man, who wanted to return to bid his family good-bye, He spoke of the danger of looking back: "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Returning to bid farewell to relatives could result in giving a farewell to Messiah...forever. "Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." (Heb. 3:7-8). His responses to the three individuals and their separate domestic circumstances plainly revealed that discipleship was demanding and included--along with certain rewards and satisfactions--privations and self-sacrifice. Loyalty to His commands and purposes took precedence over personal interests, and even home and domestic duties. The overly cautious, the impulsive who do not count the cost, the ungenerous, and those whose ardor cools over time, would not stand the test. "...some seeds fell by the wayside...stony places..." (Mt. 13:4-5).
Those who want to follow Yeshua must live in faith and dependence upon the Almighty as did father Abraham and mother Sarah. Like Yeshua, they had no house or permanent place to rest their heads when they obeyed Elohim and set forth on their journey from Haran. But they were resolute and did not allow the delights of physical comforts or the demands and pressures of worldly society to discourage, divert, or delay them. The true descendants of Abraham and Sarah will walk, even if they stumble and fall from time-to-time, in the patriarch's and matriarch's faith-footprints. Yeshua said to those who challenged Him, "If you were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham" (John 8:39). Yeshua did not encourage everyone who approached Him. Many who wanted to follow Him did not understand what becoming His disciple entailed. "But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness..." (Mt. 6:33). Yeshua's phrasing presents two aspects of seeking. The first is external, exhorting the believer to seek the spread and restoration of kingdom of Elohim, and His worship; the second is the call to seek personal, behavioral conformity to the Master's standard of righteousness. Both are of fundamental importance to Messianic believers, and both were priorities in the patriarch's life
.
Today, those who would be Yeshua's disciples [children of Abraham], will have to endure in their commitment to Messiah. But by their faithfulness, they will mature spiritually and become blessed like Abraham with: (a) increased works of faith, even "greater works than these" (Jn. 14:12), (b) growing openness to spiritual revelation, (c) ease of discerning the divine voice, (d) development of greater moral acuity, (e) reception of dreams and visions, (f) unhindered receptivity of the Holy Spirit's anointing, His gifts and fruit, (g) a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and (possibly) (h) entertainment of heavenly messengers. To be blessed like Abraham we must walk in the faith footprints of Abraham.
The Holy Spirit "But you will receive power..." (Acts 1:8).
“…you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). Not for regeneration. That occurs at conversion and the new birth (John 3). Yeshua wants His people clothed with power to communicate the Gospel. He is our Baptizer. The Greek word for power is dunamis. Dunamis indicates more than strength and ability. The word suggests power in action and at work, and includes authority to cast out demons and anointing to heal the sick. As a matter of fact, these two works are regarded as essential signs that should be manifested through Believers that boldly carry the message of the Kingdom of God (Lk. 4:14, 18, 36; 5:17; 6:199:1-2; Acts 6:8; 8:4-8, 12-13; 10:38; 14:3; 19:8-12). Hence, the power that is referred to in Acts 1:8 should accompany our preaching and teaching. Believers are, after all, His representatives on earth. We must follow the pattern He placed before us. See Acts 1:4.
1. "Here O Israel! The Lord [YHVH] is our God [Elohim; plural], the Lord [YHVH] is one [Echad]! You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons..." (Deut. 6:4).
The Shema affirms both the oneness and unity of YHVH, the only living Elohim. It informs the reader that YHVH is One, a Plurality in unity. At the time the Shema was written by Moses, the heathen pagan world surrounding Israel was full of Baals, Jupiters, Asheroths, and other idols and heathen deities. But the Elohim Who covenanted with Israel was declared to be One, the invisible Absolute, Creator and Ruler of the Universe, and He Who had been worshiped before the fall of man. In His Word He makes Himself known as the infinite One, the eternal Source Who (a) alone is to be worshiped, (b) alone must be depended upon, and (c) alone has the Word that must be obeyed. The Shema was (and remains) a statement of truth that stood against and refuted the false "faiths" which surrounded the children of Israel, and clearly affirmed there is but one great supreme Creator, Who is Master of heaven and earth. His Name is YHVH. Further, this vital truth was to be diligently taught to the children of every Israelite generation, ours included. Note: The sacred Name of Elohim appears as four Hebrew letter in the Hebrew Scriptures: Yud, hey, vav, hey, and is represented by the first letters of each, spelling YHVH. The four letters are called the tetragrammaton. In the Hebrew it's written right to left: Eloheinu YHVH echad YHVH Yisrael Shmaa.
The declaration of the unity/oneness of YHVH opposed polytheism, pantheism, and other local and national idols and false gods that proliferated in the ancient world. In the Shema, Elohim declares that He alone is to be loved and honored, with undivided loyalty, with the totality of man's mental and physical energies and resources. Where love exists, there will be obedience. Where there is compliance to His truth, there will be abundant life for Israel. When His people live in victory and in the abundance of liberty, He is glorified...and pleas
ed.
Thus our Elohim, YHVH, is One. He is a Plurality of Manifestation in indivisible, perfect Unity. Scripture teaches that He lives and manifests as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, yet He is One, Echad. YHVH, our Creator and Redeemer, has revealed Himself as the Father, Who is the Source of the Word, the Begetter. He is Elohim the Son, Yeshua, Who is the Word made flesh, the Begotten. He has existed with the Father from eternity. In Yeshua HaMashiach all the fullness of Elohim/deity lives/divinity abides in bodily form. Elohim is also revealed as the Holy Spirit Who proceeds from the Father and is divine and eternal.
The word "ruach" (or ruwach) was used in the Old Testament when talking about the Spirit. The word means wind. In the new Testament the word for spirit in Greek is "pnuema", which means breath, or breeze. Though we may think of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh as the Breath of Elohim, the Ruach is not an impersonal "thing" or "force" or an "it." The Ruach is He, the manifestation of the infinite Elohim! He is divine, alive, and sent to regenerate, indwell and empower the saints. His purpose is to have an intimate relationship with believers, exalt Messiah, and impart truth and understanding to His people. The Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh is: A. Omnipotent-all powerful. Luke 1:35. B. Omnipresent-everywhere at once. Ps. 139:7. C. Omniscient-all knowing. 1 Cor. 2:10. D. Eternal. Hebrew 9:14. E. Elohim. Acts 5:3-4. F. Given to us. "You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
There are over 450 references to the Ruach HaKodesh in the Bible. From the beginning of Scripture (Genesis) right on through to the end (Revelation) the Ruach HaKodesh has been intimately involved with creation and redemption. He is the inspiration and power behind the Hebrew roots movement, and the awakening and return of the House of Ephraim to his historical Hebraic heritage. Further, it is the Spirit Who will bring to pass the restoration of all Israel and reconciliation between Judah and Ephraim. In this hour of the believers' spiritual awakening, repentance, and return to the Father's house, it is obvious our vital need as a people of the Spirit, is to know Him. hear Him, experience His power, and be led by Him.
This sections reference sample is not exhaustive: Genesis/B'resheet 1:1-3,26; 3:22; 11:7; Ex. 20:3; 1 Sam. 10:10; 19:20; 23:2; 2 Sam. 23:2; 32:2; 1 Kings 22:24; Neh. 9:30; Zech. 2:10; 4:6; 7:12; Job 33:4; Ps. 51:11; 104:30; 139:7; Isa. 6:3,8; 34:16; 48:16; 61:1; 63:10-11; Micah 2:7; Mt. 3:16; 17:2; 28:18-20; Mark 1:1-12; 9:2; Luke 1:35; 3:21-22; 4:14-19; John 1:1,14,18; 14:26; 15:26; 17:20-22; Acts 2:32-33; 5:3-4; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 4:4-6; Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:16; 2:9; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rev. 4:8-11; 10:6).
Glory Note #5: "The Lord, the God of heaven Who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me..." (B'resheet 24:7). Abraham was distinguished from his contemporaries in that he was honored with divine visitations and communications. His faith and obedience to the word of Elohim kept him in a place of receptivity to the voice of the Almighty. A long list of other notable, consecrated people in the Bible also heard His voice and experienced His glory, and significant, fruitful ministries were birthed and anointed from the encounters. Should not such life-changing, ministry-birthing, divine encounters, visions, and revelations be desired and experienced by the saints in these turbulent days of restoration also? Yes! Of course they should! So let us go forward, prepare our hearts and spiritually position ourselves to experience the expressed glory of our Elohim, and become familiar with His voice. This is important. It will not be knowledge or liturgy that finally unites and reconciles Judah and Ephraim, even though shared customs will allow us to gravitate toward one another and coexist more closely. But seamless family reconciliation and completed bonding will occur only when both houses experience the manifest glory of Elohim within and upon us, and receive a new and profound revelation of the Holy One of Israel that fuses us [blends; melts together; makes indissoluble] into one new man in the revelation knowledge of Him. "...the evil of the children of Israel [Ephraim] and he children of Judah...I will gather them out of all countries, to which I have driven them in mine anger...I will bring them again to this place [Israel]...and I will give them one heart and one way" (from Jer. 32:32-39). A heightened comprehension of Him and of the Word will transform and unite the brethren in Spirit and truth. Divisions will dissolve in the glory. Finally, there will be no more family rivalry or dissension.
"And when I saw it [the vision; the display of divine glory; the kabod: the brilliant expression and tangible weight of His presence laden with His riches, goodness, love, power, and holiness], I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking" (Ezek. 1:28). Ezekiel was of the priestly line of Aaron. But by the visitation of YHVH he was elevated to the office of prophet also.
Returning Israelites, in order to more thoroughly/completely represent the Kingdom of God and serve men, should have their own transforming visions of Elohim, as well as personal encounters with the Spirit. Otherwise, the servant who is disinterested in, unfamiliar and inexperienced with, or simply insensitive to the Holy Spirit will tend to provide only intellectual, formal, liturgical ministry, void of the greater impartation of life provided by the Holy Spirit and His empowerment. In the last days we are told the Spirit will be poured out on all flesh, and "your sons and your daughters will prophesy...your young men shall see visions..." (see Joel 2:28-29). This looks like an invitation to latter day saints to come under the heavenly fountain of outpouring and receive repeated and increasingly more copious Spirit baptisms and the concomitant personal transformations. It's a "get ready" call suggesting Abba wants to "elevate" His people into new realms of His Spirit and with fresh anointing for new levels ("greater works") of ministry. Would you like to be elevated to the throne of grace and experience His glory? What would you rather have, a divine vision and His voice to inaugurate your ministry/life as did Ezekiel, or a degree and handshake only? Preparation for service is absolutely necessary and is very good. We do not minimize these things. But divine visitation by Yeshua is more inspiring and empowering, and therefore much better. Can we command, manipulate, or in some way earn a visitation, or receive a divine encounter with our formulas, codes, or demands, or while disobedient, or even by remaining lukewarm? Of course not. Our motive must be to know Him intimately, not just about Him, and to become like Him, because we love him. Thus Paul writes, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death" (Phil. 3:10). The more we honor His truth and are being conformed to His likeness, the better we shall come to know him. However, intellectual knowledge alone, for life and ministry, is not enough. The knowledge of Messiah, His power, sufferings, and daily dying to self of which Paul writes is not wholly gained by sermons, or reading and study. It is acquired by direct, personal communion with Yeshua. "...they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Yeshua" (Acts 4:13). The degree of likeness to which Paul alluded is attainable only through intimate union with Messiah in the Word, and is accentuated and accelerated by communion with the Spirit
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The Hebrew roots movement has several purposes. One of them is to prepare and spiritually position believers, through the restoration of Hebraic truth, for entering into and abiding under greater intensities of His manifest presence and anointing. We have come to a juncture in restoration history where it's time to seek and experience visitations of His glory for the supernatural transformation and equipping of all Israel. "Then you shall call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And you shall seek me and find me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:12-13). In the passage, the beleaguered prophet Jeremiah turns his thoughts to those from Judah who have already been taken into captivity. He informed the captives in Babylon that after seventy years they would be re-gathered and restored to Israel. They are told that when the time for release approaches, they were to "go to the place where prayer is made" and enter into common prayer for the fulfillment of the promise. This historical example is an encouragement for us living today. We believe the Body of Messiah is on the verge of a great spiritual revival and our nation is poised for another great awakening. Keep in mind, another spiritual awakening in our country (and others) is possible, even though we are under the lengthening shadow of divine discipline. An awakening would reap an unrivaled harvest of souls, restore multitudes to their Hebraic roots, and garner even broader support of Israel. The kairos time has arrived for us to seek His face for an unprecedended visitation of Elohim's glory to our nation. If our motive is (a) love for Him, (b) a sincere desire to know Him, (c) to become like Him, and (d) to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, then we have positioned ourselves well for His blessing. When Messianic Israelites start to sincerely seek Him with persistent prayer and fasting for a fresh, world-wide outpouring of His Spirit, we will experience the greatest individual and corporate visitation in history. This is our heritage and the call for the hour into which we are entering.
Ezekiel was overwhelmed by the glory of Elohim. He fell on his face while the Word of YHVH was emblazoned upon his soul. When he later arose, the encounter had made him into a different man, a man of the Spirit, an anointed prophet and seer, prepared for the demands of the calling set before him.
Parsha Summary
1. "...and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her" (B'resheet 23:2).
Chayei Sarah, which means the "life of Sarah", curiously begins with her death, burial, and Abraham's mourning. The Torah section then concludes with Abraham's death. What are we to make of this? Yeshua's words provide for us a hint. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24). The Messiah here references His death and resurrection, and the everlasting, glorious fruit of salvation and restoration that would bless many people as a result of His Atonement. The same idea is hinted at when He said to His followers, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself [die to himself], and take up his cross, and follow Me [in newness of life]" (Mk. 8:34). We find the principle of greater life continuing after death demonstrated in the account of Sarah.
2."And she shall be a mother of nations [literally: she shall become nations]..." (B'resheit 17:1
6).
In this passage YHVH completes the covenant He started with Abraham with a name change for Sarai, the promise to her of a son, and that nations would come from her. Isaac was born when she was old, however the progress of the promise of multitudes halted until Sarah passed away. Rebekah arrived soon after Sarah's death and burial in the Cave of Machpelah. And through Isaac and his wife Rebekah, the promise of Sarah's life found renewal and fulfillment as her seed was multiplied. As her generations went forth, the promise of nations and kings eventually was fulfilled. However, the fruit of her rich life of loyalty, strength, and faith--(a) the continuation of the covenant line, and (b) multitudes of descendants, nations, and kings--would become a reality after she was dead. To this day the "life of Sarah" blesses the earth. And her Seed has triumphed over the grave and hell!
"You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you" (John 15:16). What is a good life, then? It is: "That your fruit should remain [continue, and grow]." It is a life that bears good fruit, and honors YHVH. Such a life leaves behind blessed seed/people who themselves go on to bear good fruit, enrich their families and communities, and honor the Almighty. This describes the "life of Sarah" which went forth and blossomed after her death.
3. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (read 1 Cor. 15:50-58).
Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers. He encouraged them to maintain a life of faith, steadfast and immoveable faith, and to abound in the work of the Master Yeshua. Their life's labor was not in vain, he insisted, because their good works pleased YHVH, favorably affected others, blessed the doers themselves, and would be ultimately rewarded with triumph over death.
Hear His Voice
“From of old no one has heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and shows Himself active on behalf of him who [earnestly] waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:4 AMP).
When we pray, trust, and wait (not necessarily a long time) for Him to respond to us, the Holy Spirit will lead us into exciting and amazing experiences in prayer and intercession. It is wise to do so. We will wait in line for coffee and a donut, or for a seat in a fancy restaurant, or to go on a carnival ride, but we tend not to wait often enough in prayer to experience His voice/leading. It is profitable to spend time waiting on the Most High.
“The counsel of YHVH standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11).
YHVH’s voice has been available to all generations for those Believers who take the time to listen. To wait on Him means that we first admit we need His divine help moment-by-moment to do what is right in His sight. We are not to strain to hear an audible voice, for He speaks in many ways, but we certainly want that sensing in the spirit, the inner witness in the heart, concerning the Spirit’s leading and confirmations. Sometimes His leading may turn you from your plans. If so, cheerfully yield. You may be in for a great, life-changing adventur
e.
You have read our commentary .Now, enter into Section 3 and read for yourself all the parsha Scriptures. We have encouraged you to listen for the voice, the instruction and guidance of the Holy Spirit [Ruach HaKodesh]. Expect to hear from Him again this week. He is your Teacher. Remember, a primary way that He will use to speak to you is through the Word of Elohim (2 Sam. 23:1-2; Acts 1:16-20; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 3:7-11; 9:8; 10:15).
Section 3: Personal Parsha Study and Hearing
"Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne seven blazing torches burned, which are the seven Spirits of God [seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit]" (Rev. 4:5).
The spiritual heritage of Israel includes the Torah and the Glory of YHVH. The two are foremost revelations of His love, holiness, and perfection. The glory of Elohim is the totality of the goodness and righteousness of His character as revealed in the Scriptures, in creation, and supernaturally expressed, even visibly and tangibly, by His weighty manifest Shechinah ("settling") presence. Moses experienced His Glory at the bush incident, on Mount Sinai, and when the Tabernacle was first erected (Ex. 3:3; 33:17; 40:34-35). "It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of stone were in Moses' hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him" (Ex. 34:29). Both the essence of YHVH's Torah [Ten Commandments/Words written on the tablets] and YHVH's glory that were carried down the mountain by Moses are divinely birthed into the spirits/hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit and regeneration through faith in Messiah Yeshua (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 11:14-21; Joel 2:27-28; John 3:1-16; Acts 1,2,10; 1 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). Therefore we believe it is YHVH's will for all Israel to experience His manifest glory and goodness increasingly as our blessed individual and corporate habitation; as our tangible mantle and divine supernatural covering. (1 Pet. 4:14). Our hope is based upon His Word: "I will cause My Shechinah [His glorious, radiant presence; the supernatural brilliance which is the outward expression of His character and goodness; See Matthew 17:1-8] to dwell [to settle] in the midst of [within, upon] thee" (Zech. 2:10).
Messianic Israel is called to make, by faith and obedience to His Truth, His anointing, His tangible presence, and His discernible, manifest glory, dominant internal and external realities in our lives. With this intent in mind, we have provided a study methodology for your examination. Please read it and follow the study instructions. They explain the pathway of progress toward this pursuit of regaining the fullest possible measure of our spiritual heritage, the knowledge and experience of the Spirit and Truth of the Holy One of Israel. May the time we spend in prayer and study become times of divine encounters.
Torah and Glory School Method: "...search for Me..." (Jeremiah 29:13). This section is provided to help the student read beyond the basic commentary that we have presented, and study carefully all the Scriptures in the week's parsha for themselves. As each reader presses more deeply into the Word and learns to depend more consistently on the Spirit in his/her search for greater knowledge and intimacy with Yeshua, increased personal enrichment and spiritual transformation will be experienced and enjoyed. Section 3 contains a review of the weekly parsha's Scriptures, their topical content, and our questions. Working with each week's Scriptures and Questions are very important to our purpose. They are designed to assist the student to (1) develop a vision for the restoration and reconciliation of the whole house of Israel, (2) grow in foundational knowledge of the Torah, (3) recover the principles, practice, and Holy Spirit power of the early, first-century Nazarene believers, and (4) experience and enjoy greater dimensions of the kingdom, power, and glory of Yeshua.
The assigned Scriptures and Questions, along with Section Four's prayer and bless activities, comprise (5) the heart of the Torah and Glory School's study program by which the student can be most edified and advanced spiritually. By them the student learns on his/her own while depending on, and thereby coming to know more personally, the Holy Spirit. We strongly encourage each student to rely upon the Spirit/Ruach--for understanding, revelation, insight, illumination of the Word, edification, and divine fellowship--during prayer, worship, and study. He is the close-at-hand primary Teacher of the course, not this author. Learning the Almighty's voice and experiencing His manifest glory, not just acquiring more information, are central goals of the Torah and Glory School. The Scriptures--reading them while listening for the Holy Spirit, and the Questions--writing answers while under the Spirit's unction and receiving divine input, work together to comprise (6) the student's chief means of personal practice/exercise/training in seeking, waiting on, listening for, and promptly responding to the voice/word of Elohim. And by such seeking, faith-motivated students position themselves [spiritually, mentally, and emotionally prepare themselves for experiencing a visitation of Yeshua's presence and glory through the Spirit. In this way the Scriptures and Questions also become (7) the channels through which the Spirit of Messiah will directly communicate personal instruction, direction, wisdom, and comfort to each engaged person. The students who faithfully follow the "game plan" and remain committed to do so for the year, will be transformed. They will enjoy much closer fellowship with the Father, and Yeshua, His Son, and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, especially by the end of Deuteronomy.
Trust in the Ruach HaKodesh to guide and teach you from His Word. In the week’s readings listed below, find common themes. Look for types of Messiah Yeshua. Listen for His Voice.
Scripture Review and Questions: Now, read through the parsha while allowing the Spirit illuminate the Scriptures, and then answer the questions using your own words.
Prayer: "Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law" (Psalm 119:18).
Genesis 23:1-25:18: Sarah's death/ Cave of Machpelah/ Abraham sends Eliezer to Haran to fetch a wife for Isaac/ Rebecca at the well/ Eliezer and Rebecca return to Canaan/ Isaac and Rebecca meet and marry/ Abraham remarries/ Ishmael's geneology.
1 Kings 1:1-31: David passes authority to his son. YHVH's election.
1 Cor. 15:50-57: The last trumpet, the dead raised and transformed.
Study Questions: "...be ready always to give an answer..." (1 Peter 3:15). Trace the theme, the main idea, through each question.
1a. In your opinion, what is the main theme or teaching of each of the listed readings individually? Starting with the Torah: What is its title? What is the interpretation? What truth/idea does the interpretation of the title suggest? What is the Torah section's main truth, as you see it?
1b. What is the corresponding idea in the Haftorah? In the Brit Chadashah?
2. What is the outstanding, central idea or subject that runs through and unites all the individual readings, as you see it?
3. Find in the Gospels where and how Yeshua declares, demonstrates, exemplifies, or exhibits the parsha's central truth, and explain. Give chapter and verse.
4. In what way was the glory of YHVH [manifestations of His goodness] revealed in the parsha lesson?
5. What does the parsha teach you about your Hebrew roots, your identity, your destiny, your duty?
6. In what way did the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh personally speak to you during prayer and study this week? Did He impress you about how to apply the parsha lesson directly to your life? Explain.
7. "...because of practice [by reason of use] have their senses trained [exercised] to discern..." You and I are called to return to hearing the voice of Elohim and to functioning in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Progressing in these vital areas will require spiritual hunger, faith, and practice. He is waiting for us to approach Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak into your spirit/heart as you pray each day. Look for opportunities to lay hands on the sick, or to be used in prophesy. Faithfully record the prophetic words and experiences you receive, and be sure to share them with your brethren.
Recommendation: It is helpful to share your answers, insights, and revelations with your study group (table class). [If there are none nearby, start a group.] We recommend meeting regularly in a small group. This allows for healthy interaction and exchange, and militates against stagnation. Practice operating with your spiritual gifts under the anointing of the Holy Spirit while among your friendly, supportive peers. Allow for open participation in leading praise and worship. Give altar calls at your table for healing, refreshing, and prophetic words. These are effective ways for all present to mature in their calling and gifting. The non-threatening small group provides a favorable and encouraging environment in which to learn the ministry of the Spirit.
Section 4: Prayer, Declaration, and Blessing
“And I will bless them that bless thee” (B’resheit 12:3).
Important: Participate each week in the Bless the Land prayer, benediction, and singing exercises/activities, both individually and with your group. This is beneficial for yourself and others. Your joining in with vocal participation--blessing and strengthening Israel with your spoken words, prophetic utterances, sung psalms, and intercessions--will also help develop and enlarge your prophetic anointing and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Daniel, who daily faced Jerusalem and Israel from his house in exile to pray, is an example of what we can do weekly from our homes today. "...Daniel...entered his house(now his roof chamber had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling...praying and giving thanks before his Elohim" (Daniel 1
0).
Bless the Land: "On this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel, saying unto them [declaring the Word to and over them], the Lord bless thee...keep thee..." (Num. 6:23). YHVH wanted to bless, keep, and shine His glory on His people. So He had his priests stand in His place [stand in for Him] and proclaim the blessings, which He in turn would perform for the believing recipients. Believers have a similar role today, as did Aaron and the priests in ancient Israel. "But you are...a royal priesthood..." (1 Pet. 2:9). When we take our place as a responsible priesthood and begin to declare the written and prophetic word and will of YHVH, even spontaneous songs, over His people, He will rise up and perform that which has been declared. He works in partnership with his set-apart royal priesthood. Therefore, "...bless, for to this you were called, that you may receive a blessing" (1 Pet. 3:9)
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[Note: "The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life" (Prov. 10:11). Believers' mouths are connected to the spiritual power that created the universe. Our words possess/carry both constructive power (building up) and destructive (tearing down) power. Job 22:28; Luke 4:18-19; Mt. 21:21; 28: 18-20; Acts 1:8; 2:4; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12: 1-11; Eph. 6:17-19; Rev. 8:3). "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:2). Therefore, let us fulfill our priestly role and declare with confidence His Word over Jerusalem, Israel, and our nation this week.]
1. Pray for Israel.
Isaiah 43:1-7. We are using the listed Scripture passages for the duration of this first (of five) section, the B'resheet section. Use them. Become familiar with them. Commit to pray them weekly for the land and people of Israel and America [your nation]; for the leaders, for Israel's and America's [your nation's] spiritual awakening, welfare, safety, and return to righteousness. Use the prophetic words of Scripture as prayers and declarations.
2. Pray for Jerusalem.
Psalm 122:1-9. Speak this word in your prayers over Jerusalem.
3. Pray for America/Pray for your nation.
1 Chron. 7:14. Intercede. Press on. Continue to pray for repentance, a spiritual awakening, and a harvest in all the cities of the land.
4. Sing the Song of the Lord/prophetic songs.
"And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham" (B'resheet 24:12).
Eliezer, Abraham's beloved and trusted servant, was sent on a mission by his master to find a wife for Isaac among his master's relatives in his home country. He commenced the endeavor with prayer. He asked the Almighty Elohim of Abraham to "cause to meet, or come before me, what I need." The servant's piety, child-like faith, and concern for his master are truly commendable. He set forth from Hebron with his drivers and camels laden with choice gifts, and headed north up the Jordan valley to Haran. He soon arrived at the city of Nahor, stopped by the community well, and with simplicity prayed again. The answer was immediate. "And it came to pass, before he was done speaking [in his heart], that, behold, Rebekah came out."
Eliezer represents the attitude of prayer and supplication which returning Israelites should demonstrate in their own difficulties and challenges, and in the up-and-down pathways of their pilgrimages. His attitude revealed (1) true reverence, (2) faith, and (3) concern for his master's son's bride. Such sanctified faculties and focus assure prompt responses from heaven. "The effectual fervent prayer [petition] of a righteous [consecrated, believing] man avails much [has power]" (James 5:16). Where prayer and supplication are born of intimacy with YHVH, heaven opens, angels ascend and descend, and answers can come forth right before one's face.
So it will be as Yeshua's disciples pray to receive the Song of the Lord, which is, as a matter of fact, a petition purposed to uplift the Bride and bless the Master. The sacred ministry should and can become an important aspect of every believer's ministry, and every assembly's ministry, with Yeshua. The Song of the Lord is a new song, but with an exchange taking place--a dialogue--between He who is worshiped and the worshiper. It is supernatural, given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, spontaneous, and sung and played by a yielded human vessel. It is a truly edifying worship activity, and is even revelatory and instructive. Singing prophetic songs--of which is the Song of the Lord--is definitely an uplifting form of worship, and should not be ignored since it is of great value and within reach of us all. It releases a prophetic anointing upon individual and corporate worship and therefore carries with it exhortation, edification, encouragement, and even instruction and guidance. The Song of the Lord can also incorporate within its framework the gifts of the Spirit. It will bless the Body of Messiah with joy and strength, and exalt Messiah. Thus, the new song must not only be desired, it must be understood and practiced.
"But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn; I shall be anointed with fresh oil [vigor and power for service]" (Psalm 92:10).
Psalm 92 is a song for the Sabbath Day. We are told it was sung in the Temple during the morning service, at the time the drink offering took place. It was also sung on the second day of Sukkot. It is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving. In it, the psalmist--speaking prophetically for Israel--does not merely hope, but affirms that he (and YHVH's faithful ones) will be anointed with fresh [the best and most pure] oil. He is declaring that the presence of the Most High will bring new vigor and power to His people, and thus produce victory over their enemies. The psalmist's confidence rested solely on Elohim's faithfulness
.
Believers today can affirm their faith and promise in song with the same confidence. "I [and all my compatriots] shall be anointed with fresh oil." Fresh oil? Yes, the Spirit! For what? To receive vigor and strength for body, soul, and spirit, and divine empowerment for life and service. How will "fresh oil" come? For one thing, fresh oil [new anointing] is poured out with prophetic songs such as the Song of the Lord/Bridegroom. The grounds for our faith to flow with Holy Spirit inspired, prophetic, spirit-energizing songs are: (1) We are united with Messiah, the anointed One, the Bridegroom and Participant/Singer in the Song of the Lord (Jer. 33:11; Zeph. 3:17; Heb. 2:11-12). "Of His fullness we receive." (2) The Ruach HaKodesh dwells within us, along with His voice/word. "...the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" (1 Cor. 3:16). (3) The promises and faithfulness of the Holy One of Israel, Who forever loves us. "How much more will your Father [Abba] give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him" (Luke 11:13).
Like the psalmist above, Eliezer the servant also prayed with expectation. He positioned himself near the well and prayed. Then Rebekah showed up! Thus Abraham's household and seed was ordered, invigorated, and strengthened with the arrival of the fresh "life" of the new matriarch. The O.T. types are examples for our encouragement today. Let us, who are returning to the Father's house, also position ourselves at the well [His upwelling, manifest, tangible presence] with praise and worship in the Spirit, and prophetically affirm, as did the psalmist, "I [we] shall be anointed." Prophetic songs, even the Song of the Lord, will begin to show up to renew and refresh us. "Ask, and it shall be given you" (Mt. 7:7). We can go further into the heart of YHVH with our worship. Start by singing in the Spirit, with your prayer language. Step out in faith and let the anointing, the wind, the fire of the Spirit meet you. Come under a fresh anointing.
Section 5: Conclusion
1. "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16).
For us, living the life of Sarah, a life that bears fruit which endures, is commensurate with the exhortation of Paul to the Galatians to "walk in the Spirit," which is to live in closeness with and true affection for the moral and spiritual life of the Spirit, and remain dependent upon Him. This means that, individually as well as corporately, the prompting of the Spirit is our guide and the grace of the Spirit is our strength in the course of everyday life.
“For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other…” (Gal. 5:17)
“The spiritual conflict within believers involves the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. The struggle is whether they will give in to their own sinful inclinations and again submit to sin’s control, or whether they will surrender to the Spirit’s demands and continue under [Messiah’s] authority and control (v. 16; Rom. 8:4-14). The battlefield is within Christians [Messianic Believers] themselves, and the conflict will continue throughout their earthly lives if they are to eventually reign with Messiah (Ro. 7:7-25; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 12:11; Eph. 6:11). However, by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, and by following His guidance, a Christian will overcome his or her own ungodly desires and win the battle over the sinful nature.” [3] . The Spirit will produce for us a life that bears fruit that remains and enriches the earth, as did Sarah with her life.
Next parsha: Toldot ("Generations"): What a person or people produce.
Remember: Enrolled students [talmidim], be sure to submit your answers.
"The grace of Messiah Yeshua, and the love of Elohim, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" (2 Cor. 13:14). Shalom.
References: Weekly references generally include, but are not limited to, the following: Kehot Chumash; Spirit-Filled Life Bible; Pulpit Commentary, H. Spence and J. Exell; Torah Club; Restoration Scriptures; Chumash, Stone Edition; Hearing from God, J. Meyer; Chabad.org. Parashah; Old Testament Survey, K. Conner; www.familybible.org/BeitMidrash/FAQ/Torah.htm; Torah, A Modern Commentary, W. G. Plaut; Fodor's Exploring Israel, A Sanger; Judaism 101 Torah; The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, AMG Publishers; Restoration: Returning the Torah of God to the Disciples of Jesus, D.T. Lancaster; Christianity Reconsidered, W.L. Bowles; Torah Insights, R. Fischer; FireBible; Student Edition, NIV; Internet Sites; Jewish Encyclopedia. com.
Footnotes: 1. R., The Book of Genesis, Pulpit Commentary, Eerdmans, pg.315. 2. FireBible, Student Edition, Life Pub. Intern., p. 950. 3. Ibid, p. 1698.
