SERIES B --- CHOSEN PEOPLE --- LESSON 1

DIVIDED HOME

A DAY OF DECEIT

From Genesis 27

The years passed, and Isaac was an old man. One day he sent for his older son, Esau, to come to visit him. When Esau came to his father’s tent, the old man’s sight had become so poor that he could not see his son. [My son!] old Isaac called out when he heard Esau enter. [Is that really you?] [Yes, I’m here!] Esau answered. [I’m an old man and may die soon so I want to put my blessing upon you now,] said Isaac. [Take your bow and quiver of arrows and hunt some deer in the fields. When you have prepared it the way I like it, bring that delicious food to me so that I may eat it before I give you, my blessing.] While Isaac talked, Rebekah stood close to the tent listening to all that was said. When Esau went hunting, Rebekah found Jacob and told him what she had heard. [Listen to me,] she urged. [I heard this from your father’s own lips as he talked to Esau. He told Esau to get some venison and cook it the way your father likes it. When your father has eaten, he will give his blessing to Esau. Now go and do what I tell you so that you may get that blessing instead. Take two young goats and I will cook them the way your father likes his meat. You will take this to your father and pretend that you are Esau so that he will give his blessing to you.] [But Esau has such thick hair on his skin,] Jacob reminded his mother. [What if father feels me and realizes that I am tricking him? He will give me a curse instead of a blessing.] [Then his curse will be on me instead of you,] Rebekah answered. [Now hurry! Do what I have told you.] Jacob immediately brought the young goats to Rebekah, who prepared them so they would please Isaac. Then she helped Jacob change into Esau’s best clothes, which had been left there with her. She put goat skins over the smooth skin of Jacob’s neck and arms and sent him to Isaac with the food she had prepared. [Father!] Jacob called as he entered Isaac’s tent. [Who is this?] Isaac asked. [Esau! Your older son!] Jacob lied. [I did what you told me. Eat my food and give me your blessing.] But Isaac was suspicious and began to question Jacob. [How did you find venison so soon, my son?] he asked. [YHVH sent it to me,] Jacob lied again. Isaac was still suspicious. [Come here and let me feel you, my son, so that I may be certain that you are Esau.] Jacob went near Isaac, who felt his hands. [The voice I hear is Jacob’s voice but the hands I feel are Esau’s hands,] said Isaac. [Are you really my son Esau?] [Yes, I am Esau,] Jacob answered, lying a third time. [Then bring me your food so that I may eat it and bless you,] said Isaac. When Jacob brought Isaac the food, as well as some wine, the old man ate and drank. At last, when he had finished, Isaac called to Jacob, still suspicious that he might not be Esau. [Come here, my son, and let me kiss you.] Jacob came to his father and received the old man’s kiss. As Isaac smelled Esau’s clothing on Jacob, his last suspicions left and he gave his blessing to his son. [My son has the fragrance of a field which Adonai has blessed. May He send His rain, so that your harvests may be plentiful with grain and wine. May others serve you and nations bow down before you. Rule over your brothers and let them bow down before you. Cursed is everyone who curses you and blessed is everyone who blesses you.] Esau arrived at his father’s tent only moments after Jacob had left. He had cooked the venison and brought it to Isaac. [Sit up, father, and eat my food and bless me,] said Esau. Old Isaac was shocked to hear this. [Who are you?] he asked. [I’m Esau, your older son!] he answered. Isaac began to tremble when he heard that. [Then who hunted game and brought it here to receive my blessing?] he asked. [I ate it all and gave him my blessing, which I cannot take away.] When Esau heard that, he let out a loud, bitter cry. [Bless me, too, father!] he pleaded. But Isaac answered, [Your brother deceived me and took away the blessing that was yours.] [Jacob is the proper name for him, for he has cheated me of my place twice,] Esau said bitterly. [Once he stole my birthright. Now he has stolen my blessing. Have you no other blessing for me?] [I have made him your master,] said Isaac, [and master of all your brothers and servants. I have given him a blessing of food and wine. What other blessing can I give you?] Esau began to weep. [O, my father, bless me with just one blessing!] Then Isaac spoke these words to his son Esau. [You will live by your sword, away from the comforts and plenty of this home. You will serve your brother Jacob, but some day you will break his yoke of service and be free.] Esau hated Jacob because of his deceit and because he had stolen his blessing. [When my father dies, I will kill Jacob,] Esau said. Someone learned of Esau’s plans and told Rebekah, so she called for Jacob to come to see her. [Your brother Esau is planning to kill you,] she told Jacob. [You must go away to my brother Laban at Haran and live with him until Esau’s anger dies down and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send for you and you may come home again. Why should I lose you both at the same time?] To get Isaac’s approval for the trip, Rebekah told him this story. [I’m worn out, worrying that Jacob will marry one of the Hittite girls here. If that should happen, life would not be worth living for me.] YHVH had announced it at the birth of the twins. He intended to keep His great promises to Abraham through Jacob, the younger son. But Isaac favoured Esau. So, Jacob and his mother Rebekah plotted in their tent to steal a blessing YHVH was already committed to provide! How tragic. The blessing was given. But the deceit employed brought with it a heritage of hate.

COMMENTARY

ANCIENT POTTERY

For every golden cup or silver flask found among the treasures of an ancient king, archaeologists have discovered thousands of pottery fragments in the tombs and houses of ordinary people. These clay jugs and bowls were the everyday dishes of the ancient world. They are a very important kind of [time clock] for the modern archaeologist. The shape, the colour of the clay and the kind of design reveal how old the discovery is, and the object itself tells something about how people lived in those times. Clay vessels were first made more than eight thousand years ago. Potters shaped bowls and cups by hand. They rolled the clay in coils and arranged them in the rough shape of a bowl or pitcher. They sealed the cracks and carefully smoothed the outside of the pot with their fingers, the way beginners using clay do it today. Ancient potters’ fingerprints can still be seen on many vessels made in this way. When the potter’s wheel was invented, craftsmen used it to make more complicated and finer things. They continued to shape the bodies of jugs and vases by hand, for example, but bottles could now have long thinner necks. While the clay was still soft, the neck and body were joined together. A pattern pressed in the wet clay with a sharp tool hid the seam. By the time of Jacob, pottery-making had advanced still further. The entire vessel was shaped on the potter’s wheel. This faster method of production made clay dishes stronger, as well as cheap and plentiful. Pressed patterns and painted designs gave variety and beauty to such common household items.

Thought for Today: Shabbat December 10:

May YHVH add a brand-new blessing in you and for others through you. May He break every generational stronghold that keeps you from knowing and experiencing His great Love for you. May He move every mountain that blocks your view of Him. May He fill every low place with pools of blessings. May He restore everything stolen so that you can have a life He intended for you from the beginning of time. Your Redeemer is Strong and Mighty and He Loves you deeply.

Shabbat shalom to Israel in the diaspora

last night before i went to sleep i had to rebuke a black frog spirit that kept trying to get close and eat my face (it was a vision that i could not voluntarily escape) after i refused its attempt to invade my soul

it resisted rebuke repeatedly and was banished from this plane of existence and from influencing this plane of existence and promised to come back regardless which reminded me of the frog spirit that comes out of the mouth of the beast and false prophet (mandela effect added the dragon too but it was never there to begin with) so i told it before it left through a portal in the black goo that when it came back it had a penalty to face and then it left

intercession for my people has some pretty intense encounters from time to time and that one was on the level of facing off against a fallen angel trying to do something unlawful

i need my help meet, but what woman is able to live superlegal on a self sufficient homestead as a co-intercessor? what woman meets the criteria of being sexually pure and willing to part with all things legal (this does not mean homeless or without utilities, this just means we don't use *paper*/*digital* money or have anything to do with courts)? a virtuous woman who can find... especially in today's tragic society

as a parting attack there was a spirit that tried to strangle me for nearly two hours after i had that tussle with the frog spirit and i'm sure all i needed was someone there to agree with me in prayer to help me get rid of that scoundrel faster

This coming week, December 11-17 2022 (17-23 Kislev), the Bible reading plan covers the portion Vayeshev (And He Settled).

11 Dec Genesis 37:1-11 2 Samuel 1:1-2:21 Mark 5:1-20 Proverbs 6:1-11
12 Dec Genesis 37:12-22 2 Samuel 2:22-3:39 Mark 5:21-43 Proverbs 6:12-19
13 Dec Genesis 37:23-36 2 Samuel 4:1-6:11 Mark 6:1-29 Proverbs 6:20-26
14 Dec Genesis 38:1-30 2 Samuel 6:12-7:29 Mark 6:30-56 Proverbs 6:27-35
15 Dec Genesis 39:1-6 2 Samuel 8:1-10:14 Mark 7:1-23 Psalm 31:1-14
16 Dec Genesis 39:7-23 2 Samuel 10:15-12:14 Mark 7:24-37 Psalm 31:15-24
17 Dec Genesis 40:1-23 Amos 2:6-3:8 Mark 8:1-21 Psalm 32:1-11

The complete annual Bible reading plan for 2022-23 (Hebrew year 5783) is available at this link:

https://thebarkingfox.com/2022..../12/09/weekly-bible-

 

thebarkingfox.com

Weekly Bible Reading For December 11-17: Vayeshev (And He Settled) - The Barking Fox

This coming week, December 11-17 2022 (17-23 Kislev), the Bible reading plan covers the portion Vayeshev (And He Settled). 11 Dec Genesis 37:1-11 2 Samuel 1:1-2:21 Mark 5:1-20 Proverbs 6:1-11 12 Dec Genesis 37:12-22 2 Samuel 2:22-3:39 Mark 5:21-43 Pr

Shabbat Shalom Triumph In Truth family!

It takes a truly great man to love a difficult woman. Yah certainly knew what He was doing when He brought my husband and I together. We've really come to understand Genesis 2:24 in a way we never could have imagined and I am so grateful, to Yah, that He made me a man strong enough to tame this wild heart and wandering spirit!