SERIES A --- YHVH’S PIONEERS -- LESSON 11

PROMISE RENEWED

A PROMISED SON

From Genesis 15–16

After the war of the kings had ended, Adonai spoke to Abram in a vision. [Do not be afraid Abram, for I am your Shield,] Adonai said. [I will reward you richly with great blessings.] [But Adonai, I have no son,] Abram cried out. [How can I enjoy Your blessings without a son to be my heir, knowing that Eliezer of Damascus will inherit all that You give me? Since You have given me no child, a slave will inherit all I have.] [Eliezer will not be your heir,] Adonai answered. [Your own son will be your heir.] Adonai brought Abram outside under the great canopy of the sky. [Look up into the heavens and count the stars, if you can,] Adonai said. [Your descendants will be as many as the stars of the sky tonight.] Abram believed Adonai, and Adonai accepted him as righteous because he believed. Then Adonai told him, [I am Adonai Who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land forever as a possession.] [But how can I know for sure that this will be mine?] Abram asked. [Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon,] Adonai told Abram. Abram brought all of the animals, cut them in half, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he did not cut the birds in half. When birds of prey swooped down to devour these sacrifices, Abram drove them away. As the sun was setting a deep sleep came upon Abram and an overwhelming feeling of darkness swept over him. Then Adonai spoke again to Abram. [Your descendants will be slaves in a foreign land for four hundred years,] Adonai told him. [They will work for those who oppress them but I will punish the nation they serve and later they will go free with great wealth. But you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. Your descendants will return here in four generations, for the wickedness of the Amorites will come to full fruit at that time.] When the sun had set and darkness had come over the land, Abram saw a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passing among the pieces of meat. Then Adonai made a Covenant with Abram. [To your descendants I give this land from the River of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates, along with the peoples therein; the Kenite, the Kenizzite, the Kadmonite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Rephaim, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite and the Jebusite.] Sarai was still childless at this time so she decided to give her Egyptian maid Hagar to Abram as a second wife, to bear children for her. [Adonai has not given me children,] Sarai told Abram. [Try to have children through Hagar and her children will also be my children.] Abram listened to Sarai’s idea and agreed to take Hagar as a second wife. At this time Abram had been in the land for ten years. As soon as Hagar knew that she would have a child, she began to look upon Sarai with contempt. [I hope you suffer as I have,] Sarai told Abram. [I put my maid into your arms, and as soon as she knew that she would have a child, she began to look upon me with contempt.] [But your maid is in your own power,] Abram argued. [Do whatever you want to her.] Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she ran away. While Hagar sat by a spring of water in the wilderness an angel appeared to her. [Where have you come from Hagar?] the angel asked, “and where are you going?” “I am running away from Sarai, my mistress,” Hagar answered the angel. [Go home to Sarai and submit to her,] the angel commanded. [I will give you so many descendants that you will not be able to count them. You will have a son whom you will name Ishmael, for Adonai has noticed your affliction. Ishmael will be like a wild donkey, against everyone and everyone against him, although he will continue to live near his relatives.] Hagar realized that this was Adonai speaking to her so she called Him [The Seeing YHVH.] For she said, [Haven’t I seen YHVH yet I am still alive?] Then Hagar named the spring [Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.] This well was located between Kadesh and Bered. In time Hagar presented a son to Abram and Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six when Ishmael was born.

COMMENTARY

COVENANTS

When YHVH first spoke to Abram He promised to make him a great nation. Years passed. Abram and his wife, Sarai, remained childless. Then YHVH spoke again. [Count the stars,] He said. [Your descendants will be as numerous.] In spite of his advanced age, Abram believed the promise. Then, to show how sure the promise was, YHVH made an unbreakable Covenant: a contract known in Abram’s time as a Covenant of blood. In Bible times, a covenant was a solemn agreement between two people. Both worked out the terms of their agreement and swore in the presence of YHVH to honour all of the promises made in the covenant. A curse, included in the covenant, pronounced punishment or death if either party failed to uphold his half of the agreement. The word covenant is still used today by lawyers to describe certain kinds of contracts. Just as two businessmen shake hands after closing an important deal, the men of ancient times concluded their covenant with a special ceremony. They offered a sacrifice to YHVH and shared the flesh of the sacrificial animal in a ritual meal. This solemn occasion marked the moment when the covenant went into effect. But not every covenant made in Bible times was an agreement between individuals. Nations covenanted together to form political alliances or to establish peace among themselves. These treaties helped maintain a fragile balance of power in the Bible world. If one nation broke its covenant with another, the delicate balance was upset and armies began preparing for war. When the fighting was over and one nation had emerged as the victor over the other, a new covenant was established between them. The agreement, originally between equals, was now a treaty imposed by the conqueror on the conquered. These one-sided covenants placed all the obligations on the weaker party. But there are other examples of contracts in which the stronger member was responsible for fulfilling all the covenant promises. A rich man’s will, was a one-sided covenant in which he promised to distribute his wealth among his poor relatives. His heirs were not bound by the covenant to meet any requirements; they could accept or reject the rich man’s offer. YHVH used Covenants also. The Old Testament was His Covenant with Israel, first made with Abraham and extended to later generations. Adonai promised to be their YHVH and to give them the land of Canaan. In return they were to worship Him and obey His Law, with failure; punishable by death. But YHVH understood peoples’ weaknesses. They were not capable of meeting every requirement of His Law. He established a system of sacrifices by which they could atone for their sins. The sacrificial lamb suffered death in their place and preserved the Covenant between YHVH and His people. The Israelites turned away from YHVH and worshiped foreign deities. They set up idols in the temple and neglected to offer sacrifices to YHVH. They broke the old Covenant by their behaviour. But Adonai did not abandon men. Instead, He made a new Covenant that extended to all mankind. In the New Testament, YHVH took upon Himself a share of man’s Covenant responsibilities. He provided His own Son as the sacrificial Lamb to bear the curse of death. Moshiach’s blood has atoned for mankind’s sins as one great sacrifice. Animal victims are no longer to be offered for sin. Under the new Covenant people everywhere are like the rich man’s heirs. YHVH has met all the Covenant conditions and people have only to decide whether to accept or reject His offer.

Shabbat Shalom! Gather the kiddos around for this week's fantastic episode of "Trained Up In Torah"! ?

Can we still learn from the Ten Commandments?
Join us for the Livestream service starting soon

The Latter, the Letters & the Secret of Redemption
Exploring this week’s Torah portion “Vayetze”/“And He Went Out”… Jacob’s Dream about redemption. Who or what is Jacob’s ladder? How do we ascend the ladder? Discover on a deeper level what is hidden in the Hebrew that reveals an open secret to ponder for a lifetime. Going LIVE @ noon CST on Facebook. Search “Ian Nava Michaels” to find us!

SMALL STRAWS by MARSHA BURNS
There is a strong and mighty wind blowing in the realm of the Spirit that will remove all guilt and shame. It will sweep away the debris of the past and prepare you for a new beginning. But you must embrace the innocence of starting over and leave the past behind. Receive the forgiveness afforded you through the redemption promised by the blood of Yeshua haMashiach. Romans 3:23-26: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Messiah Yeshua, whom Elohim set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance Elohim had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Yeshua.

#bible #scripture

SERIES A --- YHVH’S PIONEERS -- LESSON 10

LOT’S CHOICE

THE WAR OF NINE KINGS

From Genesis 13:5–14:24

Like Abram, Lot was becoming a wealthy man with sheep, cattle, and servants. But the land could not support both men with all their possessions while they lived together. Also, the Canaanites and Perizzites were still living in the land. Before long the herdsmen of Lot and Abram began to quarrel. [Let us not quarrel,] Abram told Lot. [Our herdsmen must not quarrel either, for we are the same family. Choose the land you want and I will take what remains. If you want that part over there, I’ll take this part. If you want this part, I’ll take that part over there.] Lot studied the land carefully and noticed especially the well-watered, fertile plains of the Jordan River. Before Adonai destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, this land was like the garden of Eden or the land around Zoar in Egypt. So, Lot chose the Jordan Valley and the land to the east for himself. Lot and Abram separated, and Lot moved to the new land with his flocks and servants. While Abram remained in Canaan, Lot settled among the cities of the plain, setting up camp near the city of Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinned greatly against Adonai. After Lot had moved away, Adonai spoke to Abram. [Look in every direction, north, east, south, west, as far as you can see. I will give all the land you can see to your descendants forever. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth. If anyone can count the dust of the earth, then he can also count your descendants. Now walk throughout this land, for it will be your heritage.] Abram moved his tent and settled by the oaks of Mamre, near Hebron. There he built an altar to Adonai. In those days war came to the land when five kings rebelled against King Chedorlaomer of Elam. The five who rebelled were Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which was later called Zoar. These five kings had been subject to Chedorlaomer for twelve years; but in the thirteenth year they rallied their armies in Siddim Valley, the valley by the Salt Sea. The next year Chedorlaomer swept across the land with his allies, Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, and Tidal king of nations. First, they conquered the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim in the plain of Kiriathaim, and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran near the desert. From there the conquerors turned to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and conquered all the land of the Amalekites as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. Then the five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela attacked Chedorlaomer and his allies in the Siddim Valley. But the armies of the five kings were defeated; and as they retreated some of the men fell into the asphalt pits which were scattered throughout the valley. The survivors fled to the mountains. Chedorlaomer and his troops took all the wealth and food of Sodom and Gomorrah and headed toward home, taking Abram’s nephew Lot and all his possessions also. But one man escaped and reported these events to Abram, who was camping among the oaks of Mature the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner, allies of Abram. Abram immediately rallied the three hundred and eighteen men of his household and pursued Chedorlaomer’s forces as far as Dan. When night came, he attacked, chasing the army as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. Abram recaptured all the goods and people Chedorlaomer had taken including Lot and his possessions and the women and other captives. As Abram returned from his victory over Chedorlaomer and the other kings, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh, the King’s Valley. Melchizedek, the king of Salem {Jerusalem} and priest of the Most High YHVH, met Abram there, too, bringing him food and wine. Melchizedek blessed Abram, saying, [May the blessings of the Most High YHVH, Maker of heaven and earth, be upon you Abram and blessed be the Most High YHVH, Who has delivered your enemies into your hands.] And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had captured in battle. [Keep all of the goods for yourself,] the king of Sodom told Abram. [Give me only my people who were captured from my city.] [No, I have sworn to Adonai YHVH Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or sandal thong or anything that is yours,] Abram answered. [For if I do you might say that you have made Abram rich. I will take only what my young men have eaten and the portion of the goods to which my allies, Aner, Eshcol and mature are entitled. Give each of them their rightful share.]

COMMENTARY

THE BATTLE OF THE KINGS

Many chapters of Genesis are filled with stories of men and women like us. We read of their hopes and fears, their choices and the result of those choices. Lot was a nephew of Abram. Both men gained great wealth in herds of animals. When the time came for them to separate, Abram gave Lot first choice of the land. Would Lot choose the hill country, or the rich valley land near the city of Sodom? And what events would flow from his decision? Chedorlaomer, Amraphel and Shemeber, names of ancient kings, sound strange to modern ears. Who were these long-ago rulers and where did they reign? In the days of Abraham, the land of Canaan was divided among many petty kings. Each city had its own king and worshiped its own gods. Although two cities might be within sight of one another, they remained individual kingdoms with separate armies. In the region of the Dead Sea, a cluster of these Canaanite city-states were ruled by five separate kings: Berea, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the unnamed king of Zoar {Bela}. For twelve years they had paid tribute to Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, but their restlessness finally broke out into revolt. Each one by himself did not have the strength to rebel against Chedorlaomer, but the five together formed a powerful army, and they joined forces against their Mesopotamian overlord. When the cities of the plain withheld their tribute from Chedorlaomer, the Elamite king called his four allies to war. With the support of Arioch, king of Ellasar; Tidal, king of Goiim and Amraphel, king of Shinar, Chedorlaomer marched west and south, following the arc of the Fertile Crescent. On the Jordan plain he met the five rebel kings. Although the alliance of Canaanite kings outnumbered the supporters of Chedorlaomer, the rebel army could not match the skill of the Mesopotamian forces. Chedorlaomer defeated the Canaanite kings thoroughly, scattering their armies and destroying them. He looted their cities, plundering them of riches and carrying off their inhabitants as slaves. Lot, Abraham’s nephew, was among the captives destined for slavery in Mesopotamia. The manner in which Abraham travelled to the north and attacked the forces at night shows his wisdom and power as a warrior. Armies did not usually try to fight at night, so the enemy was totally surprised and thrown into panic. But the manner in which Abraham shared a tithe of the booty with Melchizedek showed his devotion to YHVH and His priest. Abraham also refused to keep the other nine-tenths of the booty, considering his reputation more important than wealth.