Genesis Study
Genesis Study
The Journey Through the Torah Class series by Tom Bradford is a real achievement. With each lesson,
you will be introduced to new Scripture-based revelations. Tom Bradford’s classes on the five books
of Moses have formed an online institution that has attracted tens of thousands of participants from
all around the nation and beyond. Tom’s objective is to return to the original language. His insights
are biblical, relevant, and inspiring. I am excited that he has now expanded these lessons to include a
personal study guide. These will be great resources for teachers or small groups, challenging you to
delve more deeply into the Holy Scriptures.
—Davis Bunn, best-selling author
The Journey Through the Torah Class series provides a way for people of all ages to study the Old
Testament, so often systematically neglected by Christians. These lessons, which began as transcripts
of weekly Bible teaching by Tom Bradford, are an honest look at details of what the OT actually says,
verse by verse.
Unique within this curriculum are several sets of questions designed for Bible students on the
middle school and high school levels that encourage thinking and discussion as well as testing for
comprehension of specific information. In preparing his popular teaching, Bradford goes deep into
research to indentify history and context of the text, and to explore difficult questions that arise and
are typically passed over.
While being careful to avoid making the OT say things that aren’t intended, proper place is given
to parts that foreshadow Yeshua (or Jesus) the Messiah, and underlie the faith of those who accept
him as Savior and Lord.
—John K napp II, PhD, former professor, SUNY-Oswego
Tom Bradford is one of the few men that I know who ponders long and hard over passages that most
would never consider teaching or preaching. Why does he do so? Because he knows that every pas-
sage of Scripture is given by G-d and inspired by the Holy Spirit and has relevance as much as any
other. Tom is committed to using proper hermeneutical methods, so what he teaches he gets right.
His teaching shows a proper understanding of the Living Word, the Messiah Yeshua, as well as the
written Word.
Tom is a strong supporter of Israel, not because of some affinity through a denomination or par-
ticular tradition, but because of the clear admonition of the Word of G-d. His Torah study series will
provide insight for every individual, regardless of whether they are a biblical scholar or a novice.
—R. Baruch, PhD, Director of the Nicodemus Institute in Jerusalem. A djunct Instructor
at the Israeli
Bible College. His area of expertise is comparative study between the Greek
Septuagint and the Hebrew Pentateuch.
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Genesis
Adult Textbook
Other Torah Class Study Guides Available
Adult Textbook
Tom Bradford
Seed of Abraham Ministries
GENESIS: Adult Textbook
Copyright © 2011 by Seed of Abraham Ministries
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may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage
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limited to online for purpose of promotion.
ISBN: 978-1-937373-09-2
Unless otherwise indicated, images are copyright of the author and are also subject to the same copyright
restrictions as text.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H.
Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day
Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright
© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by per-
mission.
Scripture quotations marked KJ21 are from the 21st Century King James Version®, copyright © 1994. Used
by permission of Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked JPS are taken from the Jewish Publication Society of America, copyright ©
1917, by The Jewish Publication Society of America. Public Domain.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VER-
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reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MSG are from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995. Used by permis-
sion of NavPress Publishing Group.
Scripture quotations marked KJV are from The King James Bible, public domain.
Contents
Preface xi
Introduction to Genesis xv
Genesis 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Genesis 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Genesis 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Genesis 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Genesis 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Genesis 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Genesis 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Genesis 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Genesis 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Genesis 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Genesis 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Genesis 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Genesis 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Genesis 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Genesis 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Genesis 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Genesis 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Genesis 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Genesis 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Genesis 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Genesis 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Genesis 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Genesis 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Genesis 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Genesis 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Genesis 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Genesis 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Genesis 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Genesis 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Genesis 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Genesis 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Genesis 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Genesis 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Genesis 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Genesis 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Genesis 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Genesis 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Genesis 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Genesis 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Genesis 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Genesis 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Genesis 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Genesis 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Genesis 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Genesis 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Genesis 46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Genesis 47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Genesis 48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Genesis 49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Genesis 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Genesis: The Book of Foundations xi
Preface
The Torah Class study series is a unique chap- not a single verse. Before you start each lesson,
ter-by-chapter commentary on the books of you will be instructed to read the corresponding
the Old Testament that has been organized as chapter in your Bible. This is an in-depth study
educational curriculum especially suitable for that will teach you much, challenge your think-
homeschool and Christian school use. The lan- ing, and build your faith. But if you skip over
guage is personal, friendly, and understandable. the Bible itself, you’ve missed the most impor-
You have the textbook in your hands, which tant part of the lesson. Other than this book, a
includes discussion questions for each lesson, Bible is the only resource you’ll need. However,
but reviews and exams (and the answers) are we do have additional resources available for
also available in the homeschool Teacher’s you on our website at www.TorahClass.com—
Guide. There are two study tracks contained including all the illustrations and audio files of
in the Teacher’s Guide, based on age and edu- these lessons.
cation level: middle school and high school. Third, I recommend you read out of the
Periodically you’ll see instructions to complete Complete Jewish Bible, although it’s not man-
that week’s review session. datory. One reason for this is that it is not the
official Bible translation for any denomination
that I’m aware of. That is intentional. This cur-
Things You Should Know riculum is not about teaching denominational
In this study we will go deep into the meaning traditions or doctrines. The Complete Jewish
of the Scriptures, at times looking at the Hebrew Bible is taken mostly from the Hebrew texts
words of the original text. Many false assump- as opposed to many translations today that are
tions about the Bible will be challenged, and taken from the Septuagint, a Greek translation
we will incorporate understanding of ancient of the Hebrew written more than two centuries
Jewish culture and mind-set into this study, before Christ was born. (If you don’t have a copy
because without it we lose much of the context of the CJB translation, you can purchase one at
and inherent meaning of God’s Word to us. a discounted price at www.holylandmarketplace.com.)
Now, let me set up a few ground rules as the Fourth, at times I will teach you certain
basis on which the Torah Class series will pro- words in Hebrew that add a great deal to our
ceed. First, I am not here to persuade anyone understanding. Oftentimes I’ve found that
about the truth of the Holy Scripture. While looking at the Hebrew is like going from a
seekers are most welcome here, this is not a black-and-white TV to color; what you see in
seekers’ class whereby we attempt to prove that black-and-white is not wrong, it just doesn’t give
the Bible is the Word of God. Our assumption you the depth that color does. You’ll soon learn
is that it is God’s Word and that it is true—all of that Hebrew has certain words that simply don’t
it. If the Bible is not true, then we might as well have nice, neat English equivalents. The word
all pack up and go home, because we’re wasting Torah is itself a good example of that, as is the
Preface
English equivalent, they also do not have a first five books of the Bible), God explained
good Greek equivalent. So when the Bible was to Israel the beginning of everything: who
translated from Hebrew to Greek, then from He was, why the world had arrived at the cor-
Greek to Latin, then from Latin to English, rupt place it had, and how to live a righteous
much depth and understanding was lost. We’re life. What is a righteous life? It is you living in
going to do our best to try to recover some of harmony with God. These things have not
that depth. changed.
Fifth, my goal is that we have continuity. Seventh, the Torah Class series will not
When studied properly, the Old Testament answer every question you have about God.
(OT) flows like a beautiful river. Too often There are many matters in the Bible that are
the OT is presented as a series of mildly inter- simply left open-ended. Some matters are not
esting but unconnected stories, and it can be addressed at all, and others are incomplete. I
hard to put it together. Actually, the OT is fas- choose to let these mysteries remain myster-
cinating, colorful, and very much (though not ies for us. At times I’ll speculate, but it will be
entirely) in chronological order. A good way to presented as speculation or opinion, not as fact
look at the OT is as God presenting Himself or absolute truth. Sometimes that speculation
to us through the history of Israel. The OT will be in the form of what the great Hebrew
is a history lesson of sorts, but it is also much sages of ancient times thought about a particu-
more. It’s the history of Israel and the Jews. lar subject; in fact, I’ll incorporate that kind of
And it is Christian history, because it is out of information on a number of occasions because,
the Hebrew Bible, culture, and religion that if nothing else, it explains how the Hebrew
Christianity came. Remember, Christ was a mind operated during certain eras.
Jew. Born to Jewish parents, raised in the Holy
Lands, He was an observant Jew in every way. Thank you for choosing the Torah Class
Sixth, we need to understand that the first series to guide you through your studies of the
section of the Old Testament, which is called Old Testament. I assure you that if you dedi-
the Torah, was given to us as a manual for cate yourself to this study—as part of a life-
living the life that God intended for mankind long spiritual education process—you will be
to live. The three million or so Israelites whom rewarded immensely as your knowledge and
Moses was leading through the desert wilder- love for God increase.
ness to the Promised Land had come from four
centuries of life in Egypt. They were a rabble Blessings and Shalom!
that had thoroughly opted for the ways of the Tom Bradford
Egyptians. By giving Moses the Torah (the
Preface
Genesis: The Book of Foundations xiii
Tom Bradford is the founder of Seed of Abraham Ministries and is the teacher
and pastor of Torah Class, a nondenominational congregation of Gentile and
Jewish believers in Christ located in Merritt Island, Florida.
Tom was educated at the University of California at Northridge, where he first
studied Egyptology and Archaeology before settling on Urban Development and
Business Management. Later he accomplished advanced course work at Harvard.
A lifelong Christian, Tom studied the Hebrew Bible under Jewish rabbis and
scholars, both in Israel and in the United States of America. As the director of
adult Sunday school at a Baptist megachurch, Tom began to hone his teaching
skills and developed the technique of a multidiscipline approach to exegetical
Bible study that he continues to use today.
Before his transition into the ministry, Tom was a senior executive for an
S&P 500 corporation, running several hi-tech companies in the United States
and Europe. After leaving the business world, Tom spent years studying count-
less volumes of the great works of Christian and Jewish scholars and historians,
learning biblical Hebrew, writing seminars on Bible history, and teaching on the
Middle East and Jewish/Christian history at a local college. It finally became
clear that his new path was to devote himself full-time to teaching the Holy
Scriptures, focusing on the Old Testament and the forgotten Hebrew nature and
culture from which it came. He has traveled extensively, including in the Middle
East and Egypt.
Introduction to Genesis
You are about to start on a journey through the WIFE: “A root beer, please.”
Old Testament, a book that millions of Hebrews Sound familiar? Now, any American would
and Christians have studied over the last three perfectly understand that dialogue and not find
thousand years. We are going to begin by study- it at all odd. We know full well that Coca-Cola
ing the Torah, the first and oldest section of the and root beer are not the same thing. But we
original Hebrew Bible. Torah is a word that few also understand that “Coke,” in our modern
Christians have ever heard of, and even fewer vernacular, can simply mean any soft drink.
have any idea what it actually is. You’ll read in The meaning is clear.
more detail about the different understand- Within the Jewish religion, the word Torah
ings of the word Torah below, but let me begin has taken on a similar generic meaning; it has
with an analogy about the rather sloppy habit of become a word that refers to all Hebrew reli-
applying the word Torah to any and every writ- gious writings, but it wasn’t always that way.
ing that refers to the Old Testament (OT). Let’s take a look at what the Torah and its coun-
More than one hundred years ago, a com- terparts really are.
pany in Atlanta, Georgia, wanted to join the
new and growing market for flavored, nonalco- The Tor ah
holic beverages. Instead of selling hard liquor,
they formulated a tasty addition to the “soft” Torah is the Hebrew name for the first five
drink market. It was called Coca-Cola, and it books of our Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
was a hit. Although originally marketed as a Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In this study,
stimulant, its real niche was simply that it was a we’re going to take a good look at the Jewishness
great-tasting beverage. And as the United States that has been removed over the last nineteen
began to enter a period of remarkable growth hundred years, because it is within the Hebrew/
and prosperity, the demand for Coca-Cola sky- Jewish culture and language that the Torah was
rocketed. The rest, as they say, is history. created, and it’s only within that context that we
Coca-Cola so dominated the soft drink gain proper understanding of what God is tell-
market that a curious thing happened: about ing us.
Introduction to Genesis
fifty years after it was first sold, it began to The entire Bible, Old Testament (OT) and
garner the nickname Coke. In fact, the nick- New Testament (NT), was written by Hebrews
name became so commonly used that “Coke” and therefore falls within the context of
no longer simply meant a specific brand of cola Hebrew culture. It was Moses, a Hebrew, who
drink; it came to be a name applied generi- received the Torah from God on Mount Sinai,
cally to all soft drinks. A common conversation around 1400 BC. Although we typically think
might sound something like this: of Moses receiving only the two stone tablets
HUSBAND: “I’m thirsty, let’s stop and get of the Ten Commandments from God at this
a Coke.” time, the Ten Commandments were, in fact,
WIFE: “Okay! Sounds good to me.” just a tiny piece of all that Moses received in
HUSBAND: “Good, what type would you those several trips up and down the mountain.
like?” Moses actually received much (but certainly
xvi Genesis: The Book of Foundations
and rulings and interpretations of Scripture. As of vowel sounds, and presto! Tanakh. The
time rolled along, the Hebrew doctrine, these Tanakh and the OT are exactly the same thing,
oral traditions (or oral Torah), started carrying except in some cases the books are arranged in
more and more weight among religious leaders. a slightly different order.
Over the centuries, the traditions that had been Let’s review quickly before moving on:
handed down by word of mouth were eventu-
ally formalized and written down. The best way • The Tanakh: sometimes called the Hebrew
to think of all these traditions is as commentary Bible, is simply another name for our current
by religious leaders that consists of regulations Old Testament.
and teachings and is constantly undergoing • The Torah: the first five books of the
additions. The fully compiled works of tradition Tanakh (OT)—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
became what is now called the Talmud. There Numbers, Deuteronomy.
are two major competing versions of Talmud: • The Talmud: a huge gathering of Jewish
the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem religious commentary, not the Holy Scriptures at
Talmud. Each is an enormous work comprises all.
many volumes. Eventually, in common con-
versation among Jews, the word Torah came to The “Testaments”
encompass the entire body of Scripture and the
entire body of tradition, or Talmud; a rather One of the curious conditions of modern
unfortunate blurring of the original meaning, Christianity is that the OT has been all but
for sure. forgotten. The common statement from the
The Hebrews of Christ’s day, and those church today is: we are a NT church. In other
hundreds of years earlier, well understood what words, the implication is that the OT is not for
was meant when they discussed Torah among us, but for another people, namely the Jews. Or
themselves. They knew by the context of the there’s a belief that it’s for a past time; in semi-
conversation when “Torah” meant the original nary talk it would be called a past dispensation.
Scripture given to Moses and when it meant So the relationship set up between the OT and
any of the other religious literature and rulings. the NT is that the OT is obsolete—interesting
Unfortunately, we cannot overlook the fact but irrelevant history—and the NT is current
that by Christ’s day tradition had become more and contemporary. Nothing could be further
important than the Scripture, God’s Word. from the truth.
Following Christ’s death, the Gentiles, who First of all, the title “Old Testament” is
were ignorant of the intricacies of Jewish cul- purely man-made, and is a relatively modern
ture and the Hebrew language, entered the pic- title given to that portion of the Bible. There is
Introduction to Genesis
ture and got confused about the true meaning no such thing as the “Old Testament” as far as
of “Torah.” Even though Bible scholars have the Bible is concerned; the words Old Testament
somewhat straightened it out over the years, never appear in the Bible. The word testament
church leaders and teachers have been slow to means “covenant,” so the idea behind the
understand and change their usage of the word. names as the two parts of the Bible is that the
OT refers to the covenants made between God
The Tanakh and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, and the
NT refers to the covenants between God and
Today, what Christians call the Old Testament is mankind in general through Christ.
what Jews call the Tanakh. Tanakh is an invented If one is inclined to think that way, it would
word: it takes the T from Torah, the N from be better to think of the biblical division in
Nevi’im, and the K from K’tuvim, adds a couple terms of earlier and later covenants, rather
xviii Genesis: The Book of Foundations
than old and new. The newer covenants have we understand the New Testament. It’s the
not replaced the original covenants, but some Bible, Act One.
of the older covenants have been transformed. The NT is based on the OT; it’s a continua-
Even Christ Himself, when asked if the Law tion of the OT. It’s the Bible, Act Two. In fact,
(the Torah) was null and void now that He had about 50 percent of the statements in the NT
come, answered in about as forceful a way as are quoted directly from the OT. They are com-
one can imagine. Look at Matthew 5:17–19: pletely intertwined. It’s pretty tough to read any
book, see any play, or watch any movie by start-
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or ing in the middle. We may well get something
the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill out of it, but we are likely to take the part we see
them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disap- in the wrong context or come to some conclu-
pear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, sions that are several degrees off course. That’s
will by any means disappear from the Law until every- what we do when we attempt to understand the
thing is accomplished. Therefore, anyone who sets aside Bible by beginning with, and not going beyond,
one of the least of these commandments and teaches others the NT.
accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be The Foundation of the Bible
called great in the kingdom of heaven. (NIV)
Have you ever considered that the Bible that
Christ did not come to do away with, or Jesus, the early disciples, the Gospel writers,
abolish, the Torah, He came to complete it. By Paul, and even John the Revelator studied and
complete he doesn’t mean “to finish,” nor finish taught from was the Old Testament? Let that
in the sense of “end.” In your Bibles, fulfill is sink in for a moment. There was no NT when
probably the word used instead of complete in any writer of the Bible was alive. The only Bible
Matthew 5:17. The Greek used here is pleroo. Go that existed for these men . . . and for Christ .
and check any good concordance and it will tell . . was the Hebrew Tanakh, our OT. Any and
you that pleroo means “to fill up, to accomplish.” all references to “Holy Scripture” by Jesus or
But in our modern English vernacular, fulfill the apostles refer to the OT. The admonition
connotes something that is ended. However, that “all Scripture is inspired by God and prof-
the true meaning of fulfill is to “fill full” or “fill itable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
up.” Pleroo would be a good word to use when for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16
speaking to the attendant at the gas station—if NASB) specifically referred to the Hebrew
there were such things anymore—because it has Bible because there was no such thing as a New
the sense of “fill ’er up.” Christ came to fill the Testament in that era. In fact, in its most correct
Introduction to Genesis
Torah full of meaning, or to bring it to its fullest application—and it would help us when read-
extent. When you ask the gas station attendant ing the New Testament if we could grasp this—
to fill up your tank, you certainly don’t want him the word Scripture or Holy Scripture, biblically
to bring your tank to an end, do you? You mean speaking, refers only to what we call the Old
for him to give you all he can. That gives you an Testament. While we should certainly accept
idea of what the word pleroo (fulfill) means. the NT as holy, inspired of God, and entirely
The two testaments, earlier and latter, OT belonging in our Bibles, that statement from
and NT, work together. You cannot separate Paul to Timothy did not refer to something
them, although it has been attempted for cen- that did not exist. It was not meant to be pro-
turies. The OT is the foundation of the Bible. phetic; Paul was not speaking to a future time.
The OT sets the stage for the NT. The Old He was speaking about the Torah, the Writings,
Testament lays down all the premises by which and the Prophets. We would gain far more
Genesis: The Book of Foundations xix
Introduction to Genesis
are we to comprehend what Jesus was saying? the Hebrew culture at the time of Abraham
Now, as the OT is the foundation of the bore no resemblance to Hebrew culture in the
NT, the Torah is the foundation of the entire time of Moses, and that bore no resemblance
Bible. Even someone who has never studied the to Hebrew culture in the time of Christ. Most
Bible is aware that Genesis is the story of begin- often, the literal meaning in the Bible is word-
nings, of God creating the world. How do we for-word. The trick is that one must under-
start to study anything, let alone try to compre- stand the Hebrew culture in the various eras
hend God, if we don’t begin at the beginning? of the Bible to understand what is being com-
And, that’s just what we’re going to do in this municated. And, of course, there is a certain
Torah Class series as we journey through the amount of symbolism in the Bible. And there
Old Testament. is poetry and there is straightforward his-
tory, and there are parables and several other
xx Genesis: The Book of Foundations
literary devices as well. But symbolism is gen- literal and symbolic. That is, they mean exactly
erally pretty easy to identify. Here’s what I’m what they say, and on another level they are
getting at: modern Gentile Christianity tends also symbolic of some larger concept. You’ll
to treat much of the really-hard-to-understand find this rather inscrutable “duality” occurring
parts of the OT as allegorical statements, when with biblical prophecy because many prophe-
in fact they are not allegory. There is allegory cies happen, and then they happen again!
in the OT, but very little, and I’ll identify it Now, get ready for one of the most intense
when we come across it. Generally speaking, and exciting rides of your life. A man who has
the problem has been a total misunderstand- been studying Torah Class lessons regularly for
ing of what was being said, due to a reluctance a long time, a man who is a longtime Christian
to research and study ancient Hebrew culture. and former missionary, told me recently that
Rather, there’s been a not-so-subtle attempt he has learned more about who God is in the
over the centuries to twist and turn the Bible last few months than at any time in his life.
into something that agrees with preconceived What you get from this is up to you. I hope
denominational doctrines. We’re not going to you commit your coming journey into God’s
do that here. Torah to much prayer and personal dedication.
One other thing about the meaning of the I believe you’ll find it to be not only educational
term literal: many phrases in the Bible are both but life-changing.
Introduction to Genesis
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 1
Genesis 1
Spirit, we can also “know” God in another way, interfaith movement has gained steam. And the
which is available (in our era) only to believers. basis for this movement is the concept that no
This Holy Spirit way of knowing God incor- matter the name used for a God/god (whether
porates an additional dimension, a fifth dimen- that is Buddha, Krishna, Brahma, Allah, or
sion of reality, which does not exist naturally even Yahweh),1 we’re all essentially speaking
2 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
of the same being, just from different cultural that God is plural; rather, there are several more
or language perspectives. This is not true. For critical pieces of evidence that we will study to
not only are the meanings of the names of each prove that God is, indeed, a plurality, and we’ll
of these various gods completely different, but get to those a little later in our study.
also the characteristics and attributes of each of
these gods are different. Therefore, it is impos- Fundamental #2: How Long Is
sible that they could be the same god. a Day?
said to have occurred on the first day; rather, 12:00:01 a.m. as the start of each day and mid-
it occurred at “the beginning.” The first day night as the end. It also contrasts the tradition that
of the Creation story may not have been the morning is the beginning of a day and nighttime,
beginning; the first day could have been some- the ending. Now this difference in the definition
time later. If we take those opening words of and method of plotting time has caused all sorts
Genesis literally, then the thing that occurred of interesting problems in attempting to ascertain
on the first day was the creation of light and its with any degree of accuracy when certain biblical
separation from darkness. The wording leaves events happened. What we need to grasp for the
open the distinct possibility that the heavens moment is that the modern method of timekeep-
and earth were created sometime before the ing is done mechanically, and for all practical pur-
first day of what we have dubbed “Creation.” poses it does not vary. There was an international
How long the heavens and the earth sat there agreement some years ago to have a central clock
lifeless, dark, and chaotic, we aren’t told. But at from which all clocks would harmonize. We don’t
some point God decided to take the universe need to observe stars or the moon to determine
He had created and spark it with life and give what time it is any longer. We could be in a tunnel
it a new order. And He began that new process a mile underground, and if our watch is working,
by creating light, and that’s when we encounter we can know precisely what time it is . . . indefi-
the first “day.” nitely . . . without ever observing the sky.
Now there is absolutely no reason to try to But for the ancients, no such mechanized
defend the use of the word day. Often we hear way of timekeeping was available. For people
people say, “But the Bible says that to God, one who lived during the Old Testament era, time
day is like a thousand years.’”4 That is simply an was determined by viewing the skies—when
idiom that means God lives in a place without the sun went up and down, when the moon
time, not that during Creation a day was a period appeared, when certain stars or star groupings
of time of one thousand years. Currently, there appeared in the night sky. Using our mechani-
is no proof that the first days of earth’s existence cal system, we essentially divide the day into
were meaningfully different in length of time two equal parts: twelve hours of day and twelve
from our current twenty-four hours. Oh, there hours of night. This varies according to season
is some proof that the earth’s rotation may have and latitude, as does the length of a Hebrew
slowed a tad over the last several thousands of day and night, because the proportion of time
years, but a slower rotation of the earth today between daylight and nighttime constantly
would make the days of eons ago shorter than shifts. Yet one full day was still twenty-four
a current day.5 If the earth was spinning faster hours, and one week was still seven full days.
long ago, then days would have whizzed by But throughout the Bible, the Hebrew system of
quicker than today. Likewise, long ago the earth measuring days is being used, so whether study-
would have had to almost not rotate at all if one ing Torah or the NT Gospels, we need to set
full rotation took what we would count as one aside our modern notion of timekeeping if we
thousand years. want to understand the timing of events.
Where did the Hebrews get the idea of start-
When Does a Day Begin? ing and ending their days at sunset? “So there
was evening, and there was morning, one day”
Hebrews, including today’s modern Jewish (Gen. 1:5). Evening came first; it marked the
Genesis 1
community, have always considered the day to transition from one day to the next. There’s
begin at sunset, and end at the next sunset. That is, nothing wrong with the way we moderns deter-
the new day begins in the evening. This, of course, mine the start and end of the day, but it can get
is different from the modern calendar, which sets confusing when comparing it to the Bible.
4 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
On the first day, God created light.6 Yet it was This gets interesting: in verses 3 and 4, the
on the fourth day that He created the sun, or as Hebrew word meaning “light” is owr. This word
the Bible puts it, “the larger light to rule the does not mean an object that emits light, like
day.”7 Does that seem strange? How was there the sun, the stars, or a lamp. Rather, it means
light without the sun? Have we found our first “illumination, enlightenment.” When the Bible
inconsistency this early in the Scriptures? says “God is light,”8 it says “Elohim is owr.”
This word is closely associated with life and joy
and goodness. In fact, when we read about the
first day of Creation, notice something that the
Definitions Hebrew sages have hung their hats on for mil-
owr – illumination, enlightenment lennia: it says God created the light [illumina-
maorot – objects that emit light tion], and saw that it was good [tov]. Then this
light was separated from the darkness. Only the
light is called good, the darkness is not.
Now lets move on to when lights are set in
the sky to divide day and night, and when God
says he created the larger light (the sun) to rule
the day and the smaller light (the moon) to rule
the night.9 We see that a different word is used
for “light” here. The Hebrew word is maorot.
Maor means “an object that emits light”; maorot is
plural, meaning “lights.” The luminaries (objects
that illuminate) like the sun, stars, lamps, and of
course, meteors are the intent of this word.
Since the state of the universe before day one
of Creation was darkness (or at least it was dark-
Owr is enlightenment. ness from the vantage point of planet Earth), it
must have been that darkness was an unsatisfac-
tory state; otherwise, God wouldn’t have created
light. Darkness was not capable of supporting
life, and as we’ll find as we get into the later parts
of Exodus and Leviticus, things that go against,
inhibit, or terminate life are considered to be
“against God.” So when God created “light,” owr
(singular), He created illumination and enlight-
enment, a basic requirement for life. When God
created “the lights,” maorot (plural), He created
objects that emitted light waves that allowed
humans and animals to use their light sensors
Genesis 1
dimensions.
5. The physical is inferior to the spiritual.
6. The physical can only partially mimic or reveal
its spiritual counterpart.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 7
a soul and a spirit, which were not physical things Fundamental #4: Man Made in
but spiritual. So whether mankind admits it or God’s Image
not, we are a prime example of the Reality of
Duality—we are both material and immaterial. Next we get a statement that has been pondered
The creation of light and its attributes is by the greatest and most brilliant minds for
another good example of this concept. No doubt thousands of years, and there is little agreement
the “light,” this owr made on the first day of as to exactly what it signifies: we, as human
Creation, was real physical light. Yet, mysteri- beings, are made in the image of God:
ously, it was light that did not come from a physi-
cal object, because no object that emitted light So God created humankind in his own image; in the
was created until the fourth day. Further, because image of God he created him: male and female he created
light is the opposite of darkness and owr is char- them. (Gen. 1:27)
acterized by God as good but choshek is not, we
have a firm connection between the kind of light First, it says that God created humankind,
created here and its attribute of goodness. Good and that He created both male and female.
and evil are spiritual, not physical, attributes. So Second, it says that all humans were made in his
this light, this owr, has a dual reality to it: a very image. If this biblical statement is true, then we
real physical quality and also a very real spiritual cannot have evolved from chance or a mutation
quality. Otherwise, the first few verses of Genesis of nonliving substances. So we can immediately
are nonsensical. show Darwin and secular humanists the door!
Another example of the Reality of Duality But what does it mean to be made in the image of
is seen in the living creatures God created. In God? It means that we have been given certain
Genesis 1:20, God created swarming creatures attributes that He has. We know that we don’t
in the water and birds flying in the air: have all of His attributes because we are not gods.
But God, who values all the many types of living
God said, “Let the water swarm with swarms of creatures He created, made man unique among
living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the all these creatures. Only man has the capacity to
open dome of the sky.” know God. And this capacity comes by means
of our spiritual component. Animals are physi-
The Lord populated the oceans with giant cal—they have bodies and brains. They can even
sea creatures and He proclaimed all of these have something resembling emotions because
creatures to be good. In verse 24, He goes on to many (but not all) animals have living souls,12 the
speak of land creatures of all kinds (domestic and seat of emotion and intellect. But only humans
wild), even including crawling animals like liz- among all of God’s living creatures have spirits.
ards. He also declared these to be good. But later And it is our spirits that allow communion with
in the Torah, mainly in Leviticus, we’re going to the living God.
find God declaring several of these same crea-
tures as unclean. We’ll eventually see that the
clean and unclean designations of created living
things existed long before the Torah was given
to Moses, but here we see that something can be
both good and unclean. This is another example of
Genesis 1
Genesis 2
a name was the seventh day. They call it Shabbat, Creation itself was completed.
from which we get our word Sabbath. To other
days of the week they assigned only numbers—
first day, second day, third day, and so on.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 9
day from the seventh to the first day of the week. it necessary to reestablish the validity of the
Instead, it is an entirely different celebration, Sabbath for mankind. In fact, God wanted to
established by the Roman Church at the Council reestablish all of His principles that had always
of Laodicea in AD 364 at the direction of the existed, and He chose to set apart a group of
emperor of Rome, Constantine. people, a chosen nation, that He would use to
This fact is not disputed by Christian schol- serve Him and to achieve this purpose. That
ars. The heads of religious governments of all nation was Israel.
the great Christian denominations (includ- One of the myriad things that God told
ing Catholics, Protestants, Greek Orthodox, Moses to do (as the leader of this recently
Anglican, and others) agree that this is factual emancipated nation of God, Israel) was to bring
and that the church long ago made a decision to back Shabbat worship. Observing the Shabbat,
stop observing the Sabbath, although a few do the seventh day, was a sign that a person was a
support the interpretation that what the Council member of the congregation of those who gave
of Laodicea did was declare that the Sabbath their allegiance to God. Likewise, such obser-
can be any day one chooses. vance also indicted those whom God declared
sanctified and holy.
The Garden
a system of root words. Each root word has off- the animals. Scientists are constantly searching
shoots that give it different words for different for the connection between animals and men,
uses, and the different words of that root have a but the life force that is common between
common thread in meaning.
them has nothing to do with organic material
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 13
interacting with electrical fields. The common That happens only through the spirit-life, and
element is that life is from God. spirit-life is possessed only by human beings.
Finally, Genesis 2:7 says that God breathed We see this word again when Jesus spoke of
the breath of life into Adam, the neshemah chayyim living water. Jesus told us that He is the Living
(neshemah, breath; and chayyim, life). Note the Water that takes away all uncleanness. The
structure of the word chayyim. The “-im” at the Hebrew for living water is mayyim chayyim; there’s
end of chayyim makes the word plural, just as it that word again, chayyim. Mayyim chayyim is
makes Elohim plural. The singular Hebrew word the water that Hebrews bathe in to be spiritu-
for life is chay (chayyim minus the –im). So why ally purified from ritual impurity. On a physi-
don’t we translate that phrase as “the breath of cal level, mayyim chayyim was merely water taken
lif-es” (plural) instead of “breath of life” (singular)? from an artesian well or a river. It was from a
Well, just as the use of Elohim hints at God being source of water that moved (as opposed to water
one but also more than one, so chayyim gives us a from a lake, a pond, or a well in which the water
hint at there being more than one life being put sat still). And since mayyim chayyim was water
into Adam. Hebrew scholars agree that this use used for spiritual purposes, and it refers to a
of chayyim cannot possibly be one of those rare spiritual source of life, we can tie that back in
instances of the word structure called “the plural with the very unique “breath of life,” neshemah
of majesty,” whereby the subject is singular but it chayyim, that animates mankind.
is made plural simply to denote a sense of glory
or of majesty, as in the case of a king. Plant Life
This hints at the difficulty theologians have
had for many centuries trying to decide if the God did not create plants until He created
soul (generally acknowledged as the seat or man. In Genesis 2:5 we’re told that God had yet
essence of life) is the same thing as spirit, or if to create herbs or plants on earth. The reason
spirit and soul are two different things. They was that there was no human created yet to till
are separate attributes, but both come from the ground:
God, from a dimension outside of our uni-
verse. The Hebrews gave a name to an invisible There was as yet no wild bush on the earth, and no
essence within men that also happens to be an wild plant had as yet sprung up; for Adonai, God, had
attribute of God; this name is entirely different not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no one
from “soul” or “living being” or anything that to cultivate the ground. (Gen. 2:5)
denotes the mysterious force that causes and sus-
tains life. This essence is Ruach HaKodesh. Ruach On the surface you could say that this was
means “wind” or “breath,” but it refers to that about the need for a gardener; until you have a
special and unique essence that connects man gardener to care for the garden, you can’t have
to God. What separates man from the animals plants or they will not thrive. In fact, since I
(both living creatures, both having nephesh), is was a small child, this is how I was taught. But
our ability to commune with God, to know this places God in the position of depending on
God, and to emulate God. That unique ability man, and God never depends on man.
comes from the spirit-life, which is somewhat
different from the soul-life. The soul-life is what
gives animation, basic life. But God is spirit, and Definitions
Genesis 2
Instead, we can see in this passage that plant period of time in order for the place to be named
life was created for man’s benefit. Plants were to after them. If Cush was the dominant tribe in
be man’s sole food supply; man was to be a plant Mesopotamia, why would they move all the way
eater. Why have a garden if there wasn’t a man to what is now northern Africa? But if you con-
to eat the produce? It would be a waste. Until sider the important position that Egypt would
there was a man who needed the benefit of the hold in God’s plan for His people (both in their
plant life (sustenance) there was no need for it. past and in their future) it’s not hard to see why
God doesn’t eat, and neither do the angels. The God might give that place the privilege of being
garden wasn’t for Him or His created spiritual watered by a river from the land of Eden. But
beings. that is just my personal speculation.
Also in Genesis 2:5 we’re told that the phe- God determined that Adam needed a com-
nomenon of rain had not yet occurred. That panion, and He created one for him. In Hebrew a
might seem strange to us, but the reality is that female is called ishah, and a male is called ish. The
God used an entirely different natural method ending “-ah” means “out of,” so ishah literally
to provide the needed moisture for plant life— means “a man (or better, a human) out of man.”
mist that didn’t come down from the sky but Ishah is also the word for “wife.” In verse 24 the
instead rolled upward from the ground. There concept of marriage is introduced, and the most
was enough moisture in the ground at all times important principle of marriage is that a man and
for the plant roots to grow, and that same mois- his wife are to be considered one flesh. In God’s
ture formed a mist, a low-hanging fog, that eyes they are organically and spiritually intercon-
provided sufficient moisture for the plants that nected: “This is why a man is to leave his father
needed an intake of water through their leaves, and mother and stick with his wife, and they are
as many species do. to be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24).
Artisanal wells under the earth’s surface Humans are not to remain bonded to par-
bubbled up to form rivers, and one of the rivers, ents; rather, we are to bond with a spouse in a
which was formed by water that had its source way that goes beyond even the physical connec-
in the land of Eden, was Gihon. It was said to tion we had at one time with our mothers. This
water the land of Cush. The problem is that the is God’s plan. One male and one female are to
land of Cush is generally identified as being in bond together in marriage as one flesh; not one
northern Africa (areas that today form Egypt, male with one male or one female with another
Ethiopia, etc.). The idea that a river could flow female. Every attempt to say that the Bible
all the way from somewhere in Turkey, Iraq, doesn’t speak to this matter is blinded by agenda
or Iran all the way to the African continent is and terribly deceived. And we don’t have to go
very difficult to believe, but biblically it is not any farther than the second chapter of Genesis to
likely that any other place can be identified as understand this basic principle of God:
the land of Cush except for northern Africa.
Although Cush originally came from the area The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and
of Mesopotamia, little reference is made to flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she
his presence there except to say that Cushites, was taken out of Man.” (Gen. 2:23 NASB)
Genesis 2
Genesis 2
16 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 3
offspring of the greatest warrior-king Israel ever [existence of having a] body, which lives in huts of mud
had: King David. It’s no wonder that relatively and which was created from dust, but God is higher and
few Hebrews accept Yeshua as their Messiah, raised above all this.23
because He simply doesn’t fit the mold or the pur-
pose that the ancient sages built for the Messiah. He continued in another commentary:
God’s Physical Nature These phrases are in line with the level of under-
standing of people [humans], who can only comprehend
Was God actually physically walking in the physical existence [the four dimensions of our universe],
Garden of Eden? Better yet, does God have any and the Torah speaks in terms that we can understand.
of the physical human characteristics that allow . . . For example, when it says, “If I whet My glittering
Him to jump for joy, weep bitter tears, swing a sword,” does God really have a sword and does He really
sword, or complete any other actions that we kill with one?! Such phrases are figurative.24
recognize as needing a physical body to per-
form? What are we to make of words like these I’ll let you wrestle with that for yourselves.
that are used so often in the Bible? In doing this, let me emphasize that similes,
In general, Evangelical Christians have metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and
a ready answer every time a physical attribute other figures of speech are important—and
of God is spoken of; we say it must have been honest—ways of communicating real informa-
Jesus. Perhaps, if one reads only the NT and tion, especially when descriptive word choices
ignores the OT, Jesus would be a logical, though are limited. A clear example of this is when
not entirely satisfactory, answer. the Messiah told Nicodemus that he needed to
The Jews have alternative points of view be “born again,” and the learned Pharisee was
as to what these human emotions and physi- confused when he took the Messiah’s words too
cal characteristics ascribed to God indicate.21 literally.25 Even so, we should be careful not to
While there is no single Jewish point of view ascribe to God our human attributes. God is not
on much of anything (any more than there is a a man; He is a spirit. Yet how else is a being so
single Christian viewpoint), the following posi- far above us, who operates outside of our realm
tion is of general agreement among rabbis and of time and space, supposed to communicate
Jewish sages, with only a minority of dissenters. with us if it’s not in our terms?
Maimonides was perhaps one of the greatest
and most revered Jewish scholars of all time. He Physical Realities of Yeshua
lived in the twelfth century AD. He proposed:
Yeshua, Jesus, was God, and He was cer-
Since matters concerning bodily experience are tainly a physical being: that is, He was God
such, then all words connected to this mentioned in the with human attributes. But Jesus was also a
Torah and the Prophets are all exemplary and figures real, flesh-and-blood man, born from a specific
of speech. Examples of this are: “He who sits in the woman, Mary, who had come from the line
heavens laughs,” and “. . . that they provoked Me22 to of King David. Although Christ’s Father was
anger,” and “. . . that as the Lord rejoiced,” et cetera. God, Christ was 100 percent human and 100
The Sages said that the Torah is phrased in our terms. percent God. He wasn’t part man and part God,
In Jeremiah 7:9 it says, “Do they provoke me to anger?,” nor was He sometimes man and at other times
Genesis 3
whereas in Malachi 3:6 it says, “For I am the Lord, God. Even though this is something we can’t
I do not change.” If God [really] was sometimes angry quite get our minds to picture or comprehend,
and sometimes joyful, then He would be changing. Such it’s true. This is just one of those mysteries that
characteristics are found only in the dark and gloomy are not explainable in terms that a human can
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 19
comprehend. It’s a God thing, and the Bible is at least twenty-five years. Is the world a better
chock full of these difficult God things. place because of all this knowledge? Or does all
of this information, available at our fingertips,
Our Desire for Knowledge seem to produce as much evil as good? Are our
lives more peaceful and meaningful because of
The Midrash Rabba (an ancient Jewish com- this vast expansion of knowledge?
mentary on Scripture, not Scripture itself) The Midrash Rabbah goes on to explain that
makes a very interesting point in its connection there was another fundamental at work in the
between the words of King Solomon and the story of mankind’s fall: Havah distorted God’s
forbidden fruit in Genesis. In Ecclesiastes 1:18, instructions to her husband, Adam, or Adam
Solomon warns us, “Because in much wisdom added to God’s command about not eating from
there is much grief, and increasing knowledge the forbidden fruit when he instructed Havah.
results in increasing pain” (NASB). In Genesis 2:17, we see God say to Adam:
Likewise, In Genesis 3:6, Havah 26 dis-
closes that there were three things about that But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
tree that caused an irresistible urge to well up you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you
in her: (1) the fruit on it apparently looked deli- will surely die. (NASB)
cious to eat, (2) the tree itself was beautiful,
and (3) partaking of the tree would make one But when the serpent asked Havah why it
wise. That is, what she was seeking most was was she was prohibited from eating of that par-
wisdom. Look at the name of the tree: the ticular tree, she responded in Genesis 3:3 with:
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Her
act was largely about acquiring knowledge. As But from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle
we grow older, we find Solomon’s statement to of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat from it
be true: the more you know, the more you wish or touch it, or you will die.” (NASB, emphasis mine)
you didn’t know.
When we talk about seeing life through Where did the notion of “you can’t touch
the eyes of a child, we mean that most children it” come from? Somebody (either Adam or
have not yet learned about the bad things of Havah) added it to God’s decree. In its com-
life. Children are idealistic, and they have not mentary on Proverbs 30:6, the Midrash points
yet learned that people don’t always do what out the dangers of adding to God’s Word, quot-
they promise to do. Or that some people for ing the Scriptures: “Do not add to His words or
no discernible reason will hurt you; some may He will reprove you, and you will be proved a
even take your life and freedom from you. We liar” (NASB). This is exactly the situation here
call this the innocence of childhood. How is with Eve, or both Adam and Eve, because some
that innocence eventually taken from them? words were added and it proved them to be liars.
Knowledge. So knowledge and wisdom bring Man has a real tendency to add to God’s
a set of problems, yet it is a human desire, one Word even more than to subtract from it. And
Eve had, to seek knowledge and wisdom. the old serpent knew the instant Havah (or per-
Can we accept that all knowledge is not haps Adam) lied by embellishing what God’s
good for us? Apparently not, because humans instruction actually was that he had them in his
seem to have an insatiable appetite for it. There grasp. It is really dicey to add to God’s Word.
Genesis 3
is knowledge that humans (at least those humans The Hebrews did it and continue to do it. The
who don’t have God’s spirit in them) cannot church does it every day. And it has all come to
handle or properly discern. It is said that we no good.
are in the Information Age and have been for
20 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Here we have, so very early in the Bible, just We are told that when we see all these things
a peek at God’s plan for restoring humanity to happening, we are to look up, for our salvation
Himself. For those in Moses’s or David’s day, it and the end of the world as we know it are near.
would be difficult to see it as a messianic proph- We have watched these events unfold before our
ecy of deliverance; rather, it’s likely they just saw it very eyes; we have been forewarned in our own
as confusing. It’s significantly easier in hindsight, Holy Scriptures that this time in history would
with Messiah having come and gone, to recog- come, and yet only a relative few within Christ’s
nize these and other verses of the Old Testament ecclesia have paid much attention. Let us vow
for what they are: a prophecy of the coming of not to be blind any longer to the incredible time
our Redeemer. Sometimes we like to criticize the in which we live, nor be oblivious to what it
early Hebrews for not understanding God’s plan, means, nor passive in how we should respond.
but it is absolutely typical of man, then and now, In general, when we turn a blind or disinterested
to believe God only after the fact. No matter how eye toward these events, we’re behaving just
many prophets God sent to Israel, few Israelites like the Hebrews of old when YHWH (God)
ever believed what those men had to say (and the forewarned them of what was coming and they
consequences were terrible). just sniffed at it and went on about their lives as
Look at Yeshua’s church today. The Lord has usual. The results were devastating for millions
told us unequivocally that when Israel returns of Israelites then, and they will be for us now if
as a nation and Jerusalem is retaken from the we continue to ignore the signs.
Gentiles (both events that have occurred
recently, from a historical standpoint) that is the The Need for Covering
sign that we are living in the last of the last days. Requires the Shedding of
We are told that Jerusalem and the land of Israel Blood
will become a “cup of trembling”27 for the whole
world, and it most certainly has become exactly In Genesis 3:24, God made animal-skin cloth-
that. When in all of history was Jerusalem at any ing for Adam and Eve. They had already made
other time a cause for anybody but the Israelites clothing out of vegetation that covered them,
to tremble in fear? Oh, the Jews aggravated the but apparently it wasn’t good enough as far as
daylights out of the Babylonians, the Greeks, God was concerned. This was because Adam
the Egyptians, and the Romans, but never was and Eve made their own coverings, and not
Genesis 3
Jerusalem the center of the world or a place in God. As this covering represented the spiritual
which events could destabilize the globe. But it covering we must receive from God, God was
most certainly has become that way in the last not satisfied because man cannot create his own
fifty years. covering for sin. This is the first blood sacrifice
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 21
in the Bible. It seems there had been no death in We hear the term covering in this vein: shed
the Garden until then, and the animals whose blood was a covering for man’s sin. The notion
skin was used to clothe Adam and Havah didn’t of blood being a covering comes from those
die from old age; they had to be killed. This animals’ skins that “covered” Adam’s and Eve’s
is another fundamental God principle that we nakedness, their sin of stealing from the Tree of
must pay attention to: the only suitable payment the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
for sin is the shedding of innocent blood. God
had to let one of His own created and innocent Where Did Sin Come From?
creatures die to pay for Adam and Eve’s rebel-
lion. Living creatures, created from the same When Havah lied (or repeated Adam’s lie)
dust of the earth as humans, given animation and told the serpent that she was not allowed
and life from God’s own breath, are now having to even touch the tree, she had not yet eaten the
to forfeit their lives in order to atone for the fruit. She had not yet gained the knowledge
rebelliousness of human beings so that humans of good and evil. Where did this notion to lie
can have some relationship with God (although come from if the fall of man, the eating of that
not to the extent that Adam and Havah origi- fruit, had not yet occurred?
nally did). The ancient Hebrew sages’ take on this is
that God created man with both a good and
an evil side to him; they call it a good and an
evil inclination. In Hebrew the phrases are yetzer
hatov and yetzer harah—the good (tov) inclina-
tion and the evil (rah) inclination. So accord-
ing to this view, Havah or Adam (or both) were
just acting out their inherent evil inclinations
when they (first) added to God’s command by
including the words “and not to touch it” and
then (second) when they deliberately disobeyed
His command by eating the fruit that God had
unambiguously told them not to. Havah tried to
defect blame and say the serpent “tricked her,”
but was that really the case? All the serpent did
at first was ask a question, and Havah’s response
The covering of leaves was not was not truth. Once she told a lie, the gate was
sufficient in God’s eyes. open and the devil took her to the next step . . .
disobedience.
This really stings most Christian doctrine
Vegetarians
on the subject of evil and the fall of man, but it
is hard not to see that the Hebrew sages have a
In the context of the Garden of Eden vegetarian
point at the least. After all, if God created every-
diets are implied. Therefore, previously single-
thing, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good
celled life, plants, or even animal life had been part
and Evil was His creation (put by Him into the
of the food cycle or experienced death on other
Garden that He created), then evil must have
Genesis 3
Consequences of Evil
This statement corresponds with another the Tree of Life to keep Adam and Eve away
back in Genesis 1:26: from it since they had already proven that they
were not trustworthy. God couldn’t allow them
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, near it; in fact, they couldn’t even be allowed
according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish inside the Garden anymore. God cannot allow
of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle uncleanness and sin anywhere near His perfect
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that holiness, so He placed his angelic guard at the
creeps on the earth.” (NASB, emphasis mine) 28 eastern part of the Garden. Apparently there
was an entrance into the Garden from the east.
Adam and Eve have been removed from the So we now have the Garden in the eastern part
holy Garden of Eden. Mankind was now sepa- of the land of Eden, and the angel placed in the
rated from God, both physically and spiritually. east end of the Garden. We’ll see more about
God put an angelic guard on the approach to the east as we move along.
Genesis 3
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 23
Genesis 4
We’re told that God accepted the offering of The produce that Kayin brought from the
a slain firstborn sheep from Abel, but He rejected field was ordinary. “In the course of time Kayin
the plants that Cain brought. The question here, brought an offering to Adonai from the pro-
of course, is why did God rebuff Kayin’s offer- duce of the soil” (Gen. 4:3). There is no men-
ing? There are a couple of very likely possibilities: tion of Kayin’s sacrifice being firstfruits or the
First, the particular kind of sacrifice being made best of the field or anything that would set it
was either a burnt offering or a purification offer- apart from other produce, but Abel’s sacrifice
ing (in Hebrew, an ‘Olah or Hata’at respectively). was the firstborn male animal, a more valuable
The only suitable offering before God for either gift. The sages don’t fully agree on the nature
of these two types of sacrifice was life, innocent of the defect of Kayin’s offering: Some say he
animal life, which is exactly what we’re told Hevel shouldn’t have brought plant life at all, that it
brought as his offering. The rituals and require- should have been an animal. Others say that the
ments for sacrificing established in later times problem was the haughty, nonrepentant attitude
in Leviticus were not involved; this was a sim- he brought his offering with (which is not really
pler and more straightforward act. There is no described at all in the Scripture). Still others cite
mention of a mediator or a priest. Nevertheless, what we just discussed, that it was just ordinary
these two brothers would have known full produce and not the best, which is a must if it’s
well what God expected of them, for they had to be offered to God.
grown up with it. Long before these two were Let’s remember that at this time man was
born God had given their parents that command to eat only plants, not animals. Therefore, the
and instruction by way of the animal skins He purpose for sheep in this era was not for meat
required Adam and Havah to wear for clothing, but only for sacrifice and clothing. The animals
for a covering. They were reminded of it twenty- Hevel was producing could have served no
four hours a day. other purpose than as a service to God and for
wool or skins for clothing and perhaps tents.
We can combine these two purposes under one
title: “covering.” Do you see this? The sheep,
the lamb, was to provide covering (clothing)
for man’s physical nakedness, but it was also to
provide covering (its own innocent blood) for
man’s spiritual nakedness, his sin. But it was not
meant for man’s nourishment.
Consequence of Sin
of cloth, our nakedness, like our sin, is still After Kayin’s crime, God put a sign on him
there. For centuries God provided a divinely to indicate that no one was to harm him:
acceptable but contrived covering for the sin of
those who placed their trust in Him, and this Kayin said to Adonai, “My punishment is greater
was the blood of animals. The blood would than I can bear. You are banning me today from the land
serve a spiritual purpose (atoning for sin), and and from your presence. I will be a fugitive wandering
the skin of the animal would serve a physical the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” Adonai
purpose (covering the naked bodies of humans). answered him, “Therefore, whoever kills Kayin will
This provided a wonderful illustration of what receive vengeance sevenfold,” and Adonai put a sign on
was happening invisibly in the spiritual world Kayin, so that no one who found him would kill him.
to compensate for man’s sinful behavior. The (Gen. 4:13–15)
Reality of Duality is at work again! But in the
course of time, as God allowed His plan of There is some interesting commentary from
redemption to gestate, Christ would change all the ancient sages about this. First, the word usu-
that. Unlike the blood of sacrificial animals, the ally translated as “no one” or “anyone” is in
Messiah’s blood didn’t simply cover sin, it nulli- Hebrew Kol. Kol can mean “anyone,” but it just
fied and erased its eternal consequences. as often can mean “whatsoever,” “anything,”
or “all things.” So Kayin was not necessarily
Banishment being protected from only humans. Some of
the commentaries say that the animals might
At this time the earth’s first family was have been his greatest worry, but it is primar-
still living in Eden—the land of Eden, not the ily those commentators who say that other than
Garden. Eden was a special place, made for for Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and prob-
God’s people. God decided to banish Cain from ably an unmentioned sister or two, there were
Eden for shedding his brother’s blood, and the no other people on the earth yet. That is a pretty
Lord sent him to the east to a land called Nod.29 big stretch; there is little doubt that there were
Kayin married, had children, and many descen- many people by now. You’ll notice that we go
dants followed over the years; he even built a city. quite a time before there is mention of another
female besides Havah in the Bible, and this is
simply because of the patriarchal nature of the
Bible. Because all genealogy and family ties
were tracked through relationship to the father,
the listing of generations only rarely includes
a female name. But then as now, there were
undoubtedly more women born than men.
Another interesting perspective from an
ancient rabbi concerning this passage is that it
wasn’t that a sign was put onto Kayin; it was that
he was a sign. His life was a sign for all to see
that anyone who committed “blood guilt” (in
this case, murder) would be banished from the
land and forced to go away to sanctuary. In fact,
Genesis 4
some scholars to have been modeled after the Lamech admits to murder. The line of Kayin
consequences that Kayin bore. This theory is (Cain) was thoroughly wicked, godless, and cor-
not true; Kayin committed murder (unjustifi- rupted, and this in but a few generations after
able homicide), and no sanctuary is permitted the first man was created. Not that long before
for that offense. humans were living in the Garden of Eden in
What we see as a result of this story is that the very presence of God. This same pattern
from here on Cain (Kayin) will be associated emerged many years later after the Great Flood
with evil and wickedness. The symbolism here when Noah, the second Adam, repopulated
is clear. Verse 16 says: “So Kayin left the pres- the earth. Amazingly, wickedness reappeared
ence of Adonai and lived in the land of Nod almost immediately. Interestingly, that won’t
[wandering], east of ‘Eden.” This is an example be the last time history repeats itself in that
of a statement in the Bible that is simultaneously way; when Christ comes the second time30 and
literal and symbolic. Indeed, Cain was literally cleanses the whole world and sets up His per-
sent away from Eden and lived in a land called fect kingdom for a thousand years, toward the
“wandering” or “restlessness”; he was sent away end of that millennium people will once again
from the presence of God. When we are sepa- display wickedness and rebel against Messiah.
rated from God we find ourselves in a state of And they will be destroyed completely, along
symbolic wandering and unrest. Apart from with Satan, the entire evil spiritual world, and
God, we live a hopeless and meaningless exis- even evil itself. Only then will that pattern (that
tence, in a constant directionless state. The only cycle of evil) finally be broken once and forever.
rest that exists for humanity is when we are in
God’s presence. The Birth of Shet
Genesis 5
mature humans who could have procreated which women were still giving birth was much
almost immediately and likely did. In fact, even older than today. Biblically it would appear that
though Kayin was mentioned first, that doesn’t it was quite usual for a fifteen-year-old girl to
necessarily indicate that he was Adam and be married and have her first child, even in
Eve’s very first child, but he probably was the Yeshua’s day. So a new generation was starting
28 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 6
number of names, including the R’phaim, Emim, (the Talmud), particularly the traditions con-
Anakim, Horim, and more. It is likely that the cerning angels and the world of evil spirits. So
giant Goliath, who was slain by David, was of as far as they are concerned, these N’filim were
the Anakim because Goliath was from Gath, a real not only before the Flood but also after.
village where the Anakim were reported to have According to them, the N’filim should always
ruled.35 It is interesting that the Anakim and the be taken in the most literal and real sense, not
Philistines occupied the same territory. as types or as epithets.
As time passes, a reality can become dis-
torted and turned into legend. The language of The Ruach HaKodesh
the Bible is not immune to that phenomenon,
because even though the Bible is divine truth, it Genesis 6:3 speaks about God’s spirit, the Holy
is told through the lives and events of real people, Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh not striving with man
and people can develop flawed mental pictures forever: “Adonai said, ‘My Spirit will not live
and misconceptions of what was at one time a in human beings forever, for they too are flesh;
very unambiguous truth. In the episodes in the therefore their life span is to be 120 years.’”
Scriptures that took place hundreds of years To the sages this was very straightforward:
after the original race of the N’filim died out, God is spirit, and so He is essentially speaking
the name for these strange beings was used as of Himself when He speaks of the Holy Spirit.
a general term to describe someone—or some The Holy Spirit is that component or person or
group of people—who had certain character- attribute of God that we call Spirit. In Hebrew
istics that were deemed evil. Maybe they were the word ruach (spirit) is the means that God
physically larger than others and therefore men- uses to deal between Himself and man. What
acing, or they were the fiercest of warriors, and Genesis 6:3 alludes to is that God decided to
so on. For example, even in Christ’s day, long give man 120 more years to straighten up and
after the Canaanites of old were gone, the term fly right before He would destroy him with a
Canaanite was still used. That is, while no living Great Flood. This was a warning.
Israelite knew a real Canaanite, they remembered Yet, in later times, many Hebrew and
the Canaanites to be idol worshippers and child Christian scholars have insisted that the plain
sacrificers, everything that Israel detested. So wording of these verses meant that men were
Canaanite came to be used as a type of cussword, going to be given an approximate maximum life
so to speak, usually referring to a person who was span of 120 years. If they’re correct, the number
disapproved of. Often it was in reference to a mer- of extreme exceptions to that rule is signifi-
chant who cheated or a man who didn’t practice cant. We’re told in the Scriptures that after the
his Judaism to the satisfaction of the more pious Flood many generations of men (descendants
folks. I can recall the time when a person was of Noach) lived to be several hundreds of years
called “a Communist” if you didn’t like them. It old, so certainly man’s life span was more than
wasn’t that they actually belonged to the Communist 120 years. And we also know from a historical
Party; it was just kind of the politically current standpoint that life spans varied from century
four-letter word of the day. Since Communism to century, from culture to culture, and from
was public enemy number one all through the circumstance to circumstance.
’50s, ’60s, and into the ’70s, communist was a gen- Since this remark about life span is a general
erally derogatory term and a label that no one statement that makes no distinction between
Genesis 6
wanted. This same sense of usage occurred with righteous people and wicked people or between
the word Canaanite and likely with N’filim. God’s people and people that are not His, I
In contrast, Hebrew sages and rabbis wove think this statement about 120 years was a dual-
the legends of the N’filim into their tradition ity. It was not only about how long the human
32 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Noach lived anywhere near a substantial body that Noah was tzaddik (righteous) and tammim
of water. What he did was similar to building (whole).
an ocean liner behind a barn in the middle of In contrast to Noah’s righteousness, we
the Nebraska wheat fields. Nevertheless: “This see the condition of the rest of God’s creation:
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 33
force or being for the past two centuries, so we have no means to observe them), or they might
must ask what prompted this change within the exist completely outside our universe (or per-
scientific community. haps some combination of the two).
The recent discovery (in a whole series of This may sound like futuristic science fic-
discoveries) that caused this great shift in their tion, but if you read the writings of the ancient
thinking is the mathematical evidence that at Hebrew sages, you’ll find that some of them
least ten dimensions, probably eleven, exist. described multiple dimensions. Amazingly,
This discovery is part of a whole new realm of these sages (some of whom lived well before
physics, and chief among these is string theory. Christ) even implied that the Scriptures reveal
ten dimensions, plus one more, the eleventh
Four Dimensions dimension, which is God.
To help us get a mental picture of this con-
What makes this notion of many dimen- cept, all we have to do is think of heaven as
sions a bit difficult to comprehend is that our described in the Bible. Heaven doesn’t obey the
universe consists of only four of those ten or laws of physics found in our universe. This is
eleven dimensions (height, width, length, and seen most clearly in the fact that heaven exists
time). Height, width, and length are measure- outside of time. The Word says that God’s
ments of space, so scientists refer to our universe heaven is eternal. Eternal means “timeless”; eter-
as a space-time universe. No matter how far into nity is a state of existence that is without time.
space our orbiting telescopes have peered and Eternity is not an expression of a really, really,
probed and measured, those same four dimen- really long time; rather, it is an expression of
sions are all they can observe. So where are the existence of a realm in which the dimension
those additional six or seven dimensions? They of time (the fourth dimension in our universe)
don’t exist, per se, in our universe. Rather, they does not even exist.
exist in some other universe (what these physi- The Scriptures do not imply or purport that
cists call “parallel universes”). These parallel heaven is part of our universe. After all, how
universes exist simultaneously with ours; they would God have lived in our universe before He
could actually exist within our universe (and we even created our universe? It is self-evident that
He didn’t live in our universe; He lived some-
where else. And that “somewhere else” is in one or
more of those other dimensions that are beyond
our four dimensions. Bottom line: heaven does
not reside within our four-dimensional universe.
The dilemma, then, is how to detect, exam-
ine, or even comprehend things that are outside
the four dimensions of our universe. How can
we visualize things that our physical bodies can’t
detect with our sensory organs (eyes, ears, etc.)?
The only means we have to observe additional
dimensions is through mathematical proofs, or
through the discovery of strange behaviors of
physical objects. It is by these means that we
Genesis 6
the expansion of our universe takes place. But spirit. How do we know spirit exists? Because in
we can also observe this extra-dimensionality addition to the fact that the Bible says it does,
when we read about the Red Sea piling up to let we have experienced it in our lives.
the Israelites pass to safety, for instance. Our spirits exist within us and sustain our
Some of you may be saying, “Well, I under- very lives.38 How did this spirit get into us? God
stand that of those four dimensions, three make put it there. Where does it reside? The Bible
up the physical: length, width, and depth. But is tells us that our spirits are in our hearts, a term
time actually physical? How do I reach out and that needs to be taken as a figure of speech.
touch time? Do we have sensory organs that Astoundingly, if we trust God, He’ll even put
can detect time?” His own spirit (His Holy Spirit) in us. The Holy
Time is an integral part of the physi- Spirit is a spiritual substance that is somehow
cal nature of our universe. We first measured different from the kind of spirit (I call it the
time on earth by the movement of the heav- “life spirit”) that is the basic life force in all
enly bodies and connected this to the chang- living beings (human and animal). Niether of
ing of seasons. God set up this dynamic when these kinds of spirit—the kind that animates all
He readied planet Earth for life. We measure organic animal life and the holy kind that per-
years by observing our sun, the position of the mits communion between humans and God—
stars, and the regular cycle of seasons on earth. are in any way connected to our four-dimen-
We measure months by observing the phases of sional universe, created by our four-dimensional
the moon. We measure days and, until the last universe, nor subject to its laws. Yet there they
couple of hundred years, even hours and min- are. A good way to think of spirit is as a fifth
utes by the movement of the sun across the sky. dimension that is present in our universe, but it
But what are we actually measuring when we say is not from our universe.
we are measuring time? Part of the reason that we have so much trou-
Let’s look to the most accurate clocks ble with the concept of spirit is because it is not
known to man for our answer: atomic clocks. detectable or knowable by our rational senses.
Atomic clocks use the almost perfectly steady God made man and animals out of the physical
decay of radioactive materials as their stan- stuff of our universe: in man’s case, dirt. But in
dard. The key word here is decay. Just as meters addition, He brought something from outside the
or inches are the measurements of space, time confines of our universe and put it into His living
is the measurement of the decay of the physi- creatures: life, or better, the spirit of life. Even
cal material that makes up our universe (you, more, the Lord put an aspect of Himself into
me, rocks, grass, concrete, dust, the noble gases, humans (but not animals) and that is the ability
all matter). Everything in our universe is dete- to know Him and to commune with Him. This
riorating. It’s a scientific fact that is the underly- is what the Bible calls the human spirit.
ing principle for all of physics. And the Bible is When God made our universe, its natu-
explicit on this matter as well. ral state was choshek (which means “darkness,
obscurity, falsehood, and blindness”).39 You’ll
Fifth Dimension remember that, from somewhere outside our
universe, He then created owr, enlightenment.
Yet beyond the physical nature of the world e.g. Choshek indicates a spirit of wickedness,
there is also a mysterious “thing” that exists a lack of spiritual enlightenment. So the first
Genesis 6
outside those four dimensions, something that thing God created was a spirit of truth and of
cannot be explained or measured by those goodness, which in Hebrew is called owr.
dimensions, nor can it be detected by anything
man has devised or ever will. It is what we call
36 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Why Are Opposites I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace,
Necessary? and create evil; I am HaShem, that doeth all these things.
(Yisheyah [Isa.] 45:7 JPS)
Does it have to be this way? Yes, that’s how God
designed it. This is the mechanism He chose to This says bluntly that the Lord creates evil.
Genesis 6
use to accomplish His purposes. Could God have Is that possible? Take a look at the KJV:
done it differently? Apparently so, as the existence
of other dimensions is evidence that He had other I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace,
choices. and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 37
There are four key Hebrew words in this How Evil Came into the World
verse: owr, choshek, shalom, and rah. So by mixing
the Hebrew in with the English words, the verse When God designed our universe as a uni-
reads: “I form the owr and create choshek; I verse of opposites, evil came into existence as
make shalom and create rah.” We’ve studied the good’s natural opposite. This is a key concept
words owr and choshek, so we know they denote in our lesson: God did not create evil in the sense
opposite categories of spiritual nature: good that He manufactured evil. He didn’t turn to
and evil. Shalom, in its very nature, is describing His right and create a mound of good and then
a sense of well-being, peace, good, godliness, turn to His left and create a mound of evil.
prosperity, and grace that comes from the hand Rather, evil was the result of His creating good.
of God; it is a divine (and therefore spiritual) When He placed the spirit of good in our four-
source that produces shalom. The Hebrew word dimensional universe that requires opposites,
rah has a similar but opposite sense. Rah means the spirit of evil came into existence as well.
“evil” or “bad.” This verse, and many others, It may be easier to think about it this way:
reflects the principle of opposites as it tells us Evil is everything that God does not command
that if God forms light, darkness also is created. or instruct. Evil is the opposite of what God
If the Lord creates shalom, evil is also created. calls good. Allow me to draw an admittedly
God is behind it all, controls it all, and uses it all imperfect (but I think reasonable) analogy for
for His divine purposes. you. Imagine you go into a room and turn on a
Don’t think this is an isolated use of the light; you flip a switch, electricity flows to a fila-
word evil. The idea that the Lord caused evil ment in a lightbulb, it glows, and by that action
to exist and to happen is scattered throughout you have added light to the room. But when you
the OT. turn the switch to OFF and the room goes dark,
you did not add darkness to the room. The light-
• Shall the horn be blown in a city, and the people bulb did not reverse itself and emit darkness to
not tremble? Shall evil befall a city, and HaShem hath the room, or suck the light out of it. Light was
not done it? (Amos 3:6 JPS) present. When light is absent, we need a name
for that condition—darkness. Darkness is not
• Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth something that is made; it is the absence of light.
not evil and good? (Lam. 3:38 JPS) In the same way, evil is the absence of good.
Free Will
terms can be used in a dynamic way to explain a morality. Our wills are that part of us that gives
resulting action, but rah directly refers to the spiri- us the knowledge that choices exist, and that
tual sense of evil. Rah is the opposite of shalom. we can make those choices. The ability to have
choice was first created when God designed a
38 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
over vanilla, or blue over red—that’s prefer- or rules. However, when God set the Tree of the
ence. Instead, our wills are directed by the Knowledge of Good and Evil before them and
spirit. They are that part of us that makes moral told them not to eat of it, they had an opportu-
choices, choices of the conscience, not the ego. nity to exercise their wills (so far as we know, it
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 39
was the first opportunity to do so). Now they created with wills, so then they needed choices
could make a moral judgment. And by choos- set before them so that they might use their
ing to disobey God, they gained a knowledge wills. Once God set down His rules, His Law,
of good and evil that they had never before His Torah, Israel had a concrete set of moral
encountered. choices that governed all phases of life, from
By means of Satan’s deception and tempta- relationships between humans, to relationships
tion, and at the decision and exercise of their between humans and God. They could choose
own wills, Adam and Eve chose to go against whether to love Him by means of obedience
God’s only moral rule: not to eat of that tree. to His Torah, or they could choose not to love
Thus the first transgression against God Him by means of disobeying His Torah.
occurred, and from this Adam and Eve learned Paul concluded: “Why the Law then? It was
that there was such a thing as evil. We call a added because of transgressions, having been
transgression against God “sin.” Sin, a choice or ordained through angels by the agency of a
act for evil, had entered the world. mediator, until the seed would come to whom
Do you see this? Without choice there can the promise had been made” (Gal. 3:19 NASB).
be no sin. This has a direct correlation to a This verse is often translated as, “Why the
later time in Scripture when Moses was given Law, then? It was added to create transgressions
the Torah on Mount Sinai. Read what Paul . . .” In a sense, that is so; if man has a will, he
said about it, and think about the Tree of the must have moral choices. The Law is what pro-
Knowledge of Good and Evil: “for the Law vides for those choices, and if we have choices,
brings about wrath, but where there is no law, due to our evil inclinations and fallen natures,
there also is no violation” (Rom. 4:15 NASB). there will be transgressions.
Remember that in the NT the word Law
usually means “the Torah.” Where there is no Understanding Noah in Light
Torah (instruction from God), there cannot be of Free Will
violations against God. Now please catch this:
the Torah Law gave to Israel what the Tree Let’s go full circle now, back to Genesis 6:13
of the Knowledge of Good and Evil gave to and Noah to apply what we’ve learned. God
Adam and Eve. The primary difference was didn’t blame Satan for ruining the earth with
that Adam and Eve had only one regulation in evil; He blamed men and all living creatures.
their “Torah”: don’t eat that fruit! The Torah Were these men that He blamed 100 percent
Law given to Israel on Mount Sinai had many evil? No. No more than Noah and his sons
more regulations, but with exactly the same were 100 percent good. This is a good way to
effect. By means of those rules and commands, look at our condition. It is an utter misread-
Israel gained a more intimate knowledge of ing of the Bible texts to say that men are 100
good and evil. percent evil. We have good in us (good in the
Paul further explained this phenomenon sense of the yetser hatov, the good inclination).
about moral choice: “for until the Law sin was But without the Holy Spirit in us to direct the
in the world, but sin is not imputed when there use of that good, then even our motives will
is no law” (Rom. 5:13 NASB). In other words, be impure and wrong, our application will be
Paul said that certainly sin and evil existed misdirected, and whatever good we possess
before the Law, the Torah, was given to Moses can easily be turned into evil. How does that
Genesis 6
on Mount Sinai. But until God announced His happen? When we use our good intentions in a
regulations for Israel, there were no regulations manner that is not God’s will. And that which
to break. In a manner of speaking, for a time is not God’s will is, by definition, evil.
Israel lived as Adam and Eve did; they were
40 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Satan was a deceiver. Yet he was, and is, God; Satan is the embodiment of pure evil and
under God’s control. God has a purpose for is, in fact, the anti-God. Just as God is real,
Satan; it is to deceive and tempt people to do Satan is real.
evil. So we see that God has a purpose for evil, Let us also remember that though we have
which is to give people a moral choice. Without come to use Satan as a name for that prince of
the actual and real opportunity to choose evil, all evil, Satan is really a title. Satan is the Hebrew
we have no moral choice. word for “adversary.”
Satan is an unholy spirit. We know from
the law of opposites that if there is a Holy Spirit
present in our universe, then there must be an Assignment: Read Genesis 6:14–22.
unholy spirit operating alongside it. Satan is
this unholy spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit is the
embodiment of the pure good and is, in fact,
We see an interesting God principle set
down in the detailed instructions He gave to
Noach for the ark: all Noach had to do was to
Satan’s Imprisonment accept God’s means of salvation for him and his
family by following God’s prescription exactly.
One purpose for Satan’s being locked away during Here we also see that even salvation is (in a
the coming one-thousand-year reign of Christ is way) a cooperative effort between mankind and
to demonstrate to those who will be living then God. God’s role is to provide it; mankind’s role
that as long as we live within a four-dimensional is to accept it by means of a moral choice of our
universe, we will have an inclination within us will. But as much as salvation is by grace, there
to choose evil as well as good. It is not Satan who are obligations that we have to God, and some
causes that evil inclination. of them involve action on our part.
Think about it: Christ will come a second time Noach and his family had to begin by believ-
as a warrior-king. He will defeat all who fight ing what God told them: First, that mankind
against God, and Satan will be barred from human was wicked and God would soon destroy them.
contact, locked away in the Abyss where he cannot Second, that there was a way to escape the destruc-
deceive or tempt man in any way. Every human tion. Third, that means of escape was designed
on earth will be a believer, and Christ will sit vis- by the Lord and only that means was available.
ibly on His throne. The world will be at peace. Fourth, Noach would have to act in order for his
Nothing but good will happen. deliverance to come about. So it took great faith
But at the end of that one-thousand-year reign, on Noah’s part to take God at His word when
after many generations of men, that evil within the current circumstances didn’t seem to indicate
humanity will begin to stir again. Satan will be that such a thing could possibly take place. And
released from where he’s been imprisoned, and he it took effort; it was not simply a passive acknowl-
will be given permission to entice men to follow edgment or intellectual acquiescence.
him. Rebellion will break out. Man still has the In Hebrew the ark is called a tevah; it is the
remnants of that evil inclination within him; Satan same term used for the basket that baby Moses
offers a moral choice and man takes it. Here is proof would be placed in centuries later. A tevah is a
that while Satan is certainly the spirit of evil, it is boxlike craft that is not the same thing as a boat
Genesis 6
not all his doing that man has evil in him and that or a ship. It is simply a device that floats, rud-
man makes evil choices. Satan is indeed a deceiver derless, without a crew to operate it. The idea
and a tempter, but man is not a robot that must is that a tevah is guided only by God’s hand;
oblige him. Man chooses. mankind is but a passenger.
42 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
The ark was to be made of gopher wood, together in marriage into a family unit, and
a type of wood that is unknown today. It was from that produce a new generation, is recent
to be enormous by any standard: 450 feet long, and, not only man-made, but rebellious. We see
75 feet wide, and almost five stories in height. something else important: the divinely ideal
Marine engineers calculate that it would have family unit was defined and consisted of one male
had a displacement of about 43,000 tons. It and one female; not one male and several females.
would hold its precious cargo of life on three So even in the narrative of Noah’s ark we get the
decks, have a skylight, and apparently open at God principle not only of marriage being a per-
one entry ramp in its side. manent bonding of male and female, but also
Notice in verse 18 that four men with their of marriage being exclusive and monogamous.
wives were to enter the ark; this was the sum
total of humanity that would be saved: “But I The Blessing of Food
will establish my covenant with you; you will
come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife Food was a wedge issue between the church and
and your sons’ wives with you.” The number of the Jewish people, and it even caused severe dis-
humans who had been elected and set apart to sention within the church itself. Genesis 1:29–
restart life on the planet totaled eight. Eight is a 30 explains what food was at that point in history:
number of great significance in the Scriptures;
eight is the number of redemption and will Then God said, “Here! Throughout the whole earth
remain so throughout the entire Bible. I am giving you as food every seed-bearing plant and every
Notice that the entire sphere of animated tree with seed-bearing fruit. And to every wild animal,
life on land and in the air was to be brought bird in the air and creature crawling on the earth, in
on board, everything from lizards to birds. The which there is a living soul, I am giving as food every
entire matrix of life was to be saved as the cata- kind of green plant.” And that is how it was.
lyst for new life. Each species, or family, was
represented by one male and one female. This Food for mankind and animals was plants
was the basic biblical family unit. All else was and plants alone. Now did that mean that
unauthorized and was a perversion. The con- some animals didn’t eat other animals and that
cept that two males or two females can bond man did not eat meat at this time? No, it meant
that God defined food as plants, and therefore
when animals or humans ate animals (or other
things) they were eating things that were not
“food.” Not even fish was for food as of this
time.
Noach was told to bring food into the ark
for his family and for the animals. Food is what
is appropriate as a source of nutrition for our
bodies. However, man soon decided he preferred
something else to be added to his diet. The ques-
tion that is larger, however, is: Who defines what
is appropriate and what is not? What should be
consumed as food contrasted with what might
Genesis 6
For example, can you eat dirt? Of course you food it means only kosher food, because all else
can, and anyone who has a child or grandchild is not food. You’ll never see in the Bible the
has probably watched in horror as they gulped word kosher, authorized, or clean used as a modifier
down a mouthful of dirt before you could stop to the word food because it would be redundant.
them. Do you know why they ate dirt? Because Food is only things that are divinely authorized,
in some way it smelled and tasted good to them. and ritually clean, and meant to be eaten.
Why would you want to stop them? Because The important thing we should know about
dirt is not food; dirt is for growing food. Food, Noah and his response to God’s direction is the
by God’s definition, is not merely anything that simple statement that Noah did everything that
you can manage to get into your mouth and God told him to do.
swallow, or anything that might taste reason-
ably good.
That is the entire point of God’s carefully
defining what His people may and may not eat
in the Law of Moses. God carefully defined
what food is and what food is not. Eating food
that is not kosher (so to speak) is to eat things
that are not food. Now, of course, Hebrew tradi-
tion has created a lot of rules and regulations on
the subject and much of it is of a very question-
able nature. Rules have been created that seem
to go well beyond the rather simple intent of
what is proper eating as described in the Torah.
But the bottom line is this: when the Bible uses
the term food, it, by definition, means things that
God has assigned for men to eat. Whether Old Vegetables and plants were considered food;
Testament or New, when a Hebrew speaks of animals were not.
Genesis 6
44 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 7
teth Me that I have made them and Noah. But Noah And that the Jews were ditched by God in favor
was left only because he found grace; hence, but Noah of the Gentile church. None of which is so.
found grace in the eyes of the Lord.47
46 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
The Animals on the Ark is foreign to our minds, and we typically assign
all sorts of fanciful and erroneous meanings
Of every clean animal you are to take seven couples, and to it, or we just mentally bypass those words.
of the animals that are not clean, one couple; also of the In time we will carefully study the concepts of
birds in the air take seven couples—in order to preserve clean and unclean, and I promise you a wealth
their species throughout the earth. (Gen. 7:2–3) of understanding of God, the Bible, and how
the spiritual and physical universe operates as
How often have we seen pictures in Bibles, a result.
church books, and even schoolbooks of the ani- One example of our sad ignorance about
mals entering the ark two by two? That is only clean and unclean is contained in the famous
half the story. When we look carefully at Genesis (and excellent, I might add) commentary by
7:2, we see that, in fact, only some animals were Henry Morris called The Genesis Record. There
to come in a single pair. Others were to come he explains that perhaps the clean animals were
in sevens, that is, seven pairs, fourteen animals. animals that God decided would be good for
Fourteen of each clean animal, but only two of “domestication and fellowship with man,” and
each unclean animal were to be taken aboard the unclean were not. This couldn’t be further
the ark. from the truth. Any Orthodox Jewish child can
This is our first introduction to the con- tell you exactly what clean and unclean is: clean
cept of clean and unclean animals. In Hebrew means “ritually pure” and unclean means “not
tahor means “clean” and tamei, “unclean.” Now, ritually pure.” In the case of animal sacrifices
in our modern, Gentile, Christian church, a to God, only clean animals may be used. In the
church that was long ago stripped of all Jewish case of food, only clean animals may be eaten—
connections, this concept of clean and unclean the common word we use for this today is kosher.
In the very near future, this will once The end of mankind, or in the Hebrew, kol
again play out. God’s people will suddenly be yeyum (which means, “all existence”), was just
removed by means of our heavenly ark, Yeshua, hours away as Noah and his family and that
and be tucked away for safekeeping. Then, as huge menagerie huddled together inside the ark.
God pours His wrath out on the world for the I’m not sure any of us can imagine what must
final time, millions of nonbelieving people will have been going through Noah and his family’s
realize that God is real and everything He fore- minds as they heard the frantic screams of their
warned us about was true. But it will be too neighbors and friends and family, knowing they
late. Death will be upon them, and there will be could not help them.
no escape. Let’s look at Christ’s own words to
verify that this is in no way allegory; it is literal The Importance of Numbers
and very straightforward:
There really is very little detail about the Flood
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the itself, yet there are a couple of things we should
sky, all the tribes of the Land will mourn, and they will take notice of and tuck away for future refer-
see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with ence. There is no doubt that numbers have great
tremendous power and glory. He will send out his angels significance in the Bible; they can be literal or
with a great shofar; and they will gather together his they can be symbolic, and usually they are both
chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven literal and symbolic at the same time (another
to the other. Now let the fig tree teach you its lesson: when aspect of the Reality of Duality).
its branches begin to sprout and leaves appear, you know Forty is the second-most-used number in the
Genesis 7
that summer is approaching. In the same way, when you Bible.49 It is usually used in reference to a trial
see all these things, you are to know that the time is near, or a test of some kind; it is also frequently used
right at the door. Yes! I tell you that this people will as a period of probation. It can mark a passing
certainly not pass away before all these things happen. from one era into another. The Hebrews saw
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 49
The Date of the Flood three sons named Shem, Ham, and Yefet and all
their wives—were on board, a seven-day period
On the seventeenth day of the second month of the passed and then the skies opened up from
600th year of Noach’s life . . . (Gen. 7:11a) above and water welled up from below. Then
50 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
The water covered the mountains by more than twenty- birds and swarming things like mice and rats and
two-and-a-half feet. All living beings that moved on the lizards and snakes were drowned out. But this
earth perished—birds, livestock, other animals, insects, did not include fish or sea creatures. We know
and every human being, everything in whose nostrils was this because verse 22, particularly in the original
the breath of the spirit of life; whatever was on dry land Hebrew, is quite specific about this. It was all that
died. He wiped out every living thing on the surface of the had “the breath of life” in them that died. The
ground—not only human beings, but livestock, creeping neshemah, what I term “the life spirit” placed into
animals and birds in the air. They were wiped out from living creatures, was what died. All plant life did
the earth; only Noach was left, along with those who were not die out; plants don’t have neshemah. Further,
with him in the ark. (Gen. 7:20–23) it was those living beings that lived on charabah,
dry ground, who perished. If it lived on dry land,
Verse 20 tells us that the water accumulated it died. If it required an extended period of life on
on the earth’s surface until the highest mountain- dry land, it died. Fish and other aquatic animals
tops were fifteen cubits, or about twenty-five feet, lived. Amphibians that could live in the water for
under water. Now, let’s be very clear about what extended periods of time lived.
died and what lived through the Flood. Verses The rain lasted for forty days and forty
21–23 are to be taken as a whole. Verse 21 gives us nights, but the water kept increasing for a total
the broad categories of what perished, and verse of 150 days, even after the rain stopped, for the
22 gives further details about verse 21. Verse Abyss had not yet emptied itself of water. The
21 is not one category of things that perished, only life, the only nephesh (“living beings”) that
and verse 22 another. We’re told that all basar remained on earth lay within the belly of the ark.
(flesh—animals and mankind) died; in addition,
Genesis 7
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 51
Genesis 8
To God, it was terrible the day He had “of God.” Another example of the Reality of
to kill an animal or two to make animal-skin Duality.
clothing to cover Adam and Eve; it grieved Him
greatly. And it grieved Him when, for His own
good reasons, it became necessary for animals
52 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
with a green, freshly picked leaf from an olive The first act of the new order of mankind
tree in its beak. Another week passed, and the was to honor God. Yet, as we’ll soon see, this
dove didn’t return, indicating that the water newly purified world that began in righteous-
had receded to the tree line or below.52 ness and thoroughly understood sin and its
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 53
awful, destructive consequences would not stay are not defective, nor are they of less importance to
clean for long. God. Their status is neither more nor less than
a sovereign choice made by the Creator for His
The “Clean” and “Unclean” own good reason. He has never shared the rea-
Designations soning behind that choice with us.
them. The main thing to remember is that The phrase “from an early age” is written as
unclean animals are not a broad category of mine’araw in Hebrew. This literally means “from
bad animals and clean animals are not inherently his awakening.” Perhaps a better rendering of
better than unclean animals. Unclean animals that phrase would be: “I know they have this
54 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
bent toward evil from their awakening.” Rabbi Flood; God then communicated with man from
Judah (one of the great ancient Jewish sages) His heavenly realm. It would be a long time
explained that this refers to that moment when before He would reestablish a place where He
a human gains self-awareness. The sages argued would dwell with mankind, and it happened in
whether this awareness took place in the womb, Moses’s day with the building of the wilderness
immediately upon birth, or very shortly there- tabernacle.
after. But, either way, the point is that all per-
sons are born with hearts that form evil. That is The Earth After the Flood
what is being said here in verse 21.
However, this verse is not saying that a human Immediately following the Flood, the earth was
heart is only evil, not at all. It is not saying that a very different place from what it had been just
babies are automatically born with a 100 percent a few short months earlier. The oceans were
evil inclination. We are not born 100 percent more extensive, and therefore, there was less
evil. If you have no relationship with God, you land surface than before the Flood. The land
still are not 100 percent evil. This important was nearly barren of vegetation and devoid of
statement by God is simply acknowledging that animal life. The mist that enveloped the air
everyone is born with an evil inclination; but, and watered the vegetation was gone. The for-
due to the principle of opposites, everyone is merly even and temperate world climate had
also born with a good inclination as well. more radical swings. Seasons became more
pronounced, and as a result, the cycle of sea-
When Did God Abandon the sons made it all the more critical that humans
Garden of Eden? have a plan for the growth of plants for food,
which now depended on temperature, rainfall,
When did God abandon the Garden of Eden? and certain amounts of sunlight to be present.
Well, up to the Flood, apparently man looked But the most dramatic change from only a few
toward the Garden when communicating with months earlier was that only eight people and
God. From here on in the Bible, post-Flood, a handful of animals were left to inhabit and
we will see that God looks downward to man, repopulate the entire surface of the earth. Our
and man upward to God. Along with the rest planet was a rather lonely place for Noach and
of the earth, the Garden was destroyed by the the living creatures that lived above our oceans.
Conclusion
The earth before the Flood The earth after the Flood
righteous; he certainly wasn’t sinless. This most sinful state of the world, of which Noach was
fundamental principle of salvation, trusting the patriarch, represented the new basis of how
God and being credited (as opposed to earning) God would deal with the post-Flood world and
righteousness, is the same exact principle that all its aspects—quite apart from how it was for
we count on today, and it is present right here Adam, quite apart from how it would be with
in the OT, in Genesis. As Adam was created in the eventual advent of Christ, and still quite
the image of God, so Noach was “created,” so apart from how it will be someday in the not-
to speak, in the image of Adam. An old era had too-distant future.
ended and a new one began. This universally
Genesis 8
56 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 9
The importance of blood is carried over behavioral requirements for Gentiles who
from animals to humans. Thus murder, the wanted to fellowship with, and worship along-
taking of human blood, is specifically prohib- side, Jews who had come to believe that Yeshua
ited. Notice that in verse 5 God handed the duty was their Messiah.
of meting out justice for homicide over to man- The Noachide Laws were:
kind. Up to this point, God had dealt with it
Himself, and He dealt with it very differently 1. Man was prohibited from idol worship.
than humans are to deal with it. When Cain, or 2. Man was not to commit blasphemy (taking
Kayin, killed his brother Abel, he was banished God’s name in vain).
from the presence of God. God even placed 3. Man was not to murder.
a sign over Cain so that others would not be 4. Man was not to commit incest.
tempted to take matters into their own hands, 5. Man was not to rob or steal.
and harm Cain in retribution. Mere separation 6. Man was not to eat blood, nor was he to
from God had been considered as sufficient eat the meat of animals that had been strangled
punishment, but no longer was that the case. (and therefore, not “drained of their blood”).
In verse 6 God introduced the death penalty 7. Man was to submit to the authority of a
by instructing that any man who took another human government.
man’s life would himself be killed by men.
What the ancient rabbis so brilliantly point God’s Covenant
out concerning these passages is that here we
find God establishing the principle of earthly In verse 8, God made a covenant. We’ll learn a
government. Civil law was created when the little more about the important nature of cov-
Lord delegated some of His authority to human enants when we study Abraham, but for now, rec-
beings. Later, in Leviticus, God went to great ognize that this particular covenant was a contract
lengths to define something that we constantly in the form of a promise. In this case it was said
try to rewrite, with little success: what justice is. to be between God and Noah, but it was also a
We tend to call God’s definition of justice “the promise from God to all living creatures. Noach
Law.” was the representative agent of all new life on the
These same rabbis and scribes also came planet. This particular covenant, or contract, was
to the conclusion that if God turned over to unilateral; the contract did not depend on man’s
man the terrible matter of determining capital response nor man’s behavior. It was all on God.54
punishment, the right to take human life, then This is the first covenant between God and
certainly lesser matters of life such as authority man mentioned in the Torah. There is a theolog-
over wives, children, servants, property, land, ical belief that this covenant with Noah was actu-
and so on were also now in man’s hands. From ally the second covenant with mankind. These
this came what were eventually called the seven scholars suggest that the first was between God
Noachide Laws. The Noachide Laws were and Adam; it was that if Adam didn’t eat of the
essentially the most fundamental principles of Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, man
civil justice (perhaps as told by God to Noah), could stay in the Garden with God forever.
from which all other civil laws would be based. This waters down the impact of the concept of
We don’t actually see these seven laws spe- covenant. Certainly God gave Adam an instruc-
cifically enumerated at this point in Scripture. tion not to eat of that tree, but the fact that if
Genesis 9
Interestingly, though, thousands of years later, he disobeyed there would be a penalty does not
after Christ had come and gone, these Noachide raise that instruction to the level of a covenant.
Laws played a role in the determination of the God’s promise, or covenant, to Noah was
Jerusalem Council of AD 49 as to the minimum this: He would never again destroy the world
58 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
The unequivocal answer to this is . . . maybe! God Adam’s sin resulted in Noah’s sin resulted in a
a curse being placed on curse being place on the
set many physical things in the heavens (the sky) man. entire line of Ham.
to be used as signs. He didn’t necessarily come
up with a new one each time He felt a sign was
Adam had three sons, Noach had three sons,
needed. The physics of light and its refraction as among whom one, Shet, among whom one, Shem,
it passes through moisture is well understood. We was to be the line of righ- was to be the line of righ-
know it is not necessary for actual rain to occur teousness through which teousness, through which
to see a rainbow; there just needs to be a suffi- the Messiah would come. the Messiah would come.
cient amount of water content in the atmosphere.
Genesis 9
establishes repeat; because of these established before God is not dependent on us; it’s depen-
patterns of God, history itself is cyclical. dent on God. Always has been, always will be.
Ham entered the tent of Noach and discov-
The Children of Noach ered him drunk and naked. He went out of the
tent and told his two brothers, Shem and Yefet.
We are introduced to the three distinct lines The brothers draped a cloak over their shoul-
of descendants from which every human alive ders, walked backward into Noach’s tent, and
today comes—the three sons of Noach. We’re let the garment fall over their father’s nakedness
told these are Ham, Shem, and Japheth (or in without having looked upon it.
Hebrew, Yefet). Every person alive comes from When Noach woke up, he was offended
one of these three sons of Noach; likely many of and angry and took his wrath out not so much
us have some of all three of them in us. on Ham, but on Ham’s son Canaan. He pro-
Ham is spoken of as “the father of Canaan nounced a curse upon Canaan. Yet, there was
[Kena’an].” It is a little unusual in the Hebrew more to what was going on here than only a
culture for a father to have his familial identity curse on Ham’s line; there were also blessings
wrapped up in his son. It’s usually the other way pronounced upon Shem and Yefet.
around. But this time there’s a reason for it. A Before we discuss those blessings, the logi-
story is told in Genesis 9:20–27; it is so emo- cal question here is: What was Noach so upset
tionless and matter-of-fact that it seems almost about, and why did his grandson Canaan, who
trifling, unimportant, and not just a little dif- didn’t appear to even be involved in this event,
ficult to understand. In several places in the get the brunt of this curse? Ancient sages have
OT we run across these odd scenes that seem come up with all sorts of reasons. Without
almost out of place, and slightly out of context. going into detail, the thought is that Ham did
But the problem is not with the verses, it’s with far more than just to happen upon his father’s
our inability to connect them to the matters of nakedness. Ham committed some type of
grave importance they address. unnatural act upon Noach because Ham had
This story is about Noah planting a vine- become a wicked man. Virtually every compe-
yard, making wine, and getting drunk. He tent Bible version uses words in verse 24 that
crawled inside his tent and fell asleep, naked say something like “And when Noach awoke he
as a jaybird. Yes, the great, godly man Noach knew what his youngest son had done to him.”
got falling-down drunk on booze in this case However, I no longer accept that Ham did any
it was wine.55 Now, much argument over these more to his father than see him naked and then
verses has occurred over the centuries, mostly run out and report what he saw to his broth-
centered on whether or not Noach accidentally ers. After research on the writings of many of
created wine and innocently drank it and had the ancient Hebrew sages, I see that there were
the world’s first hangover. Not a chance; Noach likely two crimes committed here by Ham.
undoubtedly knew the result of fermenting First was the crime of dishonoring his father.
grapes and drinking the results. Noach was just It was not the seeing of Noach drunk and naked
a man. He had flaws, and the beauty of our Holy that was the crime; it was what Ham did about it.
Scriptures is that they don’t sanitize humans Rather than show respect by covering his father
and make them perfect and infallible like the and leaving without uttering a word, Ham dashed
false religions do with their leaders and found- outside and tattled to his brothers. In so doing,
Genesis 9
ers. Not even the greatest men of the Bible are Ham did not honor his father. The principle is
mentioned without including some of their sins this: Noach deserved to be honored because (a)
and disagreeable character traits. The reason for he was Ham’s father, and (b) God called Noach,
this is very straightforward: our righteousness of all men on earth, tzaddik, righteous, in His
60 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Noach’s Curse
born into the line of the curse, the line of Ham; tory. We’ll repeatedly find Israel either conquer-
they did nothing to merit their misfortune. ing, or being conquered, by them. The people
The people that came from Ham’s sons, pri- of Egypt come from Ham, and, interestingly, so
marily Canaan, became the races that occupied do the Philistines.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 61
Genesis 9
62
Genesis 9 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 63
Blessed be Adonai, the God of existed on planet Earth. His authority was abso-
Shem; Kena‘an will be their ser- lute over men. And Noach chose to hand over
vant. (Gen. 9:26) that power to Shem. This was so because God,
the only God, was called Shem’s God, indicating
Here we have more proof that something a linkage, an allegiance, a relationship between
went very wrong with Ham and his children, Shem and Yahweh. This relationship with
for it indicates that while Shem would follow Yahweh was not associated with either Yefet or
the God of Israel, Ham’s descendants would, Ham. The line of Shem would go on to become
in general, choose another direction. What we the Hebrews, Arabs, and many of the Asian
have here indicates that Shem’s ancestors would peoples.
carry the authority for Noach’s family, which
basically meant all mankind. Let me say that May God enlarge Yefet; he will
again: the rulership of mankind was within the live in the tents of Shem, but
line of Shem, because it was handed over to Kena‘an will be their servant.
him by Noach in this blessing we are examin- (Gen. 9:27)
ing. Noach had every right to do that. Just as
Adam was preeminent over all other men for This blessing bestowed upon Yefet was
a long time, so was Noah in essence “the king somewhat dependent on his relationship with
of the world” immediately following the Great Shem. The descendants of Yefet would benefit
Flood. He was the head of the only family that when they were in good relations with Shem
Genesis 9
64 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
here is a slight preview so that you can see the split: Shem received the authority, and Yefet the
important relationship between the blessing of fruitfulness and the wealth (the biblical term is
Noach, and then hundreds of years later, the enlargement). This was unusual compared to the
blessing of Jacob. typical firstborn blessing ceremonies.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 65
Fast-forward several hundred years. Jacob, fruitfulness of the gospel would be spread to the
called Israel, was living in Egypt; he called his whole world through Joseph’s family. We will
twelve sons to him as he lay on his deathbed. spend more time on this in chapter 48.
He knew his time was nearing, so he performed
the all-important firstborn blessing (Gen. 49). Canaan’s Legacy
Due to the indiscretions of the first three of his
sons, Jacob wound up declaring Judah, his fourth The accursed Canaan, son of Ham, was the
son, the firstborn. That happened with some founder and namesake of the land of Canaan,
frequency, but Jacob went against all custom the land that God told Moses and then Joshua to
and tradition when he split the firstborn bless- take away from its inhabitants (Canaan’s descen-
ing: he gave the family’s power and authority to dants). This was the land that God set aside for
Judah, but he gave the double portion, the fam- his chosen people, Israel, as they came up out
ily’s wealth expressed as the blessing of enlarge- of Egypt. The Canaanites, Ham’s descendants,
ment and fruitfulness, to Joseph. This was would eventually bow down to the Israelites,
highly unusual, yet it was exactly the same thing Shem’s descendants. And Noach’s prophetic
Noach had done centuries earlier. The impact of blessing set all this into motion; it was experi-
Noach’s choice set the destinies of the peoples enced by the Canaanites as Israel overran them
and nations of the world until history ends. But after leaving Egypt, and will culminate when
the impact of what Jacob did set the stage for the Messiah comes in the near future.
emergence of the Messiah, who would redeem Chapter 9 ends by informing us that Noach
mankind and put an end to history as we know lived for another 350 years after the Great
it, through Judah’s offspring. And it meant the Flood, dying at the ripe old age of 950.
Genesis 9
66 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 10
Noah’s Children
all conjecture; many figurines, reliefs, and etch- Next we’re told that “Ashur” went forth and
ings of Nimrod have been found, going back built Nineveh, the fabulous city at the heart of
thousands of years, and they all confirm his Assyria. Like Nimrod, this Ashur fellow built
Negro features. It is perfectly logical that Nimrod three more great cities in Assyria. Who was
should have been a black man, because in the Ashur? Ashur is simply the Assyrian name for
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 69
Nimrod (a Babylonian name). So, verse 11 is still level, by converting and becoming a Jew), so
speaking about the same man, Nimrod, just can a person become a Philistine by identify-
using a different language. ing with the Philistines. Many Palestinian Arabs
Let me give you a little insight about bibli- have given up their heritage of the line of good
cal names: very often, you see the same person (Shem) to join the line of evil (Ham). They have
with as many as three or four different names, also given up the Semite God, Yahweh, for a
depending on which nation that person was false god, Allah, as have most Arabs. They will
residing in, in what era the biblical account was be judged for it, and we need to pray for them to
written versus when the recorded event actually wake up to this fact before it’s too late.
occurred, and which culture was speaking of In verses 15–18 we see a list of tribes
him. Because just like today where Rick or Ricky spawned by Canaan. Later, during the exodus
is an American nickname, Richard is the more from Egypt, you’ll see many of these names
formal English version, Ricardo is a Spanish reappear as enemies of the Israelites who will
variation, Hecardo is Brazilian . . . but all are the try to keep them out of the Promised Land.
same name. The same thing happens concern-
ing nations, regions, and cities: the names change Descendants of Shem
over the years as cultures and languages change,
but all still refer to the same person or place. We now come to the blessed line of Shem, the
In verse 13, we’re told something that has line of good. The “line of good” and “line of
great impact on our current events: “Mitzrayim evil” descriptions do not mean that all people
fathered the Ludim, the ‘Anamim, the L’havim, in the one line turned out good and those from
the Naftuchim.” Mitzrayim, son of Ham—the the other group are all evil. By no means are
line of evil, cursed by God—fathered a people all people who come from Ham destined to be
called the Kasluchim. From the Kasluchim wicked or subjugated nor all people who come
descended the dreaded Philistines. And we from Shem destined to be godly, prosperous,
need to remember that the modern word for and free. Notice we come across the name
Philistine is Palestine. The Palestinians of today Ashur as a son of Shem. This is not the Ashur
claim to be descendants of the Philistines, who who built Ninevah; that Ashur was simply the
were descended from Ham, but that claim is not Assyrian name for Nimrod. This is another
entirely true. Some, indeed, are Philistine descen- person named Ashur.
dants, but the bulk of the Palestinians whom we Let me sum up the most important aspect of
see fighting the Israeli Jews every night on TV the verses spelling out the line of Shem: You’ll
are Arabs from various areas of the Middle East. notice that Shem is referred to as the “father”
Although many Arabs have come as immigrants or “ancestor” of the children or descendants
to the Holy Land area over the last seventy-five of Ever, or Eber. This is key to Hebrew his-
to one hundred years seeking work on Jewish tory because from the line of Eber would
farms and in Jewish factories, Arabs are not from come another of God’s divisions: Peleg and
the line of Ham, they are from the line of Shem. Yoktan. Dividing, electing, separating. Watch
That said, the fact is that many of these people for this, for this is a major theme that points
have made a conscious decision, out of their to a way God works His will throughout the
hatred for Israel, to identify with the Philistines Bible, and for that matter, in our own lives.
Genesis 10
because the Philistines were Israel’s archenemy. Peleg and Yoktan were brothers, sons of Ever.
But they have unwittingly created an enormous Interestingly, Peleg means “division.” For, from
problem for themselves. Just as a person of any the line of Peleg came Abraham, from whom
descent can become an Israelite by formally God’s plan to rescue all of mankind, to restore
identifying themselves with Israel (on a physical fallen man to Himself, would come.
70 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 11
moved away from God. We shouldn’t necessar- Technically, the Tower of Babel was a ziggurat,
ily think of their moving as evil, per se. After all, similar to a step pyramid. Several ancient zig-
they were accomplishing that which God had gurats have been discovered in modern-day Iraq
instructed, to repopulate the planet. Rather, the and Iran. This particular ziggurat was built for
biblical designation that they were going “from two stated purposes: (1) to reach up to heaven, so
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 71
Nimrod’s followers built a tower up to the man, with our wonderful intelligence, can invent
heavens to make a reputation of having power a way to build a tower right up to heaven so we
and authority in themselves. They wanted the rep- can live up there, too, if we wish. And, when
utation so they could show God that they were we get there, we’re going to tell God that we
not going to be obedient to Him and scatter as have decided we like all the power, knowledge,
72 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Source of Language
food, animals, and behavior. Separation was speak languages they’d never understood or
His intention for Nimrod and his followers. spoken before—the exact opposite of what hap-
Unity in itself is not a bad thing; the key is pened at the Tower of Babel when He confused
what or whom the unifying agent is. Consensus their languages.
and compromise are man’s kind of unity. It is the
74 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
pace. Isn’t it curious how, at that point in man’s suggesting that we should trust the goodness of
history, God judged man by confusing human our hearts instead of the Word of God.
language and forced him to disperse, but then at
Pentecost, thousands of years later, God blessed
man through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
76 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 12
blessing to others.
78 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
God Will Bless Those Who Bless Remember, when we see the word name, we
Avr am, and God Will Curse really ought to think “reputation.” God will
Those Who Curse Avr am make the reputation of Avram great. Even in
our time, four thousand years later, more than
This is no set of idle words. This is not God half the population of this planet is represented
being condescending to Avram, patting him on by the three great monotheistic religions—
his head as we would a child, trying to make Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Avram is the
him feel good. This is a serious warning, not revered patriarch of each of these.
to Avram, but to all the peoples of the world.
From that moment forward God expects people God Will Use Avr am to Bless All
to recognize that Avram is chosen of God, and the Families of the Earth
he is to be respected and honored. Conversely,
God will take it personally if anyone should What God is going to do through Avram
decide to be an enemy of Avram. That is, God is going to bless not just Avram, nor just his
will judge those who are against Avram. descendants, nor just the special nation that will
In biblical language, God is not just referring come from this blessing: Israel. This blessing,
to Avram himself. He is speaking of Avram’s brought about through Avram’s selection, is
line, and even more specifically, He is speak- going to benefit all mankind.
ing of the special nation that will come from
Avram, his descendants. Who are the descen- What Is a Covenant?
dants who form that special nation? Israel.
Avram will eventually have many children, Of all the biblical principles, covenant is the
but only one will father the line that leads to one we need to understand best, because it is
Israel. Not all of Avram’s descendants have through the process of covenant that God’s
this special blessing and warning attached. set-apart people (Israel) were created, and it is
God already laid out the pattern for this con- through covenant that, by trust in God, namely
cept: He divides, He elects, and He separates. in Messiah Yeshua, we can be saved from eter-
Avram came from the line of Peleg, who was nal destruction.
divided and elected from the line of Shem, who Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines covenant
was divided and elected from the line of Noach, as “a binding agreement,” and as “an agreement
who was divided and elected from the line of among church members to defend and main-
Seth, who was divided and elected from the tain its doctrines.” It also describes covenant as
line of Adam. In time, as Avram has sons, we “a formal contract.” Without doubt, these defi-
will see one particular son divided, elected, and nitions express Western culture’s twenty-first-
separated from his brothers. The result of this century idea of just what a covenant is, and what
God-pattern is what is often called “the line of we, as Christians, generally picture in our minds
promise.” Typically this line of promise is con- when the word covenant is used. But Webster’s
sidered to start with Avram, but the Bible shows misses the mark substantially when describing
us that, in reality, it goes all the way back to a covenant in biblical terms and times—that is,
Seth. what God means by “covenant.” First and fore-
most, a covenant is sacred.
Genesis 12
God Will Make the Name of In Bible times, covenants between men
Avr am Great were used to sell land, to make alliances, to
make war and peace, and even to make provi-
Avram is going to be greatly rewarded. His sion for the use of a water well by someone other
name is going to be lifted high among men. than its owner. A covenant could be by mutual
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 79
agreement, in which both parties had obligations isn’t readily apparent that there are words in
to fulfill. Or, just as often, it signified an obliga- one language that don’t directly correspond to a
tion upon only one party. That obligation could word in another language. We can’t just make a
even be imposed upon someone by a more pow- list of Hebrew words then easily make a parallel
erful person or nation, or by God Himself. list that represents their equivalents in English.
We tend to think of a covenant as a promise As a matter of fact, it takes approximately one-
or a contract, and we consider its effect within third more English words than Hebrew words
the framework of our judicial system. Therefore, to express an idea. Put another way, a Hebrew
we picture covenants as human agreements, Bible is only about two-thirds the length of an
written by human hands, and enforced by English Bible. That should give us a clue about
human means. We know that time, people, or translation difficulties.
circumstances can cause oral promises and writ- Let’s look at an example of the intricacies of
ten contracts to terminate, change, or simply translating Hebrew to English. Take the concept
become obsolete. of day. Both English and Hebrew have a word
Penalties for breaking a contract are usu- that expresses the common and straightforward
ally small in our society and normally involve a concept of a twenty-four-hour period of time,
monetary settlement. This happens every day. A one full rotation of the earth: in Hebrew it is yom;
court of law can invalidate or change a contract. in English it is day. In contrast, the Hebrew word
Men and women break personal promises on a shalom contains an overall concept that doesn’t
fairly consistent basis. Governments form con- exist in either Greek- or English-speaking cul-
stitutions (their contract with the people) then tures. Therefore, there is no Greek or English
amend them or even throw them away and start equivalent for it. Bible translators try to commu-
all over. People can, mutually or unilaterally, nicate something very close to it, or they use a
change their minds and simply dissolve or dis- series of words to try to get the concept across
avow a contract or a promise, such as in the case to the reader. We often see the word peace or grace
of divorce, with relatively little penalty. None of used in English to translate shalom. But peace and
this is possible within the biblical definition of grace just scratch the surface of what shalom means
a covenant. to the Hebrew mind.
More troublesome, though, is what happens
The Definition of Covenant when a translator has no understanding of the
culture behind the language he is translating.
The Hebrew word for covenant is b’rit, which You don’t need to be familiar with French cul-
comes from the Hebrew root word barah, which ture to learn to speak French. Likewise, you don’t
means “to cut or divide.” The Greek word used need to be familiar with Hebrew culture to learn
in the Bible for covenant is diatheke. It misses Hebrew. But when a translator fails to unite the
the mark rather substantially as a translation of understanding of the culture that is tied to the
the word b’rit. Culture and language come as a language, he understands only a word in the con-
package, and within any given culture there are text of his own cultural sense, not the sense of the
a number of traditions, ideas, and basic soci- culture that created the word. That is the main
etal concepts that are unique to that culture problem we have with Bible translations; pre-
and therefore foreign to all others. Since that cious few translators have any depth of knowl-
Genesis 12
is the case, there are many uniquely Hebrew edge of ancient Hebrew culture and concepts.63
concepts, such as the concept embodied in the Many of us who have purchased small
Hebrew words b’rit and shalom and Messiah, that appliances or electronic widgets made in China
don’t always have parallels in other languages often find the accompanying instructions odd
or cultures. Unless you’re a language expert, it or even funny. I once bought a riding toy for
80 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
standing of b’rit (covenant). So, why do we con- operates and has an effect in the spiritual realm,
tinue to say Old Testament and New Testament because the spiritual realm is the source of a God-
instead of Old Covenant and New Covenant? made covenant. What happens first in the spiri-
It is habit, tradition, and an ignorance of what a tual sphere does at times become present in the
real biblical covenant is. physical sphere of existence.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 81
the Adversary, the devil. similar event will occur with a similar outcome.
We know that Satan’s fall occurred some- The later event occurred the way it did because
it conformed to the pattern of the previous
time before Adam’s fall, because Satan was event. God explains by exposing patterns, not by
already exiled to planet Earth by the time Adam explaining why.
was created. Satan’s crime (pride and rebellion)
82 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
and seashores. The sun has a finite amount of depend. If you change one, many others are
fuel, and it will eventually run out. Every physical affected because they all work together. None
thing is slowly but surely dissolving back toward are accidental, nor do they operate indepen-
its basic elemental makeup. dently. Everything about the universe changes
Spiritually, things also changed: evil was to adapt to the new reality, spiritually and physi-
unleashed and it had to be dealt with because cally. When God makes a covenant, it’s not like
evil pollutes perfection; sin defiles God’s per- a person contracting to make payments on a car
sonal holiness. A Savior had to be prepared loan—the universe does not react when humans
to save man from complete annihilation. The take out a mortgage, and it is not affected when
Abyss had to be readied to imprison the leader those contracts and vows are broken. But when
of evil, Satan, at the appropriate time. Angels God makes a covenant, some parts, if not all, of
would eventually become warriors. Because the vast body of spiritual and physical laws of
sin had entered the world, death entered the the universe are affected. This is not allegory,
world. First the fall of Satan initiated the decay analogy, emotion, or exaggeration. When God
of inanimate objects, then the fall of man initi- makes a covenant, the spiritual and physical
ated the decay of living creatures. Prior to that universes are never again the same.
there would have been no need for a “line of
promise,” an immaculate conception, or a hor- Why God Makes Covenants
rendous crucifixion. We, today, would not be
preparing for a rapture while warning the unbe- If God is to communicate with man, it must be
lieving of Armageddon if not for the evil that in terms that man can understand. So God has
began the death spiral of all things existing in created a kind of covenant system—a visible,
our universe, living and inanimate. physical, tangible protocol by which man can
Here’s an example of the effect of break- recognize and understand the terms and impact
ing a biblical covenant: What would happen if of God’s promises. In response, mankind has
God removed gravity as a physical law of the adopted a similar pattern for making agree-
universe? Fortunately, at least until the new ments among ourselves.
heaven and earth are created, gravity is a per- In the Bible we see covenants made
manent law of nature; it has no conditions or between humans, and we see covenants made
time limit that we are aware of. Gravity is the by God. As expected, they are very similar in
physical phenomenon that causes the moon to their format. The oldest, most primitive way
revolve around the earth, and the earth to orbit of creating a covenant between two people
around the sun. Our seasons, weather, and tem- was called “cutting a covenant,” the Hebrew
peratures stay within an ideal range in order to b’rit, which literally means “cutting or divid-
afford life to survive; photosynthesis, the basis ing.” The earliest covenant-making protocol
of plant life, depends on our connection and occurred when a representative of each side
relation to the sun. Without gravity, that con- of a proposed covenant agreement cut his
nection would be broken. We stay stuck to the arm with a knife, then both held the bleeding
earth because of gravity. When we drop a glass, wounds together to signify mixing the blood.
it falls to the ground . . . always. What if God In some cultures, blood was actually sucked
simply decided, one day, to abolish gravity? A from each other’s wound and ingested by the
Genesis 12
chain reaction of monumental proportions opposite party. Solemn oaths were sworn,
would begin, wouldn’t it? The way the universe invoking the name of the god each participant
operates would be entirely different. worshipped, because a covenant was sacred. In
Covenants are universal laws upon which all cases, blood and a god were at the center of
most other aspects of nature and heaven the ceremony.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 83
In time a different rite appeared, one that Since salt was the final step of the covenant-
involved cutting animals instead of each other. making process, it is symbolic of closing the
Generally, this cutting meant not just slashing deal; salt became a symbol for peace. When the
an animal to draw blood, but literally killing it salt was partaken of, the covenanting process
and cutting it up—dividing it, either into halves was completed, similar to the way we now shake
or several pieces. The pieces would be laid out hands after agreeing to a business deal.
on the ground, organized, and separated into After the arrival of Moses, his receiving of
two groups. Then both participants of the cov- the Torah on Mount Sinai, and the institution
enant would walk between the pieces while of the sacrificial system, God instructed the
swearing an oath in the name of their god. Levite priests to always add salt to sacrifices.
Blood was integral in covenant making I mentioned earlier that when God made a
because covenants were deemed to be a life covenant, it was forever. The Israelites clearly
fellowship and life was in the blood. The cove- understood the awesome heaven- and earth-
nant was life long, and the participants consid- changing device that a covenant from God was.
ered themselves to have been joined together, Since covenants were to be sealed with salt,
almost as one flesh, under whatever terms that the God-ordained practice of sprinkling salt
covenant demanded. Hundreds of years before on the sacrifices reminded Israel that the cov-
Avram was born, God told Adam that life was enants between God and Israel were everlasting
in the blood. Mankind had not forgotten. In and that the covenants had a desired effect of
the countless murders that had occurred by making peace between God and Israel.
then, and with the slaughtering and eating of Often in the NT we see references to salt.
animals for food as a normal practice, it was These refer to crucial aspects of covenant
self-evident that blood was central to life. making and sacrificial procedure, not cooking.
Since blood was involved in making a cove- In Mark 9:50, Jesus says, “Have salt in your-
nant, it was understood that a covenant was a selves—that is, be at peace with each other.”
very serious matter, never to be entered into Christ also tells us, “You are salt for the Land”
lightly. The usual penalty for breaking a cov- (Matt. 5:13). And Paul says, “Let your speech
enant was death. always be with grace, as though seasoned with
salt” (Col. 4:6 NASB). Here, salt is being recalled
The Significance of Salt as the final element of a covenant or sacrifice,
and therefore it is symbolic of peace and purity.
Covenants were so hallowed that they were In fact, by Yeshua’s time, when someone used
established with pomp and ceremony. Salt, the phrase “covenant of salt” it indicated a holy,
together with bread, was usually eaten as the enduring covenant. And the “covenant of salt”
final event of the covenant ceremony. The par- also came to mean the specific covenant God
ticipants’ eating a meal together upon comple- made with Avram. Whenever you see the use
tion of the covenant was a way of signifying that of the word salt in the Scriptures, NT or OT,
a new family-type relationship had been formed. understand that the Hebrew author is referring
Salt became so important to the transaction that to an issue of great holiness in relation to a cov-
the making of a covenant was sometimes called enant or sacrifice.
a “covenant of salt.” In fact, in some cultures
Genesis 12
the simple act of exchanging salt was, at times, God’s Permanent Covenant
enough to conclude a covenant over an every- with Avr am
day matter; blood and all the other ritual wasn’t
necessary. We find this idea in both the OT and Armed with this understanding of cove-
the NT. nants, let’s go back to the terms of the covenant
84 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
our support must always be of Israel. The part A God-created covenant is nothing less
of that covenant that we ought to be greatly than a new or modified law of nature. There is
concerned with today says, “I will bless those no other word we can come up with to express
who bless you, but I will curse anyone who the unfathomable cosmic force of a covenant.
curses you” (Gen. 12:3). Since Israel inherited A promise, a contract, a doctrine, a will and
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 85
The Patriarchs
family, is that separation was demanded. Avram example we see in Avram’s life. It could be the
could not accomplish his task by remaining death of a spouse or a parent that causes the
among a people, including his own family, who separation. And while the Bible certainly does
were thoroughly dedicated to a false religion of not encourage divorce, separation could happen
nonexistent gods and goddesses. that way. A bad decision on someone’s part may
This pattern of God dividing, electing, and result in a separation God will use to achieve
separating continues, therefore, by declaring good in ways we could never have contem-
Avram as the founder of a new nation of people; plated. It could be, as it was with Avram, that
a people who would be set apart just for God. It for the purpose God has ordained for you, you
is unlikely that Avram took this instruction to cannot stay tied to the old, as painful as that
leave everything he knew in exchange for simple separation might be.
words of promise, even if the words were from a Separation could also be from friends who
recently introduced God, without much doubt simply do not share the values you know you
and trepidation. It is equally as unthinkable must follow or from others who find you odd
that he simply accepted all that God said and due to the wholeheartedness that you now have
carried it all out in absolute purity. One can be in following and serving Yahweh. Perhaps the
divided and elected like Avram, but that hardly separation must be from a church or a syna-
means all ingrained thoughts of the previous gogue that has, over time, lost its first love and
seventy-five years of life, all the traditional and blindly chases after the world. This is nothing
unquestioned behavior of worshipping gods, unusual, by the way, nor anything that should
simply fled him. If it were that easy and mat- be all that unexpected given what we’re told in
ter-of-fact, the forced separation of Avram and Revelation.
those who would go with him would have been This concept of separation is, of course, cen-
unnecessary. tral to Christ’s teachings, although it is not usu-
ally recognized as such. Several of our Savior’s
Separ ation as God’s Design statements cause us much trouble. Here is one
of the most troubling:
It is man’s habit that we hate to let go of the
familiar things, even if those things are weigh- If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father,
ing us down or even destroying us. The security his mother, his wife, his children, his brothers and his
of the familiar present, no matter how terrible sisters, yes, and his own life besides, he cannot be my
or hollow, is somehow better in our minds than talmid. (Luke 14:26)
the discomfort of facing an unknown future of
change. Left to our own devices, we often pre- This is all about separation, not hatred as
tend to move forward into renewal, while really we typically think of it. Jesus wants us to be
staying latched to the rock of our past like an prepared to be at odds with those closest to
abalone. The pattern God shows us is not simply us, as Avram was with his family, once we are
about division, nor only about election, nor even called by God. We must recognize that we can
about division then election. That third, final, no longer remain tied to the past, particularly
and indispensable part of the dynamic process a wicked past, and that God’s calling surpasses
of remolding all until His purposes are achieved any other purpose for our existence.
Genesis 12
must occur in concert with the first two; that Jesus says more on this subject:
third part is separation. Separation, in one way
or another, is a prerequisite to serving God. Don’t suppose that I have come to bring peace to
Does that mean separation from family? the Land. It is not peace I have come to bring, but a
It certainly can, and interestingly that is the sword! For I have come to set a man against his father, a
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 87
came to be called Bethel and Ai. Bethel and Ai “traveled on, continuing toward the Negev”
were only a couple of miles apart. Avram built (Gen. 12:9). Avram’s clan is traveling even far-
another altar there and sacrificed to Yahweh. ther south, into the desert regions; we know this
Some undefined period later, he and his family because negev is Hebrew for “south.”
We should understand that, without doubt,
Avram’s travels had nothing to do with a sense
of wanderlust. Moving was always danger-
ous and difficult. Instead, the first patriarch’s
constant movements had more to do with the
never-ending search for new water and pasture
that an owner of herds and flocks must suffer.
middle (called Nablus in the disputed was very beautiful, and he feared men might
West Bank today), Bethel and Ai kill him to have her. So he told Sarai to say she
slightly south of that, and the Negev was his sister, not his wife. Truth be told, she
at the southernmost part of the map was actually both his wife and his half sister,
the daughter of one of his father’s wives.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 89
Genesis 13
for the events that would come several centuries nent, not a conditional, covenant. God didn’t
later: Jacob’s journey to Egypt and the subsequent
say, “If you’ll do this, I’ll do that.” There would
Exodus from Egypt of Jacob’s people, called
Israelites. be no amount of sin or rebellion that Avram
or his descendants could commit that would
cause God to rescind this covenant, and over
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 91
and over again the prophets remind us of this had nothing from which to gauge just where we
in Scripture. Yet, for the last several hundred stood in Bible history. That is not the case for us
years, many within the church have said that living today. But if you look around you’d think
this covenant no longer exists. They argue that that nothing out of the ordinary is happening.
God has disposed of His promise to Avram and After the destruction of Jerusalem in AD
turned it over to Gentile Christians, as the New 70, the next prophesied event that was to
Israel. This is nonsense. Yahweh warned that occur was the return of those who had been
the people of Israel would be removed from dispersed and exiled, from what is called the
that land for a time because of their lusting after Roman dispersion or Roman exile. Jewish
other gods. But never was it going to be perma- people, believers and nonbelievers, kept their
nently taken from them by Yahweh, and that is bags packed and waited expectantly for that
made abundantly clear in the Bible. return in the first few decades following the
Roman destruction of Jerusalem, when they
Prophecy Coming to Pass were outlawed from living in that city, but it
Today didn’t happen. The Gentile church and the
Messianic Jews of the second century AD
It is profitable for us to understand the rele- thought that certainly Christ would return
vance the Torah has for us in our day and age, at any moment. Likewise, traditional Jews
and to apply it to our lives. It has been said by thought the return to their homeland and
many preachers and teachers that we, today, rebuilding of their temple was imminent, but
live in a very special time in history; we are eye- it didn’t happen. Those worshipping the God
witnesses to age-old Bible prophecies coming of Israel and living in the third century were
to pass. This is true. Not every generation has getting restless and very worried about what
witnessed prophetic events occurring, so one was taking so long for God to call His people
would think that when a prophecy of God did back to their Holy Land, but their worries were
come to fruition, God’s people would respond not put to rest. In the fourth century the thor-
with excitement. Yet the church, along with oughly Gentile church of Jesus Christ was still
most of the earth’s Jewish population, has, for awaiting His return, and in every nation Jews
the most part, greeted two of the most impor- who had emigrated away from Jerusalem won-
tant events in all prophetic history, the rebirth dered if maybe the time when they could go
of Israel as a Jewish nation and the return of back home was finally near. This continued
the control of Jerusalem to the Jewish people, through the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth
with a disinterested yawn. I think that is primar- centuries, right on up to the seventeenth cen-
ily because we don’t realize that fulfillments of tury, when Christianity took a fateful turn and
prophecy don’t happen every day. came to the conclusion that we must have been
In fact, with the fall of Jerusalem in AD misreading those prophecies about the return
70, for all practical purposes the unfolding of of Israel to their homeland all along.
biblically prophesied events went into hiberna- The church concluded that Israel was not
tion for an extended period of time. For better going to return, or at least, there wasn’t going
than eighteen centuries not a single prophetic to be a Jewish Israel. They suggested that the
event that is outlined in the Bible came to pass. Israel the Bible spoke of, both the people and
Genesis 13
There was much going on in the world in prep- the land, was symbolic. Symbolic of what? The
aration for the day when God once again set Gentile church. The new mainstream beliefs that
the prophetic clock ticking, counting down to arose, which dominate the Christian world today,
the end of all things as we know them, but for began in the seventeenth century. These beliefs
almost nineteen hundred years God’s people centered on the newly held conviction that:
92 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
• Israel has been replaced by the church. time since AD 70. The prophecy has happened;
• Israel has been thoroughly and permanently the Jews are back; and for the most part, due
rejected by Yehoveh (YHWH, Yahweh) because to our Christian traditions, the church has been
they rejected His Son. utterly blind to it. Interestingly, it was a little less
• All the promises of land and redemption than nineteen hundred years from the time God
that the Hebrews received through Abraham made His promises to Abraham until Yeshua
and Moses were taken from them and given to the Messiah arrived, and was a little less than
the Gentile church. nineteen hundred years from the day God kicked
• The church now receives all the blessings His people out of the land with the promise that
promised to Abraham, including those prom- He would bring them back until the day that
ises we read about in the first few verses of they came back to claim that promise once and
chapter 12. for all. Maybe we ought to take notice.
• Israel will receive all the curses that come
from disobedience to the Laws of Moses. Ezekiel’s Prophecy
Fast-forward to the twentieth century. In There are many mentions of these events scat-
1948 Israel finally did return to the exact loca- tered throughout the Bible, but none have the
tion from which they were exiled; the Jewish impact of those spoken by that really strange
nation was reborn just as prophesied. And, in prophet of God, Ezekiel. Ezekiel was one of
1967, Jerusalem was returned to the control of the Jews taken from his home in Jerusalem by
the Jewish people, just as predicted, and there- Nebuchadnezzar and exiled to Babylon. This
fore ordained, by Messiah. The church has had happened when the Babylonian Empire con-
little to no reaction to these staggering events. It quered Judah about 597 BC.
is still teaching the same replacement theologi-
cal positions developed with a lack of faith in
God’s Word by the seventeenth-century church Assignment: Read Ezekiel 36–37.
leaders. This position is completely intertwined
and imbedded within modern church doctrine
worldwide. It’s as though Israel’s return to claim These two chapters sound like a scene from
the promises made to Abraham never happened. a George Lucas or Steven Spielberg movie! But
Christians have been taught from early child- let’s connect the dots between this passage,
hood to express disappointment and shake our Genesis 12–13, and the events of our time.
heads knowingly at those terrible Jews in Jesus’s The event talked about in Ezekiel is not the
day who had the unimaginable privilege of wit- return of the Jews from Babylon. The phrase
nessing the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah, the whole house of Israel66 is also at times translated
but then were blinded by their Jewish traditions, as “both houses of Israel” or “all Israel.” The
so blinded that they encouraged the killing of the words of Ezekiel were written over a span of
Son of God for claiming to be who He really approximately twenty-five years, beginning
was. Well, today, the church has witnessed that around the time Babylon conquered Judah
long-awaited day when Israel would be returned in 597 BC, and this particular part was writ-
from their exile, reclaim their land inheritance, ten in the later years. About 130 years earlier,
Genesis 13
and be reborn as a nation. Television sets broad- the Hebrews were a divided nation; a ten-tribe
casted images of the Israeli army defeating confederacy in the northern area of the Holy
an alliance of five powerful Arab armies in a Lands, and a two-tribe group in the south. The
matter of only six days. In 1967 they reclaimed northern area was a kingdom all its own, sepa-
Jerusalem as their own Holy City for the first rate from the southern area; each area was ruled
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 93
by its own king. The unified kingdom of Israel, was called the Kingdom of Ephraim or the
ruled by David and later Solomon, was divided House of Ephraim, names that most of us are
by means of civil war. not familiar with. (Ephraim was a grandson of
The northern area went by several names: Jacob. He was adopted away from his father,
the Northern Kingdom, the kingdom of Israel, Joseph, by Jacob, then given a great prophetic
and some documents even refer to it as the blessing.)
Kingdom of Joseph. But for the most part, as The Southern Kingdom was called Judah
was typical for that era, it was named after the or the House of Judah. These two “houses,”
tribe that was dominant in the region: the tribe the House of Ephraim and the House of Judah,
of Ephraim. From about 900 BC to the time together made up what the Bible calls the whole
of Ezekiel (ca. 590 BC), the northern region house of Israel. Almost all Bibles say “House of
Genesis 13
94 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Israel” instead of “House of Ephraim,” which is The word of Adonai came to me: “You, human
confusing. Indeed, “House of Israel” was a term being, take one stick and write on it, ‘For Y’hudah and
used for a few years immediately following the those joined with him [among] the people of Isra’el.’ Next,
civil war to denote the Northern Kingdom, but take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yosef, the stick of
it quickly fell out of use. Efrayim, and all the house of Isra’el who are joined with
Until recently, only one of the two houses him.’ Finally, bring them together into a single stick, so
of Israel had returned to their homeland: Judah. that they become one in your hand.” (Ezek. 37:15–17)
Judah is made up of what, today, we call the
Jews. That other house of Israel, the one that But until recently, only one house, the house
comprised ten of the twelve tribes of Israel, was of Judah, had come back. The common question
not recognized by Israel for who they were and is: Isn’t Ezekiel really about the return of all the
were generally prohibited from returning home. Hebrews from their Babylonian exile? No. That
But that has now changed and the remnants exile was only the exile of Judah; the other house
of the ten lost tribes are returning in an ever- of Israel, Ephraim, had long ago been conquered
increasing flow.
There will be a time when both houses of
Israel will return to the Holy Lands and be
reunited:
ing the West Bank from the possession of Israel side or the other. We can choose to obey God and
through tremendous political pressure, and giving honor His covenants and have peace with Him, or
that land to the Palestinians as their own sovereign we can stand with the world. Standing with Israel
nation—and that in the hope of peace. There is is standing with God. Not standing with Israel is
even a large coalition of churches demanding the standing with the world, against God.
96 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
In Genesis 13:17, God said, “Get up and not ordered it. It would be as though a man went
walk through the length and breadth of the in to buy a car, filled out all the paperwork, laid
land, because I will give it to you.” What exactly a check on the table, and the dealer said, “No
does that mean? Was Avram literally to stop need for you or me to sign anything, just take
what he was doing and visit every area of the the car and go and we’ll just take each other’s
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 97
word for it.” Most buyers would be uncomfort- left both parties feeling a full sense of closure
able doing that, primarily because it isn’t cus- on the transaction.
tomary in our culture. Signing the paperwork Genesis 13 ends with Avram moving to
finishes the process of transferring ownership Hebron and building an altar there. Building
and makes the transaction legal. Avram’s situ- an altar was customary to declare one god or
ation was similar; in the custom of that day, another’s authority over that territory, so we see
walking the perimeter of the land legally com- Avram acknowledging God’s authority in his
pleted the transfer of the property and thereby new land.
Genesis 13
98 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 14
name or a city to its more modern equivalent ous and unchallenged that the writers of the NT
due to language evolution. None of these varia- were Jews; they were Jews thoroughly immersed
tions had any significant effect on the mean- in Hebrew culture and Hebrew thought. We
ing or principle being addressed. So to see that can compare the Greek Septuagint against the
virtually no meaningful changes had occurred ancient Hebrew OT and fairly easily find where
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 99
the translation problems lie, but it is somewhat odd? What verses from the Old might be in the
different for the NT because we have relatively New? At least 50 percent of the NT is direct OT
few passages of NT writings in Hebrew, and quotations. A good study Bible will show you
those we do have appear to have been translated exactly which NT verses are OT quotations,
back into Hebrew from the Greek. and even provide the OT reference.67
Don’t just make a mental note that a par-
ticular NT verse or paragraph is an OT quota-
tion: stop, look up that OT passage, and read
The Modern Hebrew New it. Mentally insert that OT portion, just as it
Testament reads in the OT, into the NT. Depending on
your Bible version, more often than not the
Recently, a group of Jewish scholars translated
a complete Hebrew NT, using their deep under- OT words written in the NT will not actually
standing of Hebrew culture in the days of Yeshua. be the same as those you read in the parallel
This gives us a much better understanding of the OT passage. Let that sink in for just a moment.
first-century church. The Modern Hebrew New Why, if the translator fully recognizes that the
Testament is written by the Bible Society of Israel, NT author is directly quoting an Old Testament
and it is a fully parallel NT in English and Hebrew,
passage, do the words not match exactly?
a very valuable tool for any serious student of the
Bible. Often it is because the OT was translated from
Hebrew into English, but the NT is being trans-
lated from Greek translations into English. The
Greek meaning often is a couple of degrees off
Translation problems are multiplied when from the Hebrew meaning. When you add in
you take a Hebrew thought, attempt to trans- further translation from Greek to English and
late it to a foreign language, such as Greek, and Hebrew to English, it complicates the issue even
then translate from the Greek into yet another further.
language, such as English. Yet this is what our Frustratingly, there are even more problems
modern New Testaments are—translations of of translation. Every Christian denomination
translations. And even more difficult is the fact today, of which there are nearly three thousand,
that language is evolving—words within a par- has a set of doctrines and a creed that it goes
ticular language take on different meanings over by. In general, the Bible translators, either con-
time. What an English word meant when the first sciously or subconsciously, fastidiously adhere
King James Bible was written, as compared to its to the doctrines and creeds of one or another of
meaning today, can be quite different. these denominations. So, when the opportunity
The mere translation of a document is, by comes to translate a word, but what is written in
its very nature, a redaction, an editing. The pro- the original doesn’t seem to match their precon-
cess of translating the Hebrew to Greek and ceived doctrines, they will substitute a word or
then that Greek to English adds variations and phrase that is out of context but keeps the mean-
opinions. Why else do you suppose we have an ing of the verse within the boundaries of the
absolutely endless supply of Bible versions in doctrinal beliefs they hold so dear. Translation
English? And don’t forget, the Bible has also often has the translator’s agenda buried within it.
been translated into literally hundreds of other This is why it is so necessary to use several
Genesis 14
languages, and a substantial amount of those Bible versions to study from. Better yet, gain an
are taken from the English! understanding of Hebrew language and culture.
Let me give you a little tip for studying the I recommend that everyone have a Hebrew
Bible, especially the NT. Compare NT verses Bible to correlate the English translation with,
with their OT counterparts. Does that sound because even if you don’t have any proficiency
100 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
in Hebrew, you can rather easily tell when two of the NT authors, and what certain words and
words in Hebrew are similar, but two very phrases meant to the vast audiences Jesus spoke
distant English words might be used to trans- to. That has become more possible within the
late that same Hebrew word. In that case, one last few decades than ever before in history.
should be suspicious and do a thorough Hebrew Let me assure you, you have nothing to fear.
word study to see exactly what that word means Your faith in Christ will grow and be even fur-
to the Hebrew writer. ther validated as we study Torah and the Dead
The Bible was not written in a vacuum. All Sea Scrolls. Some of the mysterious and confus-
the thoughts and phrases and word meanings ing things of the NT that we have so much dif-
were written within the context of the Hebrew ficulty understanding become more clear and
culture of that era. Our goal, then, is to find understandable and real with the help of the Dead
out what those words and phrases meant to the Sea Scrolls and the comparison with the OT.
original authors, because they should be taken to
mean exactly the same thing to us. Otherwise,
we turn the Bible into a living document, one Assignment: Read Genesis 14.
that evolves with the times.
In summary, there are two main things to
remember: (1) there is much more variation in
the NT translations than the OT, and (2) this is K’dorla‘omer’s Alliance
primarily because the NT is where the various
Christians doctrines find their foundation and Lot had gone to live in the Jordan Valley, an area
where doctrinal arguments are made to defend that extended all the way to the Dead Sea and
or criticize denominational beliefs. included the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
It was, in essence, part of a district controlled
Progress Is Being Made by a king named K’dorla‘omer (often translated
as Chedorlaomer), and K’dorla‘omer apparently
Over the last twenty years, with many Jewish had some type of mutual protection treaty with
scholars either coming to believe in Messiah or a small group of nations and kings mentioned
having a more open approach to studying and in Genesis 14:1: “Amrafel was king of Shin‘ar,
considering the NT, some great work is being Aryokh king of Elasar, K’dorla‘omer king of
done in adjusting the NT translations to come ‘Elam and Tid‘al king of Goyim.” Not all the
back in line with the Hebrew culture and thought names of these various kingdoms can be trans-
patterns of the first century AD. With the dis- lated into a specific area on a modern map, but
covery of the community documents of the some can. Elasar is almost certainly Ashur, one
Dead Sea Scrolls, we are finding that an astound- of several ancient cities built by Nimrod, which
ing number of phrases and theological tenets in eventually was called Assyria. Amrafel lived
the NT that we had thought to be unique to Jesus
and His disciples were already under develop-
ment. The phrases were already in use, especially
among the Essene separatists out in the wilder-
ness of Judah and living in Qumran.
Genesis 14
way up north, in an area called Shinar, the same and peoples of the world except Avram and
place Nimrod had called home, and also where his people.” So by about 1900 BC, goyim meant
Ur, Avram’s hometown, was located. “Gentile nations” or “Gentile people.” It is very
The place called Elam, which was likely that the last person to redact this chapter
K’dorla‘omer’s kingdom (or better, city-state), is of Genesis in antiquity was simply showing that
also known by another biblical name, Shushan in the original scriptural documents the king-
(which we find in the book of Esther). Today, it dom that King Tidal reigned over was not writ-
is called Khuzistan. Remember, we’re going to ten down and named, so he simply inserted the
find that many names for people and places in rather generic word goyim, indicating that Tidal
the Bible change over the centuries, both as a was indeed a king of some nation or another.
result of changing languages and political take- It is through fairly new archaeological evi-
overs. Elam, Shushan, and Khuzistan are all the dence that we know with certainty that King
same place; today this place is located in south- Tidal ruled over a people called the Hittites.
western Iran, just a few miles from Ur. Shinar The Hittites were an enormous, dominant, and
and Elam likely shared a border. very advanced culture of that era. I suspect that
King Tidal is known to have been a king when Genesis was first written down, it was not
of the Hittites, so his territory that was called necessary to explain what people group King
Goyim covered the areas of western Turkey and Tidal ruled over, no more than it would need
Syria. Goyim means “nations,” but it also means to be explained today, to most any literate cul-
“Gentiles.” Prior to Avram, goyim was a very ture in the modern world, who the president
generic word that meant “nation” in a general of the United States is. It is simply common
sense, just as we use the word nation today. But knowledge.
Genesis 14
once God separated Avram and designated him The common element among the territories
as the first “Hebrew,” which set him apart as a of these allied kings who were heading down
special and unique nation of people for God’s into the Middle East to make war was that they
purpose, the word goyim took on a slightly dif- all resided in what we call Mesopotamia, and
ferent tone. It then meant “all the other nations the territories they held were substantial.
102 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
of time. Avram was not the biological father of ters in the Bible: Melchizedek, king of Shalem:
all these men. Almost certainly these were the
children of many servants and slaves, people pur- Malki-Tzedek king of Shalem brought out bread
chased as slaves, of which Avram owned many, and wine. He was cohen of El ‘Elyon [God Most High],
and were considered part of the family. so he blessed him with these words: “Blessed be Avram
104 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
“reputation.” So God’s name, his reputation, called Shalem, it was called both Tzedek and
has great variety: He is the God Most High, Jebus. This place either was, or was adjacent to,
God of the Heavenly Hosts, the God Who the Jerusalem that would come later. We also
Hides Me, the Lord Who Provides, the Lord have recently discovered that the City of David
Who Heals, and so on. It won’t be until the time adjacent to Jerusalem was known as Zion before
of Moses that God actually divulges His formal David conquered it.
and personal name, YHWH, which is like Tom Some of the ancient scribes said that
or Becky or Jerry. YHWH is not a reputation or Melchizedek was actually Shem, the son of
a title. Noach. Now, you may ask, does that mean he
Returning to the title Melchizedek, Melchi was a second coming of Shem, a Shem-like indi-
means “king” and tzedek means “righteous” or vidual, or maybe even a descendant of Shem?
“righteousness.” It’s a title that, translated to No, these scribes meant that Melchizedek was
English, means “my king is righteous” or “the the actual, real, literal Shem. This is entirely
king of righteousness.” And it’s a name in the possible because Shem, by biblical records and
sense of its being this unnamed man’s reputation. chronologies, was still alive at this time. Of
There are precious few words spoken about course, Shem was destined to be the line of
this intriguing fellow. But we need to glean as good that extended from Noach, and if anyone
much as we can from this, because he is referred alive at this time was completely loyal to the
to in a powerful way in the NT, which means one God, it would have been Shem, who rode
that even nineteen hundred years after Avram out the Great Flood with his family of eight
met Melchizedek, apparently much more was individuals.
known and remembered about him than was It’s amazing what becomes clear when we
written down. Melchizedek was seen by the put the Jewishness that was removed from the
writer of Hebrews as a very special part of Israel’s Bible back into the Bible, and a prime example
history and, perhaps, Israel’s spiritual future. is the story of Avram and Melchizedek. The tra-
Let’s look at this key section of the NT, and ditional Roman and Western church’s answer to
make some connections between the Torah and “Who is Melchizedek?” has been that he was
the NT book of Hebrews. Jesus.69
Long ago, the great Hebrew scholar
Maimonides stated what is obvious if one will
Assignment: Read Hebrews 7:1–17. simply read the Scriptures: all human-like
descriptions of Yehoveh’s thoughts and actions
are figurative, not literal. Yehoveh doesn’t jump
The ancient Hebrew sages and scholars had with joy, because He has no physical legs. He
some interesting things to say about this myste- doesn’t swing a glittering sword over His head,
rious fellow that Saint Paul and others obviously because He has no physical hand or arm. He
relied on and believed as truth, or Melchizedek doesn’t “come down” to earth to see what’s hap-
would not have been used to draw some impor- pening, and then travel back up to heaven to
tant parallels with Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus ponder it, because He’s omnipresent. God does
Christ). First, Melchizedek was real; he was not not have emotions the way we think of them:
a symbol or a metaphor. Even Josephus, the He doesn’t get angry, then sad; He isn’t happy
Genesis 14
Jewish Roman historian of Christ’s era, verified one moment, and unhappy the next. He doesn’t
that Melchizedek was a real person. We find, for seek pleasure. He doesn’t need to be reminded
instance, in the passages we just read, that he of anything. God is spirit. He is not a man that
was king and priest over a city called Shalem. He should change.70 The reason those figurative
There is some evidence that before that city was words are used is because there is simply no other
106 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
How about the visible finger of God that wrote go well beyond human abilities to comprehend.
the stone tablets for Moses, and said His name It desires that these things are packaged neatly
was YHWH? Was that not quite the truth? and cleanly so there can be no gray areas. In fact,
Was it actually Yeshua’s finger? How about the the Scriptures that emphatically state that the
burning bush itself, on Mount Sinai—that was Messiah will come for a second time in and of
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 107
themselves completely refute the notion that He Let’s bring some other scriptural mention
appeared several other times in the past. In order of Melchizedek into play and follow that line of
to come a second time, He could only have been inquiry. The next mention of Melchizedek after
here once before. Otherwise, His return is noth- Genesis is in Psalm 110, which is accepted by
ing but the culmination of a long series of visits. Jew and Christian alike as a prophetic, messianic
So, without necessarily advocating that Shem psalm.
was Melchizedek, it certainly would make a lot
of sense and on the whole is a much better guess
Assignment: Read Psalm 110:1–4.
than that he was Jesus. First, Shem was still alive.
In fact, he outlived Avram. Second, the land of
Canaan, which was where Shalem was located, Here, in an OT Scripture, we see this ref-
was a very pagan place. And, yet, in the midst of erence to the future Messiah as being of the
this, here was this man who spoke of the God “order of,” or in other versions “compared to,”
Most High, the God that even Avram was just Melchizedek.72 What does that mean? The word
beginning to get to know. Melchizedek seemed translated as “order of” is, in Hebrew, dibrah. It
to speak with deep understanding of the one true has the sense of “in the manner of,” or “simi-
God, yet never did he make himself to be God. lar in intent.” So the Messiah, being of the
In fact he was called the priest of El ‘Elyon long “manner of” Melchizedek, means the Messiah
before there was a Levitical priesthood. Third, would be both a high priest and a king, just as
Avram seemed to know who this man was (as was Melchizedek, something that was rare, but
did the pagan king of Sodom), and they had the not unheard of, in Bible times. But it also likely
deepest reverence for him. In fact, Melchizedek’s meant there was a genealogical connection.
presence seemed matter-of-fact and expected. We have the original story of Melchizedek in
Without any explanation at all, Avram gave one- Genesis 14; we have a follow-up in the Psalms,
tenth of all the recovered property to this man.71 about nine hundred years later; and then in the
Genesis 14
108 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
NT, in Hebrews 7, about nineteen hundred the recovered loot. It was his to keep or to give
years later, more of Melchizedek’s attributes are away. Yet, it is obvious that in some way or
brought out. And they all connect. another Melchizedek had even greater authority
The order of, or the manner of Melchizedek than the king, because Avram gave part of that
was all about a very special priestly system that 10 percent to Melchizedek, and it consisted of
would be higher than the Levite priesthood, things that belonged to the king of Sodom. The
because this priest would also be a king. As of king didn’t protest one whit.
the time of this story in Genesis 14, there was The king of Sodom was the king over per-
no Levite priesthood because there weren’t any haps the most wicked city in all of Canaan, if not
Levites yet. The Levite clan would not exist for the world. This guy was evil, and under the con-
at least two hundred more years. Then, at least trol of evil. The king of Sodom was a type of
four hundred years after that, the Levite priest- Satan or antichrist, just as Melchizedek was righ-
hood was established with Aharon (Aaron), teous, under the control of righteousness, and
brother of Moses, the first high priest of Israel. was a type of Christ. This scene is reminiscent
No earthly priest was to be higher than the high of Jesus’s encounter with Satan when Satan said,
priest of Israel. It was the high priest alone who “Just bow down to me, and I have the authority
could enter the holy of holies in the temple, and to give you incomparable material wealth.”73 Just
only once per year, to meet God. But the priest- as Avram never challenged the king of Sodom’s
hood that Melchizedek represented was of a authority and possession of the recovered wealth,
type higher than the Levitical high priesthood. neither did Yeshua challenge Satan’s authority
It was representative of the type of priesthood over the material wealth of the world. Neither
that the Messiah Himself would have before Avram nor Jesus said, “It’s not yours to give,” for
God, perpetual and including kingship. indeed it was the Prince of Evil’s to give. Notice
What can we say in conclusion about also that Satan was eager to give away as much
Melchizedek? He was a real man, the high priest wealth as it took to get Yeshua to, in essence, not
and king of the city of Shalem, which possibly redeem humanity and instead allow the devil to
became Jerusalem. He was a type of Christ, have them. This is parallel to the king of Sodom
but he was not Christ. He was a shadow of the saying to Avram, “Keep all the wealth you recov-
Messiah who was to come. And, very possibly, ered, just give me the people you have saved.”
he was Shem, son of Noach. We’ve talked a lot about God principles, but
here we see a Satan principle: Satan could care
Assignment: Reread Genesis 14:17–24.
less about material possessions; he wants to own
your soul. In the end, the battle between Satan
and Yehoveh (YHWH, Yahweh) is over people,
Melchizedek was either delusional or he actu- not things.
ally bore great authority and understanding of Avram rebuffed the king of Sodom, under-
just who God was because he pronounced that standing whom he was dealing with, and told
Avram was blessed by El Elyon, and that El Elyon him no thanks. “Besides,” said Avram, “I don’t
was to be blessed. Avram offered no response want you (as a representative of the evil one) to
that was written in Scripture, as he seemed to ever to be able to say that my abundance had
know to whom he was submitting. Then Avram anything to do with you. Whatever I have, be
Genesis 14
gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. it little or much, comes from God, and I don’t
The king, the ruler of Sodom, essentially want whatever it is you can offer me.” This is
said to Avram, “Give me the people; you keep a wise lesson for all of us: the most important
the loot.” Why would he say such a thing? characteristic of anything is not what it is, but
First, the king of Sodom had authority over the source it comes from.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 109
Genesis 15
tion? It was not only a humiliating defeat for much a reincarnation as it was a belief that the
these powerful kings of the north, but the guy ethereal substance that is invisible and unknow-
who beat them wasn’t even harmed by what they able, that which makes each person a unique
had done. They had not come to make war with individual, and the life force that contains the
Avram, and they had done nothing to Avram bloodlines of a family, was carried forward
110 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
you get it yet? What do you think this has all been procedure had not yet been carried out in God’s
about? You’re going to get the land; nothing can promise to Avram.
prevent it because I’ve decided it.” We may not realize it, but we expect to deal
Avram asked a curious question that with God in our own cultural terms. What good
smacked of the highest skepticism, if not is it to give us Americans a word that only a
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 111
Japanese person would fully understand? It would a people who, at first, would be called Hebrew,
mean nothing to us. Likewise, a person living in then eventually Israel. Ancient records of vari-
the Sudan needs words from God that he under- ous Middle and Far Eastern peoples are full of
stands, concepts that are normal and customary covenant ceremonies essentially like the one we
in his Sudanese society, not something that may are witness to in these passages, but nowhere
seem normal to an American. Avram was waiting else is there a record or even a tradition of a god
for the promise of God to be put into a structure promising land and a title that is irrevocable as
that he recognized as valid. long as time exists.
did, a deep sleep came upon Avram. This does The Length of Isr ael’s
not mean that Avram fell asleep because he got Oppression
tired. We see several OT and NT equivalents
to this in phrases like “visions within dreams,” Only in the fourth generation will your descendants come
or even of “being taken in the spirit.” A great back here, because only then will the Emori be ripe for
sense of dread overcame Avram in his sleep; it punishment. (Gen. 15:16)
was a “horror and great darkness,”75 the Bible
says. In Hebrew, the word for great darkness is The Hebrew word for generation is dor. This
chashekah. This word ought to sound familiar to term is not all that concrete. It has three pos-
us, for its root is the word choshek. And choshek sible meanings:
simply means “darkness,” but as we learned
back in Genesis 1, it doesn’t mean “nighttime.” 1. The length of time separating the birth
It is a spiritual term; it means “dread, evil, of children from the birth of their parents (our
death, blindness.” Likewise, chashekah is a nega- modern understanding of generation);
tive term, and it indicates that its source is from 2. the average human life span (about one
the spirit world. hundred years); or
What follows helps us to understand the 3. the people who lived during a certain
disturbing nature of what Avram saw. In verse event (for example, in Numbers, the word dor is
13 Yehoveh scared the pants off Avram: “Know used to refer to all those who left Egypt in the
this for certain: your descendants will be for- Exodus).
eigners in a land that is not theirs. They will
be slaves and held in oppression there four Avram was told his descendants would be
hundred years.” Slaves, to Avram, were simply slaves for four generations. Honest scholarship
purchased family members. That is how we reveals that we cannot easily say this is four
know the word oppression was not simply thrown centuries and just leave it at that. Some suggest
in; it has significance. Avram’s offspring were that in Avram’s day, a generation was a length
going to be subjugated and they were going to of time equaling about one hundred years, yet
be badly treated. They would not be enslaved Exodus 12:40 says the Israelites’ time in Egypt
in Canaan; Yehoveh said it would be in “a land was 430 years. Further, we know that there was
that is not theirs.” a time, before the death of Joseph, during which
God promised to punish that foreign land, Israel was an honored guest of Egypt, not under
and Avram’s descendants would be released. subjugation, but there is no solid information
In fact, they would leave with great wealth. Of on the time that elapsed between the death of
course, with the benefit of hindsight, we now Joseph and the beginning of Israel’s oppression.
know that Egypt was that foreign place, and that Generally speaking, rabbinical tradition is
a succession of pharaohs were the oppressors. that the four-hundred-year period began with
We even know that the Israelites did, indeed, the birth of Isaac, and the 430-year figure began
leave with much of Egypt’s wealth. Yehoveh on the day this covenant with Avram was made
also told Avram that he would live to a ripe old official. We are told in the Bible that 190 years
age, and that his clan was going to leave this passed from the birth of Isaac until Jacob took
place, not to return until the fourth generation his small family down to Egypt. So, if the rabbis
Genesis 15
from Avram. are right, Israel was not in Eg ypt 400 years, but
only 210 (190 + 210 = 400). To explain this
problem, the rabbis say that being in a foreign
land included some of the time spent in Canaan
before moving to Egypt. If we look in the
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 113
Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT), ripe for punishment”) mean? First, Amorites
or the Samaritan version of the Torah called (Emori) was another name for the Canaanites.
the Chumash, we’ll find that those manuscripts The Amorite culture became the dominant cul-
specifically state that the period of 430 years ture in the land of Canaan, and so the general
included the time in Canaan before Jacob went term for those folks living in Canaan became,
down to Egypt. for a time, Amorites. Israel would not return to
Obviously we have a problem ascertaining take the land of Canaan until the residents of
the actual amount of time Israel spent in Egypt, Canaan finally crossed over a line of evil that
but there is no disagreement that they indeed did only God knew—their wicked ways had become
go to Egypt, were there a very long time, and too much and Yehoveh was ready to have them
were subjugated and oppressed. driven out of their land in divine judgment for
This is another example of redaction, edit- that wickedness, displaced by Israel.
ing. Problems most often occur when the Torah This is an interesting clue about how
is translated into a foreign language, which is Yehoveh operates. In some intricate way that
itself a redaction. Yet we also know that until is beyond human understanding, God uses the
the invention of the printing press in the AD acts of the wicked to achieve His purposes, to
1400s, all copying of books, and therefore the ultimate benefit of His people. Further, this
Bibles, was done by hand. Without doubt, some also indicates God’s absolute foreknowledge of
type of numerical error was introduced either all things. He knew in advance when this wick-
through innocent mistake, or, more likely in edness of the Amorites would reach a critical
my opinion, a misguided soul who attempted mass. At the same time, He knew in advance
to reconcile what seemed to him to be chrono- when His people, Israel, would be ready to leave
logical conflicts. Once that happens, it’s hard to Egypt. He knew when the pharaohs of Egypt
recover the original until an earlier version is would have oppressed His people too much, so
found, and the most reasonable course of action that God would be justified in smiting them. All
is to adhere to the teaching that Israel spent these events converged at a precise moment in
four hundred years in Egypt until something history so that the Exodus occurred, and then a
proves it incorrect. little later, Joshua led Israel to conquer the land
Genesis 15
Ancient Understanding of that he would live out a very full life span, (2)
Afterlife that his death would be of old age, and (3) that he
would die in peace with God, not from judgment
As you have learned, there was no concept of or wrath or violence at the hands of another.
dying and going to heaven in Avram’s era; in
fact, that concept is nowhere to be found in the God Completes the Covenant
entire OT. Rather, the general belief was that
life ended at the grave, the typical Hebrew word In Genesis 15:17, the most important part of this
being sheol. What existed after bodily death is covenant ceremony took place: the maker of the
very hazy in the OT, and the number of ref- covenant passed, as was customary, between
erences to death and the varied descriptions of the separated animal pieces. But we’re told what
what death amounted to make it clear that, at actually passed between the animal pieces was
least for the Hebrews, they had no clear doc- a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch. Smoke
trine of an afterlife. In the era of the patriarchs, and fire usually represent the presence of God
and therefore the era of the Torah, the most in the Bible. God walked between the pieces
common phrase used was “going to your fathers signifying His agreement and promise to keep
in peace,” or some variation of it. What, exactly, the terms of the covenant. Avram did not walk
did that mean? It’s not explained, and there is between the pieces. This was a unilateral cov-
no ancient source that gives us any confidence enant, not a two-way deal. God made the prom-
that the people of that day knew what it meant ises and He had obligations; Avram did not!
beyond a very general sense. Everything promised in this covenant was up
Today, when someone we love dies, we say they to God to make happen.
have “passed away.” I emphasize “someone we In verses 18–20, as Yehoveh passed amid
love,” because when we’re speaking of a wicked the separated piles of animal flesh, He recited
person we do not use these words. When the terms of the covenant, including the calling
Osama bin Laden was shot at his compound out of the boundaries of the land He gave to
in Pakistan, it wasn’t reported that he “passed Avram and his descendants for all time. While
away.” It seems to me that “going to your fathers the exact location of these boundaries can be
in peace” was the gentler and less onerous way disputed to a small degree, the fact is that they
of talking about death in Avram’s day. extend well beyond what Israel, Avram’s descen-
In general, living to a ripe old age and then dants, have ever occupied . . . to this day. Israel
going to meet your fathers in peace was the best was at its peak in territorial size during the time
anyone hoped for in the Bible era. It simply indi- of Kings David and Solomon, and their terri-
cated that they had lived out a full life span, and tory was significantly larger than Israel is today.
that they died more or less naturally of old age. Even then it didn’t reach the proportions enu-
We can compare this to the phrase “cut off,” merated in this passage. Sometime in the near
which meant a person died early, was murdered future, Israel will be even larger than it ever has
or executed for a crime, or received death as a been, despite attempts by the Palestinians and
judgment from the Lord for a transgression. the world at large to shrink it.
Finally, did these men and women actually Some believe the Bible doesn’t specify which
expect to meet their ancestors in some form or landmass constitutes the Promised Land or that
Genesis 15
another when they died? I think, in a vague way, this covenant has ended, but the covenant terms
perhaps they did. It was a hope. It was about the are very clear:
best outcome one could expect from the always-
unwelcome end of life. So, in this passage Avram On that day the Lord made a covenant with
was promised three things about his death: (1) Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 115
Genesis 15
116 Genesis - The Book of Foundations
Genesis 16
a substitute. Scripture does not say that Avram of Ur-Nammu addressed such issues when it
married Hagar; it says Sarai gave her to him as, stated, “If the servant, comparing herself to her
or in the manner of, a wife. In other words, she was mistress, speaks insolently to her . . .” Doesn’t
a wife substitute, a concubine. She was a baby- that sound exactly like what happened between
making machine. There was no formal marriage, Sarai and Hagar?
which was not only the ancient Hebrew view
but also makes sense within the context of the Sar ai Drives Hagar Away
passage.76 She continued to be a handmaiden to
Sarai, as Avram affirmed in verse 6 and the angel Hagar did as she was told and ended up pregnant
of the Lord affirmed in verse 9. Hagar would by Avram. Her condition of being with child,
bear Avram’s child, but as per the tradition of the coupled with the loss of social status that Sarai
era, the child would belong to Avram and Sarai. must have suffered, motivated Hagar’s attempt
If Hagar were a true wife, she would no longer to behave as an equal to Sarai. This behavior
have been under Sarai, she would have become prompted Sarai to literally drive Hagar away, an
an equal; she would have belonged to Avram, action perfectly within Sarai’s legal and social
and the child would have been hers. jurisdiction. So, in verse 6 when Sarai went
The Bible does not give much detail about to Avram, as angry as a hornet, and told him
how all the concubine/wife/substitute-child- she was not happy with this situation, Avram
bearer relationship worked, but it is clear from replied, “Look, she’s your slave-girl. Deal with
records of other Middle Eastern cultures of her as you think fit.” Sarai didn’t go to Avram
Avram’s time that what we read in this story seeking permission, nor did Avram at that
adheres to those customs and traditions. The moment give Hagar to Sarai. Sarai just wanted
law codes of Ur-Nammu, which date back to to gripe. She was informing Avram of what she
2100 BC, dealt with this issue quite specifically, was about to do. It was her right and personal
as did the Law of Hammurabi from around 1800 privilege to send Hagar away, with or without
BC. These laws made it clear that the barren Avram’s okay.
wife—Sarai, in this case—who took the seri- Sarai banished Hagar, and she went away,
ous step of making her servant a concubine for until the angel of the Lord found her and told
her husband, would lose social position in the her to return under Sarai’s authority. Verses
eyes of the people in her community. Legally 11 and 12 say that Hagar was told she’d have
nothing changed—the concubine did not gain a boy child, and that this child would produce
extra rights, nor did she legally achieve equality an enormous number of descendants. Ishmael,
with, or supplant the authority of, the barren meaning “God pays attention,” or “God has
wife. Nevertheless, this tradition must have given heed,” was to be the child’s name.
created all kinds of problems. The law code Then God pronounced the child’s destiny.
Of course, this referred not only to the child
but also to the child’s descendants. The angel
told Hagar that Ishmael was going to be a wild
Hagar’s Owner donkey of a man, going against everyone, and
that he would live in the presence of his kins-
It was customary that the handmaiden of a wife men. Ishmael was the patriarch of several races
belonged solely to the wife. She was the wife’s
Genesis 16
a spirit-messenger from God. Any other trans- guided approach, the words mal’ach Yehoveh
lation of mal’ach to “angel” is a mistranslation. gained an inappropriate significance, and the
words were taken to mean some kind of very
high or special angel or even a manifestation
of God Himself.
Genesis - The Book of Foundations 119
Actually, as a general rule, the only time didn’t even believe angels existed. The Essenes
the word angel (meaning a spirit being sent from had their own understanding of angels, quite
God) should appear in our Bibles is when the different from the Pharisees’. Essene theology
words “angel of the Lord” are written. In reality, became the basis for the Christian angelology
angels are barely even mentioned in Scripture; system we have today.
it’s our traditions that have multiplied their We don’t exactly know what this angel of
presence, amplified their purpose, and human- the Lord was—whether it was a special kind of
ized their form. The elusive angel of the Lord is angel; a manifestation of God, like the Logos,
a red herring, and the search for it is futile. or the Holy Spirit; a specific angel that God set
This is why the angel of the Lord has proven aside for certain tasks; or even God taking on
to be such a source of disagreement and schol- the form of an angel. One thing, however, is
arly argument. Going back to before the time of certain: the being that spoke to Hagar was a
Christ, the Pharisees had worked out an elabo- spirit being and not a human messenger. Other
rate hierarchy of angels, little of which comes than that slim fact, the rest I’ll leave for you to
from Scripture and therefore is mostly tradition. wrestle with.78
The Sadducees, contemporaries of the Pharisees,
Genesis 16
120 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 17
The Hebrew word used for nations is goyim. The offspring “Hebrew.” In fact, there is even dis-
usage of the word goyim has changed a little over agreement over what Hebrew means. It’s gener-
time, but it has held basically the same mean- ally accepted in the Bible scholar community
ing: “nations or people that are not of Hebrew to mean “one who crossed over.” Bible anthro-
descent.” It can also have the generic meaning pologists and archaeologists, however, will tell
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 121
you it is probable that the word Hebrew did not but they now take it from you and back into
appear until much later than this moment. They their possession.
suggest it came from an Asian word, Ipuru. Ipuru Likewise, from the moment God made the
was used in Canaan and other nearby areas as covenant with Abraham, the land belonged
a term simply meaning “foreigners” or “wan- to the Hebrews, but the time hadn’t come for
derers who had no specific nation they could them to possess it. Israel even owned the land
be identified with.” Certainly, at the point in of Canaan during the four hundred years they
history we are talking about, Abraham and his spent in Egypt; they just didn’t possess it, they
clan were betwixt and between. Although they didn’t occupy it. People tend to confuse the
came from Ur, they no longer considered them- matter by saying that Israel lost ownership of
selves Ur-Chasdim—home was no longer Ur of the land when God removed them to Babylon
Chaldea in Mesopotamia. Yet Abraham’s clan for their sins. And yet again, when the Romans
certainly had not yet established a separate iden- gained control and destroyed Jerusalem in AD
tity, nor could they point to a place in Canaan 70. Not so. The ownership remained with Israel.
that they belonged to. Although God promised God simply refused to allow Israel to occupy
them the land of Canaan, they had yet to claim the land, to possess it, for an extended time.
that inheritance. Despite not possessing or occupying it at times,
Israel has never stopped owning the Promised
The Unconditional Land. They are the only God-authorized ten-
Covenant—God Will Give ants of that place.
Abr aham the Land God further clarifies His promise in verse
7, whereby the covenant will continue between
But here in verses 6–8 God offered Abraham God and Abraham “and your offspring to come,
another unconditional covenant; all Abraham as an everlasting covenant” (JPS). This was
could do was be blessed by it, for he had no real pure legal terminology. Law codes from that
obligations within the covenant: era have been found, and it was understood that
there were limitations as to how property could
I will cause you to be very fruitful. I will make be handed down before it reverted to a king or
nations of you, kings will descend from you. . . . I will prince who laid claim to that area. By inclusion
give you and your descendants after you the land in which of the words “and your offspring to come, as
you are now foreigners, all the land of Kena‘an, as a per- an everlasting covenant” it legally meant that
manent possession; and I will be their God. Abraham’s descendants kept that property and
could continue to hand it down without restric-
There is a difference between Israel having tion. So understand, this was legal terminology,
been given the land and Israel living in the land. not hyperbole.
The Bible term that usually refers to Israel
living in the land is “possess.” Possess doesn’t The Conditional
mean quite what we usually think it does; pos- Covenant—Circumcision
sess means “to occupy.” It doesn’t denote owner-
ship. Think of it this way: You buy a car. The God was about to make another covenant with
local bank finances it. Until you fully pay for it, Abraham; it was permanent and perpetual, but
Genesis 17
they own the car. It is not legally your car; you it was also most definitely conditional. It was
are just using it. So, the bank owns the car, but it bilateral, not unilateral—that is, Abraham and
is put into your possession until you pay it off or his descendants had obligations to perform in
default on the loan. If you fail to pay, the bank order to keep this covenant intact:
repossesses the car; they have always owned it,
122 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Here is my covenant, which you are to keep, between Usually it is done by non-Jewish families simply
me and you, along with your descendants after you: every for medical reasons, although the need for that
male among you is to be circumcised. You are to be cir- is disputed. Jews, to this day, have a bris, a cir-
cumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; this will be the sign cumcision ceremony, for each male child on the
of the covenant between me and you. (Gen. 17:10–11) eighth day after his birth.
The practice of male circumcision existed
This covenant was individual; each person long before this instruction from God to
of Abraham’s line had the responsibility to Abraham. It was not a new invention, no more
accept this covenant for himself, or not. In than the format of the covenant ceremony God
other words, the person who broke the cov- participated in with Abraham. Rather, it had
enant would only affect the provisions of the been employed in many cultures of that day as
covenant as it pertained to himself; the covenant either part of the marriage ceremony, or more
would remain in effect for each individual who typically, as a sign of entrance into puberty. God
chose to accept it. The Jews call this covenant changed this process and took the trauma out of
b’rit milah; we call it circumcision. it by having it performed not on a young teen-
age boy, but on an eight-day-old baby. In addi-
tion, God employed this existing rite as a sort
of loyalty oath, and He added great meaning to
it. As He did with the rainbow, God once again
used something from nature when He chose to
create a sign for His own good purposes. After
all, every one of these natural things owed its
very existence to God; sadly, many then, as now,
attached their own misguided meanings, such
as astrology, to the things God made.
be circumcised. That is, active participation was This was both spiritual and literal. When a male
required. descendant of Abraham refused the circumci-
The procedure of removing the male’s sion, or when a parent refused to have their boy
genital foreskin is a common practice today in child have a b’rit milah on the eighth day after
many societies, and thus is common knowledge. birth, they were physically separated from the
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 123
clan and they were spiritually separated from concept of slave ownership among Hebrews
God. They were no longer Hebrews and could was very close to our modern concept of adop-
claim no right to any of God’s promises. tion. Do not confuse slave ownership to inden-
This is why God, through Paul, explained tured servitude. Being a bond servant, someone
that what He really wanted was circumcised who was your servant only for a period of time
hearts, not circumcised flesh. Circumcised flesh while they repaid a debt owed to you, did not
is intended as an outward symbol of a circum- qualify that person to be a family member. Only
cised heart. God wanted our hearts to accept a purchased slave was eligible, which is reversed
and wear the covenant that came to us at so from what might seem logical to us.
great a price. By accepting Christ, Paul said, we Nevertheless, we see that very early on the
have our hearts circumcised: we are very liter- idea that genetics, bloodlines, wasn’t the sole
ally accepting God’s covenant protocol upon determining factor for membership in the holy
ourselves. And, since the advent of Yeshua and community. Beginning with Abraham, a for-
the new covenant He established, we find our- eigner who was willing to follow the Hebrew
selves in the same position as Abraham: either ways and the Hebrew God could be given full
we are circumcised by accepting the new cov- citizenship as a Hebrew and with it all the cove-
enant, which is the blood of Christ, or we refuse nant rights that any natural-born Hebrew would
it. If we accept it, we are perpetually a part of have. This is the same principle that Gentiles
the chosen of God. If we refuse, we are cut off, rely on by being grafted into the covenants
separated from God’s people and from God given through Abraham, Moses, and Yeshua—
Himself. While that may startle some of you, covenants that were given to Israel and no one
Paul’s words probably knocked his Jewish audi- else.
ence to their knees. They well understood all
the ins and outs of covenant ceremony and sym-
bolism. But because the church has, for so long, Assignment: Read Genesis 17:15–27.
turned our backs on the Jewish nature of the
Bible, the impact of things like the act of cove-
nant making has not been properly understood.
This is the basis for the hostility that is
Foreigners Gr afted In going to sooner or later lead the world into
global conflict. In verses 15–16, God conveyed
In verse 12 we see the principle and pat- to Abraham that Sarah, his wife, was miracu-
tern that it was not just those from Abraham’s lously going to give birth to a child. Why was
gene pool who could become part of this cov- it miraculous? She had a dead womb. She was
enant. The home-born slave or purchased slave incapable of producing children, which was why
of a Hebrew—that is, a foreigner—could be she gave her handmaiden Hagar to Abraham—
included in the covenant by being circumcised. so she could have a child in her stead. Even if
Understand, by law a purchased slave became her body had been functioning properly, she
a family member. They had almost all rights was well beyond childbearing years, as Abraham
of a family member—almost, but not quite. himself attested; at this time, Sarah was ninety
Likewise, a baby born to a purchased slave also years old.
Genesis 17
became a family member. This is so foreign When God told Abraham that Sarah was
to the usual picture we have of what slavery going to give him a son, Abraham responded
amounted to in Bible times among the Hebrews. with these infamous words: “If only Yishma‘el
The foreign slaves of Hebrews weren’t generally could live in your presence!” (Gen. 17:18). I hope
mistreated . . . because they were family! The you all hear the pain, shock, and desperation
124 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
with which Abraham uttered this plea. Abraham have been Ishmael. This is another division by
was happy with Ishmael. He loved Ishmael. God that began with an election and ended
He considered Ishmael his firstborn son. He with a separation. Isaac would be grandfather
never even remotely thought of Ishmael as any- of the Israelites, who would eventually bring the
thing other than his legitimate and much-loved Savior into the world; Ishmael would be grand-
heir. But even before God issued His answer, father to the Arabs.80
Abraham knew what was coming. In verse 19,
God said no to Abraham’s plea. Yehoveh said God’s Blessing on Ishmael
that the child Sarah was about to produce would
be Abraham’s heir, and further, this boy-child We tend to overlook what God said to Abraham
would be the one whom God would establish in verse 20: “But as for Yishma‘el, I have heard
and continue His covenant with. This child’s you. I have blessed him.81 I will make him fruit-
name would be Yitz’chak (Isaac), meaning ful and give him many descendants. He will
“laughter,” because both Abraham and Sarah father twelve princes, and I will make him a
had laughed at the astounding notion that they, great nation.” Isaac was the line of promise;
at their advanced age, would have a child. Ishmael was also blessed, but that blessing
God emphatically rejected Ishmael as the didn’t include continuing in the line of promise.
one to carry on the line of the covenant promise In fact, it is noteworthy that just as Israel would
that God had made with Abraham. This is not consist of twelve princes (the twelve tribes), so
conjecture. Isaac, or Yitz’chak, would be the one would the descendants of Ishmael be made up
to receive the covenant. Today, Muslims claim of twelve tribes.
that Scripture has been modified in order to It’s important to remember that not only was
reflect Isaac as the favored son, when it should Abraham the true father of the Arabs, just as he
was the true father of Israel, but that Shem, the
blessed line of good, was the forefather of both
Arabs and Jews. Both of these people groups
are Semites.
Has Ishmael been blessed? The Arabs have
grown into an enormous population, far sur-
passing the number of Israelites. One hundred
years ago the Middle East was looked upon as
perhaps the most worthless expanse of land
on the entire planet. Yet, there, under the dry
desert sand, they have discovered about half
of the earth’s oil reserves, which have made
the Arabs among the wealthiest people in the
world. Unfortunately, the Arab culture has
remained tribal, so only a few of the most pow-
erful among them benefit from this vast wealth.
In any case, Ishmael, thirteen years old at
the time of this blessing, was circumcised along
Genesis 17
Genesis 18
Scripture tells us it was some manifestation says, “there in front of him stood three men,” the
of God Almighty. It says Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh, Hebrew word used for men is enosh, which specif-
Yehoveh, appeared to Abraham. On the other ically means “human men”; sometimes it is used
hand, we are told insistently that no man can to indicate mankind in general. But never does the
look upon God the Father and live.83 Not even word enosh refer to spirit beings. The rabbis and
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 127
sages are fairly evenly divided on this issue; some supernatural was occurring here because we
think that one of the “men” is a manifestation of are told directly and undeniably that this was
God and the other two are just humans. Others an appearance of Yehoveh, and that these three
think that one is a manifestation of God and the individuals had authority and knew things
other two are angels. they would not have otherwise known, such as
There is another factor to consider: all the Sarah’s name and the fact that she was barren.
bowing and scraping Abraham did in calling
them lords, telling his wife to hurry and bring The Theory of the Trinity
food, bathing their feet, and so on is just typi-
cal, traditional Middle Eastern hospitality of Could it be that the strange visitation of
that era—to some degree it exists even today. these three individuals was as a model of the
Nothing Abraham did was out of the ordinary three-part Godhead? Maybe. But that raises a
for greeting much-welcomed guests, so his lot of questions about the traditional Christian
actions don’t help us determine who these three concept of the Trinity. For instance, when have
individuals actually were. we ever heard of the Holy Spirit assuming any
Sarai did as Abraham instructed her; she physical form? Christian tradition has held that
brought food and water, milk and curds, even all physical forms of God are Jesus. Certainly
some meat. And in verse 8 it says, “Then he took we didn’t have three Yeshuas standing before
curds, milk and the calf which he had prepared, Abraham!
and set it all before the men; and he stood by Consider the other appearances of God that
them under the tree as they ate” (emphasis mine). we have studied or will encounter in the upcom-
Not only is it difficult to imagine Yehoveh ing chapters: the burning bush, the shekinah,
eating food, it is equally difficult for us to envi- the cloud that led Israel through the wilderness,
sion angels eating food. Josephus, the Targum the angel of the Lord who identified Himself as
Jonathan, and the Talmud simply cannot accept God Almighty to Hagar, the being who wres-
that this is a scene in which both God and angels tled with Jacob, and these three nondescript
ate bread, meat, and milk. They assert that the men who were somehow at least partially an
three individuals gave the appearance of eating, appearance of Yehoveh Himself. I think we do
but they really didn’t consume the food. a great disservice to ourselves when we attempt
It is very difficult to know what to make to artificially limit the possible manifestations of
of all this, yet it is undeniable that something God to three, so that it makes a nice and tidy
Roman Christian doctrine. It is utter foolish-
ness to believe that we can honestly subject God
to any limits of His nature. He exists in a way
we cannot fathom, in a dimension we cannot
enter. We comprehend but the tiniest fraction
of who God is, and sometimes we need to be
comfortable with that and leave some mysteries
as mysteries.
God gave some prophets visions of things
far into the future, or glimpses of heaven, such
Genesis 18
fire, stars and the moon; what else would they a step-by-step process for Abraham. In Genesis
use? Yet what they were seeing was either spiri- 12:2, God first told Abraham that He’d make
tual in nature and therefore human words would him into a great nation, which meant he would
never be able to capture it, or they were seeing so have many children. Second, in Genesis 15:4,
far into the future that words had not yet been Abraham was promised an heir, a natural-born
invented to describe those things. son. Third, in Genesis 17:16–21, Abraham was
Clearly, there was some kind of God thing assured that his wife, Sarah, would give him this
going on in this situation with Abraham’s visi- son. And here in 18:10, Abraham discovered the
tors, but there were simply no words to prop- time had come to fulfill all those promises.
erly describe it. So the writer did the best he Notice how each of God’s promises built
could. You can be sure that some future scribe upon earlier promises, and each covenant is built
probably tried to help the situation through upon the foundation of the earlier covenants—
the process of redaction, yet has made it all this is another basic and elegantly simple God
the more difficult for us now. I doubt that principle in action. A new covenant doesn’t
Abraham could make heads or tails out of replace or countermand an earlier one; it simply
what was really going on either. But we know takes the sum of the earlier ones to the next
that it happened; they said what they said. And level. When a builder sets out to build a house,
most important, the words of those men came he starts by preparing the ground. On that pre-
true. And that is that. pared ground a foundation is built. One can no
longer see the ground under the foundation, but
The Reason for Rhetorical it’s still there. Upon that foundation the first
Questions floor is built. One can no longer see the founda-
tion, but it’s still there. Upon the first floor, the
Verse 9 is an example of a kind of statement second floor is built, and so on. One layer built
we see often in the Bible; in this example the upon the earlier. Without the prepared ground,
words came from God’s mouth or the mouth you can’t have a foundation; without the firm
of an angel. One of the three individuals said to foundation, you can’t have the first floor; with-
Abraham, “Where is your wife, Sarah?” This is a out the correctly designed first floor, you can’t
rhetorical question, simply a nice way to open a have the second. Yet, if one could somehow
conversation about Sarah. It’s not that these men remove the prepared ground from under the
didn’t know the answer. The fact is, spirit beings, foundation, the entire building would collapse.
particularly God, must dumb things down sig- If you could remove the foundation from under
nificantly to communicate with humans. That’s the first floor, everything built upon it would
why you see so many rhetorical and figurative fall, and so on. Each portion of the structure of
statements ascribed to God and angels. There’s the house is dependent on the other; leave one
no need to attach actual human attributes, frail- out or remove one, and the house is destroyed.
ties, imperfections, or weaknesses to angels or This is how God’s covenants work. The
God because of these statements. new covenant, the covenant of Messiah, is not a
covenant that replaces the earlier ones, nor does
The Pattern of Building upon it stand alone. The new covenant is dependent
Previous Covenants on all the earlier ones, and it is the fulfillment of
Genesis 18
reasoning behind a decision of God. We’ve stud- those who were not doing wrong would be
ied that we’re not to seek the answer to Why? in judged along with those who were doing wrong.
the Scriptures, but rather to seek out patterns. Long before Moses and the Law of Mount
But here we are told why. And the why is about Sinai, God applied some universal standard to
God’s treatment of Sodom and Gomorrah, all human behavior. The Hebrews refer to this
130 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Five-City Alliance
devastates the city and thousands are killed. preceded by ample warning. It’s not sudden
Many consider San Francisco to be a kind of and unannounced; in fact, His people ought to
modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah. Are we to be expecting it. And the pattern we have seen
take this hypothetical 9.0 earthquake as an out- is that when calamity is the product of God’s
pouring of God’s wrath on that city? No. That destructive wrath, the good are divided away
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 131
from the wicked. Again, the Flood and Sodom in supernatural destruction; that is simply not
and Gomorrah are our examples. We will see what God does. It is not within His character.
the same pattern when we read Revelation; The purpose of the Rapture is to whisk His
those who are in Christ will be protected while chosen away to safety as the wicked are crushed
the wicked are singled out for destruction. under His divine judgment.
These followers of Christ will not necessarily
be protected from men’s evil (such as Hitler or The Number of Righteous Men
the Antichrist) or natural disaster, but we will God Requires
be protected from God’s direct wrath.
The final number Abraham and God bargained
Why the Wicked Prosper to was ten innocent people, not one. We’ll find
in later books of the Bible that ten is a common
There is another pattern that has baffled the minimum number required for a useful congre-
prophets and the sages. Why, they have often gation size. To this day, Jews generally will not
asked, does God allow the wicked to prosper? conduct a service, or even pray in a group of less
Though mysterious in most ways, the answer is than ten individuals; in Hebrew this is called a
that a stage in God’s plan is being fulfilled by minyan. So Yehoveh said that providing there
means of that wicked activity, or some benefit was a minyan in the midst of the wicked popu-
comes to His people by means of the actions lation, He would stay His hand of judgment.
of the wicked (though it is most certainly not Once the bargaining session ended, “the
the intention of the wicked for God’s people to Lord” departed (verse 33). Actually, the origi-
benefit). So even though Yehoveh allows bad nal Hebrew says, “Yehoveh departed.” This is
things to happen to good people, we can be something to keep in mind as we begin the next
certain that God is not going to let His people chapter.
die when He pours out His wrath on the wicked
Genesis 18
132 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 19
Warning!
Angels
Over the next couple of lessons we are going to
get into some pretty difficult territory. Some doc-
trines that have been taken as truth for centuries
will be challenged. As so many doctrines of men
are, these often bear little relation to what is said in
the Holy Scriptures and instead they fulfill human
agendas.
Spirit Beings
Genesis 19
The church has had the tendency to call when God suddenly entered and took over the
all spiritual servants of God angels, but that is use of his body so that Yehoveh could appear
not really accurate. Angels are messengers, or to Abraham. This was an apparition of a man,
malach; they are somewhat lower spirit beings a man who otherwise had not existed. Not a
who don’t always have free will in the same way ghost, and yet not a man who came from the
as we do. They are sent from heaven to do spe- womb; it was a flesh-and-blood apparition.
cific tasks under specific orders from Yehoveh. Yeshua, on the other hand, was born of
They have no latitude or option to exercise their a woman, grew and matured as any normal
personal wills in the matter (at least none that child, was part of Jewish society, and eventually
we’re aware of). That is why they are, indeed, became an adult Jewish male. He was a singu-
messengers. They don’t create the message; they lar and unique human person, as each human
simply transport it. The message can be in the being is. There is only one Yeshua of Nazareth,
form of destruction, of which they have almost Messiah, who has ever been born or ever will
unlimited force at their disposal to accomplish. be. Yeshua was not an apparition of a man, like
Nevertheless, they seem to be at the lower end the form of God that appeared to Abraham,
of the spectrum of spirit beings. nor was Yeshua a regular man, like you or I,
At the upper end of the spectrum are the whose physical form suddenly became a usable
cherubim. These beings are literally God’s clos- vessel for God Almighty. Yeshua did not have
est servants. They protect God’s holiness; they a human father; Miriam’s (Mary’s) egg was not
are the ones Ezekiel speaks of, with multiple fertilized by the sperm of a human male. God’s
faces and several wings. Cherubs are not angels. own pure essence substituted for what normally
They are higher than angels, and serve a dif- should have been a human male’s seed, and that
ferent purpose than angels. Cherubim are pro- pure essence of Yehoveh impregnated Miriam.
tectors, not messengers. Cherubim are like the The result was this composite being that we call
royal court, the inner circle, the personal body- Jesus; His Hebrew name was Yeshua, or even
guards to the king.84 more correctly, Yahshua. He was a composite
When we think of spirit beings, we must be being because His Father was God and His
clear that they are not all one class of angels. mother was human. Yahshua was as unique as
Rather, angels are just one type of spirit beings, it gets.
of which there are several types.
Who Appeared to Abr aham?
Comparison to the
Incarnation of Yeshua Our modern construct of the Holy Trinity, one
that is entirely absent from the earliest days
In this story of Abraham and Sarah, Yehoveh of the church, has created problems for us in
had a similar human form as the angels’. Is this understanding this passage about Abraham,
the same thing that happened when Yeshua Yehovah, and the two angels. In an effort
took on human likeness? The implication here to explain God, the modern church says that
is that the “man” form that God took on was God is composed of three persons. This three-
not a real man in the sense that he did not start persons concept tends to create in our minds a
life in the womb of a woman, was not born as vision of a God who has all the characteristics
Genesis 19
an infant, did not grow and mature, only to of a science-fiction movie in which a mother
eventually become “possessed” or “employed” ship (or in our case, a father ship) remains sta-
by God’s spirit. This was not a man in its truest tioned at a distance from earth. A couple of very
sense, some unsuspecting flesh-and-blood man powerful but smaller vessels who are kind of
who was simply going along in a normal life an organic part of that mother ship, can, when
134 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
needed, detach and go and do the bidding of Bible versions use God’s name less than ten
the intellect that controls the whole entity. The times! Others may approach one hundred, but
smaller vessels are subservient to the mother that’s about it. So, what happened to the other
ship, even though they are part of it, so they fifty-nine-hundred times God’s name was used
bring the presence and power and authority of in the original Hebrew Scriptures? The word
the alien mother ship into contact with various Lord or God was substituted for God’s name.
life-forms, mainly humans. Of course, there are
also times that the mother ship—all the parts
of it—chooses to come as a whole to deal with
men.
I don’t think this sort of understanding of
God is very helpful.
Our basic problem is that our thinking is
restricted to the four dimensions, so we think
of God in pieces that we tend to call “persons.”
These various pieces form the whole, the sum
of the parts. We cannot envision how some-
thing can be one, and also more than one. Yet,
that is exactly what the Torah says God is. How
can Yeshua be a man and be God at the same
time? How can Yeshua be God on earth and
God in heaven at the same time? How can
Jesus be subservient to Yehoveh, yet be able
to say that “if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the One of the effects of these changes is that
Father”?85 Consider the enormity of that state- we’ve lost a sense of who or what is Yehoveh.
ment: Yeshua is saying, “If you’ve seen the part, Is Yehoveh God the Father, in the sense that
you’ve seen the whole.” the Godhead consists of the three elements we
To clarify: I am not challenging the idea of call the Holy Spirit, Yeshua the Messiah, and
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Yehoveh the Father? Or is Yehoveh the name
Holy Spirit. What I’m challenging is the way for the total Godhead, the sum of the parts?
this idea has been generally presented to us and And what about the many other names for God
the way it has been structured. In order to pre- in addition to Yehoveh, El Shaddai being the
serve that particular presentation, or doctrine, earliest?
some things have been done to the translations On the surface this doesn’t really appear
of the Bible from Hebrew into all the other lan- to be much of a problem when God’s name is
guages, and this perpetuates some notions that replaced in our Bibles by the less specific word
simply do not jibe with Scripture. Perhaps the Lord or God. When Yehoveh is called Lord,
greatest lapse concerns the use of God’s name. and when Jesus is also called Lord, the distinc-
tions between God and the Messiah disappear.
Tr anslating the Names of God Therefore, when our New Testaments refer to
Jesus as Lord, and then we go back and look
Genesis 19
In the Old Testament, God’s formal name, at an Old Testament prophecy that seems to
YHWH, Yehoveh, is used more than six thou- be about the Messiah and it also uses the word
sand times.86 But today, if you open your Bible Lord, it’s easy to assume that we can simply stuff
and start counting the times the word Yehoveh Jesus’s name in its place and all the pieces come
(or Jehovah) is used, it is but a handful. Some together. That’s exactly what has been done for
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 135
centuries. But instead of helping us, I think it result of God’s name being set aside in favor of
has obscured God’s nature and given us some rather generic terms like God and Lord.87
false impressions about end-time prophecies. Gentiles are not alone in this; the Jewish
people themselves began this practice around
What Is the Nature and three hundred years before the birth of Christ.
Essence of God? Fortunately, although they substituted the words
Lord and God when they read the Scriptures out-
Although we will never be able to come up with loud and when they wrote in commentary, they
a fully adequate answer to this question, that did not tamper with the copies of the original
does not mean we should accept questionable Scripture. God’s name—YHWH—was left
doctrines that are easy, traditional, or comfort- intact.
able. It was not until the fourth century AD, You see, 99 percent of the time that our OT
not until the church was thoroughly Romanized Bible translations say “Lord,” that is not what
and Gentile-ized, that the three-persons con- the original Hebrew said. The original Hebrew
cept of the Trinity was created. The earliest didn’t say Lord and it didn’t say God; it didn’t
known record of the three-persons concept say Adonai, which is just the Hebrew word for
used as doctrine comes from what is called the Lord; it said Yehoveh. This is not disputed among
Athanasian Creed: scholars, Christian or Hebrew. With the finding
of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we now have copies of
We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in most books of the OT dating to the birth of
Unity . . . for there is one Person of the Father, another of Christ, and these also use the name YHWH.
the Son, another of the Holy Ghost is all one . . . they are Let’s look again at the Shema of
not three gods, but one God . . . the whole three persons Deuteronomy, in Hebrew this time:
are co-eternal and co-equal . . . he therefore that will be
saved must thus think of the Trinity . . . šüma` yiSrä´ël yhwh ´élöhêºnû yhwh ´eHäd
The early church—in fact, the church Hear, O Israel, Yehoveh is our God,
fathers and the church as it existed for the first Yehoveh is one! (Deut. 6:4)
two hundred years after Christ’s crucifixion— It is not the scriptural but the traditional
knew nothing of the concept of God being a Jewish way of saying the Shema to declare:
conglomerate of three persons. They knew full
well that the Lord God was one Lord, not three šüma` yiSrä´ël ädönäy ´élöhêºnû ädönäy´eHäd
Lords. The Shema, contained in Deuteronomy,
expresses this: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our It is well documented why the Jews stopped
God, the Lord is one!” (6:4 NASB). The NT using God’s name and substituted HaShem,
repeats it from the very mouth of our Savior: Adonai, and several other general terms. The
“Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, “Hear, O church has inexplicably also chosen to follow
Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord” ’ ” this Jewish tradition and ignore the original
(Mark 12:29 NASB). While we cannot fully written texts, yet at the same time it has thrown
untangle all this mystery surrounding the out practically every other Jewish element of
nature of God, we can shed some light on it. the Scriptures that it could unearth. Reinserting
Genesis 19
One of the ways we can do this is by reestablish- God’s name, Yehoveh, back into the Shema
ing the name or names of God in our Bibles. doesn’t cause the church any particular doctrinal
I am convinced that so many of the question- problems. But allow me to give you an example
able doctrines and concepts that we are just now of the problem that reinserting God’s name into
beginning to unearth and face head-on are the Scripture can create. The general conclusion by
136 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Christian scholars and church authority is that Olives, near Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of
Yahshua is going to return, of course. The NT, Olives shall split across from east to west, and one part
in Acts 1:11, tells us that when He returns He of the Mount shall shift to the north and the other to the
will come in the manner in which He left. That south, a huge gorge. And the Valley in the Hills shall be
manner is generally considered to mean: (1) in the stopped up, for the Valley of the Hills shall reach only to
form in which He left, meaning the God/Man Azal; it shall be stopped up as it was stopped up as a
we identify as Jesus, Yeshua; (2) from the place result of the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of
He left, the Mount of Olives, from where He Judah.—And Yehoveh my God, with all the holy beings,
ascended; and (3) in the way He left, that is, up will come to you.
and into the clouds of the sky (meaning He will In that day, there shall be neither sunlight nor cold
come back from the clouds in the sky). moonlight, but there shall be a continuous day—only
One of the great and dramatic elements Yehoveh knows when—of neither day nor night, and
of the story of Christ’s return is that when He there shall be light at eventide. In that day, fresh water
returns, He will first touch planet Earth again shall flow from Jerusalem, part of it to the Eastern Sea
on the summit of the Mount of Olives. And and part to the Western Sea, throughout the summer and
when He does, a violent cataclysm will take winter. And Yehoveh shall be king over all the earth; in
place. The mountain will split, the fault line that day there shall be one Yehoveh with one name.
running east to west. You might think that if
one wanted to find the Bible reference for this This complicates things, doesn’t it? Since
particular event we would look in Revelation, or we know who the Messiah is, we have always
at least somewhere in the NT. In fact, Messiah’s assumed we could just insert the name Jesus
return to the Mount of Olives is not found in or Yahshua here in these verses, tying up loose
the NT but rather in the OT, in the book of ends and making it all nice and neat and com-
Zechariah. It is generally assumed that this pas- fortable. But it seems we cannot, because the
sage refers to the end times and the coming of original Hebrew says it is Yehoveh, YHWH,
the Lord, a trustworthy stance. who will touch down on the Mount of Olives.
In fact, verse 9 says that it is Yehoveh, and His
name is echad, one. This, my friends, is a descrip-
tion reserved for the totality of the Godhead—
Assignment: Read Zechariah 14:1–9 in an
from the traditional point of view, the sum of
English translation.
the Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son—which
we often refer to simply as “God.”
So what are we to do with this? First, even
if we cannot fully comprehend this or explain it,
Now, read it as the original Hebrew gave it we must acknowledge that it is so, and not just
to us, literally: turn our minds off to it. If we do, we are prefer-
ring to be comfortable and unbothered rather
Lo, a day of Yehoveh is coming when your spoil shall than interested in knowing the truth. These
be divided in your very midst! For I will gather all the verses specifically say that Yehoveh will descend
nations to Jerusalem for war: The city shall be captured, on the Mount of Olives. Second, we must recog-
the houses plundered, and the women violated; and a part nize the supreme importance of having God’s
Genesis 19
of the city shall go into exile. But the rest of the popula- name reinserted into our Bibles; without it, we
tion shall not be uprooted from the city. Then Yehoveh miss so much of the context of the verses and
will come forth and make war on those nations as He is the identity of who is being discussed. Third,
wont to make war on a day of battle. we need to reexamine some of our cherished
On that day, He will set His feet on the Mount of end-time assumptions. So much of the modern
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 137
church doctrine about end-time events is just The problem is that we have created a nice,
that—doctrine and speculation. Fourth, we tidy doctrine whereby we separate the persons
probably are going to have to acknowledge that of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We
our standard “three persons” description of can even separate their functions. The separation
Yehoveh is not an ideal one, and that, in fact, it between these that we ascribe cannot easily be
is based on the human-created church doctrine justified. If we take the three-persons concept
of the Trinity and needs to be revisited and a to its logical extreme, then while Christ roamed
better solution for communicating this awe- the Holy Lands, only two-thirds of God was in
some mystery of God’s nature found. heaven. That is, God in heaven was incomplete;
a piece of Him was in another place (Israel). The
The Problem with the Three- Bible goes to great length to stress that Yehoveh
Persons Concept is echad; He is one. So, unless He is performing
self-amputation, our three-persons concept has
I am not challenging the nature of God as some fundamental flaws.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but rather the
conclusions that the modern church has come to A Better View of the Trinity
about the nature of God, as well as the structure
they’ve assigned it. From that structure they In the Bible, God is often described according
have formed a doctrine that has been named to His attributes. Using my dear wife, Becky, as
the doctrine of the Trinity. I am not challenging an example of this, I could refer to Becky as:
the deity of Christ, nor the fact that Yeshua is
God. I am not. • Becky, wife of Tom
• Becky, mother of children
• Becky, grandmother of grandchildren
• Becky, who comforts me
• Becky, who walks beside me
• Becky, who is in charge of our household
• Becky, compassionate and friend to
many
single function—there is just one Becky with Becky’s mind connects her soul to her
many attributes. body; it is the messenger and container that
How do we apply this to our challenge of brings the ideas from her spiritual soul to her
envisioning God? Well, we can begin by envi- physical body so that the ideas can be carried
sioning Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as attri- out. Our souls do not have a direct connection
butes of Yehoveh rather than as separate pieces of to our bodies; our minds function to provide
Yehoveh that we label as persons. As a way of a sort of bridge between the spiritual soul and
demonstrating these attributes rather quickly, our physical bodies. These three functions are
we can express the function of each attribute organically connected. I cannot send her mind
in a simplistic fashion. This is a very primi- to Miami, her soul to Orlando, and her body to
tive and admittedly incomplete illustration; Jacksonville. Further, if any of these attributes
for Yehoveh is spirit and not a physical being, and their functions were to cease to exist, Becky
like Becky. In a nutshell, we can boil down the would not be Becky any longer. It is similar with
basic functions of the Godhead this way: The God.
Father is the grand author of the divine plan; God’s attributes are identified to us in the
the Holy Spirit is the container and messenger Bible as His names. Each of God’s names repre-
of the divine plan; and the Son (also called the sents an attribute of God—God Almighty, the
Word) is the grand executor of the divine plan. God Who Heals, the King of Heavenly Hosts,
And yet, just as we can talk about Becky’s vari- the God Who Protects, and so on. Therefore,
ous attributes and their functions separately when we speak of Yeshua we need to realize
but can’t physically identify them or separate that this is but the name of yet another attribute
them from Becky, so it is with God’s attributes of God, and this attribute means “God saves.”
and functions. Yeshua is the saving attribute of God.
Let me make a further analogy: Becky
has a soul, which is the grand author of her
plans. She has mind and intellect, which are
the grand container and messenger of her
plans. And she has a body that executes those
plans. Her soul, which, depending on what
part of the Bible one reads, is either synony-
mous with her spirit or is the place where her
spirit resides, is fully spiritual in nature. Her
soul is the eternal part of Becky, and it has
no physical substance to it whatsoever. Her
soul is where the spiritual part of the universe
connects with her, and it is that part of every
human being that separates us from all other Yeshua’s Relationship with
living creatures. Yehoveh
Becky’s body is the attribute of her that
can carry out plans. Our bodies are our direct Before we explore this conundrum, we must
connection with the physical world, just as our understand two things: First, whatever explana-
Genesis 19
souls are our direct connection to the spiritual tion we arrive at is going to be terribly inadequate.
world. Becky can be full of ideas, but without a Second, Yehoveh is completely unrestrained and
way to bring those ideas to fruition, having an unlimited; He operates in a number of dimen-
idea is useless if not meaningless—at least it is sions, the existence of which we have only recently
in our universe. been able to establish with some certainty.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 139
cal earthly aspect of the Reality of Duality, the says, echad (one). The words we use to describe
heavenly spiritual Son. What we saw when He Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are debatable, and
arose is similar to the transformation we will reasonable people can differ on how to express
go through in our resurrection: our bodies will them. I have chosen to use the word attributes,
transform from the physical, earthly kind to the knowing that it is not fully adequate either, in
140 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
hopes of stimulating your own searching of the time is available for the bread to rise. Why is
Scriptures and your striving with God to know this pointed out here? Because we soon find
Him and understand Him better. out they were in a hurried situation, as they were
about to flee. We will see similar scenes in a
Lot Meets the Angels at number of places in the OT, but perhaps the
the Gate most famous is the exodus from Egypt, where
God instructed the Israelites to eat a final meal
In Genesis 19:1 Lot fell on his face before the of unleavened bread so they could leave imme-
two angels. Lot didn’t necessarily know they diately! This preparation of unleavened bread is
were angels. At that time, in the Orient, visi- another of the many patterns and types that we
tors and guests were treated with utmost honor. find throughout the Scriptures.
Bowing low was a customary greeting to a visi- Next we see the event that so many of us
tor, as was inviting them into your home to stay. first learned in children’s Sunday school: the
The angels’ answer to Lot’s offer—that no, men of Sodom wanted to harm Lot’s two guests,
they’d stay in the square, the area near the front who were actually angels, and Lot tried to stop
gate—was also a typical Oriental response to them. What we probably didn’t hear in Sunday
the initial offer of hospitality. It’s similar to a school was that the perverted and wicked men
Southern woman saying, “Oh, no, I could never of Sodom wanted to commit unspeakable sexual
impose on you to . . .” The host was expected acts on these men, and Lot offered these evil
to insist that they stay, and, of course, the visi- men his own daughters if they’d leave the two
tors eventually accepted. This cordial Middle angels alone! It is unimaginable to us that Lot
Eastern dance between host and guest has would offer his own daughters up for rape,
stayed generally unchanged even to modern rather than let something happen to two male
times. strangers, but once again, this is a completely
As we move through Torah, we’ll find sev- typical cultural situation for that time. It was
eral mentions of someone “sitting in the gate,” considered the duty of a family to care for their
which is where we find Lot when the angels guests above themselves. They were to give up
arrive. The gate was the way into a walled city. their own lives to protect their guests, if neces-
If a city had a wall, then the city was substantial sary. And that’s what happened here.
in size and population. A gate typically had a In this passage we are seeing, for the first
tower and some guardrooms, and a person was time, the horrendous wickedness of Sodom. It is
required to walk through a couple of rooms, so wicked that Yehoveh has determined to erad-
making some quick turns, to get from the out- icate the place and its people. Sexually immoral
side to the inside. This made it more difficult for wickedness, as we will learn in Leviticus, ranks
a group of bandits or an army to suddenly rush as the worst of the worst human sins before
through the gateway into the city. The gate area God. The exhibited sin here revolves around
doubled as the town square. It was a general homosexuality: these men lusted after other
meeting place where official business occurred. men to the point that when Lot offered his
Trials might even occur there. The idea was that virgin daughters, they declined.
whatever business was occurring was public and
had witnesses. The Christian’s Stance on
Genesis 19
perversion, Yehoveh’s opinion of it in Genesis the door to get to them, and then by insisting
19 is clear; He destroyed all involved with it. that Lot and his family leave quickly before the
Notice that the Bible doesn’t say that the people divine destruction began.
of Sodom committed idolatry, nor that they
cheated one another, nor that they practiced
injustice; the only sin mentioned was homo-
sexuality. No doubt, these other sinful things Assignment: Reread Genesis 19:13–29.
occurred, but that is not what was recorded for
us to read almost four thousand years later. We
must fight with every means we have to prevent
our nation from going in this direction. That In verses 13 and 14, the original Hebrew
many of us have children or grandchildren who word used for God is Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh, YHWH
are gay is a certainty. That we still love them is a or Yehoveh. The Lord God Almighty is being
certainty. That they are committing a sin of the referred to by His actual personal name, as the
highest order is a certainty. That they are wrong two angels explained that Yehoveh sent them
is a certainty. That we have Christian churches and Yehoveh had instructed them to destroy the
that now ordain homosexuals is perhaps even city. A preincarnate Jesus didn’t instruct them;
more disturbing. Will we ever rid our American the Holy Spirit did not instruct them; God the
society of this immorality? Not likely. But fol- Father, Yehoveh, instructed them.
lowing Yehoveh is not about taking polls, nor So verse 13 actually reads, “Yehoveh has
is it a matter of majority rules or following the become aware of the great outcry against them,
crowd. Standing against such things is our duty, and Yehoveh has sent us to destroy it.” The
no matter how unpopular it may be. word Yehoveh—the Hebrew letters YHWH—
It turns out these two men (angels) Lot are actually and literally in the ancient manu-
thought he was protecting were actually pro- scripts. This is not speculation; this is not doc-
tecting Lot. They did so by first supernaturally trine or tradition; this is not substitution, nor do
blinding the men who tried to batter down we find it in some ancient Hebrew manuscripts
and not in others. The word Yehoveh is in all orig-
inal Hebrew manuscripts, while our Bibles say
A Note on the Complete Lord or God.
Jewish Bible Tr anslation Then, in verse 18, Lot responded to the
angels who were telling him to leave by saying,
We have talked from time to time about the impor- “Please, no, my lord!” Did Lot think he was
tance of bringing the Jewishness and the Hebrew talking to Yehoveh or was he now aware that
language and culture back into Christianity and these men were not men but angels? The word
our basic understanding of the Holy Scriptures.
The translator and writer of the Complete Jewish
used in this verse for “lord” is Adonai. As we’ve
Bible is a Messianic Jew. So, while he brings the seen before, Adonai can be used to refer to God,
Jewishness back into the Scriptures, he also or it can simply mean a generic lord or master of
brings some tradition with him that can swing any sort, human or spiritual. The original text
the translation from having the typical over- for verse 18 is “Please, no, Adonai.” Within the
weighted Gentile bent that we’re used to reading context, it does not refer to God; it refers to
in our English Bibles, to having a somewhat over-
Genesis 19
The translation we have in our Bibles is That term could mean men to whom Lot’s two
not necessarily wrong, but when we look at daughters were engaged, or, more than likely,
the expanded meaning that the Hebrew gives it was that these were husbands of Lot’s other
us, we understand what is going on so much daughters. In either case, they would have been
more clearly. We can know more precisely men from Sodom . . . pagans. Here’s a little clue
which manifestation of God is speaking in when reading the Bible: if you see only one or
chapter 19. This is important because these bits two children mentioned, it is probable that the
and pieces are put together so we can under- couple had other children as well but there just
stand the Scriptures more accurately. Remember: was not reason to speak of them. In the bibli-
at least half of the NT is OT quotes, and the cal era, for someone to only have two or three
book of Revelation is primarily a compilation of children would have indicated either the deaths
OT prophecies in chronological order. So if we of other of their children, that they were very
really want to understand what is happening in young and just starting a family, or that there
the NT, we need to get the OT right first. was something medically wrong with either
the husband or the wife. A minimum of five
Lot Flees with His Daughters or six children would have been the norm. Due
to disease and other hazards, it was usual and
Lot left, taking his wife and two unmarried expected for some children to die at a young
daughters with him, but his so-called “sons-in- age. You can draw your own conclusions about
law” wouldn’t go. They simply didn’t believe whether or not Lot had more children than the
what the angels said. Bad idea. Angels are mes- two daughters mentioned.
sengers from God—that’s their purpose—so it’s Apparently even Lot still didn’t recognize
best if we heed them. The sons-in-law didn’t sur- the nature of the danger or the imminence of
vive their skepticism, and neither did Lot’s wife. what was about to occur. The angels told Lot
These so-called “sons-in-law” are a bit of to hurry up and leave, but he just didn’t get it.
mystery, mainly because the Hebrew is not clear. He took his time, packing up and making sure
he didn’t forget anything of importance. One of
the angels intervened and literally grabbed him
by his hand, then grabbed his daughters’ hands,
and dragged them outside the city walls.
The angels instructed Lot to flee to the
safety of the nearby hills, but the ever-reticent
Lot said no, he’d rather go to a city. Lot liked
his comforts. Recall that when he and Abraham city was originally known as Bela but its name
parted ways, Abraham gave Lot the choice of was changed to Tzo‘ar. Lot and his family
what part of the land he preferred for himself arrived there, and not long after their arrival
and his flocks. He chose Sodom. The next thing the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were oblit-
we see is Lot living in a city. Lot obviously didn’t erated. The smoke was so thick and it rose so
enjoy the life of a nomad or a shepherd. He high that Abraham, standing on a hill in far-off
wanted to reside in a more refined atmosphere Hebron, was able to see it.
with the comfort and security and ease of life
that it afforded him. The fact that he was living The Destruction of Sodom
in Sodom makes it clear that he had turned his and Gomorr ah
back on his heritage and way of life in favor of
the way of the pagans. In many ways, Lot was a One would expect a long and agonizingly
shadow of the tribes of the Northern Kingdom detailed account of this cataclysm, one so hor-
of Ephraim-Israel, who turned their backs on rific that we would pay very close attention and
their own heritage in favor of taking on the life- do what we could to avoid the same fate, but in
style of their Gentile neighbors. reality we have but four or five total verses! To
Keep in mind, though, that nowhere do say detail is lacking is an enormous understate-
we see Lot renouncing his faith in the God ment. All we’re told is that the destruction came
of Israel; Lot was not a bad man. It’s just that from the sky; it came down like a rain of fire
Lot was weak and prone to succumbing to the and brimstone (burning sulfur). It is an interest-
everyday temptations of the world. Lot’s life is a ing choice of words: for burning sulfur was used
good illustration of what we refer to today as a to destroy the garbage dumps located just out-
“carnal Christian.” As weak as Lot’s faith was, side the walls of ancient cities. Once lit, sulfur
and as apparently unusable as he was for God’s burns with a high heat and emits such a strong
good purposes, God still saved Lot—he was, and definite odor that it could mask the foulest
after all, one of His first Hebrews. Nevertheless, of other common odors. And, of course, the fire
what a sad epitaph Lot’s existence on earth left. purged pests and diseases. We’re also aware that
Lot asked to be sent to a small, nearby city. fire, in the Bible, is symbolic of purging evil and
In fact, the city was so small that its name was refining precious metals. God destroyed what
Tzo‘ar, which in Hebrew means “small.” This He saw as a garbage heap of perverted human-
ity, using a method sure to be understood by all
who witnessed it.
Rather than focus on the horror and death
and divine retribution, the Bible story of Sodom
and Gomorrah focuses on the moral aspects that
caused the destruction; the means of destruction
is almost incidental.
In verse 26, Lot’s wife was turned into a
pillar of salt because she looked back as she
was fleeing. The Hebrew phrase “look back”
is an idiom; it simply means “to dally” or “to
Genesis 19
in verse 29 we find out exactly why God saved what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah was
Lot—Abraham had asked him to. Righteous but a localized disaster; it would seem that Lot
Abraham had pleaded for the life of Lot. This is didn’t either.
something we parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, We have watched Lot become more and
and sisters need to keep in mind. The prayers more fearful, less interested in facing the world,
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 145
Genesis 20
In ancient Egyptian archives there is a docu- were ancient Lewis and Clarks, blazing trails to
new destinations where people had never been
ment that scholars have dubbed the “Prophecy
before. That was not the case at all. All of our Bible
of Neferti” dated to that time. In that document, heroes moved to known places, traveling long-
there is talk of the Wall of the Ruler that was built established trade routes.
so that the Asians could not come into Egypt.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 147
just to stop the plagues that God visited on the the story that there was mutual respect and
pharaoh. peaceful intentions; this was not a kidnapping.
In this new land, Abraham encountered a There is no indication of force.
king the Bible calls Abimelech, and the Egypt After Abimelech took Sarah, God visited
affair happened all over again. Abimelech was him in a dream and an interesting little dialogue
148 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
ize he was talking to God. First, he accepted the these actions a type and pattern of Moses being
instruction of a God he did not seem to know. developed for us.
If there is anything more personally disastrous As we get into verse 8, we find that
than a person placing his or her faith in a false Abimelech was a tad put off; Abraham’s deceit
god, it is acknowledging no god whatsoever. nearly cost Abimelech his life! Abraham whined
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 149
that, in a certain sense, Sarah really was his We read at the end of this chapter that God
sister. Of course, it was true that she was also his “restored” Abimelech and his household. In
wife. Sarah and Abraham had the same father, this context, it means that for some unspeci-
but different mothers. He confessed that he was fied amount of time, none of Abimelech’s wives
afraid of Abimelech, and he figured this was the or concubines produced any children for him.
best solution—sorry about that! This story must have played out over several
Unlike the situation down in Egypt, months at the least, but it is not unusual that a
Abimelech did not kick Abraham out of his Bible story only a couple of verses long could
country. Rather, he added further wealth to cover a much longer period of time.
Abraham’s clan, and asked him to stay.
Genesis 20
150 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 21
Before you read this chapter, think back to land. We know this because the prophecies tell
Genesis 12, when Yehoveh made a list of prom- us that once they return91—after Egypt, after
ises to Abraham, among which was the promise Assyria, after Babylon, and after the Romans—
that from his descendants all the nations of the they’ll not be leaving. It doesn’t matter how
earth would be blessed. Naturally, the implica- reckless or how ungrateful they are to the One
tion was that Abraham would have children, but who brought them home; this is a promise from
until now, twenty-five years later, not one child had Yehoveh. It is a one-way deal. We can count on
been born to Abraham’s wife, Sarah. Abraham it, quite literally.
did have a qualified heir—a son, Ishmael, who God kept his promise as He always does,
had been born to Sarah’s handmaiden, Hagar. and Sarai had a child: Yitz’chak (Isaac). Isaac
But the Lord God never does things halfway. means “he laughs.” The promise, twenty-five
Our mistake in trying to understand God’s years in the making, was for a child of destiny.
Or better, a child of promise. We’ll examine
shortly the eerie parallels between Isaac and
Yahshua.
Assignment: Read Genesis 21. At the set time—set by God—Isaac was born
to Sarah. As had been instructed, Abraham cir-
cumcised Isaac on the eighth day after his birth.
The elderly couple was overjoyed; Abraham had
prophecies is not that we cannot find a way to just turned one hundred years old and Sarah
relate the fulfillment to the original pronounce- ninety when Isaac was produced. It was miracle
ment, but that we do not take God’s prophe- enough that Abraham could sire a son at that
cies literally enough. All of Yehoveh’s promises age, or that Sarah who had never, even as a
to Abraham were literal, and they were literally young girl, had a womb that could produce life,
fulfilled. Abraham would have a son, not a kind- could give birth several decades after meno-
of son, not a good-enough heir who played with pause, but it was also a miracle that such an aged
the edges of the Law, but a true son and heir, woman could even survive the birthing process.
regardless of what the earthly human circum- And, as Genesis 21:6–7 shows, they were as
stances might seem to dictate as possible. astonished and dumbfounded as the hundreds
Because of the times in which we live, let of people who formed their clan would have
me say it again: all of God’s prophecies should been as well.
be taken most literally. Things may be looking In verse 8, Isaac was weaned (probably at
dark for Israel (around which all Bible prophe- around three or four years old), and Abraham
cies revolve) right now, but we can be assured held a great celebration. But trouble was brew-
Genesis 21
that though the whole world continues to line ing. Ishmael, still a much-loved son of Abraham,
up against them, even if Israel finally tells the was about fifteen or sixteen years old and appar-
US government that they can’t stand much ently constantly taunting the toddler Isaac. No
more of our supposed help and friendship, the doubt Hagar also gave Sarah a hard time as she
Jewish people will not be expelled from the felt the effect of her diminished standing in the
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 151
and then observe them. We have no authority to When Abraham agreed to do as Sarah asked,
change them, abolish them, make substitutions, or Ishmael’s inheritance vanished. Ishmael and
to create new ones.
Hagar, in a moment, went from being wealthy
and having authority to being penniless and
homeless.
152 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
age and dead womb, Yahshua’s because Mary if something befell him and he should die, he
was a virgin. Isaac’s name was decided by God had his all-important heir in Isaac. He knew the
before he was born, and so was Yahshua’s. God family would move forward with the promises
set a precise, appointed time for Isaac’s birth, and blessings of God.
just as He did for Jesus. There are others that There was a dispute going on between
we’ll come to shortly. Abraham’s clan and Abimelech’s people over
some water wells. The wise Abimelech, aware
Abr aham and Abimelech that Abraham had a friend in the highest place,
simply wanted to settle the issue before God
In verse 20 we see Abraham was living in threatened him again. The negotiations ended
Abimelech’s territory, which had been offered successfully with the traditional b’rit (covenant)
to Abraham by Abimelech some years earlier. ceremony, and Abimelech and his military com-
Abraham was more determined and stronger mander, who came with him, went back home
from this point forward. Apparently with the to Gerar. We’re told that Abraham stayed in that
birth of Isaac, Abraham was more confident in area, known as the land of the Philistines, for a
the ability of the Lord to protect him and keep long time.
His promises, and he was more satisfied that
Genesis 21
154 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 22
records of the Assyrians and the Babylonians, 21, we saw Abraham being instructed to give up
and the epic sagas of the Persian, Greek and and send away the son he loved and had put all
Roman era, do exactly the opposite; those stories of his hope in, Ishmael. The boy who seemed
spend all their time aggrandizing and hallowing to Abraham to be his firstborn son, the heir to
the kings and military leaders, telling an elaborate the promise, was suddenly to be sent away to an
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 155
uncertain future. Then, as Ishmael was out in one another: (1) What the sacrificial offerings
the desert and near death, Yehoveh or His angel consisted of, and (2) the divine purpose and
called out from heaven and rescued the young function of that particular sacrificial offering
man. A water well miraculously appeared and and associated ritual.
Ishmael was saved.
In this chapter, Abraham was called on to Mount Moriah
give up his remaining son, Isaac; the son God
considered to be the firstborn, and by then, so Abraham was directed to take Isaac to the “land
did Abraham. This promised son was to be of Moriah,” to a hilltop that God Himself would
removed from Abraham by his own hand. But point out, for this ceremonial sacrifice. This
just moments before Isaac’s death, Yehoveh or was where the tradition of Mount Moriah was
His angel called out from heaven and rescued developed. Today, it is not doubted that Mount
the young man. A ram miraculously appeared, Moriah is in Jerusalem. However, Jews believe
its horns caught in a thicket, and Isaac was saved. that Mount Moriah is where the temple used to,
Verse 1 reveals the purpose of this event: and will again someday, exist. That place today
God was putting Abraham to the test. “After is called the Temple Mount, where the huge
these things, God tested Avraham” (Gen. golden dome of an Islamic shrine dedicated to
22:1). This is a piece of information we have, Muhammad dominates the skyline.
but Abraham didn’t. This is important, because Most Gentile Christian scholars, however,
the reason for telling us at the very beginning will tell you that Mount Moriah is the mount of
this was a test, is so we won’t fret or wonder if crucifixion, the place where Yahshua was exe-
Yehoveh actually sanctions human sacrifice as cuted by the Romans. Generally speaking, there
we read about it. In other words, we know from are two locations in Jerusalem where people
the beginning that Isaac is going to survive. argue that momentous event occurred. Neither
It was apparent to the ancient sages and is in the vicinity of the Temple Mount.
scholars that God’s instructions to Abraham
to offer Isaac as a burnt offering came at night,
during a dream or a vision. They make this
assertion because we’re told that “Avraham
got up early in the morning” (Gen. 22:3) after
receiving this devastating command during the
night, and he set about to obey.
any kind of offering that is burned up on a fire; not even part of the original Jerusalem, known
rather, ‘Olah is a specific kind of burnt offering as the City of David. Rather, the City of David
with a specific meaning. was located down the slope of a large hill, and
Additionally, there are two elements that Mount Moriah represented the uppermost part
separate each of the five types of sacrifices from of that hill. One of the locations chosen as the
156 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
crucifixion site is, technically, probably a part of next to Jesus. Other than the number two, I’m
Mount Moriah, whereas the other absolutely is afraid the similarities end there unless a pretty
not.93 fair amount of allegory is injected. In reality, a
person of Abraham’s stature would never have
Abr aham and Isaac’s Journey traveled without servants. The minimum tradi-
tional number of servants a person in this day
When Abraham was given instructions to would bring on a journey was two; the entou-
journey to Moriah, he and his family were in rage of two signified that Abraham was an
Be’er-Sheva, a location about fifty miles south- important person.
southwest of Jerusalem, bordering the Sinai The fact that they brought the wood along
Peninsula. So it was a lengthy journey that lay with them, however, does mirror Yeshua’s
ahead of him; he had lots of time to think and experience. In verse 6, we are told, “Avraham
back out of the agonizing purpose of this trip. took the wood for the burnt offering and laid
it on Yitz’chak his son.” Isaac would haul the
very wood that would become the means of his
death and sacrifice up the hill to the place of
the altar. This is a perfect parallel to Yahshua’s
being required to bear upon His back the
wooden cross that would become the means of
His death, a sacrificial death.
There is no discernible reason why they
needed to transport heavy wood with them for
the entire fifty miles from Be’er-Sheva. In fact,
they started their journey in a place where wood
was sparse and headed to a place where it was
relatively plentiful; there was no shortage of
heavy shrubs and small trees in the mountains
surrounding Jerusalem.
The journey lasted three days. When they
arrived, Abraham told the servants that they
could not go with him and Isaac up to the altar,
but that they would return to them shortly. Was
Abraham lying to the servants in an attempt
to not cause Isaac or the servants to panic at
the knowledge of what lay ahead, the apparent
human sacrifice of Isaac? Or is it possible that
We’re given a couple of intriguing bits of this also prefigured Christ’s telling His servants,
information in verse 3: Abraham took two ser- the disciples, that He was leaving and where He
vants with him, and they chopped wood for the was going no one could follow . . . yet. But that
fire that would be necessary on the altar, and He was going to return to them, which is known
took it along on the journey. to us as the Second Coming.
Genesis 22
bypass the sacrificial death that only the prom- Verse 14: The place where the sacrifice was
ised Son could accomplish. to occur was commemorated as Yehoveh Jireh (or
Yet Isaac was no Messiah. The appointed Jehovah Jirah), meaning, “Yehoveh provides.”
time for the Messiah, the time that Yehoveh Yehoveh provided the sacrifice, for no other
alone knew because Yehoveh alone had set that would do. This sacrifice was Jesus, God in the
time, had not yet come. As we now know, that flesh.
time would be eighteen centuries later. Isaac This is most certainly not allegory. What
was to be a lesson and demonstration of a spiri- Isaac was subjected to was a shadow of what
tual principle, not the Anointed One. Isaac was was going to happen to Christ approximately
just a man, and therefore could never qualify as eighteen hundred years in the future.
the sacrifice God required for eternal redemp-
tion. To have Isaac die in this manner would The Mal’ach Yehovah
have been human sacrifice. Yehoveh stopped it
once the picture of what the cost to God was Toward the end of this ordeal, we are told that
going to be became clear: God would sacrifice twice “the angel of the Lord” called out to
Himself for men. Abraham from heaven—first to stop the sac-
rifice, and second to embellish the covenants
Par allels Between Isaac and previously given to Abraham. Since we’ve done
Yeshua a word study on the phrase “angel of the Lord,”
you’ll appreciate that this time it’s a different
This chapter is overwhelming in presenting a Hebrew phrase than what we’ve previously seen.
type of Messiah and His crucifixion, is it not? First, notice that this angel of the Lord was
Let’s review the “types” represented in this in heaven. I wonder why this angel wasn’t on
story, and then look at the parallel as it applied earth or appearing before Abraham instead of
to Yahshua: speaking to him from heaven? Maybe we do
Verse 2: Abraham was to sacrifice his only have a clue for this, though, if we look a little
son. God sacrificed His only Son. closer. Remember that the Hebrew for “angel
Verse 3: Three days after Isaac was “con- of the Lord” is mal’ach (meaning “messenger”)
demned” to death, he arose from the altar, alive. Adonai (meaning “Lord”). But this time the
Christ arose from the dead three days after He wording is mal’ach Yehoveh (Yehoveh being God
was condemned. Almighty’s personal name). So this translates
Verse 6: Isaac was required to carry the wood literally to “angel of Yehoveh.”
up to the hilltop that would be the very device This angel of Yehoveh, who was speaking
used for his own death. Christ was required to from heaven, said, “I have sworn by myself.”
carry His own wooden cross, the instrument of Typically, when something is identified as “an”
His own death, to the hilltop where He would or “the” angel of the Lord, the being says, “The
be fastened to it and die. Lord told me to say this,” or “God told me to
Verses 7–8: Isaac wanted to know where the do that,” thereby making a definite distinction
lamb was for the sacrifice, and Abraham told between God and the angel. But that is not the
him that God would provide it. God provided case here. This angel of Yehoveh spoke with the
the sacrificial lamb, His very own Son, as the same authority and person as Yehoveh, God
Genesis 22
sacrifice for all mankind. Almighty. He said, “I” say this. So, when we
Verse 13: A ram, a male sheep, was provided to see a mal’ach Adonai speak as one who is doing
Abraham (replacing Isaac) as the sacrifice. Christ, God’s will, versus a mal’ach Yehoveh speak-
a male sacrificial lamb, was the provision who ing of His own will, then we have to consider
replaced our rightful place of judgment at Calvary. the probability that we are talking about two
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 159
different beings. We can be sure that this is sig- acknowledge that it is simply not possible for
nificant or God’s personal name wouldn’t be mankind to know God’s mind or imagine all of
invoked. who He is. Perhaps we need to grow more com-
We must be very cautious in accepting the fortable in knowing that God is not a human
rather rigid Christian doctrines that have been being, nor even a superhuman being. He is a
developed, beginning with the edicts of the whole other being, and our duty, in some cases,
Council of Nicea in the early fourth century is simply to accept that which we cannot experi-
AD, concerning how the God of the universe ence or explain. Isn’t that the definition of faith
manifests Himself. Doctrines were created, and in the first place?
continue to be created, that are nowhere pres-
ent in Scripture, tradition, or even practice up to In Conclusion
that point. These are doctrines that the first two
hundred years of the early church knew nothing Abraham and Isaac returned home, and we’re given
of. I’ve commented on numerous occasions that some genealogy concerning Abraham’s brother,
for us to intellectually force all possible dimen- Nahor, who was still living in Mesopotamia. The
sions of God, or even just the ones alluded to in first thing that ought to strike us is that twelve
Holy Scripture, into one of three separate boxes sons of Nahor are named, just as Ishmael was to
that we call Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a have twelve sons, and eventually Jacob would have
dangerous undertaking. It compels us to limit twelve sons. However, unlike the twelve sons of
He who is without limits. Who or what was Jacob who would form the nation of Israel, each
this messenger of Yehoveh who twice showed playing an important role, several of the sons of
up in conjunction with this climactic story of Nahor we will never encounter again in the Bible.
Abraham and Isaac and spoke of Yehoveh in We only know they even existed because of this
the first person? Of that, we cannot know. But, listing at the end of Genesis 22.
perhaps this is our opportunity to once again
Genesis 22
160 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 23
territory of his own. It is ironic that the only Yet Abraham also had to be very careful
piece of real estate Abraham would ever be able in his bargaining, because if he bought it at
to call his own was a cave used as a tomb for his a price that did not seem fair to later genera-
wife, later himself, and eventually his children tions, that was reason enough to take the land
and a grandchild—Jacob—as well. back. Therefore, Abraham dickered so that
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 161
Ephron set a price before Abraham was forced Burial spots were terribly important to
to make an offer. The price, four hundred the ancients, and, I dare say, burial sites still
shekels of silver, was high. But, by Abraham bear enormous significance even among our
graciously insisting that he was happy to pay own modern societies. That’s why this pro-
full price, he took away most legal challenges cess took place before many of the town’s citi-
that could have led to having that land taken zens—Hittite citizens. It was so they would be
away from him or his descendants sometime witnesses to the transfer of ownership from
in the future. Ephron to Abraham.
Genesis 23
162 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 24
circumcision, and also the One who guaranteed calling God Adonai or Lord, in the original
the oath. This exact gesture has not appeared in Hebrew he calls God Yahweh. He uses God’s
any other culture at any time. And these are the personal name.
only two mentions of it in the Bible; both involve Next we see something we’ll encounter
the patriarchs and the carrying out of the provi- often in the Bible: a woman, or women, coming
sions of the covenant. to the well to fetch water. This is not a romantic
The words of instruction Abraham gave to notion or literary device; women of the Middle
his servant are his last recorded words in the East in that era stayed separate from men for
Bible. And the transition Abraham made from the most part. There were certain times of the
some his first recorded statements to what we read day when it was understood that women would
here is striking. Here, his faith was firm; there go to the water well, a spring, or a river to draw
was no worry because all was in God’s hands and water. This was a standard task for women and
he completely trusted that Yahweh would bring usually men were not around. It was an issue of
about all that He promised to Abraham. Earlier traditional modesty that, in particular, applied
he asked, “How will I know that I will possess to unmarried girls and young women. That
the land?” He lied about Sarah being his wife. He is why when we read a narrative about a male
wanted to know how he would have descendants Bible character encountering a woman at a well
if Sarah was barren, and so on. Years and years of or spring, there is often a sense of surprise—the
walking with God brought maturity in his faith. girl is startled at the sight or voice of a man.
It doesn’t happen fast. This tradition is still prevalent in many parts of
the world today.
Eliezer Encounters Rivk ah
Abr aham’s Camels
This trusted servant, probably Eliezer of
Damascus, who was spoken of in earlier chap- In verse 10, Abraham’s servant took ten camels
ters, had been much affected by Abraham. He with him on his wife-hunting trek to the north.
journeyed back to Mesopotamia, Abraham’s Most archaeologists will say that this cannot be
birthplace, and as he arrived in the city of because camels were unknown to the region at
Nahor, he prayed that God’s will would be done. this time, around 1850–1900 BC. Some fairly
Although some Bible versions show Eliezer as recent findings, though, shed light on this matter.
Genesis 24
A camel A dromedary
164 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Records found in southern Mesopotamia satisfied. This was probably pretty impressive to
from the Old Babylonian Kingdom era (around Eliezer, so he took the next step.
2000 BC) mention drinking camel’s milk. Eliezer gave Rebecca gifts of significant
Further, some Sumerian and Akkadian writings value including, yes, a nose ring. This was not
from that same era make mention of a creature at all an unusual piece of jewelry for that day.
used for transportation that was literally called “a Rebecca raced home and told her mother and
donkey-of-the-sea-land.” Alongside those writ- the other female clan members what had just
ings were pictographs of dromedaries, animals happened. When Rebecca’s brother, Laban,
we erroneously call “one-hump camels.” In fact, a who will play an important role in the biblical
dromedary is not a camel. A dromedary is a one- story some time in the future, saw the expensive
humped creature and a camel is a two-humped jewelry worn by his sister, he ran to meet this
creature. It seems as though the original habitat man who gave her these things. While meet-
of the camel was Mesopotamia and the Far East, ing a stranger, a guest, was always a big occa-
while the original habitat of the dromedary was sion back in that day, the fact that this was a
the Arabian Peninsula, far to the south. That wealthy stranger excited Laban. Laying on the
Abraham might have had dromedaries makes all schmooze, Laban even invoked the name of
kinds of sense; he roamed the southern regions Yahweh in greeting Eliezer. We shouldn’t be too
and constantly dealt with Semite tribes of the impressed or draw too much from this: later we
south. The idea that Genesis 24 is a much later will find out that Laban possessed many gods,
addition or redaction doesn’t hold water. so he was just being cordial in using the name of
the God that Eliezer’s master worshipped.
Eliezer’s Purpose Eliezer was invited to stay with the family
but to first have a meal. First things first! Eliezer
Eliezer went to the well at the time of day he did was a loyal servant and he was on a mission, so
because he knew that was when he’d find eli-
gible females. This was not a fortuitous coinci-
dence. In the Middle East, if you wanted to find
a young girl, this was the place. He saw some
girls coming and proceeded to set up a test for
God so that he could be sure the woman he
picked for Isaac was the woman God intended.
Before he could even finish speaking to God,
the answer to his prayers arrived in the form of
Rivkah (Rebecca), daughter of B’tu’el.
B’tu’el was Abraham’s nephew; he was the
son of Abraham’s brother, Nahor. So B’tu’el,
Rivkah’s father, would have been Isaac’s first
cousin. Rivkah, as a daughter of Isaac’s first
cousin, was basically a second cousin. Isaac and
Rivkah shared a blood relationship, but not a
close one. Because Rivkah spoke the exact
Genesis 24
he wanted to know if he was just wasting his means “wet nurse.” Of course, Rivkah was well
time. He stated straightaway for the record who beyond that stage of life, so it likely indicates
his master was and what his goal was. Then, so that this personal nurse began her stay with the
everyone could be certain that the girl’s mod- family as Rivkah’s wet nurse and continued on
esty was not violated, that she had committed from there.
nothing untoward in speaking with a male, and As Rivkah, her nurse, and several hand-
that all intentions were honorable, he restated maidens mounted the camels and got ready
all that was told to him, how he carried out his to leave for Canaan, a benediction was pro-
duty, and how it led him to Rivkah. nounced over Rivkah. This was not a standard
In the fashion of customary Eastern hospital- pronouncement given in that era over a young
ity, Rebecca’s father and brother said that it was girl traveling to enter into marriage. Rather, this
far from them to go against God’s will for their was a divine prophecy that I’m sure her family
daughter. We can be sure that they were not so had no idea they were speaking; it concerned
much anxious to get rid of Rebecca as they were her producing a large number of descendants
ready to receive the customary gifts in exchange and that those descendants would have vic-
for the giving of her hand. They had seen the tory over their enemies. This, of course, fit in
expensive jewelry Rivkah was wearing and knew perfectly with the covenant Yahweh had made
that their gifts would also be coming from a with Abraham, the covenant that now would be
wealthy man, likely a king’s ransom.94 And so it inherited by Rivkah’s future husband, Isaac.
was. After a little more bartering, Rebecca, along
with the woman who cared for her as a child, Rivk ah Arrives at Isaac’s Tent
accompanied Eliezer back to Canaan.
The caravan arrived back from its journey, and
Rivk ah’s Father Isaac and Rebecca laid eyes on each other for
the first time. The covering of her face with
It’s interesting how little the father, B’tu’el, was the veil is kind of interesting because Hebrew
involved in all this. Laban, Rivkah’s brother, was women didn’t wear veils. There is no mention
the dominant player from Rivkah’s side of the of Sarah ever wearing a veil. And it was not
family. This was unusual. The only explanation Mesopotamian custom to wear veils as a show
would be that B’tu’el was feeble from age or sick- of modesty. There was some use of veils in that
ness, and, as would have been customary, Laban part of the world, in that era, as kind of a deco-
(probably B’tu’el’s firstborn) took over the duties ration, even as a show of wealth.
as guardian of the clan’s unmarried females. The only customary use of a veil among
Thus, in verses 54–55, when Eliezer asked Israelites, Canaanites, Mesopotamians, Sumerians,
for leave to take Rivkah and go, it was her mother and so on had to do with wedding and betrothal
and brother, not her father, who requested that procedures. It was customary for the bride to
she stay longer. A little more dickering followed, be married with her veil down. The groom was
then Rivkah stated that she was ready to go; per- not allowed to see her without that veil for some
mission to leave was granted. The Scriptures tell amount of time before the wedding ceremony.95
us that Rivkah’s “nurse” accompanied her on Rivkah was likely letting Isaac know that (a)
the journey. Apparently this nurse was a much- she was the one his father had chosen for him,
Genesis 24
loved family member who could well have been and (b) that she had consented to be his wife—
Rivkah’s wet nurse when she was an infant, in fact, the betrothal period had already been
then eventually became a sort of companion entered into.
and guardian of Rivkah. In fact, the Hebrew Isaac was forty years old when he married
word translated “nurse” here is meneket, which Rebecca. The father and mother for the next
166 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 25
took another wife, a woman named Keturah, from other cultures in that era, and even eras
of whom we know next to nothing. Bible well before and after that.
scholars are not even totally clear whether One possibility concerning the timing of
or not Abraham was married to Sarah at the Keturah stands out above all the rest to me:
same time as Keturah. That said, after further these sons of Abraham, born through Keturah,
168 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
could have been born to Abraham before Isaac. was an area of southern Arabia today known as
This is because Abraham was far past the age Yemen. This shows just how extensive and reg-
when men typically have the ability to sire a ular trade and travel was among these ancient
child when Isaac was conceived. Therefore, peoples so very long ago.
unless these sons from Keturah were “miracu- As is customary in the Bible, only Keturah’s
lous conceptions,” which is unlikely, they had male children are mentioned, but it’s unthink-
to have come well before Sarah bore the mira- able that Keturah didn’t give Abraham several
cle baby, Isaac. One could argue that upon daughters as well. We will run into several of
God’s making Abraham capable of siring Isaac, these named children of Keturah later on in
Abraham regained fertility for an extended Scripture, and yet others will never be heard of
period of time. Several scholars choose that again, so let me point out one son in particular
approach. Nevertheless, it’s nearly impossible to because the territory he settled played a large
nail down exactly when Abraham took Keturah role in Moses’s life: that son is named Midian.
as a wife, when these other children were born, True to his mother’s name, the Midianites were
and whether these sons came before or after known as spice traders, particularly of the highly
Isaac. valued frankincense. Their territory was located
We’re told that Keturah gave Abraham on the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by the east-
several children, of which six are mentioned. ern edge of the Red Sea, today called the Gulf
We have no idea who Keturah was or who her of Aqaba. This is the same region where Moses
ancestors were. However, it is clear that the ety- fled from Egypt, where God came to Moses
mology of Keturah’s name is the Hebrew word in a burning bush, and where Moses found a
ketoret, which means “spices.” In fact, certain Midianite wife. In fact, the Gulf of Aqaba is
tribes that have long been suspected as being most likely the biblical Red Sea that Moses led
descendants of Abraham and Keturah were the Israelites through to safety when they were
associated with the spice trade in ancient times. fleeing from the armies of Pharaoh.
It is also helpful for us to know that the prime These six sons of Keturah, along with Ishmael,
spice-producing region for the Middle East the son of Hagar the Egyptian girl, formed what
at that time, and for many centuries to come, we can loosely call the Arab peoples, people who
populated the Middle East and northern Africa.
However, the term arab wasn’t in use until some
time after the reign of King David; that is, there
was no such identifiable or named people group
called “Arabs” or “Arabians” until probably at
least 900 BC, some nine centuries after the time
we’re currently studying.
Genesis 25
that it was entirely up to the father to choose that a father lived on through his son—not in
which, if any, of his children from concubines a sense of reincarnation, and maybe not even
would gain inheritance. While Isaac got all of with any consciousness at all. The idea of the
the inheritance and family authority, the other human spirit as a vessel of existence after death
sons of Abraham, by means of his concubines, is not well defined in the OT. The thought that
170 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
somehow a human would live in heaven with only legal wife, Sarah, bore him Isaac, Abraham
God simply didn’t exist, at least not until the had declared Ishmael to be his firstborn son.
close of the OT at about 400 BC. Ishmael, as far as Abraham was concerned, was
Ishmael and Isaac came together to bury the son of promise, the son who would carry
their father, and as would have been customary on the covenant that Yehoveh had made with
when possible, the husband was buried with his Abraham. It is no coincidence that the genealogy
wife. Abraham was buried in the same tomb as of Ishmael immediately follows this reminder
Sarah—the cave of Machpelah at Hebron. Later that God blessed Isaac, and not Ishmael. It was
Isaac and Rebecca would join them in that same a reminder that Yehoveh had rejected Ishmael
location, as would Jacob eventually. as the son of promise. The son of promise was
the one God Himself had caused to be born in a
Isaac: The Son of the Promise miraculous way, by means of the dead womb of
Sarah and the dead seed of Abraham. The son
In verse 11, God makes it clear to any who of promise was Isaac.
might doubt where the line of promise led:
“After Avraham died, God blessed Yitz’chak The Descendants of Ishmael
his son, and Yitz’chak lived near Be’er-Lachai-
Ro’i.” The handing of the torch from Abraham Ishmael was a Semite, just as Isaac was, and of
to Isaac was complete. Isaac was the new patri- course, Abraham. Semites are the descendants
arch of the Hebrews, and Abraham was but a of Noah’s son Shem. Actually, the word should
memory. be Shemite, not Semite. The error is a rather typi-
Generally speaking, the sons of Keturah cal Gentile Christian one because the Hebrew
formed tribal confederations, and along with alphabet character that we transliterate as an S
Ishmael, they made up the various Arab peoples can be used in one of two ways: as the letter
of today. Unlike the Israelites, who very much “sheen” ’שor as “seen” ’ש. Moving the little
tended to stay closely identified with their indi- dot located above the character to the far right
vidual tribes (Reuben, Simeon, Ephraim, Judah, makes it a Sheen, which gives us a “sh” sound
Benjamin, and so on), the sons of Keturah as in “she” or “shoot” or “Sharon.” Moving the
quickly became less identified with their indi- little dot to the far left makes the same character
vidual tribes and banded together to have stay- a Seen, giving us the “s” sound, as in “Sam” or
ing power and influence. In fact, most of the “Seattle” or “seaside.” The word Shem is spelled
names of the sons of Keturah have been lost in with a Sheen, not a Seen.
history, and we really can’t follow their progress Since Isaac and Ishmael had the same father
at all. The one that does have a biblical impact and he was a descendant of Shem, both of those
is the tribe of Midian, who lived on the western children were Semites. In fact, all the children
end of the Arabian Peninsula, with the Gulf of Abraham sired were Semites. The Arabs and the
Aqaba as one of their boundary lines. This is Jewish people are very much related; they’re all
the same Midian that Moses fled to from Egypt Semites. That’s what makes the term anti-Semitic
after he had killed that Egyptian soldier; it is the such an oxymoron. Anti-Semitic is technically a
same Midian where he found a wife and lived term that means “against Semites,” against the
for forty years as a shepherd. descendants of Shem. Yet the way that term has
Genesis 25
Verses 12–18 record the line of Ishmael. always been used is to declare bigotry against
Ishmael was the dispossessed “firstborn” of the Jewish people. Interestingly, it is the Arab
Abraham and the Egyptian handmaiden Hagar. peoples who are usually most accused of being
Recall that Ishmael was a teenager by the time anti-Semitic. Arab Semites being called anti-
Isaac was born. Also recall that until Abraham’s Semitic. Just another of those mindless phrases
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 171
and Keturah began commingling very early on. than we were to fight Hitler’s armies in World
We find mention in Isaiah 60 of Midian, Ephah, War II. But we shouldn’t revel in it or have joy
and Sheba, who were tribes from Keturah, in the doing.98
living side by side with Kedar and Nebaioth,
who were sons of Ishmael.
172 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
claim utter nonsense: was the chosen one and Isaac was the rejected
one.
1. The religion of Islam didn’t come into
existence until the Prophet Muhammad formed
it; Muslims fully agree with that.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 173
dictions go on and on and on. The attributes, between what they did and what we do today,
character, and instruction of the god of Islam right in our places of worship, when we declare
as found in the Koran are the exact opposite of that Yehoveh, Messiah, and Allah are one. God
the attributes, character, and instruction of the didn’t deal with them on a person-by-person or
174 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
family-by-family basis. He placed a national judg- these people as the Nabateans, and even more
ment upon them, and the exact same thing is recently as the Jordanians of Petra.
prophesied in our time. Not personally believ- Kedar is spoken of in the Bible many centu-
ing or accepting this blasphemy as truth doesn’t ries after Genesis, and they formed some kind
exempt you or your family from suffering along of association with the Edomite people (the
with others in a nation under God’s terrible dis- descendants of Esau). These are people who
cipline. Oh, certainly, you are saved, and your wandered about as shepherds and goat herders
eternal future is secure. But is that really all that throughout the Arabian and Sinai Peninsulas.
matters? Not for me, and I think not for you. Without doubt, they form at least part of the
modern-day Bedouins.
The Tribes of Ishmael Adbe’el is known in Assyrian historical
records as Idiba’il; they were conquered by
Nebaioth was the firstborn son of Ishmael. Tiglath-Pileser, the same man who was instru-
His tribe was the people referred to as the mental in conquering the Northern Kingdom of
Nabaiati, who are mentioned in Assyrian accounts Ephraim-Israel, and sent to guard the Egyptian-
of their empire’s battles against the people of the Assyrian border.
Arabian Peninsula, only a few decades prior to Dumah’s tribe shows up again in Isaiah 21.
Judah’s being taken captive in Babylon. We know They occupied a territory just above Midian
Genesis 25
Ar ab Culture of Theft
along the Gulf of Aqaba on the Arabian Genesis 25:16 tells us that the descendants
Peninsula. of Ishmael lived in villages (camps): “These
The tribe of Tema dwelled around a well- are the sons of Yishma‘el, and these are their
known oasis northeast of Dedan because it names, according to their settlements and
was located on a very well-traveled caravan camps, twelve tribal rulers.” In other words,
route that connected the southern part of the these tribes didn’t build and reside in walled
Arabian Peninsula with the lower reaches of cities. They were rural, farmers and herders, and
Mesopotamia. some were desert wanderers and traders. This
Jetur and Naphish appear to have merged accounts for the lifestyle the Arabs developed
into a single tribe and are described later in the in which they constantly attacked one another
Bible, in 1 Chronicles 5, as the Hagrites, a con- in hopes of gaining for themselves, by taking
traction for Hagar-ites, descendants of Hagar. from another, because they lived in unfortified
For all practical purposes, nothing is known towns. This mentality is still at work today. Part
beyond pure speculation about the remaining of what fundamental Islam is fighting against is
twelve sons of Ishmael, so we won’t go there. a way of life that produces things, as opposed
to their traditional way of life that takes what
others have produced. The traditional Arab
tribal ways revolved around one tribe seeking to
take wealth and power and people from another
tribe. Even Muhammad, the founder of Islam,
gained his reputation as a leader by attacking
other Arab tribes and winning. The goal was
always the same: spoils of war.
Why is it that those Arab/Muslim strongholds
of the world are also the most poverty- stricken,
undeveloped places in the world? Afghanistan,
Genesis 25
Ishmael’s Death
Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Nubians, or other except near the end of his life. But, like his father,
non-Semitic peoples of the earth. Generally he was an owner of flocks and herds.
speaking, the descendants of Ishmael occupied In verse 21, we find that, much in the
areas to the north, south, and east of the land of same way as it was for Abraham and Sarah,
Canaan. Isaac’s beloved wife Rivkah was unable to bear
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 177
The Progress of the If Ishmael and Isaac both had a Hebrew father
Patriarchs (Abraham), why is only the one, Isaac, consid-
ered a Hebrew today? Why isn’t Ishmael just
another branch of Hebrews? Why don’t we think
Let’s pause and put the progress of the patriarchs
of Ishmael and all of his descendants—the ones
in perspective. Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather,
we refer to as Arabs—as Hebrews, too? This is
began life as a pagan. The world at the time of
an important principle: while birthright (that is,
Abraham’s birth consisted of only one kind of
genealogy, your physical bloodlines) establishes
people: the human race. Other than genealogical
your physical identity, it is the election and dec-
and social divisions, all humans were about the
laration of the Lord that establishes your spiritual
same in Yehoveh’s eyes; the one exception being
identity. Your physical identity and your spiritual
that the line of Ham, one of Noach’s three sons,
identity are two different matters, are they not?
was an accursed line.100 As of Abraham’s time
So the term Hebrew began by denoting much more
there was no division of humanity, there were no
than simple physical identity; Hebrew also defined
set-apart people.
a spiritual identity.
Once God called Abraham to leave his country
By God’s design, Hebrew was meant to be a term
and his immediate family, He began the process of
that described a combination of physical and spiri-
a divine dividing of the world into two groups of
tual attributes of a person. The life of a Hebrew,
people: His people and everybody else. The name
physically and spiritually, was to operate under a
we give to “God’s people,” the name we find in
set of laws and promises that God made with the
the Bible, is Hebrew. When Abraham obeyed God
first Hebrew, Abraham. A Hebrew’s earthly life
and moved to the land of Canaan, by declaration
was to revolve around his spiritual life. We call
God divided mankind into Hebrews on the one
these laws and promises that define the overall life
hand and everyone else on the other. Decisions
of a Hebrew the Abrahamic covenant, and later
by Abraham and a declaration by God were the
they were expanded and given to Moses and are
sole factors in making Abraham and his descen-
now called Torah.
dants different in God’s eyes from all other human
Even though Isaac was physically of the right
beings.
stock to be a Hebrew, it still took an act of God, an
election of God, for him to be declared a Hebrew.
Birthright versus Declar ation Ishmael was also of the right physical stock to be
from God a Hebrew, but God did not grant Ishmael the nec-
essary spiritual status to be a Hebrew. Therefore,
Isaac, son of Abraham, represents the next step the election of Isaac and the rejection of Ishmael
in the evolution of the Hebrew people. Isaac was create an enormous fork in the road. One direc-
the firstborn Hebrew. Purely by declaration was tion led to the Hebrews, the other away from the
Abraham a Hebrew, but Isaac was a Hebrew by Hebrews.
birth. Yet, even then, a declaration of God was still
involved; for Abraham had another son, Ishmael,
whom he thought to be his firstborn and therefore
the one to carry on the covenants God had made him an heir for a long time. Further, she was
with Abraham. As far as Abraham was concerned, barren, meaning she had given Isaac no chil-
Ishmael was a Hebrew. And in the strictest sense, dren at all, not even girls. As did Abraham,
Ishmael was a Hebrew until something changed. Isaac went before Yehoveh and Yehoveh
A time came when Yehoveh said to Abraham, granted his request for a son. Rivkah became
“Not so fast! Just as I divided you away from your
pregnant. While there of course are great simi-
father and brother, I’m going to divide Ishmael
away from his father and brother.” Ishmael was larities between the situations of Abraham and
Genesis 25
to be divided and separated away from his father, Sarah and Isaac and Rivkah conceiving, there
Abraham, and his brother, Isaac. The effect was are also great differences. For instance, neither
that Ishmael was not to continue being Hebrew, Isaac nor Rivkah was beyond child-bearing
but Isaac was. years. Secondly, Isaac didn’t turn to any con-
cubines, and Rivkah didn’t offer a handmaiden
178 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
more or less subservient to the first. The fact During the birth process, Jacob was holding
that a firstborn was a twin meant little. They on to Esau’s heel; Jacob was trying to keep Esau
didn’t divide the inheritance; they didn’t each from being born first.
get a share of the firstborn inheritance. One Now, to better help explain what comes
was chosen and the other was not. This violent next, we should understand that Rebecca would
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 181
not have kept the information Yehoveh gave her stew. Jacob, apparently never having been entirely
about the destinies of her twin sons to herself; comfortable with having the rights of the first-
that would have been disloyal and disrespect- born assigned to himself, decided he was going
ful to her husband. Rather she would have told to help God out: he would get Esau to openly
him posthaste that God declared whichever of and finally sell his traditional birthright to Jacob.
the twins came out first was not to be declared The impulsive Esau said “since [he was]
bekhor, firstborn; rather it was the second to about to die” he might as well give his birth-
emerge who would have that designation. There right to Jacob, and sealed the deal with an
was little more important in a family of that era oath. “I’m about to die” is not literal; it was
than who would succeed the father in authority just a saying, something akin to “Who cares?”
over the clan, that successor being the bekhor, Of course, since God had long ago settled the
the firstborn. issue, in reality Esau had no birthright to sell,
Likewise, you can be sure Rebecca informed for it already belong to Jacob. And Jacob had no
her twin sons, Esau and Jacob, of God’s deter- need to resort to treachery to obtain the birth-
mination that Jacob, not Esau, would be bekhor. right, because the Lord had already assigned it
How cruel it would have been to wait until their to him: but neither Jacob nor Esau had the faith
maturity to inform them of this all-important to accept it as fact.
decree, a decree that mother and father were We’re also given here a small piece of infor-
aware of before these children were born. So, it mation we will find useful in the chapters ahead:
is with this understanding of the family’s aware- Esau is given a nickname—Edom. Edom means
ness of the younger, Jacob, being destined to “red,” and it not only refers to his ruddy, hairy
have the birthright above the older, Esau, that body features, but also to this infamous incident
we must view what happens next. at the stewpot that just transpired. For future
reference, remember that Edom and Esau are
Esau Gives Away His Birthright the same. The future nation of Edom, so preva-
lent from here on in the Bible as an ongoing
As the story unfolds, we find that, as is enemy of Israel, will also play a role in end
common within families, parents have their times. The people of Edom, the Edomites, are
favorites. Isaac preferred Esau. He was appar- simply the descendants of Esau.
ently impetuous, brave, skillful with a bow, In verse 34, we’re told that Esau despised
quite macho—things dads typically admire in his birthright, a very serious biblical condemna-
their sons. Jacob was quieter and introspective, tion of Esau. I have little doubt that Rivkah told
more sensitive—things mothers typically prefer. Esau, as she undoubtedly did Jacob, that despite
Notice our parallel once again with Ishmael and the chronological order of birth, it was Jacob who
Isaac. Ishmael was a favorite of Abraham; Isaac was to have the firstborn rights. What a hurtful
was a favorite with his mother. When Yehoveh thing for Esau; knowing that, from his point of
told Abraham that it was to be the second-born, view, his own mother was telling him, the bekhor,
Isaac, who would obtain the firstborn posi- that he would not be recognized as the firstborn.
tion, Abraham cried out to God, “Oh, if only How else could he have felt than that his mother
Ishmael could live in your presence!” Abraham was siding with Jacob? This had to have shaped
determined he wanted Ishmael as the firstborn; much of Esau’s life, making him somewhat bitter,
Genesis 25
Isaac determined he wanted Esau as the first- untrusting, and cynical. His father, Isaac, was not
born. Neither would get what they wanted. a poor man. To think that Esau had no interest in
So the day arrived when Esau came in from a having all the rights and powers of the firstborn,
hunt, famished, and saw that Jacob had prepared frankly, doesn’t make any sense. He probably
a pot of lentils, or more literally translated, red saw his losing the firstborn rights as inevitable,
182 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
“sitting Shiva.” Any good Jew knows that this is his duty to be a mourner and a comforter, to his
indicative of a period of mourning. father in particular, he did what it pleased him
Members of the immediate family were not to do—hunt game.
to cook during that seven-day period. Other It is no coincidence that when Jacob
family members, or friends, were to provide approached Esau with the offer to trade Esau’s
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 183
birthright for lentil stew, Esau responded with parent knows what I’m speaking about. Any
the morbid words: “Look, I’m about to die, executive or manager or leader knows what
what use is my right of the bekhor?” This was, I’m talking about. Yes, there are rewards and
at least in part, graveyard humor done at a most honors that come with the position: but there
inappropriate time. are duties that, if carried out properly, rise above
Let’s remember, at this point Esau was any amount of reward or personal benefit. Esau
in his mid to late teens, and angry. His words knew his grandfather Abraham well and was
weren’t mature or well thought out; they were equally aware of the great and terrible burden he
impetuous and foolish. Yet it shows us just what carried. Esau, of course, knew his father, Isaac,
he thought about his exalted position as the well, and the tremendous burden of respon-
bekhor, the firstborn. And the answer is, not sibility for the covenants of God that he car-
much. ried. Esau wanted no part of it. Without doubt,
When we study the rights of the firstborn, like many teens, Esau wanted all the perks of
which include getting a double portion of the power—telling people what to do, nobody tell-
family’s wealth and the right to rule over the clan, ing him what to do, possessing the best place
it’s easy to forget the responsibility that went hand at the table, being wealthy, and so on—but he
in hand with those rights. Any straight-thinking did not want the responsibilities and duties that
went with those perks.
The great sage Rashi says that another lesson
Why Lentils? of this incident is how a righteous person views
life in general versus how a wicked person does
Lentils and eggs were considered foods suitable the same. Jacob’s view of life was, “What am I
for mourning. What these two food items have
here to accomplish? What are my duties and my
in common is that they are round. The roundness
illustrates the circular nature of life, the cycle of goals?” This is the righteous view. Esau’s view
being conceived from nothing and returning to was “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow
nothing—physically speaking, of course. And, it we may die.” This is the wicked view. Esau was
also speaks of one generation dying off, and the thinking, after contemplating the death of his
next beginning in an unending pattern. grandfather, that he didn’t want to be tied to all
The Bible and the Hebrew thought that comes
the duties of the firstborn and family patriarch
from it show us that history is circular; it repeats
itself. Over and over we see these same patterns when his father, Isaac, died. He just wanted to
that God ordained, established, and wove into the enjoy life as much as he could, and to get all he
fabric of the universe repeating. Naturally, it is sec- could. Responsibility was for suckers.
ular humanism and its proud son Darwinian evo- Jacob chose that very moment to challenge
lutionism that says, “No, no; history is a straight Esau, because no one knows another person
line. It starts from some unknown place in the
better, perhaps, than one twin knows another.
past, and randomly proceeds to some unknow-
able future. Every moment of every day is new and Jacob knew that Esau was ready to give up his
there is nothing in the past to compare it to. There birthright and all the burdensome duties it came
are no patterns. Morality evolves and adapts. The with. The death of his grandfather and the think-
old becomes obsolete, and the new becomes pre- ing we tend to do about our own lives when some-
eminent. The old becomes replaced by something one near to us dies drove him over the edge. The
that destroys the prior pattern and establishes a
divinely ordained duties that Isaac and Abraham
new one.”
Genesis 25
The illustration of the lentil and the egg says must have talked about incessantly were nothing
otherwise. We humans need physical illustrations Esau wanted, but so great was the importance of
of God’s spiritual principles. When we put them carrying on with the line of covenant promise
aside or think we no longer need them, the result that nothing could be put above it.
is deception and error.
184 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
The Char acter of the Twins and a “peaceful man” in still others. The
Hebrew word that is being translated is tam.
Much is contained in verse 27 to inform While “peaceful” or “plain” is not necessarily
us of the character of each young man: “The incorrect, it misses the point: Jacob and Esau
boys grew; and ‘Esav became a skillful hunter, are being contrasted. They are being compared
an outdoorsman; while Ya’akov was a quiet man as opposites. Tam means blameless, or not
who stayed in the tents.” having guilt; it is implied that this is blameless-
Only in two places in the Holy Scriptures ness before God. It is another way of saying
is a man called a hunter, a tsayid. The first man “righteous.” The contrast here is about one who
to be labeled as a hunter as a means of identify- loves killing versus one who loves life. One who
ing his character was Nimrod; the only other wanders aimlessly versus one who stays near.
is Esau. As the Bible uses it, tsayid is a negative One who slaughters the flock versus the one
term, it really means a stone-cold killer. A guy who shepherds the flock.
who kills animals for the love of killing and has The last verse sums up this entire episode:
little if any conscience in killing a man. “Thus Esau showed how little he valued his
Jacob, on the other hand, is called a “quiet birthright.”
man” in some Bibles, a “plain man” in others,
Genesis 25
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 185
Genesis 26
We’ve talked about patterns quite a bit in this Keep an eye on these battles and read what you
series because they are crucial in understand- can about them. You will be astounded at the
ing Scripture. God has created a universe and twisted claims and mental gymnastics of those
system of life that emulates Himself, so it is, of who bring the lawsuits. You will be astounded
course, orderly and not chaotic. Secular human- at the institutions and people you might never
ists know instinctively that if our universe and have associated with atheism or vehement secu-
the system of life on our planet are not cha- lar humanism. Even more, you will learn just
otic and random, then by definition something how much of a minority you (as a believer) are
caused that order. And, if it has order, who or in our nation and our world, and to what extent
what created it? the spirit of the antichrist now dominates man-
Relatively new theories of physics, which kind’s thinking.
are now the generally accepted theories, have I point this out because most of us have
shown that (1) many more dimensions of exis- been taught to read and study the Bible using
tence than the four we are familiar with (length, secular humanist methods; we just don’t realize
width, height, and time) are a mathemati- it. We have been taught that for every lesson,
cal reality; and (2) our universe and system of principle, law, or event in Scripture, we must ask
life is orderly and not random or chaotic. It is why? And we are required to draw our conclu-
full of patterns and cycles that seem to repeat sions based on the scientific method; otherwise,
infinitely. Scientists are faced with the inevi- we are dishonest or simply ignorant. If there are
table conclusion that if the universe has been not good and largely complete answers as to
ordered, there must be a central Orderer. Yet why, the biblical lesson, principle, law, or event
the same scientific community that subscribes is discarded as legend.
to these new theories cannot bring themselves The Bible is not a secular humanist docu-
to use the term God, so they have coined the ment, and it does not present the material in a
term “intelligent design” while refusing to dis- scientific way. The search for why when studying
cuss just who the Intelligent Designer might be. Scripture can lead us down dead-end trails, in the
They would far prefer that it be some sort of same way that the field of physics called quantum
space alien than a divine Creator. mechanics has often led scientists down a road to
However, using the rather detached and a dead end. The quantum mechanics approach
neutral terminology of “intelligent design” has to physics is to try to rationalize chaos, to try to
not allowed the scientific community to avoid find mathematical formulas able to predict the
the controversy their findings have caused. A unpredictable and to explain how randomness
school in Pennsylvania has been teaching its can eventually produce order. The theoretical
students about the discovery of the intelligent principles of chaos and randomness are also the
Genesis 26
design of the universe in its science classes, foundation of atheism and secular humanism.
along with the obligatory theory of evolution, And more than four decades after its introduc-
of course; the result is ongoing court battles tion, the quantum mechanics approach to the
over whether public school students can even operation of the universe has not proved to be
be told of the intelligent design discoveries. the holy grail of physics as some predicted.
186 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
The twins Esau and Jacob had not yet been born
to Isaac’s wife, Rivkah. We know this because
there is no mention of them. Second, the king
of the Philistines never would have inquired
about Rivkah if he knew she was married, and
children would be a dead giveaway that she was
married.
The timing of Genesis 26 necessarily occurs va-yomer—a message in the form of divine speech
before Genesis 25, as illogical as it may seem. only
188 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
fate and our relationship with them. to touch her or they’d die. A lesson he had likely
Even though we are far enough along in learned from his father.
the process of God’s plan of redemption that Although there are many obvious patterns
we have a greater picture and understanding from Abraham’s experience here, the outcomes
than those who came before us as to how this are quite different. Abraham encountered famine,
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 189
determined to go to Egypt to ride it out, and did hundred times what was sowed. In that day,
so. Isaac encountered famine, determined to go planting methods were primitive and the yield
to Egypt to ride it out, but did not go. of the seed was small; generally, something
The king of the Philistines spotted on the order of twenty-five times the amount
Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was told she was of seed sown became harvestable. A great year
Abraham’s sister, and more or less kidnapped was fifty times, and seventy-five was extraor-
her for his harem. The king of the Philistines dinary. A one-hundred-times yield was only
spotted Isaac’s wife, Rivkah, was told she was possible supernaturally. We’re told in verse 13
his sister, but realized that she obviously was that Isaac’s wealth kept compounding, and the
not and so did not take her. In fact, he warned local Philistines became bitterly jealous. From
his people against doing anything to Rivkah. Abimelech’s instructions to Isaac, we also
understand that there was fear coupled with
Isa ac’s Fruitful Crops that jealousy on the part of the Philistine people
of both Isaac’s God and of the already sizable
The extended famine caused Isaac to decide to number of people that formed Isaac’s clan. Isaac
plant crops to supplement, and likely to feed, was a threat as the Philistines saw it.
his herds, flocks, and family. Verse 12 tells us, This is a scenario that will be played out time
“Yitz’chak planted crops in that land and reaped and time again with the Israelites, and then the
that year a hundred times as much as he had Jews, as God’s blessing upon them with plentiful
sowed. Adonai had blessed him.” Ancient his- food, longevity, fertility, and wealth also served
torical records prove the truth of this. Keepers as a cause for envy and persecution by whatever
of flocks and herds would plant the equivalent peoples they lived among. The P’lishtim, the
of a large garden so as to have grain and herbs Philistines, showed their anger and frustration
for their families. There is record of shepherds by filling in the water wells that were so vital
growing crops to supplement their food supply to Isaac’s clan’s well-being. Abraham had dug
in hard times, so this act of Isaac doing so is these wells years earlier.
completely consistent with both his culture and Eventually, Isaac’s clan had grown so large
profession; in no way does planting crops indi- and powerful that they represented a threat
cate an intent to settle down and stay in a spot to the Philistines and Abimelech asked them
permanently. to leave his land. This was the weaker asking
God blessed Isaac for trusting Him to stay the stronger to leave. Isaac could have refused,
in Canaan by causing the crops to produce one and a war might have resulted with Isaac as
the likely winner. Abimelech, knowing that
he could not have defeated Isaac, would have
The Philistines Knew made some type of power- and wealth-sharing
Yahweh’s Name pact with Isaac. Isaac would have anticipated
this, but he chose to comply, gathered his
It is quite interesting that whenever this king of clan, and left, moving to the bank of the G’rar
the Philistines made reference to Isaac’s God, River.102 There he began unclogging some of
he called Him by name. The original Hebrew the water wells that had been filled with dirt by
doesn’t have Abimelech referring to Isaac’s God
the Philistines. When the water began flowing
as “Lord,” as most of our Bibles do; rather, each
Genesis 26
time YHWH is present. Abimelech obviously again, the Philistines claimed it was their water,
had familiarity with Isaac’s God and had fear and and the conflict started anew. So Isaac took his
respect for Him. In fact, it was the fear of the God tribe and moved farther away to Be’er-Sheva.
of the Hebrews that drove Abimelech’s decisions Abimelech, an able politician, knew it was wise
in the way he dealt with Isaac and his clan. to try to mend fences with this growing clan
190 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
land God said would go to Abraham’s descen- assigned the firstborn birthright to Esau’s twin
dants without putting up a fight. Yehoveh came brother, Jacob, while they both were yet in their
to Isaac as a comforter; He said, “Fear not.” mother’s womb.
Why “fear not”? Because Isaac was fearful.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 191
Genesis 27
not bear the thought of taking away this all- child should die, then it muddied the waters, but
important blessing from his beloved son, know- invariably the second male child would gain the
ing it would humiliate and crush him? Or did right his deceased brother held, and so on. There
he think that perhaps God would allow him to would be no ceremony or ritual attached; this
simply go his own way, rebel, and bless Esau idea of succession was so thoroughly imbedded
192 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
in both the law and tradition of that era that of Isaac’s wealth. It is typical for inheriting chil-
ceremony was unnecessary. However, the tradi- dren to generally feel that if one gets more than
tional blessings bestowed upon the family near the others that means one was more loved than
the end of the patriarch’s103 life meant some- the others. Or if one gets less than the others,
thing else. It wasn’t so much that at the end of then it means he or she is less valued than the
the patriarch’s life everyone waited breathlessly others.
to see who would be the new family leader (who We’re told in verse 1 that Isaac was very old
would be designated the bekhor). It was more when he decided to perform the blessing. He
like the way that we stereotypically picture was nearly blind as well. Was he near death? He
greedy family members sitting in a circle, star- probably thought so, though it didn’t prove to
ing in great anticipation at a lawyer as he pre- be the case. He was 137 years old at this time.
pares to read the will of a deceased family patri- Stop and think for a minute what that infers as
arch—like children staring at the gifts under a to the ages of Jacob and Esau. They were born,
Christmas tree, hoping but not at all certain of we’re told, when Isaac was about sixty. So, these
what awaits them. “boys” were in their mid- to late seventies! That
sure destroys the wonderful mental pictures we
have of a couple of virile young men being led
around by their sly mother, or of an athletic Esau
out killing game for this blessing at a moment’s
notice! It also indicates that the time that had
passed since Esau sold his blessing to Jacob for
a bowl of lentil stew was probably more tha half
of a century!
This occurred because the firstborn didn’t Rebecca, the mother of these twin boys, over-
get everything, just the largest portion; the Bible heard Isaac’s instructions to the obviously
calls it the double portion. Along with that delighted Esau, and she conspired to overturn
double portion, he got the right of leadership Isaac’s intentions. Esau was continuing to prove
over the clan. What amounted to a double por- his unfitness to carry on the divine line that
tion undoubtedly varied depending on the situ- God had begun with Abraham. Rebecca was
ation. Double didn’t necessarily mean that the likely thinking that if her doddering old husband
firstborn son received precisely double what refused to carry out God’s will, she would, no
all his brothers received. This didn’t necessar- matter what it took—including deception. After
ily mean that an exact inventory of wealth was all, doesn’t the end, as ordained by God, justify
done to make sure each got exactly their proper whatever means it took to achieve it? Wouldn’t
share. It could, and probably did, happen that God rather have His plan accomplished, even if
way in later eras. More often, these portions wrong was done to make it happen? This must
were approximates; a double portion could have be one of the most difficult parts of a believer’s
been anything from a little bit more than the walk with God: putting our full trust in Him to
Genesis 27
others’ to practically everything of value. It was accomplish His will, even if at the moment all
all up to Dad. of our intellect and senses and logic and sense
So this scene with Isaac and Esau was about of fairness and life experience tell us it can’t
the blessing, not a final decision about who was happen within the circumstances at hand so
bekhor. The blessing in this case was the division we’re going to have to give it a nudge, our way.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 193
Rebecca told Jacob what was happening in MacArthur had nothing and no one to exercise
his father’s tent, and he joined with her plan: his power over. Isaac didn’t say that Jacob wasn’t
Jacob would impersonate Esau. Jacob was a bit the firstborn, he just tried to take most of the
reluctant, not because he thought what they rights that usually go to the firstborn away from
were doing might be wrong, but because they Jacob and give them to Esau.
might be discovered and have to bear the con- It seems that most times the berakhah, the bless-
sequences. Going so far as to put on Esau’s ing, is pronounced, it is more or less making official
clothing, even attaching goatskins to his arms that which was, by tradition, long ago settled. For
and neck to imitate Esau’s naturally hairy body, instance, a rich man sets up a will, signs a power of
Jacob went into his father’s tent. Skeptical at attorney that the will is never to be changed under
first, Isaac’s senses told him something might any circumstances by anyone including himself,
not be quite right. But Isaac was eventually con- and then inconveniently lives another ten years.
vinced that this was indeed Esau before him, The matters have all been decided and written
so he pronounced the blessing upon Jacob. The in stone; how much each inheritor is to receive is
Hebrew word used here for blessing is berakhah, predetermined and not changeable, but nothing
and it is a very common Hebrew word we’ll find takes effect until he dies and the will is read. This
throughout the OT. blessing, this berakhah, is similar to the reading
of the will, in that although things have long been
Isaac’s Blessing decided, no actual transfer of wealth or authority
has yet taken place.
Let’s read now the words of the berakhah, the
blessing that Isaac pronounced upon Jacob Jacob’s Successful Deception
while thinking he was Esau:
Jacob received the blessing God intended for
So may God give you dew from heaven, the richness him, he held on to the birthright God told his
of the earth, and grain and wine in abundance. May mother he’d have, and he received the authority
peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you to lead the clan. But Jacob probably did not feel
be lord over your kinsmen, let your mother’s descendants any of the inner joy or sense of humility before
bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and God that should have been present after being
blessed be everyone who blesses you! (Gen. 27:28–29) anointed as the bearer of the divinely established
line of covenant promise that was so important
Without doubt, this blessing included cer- to the future of all mankind. Jacob did wrong
tain words and terms that rightly confer bless- in obtaining it; his deception was sin against
ing on the bekhor; for instance, “be a master over God, and his conscience probably troubled him
your brothers.” So while Isaac was not arguing for the rest of his life. It’s amazing: Jacob went
over the technical aspect of who was desig- through all these deceptions only to receive that
nated as firstborn, he was using his prerogative which never could have been denied him anyway
to decide exactly who got what. It was more or because the Lord had already determined it. All
less his intention to give Esau much of what the Jacob did was taint that which could have been
bekhor should have traditionally received. pure.
A modern example of this occurred after
Genesis 27
eager to receive his inheritance. A surprised seems to be no conspiracy involved. The NASB
Isaac knew immediately that he’d been duped, changed decades ago to reflect this literal trans-
and although he felt for Esau, there was noth- lation of “away from.” Alfred Edersheim stated
ing that could be done for a blessing of this sort. more than one hundred years ago that this verse
Once given, it was not reversible for any reason. had been mistranslated when it showed Esau
Esau was distraught and begged for some type going to a fertile and lovely place complete with
of blessing. Remember the words of verse 36, in ample rains.
which Esau spoke of two things that had been There seems to be a long-standing effort to
taken from him: his birthright and his blessings. tie Isaac’s blessing on Esau in verse 39 to his
He spoke of the firstborn birthright loss as a blessing on Jacob in verse 28, because they are
thing of the past, but the loss of the blessing very similar. It was supposedly a blessing Isaac
meant for him was a thing happening “now.” gave to Esau in an attempt to inject fairness
Esau did not go into the tent expecting to be and to make up for the injustice done to Esau
named the behkor. Esau simply wanted lots of by Jacob. But taking one look at the original
wealth and power. He didn’t want the hassles Hebrew makes that purpose unlikely, as entirely
and burdens associated with being the bekhor, different words are used to describe the nature
he just wanted the material rewards that the of the blessing to Jacob and the nature of the
bekhor was entitled to. blessing to Esau.
Isaac did bless Esau; however, he was lim- In verse 28 the Hebrew shows God, through
ited in what he could offer him. The blessing Isaac, actively giving richness of land to Jacob,
Isaac gives him takes place in verses 39–40. but in verse 39 it shows in the Hebrew that Isaac
These verses have been scrutinized by scholars told Esau he would be held away from richness
for many years, and I’d like you to pay very close of land. When one realizes that Edom, the land
attention to something that has led followers of of Esau, is located at the south end of the Dead
Yehoveh, both Jewish and Christian, into trouble Sea, stretching a short distance into the Arabian
time and again. It is that we attempt to resolve Peninsula, which was throughout all Bible times
what seems like a contradiction in the Bible, but an arid and inhospitable land, it is puzzling why
it winds up becoming dubious doctrine and tra- this verse was ever translated incorrectly, show-
dition. That doctrine and tradition lead us down ing Esau being blessed to live in a lovely fertile
pathways that blind us to scriptural truth. place.
One begins to suspect that long ago there was
The Mistr anslation of Genesis sympathy for Esau and his plight, and indeed the
27:39 ancient rabbis and scribes seem to have felt sorry
for Esau to varying degrees. When we step back
Tradition renders verse 39 as, “Your home and think about this whole episode, can’t we find
will be the richness of the earth and the dew good reason for compassion for Esau? After all,
of heaven from above.” Sometimes it will say his destiny seemed to have been set even before
“fatness” instead of “richness.” Yet, literally the his birth. Jacob was hardly on the up-and-up in
verse reads, “Behold, away from the richness of this whole matter; plus, it is certain that Esau’s
the earth and away from the dew of heaven will mother openly favored and sided with Jacob.
be your home.” Why the obvious difference? Was it God’s intention to curse Esau or merely to
Genesis 27
Why would even the Hebrews read over the not bless him with all the rights of the firstborn?
“away” part and rationalize it out of existence? These are the questions the ancient scribes and
Why would Gentile Christians follow suit? sages wrestled with.
There does not seem to be a clear-cut reason that Rashi, a highly regarded Hebrew sage who
one could hang his hat on, and there certainly was greatly influential on modern Judaism, lived
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 195
during the time of the First Crusade, in the elev- it shows up in an attempt to mush the words of
enth century AD. He had much to say about verse 39 around to indicate that Esau at least
Esau, and in an obvious attempt to validate the received some favor from God, through his
earlier sages’ sympathetic views on Esau, Rashi father, Isaac. But history indicates that the real-
wrote that he saw Esau as a “type.” He equated ity is quite different.
Esau to Italy and Rome of Rashi’s day, and Jacob There have been more recent attempts to
to Israel and Jerusalem. That makes sense for rationalize the rather obvious mistranslation of
his day and time, because “the church” was the verse 39 by saying that “fatness” is really just
Roman Catholic Church based in Rome, Italy. another way of saying “oily”— in other words,
The Catholic Church had, for centuries, been fat equates to oil. This explains how it is that
the primary persecutor of the Jewish people. the Bible says Esau, who would found a ter-
During the First Crusade, which Rashi person- ritory called Edom, was destined to live in a
ally witnessed, thousands upon thousands of place of richness, which, by definition, would
Jews were forcibly converted to Christianity by lead him to prosperity, when in fact Edom has
the Crusaders, many more thousands were mar- always been a desert wasteland where eking out
tyred simply for being Jews, and thousands were a living was tough. By changing the word fatness
put to the sword when the Crusaders reached to oiliness, voilá!, we see how rich the Arab sheiks
Jerusalem. Rashi went so far as to explain that are because of their oil reserves, and this fixes
the blessing we see in Genesis 27:39 that speaks the whole problem. Wrong! Even if that horribly
of the fatness and the richness of the land refers strained argument of changing “fat” to “oil” was
to the wonderfully rich volcanic soils of Italy workable, which it isn’t because in the Hebrew
and Rome. Further, because it was well under- language fat is not oil, the part of the Arabian
stood by all the sages that Esau was destined Peninsula that was included in the territory of
to become an enemy of Israel, Esau represented Edom has no oil. The southern part of Jordon is
the Roman Catholic Church, or as he saw it in where most of Edom used to be, and Jordon has
those days, simply “the church.” practically no oil at all. South of Jordon, where
This traditional Hebrew view of Esau shows the remainder of Edom was located, is nowhere
both sympathy at his plight as well as acknowl- near the Saudi Arabian oil fields. The phrase
edgement of his destiny as an enemy of Israel; “fat of the earth” is just another standard and
easily recognized Hebrew expression; it means
“the finest fruits and produce from the earth.”
A Correct Understanding of
Isaac’s Blessing on Esau
tion of the world now, what led up to our cur- wrath. She told him he should go back up north
rent situation, and how it will all play out lead- to Mesopotamia, to her family—specifically,
ing up to, and through, the Great Tribulation. to her brother Laban’s home. She approached
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 197
Genesis 27
198 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 28
Back in Genesis 27:27–29, we saw the the non-Hebrews. So, as goy is used in Genesis
blessing Isaac gave to Jacob, the blessing Esau 12:2, in the earliest development of the Hebrew
assumed he had been cheated out of. What we people, it referred to both Hebrew and non-
notice if we look closely is that it contained only Hebrew nations: nations at large without regard
some of the elements of the covenant promise to being Hebrew or non-Hebrew.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 199
Returning to Genesis 28:3, we see what an Ishmaelite woman as his third wife. What
appears to be the same blessing that God gave a knucklehead! Despite the fact that this event
to Abraham, and Abraham gave to Isaac, and is told very matter-of-factly, its future effect is
is now being transferred by Isaac to Jacob; but beyond calculation. An alliance through inter-
there is an important difference. Where most marriage is formed that bonds the two dis-
Bibles say that Isaac told Jacob that he might possessed firstborns, rejected by Yehoveh as
become a “company of people” or “company of possible heirs to the covenant line of promise,
nations,” the Hebrew for “company of people” Ishmael and Esau, into what will rather quickly
or “company of nations” is kahal ammim. This is turn into a permanent anti-Israel group of
entirely different from what God promised to nations. It is the alliance and mixing of the gene
Abraham and what was promised to Isaac; they pool of Ishmael and Esau that forms the vast
were promised that they would produce goy, a bulk of Islam in the world today, and the entire
mixture of nations. Kahal ammim, in its most lit- bulk of Arabs. These few words in verse 9
eral translation, is used in Hebrew as the oppo- radically altered the course of history and set
site of what God told Abraham. Literally, kahal into motion the circumstances that will bring
ammim means a “holy convocation of fellow about the Antichrist and the end of history as
countrymen.” Put in other words, it is an assem- we know it.
bly of people for holy purposes, consisting of
people from the same tribe or groups of tribes. Jacob’s Vision
This is significant because Jacob, soon to be
renamed Israel, would be the first in the line of Jacob left Beer-sheba and had traveled about
covenant promise to produce only Hebrews. He forty miles when he stopped two or three days
would produce only nations of Hebrew people, later for a night’s rest at an anonymous and
only people who would become called, by the very rocky place. It is here in the Torah that we
time of Moses, “His [God’s] precious treasure.” find Jacob making a separate identity for him-
In summary, Abraham produced both self, one that allows him to become the third
Hebrew and non-Hebrew offspring (just as God and last patriarch. It was necessary for him to
promised him in Genesis 12:2). Isaac was the leave his land and his father, mother, and sib-
Hebrew produced by Abraham. Isaac also went lings in order for God to work with him, just
on to produce Hebrew and non-Hebrew people. as it was with his grandfather Abraham. Jacob
Jacob was the Hebrew that Isaac produced. But had a dream, a vision actually, and in it, he was
Jacob produced only Hebrews, all the tribes given a glimpse of the heavenly spirit world.
of Israel, which is exactly what the blessing of He saw angels, malach Elohim in Hebrew, going
kahal ammim, a holy convocation of fellow coun- back and forth from heaven to earth, receiving
trymen, tells us. their instructions from God in heaven and then
going forth to do His will on earth.
Esau’s Third Wife God Himself gave Jacob the promise of the
land and of many descendants. He told Jacob
In verse 6, Esau observed that Isaac sent Jacob that these descendants would bless all the fami-
to Mesopotamia to get a wife because his father lies of the earth. He also told Jacob not to worry,
detested Canaanite women. Poor Esau; he’s because God would be with him wherever he
Genesis 28
already taken two Canaanite wives, which had went, and He would bring him back to this land
greatly displeased his father, and then in a mis- because He had promised the land to Jacob and
guided attempt to make amends, he went to his his descendants forever. It will happen just as
father’s brother’s family, his uncle Ishmael, the He promised. In verse 13 most Bibles say God or
son Abraham had sent away, where Esau took Lord, but the original Hebrew is Yahweh, God’s
200 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
personal name. This was God the Father speak- If we fail to thoroughly study the Torah,
ing to Jacob, and Jacob was quite aware of that we miss so much. For without first seeing what
fact. was happening with Jacob here in Genesis,
The entire tone of this episode is one of how in the world are we to fully understand
surprise; first because Jacob had no clue that this statement made by Jesus eighteen hundred
God would come to him in such a manner, and years later? Yet once we know, it’s an easy link
second because Jacob was likely feeling pretty to make. For Jacob, this was current reality and
defeated right about then. This was no happy prophecy. For us, this is not only reality, it is
trip to Mesopotamia he was on; he was run- prophecy fulfilled. Yeshua is our ladder, the only
ning for his life. He was leaving the scene of a ladder that reconnects us with God. It’s upon
disaster of his own making; he had deceived his Him that the angels ascend and descend today.
father and his brother to obtain a blessing and
had to walk away empty-handed just to survive. Jacob’s Response
This blessing represented the official transfer of
the covenant promise from Isaac to Jacob. Jacob Jacob was truly awestruck by what he was
had been blessed a few days earlier by his father, shown. He called the place “house of God,” or
but only at this point did Yehoveh validate those more familiarly Beth-el (beth, house; el, God).106
blessings. Watch for the use of the word El occurring
before the exodus from Egypt. Until God gave
God’s Residence Moses His personal name at Mount Sinai, God
was most often known as El Shaddai, with
Since the beginning of our Torah study in emphasis on El. After Mount Sinai, we saw the
Genesis 1, we have watched God transfer His use of the word El start to diminish, as it was
place of residence from heaven to earth, the slowly replaced by the word Yehoveh.
Garden of Eden, and back again. Let’s not too Jacob then anointed the stone that he had
quickly pass this “ladder” (or the better transla- laid his head on to sleep during his vision. We
tion, “stairway”) between heaven and earth, for see just how old the concept of anointing with
this is another biblical “type” of what is to come.
This stairway represented the connec-
tion between man and God that was currently
broken. In the beginning, man could come
directly to God because God was present with
man. But rebellion and sin broke that connec-
tion, and God removed Himself back to heaven.
Yet, for those who trust, there is the ladder, the
stairway, by which God sends His ministering
angels to do His work on earth. Later, another
connection between heaven and earth would
come—the wilderness tabernacle. And still fur-
ther into the future the real ladder would come,
the One who would reconnect God with man—
Genesis 28
oil is, for this was taking place around 1800 BC. why Yeshua is so often referred to as, of all
The exact meaning this held for Jacob is not things, a rock. Certainly, allegorically, we can
clear, but obviously it marked the significance of see the physical characteristics of the solidness
his encounter with God. It was probably meant and steadiness of a rock and apply it to Yeshua,
to establish a new covenant bond between Jacob but we must remember that the context of the
and Yehoveh, one that involved a vow, because New Testament is just as Hebrew as the context
it was unknown in that time to use a rock as a of the Old Testament. The Jewish people didn’t
memorial marker after anointing it with oil.107 pick up any old metaphor that struck them; this
Anointing with oil was a rather widespread was an ancient, traditional society that had an
practice in this era, and it often marked the enormous history of well-established meanings
making of an agreement, not unlike the more in the events of the past, particularly as involved
extensive covenant of salt that involved animal the patriarchs. I seriously suspect that calling
sacrifice. Marking boundaries and creating Messiah Yeshua the “Rock” referred as far back
memorial markers using a stone (called stand- as this event with Jacob, in which he anointed
ing stones) was also common, but they weren’t the rock he rested his head upon.
anointed with oil. Jacob vowed to God that he would give all
Yet I think Jacob’s experience goes beyond his allegiance to Him, and that of everything
that. It is possible that there is a link between this God gave him, he would return a tenth. Once
and Messiah, because Messiah means, in Hebrew, again, we see the principle of the tithe very early
“the anointed one.” One must also inquire just in Scripture.
Genesis 28
202 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 29
When Jacob left his family at Beer-Sheba, it was Water Wells as Cultur al
with spiritual agitation, a heavy heart, fear, trepi- Centers
dation, and guilt. But after his encounter with
Yehoveh, something was changed in him. He was Water wells were important places because it
more certain, focused, and calm. He was filled took much work to create one, and much care
with the inner state that Gentile Christians call was involved in maintaining it. A well was owned
“a peace that passes understanding.” Hebrews by someone, sometimes the local king, or in this
would say he received HaShem’s shalom. case a local family. Since the humans of the set-
We don’t know how long it took for Jacob tlement needed water daily, and the animals that
to reach Haran, about a four-hundred-mile were part of their lives also had to drink regu-
journey from the southern end of Canaan. But larly, the well became a place of meeting for the
when he arrived, he immediately sought out his country folk, much the same as the city gates
mother’s family. were the place of meeting for city folk.
There was a large rock over the top of the
Jacob Returned to well where Laban lived. This was a normal and
Mesopotamia customary practice; it kept dust, small varmints,
and even children from falling into the well and
Sometimes we get so focused on the land of polluting it, but it also kept people who wanted
Canaan, the Promised Land that would become water from helping themselves. Water had to be
Israel, that we forget the ancestral connection purchased from the well’s owner. The shepherds
between the people of the Promised Land and who spoke to Jacob were waiting until evening,
Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was Abraham’s when the owner of the well would come, roll the
birthplace, and a large part of his family rock off, and collect a fee from them; then, their
remained there. Abraham sent a servant back to animals could drink.
what he certainly considered his roots to find a In this scene, Jacob wanted the shepherds to
suitable wife for his son Isaac. And here Jacob water their animals and leave so he could have
went back to exactly the same place for the same a private conversation with the family members
purpose. There is quite a contrast between how he had come to find. Because Jacob was family,
Eliezar, Abraham’s servant, came to Haran he felt justified in rolling the rock off the mouth
and how Jacob arrived. Eliezar arrived with an of the well and allowing the sheep to drink so
Genesis 29
entourage of men, camels, and gifts to offer a that the shepherds would go.
potential bride for Isaac. Jacob arrived with the Jacob introduced himself to Rachel, and as
shirt on his back and nothing else. was customary, he kissed this family member.
Jacob’s search was rewarded at a water well, Kissing in this era did not necessarily denote
where three flocks of sheep were waiting to sexuality or affection. Kissing was a greeting,
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 203
Jacob Makes Laban an Offer of Here is a good chance for us to better understand
Servitude something that scholars will at times identify as
“contradictions” in the Bible. In verse 5, when
Jacob inquired of his mother’s family, he asked
Laban, Rachel’s father, heard of Jacob’s arrival some shepherds if they knew “Laban, the son
and came to meet him. Of course, he offered his of Nahor.” In Genesis 24, we’re told that Laban
hospitality to his nephew. A month passed and was the son of B’tu’el, not Nahor. So, what gives?
the self-serving Laban broached the question to Nahor was Laban’s grandfather. This is a descrip-
Jacob: “What shall be your wages?” This was the tion of which clan Laban belonged to—the clan
of Nahor. Often formal identities of people in the
signal that Laban understood Jacob was a semi-
Bible include “of the tribe of so and so, and the
permanent visitor. Laban saw that Jacob would son of so and so.” “Son of . . . ” doesn’t necessar-
be a valuable addition to his family, as he was ily indicate a biological relationship between father
a gifted shepherd and a hard worker. He also and son as we think of it. Sometimes it does mean
likely noticed that Jacob was quite taken with the father and son, but just as often it attaches a person
beautiful Rachel. Jacob offered seven years of his with his clan, as it is here. Knowing which is which
is in the context; the author understands that the
Genesis 29
Genesis 30
but godly sister, and Rachel, the beautiful but (Gen. 30:3)
worldly sister. This could not be more clear.
Jacob was still living in Haran of Mesopotamia. The phrase “may bear on my knees” is a
Like Abraham, who was born in a land outside Hebrew idiom that is reflective of a long-standing
of the Promised Land, so Jacob’s children, the Middle Eastern custom. The custom was that by
206 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
husband’s favorite, and they each figured they in exchange for Jacob sleeping with Leah that
would earn that favoritism by giving him highly night. Wow: talk about R-rated!
valued sons. But soon these competitive and Leah became pregnant and gave birth
superstitious sisters made a deal. Rueben, Leah’s to Issachar, which means, “He (God) brings
son, went into the field to gather mandrakes, reward.” Verse 18 shows us the confusion Leah
which were believed to be an aphrodisiac. had, as she actually believed that Issachar was
Reuben was well aware that Jacob, his father, God’s reward to her for having given Jacob
would alternate sleeping with his two legal her servant girl as a concubine. Leah then had
wives: Leah and Rachel. But Leah still played another son, Zebulun, meaning “dwelling.” Why
second fiddle to Rachel, and of course, that open dwelling? Because Leah believed that since her
favoritism bothered Reuben because it bothered childbearing scorecard outpaced that of her
his mother, Leah. For children raised around sister Rachel, Jacob would dwell with her in
herds and flocks, sex was just a normal part of preference to, perhaps even to the exclusion of,
life; Reuben was trying to help his mother, who Rachel.
undoubtedly complained to her son about the The Bible usually records only the sons who
unfairness of the situation. He thought perhaps were born, but we have an exception in this list
mandrakes were the answer to his mother’s of children. A girl, Dinah, is born to Leah. After
unhappiness. that, Rachel finally gives birth to Joseph, whose
In Hebrew, the word translated “man- name is a very interesting wordplay on the origi-
drake” is duda’im. Much folklore is attached to nal Hebrew as used here in these verses.
the aphrodisiac powers of mandrakes, but they Genesis 30:23, which speaks about Rachel,
were also widely used as real, says, “She conceived, had a son and said, ‘God
useful medicines. A man- has taken away my disgrace.’” The Hebrew word
drake bears a small, cherry translated as “taken away” is asaf. In the next
tomato-like fruit that ripens verse, Rachel names him Yosef, because the
about the same time as the Lord added another son to her. Yosef means “to
wheat harvest. It has a very add.” Asaf, take away; Yosef, add. This was a pro-
heavy fragrance. Aphrodite, phetic name for Joseph, because in a few years
the Greek goddess of love, Joseph would be taken away from his father and
bore the nickname “the then many years after that added back in.
Lady of the Mandrake.” The Scriptures don’t directly say that the
Remember that Hebrew is a root-word based use of mandrakes for the purposes Leah and
language: we find that the word for mandrake, Rachel had in mind were ridiculous supersti-
duda’im, is an offshoot of the Hebrew word dodai, tion, but it does make a point of demonstrating
which means “love.” In the Song of Solomon, for that. The one who gave up the mandrakes, Leah,
instance, there is a play on those two words when was the one who produced three more children,
he says, “There I will give you my love [dodai]. but Rachel, the one who took the mandrakes,
The mandrakes [duda’im] are sending out their remained barren for a few more years.
fragrance” (7:13).
Rachel, upon seeing the mandrakes her Jacob’s Flocks vs. Lavan’s
nephew Reuben had gathered, never even con- Flocks
Genesis 30
they would also be held captive and grow into a and also to identify the increase of the two
nation outside of the Promised Land, in Egypt. flocks. In reality, Jacob knew he could make his
Fourteen years—seven years each for his flock increase more, and Laban would never be
two wives—had passed and Jacob was ready able to cheat him by saying some of those ani-
to have his bond-servitude acknowledged mals were his because their coloring set them
by Laban as paid-in-full. But the ever-crafty, apart.
greedy Laban was not ready for Jacob to leave, The peeled branches of almond, poplar,
for he had profited greatly by Jacob’s presence. and plane trees were part of a strange practice
Laban was a pagan spiritualist; he believed in that Jacob engaged in. The sticks seemed to
the spirit world. He believed there were many make the animals breed and produce spotted,
gods in the spirit world, and he believed that striped, and speckled offspring. Bible scholars
Jacob’s God was but one of those gods. So in have called this anything from rank supersti-
verse 27 Laban invoked Jacob’s God and said tion to the ancient way of promoting Mendelian
that he had “spiritually divined”109 that it was genetic breeding.
Jacob’s God who had caused the great increase Notice the emphasis in these passages on
in the herds and flocks to occur. This was most color, specifically that the color of the ani-
certainly true, but Laban was just saying it to mals would determine whether they belonged
get Jacob to stay. to Jacob or to Lavan. The all-white sheep and
Here we have two masters of deception, the all-dark goats were Laban’s, but the goats
Jacob and Laban, battling each other. Jacob with white spots or streaks in their dark hair
employed the skill he knew best, tending flocks and the white sheep with dark spots in their
and herds, to his advantage against the appar- wool were Jacob’s. Sheep were usually pure
ently ignorant Laban. He said he’d stay for white, and goats were normally dark brown
a while more if he was given all the speckled or black. Lavan had a preference for the white
and spotted sheep and goats. The clever Jacob animals—sheep. Why? Because white was the
convinced Laban the reason for this was that it norm for sheep; no spots of dark color nor-
would make it easy to identify which animals mally occurred on them. It was the reverse for
belonged to him and which belonged to Laban, goats: they were always dark and only rarely
had white spots on them. So, if it was all white,
it was to go to Laban, and practically all the
sheep were white. Interestingly, in Hebrew,
the word for “white” is lavan. Jacob’s father-in-
law’s name meant “white.” All the white ani-
mals were to go to Mr. White.
Lavan’s expectation was that the number of
sheep born all white would vastly outnumber
those that had dark spots on them; likewise,
he believed that the number of dark-colored
goats would greatly outnumber those with
white spots. That the herds of spotted goats and
sheep increased as much or more than the all-
Genesis 30
Genesis 30
210 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 31
Jacob consulted with his wives. They were until Laban went to the grave. Then she would
more than ready to leave. In fact, they revealed appear before her family with what amounted
their hurt and anger toward their father, Laban, to a will, keys to the safe-deposit box, and the
for in their eyes he had shown them the great- position of executor of the estate all rolled
est disrespect by virtually selling them to Jacob into one. This was a most serious matter that
instead of following the usual betrothal customs. went way beyond petty theft. Jacob had no idea
There can be no doubt that Hebrew society Rachel had done this thing.
was male dominated. However, Hebrew soci- Even more, Laban and his family—likely
ety greatly revered women, and any notion that Rachel as well—believed that those idols actu-
the Bible promotes the idea that women were ally represented real gods. Those who adhered
then, or are now, of less value than men is unin- to that system prayed to the idols for rain, for
formed. Notice here that the Holy Scriptures healing, for children, for protection, and so on.
show that the first thing Jacob did after God Without his gods, Laban was in a fix.
told him it was time to leave was to consult with
his wives. It’s obvious by the way they responded Laban Pursues Jacob
that Jacob greatly considered their feelings and
thoughts on the matter. It’s not that Jacob didn’t Jacob and his family made their break for free-
lead; it’s that he included his wives in a decision dom, but Laban soon found out they were gone
that would greatly affect them—leaving their and mounted a posse to go after him. During
family forever. Laban’s search, God came to him in a dream
and warned him not to speak either good or bad
R achel Steals Laban’s Idols to Jacob. This simply meant that Laban was not
to try to harm Jacob, but it shows us something
Jacob planned their escape and executed it. He interesting: God speaks to nonbelievers. This
put his family on camels, separated his property isn’t the first time we’ve seen Yehoveh speaking
from Laban’s, and in an opportune moment to pagans, and it won’t be the last. Laban was a
while Laban was off shearing some sheep, they spiritualist. He accepted many gods, so it was
left—but not before Rachel stole her father’s no big deal for him to accept that Jacob’s God
set of household gods to take with her on their was quite real. But Jacob’s God was (to Laban)
journey. Why would she do that? Look at verse just another of a seemingly limitless number of
14: “Rachel and Le’ah answered him, ‘We no gods.
longer have any inheritance from our father’s Let us never think that Yehoveh interacts
possessions.’” They knew full well that their with, or speaks to, only believers. He will com-
father had no intention of caring for them. Even municate with and use whomever He wishes;
more, this is an indication that they were break- after all, the Scriptures even tell of a time He
ing allegiance with their father, for in verse 16, spoke through a donkey.110 At the same time, let
they said, “Nevertheless, the wealth which God us also not think that because God has spoken
has taken away from our father has become ours to someone, that is an indication that person
and our children’s anyway; so whatever God has is a believer. Laban loved to invoke Yehoveh’s
told you to do, do” (emphasis mine). name when speaking to Jacob, but not because
In Mesopotamia, it was the tradition that he revered God Almighty or bowed down to
Genesis 31
he who possessed the family gods was the Him. He did it in hopes of influencing Jacob, or
owner of the family wealth and authority. When Yehoveh, for his own selfish purposes.
Rachel stole those gods, her intent was to assure Laban and his men caught up to Jacob in
a family inheritance for herself after her father the northern part of Canaan, in an area called
died. Apparently, she planned to keep them Gilead that would one day belong to Gad, one
212 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
was already in existence among almost all cul- The Scriptures tell us that they each named
tures long before Moses, even before Jacob. the pile of stones, the boundary markers, accord-
That Rachel would intentionally transmit her ing to their native language: Y’gar-Sahaduta is a
uncleanness to those gods she was sitting on form of Chaldean, and Gal-’Ed is Hebrew. They
was unthinkable to Lavan, so it apparently both mean “pile of witnesses.”
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 213
Genesis 31
214 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 32
also encountered angels. Jacob was impressed on Jacob, perhaps the second group (presum-
by the visit and named the place Mahanaim, ably located elsewhere) would survive. It was
meaning “two camps.” the dividing of his group into two camps
A few weeks ago we looked at the word that gave this place its name: Mahanaim, “two
malach, which means “messenger.” We learned camps.” Of course, now that all the deceit and
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 215
is a beautiful place: green, lush, and fertile. The words; he’s just been hired to bring to me the
Bible tells us that Jacob sent several flocks ahead instruction from someone other than himself.
of him accompanied by his messengers, his emis- He’s not responsible for the content of the mes-
saries who were to offer those flocks as a gift of sage, other than his duty to carefully and accu-
repentance to Esau. The amount of the gift was rately deliver it. That’s an angel.
216 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Yet the Bible uses the word in a number of later. I’ve heard that this is just allegory. But I
contexts, often metaphorically. For instance, am quite convinced that none of the above are
in the Bible prophets and priests were at times true; this was quite real. What we have here is a
called “angels of the Lord,” or more aptly, mes- scene that is at once literal and also symbolic. It’s
sengers of the divine word. In fact, Haggai and symbolic in that all believers must go through a
Malachi are referred to in the Scriptures as time when we wrestle with God for control of
“angels of the Lord.” Were Haggai and Malachi our lives. If we are to truly apprehend the life
divine, spiritual beings? No. But as men who that God has for us, a time must come when,
were simply passing on God’s instructions to by our own choice, through absolute surrender,
mankind, they certainly qualify as having been we leave our tattered history behind and start a
messengers of God. new history with God as Lord of our lives. Yet,
We’ll also see in Holy Scripture the dis- invariably, the scars of the past will come with
tinction being blurred between the bearer of us, and we’ll have to deal with them. Even more,
the divine message (an angel of the Lord) and sometimes we pay a price to leave behind our
Yehoveh Himself. We see this in the burning rebellious ways and go forward into new life.
bush episode with Moses, another time when Thus was the case with Jacob as he inherited a
Hagar was spoken to by an angel but responded permanent disability when he crossed over from
directly to God, and in a number of other scenes a foreign place into the Promised Land.
as well. That shouldn’t surprise us or seem How I wish it were that, when we first recog-
strange. As followers of Yeshua, we find our- nize our salvation or when we finally decide to
selves faced with a similar blurred distinction in live by faith after years of having been saved, our
trying to comprehend just who Yeshua was. He earthly past could be as dead as our old natures.
was a man, but He was also God. We find that Too often, well-meaning pastors tell converts
exact scenario here with Jacob, as the being he that their slates have been cleaned; what they
wrestled with is alternately called a man, an ish, forget to tell them is that though spiritually we
and God, Elohim. Think of this as well: Is not are forgiven, the natural consequences of our
Jesus also called “the Word,” or in its most com- sin do not end. In some way or another, we will
plete biblical sense, “the divine Word of God”? live out the rest of our lives regretting our fool-
Jesus was the bearer of the divine word (an angel); ishness. Jacob would walk with a limp for his
He was the divine Word (God); and He was also remaining days—an inescapable testament to
a flesh-and-blood human (a man). It’s impossible his having fought with God for almost a hun-
to comprehend, but all these blurred distinc- dred years until he finally submitted instead of
tions of where God leaves off and angels begin attempting to achieve a balance of power.
we find in Yeshua, the man-God-angel. Jacob had always won against men before,
using his own skills and cunning, often mixed
Jacob Demands a Blessing with deceit. But when he recognized that he was
wrestling with far more than flesh and blood,
Disabled by this divine messenger, Jacob still he knew he could not win as he always had.
wouldn’t quit, saying, “I won’t let you go unless Instead, he gave up and asked to be blessed.
you bless me” (Gen. 32:27). Obviously, Jacob Like most of us, we cannot seem to arrive at
had come to know that this was no ordinary this point until we are broken and disabled. If
Genesis 32
man he was grappling with. we take the most literal version of Jacob’s name,
There are, of course, many teachings on this it means “the cunning, self-helpful supplanter.”
event. I have heard that this never actually hap- How well that characterized Jacob’s life up till
pened; it was just a fairy tale. I’ve heard this was now! But because Jacob yielded to God, he was
added to the Holy Scriptures many centuries to have a new destiny, and it would be reflected
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 217
in his new name: Israel, “a prince with God.” thigh muscle that passes along the hip socket
From this point on in the biblical narrative, . . .” (emphasis mine). Redaction has taken
we see a new Jacob. No more did he rely on place. The writer of these passages, traditionally
himself or his fleshly ways; from this point on believed to be Moses, is looking back. At least
he rested in God’s strength. And, he would be part of this was written from the perspective
called Israel. of a future time after the events of Jacob and
When we fight God, there is absolutely no the wrestling with this angel took place. It was
chance of victory on our terms. In the most written from the viewpoint of a time when a
ironic way, our victory in God must occur tradition had been developed to remove the sci-
through the defeat of ourselves. This is exactly atic nerve from animals that were to be eaten or
what happened in this scene with Jacob, and it sacrificed in honor of this day when Jacob had
has happened or will happen to every believer his hip dislocated, as this was the day he was
who surrenders his will to Yehoveh’s. given a new name that described his new nature
Verse 33 starts by saying, “This is why, . . . Israel. It is at this moment, in Genesis 32:29,
to this day, the people of Isra’el do not eat the that the nation of Israel was established.
Genesis 32
218 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 33
city, not even a village; it was just a “place.” It and cities may have been called one thing in the
would not even have been called Shechem when earliest books, but several hundred years later
Abraham was there. To put it in perspective, they were called something else. Therefore,
imagine I was telling you about the Chumash we’ll find the same place given two or more dif-
Indians who inhabited the Los Angeles basin ferent names in the Bible.
220 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
When Jacob arrived in Shechem, a walled outside the walls of Shechem), Yeshua demon-
city had been built. He purchased some land strated a principle that most of us should be
from the sons of Shechem’s king, Hamor. King thankful for.
Hamor was from one of the many tribes of
Canaan, and his particular tribe was the Hivites.
The city was named after one of King Hamor’s Assignment: Read John 4:1–14.
sons, Shechem.
Rather than live inside the city, Jacob
pitched his tents well outside the city walls. He
was a shepherd; living inside a city was not a At this moment in history, Shechem was
lifestyle he would choose. On the other hand, going by the name Sychar, but they are one and
living near a city gave him the opportunity to the same. Here, at the very well Jacob dug to
make a mutual security treaty for his family’s provide water for his family and his animals,
protection and to have the staples of life nearby. we find Jesus’s encounter with the Samaritan
The amount he paid for the land outside the city woman. It is interesting, is it not, that the first
walls is important: because (a) it records that he non-Jewish person to be offered a drink of the
did purchase land, and (b) he paid a proper price Living Water that brings everlasting life was (a)
for it so he could not be accused of cheating the a woman and (b) a hated Samaritan. It occurred
king. In principle, it operated in the same way as at the very first place Jacob, Israel, settled when
Abraham’s purchase of the cave of Machpelah he came back into the Promised Land from
as a burial place; every element for proof of per- Mesopotamia. Today Shechem is in the West
manent ownership, without dispute, was pro- Bank and goes by the Arab name of Nablus.
vided. This would prove to be important at a The Palestinians claim that they have always
later time. For we are told in Genesis 48 that held this land.
this particular piece of land was willed by Jacob Feeling he had come to a place that was
to his son Joseph. Joseph was then buried there likely his clan’s permanent home, Jacob, now
after the Exodus—the Israelites brought his called Israel, erected an altar and called it
remains with them—although his bones were El-Elohe-Israel. Those Hebrew words mean “El,
later moved to another spot. Furthermore, the Highest God of Israel.” Jacob wouldn’t be
at this very spot (that little piece of land just staying long, though.
Genesis 33
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 221
Genesis 34
After he attacked her, the prince decided that was simply not done. What had occurred
he wanted to marry Dinah, so his father, the here was illegal in the Middle East. It required
king, went to speak with Jacob, who had already that the male offender compensate the family
received word of the violation of his daughter. of the girl, because she would have been ruined.
At about the same time, Jacob’s sons who were Finding a husband for a girl who had lost her
222 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
virginity was near to impossible. The king king said to the men of his city, “Won’t their
offered a great deal more than the normal bride- cattle, their possessions and all their animals be
price for Dinah, not out of a sense of responsi- ours?” Hardly. It would become his!
bility but because he was legally obligated. The chieftain argued eloquently for his point
of view. He said these people were their friends,
Dinah’s Brothers’ R age a term that would indicate a treaty between
Shechem and the Israelites already existed, and
What turned Jacob’s sons to rage, however, was so to turn down Jacob’s terms would be an
that the king didn’t even mention the crime his affront.
son had committed against Dinah; it was as
though it had never happened. Even more, Dinah Simeon and Levi Take Revenge
was being held hostage inside the city, which was
no doubt why the king felt brave enough to con- In verse 24, we’re told that all the males of
front Jacob in such a flippant manner. Shechem were circumcised, and three days later,
In the narrative that follows, Jacob did not at the height of their discomfort and with infec-
reply to the king, but instead his sons gave their tion setting in, the brothers Simeon and Levi
conditions for the king’s request: the king, his went around the city killing every male, all of
sons, all his family, and all of the city’s males whom were currently disabled; this included
must be circumcised before Dinah could marry the king and his sons. They rescued Dinah, and
Shechem. Why did all the men have to be cir- then after Simeon and Levi had finished their
cumcised? Because it was forbidden for anyone murdering spree, Jacob’s other sons joined in
to be a member of Israel (which is what the king, by looting the now defenseless city. They took
in essence, said would result—that is, the two not only possessions, but also people. This was
peoples would be joined) without submitting the common mode of operation in those days;
to the terms of the Abrahamic covenant. To be the taking of people added to the strength and
a member of that covenant required circumci- power of one’s own tribe.
sion. But this was a ruse, for they had blood on Understand that it was the tribes of Simeon
their minds. They were employing what they and Levi that went around killing every male.
had learned from their father, Jacob, now called The men, Simeon and Levi, led them, but they
Israel: deceit. They knew full well what the adult had several male servants who participated. I sus-
males of ancient times experienced after being pect that some men from other Israelite tribes
circumcised: much pain and infection, and a participated as well, because it would have taken
resulting weakness and malaise. more than a just a few men to kill all those towns-
people. I suspect that it was done guerrilla-style,
King Hamor’s Plea house-to-house, so that no one in the city was the
wiser until his or her own demise came.
King Hamor was no better than the brothers. When Jacob found out what his sons had
He called a public meeting, and he spoke to the done, he was heartbroken and furious. He told
city’s males and told them he wanted them to them that he had become a “stench” to the
be circumcised so that these two peoples could Canaanites and the Perrizites as a result of their
unite. They could not have been too thrilled actions. It is thought that Perrizites were not a
Genesis 34
about this, for in those days circumcision of an specific tribe, but just a general name for a group
adult was a pretty grueling process. He made it of unnamed tribes that lived in the hill country
sound like it would be a good thing for them. of Canaan; nevertheless, they most certainly are
But primarily, it was for the purpose of wealth of Canaanite origin. Let’s remember here that the
accumulation for himself. For in verse 23, the Hivites (who were the ruling tribe of Shechem)
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 223
were one of the many tribes that emanated from of Levi would be butchers of sacrificial ani-
Canaan, son of Ham, grandson of Noah. That is, mals and armed guards of the temple and its
they were all interrelated and probably also had grounds—bloody and violent jobs. The Levites
a mutual protection treaty among themselves. would receive no land in the allotment of terri-
Jacob told his sons that many tribes were going tory in the Promised Land. Rather they would
to come against them because of this, and they be scattered throughout each of the twelve
would have no chance of victory because they’d tribal territories.
be so outmanned. His boys were still unrepen- Simeon would be given a small piece of
tant about their dirty deed. territory surrounded by Judah, and was one of
Later, Simeon and Levi would be further the first tribes to become absorbed by another
publicly shamed for their bloodlust and vio- Israelite tribe, Judah.
lence. In Genesis 49, when Jacob was on his
deathbed and dishing out blessings to each of God’s Role in Dinah’s Story
his twelve sons—what would prove to be pro-
phetic blessings— Simeon and Levi heard this: God was not going to let a marriage between
Dinah and Shechem occur. He was not going
Shim‘on and Levi are brothers, related by weapons to allow a mixing of the Hebrews with those
of violence. Let me not enter their council, let my honor pagans. There is no indication that Jacob was
not be connected with their people; for in their anger for it either. In fact, there is no indication that
they killed men, and at their whim they maimed cattle. his sons thought it was a good idea because their
Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce; their fury, only goal in appearing to agree to the proposal
for it has been cruel. I will divide them in Ya‘akov and was to find a way to exact their revenge. The
scatter them in Isra’el. (vv. 5–7) effect of joining Israel’s family with that of the
Hivites (King Hamor and his family) would have
been to reunite that which God had divided and
The Tribe of Levi separated; it would have united the blessed line
of Shem (Jacob’s line) with the accursed line of
Isn’t it interesting that Levi became the priests Ham (King Hamor’s line). Satan would have
and temple tenders. The two primary jobs liked nothing better.
Genesis 34
224 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 35
gible way it weakened his enemy in addition to the God of the Promised Land, told Jacob to
humiliating them. build Him an altar. This made perfect sense to
Jacob, and probably to most of his tribe (even
the newcomers), although they had no idea what
reality actually was.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 225
As we read through the Torah, understand Okay, we’re now under the sphere of influence
that who Yehoveh was, how He operated, and of my God, and we’re going to build an altar
where His sphere of influence began and ended to Him; I don’t want your gods upsetting my
was just as fuzzy to the minds of the Israelites as God, and besides, your gods are useless here in
was the concept of what happened to somebody a territory that is outside their primary area of
after they died. Certainly, after the Exodus, influence. So give them to me, and I’m going to
Yehoveh defined Himself much more exten- bury them under a tree. Why bury them? Why
sively. But people don’t just forget centuries of not smash them or burn them? Burying them
traditions. Rather, Israel tended to understand was more a repudiation of their gods than an
Yehoveh within the context of their long-held absolute belief that those gods didn’t exist.114
beliefs and traditions; He was just added to the In addition to getting rid of their gods, the
mix. people gave Jacob their earrings in verse 4. This
Yehoveh was their God—Jacob’s God, had nothing to do with God condemning ear
Israel’s God—but what would happen when jewelry; these rings were worn in honor of for-
their God matched wits and powers with the eign gods. They were amulets, so they also had
god of another people and another land? Who to be removed from their midst and buried. As
knew? This was constantly on their minds. So part of this process, they were also instructed
here we are two hundred years after Abraham to change clothes and to purify themselves.
was called, and still Jacob doesn’t quite get who “Change clothes” simply meant washing their
God is. His wives and the others who had made clothes or changing into clean ones. The chang-
themselves part of his family certainly didn’t ing of clothes was a rather usual part of the
understand either. So, as part of an ongoing edu- purification procedures.
cation process by Yehoveh, we see Jacob saying: These idols and symbols were buried under
what some Bibles call an oak tree and others, a
pistachio tree. Actually, it was a terebinth tree,
of the pistachio family, but it is not an oak tree.
I’m not quite sure where that notion ever came
from.
A New Altar
Beit-el. We’ll see a lot of this double naming in had his name changed to Israel by divine oracle on
the Bible, often using both the Canaanite and the opposite side of the Jordan River, outside of
the Hebrew names. the Promised Land. Once Jacob was inside the
Promised Land, it needed to be reaffirmed. Why?
The Death of Debor ah Because in Jacob’s mind, just like in the minds of
all the people of the world in that era, gods were
Suddenly we get an interesting little aside. numerous and they were territorial. When Jacob’s
You’ll recall that when Eliezer, the servant of name was first changed to Israel, he was still in
Abraham, brought Rivkah (Rebecca) back from the province of the Mesopotamian gods, and
Mesopotamia as a wife for Isaac, her nurse therefore under their sphere of influence. Once
accompanied her back to Canaan. This much Jacob was in Canaan, he was in the province of
beloved nurse, Deborah, had died, and there El Shaddai, Yehoveh, the God whose territory is
was much grieving in the camp. Canaan—he needed El Shaddai to affirm that
Why does the Torah even mention Deborah, what he was told before still stood.
a seemingly minor player in the grand scope of
things? After all, the deaths of the matriarchs Jacob’s Polytheism
Rivka and Leah, both prominent female figures
in the creation and formation of Israel, are not Did Jacob believe there were other gods?
even recorded. While the explanation is not Yes. We, of course, know his thinking was false.
universally accepted among Jewish scholars, it Yet God showed grace and mercy, and He didn’t
is generally thought that Deborah represents a insist that Jacob was to understand all the truths
link between Israel and Mesopotamia, a link about God—that He is one, that He is the God
that God was in the process of dissolving. of everything, that there are no other gods— all
For Abraham and Isaac, and up to this point at once.
Jacob as well, Mesopotamia was more their Don’t think for a minute that God doesn’t
homeland than Canaan. But Canaan was the play along with each of us on many matters that
land God set apart and promised to Abraham may prove, in the course of time, to be error. For
and his descendants, so God wanted to erase reasons I can’t fathom, He allowed the church
any ties between Israel and a “foreign” land— to go unchallenged for centuries in the belief
Mesopotamia. The death of Deborah is almost that it had replaced Israel, a man-made doctrine
a metaphor for the death of any relationship that the Holy Scripture refutes. Somehow, He
between Israel and the land of the Euphrates used that blind spot in the church for good, to
and Tigris Rivers. spread the gospel to the Gentiles of the world.
But over the last fifty years He has begun to
God’s Reappear ance to Jacob correct us, showing us that He never replaced
Israel with the church, nor did He ever decide
God appeared, once again, to Jacob. Part of what He was finished with His people. That time
was communicated by God was His reassurance when the church will make the Jewish people
and reiteration of things that Jacob had already jealous for our faith and the stony hearts of His
been told; for instance, that his new name and people will be softened so that they can accept
therefore his new nature was Israel. Like all of their own Messiah is upon us.
Genesis 35
progressively reveals His truth to us using the Word point right now in our study at which the tribe
in concert with the Holy Spirit. Somehow, men of Judah has been created, from which that
go along for decades and centuries utterly blind “seed of the woman” will come, the one who
to a great scriptural truth, and then suddenly will defeat Satan and restore man’s relation-
they—hopefully, we—see it. That Yehoveh ship with God. However, Jacob didn’t know
reveals truth progressively really shouldn’t be so that. We only know that Jacob’s son Judah was
tough to accept. If you pick up any piece of lit- going to be that special tribe because we have
erature—say a novel, or an essay— about which the benefit of hindsight. We have the benefit of
you have no prior knowledge and begin to read studying the recorded history of prophecy as it
it, page after page you get more information as is being revealed to us at a breathtaking rate in
the characters develop, the plot unfolds, details modern times. We know every important detail,
are added, and the conclusion arrives. This is the order in which it happened, generally how
an example of the simplest sense of progressive it happened, and what it all meant: Yeshua, our
revelation. Savior, paid for our sins and conquered death.
In the case of Scripture, much of what is told The seed of the woman struck the head of the
in the Word is prophetic. Most often, the proph- serpent and defeated him at the cross.
ecy is both literal and symbolic; it was happen- Most of the prophecies of the Bible have
ing then, and it would happen again. The dif- already been fulfilled, although there are a few
ficulty for us in dealing with prophecy comes that have yet to occur. As each prophecy is ful-
in that the literal truth about what is going to filled and we can see how it happened, we get a
happen in the future is told by Scripture within better picture of how the unfulfilled prophecies
the context of the ancient culture and language might take place. For instance, in the last cen-
of the people and time in which it was writ- tury we have seen Israel reborn as a nation and
ten. Although we can look forward in space Jerusalem taken back from the Gentiles. This
and time by studying Bible prophecy and fairly information, and the way it all happened, gives
clearly see the major prophetic milestones, the us insight into the next round of prophecies to
details can be pretty shadowy. Yet, as the time be fulfilled. We have information that the gen-
for a particular prophecy to be fulfilled draws erations before us didn’t have, yet we still don’t
closer, the final pieces of the puzzle start to fall have all the details.
into place. The formerly shadowy details start The Holy Spirit, our true teacher and
to come into focus. This is a variation of the revealer of God’s mysteries, supernaturally
principle of progressive revelation. quickens men’s minds and spirits at the proper
As an example: we learn in Genesis 1 that moment in history in order that we might see
the seed of the woman will strike, or bruise, and understand things in Scripture that, for
the head of the serpent. Adam and Eve were some reason, mankind had been blind to. This
nearly clueless as to what that meant, let alone recent understanding of a spiritual connection
how it would happen. If we read no further, we, between the church and the Jewish people, the
too, would be in the dark. But progressively, yearning by many believers to knock down the
page-by-page through Scripture, we learn more wall of partition between Christian and Jew,
details about how it will all happen. From Adam and the love of Israel that we find exploding
to Seth, details are added. From Seth to Noach, within the Gentile church are fine examples of
Genesis 35
more details are added. From Noach to Shem, this mysterious progressive revelation at work
then to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, and to the in our time.
birth of the tribes of Israel, the puzzle pieces As we go through the OT, don’t be sur-
keep appearing, new information gets added, prised that we will see some things that schol-
and the picture starts getting clearer. We’re at a ars a mere fifty years ago—in some cases even
228 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
fifteen or twenty years ago—could not see of many nations. The word used for nation in
because the details were just too shadowy, but that earlier instance was goy. God told Abraham,
now they are clearer. “You will be the father of goy, a nation at large,
an unspecific nation.” On the other hand,
A Nation and Group of God told Jacob that he would produce a kahal
Nations ammim, “a convocation of fellow countrymen.”
Abraham would produce a variety of nations
God said to Jacob in verse 11, “A nation, indeed and peoples; Jacob would produce a certain
a group of nations, will come from you; kings kind of homogeneous and holy people, united
will be descended from you.” A better transla- in purpose—this would be the congregation of
tion is “A nation and a company of nations will Israel. Quite a difference.
come from you.” In other words, God was not Here in Genesis 35:11 things once again
saying “a nation (singular)—oops, make that a have evolved. God told Jacob basically the same
whole bunch of nations . . .” Rather, He was thing He told Abraham, employing the Hebrew
saying there would be a particular nation, and word goy in verse 11, meaning “nations at large.”
in addition to that a group of nations, which But there is an important difference from what
would come from Jacob. See the difference? was said to Abraham: God said that Jacob would
It gets more complex. In Genesis 28:3, God produce a “holy convocation of goy.”
promised to Jacob a company of nations. In In review, by Jacob’s day God had divided
the Hebrew, the words kahal ammim were used the world into two kinds of people: Hebrews
for “company of nations” as opposed to what and everybody else. Goy is the name for every-
Abraham was told when God said Abraham body else.
would be a father of a nation, and later the father So, a paraphrase of verse 11 would be: “Be
fruitful and multiply. A nation, and in addition
a holy convocation of both Hebrew and non-
Hebrew nations, will come from you.” That
may sound like confusing double-talk until we
realize this: all of these conditions promised to
Jacob have proven to be true.
Jacob was the first person to produce only
Hebrew children: the twelve tribes of Israel.115
Later, Jacob adopted his son Joseph’s two
Egyptian children away from him,116 and one
of them, Ephraim, took over the authority that
would have been Joseph’s. Even later, hundreds
of years after that event, Ephraim, an Israelite
tribe that had Egyptian blood mixed in, would
be scattered by the conquering Assyrians, and
the genes of a large portion of their population
would become fused with the Gentile world.
Then, in a prophetic event that is just beginning
Genesis 35
manifestation has begun in earnest. This proph- discusses Ephraim. You certainly haven’t heard
ecy connects seamlessly with the prophecy in sermons about it in mainstream denominations.
Ezekiel 37 that explains that in the end times Yet Ephraim is so very central in the prophetic
Ephraim and Judah are going to supernaturally Scriptures of Isaiah and Ezekiel concerning
be brought back together. God stated that He the latter days. How have our Christian and
is going to somehow bring this lost and scat- Jewish scholars overlooked this when the role of
tered and absorbed Hebrew people group home Ephraim, even if not fully defined, has become
(a substantial portion of which became non- so important and apparent today? Because it
Hebrew) and rejoin it with the group that has wasn’t God’s time yet, and because it took sev-
steadfastly retained its Hebrew identity—Judah, eral other events to lead us to see the impor-
tance of Ephraim in Scripture. Those of us who
have caught the vision should be thankful that
God has blessed us with it and be patient with
Assignment: Read Ezekiel 37:12–36.
the 99 percent of the church who know nothing
of it (but soon will).
Reuben and Bilhah It was necessary that what he did with Bilhah be
known, so that Jacob would not accept Bilhah
It was also near here that (in one simple state- and therefore, Leah would become queen bee.
ment) we are told that Jacob’s firstborn son This is why those five little words at the end
Reuben slept with Jacob’s concubine, Bilhah; of verse 22—“and Isra’el heard about it”—are
Jacob was aware of it. Bilhah had been Rachel’s so key. Jacob had to find out for Reuben’s plan
servant-girl. Nothing else is said about this to succeed.
transgression for now, but in time it will prove The Talmud includes a statement that sums
to have an enormous bearing on the future of this event up rather well: “He (Reuben) said,
Israel. ‘If my mother’s sister was a rival to my mother,
It is no coincidence that Rachel’s death and must the maid of my mother’s sister be a rival to
then Reuben’s taking of Bilhah are spoken of my mother?’”
one after the other, because they are directly Additionally, during this era it was cus-
linked. Bilhah was Rachel’s handmaiden. But tomary that a leader who vanquished another
Bilhah was also a concubine/wife of Jacob. leader or a son who took over leadership from
Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali. Reuben’s action his father (presumably because of the father’s
was very calculating—his intent was that Jacob death) also took possession of that leader’s con-
would not elevate the concubine to the position cubines. The possession of the former leader’s
of legal wife when his legal wife died Rachel concubines by the new leader was an affirma-
died, a practice that was quite common in that tion and validation of that new leader’s status
time. Reuben was Leah’s son, and as we think and authority.
back to the story of the mandrakes that Reuben This entire episode between Reuben and
gathered for his mother, Reuben was acutely Bilhah represents a clearly understood chal-
aware of his mother’s status in the eyes of his lenge to Jacob’s authority as leader of Israel.
father, Jacob. Rachel was first and Leah was a Reuben’s act was cunning and political; having
distant second. As far as Reuben and his mother sexual relations with Bilhah had nothing to do
were concerned, Rachel’s death afforded them with a few moments of pleasure. It was a blatant
an opportunity for Leah to gain status as Jacob’s coup attempt. Reuben wanted to be the leader
one and only wife and, therefore, his most of Israel.
beloved. However, Reuben was worried that Sometime later, Jacob would remove
Jacob might decide to comfort himself with Reuben from the office of the firstborn and
Rachel’s handmaiden, Bilhah, rather than with give that position to Judah. Listen to Jacob as he
Leah. neared the end of his life and gathered his sons
This was more than simple jealousy or emo- together to pronounce the blessing upon them:
tion: the status of being the son of Jacob’s favor-
ite brought with it tangible benefits, and after all Then Ya‘akov called for his sons and said, “Gather
those years of playing second fiddle to Joseph yourselves together, and I will tell you what will happen
and Joseph’s mother, Rachel, he wasn’t about to to you in the acharit-hayamim. Assemble yourselves
allow Bilhah to interfere. and listen, sons of Ya‘akov; pay attention to Isra’el your
By taking Bilhah, he ruined her. There was father. Re’uven, you are my firstborn, my strength, the
no way Jacob could legally marry Bilhah, for by firstfruits of my manhood. Though superior in vigor and
Genesis 35
having sex with Reuben she was made undesir- power you are unstable as water, so your superiority
able. It would have been shameful beyond imag- will end, because you climbed into your father’s bed and
ination for Jacob to marry a woman who had defiled it—he climbed onto my concubine’s couch!” (Gen.
slept with another man, let alone the son of her 49:1–4)
husband. Reuben wanted this act to be known.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 231
Reuben’s attempt to replace his father pre- that continue to express a cloudy view of what
maturely not only didn’t happen, but it back- occurs to someone after death and reflect a
fired so completely that Reuben lost the rights continuation of ancestor worship to some
of the firstborn. degree. Did they really think that Isaac was
After a concise listing of Jacob’s sons, we now living on the other side of death with his
are told that Israel “came home to his father ancestors? Probably, in some undefined way.
Yitz’chak at Mamre.” In other words, Isaac lived But by now, the expression primarily indicated
to meet all of his grandchildren through Jacob, a peaceful death after a long life. Such a thing
and then Isaac eventually died at the age of 180 would not have been said about Isaac had he
years. Esau came, and together with Jacob, they been murdered, died young, or been executed
buried Isaac in Hebron. for breaking a law.
Notice in verse 29 that Isaac “died and
was gathered to his people.” Here are words
Genesis 35
232 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 36
Israel, the twelve tribes, begins in the next chap- the Arabah, a desert.
ter. Whenever we hear either Jewish or Christian
scholars speak of the biblical “patriarchs,” or the
Esau continued in his “profane” ways. God,
Bible uses the term patriarchs or fathers, the refer- in His foreknowledge, knew he would do so, so
ence is only to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He took away Esau’s birthright and removed
him from the line of promise even before he
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 233
of the patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob, but that is our allies. This is because these “warlords” are
exactly what has occurred. Those modern-day simply tribal leaders, doing what they’ve always
descendants of Ishmael and Esau carry a hatred done—attempting to gain dominance, which is
for the modern-day people of Jacob (Israel) that the primary job and expectation of any tribal
is both historical and spiritual in origin. leader.
234 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
In the first war against Saddam Hussein, God’s plan is not that He’ll give men a chance
the war of the President George H. W. Bush, to work it out and only if we can’t, then He’ll
representatives of various Arab nations said that intervene.117 This will be worked out only when
they did not want to go against Saddam because God intervenes.
his invasion of Kuwait was simply bad behav- One may argue that if it is true that all that is
ior, something that deserved admonishment happening in the Middle East must happen, and
but not destruction. They saw him as a brother that the only hope for peace is not man-made
who was misbehaving and causing trouble for but rests entirely in the return of our Messiah,
his family, not as a ruthless dictator threaten- then why should we take sides with Israel against
ing the stability of the world. Even though they the Palestinians, Muslims, Iranians, or whoever
viciously attack and kill one another, it is, in the is trying to destroy Israel? Why should we pay
end, an age-old battle for tribal dominance in attention to what is going on, other than out
their minds. It is normal behavior, not some- of curiosity, because it is all destined to happen
thing to be stopped or changed. It is an ancient anyway?
way of life that has existed since the beginning Jesus Himself said that the end would not
of history, and it is a preferred practice for per- come and He would not return until all the
haps the majority, and most certainly for the things that must happen have happened. What is
leadership, of these Middle Eastern nations. our role in all this, as followers of Yeshua? This
That is why these Middle Eastern nations is a time of testing for us. God does choose sides,
that absolutely seem to hate one another, even because He makes the divisions that create sides.
committing genocide upon one another, will join He demands that all mankind choose one side
to fight against the United States and Europe— or the other. Are we for Yeshua or against Him?
because they see themselves as extensions of the This is the first and most important choice.
tribes of Esau and Ishmael; therefore, they are As believers, we are called to trust God
family. This is the mentality we deal with through- and His Word. But our choosing doesn’t end
out the Bible—Esau is a bad boy, Ishmael is not with Yeshua. The next most important spiri-
the chosen one, but, they are still, in the larger tual choice for us is where we stand on Israel
tribal sense, distant kinsmen of Israel. and God’s people, the Jews. Yehoveh made it
In his blessing, Abraham told Esau he would clear that those who bless Israel (the land and
“break the yoke from his neck,” and that is what the people) will be blessed, but those who curse
is going on in front of our eyes, displayed day Israel will be cursed. God does not tolerate
after day, on our TVs. Esau’s descendants, the neutrality. Christ says in Revelation, “I would
Palestinians, are restless; they don’t want to be rather you were hot or cold, but you are tepid so
under Israel’s yoke, which is how they see them- I spit you out of My mouth.” All one has to do is
selves. They are in the process of breaking that read the Holy Scriptures to know what choice is
yoke from their necks and having their own expected of us. Yet, just as Moses commanded
sovereign nation. Several Bible prophecies seem Israel “not to hate Esau your kinsmen,” we’re
to be clear that they will succeed for a time. But not to hate those who side against Israel. We
remember, all we see happening in the Middle don’t have to hate the Muslims or Palestinians
East today is a result of God’s division, elec- to side with Israel.
tion, and separation between Isaac and Ishmael,
Genesis 36
then between Esau and Jacob; it is the result of God’s Pattern for Inheriting
these prophetic blessings that happened thirty- His Promises
five hundred years ago. No amount of peace
overtures or UN councils, treaties, or resolu- All of Esau’s sons were born inside the Promised
tions, is going to bring this to a happy ending. Land, but Jacob’s sons were born outside the
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 235
Promised Land. Isn’t that ironic! Esau’s sons non-inheritors, were given the opportunity to
were born in Canaan; Jacob’s were born in move into the Promised Land and become co-
Mesopotamia. Yet, revealing his full character, inheritors with Israel through Jesus. This is the
Esau took his family and removed them from the story of Esau and Jacob all over again. As you
blessing of the Promised Land, but Jacob took have learned since Genesis 1, this is a God pat-
his family and brought them into the blessing of tern. When God establishes a pattern, He sticks
the Promised Land. What incredible symbolism with it.
we have here! What a terrible fate awaits him
whose family knows God but the family leader The Rebellion of Esau’s
takes a stand against God. Conversely, what a Descendants
wonderful blessing to the family leader who
takes his family from outside of God’s blessing The many sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons
and leads them into God’s blessing. of Esau documented in Genesis 36 are men-
In God’s great plan, eventually the people tioned because they would each have created
of Israel (Jacob), who were born into God’s their own named clan or tribe. Some of these
promises and were to be inheritors of all of names will reappear later in the OT, particularly
God’s promises, generally came to reject them during and after the exodus from Egypt. But
and moved away, so to speak. Conversely, notice a fellow named Baal-hanan, a descen-
Gentiles born outside the promises, born as dant of Esau, in verses 38–39. His existence is
Genesis 36
236 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
concrete evidence of the rebellion and idolatry Very likely, one of two things is happening
practiced by Esau and his descendants. Since with these two different lists of Esau’s wives.
time immemorial, it has been the practice of One option is that some of the wives went by
tribes in the Middle East to adopt the name two different names, depending on where they
of the chief god they worship as part of their were living at the time (a common thing in that
family name. Here we see the familiar name era). Another option is that these were all wives
“Baal,” a Canaanite name for the now deified of Esau; it’s just that the first list was for one pur-
Nimrod, attached to one of Esau’s progeny; this pose, and the second was for a different purpose.
son, and I’m sure several others, were Baal wor- Another influence that often causes a diver-
shippers and proud of it. gence in genealogical listings is when two prom-
inent family groups begin to intermarry, and
Contr adictions in the Lineage so over time, the lines blur. Consider the ways
names change today. In our age divorce is more
A sharp student of the biblical texts will catch common than not, so it is normal for brothers
the fact that the descendants and wives of Esau and sisters living under one roof to have dif-
as listed in Genesis 26 do not precisely match ferent last names. A wife usually changes her
those given to us here. Scholars have struggled last name to match that of her current husband,
with this and have come to various conclusions. so a mother’s last name could be different from
For instance, the three wives listed for the name of her own child. Whether or not the
Esau in Genesis 26 are Judith, Basemath, and mother’s last name matches that of her child
Mahalath. Here in Genesis 36, the wives are is based on when her name was written down
listed as Ada, Basemath, and Oholihamah. The and for what purpose. If she was still married
only agreement between the two chapters is to the father of her children when her name was
Basemath, but even then she is assigned a dif- written down, then she and her children’s last
ferent father: she is the daughter of Elon the names will match. If the woman divorced and
Hittite in Genesis 26, but she is the daughter of remarried and then her name was recorded, her
Ishmael in Genesis 36. last name will probably not match that of her
This is clearly a rendering of the family lines children. Then there are situations in which a
from two different viewpoints. More and more biological father will consent to allow the new
as scholars stop trying to view the Bible from stepfather to adopt, so the child’s last name is
the European Western mind-set and start view- changed, and so on.
ing it for what it is—a Middle Eastern, tribal, All that is true for our society, and we don’t
Semitic, Hebrew document—some of these consider the same person’s name appearing dif-
issues start to clear up. For example, when we ferently on documents from different times as
look at the NT genealogy of our Savior in dif- necessarily “error” or “conflict.” Likewise, in
ferent Gospels, we’ll get slightly different family the Bible era names changed in similar ways,
tree listings. But as it is now known and under- but for different reasons. In the Bible we get a
stood, that is because it was the Middle Eastern jumble of overlapping names and name changes
and Hebrew way to lay out a family tree based due to births, deaths, a widow marrying a hus-
on pure genealogy and firstborns when blood- band of a different nationality, the family relo-
lines are what matters, and a slightly different cating to another nation and adopting the local
Genesis 36
family tree list emphasizing leaders and kings customs for naming people, the family drop-
of the tribe when what matters is rulership and ping allegiance to one god and beginning alle-
tribal authority. These are not in conflict with giance to a new god, and on and on.
one another; it’s really just a matter of the purpose What we need to notice from all this is
of the family tree list. that there was much intermingling by means of
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 237
marriage between the descendants of Ishmael an inferior status, which in turn gave Amalek
(Abraham’s son), and Esau (Isaac’s son, Jacob’s an inferior family status according to the tribal
twin brother, Ishmael’s nephew). It began very way of thinking.
early on and accelerated rapidly. It happened That Timna was a Horite (a Canaanite
more in some clans and less in others. The tribe) and was joined to the Edomite tribe by
result is that by the time we reach the NT times, means of marriage to Eliphaz (Esau’s son, an
the intermingling was great, and it is hard to Edomite), made Amalek an Edomite tribe, but
draw a distinction between a person who would he was inferior to some of the other descen-
call Esau his ancestor and one who would call dants who married more closely within the
Ishmael his ancestor. In Jesus’s day, as it is now, family. Therefore, Amalek, though technically
a true Arab—that is, an Arabian, not simply a descendant of Esau, was really treated some-
a person who speaks one of the many Arabic what separately from his siblings by the Holy
dialects—is generally a descendant of Ishmael; Scriptures. Amalek was not considered a kins-
most of the other Middle Eastern tribes are a man of Israel, but other descendants of Esau are
mixture of Esau and Ishmael—the main excep- considered kinsmen of Israel. This reflects more
tion being those of the northern Middle Eastern politics and traditions than actual genealogy,
areas who have more Persian blood in them. and we’re going to find an awful lot of this sort
of thing throughout OT and NT Scripture. It’s
Amalek up to us to discover and understand, because
the Hebrew writers and the early readers of the
The final thing we need to note before we Torah and the Hebrew Bible well understood
move on is of the appearance of Amalek, Esau’s these nuances that have been lost to us.
grandson. Amalek was a very early enemy of Don’t close your mind off to these histori-
Israel; much is said in Exodus about the tribe of cal, sociological, and genealogical matters. Next
Amalek attacking Israel on their journey through only to the Holy Spirit dwelling within you,
the wilderness after leaving Egypt. Amalek was these are the keys to actually grasping what the
the son of Timna, who was a Horite. Timna writings of the Bible mean and how they are to
was not a legal wife but a concubine. She had be applied to your life.
Genesis 36
238 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 37
From this point on, Genesis will focus on the setting apart of human beings for Himself.
Joseph. The era of patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, A person set apart for God has been granted a
and Jacob has come to a close. More will be holy status, a status elevated from common. The
said about Joseph and his life than any of the world’s status is common, but those set apart for
patriarchs. It is also at this point in the Torah God have a holy status. Israel was set apart for
that Israel becomes the center point for the first God, so they are holy. As a believer, you have
time. Israel is now painted as a separate people, been sanctified; that is, you have been divided,
although as of Genesis 37 they certainly had not separated, and elected to become God’s own
yet attained nation status. children, to conform to His will, to serve Him.
So, considering how much time is spent You have been declared holy. But in reality,
on telling Joseph’s story (thirteen chapters of believers are more like the set-apart tribe of the
Genesis), why is Joseph not considered a patri- set-apart nation of Israel; that set-apart tribe
arch? I can’t really say for sure why that status was Levi. For we are told in the NT that believ-
ends with Jacob and not Joseph, but I can point ers of Yeshua are His priesthood.
to one outstanding fact that certainly is a marked
change in the way Yehoveh operated with the Divine Providence
leader of the Hebrews: God had direct and
two-way communication with Abraham, Isaac, The second governing dynamic of God
and Jacob. He delivered His instructions to the is the one that we see the Lord employ when
patriarchs by means of direct divine oracle, but dealing with Joseph—divine providence. God
He did not with Joseph. Direct, two-way com- works His will largely unseen and unknown to
munication was reserved for very special cases, us, yet in our ignorance, we are actually party
and Joseph was not one of them. to it. Somehow in the free exercise of our wills,
God guides mankind to the end He decided
back in eternity past, yet often it seems as
God’s Governing Dynamics though He isn’t guiding at all. It even seems, at
times, that He has created His creation and left
us on our own, allowing His creation to take
Sanctification whatever route destiny has.
Many times it feels that God could not pos-
Woven throughout this narrative are God’s sibly achieve His goals using present circum-
governing dynamics. The first governing stances. Yet without our knowing it, divine
dynamic we recognized was that of division, providence is at work, moving toward its inevi-
election, and separation. It is God’s device to table, unchangeable, God-ordained conclusion.
Genesis 37
achieve His goal of perfecting humanity and While we can see this in action within the lives
bringing mankind into unity with Himself. of the patriarchs, albeit dimly at times, the story
Today we call this sanctification. Sanctification of Joseph is positively ablaze with observable
is the act of God’s dividing, electing, and sepa- divine providence. Of course, for us it is observ-
rating people for His purposes. Sanctification is able because we have something that Joseph
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 239
and all the other characters associated with home, and sometime later Isaac died. With a
this amazing journey didn’t have: the benefit of little basic math, we find out that Isaac died
hindsight. For while they were in the midst of after Joseph had gone missing for twelve years.
it all, they couldn’t see the divine providence at Here are the two key ingredients: Jacob was
work. That is because one of the prime charac- sixty years younger than Isaac. So, when Isaac
teristics of divine providence is that it is rarely died at 180, Jacob had to have been 120 years
observable by humans as it unfolds. old. The second thing to know is that Jacob
Now that we have been introduced to two died at 147 years old.
of God’s governing dynamics—sanctification
(the process of dividing, electing, and separat- The Blessing Was Unfolding
ing) and divine providence (the unseen working
out of God’s will in all humanity), let’s look at The destiny that Isaac had given to his twin
the life of Joseph. sons in the blessing was unfolding. Jacob now
lived in the Promised Land, and Esau had left it,
living away from fertile ground and away from
regular rainfall. But another part of a prophetic
Assignment: Read Genesis 37. blessing from a time earlier than Jacob, even
earlier than his father, Isaac, was near to coming
to pass; the Abrahamic blessing that, for a time,
the Hebrews would live as strangers in a foreign
At the outset of Genesis 37, Joseph, second land, and be oppressed:
to the last of Jacob’s sons, was seventeen years
old. He was living in Canaan, along with the Adonai said to Avram, “Know this for certain:
rest of his brothers. Soon, he would wind up in your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not
Egypt. theirs. They will be slaves and held in oppression there
four hundred years.” (Gen. 15:13)
What Did Isaac Know?
The “land that is not theirs,” the place
Recall that at the end of Genesis 35 the death where they would live for four hundred years,
of Jacob’s father, Isaac, was recorded. Isaac had was Egypt. In chapter 37 we’re but a few years
lived long enough to meet all of his grandchil- away from that event becoming a bitter reality.
dren, the twelve tribes of Israel. Isaac remained
alive long enough to know of Joseph’s disap- The Sons of Bilhah and Zilpah
pearance, but he didn’t live long enough to learn
the outcome. As the era of the patriarchs came to a close,
It is not unusual in the Scriptures for a state- Joseph picked up where the patriarchs left off.
ment to be given, and we’ll of course assume In verse 2, we’re told of seventeen-year-old
that it necessarily is attached to the verses writ- Joseph, “Once when he was with the sons of
ten just before it. In fact, that’s often not the Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives,
case. In Genesis 35:27 we read of Jacob return- he brought a bad report about them to their
ing to Hebron and greeting Isaac. In the next father.” In other words, he tattled on them. Do
Genesis 37
two verses we read that Isaac died at the age of you have a younger brother or sister who just
180 and that his sons, Esau and Jacob, attended can’t wait to find something on you to run and
to his funeral. Verses 27 and 28 are not con- tell Mom and Dad about? That’s the situation
nected; they are simply two different statements here. These particular brothers who were tattled
of fact, one following the other—Jacob came on were not the sons of Jacob’s legal wives, Leah
240 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
and Rachel; they were the sons of Jacob’s two into hatred of Joseph to the point, as it says in
concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. That could only verse 4, that his brothers could not speak to
have caused additional stress and strain on the him in friendly or civil terms. Jacob’s actions in
already tense relationships between the sons of his almost obsessive preference of Joseph made
Jacob, who were born by four different women. Joseph not fit in with his brothers. Literally, the
Imagine the problems in this family! translation is “they could not get themselves to
There was also a subtle change in family address him unto peace.” Much as in the Middle
status that shows up in the Hebrew: for the first East today, at that time the common greeting
time Bilhah and Zilpah, Jacob’s concubines, was “Peace be with you.” This verse is saying
were called ish’ishah, a term usually applied only that these brothers couldn’t even bring them-
to a legal wife. I can’t say with 100 percent assur- selves to offer Joseph the standard “Peace be
ance, but unless this is a redaction or an anom- with you” greeting because they loathed him so
aly, it appears that Jacob had made Bilhah and much. It’s within this context that we must view
Zilpah full wives. The Rambam, also known as what is about to transpire.
Maimonides, says that at the time of this story,
both Leah and Rachel were deceased. If this is How Joseph Would
correct, and it is more probable than not that it Communicate with God
is, then we understand why Jacob would have
elevated the status of Bilah and Zilpah. We also Joseph was at least somewhat aloof to all this
understand all the more the terrible turmoil that rage and hatred that surrounded him. In youth-
existed within Jacob’s family at this time. ful naïveté, Joseph didn’t have the good sense to
keep his mouth shut when he had a dream with
Jacob’s Favored Status an exciting meaning to him, but most certainly
not to his brothers.
Jacob had always favored Rachel, and likewise In this dream, he saw sheaves or bundles
he favored the two children she gave him: of harvested grain of some sort. There were
Joseph and Benjamin, but especially Joseph. We twelve of these sheaves, and eleven of them
are told in verse 3 that Jacob loved Joseph more, were bowing down to the twelfth. Picture this
and he apparently made that fact very clear to teenage Joseph, standing there in his regal tunic,
his family. He further signified Joseph’s favor full of himself, telling this story to his ten older
by giving him what most Bibles will say is a brothers who knew full well this dream’s sym-
“coat of many colors.” It was not a coat, but a bolism: that they would, someday, all submit to
tunic. In Hebrew, k’tonet passim. There are many Joseph as their master!
types of tunics, ranging from the ordinary to We see in this story that God would com-
the special. There was a certain style of tunic municate to Joseph in dreams and visions, as
that went from neck to ankle and all the way to opposed to the more direct, audible two-way
the wrists on the arms. This was a royal tunic, conversations He had with the patriarchs. This
and the form of the Hebrew used here says that, was not unique to Joseph, though. Dreams and
indeed, this robe Jacob made for Joseph was a visions were standard ways that people of that
royal robe. This wasn’t simply that Joseph got era thought their gods communicated with them.
a nicer coat than his brothers. It was that his People generally believed these prophetic visions
Genesis 37
father virtually anointed him as a prince, and and oracles, but it was also understood that the
allowed him to prance around among his broth- personality and ambitions of the dreamer played
ers in kingly garb. The jealousy and envy this a role in the dream. A dream was viewed as a kind
was bound to cause was going to wind up nearly of hybrid: it was an oracle that was part god and
costing Joseph his life. In fact, the envy grew part aspiration of the person having the dream.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 241
In verse 9, Joseph had another dream, and their own! But return they did, and Joseph’s
once again he couldn’t wait to tell everybody. brothers were in the pastures tending the ani-
The first dream he told only to his brothers; the mals. Jacob told Joseph to go to his brothers
second he related to his father, Jacob, as well. and check on their welfare. Jacob may have
He said that the sun, the moon, and eleven sent Joseph out of concern for his sons in light
stars bowed down to him. They again knew of that horrible incident. As we’ve seen, in the
what that meant. It was even more insulting Middle East the desire for vengeance can last
because in that era, and actually right down to and even grow for generations.
pagan religions of our day, the sun represented Joseph went, unaware of the precarious
the father figure, the moon the mother, and situation he was in. It was a journey of about
the stars their offspring. Joseph was saying that fifty miles, and as he got near Shechem, a man
not only would his brothers bow down in sub- informed him that the flock had been there but
servience to him, but so would his mother and moved on to a place called Dothan. Despite
father! Jacob tried to rein Joseph’s self-impor- a few older Hollywood movie versions to the
tance in a bit by mocking him and saying, “Are contrary, this man was only a man. The Hebrew
we to come, I and your mother, and bow low to word used was ish, man. This was not an angel.
the ground to you?” The name of the place called Dothan means
This passage lends credence to the idea that “two wells,” and Joseph was about to have a
Bilah and Zilpah had become wives for Jacob. close encounter with one of those wells.
Though Rachel was long dead before this inci- The area of the two wells was hilly and
dent, Jacob responded by saying, “So you say I lush. From a vantage point atop one of those
and your mother . . . should bow down to you?” hills, the brothers saw Joseph coming toward
Rachel was Joseph’s mother, but Bilhah had them. Their hatred was overflowing, dear old
been her handmaiden. Bilhah would have had dad was at least three days’ journey away, and
much to do with Joseph’s upbringing. If Jacob before Joseph reached them, they had decided
had elevated Bilhah’s status to a full wife, it to kill him. Verses 19 and 20 show us rather
would have been customary in that era to refer clearly what it was that finally put them over the
to her as “Joseph’s mother.” Nevertheless, the edge: it was Joseph’s dreams that offended them
whole family must have thought Joseph was suf- to the point of murder. This is not only about
fering from delusions of grandeur, but it would jealousy and insult. These brothers believed, to
turn out that these dreams were accurate, and some degree, that the dreams of Joseph being
further, that dream interpretation was a spiri- their master were true. If they killed Joseph,
tual gift from God for Joseph. however, then the problem was solved.
The flocks of the Israelite clan were at this time Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob and a son of
pasturing in the grassy fields and valleys sur- Leah, intervened and suggested that they not kill
rounding Shechem, while their home base was Joseph by their own hands; rather, they should
in Hebron. Jacob and his sons apparently felt throw him in a pit. Joseph would starve to death
no compunction in going back to Shechem, and never be found. But the Bible tells us that
Genesis 37
even though just a few years earlier the king Reuben’s real intention was to keep Joseph alive
of Shechem’s son had raped Jacob’s daughter so that he could come back later and retrieve
Dinah, and in retaliation the sons of Jacob had him after the brothers had left the area. Why?
slaughtered every male resident of that city and Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, was the one who
taken many of their widows and children for attempted a coup against his father by sleeping
242 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
with Bilhah, thereby claiming his father’s con- It was no great coincidence that these traders
cubine as a prize. Although the coup failed and came along, out in the middle of nowhere. One
Jacob married Bilhah anyway, ignoring the fact of the oldest trading routes of the Middle East
that she was “ruined” by Reuben, Reuben was ran from the spice-producing region of Gilead
still considered the top dog among the broth- down through the area of Shechem (right where
ers. Reuben had the most to lose because of they were located), and all the way into Egypt.
his father’s special preference for Joseph, yet he The Biblical record alternates between saying
tried to intervene and come to Joseph’s rescue. that the brothers sold Joseph to Ishmaelites
Perhaps he knew he would have been held and to Midianites. Ishmaelites were a differ-
responsible for the actions of the group and he ent people than the Midianites. Ishmael was a
was in enough hot water as it was because of the son of Abraham, as was Midian. But Ishmael’s
Bilhah affair. mother was Hagar, while Midian’s was Keturah.
We have seen a pretty good glimpse of the Perhaps Ishmaelites had already become a gen-
hardened individuals that these brothers were. eral term for all the Semitic peoples living in
They had slain all the males of Shechem after the area of Arabia, and Midianite was a more
duping them into being circumcised. Then specific and precise identification. We’re just not
they went on a rampage to loot the helpless sure.
city, even carrying off some of its women The brothers sold Joseph to the traders for
and children to increase their own families. twenty shekels of silver, the going rate for a male
It should be of little surprise that these same slave. Reuben returned, found Joseph gone, and
pitiless men would throw their teenage brother “tore his garment,” a sign of mourning. This
into an empty well to die, and then immedi- was not a lament that Joseph was gone, but as
ately sit down to have lunch as his pleas for the eldest, he would be held responsible by his
mercy hung in the air! father, Jacob.
No sooner had they begun to eat than they The brothers came up with another plan: they
spotted a caravan of Ishmaelite (Arab) trad- put blood on the royal tunic they had stripped
ers. Judah, another son of Leah, had an idea: from Joseph before they threw him in the
“Let’s not allow him to die in the pit, let’s sell well and took it to their father, asking, “Is this
him to the Arabs.” Whatever happened to him Joseph’s tunic?” Of course, Jacob immediately
from that point would be beyond their control. identified the tunic as Joseph’s. The blood on
Additionally, they could actually profit mon- the tunic was proof enough to Jacob that a wild
etarily by getting rid of Joseph this way, so why animal had killed and eaten Joseph. The broth-
not do it? What fractured logic! ers didn’t even have to tell their lie. Rather, they
offered their father comfort.
But, Jacob couldn’t be comforted. This gives
us a hint of how people of his day viewed death.
Why Didn’t Joseph Drown? He says, rhetorically, that surely he shall now
die, and go down into Sheol to be with his son.
The pit was, in fact, an empty well—a cistern.
Genesis 37
Remember, the place was called Dothan, two At that time, Sheol basically meant the grave,
wells. One of those two wells was dry (see Gen. or the place of the dead. The concept of dying
37:24). Dry wells and cisterns were commonly and going to heaven did not exist. As we have
used as prison cells, even hiding places, in that day. seen in recent chapters, there was this concept
So Reuben’s idea was hardly novel. of dying and “being gathered to your people,”
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 243
a statement associated with the nearly universal Egyptian name, and it is found on Egyptian
practice of ancestor worship. Exactly what that monuments from several dynasties. Written Pet-
meant to the mind of these ancients is unclear, Pa-Ra, it simply means “dedicated to Ra” or “a
but certainly it carried with it the idea of some gift to Ra.” Ra was the Egyptian sun god. It is
type of life after death, even if they were uncer- often debated as to exactly what office Potiphar
tain as to what that amounted to. held for Pharaoh, but it certainly had some-
thing to do with the military. It isn’t fully clear
Joseph’s Arrival in Egypt whether he was captain of the palace guard, in
charge of all of Pharaoh’s armies, or simply the
In the last verse Joseph arrived in Egypt and was Pharaoh’s chief bodyguard , but he was probably
sold to a very high Egyptian government offi- the second most powerful man in Egypt—for
cial: Potiphar. Potiphar was a rather common the moment, anyway.
Genesis 37
244 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 38
with Jacob’s concubine Bilhah. Simeon and told when Israel would have ceased to exist as a
Levi, the next two in line, were deemed unwor- nation, yet they would become a nation back in
thy to inherit the blessing because they led the the land of its beginning. Judah and Ephraim
raid on the males of Shechem, killing them in would return to the land and be ruled under one
revenge for the rape of their sister, Dinah. king, a descendant of King David, for all time.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 245
Judah returned to the Middle East in 1948 and Judah parted ways with his family for a time,
reconstituted the nation of Israel in the same and had children with a Canaanite woman:
place it was before it was destroyed some two a definite offense to God. We aren’t told this
thousand years earlier. But what of Ephraim? woman’s name, only that her father’s name was
Those “Joseph”’ tribes have been making news Shua. Without doubt, Judah had made a con-
recently. We have traditionally talked of “the scious decision to part ways with his family, and
ten lost tribes of Israel” when referencing the this is reflected in the first words of Genesis 38,
tribes of Ephraim. Ephraim had not returned when it says Judah “went off from his brothers.”
to Israel, but Judah had. For several years now, He certainly knew that marriage to Canaanite
large tribes of people scattered around Asia and women was not even to be contemplated by
India have been claiming that they are some of Israelites; as we all know, when we want to do
those lost tribes. After nearly twenty years of something that we know is both wrong and
investigation, the Jewish religious leadership unacceptable to our families, we separate our-
of Israel has determined that indeed they are selves from them so that we don’t have to face
Ephraim and they have convinced the Israeli them. This is what Judah did.
government of that fact. As of March 2005, This unnamed woman produced three sons
some of these tribes of Ephraim have been for Judah, but none of these should have been
invited to immigrate to Israel. The prophecy of suitable to carry on the line of the covenant
Ezekiel 37 is under way. promise because they all were of Canaanite
But there is still a problem: the Judaism that blood. But without doubt, this never even
modern Jews practice is different (to varying occurred to Judah. He did not seem to think
degrees) from what these various Ephraimite about the fact that his uncle Esau had been
tribes practice. Just as it started with the man passed over for the firstborn blessing, partially
Judah, and the man Joseph, and as it has hap- because he married Canaanite women. Here
pened since Judah sold Joseph into slavery and was Judah, doing the same thing. How often we
he wound up in Egypt, Judah and the Joseph tend to live like Judah; we claim faith in God
tribes (Ephraim) are still at odds. Judah, the but then separate that faith from the everyday
Jews, have told Ephraim that they must adopt matters of our lives. What troubles and sorrows
the Jewish traditions and basically convert to that mind-set and behavior inevitably brings to
Judaism in order to return to Israel. Those of us, just as it was about to for Judah.
Ephraim, who are desperate to come to Israel, Yet, as was going to happen on a regu-
have grudgingly agreed. You can bet that this lar basis, these foreign women were brought
is not the end of the story. I suspect that as the in to Israel, assimilated, and were consid-
return of Ephraim increases so will their resis- ered Israelites in time. This principle of being
tance to adopting the ways of Judah. adopted or grafted into Israel was one of the
earliest principles set down by Yehoveh.
Judah Leaves His Family
The Fate of a Widow
At the time of this story, Israel was still sev-
eral centuries away from possessing the land As the three sons of Judah matured, the first-
of Canaan and from dividing Canaan up into born, ‘Er, was given a wife selected by Judah:
Genesis 38
twelve districts, one for each of the twelve tribes this wife’s name was Tamar.119 Then we are told
of Israel. This occurred sometime between the that God killed ‘Er because he was evil. Tamar
day that Joseph was sold to the slave traders and became a widow. The key here is that Tamar was
the time Jacob decided to move his entire family a childless widow, or more correctly, a son-less
to Egypt to survive the famine. widow. She may have produced some daughters
246 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
before her husband’s death, but we know how before them, he continues to say, “I don’t want to marry
critical it was for a man of this period to pro- her,” then his brother’s widow is to approach him in the
duce a son. presence of the leaders, pull his sandal off his foot, spit in
his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who
Onan’s Duty refuses to build up his brother’s family.” From that time
on, his family is to be known in Isra’el as “the family of
Onan, the second son of Judah, was instructed the man who had his sandal pulled off.”
to go and take his brother’s widow, Tamar, as his
wife. This was simply a custom of that day; gen-
erally speaking, this was not optional—it was This sandal flinging was a rebuff, and it
the law that the brother do this. Just as a female indicated the poor character of someone who
could be a substitute “wife,” a concubine or baby refused to do his family duty. It was a public
producer for a woman who was unable to bear humiliation. Nevertheless, in Genesis 38:9 we’re
children to her husband, so could a substitute told that Onan, the brother of the deceased Er,
husband impregnate a woman whose husband refused to impregnate Tamar, so God killed him,
had died, leaving her without a son. The sub- because he, too, was evil in God’s eyes. Why did
stitute husband was usually a family member, Onan refuse to do this? Well, Scripture tells us
normally a brother, of the deceased man. The it was because the son he produced would not
traditional name for this law among Hebrews is have been his.
Levirate Marriage. It might appear from its name
that this is taken from the Hebrew tribal name Let’s dissect this a bit: the brother who died
Levi, but it is not. The actual Hebrew word for (Er) was the firstborn. Onan was the second-
this ordinance is yibbum. Our modern transla- born, but as the eldest surviving brother, he had
tion “Levirate” is taken from the Latin word levir, become the firstborn. However, if he produced
which is the designation for a husband’s brother. a child in the name of his deceased brother, that
So, Levi and Levirate are just similarly spelled and child would have been entitled to part of Judah’s
pronounced words that are in no way related. estate. In other words, Onan would have received
The levirate marriage was not unique to less if his deceased elder brother’s family line
Israel; it existed in other cultures as well. This had continued. It was not uncommon for family
is attested to with well-preserved Hittite docu- members to maneuver to gain the most power
ments, and even documents from the Middle and wealth when the father died, but to inten-
Assyrian age. This levirate law can be found in tionally deny a widow her son did two things:
Deuteronomy 25:5–10: it meant that her deceased husband’s family line
would end (a disaster to the ancient way of think-
If brothers live together, and one of them dies child- ing), and she would have no son to care for her
less, his widow is not to marry someone unrelated to him; as she grew older. This was tantamount to living
her husband’s brother is to go to her and perform the in extreme poverty. For Onan to knowingly put
duty of a brother-in-law by marrying her. The first child Tamar in this position made him appear selfish
she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, so and callous to a very high degree. Yehoveh took
that his name will not be eliminated from Isra’el. If the his life as a consequence.
man does not wish to marry his brother’s widow, then
Genesis 38
Sacred Sex
with the pagan temple to Baal. It was a duty, Tamar was a Semite, a descendant of Shem, the
and in many ways an honor, for these woman sanctified line of good. She was not a Canaanite,
to be prostitutes for Baal. It was considered a a descendant of Ham, the accursed line of evil.
legitimate practice by both customer and client, Up to now, Judah had produced his three sons
so Judah, totally disconnected from Yehovah, by a Canaanite woman. Two of them died. The
thought nothing of it. third, who should have impregnated Tamar and
Tamar’s plan worked; she tricked Judah into would have produced the son who would carry
thinking she was a temple prostitute, he pur- on the line of Judah, never got the opportunity
chased her favors, and she became pregnant. to do that because Judah refused to let it happen
Three months later, when it was clear to all for all the wrong reasons. The result was that
that Tamar was with child, someone told Judah Judah himself unwittingly made Tamar preg-
about it. In order to save the family honor, Judah nant. Despite Judah’s intention to pollute the
ordered her burned to death for adultery; after line of covenant promise (which he cared little
all, she was unmarried and pregnant and that about) with Canaanite blood, Judah impreg-
was proof enough of her offense—that she had nated a Semite woman, Tamar, and from that
brought dishonor to Judah and his household. came the Semite sons who would continue the
When Judah found out that he was the line of promise.
father of this unborn child, he realized that by God went to great lengths to ensure that
withholding his last son, Shelah, from Tamar, Canaanite blood not be mixed with Israelite
he had caused her to take this drastic action. He blood, particularly if it affected the line of cov-
declared that it was he who had done wrong, not enant promise. Yehoveh even did it when the
Tamar. He repented and she was spared. Even covenant line would not be directly affected,
more, Judah said that Tamar was righteous in as when the planned marriage between Jacob’s
what she did. This is another of those state- daughter Dinah and the king of Shechem’s son
ments in the Bible that is a factual report of a was averted because the males of Shechem were
person’s declaration, and the person was just killed by Simeon and Levi.
plain wrong. Tamar was not righteous in what Because Judah was the father of Tamar’s
she did, no more than Judah was righteous in children, and because Tamar was a Semite, the
what he did. God simply used them despite their children from their union were acceptable to
sin and rebellion to achieve His divine purpose. God; we see that the purity of the line of cove-
nant promise that would eventually produce the
Tamar’s DescendAnts Messiah—which began with Abraham, went on
to Isaac, then to Jacob, and now to Judah—was
Tamar delivered twin boys: Perez and Zerach. preserved by Tamar’s rather bold and unsavory
Judah’s “wrong” had been to bring shame upon act. As we look in other chapters of the Bible
Tamar by not giving his son Shelah as a husband where we find the lengthy genealogy of Jesus,
to her. He broke from tradition. But the wrong we have confirmation of this. Perez, the first-
that was being righted with the birth of these born of Tamar’s twin sons, was a direct ances-
boys was of a spiritual nature. Judah intended to tor of Yeshua. Perez, son of Judah by Tamar,
carry on his family line via his Canaanite wife, his widowed daughter-in-law, was the one who
which produced Canaanite children, but God carried forth the line of promise for the tribe of
Genesis 38
would have none of it. Judah was utterly oblivi- Judah, with no Canaanite blood in him.
ous to his sin before God. To him, everything God’s governing dynamic of sanctification
turned out okay in the end, or so he thought. was at work. Perez was divided, elected, and sep-
The ancient rabbis give us a helpful piece of arated away from all the other children of Judah
information that is not contained in this story: to be the conduit for the all-important line of
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 249
Genesis 38
the covenant promise first given to Abraham. intent to obey God, nor did either realize they
We also see the governing dynamic of divine would produce the next generation of the line
providence playing out as Judah and Tamar each of covenant promise: Perez. There could not be
attempt to satisfy cultural traditions and their a better example and demonstration of divine
own selfish lusts and ambitions. Neither had the providence than this story.
Genesis 38
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 251
Genesis 39
In Genesis 39, the Torah resumes the tale of found out that simply being a peace-loving nation
Joseph. His time is Canaan was over, and his and trying to get along with their neighbors did
life in Egypt began when he was a teenager and not immunize them from conflict or aggression.
would not end until his death. Egypt was attacked and routed by Bedouins,
Semites who had come from Arabia and
Syria. The war was not a result of any dispute
between Egypt and these Semites; it was simply
Assignment: Read Genesis 39. that these Bedouins wanted what Egypt had.
Semite rulers controlled Egypt for approxi-
mately two centuries; Semites, sons of Shem,
cousins of Israel, sat as pharaohs on the throne
The first verse in this chapter says some- of Egypt, not Egyptians. The Egyptians called
thing so obvious that our eye almost skip over these foreign rulers of Egypt the Hyksos. Hyk
it: “Potifar, an officer of Pharaoh’s and captain means “king” and sos means “shepherd”; these
of the guard, an Eg yptian . . .” (emphasis mine). foreigners were known as the Shepherd Kings.
Here we are, in Egypt, and we have to be told We don’t know a lot about them, nor are we
that Potiphar is an Egyptian? What else would able to precisely place them in time because
we have expected of the second in command the records from the Hyksos period are scant.
over all of Egypt but that he would have been This might seem strange in itself, for the
an Egyptian? Yet Moses, who wrote this down, Egyptians were tremendous writers of history
made a point of it. and great record keepers. But, as was typical
of most ancient nations, the Egyptians did not
The Bedouin Kings of Egypt record defeats or times of subjugation. What
we know of this time generally comes from
The answer lies in the fact that at one time, long records from private Egyptian citizens who
before Israel became a sovereign nation, Egypt lived in that era.
was conquered; it found itself under the control Even with some inherent historical incon-
of non-Egyptians. It wasn’t until later times that sistencies and contradictory scientific findings,
Egypt sought a position as a world power. Up scholars generally agree that during the time
to Joseph’s time Egypt had been a very highly of Joseph, and for perhaps one hundred years
developed civilization that had contact with the or a little more after Joseph’s death, the Semite
outer world, sent emissaries, and even devel- Shepherd Kings ruled Egypt. When we know
oped trade with the outer world, but their goal that the Bedouins (Semites) were in control at
was only to make Egypt a great nation within the time Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt,
Genesis 39
its own borders; historically, there had been no it makes sense that Moses thought it was impor-
aggressive imperialistic designs. tant to mention that Potiphar was not a Bedouin
However, as has been the case since these but an Egyptian. It also explains why the pha-
nations have existed, that goal turned out not to raoh seemed to have little trouble giving Joseph
be the same as that of their neighbors. They soon (a foreigner, Hebrew, and Israelite) such an
252 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 40
men were likely right in line behind Potiphar life’s experiences, just as the cupbearer had
in authority. Some unknown offense wound done, and he saw three baskets of bread on his
up costing these men their freedom and even head, stacked one upon the other. The upper-
their lives, but this was often the case with most basket attracted birds that came and ate
Orientals (remember: it was Oriental Semites, the baked goods right from the basket still on
254 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 41
Genesis 41
256 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
their wages and partly to train his armed troops and ter- The Phar aoh Is Haunted by
rify foreigners. Dreams
This is a very emotional and condensed Two years had passed since the end of Genesis
recounting of the conquering of Egypt by the 40. Joseph was nearing thirty years old, and
Semites from Asia. We are even given an Arabic prison was still his home. Dreams had, so far,
name of the conquering king: Salitis. How it been nothing but trouble for Joseph, but that
must have stuck in the craw of the Egyptian was all about to change.
people to be overrun so easily and swiftly by The pharaoh had two dreams, and they
these “uncivilized hoards.” were disturbing to him. They seemed so real
Yet in God’s unfathomable divine provi- that after he awoke he was relieved to realize
dence, this set the stage for Joseph to assume a they were just dreams (verse 7). Yet the con-
powerful position and for Israel to be held hos- tent was such that they seemed more than a
tage in Egypt for more than four centuries. dream—more like a vision—so he felt he must
pursue the meaning. He called all of his “magi-
What Was Avaris? cians” and “wise men” to tell him the mean-
ing of these dreams. These two groups of men
Now, I would like you to take note of a name the pharaoh summoned were his brain trust,
that is mentioned by Manetho: Avaris. In his governmental cabinet; they represented the
Exodus we shall spend some time talking about spiritual and intellectual elite of Egypt, and they
this city. Avaris was the large city that became were stymied.
home to the Hebrews, the Israelites, in the land The religion of Egypt consisted of magic
of Goshen, Egypt. This is the very place most and sorcery as well as many gods and goddesses.
secular archaeologists say doesn’t exist: a place The pharaoh, like all of his subjects, believed
where an enormous population of Hebrews strongly in the ancient mystery Babylon–styled
lived after Joseph’s time. Note what a large place religion of Egypt, so it was an integral part
it was, for this Salitis, the new foreign pharaoh, of life. Christians could learn much from the
stationed almost a quarter of a million troops unwavering commitment these pagans had to
there just to secure it. their religion (even though it was false), for they
Genesis 41
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 257
these experts in religion, these spiritualists, as were two dreams because one concerned live-
part of his group of close advisers. stock and the other field crops; that is, both
The “wise men,” however, were not rep- major elements of the food supply were going
resentatives of the spiritual realm. They were to be affected by what was coming.
Egyptian intellectuals; they represented the As is God’s way, He did not bring judgment
258 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
without sufficient warning for those who pay when the best and brightest minds, and our
heed to Him. So God said He would see to it most prestigious religious leaders, tell us that
that there would be seven wonderfully, unusu- the future is unknowable, except as they can
ally abundant years of food growth and harvest, discern it from their positions of authority?
before seven years, not of less-than-normal pro- Beloved, I sure hope we can, because we
duction, but of terrible famine. have been told. We are right now in that time
of relative abundance and plenty, just before
Joseph’s Advice the onset of the greatest trial mankind has ever
or will ever experience. How do I know this?
Joseph didn’t simply interpret the dream; he God has revealed it to us. He has shown us in
gave wisdom about what to do to prepare for His Word the signs to look for, and they have
the coming trial. The nature of the wisdom is occurred and are occurring right now. He has
such that we have no doubt as to its source: told us unequivocally that when Jerusalem is
the Creator of all. Joseph said, in paraphrase: back in the hands of the Jews, that generation
“Pharaoh, during the next seven years, make will see the coming of the Lord (Matthew 24).
it a law that all throughout Egypt, 20 percent He has also told us that a few months before
of all produce will be stored away for the day Jesus once again sets His feet on the Mount
seven years in the future when it will be needed. of Olives, there will be a time so terrible that
Rather than living beyond our means during the we cannot possibly comprehend it. He has told
seven years of unusual plenty, be wise and use us to prepare; prepare by giving over our lives
that time to prepare.” I suspect that the people to Him. Prepare by following the wisdom that
were not too thrilled at this ruling. After all, as comes from God: living within our means, get-
they looked around all they saw was prosper- ting out of debt, seeking Him instead of per-
ity. The future seemed bright, without a cloud sonal pleasures, learning to rely on Him and
on the horizon. Why this negativity? No doubt, nothing else. Trust Him, believe Him, and not
many saw it as a conspiracy of these detested what our fleshly senses and corrupted intellects
foreign Hyksos rulers to simply confiscate food tell us. Those of us who do not prepare will
from the people and somehow enrich them- experience much more devastation than what
selves. It is difficult to believe God, instead of Egypt was about to experience.
our eyes, especially when things are going well. It doesn’t matter that most of our religious
But one has to give the pharaoh a lot of credit leaders are blind to this. It doesn’t matter that
for taking Joseph seriously and acting on his our academic elite scoff at it. It doesn’t matter
advice, not just pondering it. that our government sees everything in terms
of geopolitical realities and our lawmakers see
Why These Are the Last Days things in terms of attaining and maintaining
personal power. Most of our secular and reli-
Would we have the faith to do what this gious leaders are as oblivious to reality as were
heathen pharaoh was about to do? Would we Pharaoh’s wise men and magicians. You see,
have the faith to hear God warning that a time God has not entrusted the truth to them: He
of terrible tribulation was nearing, and that we has entrusted it to us, His true church—not the
needed to prepare by putting aside some of our facade of church institution, with its bureaucra-
Genesis 41
time, our riches, our labors, our interests, our- cies and man-made doctrines, but His people,
selves? Could we intentionally deprive ourselves His followers, sanctified through the blood of
when we were in the midst of abundance, when Christ.
life was good? Could we do it on faith, and not
by what we see with our eyes? Could we do it
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 259
Phar aoh Took Action “he who is called.” The second word of Joseph’s
new name, panea, is also fairly easily identifiable
For the pharaoh, the next question was, Who in the Egyptian language. Aneah was a common
was going to make sure that all that needed to word for “life” in Egypt. So the Egyptian mean-
be done was done? The answer was obvious. The ing of his name was likely something alone the
man God chose to deliver the message should lines of “he who is called life.”
be the one to carry out the preparations: Joseph. In our day a name is simply a way to identify
Thus, in a most unlikely event, the Hebrew slave a person, but in ancient times a name was far
was removed from the dungeon and anointed the more than that. A name was a person’s reputa-
ruler of all Egypt. Joseph went from the outhouse tion. It was a statement of one’s character and
to the penthouse, and the only higher authority attributes or perhaps even their status in soci-
in Egypt was Pharaoh himself. ety. Thus, when Joseph went from house slave
A ceremony was held so that all Egypt would to prisoner to vizier of Egypt, a new name was
know of Joseph’s position over them. As part of necessary, one that reflected the pharaoh’s view
this ceremony, Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name: of Joseph’s position and purpose.
Zaphenath-panea. The form we have Joseph’s To seal Joseph’s appointment and make
name in today seems to be a hybrid Egyptian it permanent, and, without doubt, to cement
and Hebrew word. Scholars say it means either Joseph’s loyalty, Pharaoh gave him a wife:
“God speaks, He lives” or it means “the creator Asenath, the daughter of a priest. This was no
and sustainer of life.” More recent scholarship small thing. This priest was of the Temple of
doubts this translation. It would make more On, the city of the sun god, about seven or eight
sense that this name is purely Egyptian and, miles north of Cairo. At the time, this temple
indeed, we find that there is a common word honored the god Re, later called Atum-Re; Re
used in naming Egyptians, zat-en-aph; it means was the highest Egyptian deity. Later, the city of
On would come to be known as Heliopolis, city
of the sun. Joseph married the daughter of the
priest of the sun god, Re.
Once the ceremonies were concluded,
Joseph began traveling throughout Egypt, set-
ting up a system and seeing to it that an enor-
mous amount of grain was saved and stored.
We’re told that the six years before the famine
were abundant (the Bible term abundant means
there were six years of bumper crops).
Joseph’s Sons
was possible that the foreign mother of an Israeli out in a little while, not just Egypt but the whole
could renounce her nationality and gods and of the Middle East was affected.
become a member of Israel; if that happened, The stored-up grain was rationed, or sold.
then the mother was not considered foreign any- The grain was not given away. Egyptian records
more (despite her genealogy) but Hebrew. That of that time, describing the famine and how
did not happen in this case. Asenath, mother the grain distribution was handled, have been
of Joseph’s children, was Egyptian; there is no found, and they completely agree with the bib-
evidence that she gave up her Egyptian culture lical record. As people ran out of money, they
and beliefs. In fact, it would have been unthink- gave up their starving cattle to Pharaoh in
able, given her position as the daughter of the exchange for grain, the staple food. When they
sun god’s priest and as a princess of Egypt, to ran out of cattle, they gave up their land. And,
become a Hebrew. Tuck this important fact when they had nothing else to sell, they sold
about Asenath, Manasseh, and Ephraim away themselves into bond-servitude to the Pharaoh.
in your memories. These are two grandchildren In this way, pharaoh eventually owned all the
that Jacob is not yet even aware he has; Ephraim land and all the wealth of Egypt. It also allowed
and Manasseh, these two children of Joseph’s, him to build up an enormous slave class who
born of his Egyptian wife, are by all accounts would construct magnificent temples, road-
Egyptians, Gentiles. ways, and cities. As cynical and hard-hearted as
The names of Joseph’s sons give us two this was, God used the situation to save lives
important clues about his feelings toward Egypt. and to assure the survival of Israel.
First, Ephraim means “fertile,” in the sense of
abundant. We’ll see this carry over into Jacob’s Joseph’s Reputation
prophetic blessing of Ephraim later in Genesis.
Manasseh means “causing to forget,” and his Do you wonder what the Egyptian people
name is a reference to the fact that Joseph had thought of Joseph during this time of famine?
put his old life behind him and joined this new Do you suppose he was thanked for forcing
life in Egypt. Joseph in no way viewed Egypt them to save up grain, to make do with less
as an enemy. Rather, he saw Egypt as a friend, during a time of plenty, thereby allowing them
even a place of comfort. He even referred to it to survive later on? Or did he get the blame and
as a sort of replacement home. We’ll eventually hatred when so many had to sell themselves
see the Hebrews become Egyptian slaves, but into slavery in order to obtain that same grain?
we’ll also find in the Bible a certain favor of After all, Pharaoh had made Joseph the front
God toward Egypt, especially in the last days of man; Joseph was the supreme administrator of
the last days. this program. Pharaoh had a large public cer-
emony to make it clear to all just what Joseph’s
Famine in Egypt position was. All cunning politicians put some-
one between them and the people to act both
The famine hit just as God said it would. We’re as a buffer and a lightning rod. When things go
told that this famine was widespread. Many well, the politician jumps to the front to accept
Bibles say that the famine was severe through- the credit and the adoration of the people. But
out the world, but that’s not really what the when something goes wrong or is unpopu-
Genesis 41
Hebrew says. It says that the famine spread over lar, the politician becomes silent and invisible
the panim of the eretz, “the face of the land.” This and the front man catches the flack. I imagine
is a very general term, not one that seeks to indi- the leftover bitterness about the confiscation
cate all landmasses, known and unknown, of of grain from the Egyptian people’s private
the entire planet Earth. However, as we’ll find land, and then selling their own grain back to
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 261
them, often at the cost of their own freedom, Egypt turned on the Hebrews. Matters like this
greatly impacted the way people viewed Joseph. famine situation are not easily forgotten, and
For after Joseph died and new pharaohs were it’s unthinkable that this didn’t have much to
in place, and Joseph’s descendents had grown do with Egypt eventually turning the tables on
and prospered, the dispossessed people of Joseph’s family by enslaving them.
Genesis 41
262 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 42
The Nile begins at its southern end, and there that are created by all those fingers spreading
are two enormous geographical basins where the out in the land of Goshen, allowing the water
rainfall occurs and where the water from that to flow across the lands much as in the Florida
rainfall naturally funnels toward the Nile to fill Everglades, the area is fertile and great for
it. The White Nile flows from one basin, and growing crops and grazing animals.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 263
sary to grow crops all along the Nile. It takes grains was very high. Several bags of silver were
only a few inches of rainfall deficit in one of the required to buy food from Egypt for the clan of
two basins to destroy the delicate balance and Jacob; food would normally not have required a
prevent water flow sufficient to cause the neces- sum of money that would be described as “bag-
sary downriver flooding. fuls” of silver.
264 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
This was not something Egypt would soon God didn’t choose Israel because they were great
forget; after Joseph’s death and a long period men; He chose them because He is a great God
of social upheaval, the Egyptians would blame and uses ordinary people to carry out His will.
Joseph’s kin, the tribes of Israel, for their Likewise, as believers we’re not told to stand
oppressed condition. This would eventually lead with Israel because they’re an especially good or
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 265
passed since they had last seen their little brother why God had allowed all that had happened to
and his boyish features had become manly; it him. Yet, some testing was needed to see if his
was that he now looked like an Egyptian. He brothers had also been prepared by El Shaddai.
was clean shaven (Hebrews, by tradition, always
wore beards); he wore his hair in Egyptian
266 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
A Test for the Brothers they had wrongly done to their little brother. He
also heard Reuben try to absolve himself, with
Joseph, knowing otherwise, accused them of apparently no disagreement as to his position of
being spies. The brothers were utterly taken innocence. Joseph must have believed him, for
aback by this; the accusation didn’t even make rather than keeping the all-important firstborn,
sense and bordered on irrational. But they were Reuben, as a prisoner, Joseph ordered Simeon,
afraid, for they were totally at this ruler’s arbi- the second son of Jacob, to be held hostage.
trary mercy. Truth and justice mattered not at
all at this point, and they knew it. A ruler of Joseph Confuses the Brothers
Joseph’s stature could decide matters summar- Further
ily and order whatever punishment he deemed
appropriate. They were helpless and powerless Joseph ordered that the money the broth-
to control their fate, just as Joseph himself had ers paid for the grain be hidden in the necks
been helpless, so long ago, lying at the bottom of their grain sacks in order to confuse them
of a dry well, begging and crying for mercy that even further. The first night on their way back
would not come from these pitiless brothers home, one of them went to get some grain for
now standing before him hat-in-hand. his donkey and there was the money! They pan-
He questioned them and found out his icked but quickly decided that God was giving
father was still alive, as was his little brother, them their just deserts.
Benjamin. So he ordered that one brother go One wonders what must have gone through
and bring back the youngest to prove that they their minds on that many-day journey back to
were not spies, that they were truthful. But first, face their father. Who would be the spokes-
all ten were to be put in prison for three days. man among them to tell their fragile father
Of course, the reason behind Joseph’s decision that not only had they come back one short in
to jail them was to separate his brothers from their number, but that now they were to take
the myriad of Egyptian citizens and foreigners Benjamin, Jacob’s most-beloved child, back
who daily hoped to buy from Egypt’s reserve to Egypt with them or Simeon would die . . .
grain supplies. He wanted, and needed, to deal along with the rest of them when Pharaoh’s men
with his family separately, not under the gaze of caught up with them?
everyone else. Jacob’s reply was obvious: you’ve taken two
At the end of the three days, he gave a dif- of my children away from me, and now you
ferent order. Nine brothers were to return with want to take a third? Reuben gave Jacob the
the grain they needed to feed their clan. One, guarantee that he would bring Benjamin back.
Simeon, was to remain in custody, as surety for If he failed, Jacob could kill Reuben’s two sons
the rest. If they did not bring back Benjamin, as punishment. Though we’re not given Jacob’s
Simeon would forfeit his life (or so was the reply to this offer, one can only imagine the
implication). unbelieving look on Jacob’s face. His stunned
The brothers discussed their plight among reply probably would have been something like,
themselves in front of Joseph, assuming he was “Brilliant! Only you would figure out that after
an Egyptian and would not understand what I had lost three sons, I should now kill my own
they were speaking in Hebrew. Joseph had kept grandchildren as retribution! Are you insane?”
Genesis 42
up the ruse by using an interpreter as a go- More and more we see the wisdom in
between during his dealings with his brothers, Reuben’s being denied his firstborn birthright.
but what he heard made him weep. The guilt of Reuben was a politician, a windbag. He was
more than two decades overcame them, and they always making grandiose, unwise statements
knew that this was the day of reckoning for what and promises that were worthless and designed
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 267
to do little but elicit an emotional response. After do. All he knew was that should Benjamin be
this, we won’t hear from Reuben anymore. He taken from him, he could not survive it. He
was set aside, and we hear Judah’s voice more didn’t really trust his sons anymore, so he wasn’t
than any other brother from this point forward. about to entrust Benjamin to them. Yet how
For the time being, though, Jacob was would they survive without more grain?
simply paralyzed and couldn’t fathom what to
Genesis 42
268 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 43
ing the plundering of the remaining inhabit- their, and his, father’s well-being, and they told
ants—this would have disqualified them. And him he was fine. Then Joseph saw Benjamin.
with Joseph, formerly Jacob’s favorite, thought He was overwhelmed with emotion and had to
to be dead, Judah, fourth in line, must have leave them for a few moments to weep bitter-
seen himself as that person who would soon sweet tears in private.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 269
Genesis 44
In this chapter, every time you see Joseph deal- cup was placed into the mouth of Benjamin’s
ing with his brothers, mentally picture Yeshua sack.
dealing with us, His followers. As we’re going to No sooner had the brothers begun their
see, Joseph was a kind of Old Testament version journey home than Joseph’s house steward,
of Jesus in more ways than immediately meet sent by Joseph, caught up to these Israelites
the eye. He was not, of course, an earlier incar- and accused them of stealing from his master.
nation of the Word; rather, he was a “type.” The brothers were dumbfounded. The house
Joseph was used, partially, to create a pattern steward told the eleven exactly what Joseph
after which the Messiah would follow. Naturally, had instructed him to say: “Why have you
because Joseph was but a mere man, he could repaid me evil for good, and why have you
not hold a candle to the essence, nature, stat- taken my goblet, or cup, from which I make
ure, or holiness of Yeshua HaMashiach, but we my divinations?”
can learn some valuable principles about Yeshua
from what we read of Joseph. The trick is to
recognize patterns while avoiding allegory.
much like themselves, even though he dressed in be lost. And the news of his loss would probably
more typical Egyptian garb and adopted Egyptian kill Jacob.
customs and traditions.
272 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
as myself can learn the truth by divination?” Joseph was not Pharaoh. Yeshua is God, but He
(verse 15). Divination is the supposed power of is not God the Father; He is God the Son. The
the gods used to help a human discern hidden Son is ultimately subservient to the Father, just
things. Divination is man’s attempt to be like as Joseph was subservient to the pharaoh. Do
the gods. Most of the time it was a hoax men you see this? The relationship between Joseph
perpetrated on other men. At other times men and the pharaoh is the earthly demonstration of
turned their lives over to Satan, who gave them the heavenly, spiritual relationship between the
certain insights in exchange for their souls. At Word who became flesh, Jesus, and the Father
times, God gave the power of divine discern- of all things, Yehoveh. Of course, the picture
ment to His prophets. presented in Joseph and Pharaoh is neither flaw-
Jesus said there is nothing about us that is less nor perfect because the physical can never
hidden from Him. All the evil and deceit that fully represent or explain the spiritual. But it is a
are in us are exposed to Him. How does Yeshua correct picture, as far as it can be.
know this? Divination. Yeshua, being divine, In Genesis 44, as in all the first five books
knows everything there is to know about us, of the Torah, we see this glaring messianic fore-
including things we don’t even really know shadowing that quickly brings to mind what
about ourselves. Where does Yeshua get this Jesus said as it was written in Matthew 5:17–18:
power of divination? It’s simple: He is divine. “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the
Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to
The Relationship Between abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you
Yeshua and Yehovah that until heaven and earth pass away, not so
much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the
Then, in verse 18, Judah was paying homage Torah—not until everything that must happen
to Joseph when he said, “For you are like has happened.”
Pharaoh himself.” Oh, how key this is! Look at When Jesus said, “I have come not to abol-
Joseph’s position in Egypt. He was appointed ish but to complete,” the most literal sense of
to power by Pharaoh. Joseph was given author- this is, “I have come not to abolish, but to fill
ity to wield all of Pharaoh’s power, by Pharaoh. full (of meaning).”
Joseph was so connected to Pharaoh that he was Jews study only the Old Testament or Tanach
essentially the equal of Pharaoh. But was Joseph portion of God’s Word, which Jesus Himself
the pharaoh? No. The pharaoh still existed and studied. All the greatest Jewish religious leaders,
was the highest of the high. Joseph was the scholars, and rabbis, both ancient and modern,
vizier, but Pharaoh was the pharaoh. who have read these passages in Genesis about
This comment from Judah was put here Joseph in Egypt and Judah offering up his life
so that, in addition to knowing this important for his brothers thousands of times missed the
piece of history, we might understand the rela- ultimate fulfillment of it. In fact, all of the Torah
tionship between Yeshua and Yehoveh—Jesus and the Prophets were certainly understood to
the Son and God the Father. There is at once an be true, but the ancient Hebrews thought they
equality—oneness, unity, echad—between Jesus were more about Israel’s history and God’s laws
and the Father, and yet there is also a subservi- and commands than about God pouring out
ence of the Son to the Father. Joseph wielded His heart, explaining the need for and char-
Genesis 44
the full power and authority of Pharaoh, but he acteristics of a coming Messiah, and having a
was not Pharaoh. Yeshua wields the full power personal relationship with man. It was Yeshua
and authority of the Father, yet Yeshua is not who would fill the Torah and the Prophets full
the Father. Joseph was the ruler of Egypt, and of meaning, not just by explaining it, but by
likewise Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt, yet living it and fulfilling it. Jesus is who the Torah
274 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
and the Prophets pointed to beginning with the acknowledged his lack of understanding, his
book of beginnings, Genesis. Jesus didn’t come helplessness before the greatness of his master,
to abolish the Torah and the Prophets, as so his guilt, although not of what he was accused
many now think. He didn’t come to replace the but absolutely beyond measure nonetheless. He
Old with the New. He came to bring the older acknowledged that in vain he tried to hide his
Testament to its fullest God-intended meaning sin and his evil deeds, but the master was able
and purpose through the newer. And, of course, to divine it all; it was a futile attempt. He inter-
Jesus is the new covenant. ceded for others—his brothers, Benjamin, his
The Lord’s Prayer, as instructed by Jesus in father, Jacob, whom at this point he loved and
Matthew 6 as part of the long discourse called valued above himself. He pleaded with com-
the Sermon on the Mount, is given to us as the plete honesty of soul; he offered himself up, a
best and greatest model of how to pray to the substitute, for what was due the others.
Father of the universe. It’s not that we pray to The question is, How would the master,
Jesus; rather we pray to the Father in the name Joseph, receive these pleas? Would he right-
of Jesus. We pray to the Father by means of fully mete out justice for the great guilt of those
Jesus. We have the standing to pray to the Father who were bent over in hopeless anguish before
only because we are in union with Yeshua. Jesus him? Hold your breath, because what will occur
didn’t pray to Himself but to the Father. Even at the beginning of the next chapter gives us
the prayer begins, “Our Father . . .” the answer. It is there to show us the way that
But if there is a second-best example of Yahweh, Creator, God of Israel, will respond to
what our attitude in prayer ought to be, it all of our pleadings to Him from our position of
must be Judah’s plea in Genesis 44, as he lay absolute, undeniable guilt.
prostrate before Joseph. He confessed all; he
Genesis 44
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 275
Genesis 45
Joseph’s Actions Mirror Those left to prosper and multiply far and above their
of Christ Egyptian hosts. Later, however, the jealousy of
the Egyptians against the Israelites’ preferential
Food to Eat treatment and prosperity would lead to their
persecution and enslavement.
Joseph ordered that his father and all the clan
of Israel be brought to Egypt that he might care Do Not Quarrel
for them. As of this time, only the first two
years of the seven-year famine had passed; the In true Oriental tradition, Joseph sent valuable
next five would be even worse. gifts back to Canaan for his father. Likewise,
When Jesus died, He instructed His dis- he enriched each of his brothers, with Benjamin
ciples to “feed My sheep.” Just as Joseph had once again getting the royal portion of five
forgiven his brothers, the fact remained that the times as much as the others. One can only imag-
famine was ongoing. When Jesus left, there was ine that this royal treatment by Joseph upon
going to be trouble in the world; its condition Benjamin likely continued all their lives. And,
of evil and malevolence was going to continue. it could only have served to make Benjamin’s
And, it would gradually get worse. relationship with his brothers strained, at the
least. In fact, I suspect that Joseph’s instruction
A Place to Live to not quarrel on the journey (verse 24) was at
least in part due to the highly favorable treat-
When Pharaoh heard of the coming of ment Benjamin received and what the brothers
Joseph’s brothers, he was pleased for Joseph and might think to do about it. After all, these were
rewarded Joseph’s years of loyalty and service the same men who twenty years earlier had
with the order that wagons were to be sent to deposited the teenage Joseph in a dry well due
Canaan to bring Israel’s clan and their belong- to nothing more than the favoritism Joseph had
ings back to Egypt. They were to be given the been shown by their father.
“best” of the land to live in. Of course, Joseph While the “do not quarrel” instruction is a
had already determined that the land of Goshen strange inclusion, because the story of Joseph is
would be the suitable place and had undoubt- a model of what was to come in Yeshua, it would
edly suggested as much to the king of Egypt. be missing something without the admonition
Likewise, the Father has prepared a place for of Joseph’s brethren not to quarrel. For this is
Yeshua’s brothers, all those who have accepted what is expected of the brothers (and sisters) of
and kept the faith in Yeshua. He is ready to wel- Yeshua as we are on our journey with God. We
come all who will come, and He will send for us are warned not to quarrel but to have oneness of
at the appropriate moment—a moment that is spirit. Not a million bodies and one mind, but
very, very near. a million bodies and one heart. Unified not by
The land of Goshen was not an arbitrary consensus, but by means of our union in Christ.
choice as a place for Israel. It was excellent pas- Wow. Have we ever failed Him in this!
tureland, perfect for grazing sheep. But, just as
important, it was well away from the bulk of the Jacob Hears the Good News
Egyptian population that despised sheep and
Genesis 45
shepherds. The Egyptians preferred meat from Upon their arrival home in Canaan, the broth-
cattle, not sheep, and they considered shepherds ers reported to Jacob that Joseph was alive and,
to be of the lowest class of people. This would in fact, was a ruler of Egypt. Is it any wonder
prove to be a boon to the Israelites, for during that Jacob didn’t at first believe these sons who
the next one hundred years or so, they would be had proved to be of such doubtful character? I
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 277
Genesis 45
278 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 46
With this chapter, the era of the patriarchs truly care for them. But Jacob wondered what would
closes. Abraham and Isaac were dead, and Jacob be the long-term result of their migration to
(a very old man) was in the midst of moving Egypt. Was this about to become the fulfill-
the Israelites out of Canaan into Egypt and the ment of the prophecy about the Hebrews’ fate,
authority of Joseph and Judah. Before long, given in a dream to his grandfather Abraham
Jacob would go to be with God. After moving so many years earlier? Jacob would have known
the family to Egypt, Jacob had but one duty left: all about this prophecy. He would have heard it
to pronounce the all-important blessings upon from his grandfather’s mouth, and again from
his sons, the blessings that officially transferred his father Isaac’s. It disturbed him; it made him
wealth, power, authority, and responsibility to anxious and afraid.
his successors. We will see the prophetic saga Let’s back up and remember those pro-
of these blessings beginning in Genesis 48, and phetic words of God to Abraham, in Genesis
will discuss the whole matter in great depth 15:12–16:
when we get there.
As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell on
Avram; horror and great darkness came over him.
Isr ael Gains Nation Status Adonai said to Avram, “Know this for certain: your
descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs.
Note the use of the word Israelites in this chapter. They will be slaves and held in oppression there four hun-
The clan of Israel had now grown large enough to dred years. But I will also judge that nation, the one
warrant nation status. that makes them slaves. Afterwards, they will leave with
many possessions. As for you, you will join your ancestors
in peace and be buried at a good old age. Only in the
fourth generation will your descendants come back here,
Assignment: Read Genesis 46. because only then will the Emori be ripe for punishment.”
measure that his long-lost son was alive, and would pass before his family would once again
soon he would be back together with him. He be free and move back to the land promised by
was now certain that his clan, the twelve tribes God to the Hebrews.
of Israel, would survive the famine that had
gripped the world because of Joseph’s ability to Jacob’s Sacrifice
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 279
used an altar in Be’er Sheva many years earlier, of those ancient Hebrews.
and very probably this was the same one Jacob Verse 5 tells us that a sufficient number of
used here. In fact, even though the verses do wagons had been sent for all of Israel to bring
not explicitly say that it was Isaac’s altar that their possessions with them to Egypt, but of
Jacob used, the fact that it says Jacob sacrificed course, the most important possession of Israel
280 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
was the people. What is being communicated many females born, and probably a few more
here is that all of Israel’s family moved to Egypt; females than males, which is the normal pattern
none stayed behind. of birthrate. It is likely that the full and com-
plete number that went down into Egypt was
Further Redaction closer to 150 family members. In addition, any
small nation of that size would also have owned
Verses 8–25, and possibly even verses 26–27, foreign slaves. In fact, we know from the pas-
were either added to this text at a later date sage that describes the slaughter of the residents
or they were significantly modified from the of Shechem some years earlier (recall, this was
original at a later time. How do we know this? revenge by the Israelites for the rape of Jacob’s
Because the numbers don’t add up for this time; daughter, Dinah, by the king of Shechem’s son),
when this genealogy is repeated in Numbers 26 that Israel took many women and children as
and 1 Chronicles, there are substantial variances. slaves and concubines. I would be surprised if
Plus, there are matters of common sense. their number was any less than two hundred,
Joseph was in his early thirties at this time, so and probably a bit more.
Benjamin would have been in his twenties, a All genealogical listings in the Bible had
very young man. Yet we have a listing of ten a method to their madness. The names were
sons of Benjamin. In Numbers the listing is five grouped in a particular way for a specific
sons and two grandsons! Since the clearly stated reason; it was never at random. We see that here
timeframe for this chapter is the migration of in Genesis 46. The first members of Israel listed
Israel to Egypt during the time of the famine, it are Leah (Jacob’s first wife) and her children;
is utterly impossible for Benjamin to have sired then Leah’s servant-girl, Zilpah, and her chil-
so many children, let alone grandchildren, at dren. Next is Jacob’s second wife, Rachel, along
such a tender age. with her children; and that follows with Rachel’s
This may unnerve you a little, but don’t servant-girl, Bilah, and Bilah’s children.
let it. Genealogies are inserted into the text Of course, we get further proof of the later
for various reasons in the Bible, and they have redaction of the genealogy when it includes
been amended for all kinds of reasons. Not the as “among those who went down to Egypt,”
least of which is that after time passed, a larger Joseph’s Egyptian-born children, Ephraim and
and clearer picture of the family tree was avail- Manasseh; these were children Jacob would
able, so that additional information was added. have known nothing about, and who were born
Sometimes genealogies were modified because and raised in Egypt, not in Canaan.
a clan had completely died out, and it was neces- Very probably, verse 28 belongs right after
sary to insert their name to be sure they weren’t verse 7 in the original, omitting the entire gene-
forgotten. alogy completely.
In the case of Genesis 46, it is also possi-
ble that the number seventy is symbolic rather Judah Acts as Firstborn
than an exact census. Seventy is symbolic of the
totality of a cycle; it also represents universal- In verse 28 we are told that Judah was sent ahead
ity and divine ordaination. It is very likely that of Jacob to scout out the way. This was a job
there were far more than seventy individuals for the firstborn, but of course, we see no men-
Genesis 46
who went to Egypt, because genealogies and tion of Reuben, Jacob’s first son, doing this task.
censuses generally only count the males of the Apparently Judah had assumed that role, bypass-
population. The sixty-six males mentioned in ing three brothers who were normally, by tradi-
the genealogy of Genesis 46 are an example of tion, ahead of him, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi.
this tradition. There would have been at least as
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 281
Joseph Reunites with His and it consisted primarily of two large territo-
Father ries—one called Upper Egypt in the south, and
the other called Lower Egypt in the north. The
Jacob and his family arrived for the long- terminology used simply expresses the Egyptian
awaited reunion, and Joseph went immediately viewpoint; you always go up if you are headed
to the land of Goshen, the place that would toward Upper Egypt, and down if you are headed
be their new home. This is a touching scene toward Lower Egypt.
wherein Joseph, the ruler of the great land of In any case, as is common for heads of
Egypt, humbles himself before his aged father state like a pharaoh, he had been prepared in
and weeps while embracing him . . . for a long advance for the greetings and blessings that he
time. would give to his honored guests, Israel and the
Joseph left to tell Pharaoh of his family’s family of the vizier of Egypt, Joseph. In proper
arrival: this was so that the pharaoh was shown protocol it is necessary for the pharaoh himself
proper respect, and so that he could honor and to pronounce his rulings face-to-face with rep-
welcome Israel in whatever way he chose. In resentatives of Israel. So Joseph also prepared
verse 31 it says that Joseph went “up” to tell some of his brothers as to what the procedure
Pharaoh, but Joseph most certainly did not go would be, and told them exactly what they were
north from the land of Goshen to Pharaoh, for to say, so as to accommodate Pharaoh’s already
Pharaoh was most likely residing in Memphis, decided plan for Israel. In the end, the idea was
which was a short distance south. The key here to make it 100 percent official that the land of
is to remember that Egypt was a divided land Goshen was the place to be set aside for Israel.
Genesis 46
282 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 47
lowly Hebrew shepherds; instead, he turned to their livestock was sold, so they traded their
Joseph and gave his reply. land for food and eventually sold themselves
into the service of the pharaoh. As these people
were giving up their money, land, and liberty, it
was Joseph the Hebrew they were dealing with.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 283
So we see how Pharaoh not only gained owner- To make matters worse, we see in verse 27
ship of all the land of Egypt, but also extended that at the same time the Egyptian people were
Egypt’s influence into Canaan and the Middle being forced to give up their land in exchange
East. for food to survive, the Israelites were acquir-
Of course, the land was useless to Pharaoh ing land in Goshen. And in that land that they
without people to tend his newly acquired flocks owned, unlike their Egyptian neighbors, they
and herds and to till the soil. So Joseph created prospered and grew dramatically in number.
a tenant-landlord relationship between the now
dispossessed Egyptian people and their pharaoh. Jacob’s Death
The people were allowed to remain on the land
they had given up to Joseph, but they had to give Jacob would live seventeen more years in Egypt
a substantial portion of its increase to Pharaoh before he died at the age of 147. Jacob, the last
as rent. This arrangement, which is commonly patriarch, would be the only one to die on for-
called serfdom, was closer to enslavement than eign soil. But before he died, when he knew his
a legitimate business deal. Only the priests of time was near, Jacob called Joseph to his side
Egypt were exempted from this arrangement, and made him promise not to bury him in the
as they were wards of the state anyway. It was sands of Egypt but to return his remains to the
Egypt’s obligation to care for them. Promised Land. Jacob had no need to worry
if this promise would be carried out, because
How the People Viewed Joseph before he had arrived in Egypt, God had assured
Jacob that this wish would be granted.
Let’s estimate again what Joseph must have Jacob loved God and trusted God, but all
been in the eyes of the people of Egypt and even Jacob knew of how God operated he learned
parts of Canaan. It was Joseph’s plan, Joseph’s from the well-established and common beliefs
decrees, Joseph’s implementations of the plan and traditions of the Middle Eastern cultures.
that caused the people of Egypt and Canaan to That’s why the location of Jacob’s burial was
become paupers and serfs. It was Joseph’s face so critically important to him. This was not
the people saw confiscating their land and live- some idealistic matter, nor was it about honor.
stock. Joseph, while certainly saving their lives This wasn’t even about nationalism, as when
during that period of famine, was now their a country makes every effort to bring soldiers
owner: he, as Pharaoh’s representative, owned who died in battle on foreign soil home to be
their lands, and he owned them. interred in their native land. The issue for Jacob
This is the point at which the hatred of the was the all-important matter of ancestor wor-
Egyptians toward the Israelites began, and it was ship. How was he to be buried and gathered to
the seminal moment that began the steady path his kin if his kin (Abraham and Isaac) were in
toward fulfillment of the prophecy to Abraham Canaan, but he was in Egypt? The spirits of the
that his descendants would be slaves. The cur- dead didn’t travel. How was his essence to con-
rent Semite pharaoh, of course, could have cared tinue on, after his death, by means of his spirit
less what the Egyptian people wanted. But years being tended and honored by his sons, grand-
later, when the Egyptian people overthrew sons, great-grandsons, and so on, if those sons
the hated foreign Hyksos rulers of Egypt and were in Canaan but his spirit was still in Egypt?
Genesis 47
installed an Egyptian pharaoh, they were able to If a spirit wasn’t tended, it would come to and
exact retribution for one hundred years of built- end; that person’s essence would evaporate for
up anger and envy toward these Hebrews, led all time. Besides, the gods of each territory
by Joseph, who had taken both their land and had rule over their own kingdoms of the dead.
their freedom. Jacob wanted to ensure that he, indeed, would
284 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
be taken back to Canaan so he could live with hours and days before his death were quite dra-
his ancestors in a place ruled by Yehovah, and matic and had the most serious, far-reaching,
his spirit would be properly looked after by his and eternal consequences, even for us. I cannot
descendants. find the words to stress enough that for us to
But Jacob had some further duties, as head truly understand the remainder of the Torah
of the clan, to perform before he passed. He (as well as the whole of the Old Testament), we
had to transfer the rights as leader and ruler of must grasp the significance of the events about
the family of Israel along with the possession to unfold in the last days of Jacob’s life. After
of its wealth over to the one who would be the understanding that, even the New Testament
next leader of Israel; along with it, he would will take on a deeper and fuller meaning to us,
give blessings and instructions to all twelve of as will the rapid unfolding of current events
his sons. That’s why the steps Jacob took in the happening in Israel today.125
Genesis 47
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 285
Genesis 48
We are about to embark on a study that is full would become a kahal ammim, a holy convocation
of ramifications for our day and time. A study of fellow countrymen. They would be given the
that is going to explore some areas of Scripture land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.
you may have never before read, let alone con- The recitation of the covenant begins in
sidered to be prophetic. They are contained verse 3, and Jacob recounted an earlier part
within the final three chapters of Genesis. of his life: “El Shaddai appeared to me at Luz
in the land of Kena‘an and blessed me.” Luz
is an alternate name for Beth-el; they are the
The Right to Be Wrong same place. Jacob did not call God by the name
YHWH (Yehoveh or Yahweh) because God had
I have changed my thinking on some of the con- not yet revealed His personal name.126 Before
clusions I held when I first started this study. the era of Moses God went by the name El
What caused that change was some very recent Shaddai. The meaning of this name has recently
events that added new information and clarity to come into better focus. I was taught all my life,
the mix. I will do my best to separate concrete
as probably most of you were as well, that El
fact from speculation, something that is neces-
sary to approach this important area of prophecy. Shaddai meant “God Almighty.” This is tradition.
Nevertheless, I will speculate, but as a good friend There is absolutely no linguistic basis whatso-
of mine often says to me, I reserve the right to be ever to translate El Shaddai as “God Almighty.”
wrong. In fact, the older traditions regarding what that
mysterious name might have meant are gener-
ally based on the era, culture, and language it
Assignment: Read Genesis 48. was translated into. For instance, the earliest
Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, called
the Septuagint, variously translated El Shaddai
as “God,” “All-Powerful,” “Heavenly One,”
Jacob Recites the Abr ahamic and even “Lord.” The first Latin translation
Covenant used the word Omnipotent. The Syriac version
uses “the Highest” and “the Strong One.”
Joseph received an urgent message that his aged All of these were primarily guesses.
father was very ill, so this ruler of Egypt took his However, more recent scholarship in the field
two children born to his Egyptian wife Asenath of paleo-linguistics—the study of ancient and/
and went to see Jacob, Israel. Jacob, with great or extinct languages—has started to give us a
effort, propped himself up in bed out of respect more accurate picture of the meaning of some
for the office his son Joseph held as vizier of of these obscure words. Hebrew is an offshoot
Genesis 48
Egypt, and then he recited the Abrahamic cov- of the Akkadian language, so we find that by
enant in paraphrase to Joseph. The terms of this studying language cognates, we can zero in on
covenant were taught to him by his father, Isaac, some of these definitions.
just as Isaac was taught by his father, Abraham. Shaddai is almost certainly a language cog-
The Hebrews would become very numerous; they nate of the Akkadian word shaddu. Shaddu means
286 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
“mountain.” El Shaddai likely means “God of as he says in verse 5, “Now your two sons, who
the mountain.” This, of course, fits hand in were born to you in the land of Egypt before I
glove with the general belief of men in that came to you in Egypt, are mine; Efrayim and
ancient era, of which gods generally lived high M’nasheh will be as much mine as Re’uven and
up in mountains. It also fits with the under- Shim‘on are.” He made these two Egyptian
standing of the early Hebrews that God lived children not adopted grandchildren, but his
on a mountaintop—Mount Sinai, to be precise. own children. Starting at this moment, and for a
time, it would be fair to say that there were now
Jacob Adopts Joseph’s Sons fourteen tribes of Israel: the original twelve
plus, now, Ephraim and Manasseh.
Jacob’s next action was rather astounding: he took But things aren’t always as they appear.
possession of Joseph’s two sons. Israel adopted
Joseph’s children. I’ve heard some Christian The Covenant Is Made with
speakers argue that Jacob’s adopting these chil- Isr ael
dren was nothing unusual; he was simply making
these Egyptian children officially Israelites by This study may make some of you a little
accepting them into the tribe of Israel. uncomfortable and for others of you, you may
This sort of thing did happen among tribes gain a new understanding that you have been
of this time; a declaration was usually all that searching for, perhaps without realizing it. It’s
was needed to change the nationality or tribal going to be fairly deep. It’s going to be fairly
affiliation of a person. But Jacob didn’t just difficult. It may go against some things your
make these children Israelites; he didn’t simply denomination taught as proper church doctrine.
make these boys equals to the other of his many If you question the things I’m going to be tell-
grandchildren. He made them equal to his twelve ing you, that’s okay; just ask God to show you
sons. Jacob made Ephraim and Manasseh sons, the truth. He will.
At the least, our study of Genesis 48, which
is centered on Ephraim, will help answer the
question of why so many people have this grow-
ing interest, if not downright passion, for Israel
and for Torah.
You see, for almost nineteen hundred years,
the church has done its best to ignore, even dis-
avow, God’s plainly stated plan that, in order for
the Gentile world to be saved, Gentiles must be
grafted into the spiritual heritage of Israel. Ever
since I was a child, I can remember my pastor
telling the congregation that when we accept
Christ we are adopted, or grafted, into the
family of God. True enough, I suppose, but that
statement is like describing a piece of artwork as
“interesting.” It is so commonly bandied about
Genesis 48
Isn’t the real family of God the church? Yes. stars to provide light for the night, who stirs up the sea
But what makes the church what it is, is that, until its waves roar—Adonai-Tzva’ot is his name: “If
as disciples of Yeshua, Gentile believers have these laws leave my presence,” says Adonai, “then the
been grafted into the covenants of Israel—not offspring of Isra’el will stop being a nation in my presence
instead of Israel, not as replacement for Israel, forever.” This is what Adonai says: “If the sky above
but alongside Israel. But here’s the rub: it’s not can be measured and the foundations of the earth be fath-
about the physical Israel, per se, but a spiritual omed, then I will reject all the offspring of Isra’el for all
ideal called Israel. that they have done,” says Adonai. (verses 35–37)
Both the older covenants and the newest
covenant were given to Israel. The promise of Plainly, if the sun stops giving off light and
another covenant after the covenant of Moses waves cease to occur in the oceans and stars dis-
on Mount Sinai was prophesied in a number of appear and the moon stops shining, then and only
places in the Hebrew Bible, but probably most then will God cease to consider Israel and their
directly in Jeremiah 31:31–34: offspring as His people, which is what “a nation
before Me” means.
“Here, the days are coming,” says Adonai, “when There is simply no way around this.
I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra’el and Replacement theology is error of the worst
with the house of Y’hudah. It will not be like the covenant sort because it is not a mistake; it is intentional
I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their deceit. Replacement theology, the belief that the
hand and brought them out of the land of Eg ypt; because church has replaced Israel as God’s people is not
they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for the result of innocent error or ignorance. It is a
my part, was a husband to them,” says Adonai. “For premeditated attempt to dishonor God’s chosen
this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra’el nation of Israel, to steal from them their inheri-
after those days,” says Adonai: “I will put my Torah tance (the covenants God made with them),
within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their and to answer a burning question that believ-
God, and they will be my people. No longer will any of ers began to ask as the decades rolled on after
them teach his fellow community member or his brother, Yeshua’s death and the destruction of Jerusalem:
‘Know Adonai’; for all will know me, from the least of If Israel was coming back into existence as a
them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wicked- nation (as prophesied), where were they?
nesses and remember their sins no more.”
A Hope for Gentiles
Just exactly whom is this new covenant
going to be made with? “The house of Israel But Gentiles can have hope. We can be
and the house of Judah.” There is no mention included in this newest covenant of Israel and
of this being a universal covenant or of this cov- Judah, and hundreds of millions, perhaps bil-
enant being made between God and Gentiles. lions of us have been included. But not because
Nowhere in Holy Scripture will you find such a of us. From the time of Abraham forward, God
suggestion. Gentiles have no part of this New made provision that any Gentile (usually called
Covenant unless we are somehow declared by a foreigner or stranger) who wished to give up
Yehoveh to be part of either the house of Israel their allegiance to their pagan gods and become
or the house of Judah. joined to Israel was not only allowed to do so,
Genesis 48
Jeremiah 31 continues, and makes the they were welcomed to do so. They were to be
matter crystal clear: considered firstclass citizens of Israel. No dis-
tinction was to be made between naturalborn
This is what Adonai says, who gives the sun as Israelites and those who were born outside of
light for the day, who ordained the laws for the moon and Israel (Gentiles) but had chosen to become part
288 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
the Jews. Then, because most Jews rejected the not of various Jewish people who lived in cul-
incarnate Word of God, Christ, He gave the tures scattered throughout the Roman Empire
duty of spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. or of differences between various Jewish sects,
Then after a long time, when the Gentiles have because of what he said in Romans 3:
spread the Word of God to the entire world,
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 289
Then what advantage has the Jew? What is the truth by means of having faith in the Messiah,
value of being circumcised? Much in every way! In the whom God sent to be our substitute by bear-
first place, the Jews were entrusted with the very words ing the penalty for our sins. It is this faith that
of God. If some of them were unfaithful, so what? Does God counts as the sole factor in identifying
their faithlessness cancel God’s faithfulness? (verses 1–3) who His people are or are not. The entire legal
reason this is even possible is contained within
Paul made an emphatic point of saying that the covenants that God made with Israel, and
there is no spiritual distinction between people nowhere else. Spiritual Israelites are the sole
who trust the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, residents of the kingdom of God. The kingdom
so he must now answer the logical question that of God is spiritual Israelites. Spiritual Israelites
any Jew who heard him speak those words would are Jews and Gentiles who trust Yeshua as
have asked: Then what’s the point of being born Savior. Spiritual Israelites are not Jews who have
as one of God’s chosen people, a Jew, at all? taken on a physical Gentile identity in order to
Paul said that being a physical Jew had many worship Christ, and spiritual Israelites are not
advantages, because it was to physical Israel that Gentiles who have taken a physical Jewish iden-
God entrusted His Word. The Word of God tity to worship Christ. Jews remain Jewish, and
was not just the Bible; Jesus was also the “Word Gentiles remain Gentile; the common point is
become flesh.” Jesus was a physical Jew, but He spiritual union in Yeshua.
was also the ultimate spiritual Jew, the ultimate
spiritual Israelite. There is a definite distinction, The Nature of Being
of course, between being a physical Jew versus Gr afted In
a physical Gentile, but the only distinction of a
spiritual Jew (Israelite) is the condition of the Gentiles cannot take Jewish heritage away from
heart. Those who trust Yehoveh, whether Jew the Jews nor can we appropriate it for ourselves.
or Gentile, are spiritual Jews (spiritual Israel); Nothing mystical happens to our bodies to make
those who don’t trust God aren’t. us physically Jewish when we come to believe
in the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua. But long before
Another Way to Look at It there was an Israel, God’s principles and laws
and commands existed. By definition these laws
The kingdom of God is the people who have and principles and commands were spiritual in
given themselves, willingly, to the Lord. It is nature. They existed only in heaven, and it was
people who acknowledge the God of Abraham, the Lord Himself who brought these spiritual
Isaac, and Jacob as the one and only true God. laws and commands and principles from heaven
But, more, it is those who acknowledge this to earth and gave them to Israel, making these
laws and commands physical. By giving these
spiritual laws and commands to Israel, they
took on a physical nature. They became behav-
ioral do’s and don’ts. In other words, before any
physical creature was given God’s laws, the laws
were already in existence as divine ideals. Now,
as they have been given to a physical people at
Genesis 48
Likewise, Yeshua, who is the Word, existed physical (national) Israel. In other words, they
from eternity past as a purely spiritual entity had to put a physical sign into their physical
until He was born a human baby from Mary’s flesh, and this physical sign was circumcision.
womb. The divine Word donned a physical Let’s put a little more meat on these bones:
form when He entered the world to save it.
The whole point of being an Israelite—a But the present condition of Isra’el does not mean
Jew, in Paul’s terms—was to be a physical crea- that the Word of God has failed. For not everyone from
ture who received these laws and commands Isra’el is truly part of Isra’el; indeed, not all the descen-
from God and who embodied and trusted them dants are seed of Avraham; rather, “What is to be called
as spiritual ideals of God. These were spiritual your ‘seed’ will be in Yitz’chak.” In other words, it is
ideals that became physical and tangible laws, not the physical children who are children of God, but
commands, and principles. Therefore, God sees the children the promise refers to who are considered seed.
any person who embodies these ideals as the For this is what the promise said: “At the time set, I will
truest form of an Israelite. Again, not in a physi- come; and Sarah will have a son.” (Rom. 9:6–9)
cal way but in a spiritual sense. Just as the physical
symbol of being an Israelite was circumcision, so Every Israelite is not necessarily a part of
the spiritual symbol of being a spiritual Israelite true spiritual Israel. Likewise, not every Gentile
is circumcision of the heart—trust in Yeshua. will be part of the kingdom of God. Paul has
explained that the true nature of Israel is in the
God Welcomes the Gentiles spiritual context, not the physical. The children
that the promise referred to are the true chil-
Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles dren, those who trust God in their hearts.
by birth—called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely Let’s wrap up this part of the lesson with a
because of an operation on their flesh, are called the quick study of Galatians 3:
Circumcised—at that time had no Messiah. You were
estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were for- For in union with the Messiah, you are all chil-
eigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You dren of God through this trusting faithfulness; because
were in this world without hope and without God. But as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have
now, you who were once far off have been brought near clothed yourselves with the Messiah, in whom there is nei-
through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood. (Eph. ther Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither
2:11–13) male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua,
you are all one. Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you
This is pretty explicit. Gentiles by birth are seed of Avraham and heirs according to the promise.
( physical Gentiles) are foreigners to the family (verses 26–29)
of God; the family of God is defined as Israel.
But, now, these outsiders are brought near If you belong to Yeshua, Jew or Gentile, then
and declared to be citizens of Israel, members you are of the seed of whom? Abraham! We are
of the family of God, by the work of Christ. heirs according to what promise? The promise
Once again, they are not physical Israel or part God gave to Abraham. Where is that promise
of national Israel per se, but rather the spiritual to Abraham contained? Within the covenant
ideal of Israel. God made with Abraham, the first Hebrew. Is
Genesis 48
The irony in all this is that today Gentile Abraham the forefather of the Israelites, or is he
believers generally deny that we become citizens the forefather of the Gentiles? Of course, he’s
of spiritual Israel when we are saved, but back in the forefather of the Israelites. All of our hope,
Paul’s day Jews were trying to require that when as Gentiles, is wrapped up in becoming spiri-
Gentiles were saved they had to become part of tual Israelites, which we can become by trusting
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 291
Christ so that we might become partakers in the Joseph was to get two full portions of “Israel”
promises or covenants made between God and itself. How did that occur? Jacob adopted two
them. And, it’s the Israelite Messiah Yeshua who of Joseph’s own sons, making them entitled to a
leads us to that and makes it possible by His full share of all the wealth, authority, and heritage
sacrifice on the cross. But, that’s not all there is equal with their new brothers, the other twelve
to it. Christ was but a part of God’s plan. Most tribes of Israel. Each of the sons of Israel, from
certainly the most important part, but He was Reuben down to Benjamin, were entitled to an
not the entire plan. inheritance of one-twelfth of all that Israel pos-
sessed. But when Joseph’s two sons were adopted
The Shares of Jacob’s and considered to be Jacob’s sons, each of them
Inheritance also received a share. Joseph’s family got the
double-portion blessing in that they received
Let’s return now to Genesis 48, where we learn two shares of Israel—one each for Ephraim and
another part of the redemption plan. Manasseh—but the other sons got one share.
One of the effects of this adoption and bless-
ing by Jacob was that the firstborn blessing was Missing Tribes
finally assigned . . . and it was to Joseph. It may
not seem so at first glance, but this was the case. You may wonder, with the additions of
One of the inherent attributes of the firstborn Ephraim and Manasseh making it a total of
blessing was that the one who received it got a fourteen sons, why Jacob divided his inheri-
double portion; in fact, another name for the tance into twelfths and not fourteenths. There
firstborn blessing was the “double-portion bless- are a number of reasons for this.
Genesis 48
ing.” The two terms traditionally mean the same First, Joseph did not receive a twelfth, in
thing. That is, the son who received the first- addition to each of his sons receiving shares.
born blessing got double (or more) of the clan’s By giving Joseph’s two sons each a portion of
wealth—twice as much as anyone else received. Israel, the effect was the same as giving Joseph
Joseph’s double portion was manifested in that two-twelfths, the double portion. So Joseph
292 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Isr ael’s Claim on God’s set foot on the land of Canaan would be the
Promised Land time they took the land as their own. At that
moment in history, Canaan became the prop-
Jacob (called Israel) blessed Ephraim and erty of the Israelites in God’s eyes and is to
Manasseh, with an especially important blessing remain so forever.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 293
ments. God declared that land to belong to blessing and Moses dividing up of the land of
His people, Israel, and that is that. In fact, the Canaan in Numbers 34, almost five centuries
Genesis 15 warning to all mankind127 applies to elapsed. The gist of what we read in Numbers
two matters: the land of Israel and the people of 34:13–28 is this: two of the tribes of Israel and
Israel. Not one or the other, but both. Do you part of another tribe (the Bible says half of that
294 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Israelite tribes. The reason for this is that God tribe of priests unto Him. Even though the
was effectively removing Levi from Israel to Levites came from Israel, they were divinely
make them a special group of people whose sole moved into a unique category.
job was to be in service to Yehoveh for the sake Upon the removal of the tribe of Levi, Israel
of Israel. Just so you get the picture: the tribe of went back to twelve tribes, with the names of
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 295
The Houses of Isr ael these nations, and with these men—the United
Nations, the United States, the European
In order to understand it further, we need to Union, the Palestinians, various terrorists—
add another important piece of information: because Israelis believe that these are the ones
even though there were twelve tribes of Israel, to be feared, the ones whom Israel must pay
plus the set-apart priest tribe of Levi, Israel attention to, and therefore the ones to whom
would eventually be divided into two distinct they must sue for peace. But they are wrong;
groups that the Scriptures call houses. Each of that is what God is instructing Isaiah to tell the
the twelve tribes would eventually belong to Israelites, and to tell us.
one or the other of the two houses of Israel. Isaiah is told not to believe as Israel believes,
The Bible speaks often of the “two houses of nor to fear as Israel fears; nor is he to fear whom
Israel” and of the “whole house of Israel.” Well, Israel fears, nor to react as they react. Rather, it
the two houses, when combined, made up the is God with whom Israel should sue for peace.
whole house of Israel. It’s important for us to It is God who has the might to defeat their ene-
not only see the difference between the two mies. Once Israel realizes this and gives up their
houses versus the whole house, but also which stiff-necked ways of self-dependence, secular
tribes belong to which house. humanism, traditional religion and apostasy and
they turn back to God, then God shall become
A Proper Christian Stance on their sanctuary and settle this long-running dis-
the Isr ael-Palestine Debate pute once and for all.
As Christians we have an obligation to
follow and believe the truth of God, and we need
Assignment: Read Isaiah 8:11–16.
to realize that the Roadmap to Peace, the Oslo
Accords, various UN resolutions, treaties, and
agreements between Israel and the Palestinians,
and all the other plans and conspiracies of men
Here we see in Isaiah 8:14 the mention of that will come and go are not what will decide
“both,” obviously referring to two, houses of the future of Israel. These are not the avenues
Israel. While that is the point most germane to that we, the church, should seek, embrace, or
our topic, I picked this passage because it also accept as the way to peace. For us to debate the
points out something that is happening today Palestinian/Israeli problem over issues of rights
Genesis 48
if day and night no longer exist, if all the stars is going to change that. Even if there is nothing
and planets and galaxies no longer exist, if their left but a handful of Hebrews, the remnant of
fixed movements in the heavens and the physics Israel, He will keep His promise to them.
of the universe that control those movements Let’s put even more meat on these bones.
no longer exist, then I would reject my people.”
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 297
been gobbled up by Ephraim. Together these How did this split occur? After King
ten tribes form one huge supertribe, which the Solomon died (about 925 BC), the nation of
Bible calls the house of Ephraim. Again, why Israel divided in a horrible civil war. As a result
is this ten-tribe entity called Ephraim? Because of the split, although the people of both king-
the powerful tribe of Ephraim came to rule over doms still thought of themselves as Israelites,
298 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
only one kingdom continued calling itself only two kinds of people on earth—Hebrews
Israel, and that was the kingdom that came to and Gentiles—we see that this clearly refers to
be known as Ephraim. The Kingdom of Judah, Ephraim mixing with Gentiles. Around 725
not long after that civil war, stopped call- BC, Assyria (also identified at times in the Bible
ing itself Israel and called itself simply Judah. as Ashur) conquered the Northern Kingdom
Think of it in these terms: during the American of Ephraim-Israel and scattered the Israelites
Civil War people on both sides of the battle of the ten tribes who lived there like chaff in
still called themselves Americans, but one side a strong wind. This didn’t happen overnight. It
called their home the Union, and the other, took about ten years of military battles between
the Confederacy. The same principle applied in Assyria and Ephraim, and each time Ephraim
Israel, but not for long. lost more land and more people to the Assyrian
Soon, the Northern Kingdom domi- Empire. The Ephraim-Israelites were eventu-
nated by Ephraim stopped calling itself Israel ally spread all over the 120 conquered nations
and instead began to call itself Ephraim. The that made up the vast Assyrian Empire. We
patriarch Jacob was called Israel, and the Bible even see Egypt mentioned prominently in
switches back and forth between those two Hosea because Assyria also conquered Egypt
names; likewise, when the Bible speaks of the for a time, so many of the Ephraim-Israelites
house of Ephraim and the house of Israel, it is were exiled southward to Egypt.
speaking of the same place. This applies only Surely not every last individual Ephraim-
after the death of Solomon and after the civil Israelite family was deported from their land.
war, which split the nation into two kingdoms. There would have been a handful left behind.
So when we get into that time period we have to But not more than perhaps 5 percent of its total
watch the context of the prophets’ writings very population remained. All the others were scat-
carefully because they switch back and forth tered, assimilated, and for the most part, inter-
from calling the Northern Kingdom Ephraim married with the scores of different Gentile
and Israel. When they refer to the kingdom of races and cultures that made up the Assyrian
Ephraim or Israel they are not including the Empire, until the vast majority of Ephraim-
kingdom of Judah, which was seen as a sepa- Israelites just became part of the Gentile world.
rate entity. In fact, the kingdom of Judah is dealt This assimilation was not forced upon the
with quite separately by God. Ephraim-Israelites; they sought after it. They
wanted it. They wanted to take on the ways of
the Gentiles. They wanted to be free from the
Ephr aim Assimilated by strict restrictions and requirements of the Torah
Gentiles and the Law of Moses. So God accommodated
them. Within a few generations, most of the
Ephraim-Israelites had no idea that, at one time,
Assignment: Read Hosea 7:8–9. their ancestors were Hebrews.
It’s important to recognize that not every
Israelite who was deported became assimilated.
It is now becoming evident today that groups
We’re told something very important in Hosea 8: from each of those ten tribes of Ephraim-Israel
Genesis 48
foreigners will swallow up Ephraim-Israel. These managed to stay together (maintaining their
ten tribes are among the goyim, the Gentile tribal affiliation and loyalty), and they retained a
nations, and will be assimilated by the Gentiles. distant memory of their Hebrew history.128 But,
Hosea 7:8 says, “Efrayim mixes himself for the sake of clarity, it is fair to say that, for
with the peoples.” Knowing that there were the most part, the members of the various tribes
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 299
forming the kingdom of Ephraim-Israel simply their numbers were so small and their influence
became part of the Gentile world, and no one nonexistent. It’s also important that we under-
knows who or where these people are except stand that not long after Judah was hauled off
God Himself. Almost certainly, many of us are to Babylon, when Persian and then Greek influ-
walking around with Hebrew blood from one ence began to spread after Babylon lost its grip
or more of the ten lost tribes of Ephraim- Israel. on the Middle East, the people of Judah would
But, physically, we have no way of knowing it. start to be called Jews. Jews, as we know them
today, are only people from the former nation of
The Fate of the Southern Judah, but after their experience with Babylon,
Kingdom they considered themselves to be the complete
remnant of all Israel, because to their view, the
While Ephraim was attacked by Assyria, Judah tribes forming Ephraim-Israel were long gone.
made a treaty with Assyria instead, and they paid
tribute to Assyria in exchange for remaining a Ephr aim Would Be a Group of
separate nation. But a little after 600 BC, some 130 Nations
years after the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim-
Israel ceased to exist, Babylon became the new Armed with the knowledge that much of
world power. Their leader, Nebuchadnezzar, Ephraim had been scattered and assimilated
attacked and conquered Judah. into the Gentiles, but Judah had remained a
Unlike what Assyria did to Ephraim-Israel, separate and identifiable Hebrew culture and
the Babylonians did not scatter the inhabitants race, let’s return to Genesis 48:17–19 again.
of Judah. They deported a large group of Jews The end of verse 19 says that Ephraim is going
up to Babylon, but they were not assimilated or to become “many nations.” Some Bibles say “a
separated. They were generally allowed to stay multitude of nations”; still others say “a group of
together as a group and—this is key—maintain nations.” So let’s look at the original Hebrew.
a separate culture. Not only were the people of By the time Moses led the Israelites out of
Judah allowed to stay separate, most wanted to Egypt, the world had been starkly divided by
stay separate, which was a significant difference God into two groups: Israelites and everybody
between them and Ephraim-Israel. Ephraim- else. The “everybody else” is what the Bible
Israel was turned over to the Gentiles because calls Gentiles. Gentile is the English translation
they wanted to be like the Gentiles, so God of the Hebrew word goy. To this day, God views
granted it. Judah did not desire to be like their the physical world in two groups: Israelites and
Gentile neighbors, so God allowed them to Gentiles. The common terminology we use is
remain separate. In addition to the hundreds of Jews and Gentiles.129 Where our Bible says “group
thousands of Jews taken away to Babylon, thou- of nations,” the original Hebrew is melo ha goyim.
sands more were left in Judah as caretakers of Those words, in their most literal sense, mean
the land (these were primarily peasants),simply “a fullness of Gentile nations.” So Ephraim
because they were of so little value to the was going to become the fullness of the Gentile
Babylonians; it wasn’t worth the trouble to nations. Of course, the question is, What exactly
deport them to Babylon. does that mean?
By the time the Babylonians invaded Judah, it
Genesis 48
consisted primarily of the two tribes of Benjamin The Purpose of Ephr aim’s
and Judah. Most certainly we should include the Assimilation
Levites as well. In addition, tiny groups of other
Israelite tribes also lived in Judah, but the pres- Though the clouds are lifting, the window is
ence of these tribes was insignificant because still somewhat fogged. We can see that Ephraim
300 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
was identified with the Gentile peoples of the The key verses for this discussion are
world. But we also know that large populations Ezekiel 37:15–19. Judah and Ephraim, after
of the various ten tribes that formed Ephraim being brought to life again, are brought back to
have been rediscovered. They are saying, “We the reestablished land of Israel, and are being
are Israel, but we are not Jews.” They are cor- rejoined into one unified people. This is an end-
rect. They are from the Kingdom of Ephraim, times prophecy. This has never happened. It can
not from the Kingdom of Judah. happen only after Israel was reborn as a nation,
Some believe that the purpose of Ephraim which occurred in 1948.
being absorbed into the Gentile world is so that, We know who Judah is; it’s the Jews. But,
through the miraculous ways of God, every Gentile what of Ephraim? How can Ephraim rejoin
believer in Christ has literal, physical, genealogical Judah if Ephraim is the ten lost and scat-
ties to Ephraim. Some will say that they can even tered tribes, almost all of whom have become
tell you which tribe of Israel they descended from. Gentiles and have no idea who they are?
There is a group called the Brit-Am Association, What is inescapable is that there is going
which takes it a step further by asserting that to be a joining of the Jewish people with those
Britain and America are two of the ten lost tribes who find out they are Ephraim. We know from
of Israel. Others say that Ephraim is purely sym- Jacob’s prophecy concerning Ephraim, and
bolic of Gentile believers. Still others say that from all the other prophecies we’ve studied,
spiritually, but not physically, Gentile believers are that at least part of Ephraim is most definitely
Ephraim—spiritual Ephraim. connected to the Gentiles. But we also know
Nonetheless, the bottom line is that with certainty that the identifiable Israelite
Ephraim was prophesied by Jacob to “become tribes that formed Ephraim, twenty-seven hun-
a fullness of the Gentiles”; that is, Ephraim was dred years ago, are alive and well. In fact, they
going to be a special and important blessing to have stepped forward, asserted their Israelite
non-Hebrews. Twelve hundred years after the heritage, and petitioned the State of Israel for
prophetic cross-handed blessing by Jacob upon immigration. Even more, in March 2005 the
Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh, Ephraim government of Israel and the religious hierar-
was indeed scattered and large segments of the chy of Israel agreed that these Ephraimite tribes
population absorbed by Gentiles. At least part have been found and that indeed they are Israel;
of the prophecy is clear, and it has happened. a law was passed allowing these Ephraimites to
Other parts of the prophecy, such as those parts return home and be reunited with their Israelite
of Ephraim that were exiled but maintained brothers, the Jews.
tribal affiliation as well as a memory of their Meanwhile, Gentiles are awakening and
Hebrew roots, are also starting to play a dif- finding a growing love and concern for Israel in
ferent prophetic role. And it is happening right our hearts. This is happening all over the world;
before our eyes. it is by no means an American movement. We
don’t know where this love came from, but we
Ephr aim and Judah Reunite know in our spirits that we do have some sort
of connection with the Jewish people. Without
Now, to understand the context, the book of a doubt, that connection has its source in
Ezekiel was written by a man, Ezekiel, while Ephraim. I think it is a spiritually based con-
Genesis 48
he was living in Babylon. He was among the nection, but indeed some physical element may
exiles of Judah—that is, he was a Jew who had also be involved. Time will tell.
been hauled off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
Ephraim-Israel had ceased to exist for more
than a century before this time.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 301
Why are the Levites no longer being apart and physical level, we have the two houses of
but included again as a tribe of Israel? Because Israel—Ephraim and Judah—coming back
there is no more need for a special priestly tribe to together to form one nation of God as they
officiate temple services. The only men who will were at their inception almost three thousand
survive the Tribulation in one form or another years ago.
are believers. All men will be as priests in service. On a spiritual level, the reunion of Ezekiel
All redemption will be complete. It will be fin- 37 is ultimately about the Gentile believers in
ished. There will be no more need for the Levites Christ, possibly represented in some way by
to be set apart as ransom for Israel’s firstborn. Ephraim, who are going to come together with
The Levites’ unique role will be completed, and the Jewish believers in Christ, represented by
so they will be returned to their heritage, Israel. Judah. Together, these are spiritual Israel, or
the true Israel that Paul speaks of. This is begin-
Who Ephr aim Represents ning to happen, right now, as Gentile believers
are reaching out in love to the Jewish people as
There is a possibility that Ephraim in some never before in history. The number of Jewish
way represents the Gentile portion of the people coming to faith in Yeshua is growing at
church, probably on a spiritual level more than a breakneck rate; there is a bond of love grow-
on a physical level. However, a physical connec- ing being Gentile and Jew, especially between
tion is certainly possible. As with all prophecy, Messianic Jew and Gentile Christian. How it
one only gets the full picture after it has come would happen, in what order it would happen,
to pass. When one is in the midst of its fulfill- where it would happen, and who would be
ment, as we are today in regards to the reuniting involved has all been prophesied.
of Ephraim and Judah, not all is clear. There
is much about all this that is mysterious, so
we need to be careful not to be rigid and dog- Assignment: Read Psalm 102:1–19.
matic in our beliefs about the path to the final
outcome.
The Reality of Duality in In verse 14131 the psalmist says “your ser-
Ephr aim vants” will love Israel’s very stones. It doesn’t say
just God’s chosen people, but His servants. All
When Ezekiel says that the two sticks, Ephraim those who love Him, Jew or Gentile, are His ser-
and Judah, will come back together, I believe vants. Jews and Gentiles will simply fall in love
that we may be hearing of a reunion on two with Israel. Verse 18 says, “May this be put on
levels: spiritually and physically. We should record for a future generation; may a people yet
think of it in terms of the Reality of Duality, the to be created praise Adonai.” This is for a people
mysterious way God operates in which every who hadn’t yet been created but will praise God.
part of His plan has a spiritual and physical ele- All of Israel had certainly already been created,
ment working in parallel. lived in Egypt, left Egypt, and at the time of this
On a physical level, I see the reunion spoken psalm, were living in their own sovereign nation
of in Ezekiel 37 as the return of the “lost” tribes with one king over all twelve tribes: David. This
Genesis 48
of Ephraim to Israel, joining their brothers from mention of a mysterious “people not yet created”
the tribe of Judah (the Jews) who came a few refers to nothing less than the body of Gentile
years before them to establish the State of Israel. believers—the church—who will become part of
We don’t have to guess about this; it is happen- the spiritual or true Israel. We will all love Israel
ing and we are witnesses to it. On an earthly and praise God, according to this prophecy.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 303
Why Is This God’s Plan? at God’s kindness and his severity: on the one hand, sever-
ity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God’s
Let’s look at Romans 11 in light of what we’ve kindness toward you—provided you maintain yourself in
learned. Why is it that God gave His Torah to that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! Moreover,
twelve tribes of Israel, then gave us our Savior the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will
through the house of Judah, the Jewish part of be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in.
Israel, only to have the torch of the gospel passed For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive
from the Jews to the Gentiles, and finally for the tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive
Jews and the Gentiles to be at odds with each tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted
other for centuries? This question is explicitly back into their own olive tree! For, brothers, I want you to
addressed and answered in Romans 11:11–26: understand this truth which God formerly concealed but
has now revealed, so that you won’t imagine you know
“In that case, I say, isn’t it that they have stumbled more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree,
with the result that they have permanently fallen away?” has come upon Isra’el, until the Gentile world enters in its
Heaven forbid! Quite the contrary, it is by means of their fullness; and that it is in this way that all Isra’el will be
stumbling that the deliverance has come to the Gentiles, in saved. As the Tanakh says, “Out of Tziyon will come the
order to provoke them to jealousy. Moreover, if their stum- Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Ya‘akov.”
bling is bringing riches to the world—that is, if Isra’el’s
being placed temporarily in a condition less favored than God’s plan was to give His covenants to
that of the Gentiles is bringing riches to the latter—how Israel; covenants that would lead to a restora-
much greater riches will Isra’el in its fullness bring them! tion of the relationship between mankind and
However, to those of you who are Gentiles I say this: since I God. In due time, the Gentile world was to be
myself am an emissary sent to the Gentiles, I make known joined to Israel’s covenants—old and new. When
the importance of my work in the hope that somehow I may Israel, for the most part, rejected the new cove-
provoke some of my own people to jealousy and save some nant, which is manifest in the sacrificial blood of
of them! For if their casting Yeshua aside means reconcili- Christ, Gentile believers were grafted into Israel
ation for the world, what will their accepting him mean? with the twin purposes of partaking of Israel’s
It will be life from the dead! Now if the hallah offered covenants and of carrying forth the gospel to the
as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root whole Gentile world. But at the appointed time,
is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches the Jews would wake up and see that the Gentiles
were broken off, and you—a wild olive—were grafted in have what had always been intended for Israel;
among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root they become jealous and want what the Gentile
of the olive tree, then don’t boast as if you were better than believers have. And then, Paul said, the Jews will
the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you learn the gospel from the Gentiles, who originally
are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. So learned the gospel from the Jews, and in this way
you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might all Israel will be saved. Both houses. Who is all
be grafted in.” True, but so what? They were broken off Israel, spiritually? Believers—Gentile and Jew;
because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place Ephraim, the house of Israel that became part
only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on the of the Gentile world, and Judah, who remained
contrary, be terrified! For if God did not spare the natural Jewish. Both houses. Saved. We are seeing this
branches, he certainly won’t spare you! So take a good look happen with our own eyes.
Genesis 48
304 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 49
This week we are going to look at another, they would necessarily do; they were prophecies
separate set of blessings made by Jacob. Recall about what each of these tribes would become.
that we are speaking of a time when the twelve Jacob would pronounce what each tribe’s char-
tribes of Israel were in Egypt; Joseph was the acteristics and attributes would be over the
vizier of Egypt, and Israel were honored guests long haul. He did not address specific behavior
of Pharaoh. The events of Genesis 48 and 49 at a given moment in time, though we can see
probably occurred around 1700 to 1750 BC. moments when a certain tribe eerily reflected
In Genesis 49, we are going to look at the the blessing Jacob gave it. We need to keep in
destinies, as described in the form of blessings, mind that it was more than thirty-five hundred
which were prophetically called out for each years ago that Jacob made these pronounce-
of the twelve tribes of Israel. We have come a ments concerning the traits of the descendants
long way, haven’t we? In earlier parts of Genesis of the sons gathered around his deathbed, and
we saw Israel created when God gave Jacob a these traits would apply to the history of each
name transplant (to Israel), and now we will see tribe from beginning to end.
prophecies concerning the future of the indi- Remember: from here on, when the Bible
vidual tribes of Israel called out hundreds of speaks of one of the twelve Israelite tribes—
years before their fulfillment. Much of what we such as Rueben, Judah, or Ephraim—it’s not
will learn about them is already fulfilled proph- speaking about the destiny of any particular
ecy. What we can take from this is the absolute man. These men, these twelve sons of Jacob,
inerrancy and the literal nature of Bible proph- were long dead before the individual tribes that
ecy. That is important to us in our time, because went by their names grew large enough to form
there are still many prophecies about the tribes identifiable characteristics. The Bible is address-
of Israel that are in the process of being ful- ing the thousands and millions of descendants
filled, and there are others that soon will be. of each of these men who stayed together in
True enough, some of these prophecies are a family groups called tribes. This was the typical
little obscure and their meaning cloudy, but the social structure then, and it might surprise you
veil is starting to lift. I think that if you pay close to know that the largest part of the world popu-
attention to what we’ll study about these tribes, lation today is still tribal. Tribalism is far from
the book of Revelation in particular will have being a thing of the past; it is alive and well.
new meaning to you. Recall that in the previ- How tribes operate has everything to do with
ous lesson, for instance, we discovered that the the intractable troubles we face in the Middle
makeup of the twelve tribes of Israel looks dif- East, as well as the horrible genocides in mod-
ferent in Revelation 7 than it does in the Torah; ern-day Africa.
Ephraim and Dan are removed, and Joseph and
Genesis 49
Like a modern-day family sitting around a table The Hebrew words acharit-hayamim, in their
while an executor reads the will of the departed most literal sense, mean “in the end of the days.”
one who had held all the family’s wealth and Some rabbis and scholars say that this speaks
power, there was an air of anticipation among of the time when Israel’s days in Egypt will
the twelve brothers receiving Jacob’s blessing in be over and Moses will lead them out. Others
Genesis 49. The sons of Jacob were anxiously say this is speaking of the latter days and end
waiting to hear what their particular blessing times of the world. There have been very rea-
might be, and like the family at the reading of sonable arguments for both sides. Jacob’s sons
the will, some were going to be pleasantly sur- were probably not thinking in terms of thou-
prised at their portion, while others would be sands of years into the future, but as with every
drained with disappointment. Still others would pronouncement in the Bible that is of God, we
walk away content, however modest their lot. must remain aware that there is simultaneously
Later, after it had time to sink in, hard feel- a physical and a spiritual manifestation to these
ings would result as some of those sons of Jacob blessings. Certainly, Jacob’s sons could only see
who received the lesser blessings burned with the physical, material side and thus were think-
envy against those who received the greater. Of ing of the near-term prospects. But we can, with
course, those who received the greatest bless- hindsight, also see the spiritual side and see that
ings looked down smugly upon those who never various prophetic statements can play out over
deserved as much as they had rightfully received, many generations and manifest themselves in
anyway. Time doesn’t necessarily solve these unexpected ways.
hurts and rejections; sometimes it can actually About one thousand years after this bless-
magnify the animosity. Such would be the case ing, ten of the twelve tribes—all but Judah and
as we follow the history of Israel from this point Benjamin (and the tribe of special category, the
forward. Some of the tribes of Israel have had Levites)—vanished; therefore one would think
long-term hatred against other tribes of Israel, that indeed the meaning of Jacob’s words, “the
and at times they actually warred against one end of days,” spoke of a time before they van-
another. ished—a time that represented the state of each
tribe in the years that would lead up to their
The Timeline for the Blessing exodus from Egypt. This is opposed to the belief
that Jacob’s words refer to the end times of the
The twelve sons of the last patriarch, Jacob, world. Yet, we are made aware that Ephraim,
called Israel, gathered around their father, who who represents those lost tribes, is supposed
had just enough strength left in his aged body to mysteriously reappear in some form in the
to perform his final duty on earth. They listened end times. This leaves open the possibility that
intently as the all-important blessings began indeed Jacob did mean the end times of the world
predictably with Reuben, the firstborn, and and not simply the end of Israel’s time in Egypt.
progressed in approximate but not exact accor- In reality, acharit-hayamim could mean either
dance with the order of their birth. interpretation. Time will tell. Likely, it has some
elements of both past and future, for we see
The Acharit-Hayamim many biblical prophecies repeat themselves.
Bible prophecy tends to create patterns as much
Genesis 49
Jacob begins his blessing by saying something as it foretells future events. For the present, I
that is unclear to scholars even to this day: he says, prefer to leave this as an unknown rather than
“I will tell you what will happen to you in the acha- dogmatically say it means one thing over the
rit-hayamim.” Some versions say “in the latter days,” other. Perhaps over the next few months and
“in the days to come,” and “in the last days.” years, God will make this clear to us.
306 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
The Blessing of the Sons he had slept with Jacob’s concubine, Bilhah.
That’s straightforward enough. But what also
happened was, in essence, the honors and bless-
Reuben ings that traditionally went to the firstborn were
split between two sons: Joseph and Judah. As
Re’uven, you are my firstborn, my strength, the firstfruits we saw in Genesis 48, the firstborn rights actu-
of my manhood. Though superior in vigor and power you ally got split between Ephraim, Joseph’s son,
are unstable as water, so your superiority will end, because and Judah. So the Chronicler tells us that the
you climbed into your father’s bed and defiled it—he earthly reason behind Jacob’s cross-handed
climbed onto my concubine’s couch! (Gen. 49:3–4) blessing upon Joseph’s sons was to disinherit
Reuben because of what Reuben had done. Of
We are not told the reaction of any of the course, God had other reasons to allow this sce-
sons, but it should not be hard to imagine the nario to unfold.
crushing blow this dealt to Reuben; at this
instant, humiliated in front of his brothers, he Tr aditional Firstborn Blessings
was disowned from his position as the natural
firstborn of Israel. He should have suspected There are two major components that make
this was coming, particularly since his younger up the traditional firstborn blessing: first, the
brother Judah had been relied on more and more double portion, which meant that the firstborn
by Jacob for leadership over the few years prior. was to receive two shares (or more) of the tribe’s
Reuben knew the wrongs he had committed wealth instead of one. Second, the firstborn
against his father, but hit with the unalterable was given the right of authority to lead, to rule
finality of it all, a brutally depressed Reuben had over the whole tribe. If all had gone as normal,
to be the result. Reuben would not only have been the leader of
Jacob told Reuben, You are “unstable as the tribe of Reuben, he would have become the
water . . . your superiority shall end . . . because leader over all of Israel—he would have ruled
you climbed into your father’s bed and defiled in place of his father, Jacob, over the full twelve
it.” In other words, you do not have the neces- tribes. Additionally, he would have received a
sary attributes to lead Israel, so you shall not double portion, twice as much of the tribe’s
receive the firstborn blessing. wealth as any of his brothers received.
This “bed defiling” incident is recalled for Reuben got none of this. Instead, Joseph
us in Chronicles. We need to consider very care- received the double portion (by means of
fully what it says, for it is key to our understand- his sons Ephraim and Manasseh) and Judah
ing of the blessings that Jacob will give his sons, received the right to rule and lead.
and more: This is strange action that Jacob took, splitting
the firstborn blessing. The writer of Chronicles
The sons of Re’uven the firstborn of Isra’el—he was explains a very important element in this: gene-
the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his alogically speaking, Judah’s family was the one
birthright was given to the sons of Yosef the son of Isra’el, who would carry forth authority. In matters of
though not in such a way as for him to be regarded in the Israel where genealogy was the deciding factor,
genealog y as the firstborn. For Y’hudah became greater such as who would be the first legitimate king of
Genesis 49
than his brothers, inasmuch as the ruler came from him; Israel (David) and who would be the king forever
nevertheless, the birthright went to Yosef. (1 Chron. 5:1–2) (Jesus), it would be Judah’s bloodlines that would
be used, not Joseph’s and not Reuben’s. Yet, in
This verse tells us a couple of things: first, a strange way, Joseph also received the firstborn
the reason Jacob passed over Reuben was that blessing. Let me show you how that happened.
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 307
they killed men, and at their whim they maimed cattle. however, the census of Numbers 26 shows their
Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce; their fury, population had shrunk by over 50 percent to
for it has been cruel. I will divide them in Ya’akov and 22,200. For the sake of clarity, the census would
scatter them in Isra’el. (Gen. 49:5–7) have counted only men in the prime or middle
portions of their lives. This is often expressed
This is another harsh verdict, with two more in the Hebrew idiom as “men capable of bear-
undoubtedly stunned inheritors. Jacob saw his ing arms.” So this is probably something on
second- and third-born sons in the same light, the order of men ages twenty to fifty years old.
with similar personal attributes and characteris- Males who were younger and older than this or
tics; therefore, they apparently—and I empha- disabled were not counted. Neither were females
size the word apparently—shared a common of any age or status.
destiny. They were brothers in violence, and so Further, when Moses handed out the tribes’
they would be brothers in their transgressions. land inheritances, Simeon was given territory
Unlike Reuben, who committed his primary within Judah’s territory. Technically, they were
offense in secret, Simeon and Levi committed given certain cities within Judah’s territory.
their greatest offense for everyone to see and Simeon’s territory was like the round bull’s-eye
were proud and unrepentant for what they had in the center of a target: they were completely
done, to boot!132 surrounded by the tribe of Judah. Worse yet, the
The primary thrust of this blessing was that area they occupied within Judah was primarily
neither Simeon nor Levi would partake in the the Negev, an arid desert.
Promised Land in the same proportion as their Simeon was probably the first tribe to be
brothers; this was a result of their bloodlust and completely absorbed by other tribes, with some
cruelty as demonstrated upon the citizens of of them joining Judah and others joining what
Shechem. They would, instead, be divided and would eventually come to be known as the ten
scattered. And that was exactly what happened. northern tribes of Ephraim. There was even
mention in 1 Chronicles of some members of
How the Blessing Worked Out for the tribe of Simeon leaving the Holy Land alto-
Simeon gether and joining with Edom.133 Jacob said they
would be scattered; how true this proved to be.
Let’s look first at Simeon, who would
become the smallest tribe by the time of the How the Blessing Worked Out
census of Numbers 26. Like Reuben, the tribe for Levi
of Simeon struggled simply to stay in existence
and to maintain a separate tribal identity. In a Levi suffered a similar fate, though not
census reported in the early part of the book destructive, in its land and territory inheri-
of Numbers, Simeon is said to have had a pop- tance. Levi, as Simeon, was not given its
ulation of 59,300. Within a mere forty years, own territory, but it was given cities—forty-
eight cities—within the tribal boundaries of
every tribe. Levi was divided and separated
A Hint for Understanding to become God’s priests; in Hebrew, God’s
This Blessing cohanim. It was the Levites who would offici-
Genesis 49
Verse 7 says, “I will divide them in Jacob So, the eldest three sons have been dispos-
and scatter them in Israel.” Often we will see sessed and their blessings look more like curses
in Scripture two phrases or sentences back-to- to them. Next, we come to the fourth in line,
back that appear to simply be a repetition, as Judah.
we do here in verse 7: “I will divide; I will scat-
ter.” Usually this is just a standard Hebrew lit- Judah
erary device called a doublet or a couplet. At other
times, though, there is a subtle and important Y’hudah, your brothers will acknowledge you, your
message being introduced and it is not the same hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s
thing being said in two different ways. Both sons will bow down before you. Y’hudah is a lion’s cub;
division and separation happened, but each in my son, you stand over the prey. He crouches down and
its own way. Levi was divided, separated, and stretches like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to provoke
elected away from the other tribes to become him? The scepter will not pass from Y’hudah, nor the
priests to God, but Simeon was utterly scat- ruler’s staff from between his legs, until he comes to whom
tered into all the other tribes of Israel. Levi [obedience] belongs; and it is he whom the peoples will
maintained their identity; Simeon eventually obey. Tying his donkey to the vine, or: until Shiloh comes
lost theirs. his donkey’s colt to the choice grapevine, he washes his
From the time of Jacob until now, the clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes
Levites have been seen as separate from the rest will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.
of Israel. Jews do not regard Levites as Jews; (Gen. 49:8–12)
they are separate and distinct. Even if the rest
of the world, through ignorance, doesn’t make The first thing we notice is that Jacob had
this distinction, God does. Considering where a lot more to say to Judah than to Judah’s older
we are in prophetic times, it might be wise for brothers. Many excellent commentaries tell us
us to understand and acknowledge it as well. that Judah receives the firstborn blessing here.
The time is near when the Levites are going to That’s only partially true. As I mentioned ear-
once again play a prominent role in Judaism and lier, what Judah actually received was only part
in temple activities. of the blessing that goes to the firstborn. Since
there are two primary elements to the firstborn
blessing: (1) receiving double the amount of
tribal wealth as any other inheritor, and (2) the
Repetition in the Prophets official assumption of leadership and authority
over the tribe, we see that what Judah inher-
In the Prophets it seems to be unarguable that there
ited was only the second part: tribal author-
is much repetition, but in fact, this is because of the
near impossibility to accurately and appropriately ity and leadership. Back in Genesis 48, Joseph
translate Hebrew word structure into English. The was given the other part of the firstborn bless-
Bible was originally created in a structure meant to ing, the double portion, when Joseph’s two
be learned through the spoken word and through sons were made equal with all of Jacob’s sons.
hearing. Latin, French, and German translations, Therefore, Joseph received two-twelfths of all
as well as English, were written in a style meant
that was Israel’s through his two sons.
to be absorbed by reading. To those who are not
literary professionals, the difference between cre- Judah was the lion, an ancient symbol of
Genesis 49
ating a speech designed to be absorbed by the ears regal status. Judah was the new leader of Israel.
versus a manuscript designed to be absorbed by And true to his name, Judah, which means
the eyes might not seem apparent. However, the “praise,” would have the praise of his brothers
differences are substantial. and eventually the whole world, because out of
him would come God’s anointed kings of Israel
310 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
and the Messiah. The royal line of David was us the correct word siloh). There is no evidence
from Judah, and the right to rule Israel will that this was the case, and even if it seems to
remain with the tribe of Judah until, finally, afford us a nice answer to what Shiloh is, we
Shiloh comes. should not accept a conclusion that does not
trust Scripture to be what it is without modify-
Who Is Shiloh? ing it to help achieve an answer that suits us.
The last and most appropriate explanation
Verse 10 is a controversial verse in this chap- is that Shiloh is another name for the Messiah.
ter. Some Bibles use the words “to whom obedi- In other words, Shiloh is a proper noun; in this
ence belongs” in place of the word Shiloh. The case, a name. What’s ironic is that the previous
word Shiloh appears in the oldest manuscripts we explanation is modern Christianity’s attempt to
have, and in the Septuagint, which was a Greek prove that this refers to the Messiah, but the
translation of the OT created 250 years before Christian scholars responsible for this assertion
Christ. Shiloh, by all evidence, is part of the orig- regarded the original Hebrew word Shiloh as
inal text. Later in the OT, we will see that there having no literal meaning that they could dis-
is a town in Canaan called Shiloh, and it’s there cover . . . so, they made one up.
that the tabernacle of the wilderness will rest for Yet, beginning with the most ancient
many years. Interestingly, Shiloh will be in the Hebrew commentary in existence (called
territory of Ephraim. It was the first holy city of Bereshit Rabba), the majority of Hebrew sages
the Holy Land. While we all think of Jerusalem and scholars from times long past agree that
in that regard, Shiloh was actually first; later the Shiloh is purely messianic in nature. It speaks
honor of being the holiest city was transferred of the Messiah, Shiloh. In the end, if Christians
to Jerusalem. But even then Shiloh remained a had not maintained such an animosity toward
holy city in Israel for centuries to come, second the Jews for the last nineteen hundred years,
only to Jerusalem. they could have had very early sources for their
Some scholars believe that this city is what belief that Shiloh referred to the coming Yeshua
was being referred to in this verse, though of of Nazareth. Instead, they chose to twist the
course it was not yet in existence at the time of meaning around, to our shame, although they
Jacob’s blessing. But if we render the meaning eventually wound up with the same result
of Shiloh in Jacob’s blessing to be the name of a anyway!
future city, the verse doesn’t make a lot of sense. Right here in Genesis 49, it is prophesied
For most certainly the scepter, the authority to that the Messiah will come from the Hebrews,
rule, did not depart from Judah when the city of the nation of Israel, the tribe of Judah, the family
Shiloh was founded, nor did Judah’s leadership of David. With the benefit of the hindsight we
decline as prophesied here. Thus, we ought not now have, knowing who the Messiah is, it is cor-
take this to mean a specific city. rect to read Genesis 49:10 as fulfilled prophecy:
The next popular explanation is that Shiloh “The scepter shall not pass from Judah, nor
is a word that has the meaning “to whom obedi- the ruler’s staff from between his legs, until it
ence belongs,” and that is what we find in most is handed over to Jesus Christ.” That rulership
Bible versions. While this most certainly has the has, indeed, been passed to Jesus.
implication of referring to a Messiah, we must Religious Jews have a big problem today.
Genesis 49
assume that one of the letters in the word Shiloh They continue to assert, correctly, that the
was handed down to us incorrectly in order to Messiah or at least one of the Messiahs—many
achieve this meaning. We must assume that the Jews believe there will be two—is to be from the
Hebrew was misspelled (the Hebrew letter ’ש tribe of Judah, from the Jewish royal family of
“sheen” should have been a ‘“ שseen,” giving David. But, of course, they do not acknowledge
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 311
that Yeshua, who revealed Himself about AD 30, Just as Zebulun’s blessing is short and
is that Messiah. When that expected day arrives sweet, so is the tribe’s biblical history. Very
and a “mashiach” reveals himself as such, how little is said about them. No person of signifi-
will the Jews be able to prove that it is actu- cance is mentioned as coming from the tribe of
ally Him in the manner by which they prefer to Zevulun. However, in the “Song of Deborah
prove such things—genealogy? In AD 70 the and Barak,” Zevulun is mentioned as being one
house of records in Jerusalem and every docu- of several tribes that committed many men to
ment that proved the lineage of every Jewish fighting against the king of Hazor in the Valley
family was destroyed. Coupled with the nearly of Jezreel, which was in Zevulun’s territory.
nineteen-hundred-year exile and dispersal they Though precious little is said in the Bible about
suffered through after that, before returning to Zevulun, what is said could be characterized as
a reborn Israel in 1948, there is absolutely no way positive and complimentary.
for anyone alive today claiming to be Jewish to
prove genealogically that they are from the line of Issachar
David. Jesus was able to prove it, and His geneal-
ogy has never been, even up to this day, disputed Yissakhar is a strong donkey lying down in the
by the Jews. Even ultraorthodox Jews today read- sheep sheds. On seeing how good is settled life and how
ily admit that Yeshua of Nazareth existed, that pleasant the country, he will bend his back to the burden,
He was of the tribe of Judah, that He was of the and submit to forced labor. (Gen. 49:14–15)
line of David. Yet, due to the blindness that has
overcome so many Israelites, they cannot see the Even less is known about Issachar than
reality of Jesus’s being the Messiah or the fact that his brother Zevulun. In fact, so little is known
proving a future messiah as coming from the line about Issachar that the ancient Israelite schol-
of David by means of genealogy is hopeless. ars went out of their way to invent good things
to say about his descendants. Primarily, it is
Zebulun asserted that while the ancestors of Zevulun
toiled away as merchants, they were working to
Z’vulun will live at the seashore, with ships anchor- support the tribe of Issachar, who were great
ing along his coast and his border at Tzidon. (Gen. Torah scholars. This is easy to debunk as a self-
49:13) serving fable because after Babylon, when the
vast amount of rabbinical writings and rulings
Zebulun’s destiny was to be in commer- and commentary was created, the tradition was
cial ventures: he’d be a merchant and a trader. born that Torah study was the highest calling
Even more, his ancestors would have much to for any Jewish male. Conversely, being a mer-
do with shipping and other maritime industry. chant, being absorbed in the worldly dealings
Hundreds of years into the future, we find that of trade and money, was considered to be the
Zebulun’s territorial allotment will put them as lowest. The notion that the merchant tribe of
a land bridge between the Sea of Galilee and the Israelites would be the supporters of the tribe
Mediterranean. They never possessed territory all of learned Torah scholars was quite an ideal,
the way to the seashore, but they had shipping and it fit in very well with the social agenda of
and trade interests on both seas. Directly through the Jewish post-Babylon time when these leg-
Genesis 49
their territory ran one of the greatest trading ends and traditions concerning Issachar and
routes of their era or any other: Via Maris, the Zevulun were created.
Way of the Sea. It began in Damascus and wound Issachar’s being called an “ass” or a
its way all the way to Egypt. It was an enormous “donkey” sounds pretty demeaning to us, but it
economic boon for the tribe of Zebulun. was not so to the people in Jacob’s day. This was
312 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
more meaningful. But it really isn’t clear enough and certainly the blessing Jacob gave to Ashur
for me to say for sure that is what is happening and his descendants was one of well-being, if
here, and I don’t want to allegorize to make it not downright good fortune.
appear so. Therefore, we’ll just have to wonder. Ashur’s portion of land was some of the
most fertile in the Holy Lands. Stretching
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 315
coming of Christ in the entire Bible. Naphtali Beyond even that, Joseph had such a sustain-
was greatly blessed, even if no other thing of ing faith that he refused all bitterness because
importance could be said about this tribe. he knew, without doubt, that it was all part of
God’s divine plan for his life, even if it seemed
to make absolutely no sense and was so painful.
316 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Last, we come to Benjamin. And, a total It might surprise you that the holiest city in
of one verse is dedicated to the blessing of all of the land was in this territory; Jerusalem
Benjamin. If we really need any more proof was originally in the territory of Benjamin, and
that it is the Holy Spirit guiding these blessings, not Judah as many assume. Many other impor-
then Benjamin’s should be all that we require. tant Israelite cities were also within the bound-
Because Jacob’s second-favorite, and youngest, aries of Benjamin: Mizpah, Ramah, Gibeon,
son was given a blessing that was anything but Bethel, and even Jericho.
flattering, even though we have been shown
in Scripture that Jacob carefully protected and How the Blessing Worked Out for
fawned over Benjamin. Benjamin was charac- Benjamin
terized as a predator—a wolf—viscous and
merciless. This would prove to be true. One excellent example of Benjamin’s charac-
Benjamin had a rather schizophrenic future. teristics is found in the book of Judges, at a par-
Though it would have contact with, and even ticularly bad time for Israel, when the Bible says
play a part in, the royalty of Israel, Benjamin the holy land was a place where “a man simply did
was also ferocious and stiff-necked. Much of the whatever he thought was right” (17:6). Benjamin
outcome of the descendants of Benjamin had to was at the center of a terribly chaotic series of wars
do with their between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place between the tribes of Israel. In the city of Gibeah
territorial tribal allotment: they became a buffer an incident occurred that was eerily akin to when
state between Ephraim and Judah. Additionally, Lot was in Sodom and the townspeople wanted
both the major north-south and east-west trade to have homosexual sex with the two angels who
route highways passed through the narrow strip had come to bring God’s judgment upon Sodom.
of land that was the territory of Benjamin. A man from the tribe of Ephraim was temporar-
Sometimes we get incorrect mental pic- ily staying in Gibeah when he took in a traveler
tures of these multithousand-man ancient as a guest in his home. The Benjamite men in
armies scampering over hilltops like mice, Gibeah demanded that the traveler be given to
blazing new trails as they went. Not true. As them so they could ravage him. The elderly man
any military man can tell you, wars are fought from Ephraim offered them his daughter and
around, over, and by means of the major high- his concubine instead. They took his concubine
ways of a nation, because the well-established and nearly killed her. After they returned her, the
roadways are where the armies had to travel. man considered his concubine so defiled as to be
The roadways were strategically placed near worthless to him. So he allowed her to die on his
water and usually over friendly terrain. Even doorstep, cut her corpse into twelve pieces, and
back in the days of Abraham wagons and carts sent those pieces along with a message to each
were in use, so there needed to be a flat and tribe of Israel. The other tribes were so outraged
wide trail to accommodate the rather frag- that they gathered together and sent an army
ile wheel and axle mechanisms of those early against Benjamin to punish it. We can see how
wooden vehicles. terrible and unholy the condition of the tribes of
Those trade routes that crossed through Israel was in the time of the judges, when they
Benjamin likely produced a valuable source would view the mutilation of a man’s own concu-
of income for Benjamin when Benjaminites bine (even though she was deceased) as not only
Genesis 49
attacked and plundered merchant caravans. a justifiable act, but as something to be blamed
Remember that one tribe pillaging another and upon Benjamin, who had ruined her all in “good
taking what they needed to increase their own fun.”
wealth and serve their own needs was and is the When the battle began, Benjamin devas-
very essence of the tribal system. tated the Israelite tribal coalition army for the
318 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
lives, under real and everyday circumstances, in Israel, we do find ancestor worship, respect
that they were. It is important that we under- for the dead, and an understanding that there
stand the terms, phrases, and idioms for what is something beyond the grave, even if it is not
they really meant, based entirely on the era in fully evident.
which they were spoken. They are neither uni- Jacob wanted to be buried with his fathers,
versal nor timeless. This era had its own beliefs because if he wasn’t he wouldn’t be able to be with
and traditions about death and its aftermath. them after his death. After all, here Jacob was
Israel was no different. Jacob believed what in Egypt and his ancestors were up in Canaan.
all the other Middle Eastern societies believed How could his after-death essence commune
in—ancestor worship. In no way did this seem with his relatives’ after-death essences if they
to be in conflict with having trust in Yehoveh or were interred hundreds of miles apart? That was
His teachings. In fact, to this point in the Bible, what he feared.
there has been no mention of an immortal soul Moses is usually credited with having
living on in heaven or any such concept beyond written down the book of Genesis, but who-
the haziest general statement. In Egypt and a ever wrote the last words of Genesis 49, that
few of the other Middle Eastern cultures, elabo- Jacob “breathed his last and was gathered to
rate belief systems and complex rituals concern- his people,” also believed in ancestor worship
ing the dead had been developed. We don’t find because it states matter-of-factly that indeed
that among the Israelites, but neither do we find Jacob was gathered to his people.
it among the bulk of the ancient cultures. Yet,
Genesis 49
320 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Genesis 50
What a heartrending scene we have here, in The brothers complied with their father’s wish,
which Joseph broke down upon his father’s and the entire clan, except for the smallest chil-
death, and cried and kissed the empty shell that dren, led by Joseph and accompanied by royal
was Jacob. Then Joseph ordered his father’s charioteers and an armed guard, proceeded in
body to be embalmed. This is not now, nor ever, a funeral procession fit for a king for two hun-
going to be usual or normal Israelite custom; dred or so miles from Goshen to the cave at
however, it did happen from time to time. Makhpelah in Canaan.
As is well known, the Egyptians had per- All of Egypt was apparently ordered to go
fected the art of embalming the dead. The into a period of mourning over Jacob. This was
reason for embalming was wrapped up in a very great honor, indeed, usually accorded
Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife. Physical only to royalty.
preservation was key to the survival of death by
the immortal soul, according to the long-estab- Trouble in Egypt
lished Egyptian cult of Osiris, the god of the
underworld. Just as we were given a subtle message that
However, that is not the reason why Jacob Jacob’s embalming had nothing to do with
was embalmed. Jacob’s body had to be taken on Egyptian religious practices, we’re also given a
a long and hot journey to Canaan to be buried hint that things were not calm and peaceful in
with his forefathers, and if they did not embalm Egypt at the moment. In verse 5, Joseph went to
him, well, I don’t think I need to paint a vivid Pharaoh to ask permission to journey to Canaan
picture for you. Part of the reason we know to bury his father. This would have been seen as
Jacob’s embalming had nothing to do with the a normal and respectful thing for Joseph to do.
Egyptian death cult is given to us in a subtle Joseph said, “I beg you, let me go up and bury
message: Joseph called the physicians to per- my father; I will return.” Obviously the pharaoh
form the embalming. Physicians were not nor- was anxious about Joseph leading this proces-
mally embalmers in Egypt; usually the priests sion of all his primary adult family members
of Osiris performed this intricate and secretive back to what was ostensibly their homeland;
task. Embalming was a religious practice, not a Pharaoh was concerned that Joseph might not
Genesis 50
on their journey and also to ensure that Joseph symbolically, other times literally. In this case,
would return to Egypt. Remember: the current it means that Joseph was still the leader of his
pharaoh of Egypt was not an Egyptian; he was clan and those children fell under his familial
a Semite. Also, the seven-year famine was over. authority.
Joseph was not needed as the overseer of the Fifty-four years after his father died, Joseph
nation’s food supply any longer, but Joseph was expired at the age of 110 years. Despite the
still Pharaoh’s right-hand man and a valued ally, fact that Joseph had been so well treated and
of the same genetic stock as Pharaoh. highly thought of in Egypt, he made it clear
that Egypt was still a foreign land to him. He
Forgiveness for the Brothers made his family promise that when that day
came that Israel would finally leave Egypt for
This chapter not only ends the saga of Jacob’s the Promised Land, they would take his bones
life but ends the saga of Joseph’s as well. It was with them. Joseph was embalmed per Egyptian
necessary for the writer to tidy up matters with custom, and his body was placed in a coffin to
Joseph’s brothers. await the day that he, too, could join his ances-
After the burial ceremony in Canaan, every- tors in the land that God had promised to the
one returned to Egypt. But on the way back, the Hebrews.
brothers realized there was a chance their pow-
erful brother still held a grudge against them for Did Joseph’s Brothers Hear
their offenses in the past now that their father Him?
was no longer a hedge of protection against
revenge. Obviously, they still didn’t understand Several scholars have noted that it is mostly
the condition of Joseph’s heart. impossible that Joseph’s actual brothers heard
They confronted Joseph with their worries, him say, “I am dying. But God will surely
but he gently and mercifully assured them that remember you and bring you up out of this
he not only had no intentions of doing anything land to the land which he swore to Avraham,
but caring for them, but in fact he believed that Yitz’chak and Ya’akov” (Gen. 50:24). Joseph
they were instruments in the hand of God, as was the second youngest of the twelve, and
was he. If only God would make us all like he died as a very old man. It is unimaginable
Joseph, fully understanding that no offense can that his older brothers all survived him. When
be committed by another against us unless God we look at the Hebrew for “brother,” ach, we
allows it to happen. How often I have looked see it’s a word that can mean anything from
back upon the trials and sins of my own life and an actual sibling to a fellow countryman. Most
realized that the blessed place God led me to often, it was term directed at a close male family
could not have happened any other way than member. Almost certainly some of those who
the way it did. If I could feel that same way were present for Joseph’s command to take his
about the unresolved things, the things that still bones back to Canaan were children, grandchil-
hurt, the things I still can’t make any sense of, dren, and nephews.
that only God knows why they were necessary.
Joseph’s remaining days were blessed; he Numbers in the Bible
lived to see his sons grow and mature, to see his
Genesis 50
grandchildren born and mature, and to see his Numbers used in the Bible have great signifi-
great-grandchildren born. When the Bible says cance. Often they are not literal but symbolic,
that a child was born on someone’s knees, as it particularly when we see round numbers as we
does here, it simply means that those children do with Joseph’s death at the age of 110. This
were considered that person’s own: sometimes is likely a symbolic number. That said, many
322 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
round numbers were likely simultaneously lit- of Duality—the things we see and experience
eral and symbolic. Joseph did die at a very are both physical and spiritual in nature. Within
old age; the fact that he lived to see his great- this reality, God has two governing principles
grandchildren indicates this. But in Egypt the we’ve learned. First, that of sanctification—the
traditional number of a full life span was 110 process of dividing, electing, and separating His
years. For Hebrews, the traditional number was chosen plan. And second, that of His divine
120 years. In other words, if a person attained providence, leading the way and directing our
that many years or more, then they had lived a paths even when we don’t realize it. He has
long life, one that was blessed by the gods. Of chosen to reveal these patterns to us through the
course, few people actually did. people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, although
certainly these patterns existed long before even
In Conclusion these men. The patterns will continue through-
out the rest of the Old Testament, into the New
This wraps up our study of the book of Genesis. Testament, and right on to our time as well. Pay
It is the book of foundations, and you’re now attention to the patterns, for in them you will
familiar with many of the key foundations of see the character of God.
our faith. This world exists within the Reality
Genesis 50
Genesis: The Book of Foundations 323
Notes
1. Throughout this book the spellings for the from the seventh day (Saturday) to the
name of God will alternate between first day of the week (Sunday).
YHWH, Yahweh, Yehoveh, and Jeho-
vah. This is because all that exists in the 16. See “breathed into his nostrils” in Genesis
Hebrew texts are the letters Y-H-W-H, 2:7.
and Yahweh and Jehovah are our best
guesses on how to pronounce it. 17. Jonathan Wells, Icons of Evolution: Science or
Myth? (Washington, DC: Regnery, 2000).
2. Elohim is also used occasionally when speak-
ing of false gods, but as we learned in the 18. See Luke 9:18 and Isaiah 14:12.
introduction, context is everything when
19. Genesis 3:3
dealing with Hebrew language and cul-
ture. 20. In Hebrew the word for earth, soil, is adam-ah.
3. All Bible verses will be quoted from the 21. I’m not here to convince you of any par-
Complete Jewish Bible, unless otherwise ticular answer, because I believe some
noted. things are simply mysteries beyond the
human intellect’s ability to ponder them.
4. 2 Peter 3:8.
I have problems with the very simplistic
5. Since one full rotation of the earth equals one answers we seem to accept so easily from
day, if it takes longer to make that one our pastors, rabbis, and priests, answers
rotation, then the day is longer. to complex or vague statements we find
in the Bible. Man has a tendency to “fill in
6. Genesis 1:3. the blanks” when something in the Bible
isn’t made readily apparent, and such a
7. Genesis 1:16. response can be dangerous.
or Noah.
25. See John 3.
15. In some cases, they have changed Shabbat
324 Genesis: The Book of Foundations
26. The Hebrew name for Eve. 41. Remember that God made humankind in
His image, and He clearly has a will.
27. Zechariah 12:2 (KJ21).
42. For more on the term malach, skip ahead to
28. Here we have two places in the Bible, early chapter 17 under “An Angel of the Lord.”
on, in which God speaks of Himself as
“us.” 43. This description continues through verse 19.
29. Nod translates to “wandering,” and it incor- 44. This truth was explained in chapter 6.
porates the sense of “unrest” or “restless-
ness” in its meaning. 45. Of course, we will ultimately fail in this attempt.
30. I believe this will happen in the very near 46. Don’t get the wrong idea: of course the only
future. way to a relationship with God is through
unmerited grace, a free gift of God, given
31. We know this because Shet was still repro- by means of Jesus.
ducing at age 130, but when we get to the
story of Sarah we discover that it would 47. Michael Fronczak, “Genesis: Chapter 7,”
have been considered absurd for a woman http://www.biblestudyresourcecenter.
in her nineties to give birth. In modern com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/
times, most women have children in their Genesis_Chap_07.196155508.pdf.
teens, twenties, and/or thirties.
48. Genesis 4:4.
32. Pronounced “nee-fee-leem.”
49. The number seven is the most-often-used
33. Deuteronomy 14:2. number in the Bible.
34. Benei Elohim translates to “Sons of God.” 50. An interesting note: Yeshua fasted in a place
However, that is a title or an epithet, not called Ofra, which is now a West Bank
a literal statement of fact or origin. Orthodox Jewish settlement that Torah
Class financially supports.
35. See Joshua 11.
51. Author’s translation.
36. Genesis 1:31.
52. Quite remarkably, it is well known by olive
37. Although these scientists acknowledge an growers that they never have to fear
element of design in the universe, they do flooding that would drown and destroy
not necessarily acknowledge the existence normal trees because an olive branch will
of a Creator or God. actually bear leaves while still submersed
under the water.
38. When our spirits leave our bodies, our lives
cease. 53. However, when a specific number is empha-
sized, this gives us all the more reason to
39. Note that darkness was the original/natural pay attention to that.
state on earth.
Notes
55. This is the first mention of wine in the Bible. 68. This location is unknown.
56. This is my own theory, not that of the 69. This is similar to the church’s tendency to
ancient sages. suggest any human attribute of God is
actually a manifestation of Jesus. It is an
57. The Bible shows us that in reality all of unconvincing stance on the issue.
Ham’s line was cursed, not just Canaan.
70. Numbers 23:19.
58. Arabs are of the line of Shem, not Ham.
71. Do not attach the concept of tithing as we
59. Remember: we are told Nimrod was the think of it in the church today to this act.
ruler of Bavel in Genesis 10:10. This tenth that was given was standard
payment due to a king for the spoils of
60. See Genesis 9:7. war. This is a one-time payment, not an
ongoing obligation.
61. Avram means “exalted father.” Several years
later in Avram’s life, God would change 72. Psalm 110:4.
his name to Avraham (Abraham), which
means “father of many.” 73. Matthew 4:9, author’s paraphrase.
62. This principle is reflected repeatedly 74. Remember, the Hebrew word for covenant,
throughout the Bible, and never more b’rit, means “cutting” or “dividing.”
dramatically than in Christ’s own words:
“Large crowds were traveling along with 75. Genesis 15:12.
Yeshua. Turning, he said to them, ‘If
anyone comes to me and does not hate 76. Some translations label Hagar as Avram’s
his father, his mother, his wife, his chil- wife, which does not make sense.
dren, his brothers and his sisters, yes, and
his own life besides, he cannot be my 77. Even so, we will see another of God’s divi-
talmid’” (Luke 14:25–26). sions take place in Genesis 17.
63. Many translators even have a built-in preju- 78. My speculation, however, is that this being
dice against the ancient Hebrews, so they was a manifestation of God Himself.
work with a negative view or an outright
79. We will see as time goes on that this covenant
incorrect understanding of the words
of circumcision followed only one line of
they are translating.
Abraham’s descendants. It didn’t mean
64. We see both conditional and permanent that all of his children were eligible. And
covenants in the Bible. just who was it who would be included
in “the line of promise”? Hebrews, who
65. The West Bank is the disputed area on the bor- would eventually lead to the Israelites.
der of Palestine and Israel. Both entities are
fighting for exclusive control of the region. 80. Islam is not a race of people; it is the religion
the Arabs adopted some six centuries
66. Ezekiel 37:11. after Christ’s death and resurrection. The
Notes
81. A better translation would be “I am blessing idea where it might come from based on
him.” our studies so far? After a battle had been
fought, the plunder recovered was to be
82. In the Complete Jewish Bible it says, “Ado- given to the king.
nai appeared to Abraham.”
95. This is a tradition that many people around
83. Exodus 33:20. the world continue today.
84. There are other spirit beings mentioned in 96. Were there concubines other than just
the Bible as well, but we won’t study them Keturah and Hagar? Possibly. But at this
at this point. point it is unclear.
85. John 14:9. 97. I want to make it clear that there are many
Arab believers in Messiah, so-called
86. Long ago, Gentiles started using the word Christian Arabs.
Jehovah instead of Yehoveh.
98. Proverbs 24:17.
87. Note: the discussion isn’t about the varia-
tions of YHWH that are acceptable (or of 99. The OT was completed in 400 BC. The NT
Yeshua). We know with certainty that the was completed in AD 100. Muhammad
Hebrew letters for God’s name are yud- was born in AD 575.
heh-vah-heh (YHWH). There is no valid
disagreement over that. 100. The curse on the line of Ham simply meant
that there would be elements of their
88. Throughout our studies you will see some existence that God would justifiably use
of these names spelled differently. This is in a negative way to bring about His over-
because the Hebrew offers us a large vari- all plan of redemption. To say that the
ety of options, and you should be familiar line of Ham is cursed does not mean that
with them all. God hates them, has abandoned them, or
counts them as lesser humans than oth-
89. Genesis 19:28. ers. Rather, something happened in their
early history that the Lord judged as ter-
90. If you’re saved, you’re righteous before God. rible enough that in some way or another,
future generations would bear the brunt.
91. Which they have done.
101. As in most cases in the OT, the word Lord
92. You’ll remember that malach Elohim meant “a
here is actually YHWH, God’s personal
messenger of God,” or “an angel.”
name.
93. We’ll not get into exactly where Yahshua
102. Vadi or wadi means “river.”
was executed, but according to well-
documented Jewish law at that time, and 103. Patriarch here simply means the male leader
some very strong hints that Paul gives, it of the family, not exclusively Abraham,
is not likely that either traditional location Isaac, and Jacob.
of the Crucifixion is correct.
Notes
106. A more correct translation would be Beit-el, 120. This happens in the United States as well
which means “the house of God, El.” as in the world at large.
107. This is found nowhere else in the Bible. 121. These customs remain intact even today in
many cultures.
108. In all likelihood, Rachel was around seven-
teen or eighteen when she married Jacob, 122. Note that Judah has returned to his clan
so she was almost a child. by this time. We’re not told when or why,
but later in the chapter we see that he is
109. Spiritual divination is a practice of psychics unequivocally with the tribe of Jacob, liv-
and mediums. ing among his brothers again.
110. Numbers 22. 123. And also remember that Simeon (the sec-
ond in line for the inheritance) was in
111. Some translations place Genesis 32:1–3 at prison in Egypt; they didn’t know his sta-
the end of Genesis 32. tus at this point.
112. Because some translations vary, please note 124. At least a portion of all sacrificial offerings
that this book uses the CJB as the pri- are laid on this altar.
mary source, and the CJB is what is being
referred to for verse references unless 125. These blessings and instructions will occur
otherwise noted. in the next three chapters of Genesis.
113. At this point he was called Israel, but his 126. This occurs in Exodus when Moses meets
cunning was more characteristic of his with God on Mount Sinai.
years as Jacob.
127. Whoever curses Abraham’s Hebrew
114. Toward the end of this chapter, we’re going descendants will themselves be cursed,
to see another statement that very much and whoever blesses them will be blessed.
points to the fact that Jacob and the Isra-
elites still followed traditions and cus- 128. There is an excellent documentary film
toms that they held dear, yet were quite called The Quest for the Lost Tribes, which
in error. clearly identifies all but a couple of the
ten Ephraimite tribes in various places in
115. Jacob’s father, Isaac, produced Hebrews Asia.
(Jacob) and non-Hebrews (Esau). Isaac’s
father, Abraham, also produced both 129. For the purpose of this conversation, Jew,
Hebrews (Isaac) and non-Hebrews (Ish- Hebrew, and Israelite are all the same
mael and several others). thing. But technically, and for those who
want to better understand the Scriptures,
116. Genesis 48. these three terms all mean something
different, and I hope you’re beginning to
117. Sadly, this is the theology of many confused grasp that difference.
denominations.
130. I do not subscribe to that belief, but I also
Notes
118. Jacob’s first four sons were all born to Leah. don’t think it’s entirely impossible. We
just don’t know.
119. Tamar means “palm tree.”
328 Genesis: The Book of Foundations