Toldos

Parsha Toldos

Genisis 25:19 – 28:10

Please Pray this Prayer

Before reading

In the name of Yahushua

Our Messiyah,

I pray for the Spirit of Understanding

The Spirit pf Knowledge and

The Spirit of Wisdom

As I read through this Parasha

          Each of the Patriarchs maintained a Yeshivah(Torah study) in which they taught about their existence of EL YAHVEH Hwhy and His Will for their lives. The stories of every biblical Character are design to show how spiritual greatness or follies were establish in the various live of humanity. 

Today we should be no different; the father of the house is in essence the Patriarch of the family, on his head lays the responsibility to speak or teach to his children, what his father and fathers before him should have done.

          This Parsha provides a clue to the ways in which Isaac’s role diverged from that of his father Abraham. Abraham accepted everyone into his sphere of influence, while Isaac did not.  Like every individual we all have different personality traits, or from a spiritual point of view different talents. These talents determine which road we travel to maturity, and how we travel that road individually.

          Torah devotes less space to Isaac’s life than that of his father Abraham.  Abraham was more of an outgoing personality that his son Isaac, that is why Torah says that Isaac dwell in Tents, he was a mama’s boy. But this story is to show that even if there are differences in personality, the ultimate spiritual goal is still full maturity.

          The life of Isaac seems to be but a bridge between Abraham and Jacob; even though his talents was less than his father and his son, he was still required like all of us, to draw a line between good and evil, right and wrong.

          In contrast to his father Abraham whose primary fruit of the Spirit was strength in kindness (chessed), Isaac’s was kindness in strength (gevurah). In every individual because of his personality, we have a tendency towards certain trait, actions, and weakness. It is our strength that our Fathers want us to place in His Hands, and our weaknesses He wants us to develop.

We will learn from this Parshah, how ABBA YAHVEH used the circumstances in our lives to maximize our strength and developed our weaknesses. The life of Isaac even though, it was different from his father, he walk faithfully in the character he was predisposed to, or what he was required to walk in.

In the Hebrew scheme of life, kindness and strength must go together; either one without the other can be dangerous. Kindness if not tempered by strength can lead to self-denial, abstinence, frugality; strength without kindness can lead to selfishness and cruelty.

Genesis 25:¹⁹ This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. ²⁰Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. - Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel a wicked woman, she was an offspring of the wicked people in Aram; however, Rebecca did not emulate their evil ways. The principle we are been taught here is that, even if we are surrounded on every side by wickedness, our Heavenly Father will send a Eliezer, a redeemer to take us out from among a wicked nation, to prepare us to be the bride of the Master’s Only Son.  We will see in this verse the same principle playing it-self out over and over again.

This narrative says that Isaac took a wife at forty. We know that Messiyah Yahushua died on the cross at 33 years old, we know that one year is like a thousand year. Will Messiyah Yahushua return for His bride at age 40 also? Just thinking!

Genesis 25:²¹ Now Isaac pleaded with YAHVEH for his wife, because she was barren; and YAHVEH granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. - Isaac prayed abundantly for Rebecca and she simultaneously prayed on her own behalf. Even though we are promise a blessing, it is incumbent for us to pray it in existence. That is why our Messiyah and Savor is making intercession for us the church even as we speak. He is promise a bride by His Father. He sits at the Right Hand of His Father while the bride makes herself ready for Him.

Genesis 25:²² But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of YAHVEH. - As Jacob and Esau represent two spiritual forces in her body; these two forces represent the spirit and the flesh, these forces that transcend the normal course of personality development, exist in all of us even from birth. This is what I call, our Characteristic traits. Like all good mother Rebecca (the church) went to inquire of YAHVEH, outside of her husband. Shouldn’t she have gone to Isaac and said honey, I have a problem, let us go seek ABBA YAHVEH guidance together.

Here we see another aspect of women, their willingness to circumvent their husband. Yes, EL YAHVEH will speak to them. EL YAHVEH gave her an answer; however, He did not give her a solution. What if Isaac a type of Messiyah for Rebecca, had been included in the visit to EL YAHVEH, would they be given a solution to the problem?

Genesis 25:²³ And YAHVEH said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.” - EL YAHVEH conveys the significant of her frightening symptoms only to her and not to Isaac. EL YAHVEH conveyed to her that there were two unborn child, representing two nations and two conflicting ideologies: Yisrael and Edom, the spirit and the flesh. There struggle in the wound, the world, symbolized the future rivalries between them, which would end with the youngest prevailing over the other.

It is usually those who are younger that has a more open disposition to spiritual development, than the older more unbending believer.

The turmoil within her was deu to the irreconcilable conflict between the two people that was already taking shape. The two will never be mighty together; one will fall and one will rise. This is another principle worth remembering: two believers: one espousing morality and justice and the other standing for license and barbarity. They will always be in conflict until one comes to dominate the other, whether through victory on the battle field or in the contest for the mind of men.

Rebecca like her mother-in-law Sarah were barren, elucidating that the emergence of the Hebrew people is a miracle, for each new generation was a specific gift from EL YAHVEH. Without the infilling of the Holy Spirit Yisrael the church, the woman will be barren spiritually.

The life of Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel demonstrate the motto that EL YAHVEH desires the prayer of the righteous, who pleas for EL YAHVEH mercy and attempts at self-Improvement, show how humanity can raise themselves to Spiritual. 

Genesis 25:²⁴  So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. ²⁵And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. ²⁶Afterward his brother came out and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. - From the onset their eternal rivalry already showed itself in their appearance and developing behavior. This again is our predispose character. Does this means that some of us are predisposed to destruction while other are not.

No! Individuals may not be predisposed, but evil is!  In everything we have a choice; however, Yisrael the church must pay attention and ask for our Messiyah help to curb those among us who are predisposed with certain character trait.

All character traits, even the basest, can be used for good. Man must learn to harness his nature through the infilling of the Holy Spirit and the Word, and not let the nature of the flesh dominate him.

David and Esau had similar personalities, David utilized his nature for good and become one of the greatest people ever lived. Esau let his nature run rampant, and became the eternal symbol of evil and cruelty.

Those of us who are set-a-side for greatness are usually the one with the most dominant personality traits, like the Esau and David of this world. It is those who learn to harness that strength and combine it with kindness are the one who become great.

Genesis 25:²⁷ So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. ²⁸And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. - Until they grew up they were relatively impressionable, still able to mold their personality one way or the next. Proverbs 22: ⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. From the age of thirteen, the essential differences become apparent, with Esau turning to idols, and Jacob studying his Father’s Ways. The Esau type personality spent the time hunting, a man’s man sport, while the Jacob type personality spends all his time in the tent studying Torah.

Genesis 25:²⁹ Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. ³⁰And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. ³¹But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” ³²And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” ³³Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. - EL YAHVEH’s Promise to Abraham, that only one of Isaac’s sons would be the heir to the Promise Land. The logical choice was Esau the first born. This explains Jacob’s intense desire to purchase the deed to the Promise. This narrative seems more understandable in light of the circumstances in which Jacob was scheming. On that day the mindset of Esau became apparent; what was important to him? His belly or EL YAHVEH promise? Every test we experience were design to create two effects, the desire of the flesh or our desire to please EL YAHVEH.

Esau’s mature became public knowledge for the first time; who we are inside shows its face when we are squeeze. This made the promise more precious for Jacob; because the spiritual mission of Abraham’s seed, this includes anyone who believes in Yahushua is an heir to the promise. Esau willingness to compromise his promise for his belly proved that he was unsuitable. Who was on the driver seat of Esau’s life, Torah or the flesh?

Jacob realizes that Esau was a wicked man, he was unqualified and unable to stand and bring the sacrificial offering for his people; therefore Jacob strove mightily to secure the priesthood of the family.

The greatest of all the nations stood in the mourner’s row and lamented, “Woe to the world that has lost its leader; woe to the ship that lost its pilot. Woe to the ship who lost his compass” Esau went about his business as usual, totally uninvolved in the spiritual leadership of his family.

The word Edom means red, the name for contempt. Esau character is a derogatory term which mean “you are so divorce from normal human values, so consumed with your hunting and plundering, that you look at food and refer to it as the source of life.”

In those days all transaction was done by oath, and was consider legally binding, and done in public, therefore showing Esau’s personality. As all carnal people, food is their only source of survival, while in the spiritual world man shall not live by bread alone, but also by the word that come from our Father Mouth. While fasting for the believer is to burn our fat on the Altar, a pleasing sacrifice to our Creator, it is to the carnal man a wasting away of his body.

By fasting the believer brings his physical senses under control, to the carnal man hunger accentuates his carnal senses. This is the root of gluttonous and greed.  A sincere believer must be ready to serve EL YAHVEH and be obedient to Torah even though it may require inconvenience, hardship, or even danger.

He must be ready to subject himself to humiliation and attack if necessary. The Esau mentality will reject the birthright because it is too demanding, it requires difficulty, and therefore, it is held in contempt. 

Chapter 26

          You might have heard me say before when there are difficulties in the environment it usually mean it is time to move on. In a repetition of Abraham’s experience, Isaac was faced with a famine in the land that forces him to leave his home. EL YAHVEH commanded him not to go down to Egypt. Is this not opposite to what his father Abraham did? Abraham was never commanded by EL YAHVEH the first time to go to Egypt as we see here in Genesis 26:2. He was also told to remain until he was told. When we are told to do anything by EL YAHVEH there will be a blessing as verse 3 says. In Babylonia, too, the Hebrew were treated relatively well and even rose to prominence just as Isaac, though imperiled, was not mistreated and was even honored by Abimelek.

Genesis 26:¹There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. ² Then YAHVEH appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. - Verse two says do not go, do not descend to Egypt, for you are an unblemished offering, and it does not befit you to reside outside the land. When Isaac was placed on the Altar of the Akeidah, he became tantamount to an elevation offering, a burnt-offering that is completely devoted to the high land of Yisrael.

Going down to Egypt the lower land physically, is a down grading of the offering of Isaac. Just as a burnt offering was not allow to be remove from the Court Yard, so was Isaac forbidden to leave the Promise Land.

Genesis 26:³“Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. - EL YAHVEH says: Sojourn in the land and He will indicate to us from time to time where to establish residence, but for the time being EL YAHVEH assured Isaac of his blessing and sufficient pastures, despite the famine.

I will perform the oat which He had sworn to Abraham. This is an eternal promise for every seed of Abraham though faith, the right to posses the land; reach full maturity, even if there are famine in the land. This was a test of Isaac’s faith and resolved.

It was EL YAHVEH establishing the same sets of values to Isaac by reiterating the same oat He made to Abraham. To every sequent descendant of Abraham the same test will be given, will we stay in the faith even if there a famine, persecution ECT. To each of us it is the test of our own right or worthiness of the promise.

            

Genesis 26:⁴“And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of Heavens; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; - As believers we have the right to become a star in the Heavens, instead of a star on the Hollywood walk of shame.

 Genesis 26:⁵ “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” - The product of full maturity is alluded to here, to our ability to be loyal in obeying to the Word of EL YAHVEH. This verse alludes to four categories of commandment:

·         My safeguard, barriers against infringement of Torah.

·         My commandments are laws that govern man’s moral senses.

·         My Decrees are law that reasons cannot explain, and which are Royal Decree that EL YAHVEH enacts upon His subjects.

·         My Torah are teaching, Written rules and interpretation transmitted to Moses.

It is my opinion that Abraham and Isaac like others before the Written Word were men who arrived at the knowledge of Torah by Divine Inspiration and observed it voluntary.

Just like an embryo grows from a seed that was planted at conception, so too is the Word of EL YAHVEH, that is implanted in our sensuousness at spiritual conception, which later develop into a great person such as Abraham and Isaac.

Genesis 26:⁶ So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. ⁷And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.” - Notice here again the same test of Abraham, is the same test for his son Isaac. The ability to defend his wife, even at the expense of his own life. If Isaac had truly believed that EL YAHVEH would be with him even in Gerar, why would he be afraid?  Was Isaac like his father prepared to compromise his wife or the promise, for his own protection? Are we predestined to follow some of the same evil tendencies as our parents? Does the sins of the father fall on the third and forth generation? Was his a tendency from Abraham Grand father?

Genesis 26:⁸ Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife. - As time when by and there were not prosecuted, Isaac began to publicly display his feeling for Rebecca, which was observed by Abimelek.

             

Genesis 26:⁹ Then Abimelek called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ” - It is always a sad state when the world corrects the believer about our behavior. The eyes of the world are always on the believer, to see how we will behave. We cannot say one thing and act contrary to what we say. If she is your wife then she is!

Genesis 26:¹⁰ And Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.” - Even some people in the world have some standard that is equivalent to that of Torah. Not all pagans are fornicators. It is for us as believers to say what we believe and believe what we say. By so doing we will be able to be above the standard of the Philistines of the World.

         

Genesis 26:¹¹ So Abimelek charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” - We should not be surprise that when our will please EL YAHVEH, how our very neighbor will help to defend us.

                                                                 

Genesis 26:¹² Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and YAHVEH blessed him. In every area that we as believer place our feet we are guarantee to be successful. - Isaac harvest 100 times more than what he had planted. By know what he planted he also knew how much he would reap; this would certainly help him when it was time to pay his tithes.

Genesis 26:¹³ The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;

Genesis 26:¹⁴ for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. - This verse says that they envied him for his possession. From a spiritual position we will be envied by the Philistine in our live for our spiritual growth or success. In the natural the same principle applies, in every county the Hebrew people have established roots; there have been anti-Semitic actions against the Hebrew people.

The tokens of the Philistines’ ill-will to him. They envied him. It is an instance,

1. Of the vanity of the world that the more men have of it the more they are envied, and exposed to censure and injury. Who can stand before envy? Prov. 27:4. See Eccl. 4:4.

2. Of the corruption of nature; for that is a bad principle indeed which makes men grieve at the good of others, as if it must needs be ill with me because it is well with my neighbor. 

Genesis 26:¹⁵ Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. - By doing so, the Philistines violated Abimelech’s covenant with Abraham. The Philistine spiritually will always try and stop the well of truth. As the evil-one tries to compromise the Torah. Well are symbolized by the spiritual wealth that is hidden beneath the layers of human self-righteousness, and laziness.  Abraham who was the spiritual father of all mankind, tried to show the world how much they could accomplish, if they wanted to! He did so through the symbolism of digging well, which represents a quest for spiritual richness that lay buried beneath the surface. The Philistine reject this teaching, but Isaac persisted by digging more wells.

They had already shown their ill-will to his family, by stopping up the wells which his father had digged. This was spitefully done. Because they had not flocks of their own to water at these wells, they would not leave them for the use of others; so absurd a thing is malice. And it was perfidiously done, contrary to the covenant of friendship they had made with Abraham, ch. 21:31, 32. No bonds will hold ill-nature.

 Genesis 26:¹⁶ And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” ¹⁷Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. - They expelled him out of their country. The king of Gerar began to look upon him with a jealous eye. Isaac’s house was like a court, and his riches and retinue eclipsed Abimelech’s; and therefore he must go further off. They were weary of his neighborhood, because they saw that ABBA YAHVEH blessed him; whereas, for that reason, they should the rather have courted his stay, that they also might be blessed for his sake. Isaac does not insist upon the bargain he had made with them for the lands he held, nor upon his occupying and improving them, nor does he offer to contest with them by force, though he had become very great, but very peaceably departs thence further from the royal city, and perhaps to a part of the country less fruitful.

We should deny ourselves both in our rights and in our conveniences, rather than quarrel: a wise and a good man will rather retire into obscurity, like Isaac here into a valley, than sit high to be the butt of envy and ill-will.

Genesis 26:¹⁸ And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them. – It is never a good idea to go away from the teaching of our fathers, if it is according to Torah. Jeremiah 2:¹³ “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.  - Today Christianity has fulfilled this command to the negative. They have nail the Law to the Cross and invent there own mode of righteousness. We are told that their design cannot hold any water; therefore, they cannot feed anyone with the living water, the Mayin Yahim. This is the problem with Christianity; it cannot lead anyone to maturity.

In verse 18 we learn that Isaac dug again the wells of water which his father Abraham had dug. How is this prevelant to us today. The name the Abraham called the Creator was not God, it was YAHVEH, the Philistines in our mids have destroyed the Well Spring of the Name of ABBA YAHVEH and have polluted the name as they polluted the well that Abraham dug.

The polluted name that we used today is called God, the Isaac type ministry is one that restored the true name of ABBBA YAHVEH. Notice in verse 18 “He called them by the names which his father had called them,” today the restoration of of all things restore the Sacred Name of hwhy.

Genesis 26:¹⁹ Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. – The Sacred Name of hwhy is a well spring of running water; the ministry of Isaac will always try to find the well of running water, for its people to drink from. In John 17 Messiyah says I “¹²While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. ²⁶And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”  The Sacred name of ABBA YAHVEH is the river of living water that flow from the Throne in Genesis 2:¹⁰And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. Notice the four letters of ABBA’S name “hwhy”

        

Genesis 26:²⁰ But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. - The water is ours! Since the well was located in the valley, the Philistines assume that the springs and river that flow from their land was the source of the spring water. In verse 19 testified that the contrary, since it was fresh water, meaning that it had its own underground source and did not depends on the above ground water supply of the Philistines.

Today the Christian claim that God is what they know, it is there name for the Creator, if anyone should ever tell a Christian that God is not the name of the Creator they will argue with you. As the Ministry or herdsman of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s Ministry in the olden days, so today the Ministers of Christanity argue with the ministry of Messiyah Yisrael, calling them legalist. As Isaac called the place Esek, today we are in the spiritual state of Esek.

Genesis 26:²¹ Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah. ²²And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now YAHVEH has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” - Isaac himself preside over the digging of the third well, it was in the merit of his venture that he gained success.

 The experiences of the Patriarchs are also signposts of Hebrew history. The three wells of this passage correspond with the three Temples, the two that was destroyed, and the eternal one yet to be built. The first well, name Esek, or contention, alludes to the first temple which fell victim to the strife of the nations that finally destroyed it. The second well, sitneh, or hindrance, enmity, a harsher name than Esek, alluded to the second Temple period, when the enmity of Yisrael’s enemies was longer lasting and more virulent. The third Well, Rehoboth, or spaciousness, alluded to the future Temple, the era when strife and enmity will be a thing of the past.

Genesis 26:²³ Then he went up from there to Beersheba.- When Isaac had come to Beer-sheba it is probable that it troubled him to think of his unsettled condition, and that he could not be suffered to stay long in a place; and, in the multitude of these thoughts within him, that same night that he came weary and uneasy to Beer-sheba ABBA YAHVEH brought him his comforts to delight his soul. Probably he was apprehensive that the Philistines would not let him rest there: Fear not, says YAHVEH to him, I am with thee, and will bless thee. Those may remove with comfort that are sure of YAH’s presence with them wherever they go.

 Genesis 26:²⁴ And YAHVEH appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the Elohim of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.” - He continued firm to his religion, and kept up his communion with ABBA YAHVEH.

ABBA YAHVEH graciously appeared to him. When the Philistines expelled him, forced him to remove from place to place, and gave him continual molestation, then ABBA YAHVEH visited him, and gave him fresh assurances of his favour.

When men are found false and unkind, we may comfort ourselves that ABBA YAHVEH is faithful and gracious; and HIS time to show HIMSELF so is when we are most disappointed in our expectations from men.

Genesis 26:²⁵ So he built an altar there and called on the name of EL YAHVEH, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well. - After the conflict with the Philistines, Isaac could have become afraid that they would oppose him again. In response, EL YAHVEH appeared to him and promised him protection. EL YAHVEH promise of being with the Patriarchs is an affirmation of His providence in watching over the details of their various spiritual development as well as their physical needs. Isaac built an Altar to thank EL YAHVEH for His kindness and the prophecy of protection.

The building of an Altar sanctifies the land, the place where believers should always be sanctified land.

In verse 3 EL YAHVEH had promised Isaac that he would inherit all part of the Land, but he did not build an Altar.  Now, however, the promise that he would be blessed and fruitful was a confirmation from EL YAHVEH. Sometime in our spiritual development we have to be assured, even though we know that He is EL YAHVEH the One who is more than faithful, we as humans need that extra assurance.

He was not wanting in his returns of duty to Hwhy; for there he built an altar, and called upon the name of Hwhy.

Wherever we go, we must take our religion along with us. Probably Isaac’s altars and his religious worship gave offence to the Philistines, and provoked them to be the more troublesome to him; yet he kept up his duty, whatever ill-will he might be exposed to by it. The comforts and encouragements Hwhy gives us by HIS word should excite and quicken us to every exercise of devotion by which Hwhy may be honored and our intercourse with heaven maintained.

Genesis 26:²⁶ Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army. – We have here the contests that had been between Isaac and the Philistines issuing in a happy peace and reconciliation.

Abimelech pays a friendly visit to Isaac, in token of the respect he had for him. When a man’s ways please ABBA YAHVEH HE makes even his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16:7. King’s hearts are in his hands, and when he pleases he can turn them to favour his people.

Genesis 26:²⁷ And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” Why have you come to me?  - Isaac’s lack of generosity is quite understandable. Abimelech had ignored his treaty with Abraham, thus showing that he and his people did not honor their commitment. What, then, was the purpose of this new summit should now be extended.

Abimelech responded by saying that he wanted not mercy to reaffirm the previous covenant, but to strengthen it. He said that the oath between them should be strengthening. When we sanctify the land where we lived, we will be prosperous, and our neighbor will come running to make peace with us. 

Genesis 26:²⁸ But they said, “We have certainly seen that YAHVEH is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you, - Abimelech professes his sincerity, in this address to Isaac, and earnestly courts his friendship. Some suggest that Abimelech pressed for this league with him because he feared lest Isaac, growing rich, should, some time or other, avenge himself upon them for the injuries he had received. However, he professes to do it rather from a principle of love.

1. He makes the best of their behaviour towards him. Isaac complained they had hated him, and sent him away. No, said Abimelech, we sent thee away in peace. They turned him off from the land he held of them; but they suffered him to take away his stock, and all his effects, with him. The lessening of injuries is necessary to the preserving of friendship; for the aggravating of them exasperates and widens breaches. The unkindness done to us might have been worse.

2. He acknowledges the token of YAH’s favour to him, and makes this the ground of their desire to be in league with him: EL YAHVEH is with thee, and thou art the blessed of EEL YAHVEH. As if he had said, "Be persuaded to overlook and pass by the injuries offered thee; for YAHVEH had abundantly made up to thee the damage thou receivedst.’’       Those whom YAHVEH blesses and favours have reason enough to forgive those who hate them, since the worst enemy they have cannot do them any real hurt. Or, "For this reason we desire thy friendship, because YAHVEH is with thee.’’

It is good to be in covenant and communion with those who are in covenant and communion with YAHVEH, 1 Jn. 1:3; present address to him was the result of mature deliberation: We said, Let there be an oath between us. Whatever some of his peevish envious subjects might mean otherwise, he and his prime-ministers of state, whom he had now brought with him, designed no other than a cordial friendship. Perhaps Abimelech had received, by tradition, the warning YAHVEH gave to his predecessor not to hurt Abraham (ch. 20:7), and this made him stand in such awe of Isaac, who appeared to be as much the favourite of Heaven as Abraham was.

Genesis 26:²⁹‘that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing to you but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of YAHVEH.’ - If you do evil to us! Since this new covenant is strengthened by a curse, it is if Abimelech were saying: if you do evil to us then hwhy would take terrible retribution against you.

It is similar today with the Palestine, trying to make a covenant to bind Yisrael hand while they look for an upper hand against Yisrael.

Genesis 26:³⁰ So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. - Since gentlemen partake of a meal at the conclusion of a transaction, Isaac prepared a feast to consummate the mutual acceptance of the pact. This is the same principle used in a wedding ceremony.

Genesis 26:³¹ Then they arose early in the morning and swore an oath with one another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. - They waited until morning, after the effect of the feasting and drinking had passed, so no one could claim that the oath was undertaken in anything less than a sober state.

Genesis 26:³² It came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”  - While Abimelech was still signing the papers, Isaac’s servants brought him good news, we struck water. His people had found water without quarreling.

 Genesis 26:³³ So he called it Shebah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day. - The name of the City commemorating two occurrences: the well and the Oath. They named the well Shivah which means seven, as well as oath.

Genesis 26:³⁴ When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. ³⁵And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. - Like his father Esau married at forty, however unlike his father he took wives of Hittites women; his passion for the things of the world of sensuality were unbridled. He chose to marry into a people that match his carnal nature. By taking these women as wives, he sealed his faith as a person unfit to carry out the mission of his father Abraham. The seed of greatness were left undiscovered in a person who was born with such great potential. 

                                                           Chapter 27

This chapter is filled with one of the most crucial and mystifying account in Torah. Crucial because the decision about which son was to receive the blessings would determine which would be the father of EL YAHVEH Chosen people. Mystifying because it is hard to fathom how the righteous Isaac could be so adamant in choosing Esau and Rebecca would resort to such blatant deception to secure the blessing for Jacob. Isaac’s decision to bless Esau as the firstborn, had the presumptive right to the blessing, and Isaac would not have the right to deny it to Esau unless there were compelling evidence.

It is also difficult to understand why such a spiritual mature person such as Isaac could not discern the nature between his two sons. It is also possible that Isaac was planning on bestowing two sets of blessing on his two boys, one for Esau and one for Jacob.

It is also possible that Isaac had two sets of plans, requiring two different sets of blessings; design to help each fulfilled their destiny. Esau had his weakness and surely Jacob had his too. Jacob had the desire for the higher calling as a Torah scholar, while Esau with his material success could help his brother Jacob. Had Esau been found worthy this could have well happened, just as the tribe of Zebulon undertook to engage in commerce to support the Torah scholars of Issachar.

Had deception not entered into the picture, hostility between brothers might not have happened. If Adam had not obey his wife what would be the case. It seems that the lesson, the desire to help EL YAHVEH with his plans, was not learnt by Rebecca. When our love for anyone, encourage us to violate EL YAHVEH Sovereign Will, I have to reconsider the validity of that relationship. My love for El Yahushua is all the encouragement one’s need to be obedient. If you love Me keep My Commandment.

Genesis 27:¹ Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.” And he answered him, “Here I am.”  - Isaac was 123 years old when his eyes began to fail, somtime the natural manifestation is a result of a spiritual condition. Isaac called his oldest the heir to the family wealth, while ABBA YAHVEH had other plans. How could Isaac be so wrong?

Genesis 27:² Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. Psalms 90:¹²  So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. - Isaac says that he did not know his days, however Psalms says ABBA YAHVEH teach us to number my days. Teach me to know when my time is up.

Genesis 27:³ “Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. - He bids him to get things ready for the solemnity of executing his last will and testament, by which he designed to make him his heir. Esau must go a hunting, and bring some venison, which his father will eat of, and then bless him. In this he designed, not so much the refreshment of his own spirits, that he might give the blessing in a lively manner, as it is commonly taken, but rather the receiving of a fresh instance of his son’s filial duty and affection to him, before he bestowed this favour upon him.

                                                                                        

Genesis 27:⁴“And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” - Isaac wanted Esau to earn the blessing by performing the commandment of honoring his father. Isaac sent Esau out to the field to hunt, so as to hunt, so as to make the task more arduous and therefore the mitzvah more meritorious. Isaac’s wish for food was to satisfy his appetite so that physical need would not interfere with his spiritual bliss. The prophetic spirit can rest only upon someone who is in a state of joy, which implies satisfaction of all one’s need.

Because Esau had a tendency to indulge in his voracious physical appetites, Isaac wanted him to turn those traits to the service of EL YAHVEH, by hunting to bring food to his father whose table was like an Altar.

Rebecca having been told before the twins was born that the younger would be the superior one, Rebecca knew that the blessings had to go to Jacob. She also knew from the prophecy that the older would serve the youngest. They were destined to work together; however, Jacob the Torah Scholar would be the head.

The scheming of Rebecca changes this plan. It creates an animosity between both brothers. If Rebecca had not interfered, Isaac would have given the right blessing for the right reason, to the right person.  

Genesis 27:⁵ Now Rebecca was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it. - It is my opinion that Rebecca only listen to one part of the conversation between Isaac and Esau. She did not stop to ask her husband what he was doing. There is no evidence that she did not share the prophecy about the two boys with Isaac. A husband and wife must be on the same page, in all actions pertaining to the children. We see in this narrative a dysfunctional family. The wife loved Jacob, while the husband Esau.

Genesis 27:⁶ So Rebecca spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed would behold I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, - Instead of speaking to her son she should have asking EL YAHVEH about the fulfillment of His Promise. Instead she took matters in her own hand.

Genesis 27:⁷ ‘Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of YAHVEH before my death.’ - Rebecca repeated to Jacob and adds a few words of her own. In the presence of EL YAHVEH. To impress upon Jacob the immensity of the Isaac blessing, because the prophetic spirit would descend upon him while he uttered the benediction and such blessings would be irrevocable.

Accordingly, if Esau were to receive them, they would remain with his descendant forever and Jacob would never be able to lift his head before Esau.

Genesis 27:⁸“Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. - Rebecca perceiving Jacob’s reluctance to participate in this scheme, Rebecca emphasized that he was to listen to that which she had command him. Is this not what happen to Adam, he listened to Eve. Since when Rebecca has the authority to teach a man? I Timothy 2:¹² But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. Yet Rebecca was commanding Jacob the future leader of Yisrael.

Genesis 27:⁹ “Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. - Now go and bring me. Who is commanding who? Did Paul not say it is not permissible for a woman to usurp a man? So much for women lib!

Genesis 27:¹⁰ “Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.” -

Genesis 27:¹¹ And Jacob said to Rebecca his mother, “Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man. - Jacob attempt to raise an objection to his mother’s plan, one that would not only have caused it to fail, but to achieve the opposite result.

Genesis 27:¹² “Perhaps my father will hug me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.” - Mature believer are affectionate people, they hug a lot. Jacob was concern that in the process of hugging, his true identity would be discovered. He would be labeled as a deceiver, achieving the opposite result.

Genesis 27:¹³ But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.” - Rebecca reaction, let the curse be on to Jacob objection, let the curse be upon her. Rebecca had no fear that there would be a curse. That curse was she never saw her only son again. And, It was a very rash word which Rebekah spoke, when Jacob objected the danger of a curse: Upon me be thy curse, my son. Messiyah indeed, who is mighty to save, because mighty to bear, has said, Upon me be the curse, only obey my voice; he has borne the burden of the curse, the curse of the law, for all those that will take upon them the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel. But it is too daring for any creature to say, Upon me be the curse, unless it be that curse causeless which we are sure shall not come, Prov. 26:2.

Genesis 27:¹⁴ And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. - Since the blessing was precious to Jacob, he should have hurried to bring the delicacies to his father, just as Abraham had to run to greet his guests. There are frequent mentions of haste in the previous narrative of Elizer and even Rebecca. This verse seems to imply other wise. It might have been beneficial that Jacob did not apply himself emphatically to the task, but with some reservation or reluctant carried out Rebecca wishes.

Genesis 27:¹⁵ Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.  –

Genesis 27:¹⁶ And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.- Lest the smoothness and softness of Jacob’s hands and neck should betray him, she covered them, and probably part of his face, with the skins of the kids that were newly killed. Esau was rough indeed when nothing less than these would serve to make Jacob like him. Those that affect to seem rough and rugged in their carriage put the beast upon the man, and really shame themselves, by thus disguising themselves.

Genesis 27:¹⁷ Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. -  When is it appropriate to give false statement? Only in the process of saving a life, not for personal gain!

Genesis 27:¹⁸ So he went to his father and said, “My father.‘ And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”  - Jacob begins the dialog by addressing Isaac as my father. This seems to be the standard greeting when greeting an elder person, for Isaac said here I am my son, but who are you. Isaac recognizes the person as on of the sons in the clan. Which one are you?

 Genesis 27:¹⁹ Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” - Since the Divine Presence was resting upon Isaac, he knew that the person standing before him was worthy of the blessing, even if he was deceptive. Jacob was accentuating the positive to cover the negative of the lie. I did as you told me! See I am obedient to your request, therefore you can trust me.

Genesis 27:²⁰ But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because YAHVEH your EL brought it to me.” - Isaac had specifically asked Esau to take his weapons and go out to the field in order to make the task more arduous and hence the mitzvah greater. The quick return made Isaac apprehensive that Esau had not carried out the mission as requested.

Isaac understand Jacob’s reply to mean that he had planned to hunt far away, but EL YAHVEH grant him favor, where there is usually no animals he found favor. Most liars usually used the name of EL YAHVEH to justify their actions. Believe me for I just used the Name of EL YAHVEH. This coincident was a sure sign that it was arranged by EL YAHVEH.

            

Genesis 27:²¹ Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”  - Is it possible that Isaac was overwhelm to hear who he taught was Esau using the Name of EL YAHVEH, that he called him close for a hug. Come near that I may hug you to see if that was really my firstborn. By mentioning EL YAHVEH name made Isaac suspicious, since he knew that it was not in the character of Esau to speak that way. Did he just have a miracles conversion on the way?

 

Genesis 27:²² So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” - The voice of Jacob is the voice of Praise towards EL YAHVEH, while the hands of Esau were a hand of physical strength and selfishness.

Isaac was at first dissatisfied, and would have discovered the fraud if he could have trusted his own ears; for the voice was Jacob’s voice. Providence has ordered a strange variety of voices as well as faces, which is also of use to prevent our being imposed upon; and the voice is a thing not easily disguised nor counterfeited. This may be alluded to to illustrate the character of a hypocrite. His voice is Jacob’s voice, but his hands are Esau’s. He speaks the language of a saint, but does the works of a sinner; but the judgement will be, as here, by the hands.

              Genesis 27:²³ And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. - Isaac did not recognize him for it was his wish for his favorite son to embrace such an attitude towards EL YAHVEH. When Isaac felt the hairy hand which could not have been Jacob, in a state of overwhelming joy, Isaac blesses who he taught was his firstborn. Sometime when we desire a thing so badly, that when it comes to realization, we are so blinded by it that rational thinking goes out the door.

At length he yielded to the power of the deception, because the hands were hairy, not considering how easy it was to counterfeit that circumstance; and now Jacob carries it on dexterously, sets his venison before his father, and waits at table very officiously, till dinner is done, and the blessing comes to be pronounced in the close of this solemn feast. That which in some small degree extenuates the crime of Rebekah and Jacob is that the fraud was intended, not so much to hasten the fulfilling, as to prevent the thwarting, of the oracle of ABBA YAHVEH: the blessing was just going to be put upon the wrong head, and they thought it was time to bestir themselves.

Genesis 27:²⁴ Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” - Filled with amazement like most father in that state of unbelief Isaac uttered, “Are you really my son” and the deceptive Jacob answer I am.

Genesis 27:²⁵ He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. - Like all deceptive children, Jacob did not prepare his father food out of love, but out of love for the inheritance. I saw this in my own family, one of my sister, paid a lot of attention to my aging mother, so that she and her sons could be prominent in her will. 

         

Genesis 27:²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.” - A kiss brings about the deep spiritual intimacy that Isaac wished to arouse in order to cause the Shechinah to alight upon him, preparatory to his giving the blessings.

Genesis 26:²⁷ And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field which YAHVEH has blessed. - When any one is blinded by any desire for their children to achieve some form of spiritual growth, even the pungent smell of washed goatskin will smell like the Garden of Eden.

Therefore, Isaac perceived that the holiness of his son who stood before him was so great in his eyes, that the traitorous character was overlooked. This approval causes the Shechinah to rest upon Jacob. It is equally inspiring in all generations, for the offspring of a believer to never lose the capacity to lift themselves back to the ancient plateau of spiritual greatness. This just one of the many messages this story reveals.

Genesis 27:²⁸ and therefore may the Mighty Ones give you of the dew of Heavens, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. - Since this verse begins with the conjunction and, seems to be superfluous. This and however, speaks of a continuous, repetitive action: may the Mighty Ones give you the following blessing over and over again, without stopping.

The definite article, the Mighty Ones. Accentuates that the reference is specifically to EL YAHVEH in His role as the King of the Mighty Ones who is the dispenser of stick justice, in contrast with His Name YAHVEH, which depicts Him in His role as dispenser of mercy.

What Isaac was saying was that EL YAHVEH would give his son this blessing only if he were justifiable worthy of it, but not otherwise. This was not a blanket blessing giving to someone whether they deserve it or not.

The above Midrash seems to imply that even if Isaac had blessed both of his sons the one who would receive the blessing Esau would be the one who earned it.

The grain and the wine. In addition to their literal meaning, grain refers to the necessities of life, and wine to its pleasures, which are not imperative, but give enjoyment. In Torah study, too, there are grain and wine: the essential knowledge of the text and law, and the homiletical interpretation that give spice to learning.

Genesis 27:²⁹ Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!” - If the one, who was receiving the blessing, would walk in the fullness of Torah, then all people would serve him and the nations would honor him. He would be master over all his brethren and his brother would bow down to him. The same actions will be dealt out to the instigator of any actions towards the bless one. 

                         

Genesis 27:³⁰ Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. - EL YAHVEH arranges it that as one was on his way out the other was on his way in.

Genesis 27:³¹ He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.” - The difference between the approach of Jacob and Esau; Jacob came to his father and submit, while Esau came and was assertive.  Compare verse 18 and 31.

Genesis 27:³² And his father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” So he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” - The some believers, like Esau, hunted after the law of righteousness , yet missed of the blessing of righteousness, because they sought it by the works of the law ; while the Gentiles, who, like Jacob, sought it by faith in the oracle of ABBA YAHVEH, obtained it by force, with that violence which the kingdom of heaven suffers. See Mt. 11:12.

That those who undervalue their spiritual birthright, and can afford to sell it for a morsel of meat, forfeit spiritual blessings, and it is just with ABBA YAHVEH to deny them those favours they were careless of. Those that will part with their wisdom and grace, with their faith and a good conscience, for the honors, wealth, or pleasures, of this world, however they may pretend a zeal for the blessing, have already judged themselves unworthy of it, and so shall their doom be.

Genesis 27:³³ Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him—and indeed he shall be blessed.”  - Where was that perfect son who hunted and brings soul into my Kingdom for my pleasure? I enjoyed his harvest and I have blessed him before you came in with your harvest. It was the feeling of disappointment that Isaac experience that causes him to trembled. His most prized possession the heir to his family was now in jeopardy.

Genesis 27:³⁴ When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me—me also, O my father!”  - The true color of gold comes out when it is exposed to fire; such is the character of every individual. Enrage with fury, Esau finally showed Isaac is true color, his true nature. Furiously he begged his father for a blessing.

 Genesis 27:³⁵ But he said, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.” - Isaac filled with disappointment over the action of his two sons. One with deceit, and the other with an anger problem! Very important lessons to be learnt here is that; even though we might be destined for greatness, if we do not fulfilled the requirement to obtain that greatness, no amount of blessing will not help us. Esau wanted to reach maturity by the action of his father and not in his own merit.

As many Christians today who want to get to Heavens by only believing in Jesus, and not keeping the commandment.

         

Genesis 27:³⁶ And Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” -  Here we see another human nature at play. It is always the other persons fault. Let us look at Esau excuse. The first thing we as human does to someone who we are in conflict with is to belittle them, Esau started by belittle the name of Jacob. Is not his name rightly called a heel a deceiver!

The difference between Jacob and Esau was, Jacob was willing to look at himself, while Esau blamed everyone but himself.

Genesis 26:³⁷ Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?” - There is a type of people that EL YAHVEH will give the promise of a covenant, while others will receive a gift. It is those who have made it into the Holy Place that the invitation to the Holy of Holies is given. Those in the Outer Court will serve those in the Holy Place and the holy of Holies, as the Levites serve in the Outer Court, the Priest served in the Holy Place and the High Priest in the Holy of Holies.

Genesis 27:³⁸ And Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. In Revelation we see another group of people who wept. It was those who serve in the Tempe Revelation 7:¹⁵“Therefore they are before the throne of EL YAHVEH, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. ¹⁶“They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; ¹⁷“for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And EL YAHVEH will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

                         

Genesis 27:³⁹ Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of Heavens from above.  - The dew from Heavens falls on those in the Outer Court. This blessing does not conflict with Jacob’s blessings, since EL YAHVEH’s natural blessings is abundant enough for both of them. Furthermore, since Jacob was Abraham’s heir, he would realize his blessing in the Land of Yisrael while Esau’s would realize his in another land.

Unlike the blessing he gave Jacob, Isaac did not say that EL YAHVEH would grant Esau’s blessing, which would have implied that it would be given under Divine providence and guidance. Rather Esau’s good fortune would come in the normal course of nature.

Genesis 27:⁴⁰ By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.” - Those who serve in the Outer court were responsible for slaying the animals. Those who continue to live in this spiritual condition will have a continues battle will the flesh, which they must defeat with the sword of the word in order to lived. As the Levites serve the Priest and High Priest so will Esau. When Esau shall grow tired of living in the Outer Court, he will be able to break free. The Children of Yisrael in Egypt is also a form of the Esau type of believer, an Outer Court believer spiritually.

When you are aggrieved! If Yisrael ever transgresses the Torah, and become undeserving of dominion, you will have a right to be aggrieved that someone else has taken or has seize the opportunity of get the blessing: they may cast off the yoke, the rope from your neck. This is in consonance with the prophecy given to Rebecca while she was pregnant: Her two sons would not be able to coexist; when one ascended, the other would decline.

Genesis 27: ⁴¹ So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”  - The eternal rivalry between the brothers became intensified with Esau’s determination to kill his brother when the opportunity present it self. This was a resolve that his descendant would attempt to carry out time after time to this very day. Esau had never served Jacob that I know off.

Nevertheless, Rebecca feared for Jacob’s life, even while Isaac was still alive. Although Esau implied that he would not carry out his intention until Isaac death, Rebecca could no be sure when that treat would be implemented, took things in her own hand and ordered Jacob to flee before it was too late.

 Genesis 27:⁴² And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebecca. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.  - However she was told, by Divine inspiration or by word of mouth, she was informed. Without consulting EL YAHVEH, we see a clear example of someone trying to help the Divine Plan, in their own understanding.

She gave Jacob warning of his danger, and advised him to withdraw for a while, and shift for his own safety. She tells him what she heard of Esau’s design, that he comforted himself with the hope of an opportunity to kill his brother. Would one think that such a bloody barbarous thought as this could be a comfort to a man? If Esau could have kept his design to himself his mother would not have suspected it; but men’s impudence in sin is often their infatuation; and they cannot accomplish their wickedness because their rage is too violent to be concealed, and a bird of the air carries the voice.

Genesis 27:⁴³ “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran. –

Genesis 27:⁴⁴“And stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away, -  Mama’s boy Jacob was now been told to flee to his uncle Laban. If Isaac was not permitted to leave Canaan, should not Jacob also?

Genesis 27:⁴⁵“until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?” - He again we see a person who was not willing to take responsibility for what they did. Notice Rebecca response to Jacob “for what you have done to him” Was this not Rebecca Scheming in the first place that brought on Esau rage? Now she is blaming Jacob for what she had done.

What Rebekah feared, lest she should be deprived of them both in one day , deprived, not only of the murdered, but of the murderer, who either by the magistrate, or by the immediate hand of YAHVEH, would by sacrificed to justice, which she herself must acquiesce in, and not obstruct: or, if not so, yet thenceforward she would be deprived of all joy and comfort in him. Those that are lost to virtue are in a manner lost to all their friends. With what pleasure can a child be looked upon that can be looked upon as no other than a child of the devil?

What Rebekah hoped, that, if Jacob for a while kept out of sight, the affront which his brother resented so fiercely would by degrees go out of mind. The strength of passions is weakened and taken off by the distances both of time and place. She promised herself that his brother’s anger would turn away. Yielding pacifies great offences; and even those that have a good cause, and YAHVEH on their side, must yet use this with other prudent expedients for their own preservation.

Genesis 27:⁴⁶ And Rebecca said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?” - On account of her daughter-in-law Esau’s wife, Rebecca encourage her son to go to Laban and find a wife. Rebecca told Jacob that the daughters of Heth was wearing her out. Another manipulation of Jacob. Should it not be the responsibility of Isaac to find a bride or brides for his son, as his father did for him.

Chapter 28

In this chapter we have here, 

I. Jacob parting with his parents, to go to Padanaram; the charge his father gave him verse 1, 2, the blessing he sent him away with verse 3, 4, his obedience to the orders given him verse 5, 10, and the influence this had upon Esau verse 6-9. 

II. Jacob meeting with God, and his communion with him by the way. And there, 

1. his vision of the ladder verse 11, 12. 

2. The gracious promises God made him verse 13–15. 

3. The impression this made upon him verse 16–19. 

4. The vow he made to God, upon this occasion verse 20.

Genesis 28:¹ Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.- Jacob had no sooner obtained the blessing than immediately he was forced to flee from his country; and, as it if were not enough that he was a stranger and sojourner there, he must go to be more so, and no better than an exile, in another country.

Now Jacob fled into Syria, Hos. 12:12. He was blessed with plenty of corn and wine, and yet he went away poor, was blessed with government, and yet went out to service, a hard service. This was,

1. Perhaps to correct him for his dealing fraudulently with his father. The blessing shall be confirmed to him, and yet he shall smart for the indirect course he took to obtain it. While there is such an alloy as there is of sin in our duties, we must expect an alloy of trouble in our comforts. However,

2. It was to teach us that those who inherit the blessing must expect persecution; those who have peace in Messiyah shall have tribulation in the world, Jn. 16:33. Being told of his before, we must not think it strange, and, being assured of a recompence hereafter, we must not think it hard. We may observe, likewise, that YAH’s providences often seem to contradict his promises, and to go cross to them; and yet, when the mystery of ABBA YAHVEH shall be finished, we shall see that all was for the best, and that cross providences did but render the promises and the accomplishment of them the more illustrious. Now Jacob is here dismissed by his father,

Genesis 28:² Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. - It was the character of Jacob that causes him to inherit the blessing, even if it was by deceit, by any means necessary. I believe that the if, we would sought after the Kingdom, by any means necessary; is always a good thing. The deceit of Jacob did not cause any physical harm to anyone, it just showed up Esau personality. If one can show up another personality in order to gain an advantage I believe that it is a good thing.

Who was wearing the pants in the family? Was Isaac also following Rebecca’s idea? Isaac now called Jacob and blesses him and gave him a charge on where to go and find a wife. I believe that Isaac also gave Jacob enough money to pay the bride price and on the way Esau stole it from him, that is only my opinion.  

Genesis 28:³ “May El SHADDAI the Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;  - The promise of heirs: ABBA YAHVEH make thee fruitful, and multiply the.

1.     Through his loins should descend from Abraham that people who should be numerous as the stars of heaven, and the sand of the sea, and who should increase more than the rest of the nations, so as to be an assembly of people, as the margin reads it. And never was such a multitude of people so often gathered into one assembly as the tribes of Israel were in the wilderness, and afterwards.

2.                         Through his loins should descend from Abraham that person in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed, and to whom the gathering of the people should be. Jacob had in him a multitude of people indeed, for all things in heaven and earth are united in Messiyah (Eph. 1:10), all centre in him, that corn of wheat, which falling to the ground, produced much fruit, Jn. 12:24.

Genesis 28:⁴  And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your descendants with you, That you may inherit the land In which you are a stranger, Which El SHADDAI gave to Abraham.” - In the name El SHADDAI, Isaac bless Jacob whole heartedly and specifically gave him the Abrahamic blessing, which meant that the destiny of Yisrael would be carried only by his offspring.

Notice the word El meanins god, the God name SHADDAI is the God who provides.

Jacob’s nation would comprise many distinct tribes or people with different characteristics and missions, but all would be united as a part of the same congregation of Yisrael, regardless of what part of the world we may live, we are Yisrael.

Genesis 28:⁵  So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebecca, the mother of Jacob and Esau. - In know that there is no mention of any wealth been given to Jacob, to help him secure a wife. On the other hand, was Isaac sending Jacob on a mission to teach him a lesson? This could well be! Jacob had to learn the lesson of deceit. It was not until what he did to Esau was done also to him that that bitter sweet lesson was learnt.

Genesis 28:⁶  Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” - This is why I say that Esau robbed Jacob on his way to Laban, the taking of a wife from Padan Aram would have cemented the position as leader of the Clan. It would be in Esau favor to upset the apple cart.

Genesis 28:⁷ and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram. -

Genesis 28:⁸ Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. - To show the folly of an after-wit. Esau did well, but he did it when it was too late, He saw that the daughters of Canaan pleased not his father, and he might have seen that long ago if he had consulted his father’s judgment as much as he did his palate. And how did he now mend the matter? Why, truly, so as to make bad worse.

(1.) He married a daughter of Ishmael, the son of the bond-woman, who was cast out, and was not to inherit with Isaac and his seed, thus joining with a family which ABBA YAHVEH had rejected, and seeking to strengthen his own pretensions by the aid of another pretender.

(2.) He took a third wife, while, for aught that appears, his other two were neither dead nor divorced.

(3.) He did it only to please his father, not to please YAHVEH. Now that Jacob was sent into a far country Esau would be all in all at home, and he hoped so to humour his father as to prevail with him to make a new will, and entail the promise upon him, revoking the settlement lately made upon Jacob. And thus,

1.] He was wise when it was too late, like Israel that would venture when the decree had gone forth against them (Num. 14:40), and the foolish virgins, Mt. 25:11.

2.] He rested in a partial reformation, and thought, by pleasing his parents in one thing, to atone for all his other miscarriages. It is not said that when he saw how obedient Jacob was, and how willing to please his parents, he repented of his malicious design against him: no, it appeared afterwards that he persisted in that, and retained his malice.

Carnal hearts are apt to think themselves as good as they should be, because perhaps, in some one particular instance, they are not so bad as they have been. Therefore Micah retains his idols, but thinks himself happy in having a Levite to be his priest, Jdg. 17:13.

 Genesis 28:⁹ So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.

Haftarah

Malachi 1:1-2:7

We learn in this Scripture reading that the prophet is sent first to convince and then to comfort, first to discover sin and to reprove for that and then to promise the coming of The Messiyah who shall take away sin. And this method the blessed Spirit takes in dealing with souls, Jn. 16:8.

He first opens the wound and then applies the healing balm. YAHVEH TSEBAOTE  had provided (and one would think effectually) for the engaging of Yisrael to Himself by providences and ordinances; but it seems, by the complaints here made of them, that they received the grace of YAHVEH in both these in vain. 

I.       They were very ungrateful to YAHVEH for HIS favours to them, and rendered not again according to the benefit they received verse 1-5. 

II.    They were very careless and remiss in the observance of his institutions; the priests especially were so, who were in a particular manner charged with them verse 6–14. And what shall we say of those whom neither providences nor ordinances work upon, and who affront YAHVEH in those very things wherein they should honor him?

Malachi 1:¹  The burden of the word of YAHVEH to Yisrael by Malachi. - The prophecy of this book is entitled, The burden of the word of, which intimates,

1. That it was of great weight and importance; what the false prophets said was light as the chaff, what the true prophets said was ponderous as the wheat, Jer. 23:28.

2. That it ought to be often repeated to them and by them, as the burden of a song.

3. That there were those to whom it was a burden and a reproach; they were weary of it, and found themselves so aggrieved by it that they were not able to bear it.

4. That to them it would prove a burden indeed, to sink them to the lowest hell, unless they repented.

5. That to those who loved it and embraced it, and bade it welcome, though it was a light burden, as our Saviour calls it (Mt. 11:30), yet it was a burden.

This burden of the word of YAHVEH was sent,

1.     To Yisrael, for to them pertained the lively oracles of prophecy as well as those of the written word. Many prophets YAHVEH had sent to Yisrael, and now he will try them with one more.

2.     By Malachi, by the hand of Malachi, as if it were not a message by word of mouth, but a letter put into his hand, for the greater certainty.

Malachi 1:² I have loved you,” says the YAHVEH “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the YAHVEH. “Yet Jacob I have loved; - In these verses, they are charged with ingratitude, in that they were not duly sensible of YAH’s distinguishing goodness to them; and such a charge as this may well be called a burden, for it is a heavy one.

YAHVEH asserts the great kindness he had, and had often expressed, for them: I have loved you, saith YAHVEH. Thus abruptly does the sermon begin, as if YAHVEH intended, whatever reproofs should be given them, to reconcile them to his love, and to take care that they should still have good thoughts of him.

As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Thus kindly does the sermon begin. YAHVEH will have his people satisfied that he loves them and is ever mindful of his love. This is the same with what he said of old to the virgin of Yisrael, that HE might engage her affections to himself (Jer. 31:3, 4): Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love.

In this one word YAHVEH sums up all his gracious dealings with them; love was the spring of all; he loved them because he would love them (Deu. 7:7, 8), loved them in their childhood, Hos. 11:1. His delight was in them, Isa. 62:4. "I have loved you, but you have not loved me, nor made any suitable returns for my love.’’ YAH’s people need to be often reminded of HIS love to them.

They question his love, and diminish the instances of it, and seem to quarrel with him for telling them of it: Yet you say, Wherein hast thou loved us? As YAHVEH traces up all his favours to them to the fountain, which was his love, so he traces up all their sins against him to the fountain, which was their contempt of his love.

Instead of acknowledging his kindness, and studying what they shall render, they scorn to own that they have been beholden to him, challenge him to produce proofs of his love that are material, and think and speak very slightly of the instances they have had of his kindness, as if they were so few, so small, as not to be worth taking notice of, and no more than what they had sufficiently made returns for, or at least than he had sufficiently balanced with instances of his wrath. "Have we not been wasted, impoverished, and carried captive; and wherein then hast thou loved us?’’ 

YAHVEH justly takes it very ill to have his favours slighted, as not worth speaking of; and it is very absurd for us to ask wherein HE has loved us, when, which way soever we look, we meet with the proofs and instances of his love to us.

Malachi 1:³ But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness.” - He makes it out, beyond contradiction, that HE has loved them, loved them in a distinguishing way, which was in a special manner obliging. For proof of this HE shows the difference HE had made, and would still make, between Jacob and Esau, between Yisraelites and Edomites. Some read their question, Wherefore hast thou loved us? as if they did indeed own that he had loved them, but withal insinuate that there was a reason for it, that he loved them because their father Abraham had loved him, so that it was not a free love, but a love of debt, to which he replies, "Was not Esau as near akin to Abraham as you are? Was he not Jacob’s own brother, his elder brother? And therefore, if there were any right to a recompence for Abraham’s love, Esau had it, and yet I hated Esau and loved Jacob.’’

Let them see what a difference YAHVEH had made between Jacob and Esau. Esau was Jacob’s brother, his twin-brother: "Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau, that is, took Jacob into covenant, and entailed the blessing on him and his, but refused and rejected Esau.’’ Those that are taken into covenant with YAHVEH, that have the lively oracles and the means of grace committed to them, have reason to look upon these as tokens of HIS love.

Jacob is loved, for he has these, Esau hated, for he has not. The apostle quotes this (Rom. 9:13), and compares it with what the oracle said to Rebecca concerning her twins (Gen. 25:23), The elder shall serve the younger, to illustrate the doctrine of YAH’s sovereignty in dispensing his favours; for may he not do what he will with his own? Esau was justly hated, but Jacob freely loved; even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes, and it is not for us to ask why or wherefore.

Malachi 1:⁴ Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, But we will return and build the desolate places,” Thus says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE: “They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, And the people against whom YAHVEH will have indignation forever. - Let them see what HE was now doing and would do with them, pursuant to this original difference.

(1.) The Edomites shall be made the monuments of YAH’s justice, and HE will be glorified in their utter destruction: For Esau have I hated; I laid his mountains waste, the mountains of Seir, which were his heritage. When all that part of the world was ravaged by the Chaldean army the country of Edom was, among the rest, laid in ruins, and became a habitation for the dragons of the wilderness, so perfectly desolate was it; as was foretold, Isa. 34:6, 11.

The Edomites had triumphed in Yerushalayim’s overthrow (Ps. 137:7), and therefore it was just with YAHVEH to put the same cup of trembling into their hands. And, though Edom’s ruins were last, yet they were lasting, and the desolation perpetual; and in this the difference was made between Jacob and Esau, and is made between the righteous and the wicked, to whom otherwise all things come alike, and there seems to be one event.

Jacob’s cities are laid waste, but they are rebuilt; Edom’s are laid waste, and never rebuilt. The sufferings of the righteous will have an end and will end well; all their grievances will be redressed, and their sorrow turned into joy; but the sufferings of the wicked will be endless and remediless, as Edom’s desolations.

Observe here, [1.] The vain hopes of the Edomites, that they shall have their ruins repaired as well as Yisrael, though they had no promise to build their hope upon. They say, "It is true, we are impoverished; it is the common chance, and there is no remedy; but we will return and build the desolate places; we are resolved we will’’ (not so much as asking YAHVEH leave); "we will whether he will or no; nay, we will do it in defiance of YAH’s curse, and that sentence pronounced upon Edom (Isa. 34:10), From generation to generation it shall lie waste.’’

They build presumptuously, as Hiel built Jericho in direct contradiction to the word of YAHVEH (1 Ki. 16:34), and it shall speed accordingly. It is common for those whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences to think to make their part good against YAHVEH, and to build, and plant, and flourish again as much as ever, though YAHVEH has said that they shall be impoverished. But see,

[2.] The dashing of these hopes and the disappointment of them: They say, We will build; but what says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE? For we are sure his word shall stand, and not theirs; and he says,

First, Their attempts shall be baffled: They shall build, but I will throw down.  Those that walk contrary to YAHVEH will find that he will walk contrary to them; for who ever hardened his heart against YAHVEH and prospered? When the Jews had rejected Messiyah and His gospel they became Edomites, and this word was fulfilled in them; for when, in the time of the emperor Adrian, they attempted to rebuild Yerushalayim, YAHVEH by earthquakes and eruptions of fire threw down what they built, so that they were forced to quit the enterprise.

Secondly, They shall be looked upon by all as abandoned to utter ruin. All that see them shall call them the border of wickedness, a sinful nation, incurably so, and therefore the people against whom YAHVEH has indignation for ever. Since their wickedness is such as will never be reformed, their desolations shall be such as are never to be repaired. Against Yisrael EL was a little displeased (Zec. 1:15), but against Edom he has indignation, and will have for ever, for they are the people of his curse, Isa. 34:5.

Malachi 1:⁵ Your eyes shall see, And you shall say, ‘The YAHVEH is magnified beyond the border of Yisrael.’ - The Yisraelites shall be made the monuments of HIS mercy, and HE will be glorified in their salvation. "The Edomites shall be stigmatized as a people hated of YAHVEH, but your eyes shall see your doubts concerning HIS love to you for ever silenced; for you shall say, and have cause to say, YAHVEH is and will be magnified from the border of Yisrael, from every part and border of the land of Yisrael.’’

The border of Edom is a border of wickedness, and therefore YAHVEH will have indignation against it for ever; but the border of Yisrael is a border of holiness, the border of the sanctuary (Ps. 78:54), and therefore YAHVEH will make it to appear (though it may for a time lie desolate) that he has mercy in store for it, and thence he will be magnified; he will give his people Israel both cause, and hearts, to praise him.

When the border of Edom still remains desolate, and the border of Israel is repaired and replenished, then it will appear that YAHVEH has loved Jacob.

[1.] Those who doubt of YAH’s love to his people shall, sooner or later, have convincing and undeniable proofs given them of it: "your own eyes shall see what you will not believe.’’

[2.] Deliverances out of trouble are to be reckoned proofs of YAH’s good-will to his people, though they may be suffered to fall into trouble, Ps. 34:19.

[3.] Distinguishing favours are very obliging. If YAHVEH rear up again the border of Israel, but leave the border of Edom in ruins, let no Yisraelite ask, for shame, Wherein hast thou loved us?

[4.] The dignifying of Yisrael is the magnifying of the El of Yisrael, and, one way or other, YAHVEH will have honor from his professing people.

[5.] YAH’s goodness being his glory, when he does us good we must proclaim him great, for that is magnifying him. It is an instance of his goodness that he has pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, and for this those that love his salvation say, YAHVEH be magnified, Ps. 35:27.

Malachi 1:⁶ “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE  To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ - The prophet is here, by a special commission, calling the priests to account, though they were themselves appointed judges, to call the people to an account. Let the rulers in the house of YAHVEH know that there is one above them, who will reckon with them for their mal-administrations. Thus saith YAHVEH TSEBAOTE  you, O priests!

YAHVEH will have a saying to unfaithful ministers; and it concerns those who speak from YAHVEH to HIS people to hear and heed what he says to them, that they may save themselves in the first place, otherwise how should they help to save those that hear them? It is a severe, and no doubt a just reproof, that is here given to the priests, for the profanation of the holy things of YAHVEH, with which they were entrusted; and, if this was the crime of the priests, we have reason to fear the people also were guilty of it: so that what is said to the priests is said to all, nay, it is said to us, who, as Messianic, profess ourselves, not only the people of YAHVEH, but priests to him. Observe here,

I.       What it was that YAHVEH expected from them, and with what good reason he expected it: A son honors his father, because he is his father; nature has written this law in the hearts of children, before YAHVEH wrote it at Mount Sinai; nay, a servant, though his obligation to his master is not natural, but by voluntary compact, yet thinks it his duty to honor him, to be observant of his orders, and true to his interests. Children and servants pay respect to their parents and masters; every one cries out shame on them if they do not, and their own hearts cannot but reproach them too; the order of families is thus kept up, and it is their beauty and advantage. But the priests, who are YAH’s children and his servants, do not fear and honor him. They were fathers and masters to the people, and expected to be called so (Judges 18:19, Mt. 22:7, 10) and to be reverenced and obeyed as such; but they forgot their Father and Master in heaven, and the duty they owed to him. We may each of us charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the priests.

1.                 We are every one of us to look upon YAHVEH as our Father and Master, and upon ourselves as his children and servants.

2.                 Our relation to YAHVEH as our Father and Master strongly obliges us to fear and honor HIM. If we honor and fear the fathers of our flesh, much more the Father and Master of our spirits, Heb. 12:9.

3.                 It is a thing to be justly complained of, and lamented, that YAHVEH is so little feared and honored even by those that own him for their Father and Master. Where is HIS honor? Where is HIS fear?

Malachi 1:⁷“You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of YAHVEH is contemptible.’ - This is that, in general, which is charged upon them:

They despised YAH’s name; their familiarity with it, as priests, bred contempt of it, and served them only to gain a veneration by it for themselves and their own name, while YAH’s name was of small account with them. YAH’s name is all that whereby he has made himself known HIS Word and Ordinances; these they had low thoughts of, and vilified that which it was their business to magnify; and no wonder that when they despised it themselves they did that which made it despicable to others, causing even the sacrifices of YAHVEH to be abhorred, as Eli’s sons did.

They profaned YAH’s name, verse 12. They polluted it, verse 7. They not only made no account of sacred things, but they made an ill use of them, and perverted them to the service of the worst and vilest purposes their own pride, covetousness, and luxury. There cannot be a greater provocation to YAHWAH than the profanation of his name; for it is holy and reverend. His purity cannot be polluted by us, for he is unspotted, but his name may be profaned; and nothing profanes it more than the misconduct of priests, whose business it is to do honor to it.

This is the general charge exhibited against them. To this they plead Not guilty, and challenge God to prove it upon them, and to make good the charge, which added daring impudence to their daring impiety: You say, Wherein have we despised thy name?  and wherein have we polluted thee? 

It is common with proud sinners, when they are reproved, to stand firm upon their own justification. These priests had most horridly profaned sacred things, and yet, like the adulterous woman, they said that they had done no wickedness; they were so inobservant of themselves that they remembered not or reflected not upon their own acts, or they were so ignorant of the divine law that they thought there was no harm in them, and that what they did could not be construed into despising YAH’s name, or they were so atheistical as to imagine that though they knew their own guilt yet YAHVEH did not, or they were so scornful in their conduct towards YAHVEH HIS prophets that they took a pride in bantering a serious and just reproof, and turning it off with a jest.

They either laugh at the reproof, as those that despise it, and harden their hearts against it, or they laugh it off, as those that resolve they will not be touched by it, or will not seem to be so. Which way soever we take it, their defence was their offence, and, in justifying themselves, their own tongues condemned them, and their saying, Wherein have we despised thy name? proved them proud and perverse. Had they asked this question with a humble desire to be told more particularly wherein they had offended, it would have been an evidence of their repentance, and would have given hopes of their reformation; but to ask it thus in disdain and defiance of the word of YAHVEH argues their hearts fully set in them to do evil. Sinners ruin themselves by studying to baffle their own convictions; but they will find it hard to kick against the pricks.

Justly might they have been convicted and condemned upon the general charge, and their plea thrown out as frivolous; but YAHVEH will not only overcome, but will be clear, will be justified when he judges, and therefore he shows them very particularly wherein they had despised his name, and what the contempt was that they cast upon him. As formerly, when he charged them with idolatry, so now, when he charges them with profaneness, he bids them see their way in the valley and know what they have done, Jer. 2:23.

They despised YAH’s name in what they said, in the low opinion they had of his institutions: "You say in your hearts, and perhaps speak it out when you priests get together over your cups. out of the hearing of the people, The table of YAHVEH is contemptible’’ , and again verse 12, "You say, The table of YAHVEH is polluted; it is to be no more regarded than any other table.’’ Either the table in the temple, on which the show-bread was placed, is that which they reflect upon (not understanding the mystery of it, they despised it as an insignificant thing), or rather the altar of burnt-offerings is here called the table, for there YAHVEH, and HIS priests, and HIS people, did, as it were, feast together upon the sacrifices, in token of friendship.

This they thought was contemptible. Formerly, in the days of superstition, it was thought contemptible in comparison with the idolatrous alters that the heathen had, and was set aside to make room for a new-fashioned one (2 Ki. 16:14, 15); now it is thought contemptible in comparison with their own tables, and those of their great men: The fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

Those who served at the altar were to live upon the altar; but they complained that they lived poorly and meanly, and that it was not worth while to attend the service of the altar for the fruit and meat of it, for it was very ordinary and always the same again; they had no dainties, no varieties, no nice dishes. Nay, that part of the sacrifices which was given to YAHVEH, the blood and the fat, they looked upon with contempt, as not worthy the multitude of laws YAHVEH had made about it; they asked, "What need is there of so much ado about burning the fat and pouring out the blood?’’

Those greatly profane and pollute YAH’s name who despise the business of religion, though it is very honorable, as not worth taking pains in, and the advantages of religion, though highly valuable, as not worth taking pains for. Those who live in a careless neglect of holy ordinances, who come to them and attend on them irreverently, and go away from them never the better and under no concern, do in effect say, "The table of YAHVEH is contemptible; there is neither virtue nor value in it, neither credit nor comfort from it.’’

Malachi 1:⁸ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the YAHVEH TSEBAOTE . - They despised YAH’s name in what they did, which was no inaccordance with what they said; corrupt principles and notions are roots of bitterness, which bear the gall and wormwood of corrupt practices. They looked upon the table and Altar’s of YAHVEH as contemptible.

They thought anything and every filthy thing that would serve for a sacrifice, though ever so coarse and mean, and were no even afraid for not bringing the best, as they ought to have done, that they picked out the worst they had, which was not fitting neither for the market nor for their own tables, and offered that at YAH’s altar.

With every sacrifice they were to bring a meat-offering of fine flour mingled with oil; but they brought polluted bread verse 7, coarse bread, servants’ bread, perhaps it was dry and mouldy, or made of the reject of the wheat, which they thought good enough to be burnt upon the altar; for had it been better they would have said, To what purpose is this waste? And as to the beasts they offered, though the law was express that what was offered in sacrifice should not have a blemish, yet they brought the blind, and the lame, and the sick and again verse 13, the torn, and the lame, and the sick, that was ready to die of itself.

They looked no further than the burning of the sacrifice, and they pleaded that it was a pity to burn it if it was good for any thing else. The people were so far convinced of their duty that they would bring sacrifices; they durst not wholly omit the duty, but they brought vain oblations, mocked YAHVEH, and deceived themselves, by bringing the worst they had; and the priests, who should have taught them better, accepted the gifts brought to the altar and offered them up there, because, if they should refuse them, the people would bring none at all, and then they would lose their perquisites; and therefore, having more regard to their own profit than to YAH’s honor, they accepted that which they knew he would not accept.

Some make to be a continuation of what the priests profanely said verse 7You say to the people, If you offer the blind for sacrifice, it is not evil; or the lame and the sick, it is not evil. It is a very evil thing, whether men think so or no, to offer the blind and the lame, the torn and the sick, in sacrifice to YAHVEH.

Malachi 1:⁹ “But now entreat YAH’s favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably?” Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE . – If we worship ABBA YAHVEH ignorantly, and without understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice; if we do it carelessly, and without consideration, if we are cold, and dull, and dead, in it, we bring the sick; if we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame; and, if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us, we bring the torn. And is not this evil? Is it not a great affront to ABBA YAHVEH and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? Do not our books tell us, nay, do not our own hearts tell us, that this is evil? for YAH, who is the best, ought to be served with the best we have.

Malachi 1:¹⁰ “Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,” Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE , “Nor will I accept an offering from your hands. - They would do no more of their work than what they were paid for. The priests would offer the sacrifices that were brought to the altar, because they had their share of them; but as for any other service of the temple, that had not a particular fee belonging to it, they would not stir a step, nor lend a hand, to it; and this was the general temper of them.

There is not a man among the priests that would shut the doors, or kindle a fire, for nought. If he were required to do the smallest piece of service, he would ask, how shall I be paid for it? They would do nothing gratis, but were all for what they could get, every one for his gain, from his quarter, Isa. 56:11.  Though YAHVEH has given order that HIS servants be well paid in this world, yet those are no acceptable servants to HIM who are mercenary, and would never do the work but for the wages.

Malachi 1:¹¹ For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE. - That they shall not gain their point. YAH will magnify his law and make it honorable, though they vilify it and make it contemptible; for from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles.

It might be said, "If these are not the worshippers whom YAHVEH will accept, then he has no worshippers.’’ As if he must make the best of their service, or else he would have no service done him; and then what will he do for his great name? But let him alone for that; though Yisrael be not faithful, be not gathered, yet YAHVEH will be glorious. Though these priests provoke him to take down the ceremonial economy, and to abolish that law of commandments, which could not make the comers thereunto perfect, yet he will be no loser by that, at the long run; for,

Malachi 1:¹² “But you profane it, In that you say, ‘The table of YAHVEH is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’ - Instead of his being worshipped and served among the Jews only, a small people in a corner of the world, he will be served and worshipped in all places, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same; in every place, in every part of the world, incense shall be offered to his name; nations shall be discipled, and shall speak of the wonderful works of YAHVEH and have them spoken to them in their own language. This is a plain prediction of that great revolution in the kingdom of grace by which the Gentiles, who had been strangers and foreigners, came to be fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of YAHVEH, and as welcome to the throne of grace as ever the Jews had been. It is twice said (for the thing was certain), My name shall be great among the Gentiles, whereas hitherto in Judah only he was known, and HIS Name was great, Ps. 76:1. YAH’s Name shall be declared to them, the declaration of it shall be received and believed, and there shall be those among the Gentiles who shall magnify and glorify the Name of YAHVEH better than ever the Jews had done, even the priests themselves.

Malachi 1:¹³ You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE . “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” SaysYAHVEH. - Instead of those carnal ordinances, which they profaned, a spiritual way of worship shall be introduced and established: Incense shall be offered to YAH’s Name (which signifies prayer and praise, Ps. 141:2; Rev. 8:3), instead of the blood and fat of bulls and goats. And it shall be a pure offering, refined, not only from the corruptions that were in the priests’ practice, but from the mere bodily exercise that was in the institutions themselves, which are called carnal ordinances, imposed till the time of reformation, Heb. 9:10. When the hour came in which the true worshippers worshipped the Father in spirit and in truth, then this incense was offered, even this pure offering.

Malachi 1:¹⁴ “But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished For I am a great King,” Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE , “And My name is to be feared among the nations. - That they shall not go unpunished. Here is the doom of those who do like these priests, for the sentence on them is a sentence on all such.

The description of profane and careless worshippers. They are such as vow and sacrifice to YAHVEH a corrupt thing when they have in their flock a male. They have of the best, wherewith to serve and honor him, so bountiful has be been in HIS gifts to them, but they put him off with the worst, and think that good enough for HIM, so ungrateful are they in their returns to him.

This was the fault of the people, but the priests connived at it, and indulged them in it. We find a distinction in the law which allowed that to be offered for a free-will offering which would not be accepted for a vow, Lev. 22:23. But the priests would accept it, though YAHVEH would not, pretending to be more indulgent than he was, for which he will give them no thanks another day.

The character given of such worshippers. They are deceivers; they deal falsely and fraudulently with YAHVEH; they play the hypocrite with him; they pretend to honor him, in making the vow, but, when it comes to be performed, they put an affront upon him, to such a degree that it would have been better not to have vowed than to vow and thus to pay; but let not such be themselves deceived, for YAHVEH is not mocked. Those who think to put a cheat upon YAHVEH will prove, in the end, to have put a damning cheat upon their own souls. Hypocrites are deceivers, and they will prove self-deceivers, and so self-destroyers.

The doom passed upon them: They are cursed; they expect a blessing, but will meet with a curse, the tokens of YAH’s wrath, according to the judgment written.

The reason of this doom: "For I am a great King, saith YAHVEH TSEBAOTE  and therefore will reckon with those who deal with me but as a man like themselves; MY Name is dreadful among the heathen, and therefore I will not bear that it should be contemptible among my own people.’’ The heathen paid more respect to their gods, though idols, than the Jews did to theirs, though the only true and living EL.  The consideration of YAH’s universal dominion, and the universal acknowledgment of it, should restrain us from all irreverence in his service.

Chapter 2

There are two great ordinances which divine wisdom has instituted, the wretched profanation of both of which is complained of and sharply reproved in this chapter.  The ordinance of the ministry, which is peculiar to the church, and is designed for the maintaining and keeping up of that; this was profaned by those who were themselves dignified with the honor of it and entrusted with the business of it. The priests profaned the holy things of YAHVEH; this they are here charged with; their sin is aggravated, and they are severely threatened for it verse 1-7.

Malachi 2:¹“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. – What was said in the foregoing chapter was directed to the priests (ch. 1:6): Thus saith YAHVEH TSEBAOTE  to you, O priests! that despise my name. But the crimes that there were charged with they were guilty of despising the Name, and for those Priest they sacrifice the offering the people brought; and therefore the corruptions the Sacred Name of YAHVEH for god or Lord. This is a part of their office which still remains in the hands of gospel-ministers (who are appointed to be pastors and teachers, like the priests Pre-Messiyah. If the priests had given the people better instructions, the people would have brought better offerings; and therefore the blame falls upon the priests: "And now, O you priests! this commandment is purely for you, who should have taught the people the Name of YAHVEH, and how to worship HIM correctly.

Malachi 2:² If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart, To give glory to My name,” Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTE , “I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, Because you do not take it to heart. – Matthew 5:¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. ¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. - The curse is that these priest or Pastors today who teaches people to forget the Sacred name of YAHVEH, will be considered least in the Kingdom. In the Kingdom there are three type of position: Those who rule, Rev 3:21, those who are messengers, Rev 7:11, and those who are servants Rev 7:15.

Those who are Priest and Pastors are suppose to be rulers, those who get to sit on the Throne with Messiyan. However, in this case they are only servant in the Kingdom.

Malachi 2:³“Behold, I will rebuke your descendants And spread refuse on your faces, The refuse of your solemn feasts; And one will take you away with it. – If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the YAHVEH TSEBEOTH, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. The language is reminiscent of the Palestinian covenant (cf. Deut 28–30) that operated on the principle of blessing for obedience and punishment for disobedience. The priests needed to walk right in order that they might teach the people to walk aright. If they do not observe the admonition and render to YAHVEH the reverence due His name as they discharge the duties of their office, they will bring punishment upon themselves.

Behold, I will corrupt your seed. Commentators, noting that the original Hebrew text contained only consonants, note that the same consonants can spell either the word seed or the word arm and are divided as to the proper reading of the text here.

Those that favor the reading seed note that the resultant meaning is that YAHVEH would cause the crops to fail. Since the priests were dependent on the increase of the harvest for their tithes, they would therefore frail if YAHVEH cursed the effort. Those that favor the reading “arm” note that this improves the parallelism in the verse, for the face is mentioned in the next clause. They observe, further, that to curse the seed would not be a punishment peculiar to the priests, for they did not practice agriculture.

If the word “arm” is the preferred reading, the resultant meaning is not that the lancing of the arm in any way manifests displeasure against one’s arm; rather, the curse is upon the arm with which one performs his business or the duties of his calling, therefore neutralizing the official duties performed at the altar and in the sanctuary.

They would be like spread dung (Heb peresh, i.e., dung, excrement) upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts. This would be the ultimate insult that could be heaped upon a priest in the discharge of his official duties. The scene is even worse than Joshua standing in the presence of the angel of Jehovah in dung-bespattered garments (cf. Zech 3:1–7). Rather than the priest cleansing the dung, the dung would defile the priest; and he would have to be removed together with it (cf. Hag 2:11–14), hence, and one shall take you away with it.

Malachi 1:⁴ Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue,” Says YAHVEH TSEBAOTH. - The governors of the churches are under YAH’s government, and to HIM they are accountable. Even for those who command YAHVEH has commandments. You shall know that I have sent these commandments for you. They should know it either,

By the power of the Spirit working with the word for their conviction and reformation: "You shall know its original by its efficacy, whence it comes by what it does.’’ When the word of YAHVEH to us brings about, and carries on, the work of YAHVEH in us, then we cannot but know that he sent it to us, that it is not the word of Malachi YAH’s messenger, but it is indeed the Word of YAHVEH, and is sent, not only in general to all, but in particular to us.

By the accomplishment of the threatenings denounced against them: "You shall know, to your cost, that I have sent this commandment to you, and it shall not return void.’’

Let us now see what this commandment is which is for the priests, which, they must know, was sent to them; and let us put into method the particulars of the charge.

Here is a recital of the covenant YAH made with that sacred tribe, which was their commission for their work and the patent of their honor: YAHVEH TSEBAOTE sent a commandment to them, for the establishing of this covenant, for HIS Covenant is said to be the word which HE commanded (Ps. 105:8); and HE sent this commandment by the prophet at this time for the re-establishing of it, that it might not be cut off for their persisting in the violation of it.

Malachi 1:⁵ “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name. - Let the sons of Levi know then (and particularly the sons of Aaron) what honor YAHWWAH put upon their family, and what a trust HE reposed in them: My covenant was with him of life and peace.

Besides the covenant of peculiarity made with all the house of Yisrael, there was a covenant of priesthood made with one family, that they should do the services, and, upon condition of that, should enjoy all the privileges, of the priest’s office that, as Yisrael was a peculiar nation, a kingdom of priests, so the house of Aaron should be a family of priests, set apart for the service and honor of YAHVEH, to bear up HIS Name in that nation, as they were to bear up his name among the nations; both the one and the other, in different degrees, were to give glory unto YAH’s name, verse 2.

YAHVEH covenanted with them as HIS menial servants, obliged them to do HIS work and promised to own and accept them in it. This is called HIS covenant of life and peace, because it was intended for the support of religion, which brings life and peace to the souls of men life to the dead, peace to the distressed, or because life and peace were by this covenant promised to those priests that faithfully and conscientiously discharged their duty; they shall have peace, which implies security from all evil, and life, which comprises the summary of all good.

What is here said of the covenant of priesthood is true of the covenant of grace made with all believers, as spiritual priests; it is a covenant of life and peace; it assures all believers of life and peace, everlasting peace, everlasting life, all happiness both in this world and in that to come.

This covenant was made with the whole tribe of Levi when they were distinguished from the rest of the tribes, were not numbered with them, but were taken from among them and appointed over the tabernacle of testimony (Num. 1:49, 50), by virtue of which appointment YAHVEH says (Num. 3:12), The Levites shall be mine.

It was made with Aaron when he and his sons were taken to minister unto YAHVEH in the priest’s office, Ex. 28:1. Aaron is therefore called the saint of YAHVEH, Ps. 106:16. It was made with Phinehas and his family, a branch of Aaron’s, upon a particular occasion, Num. 25:12, 13. And there the covenant of priesthood is called, as here, the covenant of peace, because by it peace was made and kept between YAHVEH and Yisrael. These great blessings of life and peace, contained in that covenant, YAHVEH gave to him, to Levi, to Aaron, to Phinehas; he promised life and peace to them and their posterity, entrusted them with these benefits for the use and behoof of YAH’s Yisrael; they received that they might give, as Messiyah Himself did, Ps. 68:18. now, for the further opening of this covenant, observe,

1.     The considerations upon which it was grounded: It was for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. The tribe of Levi gave a signal proof of their holy fear of YAHVEH, and their reverence for HIS name, when they appeared so bravely against the worshippers of the golden calf (Ex. 32:26); and for their zeal in that matter YAHVEH bestowed this blessing upon them and invited them to consecrate themselves unto him.

Phinehas also showed himself zealous in the fear of YAHVEH and HIS judgments when, to stay the plague, he stabbed Zimri and Cozbi, Ps. 106:30, 31. Those, and those only, who fear YAH’s name, can expect the benefit of the covenant of life and peace; and those who give proofs of their zeal for YAHVEH shall without fail be recompensed in the glorious privileges of the Messiyay priesthood.

Some read this, not as the consideration of the grant, but as the condition of it: I gave them to him, provided that he should fear before me. If YAHVEH grant us life and peace, he expects we should fear before him.

2.     The trust that was lodged in the priests by this covenant, verse 7. They were hereby made the messengers of the Lord of hosts, messengers of that covenant of life and peace, not mediators of it, but only messengers, or ambassadors, employed to treat of the terms of peace between YAHVEH and Yisrael. The priests were YAH’s mouth to HIS people, from whom they must receive instructions according to the lively oracles.

This was the office to which Levi was advanced; because, in his zeal for YAHVEH, he did not acknowledge his brethren, nor know his own children, therefore they shall teach Jacob YAH’s judgments, Deu. 33:9, 10.

It is an honor to YAH’s servants to be employed as his messengers and to be sent on his errands. Angels have their name thence. Haggai was called YAHVEH’s messenger. This being their office, observe,

(1.)           What is the duty of ministers: The priests’ lips should keep knowledge, not keep it from the people, but keep it for them. Ministers must be men of knowledge; for how are those able to teach others the things of YAHVEH who are themselves unacquainted with those things or unready in them?

They must keep knowledge, must furnish themselves with it and retain what they have got, that they may be like the good householder, who brings out of his treasury things new and old. Not only their heads, but their lips, must keep knowledge; they must not only have it, but they must have it ready, must have it at hand, must have it (as we say) at their tongue’s end, to be communicated to others as there is occasion.

Therefore we read of wisdom in the lips of him that has understanding, with which they feed many, Prov. 10:13, 21.

(2.)           What is the duty of the priest: They should seek the law at their mouth; the People should consult the priests as YAH’s messengers, and not only hear the message, but ask questions upon it, that they may the better understand it and that mistakes concerning it may be prevented and rectified. It is the responsibility of everyone to know what is the will of YAHVEH is, to know it distinctly and certainly; we should be desirous to know it and therefore inquisitive concerning it.

YAHVEH what wilt thou have me to do? We must not only consult the written word (to the law and to the testimony), but must have recourse to YAH’s messengers, and desire instruction and advice from them in the affairs of our souls as we do from physicians and lawyers concerning our bodies and estates.

No one but a mature believer, a ministers ought to lay down the law of YAHVEH to those who do not enquire concerning it, or desire the knowledge of it (they must instruct those that oppose themselves, 2 Tim. 2:25, as well as those that offer themselves), but it is people’s duty to apply the instruction, not only to hear, but to ask questions, and to do.

Watchman, what of the night? Thus if you will enquire, enquire you; see Isa. 21:8, 11, 12. People should not only seek comfort or religion at the mouth of their ministers, but should seek the law from them; for, if we are found in the way of duty, so shall we be found it the way of comfort.

Malachi 1:⁶ The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity. - Here is a memorial of the fidelity and zeal of many of their predecessors in the priest’s office, which are mentioned as an aggravation of their sin in degenerating from such honorable ancestors and deserting such illustrious examples, and as a justification of YAHVEH, in withdrawing from them those tokens of his presence which he had granted to those that kept close to HIM.

In this verse we see how good the godly priest was, whose steps they should have trod in, and what good he did, YAH’s grace working with him.

 See how good he was. He was ready and mighty in the scriptures: The law of truth was in his mouth, for the use of those that asked the law at their mouth; and in all his discourses there appeared more or less of the law of truth. Every thing he said was under the government of that law, and with it he governed others. He spoke as one having authority (every word was a law), and as one that had both wisdom and integrity it was a law of truth, and truth is a law, it has a commanding power.

It is by truth that Messiyah Yahushua rules. The law of truth was in His mouth, for His resolutions of cases of conscience proposed to Him were such as might be depended upon; His opinion was good law.

Iniquity was not found in His lips; He did not handle the Word of YAHVEH deceitfully, to please men, or to make a name for himself, but told all that consulted Him what the law was, whether it were pleasing or displeasing. He did not pronounce that unclean which was clean, nor that clean which was unclean, as some of the rabbi expounds it. And His conversation was a piece with His doctrine. YAHVEH Himself gives Him this honorable testimony: He walked with ME in peace and equity. He did not think it enough to talk of YAHVEH, but HE walked with Him.

The temper of His mind, and the tenour of His life, were of a piece with His doctrine and profession; He lived a life of communion with YAHVEH, and made it His constant care and business to please ABBA YAHVEH; He lived like a priest that was chosen to walk before YAHVEH, 1 Sa. 2:30. His conversation was quiet; he was meek and gentle towards all men, was a pattern and promoter of love; He walked with YAHVEH in peace, was Himself peaceable and a great peace-maker. His conversation was also honest; He did no wrong to anytime, but made conscience of rendering to all their due: He walked with me in equity, or rectitude.

We must not, for peace-sake, transgress the rules of Torah, but must keep the peace as far as is consistent with justice. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable. Ministers, of all men, are concerned to walk with YAHVEH in peace and equity, that they may be examples to the flock.

See what good He did; He answered the ends of His advancement to that office: He did turn many away from iniquity; Yahushua made it His business to do good, and so should we, that YAHVEH may crowned us as HE crowned Yahushua with wonderful success; Yahushua helped to save many a soul from death, and there are multitudes now in heaven blessing YAHVEH that ever they knew him.

Ministers must lay out themselves to the utmost for the conversion of sinners, and even among those that have the name of Yisraelites there is need of conversion-work, there are many to be turned from iniquity; and they must reckon it an honor, and a rich reward of their labour, if they may but be instrumental herein.

It is YAHVEH only that by HIS grace can turn men from iniquity, and yet it is here said of a pious laborious minister that HE turned men from iniquity as a worker together with YAHVEH, and an instrument in his hand; and those that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars, Dan. 12:3.

Those ministers, and those only, are likely to turn men from iniquity, that preach sound doctrine and live good lives, and both according to the scripture; for, as one of the rabbin observes here, When the priest is upright many will be upright.

Malachi 1:⁷ “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE .- Here is a high charge drawn up against the priests of the present age, who violated the covenant of the priesthood and went directly contrary both to the rules and to the examples that were set before them.

Many particulars of their sins we had in the foregoing chapter, and we find (Neh. 13) that many corruptions had crept into the Assembly of the Jews at this time, mixed marriages, admitting strangers into the house of YAHVEH, profanation of the sabbath-day, which were all owing to the carelessness and unfaithfulness of the priests; here it is charged upon them in general.

Today, we have forsaken the Sabbath, the Holy Days, YAHVEH’s Time table, YAHVEH concept of marriage by the bride price. HIS Passover are no more, replace with communion. There are over a hundred different version of Scripture, when it was only one version given to Moses. The True Name of the Creator have been replace with God, and the Messiyah name to Jesus Christ.

Brit Chadasha

Romans 9:6-16

Romans 9:⁶ But it is not that the word of YAHVEH has taken no effect. For they are not all Yisrael who are of Yisrael. - Now the difficulty is to reconcile the rejection of the unbelieving Yisraelite with the word of YAH’s promise, or the Christian with the law, and the external tokens of the divine favour, which had been conferred upon them.

This he does in four ways:

1.     By explaining the true meaning and intention of the promise, verse 6 endash 13.

2.     By asserting and proving the absolute sovereignty of YAHVEH, in disposing of the children of men, verse 14 endash 24.

3.     By showing how this rejection of the Jews, and the taking in of the Gentiles, were foretold in the Old Testament, verse 25 endash 29.

4.     By fixing the true reason of the Jews’ rejection, verse 30, to the end.

In this paragraph the apostle explains the true meaning and intention of the promise. When we mistake the word, and misunderstand the promise, no wonder we are ready to quarrel with YAHVEH about the accomplishment.

Now he makes it out that, when YAHVEH said HE would be a EL to Abraham, and to his seed (which was the famous promise made unto the fathers), HE did not mean it of all his seed according to the flesh, as if it were a necessary concomitant of the blood of Abraham; but that HE intended it with a limitation only to those who walk accordingly.

As from the beginning it was appropriated to Isaac and not to Ishmael, to Jacob and not to Esau, and yet for all this the Word of YAHVEH was not made of no effect; so now the same promise is appropriated to believing Yisraelite that embrace Messiyah, and, though it throws off multitudes that refuse Him, yet the promise is not defeated and invalidated, any more than it was by the typical rejection of Ishmael and Esau.

Romans 9:⁷ nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” - He lays down this proposition that they are not all Yisrael who say they are of Yisrael, neither because they are, etc. Many that descended from the loins of Abraham and Jacob, and were of that people who were surnamed by the name of Yisrael, yet were very far from being Yisraelites indeed, interested in the saving benefits of the new covenant. They are not all really Yisrael that are so in name and profession.

It does not follow that, because they are the seed of Abraham, therefore they must needs be the children of YAHVEH, though they themselves fancied so, boasted much of, and built much upon, their relation to Abraham, Mt. 3:9; Jn. 8:38, 39. But it does not follow. Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefits inseparably annexed to external church privileges, though it is common for people therefore to stretch the meaning of YAH’s promise, to bolster themselves up in a vain hope.

He proves this by instances; and therein shows not only that some of Abraham’s seed were chosen, and others not, but that YAHVEH therein wrought according to the counsel of his own will; and not with regard to that law of commandments to which the present unbelieving Jews were so strangely wedded.

He specifies the case of Isaac and Ishmael, both of them the seed of Abraham; and yet Isaac only taken into covenant with YAHVEH and Ishmael rejected and cast out. For this he quotes Gen. 21:12, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, which comes in there as a reason why Abraham must be willing to cast out the bond-woman and her son, because the covenant was to be established with Isaac, Gen. 17:19. And yet the word which YAHVEH had spoken, that HE would be a EL to Abraham and to his seed, did not therefore fall to the ground; for the blessings wrapt up in that great word, being communicated by YAHVEH as a benefactor, HE was free to determine on what head they should rest, and accordingly entailed them upon Isaac, and rejected Ishmael.

Romans 9:⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of YAHVEH; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. - This he explains further, and shows what YAHVEH intended to teach us by this dispensation. That the children of the flesh, as such, by virtue of their relation to Abraham according to the flesh, are not therefore the children of The Kingdom, for then Ishmael had put in a good claim. This remark comes home to the unbelieving Jews, who boasted of their relation to Abraham according to the flesh, and looked for justification in a fleshly way, by those carnal ordinances which Messiyah had abolished. They had confidence in the flesh, and looked for justification in the works of the law. Ishmael was a child of the flesh, conceived by Hagar, who was young and fresh, and likely enough to have children. There was nothing extraordinary or supernatural in his conception, as there was in Isaac’s; he was born after the flesh (Gal. 4:29), representing those that expect justification and salvation by their own strength and righteousness.

Romans 9:⁹  For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” - That the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Those that have the honor and happiness of being counted for the seed have it not for the sake of any merit or desert of their own, but purely by virtue of the promise, in which YAHVEH hath obliged HIMSELF of HIS own good pleasure to grant the promised favour.

Isaac was a child of promise; this is proves in the following quoted from Gen. 18:10. he was a child promised (so were many others), and he was also conceived and born by force and virtue of the promise, and so a proper type and figure of those who are now counted for the seed, even true believers, who are born, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of YAH-of the incorruptible seed, even the word of promise, by virtue of the special promise of a new heart: see Gal. 4:28.

It was through faith that Isaac was conceived, Heb. 11:11. Therefore were the great mysteries of salvation taught under the Old Testament, not in express words, but by significant types and dispensations of providence, which to them then were not so clear as they are to us now, when the veil is taken away, and the types are expounded by the antitypes.

Romans 9:¹⁰ And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac. - The case of Jacob and Esau, which is much stronger, to show that the carnal seed of Abraham were not, as such, interested in the promise, but only such of them as YAHVEH in sovereignty had appointed. There was a previous difference between Ishmael and Isaac, before Ishmael was cast out: Ishmael was the son of the bond-woman, born long before Isaac, was of a fierce and rugged disposition, and had mocked or persecuted Isaac, to all which it might be supposed YAHVEH had regard when HE appointed Abraham to cast him out.

But, in the case of Jacob and Esau, it was neither so nor so, they were both the sons of Isaac by one mother; they were conceived by one conception; so some copies read it. The difference was made between them by the divine counsel before they were born, or had done any good or evil.

Both lay struggling alike in their mother’s womb, when it was said, The elder shall serve the younger, without respect to good or bad works done or foreseen, that the purpose of YAHVEH according to election might stand that this great truth may be established, that YAHVEH chooses some and refuses others as a free agent, by his own absolute and sovereign will, dispensing his favours or withholding them as he pleases.

This difference that was put between Jacob and Esau he further illustrates by a quotation from Mal. 1:2, 3, where it is said, not of Jacob and Esau the person, but the Edomites and Yisraelites their posterity, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. The people of Yisrael were taken into the covenant of peculiarity, had the land of Canaan given them, were blessed with the more signal appearances of Yisrael for them in special protections, supplies, and deliverances, while the Edomites were rejected, had no temple, altar, priests, nor prophets-no such particular care taken of them nor kindness shown to them.

Such a difference did YAHVEH put between those two nations, that both descended from the loins of Abraham and Isaac, as at first there was a difference put between Jacob and Esau, the distinguishing heads of those two nations. So that all this choosing and refusing was typical, and intended to shadow forth some other election and rejection.

      

Romans 9:¹¹(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of YAHVEH  according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), - Some understand it of the election and rejection of conditions or qualifications. As EL YAHVEH chose Isaac and Jacob, and rejected Ishmael and Esau, so he might and did choose faith to be the condition of salvation and reject the works of the law. Therefore Arminius understands it, Concerning such as are rejected and such as are chosen, being distinguished by appropriate qualities.

But this strains the scripture; for the apostle speaks all along of persons, he has mercy on whom (he does not say on what kind of people) he will have mercy, besides that against this sense those two objections do not at all arise, and his answer to them concerning YAH’s absolute sovereignty over the children of men is not at all pertinent if no more be meant than his appointing the conditions of salvation.

Romans 9:¹² it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” - Others understand it of the election and rejection of particular person: some loved, and others hated, from eternity. But the apostle speaks of Jacob and Esau, not in their own persons, but as ancestors Jacob the people, and Esau the people; nor does YAHVEH condemn any, or decree so to do, merely because he will do it, without any reason taken from their own deserts.

Romans 9:¹³ As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” - Others therefore understand it of the election and rejection of people considered complexly. His design is to justify YAHVEH and HIS mercy and truth, in calling the Gentiles, and taking them into the church, and into covenant with himself, while he suffered the obstinate part of the Jews to persist in unbelief, and so to un-church themselves, thus hiding from their eyes the things that belonged to their peace.

The apostle’s reasoning for the explication and proof of this is, very applicable to, and, no doubt (as is usual in scripture) was intended for the clearing of the methods of YAH’s grace towards particular person, for the communication of saving benefits bears some analogy to the communication of church-privileges.

The choosing of Jacob the younger, and preferring him before Esau the elder (so crossing hands), were to intimate that the Jews, though the natural seed of Abraham, and the first-born of the church, should be laid aside; and the Gentiles, who were as the younger brother, should be taken in in their stead, and have the birthright and blessing.

The Hebrew, considered as a body politic, a nation and people, knit together by the bond and cement to the letter of the law, the temple and priesthood, the centre of their unity, had for many ages been the darlings and favourites of heaven, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, dignified and distinguished by YAH’s miraculous appearances among them and for them. While all that is true, they still missed the spirit of the Law.

Now that the gospel was preached by Mesiyah, and the Messinis Assembly were planted, this national body was thereby abandoned, their ribbinic religious polity dissolved; and Messianic Assemble (and in process of time righteous nations), embodied in like manner, become their successors in the divine favour, and those special privileges and protections which were the products of that favour.

To clear up the justice of YAHVEH in this great dispensation is the scope of the apostle here.

Romans 9:¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with YAHVEH? Certainly not! - The apostle, having asserted the true meaning of the promise, comes here to maintain and prove the absolute sovereignty of YAHVEH Laws, in disposing of the children of men, with reference to their eternal state.

YAHVEH’S Laws is to be considered, not as a rector and governor, distributing rewards and punishments according to HIS revealed laws and covenants, but as an owner and benefactor, giving to the children of men, such grace and favour as HE has determined in and by HIS secret and eternal will and counsel: both the favour of visible church-membership and privileges, which is given to some people and denied to others, and the favour of effectual grace, which is given to some particular persons and denied to others.

Now this part of his discourse is in answer to two objections. It might be objected, Is there unrighteousness with YAHVEH? If YAHVEH, in dealing with the children of men, do so in an arbitrary manner, choose some and refuse others, may it not be suspected that there is unrighteousness with him? This the apostle startles at the thought of: YAHVEH forbid! Far be it from us to think such a thing; shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Gen. 18:25; ch. 3:5, 6. He denies the consequences, and proves the denial.

Romans 9:¹⁵ For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” - In respect of those to whom YAHVEH shows mercy. He quotes that scripture to show YAH’s sovereignty in dispensing HIS favours (Ex. 33:19): I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. All YAH’s reasons of mercy are taken from within himself.

All the children of men being plunged alike into a state of sin and misery, equally under guilt and wrath, YAHVEH, in a way of sovereignty, picks out some from this fallen apostatized race, to be vessels of grace and glory. He dispenses his gifts to whom he will, without giving us any reason: according to his own good pleasure he pitches upon some to be monuments of mercy and grace, preventing grace, effectual grace, while he passes by others.

The expression is very resounding, and the repetition makes it more so: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. It imports a perfect absoluteness in YAH’s will; HE will do what HE will, and giveth not account of any of HIS matters, nor is it fit he should. As these great words, I am that I am (Ex. 3:14) do abundantly express the absolute independency of his being, so these words, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, do as fully express the absolute prerogative and Sovereignty of HIS Will.

To vindicate the righteousness of YAHVEH, in showing mercy to whom HE will, the apostle appeals to that which YAHVEH Himself had spoken, wherein he claims this sovereign power and liberty. YAHVEH is a competent judge, even in his own case. Whatsoever YAHVEH does, or is resolved to do, is both by the one and the other proved to be just. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.

              

Romans 9:¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of YAHVEH who shows mercy. - When I begin, I will make an end. Therefore YAH’s mercy endures untill the purpose of the Word is fulfiled, because the reason of it is fetched from within HIMSELF; therefore HIS gifts and callings are without repentance. Hence HE infers, It is not of him that willeth.

Whatever good comes from EL YAHVEH to man, the glory of it is not to be ascribed to the most generous desire, nor to the most industrious endeavour, of man, but only and purely to the free grace and mercy of YAHVEH. In Jacob’s case it was not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; it was not the earnest will and desire of Rebecca that Jacob might have the blessing; it was not Jacob’s haste to get it (for he was compelled to run for it) that procured him the blessing, but only the mercy and grace of YAHVEH.

Wherein the holy happy people of YAHVEH differ from other people, it is YAHVEH and HIS Mercy that make them differ. Applying this general rule to the particular case that Paul has before him, the reason why the unworthy, undeserving, ill-deserving Gentiles are called, and grafted into the Messianic Assembly, while the greatest part of the Jews are left to perish in unbelief, is not because those Gentiles were better deserving or better disposed for such a favour, but because of YAH’s free grace that made that difference.

The Gentiles did neither will it, nor run for it, for they sat in darkness, Mt. 4:16. In darkness, therefore not willing what they knew not; sitting in darkness, a contented posture, therefore not running to meet it, but anticipated with these invaluable blessings of goodness. It was there will to received that cause YAHVEH’S grace to be given to them.

Such is the method of YAH’s grace towards all that partake of it, for HE is found of those that sought HIM not (Isa. 65:1); in this preventing, effectual, distinguishing grace, HE acts as a benefactor, whose grace is HIS own. Our eye therefore must not be evil because HIS is good; but, of all the grace that we or others have, HE must have the glory: Not unto us, Ps. 115:1.