Lech Lecha

Parashas Lech Lecha

Genesis  12:1 – 17:27

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

That the Truth of the Torah may

Come forth. Amen

                                                                                                          

This Torah portion is called Lech Lecha in Hebrew meaning to “Take yourself” it is the 3^rd portion of the cycle. Like all Torah portion this particular reading helps us to understand what we have been mistaken about, what we should desire for our lives. We must ask not for a life of ease, but for the ability to strive tirelessly against obstacles or situation that impede our spiritual progress and for the opportunity to do so successfully. To run against the current doesn’t have to be discouraging. It can be invigorating and exhilarating and inspiriting. This is the gift on the Sabbath for Lech Lecha.

When The CREATOR asked Abrahan to set out for the Promise Land, The CREATOR said to Abraham “Lech Lecha,” you go. In those days, it was no small thing to ask someone to relocate their family and travel a great distance. Not only was traveling an marabous proposition, it was dangerous and expensive. The logistic that was needed to perform such a task was very challenging, Great preparation was required. Lech Lecha implies the tireless effort needed to fulfil the CREATOR’S request for us to separate ourselves from this world system, for one that is made on a promise, build on faith.

Kabbalah teaches us that those who are connected to the Light of the CREATOR possess this quality of constant striving for something better, a city not built by human hand. We can see indications of this in the CREATOR’S esteem for Abraham. The Midrash says that the CREATOR called Abraham in Hebrew “Yedidi” My  best friend, and Avraham Ohavi, Abraham my beloved. ABBA YAHWEH connection “entanglement” to Abraham was so strong because HE knew that Abraham would strive to accomplish his sixth days of Creation. Meaning whatever task he took on, regardless of its difficulty, Abraham would undertake it willingly.

There was no shortage of difficulties, from the moment Abraham left Ur on his way to Canaan. His Father died on the way; He end up in Egypt; his wife was taken away from him; I am almost sure that there were other problem that was not describe in Torah.

Most of us are nowhere close to Abraham level of faith, because of the lack of spiritual focus in our lives. Most of us would be overwhelmed by the thought of living like Abraham, that is why we do not attained the same level of spiritual success.

Fortunately, every Sabbath, but mostly on the Sabbath of Lech Lecha, we have an opportunity to pray for the ability to strive tirelessly against all obstacles, for the fortitude of Abraham. First we must desire it, and then we must pray for it. Like Noah, if we do not ask for it, it will not be given to us.

The Spirit of Abraham and the revelation of Lech Lecha will help us changes the way we think about our spiritual goal. Most of us see the goal of our spiritual life as an easy, endless connection to the CREATOR. This, however was not what Abraham sought; he sought tirelessly to fulfill his ultimate objective, knowing that there would be nothing easy about his journey. Abraham knew and I also would like you also to know that you did not come into this world to work only for physical things, but to achieved spiritual maturity.

Gold is not purified without going through the fire. Be passionate with your spiritual journey, remember that like Messiyah we too must show ourselves approved, and faithful. If an Angels are sent to help you with your journey everyday, how many of us would drive them away with our unbelief? Abraham was faced with famine in Egypt, he was not angry and did not complain. He was excited to wake up each and every day and push on. Let this sense of enthusiasm for the struggle permeates the Sabbath of Lech Lecha, regardless of what famine you may be in.

This Parashas called Lech Lecha like the two previous Parashas, it is the third Parashas and it describes a new beginning for Abraham. It is and it will always be EL YAHWEH’s desire to create perfect sons. A perfect son is one who EL YAHWEH will established a Covenant with. This Parashas describe a fresh new start for mankind: the story of Abraham and His descendants the people of faith.

The first two millennium from creation were the Era of Desolation. Adam had failed, due to the deception of the Adversary, Abel had become a murderer, idolatry had been reintroduced to the world, ten dismal generations had been wasted away by the flood, and the ten generations from Noah had also fallen.

Abraham was born in the year 1948 from Creation. In the year 2,000, four years after the Dispersion and six years before the death of Noah, He started to influence his disciples to call on the Name of YAHWEH.

With the emergence of Abraham, the Era of Desolation had come to an end and the new Era of calling on the true Name of YAHWEH was at hand. With Abraham calling on the Sacred Name of YAHWEH, it began a profound change in the spiritual make up of humanity. The Plan of Creation was for YAHWEH Name to be manifested in the World, and for all of humanity to have an equal share in fulfilling the Divine mission and for the Word to be established in them.

Gen 12:1 Now YAHWEH said to Avram, "Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. – In this verse we have the call by which Abram was to be removed out of his homeland, his native Ur of the Chaldea, into the land of promise, which was designed both to try his faith and obedience and also to separate him and set him apart for YAHWEH.

The conditions of this call, is somewhat helped to the knowledge of Stephen’s speech, Acts 7:2, where we are told,  that the EL of Glory appeared to him to give him this call, HE appeared in such a displays of HIS glory that it left Abram no room to doubt the Divine authority of this call. YAHWEH spoke to him after in divers’ manners; but this first time, when the correspondence was to be settled, HE appeared to him as the EL of GLORY, and spoke to him.

This call was given to Abram in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran; therefore when we read what YAHWEH had said to Abram, in Ur of the Chaldees; and, in obedience to this call, as Stephen further relates to the story in (Acts 7:4), he came out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran, or Haran, about five years, after the death of his father Abram got a new command, different from the former. YAHWEH moved him into the land of Canaan. Some think that Haran was in Chaldea, and so was a part of Abram’s country, or that Abram, having stayed there five years, began to call it his country, and to set up root root there, till YAHWEH let him know this was not the place he was intended for.

When we are called, we like Abram will not get to our promise land immediately, as most people believe. There is a lot for Abram to learn before he like us, enter our promise land.

Because YAHWEH loves us, and has greatness in store for us, HE will not allow us to take up our rest any where short of Canaan, but will graciously repeat HIS calls, till the good work HE begun is completed, and our souls is entangled in HIM alone. In the call itself, we have a precept and a promise.

Get thee out of thy country, get thee out of your present world system Abram. By this precept he was tried whether Abram like us today, loved his native soil and dearest friends, and whether he could willingly leave all, to go along with YAHWEH. His country had become idolatrous, his kindred and his father’s house were a constant temptation to him, and he could not continue with them, without danger of being infected by them; therefore Get out, Get gone, with all speed, escape for thy life, look not behind thee, ch. 19:17.

Those that are in a sinful state are concerned to make all possible haste out of it. Get out for your soul sake (so some read it), that is, for thy own good. Those who leave their sins, and turn to YAHWEH, will themselves be cloth with unspeakable light by the change, Prov. 9:12. This command which YAHWEH gave to Abram is much the same as the Gospel call by which all the spiritual seed of faithful Abram are brought into covenant with EL YAHWEH.

For, natural affection must give way to spiritual gain. Our country is dear to us, our kindred dearer, and our father’s house dearest of all; and yet they must all be hated (Lu. 14:26), that is, we must love them less than Messiyah, hate them in comparison with Him, and, whenever any of these come in competition with Him, they must be postponed, and the preference given to the will and honor of Messiyah Yahushua.

Sin, and all the occasions of it, must be forsaken, and particularly bad company; we must abandon all the idols of iniquity which have been set up in our hearts, and get out of the way of temptation, plucking out even a right eye that leads us to sin (Mt. 5:29), willingly parting with that which is dearest to us, when we cannot keep it without danger to our integrity. Those that resolve to keep the commandments of YAHWEH must quit the society of evil doers, Ps. 119:115; Acts 2:40.

The world, the  church, and all our enjoyments in them, must be looked upon with a holy indifference and contempt; we must no longer look upon it as our country, or home, but as our temporary dwelling, and must accordingly separate ourselves from it and live above it.

By this principle Abram was tried whether YAHWEH could trust him further than HE saw him; for Abram as we must leave our own country, to go to a land that YAHWEH would show us. YAHWEH does not say, "It is a land that I will give thee,’’ but merely, "a land that I will show thee.’’ Nor does YAHWEH tell Abram what land it was, nor what kind of land; but Abram like us must follow YAHWEH with an implicit faith, and take YAH’s Word for it, in the general, though he had no particular securities given him that he should be no loser by leaving his country, to follow YAHWEH.

Those that will deal with YAHWEH must deal upon trust; we must quit the things that are seen for things that are not seen, and submit to the sufferings of this present time in hopes of a glory that is yet to be revealed (Rom. 8:18); for it does not yet appear what we shall be (1 John 3;2), any more than it did to Abram, when YAHWEH called him to a land HE would show him, so teaching him to live in a continual dependence upon HIS direction, and with his eye ever towards YAHWEH.

Gen 12:2 I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. – Here is an encouraging promise. All YAH’s precepts are attended with promises of obedient. When YAHWEH makes HIMSELF known also as a rewarder: if we obey HIS command, YAHWEH will not fail to perform the promise. Here are six promises:

1.     I will make of thee a great nation. When YAHWEH took Abram from his own people, YAHWEH promised to make him the head of another; YAHWEH cut him off from being the branch of a wild olive, to make him the root of a good olive. This promise was,

2.      A great relief to Abram’s burden; for he had no children. YAHWEH knows how to fashion HIS favors to the desire for children. He that has a plaster for every sore will provide a remedy for every pain.

3.     A great trial to Abram’s faith; for his wife had been long barren, so that, if he believe, it must be against hope, and his faith must build purely upon that power which can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham, and make them a great nation. YAHWEH makes nations: by him they are born at once (Isa. 66:8), and he speaks to build and plant them, Jer. 18:9. And, if a nation be made great in wealth and power, it is YAHWEH that makes it great.

4.     YAHWEH can raise great nations out of dry ground, and can make a little one to be a thousand.

5.     I will bless thee, either particularly with the blessing of fruitfulness and increase, as he had blessed Adam and Noah, or, in general, "I will bless thee with all manner of blessings, both of the upper and the nether springs. Leave thy father’s house, and I will give thee a father’s blessing, better than that of they progenitors.’’ Obedient believers will be sure to inherit the blessing.

6.     I will make thy name great. By deserting his country, he lost his name there. "Care not for that,’’ says YAHWEH, "but trust me, and I will make thee a greater name than ever you could have had there.’’ Having no child, he feared he should have no name; but YAHWEH will make him a great nation, and so make him a great name. YAHWEH is the fountain of honor, and from HIM promotion comes, 1 Sa. 2:8. The name of a mature obedient believers shall certainly be celebrated and made great. The best report is that which the elders obtained by faith, Heb. 11:2.

Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Thou shall be a blessing; that is, - "Our happiness like Abram’s shall be an example of happiness forever, so that those who would bless their friends shall only pray that YAHWEH would make them like Abram;’’ as Ruth 4:11. YAH’s dealings with mature believers are so kind and gracious that we need not desire for ourselves or our friends to be any better dealt with: to have YAHWEH for our friend is blessedness enough.

 "Your life shall be a blessing to the places where you shall dwell.’’ Good men are the blessings of their country, and it is their unspeakable honor and happiness to be made so. I will bless those that bless you and curse him that curseth thee. This made it a kind of a league, offensive and defensive, between YAHWEH and Abram. Abram heartily espoused YAH’s cause, and here YAHWEH promises to interest HIMSELF in his. YAHWEH promises to be a friend to his friends, to take kindnesses shown to him as done to HIMSELF, and to recompense them accordingly. YAHWEH will take care that none be losers, in the long run, by any service done for HIS people; even a cup of cold water shall be rewarded.

He promises to appear against Abram’s enemies. There were those that hated and cursed even Abram himself; but, while their causeless curses could not hurt Abram, YAH’s righteous curse would certainly overtake and ruin them, Num. 24:9. This is a good reason why we should bless those that curse us, because it is enough that YAHWEH will curse them, Ps. 38:13–15.

In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. This was the promise that crowned all the rest; for it points at the Messiyah Yahushua, in whom all the promises are yea and amen.

(1.) Messiyah Yahushua is the greatest blessing of the world, the greatest that the world was blessed with. He is a family blessing, by Him salvation is brought to the house (Lu. 19:9); when we reckon our family blessings, let us put Messiyah in the the first place, as the blessing of blessings. But how are all the families of the earth blessed in Messiyah, when so many are strangers to Him? All that are blessed are blessed in Him, Acts 4:12. All that believe, of what family soever they shall be, shall be blessed in him. Some of all the families of the earth are blessed in Him. There are some blessings which all the families of the earth are blessed with in Messiyah; for the gospel salvation is a common salvation, Jude 3.

(2.) It is a great honor to be related to Messiyah; this made Abram’s name great, that the Messiyah was to descend from his loins, much more than that he should be the father of many nations. It was Abram’s honor to be his father by nature; it will be ours to be his brethren in grace, Mt. 12:50.

Gen 12:4 So Avram went, as YAHWEH had said to him, and Lot went with him. Avram was 75 years old when he left Haran. – Abraham move out of his native country, out of Ur, Outercourt first and afterwards out of Haran, the Holy Place, in compliance with the call of YAHWEH: So Abram departed; he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but did as he was bidden, not conferring with flesh and blood, Gal. 1:15, 16. His obedience was speedy and without delay, submissive and without dispute; for he went out, not knowing whither he went (Heb. 11:8), but knowing whom he followed and under whose direction he went. Therefore ABBA YAHWEH called him, Isa. 41:2.

His age when he move was seventy-five years old, an age when he should rather have had rest and settlement; but, if YAHWEH will have him to start over again in his old age, he will submit. Here is an instance of an old convert.

Those who are connected to the Light of the CREATOR posses this ability to constantly striving. We can see sign of this in the CREATOR’S regard for Abraham. The CREATOR called Abraham “Yedidi,” My Best friend, and Avraham Obavi  Abraham, MY Beloved. The Creator connection to Abraham because HE knew that Abraham would strive to accomplish whatever task he took on, regardless of its difficulty.

                                               

Gen 12:5 Avram took his wife Sarai, his brother's son Lot, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, as well as the people they had acquired in Haran; then they set out for the land of Kena'an and entered the land of Kena'an. – The company and cargo that he took with him.

He took his wife, and his nephew Lot came with him; not by force and against their wills, but by persuasion. Sarai, his wife, would be sure to go with him; YAHWEH had joined them together, and nothing should put them apart. If Abram leave all, to follow YAHWEH, Sarai will leave all, to follow Abram, though neither of them knew where. It was a mercy to Abram to have such a companion in his journey, a help mate for him.

It is very comfortable when husband and wife agree to journey together in the way to the heavens. Lot also, his kinsman, was influenced by Abram’s good example, who was perhaps his guardian after the death of his father, and he was willing to go along with him too. Those that go to Canaan need not go alone, for, though few find the strait gate, blessed be YAHWEH, some do; and it is our wisdom to go with those with whom YAHWEH is (Zec. 8:23), wherever they go.

They took all their belongings with them, all their substance and movable goods, that they had gathered. They would give up their all, to be at YAHWEH’s disposal, they would keep back no part of the price, but venture all in one foundation, knowing it was a good resting place.

They would furnish themselves with only that which was requisite, both for the service of YAHWEH and the supply of their family, in the country where they were going. For Abram have thrown away his substance, because YAHWEH had promised to bless him, would have been to tempt YAHWEH, not to trust him.

They would not be under any temptation to return; therefore they never leave a hoof nor a shoe behind, lest that should make them mindful of the country from which they came out.

They took with them the souls that they had gotten, that is: The servants they had bought, which were part of their substance, are called souls, to remind masters that their poor servants have souls, precious souls, which they ought to take care of and provide spiritual food convenient for. The proselytes they had made, and persuaded to attend the worship of the true Elohim, and to go with them to Canaan: the souls which they had gathered under the wings of the divine Majesty.

Those who decide to follow EL YAHWEH themselves should do all they can to bring others to serve and follow him too. These souls they are said to have gained. We must reckon ourselves truly bless if we can but win souls to Messiyah. Here is their happy arrival at their journey’s end: They went forth to the land of Canaan; so they did before (ch. 11:31), they were obviously held on their way, and, by the good hand of their EL was upon them, to the land of Canaan they came, with a fresh revelation they were told that this was the land YAHWEH promised to show them. They were not discouraged by the difficulties they met with on their way, nor diverted by the delights they met with, but pressed forward.

1. Those that set out for the Kingdom of heavens must persevere to the end, still reaching forth to those things that are before.

2. That which we undertake in obedience to YAH’s command, and a humble attendance upon HIS providence, will certainly succeed, and end with comfort at last.

Gen 12:6 Avram passed through the land to the place called Sh'khem, to the oak of Moreh. The Kena'ani were then in the land. -  One would have expected that Abram having had such an extraordinary call to Canaan by some great event welcoming event would have followed upon his arrival there, that he would have been introduced with all possible marks of honor and respect, and that the kings of Canaan should immediately have surrendered their crowns to him, and show Abram some honor. But no; he comes not by observation, little notice is taken of him, for still YAHWEH will have him to live by faith, and to look upon Canaan, even when he was in it, as a land of promise; therefore observe here,

How little comfort he had in this new land he came to; for,

1. The Canaanite was then in the land. He found the country peopled and possessed by Canaanites, who were likely to be bad neighbors and worse landlords; and, for all that appears, he could not have ground to pitch his tent on but by their permission. The accursed Canaanites seemed to be in better circumstances than blessed Abram. The children of this world have commonly more of it than YAH’s children.

2. He passed through the land, verse 6. He removed to a mountain, verse 8. He journeyed, going on still, verse 9.

Sometimes it is the lot of good men to be unsettled, and obliged often to remove their habitation. David had his wanderings, his fittings, Ps. 56:8.

Our removes in this world are often into various conditions. Abram sojourned, first in a plain verse 6, then in a mountain, verse 8. YAHWEH has set the one over-against the other.

All good people must look upon themselves as strangers and sojourners in this world, and by faith sit loose to it as a strange country. So Abram did, Heb. 11:8–14

While we are here in this present state, we must be journeying, and going on still from strength to strength, as having not yet attained.

How much comfort he had in the EL he followed; when he could have little satisfaction in converse with the Canaanites whom he found there, he had abundance of pleasure in communion with that YAHWEH who brought him thither, and did not leave him. Communion with YAHWEH is kept up by the word and by prayer, and by these, according to the methods of that dispensation, Abram’s communion with YAHWEH was kept up in the land of his pilgrimage.

The Canaanites is symbolic to the sons of darkness who still exist in the heavens those who follow Lucifer in the rebellion. We are the one who will replace them when the Kingdom of the Heavens is restored. Every human been who live have the responsibility to live in the Kingdom to come, this is the whole purpose of creation, all the stories in Torah alluded to this goal.

Gen 12:7 YAHWEH appeared to Avram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to YAHWEH, who had appeared to him. – YAHWEH appeared to Abram, probably in a vision, and spoke to him good, comfortable words: Unto thy seed will I give this land.

No place nor condition of life can shut us out from the comfort of YAH’s gracious visits. Abram is a sojourner, unsettled among Canaanites; and yet here also he meets with him that lives and sees him. Enemies may part us and our tents, us and our altars, but not us and our Elohim.

With respect to those that faithfully follow YAHWEH in a way of duty, though HE leads them from their friends, HE will make up that loss by HIS gracious appearances to them.

YAH’s promises are sure and satisfying to all those who conscientiously observe and obey HIS precepts; and those who, in compliance with YAH’s call, leave or lose anything that is dear to them, shall be sure of something else abundantly better in lieu of it. Abram had left the land of his nativity: "Well,’’ says YAHWEH, "I will give thee this land,’’ Mt. 19:29.

YAHWEH reveals HIMSELF and HIS favors to HIS people by degrees; before HE had promised to show him this land, now to give it to him: as grace is growing, so is comfort. It is comfortable to have land of YAHWEH’s giving, not by providence only, but by promise.

Mercies to the children are mercies to the parents. "I will give it, not to thee, but to thy seed;’’ it is a grant in reversion to his seed, which yet, it should seem, Abram understood also as a grant to himself of a better land in reversion, of which this was a type; for he looked for a heavenly country, Heb. 11:16.

Gen 12:8 He left that place, went to the hill east of Beit-El and pitched his tent. With Beit-El to the west and 'Ai to the east, he built an altar there and called on the name of YAHWEH. – Abram attended on YAHWEH in his instituted ordinances. He built an altar unto EL YAHWEH who appeared to him, and called on the name of EL YAHWEH. Now consider this, as done upon a special occasion. When YAHWEH appeared to him, then and there he built an altar, with an eye to YAHWEH who appeared to him. He returned YAH’s visit, and kept up his correspondence with heaven, as one that resolved it should not fail on his side; he acknowledged, with thankfulness, YAH’s kindness to him in making him that gracious visit and promise; and thus he testified his confidence in and dependence upon the Word which YAHWEH had spoken.  An active believer can heartily bless YAHWEH for a promise the performance of which HE does not yet see, and build an altar to the honor of YAHWEH who appears to him, though he does not yet appear for him.

Gen 12:9 Then Avram traveled on, continuing toward the Negev. -  As his constant practice, whither so-ever he removed. As soon as Abram had got to Canaan, though he was but a stranger and sojourner there, yet he set up, and kept up, the worship of YAHWEH in his family; and wherever he had a tent YAHWEH had an altar, and that an altar sanctified by prayer. For he not only minded the ceremonial part of religion, the offering of sacrifice, but made conscience of the natural duty of seeking to his EL, and calling on his name, that spiritual sacrifice with which YAHWEH is well pleased. He preached concerning the name of YAHWEH, that is, he instructed his family and neighbors in the knowledge of the true Elohim and his holy Name. The souls he had gotten in Haran, being disciple,  he must be further taught.

Those that would approve themselves as children of faithful Abram, and would inherit the blessing of Abram, must make conscience of keeping up the solemn worship of YAHWEH, particularly in their families, according to the example of Abram. The way of family worship is a good old way, is no novel invention, but the ancient usage of all the saints. Abram was very rich and had a numerous family, was now unsettled and in the midst of enemies, and yet, wherever he pitched his tent, he built an altar. Wherever we go, let us not fail to take our religion along with us.

Gen 12:10 But there was a famine in the land, so Avram went down into Egypt to stay there, because the famine in the land was severe. – There  was a famine, lack of water, lack of Torah, lack of water for the Holy Spirit to move upon. Some time in our spiritual journey we will come to our promise land, yet the enemy is still in possession of our domain. We must wait until the appropriate time to enter into the land. It is foolish for us to walk into a Muslim house and start preaching Messiyah to them, we must wait until the spiritual famine is lifted, before we may enter in.

                                                      

Gen 12:11 When he came close to Egypt and was about to enter, he said to Sarai his wife, "Here now, I know that you are a good-looking woman; - A great fault which Abram was guilty of, in denying his wife, and pretending that she was his sister. The scripture is impartial in relating the misdeeds of the most celebrated saints, which are recorded, not for our imitation, but for our admonition, that he who thinks he stands may take heed lest he fall.

His fault was dissembling his relation to Sarai, equivocating concerning it, and teaching his wife, and probably all his attendants, to do so too. What he said was, in a sense, true (ch. 20:12), but with a purpose to deceive; he so concealed a further truth as in effect to deny it, and to expose thereby both his wife and the Egyptians to sin.

Abram had what I would called a logical reason to make that statement, however it could have led to a more serious consequence. When the Christian church decided to institute marriage, because they taught that the Torah requirement of the bride price did no lend credence to the honor of women, they were in-effect creating a scenario where adultery is practice.

From the very beginning of the journey to Canaan, Abraham ran into difficulties. He went down to Egypt, where there was a famine in the land, it was bad enough, when Abraham entered Egypt the World, His wife Sarah was taken from him and delivered to the Pharaoh so that he might enjoy the  pleasure of her beauty.

                                                                          

Gen 12:12 so that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife,' and kill me but keep you alive. -  In this verse we learn that even great men do make choice to protect themselves from the world. I will not preach on this topic for the world will be against me. That which was at the bottom of it was a self preservation mentality! Some of the  Egyptians would be so charmed with the beauty of Sarai “the Church” that, if they should know he was her husband, they would find some way or other to embrace her, by they might marry her. He presumes they would rather be guilty of murder than adultery, such a heinous crime was it then accounted and such a sacred regard was paid to the marriage bond; hence he infers, without any good reason, They will kill me.

                                                           

Gen 12:13 Please say that you are my sister, so that it will go well with me for your sake, and so that I will stay alive because of you." - The fear of man brings a snare, and many are driven to sin by the dread of death, Lu. 12:4, 5. The grace Abram was most eminent for was faith; and yet he fell through unbelief and distrust of the divine Providence, even after YAHWEH had appeared to him twice. what will become of the willows, when the cedars are shaken?

Gen 12:14 When Avram entered Egypt, the Egyptians did notice that the woman was very beautiful. -  The danger Sarai was in of having her chastity violated by the king of Egypt: and without doubt the peril of sin is the greatest peril we can be in. Pharaoh’s princes saw her, and, observing what a comely woman she was, they commended her before Pharaoh, not for that which was really her praise, her virtue and modesty, her faith and piety (these were no excellencies in their eyes), but for her beauty, which they thought too good for the embraces of a subject.

Gen 12:15 Pharaoh's princes saw her and commended her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. - They recommended her to the king, and she was presently taken into Pharaoh’s house, as Esther into the seraglio of Ahasuerus (Esth. 2:8), in order to her being taken into his bed. Now we must not look upon Sarai as standing fair for preferment, but as entering into temptation; and the occasions of it were her own beauty (which is a snare to many) and Abram’s equivocation, which is a sin that commonly is an inlet to much sin.

Gen 12:16 He treated Avram well for her sake, giving him sheep, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels. - While Sarai was in no physical danger, she was is spiritual danger, Abram fared the better for her sake. Pharaoh gave him sheep, oxen, etc. To gain his consent, that he might the more readily prevail with her whom he supposed to be his sister, this was the bride price. We cannot think that Abram expected this when he came down into Egypt, much less that he had an eye to it when he denied his wife; but YAHWEH brought good out of evil. Therefore the wealth of the sinner proves, in some way or other, to be laid up for the just.

In describing Abraham journey through life, we can used the metaphor of running against a mighty running river with Crocodile chasing after us. This is a good way to view our own spiritual experience. To be like Abraham spiritually is to ask ourselves, “am I throwing myself into the rushing river” Am I willing to continue on and on as the raging water thrush against us, or are we will to be swept away by its relentless current.

Gen 12:17 But YAHWEH inflicted great plagues on Pharaoh and his household because of Sarai Avram's wife. -  The deliverance of Sarai from this danger. For if YAHWEH did not deliver us, many a time, by prerogative, out of those straits and distresses which we bring ourselves into by our own sin and folly, and which therefore we could not expect any deliverance from by promise, we should soon be ruined, nay, we should have been ruined long before this. He deals not with us according to our deserts.

YAHWEH chastised Pharaoh, and so prevented the progress of his sin. Those are happy chastisements that hinder us in a sinful way, and effectually bring us to our duty, and particularly to the duty of restoring that which we have wrongfully taken and detained.

Not Pharaoh only, but his house, was plagued, probably those princes especially that had commended Sarai to Pharaoh. Partners in sin are justly made partners in the punishment. We are not told particularly what these plagues were; but doubtless there was something in the plagues themselves, or some explication added to them, sufficient to convince them that it was for Sarai’s sake that they were thus plagued.

Gen 12:18 Pharaoh called Avram and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife? – Pharaoh reproved Abram, and then dismissed him with respect. The reproof was calm, but very just: What is this that thou hast done? What an improper thing! How unbecoming a wise and good man!

If those that profess religion do that which is unfair and disingenuous, especially if they say that which borders upon a lie, they must expect to hear of it, and have reason to thank those that will tell them of it. We find a prophet of the Lord justly reproved and upbraided by a heathen ship-master, Jon. 1:6.

Pharaoh reasons with him: Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? intimating that, if he had known this, he would not have taken her into his house. It is a fault too common among good people to entertain suspicions of others beyond what there is cause for. We have often found more of virtue, honor, and conscience, in some people than we thought they possessed; and it ought to be a pleasure to us to be thus disappointed, as Abram was here, who found Pharaoh to be a better man than he expected. Charity teaches us to hope the best.

Gen 12:19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my own wife? Now therefore, here is your wife! Take her, and go away!" – The dis-mission was kind and very generous. He restored him his wife without offering any injury to her honor: Behold thy wife, take her.  A man’s wife is she who he is having sexual intercourse with, it is not she who he take before a priest.

Those that would prevent sin must remove the temptation, or get out of the way of it. He also sent him away in peace, and was so far from any design to kill him, as he apprehended, that he took particular care of him. We often perplex and ensnare ourselves with fears which soon appear to have been altogether groundless. We often fear where no fear is. Pharaoh knew the penalty of having sex with a next man’s wife.

Gen 12:20 So Pharaoh gave orders concerning him to his men, and they sent him on his way with his wife and everything he had. – We fear the fury of the oppressor, as though he were ready to destroy, when really there is no danger, Isa. 51:13. It would have been more for Abram’s credit and comfort to have told the truth at first; for, after all, honesty is the best policy.

Pharaoh commanded his men concerning Abraham, that is, He charged them not to injure him in any thing.  It is not enough for those in authority to do no hurt themselves, but they must restrain their servants, and those about them, from doing hurt.

He appointed them, when Abram was disposed to return home after the famine, to conduct him safely out of the country, as his convoy. Probably he was alarmed by the plagues verse 17, and inferred from them that Abram was a particular favorite of Heaven, and therefore, through fear of their return, took special care he should receive no injury in his country.

YAHWEH has often raised up friends for his people, by making men know that it is at their peril if they hurt them. It is a dangerous thing to offend Messiyah’s little ones. Mt. 18:6. To this passage, among others, the Psalmist refers, Ps. 105:13–15, He reproved kings for their sakes, saying Touch not my anointed. Perhaps if Pharaoh had not sent him away, he would have been tempted to stay in Egypt and to forget the land of promise.

Sometimes YAHWEH makes use of the enemies of his people to convince them, and remind them, that this world is not their rest, but that they must think of departing.

Lastly, Observe a resemblance between this deliverance of Abram out of Egypt and the deliverance of his seed thence: 430 years after Abram went into Egypt on occasion of a famine they went thither on occasion of a famine also; he was fetched out with great plagues on Pharaoh, so were they; as Abram was dismissed by Pharaoh, and enriched with the spoil of the Egyptians, so were they. For YAH’s care of HIS people is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever!

This scenario with his wife and Pharaoh was to create a situation where Abram would leave Egypt. It is so like YAHWEH, to ruffle our bed, making it uncomfortable when it is time for us to move on.

                                                     

Chapter 13

In this chapter we have a further account concerning Abram.

I. In general, of his condition and behavior in the land of promise, which was now the land of his pilgrimage. 

1. His removes verse 1, 3, 4, 18. 

2. His riches verse 2. 

3. His devotion verse 4, 18. 

II. A particular account of a quarrel that happened between him and Lot. 

1. The unhappy occasion of their strife verse 5, 6.

2. The parties concerned in the strife, with the aggravation of it verse 7. 

I.                The making up of the quarrel, by the prudence of Abram verse 8, 9. 

IV. Lot’s departure from Abram to the plain of Sodom verse 10–13.

V. YAH’s appearance to Abram, to confirm the promise of the land of Canaan to him verse 14, etc.

Gen 13:1 Avram went up from Egypt - he, his wife and everything he had, and Lot with him - into the Negev.  -  Here is Abram’s return out of Egypt. He came himself and brought all his with him back again to Canaan. Though there may be occasion to go sometimes into places of temptation, yet we must hasten out of them as soon as possible. See Ruth 1:6.

Gen 13:2 Avram became wealthy, with much cattle, silver and gold. – His wealth: He was very rich. He was very heavy, so the Hebrew word signifies; for riches are a burden, and those that will be rich do but load themselves with thick clay, Hab. 2:6. There is a burden of care in getting them, fear in keeping them, temptation in using them, guilt in abusing them, sorrow in losing them, and a burden of account, at last, to be given up concerning them.

Great possessions do but make men heavy and unwieldy. Abram was not only rich in faith and good works, and in the promises, but he was rich in cattle, and in silver and gold. YAHWEH, in HIS providence, sometimes makes good men rich men, and teaches them how to abound, as well as how to suffer want.

The riches of good men are the fruits of YAH’s blessing. YAHWEH has said to Abram, I will bless thee; and that blessing made him rich without sorrow, Prov. 10:22. True piety will very well consist with great prosperity. Though it is hard for a rich man to get to heaven, yet it is not impossible, Mk. 10:23, 24. Abram was very rich and yet very religious. Nay, as piety is a friend to outward prosperity (1 Tim. 4:8), so outward prosperity, if well-managed, is an ornament to piety, and furnishes an opportunity of doing so much the more good.

Gen 13:3 As he went on his travels from the Negev, he came to Beit-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and 'Ai, -  His removal to Beth-e. Thither he went, not only because there he had formerly had his tent, and he was willing to go among his old acquaintance, but because there he had formerly had his altar: and, though the altar was gone (probably he himself having taken it down, when he left the place, lest it should be polluted by the idolatrous Canaanites), yet he came to the place of the altar, either to revive the remembrance of the sweet communion he had had with YAHWEH in that place, or perhaps to pay the vows he had there made to YAHWEH when he undertook his journey into Egypt.

Many times as Abram also did he return to the place he was spiritually before. Care must be taken that we do not take two spiritual steps forward, and six back, that we may not past by the same spiritual Altar we were before.

Long afterwards YAHWEH sent Jacob to this same place on that errand (ch. 35:1), Go up to Bethel, where thou vowedst the vow. We have need to be reminded, and should take all occasions to remind ourselves, of our solemn vows; and perhaps the place where they were made may help to bring them afresh to mind, and it may therefore do us good to visit it.

                                                                                      

Gen 13:4 where he had first built the altar; and there Avram called on the name of YAHWEH. - His devotion there. His altar was gone, so that he could not offer sacrifice; but he called on the name of YAWVEH, as he had done, ch. 12:8. All YAH’s people are praying people. You may as soon find a living man without breath as a living Yisrael without prayer.

Those that would approve themselves upright with their Elohim must be constant and persevering in the services of religion. Abram did not leave his religion behind him in Egypt, as many do in their travels.

When we cannot do what we would we must make conscience of doing what we can in the acts of devotion. When we want an altar, let us not be wanting in prayer, but, wherever we are, call on the name of YAHWEH.

Gen 13:5 Lot, who was traveling with Avram, also had flocks, herds and tents. – We have here an unhappy falling out between Abram and Lot, who have been inseparable companions, see verse 1, and ch. 12:4), but now parted.

I. The occasion of their quarrel was their riches, the size of their assembly. We read in verse 2 how rich Abram was; now here we are told in verse 5, that Lot, who went with Abram, had his own congregation also; and therefore YAHWEH blessed him with riches because he went with Abram.

1. It is good being in good company, and going with those with whom YAHWEH is, Zec. 8:23.

2. Those that are partners with YAH’s people in their obedience and sufferings shall be sharers with them in their joys and comforts, Isa. 66:10. Now, they both being very rich, the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell comfortably and peaceably together. So that their riches may be considered.

As setting them at a distance one from another. Because the place was too strait for them, and they had not room for their stock, it was necessary they should live asunder. Every comfort in this world has its cross attending it. Ministry is a comfort; but it has this inconvenience in it, that it allows us not the society of those we love, so often, nor so long, as we could wish.

Gen 13:6 But the land could not support their living together, because their possessions were too great for them to remain together. – As setting them at discrepancy one with another. Riches are often an occasion of strife and contention among relations and neighbors, this is one of those foolish and hurtful lusts which those that will be rich fall into, 1 Tim. 6:9.

Spiritual blessing like Riches not only afford matter for contention, and are the things most commonly striven about, but they also stir up a spirit of contention, by making people proud and covetous. Mine and thine, are the great make-bates of the world. Poverty and travail, wants and wanderings, could not separate between Abram and Lot; but riches did. Friends are soon lost; but YAHWEH is a friend from whose love neither the height of prosperity nor the depth of adversity shall separate us.

Gen 13:7 Moreover, quarreling arose between Avram's and Lot's herdsmen. The Kena'ani and the P'rizi were then living in the land. – The immediate instruments of the quarrel were their servants. The strife began between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. They strove, it is probable, which should have the better pasture or the better water; and both interested their masters in the quarrel.

Bad servants often make a great deal of mischief in families, by the pride and passion, their lying slandering, and tale-bearing. It is a very wicked thing for servants to do ill offices between relations and neighbors, and to sow discord; those that do so are the devil’s agents and their masters’ worst enemies.

The aggravation of the quarrel was that the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land; this made the quarrel. Very dangerous. If Abram and Lot cannot agree to feed their flocks together, it is well if the common enemy do not come upon them and plunder them both.

The division of families and churches often proves the ruin of them. Very scandalous! No doubt the eyes of all the neighbors were upon them, especially because of the singularity of their religion, and the extraordinary sanctity they professed; and notice would soon be taken of this quarrel, and improvement made of it, to their reproach, by the Canaanites and Perizzites. The quarrels of professors are the reproach of profession, and give occasion, as much as any thing, to the enemies of YAHWEH to blaspheme.

Gen 13:8 Avram said to Lot, "Please, let's not have quarreling between me and you, or between my herdsmen and yours, since we're kinsmen. -  The making up of this quarrel was very happy. It is best to preserve the peace, that it be not broken; but the next best is, if differences do happen, with all speed to accommodate them, and quench the fire that has broken out. The motion for staying this strife was made by Abram, though he was the senior and superior relation.

His petition for peace was very loving: Let there be not strife, I pray thee. Abram here shows himself to be a man, of a cool spirit, that had the command of his passion, and knew how to turn away wrath with a soft answer. Those that would keep the peace must never render railing for railing.

Of a condescending spirit; he was willing to beseech even his inferior to be at peace, and made the first overture of reconciliation. Conquerors reckon it their glory to give peace by power; and it is no less so to give peace by the meekness of wisdom. The people of YAHWEH should always approve themselves a peaceable people; whatever others are for, they must be for peace.

His plea for peace was very coherent:

"Let there be no strife between me and thee. Let the Canaanites and Perizzites contend about trifles; but let not thee and me fall out, who know better things, and look for a better country.’’ Professors of religion should, of all others, be careful to avoid contention. You shall not be so, Lu. 22:26. We have no such custom, 1 Co. 11:16. "Let there be no strife between me and thee, who have lived together and loved one another so long.’’ The remembrance of old friendships should quickly put an end to new quarrels which at any time happen.

Let it be remembered that we are brethren, Heb. we are men brethren; a double argument.

We are men; and, as men, we are mortal creatures, we may die to-morrow, and are concerned to be found in peace. We are rational creatures, and should be ruled by reason. We are men, and not brutes, men, and not children; we are sociable creatures, let us be so to the uttermost.

We are brethren. Men of the same nature, of the same kindred and family, of the same religion, companions in obedience, companions in patience. The consideration of our relation to each other, as brethren, should always prevail to moderate our passions, and either to prevent or put an end to our contentions. Brethren should love as brethren.

Gen 13:9 Isn't the whole land there in front of you? Please separate yourself from me - if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left." - His proposal for peace was very fair. Many who profess to be for peace yet will do nothing towards it; but Abram hereby approved himself a real friend to peace that he proposed an unexceptionable expedient for the preserving of it: Is not the whole land before thee? As if he had said, "Why should we quarrel for room, while there is room enough for us both?’’ 

He concludes that they must part, and is very desirous that they should part friends: Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. What could be expressed more affectionately? He does not expel him, and force him away, but advises that he should separate himself. Nor does he charge him to depart, but humbly desires him to withdraw. Those that have power to command, yet sometimes, for love’s sake, and peace’ sake, should rather beseech us, we may well afford to beseech one another, to be reconciled, 2 Co. 5:20. 

He offers him a sufficient share of the land they were in. Though YAHWEH had promised Abram to give this land to his seed (ch. 12:7), and it does not appear that ever any such promise was made to Lot, which Abram might have insisted on, to the total exclusion of Lot, yet he allows him to come in partner with him, and tenders an equal share to one that had not an equal right, and will not make YAH’s promise to patronize his quarrel, nor, under the protection of that, put any hardship on his kinsman. 

He give him his choice, and offers to take up with his leavings: If thou wilt take the left hand, I will go to the right. There was all the reason in the world that Abram should choose first; yet he recedes from his right. It is a noble conquest to be willing to yield for peace’ sake; it is the conquest of ourselves, and our own pride and passion, Mt. 5:39, 40. It is not only the punctilious of honor, but even interest itself, that in many cases must be sacrificed to peace.

                                                                                                                            

Gen 13:10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Yarden was well watered everywhere, before YAHWEH destroyed S'dom and 'Amora, like the garden of YAHWEH, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Tzo'ar. - We have here the choice that Lot made when he parted from Abram. Upon this occasion, one would have expected, that he should have expressed unwillingness to part from Abram, and that, at least, he should have done it with reluctance.

That he should have been so civil as to have remitted the choice back again to Abram. But we find not any instance of deference or respect to his uncle in the whole management. Abram having offered him the choice, without compliment he accepted it, and made his election. Passion and selfishness make men rude. Now, in the choice which Lot made, we may observe, how much he had an eye to the goodness of the land. He beheld all the plan of Jordan, the flat country in which Sodom stood, that it was admirably well watered every where (and perhaps the strife had been about water, which made him particularly fond of that convenience), and so Lot chose all that plain.

That valley, that lucrative valley which was like the Garden of Eden itself, now yielded him a most pleasant prospect for ministry. It was, in his eye, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth; and therefore he doubted not but that it would yield him a comfortable settlement, and that in such a fruitful soil he should certainly thrive, and grow very rich: and this was all he looked at. But what came of it?

Why, the next news we hear of him is that he is in the briars among them, he and his carried captive. While he lived among them, he vexed his righteous soul with their conversation, and never had a good day with them, till, at last, YAHWEH fired the town over his head, and forced him to the mountain for safety who chose the plain for wealth and pleasure. 

Sensual choices in ministry are sinful choices, and seldom speed well. Those who in choosing relations, callings, dwellings, or settlements are guided and governed by the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, or the pride of life, and consult not the interests of their souls and their religion, cannot expect YAH’s presence with them, nor his blessing upon them, but are commonly disappointed even in that which they principally aimed at, and miss of that which they promised themselves satisfaction in. In all our choices this principle should overrule us, that that is best for us which is best for our souls.

                                                      

Gen 13:11 So Lot choose all the plain of the Yarden for himself, and Lot traveled eastward; thus they separated themselves from each other. – When the Counsel of Nicea accept Constantine request for them to be the religion of the Roman empire, was the fulfillment of Lot separating himself from Abram. Christianity separating itself from Biblical Judaism. Later we see the Christian church adopting the culture and the way of sun worshiping.

Gen 13:12 Avram lived in the land of Kena'an; and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent near S'dom. -  As Abram align himself with Torah, the Lot type ministry align themselves with teaching of the World System. We dwell close to what we accept as truth.

                         

Gen 13:13 Now the men of S'dom were evil, committing great sins against YAHWEH. -  As the men of the world system committed great evil, so Constantine replace the Sabbath with Sunday worship and no one in Christianity said anything. They find scripture to justify changing YAHWEH commandment. How unimportant Lot like the Christian Church considered the wickedness of the inhabitants: But the men of Sodom were wicked.

Though all are sinners, yet some are greater sinners than others. The men of Sodom were sinners of the first magnitude, sinners before EL YAHWEH, that is, impudent daring sinners; they were so to a proverb. Hence we read of those that declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not, Isa. 3:9. 

That some sinners are the worse for living in a good land. So the Sodomites were: for this was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness; and all these were supported by the great plenty their country afforded, Eze. 16:49. Therefore the prosperity of fools destroys them.

That YAHWEH often gives great plenty to great sinners. Filthy Sodomites dwell in a city, in a fruitful plain, while faithful Abram and his pious family dwell in tents upon the barren mountains.

When wickedness has come to the height, ruin is not far off. Abounding sins are sure presages of approaching judgments. Now Lot’s coming to dwell among the Sodomites may be considered.

As a great mercy to them, and a likely means of bringing them to repentance; for now they had a prophet among them and a preacher of righteousness, and, if they had hearkened to him, they might have been reformed, and the ruin prevented. ABBA YAHWEH sends preachers, before he sends destroyers; for he is not willing that any should perish.

As a great affliction to Lot, who was not only grieved to see their wickedness (2 Pt. 2:7, 8), but was molested and persecuted by them, because he would not do as they did. It has often been the vexatious lot of good men to live among wicked neighbors, to sojourn in Mesech (Ps. 120:5), and it cannot but be the more grievous, if, as Lot here, they have brought it upon themselves by an unadvised choice.

Gen 13:14 YAHWEH said to Avram, after Lot had moved away from him, "Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west. -  We have here an account of a gracious visit which YAHWEH paid to Abram, to confirm the promise to him and his. Observe,

When it was that YAHWEH renewed and ratified the promise: After that Lot was separated from him, that is,

After the quarrel was over; for those are best prepared for the visits of divine grace whose spirits are calm and sedate, and not ruffled with any passion.

After Abram’s humble self-denying condescension’s to Lot for the preserving of peace. It was then that YAHWEH came to him with this token of his favor. YAHWH will abundantly make up in spiritual peace what we lose for the preservation of neighborly peace. When Abram had willingly offered Lot one-half of his right, YAHWEH came, and confirmed the whole to him.

After he had lost the comfortable society of his kinsman, by whose departure his hands were weakened and his heart was saddened, then YAHWEH came to him with these good words and comfortable words. Communion with YAHWEH may, at any time, serve to make up the want of conversation with our friends; when our relations are separated from us, yet YAHWEH is not.

After Lot had chosen that pleasant fruitful vale, and had gone to take possession of it, lest Abram should be tempted to envy him and to repent that he had given him the choice, YAHWEH comes to him, and assures him that what he had should remain to him and his heirs for ever; so that, though Lot perhaps had the better land, yet Abram had the better title. Lot had the paradise, such as it was, but Abram had the promise; and the event soon made it appear that, however it seemed now, Abram had really the better part. See Job 22:20. YAHWEH owned Abram after his strife with Lot, as the churches owned Paul after his strife with Barnabas, Acts 15:39, 40.

Gen 13:15 All the land you see I will give to you and your descendants forever, - The promises themselves with which YAHWEH now comforted and enriched Abram. Two things he assures him of, a good land, and a numerous issue to enjoy it.

Here is the grant of a good land, a land famous above all lands, for it was to be the holy land, and Immanuel’s land; this is the land here spoken of.

YAHWEH here shows Abram the land, as he had promised (ch. 12:1), and afterwards he showed it to Moses from the top of Pisgah. Lot had lifted up his eyes and beheld the plain of Jordan verse 10, and he had gone to enjoy what he saw: "Come,’’ says EL to Abram, "now lift thou up thy eyes, and look, and see thy own.’’ That which YAHWEH has to show us is infinitely better and more desirable than any thing that the world has to offer our view. The prospects of an eye of faith are much more rich and beautiful than those of an eye of sense. Those for whom the heavenly Canaan is designed in the other world have sometimes, by faith, a comfortable prospect of it in their present state; for we look at the things that are not seen, as real, though distant.

He secures this land to him and his seed for ever: To thee will I give it; and again verse 17, I will give it unto thee; every repetition of the promise is a ratification of it. To thee and thy seed, not to Lot and his seed; they were not to have their inheritance in this land, and therefore Providence so ordered it that Lot should be separated from Abram first, and then the grant should be confirmed to him and his seed. Thus YAHWEH often brings good out of evil, and makes men’s sins and follies subservient to his own wise and holy counsels. To thee and thy seed, to thee to sojourn in as a stranger, to thy seed to dwell and rule in as proprietors. To thee, that is, to thy seed. The granting of it to him and his for ever intimates that it was typical of the heavenly Canaan, which is given to the spiritual seed of Abram for ever, Heb. 11:14.

Gen 13:16 and I will make your descendants as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth - so that if a person can count the specks of dust on the earth, then your descendants can be counted. -  Here is the promise of a numerous issue to replenish this good land, so that it should never be lost for want of heirs verse 16: I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, that is, "They shall increase incredibly, and, take them altogether, they shall be such a great multitude as no man can number.’’ They were so in Solomon’s time, 1 Ki. 4:20, Judyah and Yisrael were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude. This EL here gives him the promise of. The same EL that provides the inheritance provides the heirs. He that has prepared the holy land prepares the holy seed; he that gives glory gives grace to make meet for glory.

Gen 13:17 Get up and walk through the length and breadth of the land, because I will give it to you." – ABBA YAHWEH gives Abram livery and Purpose of it, though it was a reversion: "Arise, walk through the land. Enter, and take possession, survey the parcels and it will appear better than upon a distant prospect.’’ YAHWEH is willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of HIS covenant, and the inestimable worth of covenant blessings. Go, walk about Sion, Ps. 48:12. Go look at your inheritance. When we look up at the stars at night we are actually surveying our inheritance.

Gen 13:18 Avram moved his tent and came to live by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hevron. There he built an altar to YAHWEH. -  Lastly, We are told what Abram did when YAHWEH had thus confirmed the promise to him.

He removed his tent. YAHWEH told him walk through the land, that is, "Do not think of fixing in it, but expect to be always unsettled, and walking through it to a better Canaan:’’ in compliance with YAH’s will herein, he removes his tent, confirming himself to the condition of a pilgrim.

He built there an altar, in token of his thankfulness to YAHWEH for the kind visit he had paid him. When YAHWEH meets us with gracious promises, HE expects that we should attend HIM with our humble praises.

Chapter 14

We have four things in the narrative of this chapter.

I.                A war with the king of Sodom and his allies verse 1–11.

 

II. The captivity of Lot in that war verse 12. 

III. Abram’s rescue of Lot from that detention, with the victory he obtained over the conquerors verse 13–16. 

IV. Abram’s return from the expedition verse 17, with an account of what passed, 

1. Between him and the king of Salem verse 18–20. 

2. Between him and the king of Sodom verse 21–24.

So that here we have that promise to Abram in part fulfilled, that YAHWEH would make his name great.

Gen 14:1 When Amrafel was king of Shin'ar, Aryokh king of Elasar, K'dorla'omer king of 'Elam and Tid'al king of Goyim; - We have here an account of the first war that ever we read of in scripture, which (though the wars of the nations make the greatest figure in history) we should not have had the history of if Abram and Lot had not been concerned in it. Now, concerning this war, we may observe,

                               

Gen 14:2 they made war together against Bera king of S'dom and against Birsha king of 'Amora, Shin'av king of Admah, Shem'ever king of Tzvoyim, and the king of Bela (which is the same as Tzo'ar). - The parties engaged in it. The invaders were four kings, two of them no less than kings of Shinar and Elam (that is, Chaldea and Persia), yet probably not the sovereign princes of those great kingdoms in their own persons, but either officers under them, or rather the heads and leaders of some colonies which came out of those great nations, and settled themselves near Sodom, but retained the names of the countries from which they had their origin.

The invaded were the kings of five cities that lay near together in the plain of Jordan, namely, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar. Four of them are named, but not the fifth, the king of Zoar or Bela, either because he was much more mean and inconsiderable or because he was much more wicked and inglorious than the rest, and worthy to be forgotten.

Gen 14:3 All the latter kings joined forces in the Siddim Valley, where the Dead Sea is. –

Gen 14:4 They had served K'dorla'omer twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. – The occasion of this war was the revolt of the five kings from under the government of Chedorlaomer. Twelve years they served him. Small joy they had of their fruitful land, while thus they were tributaries to a foreign power, and could not call what they had their own. Rich countries are a desirable prey, and idle luxurious countries are an easy prey, to growing greatness. The Sodomites were the posterity of Canaan whom Noah had pronounced a servant to Shem, from whom Elam descended; thus soon did that prophecy begin to e fulfilled.

In the thirteenth year, beginning to be weary of their subjection, they rebelled, denied their tribute, and attempted to shake off the yoke and retrieve their ancient liberties.

Gen 14:5 In the fourteenth year K'dorla'omer and the kings with him came and defeated the Refa'im in 'Asht'rot-Karnayim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Eimim in Shaveh-Kiryatayim -  In the fourteenth year, after some pause and preparation, Chedorlaomer, in conjunction with his allies, set himself to chastise and reduce the rebels, and, since he could not have it otherwise, to fetch his tribute from them on the point of his sword.  Pride, covetousness, and ambition, are the lusts from which wars and fighting come. To these insatiable idols the blood of thousands has been sacrificed.

Gen 14:6 and the Hori at Se'ir, their mountain, all the way to Eil-Pa'ran by the desert.- Most of us are nowhere near the spiritually level of spiritual consciousness of Abraham. Every so often, we will do something to push ourselves, but most of us would be overwhelmed by just the though of living like Abraham. How could we be strong enough to face famine or to have our spouse forcibly taken from us to serve at the pleasure of the world system? We couldn’t do it. Fortunately, each Sabbath, and most specifically on the Sabbath of Lech Lecha, we have an opportunity to pray for the ability to strive tirelessly against all obstacles, for the fortitude that Abraham embodies. First, we must want it, and then we need to ask for it. Like Noah, if we don’t ask for it, it will not be given to us.

Gen 14:7 Next they turned back, came to 'Ein-Mishpat (which is the same as Kadesh), and defeated all the country of the 'Amaleki, and also the Emori, who lived in Hatzatzon-Tamar. - The progress and success of the war. The four kings laid the neighbouring countries waste and enriched themselves with the spoil of them, upon the alarm of which it had been the wisdom of the king of Sodom to submit, and desire conditions of peace; for how could he grapple with an enemy thus flushed with victory? But he would rather venture the utmost extremity than yield, and it sped accordingly. Those whom YAHWEH to destroy HE delivers up to infatuation.

Gen 14:8 Then the kings of S'dom, 'Amora, Admah, Tzvoyim and Bela (that is, Tzo'ar) came out and arrayed themselves for battle in the Siddim Valley - 

Gen 14:9 against K'dorla'omer king of 'Elam, Tid'al king of Goyim, Amrafel king of Admah and Aryokh king of Elasar, four kings against the five. –

Gen 14:10 Now the Siddim Valley was full of clay pits; and when the kings of S'dom and 'Amora fled, some fell into them; while the rest fled to the hills. - The forces of the king of Sodom and his allies were routed; and, it should seem, many of them perished in the slime-pits who had escaped the sword. In all places we are surrounded with deaths of various kinds, especially in the field of battle.

Gen 14:11 The victors took all the possessions of S'dom and 'Amora and all their food supply; then they left. - The cities were plundered. All the goods of Sodom, and particularly their stores and provisions of victuals, were carried off by the conquerors.

Gen 14:12 But as they left, they took Lot, Avram's brother's son, and his possessions; since he was living in S'dom. - When men abuse the gifts of a bountiful providence to gluttony and excess, it is just with YAHWEH his usual way, by some judgment or other to strip them of that which they have so abused, Hos. 2:8, 9. 3. Lot was carried captive. They took Lot among the rest, and his goods.

Now Lot may here be considered, as sharing with his neighbors in this common calamity. Though he was himself a righteous man, and (which is here expressly noticed) Abram’s brother’s son, yet he was involved with the rest in all this trouble. All things come alike to all, Eccl. 9:2. The best of men cannot promise themselves an exemption from the greatest troubles in this life; neither from our own piety nor our relation to those that are the favorites of heaven will be our security, when YAH’s judgments are abroad. Note, further, Many an honest man fares the worse for his wicked neighbors. It is therefore our wisdom to separate ourselves, or at least to distinguish ourselves, from them (2 Co. 6:17), and so deliver ourselves, Rev. 18:4.

As smarting for the foolish choice he made of a settlement here. This is plainly intimated when it is said, They took Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom. So near a relation of Abram should have been a companion and disciple of Abram, and should have abode by his tents; but, if he choose to dwell in Sodom, he must thank himself if he share in Sodom’s calamities. When we go out of the way of our duty we put ourselves from under YAH’s protection, and cannot expect that the choices which are made by our lusts should issue to our comfort.

Particular mention is made of their taking Lot’s goods, those goods which had occasioned his contest with Abram and his separation from him. It is just with YAHWEH to deprive us of those enjoyments by which we have suffered ourselves to be deprived of our enjoyment of him.

Gen 14:13 Someone who had escaped came and told Avram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Emori, brother of Eshkol and brother of 'Aner; all of them allies of Avram. – We have here an account of the only military action we ever find Abram engaged in, and this he was prompted to, not by his greed or ambition, but purely by a principle of charity; it was not to enrich himself, but to help his friend. Never was any military expedition undertaken, prosecuted, and finished, more honorably than this of Abram’s. Here we have,

The tidings brought to him pertaining his kinsman’s distress. Providence provided that he would lived not far away, that he might be a help to others. A test of his character, off the things he had developed spiritually, a chance to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.

1.         He is here called Abram the Hebrew, that is, the son and follower of Heberw, in whose family the profession of the pure religion was displayed up in that degenerate age. Abram herein acted like a Hebrew, in a manner not unworthy of the name and character of a religious professor.

2.         The tidings were brought by one that had escaped with his life for a prey. Yet knowing Abram’s relation to Lot, and concern for him, he implores his help, and hopes to speed for Lot’s sake. The worst of men, in the day of their trouble, will be glad to claim acquaintance with those that are wise and righteous, and so get an interest in them. The rich man in hell called Abram Father; and the foolish virgins made court to the wise for a share of their oil.

Gen 14:14 When Avram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, who had been born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. – Abram a faithful servant, trained his servant while they were in his house. Much like a High Priest of the family, he trained his servants in Torah, that they maybe fluent in spiritual battle.

The preparations he made for this expedition. The cause was plainly good, his call to engage in it was clear, and therefore, with all speed, he armed his trained Disciple, born in his house, to the number of three hundred and eighteen, a great family, but a small army, about as many as Gideon’s that routed the Midianites, Jdg. 7:7.

He drew out his trained servants, or his catechized servants, not only instructed in the art of war, which was then far short of the perfection which later and worse ages have improved it to, but instructed in the principles of religion; for Abram commanded his household to keep the way of YAHWEH.

This shows that Abram was:

1.     Spiritual great man, who had so many servants depending upon him, and employed by him, which was not only his strength and honor, but gave him a great opportunity of doing good, which is all that is truly valuable and desirable in great places and great estates.

2.     A righteous man, who not only served YAHWEH HIMSELF, but instructed his family about the service of YAHWEH. Those that have great families have not only many bodies, but many souls besides their own, to take care of and provide for. Those that would be found the followers of Abram must see that their servants be catechized servants.

3.     A righteous man, though he was a man of peace, yet he disciplined his servants for war, not knowing what occasion he might have, some time or other, so to employ them. Though our holy religion teaches us to be for peace, yet it does not forbid us to provide for war.

     His allies and confederates in this expedition. He prevailed with his neighbors, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre (with whom he kept up a fair correspondence) to go along with him. It was his prudence thus to strengthen his own troops with their auxiliary forces; and probably they saw themselves concerned, in interest, to act, as they could, against this formidable power, lest their own turn should be next.

It is our wisdom and duty to behave so respectfully and obligingly towards all men as that, whenever there is occasion, they may be willing and ready to do us a kindness. Those who depend on YAH’s help, yet, in times of distress, ought to make use of men’s help, as Providence offers it; else they tempt YAHWEH. His courage and conduct were very remarkable.

There was a great deal of bravery in the enterprise itself, considering the disadvantages he lay under. What could one family of husbandmen and shepherds do against the armies of four princes, who now came fresh from blood and victory? It was not a vanquished, but a victorious army, that he was to pursue; nor was he constrained by necessity to this daring attempt, but moved to it by generosity; so that, all things considered, it was, for did I know, as great a demonstration of true courage as ever Alexander or Caesar was known for. Religion tends to make men, spiritually blind, but truly valiant is a sign of  the righteous who is as bold as a lion. The true believer is the true hero.

There was a great deal of policy in the management of it. Abram was no stranger to the stratagems of war: He divided himself, as Gideon did his little army (Jdg. 7:16), that he might come upon the enemy from several quarters at once, and so make his few seem a great many; he made his attack by night, that he might surprise them. Honest policy is a good friend both to our safety and to our usefulness. The serpent’s head (provided it be nothing akin to the old serpent) may well become a good Messiyanic’s body, especially if it have a dove’s eye in it, Mt. 10:16.

Gen 14:15 During the night he and his servants divided his forces against them, then attacked and pursued them all the way to Hovah, north of Dammesek. – His success was very substantial. He overwhelmed his enemies, and rescued his friends; and it seems that he sustained any loss.

Those that embark on a good cause, with a pure desire, are under the special protection of a good Elohim, and have reason to hope for a good issue. Again, it is all one with YAHWEH to save by many or by few, 1 Sa. 14:6.

He rescued his kinsman; twice he is called his brother Lot. The remembrance of the relation that was between them, both by nature and grace, made him forget the little quarrel that had been between them, in which Lot had by no means acted well towards Abram.

Justly might Abram have upbraided Lot with his folly in quarreling with him and removing from him, and have told him that he was well enough served, he might have known when he was well off; but, in the charitable breast of pious Abram, it is all forgiven and forgotten, and he takes this opportunity to give a real proof of the sincerity of his reconciliation.

(1.) We ought to be ready, whenever it is in the power of our hands, to succour and relieve those that are in distress, especially our relations and friends. A brother is born for adversity, Prov. 17:17. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

(2.) Though others have been neglent in their duty to us, yet we must not therefore deny our duty to them. Some have said that they can more easily forgive their enemies than their friends; but we shall see ourselves obliged to forgive both if we consider, not only that our EL, when we were enemies, reconciled us, but also that he passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, Mic. 7:18.

Gen 14:16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, together with the women and the other people. -  He rescued the rest of the captives, for Lot’s sake, though they were strangers to him and such as he was under no obligation to all; nay, though they were Sodomites, sinners before EL YAHWEH, and though, probably, he might have recovered Lot alone by ransom, yet he brought back all the women, and the people, and their goods.

As we have opportunity we must do good to all men. Our charity must be extensive, as opportunity offers itself. Wherever YAHWEH gives life, we must not grudge the help we can give to support it. YAHVEY does good to both the just and unjust, and so must we, Mt. 5:45. This victory which Abram obtained over the kings the prophet seems to refer to, Isa. 41:2, Who raised up the righteous man from the east, and made him rule over kings? Some suggest that, as before he had a title to this land by grant, so now by conquest.

Gen 14:17 After his return from slaughtering K'dorla'omer and the kings with him, the king of S'dom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley, also known as the King's Valley -  This paragraph begins with the mention of the respect which the king of Sodom paid to Abram at his return from the slaughter of the kings; but, before a particular account is given of this, the story of Melchizedek is briefly related, concerning whom observe,

Who he was. He was king of Salem and priest of the most high Elohim; and other glorious things are said of him, Heb. 7:1, etc.

1.                  The Rabbi’s and most of our rabbinical writers, conclude that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah, who was king and priest to those that descended from him, according to the patriarchal model. But this is not at all probable; for why should his name be changed? And how came he to settle in Canaan?

2.                  Many Christian writers have thought that this was an appearance of the Son of YAHWEH Himself, our Messiyah Yahushua, known to Abram, at this time, by this name, as afterwards, Hagar called him by another name, ch. 16:13. He appeared to him as a righteous king, owning a righteous cause, and giving peace. It is difficult to imagine that any mere man should be said to be without father, without mother, and without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, Heb. 7:3.

It is witnessed of Melchizedek that he liveth, and that he abideth a priest continually verse 3, 8; nay verse 13, 14, the apostle makes him of whom these things are spoken to be our Lord who sprang out of Judyah. It is likewise difficult to think that any mere man should, at this time, be greater than Abram in the things of YAHWEH, that Messiyah should be a priest after the order of any mere man, and that any human priesthood should so far excel that of Aaron as it is certain that Melchizedek’s did.

3. The most commonly opinion is that Melchizedek was a Canaanitish prince, that reigned in Salem, and kept up the true religion there; but, if so, why his name should occur here only in all the story of Abram, and why Abram should have altars of his own and not attend the altars of his neighbor Melchizedek who was greater than he, seem unaccountable.

                                                                                        

Gen 14:18 Malki-Tzedek king of Shalem brought out bread and wine. He was cohen of El 'Elyon [God Most High], - What he did. He brought forth bread and wine, for the refreshment of Abram and his soldiers, and in congratulation of their victory. He brough forth the Word and the Spirit for those who fight the good fight to overcome the evil forces. This he did as a king, teaching us to do good and to communicate, and to be given to hospitality, according to our ability; and representing the spiritual provisions of strength and comfort which Messiyah has laid up for us in the covenant of grace for our refreshment, when we are wearied with our spiritual conflicts.

As priest of the most high Elohim, he blessed Abram, which we may suppose a greater refreshment to Abram than his bread and wine were. Therefore,YAHWEH having raised up HIS First Born Son of the Order of Melchizedek, has sent him to bless us, as one having authority; and those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. Messiyah went to heaven when he was blessing his disciples (Lu. 24:51); for this is what he ever lives to do.

Gen 14:19 so he blessed him with these words: "Blessed be Avram by El 'Elyon, maker of heaven of earth. – What he said. Two things were said by him: - He blessed Abram from YAHWEH: Blessed be Abram, blessed of the most high YAHWEH. Observe the titles he here gives to YAHWEH EL ELYON, which are very glorious. The most high Elohim, which bespeaks HIS absolute perfections in HIMSELF and HIS sovereign dominion over all the creatures; he is King of kings. It will greatly help both our faith and our reverence in prayer to eye YAHWEH EL ELYON as the most high Elohim, and to call HIM so.

 Possessor of heaven and earth, that is, rightful owner, and sovereign, of all the creatures, because HE made them. This bespeaks him a great EL, and greatly to be praised (Ps. 24:1), and those a happy people who have an interest in HIS favor and love. He blessed YAHWEH for Abram verse 20: and blessed be the most high EL.

(1.) In all our prayers, we must praise YAHWEH, and join in singing halleluyahs with all our hosannahs. These are the spiritual sacrifices we must offer up daily, and upon particular occasions.

(2.) YAHWEH, as the most high Elohim must have the glory of all our victories, Ex. 17:15; 1 Sa. 7:10, 12; Jdg. 5:1, 2; 2 Chr. 20:21. In them HE shows HIMSELF than our enemies (Ex. 18:11), and higher than we; for without HIM we could do nothing.

(3.) We ought to give thanks for others’ mercies as for our own, triumphing with those that triumph.

Messiyah Yahushua, our great high priest, is the Mediator both of our prayers and praises, and not only offers up ours, but his own for us. See Lu. 10:21.

Gen 14:20 and blessed be El 'Elyon, who handed your enemies over to you." Avram gave him a tenth of everything. – What was done to him: Abram gave him tithes of all, that is, of the spoils, Heb. 7:4. This may be looked upon, as a gratuity presented to Melchizedek, by way of return for his tokens of respect.  Those that receive kindness should show kindness. Gratitude is one of nature’s laws. Moses recognize Melchizedek as superiour to him spiritually, therefore it is fitting foe Abraham to tithed to him.

          As an offering vowed and dedicated to the most high YAHWEH, and therefore put into the hands of Melchizedek his priest, was spiritually fitting. When we have received some signal mercy from YAHWEH, it is very fit that we should express our thankfulness by some special act of pious charity. YAHWEH must always have his dues out of our substance, especially when, by any particular providence, he has either preserved or increased it to us.

That the tenth of our increase is a very fit proportion to be set apart for the honor of YAHWEH and the service of HIS sanctuary. That Messiah is the great Melchizedek, is to have homage done him, and to be humbly acknowledged by every one of us as our king and priest; and not only the tithe of all, but all we have, must be surrendered and given up to him. The Order of Melchizedek is the 144, 000 who will rule and reign with Messiyah Yahushua, these are the prince of all righteousness.

               

Gen 14:21 The king of S'dom said to Avram, "Give me the people, and keep the goods for yourself." – We have here an account of what passed between Abram and the king of Sodom, who succeeded him that fell in the battle verse 10, and thought himself obliged to do this honor to Abram, in return for the good services he had done him.

Here is, the king of Sodom’s grateful offer to Abram: Give me the soul, and you take the substance; so the Hebrew reads it. Here he fairly begs the persons, but as freely bestows the goods on Abram.

1.                    Where a right is dubious and divided, it is wisdom to compound the matter by mutual concessions rather than to contend. The king of Sodom had no right both to the persons and to the goods, He lost them during the war.

2.                    Abram won the right to them by freeing them from bondage, much like when we are save by the Blood of Messiah, He owned us. The king made what he thinks was a fair statement; give me half, as if he had anything to do with the rescuing of the people and the goods.

3.                    Gratitude teaches us to recompense to the utmost of our power those that have undergone fatigues, run hazards, and been at expense for our service and benefit. Who goes warfare at his own charges? 1 Co. 9:7. Soldiers purchase their pay dearer than any laborers, and are well worthy of it, because they expose their lives.

Abram’s generous refusal of this offer. He not only resigned the persons to him, who, being delivered out of the hand of their enemies, ought to have served Abram, but he restored all the goods too. He would not take from a thread to a shoe-latchet, not the least thing that had ever belonged to the king of Sodom or any of his.  A lively faith enables a man to look upon the wealth of this world with a holy contempt, 1 Jn. 5:4. What are all the ornaments and delights of sense to one that has YAHWEH and heaven ever in his eye? He resolves even to a thread and a shoe-latchet; for a tender conscience fears offending in a small matter.

Gen 14:22 But Avram answered the king of S'dom, "I have raised my hand in an oath to YAHWEH, El 'Elyon, maker of heaven and earth, - Abram ratifies this resolution with a solemn oath: I have lifted up my hand to YAHWEH that I will not take any thing. The titles he gives to YAHWEH, The most high EL, the possessor of heaven and earth, the same that Melchizedek had just now used verse 19.

It is good to learn from others how to order our speech concerning YAHWEH, and to imitate those who speak well in divine things. This improvement we are to make of the conversation of devout good men, we must learn to speak after them.

 The ceremony used in this oath: I have lifted up my hand. In religious swearing we appeal to YAH’s knowledge of our truth and sincerity and imprecate his wrath if we swear falsely, and the lifting up of the hand is very significant and expressive of both. The matter of the oath, namely, that he would not take any reward from the king of Sodom, was lawful, but what he was not antecedently obliged to.

Probably Abram vowed, before he went to the battle, that, if YAHWEH would give him success, he would, for the glory of YAHWEH and the credit of HIS profession, so far deny himself and his own right as to take nothing of the spoils to himself. The vows we have made when we are in pursuit of a mercy must be carefully and conscientiously kept when we have obtained the mercy, though they were made against our interest. A citizen of Zion, if he has sworn, whether it be to EL or man, though it prove to his own hurt, yet he changeth not, Ps. 15:4. Perhaps Abram, now when he saw cause to refuse the offer made by him, at the same time confirmed his refusal with this oath, to prevent further importunity.

First, There may be good reason sometimes why we should exclude ourselves of that which is our undoubted right, as St. Paul, 1 Co. 8:13; 9:12.

Secondly, Our strong resolutions are of good use to us when we are challenge by the force of temptations. He backs his refusal with a good reason: Lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich, which would reflect reproach, upon the promise and covenant of YAHWEH, as if they would not have enriched Abram without the spoils of Sodom. Upon the piety and charity of Abram, as if all he had in his eye, when he undertook that hazardous expedition, was to enrich himself.

Gen 14:23 that I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal thong of anything that is yours; so that you won't be able to say, 'I made Avram rich.' – We must be very careful that we give no grounds to others to say things which they ought not.

The people of YAHWEH must, for their credit’s sake, take heed of doing any thing that looks mean or mercenary, or that savours of covetousness and self-seeking. Probably Abram knew the king of Sodom to be a proud and scornful man, and one that would be apt to turn such a thing as this to his reproach afterwards, though most unreasonably. When we have to do with such men, we have need to act with particular caution.

Gen 14:24 I will take only what my troops have eaten and the share of the spoil belonging to the men who came with me -'Aner, Eshkol and Mamre; let them have their share." –  He limits his refusal with a double proviso. In making vows, we ought carefully to insert the necessary exceptions, that we may not afterwards say before the angel, It was an error, Eccl. 5:6. Abram here excepts, the food of his soldiers; they were worthy of their meat while they trod out the corn. This would give no color to the king of Sodom to say that he had enriched Abram.

The shares of his allies and confederates: Let them take their portion.  Those who are strict in restraining their own liberty yet ought not to impose those restraints upon the liberties of others, nor to judge of them accordingly. We must not make ourselves the standard to measure others by. A good man will deny himself that liberty which he will not deny another, contrary to the practice of the Pharisees, Mt. 23:4. There was not the same reason why Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, should quit their right, that there was why Abram should. They did not make the profession that he made, nor were they, as he was, under the obligation of a vow. They had not the hopes that Abram had of a portion in the other world, and therefore, by all means, let them take their portion of this.

Chapter 15

In this chapter we have a solemn treaty between YAHWEH and Abram concerning a covenant that was to be established between them. In the previous chapter we had Abram in the field with Kings; here we find him in the mount with YAHWEH; and, though there he looked great, yet, here he looks much greater: that honor have the great men of the world, but "this honor have all the saints.’’ The covenant to be settled between YAHWEH and Abram was a covenant of promises; accordingly, here is, 

A general assurance of YAH’s kindness and good-will to Abram verse 1. A particular declaration of the purposes of his love concerning him, in two things:

1.          That he would give him a numerous issue verse 6. 

2.          That he would give him Canaan for an inheritance verse 7-21.

Either an estate without an heir, or an heir without an estate, would have been but a half comfort to Abram. But YAHWEH ensures both to him; and that which made these two, the promised seed and the promised land, comforts indeed to this great believer was that they were both typical of those two invaluable blessings, Messiyah and heaven; and so we have reason to think, Abram eyed them.

Gen 15:1 Some time later the word of YAHWEH came to Avram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Avram. I am your protector; your reward will be very great." - The Word of YAHWEH is HIS Desires. It was given to Abraham. The time when YAHWEH made this treaty with Abram: After these things. After that famous act of generous charity which Abram had done, in rescuing his friends and neighbors out of distress, and that, not for price nor reward. After this, YAHWEH made him this gracious visit.  Those that show favor to men shall find favor with YAHWEH.

After that victory which he had obtained over four kings. Lest Abram should be too much elevated and pleased with himself, YAHWEH comes to him, to tell him HE had better things in store for him. A believing converse with Spiritual blessings is an excellent means to keep us from being too much taken up with temporal enjoyments. The gifts of common providence are not comparable to those of covenant love.

The manner in which YAHWEH conversed with Abram: The word of YAHWEH came unto Abram (that is, EL manifested HIMSELF and HIS will to Abram) in a vision, which supposes Abram awake, and some visible appearances of the Shechinah, or some sensible token of the presence of the divine glory. The methods of divine revelation are adapted to our state in a world of sense.  The gracious assurance YAHWEH gave him of HIS favor to him.

1.             YAHWEH called him by name, Abram, which was a great honor to anyone, and made his name great, and was also a great encouragement and assistance to his faith. YAH’s good word does us good when it is spoken by HIS Spirit to us in particular, and brought to our hearts. The word says, Ho, every one (Isa. 55:1), the Spirit says, Ho, such a one.

2.             He cautioned him against being disquieted and confounded: Fear not, Abram. Abram might fear lest the four kings he had routed should rally again, and fall upon him suddenly: "No,’’ says YAHWEH, "Fear not. Fear not their revenges, nor thy neighbor’s envy; I will take care of thee.’’

Where there is great faith, yet there may be many fears, 2 Co. 7:5. YAHWEH takes cognizance of HIS people’s fears though ever so secret, and knows their souls, Ps. 31:7. It is the Will of YAHWEH that HIS people should not give way to prevailing fears, whatever happens. Let the sinners in Sion be afraid, but fear not, Abram.

He assured him of safety and happiness, that he should for ever be, as safe as ABBA YAHWEH HIMSELF could keep him: I am thy shield, or, somewhat more emphatically, I am a shield to thee, present with thee, actually caring for thee. See 1 Chr. 17:24. Not only the EL of Yisrael, but a EL to Yisrael. The consideration of this, that YAHWEH Himself is, and will be, a shield to his people to secure them from all destructive evils, a shield ready to them and a shield round about them, should be sufficient to silence all their perplexing tormenting fears.

   As happy as YAHWEH Himself could make him: I will be thy exceedingly great reward; not only thy rewarder, but thy reward. Abram had generously refused the rewards which the king of Sodom offered him, and here YAH comes, and tells him he shall be no loser by it.

The rewards of believing obedience and self-denial are exceedingly great, 1 Co. 2:9. YAHWEH HIMSELF is the chosen and promised felicity of holy souls, chosen in this world, promised in a better. He is the portion of their inheritance and their cup.

Gen 15:2 Avram replied, "YAHWEH, EL, what good will your gifts be to me if I continue childless; and Eli'ezer from Dammesek inherits my possessions? – We have here the assurance given to Abram of a numerous offspring which should descend from him, in which observe.

Abram’s repeated complaint. This was that which gave occasion to this promise. The great affliction that sat heavy upon Abram was the want of a child; and the complaint of this he here pours out before YAHWEH, and shows before HIM his trouble, Ps. 142:2.

Though we must never complain of YAHWEH, yet we have leave to complain to HIM, and to be large and particular in the statement of our grievances; and it is some ease to a burdened spirit to open its case to a faithful and compassionate friend: such a friend YAHWEH is, whose ear is always open. Now his complaint is four-fold:

1. That he had no child verse 3, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed; not only no son, but no seed; if he had had a daughter, from her the promised Messiah might have come, who was to be the seed of the woman; but he had neither son nor daughter.

He seems to lay an emphasis on that, to me. His neighbors were full of children, his servants had children born in his house. "But to me,’’ he complains, "thou hast given none;’’ and yet YAHWEH had told him he should be a favorite above all. Those that are written childless must see YAHWEH writing them so. Again, YAHWEH often withholds those temporal comforts from his own children which he gives plentifully to others that are strangers to him.

3.               That he was never likely to have any, intimated in that I go, or "I am going, childless, going into years, going down the hill apace; nay, I am going out of the world, going the way of all the earth. I die childless,’’ so the Septuagint, "I leave the world, and leave no child behind me.’’

4.   That his servants were for the present and were likely to be to him instead of sons. While he lived, the steward of his house was Eliezer of Damascus; to him he committed the care of his family and estate, who might be faithful, but only as a servant, not as a son. When he died, one born in his house would be his heir, and would bear rule over all that for which he had laboured, Eccl. 2:18, 19, 21.

5.   YAHWEH had already told Abraham that HE would make of him a great nation (ch. 12:2), and Abraham seed as the dust of the earth (ch. 13:16); but HE had left Abraham in doubt whether it should be his seed begotten or his seed adopted, by a son of his loins or only a son of his house. "Now, YAHWEH,’’ says Abram, "if it be only an adopted son it must be one of my servants, which will reflect disgrace upon the promised seed, that is to descend from him.’’  While promised mercies are delayed our unbelief and impatience are apt to conclude them denied.

6.   That the want of a son was so great a trouble to him that it took away the comfort of all his enjoyments: "YAHWEH, what wilt thou give me? All is nothing to me, if I have not a son.’’ Now, If we suppose that Abram looked no further than a temporal comfort, this complaint was culpable. YAHWEH had, by HIS providence, given him some good things, and more by his promise; and yet Abram makes no account of them, because he has not a son. It did very ill become the father of the faithful to say, What wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, immediately after YAHWEH had said, I am thy shield, and thy exceedingly great reward. Those do not rightly value the advantages of their covenant-relation to YAHWEH and interest in him who do not think them sufficient whatever.

7.   If we suppose that Abram, had a eye to the promised seed, the importunity of his desire was very commendable: all was nothing to him, if he had not the earnest of that great blessing, and an assurance of his relation to the Messiyah, of which YAHWEH had already encouraged him to maintain the expectation. He has wealth, and victory, and honor; but, while he is kept in the dark about the main matter, it is all nothing to him.

8.   Till we have some comfortable evidence of our interest in Messiyah and the Renew covenant, we should not rest satisfied with any thing else. "This, and the other, I have; but what will all this avail me, if I go Childless?’’ Yet thus far the complaint was culpable, that there was some diffidence of the promise at the bottom of it, and a weariness of waiting YAH’s time. True believers sometimes find it hard to reconcile YAH’s promises and HIS providences, when they seem to disagree.

Gen 15:3 You haven't given me a child," Avram continued, "so someone born in my house will be my heir." –  YAH’s gracious answer to this grievance. To the first part of the complaint verse 2 YAHWEH gave no immediate answer, because there was something of fretfulness in it; but, when he renews his address somewhat more calmly  YAHWEH answered him graciously. If we continue instant in prayer, and yet pray with a humble submission to the divine will, we shall not seek in vain

                        

Gen 15:4 But the word of YAHWEH came to him: "This man will not be your heir. No, your heir will be a child from your own body." – YAHWEH gave him an express promise of a son, one of the Order of Melchizedek, that will be born in thy house shall not be thy heir, as Abraham fearest, but one that shall come forth out of thy own bowels shall be thy heir. YAHWEH makes heirs; HE says, "This shall not, and this shall;’’ and whatever men devise and design, in settling their estates, YAH’s counsel shall stand. YAHWEH is often better to us than our own fears, and gives the mercy we had long despaired of.

Gen 15:5 Then he brought him outside and said, "Look up at the sky, and count the stars - if you can count them! Your descendants will be that many!" – To affect him the more with this promise, he took him out, and showed him the stars (this vision being early in the morning, before day), and then tells him, So shall thy seed be.

So numerous; the stars seem innumerable to a common eye: Abram feared he should have no child at all, but YAHWEH assured him that the descendants from his loins should be so many as not to be numbered.

So illustrious, resembling the stars in splendor; for to them pertained the glory, Rom. 9:4. Abram’s seed, according to his flesh, were like the dust of the earth (ch. 13:16), but his spiritual seed are like the stars of heaven, not only numerous, but glorious, and very precious.

The seed of Abram will replace those one/third of the angels who fell, they are reprehensive of the stars in the Heavens.

Gen 15:6 He believed in YAHWEH, and he credited it to him as righteousness. -  Abram’s firm belief in the promise YAHWEH now made him, and YAH’s favorable acceptance of his faith.

He believed in EL YAHWEH, that is, he believed the truth of that promise which YAHWEH had now made him, resting upon the irresistible power and the inviolable faithfulness of him that made it. Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Those who would have the comfort of the promises must mix faith with the promises. See how the apostle magnifies this faith of Abram, and makes it a standing example, Rom. 4:19–21. He was not weak in faith; he staggered not at the promise; he was strong in faith; he was fully persuaded. YAHWEH work such a faith in every one of us! Some think that his believing in the Lord respected, not only in YAHWEH promising, but YAHWEH promised, the Messiyah, the Mediator of the Renewed Covenant. He believed in HIM, that is, received and embraced the divine revelation concerning HIM, and rejoiced to see His day, though at so great a distance, Jn. 8:56.

EL YAHWEH counted it to Abram for righteousness; that is, upon the score of this he was accepted of YAHWEH, and, as the rest of the patriarchs, by faith he obtained witness that he was righteous, Heb. 11:4. This is urged in the New Testament to prove that we are justified by faith without the works of the law (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6); for Abram was so justified while he was yet uncircumcised. If Abram, that was so rich in good works was not justified by them, but by his faith, much less can we, that are so poor in them.

This faith, which was imputed to Abram for righteousness, had lately struggled with unbelief verse 2 and, coming off a conqueror, it was thus crowned, thus honored.  A fiduciary practical acceptance of, and dependence upon, YAH’s promise of grace and glory, in and through Messiyah is that which, according to the tenor of the new covenant, gives us a right to all the blessings contained in that promise. All believers are justified as Abram was, and it was his faith that was counted to him for righteousness.

Gen 15:7 Then he said to him, "I am YAHWEH, who brought you out from Ur-Kasdim to give you this land as your possession." – We have here the assurance given to Abram of the land of Canaan for an inheritance.

YAHWEH declares HIS purpose concerning it. Abram made no complaint in this matter, as he had done for the want of a child. Those that are sure of an interest in the promised seed will see no reason to doubt of a title to the promised land. If Messiyah is ours, heaven is ours. When he believed the former promise of verse 6 then YAHWEH explained and ratified this to him. To him that has (improves what he has) more shall be given. Three things YAHWH reminded Abram of, for his encouragement concerning the promise of this good land:  What YAHWEH is in HIMSELF: I am YAHWEH; and therefore:

(1.)         "I may give it to thee, for I am Sovereign EL of all, and have a right to dispose of the whole earth.’’

(2.)         "I can give it to thee, whatever opposition may be made, though by the sons of Anak.’’ YAHWEH never promises more than he is able to perform, as men often do.

(3.)         "I will make good my promise to thee.’’ YAHWEH is not a man that he should lie.

What he had done for Abram.

He had brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, out of the fire of the Chaldees, so some, that is, either from their idolatries (for the Chaldeans worshiped the fire), or from their persecutions. The Jewish writers have a tradition that Abram was cast into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship idols, and was miraculously delivered. It is rather a place of that name. Thence YAHWEH ROEH brought him by an effectual call, brought him with a gracious violence, snatched him as a brand out of the burning. This was,

A special mercy: "I brought thee, and left others, thousands, to perish there.’’ YAHWEH led him alone, Isa. 51:2. A spiritual mercy, a mercy to his soul, a deliverance from sin and its fatal consequences. If YAHWEH save our souls, we shall want nothing that is good for us.

A fresh mercy, lately bestowed, and therefore should be the more affecting, as that in the preface to the commandments, I am YAHWEH that brought thee out of Egypt lately.

A foundation mercy, the beginning of mercy, peculiar mercy to Abram, and therefore a pledge and earnest of further mercy, Isa. 66:9. Observe how YAHWEH speaks of it as that which he gloried in: I am YAHWEH that brought thee out. He glories in it as an act both of power and grace; compare Isa. 29:22, where he glories in it, long afterwards. Thus saith YAHWEH who redeemed Abraham, redeemed him from sin.

Gen 15:8 He replied, "YAHWEH, Elohim, how am I to know that I will possess it?" – What he intended to do yet further for him: "I brought thee hither, on purpose to give thee this land to inherit it, not only to possess it, but to possess it as an inheritance, which is the sweetest and surest title.’’

(1.)         The providence of YAHWEH has secret, but gracious designs in all its various dispensations towards good people; we cannot conceive the projects of Providence, till the event shows them in all their mercy and glory.

(2.)         The great thing YAHWEH designs in all HIS dealings with HIS people is to bring them safely to heaven. They are chosen to salvation (2 Th. 2:13), called to the kingdom (1 Th. 2:12), begotten to the inheritance (1 Pt. 1:3, 4), and by all made meet for it, Col. 1:12, 13; 2 Co. 4:17.

Abram desires a sign: Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? This did not proceed from distrust of YAH’s power or promise, as that of Zacharias; but he desired this,

1. For the strengthening and confirming of his own faith; he believed verse 6, but here he prays, YAHWEH, help me against my unbelief. Now he believed, but he desired a sign to be treasured up against an hour of temptation, not knowing how his faith might, by some event or other, be shocked and tried.

We all need, and should desire, helps from heaven for the confirming of our faith, and should improve sacraments, which are instituted signs, for that purpose. See Jdg. 6:36–40; 2 Ki. 20:8–10; Isa. 7:11,12.

2.     For the ratifying of the promise to his posterity, that they also might be brought to believe it. Those that are satisfied themselves should desire that others also may be satisfied of the truth of YAH’s promises. John sent his disciples to Messiyah, not so much for his own satisfaction as for theirs, Mt. 11:2, 3, Canaan was a type of heaven. It is a very desirable thing to know that we shall inherit the heavenly Canaan, that is, to be confirmed in our belief of the truth of that happiness, and to have the evidences of our title to it more and more cleared up to us.

Gen 15:9 He answered him, "Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a dove and a young pigeon." -   YAHWEH commanded Abram to take the animals and perform the following ritual in order to seal the covenant and give it the status of an irrevocable oath. As the sages teaches, even though the merit of the  patriarchs may definition, is irrevocable. The reason for the use of these particular animals and that they must be three year old, three is one of the numbers of perfection.

Gen 15:10 He brought him all these, cut the animals in two and placed the pieces opposite each other; but he didn't cut the birds in half. – Abram was told to cut the animals into two parts, in plain sense, the passing between the two parts constituted the accepted ritual in those days of those who are entering a covenant. When a man have sex with a virgin he is basally doing the same thing in establishing a blood covenant.

Gen 15:11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Avram drove them away. - Abram, having prepared according to YAH’S appointment, now set himself to wait for the sign YAHWEH might give him by these, like the prophet upon his watch-tower, Hab. 2:1. While YAH’s appearing to own his sacrifice was deferred, Abram continued waiting, and his expectations were raised by the delay; when the fowls came down upon the carcasses to prey upon them, as common and neglected things, Abram drove them away, believing that the vision would, at the end, speak, and not lie.  A very watchful eye must be kept upon our spiritual sacrifices, that nothing be suffered to prey upon them and render them unfit for YAH’s acceptance. When vain thoughts, like these fowls, come down upon our sacrifices, we must drive them away, and not suffer them to lodge within us, but attend on YAHWEH without distraction.

Gen 15:12 As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell on Avram; horror and great darkness came over him. - We have here a full and particular discovery made to Abram of YAH’s purposes concerning his seed. Observe,

The time when YAHWEH came to him with this discovery: When the sun was going down, or declining, about the time of the evening oblation, 1 Ki. 18:36; Dan. 9:21. Early in the morning, before day, while the stars were yet to be seen, YAHWEH had given him orders concerning the sacrifices verse 5, and we may suppose it was, at least, his morning’s work to prepare them and set them in order; when he had done this, he abode by them, praying and waiting till towards evening. YAHWEH often keeps HIS people long in expectation of the comforts HE designs them, for the confirmation of their faith; but though the answers of prayer, and the performance of promises, come slowly, yet they come surely. At evening time it shall be light.

The preparations for this discovery.

1.     A deep sleep fell upon Abram, not a common sleep through weariness or carelessness, but a divine ecstasy, like that which the YAHWEH caused to fall upon Adam (ch. 2:21). The influence of the body were laid to rest, that the soul might be opened to the influence of the Holy Spirit revelation.

2. With this sleep, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. How sudden a change! But just before we had him solacing himself in the comforts of YAH’s covenant, and in communion with him; and here a horror of great darkness falls upon him. The children of light do not always walk in the light, but sometimes clouds and darkness are round about them. This great darkness, which brought horror with it, was designed:

(1.)                   To strike an awe upon the spirit of Abram, and to possess him with a holy reverence, that the familiarity to which YAHWEH was pleased to admit him might not breed contempt.  Holy fear prepares the soul for holy joy; the spirit of bondage makes way for the spirit of adoption. YAHWEH wounds first, and then HE heals; humbles first, and they lifts up, Isa. 6:5, 6, etc.

(2.)                   To be a specimen of the methods of YAH’s dealings with his seed. They must first be in the horror and darkness of Egyptian slavery, and then enter with joy into the good land; and therefore he must have the foretaste of their sufferings, before he had the foresight of their happiness.

Gen 15:13 YAHWEH said to Avram, "Know this for certain: your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs. They will be slaves and held in oppression there four hundred years. -  The prediction itself. Several things are told.

The suffering state of Abram’s seed for a long time. Let not Abram flatter himself with the hopes of nothing but honor and prosperity in his family; no, he must know, of a surety, that which he would fail to believe, that the promised seed should be a persecuted seed.  YAHWEH sends the worst first; we must first suffer, and then reign. He also lets us know the worst before it comes, that when it comes it may not be a surprise to us, Jn. 16:4.

Now we have here, the particulars of their sufferings. They shall be strangers; so they were, first in Canaan (Ps. 105:12) and afterwards in Egypt; before they were lords of their own land they were strangers in a strange land. The inconveniences of an unsettled state make a happy settlement the more welcome. Thus the heirs of heaven are first strangers on earth, a land that is not theirs.

They shall be servants; so they were to the Egyptians, Ex. 1:13. See how that which was the doom of the Canaanites (ch. 9:25) proves the distress of Abram’s seed: they are made to serve, but with this difference, the Canaanites serve under a curse, the Hebrews under a blessing; and the upright shall have dominion in the morning, Ps. 49:14.

They shall be suffers. Those whom they serve shall afflict them; see Ex. 1:11. Those that are blessed and beloved of YAHWEH are often sorely afflicted by wicked men; and YAHWEH foresees it, and takes cognizance of it.

The continuance of their sufferings, four hundred years. This persecution began with mocking, when Ishmael, the son of an Egyptian, persecuted Isaac, who was born after the Spirit, ch. 21:9; Gal. 4:29. It continued in hate; for it was an abomination to the Egyptians to eat bread with the Hebrews, ch. 43:32; and it came at last to murder, the basest of murders, that of their new-born children; so that, more or less, it continued 400 years, though, in extremity, not so many. This was a long time, but a limited time.

Gen 15:14 But I will also judge that nation, the one that makes them slaves. Afterwards, they will leave with many possessions. - The judgment of the enemies of Abram’s seed: That nation whom they shall serve, even the Egyptians, will I judge. This points at the plagues of Egypt, by which YAHWEH not only constrained the Egyptians to release Yisrael, but punished them for all the hardships they had put upon them.

(1.)         Though YAHWEH may suffer persecutors and oppressors to trample upon his people a great while, yet he will certainly reckon with them at last; for his day is coming, Ps. 37:12, 13.

(2.)         The punishing of persecutors is the judging of them: it is a righteous thing with YAHWEH, and a particular act of justice, to recompense tribulations to those that trouble his people. The judging of the Yisrael’s enemies is YAH’s work: I will judge. YAHWEH can do it, for HE is YAHWEH; HE will do it, for HE is HIS people’s EL, and HE has said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. To him therefore we must leave it, to be done in HIS way and time.

Gen 15:15 As for you, you will join your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. – ABBA YAHWEH assured Abram that he would be spared the sight of these sufferings and that he would have the satisfaction of seeing his offspring follow in his footsteps. Implicit in this prophecy was that Ishmael would repent in Abraham’s lifetime ant Esau would not begin his career of sin until after Abraham’s death. Further more, it meant that even Abraham’s idol worship father, Terah, would repent; this was implied in YAH’S use of the term come to your ancestors, an expression that applies only to the death of a righteous son righteous parent.

Gen 15:16 Only in the fourth generation will your descendants come back here, because only then will the Emori be ripe for punishment." – In addition to the four hundred years mentioned above, this verse gives two more guideposts to Yisrael’s occupation of the Land. It would be four generations after the beginning of Egyptian exile, and the Amorites, representing all the Canaanite nations, it will have accumulated enough sin to deserve expulsion.

The latter condition was necessary because YAHWEH does not punish a nation until its “measure of sin is full.” This is an example of HIS Patience, for even the worst sinners are punished until they have had more than ample opportunity to repent.

      

Gen 15:17 After the sun had set and there was thick darkness, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared, which passed between these animal parts. -  Here is, the covenant ratified; the sign which Abram desired was given, at length, when the sun had gone down, so that it was dark; for that was a dark dispensation.

1.     The smoking furnace signified the affliction of Abraham seed in Egypt. They were there in the iron furnace (Deu. 4:20), the furnace of affliction (Isa. 48:10), laboring in the very fire. They were there in the smoke, their eyes darkened, that they could not see to the end of their troubles, and themselves at a loss to conceive what YAHWEH would do with them. Clouds and darkness were round about them.

2.     The burning lamp denotes comfort in this affliction; and YAHWEH showed to Abram, at the same time that HE showed him the smoking furnace:

(1.)    Light denotes deliverance out of the darkness; their salvation was as a lamp that burneth, Isa. 62:1. When YAHWEH came down to deliver them, he appeared in a bush that burned, and was not consumed, Ex. 3:2.

(2.)    The lamp denotes direction in the smoke. YAH’s Word was their lamp: this Word to Abram was so, it was a light shining in a dark place. Perhaps this burning lamp prefigured the pillar of cloud and fire, which led them out of Egypt, in which YAHWEH was.

(3.)    The burning lamp denotes the destruction of their enemies who kept them so long in the furnace. See Zec. 12:6. The same cloud that enlightened the Yisraelites troubled and burned the Egyptians.

3. The passing of these between the pieces was the confirming of the covenant YAHWEH now made with him, that he might have strong consolation, being fully persuaded that what YAHWEH promised HE would certainly perform. It is probable that the furnace and lamp, which passed between the pieces, burnt and consumed them, and so completed the sacrifice, and testified YAH’s acceptance of it, as of Gideon’s (Jdg. 6:21), Manoah’s (Jdg. 13:19, 20), and Solomon’s, 2 Chr. 7:1. So it intimates:

(1.) That YAH’s covenants with man are made by sacrifice (Ps. 50:5), by Messiyah, the great sacrifice: no agreement without atonement.

(3.)         YAH’s acceptance of our spiritual sacrifices is a token for good and an earnest of further favors. See Jdg. 13:23. And by this we may know that he accepts our sacrifices if he kindle in our souls a holy fire of pious and devout affections in them.

The covenant repeated and explained: In that same day, that day never to be forgotten, YAHWEH a covenant with Abram, that is, gave a promise to Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, v. 18. Here is,

A rehearsal of the grant. He had said before, To thy seed will I give this land, ch. 12:7; 13:15. But here he says, I have given it; that is,

(1.)    I have given the promise of it, the charter is sealed and delivered, and cannot be disannulled. YAHWAH Promises are YAH’s gifts, and are so to be accounted.

(2.)    The possession is as sure, in due time, as if it were now actually delivered to them. What YAHWEH has promised is as sure as if it were already done; hence, it is said, He that believes hath everlasting life (Jn. 3:36), for he shall as surely go to heaven as if he were there already.

Gen 15:18 That day YAHWEH made a covenant with Avram: "I have given this land to your descendants - from the Vadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River - A recital of the particulars granted, such as is usual in the grants of lands. He specifies the boundaries of the land intended hereby to be granted. And then, for the greater certainty, as is usual in such cases, he mentions in whose tenure and occupation these lands now were.

Gen 15:19 the territory of the Keni, the K'nizi, the Kadmoni, -  Ten several nations, or tribes, are here spoken of that must be cast our, to make room for the seed of Abram. They were not possessed of all these countries when YAHWEH brought them into Canaan. The bounds are fixed much narrower, Num. 34:2, 3, etc. But:

1. In David’s, and Solomon’s time, their jurisdiction extended to the maximum of these limits, 2 Chr. 9:26.

2. It was their own fault that they were not sooner and longer in possession of all these territories. They forfeited their right by their sins, and by their own sloth and cowardice kept themselves out of possession.

3. The land granted is here described in its utmost extent because it was to be a type of the heavenly inheritance, where there is room enough: in our father’s house are many mansions. The present occupants are named, because their number, and strength, and long prescription, should be no hindrance to the accomplishment of this promise in its season, and to magnify YAH’s love to Abram and his seed, in giving to that one nation the possessions of many nations, so precious were they in HIS sight, and so honorable, Isa. 43:4.

Gen 15:20 the Hitti, the P'rizi, the Refa'im, -

Gen 15:21 the Emori, the Kena'ani, the Girgashi and the Y'vusi." - 

Chapter 16

Hagar is the person mostly concerned in the story of this chapter, an obscure Egyptian woman, whose name and story we never should have heard of if Providence had not brought her into the family of Abram. Probably she was one of those maid-servants whom the king of Egypt, among other gifts, bestowed upon Abram (ch. 14:16). Concerning her, we have four things in this chapter:

I.      Her marriage to Abram her master verse 1-3. 

II.   Her misbehavior towards Sarai her mistress verse 4-6. 

III.                    Her discourse with an angel that met her in her flight verse 7–14.

IV.  Her delivery of a son verse 15, 16.

Gen 16:1 Now Sarai Avram's wife had not borne him a child. But she had an Egyptian slave-girl named Hagar; - We have here the marriage of Abram to Hagar, who was his secondary wife. No where in Torah is says that Abraham committed a sin.

Gen 16:2 so Sarai said to Avram, "Here now, YAHWEH has kept me from having children; so go in and sleep with my slave-girl. Maybe I'll be able to have children through her."Avram listened to what Sarai said. – The maker of this match (would one think it?) was Sarai herself: she said to Abram, I pray thee, go in unto my maid.

I. It is the policy of Satan to tempt us by our nearest and dearest relations, or those friends that we have an opinion of and an affection for. The temptation is most dangerous when it is sent by a hand that is least suspected: it is our wisdom therefore to consider, not so much who speaks as what is spoken.

1.   YAH’s commands consult our comfort and honor much better than our own contrivances do. It would have been much more for Sarai’s interest if Abram had kept to the rule of YAH’s law instead of being guided by her foolish projects; but we often do ill for ourselves.

2.   Sarai’s purpose was to help her husband fulfilled YAH’S Will for his life, this was to provide a son of Abraham. Sarai’s mistake was, that she did not knew that she was to be the mother of that son.

II. The inducement to it was Sarai’s barrenness.

1. Sarai bare Abram no children. She was very fair (ch. 12:14), was a very agreeable, dutiful wife, and a sharer with him in his large possessions; and yet written childless.

(1.)    YAHWEH dispenses HIS gifts variously, loading us with benefits, but not overloading us: some cross or other is appointed to be an alloy to great enjoyments.

(2.)    The mercy of children is often given to the poor and denied to the rich, given to the wicked and denied to good people, though the rich have most to leave them and good people would take most care of their education. YAHWEH does herein as it has pleased him.

2. She owned YAH’s providence in this affliction: YAHWEH hath restrained me from bearing.

(1.)    As, where children are, it is YAHWEH that gives them (ch. 33:5), so where they are wanted it is he that withholds them, ch. 30:2. This evil is of YAHWEH.

(2.)    It becomes us to acknowledge this, that we may bear it, and improve it, as an affliction of his ordering for wise and holy ends.

Gen 16:3 It was after Avram had lived ten years in the land of Kena'an that Sarai Avram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to Avram her husband to be his wife. – She used this as an argument with Abram to marry his maid; and he was prevailed upon by this argument to do it.

(1.)            When our hearts are too much set upon any creature-comfort, we are easily put upon the use of indirect methods for the obtaining of it. Inordinate desires commonly produce irregular endeavors. If our wishes are not kept in a submission to YAH’s providence, our pursuits will scarcely be kept under the restraints of his precepts.

 (2.) It is for want of a firm dependence upon YAH’s promise, and a patient waiting for YAH’s time, that we go out of the way of our duty to catch at expected mercy. He that believes does not make haste.

Abram’s compliance with Sarai’s proposal, we have reason to think, was from an earnest desire of the promised seed, on whom the covenant should be entailed. YAHWEH had told him that his heir should be a son of his body, but had not yet told him that it should be a son by Sarai; therefore he thought, "Why not by Hagar, since Sarai herself proposed it?’’

(1.) Foul temptations may have very fair pretenses, and be coloured with that which is very plausible.

(2.) Fleshly wisdom, as it anticipates YAH’s time of mercy, so it puts us out of YAH’s way.

(3.)    This would be happily prevented if we would ask counsel of YAHWEH by the word and by prayer, before we attempt that which is important and suspicious. Herein Abram was wanting; he married without YAH’s consent. This persuasion came not of him that called him.

Gen 16:4 Avram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she conceived. But when she became aware that she was pregnant, she looked on her mistress with contempt. – Hagar became Abraham wife the minute he had sex with her, this is the Torah example of taken a wife, there was no going to the pastor or priest to get married, there was no exchange of vows. The only difference was that no Bride price was paid for Hagar.

The problem in those days, was the woman who gave the man the first male child was consider the woman with the most authority, for she carry the first born son. The mistake that Sarai made was that she gave up the first born right to Hagar son.

A woman who could not produce sons for her husband was not consider a good wife, so the following situation develop:

Sarai is despised, and thereby provoked and put into a passion. Hagar no sooner perceives herself with child by her master than she looks scornfully upon her mistress, upbraids her perhaps with her barrenness, insults over her, to make her to fret (as 1 Sa. 1:6), and boasts of the prospect she had of bringing an heir to Abram, to that good land, and to the promise. Now she thinks herself a better woman than Sarai, more favored by Heaven, and likely to be better beloved by Abram; and therefore she will not submit as she has done.

1. Mean and servile spirits, when favored and advanced either by YAHWEH or man, are apt to grow haughty and insolent, and to forget their place and origin. See Prov. 29:21; 30:21–23. It is a hard thing to bear honor aright.

2. We justly suffer by those whom we have sinfully indulged, and it is a righteous thing with YAHWEH make those instruments of our trouble whom we have made instruments of our sin, and to ensnare us in our own evil counsels: this stone will return upon him that rolleth it.

The issue of the barren wife is repeated a number of times in the stories of the Patriarchs and matriarchs. Every time the childless wife speaks of barrenness, it is from the dpth of her being and sense of their earthly purpose, from her godwithin, soul.

Sarai, Abram’s is barren. In those days as it is today, it is permitted by Torah for a wife to give a  handmaid to her husband for the purpose of having a child.That is exactly what Sarai does; he gives her servant Hagar, to Abram to conceive and produce a child. But once Hagar cobceives, her mistress was lower in her esteem.

Gen 16:5 Sarai said to Avram, "This outrage being done to me is your fault! True, I gave my slave-girl to you to be your wife, now thatshe saw that she was pregnant, she began holding me in contempt. May YAHWEH decide who is right - I or you!" – Abram is clamored upon, and cannot be easy while Sarai is out of humor; she upbraids him vehemently, and very unjustly charges him with the injury: My wrong be upon thee, with a most unreasonable jealousy suspecting that he countenanced Hagar’s insolence; and, as one not willing to hear what Abram had to say for the rectifying of the mistake and the clearing of himself, she rashly appeals to YAHWEH in the case: YAHWEH judge between me and thee; as if Abram had refused to right her.

Like most woman she made a mistake and told her husband to go ahead and take Hagar, now that she is in trouble, she blame the husband. Those this sound familiar. It is human nature from the beginning to blame others when we are clearly at fault.

Sarai, in her passion, speak as one of the foolish women speaketh. It is an absurdity which passionate people are often guilty of in a quarrel with others for that of which they themselves must bear the blame. Sarai should  have up  to the fact she had given her maid to Abram, and yet she cries out, My wrong be upon thee, when she should have said, What a fool was I to do so! That was never said which pride and anger have the inciting of; when passion is upon the throne, reason is out of doors, and is neither heard nor spoken.

Those who are the loudest are not always in the right in appealing to YAHWEH. Rash and bold imprecations are commonly evidences of guilt and a bad cause.

Gen 16:6 However, Avram answered Sarai, "Look, she's your slave-girl. Deal with her as you think fit."Then Sarai treated her so harshly that she ran away from her. – Abraham, like most men today when they are in conflict with their wife, dish of the problem to someone else. She is your slave girl, but she is now Abraham wife. Abraham as the head of the household should have address the issue in a Torah fashion. However, Abraham allow a jealous wife to rule the house.

Hagar is afflicted, and driven from the house. Abram’s meekness resigns the matter of the maid-servant to Sarai, whose proper province it was to rule that part of the family: Thy maid is in thy hand. Though she was his wife, he would not countenance nor protect her in any thing that was disrespectful to Sarai, for whom he still retained the same affection that ever he had.

1. Those who would keep up peace and love must return soft answers to hard accusations. Husbands and wives particularly should agree, and endeavor not to be both angry together. Yielding pacifies great offenses. See Prov. 15:1.

2. Sarai’s passion will be revenged upon Hagar: She dealt hardly with her, not only confining her to her usual place and work as a servant, but probably making her to serve with rigor. YAHWEH takes notice of, and is displeased with, the hardships which harsh masters unreasonably put upon their servants. They ought to forbear threatening, with Job’s thought, Did not he that made me make him? Job 31:15.

3. Hagar’s pride cannot bear it, her high spirit having become impatient of rebuke: She fled from her face. She not only avoided her wrath for the present, as David did Saul’s, but she totally deserted her service, and ran away from the house, forgetting,

(1.) What wrong she did to her mistress, whose servant she was, and to her master, whose wife she was. Pride will hardly be restrained by any bonds of duty, no, not by many.

(2.) That she herself had first given the provocation, by despising her mistress. Note, Those that suffer for their faults ought to bear their sufferings patiently, 1 Pt. 2:20.

                                 

Gen 16:7 The angel of YAHWEH found her by a spring in the desert, the spring on the road to Shur, - Here is the first mention we have in scripture of an angel’s appearance. Hagar was a type of the law, which was given by the disposition of angels; but the world to come is not put in subjection to them, Heb. 2:5.

How the angel arrested her in her flight. It should seem, she was heading towards her own country; for she was in the way to Shur, which lay towards Egypt. It were well if our afflictions would make us think of our home, the better country. But Hagar was now out of her place, and out of the way of her duty, and going further astray, when the angel found her.

1. It is a great mercy to be stopped in a sinful way either by conscience or by Providence.

2. YAHWEH suffers those that are out of the way to wander awhile, that when they see their folly, and what a loss they have brought themselves to, they may be the better disposed to return. Hagar was not stopped till she was in the wilderness, and had set down, weary enough, and glad of clear water to refresh herself with. YAHWEH brings us into a wilderness, and there meets us, Hos. 2:14.

Hagar had a responsibility to her husband. Not because one partner does something stupid, it does not mean that the second should do something rash also. This is a tremendous lesson in relationship.

Gen 16:8 and said, "Hagar! Sarai's slave-girl! Where have you come from, and where are you going?" She answered, "I'm running away from my mistress Sarai." – The angel address Hagar in her right possession Hagar the Slave of Sarai.

1. He called her Hagar, Sarai’s maid:

(1.) As a check to her pride. Though she was Abram’s wife, and, as such, was obliged to return, yet he calls her Sarai’s maid, to humble her. If Abraham had paid the Bride Price, then she would have been redeemed, and would not have been called Sarai slave girl. Though civility teaches us to call others by their highest titles, yet humility and wisdom teach us to call ourselves by the lowest.

(2.) As a rebuke to her flight. Sarai’s maid ought to be in Sarai’s tent, and not wandering in the wilderness and sauntering by a fountain of water. It is good for us often to call to mind what our place and relation are. See Eccl. 10:4.

 2. The questions the angel put to her were proper and very pertinent.

(1.) "Whence comest thou? Consider that thou art running away both from the duty thou wast bound to and the privileges thou wast blessed with in Abram’s tent.’’ It is a great advantage to live in a religious family, which those ought to consider who have that advantage, yet upon every slight inducement are forward to quit it.

(2.) "Whither wilt thou go? Thou art running thyself into sin, in Egypt’’ (if she return to that people, she will return to their gods), "and into danger, in the wilderness,’’ through which she must travel, Deu. 8:15. Those who are forsaking YAHWEH and their duty would do well to remember not only whence they have fallen, but whither they are falling. See Jer. 2:18, What hast thou to do (with Hagar) in the way of Egypt? Jn. 6:68.

Her answer was honest, and a fair confession: I flee from the face of my mistress. In this, She acknowledges fleeing from her mistress, and yet.  Excuses it, that it was from the face, of displeasure, of her mistress. Children and servants must be treated with mildness and gentleness, lest we provoke them to take any irregular courses and so become accessory to their sins, which will condemn us, though it will not justify them.

Gen 16:9 The angel of YAHWEH said to her, "Go back to your mistress, and submit to her authority." - How he sent her back, with suitable and compassionate counsel: "Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hand. Go home, and humble thyself for what thou hast done amiss, and beg pardon, and resolve for the future to behave thyself better.’’ He makes no question but she would be welcome, though it does not appear that Abram sent after her. Those that have gone away from their place and duty, when they are convinced of their error, must hasten their return and reformation, how mortifying so-ever it may be.

This is the whole purpose of the Kingdom, it is to be under authority. Not because something goes wrong, it does not mean that we must go separate ways. However go back and submit to those place in authority over you.

Gen 16:10 The angel of YAHWEH said to her, "I will greatly increase your descendants; there will be so many that it will be impossible to count them." – We may suppose that the angel having given Hagar that good counsel verse 9, to return to her mistress she immediately promised to do so, and was setting her face homeward; and then the angel went on to encourage her with an assurance of the mercy YAHWEH had in store for her and her seed: for YAHWAH will meet those with mercy that are returning to their duty. I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest, Ps. 32:5.

Here is, a prediction concerning her posterity given her for her comfort in her present distress! Notice is taken of her condition: Behold, thou art with child; and therefore this is not a sutable place for thee to be in. It is a great comfort to women with child to think that they are under the particular cognizance and care of the divine Providence. YAHWEH graciously considers their case and suits supports to it.

The angel assures her of a safe delivery, and that of a son, which Abram desired. This fright and ramble of hers, might have destroyed her hope of an offspring; but ABBA YAHWEH dealt not with her according to her folly: Thou shall bear a son. She was saved in child-bearing, not only by providence, but by promise.

Gen 16:11 The angel of YAHWEH said to her, "Look, you are pregnant, and you will give birth to a son. You are to call him Yishma'el [EL pays attention] because YAHWEH has paid attention to your misery. - He names her child, which was an honor both to her and it: Call him Ishmael, EL will hear; and the reason is, because YAHWEH has heard; HE has, and therefore HE will. The experience we have had of YAH’s seasonable kindness to us in distress would encourage us to hope for similar help in similar exigencies, Ps. 10:17. He has heard thy affliction.

Even where there is little cry of devotion, the EL of pity sometimes graciously hears the cry of affliction. Tears speak as well as prayers. This speaks comfort to the afflicted, that YAHWEH not only sees what their afflictions are, but hears what they say. Further, Seasonable succors, in a day of affliction, ought always to be remembered with thankfulness to YAHWEH. Such a time, in such a strait, ABBA YAHWEH heard the voice of my affliction, and helped me. See Deu. 26:7; Ps. 31:22. 3. He promises her a numerous offspring, vers 10: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, Heb. multiplying, I will multiply it, that is, multiply it in every age, so as to perpetuate it.

It is supposed that the Turks at this day descend from Ishmael; and they are a great people. This was in pursuance of the promise made to Abram: I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, ch. 13:16. Many that are children of godly parents have, for their sakes, a very large share of outward common blessings, though, like Ishmael, they are not taken into covenant: many are multiplied that are not sanctified.

Gen 16:12 He will be a wild donkey of a man, with his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, living his life at odds with all his kinsmen." - He gives a character of the child she should bear, which, however it may seem to us, perhaps was not very disagreeable to her: He will be a wild man; a wild ass of a man (so the word is), rude, and bold, and fearing no man, untamed, untraceable living at large, and impatient of service and restraint.

The children of the bondwoman, are those who are out of covenant with YAHWEH, are, as they were born, like the wild ass’s colt; it is grace that reclaims men, civilizes them, and makes them wise, and good for something.

It is foretold:

1. That he should live in strife, and in a state of war: His hand against every man, this is his sin; and every man’s hand against him, this is his punishment. Those that have turbulent spirits have commonly troublesome lives; those that are provoking, vexatious, and injurious to others, must expect to be repaid in their own coin. He that has his hand and tongue against every man shall have every man’s hand and tongue against him, and he has no reason to complain of it. And yet,

2. That he should live in safety, and hold his own against all the world: He shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren; though threatened and insulted by all his neighbors, yet he shall keep his ground, and for Abram’s sake, more than his own, shall be able to make his part good with them. Accordingly we read (ch. 25:18), that he died, as he lived, in the presence of all his brethren.

Many that are much exposed by their own imprudence are yet strangely preserved by the divine Providence, so much better is YAHWEH to them than they deserve, when they not only forfeit their lives by sin, but hazard them.

Gen 16:13 So she named YAHWEH ROEH who had spoken with her El Ro'i [God of seeing], because she said, "Have I really seen the One who sees me [and stayed alive]?" – Hagar’s pious reflection upon this gracious appearance of YAHWEH to her, verse 10, 14. Observe in what she said,

1.                    Her awful adoration of YAH’s omniscience and providence, with application of it to herself: She called the name of YAHWEH that spoke unto her, that is, she made confession of HIS Name, this she said to HIS praise, Thou YAHWEH seest me: this should be, with her, his name for ever, and this his memorial, by which she will know HIM and remember HIM while she lives, Thou YAHWEH seest me:

(1.)         The EL with whom we have to do is a seeing EL, and all-seeing Elohim. YAHWEH is (as the ancients express it) all eye.

(2.)         We ought to acknowledge this with application to ourselves. He that sees all sees me, as David (Ps. 139:1), YAHWEH, thou hast searched me, and known me.

(3.)         A believing regard to YAHWEH, as a EL that sees us, will be of great use to us in our returns to HIM. It is a proper word for a penitent:

[1.] "Thou seest my sin and folly.’’ I have sinned before thee, says the prodigal; in thy sight, says David.

[2.] "Thou seest my sorrow and affliction;’’ this Hagar especially refers to. When we have brought ourselves into distress by our own folly, yet YAHWEH has not forsaken us.

[3.] "Thou seest the sincerity and seriousness of my return and repentance. Thou seest my secret mourning’s for sin, and secret motions towards thee.’’

[4.] "Thou seest me, if in any instance I depart from thee,’’ Ps. 44:20, 21. This thought should always restrain us from sin and excite us to duty: Thou YAHWEH seest me.

2.          Her humble admiration of YAH’s favor to her: "Have I here also looked after him that seeth me? Have I here seen the back parts of him that seeth me?’’ so it might be read, for the word is much the same with that, Ex. 33:23. She did not saw face to face, but as through a glass darkly, 1 Co. 13:12. Probably she knew not who it was that talked with her, till he was departing (as Jdg. 6:21, 22; 13:21), and then she looked after him, with a reflection like that of the two disciples, Lu. 24:31, 32. Or, Have I here seen him that sees me?

(1.)              The communion which holy souls have with YAHWEH consists in their having an eye of faith towards HIM, as a Elohim that has an eye of favor towards them. The intercourse is kept up by the eye.

(2.)              The privilege of our communion with YAHWEH is to be looked upon with wonder and admiration,

[1.] Considering what we are who are admitted to this favor. "Have I? I that am so mean, I that am so vile?’’ 2 Sa. 7:18.

[2.] Considering the place where we are thus favored, "here also? Not only in Abram’s tent and at his altar, but here also, in this wilderness? Here, where I never expected it, where I was out of the way of my duty? ABBA YAHWEH, how is it?’’ Jn. 14:22. Some make the answer to this question to be negative, and so look upon it as a penitent reflection; "Have I here also, in my distress and affliction, looked after YAHWEH? No, I was a careless and unmindful of him as ever I used to be; and yet he has thus visited and regarded me:’’ for YAHWEH often anticipates us with his favors, and is found of those that seek him not, Isa. 65:1.

Gen 16:14 This is why the well has been called Be'er-Lachai-Ro'i [well of the one who lives and sees]; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. – The name which this gave to the place: Beer-lahai-roi, The well of HIM that liveth and seeth me. It is probable that Hagar put this name upon it; and it was retained long after, in a lasting memorial of this event.

This was a place where the EL of Glory manifested the special cognizance and care he took of a poor woman in distress. He that is all-seeing is ever-living; he lives and sees us. Those that are graciously admitted into communion with YAHWEH, and receive seasonable comforts from him, should tell others what he has done for their souls, that they also may be encouraged to seek him and trust in him. YAH’s gracious manifestations of himself to us are to be had in everlasting remembrance by us, and should never be forgotten.

Gen 16:15 Hagar bore Avram a son, and Avram called the son whom Hagar had borne Yishma'el. – It is here taken for granted, though not expressly recorded, that Hagar did as the angel commanded her, returning to here mistress and submitting herself; and then, in the fullness of time, she brought forth her son. Those who obey divine precepts shall have the comfort of divine promises. This was the son of the bond-woman that was born after the flesh (Gal. 4:23), representing the unbelieving Jews, verse 25.

1. Many who can call Abraham father are yet born after the flesh, Mt. 3:9.

2.     The carnal seed in the church are sooner brought forth than the spiritual. It is an easier thing to persuade men to assume the form of godliness than to submit to the power of godliness.

Gen 16:16 Avram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Yishma'el to Avram.

Chapter 17

This chapter contains articles of agreement covenanted and concluded between the great ABBA YAHWEH, the Father of mercies, on the one part, and pious Abram, the father of the faithful, on the other part. Abram is therefore called "the friend of YAHWEH,’’ not only because he was the man of his counsel, but because he was the man of his covenant; both these secrets were with him. Mention was made of this covenant (ch. 15:18), but here it is particularly drawn up, and put into the form of a covenant, that Abram might have strong consolation. Here are, 

I.  The circumstances of the establishing of this covenant, the time and manner verse 1 and the posture Abram was in verse 3.

II.                  The covenant itself. In the general scope of it verse 1. And, afterwards, in the particular instances.

1.          That he should be the father of many nations verse 4, 6, and, in token of this, his name was changed verse 5.

2.          That YAHWEH would be a EL to him and his seed, and would give them the land of Canaan verse 7, 8). And the seal of this part of the covenant was circumcision verse 9-14). 

3.          That he should have a son by Sarai, and, in token thereof, her name was changed verse 15, 16). This promise Abram received verse 17. And his request for Ishmael verse 18 was answered, abundantly to his satisfaction verse 19–22.

 

III. The circumcision of Abram and his family, according to YAH’s appointment verse 23, etc.

Gen 17:1 When Avram was 99 years old YAHWEH appeared to Avram and said to him, "I am El SHADDAI [God Almighty]. Walk in my presence and be pure-hearted. – Here is, I. The time when YAHWEH made Abram this gracious visit: When he was ninety-nine years old, full thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael.

So long, it should seem, YAH’s extraordinary appearances to Abram were intermitted; and all the communion he had with YAHWEH was only in the usual was of ordinances and providences.

There are some special comforts which are not the daily bread, no, not of the best saints, but they are favored with them now and then. On this side heaven they have convenient food, but not a continual feast. So long the promise of Isaac was deferred.

That Abram and Sarai being so far stricken in age YAH’s power, in this matter, might be the more magnified, and their faith the more tried. See Deu. 32:36; Jn. 11:6, 15. That a child so long waited for might be an Isaac, a son indeed, Isa. 54:1.

The way in which YAHWEH made this covenant with him: YAHWEH appeared to Abram, in the shechinah, some visible display of YAH’s immediate glorious presence with him. YAHWEH first makes HIMSELF known to us, and gives us a sight of HIM by faith, and then takes us into HIS covenant.

EL SHADDAI this Name depicts YAHWEH literally as the One Who is sufficient in granting His Mercies, and who has sufficient power to give whatever is necessary. HE request that we walk before HIM by observing the Mitzvah of Circumcision, and as a result of this, we will become perfect.

What we may expect to find YAHWEH with us: I am the Almighty EL SHADDAI. By this name he chose to make himself known to Abram rather than by his name Jehovah, Ex. 6:3. He used it to Jacob, ch. 28:3; 43:14; 48:3. It is the name of YAHWEH that is mostly used throughout the book of Job, at least in the discourses of that book.

(1.)         As an avenger, from sdh he laid waste, so some; and they think YAHWEH  took this title from the destruction of the old world. This is countenanced by Isa. 13:6, and Joel 1:15. Or,

(2.)         He is a EL that is enough; or, as our old English translation reads it here very significantly, I am YAHWEH EL SHADDAI tha All-Sufficient EL. The EL with whom we have to do is a EL that is enough.

[1.] HE is enough in HIMSELF, HE is Self-Sufficient; HE has every thing, and HE needs not any thing.

[2.] HE is enough to us, if we be in covenant with him: we have all in HIM, and we have enough in HIM, enough to satisfy our most enlarged desires, enough to supply the defect of every thing else, and to secure to us a happiness for our immortal souls. See Ps. 16:5, 6; 73:25.

Gen 17:2 I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will increase your numbers greatly." – The posture Abram put himself into upon this occasion: He fell on his face while YAHWEH talked with him, verse 2.

1. As one overcome by the brightness of the divine glory, and unable to bear the sight of it, though he had seen it several times before. Daniel and John did likewise, though they were also acquainted with the visions of the Almighty, Dan. 8:17; 10:9, 15; Rev. 1:17. Or,

2. As one ashamed of himself, and blushing to think of the honors done to one so unworthy. He looks upon himself with humility, and upon ABBA YAHWEH with reverence, and, in token of both, falls on his face, putting himself into a posture of adoration.

(1.)    YAHWEH graciously condescends to talk with those whom he takes into covenant and communion with himself. He talks with them by his word, Prov. 6:22. He talks with them by HIS Spirit, Jn. 14:26. This honor have all his saints.

(2.)    Those that are admitted into fellowship with YAHWEH are, and must be, very humble and very reverent in their approaches to him. If we say we have fellowship with him, and the familiarity breeds contempt, we deceive ourselves.

(3.)    Those that would receive comfort from YAHWEH must set themselves to give glory to YAHWEH and to worship at his footstool.

The general scope and summary of the covenant laid down as the foundation on which all the rest was built; it is no other than the covenant of grace still made with all believers in Messiyah, verse 1.

Gen 17:3 Avram fell on his face, and YAHWEH  continued speaking with him: - In a sign of reverence Avram prostrate himself before YAHWEH, as YAHWEH Speaks.

Gen 17:4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations. -  There are at least two parties to every covenant. The covenant of circumcision, and their respective obligation must be defined clearly. YAH’S are listed in verse 4-8, and those of Abraham and his descendants are enumerated in Verse 9-14.

Gen 17:5 Your name will no longer be Avram [exalted father], but your name will be Avraham [father of many], because I have made you the father of many nations. – YAHWEH changed Abram’s name to Avraham, a contraction representing his new status as av hamon meaning father of a multitude, whereas the name Avram represented his former status as only av  aram father of Aram, his native country.

Although he was no longer associated only with Aram, therefore making the reish of his former name superfluous, the letter wa retained. Based on the verse, which the Talmud interprets as positive and negative commandments, it is forbidden to refer to Abraham as Abram.

In Avraham new description as the father of a multitude of nations was not rhetorical ; it has halachic implications that shed light on its deeper meaning.

In explaining how converts who brings their first fruits to the Temple can recite the required formula thanking YAHWEH for the Land HE swore to give to our Fathers Deut 26:3. though converts do not descend from the Patriarchs, all converts in Messiyah are consider descendants of Avraham. This means that the spiritual mission of mankind, which began with Adam, was now transferred to Avraham.

Gen 17:6 I will cause you to be very fruitful. I will make nations of you, kings will descend from you. – YAH’S promise that he would make nations of Avraham means that nations would descend from him in the future, this blessing refers to Jacob and Esau, the twelve tribes of Yisrael ot the descendants of Avraham’s future concubine Keturah. The blessing of Kingship implies that his offer spring will have the power to suppress idolatry and carry out his mission to the rest of humanity.

Gen 17:7 "I am establishing my covenant between me and you, along with your descendants after you, generation after generation, as an everlasting covenant, to be EL for you and for your descendants after you. -  Here in this verse, we the continuance of the covenant, intimated in three things:

1. It is established; not to be altered nor revoked. It is fixed, it is ratified, it is made as firm as the divine power and truth can make it.

2. It is entailed; it is a covenant, not with Abraham only (then it would die with him), but with his seed after him, not only his seed after the flesh, but his spiritual seed.

3. It is everlasting in the evangelical sense and meaning of it. The covenant of grace is everlasting. It is from everlasting in the counsels of it, and to everlasting in the consequences of it; and the external administration of it is transmitted with the seal of it to the seed of believers, and the internal administration of it by the Spirit of Messiyah’s seed in every age.

The contents of the covenant: it is a covenant of promises, exceedingly great and precious promises. Here are two which indeed are all-sufficient. That YAHWEH would be their YAHWEH. All the privileges of the covenant, all its joys and all its hopes, are summed up in this. A man needs desire no more than this to make him happy. What YAHWEH is HIMSELF, that he will be to his people: his wisdom theirs, to guide and counsel them; his power theirs, to protect and support them; his goodness theirs, to supply and comfort them.

Gen 17:8 I will give you and your descendants after you the land in which you are now foreigners, all the land of Kena'an, as a permanent possession; and I will be their EL" - What faithful worshippers can expect from the EL they serve believers shall find in YAHWEH as theirs. This is enough, yet not all.

That Canaan should be their everlasting possession. YAHWEH had before promised this land to Abraham and his seed, ch. 15:18. But here, where it is promised for an everlasting possession, surely it must be looked upon as a type of heaven’s happiness, that everlasting rest which remains for the people of YAH, Heb. 4:9.

This is that better country to which Abraham had an eye, and the grant of which was that which answered to the vast extent and compass of that promise, that YAHWEH would be to them a EL; so that, if YAHWEH had not prepared and designed this, HE would have been ashamed to be called their EL, Heb. 11:16.

As the land of Canaan was secured to the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, so heaven is secured to all his spiritual seed, by a covenant, and for a possession, truly everlasting. The offer of this eternal life is made in the word, and confirmed by the sacraments, to all that are under the external administration of the covenant; and the earnest of it is given to all believers, Eph. 1:14. Canaan is here said to be the land wherein Abraham was a stranger; and the heavenly Canaan a part of the Galaxy, is a land to which we are strangers, for it does not yet appear what we shall be.

      

Gen 17:9 YAHWEH said to Avraham, "As for you, you are to keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you, generation after generation. – The Covenant is the promise we have made to YAHWEH and the promise he have made to us. The token of the covenant, and that is circumcision, for the sake of which the covenant is itself called the covenant of circumcision, Acts 7:8. It is here said to be the covenant which Abraham and his seed must keep, as a copy or counterpart. It is called a sign and seal (Rom. 4:11), for it was, a confirmation to Abraham and his seed of those promises which were YAH’s part of the covenant, assuring them that they should be fulfilled, that in due time Canaan would be theirs: and the continuance of this ordinance, after Canaan was theirs, intimates that these promises looked further to another Canaan, which they must still be in expectation of. See Heb. 4:8.

Gen 17:10 Here is my covenant, which you are to keep, between me and you, along with your descendants after you: every male among you is to be circumcised. -  An obligation upon Abraham and his seed to that duty which was their port of the covenant; not only to the duty of accepting the covenant and consenting to it, and putting away the corruption of the flesh (which were more immediately and primarily signified by circumcision), but, in general, to the observance of all YAH’s commands, as they should at any time hereafter be intimated and made known to them; for circumcision made men debtors to do the whole law, Gal. 5:3. Those who will have YAHWEH to be to them a EL must consent and resolve to be to HIM a people. Now, Circumcision was a bloody ordinance; for all things by the law were purged with blood, Heb. 9:22. See Ex. 24:8.

Gen 17:11 You are to be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; this will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. – This covenant was peculiar to the males, though the women were also included in the covenant, for the man is the head of the woman. In our kingdom, the oath of allegiance is required only from men. Some think that the blood of the males only was shed in circumcision because respect was had in it to Messiyah Yahushua and His blood.

It was the flesh of the foreskin that was to be cut off, because it is by ordinary generation that sin is propagated, and with an eye to the promised seed, who was to come from the loins of Abraham. Messiyah having not yet offered himself to us, YAHWEH would have man to enter into covenant by the offering of some part of his own body, and no part could be better spared. It is a secret part of the body; for the true circumcision is that of the heat: this honor YAHWEH put upon an uncomely part, 1 Co. 12:23, 24.

Gen 17:12 Generation after generation, every male among you who is eight days old is to be circumcised, including slaves born within your household and those bought from a foreigner not descended from you. –The ordinance was to be administered to children when they were eight days old, and not sooner, that they might gather some strength, to be able to undergo the pain of it, and that at least one Sabbath might pass over them. The blood covenant of a woman is to be with her husband, which is the true marriage ring. While the blood covenant between a man and Messiah.

Gen 17:13 The slave born in your house and the person bought with your money must be circumcised; thus my covenant will be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant. -  The children of the strangers, of whom the master of the family was the true domestic owner, were to be circumcised, which looked favorable upon the Gentiles, who should in due time be brought into the family of Abraham, by faith. See Gal. 3:14.

Gen 17:14 Any uncircumcised male who will not let himself be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin -that person will be cut off from his people, because he has broken my covenant." – The religious observance of this institution was required under a very severe penalty. The contempt of circumcision was a contempt of the covenant; if the parents did not circumcise their children, it was at their peril, as in the case of Moses, Ex. 4:24, 25. With respect to those that were not circumcised in their infancy, if, when they grew up, they did not themselves come under this ordinance, YAHWEH would surely reckon with them. If they cut not off the flesh of their foreskin, YAHWEH would cut them off from their people. It is a dangerous thing to make light of divine institutions, and to live in the neglect of them.

Gen 17:15 YAHWEH said to Avraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are not to call her Sarai [mockery]; her name is to be Sarah [princess]. – The ratification of this promise was the change of Sarai’s name into Sarah, from a mocker to a princess the same letter being added to her name that was to Abraham’s, and for the same reasons. Sarai signifies my princess, as if her honor were confined to one family only. Sarah signifies a princess—namely, of multitudes, or signifying that from her should come the Messiah the prince, even the prince of the kings of the earth.

Gen 17:16 I will bless her; moreover, I will give you a son by her. Truly I will bless her: she will be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." - Here is,

I. The promise made to Abraham of a son by Sarai, that son in whom the promise made to him should be fulfilled, that he should be the father of many nations; for she also shall be a mother of nations, and kings of people shall be of her.

1. YAHWEH reveals the purposes of his good-will to his people by degrees. ABBA YAHWEH had told Abraham long before that he should have a son, but never till now that he should have a son by Sarai.

2. The blessing of YAHWEH makes fruitful, and adds no sorrow with it, no such sorrow as was in Hagar’s case. "I will bless her with the blessing of fruitfulness, and then thou shall have a son of her.’’

3. Civil government and order are a great blessing to the Messiyanic Assembly. It is promised, not only that people, but kings of people, should be of her; not a headless rout, but a well-modeled well-governed society.

Gen 17:17 At this Avraham fell on his face and laughed - he thought to himself, "Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah give birth at ninety?" - Abraham’s joyful, thankful, entertainment of this gracious promise. Upon this occasion he expressed:

1. Great humility: He fell on his face. The more honors and favors YAHWEH confers upon us the lower we should be in our own eyes, and the more reverent and submissive before YAHWEH.

2. Great joy: He laughed. It was a laughter of delight, not of distrust. Note, Even the promises of a holy Elohim, as well as his performances, are the joys of holy souls; there is the joy of faith as well as the joy of fruition. Now it was that Abraham rejoiced to see Messiyah’s day. Now he saw it and was glad (Jn. 8:56); for, as he saw heaven in the promise of Canaan, so he saw Messiyah in the promise of Isaac.

3. Great admiration: Shall a child be born to him that is a hundred years old? He does not here speak of it as at all doubtful (for we are sure that he staggered not at the promise, Rom. 4:20), but as very wonderful and that which could not be effected but by the almighty power of YAHWEH, and as very kind, and a favor which was the more affecting and obliging for this, that it was extremely surprising, Ps. 126:1, 2.

Gen 17:18 Avraham said to YAHWEH, "If only Yishma'el could live in your presence!" - Abraham’s prayer for Ishmael: O that Ishmael might live before thee!  This he speaks, not as desiring that Ishmael might be preferred before the son he should have by Sarah; but, dreading lest he should be abandoned and forsaken of YAHWEH, he puts up this petition on his behalf. Now that YAHWEH is talking with him he thinks he has a very fair opportunity to speak a good word for Ishmael, and he will not let it slip. Though we ought not to prescribe to YAHWEH, yet he gives us leave, in prayer, to be humbly free with him, and particular in making known our requests, Phil. 4:6. Whatever is the matter of our care and fear should be spread before God in prayer.

Gen 17:19 YAHWEH answered, "No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you are to call him Yitz'chak [laughter]. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. - It is the duty of parents to pray for their children, for all their children, as Job, who offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, Job 1:5. Abraham would not have it thought that, when YAHWEH promised him a son by Sarah, which he so much desired, then his son by Hagar was forgotten; no, still he bears him upon his heart, and shows a concern for him. The prospect of further favors must not make us unmindful of former favors.

The great thing we should desire of YAHWEH for our children is that they may live before him, that is, that they may be kept in covenant with him, and may have grace to walk before him in their uprightness. Spiritual blessings are the best blessings, and those for which we should be most earnest with YAHWEH, both for ourselves and others. Those live well that live before YAHWEH.

Gen 17:20 But as for Yishma'el, I have heard you. I have blessed him. I will make him fruitful and give him many descendants. He will father twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. - Common blessings are secured to Ishmael: As for Ishmael, whom Abraham cared so much about, I have heard thee; he shall find favor for thy sake; I have blessed him, that is, I have many blessings in store for him.

(1.) His posterity shall be numerous: I will multiply him exceedingly, more than his neighbors. This is the fruit of the blessing, as that, ch. 1:28.

(2.) They shall be considerable: Twelve princes shall he beget. We may charitably hope that spiritual blessings also were bestowed upon him, though the visible church was not brought out of his loins and the covenant was not lodged in his family. Great plenty of outward good things is often given to those children of godly parents who are born after the flesh, for their parents’ sake.

      

Gen 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Yitz'chak, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year." - Covenant blessings are reserved for Isaac, and appropriated to him. If Abraham, in his prayer for Ishmael, meant that he would have the covenant made with him, and the promised seed to come from him, then YAHWEH did not answer him in the letter, but in that which was equivalent, nay, which was every way better.

(1.) YAHWEH repeats to him the promise of a son by Sarah: She shall bear thee a son indeed. Even true believers need to have YAH’s promises doubled and repeated to them, that they may have strong consolation, Heb. 6:18. Again, Children of the promise are children indeed.

(2.) He names that child, calls him Isaac, laughter, because Abraham rejoiced in spirit when this son was promised him. If YAH’s promises be our joy, his mercies promised shall in due time be our exceeding joy. Messiyah will be laughter to those that look for him; those that now rejoice in hope shall shortly rejoice in having that which they hope for: this is laughter that is not mad.

Gen 17:22 With that, YAHWEH finished speaking with Avraham and went up from him. - He entails the covenant upon that child: I will establish my covenant with him. YAHWEH takes whom he pleases into covenant with himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. See Rom. 9:8, 18. Thus was the covenant settled between YAHWEH and Abraham, with its several limitations and remainders, and then the conference ended: YAHWEH left off talking with him, and the vision disappeared, YAHWEH went up from Abraham. Our communion with YAHWEH here is broken and interrupted; in heaven it will be a continual and everlasting feast.

Gen 17:23 Avraham took Yishma'el his son, all the slaves born in his house and all who had been bought with his money, every male among the people in Avraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin that very day, just as YAHWEH had said to him. - We have here Abraham’s obedience to the law of circumcision. He himself and all his family were circumcised, so receiving the token of the covenant and distinguishing themselves from other families, that had no part nor lot in the matter. It was an implicit obedience: He did as YAHWEH had said to him, and did not ask why or wherefore. YAH’s will was not only a law to him, but a reason; he did it because YAHWEH told him.

Gen 17:24 Avraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, - Sincere obedience is not dilatory, Ps. 119:60. While the command is yet sounding in our ears, and the sense of duty is fresh, it is good to apply ourselves to it immediately, lest we deceive ourselves by putting it off to a more convenient season.

Gen 17:25 and Yishma'el his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. - It was a universal obedience: He did not circumcise his family and excuse himself, but set them an example; nor did he take the comfort of the seal of the covenant to himself only, but desired that all his might share with him in it. This is a good example to masters of families; they and their houses must serve YAHWEH. Though YAH’s covenant was not established with Ishmael, yet he was circumcised; for children of believing parents, as such, have a right to the privileges of the visible church, and the seals of the covenant, whatever they may prove afterwards. Ishmael is blessed, and therefore circumcised.

Gen 17:26 Avraham and Yishma'el his son were circumcised on the same day; - It was a speedy obedience: In the self-same day. Like Abraham we must change the way we think about our spiritual work. Being circumcised by faith suggested just that. Most of us see the goal of our spiritual life as an easy, endless connection to the CREATOR. This however was not what Abraham sought. Abraham sought to fulfilled his purpose knowing there would be nothing easy about it.

Abraham knew that we come into this world to strive for spiritual perfection. The only time we are free from our spiritual struggle is when we are dead.

Gen 17:27 and all the men in his household, both slaves born in his house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.- Abraham did this though much objection against it. Though circumcision was painful, though to grown men it was shameful, though, while they were sore and unfit for action, their enemies might take advantage against them, as Simeon and Levi did against the Shechemites, though Abraham was ninety-nine years old, and had been justified and accepted of YAHWEH long since, though so strange a thing done religiously might be turned to his reproach by the Canaanite and the Perizzite that dwelt then in the land, yet YAH’s command was sufficient to answer these and a thousand such objection: what YAHWEH requires we must do, not conferring with flesh and blood.

Genesis 17:⁹ And EL YAHWEH said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My Covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. ¹⁰“This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; ¹¹“and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.  -This Parashas begins with a generation that EL YAHWEH found among the many nations; one with whom He could establish His Covenant and his name was Abram.  In him was the seed of faith, which is the foundation for all who would later become apart of the Kingdom. EL YAHWEH found in Abram the basic faith with which to work; that is why we are told that without faith we cannot please EL YAHWEH.

With Abram was a different spirit, different from all those who were around him. The purpose of creation was for all humanity to share in fulfilling the Divine Will, to be filled with the Ruach (Holy Spirit) and to learn the Constitution of the Heavenly Kingdom (Torah). But the first twenty generations ended in failure. Abram earned the privilege of being called EL YAHWEH chosen people. He was now given the torch, to see if he and his descendants would be considered faithful enough to be given the wedding contract, the Torah.

Abram did not win his new status by default; he had to prove himself, much like us today, it is not just by believing. We are saved by faith to do good works, and those good works are written in the Torah. Abram’s first test was for him to leave home and seek a new land. He gave up about seventy-five year of history for a promise. This was a Heavenly test. A Heavenly test gives us the choice between YAHWEH’s Will and our own nature or understanding of what is right or wrong. This is our undoing in the eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Abram had to choose between being subordinate to his own wishes; or to those of EL YAHWEH. By doing so he demonstrated his conviction that man’s highest goal is to accept the Divine wisdom as the sole truth.

This test was to instill in Abram a certain mindset; this is the seed of greatness, or how great men are formed.  Greatness cannot be rushed; Abram’s faithfulness was developed under extreme pressure, becoming the object lesson to the rest of humanity. The concept of trial will differ from person to person, but trials we must face.  My weakness is another’s strength and the other’s weakness could be my strength. We will always be tested in our strength and our weaknesses.  It is to strengthen our strength to the point of perfection and strengthen our weakness to the point of overcoming. A just Elohim will never test us beyond our capacity of each individual to overcome.

The person being tested will always have a free choice, to follow or not to follow. We are given the Holy Spirit (Ruach) in particular the Spirit of Authority and Wisdom, to help us find the strength and wisdom to choose correctly. If he does, then he has translated the potential of the Word into action, and in the process makes himself into a greater person. Gold must go through the fire seven times before it becomes pure. How many times have you been through the fire of Testing? When anyone become saved, their future actions far outweighs the mere potential in the Heavenly scale, and he can be rewarded for what he has done, rather than for what he is capable of doing.

The Mighty Ones commanded that Abram and Sarai sever all ties with their loved ones, to whom they were already well established. It is never easy for a person to start over again, especially when he has achieved status and prosperity. By promising Abram his own land and it would become the heritage of His family, EL YAHWEH was promising something far greater in value than what he had.

                                                                                                        

Even though Abram and Sara had many disciples, they were essentially alone; they could never blend into the world system of their day. Abram was called an Ivri, from the Hebrew word the other side.  Literally this means that he was on the side of moral and was spiritually set apart, and the rest of the people were on the other.  Righteous people must be ready to endure isolation; popularity is pleasant, but it is always a snare because it is the natural desire of human to win approval of others, which can lead people to compromise their principles.

Abram and Sarai, were now given the challenge to move to the other side, not only to the other side of their native river, but of anyone who preferred not to acknowledge the sovereignty of EL YAHWEH and this is un-avoidable.  This was in essence Abram’s Red Sea experience. Abram was told to go for his own good; there he would have the merit of having his own children and there you will become famous. EL YAHWEH did not specify the route that Abram would travel, just that he would be shown the way.  EL YAHWEH will always keep the believer who is on the journey to perfection in suspense and thereby make the journey more exciting. Sometimes, if we know where we are going, we will bypass the lessons we should have learnt on the way, because we are too focus on the distination. EL YAHWEH will find it necessary for us to go back around that mountain one more time untilwe experience that mountain in its fullest sense.

Torah expresses Abram’s test were in ascending order of difficulty. It was difficult for anyone in those days to leave security of their homeland, even more difficult to leave their family and also very difficult to leave their parents.  EL YAHWEH assured Abram that he will be a blessing; he would have the power to bless whomever he wished.  He would be the standard by which people will bless themselves.  The name of Abram would also be great.  This last statement would be enough for me to go.

                                                      

EL YAHWEH went on to give the most important guarantee of all. Genesis 12:³ I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.  - Lest Abram thinks that he would lack anything in a strange land; he was now assured that EL YAHWEH Himself would defend him.  When we as believers get this in our thick heads then the spirit of fear that plaque us would diminish.

Abram took his wife and his entire household with him, that is all those who were converted with him.  They agreed to embark on this auspicious journey with Abram. Our spiritual journey will always become easier when we have like-minded believers travelling the same road at the same time. A single string, by it self can be easily broken, but when we combine several strings into a rope it is not so easily broken.

This Parashas says that they made it to Canaan, and EL YAHWEH appeared to Abram in a way that was visible only to him. In gratitude for the promise of children and the land, one of the 1^st acts of Abram was to build an Altar.  Building an Altar in the physical sense, is to establish a portal between the physical and the spiritual.  Building an Altar is a place to draw near to The Creator, and there Abram called on the name of EL YAHWEH.

Abram in Egypt

This is another test of Abram’s faith.  Soon after they settled in their new home in Canaan where EL YAHWEH had promised him every manner of blessing; but a famine developed in the Promise Land.  I see no where in Torah that EL YAHWEH ordered Abram to go down to Egypt.  If EL YAHWEH says he is going to give me a land, He is capable of sustaining me even in the event of a famine.  It seems to me like Abram decided on his own to go to Egypt.  Sometimes when we operate in EL YAHWEH’s Permissive Will, He will use circumstances to bring us back to where we should be.

The incident, in which his wife was taken by Pharaoh after he had said that she was not his wife, showed that He Abram had lost trust in EL YAHWEH to protect Him.  He wanted to do this himself.  However, EL YAHWEH used this incident to bring Abram back to Canaan. Pharaoh hastened to rid himself of the cause of his Divine affliction, but not wanting to incur the wrath of EL YAHWEH, Pharaoh sent Abram away back to Canaan.  The lesson here is that even if we are not always walking in the Sovereign will, EL YAHWEH will provide us protection.  It was not a sin unto death.  Egypt was not the beacon of spiritual development; it was a place of spiritual pollution that was why Abram was able to sacrifice his wife so easily.  Abram was the one who should have died to protect her and not the other way around.

                 

Abram Return Home

The term Abram went up from Egypt is true in the literal sense, for Yisrael is higher that the low land of Egypt.  When we go from Egypt to Yisrael we are literally going higher. Unlike Adam and Noah who did not regain their former luster after their lapses with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the lying, Abram emerged from Egypt unscathed and undiminished.

Abram returned to the same spiritual level he gained when he first built the Altar when he arrived in the land.  Another way of looking at the experience of Abram moving: is that one should never change his customary lodging and relocate unless he is suffering harassment and anguish there.  The story of the Prodigal son is a similar situation.  EL YAHWEH made the condition unbearable for the man feeding the pigs, so that he change his location, then he returned home to a better life.  Abram returned home to Yisrael a very wealthy man.

Abram and Lot

Wealth and the lust for more will bring out the worst, even in immature believers. Abram a more mature person spiritually resisted it completely.  However, Lot his nephew an immature person allowed wealth to warp his judgment, to the point it nearly destroyed his family.  Immature believers are like shepherds who always argue about resources, rather than sharing it.  When a child wants to have their own way, an argument usually follows.  As believer, we must always watch how we behave with each other; for the Canaanites and Perizzites or the unsaved are still in the land watching our every move.

The Mature believer that Abram was, he wanted peace.  He also understands that the only way the two could avoid strife was to go their separate ways.  Torah loves peace and so did Abram, but any one who seek peace in opposition to the wisdom of the Torah is courting disaster.  Abram used the Spirit of Wisdom when he said to Lot “Let there be no strife, go away from me”

Lot choice

Amos 3:3 says can two walk together unless they agree?  Seeing that Abram and Lot could not continue to be together, the more mature of the two of them gave the other the first choice of where he should live.  Lot chose the richest part of the country, even though it was also the corrupt.  Spiritually immature believers will always think that they can mix with the world and not be affected.  Lot’s choice was made out of his knowledge of what is good and what is Evil.  This Parasha said that Lot raised his eyes; but he did not consult with EL YAHWEH.  Finding Abram’s offer appealing, he seized the opportunity to leave the morally constricting company of Abram and settle in the lucrative neighborhood close to Sodom.

                                                                                      

Lot raised his eye, meaning he allow himself to be guided by his senses. Isaiyah 11: ²   The Spirit of YAHWEH shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of YAHWEH. ³ His delight is in the fear of YAHWEH, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; a mature individual does not make their decision by what they see or by what they hear, but by the Spirit of Wisdom is their decision made.

From a spiritual deceptive point of view, Lot inspected the whole area and his desire rested on the seemingly fertile plain of the Jordan near the Dead Sea, which at the time was as fertile as the Garden of Eden.  As a result of the destruction on Sodom that area became the desolate and inhospitable region that now surrounds the Dead Sea.  Decisions that are made in spiritual blindness will always lead to spiritual desolation. II Cor 4: 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

After Lot had departed, EL YAHWEH repeated His promise to Abram, emphasizing that the Promise of the Land was given exclusively to the mature believer Abram; and not to the immature believer Lot.  There are times when we like Abram must separate ourselves from those who will keep us back spiritually from obtaining our promise land.  EL YAHWEH said to Abram to you will I give, not to Abram and Lot was the promise made.  The Wedding Feast is not for the foolish virgins, but to the wise one.  Abram is a type and shadow of the wise virgins, while Lot is a type and shadow of the foolish ones.  The wise ones were invited to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.

                                                            

Abram was to take possession of the land, so he could bequeath it to his descendants. The Land of Yisrael is for those who make a commitment to EL YAHWEH and His Torah.  It is not for the half hearted or partially committed Lot and his type.  You have heard me say before that the purpose of life is to created mature sons for the Kingdom.  Yisrael is a type and shadow of the Kingdom to Come.  Taking possession of the land here on earth is to fulfill our Diving purpose, while we are still in the flesh.  In the plain sense, EL YAHWEH was assuring Abram that even then the inhibitions of Canaan would honor EL YAHWEH as if He were already their King.

Abram was told that it would be forever.  This gift of the land would be forever for those who care to possess it.  EL YAHWEH did not say that the Hebrews would always possess the land.  During the history of the people of Yisrael and the Land of Yisrael the two would not always be united.  But the people and the Land would be destined for one another.  Abram was given the land but he never took legal possession of it in his lifetime.

How many believers left Egypt to possess the land, but never made it there?  It was the lack of faith that kept Lot out; it is the lack of faith that kept the children of Yisrael from not reaching the land, and it will be the lack of faith in the Word that will keep us out of the Kingdom the same way.

The descendants of Abram will be as the dust of the Earth.  As the dust of the earth is countless so will be those who believe through faith.  Even though we might believe through faith, this does not guarantee that we will make it to Canaan.  As there are three type of believers: (wife, concubine and harlot)(Canaan, wilderness, and Egypt)( sun, moon And the stars)(child, young man, and fathers); in the same way there are different levels of maturity.  Those who possess the land are the wife, Canaan, sun and the fathers spiritually.  Just as dust outlive all who tread upon it, so EL YAHWEH promised Abram that his seeds would outlive all the nations that would persecute them.

Abram was commanded to walk about the land, to experience every square inch of it, from top to bottom.  We cannot rule over what we do not experience.  Walking about the land is to experience every essence of the land: to taste of its goodness; to drink from every fountain flowing with milk and honey.  Also we have to experience every mountain top and every valley.  Abram never claim every square inch of what was promise to Him.   ⁹ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which EL YAHWEH hath prepared for them that love him. ¹⁰But YAHWEH hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of Elohim. ¹¹For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of YAHWEH knoweth no man, but the Spirit of Knowledge.

As he had done before, Abram expressed his gratitude for EL YAHWEH’s prophecy by erecting an Altar through which to draw closer to the Creator.  Our Altar today is Yahushua (Jesus Christ) it is only trough Him that we can draw close to EL YAHWEH.  We exercise the different Altars such as: the Brazen Altar, the Blood from Yahushua feet, the moment that we accept Him as Lord and Savior.  We exercise the Laver, the blood and water that flow from the side of Yahushua, as our water baptism.  We exercise the Menorah, the Blood from His Right Hand, the Holy Spirit.  We exercise the Altar of Shewbread, the Blood from His Left Hand which is the Word of Elohim.  We exercise the Altar of Burn Incense, which is the Blood from the Crown of Thorns or praise and worship.  Whenever we repent for our sins, or pray for the Holy Spirit, read the Word, or sing praises to the Holy One of Yisrael, we are building an Altar.  May you all build many Altars!

The War

                                                                          

This Parashas reveals another side of a Mature believer’s nature; Abram’s courage in battle.  Too often we hear that we must turn the other cheek; should Abram say to the forces that had captured Lot, come over here and capture us also?  There is a time for everything. Eccles 3: ¹ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heavens: ²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;  ³A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  ⁶A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;  ⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.   If a believer should try to make peace when they are told to make war, they are against Torah.  A mature believer must always present the situation before EL YAHWEH before deciding what to do.

The choice that Lot made caused him to be a victim of a war, which involved the different people of the region.  One cannot play with pigs and not expected to get filthy.  Although Abram was outnumbered, he mobilized his disciples and went in defense of his immature nephew Lot who was still a believer.  How often our children fall into problems and the older more mature parent had to bail them out?  Lot was both spiritually blind and incapable of rescuing himself.  It is with Divine Wisdom and Authority that Abram went into battle and was therefore victorious.

The Commander and Chief already knew the weakness of the enemy and relayed that information to Abram, who knew in the spirit when and where to attack the enemy.  Too often many believers go into battle without any air-support, and the outcome is defeat.  What is the reason that we go into battle?  Is it for selfish gain? Abram demonstrated nobleness by refusing to accept any of the spoils of war.  He however would not deprive his allies of their rightful share.   Abram proved his integrity in two ways: by refusing personal gain he showed that he had acted only to save his nephew, but not for himself; and secondly he showed that he would not deprive the others of their entitlement in order to prove his own righteousness.

Abram saves Lot

Abram armed the men who he had educated in the service of EL YAHWEH, Mighty men of valor.  Abram had many disciples, but the one who were chosen were those who had been in his household from birth.  Lot, however, was not born in Abram house; he had his character formed before he came to Abram.  It is often very difficult to try and convert a non-believer than a religious person.

            

Even at night Abram continued the assault on the enemy, splitting up his forces Abram followed the enemy as they scattered in various directions.  What does this tell us?  In spiritual warfare the battle is not over until the enemy is defeated.  This lovey-dovey mentality, to love the enemy is false.  We are to love them enough to tell them about Our Lord and Savior Yahushua, but when we are in war, they must be destroyed.

                                 

Melchizedek

After the victory, Abram met with the King of Salem (Yerushalayim) Melchizedek.  He was the King of the future site of the Temple or the home of righteousness.  It has been said about Melchizedek that he was a man without beginning and no end.  I have struggled to understand who this man is, that is without beginning and end.  It came to me that just as we are created in the image of The Mighty Ones, we are in essence without beginning and we will have no end, if we come to maturity.  Revelation 3:²¹ To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

From this Scripture we are told that those of us who overcome, those who reach Maturity will rule and reign with Yahushua.  These are they who are of the Order of Melchizedek.  Those who will rule and reign with Yahushua in the Millennium Kingdom.

Melchizedek brought bread and wine to the battle weary warriors, which was the customary refreshment.  When we as believers have passed through the battle that is necessary to be an overcomer; when we reach the Holy City, then the fulfiller of the Order of Melchizedek will bring us bread and wine, which is a representation of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.  He will say well done thou good and faithful servant!

Melchizedek was a royal priesthood, meaning that He is a faithful servant, he has reached maturity and he is an overcomer.  He will rule and reign with Yahushua in the World to come.  Notice in Genesis 14:¹⁸And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high Elohim. ¹⁹And he blessed Abram, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high Elohim, possessor of Heavens and earth: ²⁰And blessed be the most high Elohim, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Melchizedek obviously knew the spiritual status of Abram, and He recognized the accomplishment of a servant of EL YAHWEH.  EL YAHWEH will always deliver the enemy of a Mature believer into their hands.  I have always heard that it was Abram who gave Melchizedek the tithes; however, that is not what Torah said, it was Melchizedek who gave the tithes to Abram.    

King of Sodom

Notice the request of the king of Sodom, he did not ask for the possessions, instead he asked for the people.  The prince of this world is not interested in wealth.  He knows that the true value lies is the soul of the people.  The request of the King of Sodom, may I say it was the Evil One; He said to Abram I will take the people and you take the wealth.  The King of Sodom tried to show a humane face, but Abram saw right through the deception.  The deception was to get Abram to take the wealth, so that He could say that he had made Abram rich.

Even though Abram was entitled to the spoils of victory, Abram was teaching us a very valuable lesson.  The lesson is clear, some things are permissible, yet not all of them are valuable.  I might be permitted to eat all kinds of meat, yet it is not beneficial for me to eat pork.  Abram showed his devotion to EL YAHWEH by refusing any help from the unsaved, even though the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the just.  Abram declined all personal gains so that the King of Sodom could not go about boasting that it was him, rather than EL YAHWEH who made Abram rich.

It Might seem that Abram had returned the people to the King of Sodom, but was this a right thing to do?  Some might say that we should never return people to a sinful system.  Did the people whom Abram freed had a choice to stay with Abram or return to there former life?  Was the pull of the world system so great that the shame of sin is over looked?  You answer that question!

YAHWEH’s Reassurance

In Genesis Chapter 15 we see that some time had passed before The Mighty One appeared in a vision, and gave a Divine revelation to Abram and said: Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.  In our daily walk, some times someone comes up to us and give us a word of encouragement, and we do not always realize that it is from our Heavenly Father, telling us to fear not, He will be our Shield and great reward.

It is a possibility that Abram might have been feeling depressed.  After the amazing defeat of the enemy, Abram might have been wondering if there might be a reprisal against him.  The defeated kings might be amassing a greater army to move against him; after all they out numbered Abram.   As believers we need not fear reprisal, nor need to fear the future.  This assurance is immortalized in the Amidah/shemoneh prayer, the first blessing of which describes EL YAHWEH as the Shield of Abraham.  It is also a promise that the seed of Abraham will never be forgotten.

Abram addressed The Head of the Mighty Ones as Lord (EL YAHWEH): EL YAHWEH is my Lord.  A mature believer will always address EL YAHWEH as My Lord, indicating complete obedience and acknowledgement of His Mastery over our lives.  As Lord over our lives, He alone knows that sometimes harsh judgment is essential, merciful, and kind to us. He alone knows when harsh judgment is necessary to lay the foundation of a brighter future.

YAHWEH took Abram and Sarai through the realm of reason and nature.  They knew from their natural faculty that Sarai could not have children; however, YAHWEH told Abram that the Hebrew people would transcend the laws of nature, which are symbolized by the Stars and the constellation.   Even though Abram and Sarai were naturally incapable of having children together, they were symbolic of the stars; this was YAHWEH’s design for them.  By comparing the seeds of Abram to the stars, EL YAHWEH indicated that when the Hebrew people obeys YAHWEH’s Sovereign Will, they will be above all other nations; when they disobey His Will they will be trampled upon like the dust of the earth.

In verse 6 of chapter 15 it says that Abram trusted in YAHWEH.  Did he not trust in Him before?  The meaning of this comment should have said that Abram’s faith was completed at that moment.  Abram submitted himself totally to EL YAHWEH, placing in Him his total confidence and seeking all his guidance in EL YAHWEH.

EL YAHWEH reckoned righteousness to Abram for faith.  Faith without works is not righteousness.  Righteousness is right actions.  Abram now reckoned EL YAHWEH promise of children as a manifestation of righteousness, for YAHWEH had made the promise unconditionally, without regard to Abram future merits.

Abram asked YAHWEH how will I know that I will possess the land?  How will I know that I have overcome?  The seeds of Abram like the children of Yisrael will have to live in this world as a form of testing (40 years); but we shall leave with great spiritual possessions.  In the meantime we are to guard our sacrifices against the fowls of the air, false religions will come against it; but we must drive them away.

The fullness of the Amorites shall be fulfilled.  The Amorites represent all the Canaanite nations; and when they have accumulated enough sin then they deserve expulsion.  EL YAHWEH will not punish a nation until its measure of sin is full.  Also, YAHWEH will not give a land to a people until they become a nation.  When the fullness of the Amorites is come they will be driven out of the land little by little, as Yisrael establishes themselves in the land gradually.  The Amorites are still required in the land to keep the land from deteriorating, and also that they should plant vineyards and build houses for the new occupant.

                             

Ratification of the Covenant

The furnace and the fire symbolize the Divine Presence that was there to seal the covenant, and the smoking furnace also symbolized Gehinnom, into which the four Monarchies would descend.  It also represents the intense darkness and the fire that would be present at the Revelation at Mt. Sinai.

The Torah lists the ten nations whose territories comprise of YAHWEH’s gift to the descendants of Abram.  Seven of these nations were conquered by Joshua; but not the other three nations (Edom, Moab and Ammon).  These three will not be given to Yisrael until the Messiyanic Rule.  The spiritual lesson to be learnt from this is, even though a promise has been given to us, not many of us have walked in or have fulfilled that promise.  Yisrael never did occupy all the land that they were promised.  Walking in the fullness of Torah is as rare as walking down the street and finding a diamond!

              

The Birth of Ishmael

In spite of their spiritual riches and the Divine assurance, Abram were still affected by the barrenness of Sarai.  Recognizing this as a barrier to the promise, Sarai suggested to Abram to marry her maidservant Hagar.  Yes I did say marry.  He had sex with her.  If by some chance a son was born, Sarai would raise him as her own son. Does this sound familiar? Yes; Adam taking Eve’s advise.

 Hagar was a descendant of Egypt; she was not to be the mother of the Hebrew people.  When we try to help EL YAHWEH, instead of asking Him for His guidance this is usually what happens.  Many of us when we get a word from Yah or want to be a prophet; we run off in fanaticism to accomplish the word, instead of asking what preparation do I have to make?

Eve wanted to become like EL YAHWEH without learning obedience.  Sarai in her eagerness to fulfill YAHWEH’s promise she brought more problems on herself.  Hagar brazenly boasted to the other women, that Sarai was no good; and that Abram still got it; and that it was all Sarai’s fault.  Now that Abram was assured of an heir, Hagar no longer felt subservient to Sarai.

I use to think that Sarai was wicked to Hagar, but Hagar had to learn humility and faithfulness.  Therefore, she was placed in the hand of Sarai to do as she felt.  Sarai had to restore her dominion and not domination over Hagar.  Sarai’s treatment of Hagar was in light of Hagar’s inflated self-image, and she took it as persecution.  The angel addressed Hagar as maidservant of Sarai; the angel was reminding her of her subservience to her mistress.  Hagar acknowledged this status by referring to Sarai as my mistress.  Sometimes it takes spending a period in the wilderness in order to teach us a lesson.

EL YAHWEH is the only one who can take a negative and turn it into a positive.  This circumstance was to teach Hagar a lesson she needed to learn for her spiritual development.  It was not a total loss or was it all a disaster for Abram.  Things happen to us, in order to reveal a spiritual deficiency in our character.  

This choice of Sarai, even though it was an unnecessary activity, revealed to us a side of Sarai, Hagar, and Abram that warranted some renovating.  The choice we make every day is a result of the operating system in our lives.  The Holy Spirit alone knows the defects in our personality and situations arise to help repair these blemishes in our lives.

Was this part of EL YAHWEH Sovereign Will or His Permissive Will?  Was Hagar to be Abram second wife even if she were not given to Abram by Sarai?  These are all what if questions.  Hagar was rewarded for her obedience with the promise that she too would be a mother of a mighty nation.  If Hagar would honor Sarai her son would be destined for power and material greatness.

It was an angel and not YAHWEH who spoke to Hagar; she understood that Ishmael would be part of Yah’s Sovereign Will.  The place where this occurred was by the Well of the Living One Appear to Me.  This well became a place of prayer for future generations.  Bolstered by the angel’s promise, Hagar then returned to her mistress. This was about 2034 from the time of creation.

                      

Covenant of Circumcision

The year was 2047 from creation; Abram was ninety-nine years old, Sarai was eighty-nine, and Ishmael thirteen.  At this advanced age Abram was given the commandment of circumcision, or one of his ten trials.  Despite his advanced age and the difficulty of performing this operation, He did not hesitate to comply.

The commandment was given prior to Isaac’s conception. So that Isaac the son of the promise would be conceived in Holiness.  The sheer magnitude of this test was that it would be regarded as bizarre by human standards, and it might seriously contradict his life long methods of bringing people closer to YAHWEH.  Abram was challenged to accept a commandment that opposes his concept of how to serve EL YAHWEH.

YAHWEH appeared to Abram and said “I am El SHADDAI” (who is sufficient) who have sufficient power to give what is necessary.  Therefore walk before me and be blameless.   He was to observe the mitzvah of circumcision, and as a result Abram would become perfect.  By removing part of the foreskin through circumcision an apparent contradiction to physical perfection, man would become perfect.   Because of this slight diminution of an organ it would become the symbol of YAHWEH’s Covenant. Such spiritual closeness can only be achieved through man’s own effort.  Closeness to EL YAHWEH through man’s obedient, desire and faith is man’s ultimate perfection.

In every covenant there are usually two parties, and the obligation of the covenant must be defined clearly.  YAHWEH’s responsibly are listed in Genesis 17:4-8 and those of Abram and his descendants are listed in 9-14.

It is clear that the blessing of children and possession of the land depended on circumcision, a connection that is also implied in the second blessing of the Grace after Meals.  The symbolic significance of this commandment is indicated by the name of the flesh that is removed in performance of the commandment, though commonly translated  as foreskin, but more accurately, as it is used in Scripture is ‘a barrier that is standing in the way of a beneficial result’.

The sinful nature that obstructs a person’s desire to change his life-style is called the orlah (circumcision) of the heart Leviticus 2:41.  Circumcision is a means to help the Hebrew people ennoble themselves and return to the spiritual state before the fall of Adam.  Some teach that Adam was born circumcised, but after his sin his foreskin was extended and covered his organ, as a symbol that he had created a barrier between himself and holiness.  By removing this superfluous skin covering the organ of continuity, circumcision teaches that man must eliminate the natural barrier blocking his advancement to perfection.

Circumcision’s capacity to accomplish this is not a guaranteed outcome of the physical manifestation; to the contrary it is metaphysical.  The spiritual aspect of circumcision is symbolized by the commandment that it be done on the eighth day of a boy’s life is reminiscent of a new beginning.

The natural order of creation involves cycles of seven, such as the seven days of the week, seven years of the Shemittah agricultural cycle.  The number eight on the other hand, represents the concept that one can rise above the limitation of the flesh.  By commanding Yisrael to circumcise its male on the eighth day, YAHWEH is teaching that the Hebrew’s ability to remove this barrier to his spiritual growth transcends the natural order of life.  Nevertheless, EL YAHWEH has given this ability to man through our Yahushua HaMashiach, and since we can, we must.

Circumcision is literally a sign, a mark on the body, stamping its bearer as a servant of YAHWEH; just like how our souls are different from those who are not saved, so too must our bodies must be different .  EL YAHWEH ordained that this be placed on the reproductive organ to symbolize that circumcision is essential to a Hebrew male.

Name change

EL YAHWEH changed Abram’s name to Abraham, a change representing his new status as av hamon the father of a multitude.  Whereas the old name Abram or Avram represented his former status as being Aram, or the father of Aram which was his native country.  Abraham’s new description as father of a multitude of nations was not rhetorical; it has a halachic implication that sheds light on its deeper meaning.

All converts are considered descendants of Abraham because the Torah called him the father of nations, therefore a convert can be called a Son of Abraham.  This means that the spiritual mission of mankind, which began with Adam, was now transferred to Abraham.  The blessing of kingship implies that Abraham’s offspring will have the power of suppress idolatry and carry out his Divine purposes while in the flesh.

Originally the covenant was solely with Abraham.  Now, Sarah a woman was made a partner in this covenant.  Similarly, Abraham’s new role was signified by a change to a new name, so also was Sarai changed to the name Sarah.  The word or name Sarai, which ended in the positive, means my princess implying that she owed her greatness to her status as the wife of Abraham.  Therefore, she was called Sarah which signifies that she will be a princess of all the nations of the world.

Prior to the covenant, Sarai’s personal majesty made her the princess of Abraham. Now that all the limitations were removed; she was princess par excellence to all mankind!  Previously, Sarai had been barren; her new name symbolized a change in her destiny, for accompanying the change of name, came also the Divine promise.  Even though she was at the age that would make childbirth impossible, but the Divine intervention makes everything possible.

                                                        

Haftarah

Isaiyah 40:27 – 41:16

Isa 40:27  Why sayest thou, O Yacob, and speakest, O Yisrael, My way is hid from YAHWEH, and my judgment is passed over from my Elohim? – Here, I. The prophet reproves the people of YAHWEH, who are now supposed to be in captives in Babylon for their unbelief and distrust of YAHWEH, and the dejections and despondencies of their spirit under their affliction: "Why sayest thou, O Yacob! to thyself and to those about thee, My way is hidden from YAHWEH?

Why dost you make hard and melancholy conclusions concerning yourself and your present case as if the latter were desperate?’’

1. The titles he here gives them were enough to shame them out of their distrusts: O Yacob! O Yisrael! Let them remember where they took these names, from one who had found Yahushus faithful to Him and kind in all His straits; and why they bore these names, as YAH’s professing people, a people in covenant with HIM.

2. The way of reproving them is by reasoning with them: "Why? Consider where they hast any ground to say so.’’ Many of our foolish concern and foolish fears would vanish before a prudent enquiry into the causes.

3. That which they are reproved for is an ill-natured, ill-favored, word they spoke of YAHWEH, as if HE had cast them off. There seems to be an emphasis laid upon their saying it: Why sayest thou and speakest thou? It is bad to have evil thoughts rise in our mind, but it is worse to put a sanction to them, and turn them into evil words. David reflects with regret upon what he said in his haste, when he was in distress.

4. The ill word they said was a word of despair concerning their present calamitous condition. They were ready to conclude:

(1.) That YAHWEH would not heed them: "My way is hidden from YAHWEH; HE takes no notice of our straits, nor concerns HIMSELF any more in our concernments. There are such difficulties in our case that even divine wisdom and power will be nonplussed.’’ A man whose way is hidden is one whom YAHWEH has hedged in, Job 3:23.

(2.) That YAHWEH could not help them: "My judgment is passed over from my EL; my case is past relief, so far past it that YAHWEH HIMSELF cannot redress the grievances of it. Our bones are dried.’’ Eze. 37:11.

                                       

Isa 40:28  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting EL, YAHWEH, the CREATOR of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of HIS Understanding. – The prophet is here reminding them and us of that which, if duly considered, was sufficient to silence all those fears and distrust. For their conviction, as before for the conviction of idolaters, he appeals to what they had known and what they had heard. Yacob and Yisrael were a knowing people, or might have been, and their knowledge came by hearing; for Wisdom cried in their chief places of concourse. Now, among other things, they had heard that EL YAHWEH had spoken once, twice, yea, many a time they had heard it, That power belongs unto YAHWEH (Ps. 62:11), That is, HE is HIMSELF an almighty Elohim, HE must needs be so, for HE is YAHWEH EL ELYON The Everylasting. HE was from eternity; HE will be to eternity; and therefore with HIM there is no deficiency, no decay. HE has HIS being of HIMSELF, and therefore all HIS perfections must needs be boundless.

HE is without beginning of days or end of life, and therefore with him there is no change. HE is also the Creator of the ends of the earth, that is, of the whole earth and all that is in it from end to end. HE therefore is the rightful owner and ruler of all, and must be concluded to have an absolute power over all and an all-sufficiency to help HIS people in their greatest straits.

Doubtless he is still as able to save HIS church as HE was at first to make the world:

(1.) HE has wisdom to contrive the salvation, and that wisdom is never at a loss: There is no searching of HIS Understanding, so as to countermine the counsels of it and defeat its intentions; no, nor so as to determine what HE will do, for HE has ways by HIMSELF, ways in the sea. None can say, "Thus far YAH’s wisdom can go, and no further;’’ for, when we know not what to do, HE alone knows.

(2.) HE has power to bring about the salvation, and that power is never exhausted: HE faints not, nor is weary; HE upholds the whole creation, and governs all the creatures, and is neither tired nor toiled; and therefore, no doubt, HE has power to relieve HIS people, when it is brought ever so low, without weakness or weariness.

Isa 40:29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. - YAHWEH gives strength and power to HIS people, and helps them by enabling them to help themselves. He that is the strong YAHWEH is the strength of Yisrael.

HE can help the weak. Many a time HE gives power to the faint, to those that are ready to faint away; and to those that have no might HE not only gives, but increases strength, as there is more and more occasion for it. Many out of bodily weakness are wonderfully recovered, and made strong, by the providence of YAHWEH: and many that are feeble in spirit, timorous and faint-hearted, unfit for services and sufferings, are yet strengthened by the grace of YAHWEH with all might in the inward man. To those who are sensible of their weakness, and ready to acknowledge they have no might, YAHWEH does in a special manner increase strength; for, when we are weak in ourselves, then are we strong in YAHWEH.

Isa 40:30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: -  He will help the willing, will help those who, in a humble dependence upon him, help themselves, and will do well for those who do their best. Those who trust to their own sufficiency, and are so confident of it that they neither exert themselves to the utmost nor seek unto Yahushua for His grace, are the youth and the young men, who are strong, but are apt to think themselves stronger than they are. And they shall faint and be weary, yea, they shall utterly fail in their services, in their conflicts, and under their burdens; they shall soon be made to see the folly of trusting to themselves.

Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon YAHWEH shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. – But those that wait on YAHWEH, who make conscience of their duty to HIM, and by faith rely upon HIM and commit themselves to HIS Torah, shall find that YAHWEH will not fail them. They shall have grace sufficient for them: They shall renew their strength as their work is renewed day by day, Sabbath by Sabbath, year by year, as there is new occasion; they shall be anointed, and their lamps supplied, with fresh oil.

YAHWEH will be their arm every morning, ch. 33:2. If at any time they have been foiled and weakened they shall recover themselves, and so renew their strength. Heb. They shall improve their strength, as their overcome each new challenges, doing work of salvation, suffering for the process of spiritual growth; they shall have strength to labour, strength to wrestle, strength to resist, strength to bear. As the day so shall the strength be.

They shall use this grace for the best purposes. Being strengthened:

 First, They shall soar upward, upward towards perfection: They shall mount up with wings like eagles, so strongly, so swiftly, so high and heaven-ward. In the strength of divine grace, their souls shall ascend above the world, towards the seventh heaven, and even enter into the holiest. Pious and devout affections are the eagles’ wings on which gracious souls mount up over every storm, Ps. 25:1.

Secondly, They shall press forward, forward towards heaven. They shall walk, they shall run, the way of YAH’s commandments, statues and precepts, cheerfully and with alacrity (they shall not be weary), constantly and with perseverance (they shall not faint); and therefore in due season they shall reap. Let Yacob and Yisrael therefore, in their greatest distresses, continue waiting upon YAHWEH, and not despair of timely and effectual relief and succor from HIM.

Chapter 41

In this chapter, as the former, it is intended both for the conviction of idolaters and for the consolation of all YAH’s faithful worshippers; for the Spirit is sent, and ministers are employed by YAHWEH, both to convince and to comfort. And however this might be primarily intended for the conviction of Babylonians, and the comfort of Yisraelites, or for the conviction of those in Yisrael that were addicted to idolatry, as multitudes were, and the comfort of those that kept their integrity, doubtless it was intended both for admonition and encouragement to us, admonition to keep ourselves from idols and encouragement to trust in YAHWEH.

Here:

 

I. YAHWEH by the prophet shows the folly of those that worshipped idols, especially that thought their idols able to contest with him and control him verse 1-9. 

II. He encourages HIS faithful ones to trust in Messiyah, with an assurance that He would take their part against their enemies, make them victorious over them, and bring about a happy change of their affairs verse 10–16. 

Isa 41:1  Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment. – Those that are particular of YAH’s care for HIS People Yisrael in raising up Cyrus to be their deliverer is discribe as a great proof both of YAHWEH sovereignty above all idols and of HIS power to protect HIS people Yisrael.

Here is, a general challenge to the worshippers and admirers of idols to make good their intension, in competition with YAHWEH and opposition to him. Is is renewed according to verse 21: Produce your cause. The court is set, summonses are sent to the islands that lay most remote, but not out of YAH’s jurisdiction, for HE is the Creator and possessor of the ends of the earth, to make their appearance and give their attendance. Silence (as usual) is proclaimed while the cause is in trying: "Keep silence before ME, and judge nothing before the time’’; while the cause is in trying between the kingdom of Heavens and the kingdom of Satan it becomes all people silently to expect the issue, not to object against YAH’s proceedings, but to be confident that he will carry the day.

The defenders of idolatry are called to say what they can in defense of it: "Let them renew their strength, in opposition to YAHWEH, and see whether it be equal to the strength which those renew that wait upon him (ch. 40:31); let them try their utmost best, whether by force of arms or force of argument. Let them come near; they shall not complain that YAH’s dread makes them afraid (Job 13:21), so that they cannot say what they have to say, in vindication and honor of their idols; no, let them speak freely: Let us come near together to judgment.’’

The cause of EL YAHWEH and HIS kingdom is not afraid of a fair trial; if the case be but fairly stated, it will be surely carried in favor of religion.

Isa 41:2  Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. - The enemies of YAH’s Assembly and HIS holy religion Scriptual Judaism, may safely be challenged to say and do their worst for the support of their unrighteous cause. He that sits in heaven laughs at them, and the daughter of Zion despises them; for great is the truth and will prevail.

HE particularly challenges the idols to do that for their worshippers, and against HIS, which he had done and would do for his worshippers, and against theirs. Different senses are given, concerning the righteous man raised up from the east; and, since we cannot determine which is the true, we will make use of each as good.

 1. That which is to be proved is:

(1.) That YAHWEH is EL ELYON alone, the first and with the last, that HE is Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable, that HE governed the world from the beginning, and will to the end of time. HE reigned in the past, and will reign forever; the counsels of HIS kingdom were from eternity, and the continuance of it will be to eternity.

(2.) That Yisrael is HIS servant verse 8, whom HE owns, and protects, and employs, and in whom HE is and will be glorified. As there is a EL in the heavens, so there is a Asseblly on earth that is HIS particular care. Elijah prays (1 Ki. 18:36), Let it be known that thou art EL, and that I am thy servant.

2. To prove this he shows, that it was HE who called Abraham, the father of this despised nation, out of an idolatrous country, and by many instances of HIS favor made Abraham name great, Gen. 12:2. He is the righteous man whom YAHWEH raised up from the east. Of him the Chaldee paraphrast expressly understands it: Who brought Abraham publicly from the east? To maintain the honor of the people of Yisrael, it was very proper to show what a figure this great ancestor of theirs made in his day; and verse 8 seems to be the explication of it, where YAHWEH calls Yisrael the seed of Abraham my friend; and HE calls the generations (namely, the generations of Yisrael) from the beginning.

Also, to put contempt upon idolatry, and particularly the Chaldean idolatry, it was proper to show how Abraham was called from serving other gods (Jos. 24:2, 3, etc.), so that an early testimony was borne against that idolatry which boasted so much of its antiquity. Also, to encourage the captives in Babylon to hope that YAHWEH would find a way for their return to their own land, it was proper to remind them how at first he brought their father Abraham out of the same country into this land, to give it to him for an inheritance, Gen. 15:7. Now observe what is here said concerning him.

[1.] That he was a righteous man, or a man of righteousness, that believed in YAHWEH, and it was counted to Abraham for righteousness; and so he became the father of all those who by faith in Messiyah are made the righteousness of YAHWEH through him, Rom. 4:3, 11; 2 Co. 5:21. He was a great example of righteousness in his day, and taught his household to do judgment and justice, Gen. 18:19.

[2.] That YAHWEH raised him up from the east, from Ur first and afterwards from Haran, which lay east from Canaan. YAHWEH would not let him settle in either of those places, but did for him as the mother eagle did for her young, when she stirs up her nest: he raised him out of iniquity and made him pious, out of obscurity and made him famous.

[3.] He called him to his foot, to follow him with an implicit faith; for he went out, not knowing whither he went, but whom he followed, Heb. 11:8. Those whom YAHWEH effectually calls he calls to his foot, to be subject to him, to attend him, and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes; and we must all either come to his foot or be made his footstool.

Isa 41:3  He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. -  He gave nations before him, the nations of Canaan, which YAHWEH  promised to make him master of, and therefore gave him an interest in that the Hittites acknowledged him a mighty prince among them, Gen. 23:6. He made him rule over those kings whom he conquered for the rescue of his brother Lot, Gen. 14. And when YAHWEH gave them as dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow (that is, made them an easy prey to his catechised servants), he then pursued them, and passed safely, or in peace, under the divine protection, though it was in a way he was altogether unacquainted with; and so considerable was this victory that Melchizedec himself appeared to celebrate it. Now who did this but the great Jehovah? Can any of the other gods of the heathen do so?

Isa 41:4  Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I YAHWEH, the first, and with the last; I am HE. - That it is he who will, raise up Cyrus from the east. It is spoken of according to the language of prophecy as a thing past, because as sure to be done in its season as if it were already done. YAHWEH will raise him up in righteousness (so it may be read, ch. 45:13), will call him to HIS foot, make what use of him he pleases, and make him victorious over the nations that oppose his coming to the crown, and give him success in all his wars; and he shall be a type of Messiyah, who is righteousness itself, Yahushua our righteousness, whom YAHWEH will, in the fulness of time, raise up and make victorious over the powers of darkness; so that Messiyah shall spoil them and make a show of them openly.

Isa 41:5  The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. - He exposes the folly of idolaters, who, notwithstanding the convincing proofs which the EL of Yisrael had given of HIS being EL alone, obstinately persisted in their idolatry, nay, were so much the more hardened in it: The isles of the Gentiles saw this, not only what YAHWEH did for Abraham himself, but what HE did for his seed, for his sake, how HE brought them out of Egypt, and made them rule over kings, and they feared, Ex. 15:14–16.

Isa 41:6  They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. - They were afraid, and, according to the summons, they drew near, and came; they could not avoid taking notice of what YAHWEH did for Abraham and his seed; but, instead of asking question about Abrahams god out of their folish idolatries ways, they resolve to confirm one another in their sins.

They looked upon it as a dangerous danger to their religion, which they were jealous for, and were resolved, right or wrong, to adhere to, and therefore were more inclined to appear even the more vigorously for the support of it, as the Ephesians for their godest Diana. When YAHWEH, by HIS wonderful appearances on the behalf of HIS people, went about to wrest their idols from them, they held them so much the faster, and said one to another, "Be of good courage; let us unanimously agree to keep up the reputation of our gods.

Though Dagon fall before the Ark, he shall be set up again in his place.’’ One tradesman encourages another to come into a confederacy for the keeping up of the noble craft of god-making. Therefore men’s convictions often exasperate their corruptions, and they are made worse both by the word and the works of YAHWEH, which should make them better. This is the charatistic of Christanity.

Isa 41:7  So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. - They looked upon it as a dangerous design upon themselves. They thought themselves in danger from the growing greatness both of Abraham that was a convert from idolatry, and of the people of Yisrael that were separatists from it; and therefore they not only had recourse to their old gods for protection, but made new ones, Deu. 32:17.

So the carpenter, having done his part to the timberwork, encouraged the goldsmith to do his part in gilding or overlaying it; and, when it came into the goldsmith’s hand, he that smooths with the hammer that polishes it, or beats it thin, quickened him that smote the anvil, encouraging him to be expedient, and told him it was ready for the soldering, which perhaps was the last operation about it, and then it is fastened with nails, and you have a god of it shortly.

Do rightleous people often animate and quicken one another in the ways of sin? And shall not the servants of the living Elohim both stir up one another to, and strengthen one another in, HIS service? Some read all this ironically, and by way of permission: Let them help every one his neighbor; let the carpenter encourage the goldsmith; but all in vain; idols shall fall for all this.

Isa 41:8  But thou, Yisrael, art my servant, Yacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. – In this verse He encourages his own people to trust in HIM: "But you, Yisrael, art my servant. They know ME not, but you knowest ME, and knows better than to join with such ignorant besotted people as these’’ (for it is intended for a warning to the people of YAHWEH not to walk in the way of the heathen); "they put themselves under the protection of these impotent deities, but you are under MY protection.

Those that make them are like unto them, and so is every one that trusts in them; but You, O Yisrael! art the servant of a better Master.’’ Observe what is suggested here for the encouragement of YAH’s people when they are threatened and insulted over.

1. They are YAH’s servants, and HE will not see them abused, especially for what they do in HIS service: You art my servant "I have said unto thee, You art MY servant; and I will not go back from MY word.’’

2. YAHWEH has chosen them to be a peculiar people to HIMSELF. They were not forced upon HIM, but of HIS own good-will HE set them apart.

3. They were the seed of Abraham HIS friend. It was the honor of Abraham that he was called the friend of YAHWEH (James 2:23), whom YAHWEH covenanted and conversed with as a friend, and the man of his counsel; and this honor have all the saints, Jn. 15:15. And for the father’s sake the people of Yisrael were beloved.

Isa 41:9  Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. - YAHWEH was pleased to look upon them as the posterity of an old friend of HIS, and therefore to be kind to them; for the covenant of friendship was made with Abraham and his seed.

HE had sometimes, when they had been scattered among the heathen, take them from the ends of the earth and taken them out of the hands of the chief ones thereof, and therefore he would not now abandon them. Abraham their father was bring them from a place at a great distance, and they in his loins; and those who had been  far-away and very dear YAHWEH brought home.

He had not yet cast them away, though they had often provoked HIM, and therefore HE would not abandon them. What YAHWEH has done for HIS people, and what HE has more engaged to do, should encourage all of us to trust in HIM at all times.

Isa 41:10  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy EL: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. - The scope of these verses is to silence the fears, and encourage the faithfull, of the servants of YAHWEH in their distresses.

Perhaps it is intended, in the first place, for the support of YAH’s Yisrael, in captivity; but all that faithfully serve YAHWEH through patience and comfort of this scripture may have hope. It is addressed to Yisrael as a single person, that it might the more easily and readily be accommodated and applied by every single Yisraelite.

That is a word of caution, counsel, and comfort, which is so often repeated, Fear you not; and again verse 13, Fear not; and verse 14, "Fear not, you worm Jacob; fear not the threatenings of the enemy, doubt not the promise of thy EL; fear not that you shall perish in thy affliction or that the promise of thy deliverance shall fail.’’ It is against the mind of YAHWEH that HIS people should be a timorous people. For the suppressing of fear HE assures them.

In the natural a worm changes anything that passes throuth it. Whom ever that passes through Messiyah Yahushua should have ther spiritual nature change. That they may depend upon HIS presence with them as their EL “god”, and a EL all-sufficient for them in the worst of times. Observe with what tenderness YAHWEH speaks, and how willing HE is to let the heirs of promise know the immutability of HIS counsel, and how desirous to make them easy: "Fear you not, for I am with thee, not only within call, but present with thee; be not dismayed at the power of those that are against thee, for I am YAHWEH, and engaged for thee.

If you are weak? I will strengthen thee. Are you destitute of friends? I will help thee in the time of need. Are you ready to sink, ready to fall? I will uphold thee with the right hand of MY righteousness, that right hand which is full of righteousness, in dispensing rewards and punishments,’’ Ps. 48:10. And again in verse 13 it is promised, that YAHWEH will strengthen their hands, that is, will help them: "I will hold your right hand, go hand in hand with thee’’ (so some): HE will take us by the hand as our guide, to lead us in our way, will help us up when we are fallen or prevent our falls; when we are weak he will hold us up-wavering, HE will fix us-trembling, he will encourage us, and so hold us by the right hand, Ps. 73:23.

That HE will silence their fears: Saying unto thee, Fear not. He has said it again and again in HIS Word, and has there provided sovereign antidotes against fear: but HE will go further; HE will by HIS Spirit say it to their hearts, and make them to hear it, and so will help them.

Isa 41:11  Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. - That though their enemies be now very formidable, insolent, and severe, yet the day is coming when YAHWEH will reckon with them and they shall triumph over them. There are those that are incensed against YAH’s people, that strive with them, that war against them verse 12, that hate them, that seek their ruin, and are continually picking quarrels with them.

But let not YAH’s people be incensed at them, nor strive with them, nor render evil for evil; but wait on YAH’s time, and believe:

1. That they shall be convinced of the folly, at least, if not of the sin of striving with YAH’s people; and, finding it to no purpose, they shall be ashamed and confounded, which might bring them to repentance, but will rather fill them with rage.

2. That they shall be quite ruined and undone: They shall be as nothing before the justice and power of YAHWEH. When YAH comes to deal with HIS proud enemies HE makes nothing of them.

Isa 41:12  Thou shall seek them, and shall not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. -  in this verse we see that though their enemies be very formidable, insolent, and severe, yet the day is coming when YAHWEH will reckon with them and they shall triumph over them.

There are those that are incensed against YAHWEH’s people, that strive with them verse 11, that war against them, that hate them, that seek their ruin, and are continually picking quarrels with them.

Isa 41:13  For I YAHWEH your EL will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. - That they shall be destroyed, verse 11: They shall be as nothing before the justice and power of YAHWEH. When HE comes to deal with HIS proud enemies, HE will makes nothing of them. Or they shall be brought to nothing, shall be as if they had never existed. This is repeated: They shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought, or as that which is gone and has failed. Those that were formidable shall become despicable; those that fancied they could do anything shall be able to bring nothing to pass; those that made a figure in the world, and a mighty noise, shall become mere ciphers and be buried in silence. They shall perish, not only be nothing, but be miserable: You shall seek them, shall enquire what has become of them, that they do not appear as usual, but you shall not find them as David, Ps. 37:36. I sought him, but he could not be found.

Isa 41:14  Fear not, thou worm Yacob, and ye men of Yisrael; I will help thee, saith YAHWEH, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Yisrael. – In this verse we learn that they themselves should become a terror to those who were now a terror to them, and victory should turn on their side.

1. How Yacob and Yisrael are reduced and brought very low. It is the worm Jacob, so little, so weak, and so defenseless, despised and trampled on by every body, forced to creep even into the earth for safety; and we must not wonder that Yacob has become a worm, when even Yacob’s King calls himself a worm and no man, Ps. 22:6.

YAH’s people are sometimes as worms, in their humble thoughts of themselves and their enemies’ haughty thoughts of them, worms, but not vipers, as their enemies are, not of the serpent’s seed. YAHWEH regards Yacob’s low estate, and says, "Fear not, thou worm Jacob; fear not that you shall be crushed; and you men of Yisrael’’ (you few men, so some read it, you dead men, so others) "do not give up yourselves for gone notwithstanding.’’

The grace of YAHWEH will silence fears even when there seems to be the greatest cause for them. Perplexed but not in despair.

2. How Yacob and Yisrael are advanced from this low estate, and made as formidable as ever they have been despicable. But by whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small? We are told here: I will help you, saith YAHWEH; and it is the honor of YAHWEH to help the weak. He will help them, for HE is their Redeemer, who is worthy to redeem them, who has undertaken to do it.

Messiyah is the Redeemer, from Him is our help found. He will help them, for He is the Holy One of Yisrael, worshipped among them in the beauty of holiness and engaged by promise to them. YAHWEH will help them by enabling them to help themselves and making Jacob to become a threshing instrument.

Isa 41:15  Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff. - He is but an instrument, a tool in YAH’s hand, that He is pleased to make use of; and He is an instrument of YAH’s making and is no more than YAHWEH makes him. But, if YAHWEH make him a threshing instrument, HE will make use of him, and therefore will make him fit for use, new and sharp, and having teeth, or sharp spikes; and then, by divine direction and strength, you shall thresh the mountains, the highest, and strongest, and most stubborn of thy enemies: you shall not only beat them, but beat them small; they shall not be a corn threshed out, which is valuable, and is carefully preserved (such YAH’s people are when they are under the flail, ch. 21:10: O my threshing! yet the corn of MY floor, that shall not be lost); but these are made as chaff, which is good for nothing, and which the husbandman is glad to get rid of.

Isa 41:16  Thou shall fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shall rejoice in YAHWEH, and shall glory in the Holy One of Yisrael. - He pursues the metaphor. Having threshed them, thou shall winnow them, and the wind shall scatter them. This perhaps had its accomplishment, in part, in the victories of the Jews over their enemies in the times of the Maccabees; but it seems in general designed to read the final doom of all the implacable enemies of the Assembly of Yisrael, and to have its accomplishment likewise in the triumphs of the cross of Messiyah, the Gospel of Messiyah, and all the faithful followers of Messiyah, over the powers of darkness, which, first or last, shall all be dissipated, and in Messiyah all believers shall be more than conquerors, and he that overcomes shall have power over the nations, Rev. 2:26.

Brit Kadasha

Romans 4:1 - 25

The great gospel doctrine of justification by faith and the works of the law has cause so much  contradiction that belivers are alined on both side of the debate. The notions of Torah for the Hebrew and that faith is for the non-hebrew. The Hebrew had learnt from those that sat in Moses’ chair, were followers of Moses, that it was handed down to them; and therefore the Apostle who were all Hebrew, labors much in the confirmation and illustration of Torah Principles.

He had before proven by sound argument and reasoning, that both justification by faith and the law are insepatatable. Now in this chapter he proves it by example, which in some serve as confirmation as well as illustration. The examplation he used is that of Abraham, whom he chooses to mention because the glory of Yisrael is in their relation to Abraham, made them privileges that they were Abraham’s seed, and truly they had Abraham for their father.

Therefore this example was likely to be more effective and convincing to the Yisralites than any other. His argument stands to prove: "All that are saved are justified in the same way as Abraham was; but Abraham was justified by faith, and not by works; therefore all that are saved are so justified;’’ for it would easily be acknowledged that Abraham was the father of the faithful. Now this is an argument, not only from a stronger case. If Abraham, a man so famous for works, so eminent in holiness and obedience, was nevertheless justified by faith only, and not by those works, how much can any other, especially any of those that came from him, and fall so far short of him in works, set up for a justification by their own works? This argument proves more abundantly, as some observe, that we are not justified, no not by those good works which flow from faith, as the matter of our righteousness; for such were Abraham’s works, and are we better than he?

The whole chapter is taken up with this discourse, this example, the Apostle asserted that, in the business of justification, Yisralites and Gentiles stand upon the same level. Now in this chapter, he explained with a great deal of cogency of argument: 

I. He proves that Abraham was justified not by works, but by faith verse 1-8.

II. He observes when and why he was so justified verse 9–17. 

III. He describes and commends that faith of his verse 17–22. 

IV. He applies all this to us verse 22–25.

Rom 4:1  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? - Here the apostle proves that Abraham was justified not by works, but by faith. Those that of all men contended most vigorously for a share in righteousness by the privileges they enjoyed in Messiyah, and the works they performed, were the Jews, and therefore he appeals to the case of Abraham their father, and puts his own name to the relation, being a Hebrew of the Hebrews: Abraham our father.

Now surely his prerogative must needs be as great as theirs who claim it as his seed according to the flesh. Now what has he found? All the world is seeking; but, while the most are wearying themselves for very vanity, none can be truly reckoned to have found, but those who are justified before YAHWEH; and thus Abraham, like a wise merchant, seeking goodly pearls, found this one pearl of great price. What has he found, as pertaining to the flesh, that is, by circumcision and his external privileges and performances? These the apostle calls flesh, Phil. 3:3.

Now what did he get by these? Was he justified by them? Was it the merit of his works that recommended him to YAH’s acceptance? No, by no means, which he proves by several arguments.

There is only one man who ever lived that did not need justification, that is Yahushua the Messiyah. He lived exclusively by the law and was never found in violation of any of Torah’s principles. Yahushua is the only man that was ever justified by works. Therefore every other man is in need of justification, by the Blood that flows from Messiyah’s feet. This can only be done through faith in Yahushua.

Rom 4:2  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before YAHWEH.  - If he had been justified by works, by keeping the law, then no room would have been left for boasting, which must for ever be excluded. If so, he had a reason to glory.

To glory means that we were once lost because of sin, now we may glorified in the Blood of Messiyah.

The story of the prodical son is a case in point, the son who was lose had a reason to celebrate for he was lost now he has return. This glorying is that he return, no other reason. Yahushua our Messiyah the perfect Son, has much to celebrate for, for He alone had fulfilled Torah perfectly.

Paul himself had reason to glory before men, and we have him sometimes to glorying in, yet with humility; but nothing to glory in before YAHWEH, 1 Co. 4:4; Phil. 3:8, 9. So Abraham. He takes it for granted that man must not pretend to glory in any thing before YAHWEH; no, not Abraham, as great and as good a man as he was; and therefore he brought an argument from it: it would be absurd for him that glorieth to glory in any but YAHWEH.

Rom 4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed YAHWEH, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. - It is expressly said that Abraham’s faith was counted to him for righteousness. What saith the scripture? In all controversies in religion this must be our question, What saith the scripture? It is not what this great man, and the other good man, say, but What saith the scripture? Ask counsel at this Abel, and so end the matter, 2 Sa. 2:18.

To the law, and to the testimony (Isa. 8:20), is the last appeal. Now the scripture saith that Abraham believed, and this was counted to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6); therefore he had no reason to glory before YAHWEH, it being purely a free grace that it was imputed to him

It is mentioned in Genesis, many times of a very signal and remarkable act of faith concerning the promised seed, and it is more observable in that it came after a grievous conflict he had had with unbelief; his faith was now a victorious faith, after returning from the battle.

It is not the perfect faith that is required to justification (there may be acceptable faith where there are remainders of unbelief), but the prevailing faith, the faith that has the upper hand of unbelief. This faith is that without the sheding of blood there can be not justification, initial salvation, the Blood for Messiyah Feet.

Rom 4:4  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. –  If he had been justified by faith, the reward would have been bygrace, which is not according to mans ability. This is his argument: Abraham’s reward was YAHWEH HIMSELF; so HE had told him, but just before (Gen. 15:1), I am thy exceeding great reward.

Now, if Abraham had merited this by the perfection of his obedience, it was done by the act of grace in YAHWEH.  Abraham made many mistake, and grace was given to him to help him correct his mistakes.

YAHWEH is a debtor to man, when man follow HIS Commandments. YAHWEH made us several promises in Deut 28:1-14 that if we do good, if we keep HIS Commandments HE will Bless us.

YAHWEH give us free grace to all who believe in Messiyah Yahushua, grace for grace’s sake, Jn. 1:16. And therefore to him that does not believe in Messiyah, have no such merit, there is no value in his work of keep the law.

It is Messiyah that justifieth the ungodly, that is, he that was ungodly before now has Grace. His former ungodliness was no bar to his justification upon his believing: That ungodly one, that is, Abraham, who, before his conversion, it should seem, was carried down the stream of the Chaldean idolatry, Jos. 24:2. No room therefore is left for despair; though YAHWEH clears not the stain of guilty, yet through Messiyah he justifies the ungodly.

Rom 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. To the person who do not believe even in the Law, once he believe in Messiyah Yahushua, he is consider righteous. Even if he never keep one of the law before, the very moment all his sins have been wipe away, like the thief on the Cross who repent and was forgiven. That thief was consider a righteous man.

Rom 4:6  Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom YAHWEH imputeth righteousness without works, - Like the Thief on the Cross, who died moments after accepting Yahushua as Messiyah, he is consider righteous. Those of us who have been save under Messiyah, and who lived years after, we are require to do good works. We are require to keep the Sabbath and Feast days along with the other commandments.

Rom 4:7  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. – The Brazen Altar of the Tabernacle of Moses is an example of this Justification by faith, it is the Blood that flow from the feet of our Messiyah, at this Alter, all one needs to do is to accept Messiyah and Savor and redeemer. All our past sins are covered as if it never happen. However this Brazen is the first Altar one experience on their way into the Holy of Holies, this Brazen Altar is situated in the Outer Court, much like the Blood over the Door post in Egypt, yet the children of Yisrael had to leave Egypt on their journey to the promise land. Justification is the beginning of our spiritual journey in carrying our Cross. We are given a free gift at this Altar.

The nature of forgiveness. It is the remission of a debt or a crime; it is the covering of sin, as a filthy thing, as the nakedness and shame of the soul. YAHWEH is said to cast sin behind HIS back, to hide his face from it, which, and the like expressions, imply that the ground of our blessedness is not our innocency, or as if we have not sinned, but YAH’s not charging us: it is YAH’s not imputing sin, which makes it wholly a gracious act of YAHWEH, not dealing with us in strict justice as we have deserved, not entering into judgment, not marking iniquities, all which being purely acts of grace, the acceptance and the reward cannot be expected as debts; and therefore Paul infers verse 6 that it is the imputing of righteousness without works.

The blessedness of it: Blessed are they. Blessed is the man who place the blood over the doorpost of his heart. When it is said, Blessed are the undefiled in the way, blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, etc., the design is to show the characters of those that are blessed; but when it is said, Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, the purpose is to show what that blessedness is, and what the ground and foundation of it.

 Pardoned people are the only blessed people. The sentiments of the world are, those are happy that have a clear consent, and are out of debt to man; but the sentence of the word is, happyare those who have their debts to YAHWEH discharged. O how much therefore is it our interest to make it sure to ourselves that our sins are pardoned! For this is the foundation of all other benefits. So and so I will do for them; for I will be merciful, Heb. 8:12.

Rom 4:8  Blessed is the man to whom YAHWEH will not impute sin. – Why are they bless? When the Children of Yisrael place the Blood over their doorpost, they were protected from the angel of death. They are no longer in the kigdom of Egypt, they were protected as if they were in the kingdom of Yisrael, even if they were in physical Egypt.

Rom 4:9  Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. – Circumcision will not save anyone, it is faith in Messiyah. Abraham was not save because he was circumcise he was circumcise because he was saved.

Rom 4:10  How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. - Justification is not recond in circumcision, or uncircumcision. But it is easer for those who is uncircumcised. There is nothing that anyone can do to earn this free girt of faith, there is absolutely nothing that anyone can say or do or purchase, all one have to do is to accept Messiyah Yahushua as Master and Savor to earn this free gift called justification.

Rom 4:11  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: - Abraham received circumcision some time after he was saved, as a seal of his progressive righteousness of his faith, that he might be the father of all them who are moving on to perfection. It was a sign that righteousness had been given on to him. Circumcision is a natural path to perfection, but it will not save anyone.

Rom 4:12  And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. –

Abraham was never Circumcise until he was an adult. This is a sign for those who have never been circumcise, that it does not matter, when you were born or receive justification, circumcision is a natural path to follow, in our step by step path to perfection to spiritual maturity. If one was born in the redeemed community, then circumcision on the eight day would be mandatory.

Rom 4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. – Those of us who require to come to spiritual maturity are the ones who will inherit the world. This promise was not only given to the physical seed of Abraham but also to whosoever believe in Messiyah Yahushua, who give us grace to achieve righteousness through faith in Him.

Rom 4:14  For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: - Our Messiyah achieve perfection through the law, because He did not need the gift of grace, because he never sin. Faith was made void by Yahushua when He was alive. He did not have to believe in anyone, except doing His Father Will. The Yisraelites who the law was given to, can achieve perfection by believing in Messiyah, as the Apostle Paul and the Disciples. But if one think that by keeping the law will bring them to perfection, then their righteousness is like a filthy rag. The rag must be wash in the blood of Messiyah.

Rom 4:15  Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. – The law stipulate that the one who sin must die, and the law cannot be changed. Therefore if one commit one sin, it is as if he or she have broken the law, that person needs grace to restore them, they need a savor, in Messiyah Yahushua. If one does not sin then one is perfect, and no grace is required. There are no one whoever hold that most illustrious position as sin-less-ness other than Messiyah. Therefore we are all in need of Grace.

Rom 4:16  Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, - It is by faith in Messiyah, that we can achieve grace, that the end of the promise of full maturity may be possible to all who believe in Messiyah; it is not promise to those who or of the seed of Abraham only, but to everyone who believe, Yisraelite of gentile, even as Abraham exercise faith in the promise of Messiyah.

Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even YAHWEH, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. – Abraham by faith is the spiritual father of the Chinese, Indians, Russians, the Australian, Canadians, Spanish, Japanese, Egyptians, and Africans. Whosoever will may come, once one believe in the Messiyah who died on the Stake for our sins, we are also heir of the promise, of eternal life.

Rom 4:18  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. – As Abraham hope for a city not build with human hands, so too must we be that believe that Messiyah is preparing a place for us, so where He will be so will we also. Salvation is not for anyone particular race of people, it is for a type of people, who lived by faith in the Rising Messiyah.

Rom 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: - Abraham was not weak in his faith to that what was promise would be delivered. He who start a good work in us is faithful to accomplish it to the ends. The Creator purpose of Creation is to produce many perfect sons, even if one is as old as Abraham was when he was saved, the promise was still fulfilled in him.

Rom 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of YAHWEH  through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to YAHWEH; -  He struggled not at the promise of YAHWEH through unbelief, and he therefore struggled not because he considered not the frowns and discouragements of second causes; he disputed not; he did not hold any self-consultation about it, did not take time to consider whether he should embrace it or no, he did not hesitate nor have doubt, but by a resolute and peremptory act of his soul, with a holy boldness, ventured all upon the promise. He took it not for a point that would start an argument or debate, but presently determined it as a ruled case, did not at all hang in suspense about it: he staggered not through unbelief. Unbelief is at the bottom of all our staggerings at YAH’s promises. It is not the promise that fails, but our faith that fails when we struggled.

Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. - He was strong in faith, giving glory to YAHWEH, he was strengthened in faith, his faith got ground by exercis. Though weak faith shall not be rejected, the bruised reed not broken, the smoking flax not quenched, yet strong faith shall be commended and honored.

The strength of his faith appeared in the victory it won over his fears. And herefore he gave glory to YAHWEH; for, as unbelief dishonors YAHWEH by making HIM a liar (1 Jn. 5:10), so faith honors YAHWEH by setting to its seal that he is true, Jn. 3:33. Abraham’s faith gave YAHWEH the glory of his wisdom, power, holiness, goodness, and especially of his faithfulness, resting upon the word that he had spoken. Among men we say, "He that trusts another, gives him credit, and honors him by taking his word’’  Therefore Abraham gave glory to YAHWEH by trusting HIM. We never hear our Messiyah Yahushua commending any thing so much as great faith (Mt. 8:10 and 15:28): therefore YAHWEH gives honor to faith, understanding produces great faith, and great knowledge, gives honor to YAHWEH.

Rom 4:22  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. - But Abraham, having taken YAHWEH for his pilot, and the promise for HIS card and compass, resolves to weather his point, and like a bold adventurer sets up all his sails, breaks through all the difficulties, regards neither winds nor clouds, but trusts to the strength of his faith and the wisdom and faithfulness of his pilot, and bravely makes to the harbor, and comes home an overcommer. Such was his full persuasion, and it was built on the omnipotence of YAHWEH: He was able. Our wavering rise mainly from our distrust of the divine power; and therefore to fix us it is requisite we believe not only that he is faithful, but that he is able, that hath promised. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Because with such a confidence he ventured his all in the divine promise, YAHWEH graciously accepted him, and not only answered, but out-did, his expectation. This way of glorifying YAHWEH by a firm reliance on HIS promise was so very agreeable to YAH’s purpose, and so is every thing is conducive to HIS honor, that he graciously accepted it as a righteousness, and justified him, though there was not that in the thing itself which could merit such an acceptance. This shows why faith is chosen to be the prime condition of our justification, because it is a grace that of all others gives glory to YAHWEH.

Rom 4:23  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; - In the close of the chapter, he applies all to us; and, having abundantly proved that Abraham was justified by faith, he here concludes that his justification was to be the pattern for our lives: It was not written for his sake alone. It was not intended only for an historical commendation of Abraham, or a relation of something peculiar to him no, the scripture did not intend to describe some singular way of justification that belonged to Abraham as his sanction.

The accounts we have of the Torah saints were not intended for histories only, barely to inform and help us, but for a precedents to direct us, for ensamples (1 Co. 10:11) for our learning, ch. 15:4. This particularly concerning Abraham was written for us also, to assure us what that righteousness is which YAHWEH requireth and accepteth to our salvation, for us also, that are man and vile, that come so far short of Abraham in privileges and performances, us Gentiles as well as the Jews, for the blessing of Abraham comes upon the Gentiles through Messiyah for us on whom the ends of the world are come, as well as for the patriarchs; for the grace of YAHWEH is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. His application of it is but short.

Rom 4:24  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Yahushua Messiyah from the dead; - Only we may understand, our common privilege; it shall be imputed to us, that is, righteousness shall. The gospel way of justification is by an imputed righteousness, it shall be imputed; he uses a future verb, to signify the continuation of this mercy in the Messiyanic Assembly, that as it is the same now so it will be while YAHWEH has a Assembly in the world, and there are many of the children of men to be justified; for there is a fountain opened that is inexhaustible.

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. - Our common duty, the condition of this privilege, can only be achieved by believing. The proper object of this believing is a divine revelation. The revelation to Abraham was concerning a Messiyah to come; the revelation to us is concerning a Messiyah who is already come, the difference in the revelation does not alter the case.

Abraham believed the power of YAHWEH in raising up an Isaac from the dead womb of Sarah; we are to believe the same power exerted in a higher instance, the resurrection of Messiyah from the dead. The resurrection of Isaac was in a figure (Heb. 11:19); the resurrection of Messiyah was real.

Now we are to believe on him that raised up Messiyah; not only believe HIS power, that HE could do it, but depend upon HIS grace in raising up Messiyah as our surety; so HE explains it, where we have a brief account of the meaning of Messiyah’s death and resurrection, which are the two main hinges on which the door of salvation turns.

1. He was delivered for our offences. YAHWEH the Father delivered Him, He delivered up Himself as a sacrifice for sin, Deut 28:15 - 68. He died indeed as a malefactor, because He died for sin; but it was not his own sin for He had none, but the sins of the people. He died to make atonement for our sins, to expiate our guilt, to satisfy divine justice.

2. He was raised again for our justification, for the perfecting and completing of our Sanctification. By the merit of His death He paid our debt for the curse of our sin, in His resurrection he took out our aquittance. When He was buried He lay a prisoner in execution for our debt, which as a surety He had undertaken to pay; on the third day an angel was sent to roll away the stone, and so to discharge the prisoner, which was the greatest assurance possible that divine justice was satisfied, the debt paid, or else He would never have released the prisoner: and therefore the apostle puts a special emphasis on Messiyah’s resurrection; it is Messiyah that died, yea, rather that has risen again, ch. 8:34. So that upon the whole matter it is very evident that we are not justified by the merit of our own works, but by a perfect obedient dependence upon Messiyah Yahushua and His righteousness, as the condition on our part of our right to impunity and salvation, which was the truth that Paul in this and the foregoing chapter had been fixing as the great spring and foundation of all our comfort.