Lech Lecha

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 invigoration 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 arbors proposition, it was dangerous and expensive. The logistic that was needed to preform 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 YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH’s desire to create perfect sons. A perfect son is one who EL YAHVEH 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 falled, due to the deception of the Adversery, 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 YAHVEH.

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 YAHVEH was at hand. With Abraham calling on the Sacred Name of YAHVEH, it began a profound change in the spiritual make up of humanity. The Plan of Creation was for YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH.

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. YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH 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. YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH. 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 soal sake (so some read it), that is, for thy own good. Those who leave their sins, and turn to YAHVEH, will themselves be cloth with unspeakable light by the change, Prov. 9:12. This command which YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH.

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 YAHVEH 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 tempory dwelling, and must accordingly separate ourselves from it and live above it.

By this principle Abram was tried whether YAHVEH could trust him further than HE saw him; for Abram as we must leave our own country, to go to a land that YAHVEH would show us. YAHVEH does not say, "It is a land that I will give thee,’’ but merely, "a land that I will show thee.’’ Nor does YAHVEH tell Abram what land it was, nor what kind of land; but Abram like us must follow YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH.

Those that will deal with YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH.

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 YAHVEH makes HIMSELF known also as a rewarder: if we obey HIS command, YAHVEH will not fail to perform the promise. Here are six promises:

1.     I will make of thee a great nation. When YAHVEH took Abram from his own people, YAHVEH promised to make him the head of another; YAHVEH 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. YAHVEH 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. YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH that makes it great.

4.     YAHVEH 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 YAHVEH, "but trust me, and I will make thee a greater name than ever thou couldst have had there.’’ Having no child, he feared he should have no name; but YAHVEH will make him a great nation, and so make him a great name. YAHVEH 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.