Blessing for the Torah:
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher
bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn
ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
you have selected us from among all the peoples,
and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH,
giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
This Torah portion addresses and contextualizes one of
the greatest challenges of our times – deception –
Someone once defined deception as the most violent form
of brutality because someone who is deceived is like someone who destroys
themselves on an installment plan and resents anyone who tries to interfere or
help them.
We only have to look over our own lives and see that
there were long periods of time that we were deceived in certain areas of our
lives even as believers. We must also consider that there still may be areas of
our lives where the enemy is deceiving us.
Deception entered into the human race from the very
beginning, when Adam and Eve allowed deception into their lives it was passed
on to all future generations and the world came under the power of the evil one
including believers.
1Jn 5:19 We know that we are of Elohim, and all the world lies in the wicked one.
The problem is everyone thinks they are “of Elohim”
Yahshua came to
destroy the works of the devil, however it is evident that this work has not
yet been finally accomplished.
1Jn 3:8 The one doing sin is of the devil, because
the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Elohim was
manifested: to destroy the works of the devil.1 Footnote: 1See
Titus 2:14.
The Greek word for “destroy” is an on- going verb, that is to say that
the action is present and still on-going and waiting for a future final
fulfilment.
We are very much the
same as our father Yakov – we often seek to take the initiative in seeking the
blessing and destiny the Father has planned for each one of us, this often
leads to some form of deceitfulness we may not even be aware of.
Yahshua wept over the
city of Yerushalyim –
Luk 19:41 And as He came near, He saw the city and wept
over it,
Luk 19:42 saying, “If you only knew even today, the matters
for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
What is there in your life and my life that
would cause him to weep again? Ask him and he may answer you!
If you believe
that there is nothing in your life that would cause the Master to weep maybe
it’s a sign of your deceitfulness.
There are some who
believe that mankind has entered into a new spiritual era, where deception is
going to increase and many will fall away from the faith – 2 Thess 2:3.
Mat 24:24 “For false messiahs (annointed ones) and
false prophets shall arise, and they shall show great signs and wonders, so as
to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
Mat 24:25 “See, I have forewarned you.
Satan will soon lead the whole world astray.
Rev 12:9
And the great dragon was thrown out, that serpent of old, called the
Devil and Satan, who leads all the world
astray. He was thrown to the earth, and his messengers were thrown out with
him.
If you and I think for one moment we are above being deceived we are
already deceived or in danger of being deceived – are we greater than our
father Yakov?
Our Torah portion begins:
Gen 28:10 And Ya’aqoḇ went out from
Be’ĕrsheḇa and went toward Ḥaran.
Yakov moves from a place he knows to an uncertain
place. Haran means “mountaineer”
This is true of the messianic journey of restoration;
it is a journey of many challenges and dangers.
We may be uncertain of our journey but we are
certain of our destination – Mount Tzion.
Gen 28:11
And he came upon a (the) place and stopped over for the night, for the
sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his
head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.
Three times in this
one verse the Hebrew word “ha makom” or “the place” is used. This possibly
points to the significance of this place which the sages believe to be the same
place where Avraham offered Yitzchak and where the two temples would be built
and destroyed. In the future Messianic kingdom we believe Messiah will rule and
reign from this mountain where a new temple will be built and all nations -will
come to this place “makom” to be taught the Torah of YHVH – and never be deceived again.
Isa 2:2 And it shall be in the latter days that the
mountain of the House of יהוה is established on the top of the mountains, and shall be
exalted above the hills. And all nations shall flow to it.
Isa 2:3 And many
peoples shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of יהוה, to the
House of the Elohim of Ya’aqoḇ, and let Him teach1 us His ways1,
and let us walk in His paths1, for out of Tsiyon comes forth the
Torah1, and the Word1 of יהוה from Yerushalayim.” Footnote: 1His
ways, His paths, the teaching and the Word of יהוה are used
synonymously.
Are you a prevailing
Messianic Mountaineer?
Gen 28:12
And he dreamed and saw a ladder set up on the earth, and its top reached
to the heavens, and saw messengers of Elohim going up and coming down on it.
We are reminded in Romans 10:4 that everything in
the Torah points us to Messiah. In this verse we can assume that this points to
the Intercessory ministry of Yahshua.
This is significant because Yakov is about to
embark on a spiritual journey that will bring him face to face with his own as
well as other people’s deceitfulness.
It is only the
Messiah’s intercessory ministry that delivers us from deception.
Heb 7:25 Therefore He is also
able to save completely those who draw near to Elohim through Him, ever living
to make intercession for them.
Gen 28:13
And see, יהוה stood above it and said, “I am יהוה Elohim of Aḇraham
your father and the Elohim of Yitsḥaq.
The land on which you are lying, I give it to you and your seed.
Gen 28:14 “And
your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall break forth to the
west and to the east, to the north and the south. And all the clans of the
earth shall be blessed in you and in your seed.
Gen 28:15 “And
see, I am with you and shall guard you wherever you go, and shall bring you
back to this land. For I am not going to
leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
This is where many of us are deceived - YHVH doesn’t need us to help Him; He needs us
to yield to Him and completely trust that He will do what He has promised.
I believe we are deceived because we don’t realize and
understand who we are dealing with.
Our constant prayer and cry to YHVH should be “Please do
for us what we cannot do for ourselves”
Gen 28:16 And Ya’aqoḇ awoke
from his sleep and said, “Truly, יהוה is in this place, and I did not know it.”
Gen 28:17 And he
was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the
house of Elohim, and this is the gate of the heavens!”
Gen 28:18 And Ya’aqoḇ rose
early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up
as a standing column, and poured oil on top of it.
Gen 28:19 And he
called the name of that place Bĕyth Ěl,
however, the name of that city had been Luz previously.
Below: A satellite
photograph revealing Hebrew letters engraved in the landscape around
Yerushalayim.
This could be a Messianic prophecy which reveals that when Ephraim or the fullness of the gentiles or nations return to the land of Yisrael, the Messiah will return. Maybe the fullness of the gentiles refers to a remnant who will cry out to YHVH to deliver them from the power of deception that has bound them for so long.
Gen 28:20 And Ya’aqoḇ made a vow, saying, “Seeing Elohim is
with me, and has kept me in this way that I am going, and has given me bread to
eat and a garment to put on –
Gen 28:21 when I
have returned to my father’s house in peace, and יהוה has been my Elohim,
Gen 28:22 then
this stone which I have set as a standing column shall be Elohim’s house, and
of all that You give me, I shall certainly give a tenth to You.”
The Hebrew could also read “if YHVH stands with me and
guards me…” This gives us the idea that maybe Yakov was once again trying to
bargain with YHVH.
Gen 29:1 And Ya’aqoḇ moved on and came to
the land of the people of the East.
Gen 29:2 And
he looked and saw a well in the field, and saw three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well they
watered the flocks, and a large stone was on the well’s mouth.
Gen 29:3 And
all the flocks would be gathered there, then they would roll the stone from the
well’s mouth and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the
well’s mouth.
Gen 29:4 So
Ya’aqoḇ said to them, “My
brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Ḥaran.”
Gen 29:5 And
he said to them, “Do you know Laḇan
son of Naḥor?” And they said,
“We know him.”
Gen 29:6 So
he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “Well. And see, his daughter Raḥĕl is coming with the
sheep.”
Gen 29:7 And
he said, “See, it is still high day, not the time for the livestock to be
gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
Gen 29:8 But
they said, “We are not allowed until all the flocks are gathered together, and
they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, then we shall water the
sheep.”
This could be a parable about three groups of
people – the house of Yudah, the house of Yisrael and the gentiles. All three
these groups were dependant on the oppressive religious system of the day to
receive revelation and life from YHVH (the opening of the well) when Yisrael or
the fullness of the nations (mellow goyim) return with the complete revelation
of Messiah the well will open for all peoples on the earth. The restoration of
Yakov/Yisrael could be the key.
Gen 29:9
While he was still speaking with them, Raḥĕl came with her
father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
Gen 29:10
And it came to be, when Ya’aqoḇ saw Raḥĕl the daughter of Laḇan his mother’s
brother, and the sheep of Laḇan his mother’s
brother, that Ya’aqoḇ went near and rolled
the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laḇan his mother’s
brother.
Gen 29:11
And Ya’aqoḇ kissed Raḥĕl, and lifted up his
voice and wept.
The beauty and splendour of the “keielah” or the
called out ones in the last days will be irresistible for the house of Yisrael
and a great coming together will result when they meet in the last days.
Maybe the house of Yisrael are those who weep when
they hear the sound of the shofar or see someone under a tallit wearing tefflin
praying at the western wall.
Gen 29:12
And when Ya’aqoḇ told Raḥĕl that he was her
father’s relative and that he was Riḇqah’s
son, she ran and told her father.
Gen 29:13
And it came to be, when Laḇan
heard the report about Ya’aqoḇ his sister’s son,
that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to
his house. Then he told Laḇan all these matters.
Gen 29:14
And Laḇan said to him, “You
are indeed my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
Gen 29:15
Then Laḇan said to Ya’aqoḇ, “Because you are my
relative, should you therefore serve me for naught? Let me know, what should
your wages be?”
Gen 29:16
And Laḇan had two daughters,
the name of the elder was Lĕ’ah, and the name of the younger was Raḥĕl.
Gen 29:17
And Lĕ’ah’s eyes were weak, but Raḥĕl
was lovely of form and appearance.
Gen 29:18
And Ya’aqoḇ loved Raḥĕl, so he said, “Let
me serve you seven years for Raḥĕl
your younger daughter.”
Gen 29:19
And Laḇan said, “It is better
that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with
me.”
Gen 29:20 So
Ya’aqoḇ served seven years
for Raḥĕl, and they seemed to
him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
Gen 29:21
Then Ya’aqoḇ said to Laḇan, “Give me my wife,
for my days are completed, and let me go in to her.”
Gen 29:22
And Laḇan gathered all the
men of the place and made a feast.
Gen 29:23
And it came to be in the evening, that he took Lĕ’ah his daughter and
brought her to Ya’aqoḇ. And he went in to
her.
Gen 29:24
And Laḇan gave his female
servant Zilpah to his daughter Lĕ’ah as a female servant.
Gen 29:25
And in the morning it came to be, that see, it was Lĕ’ah. So he said to
Laḇan, “What is this you
have done to me? Was it not for Raḥĕl
that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
Gen 29:26
And Laḇan said, “It is not
done this way in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.
Gen 29:27
“Complete the week of this one, then we give you this one too, for the
service which you shall serve with me still another seven years.”
Gen 29:28
And Ya’aqoḇ did so and completed
her week. Then he gave him his daughter Raḥĕl
too, as wife.
Gen 29:29
And Laḇan gave his female
servant Bilhah to his daughter Raḥĕl
as a female servant.
Gen 29:30
And he also went in to Raḥĕl,
and he also loved Raḥĕl more than Lĕ’ah.
And he served with Laḇan still another seven
years.
“Baruch atah YHVH,
Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam
nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you Yahweh,
our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and
have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, Yahweh giver
of the Torah – Ameyn
Please note these notes
are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final
authority on any subject.
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