1Co 10:11 And all these came upon them as examples, and
they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come,
1Co 10:12 so that he who thinks he stands, let him take
heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13 No trial has overtaken you except such as is
common to man, and Elohim is trustworthy, who shall not allow you to be tried
beyond what you are able, but with the trial shall also make the way of escape,
enabling you to bear it.
1Co 10:14 Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from
idolatry.
The context of Shaul’s warning was to those who
desired to be part of the Commonwealth of Yisrael. The end time battle to
return to Yisrael the land Yahveh (YHVH) promised to His people (Gen/Ber
15:18-21) will be fierce and many will fall and few will make it.
Our Messiah
Himself said:
Mat 24:12 “And because of the increase in
lawlessness,(Torahlessness) the love of many shall become cold.
Mat 24:13
“But he who shall have endured to the end shall be saved.1
Footnote:1See 10:22.
The greatest deception of religion is that
our Kingdom journey is an easy journey.
Our Torah
Portion:
Gen 31:3 And יהוה said to Yaʽaqoḇ,
“Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. And I am with you.” (“relatives”
– “moledet” plural for “birthplaces”)
This is the first time in the Torah that the land is
referenced to individuals – “Return to the land of your fathers” (Hegg)
This is a very comforting statement for many modern day
Yisrealites who are longing to return to the land of Yisrael.
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ג וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-יַעֲקֹב, שׁוּב אֶל-אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתֶּךָ; וְאֶהְיֶה, עִמָּךְ.
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3 And YHVH said unto Yakov: 'Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to
thy kindred; and I will be with thee.'
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Many who desire to return to the land wonder when this
event will take place. We study the prophecies; some even convert to Judaism to
be assured of a right to return.
The fact of the matter is THAT WE ONLY RETURN WHEN YHVH
SAYS SO.
Hidden in this and
following Torah portions seems to be the reality that the return of Yakov’s
descendants will be a hazardous journey and they will have to face dangers from
all sides – family and foe.
Gen 31:4 And Yaʽaqoḇ sent
and called Raḥĕl and Lĕ’ah to the field, to his flock,
Gen 31:5 and said
to them, “I see your father’s face, that it is not toward me as before, but the
Elohim of my father has been with me.
Gen 31:6 “And you
know that I have served your father with all my strength.
Gen 31:7 “Yet your
father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but Elohim did not allow
him to do evil to me.
Gen 31:8 “When he
said this, ‘The speckled are your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled.
And when he said this, ‘The streaked are your wages,’ then all the flocks bore
streaked.
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ח אִם-כֹּה יֹאמַר, נְקֻדִּים יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרֶךָ--וְיָלְדוּ כָל-הַצֹּאן, נְקֻדִּים; וְאִם-כֹּה יֹאמַר, עֲקֻדִּים יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרֶךָ--וְיָלְדוּ כָל-הַצֹּאן, עֲקֻדִּים.
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8 If he said thus: The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the flock
bore speckled; and if he said thus: The streaked shall be thy wages; then
bore all the flock streaked.
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“Speckled”
H6123 ‛âqad aw-kad' A
primitive root; to tie with thongs: - bind. Also H5348
nâqôd naw-kode'From
an unused root meaning to mark (by puncturing or branding);
spotted: - speckled.
Sounds a little similar to the
words of Shaul.
Gal 6:17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear
in my body the scars of the Master יהושע.
We must have no doubt whatsoever that those who
eventually make it into the “Olam ha ba” (the world to come) will bear the
physical as well as emotional scars of their spiritual journey.
There was a reason why all of Yakov’s sheep were
speckled.
Gen 31:9 “So Elohim
has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
Gen 31:10 “And it
came to be, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and
looked in a dream and saw the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked,
speckled, and mottled.
Gen 31:11 “And the
Messenger of Elohim spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Yaʽaqoḇ.’ And
I said, ‘Here I am.’
Gen 31:12 “And He
said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are
streaked, speckled, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laḇan is
doing to you.
Gen 31:13 ‘I am
the Ěl of Bĕyth Ěl, where you anointed the standing column and where you made a
vow to Me. Now rise up, get out of this land, and return to the land of your
relatives.’ ”
Gen 31:14 And Raḥĕl and
Lĕ’ah answered and said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in
our father’s house?
Gen 31:15 “Are we
not reckoned by him as strangers? For he has sold us, and also entirely
consumed our silver.
Gen 31:16 “For all
the wealth which Elohim has taken from our father are ours and our children’s.
Now then, do whatever Elohim has told you.”
Gen 31:17 So Yaʽaqoḇ rose
and put his sons and his wives on camels,
Gen 31:18 and he
drove off all his livestock and all his possessions which he had acquired, his
property of the livestock which he had acquired in Paddan Aram, to go to his
father Yitsḥaq in the land of Kenaʽan.
Gen 31:19 And when
Laḇan had gone to shear his sheep, Raḥĕl
stole the house idols that were her father’s.
Gen 31:20 And Yaʽaqoḇ
deceived Laḇan the Aramean, because he did not inform him that he was
about to flee.
Gen 31:21 And he
fled with all that he had. And he rose up and passed over the river, and headed
toward the mountains of Gilʽaḏ.
Gen 31:22 And on
the third day Laḇan was told that Yaʽaqoḇ had
fled.
Gen 31:23 Then he
took his brothers with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he
overtook him in the mountains of Gilʽaḏ.
Gen 31:24 But in a
dream by night Elohim came to Laḇan the Aramean, and said to him, “Guard yourself, that
you do not speak to Yaʽaqoḇ either good or evil.”
Gen 31:25 Then Laḇan
overtook Yaʽaqoḇ. Now Yaʽaqoḇ had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laḇan
with his brothers pitched in the mountains of Gilʽaḏ.
Gen 31:26 And Laḇan
said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and
driven my daughters off like captives taken with the sword?
Gen 31:27 “Why did
you flee secretly and deceive me, and not inform me, and I would have sent you
away with joy and songs, with tambourine and lyre?
Gen 31:28 “And you
did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have been foolish to
do this.
Gen 31:29 “It is
in the power of my hand to do evil to you, but the Elohim of your father spoke
to me last night, saying, ‘Guard yourself, that you do not speak to Yaʽaqoḇ
either good or evil.’
Gen 31:30 “And now
you have gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you
steal my mighty ones?”
Gen 31:31 And Yaʽaqoḇ
answered and said to Laḇan, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you tear
your daughters away from me.’
Gen 31:32 “With
whomever you find your mighty ones, do not let him live. In the presence of our
brothers, see for yourself what is with me and take it with you.” For Yaʽaqoḇ did
not know that Raḥĕl had stolen them.
Gen 31:33 And Laḇan
went into Yaʽaqoḇ’s tent, and into Lĕ’ah’s tent, and into the tents of the
two female servants, but he did not find them. And he came out of Lĕ’ah’s tent
and entered Raḥĕl’s tent.
Gen 31:34 Now Raḥĕl had
taken the house idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And
Laḇan searched all about the tent but did not find them.
Gen 31:35 And she
said to her father, “Let it not displease my master that I am unable to rise
before you, for the way of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find
the house idols.
Gen 31:36 And Yaʽaqoḇ was
wroth and contended with Laḇan, and Yaʽaqoḇ answered and said to Laḇan,
“What is my transgression? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
Gen 31:37 “Now
that you have searched all my goods what have you found of all your household
goods? Set it here before my brothers and your brothers, and let them decide
between the two of us!
Gen 31:38 “These
twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not
miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your sheep.
Gen 31:39 “That
which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you, I myself bore the loss of it.
You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
Gen 31:40 “Thus
I was! By day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep fled
from my eyes.
Gen 31:41 “These
twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your
two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten
times.
Gen 31:42 “Unless
the Elohim of my father, the Elohim of Aḇraham
and the Fear of Yitsḥaq, had been with me, you would now have sent me away
empty-handed. Elohim has seen my affliction and the labour of my hands, and
rendered judgment last night.”
Gen 31:43 And Laḇan
answered and said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children
are my children, and this flock is my flock, and all that you see is mine. But
what shall I do today to these, my daughters or to their children whom they
have borne?
Gen 31:44 “And
now, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and it shall be a witness between
you and me.”
Gen 31:45 So Yaʽaqoḇ took
a stone and set it up as a standing column.
Gen 31:46 And Yaʽaqoḇ said
to his brothers, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and
they ate there on the heap.
Gen 31:47 And Laḇan
called it Yeḡar Sahaḏutha, but Yaʽaqoḇ called
it Galʽĕḏ.
Gen 31:48 And Laḇan
said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why its name
was called Galʽĕḏ,
Gen 31:49 also
Mitspah, because he said, “Let יהוה watch between
you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.
Gen 31:50 “If you
afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although
no man is with us; see, Elohim is witness between you and me!”
Gen 31:51 And Laḇan
said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “See this heap and see this standing column, which I
have placed between you and me.
Gen 31:52 “This
heap is a witness, and this standing column is a witness, that I do not pass
beyond this heap to you, and you do not pass beyond this heap and this standing
column to me, for evil.
Gen 31:53 “The
Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Naḥor,
and the Elohim of their father rightly rule between us!” And Yaʽaqoḇ swore
by the Fear of his father Yitsḥaq.
Gen 31:54 And Yaʽaqoḇ
brought an offering on the mountain, and called his brothers to eat bread. And
they ate bread and spent the night on the mountain.
Gen 31:55 And Laḇan
rose up early in the morning, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed
them. And Laḇan left and returned to his place.
Gen 32:1 And Yaʽaqoḇ went on his way, and
the messengers of Elohim met him.
Gen
32:2 And when Yaʽaqoḇ saw them, he said,
“This is the camp of Elohim.” And he called the name of that place Maḥanayim.
The Book of Yasher 31
(Josh 10:13 and 2 Sam 1:18)
44
And Rachel stole these images which were her father's, in order that Laban
might not know through them where Yacob had gone.
45
And Laban came home and he asked concerning Yacob and his household, and he was
not to be found, and Laban sought his images to know where Yacob had gone, and
could not find them, and he went to some other images, and he inquired of them
and they told him that Yacob had fled from him to his father's, to the land of
Canaan.
46
And Laban then rose up and he took his brothers and all his servants, and he
went forth and pursued Yacob, and he overtook him in mount Gilead.
47
And Laban said unto Yacob, What is this you have done to me to flee and deceive
me, and lead my daughters and their children as captives taken by the sword?
48
And you did not suffer me to kiss them and send them away with joy, and you did
steal my gods and did go away.
49
And Yacob answered Laban, saying, Because I was afraid lest you would take your
daughters by force from me; and now with whomsoever you findest your gods he
shall die.
50
And Laban searched for the images and he examined in all Yacob's tents and
furniture, but could not find them.
51
And Laban said unto Yacob, We will make a covenant together and it shall be a
testimony between me and you; if you shalt afflict my daughters, or shalt take
other wives besides my daughters, even YAHWEH shall be a witness between me and
you in this matter.
52
And they took stones and made a heap, and Laban said, This heap is a witness
between me and you, therefore he called the name thereof Gilead.
53
And Yacob and Laban offered sacrifice upon the mount, and they ate there by the
heap, and they tarried in the mount all night, and Laban rose up early in the
morning, and he wept with his daughters and he kissed them, and he returned
unto his place.
54
And he hastened and sent off his son Beor, who was seventeen years old, with
Abichorof the son of Uz, the son of Nahor, and with them were ten men.
55
And they hastened and went and passed on the road before Yacob, and they came
by another road to the land of Seir.
56
And they came unto Esau and said unto him, Thus saith your brother and
relative, your mother's brother Laban, the son of Bethuel, saying,
57
Have you heard what Yacob your brother has done unto me, who first came to me
naked and bare, and I went to meet him, and brought him to my house with honor,
and I made him great, and I gave him my two daughters for wives and also two of
my maids.
58
And YAHWEH blessed him on my account, and he increased abundantly, and had
sons, daughters and maid servants.
59
He has also an immense stock of flocks and herds, camels and asses, also silver
and gold in abundance; and when he saw that his wealth increased, he left me
while I went to shear my sheep, and he rose up and fled in secrecy.
60
And he lifted his wives and children upon camels, and he led away all his
cattle and property which he acquired in my land, and he lifted up his
countenance to go to his father Isaac, to the land of Canaan.
61
And he did not suffer me to kiss my daughters and their children, and he led my
daughters as captives taken by the sword, and he also stole my gods and he
fled.
62
And now I have left him in the mountain of the brook of Jabuk, him and all
belonging to him; he lacks nothing.
63
If it be your wish to go to him, go then and there wilt you find him, and you
can do unto him as your soul desires; and Laban's messengers came and told Esau
all these things.
64
And Esau heard all the words of Laban's messengers, and his anger was greatly
kindled against Yacob, and he remembered his hatred, and his anger burned
within him.
65
And Esau hastened and took his children and servants and the souls of his
household, being sixty men, and he went and assembled all the children of Seir
the Horite and their people, being three hundred and forty men, and took all
this number of four hundred men with drawn swords, and he went unto Yacob to
smite him.