Gen 21:1 And יהוה visited Sarah
as He had said, and יהוה did for Sarah
as He had spoken.
Gen 21:2 So Sarah
conceived and bore Aḇraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time of
which Elohim had spoken to him.
Gen 21:3 And Aḇraham
called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Yitsḥaq.
Gen 21:4 And Aḇraham
circumcised his son Yitsḥaq when he was eight days old, as Elohim had commanded
him.
Note the amazing similarities of the birth of these two
miracle children.
Luk 1:26 And in the sixth month(of Elizabeth's
pregnancy) the messenger Gaḇri’ĕl was sent by
Elohim to a city of Galil named Natsareth,
Luk 1:27 to
a maiden engaged to a man whose name was Yosĕph, of the house of Dawiḏ. And the maiden’s
name was Miryam.
Luk 1:28 And
the messenger, coming to her, said, “Greetings, favoured one, the Master is
with you. Blessed are you among women!”
Luk 1:29 But
she was greatly disturbed at his word, and wondered what kind of greeting this
was.
Luk 1:30 And
the messenger said to her, “Do not be afraid, Miryam, for you have found favour
with Elohim.
Luk 1:31
“And see, you shall conceive in your womb, and shall give birth to a
Son, and call His Name יהושע.1
Footnote: 1Mt. 1:21.
Luk 1:32 “He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And יהוה Elohim shall give Him the throne of His
father Dawiḏ.
Luk 1:33 “And He
shall reign over the house of Yaʽaqoḇ forever, and there shall be no end to His reign.”1
Footnote: 1Verses 32 and 33 confirm the prophecies Ps. 2, Ps.
89:14-34, Isa. 9:7, Isa. 16:5, Jer. 23:3-6, Jer. 30:9, Ezek. 37:24, Dan. 2:44,
Dan. 7:18-27, Mic. 5:2-4, Acts 1:6-7, Rev. 11:15.
Luk 1:34 And
Miryam said to the messenger, “How shall this be, since I do not know a man?”
Luk 1:35 And the
messenger answering, said to her, “The Set-apart Spirit shall come upon you,
and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. And for that reason the
Set-apart One born of you shall be called: Son of Elohim.
Luk 1:36 “And see,
Elisheḇa your relative, she has also conceived a son in her old
age. And this is now the sixth month to her who was called barren,
Luk 1:37 because
with Elohim no matter shall be impossible.”
Luk 1:38 And
Miryam said, “See the female servant of יהוה! Let it be to
me according to your word.” And the messenger went away from her.
Scriptural Dates for Messiah's
Conception and Birth
The Conception of Yochanan the Immerser/ Luke
1:5-25
When the messenger, Gabriel, appeared to Zacharias
as he was ministering in the Temple, it was during the ministration of Abiyah
(also spelled Abia or Abijah). This order of priests ministered in the Temple
the eighth week of the Hebrew year according to the ordinance of 1 Chronicles
24:10 (and according to the Talmud). The eighth week transverses the last
week of the Second Hebrew month (also called Iyar since Babylonian captivity)
and the first week of the Third Hebrew month (also called Sivan since
Babylonian captivity), which culminates at Shavuot (called Pentecoste in Greek).
This is the anchor point for discovering the exact time of Messiah's birth. The
messenger promised Zacharias that his prayer had been answered, and when he
went home to his wife Elizabeth she conceived, it seems almost immediately.
This puts the conception of Yochanan the Immerser very near the time of the
Feast of Shavuot, in the second week of
theThird Hebrew month (Sivan).
II. The Conception of Yahshua / Luke 1:26-55
Then, after the sixth month of Elizabeth' s
pregnancy the messenger Gabriel appeared to Mary. Gabriel told Mary about
Elizabeth, saying "she who was called barren is six months pregnant,"
This would be the last of the ninth Hebrew month called Kislev at the time of
Chanukah. There are 27 weeks between the end of discourse of Abiyah (Abia or
Abijah in translations) and the start of the feast of Chanukah (meaning
Dedication), which is celebrated eight days, from Kislev 25 to Tevet 2.
Miryam accepts the word of the messenger concerning
the conception of Messiah in her, and she immediately rushes from Nazareth to
the home of Elizabeth and Zacharias in the Judean mountains close to Jerusalem,
about a three days journey from Nazareth. Mary was probably going there to
celebrate Chanukah and to help Elishevah (Elizabeth) with her pregnancy, as
well as to talk to Elishevah about the messenger's visitation.
Upon Miryam's greeting to Elishevah, Elishevah
responds to Miryam, calling her "the mother of my Master". This
demonstrates that Miryam was already pregnant with Yahshua. Thus,
Yahshua was conceived at the time of Chanukah, the time where a miracle took
place and also the time when Yahshua years later was speaking during
Chanukah(Yoch 10:22) about the miracles that He was doing in His Father’s Name
that bears witness of Him. (Yoch 10:25 יהושע answered them, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that
I do in My Father’s Name, they bear witness concerning Me.)
Sometimes the time of Chanukah (which starts on the
25th of the Ninth Hebrew
month) falls close to Christmas which is in the Gregorian 12th
month and corresponds with the Ninth Hebrew month. The apostate Roman church of
medieval times combined the pagan winter solstice in late December with the
25th of Kislev (Chanukah) to create Christmas (Christ's Mass) on December 25. Supposedly,
this was to celebrate Yahshua's birth (which was of course not at all during
this time- Yahshua was only yet conceived during this Ninth Herbew month) but
actually this whole mixture of Christ’s Mass is a mixture of celebration of the
pagan deities trying to mix in the Constantinian Christianity Greek Jesus too.
Yahshua is shown celebrating Chanukah in John
10:22,23. It is at this celebration that He declares "I and My Father are
One" [John 10:30], which testifies to His Divine origin in His conception.
It also reinforces Chanukah as the time of His conception.
Historically, then, it is more accurate to
celebrate Yahshua entering the world through conception at Chanukah rather than
to be part of an abomination that celebrate His birth at Christmas. As we shall
show, Christmas is not the birthday of Yahshua. (In fact, Christmas is an
invention resulting from religious compromise with pagan tradition.)
IlI.The Birth of Yochanan the Immerser (John the
Baptist)/Luke1:56-80
Miryam (Mary) stayed with Elishevah (Elizabeth) for
three months, which was until the birth of Yochanan the Immerser. Since a full
pregnancy term is 41 weeks, and 27 weeks makes up the first six months (two
trimesters), which is exactly the time from the discourse of Abiyah (Abia or
Abijah) to Chanukah, that leaves 14 weeks to accomplish the last trimester and
bring the pregnancy to full term. There are exactly 14 weeks from Chanukah to
Passover (Nisan 14-22). Therefore, Yochanan the Immerser was born at Pesach/Passover.
He was circumcised on the eighth day, which would be the last day of the Pesach
week/Feast of Unleavened Bread. Gabriel had said that Yochanan would "go
forth" in the strength and power of Eliyahu [Luke 1:17]. Jewish teaching
was that Eliyahu would come again at Passover (this is still a tradition of
Judaism today).
IV.The Birth of Yahshua/Luke 2
In the First Hebrew Month of Aviv (also called Nisan
since Babylonian exile), when Yochanan the Immerser was born, is the first
month of the Hebrew year. As we have shown, Miryam conceived six months after
Elishevah conceived, which means Yahshua's birth would have to come six months
after Yochanan's birth, during the seventh Hebrew month Ethanim (also called Tishri
since Babylonian Exile). Since we know that Yochanan was born at Passover/Feast
of Unleavened Bread, we learn the time of Yahshua's birth by counting six
Hebrew months from Passover. This comes to the time of Yom Teruah. Some believe
it may also have been during Sukkot. (Yom Teruah is on the first day of the
Seventh Month and Sukkot is 15 days later. Both have significance symbolic
meanings that make sense for the fact that Yahshua could have been born on one
of these Feast days. )
End quote.
Gen 21:5 And Aḇraham
was one hundred years old when his son Yitsḥaq was
born to him.
Gen 21:6 And Sarah
said, “Elohim has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of it laughs with me.”
Gen 21:7 And she
said, “Who would have said to Aḇraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne
him a son in his old age.”
Gen 21:8 And the
child grew and was weaned, and Aḇraham made a great feast on the day that Yitsḥaq was
weaned.
It is known according to the Talmud that “a mother is
considered a “meineket,” or nursing mother, until her child reaches 24 months.
Even if a baby has weaned, he or she can return to nurse at any time until the
age of two. Between the ages of two and four years, or five if the baby is
unhealthy, a child who has weaned for longer than 72 hours may not return to
the breast, and age five is considered the upper limit for nursing in Jewish
law.” Our modern day western culture of both parents working has put an end to
long periods of breast feeding. Some experts believe that children suffer
possible psychological harm if breast feeding is stopped too soon or a child is
never breast fed.
It was therefore a significant event when the baby was
weaned from mommy’s milk. When this event occurred it was accompanied by a
great celebration. (Please note there were no birthday parties then, only
coming of age of maturity parties- years since birth were counted though.)
The Hebrew word for weaned is “gamal”
the same word used for “mature”. It is interesting that this same Hebrew word
also means “camel” - these animals were
known to store great amounts of water so that they could travel far distances
without been nourished along the way. This teaches us that our spiritual
journey here on earth is a long journey that requires the maturity of
endurance.
Gen 21:9 And Sarah
saw the son of Haḡar the Mitsrite, whom she had borne to Aḇraham,
mocking.
Gen 21:10 So she
said to Aḇraham, “Drive out this female servant and her son, for
the son of this female servant shall not inherit with my son, with Yitsḥaq.”
The word “mocking” in Hebrew is “metzachek” and appears
as a “piel participle” verb. The basic “pa al” form of the verb is “tzchak”
means “to laugh” The “Piel” or more intense verb form means “to mock” or treat
with contempt. This is what Yishmael was doing to Yitzchak. This continues to
this day. It continues amongst many so called believers in Yahshua. It
continues when we refuse to acknowledge the Hebrew context and all its
implications on Yahshua. We do this by refusing to follow his example of
keeping Sabbath, studying and teaching the Torah and most of all leading those
whom his Father has given him to enjoy the same kind of relationship with the
Father that he enjoys.
Gen 21:11 And the
matter was very evil in the eyes of Aḇraham
because of his son.
Gen 21:12 But
Elohim said to Aḇraham, “Let it not be evil in your eyes because of the
boy and because of your female servant. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen
to her voice, for in Yitsḥaq your seed is called.
Gen 21:13 “And of
the son of the female servant I also make a nation, because he is your seed.”
Gen 21:14 And Aḇraham
rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, which he gave to
Haḡar, putting it on her shoulder, also the boy, and sent
her away. And she left and wandered in the Wilderness of Be’ĕrsheḇa.
Gen 21:15 And the water in the skin was used up, and
she placed the boy under one of the shrubs.
Gen 21:16 And she went and sat down about a bowshot
away, for she said, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” And she sat opposite
him, and lifted her voice and wept.
Gen 21:17 And Elohim heard the voice of the boy, and
the messenger of Elohim called to Haḡar
from the heavens, and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Haḡar? Do not fear, for
Elohim has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
Gen 21:18
“Arise, lift up the boy and hold him with your hand, for I make a great
nation of him.”
Gen 21:19
And Elohim opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went
and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
Gen 21:20 And
Elohim was with the boy, and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an
archer.
Gen 21:21
And he dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran, (near present day Mecca)and his
mother took a wife for him from the land of Mitsrayim.
Avraham would not have chosen a wife for his son
from Mitzraim/Egypt.
Verses 11-21 present a challenge to the mind of
believers, especially modern day believers – See Rom 9. The Church has grappled
with this problem and formulated the doctrine of Election.
How does one really understand this dilemma?
Whether we like or not we must face this issue.
Listen to the words of Shaul on this matter:
1Co 11:16 If, however, anyone seems to be contentious,
we do not have such a habit, nor do the assemblies of Elohim.
1Co 11:17 And in declaring this I do not praise you,
since you come together not for the better but for the worse.
1Co 11:18 For in the first place, I hear that when you
come together as an assembly, there are divisions among you, and to some extent
I believe it.
1Co 11:19 For there have to be factions even among you,
so that the approved ones might be revealed among you.
When YHVH chooses someone, that someone will inevitably find themselves
at odds with the established ideas of the majority of religious people around
them.
This can also be
dangerous because this is how dangerous religious sects have often formed as a
result of “breaking away” from the “establishment.”
For believers in the
true Torah teaching Messiah who have themselves at odds with the established churches,
must ask themselves what are the characteristics of a dangerous religious sect?
Church organizations
have provided many helpful guidelines in this regard. However many of these
guidelines are more descriptive of their own organizations that display the
same signs of being sectarian and extremely dangerous for genuine truth seeking
believers.
Here follows a list
from a well know church organization.
A dangerous religious
sect will do the following:
1. Opposing
critical thinking
2. Isolating
members and penalizing them for leaving
3. Emphasizing
special doctrines outside scripture
4. Seeking
inappropriate loyalty to their leaders
5. Dishonoring
the family unit
6. Crossing
Biblical boundaries of behavior (versus sexual purity and personal ownership)
7. Separation
from the Church
Any teaching or
doctrine that nullifies or contradicts YHVH’s Torah and that people love to
cling to and promote IS AN IDOL.
2Co 6:16 And what union has the Dwelling Place of
Elohim with idols?(every teaching and idea that one clings to that contradict
our obedience to Torah) For you are a Dwelling Place of the living Elohim, as
Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among them, and I shall be
their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”
2Co 6:17 Therefore, “Come out from among them and be
separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I
shall receive you.
2Co 6:18 “And I
shall be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה the Almighty.”
We are called and we are obliged to separate ourselves
from everything YHVH calls us to separate ourselves from.
What is
lawlessness?
The following
information was gathered from a Christian Website.
“Lawlessness
is a customary disregard of laws. A lawless person has little respect for law
and refuses to be restricted by it.” End quoteNow replace the word “law” with “Torah.” This sadly describes most people on earth who call themselves Christians.
The author of this website goes on to quote the following scriptures:
Jesus
said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and “He who does not
love Me does not keep My words” (John 14:24). John explained: “Whoever keeps
His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him” (1 John 2:5). “For this is
the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not
burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
“Jesus
Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless
deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good
works” (Titus 2:14).
“Whoever
commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).
(Jesus)
loved righteousness and hated lawlessness” (Hebrews 1:9),
We
may not attach ourselves to lawless people. “Do not be unequally yoked together
with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And
what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
This
great apostasy began at the close of the first century (1 John 2:18) and is
called “the mystery of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). This apostasy still
exists: the great majority of those who call themselves Christians, do not
follow Christ.
Satan
is behind these lawless influences: “Then the lawless one will be revealed.”
... “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power
and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are
perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2
Thessalonians 2:8, 9, 10 ESV).
“Because
lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).
Lawlessness is contempt for law.
With
the Psalmist let us say: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the
day” (Psalm 119:97). “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing
causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165). Amen.
(http://www.oldpaths.com) End quote.
This same author clearly
believes that the Torah is not to be literally taken or obeyed. This is the
true danger of deception. One can be deceived and not even know it.
Let us take comfort
once again from one the most brilliant Torah scholars who ever lived – Shaul.
Act 24:14 “And this I confess to you, that according to
the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the Elohim of my fathers,
believing all that has been written in the Torah and in the Prophets,
Act 24:15 having an expectation in Elohim, which they
themselves also wait for, that there is to be a resurrection of the dead, both
of the righteous and the unrighteous.
Act 24:16 “And in this I exercise myself to have a
clear conscience toward Elohim and men always.
Act 25:8 while Sha’ul said in his own defence, “Neither
against the Torah of the Yehuḏim, nor against the
Set-apart Place, nor against Caesar did I commit any sin.”
Gen 21:22
And it came to be at that time that Aḇimeleḵ and Piḵol, the commander of
his army, spoke to Aḇraham, saying, “Elohim
is with you in all that you do.
Gen 21:23
“And now, swear to me by Elohim, not to be untrue to me, to my
offspring, or to my descendants. Do to me according to the kindness that I have
done to you and to the land in which you have dwelt.”
Gen 21:24
And Aḇraham said, “I swear.”
Gen 21:25
And Aḇraham reproved Aḇimeleḵ because of a well of
water which Aḇimeleḵ’s servants had
seized.
Gen 21:26
And Aḇimeleḵ said, “I do not know
who has done this deed. Neither did you inform me, nor did I hear until today.”
Gen 21:27 So
Aḇraham took sheep and
cattle and gave them to Aḇimeleḵ, and the two of them
made a covenant.
Gen 21:28
And Aḇraham set seven ewe
lambs of the flock by themselves.
Gen 21:29
And Aḇimeleḵ asked Aḇraham, “What are these
seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?”
Gen 21:30
And he said, “Take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, to be my witness
that I have dug this well.”
Gen 21:31 So
he called that place Be’ĕrsheḇa, because the two of
them swore an oath there.
Gen 21:32
Thus they made a covenant at Be’ĕrsheḇa. And Aḇimeleḵ rose with Piḵol, the commander of
his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.
Gen 21:33
And he planted a tamarisk tree in Be’ĕrsheḇa, and there called on
the Name of יהוה, the Everlasting Ěl.
Gen 21:34 And Aḇraham
sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
The narrative of Avimelech is well place in our Torah
portion. Those “outside” of the people that YHVH has chosen will soon
understand that their blessing is dependent upon how they relate and treat
YHVH’s people of choice. Sadly we have witness how these “outsiders” will
steal, or attack and show contempt for YHVH’s chosen people. We see this
manifestation in “replacement theology” and other forms of anti semetism.
Our Master clearly taught us that salvation comes from
the Jews and Shaul clearly teaches us that unless we stay grafted into this
“Jewish olive tree” and walk as Yahshua walked on this earth we have no part in
his future bride.