The Torah is
“The preparation manual” for the Bride of Messiah. This week’s Torah portion
gives us a unique insight for such preparation.
Who amongst
those who call on the Name of YHVH and are waiting for Messiah’s return can
safely and confidently say that they are ready and they are certain without any
doubt that they will be chosen to be part of the Bride of Messiah?
Shaul’s words challenge
all of us as to the authenticity of our relationship with Yahshua.
Php 3:7 But what might have been a gain to me, I have
counted as loss, because of Messiah.
Php 3:8 What is more, I even count all to be loss
because of the excellence of the knowledge of Messiah יהושע my Master, for whom I have suffered the
loss of all, and count them as refuse, in order to gain Messiah, (for a devout
Torah observant Jew to make such a statement is amazing – can we forsake a
Greek Jesus in favour of a Hebrew Yahshua?)
Php
3:9 and be found in Him, not having my
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through belief in
Messiah, (Gk – through THE FAITH OF MESSIAH)the righteousness which is from
Elohim on the basis of (the)belief,
Php
3:10 to know Him, and the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His
death,
Php
3:11 if somehow I might attain to the
resurrection from the dead.
The
issue is not our faith but The Faith and our agreement with that Faith.
Agreement is a key pillar to understanding Torah and YHVH’s will. The Torah
teaches that two or three credible witnesses confirm and establish the
authenticity of the truth –
2Co 13:1 … “By the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word shall be established.”1 Footnote: 1Dt. 19:15.
To Shaul these were not just
words but they expressed the conviction of everyone called and chosen by
YHVH.
Php
3:12 Not that I have already received,
or already been perfected, but I press on, to lay hold of that for which
Messiah יהושע has also laid hold of me. (to be part of
the bride)
Php
3:13 Brothers, I do not count myself to
have laid hold of it yet, but only this: forgetting what is behind and reaching
out for what lies ahead, (Shaul is saying that he has not fully grasped the
reality of the truth of Messiah, but he wants to cast off every hindrance that
would prevent him from doing so)
Php
3:14 I press on toward the goal for the
prize of the high calling of Elohim in Messiah יהושע.
Php
3:15 As many, then, as are perfect,
should have this mind. And if you think differently in any respect, Elohim
shall also reveal this to you.
Php
3:16 But to what we have already
attained – walk by the same rule, be of the same mind.
Php
3:17 Become joint imitators of me,
brothers, and observe those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
Php
3:18 For many – of whom I have often
told you, and now say to you even weeping – walk as enemies of the stake
of Messiah.
So then who is able to achieve
such a status in Messiah?
2Co 2:14 But thanks be to Elohim who always leads us
on, to overcome in Messiah, and manifests through us the fragrance of His
knowledge in every place.
2Co 2:15 Because we are to Elohim the fragrance of
Messiah among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the smell of death to
death, and to the other the fragrance of life to life. And who is competent for these? – Competent comes from a Greek word
“Hekos” S2240 which means “arrived” ie who has arrived or achieved such a
status?)
2Co 2:17 For we are not, as so many,(Gk of the
majority) adulterating the Word of Elohim for gain – but as of
sincerity, but as from Elohim, in the sight of Elohim, we speak in Messiah.
“Sincere” from Latin sincerus, of things, "whole,
clean, pure, uninjured, unmixed," Greek word S1505 has a similar meaning.
Our Master –
Messiah had much to say to us about his kingdom marriage and what it entailed
to be part of His Bride.
Mat 22:1 And יהושע responded and spoke to them again by parables and said,
Mat
22:2 “The reign of the heavens is like a
man, a sovereign, who made a wedding feast for his son,
Mat
22:3 and sent out his servants to call
those who were invited to the wedding feast. But they would not come.
Mat
22:4 “Again he sent out other servants,
saying, ‘Say to those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen
and fattened cattle are slaughtered, and all is ready. Come to the wedding
feast.” ’
Mat
22:5 “But they disregarded it and went
their way – this one to his field, that one to his trade.
Mat
22:6 “And the rest, having seized his
servants, insulted and killed them.
Mat
22:7 “But when the sovereign heard, he
was wroth, and sent out his soldiers, destroyed those murderers, and set their
city on fire.
Mat
22:8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast, indeed, is ready, but
those who were invited were not worthy.
Mat
22:9 ‘Therefore go into the street
corners, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding feast.’
Mat
22:10 “And those servants went out into
the street corners and gathered all whom they found, both wicked and good. And
the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Mat 22:11 “And when the sovereign came in to view the
guests, he saw there a man who had not put on a wedding garment,
Mat
22:12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how
did you come in here not having a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
Mat
22:13 “Then the sovereign said to the
servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him out into the
outer darkness – there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Mat 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”1
Footnote:1See 20:16.
Isa 61:10 I greatly rejoice in יהוה, my being exults in my Elohim. For He has
put garments of deliverance on me, He has covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride
adorns herself with her jewels.
We are not chosen because of our
effort. We are chosen on the basis of His foreknowledge.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our
Master יהושע Messiah, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Messiah,
Eph
1:4 even as He chose us in Him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be set-apart and blameless before Him
in love,1 Footnote: 12 Thess. 2:13.
Luk 13:22 And He was going through the cities and
villages, teaching, and journeying toward Yerushalayim,
Luk 13:23 and someone said to Him, “Master, are there
few who are being saved?” And He said to them,
Luk 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
because many, I say to you, shall seek to enter in and shall not be able.
Luk 13:25 “When once the Master of the house has risen
up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door,
saying, ‘Master, Master, open for us,’ and He shall answer and say to you, ‘I
do not know you, where you are from,’
Luk 13:26 then you shall begin to say, ‘We ate and
drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’
Luk 13:27 “But He shall say, ‘I say to you I do not
know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of
unrighteousness.’
Luk 13:28 “There shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth, when you see Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq and Yaʽaqoḇ and all the prophets in
the reign of Elohim, and yourselves thrown outside.
Mat 8:12 but the sons of the reign shall be cast out
into outer darkness – there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – a great
regret amongst many believers -
Mat 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”1
Footnote:1See 20:16.
Our Torah Portion:
Gen 24:1 And Aḇraham was old, advanced in years. And יהוה had blessed Aḇraham in every way.
Gen
24:2 And Aḇraham said to the oldest
servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand
under my thigh,
Gen
24:3 so that I make you swear by יהוה, the Elohim of the heavens and the Elohim
of the earth, that you do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the
Kenaʽanites, among whom I dwell,
Gen
24:4 but to go to my land and to my
relatives, and take a wife for my son Yitsḥaq.”
Gen
24:5 And the servant said to him, “What
if the woman refuses to follow me to this land? Do I then take your son back to
the land from which you came?”
Midrash – we cannot take Yahshua
out of his context. Most people did not recognize him at his first coming. What
will happen when he comes again?
Gen
24:6 And Aḇraham said to him, “Beware
lest you take my son back there!
Gen
24:7 “יהוה, Elohim of the heavens, who took me from
my father’s house and from the land of my relatives, and who spoke to me and
swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed I give this land,’ He sends His messenger
before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Gen
24:8 “And if the woman refuses to follow
you, then you shall be released from this oath; only, do not take my son back
there.”
Avraham repeats this command
twice. Why? Maybe because Yahshua will come twice.
Gen
24:9 Then the servant put his hand under
the thigh of Aḇraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
This
was a custom whereby one could make someone a promise to do something for them
by asking them to place their hands on their genitals (done among men only).
The genitals which are the source of one’s re productive ability and also
pointing to the generations that would come from that seed who would exact
payment if the promises were not kept. On the male genitals was also found the
covenant mark of circumcision.
This was a powerful picture of
Eliezer making a promise that the life of Avraham would only be continued
through a chosen people.
It is also significant that
Eliezer’s name is not mentioned. Eliezer means “Elohim is Help” and some
Messianic scholars believe this is a possible reference to the work of “Ruach
ha kodesh” (the Set apart Spirit) of YHVH carrying the life of YHVH to those
whom He chooses. Please note this is NOT a reference to the third person of the
trinity.
Gen
24:10 And the servant took ten of his
master’s camels and left, for all his master’s good gifts were in his
hand. And he arose and went to Aram Naharayim, to the city of Naḥor.
Gen
24:11 And he made his camels kneel down
outside the city by a fountain of water at evening time, the time when women go
out to draw water.
Gen
24:12 And he said, “יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, please
cause her to meet before me this day, and show kindness to my master
Aḇraham.
Gen
24:13 “See, I am standing here by the
fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to
draw water.
Gen
24:14 “Now let it be that the young
woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar to let me drink,’ and she says,
‘Drink, and let me water your camels too,’ let her be the one whom You have
appointed for Your servant Yitsḥaq. And let me know by this that You have
shown kindness to my master.”
Gen
24:15 And it came to be, before he had
ended speaking, that see, Riḇqah, who was born to Bethu’ĕl, son of Milkah, the
wife of Naḥor, Aḇraham’s brother, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
Rivkah – ensnarer –Yitzchak/
Yahshua ensnared by a beautiful and serving bride. This reminds us of the Song
of Solomon.
In his Song, Solomon’s primary goal is to describe love
and beauty. To do so, he employs the most fundamental consummation of those
virtues, human sexuality. Love and beauty are the ends, sexuality is the means.
Gen
24:16 And the young woman was very
good-looking, a maiden, no man having known her. And she went down to the
fountain, filled her jar, and came up.
Gen
24:17 And the servant ran to meet her
and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.”
Gen
24:18 And she said, “Drink, my master.”
And she hurried and let her jar down to her hand, and gave him a drink.
Gen
24:19 And when she had finished giving
him a drink, she said, “Let me draw water for your camels too, until they have
finished drinking.”
Gen
24:20 And she hurried and emptied her
jar into the trough, ran back to the fountain to draw water, and drew for all
his camels.
Gen
24:21 And watching her, the man remained
silent in order to know whether יהוה had prospered his way or not.
Gen
24:22 And it came to be, when the camels
had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a
sheqel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten sheqels of gold,
Rivkah was given a gold
nose ring – in accepting this ring she was stating that she would be willing to
give herself as a bride to her yet unseen bridegroom. The nose ring weighed a beka, the Hebrew word
“beka” has a gematria of 172; there are exactly 172 words in the “aseret
divrot” the “ten sayings” (Ten Commandments). Also she was given two bracelets
each weighing 5 shekels which speak of the two tablets, each containing five
sayings. This is a picture of YHVH
giving His called out ones the Torah as well as the gift of the Ruach/Set Apart
Spirit which is the adornment of beauty upon His Bride. This same Torah which
the sages believed was our “ketubah” marriage contract with YHVH. The giving of
Torah and the outpouring of the Ruach (the Spirit of YHVH) occur simultaneously
on the day of Shavuot.
Gen
24:23 and said, “Whose daughter are you?
Please inform me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the
night?”
Gen
24:24 And she said to him, “I am the
daughter of Bethu’ĕl, Milkah’s son, whom she bore to Naḥor.”
Gen
24:25 And she said to him, “We have both
straw and fodder enough, and room to spend the night.”
Gen
24:26 And the man bowed down his head
and worshipped יהוה.
Gen
24:27 And he said, “Blessed be יהוה Elohim of my master Aḇraham, who has not
forsaken His kindness and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the
way, יהוה led me to the house of my master’s
brothers.”
Gen
24:28 Then the young woman ran and
informed those of her mother’s house these matters.
Gen
24:29 And Riḇqah had a brother whose
name was Laḇan, and Laḇan ran out to the man, to the fountain.
Gen
24:30 And it came to be, when he saw the
nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the
words of his sister Riḇqah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went
to the man and saw him standing by the camels at the fountain.
Gen
24:31 And he said, “Come in, O blessed
of יהוה! Why do you stand outside? I myself have
prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
Gen
24:32 So the man came into the house,
while he unloaded the camels and provided straw and fodder for the camels and
water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him,
Gen
24:33 and set food before him to eat.
But he said, “Let me not eat until I have spoken my word.” And he said, “Speak
on.”
Gen
24:34 And he said, “I am Aḇraham’s
servant.
Gen
24:35 “And יהוה has blessed my master exceedingly, and he
has become great. And He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold,
and male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
Gen
24:36 “And Sarah my master’s wife bore a
son to my master when she was old. And he has given to him all that he has.
Gen
24:37 “And my master made me swear,
saying, ‘Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kenaʽanites,
in whose land I dwell,
Gen
24:38 but go to my father’s house and to
my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
Gen
24:39 “And I said to my master, ‘What if
the woman does not follow me?’
Gen
24:40 “But he said to me, ‘יהוה, before whom I walk, sends His messenger
with you and shall prosper your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from
my relatives and from my father’s house.
Gen
24:41 ‘Then, when you go to my
relatives, you are to be released from this oath. And if they do not give her
to you, then you are released from my oath.’
The story of Eliezer and Rivkah is
the story of the Ruach Ha Kodesh finding a bride for Messiah.