Psa 119:18/19 Please open our eyes YHVH that we might see hidden and wonderful truths in Your Torah. Father we are strangers and sojourners here on earth, please do not hide the council of your Torah from us.
Psa 119:11 I have treasured up Your word in my
heart, That I might not sin against You.
Psa 119:12 Blessed are You, O יהוה! Please teach us Your
Torah. Ameyn.
ויסף אברהם (‘’and Abraham added’’ -while he lived and much more
so after his death)
Abraham's Death and His Descendants
Pro
13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But
the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. (this is the
heritage of the servants of Yah)
Gal
3:29 And if you are of Messiah, (if you belong to Messiah) then you are
seed of Aḇraham, and heirs according to promise.
If we
belong to Messiah, the evidence is that our lives will leave a legacy of
covenantal life and fruitfulness. Covenant living never retires, it remains
fruitful and increases in fruitfulness while we are alive and much more so
after we die. Therefore, in this context, being "in Messiah"
is the defining factor for being counted as the true, spiritual descendant of
Abraham.
Gal
3:7 You
see, then, that those (who are of the one true faith) are Abraham's real
descendants.
Luk
3:8 “Therefore bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say
to yourselves, ‘We have Aḇraham as our father.’ For I say to you that Elohim is able to raise up
children to Aḇraham from these stones.
Luk
3:9 “And even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore
every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the
fire.”
Abraham’s vision was not narrow it included all people
from all nations for all times – See Is 54:1-10
Blessings would come upon the lives of future
generations, who honoured Abraham and walked in his footsteps. Curses would
come upon future generations who tried to diminish Abraham’s legacy.
Gen
12:3 “And I shall bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses
you. And in you all the clans of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 27:29: Isaac repeats this blessing
over his son Jacob: "Cursed be everyone who curses
you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"
Numbers 24:9: The prophet Balaam,
under divine compulsion, pronounces this over the nation of Israel as
they travelled toward the Promised Land: "Blessed is he who
blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you."
Gen 25:1 And Aḇraham
took ((ויסף אברהם)) another wife, whose name was
Qeturah.
Gen 25:2 And she bore him Zimran, and Yoqshan, and
Meḏan, and Miḏyan, and Yishbaq, and Shuwaḥ.
Gen 25:3 And Yoqshan brought forth Sheḇa and Deḏan. And the sons of Deḏan were Asshurim, and
Letushim, and Le’ummim.
Gen 25:4 And the sons of Miḏyan were Ěphah, and Ěpher, and Ḥanoḵ, and Aḇiḏa, and Elda‛ah. All these were
the children of Qeturah.
Abraham is about 140 years old at this stage of his life.
Midianites (from Midian) appear later in Scripture (e.g.,
as traders in Genesis 37 who bought Joseph; as oppressors in Judges 6–8; and
Moses' father-in-law Jethro was a Midianite. Jethro was not a pagan priest but
a genuine worshipper of YHVH (see contextual Biblical evidence)
Tribes like Sheba and Dedan link to Arabian/South Arabian
groups.
Overall, these lines represent various Arab or eastern
nomadic peoples living south and east of Canaan, partially fulfilling the
multiplicity of nations from Abraham.
Gen 25:5 Now Aḇraham
gave all that he had to Yitsḥaq,
By giving "all that he had" to Isaac, Abraham
was not merely distributing wealth but formally designating Isaac as the primary
covenantal heir.
Property vs. Promise: Isaac inherited the
"undivided patrimony," (“keys to the kingdom") which included
the land of Canaan, the covenantal leadership, and the messianic promise. (Undivided
patrimony ensured that a family's power, land, and status were not diluted over
generations.)
The Child of Promise: This act aligns with YHVH's
earlier decree that "through Isaac your offspring shall be reckoned".
It established Isaac as the singular link in the redemptive line leading to the
Messiah.
Gal
3:15 Brothers, as a man I say it: a covenant, even though it is man’s,
yet if it is confirmed, no one sets it aside, or adds to it.
Gal
3:16 But the promises were spoken to Aḇraham, and to his Seed. He does
not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,”b
Gen_12:7 who is Messiah. Footnote: bAlso see Gen_17:7, Gen_22:18,
Gen_24:7.
Gal
3:17 Now this I say, Torah, that came four hundred and thirty years
later, does not annul a covenant previously confirmed by Elohim in Messiah, so
as to do away with the promise.
Gen 25:6 but to the sons of the concubines whom Aḇraham had, Aḇraham gave gifts while he was
still living, and sent them away from his son Yitsḥaq, eastward, to the land of the east.
"Eastward" often signifies a move away
from the centre of divine blessing (the Promised Land) into a realm of common
grace rather than saving covenant. Covenantal blessing and
redemption were available to all nations who blessed YHVH’s covenant people. See
Is 54:1-10
Isa
54:1 “Sing,
O barren one, you who did not bear! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
you who have not been in labour! For the children of the deserted one are more
than the children of the married woman,” said יהוה.
Isa
54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the
curtains of your dwellings, spare not. Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your
stakes.
Isa
54:3 “For you shall break forth to the right and to the left, and your
seed inherit the nations, and make the deserted cities inhabited.
Isa
54:4 “Do not fear, for you shall not be put to shame, nor hurt, you shall
not be humiliated. For the shame of your youth you shall forget, and not
remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
Isa
54:5 “For your Maker is your husband, יהוה of hosts is His Name, and the Set-apart
One of Yisra’ěl is your Redeemer. He is called the Elohim of all the
earth.
Isa
54:6 “For יהוה has called you like a woman
forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when you were refused,”
declares your Elohim.
Isa
54:7 “For a little while I have forsaken you, but with great compassion I
shall gather you.
Isa
54:8 “In an overflow of wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but
with everlasting loving-commitment I shall have compassion on you,” said יהוה, your Redeemer.
Isa
54:9 “For this is the waters of Noaḥ to Me, in that I have sworn that
the waters of Noaḥ would never again cover the earth, so have I sworn not to be wroth
with you, nor to rebuke you.
Isa
54:10 “For though the mountains be removed and the hills be shaken, My
loving-commitment is not removed from you, nor is My covenant of peace shaken,”
said יהוה, who has compassion on
you.
Gen 25:7 And these are all the years of Aḇraham’s life which he lived:
one hundred and seventy-five years.
Gen 25:8 And Aḇraham
breathed his last and died in a good old age, aged and satisfied, and was
gathered (ויאסף)
to his people. (Abraham’s life brought increase and his death brought
increase) ויאסף
The Concept of Sheol: Originally, Sheol was
viewed as the "silent land of the dead" where all went, regardless of
their deeds. However, by the late Second Temple period (the time of Yahshua),
Jewish thought had subdivided Sheol into two compartments:
A place of torment for the wicked.
A place of repose and comfort for the
righteous (sometimes called Gan Eden or Paradise).
Luk
16:22 “And it came to be that the beggar died, and was carried by the
messengers to the bosom of Aḇraham. And the rich man also died and was
buried.
Luk
16:23 “And while suffering tortures in She’ol, having lifted up his eyes,
he saw Aḇraham far away, and El‛azar in his bosom.
Luk
16:24 “And crying out he said, ‘Father Aḇraham, have compassion on me, (the
rich man) and send El‛azar to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my
tongue, for I am suffering in this flame.’
Luk
16:25 “But Aḇraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your life you received your good,
and likewise El‛azar the evil, but now he is comforted and you are
suffering.
Luk
16:26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been
set, so that those who wish to pass from here to you are unable, nor do those
from there pass to us.’
Luk
16:27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you would send him to
my father’s house,
Luk
16:28 for I have five brothers, let him warn them, lest they also come to
this place of torture.’
Luk
16:29 “Aḇraham said to him, ‘They have Mosheh and the prophets, let them hear
them.’
Luk
16:30 “And he said, ‘No, father Aḇraham, but if someone from the
dead goes to them, they shall repent.’
Luk
16:31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Mosheh and the prophets,e
neither would they be persuaded even if one should rise from the dead.’ ” Footnote:
eSee Luk_9:33, Mal_4:4-5. (Moses was born about 300 years
after Abraham died – so, Abraham had knowledge of Moses even though he was in
Sheol)
Enoch Chapter 22 is seen as the
foundational text describing four specific chambers (or "hollow
places") within Sheol.
Located within a great mountain of hard rock, these
chambers serve as temporary holding places for spirits to be separated based on
their moral worthiness until the Day of Judgment.
‘’Sheol’’ likely
derives from the Hebrew root sha'al שְׁאוֹל ("to ask" or "inquire"),
suggesting the "insatiable" nature of the grave that constantly seeks
answers – ‘’why am I here? Why did I not listen and repent?
For those ‘’in Abraham’s bosom, it will feel like heaven.
Why does the church not teach about Sheol? Why did the
church remove the book of Enoch from the scriptures? The Old Testament
uses Sheol (66 times), the New Testament (written in Greek)
uses Hades (10 times) to convey the same concept.
Jud
1:14 And Ḥanoḵ, the seventh from Aḏam, also prophesied of these, saying, “See, יהוה comes with His myriads of set-apart
ones,
Jud
1:15 to execute judgment on all, to punish all who are wicked among them
concerning all their wicked works which they have committed in a wicked way,
and concerning all the harsh words which wicked sinners have spoken
against Him.”
The Four Chambers of Sheol:
1.
The Chamber of the Righteous: This
section is characterized by a bright fountain of water. It is a place of
refreshment and peace where the righteous joyfully await final judgment. Luke
16:19-31
2.
The Chamber of Victims: This
division is specifically for spirits who were murdered or slain "in the
days of the sinners," such as Abel. These spirits are described as
making a "suit" or petition to YHVH, seeking justice against their
killers.
3.
The Chamber of Sinners (Unpunished in Life): This
compartment is for wicked individuals who died and were buried without facing
judgment or punishment during their earthly lives. Their spirits are set apart
in "great pain" and torment until the great day of retribution.
4.
The Chamber of the Moderately Moral / Less
Wicked: This final chamber is for those who were not righteous but
also not "complete in transgression" (sometimes translated as "not
perfect in criminality"). These spirits are not subjected to the same
level of torment as the deeply wicked, but they will not be raised from this
place on the day of judgment. (Jn 3:36?) The Contrast of Completeness: The concept of a
"complete" transgression often refers to a state where a person's
iniquity has reached a "full measure" or a point of no return, often
involving unrepentant idolatry, blasphemy, or extreme violence. Those in the
fourth chamber have sinned but did not reach this absolute peak of corruption.
Theological
Significance
Precursor to
Gehenna: The chambers of punishment in Enoch are viewed by many historians
as the conceptual precursor to the Jewish and Christian ideas of Hell or
Gehenna
Consciousness
in Sheol
Contrary to the
"soul sleep" concept found in some other traditions, the Book of
Enoch portrays Sheol as a place of active awareness.
·
Awareness
of State: Spirits are
described as being in either "great pain" or a state of
"refreshment" while awaiting final judgment.
·
Emotional
Responses: Inhabitants
are capable of weeping, mourning, and feeling distress or joy based on their
designated chamber.
·
Petitioning
YHVH: The text
specifically depicts the spirits of the dead—such as Abel—raising
their voices to heaven to "make suit" or complain about their
destruction, indicating high-level cognitive and communicative function
Communication
Between Spirits
The capacity for
spirits to communicate depends on their proximity and the nature of their
confinement:
Within the
Same Chamber: The text
implies a level of shared experience and interaction within chambers. For
example, the wicked who are "not complete in transgression" are
described as "companions" to one another in their
confinement.
Across
Chambers: In the Book
of Enoch, the chambers are physically separated by "hollow places" or
"rock," which serves as a barrier. While Enoch can observe and hear
spirits from multiple chambers during his tour, the text does not explicitly depict
the inhabitants of one chamber speaking directly to those in another.
Communication in
Sheol is not limited to fellow "shades." (dead) Spirits are shown
interacting with celestial beings:
·
Angelic
Custodians: Spirits
are guarded and sometimes questioned by archangels like Raphael or Uriel.
·
Requests
for Intercession: In
related texts like 2 Enoch, prisoners in the "second heaven" (another
holding area) are shown bowing to Enoch and begging him to pray for
them to the YHVH. 2 Enoch 7 – the ‘’Watchers’’ who had intercourse
with women- Gen 6
Contrast with
Luke 16: This separation in Enoch provides the conceptual framework for Yahshua'
parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, where the two individuals can see
and speak to each other despite a "great gulf" fixed
between them.
Gen 25:9 And his sons Yitsḥaq and Yishma‛ěl buried him in the cave of Maḵpělah, which is before Mamrě,
in the field of Ephron son of Tsoḥar
the Ḥittite,
Gen 25:10 the field which Aḇraham purchased from the sons of Ḥěth. There Aḇraham was buried with Sarah
his wife.
Gen 25:11 And it came to be, after the death of Aḇraham, that Elohim blessed his
son Yitsḥaq. And Yitsḥaq dwelt at Be’ěr Laḥai Ro’i.
The Significance of Burial
Burial is the normative practice established by biblical
precedent and theological conviction:
·
Biblical Precedent: Throughout
Scripture, YHVH’s people almost exclusively buried their dead. Key figures like
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and King David were all buried.
·
The Example of Yahshua: Christians
view burial as following the pattern of Yahshua, whose interment is described
in great detail. Apostle Paul highlighted Yahshua’s burial as a matter of
"first importance" to the Gospel.
·
The "Seed" Symbolism: Burial
is a powerful metaphor for the resurrection. Paul compared the body
to a seed that is "sown" in the ground in order to be raised in a
new, imperishable form (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).
·
Sanctity of the Body: Both
traditions believe the body is sacred—created in the "image of YHVH"
(Tzelem Elohim) and, for Christians, a "temple of the Set Apart
Spirit".
·
Ownership: Jewish law (Halakhah)
teaches that the body belongs to YHVH, not the individual; therefore, it is a
sacred responsibility to return it to the earth in its entirety.
Cremation is historically viewed as an offensive act for
several reasons:
·
Association with Judgment: In
Scripture, fire is often a symbol of divine wrath, curse, or
punishment (e.g., Sodom and Gomorrah, Achan, or the imagery of Gehenna/Hell).
·
Rejection of Pagan Practices: Early
Jews and Christians distinguished themselves from surrounding pagan cultures
(like the Romans or Gnostics) who practiced cremation.
Gen 25:12 And this is the genealogy of Yishma‛ěl, Aḇraham’s son, whom Haḡar the Mitsrian, Sarah’s
female servant, bore to Aḇraham.
Gen 25:13 And these were the names of the sons of
Yishma‛ěl, by their names, according to their generations: The first-born of
Yishma‛ěl, Neḇayoth; then
Qěḏar, and Aḏbe’ěl, and Miḇsam,
Gen 25:14 and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,
Gen 25:15 Ḥaḏar, and Těma, Yetur, Naphish,
and Qěḏemah.
Gen 25:16 These were the sons of Yishma‛ěl and
these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve chiefs
according to their tribes.
Gen 25:17 And these were the years of the life of
Yishma‛ěl: one hundred and thirty-seven years. And he breathed his last and
died, and was gathered to his people.
Gen 25:18 And they dwelt from Ḥawilah as far as Shur, which
is east of Mitsrayim as you go toward Ashshur. He settled before all his
brothers.
Isaiah 60:6–7 describes camels from Midian, Ephah (linked
to Ishmaelite tribes via Genesis 25:4), Kedar, and Nebaioth bringing gold,
incense, and flocks as offerings to Zion, implying submission and participation
in worship of the Elohim of Israel.
Gal
3:7 Know, then, that those who are of belief are sons of Aḇraham.
Gal
3:8 And the Scripture, having foreseen that Elohim would declare right
the nations by belief, announced the Good News to Aḇraham beforehand, saying, “All
the nations shall be blessed in you,”a Gen_12:3. Footnote: aGen_18:18.
Gal
3:9 so that those who are of belief are blessed with Aḇraham, the believer.
Gal
3:29 And if you are of Messiah, then you are seed of Aḇraham, and heirs according to
promise.
Isaiah 19:23–25 envisions a "highway" from
Egypt to Assyria (regions with Ishmaelite ties) blessing Israel, with all three
called "my people" by God—interpreted as end-times harmony.
Deu
28:58 “If you do not guard to do all the Words of this Torah that are
written in this book, to fear this esteemed and awesome Name, יהוה your Elohim,
Deu
28:59 then יהוה shall bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary
plagues, great and lasting plagues, and grievous and lasting sicknesses.
https://www.wholereason.com/2014/12/towards-biblical-view-sons-ishmael-islam.html
God will use Ishmael to provoke the Church unto a
passion for Jesus – what the Church has forsaken, Ishmael will embrace. God is
going to use Ishmael to provoke Israel to jealousy for the Messiahâ .I believe
that Ishmael will come to a revelation of the Father, and he will take it to
Israel. And Isaac will break and weep and say I grew up with the Father, I was
the one with the covenant, I was the one who was given everything, I was the
one through the seed and you were the one who was cast out and rejected and the
law cast out – but you’ve come back with a revelation of the Father. Then
Israel will say, “Tell me who the Father is. Tell me how I can know Him.
https://www.thehouseofdavid.org/writings/2019/4/20/the-blessing-of-ishmael
Blessed are
you YHVH, 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, YHVH
giver of the Torah – Amein.