Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has set us apart with His commandments and has commanded us to engross ourselves in the words of Torah. Please, YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Torah in our mouth and in the mouths of Your people, the family of Israel. May we and our offspring and the offspring of Your people, the house of Israel – all of us – know Your Name and study Your Torah for its own sake. Blessed are You, YHVH, who teaches Torah to His people Israel.
ויזרע יצחק
Gen 26:12 And Yitsḥaq
sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold, and יהוה
blessed him. (not even modern technology produces a 100% germination rate
on that scale of sowing – in ancient Israel all the ungerminated seed (60%)
remained in the ground to produce future bountiful harvests during the
sabbatical and jubilee years- maybe YHVH doesn’t need genetically or chemically
modified seed)
The text emphasizes that this sowing and the miraculous
hundredfold harvest (an extraordinary yield, especially in famine conditions)
happened in the same year, directly attributed to YHVH's blessing
The famine makes the hundredfold return even more
remarkable—normal good years might yield 10–30 fold in fertile areas, but
100-fold in famine is miraculous.
In the last 3.5 years, amid trumpets/bowls judgments
intensifying, faithful sowing (witnessing, enduring) could yield extraordinary
spiritual harvest in human lives before Messiah’s return.
Amos 8:11-12 points to a unique end times famine that
is distinctly spiritual rather than just physical.
Amo
8:12 “And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east –
they shall diligently search, seeking the Word of יהוה, but they shall not find it.a Footnote: a Jer_5:13,
Hos_8:12, Ezk_34:3-10.
The Nature of the End-Time Famine:
While many associate the last days with global physical
food shortages, the prophecy in
Amos highlights a more devastating judgment:
a famine of hearing the Words of יהוה.
A Hearing Crisis: The text specifies a famine not of
the Word itself, but
of hearing it. This suggests a time when,
despite the availability of Scripture and religious
media, the ability to receive true divine revelation or
sound teaching is withdrawn by
YHVH as a judgment.
Divine Silence: This famine is often described as
divine silence, where people
search from sea to sea but cannot find a prophetic word
or clear spiritual guidance.
Parallels with the Wilderness Generation: The comparison
to the Israelites in the wilderness is central to this understanding.
In Deuteronomy 8:3, YHVH explains why He allowed
them to hunger (ra ev) before providing manna:
He humbled them to teach that man does not live by
bread alone, but by every word (על־כל־מוצא) that comes from the mouth of YHVH.
LXX Gk translation “”ἀλλ’
ἐπὶ παντὶ
ῥήματι (all’ epi panti
rhēmati) — "but on every word’’ ἐκπορευομένῳ (ekporeuomenō) — "that
proceeds" / "coming forth" Present tense: ongoing, continuous action — YHVH's
word is continually issuing forth - διὰ
στόματος θεοῦ
(dia stomatos theou) — "through the mouth of YHVH"
Rom 10:17 ‘’the faith comes by hearing the rhema of ‘’Messiah’’
(Gk ‘’christou’’) So “the faith” = the message that produces faith,
not the mental act itself.
Rhema produces the faith - The faith responds to the
rhema
Mat
4:4 But He answering, said, “It has been written, ‘Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of יהוה.’ ” Deu_8:3. Exactly same phrase
repeated from Deut 8:3 – the ‘’rhema’ ’is a ‘’declared/annointed word’’ from
the mouth of YHVH.
This distinction
could mean the difference between life and death or entering or not entering
into the kingdom of YHVH.
The Israelites received physical manna but often lacked
the Word (מוצא)
or (Rhema) because of their persistent rebellion.
A Warning for Believers: Just as the wilderness
generation had the Tabernacle but
still failed the test of hearing, many scholars warn that
modern believers may face a
time when sound doctrine is rare and replaced by myths or
man-centered
messages, leading to a self-inflicted spiritual
famine.
2Ti
4:3 For there shall be a time when they shall not bear sound teaching,
but according to their own desires, they shall heap up for themselves teachers
tickling the ear,b Footnote: b Isa_30:10, Jer_5:31, Rom_16:18. They
will have itching (tickling) ears (a metaphor for craving pleasant, flattering
messages that "tickle" or soothe rather than challenge).
2Ti
4:4 and they shall indeed turn their ears away from the truth, and be
turned aside to myths. (They will heap up (accumulate)
teachers who tell them what they want to hear)
Key Differences in This Famine
Worse than Starvation: Scripture presents this
spiritual drought as far more
dangerous than physical hunger because it affects eternal
life, not just the mortal
body.
This famine is typically seen as a response to a people who
have already rejected knowledge (Hosea 4:6), leading YHVH to eventually give them
over to their own choices.
In summary, it is entirely possible that even those who
are physically sustained (like the
Israelites with manna) could experience this spiritual
famine if they—or the generation they
live in—have consistently tuned out the (מוצא) of the Torah of YHVH.
That’s why we do a 42-month Torah cycle – the same length of time of the greatest
famine of all time Rev 11:6
Hos
4:6 “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have
rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have
forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children.
If the people in Hosea had moved from mere gnōsis (knowing
the Torah existed) to epignōsis (deeply acknowledging and
submitting to the Elohim of the Torah), they would not have been
"destroyed for lack of knowledge."
That "voice" is found in Isaiah 30:21,
and it perfectly ties together everything we've discussed: the wilderness, knowledge
(epignōsis), and being established in the present truth.
Isa
30:21 and your ears hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the Way,
walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right, or whenever you turn to the
left.
In the New Testament, Peter uses epignōsis almost
exclusively (2 Peter 1:2, 3, 8) to describe the target for a believer—not just
to know about Yahshua, but to be fully settled in
the knowledge (epignōsis) of Him.
2Pe
1:12 And so I intend to remind you of these matters again and
again, though you know them and have been established in the present
truth.
How they connect:
·
The Foundation: You aren't just
"established" by facts (gnōsis). You are established by epignōsis—a
full, participating, and experiential knowledge of Messiah.
·
The "Present" Aspect: The
"present truth" isn't just a set of doctrines; it is the current,
active revelation of YHVH that is effective now.
·
The Result: Peter argues in verse 8
that if this epignōsis abounds in you, you will not be
"unfruitful." This is the goal of being
"established"—moving from just "knowing about" the truth to
being firmly rooted in the full realization of it.
In short: 2 Peter 1 shows that
being established in the present truth is the direct result of
growing in epignōsis. Without the epi- (the
"fullness"), the truth remains a theory; with it, it becomes an
established reality in the believer's life.
Gen 26:13 And the man grew great and went forward
until he became very great. (in famine)
Gen 26:14 And he came to have possessions of flocks
and possessions of herds and a great body of servants, and the Philistines
envied him.
Gen 26:15 And the Philistines had stopped up all
the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Aḇraham his father, and filled
them with dirt.
Gen 26:16 And Aḇimeleḵ said to Yitsḥaq, “Go away from us, for you
are much mightier than we.” (they were trying to stop the ‘’motzia)
The Philistines tried to starve him out (Ra'av),
but because Isaac was "established" in the promise YHVH gave him, the
enemies eventually had to come to him to acknowledge the "truth" that
YHVH was on his side. Commentary on Isaac’s Wells often highlights this as a
lesson in "making room" (Rehoboth) for YHVH's blessing even when
people stop up your wells.
Gen 26:17 So Yitsḥaq
went from there and pitched his tent in the wadi Gerar, and dwelt there.
Gen 26:18 And Yitsḥaq
dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Aḇraham his father, for the
Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Aḇraham. And he called them by the names which his
father had called them.
Gen 26:19 But when Yitsḥaq’s servants dug in the wadi and found a well of
running water there,
Gen 26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Yitsḥaq’s herdsmen, saying, “The
water is ours.” And he called the name of the well Ěseq, because they strove
with him. (dig your own wells- you need your own ‘’motzia’’- religion
enslaves you to what man says)
Gen 26:21 And they dug another well, and they
strove over that one too, and he called its name Sitnah. (without a firm foundation
of the ‘’logos’’ you will not survive on the ‘’motzia’’ or ‘’epiginosko’’
coming from the remnant)
Gen 26:22 And he moved from there and dug another
well, and they did not strive over it. And he called its name Reḥoḇoth, and said, “For now יהוה
has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
Gen 26:23 And from there he went up to Be’ěrsheḇa. (an oath that Isaacs
seed would forever have the ‘’motzia’’ the living water – the ‘’rhema’’ that
comes from the mouth of YHVH)
Gen 26:24 And יהוה
appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the Elohim of your father Aḇraham. Do not fear, for I am
with you, and shall bless you and increase your seed for My servant Aḇraham’s sake.”
Gen 26:25 And he built a slaughter-place there,
and called on the Name of יהוה, and he pitched his
tent there, and the servants of Yitsḥaq
dug a well there. (the key of ‘’motzia’’)
Gen 26:26 And Aḇimeleḵ came to him from Gerar, with
Aḥuzzath, one of his
friends, and Piḵol the
commander of his army.
Gen 26:27 And Yitsḥaq
said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing you have hated me and have sent
me away from you?”
Gen 26:28 But they said, “We have clearly seen that
יהוה
is with you. And we said, ‘Please, let there be an oath between us, between you
and us. And let us make a covenant with you,
Gen 26:29 that you do no evil to us, as we have not
touched you, and as we have done only good toward you, and have sent you away
in peace. You are now blessed by יהוה.’ ”
Gen 26:30 And he made them a feast, and they ate
and drank.
What about Exo 23:32 “Do not make a covenant
with them nor with their mighty ones. Exo 23:33 “Let them not dwell
in your land, lest they make you sin against Me when you serve their mighty
ones, when it becomes a snare to you.”
and
Gen
26:5 because Aḇraham obeyed My voice and guarded My Charge: My commands, My laws, and
My Torot.”a Footnote: aTorot - plural of Torah, teaching.
Any peace
or kindness shown by enemies of Israel is only temporary and used as a decoy to
later try and destroy them. (for example the ‘’Board of Peace’’)
Gen 26:31 And they rose early in the morning and
swore an oath with one another. And Yitsḥaq
let them go, and they departed from him in peace.
Gen 26:32 And on the same day it came to be that
the servants of Yitsḥaq
came and informed him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We
have found water.”
Gen 26:33 So he called it Shiḇah. Therefore, the name of the
city is Be’ěrsheḇa to
this day. (YHVH was making an oath forever that He would give Israel
living water forever)
Gen 26:34 And when Ěsaw was forty years old, he
took as wives Yehuḏith
the daughter of Be’ěri (Hosea1:1)the Ḥittite,
and Basemath the daughter of Ělon the Ḥittite. (sounds
like replacement theology as well as an appeal to return to the covenant family
– Esau tried but failed)
Gen 26:35 And they were a bitterness of spirit to
Yitsḥaq and Riḇqah. (covenant
breakers have remained a ‘’bitterness’’ for
the descendants of Yitsḥaq
and Riḇqah to this
day)
There is no nation on earth – including the church – that
will honour YHVH’S covenant with Israel in this age – even at the end of the
millennium many will rise up to try and destroy Israel - Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years
have ended, Satan shall be released from his prison,
Rev
20:8 and he shall go out to lead (Gk ‘’panta’’ meaning ALL) the nations
astray which are in the four corners of the earth,(Gk ‘’sunagagein’’’’ leading
them together’’ under Gog and Magog) Goḡ and Maḡoḡ, Ezk_38:2 to gather them together for
battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
·
The Four Corners: This is a Hebrew
idiom (also used in Isaiah 11:12) representing the entirety of the
globe.
·
The Intent: The text implies that
the deception is so pervasive that it reaches every geographic extremity of the
human population existing at that time.
The Choice: Even after 1,000 years of peace, the
hearts of many among the nations are shown to be unchanged. When given the
opportunity, they choose rebellion.
In Revelation
20:8, there are no excluded nations. The rebellion is described
as a final, global "sifting." Every nation that exists outside of the
"camp of the set apart ones" is led astray by Satan to make one last
stand against YHVH’s chosen people.
Rev
20:9 And they came up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the
camp of the set-apart ones and the beloved city. And fire came down from Elohim
out of the heaven and consumed them.
Rev
20:10 And the devil, who led them astray, was thrown into the lake of
fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet are. And they
shall be tortured day and night forever and ever.
·
If this refers to a literal end-time population,
and the world has repopulated during a 1,000-year period of peace, health, and
prosperity, the total human population could easily reach tens of
billions.
·
Even a small percentage of such a massive global
population rebelling would result in an army of billions
The scriptures are clear many people from all the nations
will always try to destroy Israel and all those grafted into Israel:
Zechariah Zechariah 12:3 and 14:2 describe
a day when all nations are gathered against Jerusalem. 2. Joel Joel 3:2 says God will
gather all nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat to judge them for their
treatment of Israel. Joel 3:9-12 depicts nations preparing for war
against "my people Israel". 3. Ezekiel Ezekiel 38–39
describes a large group of nations invading Israel in the "latter
days," which Ezekiel 38:16 says is so that the nations may know
God. 4. Psalm 83 Psalm 83 mentions a conspiracy of
neighboring nations aiming to destroy Israel. 5. Revelation
Revelation 16:14, 16 describes the kings of the world gathering for a
final battle called Armageddon.
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.
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.
Additional
midrash:
The narrative of the wells shows Isaac's non-resistant
perseverance: he doesn't fight back but moves on, trusting YHVH, and eventually
finds abundance and peace. Wells symbolize life-giving water (often a
biblical type for YHVH's provision.)
The four wells in Genesis 26 (verses 18–33) are
central to Isaac's story in the land of Gerar during a time of prosperity, envy
from the Philistines, and divine blessing. Isaac first reopens the wells his
father Abraham had dug (which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham's death),
giving them the same names as Abraham did. Then, his servants dig new ones,
leading to conflicts and resolutions. The names are deeply symbolic, reflecting
stages of struggle, perseverance, peace, and covenant.
Here are the four wells, their Hebrew names, literal
meanings, and common interpretations:
1.
Esek (עֵשֶׂק,
Genesis 26:20)
o Meaning:
"Contention," "strife," "dispute," or
"oppression."
o Context:
Isaac's servants dig a well of spring water, but the herdsmen of Gerar quarrel,
claiming "The water is ours." Isaac names it Esek because of the
contention and moves on without fighting over it.
2.
Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה,
Genesis 26:21)
o Meaning:
"Enmity," "hostility," "opposition,"
"accusation," or "adversity" (related to the root for
"Satan," meaning adversary).
o Context:
They dig another well, but quarreling continues, so Isaac names it Sitnah and
moves again.
o Significance:
Symbolizes intensified or ongoing persecution, hatred, or spiritual warfare. It
shows that strife can escalate before breakthrough, teaching persistence
without retaliation.
3.
Rehoboth (רְחֹבוֹת,
Genesis 26:22)
o Meaning:
"Broad places," "wide spaces," "room," or
"expansiveness."
o Context:
Isaac moves farther and digs a third well with no quarrel. He names it
Rehoboth, declaring, "For now YHVH has made room for us, and we shall be
fruitful in the land."
o Significance:
Marks breakthrough, peace, enlargement, and fruitfulness after trials. YHVH
provides space for growth and blessing without opposition. Many interpret this
as a spiritual "wide place" of rest, freedom, or prosperity after
enduring contention (Psalm 18:19 uses similar language for YHVH's deliverance
to "broad places").
4.
Be'er Sheva (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע,
Genesis 26:32–33; also called Shibah / Shebah by Isaac)
o Meaning:
"Well of the Oath" or "Well of the Seven" (שֶׁבַע can mean
"seven," "oath," "swear," or
"rest/completion" because YHVH vows to continue giving them wells).
o Context:
After moving to Beersheba, Isaac's servants dig a well and find water. He names
it Shibah ("oath"), and the place becomes Beersheba. YHVH appears to
Isaac there, reaffirming the Abrahamic covenant ("I am with you and will
bless you"), and Isaac builds an altar and calls on YHVH's name. Later, he
makes a peace treaty/oath with Abimelech king of the Philistines.
o Significance:
Represents covenant, sworn agreement, divine confirmation, rest, and
completion. It's the place of restored relationship with YHVH and man, full
blessing, and settlement after the journey of trials.