The phrase “Jacob’s trouble” is a curious code term found buried deep in the prophetic writings of the ancient Jewish prophet Jeremiah who lived in the sixth century BC. Many Bible commentators have recognized that this phrase has end time prophetic implications and have attempted to decode this perplexing prophecy. Many have offered novel explanations as to its meaning. But most have fallen short. Why is this? Because unless one takes into consideration the greater contextual backdrop of this phrase, any explanation will wildly miss the target. Once the veil of mystery is lifted, this prophecy along with its Genesis 32 historical context, suddenly opens a huge panoramic window of understanding that explains the current conflict in the Middle East between the Jews and the Muslims, between the country of Israel and its surrounding neighbors as well as the tension between Islam and Christianity, plus explosive eruption of the current rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiments worldwide.
Moreover, a failure to understand the meaning of “Jacob’s trouble” explains the current animus in some of the most unexpected places including among some so-called contemporary American Christian social media influencers and news commentators such as Tucker Carlson, Candice Owens and Nick Fuentes to name a few. If these misguided and uninformed media personalities were to understand the true biblical end time implications of Jacob’s trouble, they en masse would be stunned into silence, put a hand over their mouths, and immediately shut off their microphones for a long moment of reflection and repentance. They would quickly realize that they are on the wrong side of history, the truth and YHVH Elohim, the God of the Bible. In fact, they are taking the position of the spirit of antichrist! This may seem like a wild assertion on the part of this author, but once the facts are revealed, the pieces of the puzzle will suddenly and easily fall into a place and a huge picture of undeniable truth will form and the silly, childish babbling of the foolish Israel-haters will be once and for all silenced.
Woe be to anyone who finds themselves on the side of the enemies of the God of Israel. The Pharaoh of Egypt, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Muslims, the Catholic Church, the Russian Tsar, the British Empire, Hitler, the Palestinian Authority, the Muslim Brotherhood, the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Yemen and many more have attempted or are attempting in vain to squelch or even extinguish Jacob’s descendents from fulfilling their God-mandated Abrahamic Covenantal promises in one way or the other, and all have failed and are to this day still failing.
Now let’s learn what the phrase “Jacob’s trouble” means, and may the veil of ignorance be lifted and the scales fall off the eyes of the unbelievers and skeptics, and may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants along with the timeless truth of the Bible be vindicated(!)—sadly as if this should even be necessary.
“Jacob’s Trouble”—His Dark Night of the Soul in End Times Prophecy and YOU!
Jacob meeting Esau
You have probably heard the saying that the night is the darkest just before the dawn. Metaphorically speaking, when circumstances conspire against you and the outcome looks the bleakest, that is often when the rays of hope begin to shine through the darkest darkness and the outcome suddenly reveals itself. A way forward unexpectedly manifests itself out of the obscure gloom of apparent defeat and hopelessness. People of faith can more easily relate to such a scenario. This was exactly the place in which the patriarch Jacob found himself when returning to the land of Canaan—the future Promised Land. He had reached the pinnacles of success in his earthly endeavors, and now circumstances beyond his control in front of and behind him were conspiring to take everything away including his very life This is not only the story of his life, but each of us has likely found ourselves in similar spots as well. Deliverance and victory often emerge out of the darkest and bleakest periods of life. This is a test of our faith that, if we are to progress to the next level in our spiritual growth, we must pass.
Genesis 32 is the story of Jacob’s return to Canaan after having been exiled from his homeland for 20 years. His exile occurred after he obtained his divinely promised birthright through shrewd and somewhat unscrupulous means from his brother Esau resulting in his having to flee Canaan for fear of his life due to his brothers desire lust for vengeance. Jacob took refuge in the region of Babylonia at his Uncle Laban’s home, where he married Laban’s two daughters, Leah and Rachel. After twenty years working for the greedy and treacherous Laban, Jacob had to flee Babylon with is father-in-law in angry pursuit. As if that were not enough, while Jacob and his family were returning to Canaan, they encountered Jacob’s angry brother Esau who was still angry two decades later of being cheated out of his inheritance. Esau along with a small army not only stood in Jacob’s way from entering the land of his promised inheritance, but also wanted to kill Jacob.
This account of Jacob’s personal, spiritual struggles also has prophetic, end times implications relating to the regathering out of exile of the twelve tribes of Israel (the Jews and the Christians) and their return to the Promised Land in Israel under Yeshua the Messiah at his second coming. The Scriptures refer to this time period as “Jacob’s Trouble.” This Bible verse is found in Jeremiah where we read,
Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. (Jer 30:7)
The ancient Jewish sages believe that the encounter between Jacob and Esau (no doubt informed by Jeremiah’s prophecy) is prophetic in nature and will happen again in the end times, but this time on a much larger scale involving the numerous descendants of both Israel (or Jacob) and Esau (also called Edom). That is to say, the Israelites of the end times will be attempting to return to their ancestral homeland, while the modern descendants of Esau (the forces of Antichrist as represented by the antichrist religion of Islam and their Elohim-hating allies) will be blocking their way. As we proceed in this study, we will see whether this prophecy is beginning to come to pass in these last days.
Relating to Jacob’s descendants coming into the Promised Land, the ancient Jewish sages speak of two major redemptions in Israel’s long history. The first redemption occurred when YHVH delivered the oppressed and enslaved children of Israel out of Egypt at the exodus. History will then repeat itself in what the Jewish sages refer to as “the second or final redemption,” which will occur at the end of this present era when the Messiah will regather and then lead his exiled and scattered Israelite people back to the Promised Land in fulfillment of numerous biblical prophecies.
Rolling the time line backwards a little in the present story of Jacob, not only had Laban chased his son-in-law out of the area of Babylon, but Jacob was also being blocked from entering Canaan by his murderous brother Esau (or Edom). This is reminiscent of Pharaoh pursuing the Israelites as they were exodusing Egypt only to find their escape route blocked by the Red Sea. Pharaoh was the first Edom, if you will, or, stated otherwise, Edom is the second Pharaoh. In both instances, YHVH’s people were or will be forced to rely totally on him for deliverance from their enemies who were both in front of and behind them.
Initially, Jacob dealt with his crisis in a typically human way—by scheming and conniving “to save his own skin,” so to speak, instead of having faith in YHVH “to work things out.” He figured that by bribing his angry and bloodthirsty brother with wave after wave of gifts, he might appease and assuage Esau’s desire for murderous revenge (Gen 32:13–20).
Yet Jacob’s bifurcated response to this present danger by resorting to both appeasement and prayer was not acceptable to YHVH, who wanted Jacob to be a man of unmitigated faith, that is, to solely trust in him. Or as Job put it, though you slay me, yet will I trust you (Job 13:15).To bring Jacob to this point, a part of Jacob had to die: his prideful self-reliance and his inclination toward extricating himself from difficult situations through his own cunning ingenuity. This innate tendency of his, not unlike our own, was based on fear of death, and not on faith in YHVH. The Bible tells us that where there is fear, there is no love (1 John 4:18), and that YHVH has not given his people a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). For Jacob to mature spiritually, YHVH wanted him to leave the fear and faithless aspect of his human nature on the east side of the Jordan where Babylon (a spiritual metaphor for the old carnal and sinful man and the ungodly ways of this world) was located. In its place, a faith-filled man who would totally trust YHVH in all things had to rise up. Jacob could no longer trust in his soul man (i.e., his mind, will and emotions) to determine his actions; rather, he had to rely on the Spirit of Elohim to lead him as it informed his inner man or personal spirit, which would, in turn, lead his soul forward in the walk of faith. Only a man of faith, who is mighty in the Spirit and obedient to YHVH, will be deemed worthy to enter the Promised Land (see Ezek 20:33–38, especially note vv. 37–38). The children of Israel learned this lesson the hard way too. The carcasses of older generation that lacked faith in and obedience to YHVH littered the wilderness en route to the Promised Land.
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it…Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience…(Heb 4:2, 6)
Like Jacob’s descendants later learned, he too had to discover that his old man, who lacked faith, had to die just before entering the Promised Land. But this was a difficult process. This is because Jacob had to come to grips with his own limitations and overcome the ugly side of his innate human nature that was directed by his mind, will and emotions and not by the Spirit of Elohim. This internal battle between the soul and the spirit occurred during a “dark-night-of-the-soul-encounter” when Jacob wrestled all night with the Messenger of Elohim (Gen 32:22–32).
The result was that in this struggle Jacob became permanently lame in his hip (Gen 32:32). He became physically injured, but more importantly, he became humbled in his heart. His soul man (i.e., his mind, will and emotions) became subservient to his spirit man (under the leading of the Spirit of Elohim). Out of his wrestling match, he gained a new identity, a new heart and a new name. Jacob the “heal catcher” became Israel “the prince of El [God]” or “the prevailer with El.” By wrestling with and overcoming his own soulish or carnal limitations, that is, his own pride, self-reliance on his mind to figure things out instead of trusting Elohim by walking in the faith and in the Spirit, he became a broken and changed man. By trusting in YHVH, he became a vessel that the Creator could use to further his plan of redemption as promised to Abraham, the father of our faith, for it was through Jacob that the birth of birth the nation of Israel was to occur.
Through events leading up to Jacob’s dark night of the soul, he learned a vital spiritual lesson: his carnal attempts at appeasing Esau gained him nothing except a slimmer net worth via the loss of material possessions. On the other hand, his wrestling with and surrendering to the Messenger of Elohim—who was, in reality, the preincarnate Yeshua—gained him and his descendants not only a nation and the Promised Land, but ultimately the whole world, through Yeshua the Messiah, and a place in YHVH’s eternal kingdom.
Interestingly and as part of a larger picture that would latter play out prophetically in the Bible’s pages, as a gambit to save his own skin from his vengeful brother, Jacob divided his family into two camps in the hopes that if Esau killed one group, the other would survive and vice versa. This was another one of his schemes that failed to work, but which has tremendous end-time prophetic implications. Genesis 32:2 records that Jacob called the name of the place where he split his family into two camps Mahanaim, which is a Hebrew word meaning “two camps” and is the plural of the root word machanah meaning “encampment, camp, camp of armed host, army camp, company or body of people.”This spot is near the River Jabok, which is a tributary to the Jordan River and is located on the east side of that river in the modern country of Jordan.During the time of the nation of ancient Israel, it was located in the Gilead region on either the border between Gad and Reuben or Gad and Ephraim. The Song of Solomon makes reference to mahanaim in chapter 6:13 where we read,
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon you. What will you see in the Shulamite? As it were the company [Heb. m’kolah] of two armies [Heb. mahanah].
The Hebrew word m’kolah means “dance.” I see a correlation between Song 6:13 and Genesis 32:2, since mahanaim in Genesis and machneh or “two armies” in the Song of Solomon are the same word; the former is the plural and the latter is the root word.
What is the prophetic connection between these two biblical passages? It appears that Genesis 32 is a prophetic shadow-picture of just how Jacob’s descendants will come back into the land of their inheritance prior to Yeshua’s return. This prophetic scenario is confirmed in the Jeremiah 30:7—the Jacob’s trouble prophecy. In Jeremiah’s prophecy, the context is Jacob’s end time descendants (i.e., the Christians and the Jews) returning from their captivity and exile in the nations of the world.
“For behold, the days are coming,” says YHVH, “that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel [the house of Israel who would become the Christians] and Judah [the Jews],” says YHVH. “And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it…Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day,” says YHVH of hosts, “That I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds; foreigners shall no more enslave them. But they shall serve YHVH their Elohim, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. (Jer 30:3, 7–10)
Obviously, this prophecy along with a resurrected King David to rule over a regathered and reunited Israel (i.e., Christians and Jews) hasn’t occurred yet. This will happen at Yeshua the Messiah’s second coming. The corollary to this prophetic passage is Ezekiel’s Two Sticks Prophecy where, again in the end times, the two camps or houses of Israel are regathered and reunited with King David ruling over them in the sight of the Messiah (Ezek 37:13–27).
Yeshua gave his disciples power and authority over ALL the powers of Satan (Luke 10:19). Moreover, Yeshua has commissioned his followers to confront demons and to cast them out while preaching the gospel (Mark 16:17). Paul says that Christians are spiritual warriors who are in a spiritual battle against satanic strongholds and are to be wrestling with the powers of Satan (Eph 6:12). Sadly, as demonic forces are increasingly emboldened as they are taking over our culture, too many Christians are AWOL (absent without leave) from Yeshua’s army. It’s time to get back into the battle to be a profitable and obedient servant of our Lord and Master, and to experience the power of the resurrected Yeshua in our lives by helping those around us get set free. This video shows you how.
This and other videos by Nathan are available as podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast under “Hoshana Rabbah.”
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Why has Islam been in a perpetual, murderous war against Jews and Christians since its founding in the sixth century AD? Actually, this conflict is a spiritual one going back to the biblical patriarchs, and, on the larger scale, goes back to the snake in the tree in the Garden of Eden as this video reveals. The key to understanding the present conflict between these religious and ethnic groups involves understanding the past cycles of history and why Islam is intent on conquering the Christian West and the present Jewish state or nation of Israel.
This and other videos by Nathan are available as podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast under “Hoshana Rabbah.”
If this message has been a blessing to you, please consider showing your appreciation by making a donation to Hoshana Rabbah at http://hoshanarabbah.org/blog/. Thank you!
How does the Bible define the spirit of Antichrist? What religion on earth today fits the strictest definition of the spirit of Antichrist? Who are the fellow travelers who have aligned themselves with this demonic spirit? Why are Christians, Jews, the Bible and the land of Israel the targets of this evil spirit? Why do you need to know about this and what can you do about it? All of these questions and much more are discussed and answered in this video from a biblical perspective.
This and other videos by Nathan are available as podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast under “Hoshana Rabbah.”
If this message has been a blessing to you, please consider showing your appreciation by making a donation to Hoshana Rabbah at http://hoshanarabbah.org/blog/. Thank you!
Genesis 25:21, Isaac pleaded. As with his father Abraham, the faith of Isaac was tried mightily. Rebekah was barren and Isaac entreated YHVH that his promises to Abraham might be fulfilled to him as well. YHVH at long last answered Isaac’s prayer with twins, Esau and Jacob. We learn from this that though the faith of the redeemed believer be tried, the promises of YHVH are always sure. What spiritual mountains have you been asking in faith for YHVH to remove from your life (Mark 11:23), or promises of YHVH to be fulfilled in your life (2 Cor 1:20), or prayers to be answered? Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Remember this: Never cease praying and believing, and believing that you receive (Mark 11:24)! Doubts and fear will come, yet prevailing prayer and faith overcome all. (Read 1 John 5:4–5.)
Genesis 25:23, Two nations…one people shall be stronger than the other people; the elder shall serve the younger. We can see the fulfillment of this interesting prophecy in the subsequent interplay between the Jews and western Christians versus the Muslims to this day in numerous ways. With few exceptions, the Muslims nations have always played a subordinate role to the Jews and Christians. Recently, however, the balances are shifting slightly in favor of the Muslims, who are endeavoring to take over many Western nations through illegitimate means or by terrorist activities. As prophesied in the Scriptures, YHVH is allowing this as a disciplinary judgment against his people because they have largely forsaken him.
Genesis 25:27–28, Esau vs. Jacob. There are only two types of people on this earth: Esaus and Jacobs. Please reflect on this for a moment. The evidence of this fact is illustrated by those who hung on either side of Yeshua at his crucifixion: a believer or one who had faith in Yeshua, and one who did not. Let’s explore this idea.
Hanging on either side of Yeshua on the cross, spiritually speaking, there was a spiritual “Jacob” and an “Esau” (Matt 24:39–41; Luke 23:39–43). One of the thieves repented and accepted Yeshua as his Savior, and was blessed for it. The other thief only mocked and scorned Yeshua and, hence, died in his sins spiritually condemned forever.
So what type of person was Esau? The Bible describes him as a cunning hunter (Gen 25:25). Nimrod was the only other person in Scripture termed “a hunter” (Gen 10:9). What kind of person would a hunter have been then compared to the typical farmer or herdsman of the day like Isaac and Jacob? Think wild, violent, uncivilized and savage versus civilized and domesticated. Even the meaning of the name Esau meaning “hairy or rough”suggests what type of individual he was.
We are given a clue to Esau’s character when Scripture reveals that Esau was “a man of the field.” Field in Scripture can be a metaphor for the world (see Matt 13:38). This description seems to fit Esau, for he was a profane (unhallowed, worldly, ungodly) man (Heb 12:16). He had no esteem for things of spiritual and eternal value. That is why he sold his birthright—his spiritual inheritance. He lived for the moment and had no eye for, hope in, or faith toward the future. His eyes were on worldly gain, not on righteousness. He sought the instant gratification of his sensual nature. That is why he sold his birthright for a bowl of lentils in order to satiate his physical hunger at the moment; that is, his god was his belly and he lived for the moment without thinking of the future consequences of his actions. In so doing, he disdained and dishonored his family heritage and those things that were highly esteemed by his father and grandfather.
Moreover, in Genesis 26:34–35, we see, to the great grief of his parents, that Esau married one of the local, heathen Canaanite girls. He did not honor his parents or respect their wishes to marry someone of like spiritual faith and belief.
Do these traits describe some unbelievers that you know, and even some believers or their children who have abandoned the biblical faith in which they were raised, while preferring to follow the heathen and unbiblical values of the world around them? Perhaps you were even like this before you were saved.
Truly Esau was a prodigal son, who unlike the wayward son in Yeshua’s parable by the same name, sadly, left his father’s house and forsook the ways of righteousness for the temporal and temporary pleasures of the world.
Genesis 25:30,Esau…Edom. Eventually the descendants of Esau would settle in the area SE of the Dead Sea in what is now modern Jordan and north of the Gulf of Aqaba and the land of Midian. This area is referred to in the Bible as Edom or Mount Seir. However, several years after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, and country of Edom was utterly destroyed either by the Babylonians or other neighboring peoples (see Keil and Delitzsch, JFB, Josephus Ant. 10.9.7). After the Babylonian captivity, the westward fleeing Edomites took refuge in southern Judah (in the area around Beersheba and encompassing the modern Gaza Strip), which became known as Idumea (Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). According to Josephus, the Maccabean Jews subjugated the Edomites or Idumeans and forced them to convert to Judaism (Jospephus Ant. 13.9.1, 15.5). Subsequently, this paved the way for Herod the Edomite’s kingdom. Idumea is mentioned once in the Gospel of Mark, since people from that territory were among the multitudes who came to hear Yeshua (Mark 3:8).
Edom (the Spirit of Islam) Exposed
Many, if not most of the modern Moslems or Muslims (especially the Arabs) trace their lineage back if not biologically then spiritually to Ishmael, the son of Abraham by Hagar. Islam in its religious book, the Koran, claims that it was Abraham and Ishmael who built the Kaaba, which is the small building containing a stone that supposedly fell from heaven. This shrine is located in the midst of the Great Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
In Genesis 16:11–12 YHVH prophesied the following concerning Ishmael and his descendants:
The angel of YHVH said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because YHVH has given heed to your affliction. And he will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; and he will live to the east of all his brothers.”
More than two thousand years after Moses wrote the Book of Genesis which records YHVH Elohim initiating a covenant with Abraham (the Abrahamic Covenant) and then conferring the birthright and covental blessings upon Isaac, Abraham’s son, Mohammed, the founder of Islam, changed the story. Mohammed twisted the biblical account of Abraham’s giving the birthright blessing to Isaac and believe instead that Ishmael, Abraham’s son through Hagar, his concubine, was the promised son of blessing. Both Israelites and Arabs, therefore, believe that they have a right to the Promised Land of Canaan, and, hence, this disagreement is at the roots of the modern Arab-Israeli conflict.
Scripture further records that Esau, the disinherited son of Isaac, also had a jealous anger against his brother Jacob, who received the Abrahamaic, covenantal birthright promise instead of him. Scripture further records that Esau married the daughter of Ishmael (Gen 28:9). Thus in some of Esau’s descendants (he had more than one wife), the lineage of Esau and Ishmael were combined and both men had a jealous feud with the sons of Jacob, which has been passed down generationally to this day.
The Bible has more to say prophetically about the descendants of Edom (another name for Esau, Gen 31:6, 8) than about those of Ishmael. Edom is portrayed as an aggressive and bloodthirsty people who are opposed to Israel at every step. We will discover what Scripture has to say about this below.
In the mean time, let’s take a closer look at Edom or Esau.
Edom (meaning “red”) was Esau’s nickname (see Gen 25:25, 30; 36:1, 8–9, 19, 43).
Esau intermarried with the descendants of Ishmael (Gen 28:9).
Seir is another name for the land of Edom (Gen 32:3; 33:16; 36:8) which was historically located SE of the Dead Sea in what is now located in modern Jordan. Eventually, the Edomites were forced out of that area and moved westward into the area of southern Israel west of the Dead Sea. In the time of the Romans, this area was known as Idumea and overlapped into the modern area known today as the Gaza Strip. Thus, it is likely that some modern day Gazans, including the terrorist group Hamas, may be ancient descendents of Edom. If so, this may explain in part their murderous hatred for Israel and the Jews.
Esau intermarried with the people of Canaan (Gen 36:2). He intermarried with the Hittites, the Hivites, as well as the Ishmaelites.
His descendants included the Amalekites (Gen 36:12, 16), who fought against the children of Israel upon leaving Egypt and as soon as they entered the wilderness en route to the Promised Land (Exod 17:1).
Esau’s sons were dukes or chieftains (leaders of clans) and kings (Gen 36:15–16, 40–43).
Although Esau’s direct lineage was confined to the area of the traditional land of Edom, in modern-day Jordan, it is clear from the biblical record that he and his descendants intermarried with many of the neighboring nations, so that his descendants were scattered far and wide over the region that later became known as the Holy Land.
The entire one-chapter Book of Obadiahis a prophecy against Edom. Let’s note several key points in this prophecy that might help us to understand some things about Edom in light of end-time Bible prophecy and how this relates to the end-times Arab-Israeli conflict. When you think of Edom, think of the modern day Palestinians.
The Book of Obadiah has more to say about Edom:
Obadiah 1:2, The descendants of Edom are greatly despised (or scorned, held in contempt, disdained).
Obadiah 1:3, Though they dwell in the clefts (places of concealment, retreats) of the rocks, they are proud and view themselves as invincible.
Obadiah 1:4, YHVH promises to bring Edom down.
Obadiah 1:7, Esau has a confederacy (league, alliance) of nations, which include many of the modern Moslem and Arab nations.
Obadiah 1:11, Edom’s eyes are on Jerusalem. Edom, along with other foreign enemies of Israel, will cast lots for Jerusalem (seek to divide it among the nations or religions of the world as an international city under the control of the United Nations?).
Obadiah 1:13, Edom has entered into the gates of the land of Israel in the day of her calamity or disaster.
Obadiah 1:14, Edom will kill Jewish refugees trying to escape the land of Israel in her time of distress.
Obadiah 1:15, The time frame of the fulfillment of these prophecies is “near” the day of YHVH, when he will judge Edom and the other heathen nations.
Obadiah 1:16, Edom will be drinking (celebrating?) on the Temple Mount which is YHVH’s “holy mountain,” and as a result, they shall drink the cup of YHVH’s wrath.
Obadiah 1:17, The house of Jacob will eventually get the Temple Mount back!
When we read the Book of Obadiah, we see a graphic, prophetic descriptions of the modern Palestinian and other Islamo-terrorists who hate Israel, the Jews as well as Christians.
The Bible has much to say about who Jacob and his descendents represents in end-time prophecy. Now we also see who Jacob’s descendants’ arch-enemy will be, and who will attempt to prevent both the Jews and Christians from returning to the land of Israel in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. The return of the scattered descendents of Jacob (modern Jews and Christians) will begin to happen in the end times before the coming of the Messiah and continue after his return. The Bible is clear on this as we have written about elsewhere
As we noted, Edom’s hatred for Israel has its roots in the antagonism between Ishmael and Isaac, and then afterwards between Esau and Jacob. The hatred that Esau had for Israel has been passed on down to successive generations of Edomites. The biblical prophets discusses this murderous antagonism on Edom’s part as being carried down generation to generation to the very end times. Let’s review some of other biblical prophecies in this regard.
Ezekiel 36 speaks about the conflict between end-time Edom and end-time Israel. In verse two, we see that the enemies of Israel have regarded the “ancient high [or declared, promised] places” of Israel as “ours in possession.” This is a clear reference to the holy places in Israel (e.g., the Temple Mount for the Jews and Bethlehem and Nazareth for the Christians—only in recent years have the Palestinians taken Bethlehem and forced—out of persecution and intimidation—the majority of the large Christian population of that city to leave). “High places” can also refer to the militarily strategic high places such as the Golan Heights and the ridges surrounding the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Next, let’s look at Ezekiel 35, which is a prophecy against Edom. In verses four through five, we see that end-time Edom will be devastated because of its perpetual hatred for the children of Israel. They have killed their enemies by the power of the sword. This is how Muslim’s have traditionally spread their religion—by their curved scimitar sword which is displayed prominently on the flag of Saudi Arabia to this day. Historically, advancing Moslem armies would force their captives to leave, covert or die. According to verse five, this will be occurring at the time of the punishment (of the children of Israel?) at the time of the end (NAS) or the end of time (lit. Hebrew). This is another example of YHVH’s using Edom (Esau) to bring Ephraim and Judah to its knees and to repentance in the time of the end.
In verses six through nine of the same chapter, we see that YHVH will punish Edom for its blood-thirstiness against Israel and will devastate its cities and slay large numbers of its people. Other biblical prophecies indicate that the militaries of Judah and Ephraim will be the means by which YHVH accomplishes this.
Finally, in Ezekiel 35:10, Edom (Islam) wants to take over or possess the two countries or lands (Heb. eretz) of Israel or those of Judah and Ephraim (or the Jews and Christians), even though YHVH was there (in the lands of his people). Their anger and hatred against Israel is based on envy or jealousy (verse 11) of Israel.
The Koran, the religious book of Islam, has taken the historic and prophesied hatred of Edom and formed a religion around it. The Koran was written by Mohammed, a Jew and Christian hater, more than one thousand years after the prophecies of Ezekiel and Obadiah. Here are some quotes from the Koran that confirm the prophecies of the Bible with regard to Edom.
Make war upon those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in God [Allah]…and who forbid not that which God and His Apostle [Mohammed] have forbidden, and who profess not the profession of the truth, until they pay tribute out of hand, and they be humbled. The Jews say, “Ezra is a son of God”; and the Christians say, “The Messiah is a son of God.” Such sayings in their mouths. They resemble the sayings of the infidels of old! God do battle with them! How they are misguided! (Sura 9:29–30)
When thy Lord spake unto the angels, “I will be with you: therefore stablish ye the faithful I will cast a dread into the heart of the infidels.” Strike off their heads then, and strike off from them every finger-tip. (Sura 8:12)
“O people of the Book!…Can I announce to you any retribution worse than that which awaiteth them with God? They whom God hath cursed and with whom He hath been angry—some of them hath he changed into apes and swine; and they who worship Thagout are in evil plight, and have gone far astray from the right path. (Sura 5:64–65)
Only recompense of those who war against God and His Apostle, and go about to commit disorders on the earth, shall be that they shall be slain and crucified, or have their alternate hands and feet cut off, or be banished from the land…(Sura 5:37)
Genesis 25:32,I am about to die. The implication here is not that Esau was about to die of hunger, but that he would die before seeing the fulfillment of the promises YHVH had made to Isaac and Abraham regarding possessing the land of Canaan. Remember that YHVH had told Abraham that it would be four hundred years before his descendents would inherit the land of Canaan (Gen 15:13), since “the sins of the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (Gen 15:16). So what good would his birthright be? He would see no material gain from this land inheritance in his lifetime.
Actually Esau was right—but only in the short term perspective; however, he was totally wrong in the long term perspective! Esau was only motivated by temporal and material gain, not spiritual, future rewards, which are possessed by faith, not by sight (Heb 11:1–2, 8–10, 39–40). Sadly, the vast majority of people on earth to this day operate under this shortsighted mentality.
Esau was a profane and secular man, and the Spirit and character of YHVH strive against and loathe such individuals (Mal 1:3; Rom 9:13), who prefer the present secular and sensual pleasures over pleasing YHVH. In reality, their god is their belly and they mind earthly things (Phil 3:19). This was the state of the Laodicean believers in Revelation 3:14–22.
Pause now and reflect. Do not pass over these admonitions lightly. Search your heart for the areas where you put the secular, material and sensual above YHVH, and then repent of faithlessness. Ask the Spirit of YHVH to open your eyes to the blind areas in your life and help you to acquire a more heavenly-mindless focus.
Genesis 26
Genesis 26:1–29,There was a famine in the land. At the well of Lachai-roi (or “the well of the Living One seeing me,” Gen 24:62), Isaac was fruitful. There he met his wife while in communion with YHVH (Gen 24:62–64). Isaac also dwelt in that area for 20 years, and there he entreated YHVH because of Rebekah’s barrenness (Gen 25:21), and YHVH answered Isaac’s prayer and Rebekah gave birth to twins (Gen 25:22).
But because of famine in the land, Isaac felt compelled to leave Canaan to seek relief in Egypt following the earlier footsteps of his father, Abraham. At this point, we must ask ourselves whether it is wise for the saints to rely on “Egypt” (a metaphor for the world) for their physical sustenance instead of trusting YHVH and believing that where he has planted us and blessed us is where we should stay? One needs to answer this question carefully and then and only then follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Evidently, YHVH didn’t want Isaac to go down to Egpty, for while en route to that land, he graciously redirected Isaac stay in Canaan and to sojourn in Gerar (temporarily), where he would continue to bless him and his posterity (Gen 26:2–4).
Isaac obeyed YHVH—more or less. Isaac ended up in Gerar located on the border between Canaan and Egypt and dwelt there a long time but not temporarily as YHVH had instructed him (Gen 26:6, 8). Instead of fully obeying YHVH, it was as if Isaac was hedging his bet between faith and fear, between Canaan, the land of promise, and Egypt, the land of comfort for the flesh man. How often do we vacillate between two opinions and then compromise between YHVH’s will and our own in matters where he has given us clear direction?
This place of spiritual indecision and weakness put Isaac in a compromising situation (Gen 26:7). He felt compelled to lie about his wife, thus repeating the sin of his father (Gen 20:1–2). Compromised obedience puts us in compromising situations where in order to “save our skin” we often have to compromise our moral values.
Though Isaac was not in YHVH’s perfect will, YHVH was still faithful to keep his promises that he had made to Isaac earlier (Gen 26:3–4). Isaac was blessed one hundred fold in his wealth (Gen 26:12–14).
Despite YHVH’s blessings, Isaac’s labors were not without difficulty and opposition from an enemy who was intent upon stealing the water wells that were rightfully his (Gen 26:12–15).
In the arid regions of the Holy Land, wells are essential for survival and prosperity. Wells are often a biblical metaphor for salvation, life, abundance and truth—things the enemy is intent on taking from YHVH’s servants (in this light, consider Isa 12:3; 55:1–3; Ps 36:9; John 4:7–14; 7:37–39; 10:10). Do not let the enemy steal from you that which YHVH has given to you.
Genesis 26:2–5,YHVH appeared to him. Like his father Abraham, Isaac was also a prophet in that YHVH spoke directly to him giving him instructions on what to do, where to go and revelation about what was to occur in the future.
Genesis 26:5,Because. (See notes at Gen 18:19.) Based on Paul’s teaching in Romans chapter four, we see that the Abrahamic Covenant is the model for salvation, which can be tersely stated as “salvation is by grace through faith leading to or resulting in good works or righteousness” (Eph 2:8–10). From this verse, it might appear that the Abrahamic Covenant was not a faith-based covenant at all, but a works based one. In other words, Abraham had to do something to be counted righteous or to come into good standing with Elohim—a concept which is commonly referred to as “earning one’s salvation through one’s good works.” The fact is that in the Abrahamic Covenant, Abraham only had to have faith and believe in YHVH to be justified or to be considered righteous by Elohim (Gen 15:6). It was on this basis that YHVH granted him “salvation.” But this initial step of faith on Abraham’s part and the righteousness Elohim attributed to him was but the first step in Abraham’s faith walk. From that point forward, he had to walk out his faith and continue trusting YHVH (see also Gen 19:5). The apostolic writers present the truth that the steps one takes while coming into a relationship with Elohim is a journey comprised of many steps, not a one time event that occurs at the beginning of that walk. Our faith-walk is more than just mental assent with a few emotion experiences thrown in for good measure. It is more than just following the golden rule about loving our neighbor in some nebulous sort of way. It involves faithfulness to YHVH’s instructions. James clearly states in his epistle that this is how one demonstrates the legitimacy of one’s faith when he declares that faith without works is dead (Jas 2:18, 20, 26; see vv. 12–26 for context). Abraham demonstrated his faithfulness by his obedience to YHVH’s Torah or YHVH’s Word or voice. Furthermore, as a result of this obedience, YHVH promised to bless him beyond simply being granted initial salvation or righteousness. This two-step approach or model still holds true in the Testimony of Yeshua. One is saved or delivered from the wages of their past sin (Rom 3:25), which is death (Rom 6:23), by their faith (or initial salvation), and then one ceases from that sin by continuing in the good works of Torah obedience (Eph 2:8–10). Moreover, Yeshua and the apostolic writers in numerous instances reveal that future rewards (both temporal and eternal rewards) come as a result of one’s good works (e.g., Matt 5:19). The ultimate reward and the outworking of one’s faith walk is being granted eternal life and inclusion in the family of Elohim.
Abraham obeyed [Heb. shema] my voice [Heb. kol], and kept [also: observe, preserve, guard; shamar, RNA] my charge [Heb. mishmereth], my commandments [Heb. mitzvot] my statutes [Heb. chuqqah], and my laws [Heb. toroti]. Some Bible teachers incorrectly state that the Torah-law does not predate Moses. Not only does this verse disprove this false notion, but it also shows that Abraham kept the Torah-law of Elohim. In a Hebrew lexicon or word dictionary, look up each of these words and study their meanings and how they are used contextually in the Scriptures. One will discover that the Torah is much more than just a set of dos and don’ts. Rather it reflects the very heart, character and righteousness of YHVH, who invites humans to take the requisite steps in coming into an eternal relationship with him by becoming like him through adherence to these high moral and spiritual standards. In a sense, the Torah is like a pathway or ladder to heaven, and Yeshua, who is the Living Torah-Word of Elohim (John 1:1, 14) is that ladder to the Father in heaven (John 1:51 cp. Gen 28:12; John 14:4).
My voice. This verse equates the voice of Elohim with his Torah commands. To obey the voice of Elohim is to obey his Torah instructions. The voice and Torah of Elohim are two ways of saying the same thing. YHVH’s servants were obeying his voice, the Torah, long before it was written down by Moses.
My laws [Torah]. The word Torah here is in the plural. The ancient Jewish sages teach that this is speaking of both the written and oral Torahs (the latter being Jewish oral tradition which then became the Talmud in the early part of the common era). Since Yeshua questioned the validity of the “tradition of the elders” (Mark 7:3, 5; Matt 15:2 also Matt 7:6; Mark 7:13), which was another name for the Jew’s oral Torah (which later became known much later as the Talmud), so should we not do the same? Instead of being a prophetic reference to the Talmud (which contains many Jewish fables and traditions that, in reality, violate the Written Torah [see Matt 15:6; Mark 7:7–13]), it is more likely that Moses (the author of Genesis), when using the plural form of the word Torah, was referring to the various subdivisions of the overall Torah contained in the first five books of the Bible. These subdivisions or aspects of the Torah (like facets of a diamond) could include historical narrative, prophecy, the universal principles or commandments of the Torah that are applicable to all men for all time, specific commandments that applied to Israel before the cross (e.g., the Levitical and sacrificial systems), and to the Torah that was given to Moses and was written down into a codified form (like a nation’s constitution) for the governing of the nation of Israel and was referred to in the Gospels as “the law of Moses.”
The primary meaning of the word Torah, according to TheTheological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) is “teaching”(and not “law”). Strong’s Concordance lists the meaning of Torah in this order: “a precept, a statute.” The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon defines Torah as “direction, instruction, law”(in that order). According to Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the word torah primarily signifies “direction, teaching, instruction” (Prov 13:14). It is derived from the verb yarah [VRH] [meaning] “to project, point out” and hence to point out or teach. The law of Elohim is that which points out or indicates his will to man. Seen against its background of the verb yarah, it becomes clear that Torah is much more than law or a set of rules. Torah is not restriction or hindrance, but instead the means whereby one can reach a goal or ideal.
TheTWOT similarly states,
The word Torah basically means “teaching” whether it is the wise man instructing his son or [Elohim] instructing Israel. The wise give insight into all aspects of life so that the young may know how to conduct themselves and to live a long blessed life (Prov 3:1f). So too [Elohim], motivated by love, reveals to man basic insights into how to live with each other and how to approach [Elohim]. Through the law [Elohim] shows his interest in all aspects of man’s life which is to be lived under his direction and care. Law of [Elohim] stands parallel to [the] word of [YHVH] to signify that law is the revelation of [Elohim’s] will (e.g., Isa 1:10).
As already noted, the word Torah originates from the root word yarah/VRH, which means “to flow as water, to lay or throw as in shooting an arrow; to point out as if aiming the finger to make a point, to teach.” Another cognate (related word) of the word Torah is the Hebrew word moreh, which means “teacher or archer (as in one who shoots at a target).” Moreh derives from the same Hebrew root word, yarah,as does Torah. Therefore, when one is walking according to the Torah of YHVH Elohim, one is walking in the light of YHVH’s truth, which is hitting the mark of righteousness. Likewise, YHVH’s teachings or instructions are a river of life flowing from his throne aimed at hitting the mark of truth and righteousness. By contrast, the Hebrew word for sin is chata which means “to miss the mark,” i.e., transgressing the Torah as 1 John 3:4 states, “Sin is the transgression of the Torah.”
Genesis 26:8, Sporting. This Hebrew word means “playing, laughing, being joyful with.” Marriage is a blessing from Elohim that should involve couples relishing each other’s company while joyfully laughing and playing together.
Genesis 26:9–10, Then Abimelech called. It is a sad affair when the heathen have a higher standard of integrity than the righteous and have to take the righteous to task for their falling short ethically as Abimelech did with Isaac. When this occurs, this ruins any positive witness a righteous person may have had in the eyes the heathen.
Genesis 26:17–22, And Isaac departed. To avoid potential conflict with his envious heathen neighbors (v. 14), Isaac the peacemaking, Elohim-fearing man, turned the other cheek and removed himself from the area of disputation. Even afterwards, the covetous Philistines kept stealing the wells that Isaac or his father, had dug. Even though Isaac was mightier than the Philistines according to their own king (v. 16), and likely could have defended the wells militarily, he chose to suffer lose and walk away. This is in line with the teachings of Yeshua, who instructed his disciples to love one’s enemies, to pray for them, to agree with one’s adversary when possible, to bless those that curse you and even, at times, to let others defraud you of your possessions (Matt 6:38–48). Similarly, the wise Solomon taught that there is a time to make war and to make peace (Eccl 3:8) with that latter, according to Yeshua, being the preferable option, if possible, in most cases.
Genesis 26:18–22, And Isaac dug again. Isaac redug the wells that belonged to his father in the land YHVH promised to him, yet the heathens opposed him and stole from him what was rightfully his. The wells’ names were Contention and Strife. How easy it is to allow fleshly or demonically motivated people to oppose and deter us from our divine destiny. What was Isaac’s response? He took the high road of peace refusing to be embroiled in carnal battles. His faith in YHVH was undaunted and at the third well he found, which he named spaciousness (Heb. Rehoboth) and contained a vast supply of water. Are you striving and contending with the spiritual Philistines in your life? Are they keeping you from moving onward spiritually into a place of fruitfulness where the river of life from YHVH’s throne flows? Following the example of Isaac, let’s learn to choose your battles carefully. It is not necessary to engage the enemy at every point of conflict. Sometimes we need to walk away. There is a time to walk away and a time to fight. A wise person will be led by the Spirit of Elohim as to the right course of action in any given situation. When you choose to fight, let YHVH fight your battles and you will progress onward and upward in your faith-walk.
Genesis 26:23–25, He went up…to Beersheba. Beersheba is some 30 miles SSE of Gerar. Isaac, tired of conflict with the heathens, removed himself completely out of the area. Upon retracing the steps of his father, Abraham, back into the land of promise in redigging the ancient wells ending up in Beer-sheba (Heb. “well of the covenant or seven-fold oath”), YHVH blessed Isaac with shalom. The moment Isaac returned back to the heart of Canaan—the future Promised Land, the heart and center of YHVH’s will for his life, what happened? YHVH began speaking to Isaac again (v. 24) as he had earlier (v. 4). Is YHVH calling you back to the ancient wells of your salvation? Similarly, YHVH is calling many of his end time people to retrace the steps of our father Abraham, the father of faith, to return to the ancient paths where a special blessing awaits us. (Read Mal 4:4–6 and Jer 6:16, 19; 18:15.)
Genesis 26:28, A covenant. This was, in effect, a military peace treaty or a nonaggression pact between two nations. The fear of YHVH was upon the enemies of Isaac.
Genesis 26:31, Peace. The Hebrew word shalom, which is here spelled in the undiminished manner containing the letter vav, suggests a deeper, lasting and more complete peace that comes from heaven. Now Isaac was a consummate peacemaker, who not only agreed with his adversaries, but in so doing, gained the favor of Elohim (Matt 5:22–25), and consequently obtained the peace from above that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:17).
Genesis 26:34–35, Esau…took…the daughter of…the Hittite. At an early age, Esau evidenced his carnal and worldly proclivities in the fact that he despised the things of Elohim including his own spiritual heritage and birthright. His carnal demeanor to satisfy his fleshly desires manifested itself in his taking ungoldy, heathen wives, which was a sore grief to his righteous parents. All godly parent want their children to walk in the paths of righteousness, and when they do not, it brings them grief. Sadly, even though YHVH’s blessings and provision was evident in the lives of Esau’s parents, and such could have been his as well, Esau was so carnally bent, so drawn into the allurements of the secular world around him, that he rejected his spiritual heritage and upbringing and chose the ways of world instead.
Genesis 27
Genesis 27:1–32, Rebekah and Jacob’s scheming. How often do we take matters into our own hands to “help” YHVH out in fulfilling his promises for our life. This is what Rebekah and Jacob did. Where is the faith in that? (Read Psalm 37:3–7, 23–24, 34.) We all have the natural tendency to what to take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on YHVH. There are numerous scriptures that admonish the saint to wait on YHVH to work out his plans in our lives in his own timing (e.g., Ps 25:3, 5, 21; 27:14; 37:34; 59:9; 62:5; 69:6; 130:5; Prov 20:22; Isa 40:31). In the waiting, patience and trusting faith in YHVH and his timing is developed in the life of the saint. Analyze the actions of your life on the basis of these words. Consider the following concepts of faith:
Dynamic or Active Faith: A person with this kind of faith knows when to move ahead and when to wait.
Passive or Inactive Faith: A person with this kind of faith never moves, but tends to sits idly by waiting for things just to happen on their own.
Presumptuous or Impetuous Faith: A person with this kind of faith always moves and never waits.
Jacob and Rebekah demonstrated presumptuous or impetuous faith when engineering the acquisition of the birthright instead of waiting for YHVH to change Jacob’s heart on the matter. What kind of faith do you have?
Genesis 27:4,Make me savory food. Sometimes when a person is of extreme age and is, to one degree or another, physically incapacitated from performing the functions of a normal life that produce pleasure and fulfillment, eating becomes a high point of their daily life because of the immediate pleasure it brings. Think “comfort food.” Perhaps this was the case with Isaac. As such, the simple act of the consumption of food can even overshadow one’s spiritual walk. An older person must guard against this and maintain their spiritual relationship with and focus on Elohim to the very end as best they can.
Genesis 27:13,Upon me be your curse. Evidently, the ancient Hebrews placed great significance upon the power of the blessing and the curse spoken by a person of authority over his subordinates (Gen 27:33). We also see this in the conveyance or invocation of the Aaronic Benediction by the priests upon the people (Num 6:22–27). On the other hand, we see the Jewish leaders invoking a curse upon the Jewish people over their allowing the Romans to crucify Yeshua (Matt 27:25). In some regards, it seems that the Jewish people have been under a curse to this day in light of the continual cycles of anti-Semitism that have occurred down through the millennia.
Genesis 27:28,Fatness. Heb. shaman means “oil.”
Genesis 27:40,By the sword you shall live. Compare this verse with the description of Ishmael in Genesis 16:12. In Genesis 28:9 Esau married the daughter of Ishmael thus uniting these two family lines from which many of the present-day Arabic and Middle Eastern inhabitants descend. Look at these two verses and compare the character traits of Esau listed there with those of the Palestinians who live to kill the Jews and to destroy the nation of Israel today. The roots of today’s hatred among these people largely originate in the jealousy and rivalry that existed between Jacob and Esau.
Jacob’s prophecy over Esau contains another curios piece of information. What is the traditional weapon that comes to mind when thinking of Arabs and Bedouin type people of the Middle East? Of course, it is the curved scimitar sword that appears on the flag of Saudi Arabia to this day, which contains within its current borders the ancient territory of Edom.
Genesis 27:41,Esua hated Jacob.This reveals the murderous heart of Edom, which continues to this day among Esua’s descendants in their attitude toward the Israeli Jews.
Genesis 28
Genesis 28:1–2, Then Isaac called Jacob. By this time, it appears that Isaac had had a change of heart concerning Jacob. He was no longer angry with Rebekah and Jacob for their scheming; rather; he had and accepted the fact that his younger son was YHVH’s choice to carry on patriarchal lineage and covenant. This change of mind was no doubt due to Rebekah’s positive influence on Jacob in helping him to determine Elohim’s will. The power and influence of a godly and righteous woman on a man’s life for good is not to be underestimated. Conversely, the negative influence on a man’s life of an ungodly, carnally motivated woman can be devastating and debilitating.
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. (Prov 21:19)
Genesis 28:5, Isaac sent Jacob away. Jacob paid a hard price for his trickery and deceit. YHVH did not let him off the proverbial hook easily. Jacob received none of the material inheritance blessings of Isaac, but had to start over from zero building his personal fortune under Laban, who was a taskmaster and a deceiver himself. After twenty years of toiling under and enduring the scheming of his uncle, Jacob came out a humbled and changed man. Are you presently paying a dear price for your past mistakes? Are you “taking your medicine” and learning your lessons well so that YHVH can mature and bless you in the end?
Genesis 28:8,Esau saw. Esau was simply a man-pleaser, not an Elohim-pleaser. He cared nothing for the things of Elohim. What’s more, he cared only what is parents thought because of the blessing that he thought in so doing might confer on him. He had a “What’s in it for me mentality.” He was totally a carnally minded man. In the end, due to his being short sighted and living for the moment, he gained much material substance but lost his soul and his eternal inheritance.
Genesis 23:2, Sarah died…in Hebron.See notes at Genesis 22:19.
And to weep for her. The small letter kaf in v’liv-kotah indicates that Abraham’s expression of grief was constrained. The righteous person knows that there is an afterlife; death is only a temporary separation, and he does not give way to excessive sadness. The small kaf teaches us that Abraham did not parade his grief, but bore his pain in his heart, not in public. (Munk, p. 137; The ArtScroll Series Interlinear Chumash—Bereishis/Genesis, p. 116). The Tikkun (p. 47) gives a completely different explanation for the small kaf. Thus, this calls into questions the validity of rabbinic speculation in these matters.
Genesis 23:3, Abraham stood up. In the face of an extreme trial—the death of Sarah—Abraham stood up to bury his dead. This is even in face of the fact that Abraham and Sarah seemed to have been estranged and living in separate towns since the akeidah. At the same time, rather than remaining incapacitated by his grief, he rose up as a mighty man and dutifully took care of business and buried his dead.
Genesis 23:3ff, I am a foreigner. According to the covenantal promises of YHVH, Abraham was the rightful owner of the land of Canaan, not the children of Heth (the Hittites), yet how did Abraham treat the ruling Canaanite “squatters?” He refrained himself from treating his rivals with impudence and arrogance but treated them with honor and respect. How does Scripture enjoin us to treat human authorities? Can we respect their positions of authority without flattering them or condoning their wickedness? Ponder the demeanor of other biblical personages in their dealings with earthly, pagan authorities: Moses, Nehemiah, Daniel, Yeshua, and Paul for example.
Genesis 23:15, Four hundred shekels of silver. Abraham paid a full and possibly even an inflated price for the cave of Machpelah without balking. In so doing, he maintained a good reputation among the heathen. Matthew Henry in his commentary on this passage states, “The religion of the Bible enjoins [us] to pay due respect to all in authority, without flattering their persons, or countenancing their crimes if they are unworthy characters.” The righteous must maintain a good reputation with those who are outside the spiritual body of the redeemed believers (1 Tim 3:7) by treating them with honor and respect, especially those in our community and place of work.
Genesis 24
Genesis 24:2, So Abraham said. In appointing Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac, Abraham was deputizing him to become the friend of the bridegroom, or the family representative in this important mission. (For more on this subject, see notes at John 3:29.)
Genesis 24:2, 9, Put your hand under my thigh. (Heb. yarek; see also Gen 47:29) Abraham’s servant literally placed his hands over Abraham’s testicles thus swearing an oath on Abraham’s projected progeny, even as in modern times we place our hands on the Bible. Interestingly, the word testicle or teste derives from the Latin words testis meaning “testimony, testify and testament.” Yarek is the same word the KJV translates “hollow of his thigh” in Genesis 32:25 and 32, although, in this case, it seems to be referring to the tendon of the hip.
What Abraham had his servant do seems a bit indiscreet if not lewd in our culture, yet this was obviously an accepted custom in this ancient society.
The fact is that the Hebrews were an earthy, simple and basic people in their day-to-day life; they were without pretenses or veneers in their day-to-day interactions. Yet in their understanding of and walk with Elohim, they were deep and had a broad understanding as evidenced through the pages of the Bible. Moreover, because they had the Torah, they were much wiser and at a higher level spiritually than the nations around them who had rejected Elohim and who, instead, worshipped sticks, rocks, trees, idols and demons resulting in all sorts of idolatrous and licentious perversions. Paul talks about this in Romans 1:18–32.
What is the take away here?
The Psalms in a couple of places tells us that the fool has said in his heart that there is no God (Elohim) (Pss 14:1; 53:1). As highly developed and advanced intellectually and technologically as our modern society may be, most of the intelligentsia and erudite of our day are a bunch of educated idiots or fools, who deny the existence of Elohim, while they mock the Bible. Instead, most them, being the highly rationalistic and materialistic people that they are, they worship their own minds, their own bodies and other material things all of which, by biblical definition, are idols. Moreover, they believe in unproven theories or mythologies like macro-evolution and they predict the end of the world in a few decades due to global warming or climate change. Like the ancients, many of them worship the same demons and sacrifice their children to the same demon gods (called abortion) as their ancient Baal and Moloch worshiping predecessors.
While the ancient Hebrews may have seemed like a rather “crude,” definitely earthy and a bit indecent race in some of their cultural practices, they were nevertheless a people who knew Elohim and obeyed him, had a deep knowledge of spiritual matters, and possessed wisdom and understanding of life issues. This is in stark contadistinction to many high-minded intellects, who in all of their erudition have totally missed Elohim and in reality still worship sticks, stones, trees and material objects (e.g., homes, money, boats, cars, art objects, political power, education, their bodies), and believe in mythologies (e.g., evolution and Marxism) rather than the Truth of YHVH Elohim of the Bible.
The example of Paul the apostle comes to mind, who wrote the following words some 2,000 years after the time of Abraham (in reality, things hadn’t changed much from Abraham to Paul, and they have not changed much from Paul till now either, for human nature remains the same):
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wide, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where the wise? Where the scribe? Where the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in YHVH.” (1 Cor 1:18–31. emphasis added)
In light of what the Bible, the Word of Elohim, has to say on this subject, being a “fool” for YHVH Elohim-Yeshua far outweighs in value to being “wise” in the eyes of this world!
Genesis 24:4, Take a wife for my son Isaac. Some Bible students see in Abraham’s sending Eliezer his servant as an allegory of our Heavenly Father choosing a bride for Yeshua, his Son with the help of the Holy Spirit. The analogy goes like this: When speaking to Abraham, YHVH refers to Isaac as “your only son…whom you love” (Gen 22:2). In this statement, it is hard to miss the similarity with the well-known John 3:16 passage where Yeshua refers to himself as the only begotten Son whom his Father in heaven loves. Isaac is an obvious prophetic picture of Yeshua in that Abraham sacrificed a ram in place of his only son whom he loved on the very spot where, one thousand years later, the Temple of Solomon would be built and where sacrifices were made to atone for men’s sin.
Moreover, this is the same spot later in biblical history where Yeshua himself was condemned to death and not far from there became the Lamb of Elohim who was sacrificed to atone for men’s sins.
What is even more amazing is that the name Eliezer means “my El helps,” which many biblical students see as an allusion to the Holy Spirit who helps or comforts us, and to which Yeshua refers to as the Comforter or Helper (e.g., John 14:16). It is the Holy Spirit that is choosing and preparing a bride from among called and redeemed Israelites for Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of Elohim.
Genesis 24:6, 8,Beware [Heb. shamar] that you bring not my son there again. Why was Abraham insistent that Isaac not be exposed to Babylon? What was there to beware of (shamar/RNA)? The Hebrew word shamar means “to guard against, protect from, keep watch and ward, preserve, keep oneself from.” The answer is found in verse seven.
YHVH Elohim of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, “To your descendants I give this land,” He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
This teach us much about protecting our children and loved ones from the corrupting influences of this world. We must be ever vigilant like a soldier on guard duty to preserve and protect our children (or those under our spiritual care) from those things that could lead to their spiritual ruination. It is our divinely mandated duty to show them a better path and to teach them diligently in the way they should go (Deut 6:6) that leads to life and not death (Deut 30:15–16, 19–20).
Had Abraham allowed Isaac to return to Babylon with Eliezer, this country boy might have been tempted to remain there due to the alluring appeal of the wealth, worldly influences and cosmopolitan glamor of city life. Had Isaac remained in Babylon, then YHVH’s plan for Abraham’s descendents would have been totally thwarted. Abraham in his wisdom was looking out for the spiritual destiny of his son and protecting him from any outside influences that may have sidetracked him from YHVH’s perfect will. Abraham was exercising wisdom on Isaac’s behalf in that he in his wisdom and understanding was able to see the future in ways that a young man is not able to see due to a paucity of life experience and understanding resulting therefrom.
YHVH had led Abraham out of the spiritual filth of Babylon. In no way did he want Isaac to go back to what he had left behind. If Isaac had seen the prosperity and convenience of a Babylonian lifestyle, he might have been tempted to stay there—especially if he had found a wife in that place.
Abraham insisted that any potential mate leave Babylon and come to Isaac and not vice versa. Only a wife was willing to leave Babylon would be a suitable matriarchal soul mate to Isaac and to accompany in fulfilling his divine destiny.
Are we investing the necessary time and energy into our children to insure that they do not return to the spiritual Babylon from which we fled prior to our becoming followers of Yeshua? Are we guiding them in finding spouses who are willing to leave spiritual Babylon and to become disciples of Yeshua?
Genesis 24:12, Give me success. Scripture directs us to, “Trust in YHVH with all your heart and lean not unto your own understandings, but in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths” (Prov 3:5–6). Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, was a man of prayer who sought guidance from heaven in fulfilling his mission in finding a wife for Isaac.
Abraham was a man of faith—even the father of the faithful (Rom 4:12, 16). Eliezer was likewise a man of faith. Abraham had taught him well, just like a son.
How does Eliezer evidence faith? Simply this. He blesses Rebekah even before he knows who she really is (Gen 24:22) all on the basis of an answered prayer.
Do we walk in such trusting faith, day-by-day, moment-by-moment? Are we teaching the little ones under our charge these same attributes as Abraham had taught his dependents?
Genesis 24:14,Let it come pass. Here Eliezer asks for a sign from heaven. It is not wrong to ask for a sign from Elohim as one is endeavoring to fulfill his will and stay on the right track spiritually. However, when men test Elohim, seek signs out of doubt and unbelief with little desire to obey him, the Yeshua’s statement is applicable in this case: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign,” (Matt 12:39).
Genesis 24:17–18,Let me drink. See notes at Mark 9:41.
Genesis 24:30,When he saw. Laban’s preoccupation with materialism (a typical trait of those who are caught up in Babylonian or worldly mores) would dominate his life for many years to come as the story of Jacob’s dealings with him would later prove. This teaches us that the character traits one manifests as a child or youth are often precursors and indicators showing us how a person will act later on whether good or bad. In Laban’s case, he was greedy and covetous as a youth and also as an older man.
Genesis 24:45,Speaking in my heart. Obviously, Eliezer was in constant communications with YHVH through prayer. Is this not a character trait of a righteous person? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to pray without ceasing. In Luke 18:1–7, Yeshua teaches about the benefits of righteous and prevailing prayer. How often do you pray? Once a day? When you pray, is it merely a morning and/or evening ritual that leaves your soul (mind, will and emotions) untouched and unchanged? Is this the kind of relationship the Father is seeking with you? A mighty man of Elohim when asked the question, “How long do you pray each day?” He replied, “Seldom do I pray more than one-half hour, but seldom do I go more than a half hour without praying.” Could this be said of you?
Genesis 24:53, Then the servant brought out jewelry. Here Eliezer is presenting Rachel’s family with a dowry. What was the purpose of the dowry? In ancient times, a family’s efficiency and work force was diminished when losing a daughter to marriage. The dowry compensated the family for the loss of a worker. Often unmarried daughters not only fetched water from the well, but would also tend the father’s flock (Gen 29:6; Exod 2:16), tend to household chores or work in the fields (Manners and Customs, pp. 127–128). Additionally, the father was expected to give part of the dowry to his daughter in case the marriage failed, she would have some financial resources to fall back on. Leah and Rachel complained when their father failed to provide for them thusly (Gen 31:15; ibid., p. 128).
Genesis 24:58, I will go. Rebekah demonstrated unusual faith. She, like her Uncle Abraham and Aunt Sarah before her, was willing to leave the comforts and security of Babylon and to go with a stranger to a strange place and to live as a nomad. When asked, “Will you go with this man?” she replied quickly and to the point, “I will go.” Do you have such unreserved devotion to Yeshua, the Lover of your soul and your Betrothed, that you will go WHEREVER he leads no matter how difficult or uncomfortable the way? Or have you placed restrictions and qualifications on him? Compare your faith on a scale of one to ten with that of Abraham, Eliezer and Rebekah.
Genesis 24:62, The well of Lachai Roi. Isaac was a man of the well, for he is associated with a well eight times (24:62; 25:11; 26:19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 32). Eight is the biblical number of new beginnings. Spiritually, a well represent spiritual life and the number eight signifies new beginnings. When we drink from the well of salvation, new life from within springs forth! (See Isa 12:3 and John 4:7–13.)
The first mention in Scripture of Isaac after he was bound to the altar on Mount Moriah (Gen 22) was that he “came from the way of the well Lachai-roi” (Gen 24:62). If Isaac’s binding to the altar prophetically typified the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Yeshua, and at the next mention of Isaac we find him at the well Lachai-roi (meaning “the Living One who sees me”) what does this spiritually typify? After is resurrection and ascension, Yeshua promised to send the Comforter or Holy Spirit to his disciples (John 16:7). Yeshua likens the same Holy Spirit to water from a well (John 7:37–39), and to the giver of spiritual gifts (Eph 4:9).
Genesis24:63,Went out to meditate.What does this one verse tell us about the kind of man Isaac was? Do you have moments each day where you turn off the world to connect with and listen to YHVH, to reflect before YHVH on the past day, and to meditate, pray and supplicate? Who are other notable biblical personages who would slip away from the press and exigencies of life to spend time alone with their Heavenly Father? If Yeshua came to your mind, you would be correct (Matt 14:23, 26:36; 6:46; Luke 6:12).
Genesis24:67,Isaac brought her. Marriage customs during biblical times in the Near East are in stark contrast to those of our modern, western culture. As Marvin Wilson explains, in biblical times, “couples were expected to grow to love each other after marriage. In the modern West, the emphasis has been more on marrying the person that you love rather than learning to love the one that you marry.” The biblical values relating to marriage are exemplified in this verse where the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah was arranged and they met for the first time on the day of their marriage. As Wilson notes, “the text states that “Isaac brought her into the tent of her his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her.” This verse illustrates the Jewish approach to marriage. Love develops after marriage; it was not a matter of falling in love and then marrying (Our Father Abraham—The Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, p. 202, by Marvin R. Wilson).
As you study the Bible from end to end, and you will discover an amazing fact. The Creator of the universe typically used far from perfect people to accomplish his greatest purposes. Apart from Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), the Son of Elohim, many of the Bible’s characters had undeniable flaws and had committed great sins. This includes Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samson, David, Peter, Paul and the list goes on. Among the might men of God were liars, deceivers, thieves, adulterers, and even murderers. Many had broken families, one was likely divorced, several had multiple marriages, rebellious children, unfaithful wives and on and on. But one thing they all had in common. They were all overcomers, people of faith, and the pressed on in faith with a heart to passionately serve YHVH regardless of their foibles. But the most amazing thing of all is that YHVH used these unlikely, flawed human vessels to change the world for the better! If YHVH could use them, then how can he use you regardless of the mistakes you have made? Be inspired as you watch this video, which is the chronicle of how YHVH used unlikely and flawed humans to accomplish great things for him.
This and other videos by Nathan are available as podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast under “Hoshana Rabbah.”
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