Genesis 12–41 on the Overcoming Faith of the Patriarchs—An Example to Follow
Scripture records that Abraham was the patriarch (literally meaning “the chief father”) of the Hebrew people, and a pillar of faith because of his trust in and obedience to YHVH Elohim. As such, he is often referred to as the Father of the Faithful. But when Elohim first called this man of faith and father of the Israelite people, was he a giant in his faith? Not at all. Yes he had faith, but his faith was imperfect; it had to grow, and it was a process, which we will discuss below.
Abraham’s faith, like the proverbial mustard seed, started out small, but it was still enormous compared to most other people. After all, on a mere promise from Elohim, he uprooted his entire family and travelled on foot hundreds of miles across the dangerous desert and through various countries and encountering many hardships along the way in hopes of a better life. It was if he were moving from New York City to Jawbone Flats, Oregon, a virtual ghost town in the mountains with a population four people! (Note: after more than 100 years, town of Jawbone Flats has since burned down in a tragic forest fire.)
Abraham’s first steps of faith were measured, cautious, incremental and at times hesitant, yet through it all YHVH was gracious because Abraham’s heart was inclined to do his will. Because of Abraham’s faithfulness, YHVH still credited righteousness to his spiritual account (Gen 15:6). Not only that, but he passed his mountain moving, gravity defying faith on to his children and grandchildren and beyond, and this legacy of faith lives on in many of his physical and spiritual descendants to this day.
There is much that we, as the children of Abraham through our faith in Yeshua the Messiah, can learn from this pillar of faith that will strengthen our own faith in YHVH Elohim and his promises.
Now let’s explore the life of Abraham.
Abraham (Abram) and Sarah (Sarai)—The Father and Mother of the Faithful
Genesis 12:1, Get thee out of thy country. Did Abram immediately leave his father’s house and go directly to the country that YHVH would show him, or did he rather take incremental steps in that direction? Actually, Abram first settled in Charan before eventually translocating to Canaan. (Compare Genesis 11:31 with Genesis 12:1.) Charan is located in northern Mesopotamia and is nowhere near Canaan. Not only that, YHVH told Abram to leave his family, but instead he took part of his father’s house with him including his father and nephew. When Abram finally made his way to Canaan minus his father, he still had part of his kindred with him, something YHVH instructed him to leave behind (Gen 12:1). As it ended up, his nephew Lot proved to be a hindrance to Abram in fulfilling YHVH’s mission for his life in the new land. What lessons can we learn from this account?
First, YHVH is gracious to his people even when they fail to obey him completely and immediately. Abram was still taking steps of faith as imperfect as they may have been, and despite this, Scripture still refers to Abraham as the father of the faithful or of faithfulness (Rom 4:12, 16).
Second, Abram was a man of prominence in Babylon (Chaldea), was recognized as a mighty prince (Gen 23:6), and was 75 years old when YHVH asked him to leave the comforts of life in cosmopolitan Babylon to trek across the desert to the backwoods region of Canaan. No doubt, this was not an easy move for Abram for the reasons for reason of age and comfortability of lifestyle.
Abraham’s descendents who are disciples of Yeshua have to make similar choices as Abram did. They must decide whether to stay in the spiritual Babylon of this world or to leave it. Yeshua told his disciples that they would have to make great sacrifices including possibly forsaking their family to be his disciples (Matt 10:35–39.) At the same time, Yeshua promised vast eternal rewards to those, who like our father Abraham, would forsake family, homes and material possessions for him as they set out in faith to fulfil their divine destiny ( Matt 19:28–29). What physical obstacles stand in your way of fulfilling YHVH’s spiritual calling, mission and destiny for your life?
Genesis 16:1–16, Abraham takes matters into his own hands. The faith of Abraham, the father of the faithful, was tried greatly. After waiting years for a son through whom YHVH would fulfil is promises to Abraham, he finally gave in to doubt and unbelief. In stead of waiting for YHVH to give him a son, Abraham too matters into his own hands and endeavored to work out YHVH’s plans and purposes in his life through fleshly means. The result was Ishmael, the father of many of the modern Moslem Arabs. This mistake has had far-reaching geopolitical consequences for YHVH’s chosen people to this day!
Do you have trouble waiting on YHVH? Remember that YHVH’s primary goal in your life is NOT to bring YOUR dreams to pass or to give you a comfortable and happy life, but to form in you the person and character of Yeshua (Rom 8:28–29). Like anything of value, this only comes through time, much struggling and overcoming as well as the heat and pressure of spiritual refinement.
The faith-building refinement to which YHVH subjected Abraham would continue to occur in the lives of his descendants as the patriarch saw in a most amazing prophetic vision (Gen 15:12–14). In the vision of “Between the Pieces,” the birds of the air (a spiritual picture of Satan and his demons) wanted to interrupt the fulfilling of YHVH’s plans for the nation of Israel (verse 11). But through this dark vision, Abraham slept (verse 12). That is to say, he rested in YHVH, thus allowing him to work out his purposes according to a divine time schedule regardless of the occurrence of concomitant and distracting events. Through this process of faith-testing and character-building trials, YHVH refines his people into the spiritual vessels he wants them to be. Psalms chapter 37 describes this process of “not fretting,” “committing your way to YHVH,” “trusting also in him,” “resting in YHVH,” waiting on YHVH, and letting him direct our steps. (See Ps 37, entire chapter, with special focus on verses 4–7, 23–24.) The Bible refers to this process as “sanctification” (or becoming set aside for a holy purpose). It involves coming into a place spiritual maturity—of going from being a spiritual child to a mature adult in YHVH.
Like a lot of us, Abraham found himself struggling with waiting upon YHVH to fulfil his promises. As a result of Abraham’s lack of faith, he chose to “help engineer” the fulfillment of YHVH’s promises in his life. He slept with Hagar and Ishmael was the result. There have been lasting conflicts in the Middle East and beyond ever since due to Abraham’s lack of faith.
Genesis 21:1–7, YHVH visited Sarah.YHVH had promised Abraham a son years before. At age 90 did not YHVH suddenly drop a son into Sarah’s womb. During the intervening 15 years, year after year, Abraham and Sarah had to walk out their faith by attempting repeatedly to become pregnant, each time failing, until finally, at the appointed time it happened. This tell is vivid lesson for all of Abraham’s spiritual descendents about the faith-walk, and about overcoming discouragement and doubt. Obviously, Abraham’s faith was tested. Could he still trust YHVH’s promises of a son after all these years? Often when don’t receive quick answers to our prayers we give up. How is your faith compared to that of Abraham’s?
Abraham learned some hard lessons with Ishmael. After that, he finally began to have complete faith that YHVH would give him a son by Sarah. Faith is dynamic, and is neither passive nor presumptive. As an act of faithful obedience, the elderly Abraham continued to have physical relations with his wife until Isaac was born.
Genesis 22:1, Elohim did tempt Abraham.Trials and temptations show the disposition or character and metal of the human heart, whether it be righteous or unrighteous, pure or impure. When tested do you whine, grumble, accuse and mock others, defend yourself, backbite or become despondent? Or do you submit to the purifying fires of YHVH’s spiritual forge? During his lifetime, YHVH tested Abraham ten times. Being told to sacrifice Isaac was the last and most severe test. Despite the severity of this test, his faith and obedience was steady.When was the last time you faced such a test? What was your response? Did you pass or fail the test?
Note the development or progression of Abraham’s faith from the time he left Ur in Chaldea until the Akeidah or Binding of Isaac. He went from a spotty or mixed faith to a full and mature faith in YHVH. Being willing to give up his only beloved son was the ultimate test of his faith, and he passed with flying colors to become the father of the faithful. YHVH asks some of his children to give up things that are near and dear to them including spouses, children, careers, homes, dreams, material possessions, fame and sometimes our lives in order to follow him, but the eternal rewards are worth the sacrifice! Yeshua promises his followers:
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. (Matt 19:29)
Eliezer, the Servant of Abraham
Genesis 24:12,YHVH 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). Abraham’s example of faith had a profound influence upon Eliezer, his chief servant, whom he commissioned to find a wife for Isaac.
Abraham was a man of faith, and Scripture calls him the father of the faithful (Rom 4:12, 16). Eliezer was likewise a man of faith. Abraham had taught him well. Eliezer evidenced this faith when he blessed Rebecca even before he knew who her identity (Gen 24:22). This action was based simply on his faith that YHVH had answered his 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 Eliezer?
Genesis 24:45, Eliezer kept his faith alive through constant contact with Elohim. Obviously, Eliezer was in constant communications with YHVH through prayer. Is this not a character trait of a righteous person? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to pray without ceasing. In Luke 18:1–7, Yeshua teaches his disciples and us 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 once 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?
Note that people of faith are people of continual prayer communication with YHVH.
Rebecca, the Bride of Isaac
Genesis 24:58, I will go. From her debut in the Genesis narrative, Rebecca demonstrated unusual faith. Like her Uncle Abraham and Aunt Sarah, she was willing to leave the comforts and security of Babylonia and to go with a stranger to a strange place and live there as a virtual nomad roaming the barren wilderness of Canaan. When asked, “Will you go with this man?” She replied quickly and to the point, “I will go” (Gen 24:58). Some Bible teachers view Eliezer whose name means “El is (my) help” as a prophetic symbol of the Holy Spirit (who Yeshua referred to as the Helper (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) and Rebecca as representing the bride (or saints) of Yeshua.Do you have such unreserved devotion to Yeshua, the Lover of your soul and your Betrothed, that you will go WHEREVER he leads (Rev 14:4) 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 Rebecca. Regardless of our level of faith, YHVH is patient with his children. If we will follow him, even if our faith is mustard seed-sized, he will lead us slowly as your faith in his Word and promises slowly increases like exercising a muscle.
Abraham in his wisdom sought a woman of faith for his son. He sent Eliezer hundreds of miles to find such a woman, while overlooking numerous Canaanite women in his own backyard. That is how dedicated Abraham was to obeying YHVH!
This video explores the Bible vis-à-vis the flat earth idea.
This and other videos by Nathan are available as podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast under “Hoshana Rabbah.”
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How does a disciple of Yeshua/Jesus stay on fire spiritually? How can one keep from becoming lukewarm? How does one keep the faith during the daily grind of life with all of the distractions, the tyranny of the urgent, and allurements of the world and the flesh and the devil trying to pull you sideways and off the straight and narrow path? This video will give you some tools to help you to stay strong and to resist the downward pull.
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!
The Bible implies that Adam and Eve habitually walked in the cool of the day with YHVH in the Garden of Eden. Doesn’t that sound rather “cool” (pun and double entendre intended) (Gen 3:8)? What disciple of Yeshua and lover of Elohim wouldn’t cherish such an ongoing experience with their Creator? Isn’t this why believers long for heaven and the presence of YHVH Elohim? Our Father in heaven desires this as well. After all, isn’t this the reason he sent his Son to this earth? And isn’t this why Yeshua instructed his disciples to abide continually in him like a branch attached to a tree (John 15:1ff)? So how do we do this? As we are about to see, it is a whole lot more than going to church and checking our “God-box” once or twice a week and saying grace at meals!
It is time to extricate YHVH Elohim from our religious boxes to which we have confined him and to set him free. These boxes are the times and places where we go and do our “God-thing.” This can be church or other religious services, grace at meals, and even our personal devotional times. After having thrown a bit of religious ritualism at Elohim, too often we toss our hair back cavalierly, and then with little or no thought, adroitly and casually slip him onto the back burner of our thoughts and actions, and then go about our lives as if were not much more than an after thought. In this way, we keep Elohim confined to a few small boxes to which we have attached label entitled “my religious experience.” It ends up that too often we live our lives how we want to without giving Elohim much thought. In this way, we keep him conveniently trapped in closet prisons of our own contrivances, when, in reality, he wants and demands to be part of every aspect of our lives. Too many of us have no problem with Elohim being our Savior—but being the Lord and Master over every area of our lives all the time? Well, that’s another thing! Yeshua the Messiah summed this religious mindset up this way:
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: “These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Matt 5:17)
To experience the blessings and riches of Elohim’s river of life in our lives including along with his divine favor and presence, each of us would be wise to learn how to stay immersed in the spiritual river that flows from his throne continually. Perhaps the following tips will help you to do that.
Here are 22 practical ways of bringing YHVH into every aspect of your daily life continually:
In all things, be thankful to YHVH (1 Thess 5:18). Throughout the day, be aware of all your blessings and thank YHVH for them. Even thank him for the trials.
Pray in the Spirit (in your heavenly prayer language (1 Cor 14:2, 15, 18).
Meditate on a Bible verse (Pss 1:2; 119:78, 148).
Prayerfully intercede for people during the course of the day as they come to your mind.
Ask YHVH questions and then wait for him to bring you the answer. He may immediately download the answer into your mind, or at a latter time, or it may come through someone else or through circumstances. Wait for the answer, and when it comes, thank him for it.
Pray for divine appointments each day and then wait for them to come, and then give YHVH thanks when they come. A divine appointment is a “chance” meeting of someone with whom you can share the word of Elohim or in some way be a spiritual light to them by pointing them to Elohim.
Worship and praise YHVH throughout the day by singing songs to him.
Pray before and after meals, or even after taking a drink of water. Before the meal, praise and worship YHVH. After the meal, thank him for the meal you’ve just had (Deut 8:10 cp. Matt 14:19; 15:36; 26:26; John 6:11; Acts 27:35).
View yourself as an ambassador for the kingdom of Elohim in everything you do and say that involves others. Endeavor to be salt and light to those around you for the glory of Elohim (Matt 5:13–16; Eph 5:8; 1 Thess 5:5).
Practice the 16 attributes of YHVH’s love as found in 1 Corinthians 13—especially when you find yourself in difficult situations where being loving is hard to do.
Live each moment and day as if it were your last.
Always try leaving things better than you found them. This includes situations, time, places and people’s lives.
Endeavor to plant spiritual seeds wherever you go. Perhaps the spiritual seeds that you plant in someone else’s may take root, sprout and bear fruit for the kingdom of Elohim later.
When bad things happen to you, count your blessings, express joy, be thankful, bless your enemies, pray for those who despitefully use you, bless and don’t curse (Matt 5:44).
Always practice the golden rule of doing treating others how you want to be treated (Matt 7:12).
Practice being a peacemaker especially in difficult situations when you want to defend yourself, or fight back, even when you have been wronged (Matt 5:9; Rom 12:18).
Do a selfless or altruistic deed for someone each day. It is of greater spiritual value if it cost you something and no one else knows you did it (Matt 6:3).
Do everything including the most minimal and menial task for YHVH’s glory and out of love for him. Work as if you were working for YHVH, not for men (Eccl 9:10; Col 3:23).
Read your Bible and pray after you get up in the morning and as you’re going to sleep each night even if it is only for a few minutes. This way, you are starting and ending the day with YHVH.
Put the audio Bible on your iPod, smart phone or similar electronic device and listen to it during your day.
Wear biblical tzitzits or fringes on the four corners of your garments as the Torah commands to help remind you of your relationship with YHVH and to obey his commands (Num 15:37–41; Deut 22:12).
Fast periodically even if it is only for a meal or two. Among the many spiritual benefits of fasting, when you feel the hunger pangs, it will remind you to think about YHVH Elohim and the need to grow closer to him as to put him ahead of your carnal appetites.
Always ask yourself this before you are about to do, say or think anything: What would Yeshua do? If it is not something he would so, say or think, then don’t do it.
Genesis 6:9, The character of Noah. This passage lists the character attributes of Noah. The character sketch of this man of Elohim who preached righteousness to a generation of unmitigated evil people commences this way: “These are the generations [Heb. toledaw] of Noah: Noah was a just [Heb. tzaddiyq] man and perfect [Heb. tamiym] in his generations [Heb. dowr], and Noah walked with Elohim.”
Generations is the Hebrew word toledaw meaning “descendants, genealogies, or results.”
Just is the Hebrew word tzaddiyq meaning “a lawful, righteous man.”
Perfect is the Hebrew word tamiym meaning “entire, integrity, truth, without blemish, complete, full, undefiled, or upright”.
The word generations at the end of the verse is the Hebrew word dowr meaning “a man’s lifetime beginning with the womb of earth and returning thereto…likewise from conception and birth of a man to the conception and birth of his offspring” (The TWOT).
Is it possible to be just and perfect and have a faith in and a love for YHVH without walking in a Torah-obedient lifestyle? No. After all, it is YHVH’s Torah that defines the biblical standard of righteousness (Ps 119:172). Noah kept himself separate and unspotted spiritually from the world around him; although he was in the world, he was not of the world. He and his family lived set-apart, kadosh lives separate from the evil and the filth of the immorality around them. Some Bible scholars find an additional understanding in this verse, as well, in that Noah and his sons did not intermarry with the fallen ones (or nephilim) who were the offspring of the daughters of men and the sons of Elohim (i.e., the fallen angels; Gen 6:4).
The “sons of Elohim” in Genesis 6:4 are fallen angles who had relations with daughters of men thus producing the giants (Heb. nephilim) on the earth. This unlawful sexual activity corrupted the human gene pool. At the same time, Noah’s ancestors and descendents refused to intermarry with the nephilim and were thus from an undiluted genetic strain going back to Adam. What is the lesson here for us? Are you living a life totally set-apart from the corrupting influences (both physical and spiritual) of the fallen world around you? Are you encouraging your children to marry inside the faith, and not to intermarry with the ungodly heathens, who will likely exercise a negative influence on them, thus dragging your children downward morally and spiritually? After all, who can deny the fact that the Bible is the tragic story from cover to cover of the ungodly corrupting the godly, for “evil companionship corrupts good morals” (1 Cor 15:33). Seldom does the opposite occur. This is why Scripture admonishes the saints to “‘[c]ome out from among them and be separate,’ says YHVH. ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you,’” (2 Cor 6:17).On many occasions, YHVH rebuked and punished the Israelites for falling into the trap of compromise and acquiescence to the wicked influences around them, which inevitably led to spiritual degradation, immorality, idolatry and divine judgement. This is exactly what occurred to Noah’s generation.
Genesis 6:9,Perfect [Heb. tamiym] in his generation [Heb. dor]. The Hebrew word tamiym means “entire, complete, whole (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as a noun) “integrity, truth.” Dor means “a revolution of time, that is, an age or generation; also a dwelling.” Tamiym is translated in the KJV as “without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole.” Thus the idea that this verse suggests that Noah’s genome was pure and untainted by nephilim DNA may hold merit, but it is primarily an indication of his moral and spiritual status before YHVH.
Noah walked with Elohim. What does it mean to walk with Elohim? The word walk is the Hebrew word halak/lKV. This word can mean walking physically or figuratively in a spiritual sense. In numerous places in the Scriptures, halak is used in reference to one who lives a Torah-obedient lifestyle; that is, one who walks in the righteous instructions, precepts and teachings of YHVH as outlined in his Word (Ps 119:1, 3). Conversely, there is a walk of darkness for those who walk contrary to the Torah-law of YHVH (Isa 59:9). In Amos 3:3, YHVH asks of his people, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” In Hebrew thought, one’s walk in this context is referring to one’s spiritual walk. Numerous times YHVH commands his people to walk in all his ways (i.e., in the instructions and teachings of YHVH’s Torah). Because Noah walked in YHVH’s ways, he found grace (kindness, favor, preciousness) in the eyes of YHVH and was spared from judgment (Gen 6:8).
Genesis 6–7
Genesis 6–8,Noah’s flood provides allegorical insights relating to end-times prophecy. In Matthew 24:37, Yeshua compares the end times to the days of Noah. This teaches us that in the eyes of Yeshua, the story of Noah has allegorical implications that give hints about end-times prophecy.
In 1 Peter 3:18–22, we learn that the story of Noah is also a picture of salvation and water baptism. Thus Noah is a prophetic antetype of Yeshua.
To start with, Noah building the ark is a prophetic picture of the redeemed believer working out his own salvation (Phil 2:12), yet while doing so according to YHVH’s exact plans or specifications (e.g., repentance from sin, faith in Yeshua, baptism for the remission of sins, and faithful obedience to YHVH’s commandments).
Noah builds an ark of safety from Elohim’s wrath or judgments against sinful man. The ark is a metaphorical picture of the believer’s salvation, and Noah is a spiritual picture of Yeshua. The flood is also a picture of water baptism for the remission of sins, which ceremonially pictures the death of the old sinful man, and the birth of the new spiritual man (Rom 6:3–6). Water can both clean one of dirt and kill. The same water cleanses the repentant sinner but kills the unrepentant sinner. Unregenerated sinful or carnal men perished in the floodwaters in Noah’s day, while the new, redeemed man (as pictured by Noah and his family) who had found grace in the sight of Elohim (Gen 6:8) found refuge on the ark. While the flood is a judgment against sinful man who has violated the Torah-laws or divine instructions of YHVH, the ark is a picture of the grace that YHVH offers to those who will repent of their sins (i.e., Torahlessness, see 1 John 3:4) and will turn to him through Yeshua. Since Noah found grace in the eyes of YHVH because he was “perfect in his generations” (Gen 6:8, 9), he was spared from YHVH’s judgments against sin (or the wages of sin which is death, Rom 6:23). YHVH offers the same gift of grace to all men today (2 Pet 3:9).
The ark had three levels indicating the three levels of salvation rewards that YHVH offers to his saints, which is analogous to the three sections in the Tabernacle of Moses. The highest level where Noah lived is the section of the ark that was the closest to heaven, where YHVH abides, and is a picture of the kadosh hakadoshim (the holy of holies, also known as the d’veer meaning “oracle”), which was the place in the tabernacle from which Elohim spoke to the Moses and the Israelites. It is in that highest place that one hears Elohim’s instructions directly from him.
The unclean animals are a clear biblical metaphor for the lost and scattered Israelites returning to YHVH in the end times from the beast or heathen nations to where they have been scattered and where they have become like Gentiles or beasts of the field (Hos 2:16–19 cp. Acts 10:12, 28). This is illustrated in Peter’s vision of the sheet (Acts 10:12, 28), where the Gentiles are likened to unclean animals that YHVH has redeemed (Acts 10:12, 28 cp. with the great and innumerable multitude of Rev 7:9, the lukewarm believers of Laodicea in Rev 3:14–21, the thief on the cross, and the foolish virgins in Yeshua’s parable in Matt 25:1–13). The clean animals may represent the 144,000 of Revelation 7 and 14, and who are those saints, who have remained faithful in keeping YHVH’s Torah commandments, while at the same time maintaining faith in Yeshua the Messiah (Rev 12:17; 14:12).
Noah escaping the wrath of Elohim may be a antetype of the second exodus of end-times Israelites from the nations of the world. As a mixed multitude joined Israel in the exodus from Egypt, so even within Noah’s family there was a mixed multitude containing a spiritual tare; namely, Ham who later fell into sin (Gen 9:22–27) and become the father of the evil Nimrod (Gen 10). Even Yeshua had Judas, a tare, among his select group of disciples, and Yeshua teaches that the tares would coexist with the wheat up until the end times (Matt 13:24–30).
The waters that flooded the world both gushed up from out of the bowels of the earth and rained down from heaven (Gen 7:11). Water is often a biblical metaphor for the spoken word (e.g., Deut 32:2; Isa 55:10–11; John 9:6; Eph 5:26); namely, it represents both the Word of Elohim from above, and the word (philosophies, thoughts, ideas, religions) of man that are counter to the Word of Elohim and that have their source from below. In the last days, knowledge shall be increased, the devil shall spew out of his mouth deceptive words or philosophies like a flood in an effort to spiritually drown the world and even the saints through deception (Rev 12:15; Matt 24:14). Water can also be a judgment against men. YHVH will judge men for their words, philosophies and religions. Those who followed YHVH’s Word from heaven will be spared his wrath, while those who have subscribed to the words or philosophies of men from below will perish or be judged in a sea of men’s words that are often founded on doctrines of demons. Those who feed spiritually from the tree of knowledge (i.e., secular humanism and all the false religions and ideologies that have spawned from it) will die, while those who feed spiritually from the tree of life or the word of Noah (i.e., a prophetic picture Yeshua), the preacher of righteousness (i.e., the Torah, see Ps 119:172 and 2 Pet 2:5) will live. In the last days, the Word of YHVH will judge men, for when Yeshua returns to the earth on his white war stallion, the sword of the word of Elohim will be coming out of his mouth with which he will judge the nations (Rev 19:11–15).
It rained 40 days. This is another picture of judgment, since biblically, forty is the number of trials, testing or spiritual refinement.
The ark came to “rest” (Heb. nuach meaning “repose, settle down, be quiet”) on the mountains Ararat (Gen 8:4). From there, Noah built an altar and begin to rule the earth. This is a prophetic picture of Yeshua, at his second advent, coming to Zion or the Temple Mount where he will have his temple and will establish his kingdom on earth. It will be a time of peace on earth.
The word Ararat means “the curse is reversed.” The ark came to rest on Ararat during the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot. This is a prophetic picture of the saints coming to a place of spiritual rest at the beginning of the Millennium after the judgments of Elohim have been poured out on the wickedness of this earth and the wicked rebels have been destroyed.
The dove is a prophetic metaphor for the bride of Yeshua who follows the Spirit of Elohim. The dove coming from the top window of the ark symbolizes the resurrected and glorified bride of Yeshua coming back to earth from heaven to rule with Yeshua on earth (Rev 19:1ff). The dove left and came back on the seventh day—the Shabbat. This is a picture of the Millennium or the seventh millennia of man’s existence on earth. Several times in the story of Noah, it is mentioned about the dove finding rest or not finding rest. This is another picture of the Millennium—a time of rest for the saints or the bride of Yeshua (Heb 4:1–10).
The raven who feeds on carrion is a metaphor for the devil who feeds off of dead meat of lost and wicked men, and who is actively trying to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10) like a ravenous lion (1 Pet 5:8). Satan will be active at the end of the Millennium, as well, when he will be loosed from the pit for a short season from which he will go to the wicked rebels in Gog and Magog where he will incite them come against Yeshua and the saints in Jerusalem (Rev 20:7–10).
Noah’s altar may well be a picture of the third temple that will be built in Jerusalem during the Millennium (or Ezekiel’s temple, Ezek 40–48).
According to Christian commentator Matthew Henry, Noah’s ark was an early Christian metaphor for salvation and YHVH’s delivering his people form evil and judgment against wickedness. We see this allusion in 1 Peter 3:20–22 where the flood is a picture of salvation, deliverance by baptism and the resurrection of Yeshua.
The ark was covered with pitch, which is a picture of the redeemed believer being covered by the blood of Yeshua to keep the spiritual ark of his life from sinking under the judgment of Elohim against men’s sin. This truth of this imagery is revealed in the Hebrew words for pitch and atonement, which share the same root word in Hebrew.
The name Noah means “rest.” Yeshua bids all who are heavy laden and need rest to come to him (Matt 11:28–30).
Noah was 600 years old when he went into the ark and the flood came. YHVH’s final judgment against wicked men will be at the end of the 6000 years of men’s rebellious tenure on this earth.
Noah did not leave the ark and set foot on the earth until YHVH bade him to do so (Gen 8:15). Likewise, Yeshua will not return to the earth from heaven until the Father permits it.
The Noachic Covenant that Elohim made with all humanity (Gen 9:1) is a picture of the New Covenant (also referred to as the “Everlasting” or “Perpetual Covenant”; Isa 55:3; Jer 32:40; 50:20; Ezek 16:60; 37:26; Heb 13:20;) being ratified in the Millennium with “all Israel.” No non-Israelites (i.e., no sinners) will be permitted to live, but will be burned up in the lake of fire at the end of the Millennium (Rev 20:11–15).
Genesis 7
Genesis 7:2,Of every clean animal. There are Christian Bible teachers who claim that the Torah-laws YHVH gave to Moses were for the children of Israel only and not for anyone else, and that prior to Mount Sinai not only was the Torah unknown to man, but it was not a requirement of him. On the contrary, the fact that YHVH told Noah to preserve clean animals on the ark proves that the Torah’s dietary laws were in fact known to man prior to Mount Sinai.
Genesis 7:4,Forty days. For 40 days it rained upon the earth. Forty is the biblical number for trial, testing, spiritual refinement and divine judgment. For example, YHVH tested and refined Moses in the wilderness for 40 years while shepherding sheep and prior to his call to lead the Israelites our of Egypt. Then YHVH made the Israelites wander in the wilderness 40 years as a judgment against their sin of unbelief and hardness of heart. Later, Yeshua fasted and was tested for 40 days in the wilderness in preparation for his earthly ministry. Similarly, the 40 days it rained on the earth during the flood of Noah is a prophetic antetype of YHVH’s final wrath being poured out upon this earth (Rev 15–16).
The Bible in Genesis chapter three speaks about a snake in a tree that gave the first humans a seemingly harmless fruit that when eaten would cause their eyes to be opened, so that now they would supposedly be like God and live forever. To the average person, what the serpent offered sounds like a good deal. Who doesn’t want to be like God and live forever? But beneath this ostensibly harmless and quaint Bible story, that when uncovered reveals a sinister side which is the root of all the evil that has occurred in the world from then until now. This seemingly harmless event is, in reality, the nascence of the epic and perennial struggle between good and evil that has plagued this earth from the beginning.
To comprehend fully the nature of this struggle, it is essential first to understand who the key figures are in this story, that is, who is the Protagonist and the antagonist. On the side of good is YHVH Elohim, who is a loving Father and the Creator of all there is including man, whom he created in his own image eventually be part of his spiritual family. He is the source of all goodness, beauty, righteousness, justice and truth. The Bible from beginning to end is revelation of this Supreme and Eternal Being whose name is Yehovah (or YHVH) Elohim. He his a grand and glorious plan to elevate man little-by-little from the physical level to the spiritual level, eternal level, in a similar way that a loving parent trains his or her child to become a mature, fully functioning adult.
On the other side was a serpent-like being who makes his first appearance on the earth’s stage in Genesis chapter three. To the first humans, the serpent presents alternative route to godhood. It was a way that circumvented YHVH Elohim. It was as if the serpent was attempting to kidnap the first humans to deceptively subvert them so they would turn away from their parents and go in a completely antithetical direction to the ways of their parents.
When can learn much about the nature of the pernicious serpent by examining the meaning of his biblical Hebrew name nachash—a word which is found 31 times in the Tanakh or Old Testament (OT). In the King James Bible, for example, nachash is translated as “serpent” in all cases. The Hebrew root of this word means “to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortune-telling, take as an omen.” Nachash is almost identical to the Hebrew word for copper or bronze, and some scholars think that the two words are related because of the color, since some snakes are copper in color (i.e., America’s copperhead snakes). A cognate of these two words is n’hushtan, which is the bronze serpent that Moses made (Num 21:9–9). The LXX (the Greek translation of the OT translated nachash as ophis, the Greek word for snake, in all instances (see The TWOT). Although this passage doesn’t relate the serpent to Satan, the adversary, John makes this connection twice in Revelation (Rev 12:9; 20:2).
But there is even more to the word nachash as biblical scholar Michael Heiser points out. The meaning of nachash is both plain and elastic. The most literal meaning is “serpent.” When the Hebrew root letters n-ch-sh are a noun, the meaning is “serpent.” But n-ch-sh can also be a verb when different vowels are added (i.e., nochesh). It then means “diviner.” “Divination refers to communication with the supernatural world. A diviner in the ancient world was one who foretold omens or gave out divine information (or oracles)” (The Unseen Realm, p. 87). The consonants n-ch-sh can also form an alternate noun referring to copper or bronze smiths. Nechosheth is the Hebrew word for bronze and copper, which are shiny when polished, and which can be used to describe divine beings (Dan 10:6; ibid.). In the case of n-ch-sh in Genesis 3:1, Heiser believes that the writer wants the reader to think of all the possible meanings and nuances of the word. As such, he suggests that there are immediate clues in the story that the serpent is more than a mere snake, that he may be a divine adversary, and that the term nachash may be a triple entendre. Elsewhere, Scripture refers to the serpent as a cherub, a divine being who was a guardian of Elohim’s throne (Ezek 28:16 cp. Exod 15:18–22).
So how does this serpent-like, divine being who is advertorial in nature relate to our Genesis chapter three story and his tempting of the first humans to rebel against YHVH Elohim? It is this serpent-cherub who dispenses divine information used to lure Eve into sin, when he gave her the omen that if she ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree of knowledge that she wouldn’t really die, that her eyes would be opened and that she could be like Elohim without having to obey his instructions. Moreover, the serpent-cherub’s shiny appearance conveyed a divine nature, making the serpent more credible and believable. All of these meanings of n-ch-sh are consistent with what Genesis 3, Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 reveal to us about the serpent (ibid, pp. 87–88).
Why is this background information so important in understanding the religion of secular humanism? This is because the first few verses of Genesis chapter three reveal that Satan, as YHVH’s arch-adversary is the originator of all the counterfeit religious systems of the world which are direct opposition to the truth of Elohim as revealed in the Bible. How is this? Let’s first review this passage of Scripture and then explain what we mean and how this is so. From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the following drama played out:
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the YHVH Elohim had made. And he said to the woman, “Has Elohim indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, Elohim has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For Elohim knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like Elohim, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:1–5)
As we are about to discover, all of the world’s religious systems and man-made philosophies fall under the power and influence of the serpent’s lies that originated in the Garden of Eden at the tree of knowledge. These false system can broadly be defined as secular humanism.
What is secular humanism and how does the devil use it to further his rebellious opposition to Elohim? At its core, secular humanism (as defined by Francis Schaeffer in his book The Great Evangelical Disaster, p. 32) is freedom from all restraint and especially rebellion against Elohim’s biblical truth.
When Satan originally rebelled against Elohim, he attempted to dethrone the Creator and lift himself up in Elohim’s place (Isa 14:12–14). Here in the Garden of Eden, Satan the serpent employed the same subversive tactics as in his original, earlier rebellion. He attempted to subvert the will of the Creator by calling into question the character of Elohim to Adam and Eve. This was an attack against the character of the Creator. In modern terms, we refer to this as an ad hominem attack, where you attack a person’s character rather than addressing the facts of the issue at hand. In this way, the serpent successfully lowered man’s esteem for Elohim, and at the same time elevated man’s esteem for himself at Elohim’s expense. The biblical record reveals that this is a standard attack technique of Satan. He continually pits the forces of his kingdom behind anything that will compromise the authority of Elohim by attacking the character of the Creator. Once the Creator is diminished if not eliminated from the scene in man’s thinking, it is upon this false foundation of evil lies, that the devil can then construct his own counterfeit kingdom that is in opposition to that of YHVH Elohim. The most notable example of this false (antichrist) kingdom is found in Revelation 13 where an end times worldwide system is described called Mystery Babylon the Great. There in a vision, John sees this false system likened a series of monster-like creatures, empowered by Satan, which stand in defiant opposition to Elohim. Similarly, in the end times, Satanic forces will infiltrate the Christian church and plant doctrines of demons and seeds of rebellion against the Word and will of Elohim (1 Tim 4:1).
Secular humanism at its most fundamental level seeks to dethrone Elohim as the Creator, Ruler, Lawgiver and Judge if not to eliminate him all together from having any influence in the affairs of men, and if possible, to relegate his memory to the trash of history as ancient fables contrived by primitive humans.
Humanism promotes the notion that now that Elohim has been dethroned, and man can now place himself on the throne of his life, thus usurping Elohim’s authority. This is all under the power and influence of Satan, of course, whether man is aware of this or not. Satan cares little if man sees him as the driving force behind this subversive movement, just as long Satan ultimately remains in charge.
At the core of humanistic philosophy is the assumption that man is innately good and sinless, instead of sinful and morally depraved as the Bible teaches. If man is the paragon of goodness and not evil, then he is now qualified to be the sole determiner of what is good and evil. Now, who needs an Elohim telling him what to do? Each person for himself is now the determiner of what is good and evil, hence the name the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. With Elohim out of the picture, man can now choose for himself what is good and evil. Schaeffer describes secular humanism this way.
[It is] a consensus that stands in total antithesis to the Christian truth at every point—including the denial of the supernatural; belief in the all-sufficiency of human reason; the rejection of the fall [of man into sin]; denial of the deity of Christ and his resurrection; belief in the perfectibility of Man; and the destruction of the Bible and with this has come a total moral breakdown” (Evangelical Disaster, pp. 35–36).
Schaeffer calls humanism “a fundamental conflict between ‘the wisdom of this world’ and the ‘wisdom of Elohim.” As previously noted, Satan is the originator and prime instigator behind the anti-Elohim religious philosophy of secular humanism. Satan’s rebellion against his Creator is characterized by the five “I will” statements of Isaiah 14:13–14, and which are summarized by his final assertion: “I will be like the Most High.” At the tree of knowledge, Satan disguised as a serpent successfully conned man into buying into this same idea that man can be like Elohim by rebelliously disregarding the Word of his Creator (Gen 3:4). To this day, the proponents of the secular humanist philosophy adhere to the idea that man is his own god, and that Elohim is either non-existent or, if he does exist, is irrelevant. Either way, man is his own god, is at the center of the universe, is the sole determiner of what is right and wrong, and in no way needs Elohim for anything, nor is man answerable to any Supreme Being for his actions.
The name Genesis comes from the Greek and means “beginning.” The Hebrew name for the same book is B’reisheet meaning “in the beginning” and is taken from the first three Hebrew words at the beginning of the book. It reveals truth pertaining to the beginning of YHVH’s creation including the universe, light and darkness, the earth, man and good and evil.
Genesis is the first of the five books of the law or Torah. Genesis, along with the next four books of the Bible, are called the Torah (meaning “YHVH’s instructions” in righteousness), the Chumash (another Hebrew word for the Torah) or the Pentateuch (the Greek word for Torah). Under the divine inspiration of the Spirit of Elohim, Moses wrote the Torah, which is a compilation of the history of historical facts about early man and the nation of Israel, as well as recorded instructions from YHVH to his people, Israel.
The Book of Genesis forms not only the introduction to the Bible, but the foundation for it. It is foundational to understanding the rest of Scripture, for it answers the universal questions as to the origin of man (and the rest of the creation), his purpose on earth, and introduces the Creator of man and begins to explain man’s relationship to his Creator. We learn about marriage and family. The concepts of good and evil and obedience and rebellion to YHVH are introduced. The concept of truth is introduced and sin is defined as is YHVH’s plan of redemption for sinful man. Genesis reveals that the redemption of sinful man involves a Redeemer and a relationship with Elohim, the Creator, through a covenantal relationship with the nation of Israel comprised of people who are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Genesis 1
Genesis 1:1, In. In Hebrew, the preposition in is written as the better bet בּ corresponding to the English letter b). This is the first word in the Torah. Interesting, the last word in the Torah is Israel (Deut 34:12). In the Hebrew language, pictographically the letter b is a picture of a house (or a tent) with the front door open. From this, some commentators have correctly reasoned that the Torah was written to the house of Israel whose spiritual doors are wide open for all nations to enter therein in order to enter into a spiritual relationship with the Elohim of Israel.
In the beginning. The letter bet/בּ in b’reisheit is enlarged teaching that there are two beginnings: the beginning of the Torah and the beginning of the nation of Israel (See The ArtScrollTikkun, p. 3).
The Torah pre-existed the creation of the cosmos not only as the eternal light of the world that shone before the creation of the sun and moon on the fourth day; as the teachings, precepts, instructions, and laws of YHVH; but as his wisdom (Prov 8:22–36) and his understanding (Prov 3:19) as well. Therefore, Torah is the very essence, nature and character of YHVH Elohim.
The Godhead is revealed in Genesis 1. Elohim is the family name of the Godhead and is the plural form of the Hebrew words El or Eloah. Elohim is more than one being; it is an “us” (verse 26).
In Deuteronomy 6:4, the famous shema passage and declaration faith for the Jewish people, we find the statement “YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is one.” The Hebrew word for one is echad and can mean “a unit, unity.” Examples of this in the Scriptures include the curtains in the Tabernacle of Moses that are fastened together to form a unit (Exod 26:6, 11; 36:13). The Bible describes Adam and Eve as “one flesh” (or echad, Gen 2:4). When echad is used in this way, it suggests diversity within unity (The TWOT, vol. 1, p. 30). This diversity within unity is suggested in the Bible’s “us” passages when referring to Elohim as noted above. This concept is elucidated upon in the Testimony of Yeshua where Yeshua clearly states that the Godhead or Elohim is comprised of three parts: the Father, the Son and the Set-Apart Spirit (or Holy Spirit; in Hebrew, Ruach HaKodesh, see Matt 28:19).
YHVH is the name of the Father and the Son. Elohim has a female component as well (verse 27). The Father and Son are obviously the male component of the Godhead. What is the female component? Through the process of elimination, that leaves the Ruach or Spirit of Elohim. Ruach is a feminine word.
The idea that the Spirit is masculine is a Greco-Roman concept and isn’t rooted in the Hebrew concept of the Spirit as revealed in the Tanakh. In Koine Greek Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament), pneuma, the word for spirit, is in the neuter gender (neither masculine nor feminine). The other word used in the Testimony of Yeshua for the Set-Apart Spirit is paracletos—a word that is often translated as Comforter or Helper (q.v. John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). In the Koine Greek, this word is in the masculine gender. This fact, however, has no bearing on the gender of the entity known as the Ruach, since the Testimony of Yeshua derives its information from the Tanakh, which reveals it to be a feminine entity. Furthermore, nowhere in the Scriptures is the Spirit termed as YHVH Ruach or Ruach YHVH. YHVH is the masculine appellation for the male side of the Godhead, while Ruach is the name of the female side. There are numerous instances in the Scriptures where we find the phrase “the Spirit of Elohim” (Gen 1:2; Exod 31:3; 1 Sam 10:10; Job 33:4) or the “Spirit of YHVH” (Judg 3:10; 6:34; 1 Sam 6:14; Isa 11:2; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 37:1, etc.). In a sense, it seems this could be a way of saying, “the wife of YHVH Elohim.”
For more biblical references referring to the plurality of the Elohim the Creator, see my notes at Eccl 12:1.
In the beginning. Some alternative translations of this first verse in the Bible include:
At the beginning of God’s creating of the heavens and the earth…” (The Schocken Bible, The ArtScroll Stone Edition Tanach)
In the beginning of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth… (The Gutnick Edition Chumash)
From the beginning of God Created the heaven and the earth… (The Pentateuch by S.R. Hirsch)sdAt the beginning the Lord created the heavens and the earth… (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Etheridge)
In the first times the Lord created the heavens and the earth… (Targum Onkelos, Etheridge)
In the bigynnyng God made of nouyt heuene and erthe. (The Wycliffe Bible, 1395)
In the beginning of God’s preparing the heavens and the earth… (Young’s Literal Translation)
Who or What Is the Aleph and Tav (the Alpha and Omega) of Scripture?
Genesis chapter one verse one reads,
In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth.
If we were to translate this verse into English exactly as it appears in the Hebrew, it would read,
In the beginning Elohim created et the heaven and et the earth.
Between the words heaven and earth is an untranslatable Hebrew particle (a small grammatical word) that makes no sense in English, but that at times can carry deep spiritual significance depending on the vowels that are attributed to this grammatical particle. This is the first occurrence in Scripture of the enigmatic aleph and tav (,T) that intrigues newcomers to a more Hebraic understanding of the Bible. What is the spiritual prophetic significance small word and how does it relate to the Yeshua’s several curious statement about himself in the Book of Revelation? There he refers to himself in several places as “the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.”
Who Is the Aleph and the Tav?
What is the meaning of the aleph /א and tav/ת in the Genesis chapter one creation account? The Jewish sages once give us clues to answer this intriguing question. For this, we must look deeply into the Hebrew words and letters themselves found in the first few verses of Genesis one. Again in Genesis 1:1 we find something hidden in the Hebrew language which does not translate into English or any other foreign language. It is a Hebrew grammatical particle that is untranslatable outside of Hebrew and is comprised of two Hebrew letter: aleph and tav. These are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Grammatically, this word is simply word the indicates the direct object of the verb. It is found thousands of times in the Tanakh. However, under certain circumstances (i.e., when the letter aleph has one of two Hebrew vowel marker—called a niqqud—under it—either the segol [three dots like an inverted triangle] or tsere [two horizontal dots]), the aleph and tav word has an additional meaning. On this, the rabbinic Hebrew scholar Michael Munk in his book, The Wisdom In the Hebrew Alphabet, explains,
The definite article is expressed in Hebrew by prefixing the letter V to a word. Often, for extra emphasis, the word ,3T (or ,2T) is employed in addition to the prefix. Comprising the first and last letter of the Aleph Be[t], ,3T alludes to completion and perfection. Thus the Torah uses the emphatic article in describing the beginning of Creation: MRTV <3TU OHNAV <2T OHVKT TRÜ <HATRÜ, In the beginning of [Elohim’s] creating the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). This alludes to the fact that the universe was created in complete perfection, ‘from aleph to tav’ (p. 34).
This is very interesting from a Hebraic, Messianic perspective. Believers in Yeshua the Messiah know who the Aleph and the Tav is,or to use the Greek New Testament terms with which everyone is familiar: the Alpha and the Omega. It is, of course, a reference to Yeshua the Messiah. Speaking of himself Yeshua states:
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending said the Master, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Rev 1:8)
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven congregations which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Rev 1:11)
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Rev 21:6)
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (Rev 22:13)
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I YHVH, the first, and with the last; I am he. (Isa 41:4; see also 44:6; 48:12)
We know from Scripture that Yeshua in his preincarnate state created all things in the physical creation:
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.… He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (John 1:3, 10)
But to us there is but one Elohim, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one master Yeshua the Messiah, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1 Cor 8:6)
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in Elohim, who created all things by Yeshua the Messiah. (Eph 3:9)
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Col 1:16–17)
Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.… And, Thou, YHVH, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands. (Heb 1:2, 10)
Other notable passages that contain the aleph and tav direct object marker that point to Yeshua the Messiah who is the Aleph and Tav or Alpha and Omega include:
And thou shalt love ,תאYHVH thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Deut 6:5)
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me ,תא whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zech 12:10)
Other Scriptures where the two noted forms of the aleph and tav occur include Genesis 15:10, 14, 18 when YHVH made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants in the offering of the pieces which is a prophetic picture of Yeshua. In all honesty, though, it must be noted that in verse 20 the aleph and tav is found with the segolniqqud and there seems to be no indication that it refers to Yeshua, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. So we urge caution in seeing a reference to Messiah in every passage of Scripture where the aleph and tav is used even with the seemingly appropriate vowel markings.
As a side note, another word of interest to our study is the Hebrew word for truth which is emet (<NT).The Scriptures state that Yeshua is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), that his word is truth (John 17:17) and that Yeshua, the Word of Elohim, was full of grace and truth (John 1:14), and that the Torah-instructions of YHVH is truth (Ps 119:142). The word emet is spelled using the first, last and middle letters of the Hebrew alphabet signifying the completeness or fullness of the Torah-truth of Elohim. This is another confirmatio from the Scriptures that Yeshua the Messiah is the Word of Eloim (John 1:1) that came to the earth as a human (John 1:14) and that as the both the Written and Living Word of Elohim he is the beginning and end, the fullness of all divine Truth as revealed to humans, and nothing more is needed! Amein.
What we see in the actual Hebrew letters themselves, and especially in the aleph and the tav in Genesis one is the spiritual thumbprint, if you will, of Yeshua the Messiah prior to his incarnation! Do you see this? Does this not strengthen you in your most precious and set-apart faith in Messiah Yeshua?
Genesis 1:1, Elohim created the heavens and the earth. The process of creation lasted for a literal six days as is also stated in Exodus 20:11.
Heavens. The Bible reveals that there are at least three heavens: the heaven of earth’s atmosphere, the heaven of the sun, moon, planets and stars, and the heaven of YHVH Elohim’s abode.
Genesis 1:1–3, Elohim…Spirit…Light. In verse one we read that in the beginning was Elohim, the uniplural Godhead. In verse two the Spirit of Elohim (Set-Apart Spirit; Heb. Ruach haKodesh) is revealed, which according to biblical evidence the feminine side or “wife” part of the Godhead, for Elohim is both male and female (Gen 1:26; 5:2).
In verse three Elohim’s first creative acts was to create light. This Light was the Word of Elohim or the preincarnte Yeshua who was the Light of the World (John 1:7–8; 8:12), and whose face shines like the sun (Rev 1:16), is the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2), was the Spiritual Light that shone before the creation of the physical luminaries on the fourth day, and is the same Light that will again shine in the New Jerusalem at the end of days and the beginning of the olam habah or eternity (Rev 21:23).
It appears that in the Genesis chapter one creation account, Elohim the Father and Mother, so to speak, broke a piece of themselves off and “created” the Son (John 1:18; 3:16, 18; Acts 13:33; Heb 1:5; 5:5; 1 John 4:9), who was the Word of Elohim, and Elohim’s spokesman to humans (John 1:1), and who eventually became Yeshua the Messiah (John 1:1, 14, 18). The Word of Elohim was wisdom to the world from the very beginning before there was an earth (Prov 8:1, 22). It was at this time that the Word was brought forth from Elohim (Prov 8:24; John 1:1; Rev 3:14). The Word of Elohim is the source of life (Prov 8:35), the way to favor with YHVH (Prov 8:35), and is not to be sinned against (Prov 8:36). Those who hate him will die (Prov 8:36). This perfectly describes the role of Yeshua the Messiah.
It was before the creation of everything physical that the Son was begotten of Elohim (John 3:16; 1:1; Rev 3:14). The Son wasn’t created in the same sense as man in that the latter had a beginning. On the contrary, Yeshua existed eternally in the bosom of Elohim or the Godhead (John 1:18). The Son was before all things and Elohim used him in as the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person (Heb 1:4) to create everything (John 1:3; Col 1:16–18; Heb 1:3, 10; 11:3). This is what John refers to in Revelation 3:14 when he says that Yeshua is the beginning, head or ruler of Elohim’s creation (see notes at Rev 3:14). As a separate Spiritual Entity from the Father and the Ruach-Mother, the glorified Yeshua presently sits at the right hand of Elohim (the Father and Ruach-Mother) in heaven (Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; Acts 7:56; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; 1 Pet 3:22; Rev 3:21).
However, at the end of the Book of Revelation in the eternity or olam habah of the New Jerusalem in the new heavens and earth, we see only one throne (see notes at Rev 3:21), for the Son, if you will, seems to have been reabsorbed back into the Elohim of the Godhead from whence he came originally, yet he is still visible therein as the Lamb of Elohim (Rev 21:3–5, 23; 22:1, 3–5).
A Hebraic Perspective on the “Godhead” or the So-Called “Trinity”
Many Christians returning to a more Hebraic, whole-Bible understanding of Christianity are often challenged to explain the Godhead in terms of the mainstream, traditional Christian trinitarian viewpoint.
What is this author’s view on the Christian doctrine of the trinity? Actually, I have very little to say on the subject, except that I fear that any explanation a man (including myself) could proffer on the subject of the “Godhead” would be just that: man’s attempt at an explanation of it. How can the mind of man with its limited intellect and language that is only capable of describing earthly and physical things comprehend much less explain the unexplainable — namely the “Godhead”? Think about it for a moment. If he could, then he would be an a par intellectually with Elohim (Hebrew for God). For man, this is an impossible feat.
Moreover, for a man, or a men, regardless of the height of their intellectual capacities to quantify the “Godhead” in human terms would be a violation of the second commandment — idolatry or making a god in our own image. Man is incapable of comprehending much less explaining that which is uninvestigatable, incomprehensible and unexplainable.
Having made these disclaimers, let me share with you what I tell people when they ask what my view of the trinity is. I simply tell them what the Bible says. Elohim is a plural noun, yet we know that Elohim is one. The Hebrew word that explains this oneness is echad (see Deut 6:4) meaning “a compound unity.”
What’s more, in the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament) we learn that Elohim is comprised of the Father, the Son (Yeshua the Messiah) and the Set-Apart Spirit.
I will go one step further. The Scriptures reveal that Elohim is both male and female (Gen 1:27 and 5:2). When Elohim created male and female it was a reflection of the “Godhead.”
As already noted, Elohim is plural and is the Hebrew word that comes the closest to our term “Godhead.” But there are two other Hebrew words that are roots of this uni-plural noun. They are El and Eloah. Both are found in the Scriptures. Now this is where it gets fun, and might challenge some people’s traditional concept of the trinity being all male entities. What I’m about to say I’m not making up. It’s in your Scriptures. I’m just reporting what’s there and what most people have been blind to all along. The Hebrew lexicons tell us that El is a masculine singular noun. No problems here. They also tell us that Elohim is a masculine plural noun. No problems here either. However, when it comes to Eloah, they leave out the gender. In Hebrew, the ah ending or suffix on a noun almost always makes it feminine. Hmm. This is interesting. Why did the lexicologists leave out this interesting tidbit of information?
As mentioned above, the Testimony of Yeshua reveals to us that the “Godhead” is comprised of the Father, the Son and the Set-Apart Spirit. Well, it’s a no brainer that the Father is the Father, the Son is the Son, but what part of Elohim is the feminine side? Process of elimination. That leaves the Set-Apart Spirit or in Hebrew Ruach haKodesh. Guess what? Ruach in Hebrew is a feminine noun.
I don’t like labels like “the trinity.” Labels put the limitless Elohim in a box—the box of man’s limited understand where he creates false concepts of who he thinks Elohim is or is not. We have to be careful when we start venturing into this territory. I fear Elohim too much to diminish him by my pea sized brain capacities. I also could really care less how many people believe a wrong or unbiblical concept—labels and all. It is still an unbiblical concept!
I can hear some women out there in the audience clapping!
Genesis 1:1–2, In the beginning…without form and void. Was the earth created at this time or did it pre-exist the seven days of creation? See notes at Hebrews 11:3.
The idea that there is a gap of time between verses one and two in which the world was previously created and then fell into a state of being formless and void (Heb. tohu v’bohu) is called the Gap Theory. For more on this, see notes at Exod 20:11; Isa 45:18 and Heb 11:3. What is my view on the young earth versus the old earth idea? I do not know, for I was not there at the time.
Genesis 1:1–18, Light. What follows is a discussion on the nature of physical and spiritual light as revealed in the first chapter of Genesis.
Genesis 1:5, The evening and morning were the first day.
When Does a Biblical Day Start?
The Hebrew Yom (Day) Defined
To help us to understand when the biblical day begins, let’s first define the Hebrew word for day which is yom. This will give us a clearer, contextual understanding of how the biblical writers use this word and what its many meanings are and how, and if, it relates to the 24-hour period we normally think of as a day.
According to the The Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (or The TWOT), the primary meaning of yom is “day, time, year.” Yom can represent a point of time and a sphere of time. It can represent (a) a period of light in contrast to a period of darkness, (c) a period of 24 hours, (c) a general vague time (e.g. time in general, a long time, a season of time, “the day of the Lord,” or years of time), (d) a point of time, (e) a year or years. Reflecting these various meanings, we find yom translated in Scripture (the KJV) using the following English expression:
today
when
in the time of
as long as
day
continually
The TWOT goes on to note that other Hebrew words sometimes translated in Scripture as day include the Hebrew word ohr meaning “light” as well as boqer (or boker) meaning “morning.” Conversely, antonyms of yom include layila meaning “night,” and erev meaning “evening.” The TWOT also notes that the Bible reveals that the day can start in the evening (Est 4:16; Dan 8:14) as well as in the morning (Deut 28:66). This fact adds confusion to the question as to when a biblical day actually begins. We will discuss this below. So, what does this all have to do with the biblical definition of a day? It is important to know this, for how else are we to know when to observe the biblical Sabbath and feast days?
Does a Biblical Day Begin at Sunset or Sunrise?
The Creation Model
At the creation, Elohim defined a day as beginning in the evening (Gen 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Each of the six days of creation follow this model. Although the phrase “And the evening and the morning were the [first, second, etc.] day” is not found in reference to the seventh day Sabbath (Gen 2:1ff), the parallel linguistic construction of the first six days beginning at evening strongly suggests or hints (a remez) that the same pattern for delineating the beginning point of the seventh day would continue over into the Sabbath. Some argue that daylight or morning begins the day since light was the first thing that Elohim created. While spiritual light (not physical light [i.e. the sun, moon and stars] were created on day four) is what was created on the first day, this in no way nullifies how Scripture defines a physical day in the same creation account. All attempts to say that because spiritual light was created first as proof that the day begins in the morning overlook the plain (or pashat) meaning of the text, which says that “the evening and the morning were the [first, second, etc.] day.” We will discuss this point further below.
The Model of the Biblical Feasts
The fact that evening begins the day in Scripture—a pattern that is clearly laid out in the Genesis chapter one account—is transmitted into the starting times of several of the biblical feasts as well.
Exodus 12:6—Passover
In this verse we find the command to keep the Passover. We read,
On the fourteenth day of the first month in the evening [Heb. beyn ha-er’va’im literally meaning “between the evening] is YHVH’s Passover. (KJV)
We see this same grammatical construction elsewhere (Lev 23:5 and Num 9:3, 5,1. ) plainly showing that the day of Passover is to be kept “between/beyn the evenings/ha-er’va’im,” that is, between the setting of the sun of one day and the setting of the sun of the next day. This correlates with the Genesis one account that shows that the Bible reckons a day beginning at sunset and continuing until the sunset of the next day.
It must here be noted that confusion often occurs if the reader doesn’t understand that Scripture uses the word Passover to mean two different things. First, the word Passover can refer to the actually day of Passover, that is, the fourteenth day of the first month of the biblical year (Lev 23:5). But the word Passover can also refer the actual lamb that was slaughtered on Passover day (Exod 12:21). While it was slaughtered and roasted on the day of Passover (Exod 12:5–6), the Passover lamb was eaten after Passover day had passed and the next day (the fifteenth day of the first month) had begun the following evening after the daylight portion of the fourteenth day had ended (Exod 12:8). The point of this brief discussion is that just because the Israelites ate the Passover lamb in the evening, this was not the evening of Passover day, which occurred 24 hours earlier when that day begin. By the time they were eating the Passover lamb, Passover day had already ended and they were now eating the lamb at the beginning of the next day (the fifteenth day of the first month), which was the first high holy day (a Sabbath) of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Leviticus 23:32—The Day of Atonement
Another clear biblical passage that shows that the day begins in the evening is found in Leviticus 23:32.
It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from evening unto evening, shall you celebrate your Sabbath.
Although this scripture is a reference to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the same word for Sabbath is used here as is used in elsewhere in the biblical references to the weekly Sabbath. From this we learn that Scripture defines Sabbath as being from evening to evening, not morning to morning. Therefore, holy day Sabbaths and weekly Sabbaths are both kept during the same time period, that is, from sunset to sunset, not sunrise to sunrise.
Deuteronomy 16:4—The Feast of Unleavened Bread
In this passage we find another clear reference that the Bible reckons a day as starting in the evening and not for one day, but for the entire seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even [in the evening], remain all night until the morning.
Nehemiah on When the Sabbath Begins
In the book of Nehemiah, we find one of the clearest Bible scriptures that tells not only when the day begins, but also when Sabbath begins.
So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. (Neh 13:19–22)
This passage clearly shows that as soon as the evening shadows began to fall, Nehemiah had the city gates shut, so that no one could enter into the city to buy or sell, which is a violation of the Sabbath law. They shut the gates at this time, since they knew that the Sabbath was coming. If the Sabbath began in the morning, why would they shut the gates twelve hours early?
Some folks who promote a sunrise to sunrise day will counter by saying, “They closed the gates the night before because who wants to get up at sunrise and shut the gates?” or “They closed the gates the night before because there were hedge laws enacted by that time such that the gates were closed well before the Sabbath to ensure that no one would violated the Sabbath law.” But where in Scripture does it say that they were shutting the gates for these reasons? It doesn’t. To assume this is adding to Scripture something that isn’t there, and adding to the Word of Elohim is a serious sin (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Rev 22:18–19).
The Work Day Began in the Morning and Went Until the Evening
Although the Bible gives us many examples of the work day beginning in the morning, this doesn’t mean that the 24 hour period, which the Bible calls a day (Gen 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31), begins in the daylight portion of that 24 hour period.
For example, Moses’ work of judging Israel began in the morning (Heb. boqer, Lev 18:13, 14), but this doesn’t prove that the 24 hour period that Scripture the Genesis one creation account calls “a day” began at this time.
Similarly, YHVH provided manna for the children of Israel in the morning and instructed them to collect it then (Exod 16:4–5, 7, 16, 21, 26). The sixth day was a work day, a day of preparation for the Israelites for the Sabbath (v. 5). The Israelites stored the manna until the Sabbath morning and ate it then. But the Bible doesn’t say that the Sabbath began in the morning (Exod 16:24–25).
Moreover, even though the Israelites began gathering manna in the morning and finished by gathering quail in the evening (Exod 16:8, 12), this doesn’t prove that the day began in the morning. It only proves that they started their work in the morning and finished it in the evening. That’s all, and nothing more, so let’s leave it there and not attempt to cherry pick a verse out of context and then to make a doctrine out of something that isn’t there. This is called cramming it to fit and painting it to match. As the saying goes, “That boat don’t float!”
Another example of morning activities include Moses’ work of building a stone altar beginning early in the morning (Exod 34:4), as well travelling, warfare and other work activities that all began in the morning (Num 14:40; 22:13, 21; Josh 3:1). However, these activities don’t prove that this is when the 24-hour day began. To say it does is equivalent to saying that because most people in our day go to work in the morning this begins the day, even though the day really starts at midnight.
