
Genesis 12

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!
Young Jacob and Esau
Genesis 25:27–34, A man of faith and a man of unbelief. There are only two types of people on this earth: Esaus and Jacobs. Similarly, on either side of Yeshua while he was hanging on the cross, there was a “Jacob” and an “Esau. One man placed his faith in Yeshua, the other did not. What can we learn from this? Let’s discover who Esau-type and Jacob-type people are.
First, what type of person was Esau? He was a cunning hunter. Nimrod was the only other person in Scripture called “a hunter.” Scripture also calls Esau “a man of the field.” A field in Scripture is often a metaphor for the world (Matt 13:38). As a man of the world, Esau was profane (unhallowed, worldly, ungodly; Heb 12:16). He had no esteem for things of eternal value, which is why he sold his spiritual birthright. He lived only to satiate his momentary fleshy desires and had no eye for, hope in, or faith toward the future. He sought the instant gratification physical appetites. His god was his belly. He disdained and dishonored his family’s spiritual heritage and those things that were highly esteemed by his father and grandfather. In Genesis 26:34–35, we see, to the great grief of his parents, that Esau married one of the local, Canaanite heathens. He did not honor his parents or respect their wishes in his choice for a wife.
Do these characteristics of Esau describe some unbelievers that you know, and, sadly, even some believers? Perhaps you were like Esau before you were saved.
On the other hand, people of faith, like Jacob, desire the things of YHVH. Although their faith may be immature and they may still be inclined to “work out” YHVH’s will in their by their own means as Jacob did on several occasions, they still have a heart for YHVH, unlike Esau who was a totally secular, carnal and profane man. Despite their flaws, YHVH can use people like Jacob. Though imperfect, they still have a desire to obey YHVH, and he can work with and refine such an individual and use them to accomplish his purposes. This is the painful, yet successful story of Jacob’s life. The process of his faith in Elohim growing and his learning not to rely on himself was a long and painful one, but the results were fruitful. YHVH used him to start an entire nation—the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jacob was a man of faith who learned to trust in YHVH. Esau was a man of this world who had no heart inclination to serve YHVH. The same can be said of the two thieves on either side of the crucified Yeshua. One placed his faith in Yeshua, while the other one mocked our Lord. Again, there are only two types of people on this earth: those whose hearts are inclined toward heavenly things and those who are totally sold out to do evil and live for the moment at other’s expense.
Genesis 25:32, What good is this birthright? 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. So what good would his birthright be? He would see no material gain from it in his lifetime. And he was right! This being the case, he allowed himself rather to be motivated by temporal and material gain, not by spiritual, future rewards, which are possessed by faith, not by sight (Heb 11:1–2, 8–10, 39–40). 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). Such people prefer secular and sensual pleasures over pleasing YHVH. Their carnal appetites rule them and temporal pursuits are their chief aim in life (Phil 3:19).
This was also the state of the Laodicean believers in Revelation 3:14–22; they minded earthly things over heavenly things, which is why Yeshua rebuked them and urged them to repent. Don’t pass over these admonitions lightly. Let each one search his or her own hearts for the areas where we put the secular, material and sensual above YHVH and then repent. Ask the Spirit of YHVH to open your eyes to the blind areas in your life.
Jacob the Adult
Genesis 27:1–29, Jacob outsmarts Esau and tricks Isaac. In this passage of Scripture, we have the story of how Jacob tricked Isaac his father into giving him the birthright blessing that legally belonged to Esau, the firstborn brother. Instead of trusting YHVH that the blessing would be his, as YHVH had promised to his mother (Gen 25:23), Rebekah and Jacob connived to bring YHVH’s will to pass.
Similarly how often do we take matters into our own hands to “help” YHVH out in fulfilling his promises for our life, instead of trusting him to work things out? Where is the faith in YHVH when we rely on our own human efforts to accomplish his purposes in our lives? Read Psalms 37:3–7, 23–24, 34, and analyze the actions of your life on the basis of these words. Now consider the following concepts when it comes to faith:
- Passive or Inactive Faith: One with this type of faith never moves, but is always waiting for things to just happen by themselves.
- Presumptuous or Impetuous Faith: One with this type of faith always moves and never waits.
- Dynamic or Active Faith: One with this type of faith knows when to move ahead, to act and when to wait.
Genesis 28:20–22, Jacob’s dream and vow. Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28 was his first, life-changing personal encounter with the Elohim of his fathers (Gen 28:12–15). What was his response? It was to express his gratitude to his Creator by serving and his promising to worship YHVH by giving him one-tenth (a tithe) of his increase (verse 22).
When did you have your first encounter with your Heavenly Father and Master? Have you faithfully used the first fruits of your increase to honor, worship and express gratitude to him ever since? If not why not? Scripture calls not worshiping YHVH in this manner “robbing Elohim,” and that as a result a curse may be on one’s finances (Mal 3:8–11). In Proverbs 3:9 we read that tithing is a form of worshipping the Creator: “Honour [glorify] YHVH with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
Moreover, honesty, patience and submission to authority are the fruits of righteousness. What did YHVH have to teach Jacob about these fruits of the Spirit? Jacob was impatient in submitting to YHVH’s will and waiting for the birthright to come to him in a righteous way. Moreover, YHVH used the crooked and greedy Laban to correct these character flaws in Jacob. Jacob had to go into the Babylonian world for a season in order to be refined before being ready to be a patriarch worthy of honor and an example of righteousness as the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.
What is YHVH allowing you to go through to refine you of character flaws and defects to prepare you for the future mission he has for you? Are you submitting to his refining fires that are burning the wood, hay and stubble out of your life (1 Cor 3:12–13), or are you resisting him thereby forcing him to “turn up the heat” so that you will finally “get the point” and learn your lessons?
Before Jacob could attain the patriarchal status of his father and grandfather and become the father of the 12 tribes of Israel, YHVH had to refine him in the “fires” of Babylon. When Jacob finally left Babylon and while en route back to Beth El, his faith in Elohim still required some refining. It was not until he wrestled with the pre-incarnate Word of Elohim, Yeshua the Messenger of YHVH, that his carnal soul man was crushed and he finally submitted in faith to the will of Elohim.
Chapter 32 is a study on how to deal with major trials and stressful situations that we as humans face in life. How did deal with these problems? By completely trusting in YHVH, or by scheming, plotting and planning his next move? You know the story. Jacob’s faith in YHVH was still incomplete at best. Jacob (a) was gripped by fear, (b) resorted to fleshly schemes to appease the hatred of Esau brother and “save his own hide” and that of his family, and (c) at the same time he expressed faith in YHVH by uttering what was one of the first recorded prayers in Scripture (verses 9–12).
How often, when facing serious trials, do we take the shotgun approach by throwing everything we have at the problem including the “strong arm of the flesh” as well as our mustard seed of faith? Indeed, if our hearts are basically inclined toward him, YHVH’s grace cover us in such situations, but that doesn’t mean that our faith doesn’t still need improving.
YHVH mercifully honors a person’s incomplete faith. For example, Yeshua mercifully healed the son of the man who in honesty confessed, “I believe help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
At the same time, YHVH requires more faith and less carnality from mature believers. Sometimes YHVH even forces his saints into situations where they literally have to come to the end of their own plots and schemes when facing trials and rely solely on him to deliver them from their enemies both internal and external. This occurred when Jacob faced his murderous brother. Would he trust YHVH or himself to deliver him from this vengeful foe?
After Jacob wrestled all night with the Messenger of Elohim, he became a lame and humbled man, but with a new name and a new spiritual identity. Did Jacob gain the victory through appeasing Esau (verse 20), or by wrestling with and confronting his own limitations and coming out, though a broken physically, and changed man spiritually? The answer is obvious. Have you experienced similar trials? How did you handle it? Like Jacob? Are you learning to “let go and let God” as the adage goes? To walk by faith and not by sight? To trust and obey?
Genesis 32:9–12 Jacob’s prayer. Consider the dynamics of Jacob’s prayer. Do not forget that up to this point in Jacob’s life he had relied on his wits to extricate himself from difficult situations. This time was different. As would be the case later in history when the children of Israel were trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea, Jacob was boxed in; he could go neither forward nor backward. Behind him was hateful and greedy Laban and in front of him was the murderous Esau.
In this prayer, notice the importance Jacob places on covenant relationship. He was finally coming to the end of him by throwing himself at the mercy of YHVH’s promised word and reputation.
What more can we learn from Jacob’s prayer? What was Jacob’s demeanor before YHVH? Was he arrogant or contrite in spirit? Did Jacob direct this prayer heavenward purely out of a selfish motive —to save his skin, or was there a larger prophetic picture on which Jacob had his eyes set? What were the last words of the prayer? Why is this so important and why does he end with this? If YHVH did not deliver Jacob and his family and the nation of Israel was destroyed, how would the promises of YHVH be fulfilled and how would YHVH’s name be glorified? This scenario is like watching a movie where the villain is about to destroy the star of the show, but then you, the viewer, remember that the star of the show cannot be destroyed since he’s the hero, so you breathe easier knowing the outcome will somehow end favorably. Similarly YHVH couldn’t allow Jacob and his family to be destroyed and still fulfill his promises to Jacob and his forefathers. Jacob evidently took faith in this realization and it propelled him onward to face his enemy.
What can we learn from this? When we find ourselves boxed in by our enemies and unable to go forward or backward, maybe, in faith, like Jacob, we would do well to remind YHVH humbly of the promises he has made to us and in his Word. What’s more, when we are walking in the perfect will of the Father, the end will always turn out favorably for us no matter what we have to go through to get there. So give YHVH the glory, rejoice and have faith in him. Onward and onward!
Jacob is finally learning the concept of faith and covenantal relationship, and this is a better way to go than through rather than relying on one’s schemes and human “wisdom.”
Genesis 32:24, Jacob’s wrestling. Why did Elohim wrestle all night with Jacob? Why not just wound him early on and save the time and trouble? This event illustrates the long-suffering nature of Elohim, who will continue to strive with us and our fleshy tendencies and reliances, until we finally submit to him and recognize that only through him can we have real strength and victory. Why the wrestling all night“until the breaking of the day”? Night and breaking of day are significant metaphorical symbols representing hope and new beginnings after having to go through dark times in our lives. This teaches us that faith and blessings come when we overcome refusing to give up in our struggles against our carnal limitations until we have our spiritual breakthrough and the blessings of YHVH come to us.
Jacob’s blessing was to receive the new name Israel, which means “prince of El” and “overcomer with El” (verse 28). Through this dark night struggle, Jacob took a quantum leap in his faith walk and became a new man with a new name and new spiritual identity.
Have you ever had a Jacob moment like this in your life? Don’t we progress spiritually only out of crisis? There is no gain where there is no gain, as the saying goes.
What were the final blessed results of Jacob prevailing in his faith struggles? Verse 32 says of Jacob, “as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he limped upon his thigh.” Penuel means “faces of El.” Taking a little poetic license (at the drash, allegorical or third level of biblical interpretation) here, we could paraphrase this idea as follows: As Jacob emerged out of the darkness of self reliance, the face of Elohim shined favorably upon him, since he no longer relied on the flesh. Pause to reflect on this for a moment and take quick stock of your own spiritual walk in the light of these words.
This was the final test of Jacob’s faith and he came out a man of faith, though his pride was wounded and he carried a limp for the rest of his life. His flesh and soul man were permanently wounded, but his spirit man and his faith in Elohim was soaring in the heavens!
To be continued…























