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New Video: Gen 18:1– 22:24 Parashat Vayera (A Gospel-Oriented Torah Study)
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Tag Archives: Abraham
Who Was Sarah?
Sarah—A Great Woman of Faith
Sarah was very beautiful in character and physical appearance, since the two are related (Gen 12:10–20). A person with an ugly, angry, bitter disposition will not have a beautiful, attractive countenance.
At age 90 she was still youthfully beautiful, or else why would King Abimelech have abducted her and wanted to marry her? (Gen 20:2). Sarah was of such honorable character, demeanor and bearing that a king would honor her by wanting to marry her.
Sarah was coequal with Abraham in the covenantal promises. Prior to Gen 17:15-22 the covenant was solely with Abraham. Here Sarah was made an equal party in this covenantal promise. And just as Abraham’s new role was signified by a change of name, so was Sarah’s. The word Sarai, means “my princess,” implying that she owed her greatness to her status as Abraham’s wife. Henceforth she would be called only Sarah, which signifies that she would become a “princess to all the nations of the world.” Prior to the covenant, Sarai’s personal majesty made her the princess of Abraham (and his country Aram). Now, however, all limitations were removed. She was princess “par excellence”—to all mankind (The Stone Edition Chumash, p. 75).
Sarah protected the spiritual atmosphere of her home. She was guarding her righteous son, Isaac, from the profaneness and mockery of the unrighteous Ishmael. She was concerned that Ishmael’s behavior toward Isaac would impede or prevent Isaac from fulfillment of his godly mission. Any relationship with wicked people would have been harmful to Isaac and his children as Abraham recognized when he decided that he could not remain together with Lot. This is why Sarah demanded that Abraham drive Ishmael and Hagar away, and why YHVH ratified Sarah’s righteous request (The Stone Edition Chumash, p. 97, Gen 21:10–11). “Evil conduct corrupts good manner” (1 Cor 15:33).
Sarah was obedient and respectful to her husband, and Paul used her as an example for righteous women to follow.
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sarah obeyed [to listen, to hearken to a command, be obedient, to submit to] Abraham, calling him lord [Gr. kurios means “master, sir; a title of honour expressive of respect and reverence”]: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1 Pet 3:1–7)
Sarah, like Abraham, had faith in Elohim. Behind Abraham, a great man of faith, was Sarah, who was a great woman of faith.
Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. (Heb 11:11–12)
The Abrahamic Covenant—Foundation of the New Covenant
The Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants Are Subsections of the Torah Covenant (or the Old Covenant)
The Torah, the first five books of the Bible, is the chronicle of YHVH giving man instructions to follow, and of his entering into covenantal relationships with men and men either keeping those agreements or breaking them.
The word Torah means “instructions, teaching or precepts; specifically in biblical context: the teachings or instructions of YHVH to lead men into a righteous relationship with him through covenantal agreement.” The Torah is a giant b’rit or covenant. The Torah in a number of places even refers to itself by the Hebrew word b’rit or covenant. We see this in the following passages:
Exodus 34:27, And YHVH said unto Moses, Write you these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
Deuteronomy 29:1, These are the words of the covenant, which YHVH commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
The Torah is not unlike an instruction manual that one might receive from the manufacturer of an automobile, computer or some such device to help the buyer to operate his new purchase in a manner that allows him to receive years of trouble-free service. The Torah is YHVH’s instruction manual to help man to live in a way that brings life and blessing; it helps man to enter into a loving relationship with his Creator and to have a trouble-free relationship with his fellow man.
Within the first five books of the Torah-covenant are several smaller covenantal subdivisions such as the Abrahamic and the Sinaitic or Mosaic Covenants. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) describes this as follows, “Deuteronomy 29:13–14 shows the Sinaitic Covenant was an extension of the Abrahamic Covenant…. The Sinai renewal merely stressed man’s responsibility where the Abrahamic Covenant emphasized Elohim’s promise… The Priestly Covenant of Num 25:12–13, the Davidic Covenant of 2 Sam 7 and the New Covenant of Jer 31:31 are all administrative aspects of the same covenant, Elohim’s Covenant of grace. This covenant reaches its Continue reading
Have you crossed over—all the way?
Numbers 22:10ff, Crossing over. Carnal men want to be like YHVH’s saints, to be the recipients of the blessings of Israel, and to be numbered among YHVH’s chosen, but few want to walk the walk required to receive these blessings and privileges. Many will “court YHVH” by getting as close to him as possible without actually crossing over that spiritual river that divides the land of Israel from the rest of the world.
Those who cross over become an Ivrit or a Hebrew, which means “to cross over.”
Abraham was one who crossed over. He forsook Babylon and crossed over the Euphrates and Jordan Rivers in his journey westward en route to the Promised Land as he followed YHVH’s leading. He was the first Hebrew (Ivrit) or “one who crossed over.”
Crossing over means surrendering one’s life totally to the Elohim of the Hebrews who is YHVH. The sacrifice of doing so is too great for most people to pay. To leave spiritual Babylon and to cross over the Jordan River to YHVH’s side and come into the land of Israel as a spiritual Hebrew means that the fame and fortune that this world has to offer must be laid aside and one must become a servant-slave of YHVH.
Balaam couldn’t cross over all the way. He still preferred the riches and fame Babylon had to offer. He was willful, carnal and greedy (Jude 11).
Many people in the mainstream church are like Balaam.
How serious are you about serving YHVH?
The Scriptures say of the end-times saints that they loved not their lives unto death (Rev 12:11). Paul declares that followers of Yeshua must become “living sacrifices” in the service of YHVH (Rom 12:1).
Yeshua gave his very life for you. Are you holding back some of your life for him? Do the cares of this world, the desire for pleasures, material goods, money, entertainments or acclaim still have a grip on your heart? Are they preventing you from moving into your spiritual calling and destiny—to truly walk by faith in obedience to YHVH?
New Video: Abraham on Dealing With Struggles in Marriage & Ministries
The Bible is a book of life about real people with real struggles in the marriages, ministries, families, friends and associates. We can gain strength, comfort and wisdom from people like Abraham as this video explains.
Genesis Teaches Salvation by Grace Through Faith Resulting in Good Works
Genesis 26:5, Because. Based on Paul’s teaching in Romans 4, we see that the Abrahamic Covenant is the model for salvation, which is salvation by grace through faith leading to or resulting in good works or righteousness (Eph 2:8–10).
From this verse, it might appear the Abrahamic Covenant wasn’t a faith-based covenant at all, but a works based on. In other words, Abraham had to do something to attain to be counted righteous or to come into good standing with Elohim — a concept which is commonly referred to as “receiving salvation.”
The fact is that in the Abrahamic Covenant, Abraham only had to have faith and believe in YHVH to be justified or to be considered righteous by Elohim (Gen 15:6). It was on this basis that YHVH granted him “salvation.” But this initial faith on Abraham’s part and the righteousness Elohim attributed to him was but the first step in Abraham’s faith walk. He had to walk out his faith and continue trusting YHVH.
The apostolic writers present the idea that one’s faith is a walk, not a one time event. It’s more than faith. It’s faithfulness to YHVH’s instructions. James clearly states in his epistle Continue reading
Protecting Our Children from the Filth of Babylon
Genesis 24:6, 8, Beware that you bring not my son there again. Why was Abraham insistent that Isaac not be exposed to Babylon? What was there to beware of ( Heb. shamar meaning “to guard against, protect from, keep watch and ward, preserve, keep oneself from”)?
The key is verse seven. What does this teach us about protecting our children and loved ones from the corrupting influences of this world? We must be ever vigilant like a soldier on guard duty to preserve and protect our children from those things that could lead to their spiritual ruination.
YHVH had led Abraham out of the spiritual filth of Babylon. In no way did he want Isaac to go back to what he had left behind. If Isaac had seen the prosperity and convenience of a Babylonian lifestyle, he might have been tempted to stay there — especially if he had found a suitable wife there. Abraham insisted that any potential mate leave Babylon and come to Isaac and not vice versa.
Are we investing the necessary time and energy into our children to insure that they do not return to the spiritual Babylon from which we fled prior to our conversion, and that they find spouses who are willing to leave spiritual Babylon behind before marrying our children?