This week's "Parsha" is:
Gen 12:1-17:27
Isa 40:27-41:16
Rom 4:1-25
He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."- Genesis 15:5
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These are my simple, initial thoughts on the passages as a whole:
God goes before us.
He gives provisional direction filled with grace, mercy and redemption.
His plans are for blessing.
We are to obey, trust and walk with him.
And, we are to become the blessing as we believe in our SOVEREIGN who righteously establishes an everlasting covenant.
So, what are God's promises that he has given you/us?
Genesis led me to these questions: Where is he calling you?
Who is he calling you to be?
Whom is he calling you to?
What are the obsacles along the way? Do they deter you from the promises of God?
Isaiah led me to the following: What do you know about the character of God and his promises he has bestowed upon His children?
Who are we? - servants, chosen, not rejected... SO WHAT?
DO NOT FEAR! I AM WITH YOU...
I will strengthen. I will go to bat for you. I will not forsake you. I AM THE HOLY ONE, REDEEMER!
And in Romans: Paul tells us that Abram was "fully persuaded that the ONE had the power to fulfill His promise!"
So, what kind of passionate belief do we have today?
shalom
Ryan
“I only see blond, redhead, brunette when I look at the code”
(butchered paraphrase from the Matrix).
Genesis chapters 12-17.
These are my personal thoughts and are way off base-but here is what I see in the “code” of the week. I am usually completely off on my “people” of the bible-so give me some “chet”.
Gen-12:10 (taken from the Torah)
10. And there was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there because the famine was severe in the land.
This stuck out to me. One descends to Egypt. One “ascends” to Jeruseleum. Eqypt always “comes up” to Israel. Egypt down, Israel/Jeruselum Up. I first passed over this and then came back full circle (see at the end).
Gen-13
5. And also Lot, who went with Abram, had flocks and cattle and tents.
6. And the land did not bear them to dwell together, for their possessions were many, and they could not dwell together.
7. And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and between the herdsmen of Lot's cattle, and the Canaanites and the Perizzites were then dwelling in the land.
The Jewish sages say that Abrahams cattle would go around “muzzled” while Lot’s were not-moving where ever they wanted and eating wherever they wanted. Something very important is going on here. The story goes on that there is a separation of the family coming. Why?. Fast forward:
Jacob/Esau
Gen 25: 29 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. [g] )
The Jewish translation of what Esau asks is –give me that “red red stuff”-alluding to an uneducated, illiterate or unwilling to be a "muzzled"-person. He is not going to carry on the family name-primarily because he isn’t the one that G-d wants to work through (your birthright for a bowl of stew?). God is looking for those people willing to follow his commands and is immersed in his word-biblically educated/muzzled people. I realize jacob does some unmuzzled stuff later, but-G-d uses who he chooses....
Back to Abraham and group:
G-d is looking for the group that will follow his word and do as he says. Abrahams group was doing this, Lot's wasn’t. But the big deal is-God is "separating/ dividing" here. G-d still blesses Ishmael and the 12 princes to follow-which I would interpret as him giving them a chance to “Tshuvah”-turn around.
The covenant:
The Torah then describes how G-d and Abram forged a special covenant -- the "Covenant Between the Parts" -- in which the destiny of the Jewish people was foretold.
The Holy Land is bequeathed to them as their eternal heritage, but first they must experience "galut" (hebrew for exile and persecution). It’s weird, but exile and persecution is actually part of the process.
G-d sends out Abraham to the desert to see if he will follow his instructions-and if he can-will he go do as G-d instructs? Any echoes of Jesus here?
And [Abram] said: "L-rd G-d, by what shall I know that I shall inherit it?" And He said to him: "Take Me three heifers, three goats, three rams, a turtledove and a young pigeon." And he took to him all these, and he split them in the middle, and he placed each half opposite its fellow; the birds, however, he did not divide (CM-could this be His spirit?). The eagle descended upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away
He split them in two-separating them-and then G-d moves through the middle.
The Jewish sages say that the symbol of Messiah is the eagle. So why does Abram stop this? (I really don’t know).
…As the sun made to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. And He said to Abram: "Know surely that your descendents shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved to them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. "And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge; and afterwards they shall come out with great wealth" And when the sun went down and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a burning torch which passed between those pieces. On that day G-d made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your seed I have given these land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates."
So we head off to Egypt.
Abraham's people then experience “Galute” first hand in Egypt for 400 years. Then G-d calls someone out again. So when does separation repeat itself?
Exodus 14 (and boy, I have fast forwarded WAY too much and many other things are going on but here is where I landed):
15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen." 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
Moses then leads the “ascension” of G-ds people out of Egypt up to Israel. G-d “divides” the chaos-which might be a direct reference to Abraham/Lot but more importantly the covenant established by Abraham-but instead of G-d passing through the chaos-he follows the same idea of the ark and Noah- since now “humanity” steps through the "separation" -and they step out on-"firm ground".
Ok. Someone else give this a try.
PS-I was reminded of this while thinking about the differences of the sheep and goats-and the muzzled/ unmuzzled references to Abraham/Lots Shephards:
When the Romans were building temples, they used the labor of the area. The base of the temple would be built of loose stone-then clad in the finished/refined marble. When Greeks (un-muzzled free thinkers) would be hired to build a temple, they would use any loose material for the base-really just piled up like a dump truck leaves on a construction site with any debris or material- and then clad the pile with the with “veneer” or outer face of finished material. After all, it’s the outside that really matters.
When they hired the Jewish workers to work on a temple, every stone was hand hewn to be fit into place -whether it was placed in the unseen area under the temple or on the seen face. I would assume the inside was seen as being more important than the outside-since that most of all of the original temples (not reconstructed) we can see today were from the carefully hewn original foundations.
“Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."
Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.”-Luke 17:20-24
This passage is about faith, so was the TOW this week. To me the passage above speaks about the true nature of the Kingdom of God. It is not the Pharisee “behavior modification” model of God’s love. It is not in the new spiritual trends and hip churchianity…it’s not your W.W.J.D bracelet, cross choker, or Velvet Elvis pod cast (dig the book, just go with me). People cannot point to it, or even more important, point you TO IT. No, it is “within you” or “among you” or “in your midst.” I believe that as people of faith we are tempted to rely on the buzzes, the highs, or the prophetic pictures. But, in reality KINGDOM IS EVERYWHERE. So what does this have to do with Father Abe?
Abraham was called “my friend” by God- is 41:8
Faith is first and foremost VULNERABLE
It can waver, wax, wane, or be catapulted, strengthen, or deepened. You can “walk, run” and “fly.”
-Genesis 12:2-3, ALL families are to be blessed. In other words, Israel’s story is Everyone’s story…which is good because I can not get Jesus and what he did without understand that Israel’s stories of faith, disobedience, slavery etc. are in fact, MY OWN.
-How many times is the phrase “you and your seed” repeated? This is so important because us humans have somewhat of a temporal faith eh? We are not supposed to worry about tomorrow because our weak-sauce mustard seed faith can only survive day-by-day…eventually growing into a tree. It seems that God is as IMPUDENT with his PROMISES. As we are supposed to be IMPUDENT with our FAITH and PRAYER. LUKE 18:1-8
1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
God will match us, covenant for faith.
-Abraham is told to scope out the length, width, and breadth of the land he is in because it will someday be his Gen. 13:17, God wants us to explore, have fun, journey around in what he has given/ promised us.
- Isaac is the key to the fulfillment of the covenant. Notice that God renames almost all of his servants (Sarai, Abram, Jacob) however he actually gives Isaac is name, which translates to “he laughs.” (Note Gen 17:17 Abram laughs) what is kind of mind reading creepy about God in this passage is that Abraham laughs and “says in his heart” his doubts about birth at such an old age. He we see that again God is super concerned and knows our innards. And we also see a direct and concrete instance of the “overflow” of our hearts coming out in our physicality (laughing).
-Abraham believes and it is credited to him as righteousness…. this statement actually comes after a “where is my seed” questioning with God. God wants us to grab him by the lapels!
- Abraham goes on to say, “how will I know” that Yahweh’s promise will stand? What follows, is the “blood path” or an image of God’s sacrificial love. That is our proof in what we are promised, Jesus- Love.
-Genesis 17:10-14, circumcision comes after 8 days!!!!! There you go Craig, there is your “Chet” before God tells Abraham to be circumcised he says “walk blameless” to which all human readers should respond with “are you kidding me?” no God is not, really. Circumcision is merely a sign of the covenant between God-People…it is MARKED/SEALED by…you got it, 8 “Chet” or GRACE. The same one that manifests itself in baptism…yeah another picture of grace. Sweet.
- “Ishmael his son” this phrase has a triple repetition in Gen. 17:23, 25, 26. Could this convey compassion, acceptance, and a lack of minimization that Ishmael is a son too (Richard Friedman). ALL people are!
FAITH is: bloody (circumcise), vulnerable, intimate (“my friend” Jesus called us “friends), hard but within us, around us, beside us, amongst us…no more buzz seeking, juts God-face seeking.
I found this while thinking about Meg's comments yesterday about "the Covenant":
The following story was told by Rabbi Israel Spira, the Rebbe of Bluzhov, who witnessed it in the Janowska Concentration Camp:
Each morning at dawn, the Germans would lead us out of the camp for a day of hard labor that ended only at nightfall. Each pair of workers was given a huge saw and expected to cut its quota of logs. Because of the horrendous conditions in the camp and the starvation rations on which we were supposed to subsist, most of us could barely stand on our feet. But we sawed away, knowing that our lives depended upon it; anyone collapsing on the job or failing to meet his daily quota was killed on the spot, G-d forbid.
One day, as I pulled and pushed the heavy saw with my partner, I was approached by a young woman from our work detail. The pallor of her face showed her to be in an extremely weak physical state. "Rebbe," she whispered to me, "do you have a knife?"
I immediately understood her intention and felt the great responsibility that rested upon me. "My daughter," I begged, concentrating all the love and conviction in my heart in the effort to dissuade her from her intended deed. "Do not take your own life. I know that your life is now a living hell, from which death seems a blessed release. But we must never lose hope. With G-d's help, we will survive this ordeal and see better days."
But the woman seemed oblivious to my words. "A knife," she repeated. "I must have a knife. Now. Before it is too late."
At that moment, one of the German guards noticed our whispered conversation and approached us. "What did she say to you?" He demanded of me.
We both froze. Conversing during work was a grave transgression. Many a camp inmate had been shot on the spot for far lesser crimes.
The woman was first to recover. "I asked him for a knife," she said. To my horror, she then addressed her request to the guard: "Give me a knife!"
The German, too, guessed her intention, and a devilish smile flickered on his lips. Doubtless he had seen the bodies of those who, out of desperation, threw themselves during the night on the electrified fence that surrounded the camp; but this would be a novel sight for him. Still smiling, he reached into his pocket and handed her a small knife.
Taking the knife, she hurried back to her work station and bent over a small bundle of rags that she had placed on a log. Quickly unraveling the bundle, she took out a tiny infant. Before our astonished eyes, she swiftly and skillfully circumcised the week-old boy.
"Blessed are You, G-d our G-d, King of the Universe," she recited in a clear voice, "Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to enter him into the covenant of Abraham our Father."
Cradling the child in her arms, she soothed his cries. Then, she addressed the heavens: "Master of the Universe! Eight days ago you gave me a child. I know that neither I nor he will long survive in this accursed place. But now, when you take him back, you will receive him as a complete Jew."
"Your knife," she said, handing the holy object back to the German. "Thank you."
Here are my thoughts on Isaiah 41:27-41:16
Isaiah 40:27-31
“They will soar high on wings like eagles.” (v. 31)
Yesterday I was watching some children. The kids were watching the movie “The Rescuers Down Under” and had gotten to the part where the boy has cut the huge Golden Eagle free from the net and is now riding on her back as she soars through the sky. I heard a six year old boy say “ohhhh,” and when I looked at him I saw bright excitement and wonder in his eyes. Do you remember wanting to be able to fly as a kid? Flying seems to be such a fascinating thing to most people. As kids we would wear capes and pretend to be our favorite flying superheroes; as adults we invented airplanes, hang-gliding and bungee jumping.
“They will run and not grow weary.” (v.31)
I have always wanted to be a runner; to be able to go fast and feel the wind in my face. Kids seem to really enjoy running too. They love to run inside and out, anywhere with open space. Have you ever had a young child say to you “watch how fast I can run?” as they go as fast as their small legs can go across the room? While walking a group of three year olds to motor skills during Mother’s Day Out the other day a couple of them decided to take off running despite my attempts to keep them from doing so. The motor skills teacher started to reprimand the runners and one of them responded “well my shoes are really fast!”
“Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.”(v.30)
God knows that we desire to fly and to run, to feel the wind in our faces. But as humans we are limited. Even the young and the strong run out of energy eventually.
“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.”(v.31)
To me God is saying here, "…My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9). We have limited strength and abilities, but God is unlimited. With God ALL things are possible. God uses our childlike desire of running and flying to show us that not only does he know and understand us completely, but also to encourage us to hope and dream and believe in the impossible.
Isaiah 41:1-4
These questions about “who” remind me of God’s questions to Job (see Job 38-41). God uses these questions to show us He is the creator and He is in control. He indeed has plans for our lives.
Isaiah 41:7 “…He nails down the idol so it will not topple”
I love this! The idol can not stand on it’s own, it must be attached to something else.
Isaiah 41:10-16
In this section God says 4 times “do not fear”. Using Bible Gateway I found that the phrase “do not be afraid” can be found 46 times, and the phrase “do not fear” 57 times in the NASB. Jesus himself used these phrases repeatedly. I believe fear is one of Satan’s biggest tools. Fear prevents us from doing things, keeps from experiencing the gifts of the Lord, causes us to be disobedient, makes us physically sick and gives power over ourselves to that which is feared. A study on fear could take hours, or days or years, so I will leave you to draw your own conclusions on this topic.
One last thing. As a whole these verses from Isaiah make me think of Psalm 73. In this Psalm Asaph compares his life to that of unbelievers. He is upset because even though he is a believer he faces one trial after another, while unbelievers seem to be living lives of pleasure and luxury. But as he tries to “understand why the wicked prosper” (v.16) he discovers that they are on a quick trip to death and destruction. The key verse for me is verse 26, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” But take a few moments sometime and read the whole passage.
Shema,
Michelle Bondanza
Craig thank you so much for sharing that story!!!! That is amazing....does it remind anyone else about the clever non-violent tactics of Ghandi, MLK JR., or most notably Jesus?
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