Yesterday evening we entered the ninth month of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. The word ‘Kislev’ means ‘trust’ and shares the same root as the word ‘Kislah’ meaning ‘folly.’ Both themes are manifested in the miracle of Hanukah celebrated in a few weeks time on the 25th of Kislev. It reflects the active trust in God of a handful of Jews led by the Maccabees who opposed the might of the Syro-Phoenician Empire to preserve the integrity of the One they served. And God miraculously delivered them against all odds!
However, Kislev also reflects the passive trust of a small segment of people within the oppressed Jewish nation who chose to resign themselves to their fate and this was their folly by exchanging righteousness for the most convenient and comfortable choices, because there is no neutrality in the Kingdom of God.
Making right choices in our relationship with God can be costly but it’s infinitely preferable to compromise. Yeshua made it clear that one cannot serve God and the world. Neither is gazing into the eyes of good intentions. One day when we give an accounting to God, it will be too late to say to ourselves “if only.” That should not be in our vocabulary for neither is it in the heart of God.
His desire is to bless us richly and this is beautifully expressed through the ancient Hebrew script. This is beautifully illustrated in the Aaronic Blessing from Num.6:24. The Hebrew word for bless is ‘barach’ which literally means ‘to kneel.’ A bracha is a blessing but more literally, the bringing of a gift to another on bended knee. When we bless God or others, we are in essence, bringing a gift on bended knee. A true king is one who serves his people, who will humble himself and come to his people on ‘bended knee.’
The Hebrew word for ‘keep’ is ‘shamar’ which literally means ‘to guard.’ A related word is ‘shamiyr’ which means ‘thorn.’ When the shepherd was out in the wilderness with his flock, he would construct a corral of thorn bushes to protect the sheep from predators.
When unpacked in full, we can utilise the ancient Hebrew text for the Aaronic blessing that provides us with a beautiful rendering:
“Adonai will kneel before you presenting gifts, and He will guard you with a hedge of protection, Adonai will illuminate the wholeness of His Being toward you, bringing order, and He will provide you with love, sustenance, and friendship, Adonai will lift up the wholeness of His Being and look upon you, and set in place all you need to be whole and complete.”
God has made provision against every weapon formed against His covenant people in accordance with His promise. (The weapons of our warfare) This has been demonstrated throughout history as an inviolable reality. “Adonai will kneel before you presenting gifts, and He will guard you with a hedge of protection.” As we trust in the Lord with all our heart, He will make straight our path and guide us to our eternal destination! Compromise is never an option!
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Parasha Toldot (Generations) Gen. 25:19–28:9; Mal 1:1–2:7; Luke 3:1–18
In this week’s Torah portion we read in Gen.25:21 that, “…when Isaac was 40 years old he took Rebekah as his wife… and pleaded to the LORD on behalf of his wife, Rebekah because she was childless and the Lord granted his plea and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (NB: in this instance she didn’t pray but Isaac). This is significant because God’s intention in marriage is that we cover for one another.
Barrenness was wrongly considered a curse due to sin, so Rebekah must have been convinced that God was punishing her for something she was unaware of. The underlying cause of Rebekah’s barrenness is purely speculative but the underlying meaning is not. And by gaining an insight into this will assist us in being better equipped to face challenges in life all of us must face at different moments in our lives.
Rebekah’s barrenness was not an isolated event and in Scripture there is mention of seven women who were initially barren and six out of the seven were godly people who served God wholeheartedly. The gematria seven represents Divine perfection inferring that God is in full control even when we don’t understand things perfectly, as illustrated in the lives of these women:
1. Sarah the wife of Abraham was initially barren and only gave birth to Isaac at an advanced age following God’s promise.
2. Rebekah the wife of Isaac struggled with infertility for many years before giving birth to twins, Esau and Jacob.
3. Rachel the wife of Jacob was envious of her sister Leah’s children but eventually gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin after years of barrenness.
4. Hannah the mother of Samuel was deeply distressed by her inability to conceive and prayed fervently for a child, eventually giving birth to Samuel.
5. Michal – the wife of David remained childless until her death as Divine judgment for mocking David when David was publicly worshipping God.
6. Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth and although not explicitly stated as childless, she experienced the loss of her sons and was left without descendants.
7. Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist was barren until she conceived in her old age following Divine intervention.
The number 7 in Hebrew occurs 287 times in Scripture from the root, ‘savah,’ meaning ‘to be full’ or ‘satisfied.’ So, for example, on the seventh day of creation, God rested from His work after what He had created was full and complete.
In God’s creative works, seven completes the colours of the rainbow and in music the notes of the scale. In each of these, the eighth is only a repetition of the first part.
The opening statement in the Book of Genesis consists of 7 words and 28 letters (4×7): “B’resheet Bara Elohim et Ha Shamyim v’et Ha Aretz” It was an act that expressed God’s complete and tangible perfection where barrenness was non-existent.
The underlying significance of Rebekah’s barrenness was hidden until in the fullness of time she conceived and gave birth to twins: Isaac and Esau. From Isaac would be birthed a son through whom would be established the 12 tribes of Israel. God has His perfect timing in all things and Rebekah’s temporary barrenness was simply God postponing things until the right moment.
And so, if ever we are confronted with the mystery of barrenness whether it be failing health, disappointments, setbacks, or any other manner of negatives, Scripture reminds us that all things work together for good for those who love Him according to His eternal (perfect) purpose and timing. Often, the things that appear to us as barrenness will in the fullness of time bear fruit for the glory of God. (Ps.1 – stand in the counsel of the ungodly, walk, sit)
Countless times God intervenes to confound the world in situations that appear impossible even as it was with Rebekah. God used her barrenness to motivate Isaac to seek God’s face earnestly for the miracle that was eventually granted.
Many times Yeshua warned about spiritual barrenness as failure to walk in the footsteps of the Master. But here is the miracle – God is able to transform barreness into abundance as Scripture declares: “I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.” (Isa.41:18) This beautiful description refers directly to eretz Israel but also contains a remez (hint) concerning us. A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well and so to God wants to birth within us the same thing; a deeper walk with Himself, a deeper knowledge, a deeper relationship – to propel us to places beyond our dreams as we invest our trust and fully surrender our lives to Him – for those willing to pay the price.
Something else I would like to touch upon that holds relevance to us concerns Isaac and Rebecca’s relationship with their children. The identical twins were opposites physically, emotionally and spiritually. Gen.25: 27-28 states that, “……the boys grew up. Esau became a skilful hunter, a man of the outdoors; but Jacob was a mild man who stayed at home among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob”. Immediately we see warning red lights appearing.
Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob but Rebekah loved Jacob more than Esau. For Rebekah it was partially due to a prophetic word she had received from the Lord before giving birth: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Gen.25:23). Since Jacob was the younger, Rebekah understood that it would be his line who would continue the lineage through God’s covenant and become heirs of His promises. Consequently. she invested far more input into Jacob rather than equally to both children. And of course Isaac did the same with Esau for different reasons.
When we consider Jacob and Esau during their growing up years, both of them possessed serious character flaws. The difference was that in the course of events Jacob allowed God to transform his life and became reborn with a name change, from Jacob (deceiver) to Israel (‘Prince of God’). However, Esau simply remained Esau.
Esau disregarded any desire to fulfil his godly responsibility as the elder brother, to carry forward the promises and covenants of God. Furthermore, in Gen.26:34-35 it states that, “…when Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah”.
Yet, Isaac was blind to all the reckless and godless acts of Esau because he viewed his son through speckled sunglasses. Love without discernment is blind. When Isaac instructed: “Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die,” he did so because he desired to be filled with the smell and taste he associated with Esau, before his intention to bless him with the older son’s inheritance. With all the amazing things Isaac had experienced in his walk with God throughout his life, his lack of discernment towards Esau became a stumbling block where he failed to see between the wood and the trees.
When Isaac and Esau realised how they had been deceived by Jacob, Isaac “trembled violently” and Esau “burst out with a loud and bitter cry.” The Torah generally speaks little about people’s emotions but here is an exception.
In contrast there is no indication how Abraham or Isaac felt in one of the most alarming episodes in the Bible – the binding of Isaac.
The depth of feeling describing Isaac and Esau at the moment they discovered they had been tricked, is something rarely encountered in Scripture. Isaac and Esau had been deceived yet were helpless to do anything about .
Isaac never reproached Esau for selling his birth-right to Jacob, and Esau never blamed his father for taking insufficient care to avoid blessing Jacob instead of himself. All bitterness was directed towards Jacob. This act of blame shifting posed a big problem for a family that was already dysfunctional in so many ways as we see the drama unfold. It was a defining moment in each one of the family members’ lives.
Never in all history was something so valuable purchased for so little all because Esau was willing to sell-out for “a pot of stew.” In a moment of weakness Scripture describes Esau’s sin of treating common something that was sacred, and for this he forfeited his entire inheritance. One bible commentary states how “ …Warnings in the Bible serve as expressions of God’s love, intended to guide believers towards righteousness and away from the path of destruction. They are integral to the message of salvation, underscoring the importance of heeding God’s call to live according to His will” something Esau rejected with terrible consequences. https://biblehub.com/topical/d/divine_mercy_and_warning.htm
The Hebrew phrase, “And the older shall serve the younger” (“ve-rav ya’avod zayer”) has been translated, “The rabbi will serve the disciple” that connects with Jn.13 after Yeshua had washed His disciples feet, taken His garments, and sat down again. Following this, He said to them, ‘“Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, (Rav) have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.’” v’s 12-14. We are all commanded to wash one another’s feet in the sense of serving one another in love as opposed to a self centred life-style characterised by Esau.
Although it was Issac who prayed for Rebekah during her period of barrenness, eventually God used her instead of Isaac to pave the way to establish the ten tribes of Israel from whom would be born the Saviour of the world, through Jacob not Esau.
God had ordained these things before the beginning of creation so why didn’t He simply arrange Jacob to be the older twin instead of the younger to avoid all the problems and headaches that followed?
God’s choice of Jacob as the covenant heir was not arbitrary or unjust. Although Esau was still blessed in many ways, what he was not chosen for was the unique privilege of carrying the covenant line leading to the Messiah due to his delinquent and unrepentant character. Esau bore full responsibility for his actions. Scripture portrays him as irreverent and someone who “despised his birthright” and sold it for a meal. His marriages to pagan women deeply grieved his parents and showed his complete lack of reverence and disregard towards anything that was godly (Gen. 26:34–35).
Mal.1:2–3 says something that is often misunderstood – “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” This is a Hebrew idiom meaning that the love God had for Jacob was like hate for Esau in comparison – in other words it was a literary device of comparison. Esau was not abandoned by God and he in fact became wealthy, powerful, and the father of the Edomites (Gen. 36). The distinction lay in covenant role, rather than in favouritism. Gen.25:23 reveals God’s wisdom in directing the covenant promises through Jacob. Both Jacob and Esau were blessed by God but only Jacob’s line carried the Messianic hope. But to make things more complicated even in this Israel failed as a nation and rejected the Messiah. But as we trace the story of salvation from Genesis to Revelation God we discover the Divine purpose for this described in the words of Paul in Rom.11:25, “…For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Israel’s rejection is not final! He continues,
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”
As the story unfolds following Isaac’s blessing of Jacob, Esau made death threats against Jacob and in order to protect him Rebekah sent Jacob to her hometown in Haran and live with her brother Laban. Haran was situated a long distance away in northern Syria, near the town of Aleppo.
And so Jacob fled for his life. The hardships he endured throughout this period was all part of God’s Divine plan to transform him from a Jacob to an Israel – trials he had to face alone without any human comfort or support. But it was in this place, with all the creature comforts and securities stripped away, where he experienced his deepest and life-changing encounter. God invaded the darkness at the lowest moment of Jacob’s life. Jacob met God when he least expected it, when his mind was focused desperately upon survival. He spent his first night sleeping rough with only stones for a pillow. The thoughts passing through his mind may well have rested upon the apparent mis-match of his father’s blessings with the reality of his circumstances – fleeing for his life, separated from home and all he was familiar with and a brother vowing to take revenge against him.
God, who knows our deepest needs and innermost thoughts, came to Jacob in a dream that night and it was here that his life took a radical turn for the better.
The parasha teaches us to refuse every deterrent that would prevent us from entering into the fullness of God’s destiny! Scripture reveals that no matter what circumstances we face, God will always make a way even when there seems to be no way! The question is how we respond, and perhaps our worst enemy is to do nothing because procrastination is the thief of time that leads to eternal forfeit.
But I would like to end by returning full circle to before the birth of Jacob and Esau when they were in the womb where the struggle between them was first evident and continues with ever increasing intensity to this day with a focus upon the right of inheritance which includes land. Esau is still alive and well seeking to usurp the land and full inheritance given to Jacob by God in accordance with His covenant promises to Abraham and Isaac.
The people and nations who oppose Israel and the Jewish people are aligning with Esau and placing themselves in a precarious position that will lead to their ultimate destruction. Let God arise and His enemies be scattered, for those who oppose God’s covenant people will be cursed and laid to waste like chaff to the wind. Sounds over the top? But these aren’t my words but come directly from Scripture. We should be aware that the majority of people who call themselves “Christians” are entirely unaware of these things, being readily deceived by the misinformation and disinformation that promulgates social media, and false teaching from the pulpits within many churches. Those people who claim to be christians yet hate the Jewish people should remember that the God they claim to serve is also the King of the Jews.
We must stand up in these end times to the truth of the Word of God that exhorts us to bless the Jewish people and the Land of Israel; to be praying for the “peace of Jerusalem” and to counter the demonic lies and blood libels that are being increasingly propagated in South Africa and throughout the world. We dare not remain as passive spectators which would be our folly but as we enter the month of Kislev, the month of Hanukah, let’s be Maccabean as we engage the enemy under the direction of the Holy Spirit, placing our full trust in the One who at all times is our refuge and our strength.
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