Parshat Noach – Barnie de Klerk: Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44
· This passage contains the Fig Tree parable and it is not to be confused with the historic cursing of the Fig Tree, although there are parallels which I will dig into. YESHUA warned that we can and should tell the season of the end-times, by the tree’s preparation for the Summer season. The fig tree’s branches are softening as it prepares to bud. Then you know that the hot dry Summer season (in Israel) is at hand. In the parable, the nation of Israel in the Fig Tree. YESHUA said that, when all the signs of the end times appear, we must take heed, because the end-times are upon us. HE warned us about the time we currently live in. All the signs covered earlier in Matthew’s chapter 24, already indicate so.
· YESHUA said that the generation who witness the on-set of these signs, will not pass away until the parable of the fig tree is fulfilled. (Matt. 24:34). Messianic interpretation and application of the parable builds from the return of the Jews after the 2nd World War and the restoration of the State of Israel in 1948. As a generation is considered to be 70-80 years (from Psalm 90:10), application takes us to 2018 (70 years) – 2028 (80 years). I would like to point out that there are some uncertainty regarding when the count should start, i.e. it could possibly have started with the restoration of Jerusalem, when it was liberated in 1967, its reconstruction of the old Jewish Sector started a year later in 1968 and was “completed” in 1975. However, Jerusalem was not annexed into the State of Israel until 1980. All these different dates, adjusted by the years of a generation as mentioned above opens many possibilities, the latest dates being 1980 plus 70-80 years, is 2050-2060.
· The Fig Tree parable is therefore narrowed down, by searching for Sabbatical years and Jubilees as those years brings restoration. This could be as easy as looking for a year that is dividable by 49 as the 50th year of Jubilees is also the 1st year of the new count. And that opens a new can of worms, i.e. which calendar should be used? It is easy to discard the Gregorian calendar and adopt the Hillel calendar as it is generally accepted in Judaism and in the Messianic aka Hebrew Roots movement (although there are several other possibilities on the table, as Hillel did not count the years spend in slavery in Egypt for example). Using Hillel’s calendar, year 5782 is 118 X 49, which makes this new “Jewish” year of 5783 a Jubilee. 5783 is 2022/23 on the Gregorian Calendar.
Note: Adjusted for the slavery years in Egypt, we have to add-on another 430-210=220 years, which makes this year, year 6003! Then it seems like YESHUA’s return is already 3 years over-due! Alternatively, if we expect that human history will be a full 120 Jubilees, it will be another 97 years… – I only added these calculations to illustrate the uncertainty regarding the actual year and date, and rest in YESHUA’s words of Matt. 24:36 “Nobody knows…”
I conclude with stating that my expectation is to see the Return of the Messiah within my expected human-lifetime and with my physical eyes.
· YESHUA went on to say: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but MY words will never pass away” (Matt. 24:35). HE was referring to the conclusion of the Messianic Kingdom when heaven and earth will indeed pass away and will be replaced with eternity – Revelation 21:1.
· The crux of the Parable of the Fig Tree is that we must remain busy doing our daily work until HE returns. The first Christian assembly in Jerusalem did not understand this correctly and sold all their assets to consume their capital as they expected an imminent return of YESHUA, but alas their early experiment in “communism” ended as each and every spell of communism ended, with utter poverty. There can be no doubt, we have to remain occupied until the end. We have to stay alert and encourage each other. The SON of man is returning at an hour we do not expect! (Matt. 24:44).
· The cursing of the Fig Tree (Mark 11:12-25) draws certain parallels to the parable of the Fig Tree. Both accounts are prophetic in nature. In both accounts the Fig Tree refers to the nation of Israel. YESHUA’s action of cursing the Fig Tree when HE didn’t find fruit on it, in-spite of it not being the fruiting season (2 crops every year) tells us of HIS 1st Coming, when the Chosen People largely did not believe in HIM and therefore they did not bear the fruit that HE was looking for. HE cursed the Tree to wither-up and die, because HE demonstrated what will happen to Israel after HIS death, resurrection and ascension and after Pentecost (Shavuot). HIS prophecy happened as follows:
o HE came but didn’t find fruit on the Fig Tree.
o Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 (AD).
o In 132-135 (AD) the Bar Kokchba Revolt against the Romans almost succeeded to expel the Romans from Israel, but the turning point came when Rabbi Akiva declared Bar Kokchba to be the Messiah. Immediately, all the believers in YESHUA withdrew from the battle as they could not fight for a false Messiah. Their withdrawal weakened the Israelite army significantly, so that the Romans immediately crushed what was left of the Revolt. This battle is a very significant rift between Jewish believers in YESHUA and the Orthodox.
o Demon-driven Rome then changed the name of Jerusalem to Capitolina and they changed the name of the country from Israel to Palestine in order to wipe out all memory of the Holy Land. The Romans chopped down every single tree in the Land to crucify Jews every mile from Jerusalem on their journey back to Rome. The Fig Tree nation of Israel was completely withered and dead and empty of people and destroyed.
o Except for the Samaritans the land was devoid of people – there were no “Palestinians”! How could there be such people, as the Romans invented the name after crushing Bar Kokchba. The people who claim that “title” are escapees from the Arab nations who fled there centuries later. The Samaritan people are still there, but their numbers are small and they are wholly integrated into Israeli society.
o After the 2nd World War a trickle of Jews started to return to the Holy Land of Israel, but the British occupiers deported the vast majority of these desolate people without any consideration of the hardship they endured under the Nazi’s. Once the State of Israel was born again in a day, on 14 May 1948, the trickle grew to a stream, Ezekiel 37’s Valley of Dead Bones came alive again, the Land reacted in response by blossoming again and there can be no doubt that the Fig Tree returned from the dead. This is the parable sign that Summer is on the way…
Gospel: Luke 17:20-37
· In this passage, the Pharisees asked YESHUA when the KINGDOM of ADONAI will come.
· YESHUA’s curt answer is that “the KINGDOM of ADONAI does not come with signs to be seen” and HE cautions them (and us) against chasing after sensationalised rumours – I confess that I have done that in the past, with all the “dark planet” and “Ananuki” or “Reptilians” hype that developed around what was perceived to be the “Revelation 12” sign, back in 2017 or there-about. I was susceptible because I have long (since my teens in the late 1970’s) held on to an expectation that 2018 will be a year of prophetic significance, because the State of Israel was 70 years old then. My human understanding of the Fig Tree Parable has been proven wrong as it was heavily based on my hope to see these things come about.
· YESHUA went on to explain how these end-time events will happen, in a 2-step process:
o HE explained the 1st Coming of the Messiah (i.e. HIMself) in Luke 17:25-27 to suffer and to be rejected, as the “Mashiach Ben Yosef” aka “the SON of Josef” aka the “Suffering Servant”. YESHUA explained that as it was in the days of Noah, so it will also be in the days of the SON of man.
The “SON of Josef” analogy comes from Judaism where it is anticipated that the MESSIAH will come either as the “SON of Josef” or as the “SON of David”. From studying both the “Old” and the “New” testament, we believe that both descriptions are correct. In HIS 1st Coming, YESHUA was the “SON of Josef’ who was despised and sold into slavery, yet HE became the RULER over Egypt (a symbol of our fallen into sin status) and the SALVATION of HIS people. Like Josef, the time will come upon a 2nd Coming or Return when HE will reveal HIMself to HIS people by showing the “marks” on his body. A Rabbi I listened to said that Josef’s reveal to his brothers with the words “Ani Josef” (I am Joseph) were the most shocking words in the Tanakh. I anticipate that YESHUA’s words upon HIS return will be worse: “Ani YESHUA” (I am YESHUA) to the people who refused to acknowledge HIM.
In the days of Noah, people were happily going on in their daily routine, completely ignorant of what was about to happen. As we await YESHUA’s return, we need to occupy ourselves in our daily activity but not be completely ignorant of the fullness of time as many, sadly are. Those who were unprepared, were swept away in the Flood. The prepared ones were raptured in their vessel of escape. You should also read the Parable of the 10 Bridesmaids with this in mind.
o The 2nd step or example given to the Pharisees by YESHUA is in Luke 17:28-30. HE compared HIS return to the days of Lot. Once again, everybody was busy with their daily slog, just as we must be in our day. Just like Lot and his 2 daughters, we have to work, but be aware of the times and prepared to flee to safety (i.e. raptured to a safe place.)
o I cannot suppress my thoughts of Abraham’s negotiation with ADONAI to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, eventually negotiating GOD down to “10 people”. In both Noah’s and in Lot’s cases, the remnant was less than 10 people, so that even Abraham could not “negotiate” ADONAI out of HIS divine plan’s unfolding. In the case of Noah, they were 8 people on the Ark. In Lot’s case, the opportunity to escape was offered to 6 people, but alas, the 2 sons-in-law-to-be declined the invitation and Mrs. Lot longed for what they left behind, so that only 3 was saved.
o Note what YESHUA said in Luke 17:32: If you attempt to save your livelihood, your favourite couch, pillows, car or whatever, instead of putting your trust (faith or “emunah”) in HIM alone, just like Lot’s wife, you will lose your life. If your trust is in HIM, HE will save you, with the emphasis on YOU and this does not extend to your nest-egg investment portfolio or the etchings in your hall.
o It is time to differentiate between things of eternal value and things of passing temporal value. If you cling to YESHUA then your “things” with eternal value will be secure.
Prophets: Isaiah 54:1 – 55:5
o Isaiah’s song recorded here is entitled: “Your Husband is your maker.” It is intended for Israel. Note that ADONAI never sought another Bride other than Israel. All replacement theology teachings that claim that HE divorced Israel and that the “Church” is HIS new bride are false teachings. ADONAI is true to HIS Bride, Israel. Any other “woman” who tries to seduce the HUSBAND is called a harlot – you can read about her in Revelation 17 & 18.
o As gentile believers, our hope is that, through our faith in the Jewish MESSIAH we are adopted into the family of Abraham. As the Apostle Paul put it, we gentile believers are wild shoots grafted onto the Olive Tree that is Israel. We become part of the “lost” 10 Tribes also called Ephraim. You do not have to take my word for it, go read what Paul said in his letter to the Romans 11:11-36. Through GOD’s grace, we gentiles become part of Ephraim in the Ezekiel 37 prophecy about the dry bones and the 2 sticks.
o In Isaiah’s moving love song, Israel is the “barren one”, and the “married one” of Isa. 54:1. The Goyim nations are the “desolate”. This song draws from the history of Sarah, Abraham’s wife and the history of Manoah’s wife, Samson’s mother and the history of Hannah, Elkana’s wife and the history of Elizabeth (Elisheva), Zechariah’s wife even though they lived years after the Prophet. As was the case with the unmentioned (in the Bible text) “barren” women, who eventually gave birth to very special sons, Israel eventually gave “birth” to the MESSIAH, the SON of GOD.
o Isaiah goes on to tell the nation of Israel to make ample space for their future generations. The promise of a multitude of descendants made to Abraham will come true. In verses 5 to 8 Isaiah outlines the future relationship between ADONAI and HIS chosen people – and this is the same message as the practical life-theme of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer as well.
o Isaiah compares ADONAI’s relationship with Noah through the Flood, to HIS relationship with the nation of Israel as HE promised that HIS “love will not depart from” Israel. HE goes on to reaffirm HIS promise that no weapon formed against Israel will prosper (Isa 54:14-17).
o In Isaiah’s next song, “Trees of the field will clap their hands”, he immediately coins the famous phrase which is echoed in the Gospel of John 4:14 (YESHUA talking to the Samaritan woman at the well) and John 7:37 (YESHUA’s call on the Great Day of the Feast of Sukkot during the water libation ceremony in the Temple) as well as in Revelation 21:6 (YESHUA words after the new heaven and the new earth is revealed) and Revelation 22:17 (The HOLY SPIRIT and the Bride of the LAMB calls out in unison). If you have not guessed it yet, Isaiah’s words are: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the water, and you who have no money come, buy, eat.” This is the essence of ADONAI’s everlasting covenant with Israel.
o Through faith in YESHUA, we gentiles too become adopted children of Abraham into Israel where we are also invited to respond to ADONAI’s gracious invitation. Don’t delay! Accept HIM today.
Parashat Noach (“Noah”)
Our weekly Scripture portions are:
· Torah: Genesis 6:9 – 11:32
· Prophets: Isaiah 54:1 – 55:5
· Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44 (2022)
Luke 17:20-37 (2022)
This is the 2nd of 54 portions.
A brief overview of this week’s Portions are as follows:
Torah: Genesis 6:9 – 11:32
· So often people’s first thoughts about Noah and the Flood related to “stories from the children’s Bible”, but in reality the history around it is saturated with deep meaning, and occasionally adult in nature. The bigger connection to the rest of the Bible explores the meaning of what a Covenant is and it is anticipated that the coming antichrist will enforce 7 Noahide “laws” upon the global society during his brief rule. The Flood brings about a “rebirth” or renewal of the earth as it has been through a Mikveh to wash its collective sin away.
· In last week’s Portion we read about the “Sons of GOD” and the irresistible beauty of women. We read how genetics became corrupted, but different to what we think, it did not make GOD angry, no it made HIM sad (Gen. 6:6). HIS “good” Creation turned bad – the original text use the word “ruined”. With a broken heart, ADONAI set about to re-create… Not to destroy, but to protect (Human, animal and plant DNA, etc.) against ruin, by “ruining” the already ruined parts. With a broken heart, moved by love, ADONAI acted to protect HIS Creation through the Flood. This is grace. There is an interesting inversion at play in the Hebrew text: Noah’s name is spelled “Nun-Chet” and the reversal of Noah’s name is “Chet-Nun” which is “Chen” the Hebrew word for “grace”. GOD’s “Chen” is hidden within “Noach”’s name.
· When we consider the PARDES reading of the Parashat, the Peshat level is clearly the history of the Flood and the Tower of Babel. The Remez level teaches us about ADONAI’s mercy or grace and of HIS Messiah to come. On the Drash level there are symbolisms we will explore during this session. On the Sod level we read about the re-creation of the world. The opening verse’s last sentence translated word for word as “Aleph Tav the Elohim walked Noach” transfers the initiative to walk together from Noah as our translations read, unto “Aleph Tav the Elohim”. We have been told by YESHUA HIMself that HE is the Aleph Tav, translated as Alpha and Omega in Revelation 1:8. It was YESHUA who took Noah by the hand and pulled Noah along with HIM.
· From a certain point of view, it can be said that Creation Plan “A” failed through Eve and Adam’s Fall, so that GOD was forced to deploy Plan B outside the Garden which unfortunately also became corrupted so that HE had to use the Flood to bring Plan “C” about, which got derailed by Nimrod’s Tower of Babel, so HE implemented Plan “D” by confusing the common language, and opted for Plan “E” with Abraham and so on and on until HIS final Plan to send HIS SON YESHUA HA’MASHIACH to save the world.
· During the Creation week, ADONAI separated the waters into waters above and waters below. During the Flood, these waters combined again and a re-creation process started with the RUACH on the water again. The Flood was followed by a new “4th day” in which the plants came forth.
· In Noah’s day, the earth was “ruined” or destroyed through violence because all flesh was corrupted. The corruption was most certainly expressed through violent behaviour, but the corruption had occurred on a DNA-level after the “sons of GOD” made cross-breed chimaeras with humans and these genetic abominations were known as Nephilim and giants as we read in last week’s Portion. Therefore, ADONAI decided to bring “ruin” upon the land. The genetic corruption extended to animals and birds and even to fish. Greek and Norse mythology draws from life before the flood and this extends to the “son of GOD” who came to earth as “the gods”, the cross-breeds named demi-gods and the minotaur and centaur etc.
· ADONAI gave the design of the Ark to Noah, who had to build it to specifications: Circa 150 m long, 1/6th as wide at 25 m and 1/10th the height at 15 m. Modern shipbuilders still favour these design ratios. It had to be 3 stories, each compartmentalized, waterproofed outside and inside, with a roof that allowed for healthy ventilation and a door. In giving these instructions, ADONAI told Noah to put his faith into action! It had never rained before, there had been no logical reason to build such a ship, but Noah exercised his faith in practice in order to fulfil his side of the Noahide Covenant. If Noah believed without action, he would have drowned. Note how Noah left ADONAI’s side of this covenant to ADONAI to do. We could probably learn something from Noah in this regard…
· Noah, his wife as well as their 3 sons and 3 daughters-in-law were saved. 8 people in total. Note that they were less than the 10 people Abraham “negotiated” with ADONAI some 450 years later in Abraham’s attempt to save Sodom and Gomorrah. ADONAI remain true to HIS word, past present and future times are all the same to HIM.
· We often remember the animals came in pairs, 2 x 2 and forget that the “clean” (Kosher) animals as well as the birds entered the ark as 7 pairs. It is interesting to note that almost a millennium before Moses’ “Kashrut” dietary laws, ADONAI already spoke to Noah about “clean” and “unclean” animals, and this was before the Flood when they didn’t eat any animals, and I presume that Noah understood the difference.
· The dates around the Flood is of interest. Why would ADONAI “bother” to record the specific dates if those were not of significance?
o The Floodwaters came upon the land on the 17thday of the 2nd month (Iyyar). Whilst this does not respond to any of ADONAI’s holy convocations’ dates, we learn from the ancient apocriptic Book of Jubilees that this is the date on which the snake seduced Eve. The Flood happened some 1600’ish years after the seduction, but ADONAI remembered and HE “ruined” the enemy’s handiwork on the date that would drive the point home. In our calendar this will fall on 08 May in 2023. Could this date be meaningful for the old snake to raise his head again? – just guessing…
o It rained 40 days and 40 nights and it was the first rain ever on planet earth. After the Flood, Noah and his family must have trembled in fear each time they saw some clouds build-up… they needed a visible sign of a covenant that ADONAI will not “ruin” the whole earth in this manner again to quiet their nerves!
o After 150 days, that is 5 months of floating on a global mass of water, ADONAI deployed the RUACH to pass over the “land” to subside the waters. Gen. 8:1 gives us a clue what was really going on – read this verse in conjunction with Gen. 1:2. In Creation-week, ADONAI also deployed HIS RUACH on the surface of the water. From this we learn that HE was NOT destroying HIS Creation, but HE was RE-Creating everything as new. HIS RUACH brings about the separation of land and water. HE did the same when Israel was trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, the RUACH opened a dry path for HIS people to use as an escape route (Exodus 14:21). YESHUA also demonstrated HIS power over water in a number of ways: HE turned it into wine and HE walked on it as well. HE called out that HE is the source of living water during the Sukkot water libation ceremony and HE revealed to John that eventually the sea will be pushed back when Heaven and Earth is renewed (Revelation 21:1). Water will do HIS bidding when it flows from the new Temple in 2 streams to a.o. bring life to the Dead Sea, and after the New Jerusalem is brought down to earth, a stream of living water will flow from ADONAI’s throne through the Garden (Revelation 22:1). HE is the Living Water who restores life to us too.
o Noah’s Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month (Tishrei), just in time for Sukkot (i.e. on the 3rd day of Sukkot, it was on 12 October in 2022). Noah and his family were the fruit harvested from the ruined “Old” World, to re-seed the new Reborn World – as it was born from water and at the end of time it will be reborn by fire – I am sure that you can see the “story of our SALVATION through YESHUA in this over-view: The world conceived, born from water and reborn through fire. It is our “story” too.
o On the 1st day of the 10thmonth (Tevet), a date destined to become Channukah, the tops of the mountains appeared from the waters. The world was re-dedicated! Noah and his family surely got new hope of a soon “release” from their captivity when they witnessed this. In 2022, this date happens to fall on 25 December.
o 40 days later, Noah send out a raven to spy out the lay of the land, but his spy was unreliable and never returned to him. I guess the distant mountain tops offered a well-watered carrion smorgasbord to the raven and his duty was soon forgotten. In goyim cultures, ravens are often associated with loss and are considered a bad omen, but also of prophetic significance. Noah’s raven (“Orev”) is the first mention of any bird species in the Tenakh. Ravens brought food to Elijah at the river Krit during a famine, in Song of Songs the Groom’s hair is as black as a raven as a sign of beauty. In Psalm 147:9 and Job 38:41 and in the Gospel of Luke 12:24 ravens are symbolic of ADONAI’s provision, after the example of Elijah mentioned above.
o A female dove became a more reliable spy, but returned empty handed. 7 days later, she returned with an olive leave, the symbol of peace and of Royalty and another week later she found a place to nest. Symbolically, in sharp contrast with the raven, we understand that the dove represents the HOLY SPIRIT. Doves are kosher and a suitable sacrifice to be brought. She (the dove) conveyed once-again the message that dry land appeared from the waters.
o On the 1st day of the 1stmonth (Nissan), that is 2 weeks before the Passover, Noah removed the Ark’s roof so that they could enjoy the sight of drying land. This became a good time to “Spring” clean your house and to remove all the “leaven” from it.
o By the 27th day of the 2ndmonth (Iyyar), just about 40 days after Passover, on the future day of YESHUA’s ascension, ADONAI told Noah to disembark. What a happy day it was! A sprawling new life awaited for the crew and for every animal, and almost every bird (as 1 raven and 1 dove left before). They went out to multiply in a brave new world. This falls on 18 May in 2023.
o Noah build an altar and brought sacrifices of clean animals and birds to ADONAI. ADONAI made a promise to never again curse the ground on account of man and HE laid down the seasonal and agricultural cycles, also that day and night will endure until eternity. YESHUA later confirmed that this will be so, until Creation enters eternity.
· After the Flood a number of changes were at hand:
o Animals started to fear people and people ate them.
o ADONAI laid down a new law about blood-shedding (Gen. 9:6)
o ADONAI made a Covenant with Noah and deployed the rainbow as a reminder. Note that the rainbow is not a symbol that deviant sexual behaviour became socially acceptable, this is another attempt of the evil one to corrupt GOD’s plan in the world.
· Noah and the Flood can be understood in the light of 2 Timothy 3:1-6. (Read the text) It is good advise. Be like Noah.
· As a closing thought on the Flood: ADONAI used the Flood to bring knowledge about HIM to people who didn’t know and did not want to know HIM. Similarly, Armageddon before and the Great White Throne Judgement after the Millennial Kingdom will do the same – people who denies HIM will be brought to face HIM. They will then know HIM, and acknowledge HIM and they will do so in terror. It is far better to bend your knee and head in worship and adoration and honour HIM as your KING of kings while there still is time and opportunity to do so. Delay can only bring about such terror.
· There are several parallels between the Days of Noah and the end-times:
o It comes as a surprise, like a thieve in the night.
o Escape is possible, through faith-in-action.
o But once the door is shut, it will remain shut.
o The unsaved will be locked-out.
o There are many compartments /rooms available.
o 3-level design: Bride, Bridesmaids, Wedding guests indicating differentiated levels on intimacy in their relationship with the GROOM.
o A single door: YESHUA.
o Misery, death and destruction reigns outside.
o It brings an end to an age. It is a new beginning.
o It is cataclysmic!
· Have you ever wondered why Mrs. Noah’s name is never mentioned in the Scriptures?
And have you noticed that in Genesis 9:18 is is written that Noah’s sons came out of the Ark: “Shem, Ham and Japheth” and then Canaan the son of Ham is mentioned almost as if he is a 4th son to Noah?
o After the Flood we read that Noah planted a vineyard and had a few sips to many…
o In his drunken state he lay passed-out in his tent to sleep it off.
o Ham saw his father’s nakedness, but Canaan got cursed for this transgression. How can that be fair?
I suspect that it is because of a family scandal:
· When Noah was intoxicated, Ham saw an opportunity to rise-up against his father’s authority… Ham desired to be the leader and rule over his brothers. Ham’s attack against Noah was 2-pronged:
o From the Book of Jasher, we learn that he stole Adam’s cloak made by ADONAI, which he later gave to his great grandson, Nimrod.
o And secondly, He “uncovered his father’s nakedness”…
· I told the “story” of Adam’s cloak in my notes for Parashat Bereshit and are not going to repeat it here.
· What does it mean to “uncover your father’s nakedness”? Read:
o Leviticus 18: verses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 – Don’t uncover close family members’ nakedness
o Leviticus 20: verses 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, – more of the same.
o Ezekiel 23:10 and Isaiah 47:3
Clearly it means that Ham raped his own mother and that Canaan was conceived from that horrible sin.
· We read of similar occurrences when an uprising rebel rose against somebody in authority:
o Genesis 35:22 – Reuben rose against Isaac by sleeping with Bilha, his father’s concubine.
o 2 Samuel 3:6-7 – General Abner slept with King Saul’s concubine in an attempted Coop-de-Tat.
o 2 Samuel 16:20-22 – Absalom slept with King David’s concubines on the roof of the palace in a public display that he “replaced” his father.
o 1 Kings 2:22 – Adonijah (Absalom’s brother) asked for Abishag’s hand in marriage and King Solomon executed him for that.
· So some of our questions are answered:
o There was a “Jerry Springer”-style scandal in Noah’s family as Ham desired to over-through Noah’s authority.
o It caused Noah to curse Canaan who was born out of Ham’s incest with his own mother.
o It also is the reason why Canaan is “almost” mentioned as a 4th son in Noah’s family.
o Incidentally: Canaan’s bad heritage continued as Sodom and Gomorrah were “Canaanite” cities in Abraham’s time.
So that the Canaanites were mere placeholders in the Promised Land until Israel took possession of it. Cursed by ADONAI and Noah.
· The Tower of Babel:
o Nimrod’s power is said to come from wearing the garment that ADONAI made for Adam.
o Under the intimidating leadership of Nimrod, Noah’s descendants relocated to the plain of Shinar, in-between the Tigress and Euphrates.
o “Shinar” spelled “Shin-Resh” is an expression of intense hatred, anger or violencein Hebrew. The letter “Shin” represents fire and “Resh” represents a “head”.
o Nimrod chose this name as a slogan for his rebellion against ADONAI. He wanted to be worshipped, not unlike despots in the post-modern ear when we live now.
o Nimrod declared himself to be the impersonation of the sun-god (from “Shin-Resh”) and his wife, Semiramis as the moon-goddess, or mother-goddess.
o Their religion endured through the ages and is present today as satanism, Zoroasterism, Paganism, Roman Catholicism (through Maria worship) and even by ignorant Christians who celebrate “Easter” so-named after after “Ishtar”, one of many names used to worship Semiramis through the centuries.
· Abraham’s early life is not recorded in the Tenakh or the Bible, but comes from Apocryptic Books:
o Nimrod ruled the land. He build the Tower of Babel in defiance of ADONAI’s order for Noah’s descendants to spread out and fill the land.
o ADONAI confused people’s languages to stop the construction project on the Tower.
Remark: Have you noticed that the EU Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium have been designed after Nimrod’s Tower of Babel? Have you noticed how the same design featured in the recent opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England?
People are once again rebelling against ADONAI. HIS response is sure to follow…
· Abraham’s father Terah manufactured and sold idols in the city Ur of the Chaldeans, although he was name “Abram” back then. Abram was born in the year 1948 after Creation, using Hillel’s Calendar. Does this date sound familiar to you? It should, as the State of Israel was reborn in 1948, using the Gregorian Calendar! There are no coincidences in ADONAI’s plans for the world.
A slave woman in Terah’s household also gave birth to a baby boy on the same night as Abram was born.
Nimrod’s sorcerers warned him that a baby boy born in Terah’s house will cause the demise of him (Nimrod). Nimrod send soldiers to Terah to take the baby captive, but Terah gave the slave woman’s baby to them instead.
Nimrod murdered the baby boy by strangulation with his own hands in a foul deed that later was repeated by Pharaoh murdering Israelite baby boys before the Exodus and also by Herod who murdered all boys 2-years old and younger in his evil attempt to kill YESHUA, the KING of the Jews. After this, Terah knew that Abram was not safe in Ur, so he send the boy away, to live in a cave with Shem, Noah’s son and Abram’s great-great grandfather. Noah died 10 years before Abram was born, but as he grew up in Shem’s household he no doubt heard Shem’s 1st-hand account of the Flood. Abram probably became the father of Faith from Shem’s testimony.
Different sources have different ages for Abram when he was called to look after his father Terah’s business while Terah went on a journey. Reported ages vary from 13 or 15 to as old as 58.
While Terah was away, Abram destroyed all the idols in Terah’s factory-shop. He left only 1 large idol and placed a stick in its “hands”. Upon Terah’s return, he demanded an explanation from Abram. Abram said that the idols fought with each other over food and that the biggest one smashed all the other idols in its rage. Terah knew that was not true and said that the idols didn’t eat because they weren’t alive to which Abram responded: “Your own words testify against you Father! You know that these idols are not alive, yet you make them, sell them and pray to them!”
Nimrod heard about this and instinctively knew that he killed the wrong baby. He demanded to see Terah, Abram and Terah’s 3rd son Haran. (I don’t know what happened to Terah’s 2ndson, Nahor)
During the show-down in Nimrod’s palace, Abram testified about the ONE True GOD, ADONAI and rubbished the idols. Nimrod was furious and demanded if Haran were sharing Abram’s faith as he knew that Terah made and sold idols. Haran reserved his opinion, because he feared for his life and he first wanted to see what happened to Abram.
Nimrod ordered that Abram be thrown into a large oven or furnace to be burnt to death, in a precursor to what happened to Daniel’s friends in Babylon – Daniel 3:8-25.
However, Abram didn’t burn. He was not harmed by the fire at all. When Haran saw this, he blurted out that he too believed in the GOD of Abram. Nimrod had him thrown into the fire too and Haran burnt to death – because his faith was conditional and not complete like Abram’s. This is why Abram adopted Haran’s young son, Lot.
After these events, Terah and Abram knew they had to leave Ur. They moved to the city founded by Haran and lived there until Terah died and until ADONAI called Abram to go to the Promised Land.
· I hope that you are motivated to place your unconditional trust and faith in ADONAI like Abram did. If you put your faith/trust in HIM and in HIS SON YESHUA then you will be saved from the eternal fire. But in response to your salvation, you have to put your faith into action, heed HIS call on your life and bear fruit.
