Lekh Lekha “Go Forth, yourself!”

1. And YHWH had said to Abram, Get out from your country, and from your family, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you:
2. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing:
3. And I will bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you; and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed:
4. So Abram departed, as YHWH had spoken to him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy five years old when he departed from Haran:
5. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go to the land of Canaan; and to the land of Canaan they came:

Avram is told to get out of his home and go to a new home. This should not be too surprising since he was living in a land controlled by Nimrod. Nimrod had already tried to kill him twice: Once as an infant and once as a young man (Sepher Ha Yashar chapters 11-12)….

The first time that Nimrod attempted to kill him, was after Nimrod’s prophets had seen him as being an end to Nimrod’s reign (Sepher HaYashar Chapter 8). At this time Avram was hidden for a while, as seems to be a recurring theme, other children that were born around the same time were murdered by Nimrod.  This is a direct parallel tactic later used by Pharoah.

Where could one possibly hide a small child when Nimrod, the mighty hunter, was wanting him executed/murdered?

How about with Noah and Shem.  Sepher Ha Yashar indicates that Avram lived with Noah for 39yrs.  The chart below shows the biblical account of years and overlap in life times.

It is reported that Avram was about 56 years of age when Noah died, and He was much older when Shem died.

 

This chart was extracted from: http://www.cynet.com/jesus/timeline/timeline.htm

One reason that Avram loved YHWH so much was because of his close personal involvement with these righteous relatives - Noah and Shem.  It is amazing to find that these men were still alive at the time of Avram.  Another reason was the miraculous protection he had been privy to in Nimrod's furnace (Sepher HaYashar chapter 12)

This causes us to question further when it was that Avram left Ur. Nimrod was king, and was establishing himself as a "god" over the people.

The Tower incident had already taken place after Avram's stay with Noah and Shem, but before Avram's departure from  Bavel. There were people in the other lands where Avram was sent to, and were well established kingdoms by this time. Plus the events that recorded the dividing of the land pose as 2 witnesses for this theory:

Genesis 10:25 (NIV) Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan. 

1 Chronicles 1:19 (NIV) Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

Egypt was already established at some level with a "pharaoh" in place. There were people in Canaan with cities already built – Sodom, Gemorah, and others… So this would appear to be after the scattering of the people, also it appears that sufficient time has passed so that some of the people had learned the languages of their neighbors.

 

During this time Avraham also, because he and Sarah were doubting how YHWH was going to fulfill His promise, had relations with Hagar. The result of this union is Ishmael, and his descendants are still with us today. They are jealous because they were Avraham’s first born, but not to Avraham’s wife. This jealousy is still there today as those some descendants insist that on their own right as first born to the Promise.

 

We find that this off shoot from Avraham also developed a religious system. This is spoken of in Galations 4 and 5

 

Chapter 4
21 Say to me you who desire that you be "T'cheit Namosa", do you not hear the Torah?
22 For it is written that Avraham had to him two sons - one from the bondwoman and one from the freewoman
23 But [the one] that was from the bondwoman was born by the flesh but [the one] that was from the freewoman was by the promise
24 Now these are allegories of two covenants. One that is from Mount Sinai bears servitude which is Hagar
25 For Hagar is the mountain of Sinai which is in Arabia, and fulfills to this Yerushaliyim and serves in servitude she and her sons
26 But that Yerushaliyim is the freewoman who is our mother
27 For it is written: Take delight barren one who bears not and rejoice and shout You who have not labored in birth because that many are the sons of the dissolute [one] more than the sons of the married [one].
28 But we my brothers, like Yitzak are the sons of promise
29 And like them, he that was born by the flesh persecuted the one of the Spirit, thus also now.
30 But what does the Scripture say? Cast out the bondwoman and her son because the son of the bondwoman will not inherit with the son of the freewoman
31 Therefore we, my brothers, we are not sons of the bondwoman but sons of the freewoman.

 

 

Chapter 5
1 Stand therefore in the freedom which The Messiah freed us and do not be bound again by the yoke of servitude
2 Behold, I Paul say to you that if you be circumcised, [then] The Messiah is a thing which does not profit you.
3 Now I testify again to every son of man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do all the Torah
4 You have made The Messiah of no effect, these would be justified by the Torah and from favor you have fallen.
5 For we by the Spirit which is from trust, await the hope of righteousness
6 For in The Messiah Yeshua neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but trust which is perfected by love.
7 You were running good; who disturbed you that by the truth you should not be persuaded?
8 You persuasion is not from the one who called you
9 A little leaven leavens all the lump
10 I am confident concerning you in Our Lord, that you will not think other things, and the one who frightened you will bear to himself judgment whoever he is.
11 Now my brothers, if I was still proclaiming circumcision, why am I persecuted? Has the offense of the crucifixion ceased?
12 Now would that also those troubling you would be cut off!
13 Now you were called to freedom my brothers, only do not let your freedom be an occasion of the flesh but in love serve one another

By backing up into chapter 4, we see that these men who were about to become circumcised were about to be joined to the sons of Hagar (Ishmael). Today we see this religion as Islam. It, as does Judaism, requires circumcision to join them. However, notice in 4:30 that the bondwoman and her son are cast out and will not inherit with the son of the freewoman.

If these men had done this thing, they would have joined the bondwoman and would have thrown away their birthright as part of the Bride Israel.

The problem here was not circumcision, but the reason they were getting circumcised.

The issue of circumcision is a tough one, as it has been taught for generations that it is not needed, nor desirable, for those in Messiah. But to be part of the Bride, requires conversion. To partake in the Pesach requires conversion. To become a King/Priest in the Kingdom requires conversion. Messiah NEVER said anything against established conversion practices. It is only the writings, ie. Commentary, of one man who seems to speak against conversion in the first century. And those writing must be taken out of their intended context to do so.

To remove conversion, is to remove part of the Torah. Something this author is unwilling and unable to do. Salvation is a free gift, always has been. To be part of the set-apart people which are Messiah’s Bride requires circumcision – of heart and flesh.

For faith without works is dead.

Shabbat Shalom.