Lech-Lecha: Get Yourself Out, Go For Yourself! Gen.

12:1- 17:27 So here in the beginning of this Torah parsha we read Now The LORD said to Abram, Go Forth from your country, And from your relatives and from your fathers house To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great, And so you shall be a blessing, And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. And so we begin where last weeks parsha leaves off. At the end of chapter 11 we read in verses 31 and 32 that, Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of

Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abrams wife; and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran, and settled there. The days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran. Its very significant for us to walk slowly especially at the beginning of this cycle, because so many things are happening and many for the very first time that will set the meaning for future reference so before plowing through these next several chapters I want us to understand and get better acquainted with Abram; because we read in Galatians 3:16 that Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, And to seeds, as referring to many, but rather to one, And to your seed, that is, Messiah. So as Gods chosen people step onto the stage of history its important that we do all we can to ascertain what The Father is wanting to reveal specifically so that we may learn, because as often referred to isnt it in Romans 15:4 that says, For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction.? Exactly 10 Generations passed from Adam to Noah. And again we see exactly 10 more generations passed from Noah to Abram. In Hebrew numbers possess a significance that goes unnoticed in English. The study of numerical value in Hebrew is called Gematria. But we find here in Bullingers Numbers that the number 10 signifies a complete, or divine order as in the completion of a cycle. What we find in the reading of Noach is that Abram was born of a special genealogy, from Noah, down through Shem, which means The Name and from where we get our word Shema. The downside is we also recognize just as YHWH has mikvahd the earth of corrupted mans evil inclinations and imaginations that were constantly of wickedness all the time, once again man is becoming corrupted, which brings us to an essential principle that we need to address before moving on. Brad Scott offers a 4-part teaching that goes into great depth of communicating this concept, of which our time is restricted so I am only going to lift the essential point of it. First, let us recognize the fact that Hebraic thought is conceptual; it is cyclical as opposed to a western, Greco-Roman mindset which is based on linear logic. The point is, one of the most powerful ways The Father reveals His desire and character is through the repetition of patterns all throughout Scripture, so as pointed out earlier, it is crucial to identify these first patterns as they appear In the Beginning.

Second, let us also recognize that a frequent technique of teaching that The Father employs is one of using the Physical to reveal what Hes doing in the Spiritual. For example, when Yeshua died in the physical, He had already done it in the spiritual as referenced in Revelation 13:8. So the point I want to drive home here is called The Principle of The Seed. In a nutshell, The principle of The Seed is this..We read in Genesis chapter one, that in the beginning we have The Seed. We learn in Luke chapter 8:11 that The Seed is The Word of God, who is referred to in Genesis chapter 3:15 as the seed of the woman, referring to Messiah. But what we find early on even in Gan Eden is another seed, offered by the accuser of the brethren, a second seed, one that is a perversion of the Word of God. And this pattern is found all throughout scripture. In The Garden you have two trees, as in Romans Paul uses the two Olive trees, one natural and the other wild, you see it always in two men, one righteous and one unrighteous, as with Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau and on down the line. And so what find is that YHWHs seed is being propagated through those who humble themselves before Him and receive His Word, and by way of receiving they are able to produce fruit which is life.

So Abram is called by YHWH to Go for Yourself, and to Get Yourself Out. But what is it YHWH is calling Abram to leave behind? We read that he is to leave his homeland, the place of his birth and his fathers house. Speaking personally, in my little world, very few came from a family or background that nurtured a heart of reverence for YHWH. At best it was well-intentioned, but like Jeremiah the prophet spoke, 19 O LORD, my strength and my stronghold, And my refuge in the day of distress, To Thee the nations will come From the ends of the earth and say, "Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood, Futility and things of no profit." 20 Can man make gods for himself? Yet they are not gods. (Jer 16:19-20 NAS) The point being that most of the world and in the above verse are identified as nations have inherited a form of godliness, but they are only a perversion of YHWHs truth. Much of what weve grown up with and learned from an early age that was passed down from the podium to the pew, although wellintentioned was riddled with half-truth, oftentimes truth was unintentionally left out, or in the unfortunate event it was substituted with replacement theology or some other manmade theology. Second Timothy three says But realize this that in the last days men will be lovers of self, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim.3:1, 2, 5, 7). So like Abram, he too was born into a pagan

nation and culture that propagated a form of godliness, but was corrupt and rebellious towards their creator. We read in Torah, BResheit chapter 11 that Abrams family lived in Ur of the Chaldees. And upon closer inspection we can gain a little information that begins painting a background for this. In last weeks parsha, Noach we read about the rebellion as demonstrated in the sin of the construction of the Tower of Babel. We read that it was Nimrod, the mighty hunter before YHWH who is the ruler of a city called Shinar prior to the towers construction. Upon YHWHs destruction of the defiant construction project, we learn that the name of Shinar was changed to Babel, which means Confusion because there YHWH confused all of the peoples language. And so we read further down that Terahs family was located in the Ur of the Chaldees, reveaingl Ur as a city located in South Babylon, which is another name for Babel. So now we have a starting point for the location of Abrams homeland. Whats more is we learn in the book of Yasher that Abrams father served Nimrod . We read, 44. And Nimrod dwelt in Shinar, and he reigned securely, and he fought with his enemies and he subdued them, and he prospered in all his battles, and his kingdom became very great. 45. And all nations and tongues heard of his fame, and they gathered themselves to him, and they bowed down to the earth, and they brought him offerings, and he became their lord and king, and they all dwelt with him in the city at Shinar, and Nimrod reigned in the earth over all the sons of Noah, and they were all under his power and counsel. 46. And all the earth was of one tongue and words of union, but Nimrod did not go in the ways of the Lord, and he was more wicked than all the men that were before him, from the days of the flood until those days. 49. And Terah the son of Nahor, prince of Nimrod's host, was in those days very great in the sight of the king and his subjects, and the king and princes loved him, and they elevated him very high. 51. Terah was seventy years old when he begat him, and Terah called the name of his son that was born to him Abram, because the king had raised him in those days, and dignified him above all his princes that were with him. We also learn that not only was Abrams father Terah a high-ranking official in the government of Nimrod, but that he was also an idol maker, undoubtedly connected to Nimrods attachment to Idol worship. The point being, is that we see Abram was born into a society that was in rebellion to YHWH and corrupted thoroughly within. We can also learn further if we read in the book of Yasher that Nimrod through consultation of his wise men and conjurors that a prophecy was revealed which would come through Terahs son Abram that would destroy him and his kingship over Babel. Suffice it to say Terah loved his son and in an effort to save him from death delivered

him, his mother and Abrams nurse into a nearby cave, where Terah sent provisions regularly. And then it goes on to reveal that at ten years of Age Abram left the cave dwelling and went to reside in the tents of Noah and Shem. And there Abram lived for approximately 40 years. This is what we read from the book of Yasher: 5. And when Abram came out from the cave, he went to Noah and his son Shem, and he remained with them to learn the instruction of the Lord and his ways, and no man knew where Abram was, and Abram served Noah and Shem his son for a long time. 6. And Abram was in Noah's house thirty-nine years, and Abram knew the Lord from three years old, and he went in the ways of the Lord until the day of his death, as Noah and his son Shem had taught him; and all the sons of the earth in those days greatly transgressed against the Lord, and they rebelled against him and they served other gods, and they forgot the Lord who had created them in the earth; and the inhabitants of the earth made unto themselves, at that time, every man his god; gods of wood and stone which could neither speak, hear, nor deliver, and the sons of men served them and they became their gods. 7. And the king and all his servants, and Terah with all his household were then the first of those that served gods of wood and stone. 8. And Terah had twelve gods of large size, made of wood and stone, after the twelve months of the year, and he served each one monthly, and every month Terah would bring his meat offering and drink offering to his gods; thus did Terah all the days. 9. And all that generation were wicked in the sight of the Lord, and they thus made every man his god, but they forsook the Lord who had created them. 10. And there was not a man found in those days in the whole earth, who knew the Lord (for they served each man his own God) except Noah and his household, and all those who were under his counsel knew the Lord in those days. 11. And Abram the son of Terah was waxing great in those days in the house of Noah, and no man knew it, and the Lord was with him. 12. And the Lord gave Abram an understanding heart, and he knew all the works of that generation were vain, and that all their gods were vain and were of no avail. Im attempting to illuminate and to hopefully give a clearer picture of the time, place, and upbringing Abram received so that we can begin to understand The Call that comes to him in Genesis chapter 12. But before we continue I want to draw this parallel. How many of us grew up in homes without a correct understanding of Torah? How many of us were raised with a Greek mindset, and if taught anything we were instructed that all we needed to do was give mental ascent to something with no real expectation of change or commitment? "And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it shall be also in the days of the Son of Man: (Luke 17:26 NAS).
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The fact is we have all been delivered during this time for a reason. All of us have suffered a partial blindness, and it is lifting, but our hearts will only respond as we submit ourselves to YHWHs Word The Torah. Just like we read earlier in the book of Jeremiah, and again "For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 "But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.' 24 "Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward. (Jeremiah 7:22-24 NAS).
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God is calling us out! 4 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you (2Corinthians 6:14-17 NAS). Specifically, all of us need to examine our hearts and strengthen our relationship with YHWH. He told Abram to Get Yourself Out, just like He instructed Moshe to tell Israel in the wilderness. Choose "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." (Deu 30:19-20 NAS)
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In order for Abram to make this move he had to be removed from the old ways, his familys traditions and patterns in order to make room for Torah to soak in and to be received into his life. When Abram stepped out of the tents of Shem, Abram was full of The Holy

Spirit of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel and Strengh, Knowledge and Reverence for YHWHs Torah because he had grown up in an environment that separated itself from the corruption of mans ways and joined itself to The Creator of the universe. Are we removing those things from our lives that would hinder our growth and maturity in Messiah? Are we holding on to things that YHWH has said to let go of so that we can be filled, and blessed by a life of obedience to The Torah? This is the time to take stock, to take an inventory of what we believe. Let us humble ourselves as did Abram and dwell in tents of Noah and Shem and receive Torah that we may be blessed and produce real fruit that is life! So the name Abram means High Father, father of height, Alef-Bet means also to stand, or a pole. Alef means strength, and Bet represents a tent. Combined these mean the strength of the house. It can refer to the tent poles, but it also refers to the father who holds up the family, providing strength, support and structure to the household. Also recognized as priest and teacher. We read in Genesis 12 that YHWH is calling him to travel to a land that He will show him, and that He will make him a great nation (Goyim= Nation, People, Heathen). This is speaking prophetically, which we will see again at the end of the parsha, lets continue for now. YHWH promises to bless him, to make his name great and to make him a blessing. He says He will bless those who bless him, and curse those who curse him and from him all the families of the earth will be blessed. So we see Abram answering the call to go. He picks up his family and he leaves Ur of the Chaldees, taking his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, his father Terah, all the goods and wealth and people they had amassed and they step out. What we see here is relationship with God is active. One of the things we always see in Scripture is The people of God are active. Their faith manifests itself in action. Noah is building, Abraham is building and walking, Jacob is building and walking, Moshe and Israel is building and they walked a lot! But it changes us from the inside out, but most certainly when we enter into relationship with YHWH our circumstances, our desires, our goals, everything changes, in a sense, Abraham cast off those things that were part and parcel of Babylon and began to walk out in faith in The One True God of the earth. So we see they depart from Haran, and arrive in Canaan and stops in what one day will be recognized as the city of Shechem, which means between the shoulders, neck, the place of burdens, which if you recall in Deuteronomy we read of Shechem as all of these locales have their significance many of which are addressed in Bresheit and we learn of their deeper meaning. But the concept associated with Shechem, is between your shoulders, located on top of your neck is your head, inside which is your mind that wrestles with lifes many choices. And here we see Abraham in Shechem, stopping at The Oak of Mamre. Briefly, although very prophetic, the Oak of Mamre is symbolic of numerous things. Remember The Father uses whats in the

natural to point us to the spiritual. At first glance this simply means Strong Tree, but so much more is alluded to in The Hebrew. In English the word Oak is used because Oaks are symbolic of strength. Truthfully, the facts bear out that this was more than likely a species of tree known as a Terebinth tree. In Hebrew pronounced ah-yil. But it also is the same word used for Ram, as the ram that was caught in the thicket that YHWH provided for Abraham to use as the substitute sacrifice for his son Isaac. From this word we also derive the meaning Mighty Leader. And to this end I would direct your attention, YHWH is bringing Abram out, coming into covenant with Him and shall make of him a Mighty Leader. Moreh Is where we get the word for archer, teacher, teaching. The root of this word comes from Strongs number 3384, or yara and it means to flow as water, to point to, to teach. Which is the same root word we get from Torah! So, we have a remez teaching here. It gives a hint, perhaps somewhat prophetic, but YHWHs Torah says, Appeared to Abram.could this Mighty Tree, this Tree of Life been a type and Shadow of none other than Messiah Yeshua? Because The Word says that no man can see God and live, but Yeshua, who is the express image of God who walked the earth for 33 years was beheld by men. Something to consider. Prophetically, YHWH meeting with Abram at this location could also be symbolic of who Abram would become which is a Mighty Teacher Leading People back to Torah! Afterwards Abram builds an Altar to YHWH there and then proceeded to pitch his tent between Beth-El, or House of God, and Ai. Ai comes from Strongs number 5857 and its comprised of an Ayin Yod and it means Twisted work, a ruin, a city or structure that has been demolished. Here we have another picture of paths set before Abram. God says, "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds (Jer 17:10 NAS).
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So Abram pitches a tent in between the two towns and we read that the word tent, o-hel means tent, home, habitation or dwelling. But like all of Gods word, tent has deeper expressions as well. In Strongs commentary on the word for tent we learn that Before the construction of the tabernacle Moses pitched a tent outside the camp (Ex.33:7) There he met with God. Eventually the ark of the covenant was moved into the tabernacle (Ex.40:21) where The LORD met with Moses and spoke to Israel (Ex.29:42). This structure is called the tent of meeting insomuch as it contained the ark of the

covenant and the tablets of testimony (Numb.9:15). As the tent of meeting it was the place where God met with His people through Moses (or the High Priest) and revealed His will to them (1 Sam. 2:22). And so we read that Abram pitched his tent EAST of Beth-El, the House of YHWH. East is very significant here. Compass directions maintain clues to what lie ahead or what type of motivation a person or people may have in numerous situations. But here we read this word as keh-dem. And what we learn from the Theological Wordbook of The Old Testament is the root word qadam incorporates 2 basic concepts; first (and most often) to confront (meet) someone[The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon verifies the paleo meaning of the word as To meet face to face] to precede someone or something either temporally or geographically. [It can also mean] East, antiquity, front. The noun qedem has either a geographical meaning, east, or a temporal notion, ancient time, aforetime. So in a good sense when we see man going to the east it oftentimes is a picture of man returning to the ancient ways, the ancient customs, returning to the beginning as pointed out by the prophet Isaiah who said in Yeshayahu 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; (Isa 46:10 NAS).
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So Abram made a choice. Rather than pitch his tent east of Ai, Abram pitched his tent, met and dwelled with YHWH qedem or east of The House of God and held to the ancient path of Torah. Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you shall find rest for your souls (Jer 6:16 NAS).
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The remainder of chapter 12 details that at that time there was a famine in the land and so Abram must continue to obtain sustenance for his family he travels to the Negev, or south, to Egypt as at that time Egypt possessed an abundance of food. Quick sidenote: God was going to take Abram through 10 trials, again the value of 10 in Gematria is a complete cycle. Rabbinic sources say Abram having to venture south into Egypt was one of the ten trials he would have to endure to prove his devotion to YHWH. In the course of the event we read that Sarai was a beautiful woman and Abram was afraid that Pharaoh would take Sarai for his wife and kill Abram. So Abram reaches an agreement with his wife that if asked she is to tell them that she is Abrams sister, which is partly correct as Terah was Abrams father and Sarais grandfather, so both being children of Terah they could call themselves brother and sister (Rashi).

During the course of their stay, as anticipated, Pharaoh did notice Sarais beauty and did take her but did not lay a hand on her. In fact in the book of Yasher we learn every time Pharaoh attempted to come near her that the angel smote him to the ground, and acted thus to him the whole night, and the king was terrified. We read in Scripture that God brought plagues upon his household as well. Then once Pharaoh had enough he beckoned for Abram and when he confessed Pharaoh returned Sarai, and loaded him up with livestock and goods sent him away. Here again is another prophetic type and shadow. Rabbinical sages agree stating, a fundamental principle in understanding Torahs narrative concerning the Patriarchs, Whatever happened to the Patriarchs is a portent for the children, meaning that the events of their lives symbolized the future. Thus, Abrahams trip to Egypt in the face of a famine portended the exile of Jacob and his family. Chapter 13: In chapter 13 we have the parting of the ways with Lot. In reading of this over the years I never grasped why there was strife between the herdsman of Abrams and Lots group. I always thought, if the land cannot sustain them together then it should be no ones fault and therefore there really should be no finger-pointing or infighting. But it was only when you look deeper do we see the greater misdeed occurring in this portion of Scripture. The following excerpt is taken from The Torah Readers Compendium Tikkun, The Kestenbaum Edition with Sages Commentary; Abram had taught his shepherds to be righteous and honest. They would place muzzles on their animals when they approached privately owned fields. But Lots shepherds were different. They would graze their cattle in private fields without asking the owners for permission. Abrams shepherds would rebuke them for their thievery. Lots men replied, God has given this land to Abram. But since Abram has no children, his nephew Lot will one day inherit all his property. Therefore, the land is Lots and we are not stealing. But they were wrong, for, as the Torah states, the Canaanite and Perizzite were then dwelling in the land, and it did not yet belong to Abram (Rashi). So in verses 8-13 Abram asked Lot to choose where in Canaan he would settle; Abram would then make his home elsewhere in the land. Lot chose to live in the rich, fertile plain of the Jordan, even though the inhabitants of that area were wicked and sinful. We read after the parting of the ways with Lot, 14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15 for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever (Gen 13:14-15 NAS). And so we learn that it was only after Abram parted company with Lot that God could fully bless him. An important point to remember here is that we, as fragile, finite and frail as we are, have the power to put limitations on God. Are we holding on to anything that is keeping God from blessing us as much as He wants to? Later in this chapter we

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have the taking captive of Sodom, which Lot was included there, and Abram demonstrated great leadership and courage and also the principle of family. Although Abram and Lot did not abide by the same business ethics, Abram recognized that as family he held a responsibility to him and therefore mustered his men, pursuing the enemy and brought Lot back as well as the women and other people taken captive and all the possessions that were stolen. At the conclusion of this chapter YHWH appears to Abram in a vision and promises again that one will come forth though his seed, despite the fact that Sarai was still barren, and multiply becoming a nation of peoples unto YHWH. 15: The Covenant of The Pieces This is an awesome chapter! And if we had more time to study I would share more, hopefully in the future we can return to this particular chapter again as it establishes a pattern that YHWH has provided to reveal His covenant with man. Let us read beginning in verse 5, And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. 7 And He said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it." 8 And he said, "O Lord God, how may I know that I shall possess it?" 9 So He said to him, "Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon." 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. 12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 And God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 "But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve; and afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 "And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 "Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete. 17 And it came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces.
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On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite 20 and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim 21 and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite (Gen 15:5-21 NAS).
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What we are witnessing here is what is called The Covenant of The Pieces. This is The Gospel. This is The Good News! Here we read that YHWH cuts a covenant with Abraham. The significant part to zoom in on is in verse 17. The smoking oven referred to in this verse is symbolic of The Creator, much like in the appearance of the Glory that appeared above the ark of the covenant in the Tabernacle between the 2 keruvim (cherubim) in the Holy of Holies. The flaming torch however at first can be misunderstood if not aware of its identity. We read in verse 18 that on that day YHWH made a covenant with Abram, but didnt we read just a few verses back in verse 12 that a deep sleep came over Abram. So when we witness in this Scripture the act of cutting this covenant, there must be two parties, because by definition a covenant is a pact, an alliance, its an agreement between two parties. But Abrams sleeping over there in the corner!! The Truth is we learn that the fiery Torch we read of in verse 17 is none other than Messiah Yeshua. Because Messiah Yeshua, the Eshdat, the Fiery Law, The Living Torah, The Light of all men as identified in the book of John, is the one who cut the covenant with His Father on behalf of Abraham! This is why Yeshua came in flesh and died on a cross because when Israel broke covenant with YHWH, the consequence of breaking it was that may the breaker of this covenant be like the animals that we are walking in between. Because Israel broke covenant, Israel should have all died for breaking covenant, but because Messiah walked in between the parts on behalf of, as a representative of Abraham and his descendants, it was Yeshua who would die for our sins and breaking of that covenant. Its also known that according to Torah after a divorce, or breaking of covenant between husband and wife, they cannot remarry again. But because Yeshua was recognized as the responsible party for Israel, it made it possible for the marriage contract between YHWH and Israel to be restored! Baruch Hashem YHWH! Chapter 16: Hagar and Ishmael This chapter details the account of Abram and Sarai thinking they can Help God. Have we ever been guilty of this? In our mind have we ever believed God wanted something for us so much that we talked ourselves into believing that we needed to intervene to create the right circumstances for a blessing to come to pass? Sarai offers Abram her handmaiden Hagar as a wife to conceive and bring forth the child YHWH would bless all

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the families of the earth. Hagar gives birth to Ishmael, not coincidentally meaning God Hears. But what we find is if we are willing to repent, take our poor decisions and make something worthy from them. If we follow down in Genesis 28 we read of the sons of Ishmael. And he is blessed, even his first borns name is defined as fruitfulness. But further along we read of his third son Adbeel, meaning disciplined of God. Dumah meaning to be dumb or silence, Hadad meaning sharp, fierce or severe, and the last son of Ishmael Kedemah rooted in qadam in this case means a hostile confrontation. We also learn later on during Isaacs days of raising Jacob and Esau that upon realizing he had thrown away his inheritance that he chose to upset his father Isaac by taking a wife from the daughters of Canaan. We read in Genesis 28:9 that Esau went to Ishmael and married his daughter Mahalath, which means sickness. Chapter 17: Here God renews His covenant, and changes Abram and Sarais names. Abram, exalted father, is changed to Abraham meaning father of a multitude of nations as we read in verse 5. In Hebrew the word there is Melo haGoyim, or fullness of the gentilesan extremely prophetic statement which is uttered again by Paul in Romans chapter 11 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (Rom 11:25 NAS).
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Concerning Sarai the Tanach rabbinical commentary states, Sarai, my princess, implies that she owed her greatness to her status as Abrahams wife. Henceforth she would called Sarah, which signifies that she is a princess to all the nations of the world. She was princess par excellenceto all mankind. In Hebrew however, it was a Hebrew letter Heh that was added to both their names. In some Hebraic commentaries it is thought that since Heh is symbolic of the breath of God that having this letter added to both Abraham and Sarahs names revealed Gods breath/presence/covenant with them. Here in the end we see The Father requiring Abram to circumcise himself and all his family and household as a sign of covenant with YHWH.
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"Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen your neck no more. (Deu 10:16 NAS)

The greater meaning of circumcision is of an inward working that God has done to the hearts of those who claim to be in covenant with Him, as circumcision is a sign of Gods covenant. We read 33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jer 31:33 NAS).

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Pictographically we have a Kaf a Tav and a Bet. Interestingly, as it applies to The Abrahamic Covenant, can we not see the promise YHWH made to Abraham in the cutting or writing of The Covenant upon him. Kaf meaning blessing, Tav meaning Seal or Sign, and Bet meaning house, or the family in the house; thus we see To have YHWHs covenant written upon our heart is to be sealed in His Blessed Family, which is almost exactly what we read at the beginning of this parsha
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And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen 12:3 NAS).

The word here for write is kaw-thab and it means to write, to inscribe and to engrave. Just as the two tablets were inscribed with The Ten Commandments, so YHWH will inscribe, or engrave which is to cut His Covenant upon our hearts! Ahmein and ahmein! -W.R. Spires, Bmidbar Ministries

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