Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Parashah #8: Vayishlach (He sent) B’resheit (Genesis) 32:4-36:43
Haftarah: Ovadyah (Obadiah) 1-21
B’rit Chadashah: Revelation 7:1-12
Two of the first things we notice in the beginning paragraphs of this parashah is the disciplined attitude of humility and how each of us has our personalized plan for spiritual growth designed and implemented by G-d. In that process of being fulfilled and developing those who love G-d into good and faithful servants, we must grapple with our human emotions including fear, anger, and pride.
In the last parashah in Chapter 31:36-42 we saw a side of Ya’akov that was self-confident and angry with his father-in-law Lavan when he wrongly accused Ya’akov of stealing his idols when it was really Rachel who took them (Gen. 31:19).
In this week’s parashah we notice Ya’akov’s humility demonstrated by telling his messengers to say when they encountered Esav; that “Your servant Ya’akov says” and then to tell him that he is well provided for with “cattle, donkeys, and flocks, and male and female servants I am sending to tell this news to my lord, in order to win your favor.” We may ask why would he reveal his massive wealth to his potentially angry and vengeful brother? Was it perhaps to inform him that there was no need to consider that Ya’akov may want to try to “grab” or steal Esav’s property as he had “grabbed” the birthright in Esav’s way of thinking? Or maybe to entice Esav to meet with him in the hopes of gaining more property, flocks, cattle, and/or servants for himself?
Coupled with Ya’akov’s humility we are informed of his fear and distress (Gen. 32:8-12). Ya’akov’s deep fear and distress are recorded in his preemptive decision to split his camp into two to diversify his resources and possibly minimize his losses should Esav attack. Afterall, Ya’akov’s servants told him that Esav was not coming alone. He had 400 men with him! (Genesis 32:7).
Ya’akov went further with his strategy to hopefully appease Esav by splitting up some of his flocks and cattle with each servant to give Esav in an intermittent procession with space between each servant and his drove. This is a great strategy often employed in warfare.
Although greatly distressed and afraid to the point where he made preparations for possible conflict with Esav, Ya’akov still saw his way clear to share his fears, his sense of unworthiness with G-d and to seek His protection and affirmation of His promises. There is a mistranslation in The Complete Jewish Bible (Stearns, 1998, p. 36) that warranted further investigation. Genesis 32:23 reads “He got up that night, took his two wives, his two slave girls, and his eleven children, and forded the Yabok” [The Yabbok River].
Stearns (1998) translated the Hebrew word for “sons” in this passage as children. This translation should catalyze investigation since he had 12 children, not 11. Recall that Leah also bore Dinah, the only female child. So where do we get 12 tribes if there are only 11 sons?
Ephraim is named after Yosef’s son. Joseph received the birthright from Ya’akov, and instead of just one tribe, he is the ancestor of two with M’nasheh being the other. After the kingdom divided, the Northern Kingdom’s capital is in Ephraim’s territory and the prophets sometimes refer to the entire nation as ‘Ephraim,” (Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 5:3). As for Dinah, because she was a female, she was not directly involved in the evolution of the nation Israel.
The division and recognition of M’nasheh as included in the Tribes of Israel, we note that in Genesis 49 only Joseph is mentioned along with the other tribes/sons. But in Revelation 7: 4-8 we notice that Levi is now listed as a tribe. Dan is not listed, and M’nasheh is listed as a separate tribe from Yosef. As the history of Israel and the 12 tribes continue throughout G-d’s Torah we learn that the Kingdom of Israel was split because of Solomon’s sin of not following G-d’s covenant and decrees (1 Kings11:11). The 10 northern tribes were scattered and exiled from the Kingdom of Israel after it was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire around 720 BCE. These tribes were Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, M’nasheh, and Ephraim. Only Judah and Benjamin and part of Levi remained in the south. The Levites were not allowed to own land but received dedicated cities. Reading the narrative in Revelation, we again see that there are 12 tribes from which 144,000, 12,000 from each tribe will be sealed against the harm that is described in the Book of Revelation through Chapter 18.
The investigation of the mistranslation of the Hebrew word for “sons” as “children” in Stearn’s Complete Jewish Bible (1998) serves the purpose of teaching the importance of using the research technique of hermeneutics which is the study of the principles and methods of interpreting the Bible, historically, grammatically, and contextually. We need to study the culture, background and situation that prompted the text. Scripture is always the best interpreter of Scripture when seeking the meaning of a passage and this should be our focus as disciples of YHVH/Yahshua. Now we will investigate another difference between Ya’akov and Esav when it comes to possessions.
In Chapter 33:8-11. When Esav encounters Ya’akov, Esav asks him about the separate droves he encountered on the journey. Ya’akov told Esav that it was to win his favor. Esav then relied “I have plenty already; my brother, keep your possessions for yourself.” In verse 11 Ya’akov told Esav that “G-d has dealt kindly with me and I have enough.” Esav finally accepted the gifts.
What is the difference between having plenty and having enough? Let’s look at these words in a deeper context.
Note that Esav does not reciprocate the exchange of gifts upon their meeting. This would indicate that Esav considered the gifts a “payback” of sorts for the wrong his brother had inflicted on him by taking his blessing. According to Rashi who was a very famous Biblical commentator of the Middle ages living from 1040 to 1105, Ya’akov stating “I have everything(translated as enough in Stearns Complete Jewish Bible (1998), means that Ya’akov had everything he required and that this is a typical response of the righteous who feel that no matter how much or how little they actually have, they have no further need for more. But Esav’s response that he had plenty indicated that he was emphasizing the abundance of his possessions and had accumulated more than he could ever want.
Referring to the Septuagint with Apocrypha (1992), we find a clearer distinction between the terms used by Esav and Ya’akov in quantifying their possessions. Starting at 33:9 we read “And Esav said, I have much my brother; keep thine own. In verse 11 Ya’akov states “Receive my blessings, which I have brought thee, because G-d has had mercy on me, and I have all things.” (p.44) With this translation we learn that Esav has “a lot” but there is room for more. Ya’akov indicates he needs nothing more; that G-d has provided his every need.
This is the attitude all true believers should internalize and demonstrate in thought and deed reiterated in the B’rit Chadashah (Refreshed, renewed Covenant). 1 Timothy 6:6-7 reads “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” Philippians 4:12-13 reads “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do all this through him who give me strength.” Psalms 23:1 begins “The L-rd is my Shepherd, I shall not want…” Other translations of this verse compliment the meaning. For example, in The Message Bible this verse reads, G-d, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.” The New International Version reads “The L-rd is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” One more example is from the New Living Translation: “The L-rd is my shepherd; I have all that I need.”
This is not an all-inclusive list of relevant scriptures but is sufficient to make the point that Ya’akov believed that G-d indeed provided for all his needs just as Yahshua taught and admonishes believers to integrate into their being (Philippians 4:6;19; 2 Cor. 9:8; Psalm 37:25;Malachi 3:10;Matthew 6:25;31;34;Psalm 34:10;Isaiah 58:11).
May all true believers internalize the truths taught in this parashah through the example of Ya’akov’s life as a man who matured in his love and service to G-d, and the contrast to Esav who would verify G-d’s description of his character and the prophecy describing the future of his decedents (Gen. 16:12).
Haftarah: Ovadyah (Obadiah) 1-21
The punishment of Edom, the descendants of Esau, is mentioned this week. Ovadyah (Obadiah), himself an Edomian convert to Judaism, describes the punishment destined for the nation Edom. That this man became a man of G-d from the opposite end of the spiritual spectrum illustrates that any person can come to Yahshua from any nation. Ovadyah found a special place in G-d’s plan as his name indicates (servant of G-d). His prophecies occurred at around 900 BCE. The Edomites did not come to Judea’s assistance when she was being destroyed by the Babylonians and even joined in like a pack of wild dogs. Many years later the Edomites (the Roman Empire) destroyed the Second Temple and killed or enslaved their Jewish cousins without any mercy or remorse. We recently witnessed the most recent demonstration of “Edom’s” perpetual hate and desire to exterminate not only biological Jews, but those who have been grafted into the covenants of Israel. History that includes such atrocities will be repeated until Yahshua returns and Edom in the totality of its context will be destroyed.
Though the Roman Empire was one of the mightiest in world history, Obadiah forewarns that G-d will bring down those who attempt to place themselves among the stars and fly high as the eagle. “And the house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become stubble, and they shall ignite them and consume them, and the house of Esau shall have no survivors, for the L-rd has spoken.”
After describing the division of Esau’s lands amongst the returning Judean exiles, this passage concludes with this beautiful familiar passage: “And saviors shall ascend Mt. Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the L-rd shall have the kingdom.” Ken yehi ratzon! (May it be so soon/speedily)
B’rit Chadashah: Revelation 7:1-12
In the beginning verses of this passage, we read of the impending Tribulation. However, there is a blessed hope for those who are true believers and those sealed to serve G-d through this time (NOT the Church!) In the typical symbolic language of G-d’s Torah according to Matthew Henry, the blowing of the four winds together means a dreadful and general destruction of the Tribulation. But the destruction is delayed. Seals are used to mark those of the 12 Tribes listed in this passage. As I previously mentioned in this lesson, Levi is now a tribe. Why? Because true believers from the loins of Avraham belong to a higher priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9), of Melchizedek, who was an antitype of Yahshua. Those who are saved when they stand before Yahshua will be administering His Millennial Kingdom. The Levites will be supervising the sacrifices in the 3rd Temple. Dan is no longer listed. Although Ruben was the first born, we see that Judah is listed first. The tribe of Joseph and M’nasheh are half-tribes from the Son of Joseph. Now they are split into two separate tribes. We do not know if the seals are visible to those marked, if they can be seen by other believers, or if they are only visible to HaSatan and his followers. Whatever the case, G-d will protect them from harm as they carry out their mission of witnessing to Jews who have not accepted Yahshua as the Messiah. Note: this is NOT a conversion to Christianity. Rather, it is the acceptance of the second requirement of the seven-fold witness stipulated by Yahshua for those who want to be considered true believers. The witnesses will tell those who are alive on the earth at this time about the Kingdom of G-d that is about to come and of Yahshua’s return as Messiah ben David. Judah will understand this terminology as their eyes will certainly be opened by G-d to see these truths. The sealed ones will also tell of the wrath of G-d that is about to fall on those who oppose Yahshua’s coming and choose to reject His Word. A profession of faith is clearly not going to cut it. Action speaks louder than words. When their mission has been fulfilled by G-d’s plan, the end shall come as prophesied in Matt. 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom [not of faith] shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then the end shall come.” True believers will be teaching in direct opposition to the forces of the harlot World Church that has within it the replacement theology that G-d has rejected the Jews and is therefore no longer any earthly provision for a Jewish kingdom. Many who follow the harlot will be expecting an all-inclusive Messiah, not a Jewish one. The Messiah who many already have and will accept is the counterfeit Messiah (Antimessiah). The world can either accept the truth that the 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel preach or they will continue to choose deceptive teachings and beliefs consistent with secular humanism and false religion labeled by Yahshua as apostate (Rev. 17-18). Those who reject the message of those sealed by G-d will believe that HaSatan is G-d and that the Babylonian Kingdom he rules fulfills the promise of a kingdom of G-d. They will take the mark of the beast and by doing so will receive the same fate as the beast, his false prophet and Satan at the judgment. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Those Jews from Judah (tribes of Benjamin, Judah, and Levites) who repent and accept Yahshua during the Tribulation will be martyred (Rev 13:15). However, they will understand this does not compare to eternity with YHVH/Yahshua in the New Jerusalem. However, let us not assume an elitist attitude. The grafted branches are in the same Olive Tree as the natural branches when all is said and done (Ezekiel 37). A study of Romans chapters 9-11 makes it clear that all people who fulfill the requirements of the seven-fold witness in the book of Revelation as the definition of a true believer according to Yahshua, whether Jew or Gentile, make up the bride of Yahshua spoken of throughout the Bible and in Revelation specifically. Israel in this context consists of these true believers, again, NOT the Church! After all, according to Hebrews 12:22-24 describes the promise of a new covenant (not for Christians) that was made with the house of Israel and Judah, not to Gentiles (Jer.31:31-33). The new covenant spoken of in these verses in no way implies a new system that advocates abrogation of G-d’s laws, regulations, or statutes. Yahshua came to interpret his Father’s laws in a way that man could understand, not only in his teachings, but by his life.
There is no difference between YHVH referred to as Adonai/El Shaddai/L-rd in the Old Testament and Yahshua who is G-d incarnate, manifested as a human in the B’rit Chadashah (Refreshed, Renewed Covenant) also called the New Testament to show us how to live G-d’s instructions defined in the Old Testament and reiterated in the New Testament. He is One and the Same, never changing (Malachi 3:6) as are His commands and laws (Matthew 5:18).
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart