Genesis 32:4 to 36:43
Obadiah 1:1-21
1 Peter 1:9 to 2:12
Jacob’s life: Part Three
Prologue:
Examining the earthly realm of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, called in Hebrew the Olam Hazeh, (verses heavenly realm of The Tree of Life or Olam Haba,) we see the agony of Jacob as he was sent away from his family into the wilderness. Jacob reached for Yahweh, the Rock of his salvation to ease his soul and to rest his head upon. Doing this, he came out of the earthly realm within himself, as Yahweh revealed to him a heavenly realm in the Olam Haba that Jacob had not seen before. It was a spiritual staircase where heaven and earth met. By giving him heavenly eyes, Yahweh was showing Jacob there was a better way to live his life, but Jacob needed to be transformed in order to receive the power to walk successfully in it. If Jacob was to be anointed in the covenant he carried, he first must move from the common lifestyle to priestly, and then to the kingly position of his calling. It was in the understanding of kingdom principles that he would receive the full benefits of walking and experiencing Yahweh’s Kingdom, as only Priests and Kings govern there with Yahweh. Jacob had to recognize this before the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh could instruct and guide him and Jacob needed to be in agreement. This led to a circumcision of the heart, likened to a change of status or a born again experience. When we walk in the Tree of Life it is a walk of sanctification, righteousness, holiness and faith.
In spite of this divine appointment, we will see that Jacob left “that place” of commitment and decision with a mixture in his heart. This blending of kingdom principles with his earthly nature added years to his sanctification process, as Yahweh used the trials that his uncle Laban placed on him to do a work in Jacob’s heart and truly translate him from a common lifestyle, to a Kingdom walk. Through this “family” experience, Jacob found himself in an indentured position of having to work seven years for Leah and another seven for Rachel, plus another six years, before he was able to stand as a covering for his family, and separate himself from Laban. Yahweh used this time of servitude as preparation to build him into a mature man of God, and to prepare him to meet his brother Esau.
When it was time for Jacob to return to the Land, Yahweh stopped him as he still had a residual of mixture of kingdoms within him. Yahweh then wrestled this point with him all night. Finally Jacob surrendered his earthly nature and came to the end of "himself" and by doing so, translated into the Olam Haba. By ultimately surrendering his will to Yahweh, he began to walk in a Kingdom lifestyle. In doing this, the enemy no longer had any hold or authority over him. When Jacob changed he received a new name - Israel.
Jacob Returns
After farewells to Laban, Jacob turned his heart and family towards his home, to the land where he grew up. After twenty years away, Jacob had no idea what his brother Esau’s reaction would be. Would Esau still want to murder him? Would he and his family be at risk and fear for their lives or would all be forgiven? All this lay before Jacob as he journeyed closer to home. While on his way, angels, Yahweh’s heavenly messengers, met him to encourage and strengthen him before meeting Esau. Jacob was so awed by the sight of the two camps of angels that he said, “This is the camp of Yahweh” and named the place Mahanaim meaning two camps (Genesis 32:2).
Hebrews 1:14 “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation [deliverance]?”
Mahanaim is situated on the Jabbok River, a tributary which leads to the Jordan River in the Transjordan region. There is a double meaning behind the name Mahanaim as Jacob’s two wives and their children were also two camps. This was prophetic of the actual two camps or Houses that would come from Leah and Rachel called the House of Israel and the House of Judah.
Remembering in the last lesson, that when we come to the Rock (the altar of Yahweh), it is the place where the enemy is defeated and it is also the place where mighty men of God are elevated and promoted to become ambassadors in Yahweh Kingdom (Olam Haba), while still in this world (Olam Hazeh). In our death to self will, is life and liberty!
Jacob’s time at the Jabbok River was a living parable and prophetic of how we are to give our lives over to Yahweh by following His instructions. If we are having struggles maybe it is time to meet Yeshua at the River.
A word picture of this is likened to when we go fishing and catch a fish. Is the fish already gutted and cleaned when caught or after it has been hooked, reeled in, brought on board and killed? There is a process we go through before being gutted and cleaned. Many people expect new believers to be squeaky clean when they come to Yahweh because Yeshua’s blood covers them making them automatically clean at that point. We will soon see this is not the case. Many of us “fish” are in the boat but have not been gutted and cleaned yet. We are still a mixture of the old nature (Olam Hazeh) and the new nature (Olam Haba). This all has to be separated out of us otherwise we are seen as lukewarm. (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17; Revelation 3:16)
- The Messiah died for us while we were still sinful (walking in unrighteous ways) (Romans 5:8-10).
- Abraham was uncircumcised when he received the Covenant. (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 17:23).
- We follow the same pattern. We are not circumcised (gutted and cleaned) when we come to our Savior (hooked, reeled in and brought on board). Rather our hearts are circumcised AFTER we come into the understanding of the Covenant we have been given.
Progressive revelation in Yahweh’s principles reveals the lawlessness within, such as evil thoughts or inclinations from our old fleshly natures and gives us the tools necessary for a walk of redemption in Yeshua that leads to a circumcised heart, a heart that is totally surrendered, allowing Yeshua to dwell fully within it. This is walking in our marriage covenant with Yeshua our Bridegroom.
Romans 5:8-10 “But Yahweh demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners [in the Olam Hazez], Yeshua died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from Yahweh’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were Yahweh’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of His Son [Yeshua], how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!”
Salvation of the Soul – The Goal of our Faith
Salvation is a word often used in Scripture that encompasses several works of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh. For this study we are focusing on two parts. Yeshua in Hebrew means Salvation. Salvation also means Yahweh’s Delivery, Yahweh’s Deliverer and Yahweh’s Power. So when we come to salvation and give our hearts to Yeshua for the first time, we experience a heart connection like Adam and Eve had in the Garden. Our spirit life is joined to THE Spirit Life, Yeshua. This is salvation of the spirit.
To describe salvation of the soul we use a word picture of a car. Now that we have gas (THE Spirit) in the car, does that gas cause the engine (soul) to spark, fire up and drive the car forward? Or is the engine only partially responsive to the gas intake, so that it sputters to life but never fully engages with the gas to produce forward motion? The “car” that we are given is called “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Many of us try to put the new creation into the old creation (the fleshly, worldly desires and behaviors) and wonder why the vehicle is faulty or does not run right. Yeshua tells us we cannot put new wine into an old wineskin. New wine goes into a new wineskin (heart) (Mark 2:22).
Note: Salvation of the Spirit and salvation of the soul are not identified as two unattached or independent entities; they are one unit, working together.
As redeemed people, we still need to take off our old nature of dishonor (as all sin is dishonor to Yahweh), those evil inclinations and emotions that govern our soul, before we can put on the new nature (the Tree of Life). We cannot put new garments over old, dirty ones! This just won’t work. We must take the old off! Many of us have never taken off our old nature and have never fully experienced the new nature Yahweh has blessed us with as we are still mixing the two. Sadly, many believers have not been taught how to take off their old nature, thus they end up dragging it around like a ball and chain, tormenting themselves, along with everyone around them! The only way it can come off, is to surrender all to Yahweh and have Him circumcise our hearts. This is called salvation of the soul and this is what Jacob was coming to at the Jabbok River.
Matthew 9:16-17 "No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
Mankind is made up of three facets or elements and all three act as one in perfect harmony if we have God’s order in our heart. The Hebrew Scriptures say Yahweh made us one/echad. We are made of:
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The regenerated human spirit is joined with Yahweh’s Spirit but the work of the soul (the seat of our will, emotions and desires) is to conform to, or come into agreement with, the Spirit of Yahweh in our hearts. This is the work Yahweh has asked US to do. When Yahweh chose us we were uncircumcised, fragmented and scattered, mixed with all kinds of different doctrines, cultures and beliefs. We had a blending that caused us to miss the mark in our direction, purpose and identity. Once we meet Yahweh at the altar, all that confusion and frustration stops. Suddenly, there is no obstacle preventing us from preparing our heart and soul before Yahweh. If there is, the obstacle is found in our thoughts, which influences the heart. Our job is to take responsibility for it, repent and wash/mikvah for a change in status then return to the presence of Yeshua. This power to be transformed from within our spirit and souls comes from what He has accomplished for us through His death and resurrection, as the source of this life changing power is His Spirit living within us. The fruit of this will be seen in our children, the next generation – as they are the manifestation of the salvation of our souls - the goal of our faith.
1 Peter 1:9 to 2:3 “…for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Yeshua in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Yeshua and the glories that would follow. It [salvation of the soul] was revealed to them [the prophets] that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind [the sinful nature]. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk [Torah, Yahweh’s teaching and instruction], so that by it [Torah], you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that Yahweh is good.”(1 Peter 1:9-16)
Another picture of salvation of the soul is expressed in the scripture above 1 Peter 1:9 – 2:3. Rabbi Ralph Messer of Simchat Torah Beit Midrash says that when a father has a son, the father is looking at his blood being passed on to the next generation. That new generation is the salvation of the father’s soul because the life is in the blood. His son is the fruit of the father’s walk which, if he is walking in Yahweh’s redemption process and Kingdom lifestyle, will be a blessing. What the father sows, his bloodline will inherit. Thus it is important how he treats, walks and trains up the next generation in Kingdom principles.
The Prophets in 1 Peter 1:9-12 looked forward to our day – meaning we are the salvation of their souls – thus they walked in obedience to Yeshua for OUR sake as we are their inheritance – the salvation of their souls. The prophets understood that we who are in Yeshua, are the inheritors of the blood covenant Yahweh made with Abraham. Because they were in Yeshua (spirit/power) and walked in His principles (truth/authority) they could see our day, as the Promise was to the Seed of Abraham. It is the same with us. When the generations walk in Yeshua’s Torah principles (Spirit and truth in power and authority) and pass these on to the next generations, we are literally looking at the salvation of our souls to a thousand generations. (Galatians 3:16)
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”
Psalm 105:8-10 “He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant.”
Deuteronomy 6:1-2, 6-9 “These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
It is Finished!
Like Jacob, it is time for us to meet our Creator and deal with our past. We must leave all the idols of the heart, which are principles opposed to our Bridegroom’s lifestyle. Idols like old memories, lust, materialism, social status or pride. Or tragedies and hurts that may have pierced our hearts a long time ago, causing a hardening likened to scar tissue, which has formed unyielding walls of unforgiveness in us. We may be walking around as victims, betrayed and wounded by words of accusation or physical abuse. Even though many have been believers in Yahweh a long time, the pain of those memories and hurts may still be very evident in their words and lives, imprisoning them with physical or spiritual diseases or causing guilt, anxieties and fears.
Unforgiveness invites a bitterroot spirit that manifests as accusation of other people or ourselves. This can be stored in the depth of hearts for years, causing emotional outbursts that reveal fear, control, jealousy, defense, hatred, accusation and discord dwell within. If unattended, they can lead to physical illnesses and even death. Some people out of the need to be safe and have control in their lives, can become driven perfectionists, which entraps them and turns the lives of those around them into lives of servitude in order to keep the peace. This all colors our world causing behaviors and words that bring division instead of healing. Becoming indentured to dishonor/sin as Jacob was, is called the fruit of the sinful nature and it must go in all of us. It must be finished.
Sadly, there are some who’s hearts have such deep seated fear issues, that they will never let go of them, holding them dearer than the new life offered us in Yeshua. Can Yahweh be seen or heard in our hearts any longer? Do our hearts hold peace, tenderness and joy or does the unyielding scar tissue formed in them by past hurts, prevent Yahweh from transforming hearts of stone into hearts of flesh? Are we so fear based and controlling of our lives that we have replaced Yahweh’s guidance by following our own substitute “Torah”? Do we walk in denial through study of theology; are we so consumed by business or perfectionism that we foolishly think that those “hurt” areas are well hidden? Do we accumulate material goods rather than spirit life? Will we forsake all these unclean areas within us to follow Yahweh?
For those who have yet to experience life at the altar, not yet desiring to let go, forgive and forget, and not yet fully entering into true redemption of healing in the Messiah, it is time - He died to take the pain of all those memories and past hurts away, so He can enter and heal those past wounds. There is hope. Yeshua declared at the Cavalry “IT IS FINISHED.”
That “old life” within us eats from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (death). It looks like the tree of Life, it has fruit that is edible, but can death masquerading as Life (which multiplies Yahweh’s Kingdom in us) raise the dead and heal the sick areas within us and in others? If Yahweh is preparing a royal priesthood and a holy nation, how are we inviting Him into our lives? This is about the salvation of the SOUL (nephesh – TWOT 1395a). This is the salvation Jacob was about to meet. Circumcision of the thought attitudes in our minds/hearts is salvation of the soul. Let us be a people – like Jacob – who cry out for our repentance and for Yahweh to circumcise our natures. Let us wrestle with our soul, surrendering it to Yeshua and not let go until He blessed us. New life is found there. This is the new wineskin for the new wine. Why hold on to the old? There is no life in old attitudes and behaviors, only decay and death that our next generation will inherit if we do not take responsibility for it and utterly reject it. Life is only found in Yeshua. The sooner we understand this, the sooner we can have liberty and true life. May we join Jacob at the river and wrestle out the old nature within us to enter into the new life Yeshua died to give us – the salvation of our soul – the goal of our faith.
- Romans 7:5 “For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.”
- Romans 7:18 “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”
- Romans 8:8 “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”
- Romans 8:13-14 “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
Fear or Faith - Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau
Genesis 32
Jacob sends messengers to his brother Esau in Edom, in preparation for their meeting. Jacob is dealing with idols in his heart as he is full of fear because of his past dealings with Esau, and so has the messengers share about his possessions and material wealth, hoping this would appease any difficulty between them. When the messengers return, they report that Esau was indeed coming to meet Jacob and with him are his possessions, a company of four hundred men. Upon hearing this, Jacob’s fear of impending retribution increased in his heart (Genesis 32:6).
Fear is rooted in retaliation. Retaliation is rooted in resentment and resentment is rooted in unforgiveness. All three of these sin issues have their root in dishonor and have one thing in common; they are part of the principality of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15). To have these issues still operating in his life revealed one thing: Jacob had not completely surrendered his life to Yahweh.
Taking matters into his own hands, Jacob divided his people and animals with him into two groups, saying, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.” Only after doing this did Jacob seek Yahweh. Jacob cries out to Yahweh in the wilderness reminding Him of the promise, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper.” Then Jacob prayed, “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff (the Tree of Life, the Torah) when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted’" (Genesis 32:9-12).
Jacob had to face his past of manipulation, in order to go forward into his future .Fear continued to be Jacob’s driving force and, after praying, he prepared a gift for his brother. Dividing the animals into five groups (symbolic of grace in the Torah, the five books of Moses), he instructed his servants that when the time came to meet Esau they were to go before him offering him gifts and saying, “Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.”
In Genesis 3 we learned that after Adam fell in the Garden his desire to please Yahweh was replaced with a desire to achieve by his own efforts. If it looks good to us, we offer our righteousness and think this is acceptable to Yahweh but in reality it is from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and has as little value to Him as do filthy rags. We do not recognize Yahweh’s righteousness; instead we offer Yahweh our own worldly offerings and works (our righteousness), that which He does not desire (Isaiah. 64:6).
These habits were woven into Jacob’s character, having been passed on through the iniquities of his third and forth past generations. Nothing but a presence-to-presence encounter with Yahweh could change him. Jacob could no longer use his own planning and ways; these are not acceptable to Yahweh. Yahweh had more to impart to Jacob and he needed to have a heart change. Before this could happen to him, his sinful earthy nature had to die. What we are about to witness in scripture is the death of that nature (Olam Hazeh) and the birth of a man after Yahweh’s own heart.
Jacob Wrestles
With the gifts in place he settled down for the evening. During the night Jacob woke and took his two wives, his maidservants, and his eleven sons across the Jabbok River. Then he sent all his possessions over. Jacob had come to the place of emptying. Jabbok in Hebrew means pouring out and emptying. With his family and possessions relocated, Jacob was alone. He realized that his human strength and abilities were not enough. His diplomacy, his works, his riches and all the things he had accumulated could not save him.
Jacob had come to the place of self-emptying, a place called Jabbok, where every human resource is to be given up so that Yahweh could replace them with His Life. Jacob gave up trying to do everything in his own strength. He gave up trying to pretend. Now he was ready for an encounter with Yahweh. There is nothing wrong with using ones intellect and talents but anointing comes from humility and a surrendered life to Yahweh, whereby the infilling of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh leads our lives, instead of our self-effort. This is the new wineskin and the new wine offered us. This is what Jacob reached out for. This meant he had to give up all sense of his own human security to get it. He had to release everything.
When Jacob was left alone, a man wrestled with him until daybreak. Near the end, the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob and he touched Jacob’s socket so that his hip was wrenched. The man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
Notice that Jacob was in the wilderness. Many people find themselves in a wilderness experience after choosing to follow after Yeshua. You have three choices of direction to in the wilderness.
- Stand still: Many people do not progress through the wilderness, likened to a spiritual death as many have not been taught that the wilderness is about transformation.
- Turn back: Some have entered the wilderness, missed the blessing, then turned back to Egypt.
- Pass through: Mature, become sanctified and delivered from the Olam Hazeh within oneself.
- The wilderness is a place of circumcision followed by empowerment and purpose for those who pursue this third choice. Circumcision is on an individual basis, while one is alone with Yahweh. It is not something other people can take you through. Prayer line-ups, conferences, speakers and other well meaning circumstances like self-help books can enable, but they cannot produce anointing oil for our lamps to take us into the Holy Place. They may hinder us from taking that final step of being alone at the altar with Yahweh, as many people can become dependent on an enabler to get them through and not look to Yeshua as the Savior of their soul.
It is a one-on-one, face-to-face encounter with our Creator that moves us from the outer court experience of the Tabernacle to ministry in the inner court. Nothing of ourselves (the sinful nature) can be alive in us when we enter into the Holy Place. We must be circumcised and sanctified (holy) to enter the Tabernacle and epitomize a royal priesthood and a holy nation. This is what the wilderness experience is all about, and this is the ministry and destiny given us from Yeshua (Exodus 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9).
The oil of anointing that fuels our lamps and our spirit life, comes from a sanctified life, one of righteousness that produces holiness. Entering His presence does not rest on our “perfection” in obeying His Torah, or lack of sin, as we cannot be perfect in these bodies, but we need to be willing to be obedient to His instructions. Yahweh see that heartfelt willingness as “perfection” and that is what allows us to fully enter into His presence.
Sadly, many reach a point in the wilderness where out of fear they turn back, not allowing Yahweh to have ownership of their lives. They never fully give themselves over to the King of Kings. Thus ministries stall or even die, as much of the outer court ministry is self-life and a product of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Yeshua’s Life is in the Tabernacle, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. That is the goal of our hearts if we surrender and empty ourselves to Yahweh, the giver of LIFE, and let Him fill us with His life! (Matthew 13:3-9, 19-23 The Parable of the Seed).
“Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law/Torah [the armor of Light]. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation [the salvation of the soul] is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness [the sinful nature] and put on the armor of light [Torah principles, fruit of the Spirit life in Yeshua]. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with Yeshua the Messiah, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature [the flesh]” (Romans 13:10-14).
Who was this man Jacob wrestled with? We are told it was Yahweh. But no one has seen Yahweh, as Yahweh is Spirit. We are told in John 1:1 and in John 1:14 that the Word was Yahweh and that the Word (Yahweh) became flesh (Yeshua) and dwelled among us. This man whom Jacob wrestled with till dawn was Yahweh in the “flesh,” Jesus/Yeshua Ha Mashiach/the Messiah.
The man said, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with Yahweh and with men and have overcome” (Genesis 32: 25-29).
Yahweh wanted Jacob to understand who He was before blessing him. Yahweh uses trials to take our potential and actualize it so He can elevate us to a new spiritual level and purpose in Him.
The problem is, many do not know who they are, as they have lost their identity and do not know that they are Israel – not the “spiritual Israel” as some Christian churches teach, but part of the physical Commonwealth of Israel. (Galatians 3:7, 29)
Jacob learned to surrender everything to Yahweh and what he gained was salvation of his soul. He came into a place of intimacy with the Messiah. The Day of the Lord had come upon Jacob/Israel. We cannot come away from a face-to-face encounter with Yahweh and not be changed forever. Jacob “walked” differently from that moment on, and we will too!
Malachi 4:2-3 “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.”
“So Jacob called the place Peniel [meaning turn to Yahweh], saying, ‘It is because I saw Yahweh face to face, and yet my life was spared’” (Genesis 32:30).
Jacob Meets Esau
Genesis 33
When day broke, Jacob looked up and there was Esau coming towards him with four hundred men. Jacob took his children and divided them into two groups among their mothers. He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
The sense of this is that Esau was not as genuine and pure of heart at this reunion as Jacob was. Esau noticed that behind Jacob were all these women and children and he inquired after them. As Jacob introduced his family, his wives and his children come and bow down before Esau. Last to come was Rachel with Joseph. Benjamin was not born yet and was the only one who did not bow down to Esau.
Then Esau inquired of all the flocks sent to him before Jacob’s arrival. Jacob shared that this was to find Esau’s favor. The gift of these flocks was set up before Jacob’s wrestling match and heart circumcision with Yahweh. Yahweh now tested Jacob, as he still had to clean up the consequences of his former days. It was interesting to note that this was the one area the enemy knew to try to trap Jacob. The gift encouraged Esau, and he wanted Jacob’s family to join him in Seir. Jacob avoid submitting to Esau’s request by saying his company would make their way but at a slower pace according to the herds and children with him “until [he came] to [his] lord in Seir.” We discover this was prophetic language when we read Obadiah. After this encounter, Jacob and family continued their journey but went in an opposite direction from Esau.
Eventually “Jacob will come to Seir.” The prophet Obadiah was from the tribe of Judah, and pronounced Yahweh’s judgment against Edom, the descendants of Esau. The ultimate destruction would come from the House of Jacob, repaying the years of destruction exacted by the Edomites ruling the world.
Obadiah 1:18-21 “The House of Jacob will be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame; the House of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau. Yahweh has spoken. People from the Negev will occupy the mountains of Esau, and people from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead. This company of Israelite exiles who are in Canaan will possess the land as far as Zarephath; the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the towns of the Negev. Deliverers will go up from Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be Yahweh’s.”
Jacob Enters the Land
Jacob journeyed to Sukkot where he made shelters or booths for his family and livestock. We discern by this that Jacob was honoring Yahweh’s Feast Days. Shelters/Sukkot is a reference to one of Yahweh’s moadim, His Feast day called Feast of Tabernacles. Jacob’s return had followed the days of repentance called the “ten days of awe” from the Feast of Trumpets/Yom Teruah to Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur. Five days afterward is the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles also called the Feast of Shelters; Booths; Sukkot. Jacob’s life unfolded the truth behind Yahweh’s appointed Feasts for our lives.
There are three phases to a Hebrew wedding:
- The Betrothal (Feast of Pentecost/Shavuot),
- The Wedding Day (the Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur)
- The celebration at the wedding reception – the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot).
Yahweh’s moadim/seasons/feasts are to direct Yeshua’s Bride – led by the Holy Spirit/RuachHaKodesh – to the Bridegroom and her wedding.
Jacob’s whole story was a representation for our lives. Learning how to walk in Yahweh’s ways and how to live according to His Word prepares us as a royal priesthood and a holy nation. May we become a people who, like Jacob, learn to uphold Yahweh’s appointed seasons, and to reap the blessings that they hold.
Jacob finally arrived safely at the city of Shechem, and camped “within the sight of it.” This was the same place were Abraham and Isaac had rested. Now Jacob also purchased this place to pitch his tent on and set up an altar naming it El Elohe Israel, “The mighty God of Israel” (Genesis 33:18- 20).
Dinah is Tempted Outside Her Covering
Genesis 34
Camping “within sight of the city” drew the curiosity of Leah’s daughter Dinah. She went out to visit the women of the land seeking companionship. This seemed innocent enough but Scripture indicates that Dinah left the safety of the Torah lifestyle (living in obedience to God’s teaching and instruction for life) and mingled with worldly ways. When she longed for what the world had, the desires of her sinful nature led her astray as she was attracted to the unclean world. In her heart she mixed what was a holy lifestyle with the unclean emotions and thoughts of her sinful nature. She did not take captive her thoughts. Once outside the covering of Torah, Yahweh’s people are attractive to the enemy, and in the story of Dinah, that inconsistency brought transgressions and iniquity with far reaching future repercussions. In “crossing over” into the camp of the unredeemed, Dinah drew attention to herself. An uncircumcised man approached Dinah’s uncircumcised heart. Outside her father’s protection and covering, she exposed herself to harm and began to follow a path that led to spiritual and physical death.
Upon hearing of Dinah’s violation, did her father Jacob come to her aid? Did Jacob speak out against this outrageous act of violence? It seems he did not, as scripture records he remained silent, waiting for her brothers to return. The father’s proper, balanced role in the home is so important for young women growing up. Without this, women will be exposed, vulnerable and open to seeking love in wrong places. Any children living in a home, whether natural born or not, are to be covered by the father of that home. This proper parenting is like the cloud covering over the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Yeshua is our heavenly covering, and believing fathers are to be imitators of Yeshua in the home. Our behavior as parents is directly related to our view of our Heavenly Father and His covering over us, and will affect how our children view Him as a loving Father as well. May fathers learn to cover their children, encouraging them and teaching them in loving ways by Godly example – this is the salvation of our soul.
The violation of Dinah led to a scheme of lies and murder that resulted in Simeon and Levi being severely reprimanded. Because of the way they meted out vengeance of Dinah’s mishap, they were bypassed in receiving the firstborn inheritance, as was Ruben. This is how Judah, the fourth son of Leah, was repositioned as Leah’s firstborn son. We must be very careful what we sow in our hearts as one day we will reap its fruit.
Jacob Returns to Bethel
Genesis 35
When in Shechem, Yahweh said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel (Beit El – House of God) and settle there, and build an altar to Yahweh.” How did Jacob prepare his household? He commanded them to get rid of the foreign gods in their possession. How did Jacob know about the gods? Was it because of Rachel that these idols were brought into the camp in the first place? The people gave Jacob all their gods and earrings. He did not destroy them but buried them under the oak at Shechem. Then he asked them to purify themselves (ritual water cleansing called the Mikvah for change of status–from the unclean realm to the clean realm) and change their clothes. Once they did this, they set out and the “terror of Yahweh fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.”
We see something important here. To hold idols dear to our hearts will bring contamination upon us and the whole community. If our lives do not have the blessings that we had prayed for, maybe we could learn a lesson here. The story of Jacob is about salvation of the soul. May we be discerning of what we hold on to. There may be idols within ourselves AND in our possession that we have yet to relinquish that are preventing us from moving forward in our walk with Yeshua. Seeking prayer lineups and conferences may help, but the reality of what we need may have to do with something we have hidden in our hearts. Seeking repentance and circumcision of the heart first, learning from the testimonies in Yahweh’s Word will bring many blessings in our own lives and in the lives of other (James 1:14-15; 4:1-10).
The mixture Jacob had remaining in his heart and soul after his commitment to the Covenant at the altar in Bethel some twenty years earlier, was dishonor to Yahweh. After the years of living outside the land in the uncleanliness of exile, Yahweh has him return to re-dedicate himself once again. Jacob now rebuilds the altar and renews his Covenant with Yahweh at the place calling it again Beit El, “House of God.” There Yahweh appeared to him again saying, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel. And Yahweh said to him, "I am El-Shaddai. Be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you" (Genesis 35:10-12).
As with Jacob, every time we step outside Yahweh’s covenantal ways, we need to re-new our pledge to Yahweh and cleanse/sanctify ourselves. This is not for salvation purposes, but it is to enable us to return to a holy state in Him. We have to return back to the place (attitude, words, and actions) where we dishonored Yahweh and renew our Covenant at the altar before we can move forward. If Jacob had not obeyed Yahweh in this renewal he would not be able to proceed into the Land and it would have cost him his inheritance as Yahweh will be honored because His is Holy.
Revelation 2:4-5 "Nevertheless I have this against you [believer], that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.”
The Covenant Yahweh set up with Abraham and Isaac was now established into the next generation. In response to Yahweh, Jacob set up a stone pillar and poured out the drink offering and oil on it. The offerings were not separated, so when we see a drink offering in scripture we look for the grain offering called minchah in Hebrew. Stone (as in the stone pillar) is a reference to the Messiah; Yeshua is the “Bread of Life,” He is the bread offering! That is why Jacob poured out the drink offering and oil on the Rock, Yeshua, the Bread of Life. With this act of obedience Jacob was completely restored and given full Kingdom privileges that could now be passed on to his sons as their inheritance.
Isaiah 58:13-14 “’If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and Yahweh’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in Yahweh, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.’ The mouth of Yahweh has spoken.” (Genesis 35:14). (See Leviticus 2, Numbers 15 and John 6:35 for reference.)
The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac
Genesis 35
As Jacob’s family made their way from Bethel to Bethlehem, Rachel went into labor and shortly after giving birth to Benjamin, she died. The truth was Rachel died when she stole her father’s idols, hid them and lied about it (Genesis 31:32-35). Her early death was set in motion when Jacob pronounced a death sentence over her by saying to Laban, “If you find anyone, who has your gods, he shall not live.” The end of her life cycle ended with the birth of her son Benjamin, the only son of Jacob born in the Promised Land.
This is a story about taking every thought captive and being very careful with the words we speak. There is a frequency and creative force behind our words that can lead to binding the work of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh from moving in ourselves. As we have seen in this story, our words can lead us into a spiritual death, eventually followed by death in our bodies by disease, all the while affecting many people around us.
As Jacob continued to travel home, Reuben, Leah’s firstborn son, defiled his father’s bed by sleeping with Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah. This set the future stage for Rachel’s firstborn son, Joseph, whom we shall read of in our next lesson. Twenty years after leaving, Jacob came home to Hebron to see his father Isaac before his death. Isaac lived to one hundred and eighty years before Yahweh took him. His sons Jacob and Esau buried him.
Colossians 3:1-17 “Since, then, you [believer] have been raised with Yeshua, set your hearts on things above [Olam Haba], where Yeshua is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things [Olam Hazeh]. For you died [at the altar], and your life is now hidden with Yeshua in God. When Yeshua, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
“Put to death [believer], therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry [Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil – Olam Hazeh]. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you [believer] must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self [Tree of Life], which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Yeshua is all, and is in all.
“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with [the Fruit of<Repentance] compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
“Let the peace of Yeshua rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Yeshua dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Yeshua Ha Mashiach, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Philippians 2:12-16 “Therefore, my dear friends [believers], as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [of the soul] with fear and trembling, for it is Yahweh who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you [believer] may become blameless and pure, children of Yahweh without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold on to the word of life in order that I may boast on the day of Yeshua that I did not run or labor for nothing.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 “Therefore, if anyone is in Yeshua, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from Yahweh, who reconciled us to himself through Yeshua and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that Yahweh was reconciling the world to himself in Yeshua, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Yeshua’s ambassadors [priests], as though Yahweh were making His appeal through us. We implore you [believer] on Yeshua’s behalf: Be reconciled to Yahweh.”
Amos 9:11-12"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name."
Shabbat Shalom
Julie Parker
Since its inception in 2003, Sheepfold Gleanings has been written under the pen name of Carl and Julie Parker. It will now be published under the authors name Julie Parker, with her husband Carl’s continued support and covering.
Note: We are in the process of publishing the studies in soft spiral study format and soft bond format for prison ministry (an eBook format is coming!). Genesis is the first book in a five part series: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. Each book is part of the yearly Torah cycle starting in Genesis and is designed to be used each year for study purposes. To pre order please contact the information below.
Reference
Redeemed Israel: Reunited and Restored by Batya Wootten www.messianicisrael.com
All Israel Dances Toward The Tabernacle by C. Anderson / T. Clemens www.messianicisrael.com
Torah: Law or Grace? by Rabbi Ralph Messer www.torah.tv
A More Excellent Way: Be In Health. Spiritual Roots of Disease
- by Pastor Henry Wright
Sheepfold Gleanings written by Julie Parker
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Last Updated on Thursday, 15 December 2011 22:23