B'reisheet (Genesis)
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Meaning
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Day Three
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Haftara
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B'rit Hadashah
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1 Our Father, we receive Your Words and hide Your commandments with us; 2 we incline our ear unto wisdom, and apply our hearts to understanding; 3 We cry after knowledge and lift up our voices for understanding; 4 we seek it as silver; and search for it as for hidden treasures; 5 We declare that we shall understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Declaration of Proverbs 2:1-5
Genesis 24:28-49 (NASB)1
28 Then the girl ran and told her mother's household about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. 30 When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 And he said, "Come in, blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?" 32 So the man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 But when food was set before him to eat, he said, "I will not eat until I have told my business." And he said, "Speak on." 34 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 "The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys. 36 "Now Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has. 37 "My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; 38 but you shall go to my father's house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.' 39 "I said to my master, 'Suppose the woman does not follow me.' 40 "He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house; 41 then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.' 42 "So I came today to the spring, and said, 'O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful; 43 behold, I am standing by the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar"; 44 and she will say to me, "You drink, and I will draw for your camels also"; let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's son.' 45 "Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, 'Please let me drink.' 46 "She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also'; so I drank, and she watered the camels also. 47 "Then I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him'; and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 "And I bowed low and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. 49 "So now if you are going to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that I may turn to the right hand or the left."
I got side-tracked in the book of 1 Kings this morning. Reviewing the story of King David, in his last days, having to reinforce the identity of the son who was to succeed him at the throne. If you like intrigue and politics of a sort, there's plenty to be found in the books of the Kings! The reading from Kings is not a story of another woman at a well, but it does have all the key points of a story that matches up with the Torah reading, considering it's theme is the selection and installation of the son who will fill his father's shoes, so to speak, for the future.
There seems to be more than one story where a main character in our history travels, finds a well, and then is directed on to their destiny and another stage of their mission in life. When Yeshua met the 'woman at the well', He set the catalyst in motion that would bring the Gospel message to the northern part of Israel known as Samaria. I remember the last sermon I heard so many years ago, about that passage from John, chapter four that became linked with Luke, chapter ten. It was at a critical point of my own journey towards the exit door of mainline Protestantism. I had been participating in the Torah Bite project and many times, on Sunday mornings, I deeply resented having to “go to church”. I felt that I was getting a heavy mix of pablum and sour milk. I was getting more spiritual feeding from working in the Daily Torah. But, my husband had not as yet declared his intention to leave and so I kept on, keeping on, in that place. It was the message from Luke chapter ten about the “good Samaritan” that sparked my resolve to look into this strange schism between those Samaritans and those Jews! I was hot on the trail to find out why, and instead of going home with tears and the deep sadness that overcame me nearly every time I set foot in that place, I returned home with resolve. After an extensive time of detecting and ferreting through, I found the history of Israel just after the kingdom of Solomon split into Israel and Judah. It was King Jeroboam that brought northern Israel into sin by initiating a bastardized version of the Hebrew religious liturgy. He changed the times of the feasts and brought in his own priesthood after all the faithful ones left him when they saw the direction he was taking them.
13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 11:13-16.
Ever since that hunt into the history of Israel, I've loved that verse sixteen which says that “out of all the tribes of Israel such as SET THEIR HEARTS TO SEEK THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL CAME TO JERUSALEM”. I never actually knew why that verse was so meaningful until possibly, today. I was today old, when I realized that was my journey as well. I had set my heart to seek the God of Israel when I began praying that I could worship God “in spirit and in truth”. Where does that verse occur? It is in John chapter four and once I had sussed out the reasons for the division and in many cases, downright hatred between Jews and Samaritans, it shed such light on that passage from John, chapter four! That often and constant prayer had some very interesting influences on my life. I began to get even more uncomfortable in that place, while at the same time, it seemed that the folks around me were getting more uncomfortable with me! I was always raising a voice of dissent. I was always asking very annoying questions. I wasn't “going with the flow” any longer and that was bothersome to them.
They all believed that they were going to get raptured out of here and one evening in one of their gatherings, I threw caution to the wind and spoke up. “How do we really know that?” Even as I was questioning, I could hear some voice in my head, “NONONONO! Not that!” I felt the distinct impression that I had stepped into a place where even angels feared to tread. I don't think now that there is anywhere they fear to tread, but that night, I was a little unsure even before finishing that question. I could feel all eyes upon me and they weren't, as they say in Missouri, 'loving on me'. There came a very palpable, icy silence. Somebody repeated that one verse and I then questioned about why they based that belief that they all had a ticket in their pocket for the 'rapture event' based on only ONE verse out of the whole New Testament. I really poked the bear that night. Maybe it was the way I said it. Maybe because I had questioned “the narrative”, like I was living in the days of “the virus” long before it erupted on the scene!
How is it that everybody seemed to never question the WHY of that division between Jew and Samaritan. They merely accepted it as it was written and then many a preacher made a sermon out of Luke, chapter ten and John, chapter four without their actual context as it related to Israel's history. I accepted it my whole life until that day on a Sunday morning while antsy in my pew and resenting my very presence there. I can only equate that explosion of knowledge that opened new worlds opening to me, to the year I spent in grade one, where I learned how to read. I was the first one to impress my teacher and she had me read Green Eggs and Ham by Suess to the class one day. By the time I was twelve, I was voraciously reading everything, including stuff that was far advanced for my age. But now, let's move to the Torah at hand.
Once Abraham had achieved that pinnacle of obedience and loyalty that he had been groomed for his entire life, in the offering of his only son who came from both him and Sarah, then for sure it was time to prepare Isaac for the office of standing in his father's stead for the future. He must be married correctly, to keep the bloodlines as planned from well ahead of Genesis 1:1. It was an abominable thought that he should marry into any Canaanite line, for Abraham was obsessed with Isaac's purity as a follower of the one true Monarch of the Universe. If he picked one of the Canaanite women, for sure, in no time at all, there would be idols in the house! Because of Abraham's past, as the son of an idol merchant, this was an absolute that Isaac marry within the family.
But even there, as the story will unfold with Isaac's sons, we will realize that there were even idols in the house of his own brother's progeny. We're not there yet, but by and by, we shall come to that story. For now, we don't want to miss the drama of this faithful servant as he searches for the proper wife for the son of his master. This servant is nothing if he isn't loyal to Abraham. We don't know how long he was with Abraham. In the very beginning, Abraham spoke of his estate going to his main man in the household, and if this was the very same 'main man', then when Isaac was born, (and even when Ishmael was born), this would have impacted his future as the inheritor of the eventual estate of Abraham. Of what sort of master was he that his servants experienced such relationships with Abraham's God? It's quite obvious that this servant was impacted spiritually and not the least interested in the financial aspect of his relationship with his boss. He was as content to serve his master as his master's son!
26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. 27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren. Genesis 24:26-27.
And so we enter the second part of the quest of this loyal personage. He is entertained and hosted by the family of his master and sets forth the reason for his visit.
33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. 34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant. 35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. 36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: 38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son. Genesis 24:33-38.
Today, in our Torah journey we face a cliff-hanger. We actually know the spoiler, but experiencing that “cliff-hanger” event is kind of fun too.
There seems to be more than one story where a main character in our history travels, finds a well, and then is directed on to their destiny and another stage of their mission in life. When Yeshua met the 'woman at the well', He set the catalyst in motion that would bring the Gospel message to the northern part of Israel known as Samaria. I remember the last sermon I heard so many years ago, about that passage from John, chapter four that became linked with Luke, chapter ten. It was at a critical point of my own journey towards the exit door of mainline Protestantism. I had been participating in the Torah Bite project and many times, on Sunday mornings, I deeply resented having to “go to church”. I felt that I was getting a heavy mix of pablum and sour milk. I was getting more spiritual feeding from working in the Daily Torah. But, my husband had not as yet declared his intention to leave and so I kept on, keeping on, in that place. It was the message from Luke chapter ten about the “good Samaritan” that sparked my resolve to look into this strange schism between those Samaritans and those Jews! I was hot on the trail to find out why, and instead of going home with tears and the deep sadness that overcame me nearly every time I set foot in that place, I returned home with resolve. After an extensive time of detecting and ferreting through, I found the history of Israel just after the kingdom of Solomon split into Israel and Judah. It was King Jeroboam that brought northern Israel into sin by initiating a bastardized version of the Hebrew religious liturgy. He changed the times of the feasts and brought in his own priesthood after all the faithful ones left him when they saw the direction he was taking them.
13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 11:13-16.
Ever since that hunt into the history of Israel, I've loved that verse sixteen which says that “out of all the tribes of Israel such as SET THEIR HEARTS TO SEEK THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL CAME TO JERUSALEM”. I never actually knew why that verse was so meaningful until possibly, today. I was today old, when I realized that was my journey as well. I had set my heart to seek the God of Israel when I began praying that I could worship God “in spirit and in truth”. Where does that verse occur? It is in John chapter four and once I had sussed out the reasons for the division and in many cases, downright hatred between Jews and Samaritans, it shed such light on that passage from John, chapter four! That often and constant prayer had some very interesting influences on my life. I began to get even more uncomfortable in that place, while at the same time, it seemed that the folks around me were getting more uncomfortable with me! I was always raising a voice of dissent. I was always asking very annoying questions. I wasn't “going with the flow” any longer and that was bothersome to them.
They all believed that they were going to get raptured out of here and one evening in one of their gatherings, I threw caution to the wind and spoke up. “How do we really know that?” Even as I was questioning, I could hear some voice in my head, “NONONONO! Not that!” I felt the distinct impression that I had stepped into a place where even angels feared to tread. I don't think now that there is anywhere they fear to tread, but that night, I was a little unsure even before finishing that question. I could feel all eyes upon me and they weren't, as they say in Missouri, 'loving on me'. There came a very palpable, icy silence. Somebody repeated that one verse and I then questioned about why they based that belief that they all had a ticket in their pocket for the 'rapture event' based on only ONE verse out of the whole New Testament. I really poked the bear that night. Maybe it was the way I said it. Maybe because I had questioned “the narrative”, like I was living in the days of “the virus” long before it erupted on the scene!
How is it that everybody seemed to never question the WHY of that division between Jew and Samaritan. They merely accepted it as it was written and then many a preacher made a sermon out of Luke, chapter ten and John, chapter four without their actual context as it related to Israel's history. I accepted it my whole life until that day on a Sunday morning while antsy in my pew and resenting my very presence there. I can only equate that explosion of knowledge that opened new worlds opening to me, to the year I spent in grade one, where I learned how to read. I was the first one to impress my teacher and she had me read Green Eggs and Ham by Suess to the class one day. By the time I was twelve, I was voraciously reading everything, including stuff that was far advanced for my age. But now, let's move to the Torah at hand.
Once Abraham had achieved that pinnacle of obedience and loyalty that he had been groomed for his entire life, in the offering of his only son who came from both him and Sarah, then for sure it was time to prepare Isaac for the office of standing in his father's stead for the future. He must be married correctly, to keep the bloodlines as planned from well ahead of Genesis 1:1. It was an abominable thought that he should marry into any Canaanite line, for Abraham was obsessed with Isaac's purity as a follower of the one true Monarch of the Universe. If he picked one of the Canaanite women, for sure, in no time at all, there would be idols in the house! Because of Abraham's past, as the son of an idol merchant, this was an absolute that Isaac marry within the family.
But even there, as the story will unfold with Isaac's sons, we will realize that there were even idols in the house of his own brother's progeny. We're not there yet, but by and by, we shall come to that story. For now, we don't want to miss the drama of this faithful servant as he searches for the proper wife for the son of his master. This servant is nothing if he isn't loyal to Abraham. We don't know how long he was with Abraham. In the very beginning, Abraham spoke of his estate going to his main man in the household, and if this was the very same 'main man', then when Isaac was born, (and even when Ishmael was born), this would have impacted his future as the inheritor of the eventual estate of Abraham. Of what sort of master was he that his servants experienced such relationships with Abraham's God? It's quite obvious that this servant was impacted spiritually and not the least interested in the financial aspect of his relationship with his boss. He was as content to serve his master as his master's son!
26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. 27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren. Genesis 24:26-27.
And so we enter the second part of the quest of this loyal personage. He is entertained and hosted by the family of his master and sets forth the reason for his visit.
33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. 34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant. 35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. 36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: 38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son. Genesis 24:33-38.
Today, in our Torah journey we face a cliff-hanger. We actually know the spoiler, but experiencing that “cliff-hanger” event is kind of fun too.
49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left. Genesis 24:49.
1 NASB www.lockman.org for daily reading and KJV in commentary unless otherwise specified
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