Daily Bible Portion (Sunday)
Daily Bible Portion - 1 of 7
"AND HE APPEARED"
(Weekly Reading>>Genesis 18:1-22:24, 2 Kings 4:1-23, Luke 17:26-37, Romans 4:13-25; 9:6-9, Hebrews 11:13-19)
The Guest
The stage was set for Yahweh’s visit with Abraham, he ran to greet the men when he recognized it was Yahweh who was approaching. Abraham was not afraid to stand before Yahweh, as he had been in His Presence before (Genesis 12:7; 15:4; 17:1).
The entrance to his tent is mentioned twice here in scripture. As a dwelling place, it is symbolic of the tabernacle in the wilderness where Yahweh came to dwell in the midst of His people. The word tent is also a Hebrew idiom meaning to walk in the teaching and instruction of Yahweh called Torah(Five Books of Moses). Because Abraham was in the entrance (or under the covering of the entrance) of his tent, Yahweh came and dwelt in his midst indicating that the Day of the Lord had come upon Abraham.
The Hebrew word ahal (Strong’s #H168/TWOT #32a) is the root word for tent and also the symbolic names for Samaria and Jerusalem (Oholah/her tent and Oholibah/my tent is in her), which gives a hint of the future restoration of the House of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the House of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) becoming one in Yahweh’s hand (Ezekiel 23:4, 37:15-28; Exodus 31:6; Genesis 36:2, 41).
Abraham offered hospitality to his traveling guests saying,
More symbolism comes to light with this passage when Abraham asked his wife Sarah, not a servant, to prepare a type of unleavened cake for their guests. Abraham instructed Sarah exactly how it was to be made, using three tenths of an ephah of fine flour. After kneading the dough, it was shaped into a cake called challah, pierced and baked over fire (Strong’s #H2471; Leviticus 2:4 and Numbers 28:20).
The pattern and foreshadowing shows the season of the visitation was at Passover during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as we see Abraham responding to the Lamb of God dwelling in the midst of these visitors. He humbly prepared a feast, bringing unleavened bread and a lamb called the son in Hebrew (Strong’s H1241/1121). Abraham knew whom he was serving and he gave a fellowship offering (shelamim/shalom) to the Prince of Peace (shalom).
YHVH’s Authoritative Word
After very careful preparations for the meal Abraham also laid butter, milk and meat together on the table before his heavenly visitors. Abraham knew how important this meal was and that everything was to be perfect for his guests. Interesting to note that "traditional" "oral laws" of Judaism prohibit having dairy and meat products served at the same time yet scripture tells us by example this was acceptable to Yahweh thus correct according to Torah, as He is the author of Torah and Yahweh accepted his offering and ate the meal without correcting Abraham.
Abraham, and Moses who followed him, are our examples of how Yahweh’s principles are to be handled, taught and lived. The separation of dairy products from meat products was introduced thousands of years after Torah was given at Mount Sinai. Additional laws called oral traditions were instituted by teachers and were then added to Yahweh’s written laws. The leaders who created these extra laws called them "fences" and said that they were needed to protect Torah from being violated by man and to protect man from violating Torah. Their intention was to prevent man from boiling a baby in its mother's milk which is a written law and common pagan practice.
Man does not need to keep his distance from God’s laws, nor protection from them. We are called to walk in Yahweh’s principles, not to add man-made preferences or commandments (called legalism) to His word that would encumber our walk. Yahweh is so pleased with a heart that desires to walk after Him that He gave His Spirit to guide and protect us; nothing can take the place of this.
Books were written about these new added laws and later put into volumes, such as the Babylonian Talmud. While religious leaders(Pharisees) claim these volumes were intended to help man, these instructions became hindrances as they heaped more laws on top of the ones that were originally given by Yahweh. Shifting focus from Yahweh's laws to mans laws. These extra laws became very burdensome to the people and clouded the way to Yahweh’s life. Because of this, it became harder and harder for the people to see Torah as it was no longer their primary focus. Torah paled next to all those man-made added traditions for food, the Sabbath and other laws.
Yahweh admonishes us that His written word is not to be added to, nor is it to be subtracted from (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19). There was only one authoritative Word given to man. Yahweh’s teaching and instruction is seen in the Five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, and is uplifted in the whole Old Testament (Tanakh) and New Testament (Brit Chadashah) together Genesis to Revelation as the authoritative word of Yahweh.
continues tomorrow...
"AND HE APPEARED"
(Weekly Reading>>Genesis 18:1-22:24, 2 Kings 4:1-23, Luke 17:26-37, Romans 4:13-25; 9:6-9, Hebrews 11:13-19)
The Guest
Genesis 18:1-3 “Yahweh appeared to Abraham while he was sitting and resting near the great trees of Mamre [Hebron] at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground saying, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, Yahweh, do not pass your servant by.’”
The stage was set for Yahweh’s visit with Abraham, he ran to greet the men when he recognized it was Yahweh who was approaching. Abraham was not afraid to stand before Yahweh, as he had been in His Presence before (Genesis 12:7; 15:4; 17:1).
The entrance to his tent is mentioned twice here in scripture. As a dwelling place, it is symbolic of the tabernacle in the wilderness where Yahweh came to dwell in the midst of His people. The word tent is also a Hebrew idiom meaning to walk in the teaching and instruction of Yahweh called Torah(Five Books of Moses). Because Abraham was in the entrance (or under the covering of the entrance) of his tent, Yahweh came and dwelt in his midst indicating that the Day of the Lord had come upon Abraham.
The Hebrew word ahal (Strong’s #H168/TWOT #32a) is the root word for tent and also the symbolic names for Samaria and Jerusalem (Oholah/her tent and Oholibah/my tent is in her), which gives a hint of the future restoration of the House of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the House of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) becoming one in Yahweh’s hand (Ezekiel 23:4, 37:15-28; Exodus 31:6; Genesis 36:2, 41).
Abraham offered hospitality to his traveling guests saying,
“My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.” With the offer of hospitality accepted, Abraham quickly arranged for his wife and servants to attend to a meal to bless his guests” (Genesis 18:3-5).
Genesis 18:6-8 “So Abraham ran into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.’ And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.”
More symbolism comes to light with this passage when Abraham asked his wife Sarah, not a servant, to prepare a type of unleavened cake for their guests. Abraham instructed Sarah exactly how it was to be made, using three tenths of an ephah of fine flour. After kneading the dough, it was shaped into a cake called challah, pierced and baked over fire (Strong’s #H2471; Leviticus 2:4 and Numbers 28:20).
The pattern and foreshadowing shows the season of the visitation was at Passover during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as we see Abraham responding to the Lamb of God dwelling in the midst of these visitors. He humbly prepared a feast, bringing unleavened bread and a lamb called the son in Hebrew (Strong’s H1241/1121). Abraham knew whom he was serving and he gave a fellowship offering (shelamim/shalom) to the Prince of Peace (shalom).
YHVH’s Authoritative Word
Genesis 18:8 “Abraham took butter [curd] and milk [sour milk or cheese] and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.”
After very careful preparations for the meal Abraham also laid butter, milk and meat together on the table before his heavenly visitors. Abraham knew how important this meal was and that everything was to be perfect for his guests. Interesting to note that "traditional" "oral laws" of Judaism prohibit having dairy and meat products served at the same time yet scripture tells us by example this was acceptable to Yahweh thus correct according to Torah, as He is the author of Torah and Yahweh accepted his offering and ate the meal without correcting Abraham.
Abraham, and Moses who followed him, are our examples of how Yahweh’s principles are to be handled, taught and lived. The separation of dairy products from meat products was introduced thousands of years after Torah was given at Mount Sinai. Additional laws called oral traditions were instituted by teachers and were then added to Yahweh’s written laws. The leaders who created these extra laws called them "fences" and said that they were needed to protect Torah from being violated by man and to protect man from violating Torah. Their intention was to prevent man from boiling a baby in its mother's milk which is a written law and common pagan practice.
Man does not need to keep his distance from God’s laws, nor protection from them. We are called to walk in Yahweh’s principles, not to add man-made preferences or commandments (called legalism) to His word that would encumber our walk. Yahweh is so pleased with a heart that desires to walk after Him that He gave His Spirit to guide and protect us; nothing can take the place of this.
Books were written about these new added laws and later put into volumes, such as the Babylonian Talmud. While religious leaders(Pharisees) claim these volumes were intended to help man, these instructions became hindrances as they heaped more laws on top of the ones that were originally given by Yahweh. Shifting focus from Yahweh's laws to mans laws. These extra laws became very burdensome to the people and clouded the way to Yahweh’s life. Because of this, it became harder and harder for the people to see Torah as it was no longer their primary focus. Torah paled next to all those man-made added traditions for food, the Sabbath and other laws.
Yahweh admonishes us that His written word is not to be added to, nor is it to be subtracted from (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19). There was only one authoritative Word given to man. Yahweh’s teaching and instruction is seen in the Five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, and is uplifted in the whole Old Testament (Tanakh) and New Testament (Brit Chadashah) together Genesis to Revelation as the authoritative word of Yahweh.
2 Timothy 16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
continues tomorrow...
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