Parashah 3 - Lech Lecha (Go Forth) 5778
Parashah 3 - Lech Lecha (Go Forth) 5778
PROPHETS
o Isaiah 40:1 | YHVH's People Are Comforted
o Isaiah 41:1-16 | Israel Assured of God's Help
Last week we looked at Isa 45 regarding the Desolate Woman who is no longer
barren and how her relationship with Shechem, the false Prince of Peace
caused her initial barenness. We also looked at the Consecration of the
Priesthood and how this process changed Benyamin and Manasseh into
Ephraim, the ideal fruitful Bride of Messiah who had many offspring.
This week we continue the Book of the Prophets, reading from Isa 40, in the
light of our Father of Faith, Abraham and the initial process of putting a
Covenant in place to restore humanity.
1
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Isa 40:3-5 The voice of one crying in the
wilderness: Prepare the way of YHVH;
Make straight in the desert, a highway for
our Elohim. 4 Every valley shall be exalted
and every mountain and hill brought low;
the crooked places shall be made straight
and the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of
YHVH shall be revealed, and all flesh shall
see it together; for the mouth of YHVH has
spoken.
This passage is familiar to most people who read about John the Immerser
(Baptist), where he referred to himself as the one crying in the wilderness to
announce the coming of Messiah Yshua (John 1:23). John also preached
repentance, because the Kingdom of YHVH was near.
Q What did this voice address, crying in the Wilderness?
To prepare the way of YHVH.
To make straight a highway in the desert.
To exalt every valley and bring every mountain and hill low.
To make crooked places straight and rough places smooth.
To do these things so the glory of YHVH would be revealed to all flesh
(nations). Promise to Abraham.
What is listed here is the Work of Messiah and studying these points will
highlight the detail of His restoration work, that is associated with repentance
and the Kingdom of YHVH (from Johns perspective).
2
YHVH needed to change Jacobs character, and it was changed to Israel in Gen
32:28 Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince
you have power with Elohim and with men, and have prevailed.
Jacobs name changed to Israel. Israel
means Straight ones of Elohim
or Righteous people of Elohim. The first part of the name is yisra
, which
comes from the word sarah , which is the changed name of Sarah
meaning power. In this verse we see that, Jacob became a Prince with power.
Power is the word sarah
( name of Sarais name which changed to
Sarah added Hey ). It says here that Jacob became a Prince or leader with
Elohim (Counsel of YHVH) and this implies that he has the authority as a Prince
under YHVH, and this gave him power to rule over men (nations). This Prince is
called Israel and the nation, of Israel has that same, authority and power over
the other nations, as confirmed in the name Israel.
Q What is this power (sarah) and authority to be used for?
The other names which are changed by adding a hey were Sarai changing to
Sarah, and Abram, changing to Abraham.
Sarai > Sarah added
Abram > Abraham added
This implies that Sarah became a Princess and Abraham became a Prince
and Counsel Members of Elohim because of this power and authority. That is
why Abraham could intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of Lot and
his family. Receiving the Anointing of the Spirit of YHVH (hey). This power and
authority (anointing) is given to extend grace to the nations to ensure that the
promise made to Abraham comes to pass; that all the families of the earth will
be blessed through his seed.
Comfort My People
Isa 40:1-2 Comfort, yes, comfort My
people! Says your Elohim. 2 Speak comfort
to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her
warfare is ended, that her iniquity is
pardoned; for she has received from YHVHs
hand, double for all her sins.
Q What does it mean to comfort Jerusalem so
that her warfare will end?
Comfort is the word nacham , which means to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;
by implication, to be sorry, to pity, repent(-er,-ing, self). This word is repeated
twice, underlining its importance and is first found in Scripture in Gen 5:29,
listing the genealogy, specifically the portion from Lamech and his son Noah.
3
Lamech means powerful and to overcome a curse. The curse came upon
the earth because of mans initial sin and resulted in a fallen state that resulted
in even more sin. This fallen state is what we looked at last week and is
described as barenness.
It is interesting that Lamechs age is mentioned three times, firstly, when he had
his son Noah (age of 182), and from then till the day he died was 595 years.
Lastly, Lamech lived a total of 777 years.
Isa 40 talks about comforting Jerusalem, which is YHVHs people. Generally, in
Scripture, YHVHs people are referred to as Israel, but here He uses the title
Jerusalem, specifically after they have been comforted or repented. It is as if the
people of YHVH move from their initial state, Israel, to a perfect state,
Jerusalem.
Q What does Jerusalem mean regarding YHVHs people?
Jerusalem is Yarushalaim
, which means teaching of peace. It
consists of two parts, the first part comes from yara , meaning flow as
water (i.e. to rain); to shoot (arrow), to teach, to instruct. Yara is also the root
word for Torah, which is YHVHs Commandments. This gives us the insight
that Jerusalem is the title the people of Israel receive when they repent and turn
back to Torah. This idea is captured in the following verse.
Micah 4:2 Many nations will come and say, "Come and let us go up to
the mountain of YHVH and to the house of the Elohim of Jacob, That He
may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For
from Zion will go forth the law, even the Word of YHVH from Jerusalem.
The second part is shalaim
that comes from the word shalam meaning
to be safe (in mind, body or estate), to be friendly; to end, finish, full, give again,
make good, peace restore, reward. The second part of the meaning Jerusalem
underlines the restoration process that is now complete.
We know that Noahs life depicts the time of Judgement and the Tribulation. It
places the 182 years as the time of preparation and the 595 years, depict the
1000-year Winepress, before entry into the Promised Land and Jerusalem.
Before entering the
Jerusalem state,
you have to go
through the Noah
state as well as the
Lamech state.
Lamech takes
Israel, the people of
YHVH and prepares
them for the next
phase.
4
This preparation is depicted by the meanings of the number
185. The gematria of 185 relates to the following words and
meanings:
This brings you to the next phase, which is Noah and the
Tribulation and judgement, associated with the number 777; &
Years, & Trumpets and the meaning of the number 7, which is
oath (Covenant protection) and curse (judgement). The
Gematria of 777 relates to the following words and meanings:
These meanings reveal the judgement of YHVH, and ask the question; who is of
Elohim? Those who are of Elohim will be strengthened to endure and will enter
the New Jerusalem. Those who do not will go through the Winepress and the
Final Judgement. The 1000-year period is associated with the
number 595. The Gematria of 595 relates to the following word
and meanings:
increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fall,
5
31 Butthose who wait on YHVH shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they
shall walk and not faint.
Q What does wings of eagles mean?
Wing is the word eber , meaning pinion, wing. It comes from the word
abar which means soar and fly. If you add the letter Hey , which means
Spirit of Truth, similar to changing the name Abram to Abraham, you get the
word abarah . When you add the letter mem which means Word of
YHVH, you get the name Abraham . Abraham is the Father of Faith
and faith is required to be strengthened as in receiving eagles wings, which is
based upon revelation of YHVHs Word .
Terebinth is the word elon ]vla that is translated as planes, terebinth and
very strong tree. It comes from the root word ayil that means, strong tree,
mighty men, strong leader, doorpost, ram. This relates to the strength or power
Jacob received when his name changed to Israel.
6
Terebinth is first found in Scripture in Gen 15:9 when YHVH made the blood
Covenant with Abram. (Note: his name was not changed to Abraham yet).
This strong tree in Memre is a representation of the Tree of Life that can be
accessed through the Covenant YHVH made with Abram. (All families would be
blessed it would extend to all nations through his Seed Messiah Yshua
worm see next section).
The Garden of Mamre is located in Canaan (Promised Land). Mamre is the
place where Abram built an Altar unto YHVH (Gen 13:18). Mamre is the place
where YHVH visited Abraham (note changed name), and where Abraham acted
as Prince and Counsel member of Elohim, interceding on behalf of the families
of the earth ie. Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:1). Mamre is an elevated place
(tower linked to eagles wings - elevation) where Abram was strengthened
(mam-ra), to become a strong leader (ayil).
Fear Not!
Isa 41:14-16 Fear not, you worm Jacob, you
men of Israel! I will help you, says YHVH, and
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I will make you into a new threshing
7
shoor meaning enemy and watcher, wall. Jacob is a worm,
meaning that the descendants of Jacob, namely Israel, are to be
watchmen to identify the enemy. The verse that uses Watchmen and
wall in one sentence is in Isa 62:6 I have posted watchmen on
your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. This is in
line with our Half-Torah reading (Isa 40:1) where YHVH is comforting
Jerusalem, that her warfare has ended after the enemy was destroyed.
The Watchmen on the Wall also represent the Seven Moedim that
reveal who is coming, the enemy or the Redeemer of Israel.
shuwr meaning to observe, to spy out. This relates to the 12 who
were sent out before entering the Promised Land. The story reveals a
divided group where only 2 of the 12 had a good report, the majority
responded in unbelief. In the time before the Second Coming of
Messiah, the majority of the Body of Messiah will not spy out the
Promised Land, and those who do, will come back with unbelief. Shuwr
also means to observe and is related to shamar, which represents a
thorny hedge, as well as observing the Moedim.
This indicates that the majority of the Body of Messiah do not spy out or
keep the Festivals of YHVH, to see who is coming or having faith in
what is going to happen at the end. They would rather believe the
doctrine of the rapture, so they do not have to face the events recorded in
the Book of Revelation, because of their unbelief.
YHVH still encourages His people, instructing them not to fear and He will help
them. This implies that the Body of Messiah will face the events during Jacobs
Trouble (Tribulation) and will overcome them by being transformed into a
threshing-sledge (sort of hammer), which relates to the Maccabees (hammers).
In this Torah Portion, Abram had to face his fears when he travelled through the
wilderness because there was famine in the land. Famine, according to the
dream Joseph interpreted, prophetically points to the time of Jacobs Trouble or
the Tribulation.