Day 6: Chayei Sarah/Genesis 25:1-18
So, the story goes that Abram was renamed Abraham, and Sarai was renamed, Sarah. These two patriarchs of the Jewish faith begot a son, Isaac, only after Sarai gave her husband a maid-servant to procreate Ishmael. Later, Isaac was born to be the sole inheritor of Abraham’s promises. In the meantime, since Abraham established and built Jerusalem, Ishmael was to inherit this place since he caused so much strife between himself and Isaac. Obviously, the beginning of building Jerusalem would have been at the time of binding Isaac; and, since the angel could not stop Abraham in time, Isaac was killed and later resurrected to be the named seed. After some time and the death of Sarah, Keturah would return to marry Abraham. Yes, the story goes that she returned as Hagar with a new name. Thus, Ishmael could still be an inheritor along with all the other sons of Keturah and other concubines.
So the story goes … According to extraneous, extra-Scriptural sources.
In fact, what can be enumerated as factual is found in the pages/leaves of Torah. There, and only there, can the real truth be discovered. All other narratives are simply speculation or outright lies. It does not matter how many sages have passed down the information, how many “authoritative” books have documented the commentary, or how many centuries the stories have survived. In the end, the factual account of creation, Noach’s epic, Abraham’s journies, the giving of Torah, and the lives of all the patriarchs is summed up in the YHVH inspired and breathed Book of the Covenant as attributed to Moshe.
The scenarios illustrated above are real accounts derived of fantasies from the minds of “sages” and “Rabbis,” and thus, documented in the form of man-made theology within the pages of Talmud—an ongoing commentary of Judaism. Actually, Talmud contains various and wide assortments of erroneous heresies, which many Rabbis have esteemed as superior to Torah.
From the above fiction, it is quite probable that Abraham did not establish Jerusalem since Melchizedek already reigned there as King of Salem. Torah does not mention literal strife between Isaac and Ishmael, only that Ishmael would be a donkey of a man and his hand would be against everyone. Moreover, Torah reveals that both Isaac and Ishmael buried their shared, biological father, Abraham.
In need of a true Redeemer, the oral rabbinical law suggests that Isaac was venerated as having died and resurrected. This is simply not true! YHVH’s timing is perfect; to say that the Angel of YHVH was too late is saying that YHVH is not perfect. Concluding this rhetoric, Keturah’s identity is pure speculation, something Paul warns believers to take captive. Torah does not sanction Keturah or Hagar for anything other than women whom Abraham knew intimately for the purpose of creating other nations that would be blessed through his seed of promise, Isaac. To view Keturah as Hagar or to venerate Hagar as coming back is to add to the context and the Word that YHVH has already preserved completely. We are admonished not to add or to take away from His Torah.
We, also, have been instructed to study to show ourselves approved. This study has nothing to do with various winds of doctrine but has everything to do with finding the hidden treasures as scattered in Torah for the glory of YHVH and kings (Prov. 25:2). As the speculations of Keturah, the heresies concerning Ishmael, or tale surrounding Abraham, many are the Talmudic perversions of Torah and other portions of Scripture.
Alas, the church is not exempt from this heinous crime against the explicit commands of Elohim. The church through Catholicism, rebellion, and other misdeeds has perverted just as much Truth as Judaism. What has been labeled Christianity should be viewed by the Covenant keeper through the lenses of Torah, as prescribed by Yeshua. Similarly, Judaism should be viewed with the same skepticism. It is incumbent on the believer to reject what man has created and question all vainglorious traditions, which have wrought a vain religion.
The pure Word is undiluted and perfect for consumption through the Body and Blood of Messiah. The questions now become: How will our story continue as we dig deeper for the uncompromised Truth? Will we destroy every lofty thing and speculation raised up against the knowledge of YHVH (2 Cor. 10:5)?
Dwell upon Proverbs 30:5-6, “Every word of Elohim is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.”