Day 1: Lech Lecha/Genesis 12:1-13

After the flood, the world was repopulated by Shem, Yepheth, and Ham. It did not take long for man to corrupt his way, once again, just as Elohim had already stated, “The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Men had gathered themselves together for the sake of making a name for themselves. That name would not last as the Father would divide the peoples into the nations and their tongues setting confusion between them. Unlike corrupted men of the earth, Elohim could bring a righteous man from nothing and forge him into a nation for His own possession. That is where Abram was and then called by the Creator to leave what was familiar in order to go to the land of Canaan.

Obscurity has hidden the father, brothers, and grandfather of Abram. If not mentioned by name in B’reisheet, their identities would be all but lost. After remaining in a place named after Abram’s deceased brother, Haran, Abram traveled on toward Canaan. The genealogy remaining from Abram’s family would become “wife-stock” for the next two— those from Shem that Elohim had called through the line of Eber. Subsequently, Canaan was not a place to go for a new lifestyle, but a place for a new possession. Canaan was not to be a substitute for home by way of adopted habits or local traditions. Abram was sent to the Promised Land as a sojourner, a would-be owner, and a future nation called by YHVH’s name.

Both Lot and Sarai were people who were of Eber, and both took their identity through Abram—one by marriage and the other through the identity of Abram’s brother, Haran. Lot remained with Abram until he outgrew the shadows of his surrogate father. While he was still found righteous, his path and lineage would not match or even parallel Abram’s. On the other hand, Sarai, as Abram’s wife, was seen as his namesake and likeness. Through barrenness, lies, and all, Sarai would be the mother of nations. Those nations would be blessed by Abram, and some would even be reckoned as sons of Abram. Many of those nations would be hidden until the dispersion of Israel and Judah so that the fulness of the nations would come to pass as a fulfillment to the promise made to Abram upon leaving Haran.

The interesting facets discussed about identity in B’reisheet reveal a lineage and a line that follows through Moshe, David, and into Messiah. This name and lineage transcend the logical etymology bound by blood and physical relationship. Like Lot who had the opportunity to choose good and live amongst his own kind, the people of Covenant have a choice to live inside the Name of YHVH and within the physicality of Yeshua. He is the Seed that was promised to Abram, the blessing to all the families of the earth, as well as, the Promised Land in which the chosen people are to live and be seen by YHVH.

Sarai’s life was masked from others since she was married to Abram and was seen as one with him. In comparison, our lives should be obscured because we have chosen to live inside Messiah and reflected a fallen world. Our decision to abandon our past lives and become sojourners with the Master marks us as His. The activities we conduct should bear fruit that resembles Yeshua’s and represents His name.

Our own lives are forfeit and we have taken on the life of Messiah as our identity. Like Sarai seen in Abram, we should be seen in Yeshua, not by our own merit. Unlike Abram, Yeshua will not lie or ask us to lie but will hide us in the cleft of the Rock—Himself.

The Father repopulated the earth and began to fashion a people group that would ultimately be found within Messiah. It would be His own possession and nation. There is a separation from Yah’s nation and those nations surrounding them. The line crossed from carnal and corrupt is definitive and those on both sides see marked differences. Just like bad company corrupts good morals, those looking at YHVH’s people can choose to cross over and be accepted by YHVH through Yeshua’s righteousness. Only those found in Yeshua share a common father, Abraham, and should recognize each other. It is the seed of Promise that each believer possesses and that seed produces good fruit.

As we are to hide and find refuge in Messiah, the nations around us are looking for those to either follow into Righteousness or search for the scapegoat to blame for all their problems. When Abram hid Sarai’s identity for the sake of not being persecuted, he ended up with a blessing from Pharaoh and was sent out. Thus, those that blessed Abram would be blessed. We know that Egypt was later blessed with food as the whole world faltered in famine.

Now, the world teeters on destruction due to lack of bread. It is not a lack of wheat or barley, but the Word of YHVH is sparse in this day and culture. As we live among the nations and are recognized by them, our lives can be a blessing to them or bring about further curses if they reject Who is in us.

The population of the world only retains a remnant of those that are truly of Abraham’s seed. Those that have chosen Life can plant more seeds of life as they live, by the Way, Truth, and Life that is Yeshua. May we be a blessing to those around us as the world needs that Seed for their eternal hope.

Dwell upon Philippians 3:8-9, “…I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Messiah Yeshua my Elohim, for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Messiah, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from Torah, but that which is through faith in Messiah, the righteousness which comes from YHVH on the basis of faith…”