Joy in the Messiah

וַיֵּרָא
VaYera / And He Appeared
Genesis 18:1-22:24
HafTorah Portion 2 Kings 4:1-37
Brit Chadasha 2 Peter 2:4-11

        The Challenge…     There is an interesting thing that happens to both Noah and Abraham. In Genesis 6:11-13 God forewarns Noah of His plan stating: ‘The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.  So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.  And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’  
     After Noah receives the instructions for building the Ark, we are told that Noah did all that he was commanded to, no questions asked, he simply acted.
     In Genesis 18:16-33, there is a conversation between Adonai/Yeshua and the messengers that visited Abraham.  It seems in Genesis 18:17 that God is putting forth a challenge for Abraham to challenge Him when God states: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” 
      We can allude to this because in Genesis 18:23 we know that Abraham either overheard the conversation or was included in the conversation. Either way, he does not remain silent but instead challenges God. ‘And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?’ The conversation continues to the sake of ten righteous. 
      God didn’t need to include Abraham in this quandary, in His plan. He could have just carried it out without forewarning Abraham.  So why did God call on Abraham to challenge Him? There was nothing that God didn’t know about Abraham, after all, He created him. But Abraham was to become the role model, initiator and patriarch of a new faith, completely under an unseen God. It would be the faith that would challenge the world- not crumble under it. 
     Abraham had to have the courage and faith to challenge God if his descendants were to challenge Kings and rulers as Moses and the Prophets did. The faith of El Shaddai (Exodus 6:2-3) does not accept the world that is, instead it is challenged in the name of El Shaddai. This was the beginning of a very strong and perfect God centered faith.
    In Genesis 18:18-19 is the strength and righteousness of Abraham and his future. ‘…since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? ¹⁹ For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” 
     The verse states that Abraham will become a mighty nation. But at the time, he did not rule a nation, he was not a conventional leader or king. There was as yet no nation for him to lead. But he was the role model of leadership as we understand it today. He took responsibility. He acted. He didn’t wait for others to act.  Regarding Noah, the Torah in Genesis 6:9 says, “he walked with God”. But to Abraham, God says, “Walk before Me,” Genesis 17:1.  Be a leader, walk ahead. Take personal responsibility. Take moral responsibility. As a righteous leader, Abraham challenges for and pleads for the righteous!
    In the next chapter of VaYera, Lot, his wife and daughters are rescued from destruction. However, Lot pleads or challenges the messengers, not for others but for himself: ‘Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords!  Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.  See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.” Genesis 19:18-20
    What a stark difference between Abraham and Lot – Abraham prays for others; Lot is concerned for himself.  
     One simple instruction is given in Genesis 19:17, ‘Do not look behind.’ Lot’s wife disobeys and remains to this day a pillar of salt, Genesis 19:26. 
     At the end of every book of the Torah, we say, “Chazak! Chazak! V’nitchezek! Be Strong! Be Strong! And may we be strengthened!” To be strong and courageous in the faith of Adonai, walking in the Torah with Yeshua, is the pillar of Torah. To stand against the things of the world, the ideology, the religions, the cultures, is to stand for Adonai and His Torah and His Living Word. 
     Deuteronomy 31:6 ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.’
     Joshua 1:9 ‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’
     Isaiah 41:10 ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 
     Ephesians 6:10 ‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.’
     In Genesis 20, Abraham tries to deceive Abimelech regarding Sarah, but God protects both Abimelech and Sarah.  At the end of this chapter, Abraham rightly prays for the restoration of Abimelech and his wife, again praying for others.
     Isaac is born in Genesis 21 and as the boy grows there is a confrontation between Sarah and Hagar, Genesis 21:9-10 ‘And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.’ God protects Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21:17-21.
     Genesis 21 ends with a covenant made between Abraham and Abimelech. 
     VaYera concludes with Abraham’s faith confirmed as he is tested with his son, Isaac.
     Pirkei Avos, Ethics of the Fathers, teaches that Abraham was tested ten times. The first test is found in the Scroll of Yashur. 
1.He is thrown into a fiery furnace.
2. God tells him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the land of Canaan.
3. Immediately after his arrival in the Promised Land, he encounters a famine.
4. The Egyptians seize his beloved wife, Sarah, and bring her to Pharaoh.
5. He faces incredible odds in the battle of the four and five kings.
6. He is told by God that his children will be strangers in a strange land. 
7. G‑d tells him to circumcise himself at an advanced age.
8. The king of Gerar captures Sarah, intending to take her for himself.
9. God tells him to send away Hagar and her son, Ishmael.
10. Abraham is told by God to sacrifice his dear son Isaac upon an altar. 
     The title for this parsha, VaYera comes from the first sentence: ‘And the LORD appeared…’ Genesis 18:1. Throughout this parsha God appeared to Abraham in many ways: 
Genesis 18:2 Abraham lifted his eyes
Genesis 19:1 God appears in the form of two beings to Lot
Genesis 19:24 God appears in the form of fire
Genesis 20:3 God appears to Abimelech in a dream
Genesis 21:12 God appears with a comforting voice
Genesis 21:17 God hears the cries of Ishmael
Genesis 21:19 God speaks to Hagar and opens her eyes
Genesis 22:1 God appears to Abraham with a test 
Genesis 22:11 God calls out
Genesis 22:13 God physically provides the ram
Genesis 22:16-18 God appears with blessings
     May we have the strength and courage to stand up for the truth and really see when God appears to us.

 In Genesis 21:9 Hagar has her eyes opened to the well of water that God has provided her. Whether the well was dug many years before her travail or it was placed there miraculously at that moment, it was all part of God’s plan.
       By these three examples, we see the difference of how God appears to those that He chooses to appear to.  His substance, His appearance, the message of His voice, and attributes are all found in the Torah, especially His strength.
     The strength of God is visual to all of us as it was visual to the Israelites and neighboring tribes at that time. We first witness His strength in creation. We see His strength with Noah, and with Abraham. We witness His strength with Moshe and Joshua. We see and feel His strength with and through Yeshua.
     The strength of Adonai comes through His word, His breath, His voice, His commandments – His Torah.
     The sages teach that "Bereishit": "With (or by way of) 'reishit', God created the Heavens and the Earth". "Reishit" means Torah. God created the world with the Torah. God looked into the Torah and created the world."
     What a powerful and profound declaration. It is also taught in a Midrash that: "For the sake of the Torah, which they [Israelites] were destined to receive, for 'Your strength' here is but a designation for the Torah, as in the passage; 'The Lord will give strength unto God's people' Psalm 29:11.  In Psalm 29:11, “strength” is transformed from a divine wonder observed by the Israelites at the Sea, into a gift bestowed by God to the Israelites for the future. More than a source they summoned at need; God would convey God’s strength to them in Torah.
     Job 12:16 ‘With Him are strength and sound wisdom, the misled and the misleader belong to Him.’
    Psalm 93:1 ‘The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength; indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.’
    Psalm 96:6 ‘Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.’
    Jeremiah 50:34 ‘Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name; He will vigorously plead their case so that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon.’
    Exodus 15:13 ‘In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; in Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.’
    Luke 1:51 ‘He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.’