Walk In MY Presence and Be Perfect
Miryam Widodo and Andre Widodo
© ORI
Shalom,
When we read our Torah Portion about "Lech Lecha", my wife got an understanding about the difference between the blessing for Abraham and the blessing for Ishma'El. And she shared with me which I believe it is important.
Let's study it together.
To Abraham, God says :
Gen 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD [YHVH - יהוה] appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I AM the ALMIGHTY GOD [EL SHADDAI - אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י]; WALK BEFORE ME [HALAKH - הַלֵּ֥ך], and BE THOU PERFECT [TAMIM - תָמִֽים].
Gen 17:2
And I will make my COVENANT [BRIT - בְרִיתִ֖י] between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
There are 3 things that we must understand from Abraham's side : WALK in HIS Presence, be PERFECT and involve in HIS COVENANT.
But...
To Ishma'El, God only says :
Gen 17:20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have BLESSED [BARAK - בּרך] him, and will make him FRUITFUL [PARAH - פּרה], and will MULTIPLY [RABAH - רבה] him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a GREAT NATION [GOY GADOL - גָּדֹֽול].
There are 4 things that we must understand from Ishma'El's side : he will be BLESSED, FRUITFUL, MULTIPLIED and GREAT NATION.
Notice, that God never taken Ishma'EL into HIS COVENANT. No COVENANT for Ishma'El.
Gen 17:21
But my COVENANT [BRIT - בְרִיתִ֖י] will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
What is special about COVENANT or [BRIT - בְרִיתִ֖י] ?
In Hebraic perspective, the word BRIT is often preceded by the verb KARAT to express the technical idea of "cutting a covenant." This word is used to describe God's making a covenant with humankind. It may be an alliance of friendship (Psa 25:14).
Psa 25:14
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his COVENANT.
The covenants made between God and humans defined the basis of God's character. They showed the strength of His divine promise from Adam all the way through to the exile and restoration. It is employed many times : God's covenant with Noah (Gen 9:, 11-13, Gen 9:15-17; Isa 54:10) in the form of a promise; with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen 15:18; Gen 17:2, Gen 17:4, Gen 17:7, Gen 17:9-11, Gen 17:13-14, Gen 17:19, Gen 17:21; Exo 2:24; Lev 26:42) to increase their descendants, giving them Canaan and making them a blessing to the nations; with all Israel and Moses at Sinai (Exo 19:5; Exo 24:7-8; Exo 34:10; Deu 29:1) with the stipulations of the Ten Commandments, including the guiding cases in the Book of the Covenant.
Our God is God of COVENANT. HE never broke HIS COVENANTS. HE always remember a COVENANT (Gen 9:15-16; Exo 2:24; Exo 6:5; Lev 26:42).
To Abraham and his descendants, Isaac, Jacob (Isra'El), God has made COVENANTS. And as part of the COVENANT, HE wants us to WALK in HIS PRESENCE and BE PERFECT.
These things never happen for Ishma'El and his descendants. Often we see, that Ishma'El's desendants are BLESSED but they are NOT in HIS COVENANT. Often we see, that Ishma'El's descendants are FRUITFUL, are MULTIPLIED, are GREAT NATION, but...they are NOT in HIS COVENANT.
So, if we are to choose : COVENANT or just BLESSING from God...which one will you choose?
Once we choose COVENANT, all the BLESSINGS will automatically come. But if we just choose BLESSINGS, we don't have a COVENANT.
So, let's keep COVENANT as God keeps COVENANT. Walk in HIS Presence and be PERFECT.
Miryam Widodo and Andre Widodo
© ORI
Shalom,
When we read our Torah Portion about "Lech Lecha", my wife got an understanding about the difference between the blessing for Abraham and the blessing for Ishma'El. And she shared with me which I believe it is important.
Let's study it together.
To Abraham, God says :
Gen 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD [YHVH - יהוה] appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I AM the ALMIGHTY GOD [EL SHADDAI - אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י]; WALK BEFORE ME [HALAKH - הַלֵּ֥ך], and BE THOU PERFECT [TAMIM - תָמִֽים].
Gen 17:2
And I will make my COVENANT [BRIT - בְרִיתִ֖י] between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
There are 3 things that we must understand from Abraham's side : WALK in HIS Presence, be PERFECT and involve in HIS COVENANT.
But...
To Ishma'El, God only says :
Gen 17:20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have BLESSED [BARAK - בּרך] him, and will make him FRUITFUL [PARAH - פּרה], and will MULTIPLY [RABAH - רבה] him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a GREAT NATION [GOY GADOL - גָּדֹֽול].
There are 4 things that we must understand from Ishma'El's side : he will be BLESSED, FRUITFUL, MULTIPLIED and GREAT NATION.
Notice, that God never taken Ishma'EL into HIS COVENANT. No COVENANT for Ishma'El.
Gen 17:21
But my COVENANT [BRIT - בְרִיתִ֖י] will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
What is special about COVENANT or [BRIT - בְרִיתִ֖י] ?
In Hebraic perspective, the word BRIT is often preceded by the verb KARAT to express the technical idea of "cutting a covenant." This word is used to describe God's making a covenant with humankind. It may be an alliance of friendship (Psa 25:14).
Psa 25:14
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his COVENANT.
The covenants made between God and humans defined the basis of God's character. They showed the strength of His divine promise from Adam all the way through to the exile and restoration. It is employed many times : God's covenant with Noah (Gen 9:, 11-13, Gen 9:15-17; Isa 54:10) in the form of a promise; with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen 15:18; Gen 17:2, Gen 17:4, Gen 17:7, Gen 17:9-11, Gen 17:13-14, Gen 17:19, Gen 17:21; Exo 2:24; Lev 26:42) to increase their descendants, giving them Canaan and making them a blessing to the nations; with all Israel and Moses at Sinai (Exo 19:5; Exo 24:7-8; Exo 34:10; Deu 29:1) with the stipulations of the Ten Commandments, including the guiding cases in the Book of the Covenant.
Our God is God of COVENANT. HE never broke HIS COVENANTS. HE always remember a COVENANT (Gen 9:15-16; Exo 2:24; Exo 6:5; Lev 26:42).
To Abraham and his descendants, Isaac, Jacob (Isra'El), God has made COVENANTS. And as part of the COVENANT, HE wants us to WALK in HIS PRESENCE and BE PERFECT.
These things never happen for Ishma'El and his descendants. Often we see, that Ishma'El's desendants are BLESSED but they are NOT in HIS COVENANT. Often we see, that Ishma'El's descendants are FRUITFUL, are MULTIPLIED, are GREAT NATION, but...they are NOT in HIS COVENANT.
So, if we are to choose : COVENANT or just BLESSING from God...which one will you choose?
Once we choose COVENANT, all the BLESSINGS will automatically come. But if we just choose BLESSINGS, we don't have a COVENANT.
So, let's keep COVENANT as God keeps COVENANT. Walk in HIS Presence and be PERFECT.
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