-- TORAH P O R T I O N --
Introduction:
How does it feel when the long
wait is finally over?
After the incident in Gerar,
where Abraham and Sarah met King Abimelech, God visited Sarah. The Hebrew word
for "visited" is Paqad, which means "to visit (with friendly
intent) and care for." Based on this meaning, God demonstrated His care
for Sarah by fulfilling His promise to her and Abraham. Finally, after a long
wait, Sarah's barrenness ended, and she bore Isaac. His name, meaning
“laughter,” serves as a perpetual reminder of how God works in mysterious ways,
allowing His people to rejoice even in uncertainty. Because God is faithful,
Abraham also demonstrated his faithfulness to the covenant by circumcising
Isaac on the eighth day.
As Isaac grew, Abraham held a great feast. However, Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac. The Hebrew word for "mock" is Sahaq, meaning "to play, make sport, or laugh outright." Perhaps Ishmael was playing with his younger brother, but to Sarah, it was unacceptable. This prompted her to ask Abraham to cast out Ishmael and Hagar. The Hebrew word for "cast out" is Garash, meaning "to drive out."
Why was this necessary?
God cares for His elect and wants to separate them from harm.
Since Abraham and Sarah had waited so long for a child, Sarah wanted to protect
Isaac. Because Isaac and his descendants were the chosen people, they were set
apart and distinct—even from Ishmael, his brother. In Genesis 16, when Hagar
sought to flee from Sarah, the Angel of God appeared to her, instructing her to
return and submit to her mistress. She later bore Ishmael. However, in this
Torah portion, God told Abraham to listen to Sarah and let go of Hagar and
Ishmael. Undoubtedly, Abraham’s household had been filled with strife, envy,
and jealousy for many years. With Isaac's arrival, a new chapter began. What we
see here is that God detests syncretism—He desires separation. As grafted
believers in the true olive tree, we too must separate ourselves from the
sinful patterns of this world.
In Genesis 17:19, God told Abraham, “Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.” Even before Isaac was born, God had already intended to establish His covenant through him. The Apostle Paul echoes this in Galatians 4:28, saying, “And you, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.”
Although Abraham and Sarah
released Ishmael, God did not forget him. As Abraham’s son, Ishmael was still
part of God’s plan to become a great nation. Even though God cared for Ishmael
(vv. 17-21), His primary concern was Isaac, the covenant son. From Isaac came
Jacob, and from Jacob came the twelve tribes of Israel. One of these tribes
would bring forth the Messiah—Yeshua, whose name means “to save,” “to deliver,”
and “to rescue.” Humanity, lost in wickedness and sin, needed a Savior.
1 John 4:14: “And we have seen
and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.”
Our Torah portion concludes
with the covenant between Abraham and Abimelech. Why is this included? I
believe they made this covenant to secure shalom in their relationship,
especially after Abraham deceived Abimelech about Sarah. This covenant ensured
that Abraham would treat Abimelech and his men fairly, while Abimelech, in
return, recognized Abraham’s rightful ownership of a well in Beersheba, also
known as the “Well of the Oath” or the “Well of Seven.”
-- H A F T A R A H P O R T I O N --
Our Haftarah portion begins
with God visiting Hannah. As a result, she conceived and bore three sons and
two daughters, while Samuel grew before the Lord. In Scripture, God's
visitation often signifies His active presence in someone's life.
Sadly, Eli’s sons, Hophni and
Phinehas, who were also priests, acted wickedly by engaging in sexual
immorality with the women serving at the entrance of the tabernacle. Because of
their sins, a man of God delivered a message to Eli, condemning him for honoring
his sons more than he honored God. As a consequence, in verses 31-34, Eli’s
lineage was cut off, and his two sons died on the same day.
In contrast to Eli’s wicked sons, Samuel grew in wisdom and favor with God and men—just as Messiah Yeshua did.
Luke 2:52: “And Yeshua
increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
Hannah’s story is often cited as a classic example of persistent prayer and unwavering faith, despite a long wait. In answering Hannah’s petition, God revealed Himself as One who faithfully listens to the cries of the troubled and responds with grace and love.
One aspect of our Haftarah portion that I deeply admire is how Samuel was raised. I believe Hannah played a crucial role in shaping his faith. As parents, we are reminded of our responsibility to teach our children God’s Torah.
Deuteronomy 6:7:
"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and
when you rise up."
-- APOSTOLIC P O R T I O N --
The angel of God appeared to
Yosef in a dream, revealing that Miriam was with child through the Ruach
Hakodesh (Holy Spirit). The angel also referred to Yosef as the son of David,
emphasizing God’s promise to raise a King from David’s lineage whose throne
would be eternally established (2 Samuel 7:12).
Isaiah 7:14 prophesied this
miraculous birth, saying that the child would be called Immanuel, meaning “God
with us.” This connects beautifully with John 1:14:
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
For God to be with us, the Torah (Yeshua) became flesh so He could live among us. The name Yeshua comes from the Hebrew verb yasha, meaning “to save,” “to deliver,” and “to rescue.” Indeed, He came to save His people from their sins. The Sovereign God took on human form so that He could reach mankind and reveal His kindness, mercy, and love.
The connection of our parasha is about God's visit to fulfill His promise. In the Torah, He visited Sarah as He had spoken and Sarah conceived a son. In the Haftarah, He visited Hannah so that she conceived and bore sons and daughters. In the Apostolic, the angel of Adonai visited Yosef in a dream to confirm that his wife Miriam will bear a Son the Savior of mankind.
Remember, God is never late. He is working behind the scenes, preparing the best for you. Will you trust Him today?
Waiting for something we long for can strengthen our faith and trust in Yeshua. Are you in a season of waiting? Let us continue to believe, for one day, in His perfect time,
our long wait will be over!
Psalm 31:14
"But as for me, I trust
in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'"
"Faith is not just believing
that God can—it is knowing that He will."
Shabbat Shalom,
Topher
torahclass.com
Flavius Josephus of the Antiquities of the Jews - Book I
Bibletools.org
The MacArthur Study Bible
strong's concordance
studyandobey.com
jesuswalk.com
reasonsforhopejesus.com studyinggodsword.org
Shabbat Shalom
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