Torah Portion Lech Lecha – A Father of Many Nations

The video version is available at: https://youtu.be/DDzcJK4xd7o

The scripture reading is Genesis 12:1-17:27

By Dan and Brenda Cathcart

Lech Lecha means to “go ye forth.” This Torah portion begins after the flood is past and mankind has once again gone into idolatry. And it didn’t take very long for that to happen. In contrast, God begins to reveal his plan of redemption. He does so through the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In fact, God identifies Himself over and over again as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or the God of Israel 237 times in the scriptures. God begins with a promise to Abraham.

Genesis 12:2-3 NKJV 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

What does it mean that I will “make you a great nation?” What does it mean that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed?

The word translated as “make” in Genesis 12:2 is asah number 6213 which we learned in the first lesson of this series, means to make or to fashion something to create or recreate it.

Abram was 75 when he was called and 99 when God revisited him to deliver the promise of the conception of Isaac. So, what is the evidence of God making or recreating of Abram and Sarai into a great nation? First, they were both given new names. Abram, meaning high father, had his name changed to Abraham, meaning the father of a multitude.

Genesis 17:5 NKJV 5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

Sarai is a personal type of name meaning my princess. She became Sarah which is a fuller form of the name princess. She was no longer just Abraham’s princess but princess to all.

Genesis 17:15-16 MKJV 15 And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah. 16 And I will bless her and give you a son also of her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations, kings of people shall be from her.

These new names signify a change in status or destiny. Both Abraham and Sarah’s new names directly connect their identities with the promises given to Abraham when God said, “I will make you a great nation” and “through you all nations will be blessed.” Going forward, God either gave all the patriarchs their names or changed them. He named Isaac from before conception. The name Isaac means “laughter.” God told Abraham to name his son Isaac when he was given the covenant of circumcision.

Genesis 17:19 NKJV 19 Then God said: "No, 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.

Sarah laughed during the visit of the two angels and the Lord.

Genesis 18:12 NKJV 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

This laughter has an element of astonishment that God could cause two old people to have a son. There was perhaps, even a sense of cautious joy. And yet Sarah’s, as well as Abraham’s faith was strong. They believed God would do what He said He would.

Hebrews 11:11-12 NKJV 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Isaac’s son Jacob became Israel after he struggled with God and prevailed. God also named John the Baptist and Yeshua from before their conception. Yeshua promises us a new name as well.

Revelation 2:17 MKJV 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except he who receives it.

The second evidence that something new was about to happen is that Abraham was given circumcision as a sign of the covenant that he was to be a father to many nations, that the Promised Land was to be his and his descendants, and that God Himself had become his God.

Genesis 17:10-11 MKJV 10 This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you. Every male child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin. And it shall be a token of the covenant between Me and you.        

For the apostle Paul, the story of Abram’s transformation to Abraham is the essential prototype of salvation by faith.

Romans 4:16-17 NKJV 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law (Torah), but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Like Abraham and Sarah whom God recreated, we also are new creations.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

And so, Abraham leads the way becoming the first to experience a type of re-creation. He becomes the father of all who are justified by faith and thus a father of many nations. The book of Revelation shows us the result of Abraham’s faith!

Revelation 7:9 MKJV 9 After these things I looked, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palms in their hands.

Genesis 12:2 goes on to say, “…and you will be a blessing. The word blessing is the Hebrew word “berakah,” number 1293 meaning blessing or prosperity. It is interesting that it is also the word for pool.

Immersion in a pool is an integral part of any purifying process described throughout the Bible. The purifying process after becoming unclean by touching a dead body ends with an immersion in a mikvah or pool.

Numbers 19:19 MKJV 19 And the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day. And on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water. And he shall be clean at evening.

Paul uses similar language to describe how Gentiles are “brought near” by immersion into Yeshua.

Ephesians 2:12-13 MKJV 12 and that, at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who were once afar off are made near by the blood of Christ.

Paul also brings in circumcision to complete the metaphor.

Colossians 2:11-13 MKJV 11 in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in whom also you were raised through the faith of the working of God, raising Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

Once again, Abraham leads the way. Abraham foreshadows our baptism into Yeshua. Therefore, it is through the example of Abraham and the covenant God made with him that followers of Yeshua are grafted in.

Romans 11:17-21 MKJV 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and became a sharer of the root and the fatness of the olive tree with them, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you boast, it is not you that bears the root, but the root bears you. 19 You will say then, The branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. 20 Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, fear lest He also may not spare you either!

We are grafted into the olive tree that represents believing Israel. We are in that position because of faith. This is the gospel, the good news according to Paul. When Paul writes to the Ephesians from his prison in Rome, he says that he is in bonds for the “mystery of the gospel.”

Ephesians 6:19-20 MKJV 19 And pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in bonds; so that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

As Abraham “goes forth” from Haran to the land of Canaan. He stops at the top of a mountain where he can see across the land. God again appears to him.

Genesis 12:7 MKJV 7 And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, I will give this land to your seed. And he built an altar there to the LORD who appeared to him.

This is the first promise specifically about an offspring of Abraham; he would possess the land that the Canaanites currently held.

Genesis 13:15-16 MKJV 15 For all the land which you see I will give to you, and to your seed forever. 16 And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be counted.

The land would be the possession of Abraham’s seed forever and his seed would be as uncountable as the dust of the earth.

We can speculate about Abraham and Sarah’s discussion of this promise. Sarah, perhaps, might have said something like this, “Abram, I’ve already gone through menopause. There’s no way I can give you child now. Here, use Hagar as a surrogate mother. That way I can still have a child.”

When Abraham went into Hagar, Abraham and Sarah were busy trying to fulfill the promise of God through their own means. Abraham did have a child by Hagar whom God did bless, not because he was the child of the promise, but for Abraham’s sake. This child, Ishmael, was not the fulfillment of the promise!

Thirteen years after Ishmael’s birth, God again appeared to Abraham once again elaborating on the promise. This time God told Abraham that Sarah specifically would bear the child.

The promise regarding the ultimate possession of the land, first given to Abraham, is repeated to Isaac, and then is passed on to Jacob. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob appeared to each of them with this message that in your seed all nations of the earth would be blessed. Paul tells us that the promised seed was Yeshua.

Galatians 3:16 MKJV 16 And to Abraham and to his Seed the promises were spoken. It does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, "And to your Seed," which is Christ.

It is through Yeshua, that we too are counted as the seed of Abraham.

Galatians 3:26-29 MKJV 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many as were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ. 28 There cannot be Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is no male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Like Isaac, we are the seed according to the promise through faith. We are not like Ishmael who was the son according to the flesh; that is through efforts of man. The promised seed is spiritual.

John the Baptist tells the Pharisees and Sadducees that merely being of the physical descent of Abraham is not enough.

Matthew 3:9-10 MKJV 9 and do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And now also, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

Paul says that only the children of the promise are counted as the seed of Abraham.

Romans 9:6-9 MKJV 6 Not however that the word of God has failed, for not all those of Israel are Israel; 7 nor because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children. But, "In Isaac shall your Seed be called." 8 That is, not the children of the flesh are children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for a seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son."

We saw how Paul repeatedly emphasized that being counted as a seed of Abraham was spiritual and how we are counted as a seed only through Yeshua, and not by acts of the flesh as was Ishmael’s conception. Paul chides the Galatians for relying on acts of the flesh:

Galatians 3:3 NKJV 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

What act of the flesh is Paul chiding them about?  Paul goes on to tell them the difference between faith and works, between the seed of Abraham by the promise and the son by the flesh. He concludes in chapter 5 with these startling words:

Galatians 5:2-6 NKJV 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. 

Circumcision is a commandment of God, first given to Abraham and then repeated to Moses. Why then, does Paul say that Yeshua would not profit them if they become circumcised? Paul writes to the Galatians because they were seeking righteousness through the works of the law! Most of the Jews had no problem with Gentiles believing in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, they believed that Gentiles could participate in faith only as long as they converted to Judaism. This was the teaching of the Judaizers; Gentiles couldn’t be participants in salvation by faith alone; they had to convert to Judaism first. This is an affront to Messiah denying that “whosever believes in Him should not perish.” Those Gentiles who converted to Judaism to secure their salvation would be doing the opposite. They would be trying to attain righteousness by their own efforts, by acts of the law, negating the work of Messiah on the cross. Paul explains this in Romans:

Romans 4:7-12 NKJV 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." 9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

Paul says Abraham is the father of all those who walk in faith whether they are of the circumcision (Jews) or of the uncircumcised (Gentiles). And so, through Abraham all nations will be blessed.

Galatians 6:15-16 NKJV 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

By acting on faith, answering the call of God, Abraham secured God’s promises for future generations. We as followers of Messiah Yeshua will ultimately receive those same promises, as we read of in the book of Revelation. Just as Abraham was called to get out of his place of birth; to leave behind all that he had known; and travel to a far away land, so too are we called to a purpose and mission beyond our comfortable life. Abraham was brought to a new life and a new beginning. By coming to the Father, through Messiah Yeshua, a new life and a new beginning is promised to us as well.

As with Abraham, we are also charged to bring others with us. Yeshua has called each of us to “go ye forth” and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. In this way we are passing on the blessings promised to Abraham to all who call on the name of the LORD.

Study Questions:

Teaching Questions

 

1.      What new aspect of creation or re-creation is revealed when God changes Abram’s and Sarai’s names to Abraham and Sarah? Why does God pick the name Isaac for their son?

 

2.      Abraham exhibited both an outward sign and an inward reality in his expression of faith in God. What were these in Abraham’s life? (There may be more than one each) How do we express both of these in our lives?

 

3.      Read 1 Corinthians 7:19 in comparison to Galatians 5:2-6 quoted in our teaching, is there a contradiction in Paul’s teaching? If circumcision is a commandment of God, and keeping the commandments is what counts as a sign of righteousness, (Genesis 26:5 among other scriptures) then wouldn’t circumcision be significant?

 

General Portion Questions

 

4.      How does the birth of Ishmael serve to warn us about being impatient with the promises of God? Have you had an “Ishmael” moment in your life?

 

5.      A major part of this Torah portion, which we did not cover in the teaching, is the story of Abraham’s nephew Lot, found in Genesis chapter 13. How is the story of Lot an example of following in your own ways rather than God’s ways?

 

6.      What other insights did you gain from this teaching? What indicators are there in this Torah Portion that point to Messiah Yeshua?

 

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