Parashah 3: Lech Lecha (Go Forth)

Parashah 3: Lekh L'kha (Go Forth) - Genesis 12:1 through 17:27.

Haftarah (Writings and Prophets): Isaiah 40:1 through 41:16.
B'rit Hadasha (New Testament): Acts 7:1-8; Romans 3:19 - 5:6; Galatians
3:15-18, 5:1-6; Colossians 2:11-15; Hebrews 7:1-19, 11:8-12.

Summary & Overview

TORAH
o Genesis 12:1 | The Call of Abram
o Genesis 12:10 | Abram and Sarai in Egypt
o Genesis 13:1 | Abram and Lot Separate
o Genesis 14:1 | Lot's Captivity and Rescue
o Genesis 14:17 | Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
o Genesis 15:1 | YHVH's Covenant with Abram
o Genesis 16:1 | The Birth of Ishmael
o Genesis 17:1 | The Sign of the Covenant

PROPHETS
o Isaiah 40:1 | YHVH's People Are Comforted
o Isaiah 41:1-16 | Israel Assured of God's Help

Last week we looked at Isa 45 regarding the Desolate Woman who is no longer
barren and how her relationship with Shechem, the false Prince of Peace
caused her initial barenness. We also looked at the Consecration of the
Priesthood and how this process changed Benyamin and Manasseh into
Ephraim, the ideal fruitful Bride of Messiah who had many offspring.
This week we continue the Book of the Prophets, reading from Isa 40, in the
light of our Father of Faith, Abraham and the initial process of putting a
Covenant in place to restore humanity.

Outline of Isa 40:1-41:16:

Isa 40 V1-2: YHVH comforting Jerusalem
V3-7: Voice Crying in the Wilderness
V10-11: YHVHs Strong Hand, His Arm of Rule and His Shepherd
revealed.
V12-26: YHVH revealed as the Creator Who is like Him?
V27 31 YHVH gives strength to the faint gives them wings of
Eagles.
Isa 41 V1-4: Nations coming together, coastlands to ends of the earth,
one helping the other.
V8-12: Israel gathering, descendants of Abraham, coming from
coastlands and ends of the earth. YHVH chose Israel as His people; He
will strengthen them and help them.
V13-16: Fear not! Israel will become a threshing-sledge and crush the
mountains to powder.

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A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Isa 40:3-5 The voice of one crying in the
wilderness: Prepare the way of YHVH;
Make straight in the desert, a highway for
our Elohim. 4 Every valley shall be exalted
and every mountain and hill brought low;
the crooked places shall be made straight
and the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of
YHVH shall be revealed, and all flesh shall
see it together; for the mouth of YHVH has
spoken.
This passage is familiar to most people who read about John the Immerser
(Baptist), where he referred to himself as the one crying in the wilderness to
announce the coming of Messiah Yshua (John 1:23). John also preached
repentance, because the Kingdom of YHVH was near.
Q What did this voice address, crying in the Wilderness?
To prepare the way of YHVH.
To make straight a highway in the desert.
To exalt every valley and bring every mountain and hill low.
To make crooked places straight and rough places smooth.
To do these things so the glory of YHVH would be revealed to all flesh
(nations). Promise to Abraham.
What is listed here is the Work of Messiah and studying these points will
highlight the detail of His restoration work, that is associated with repentance
and the Kingdom of YHVH (from Johns perspective).

Valley is the word gay , which means gorge

created by lofty sides and comes from the word
gevah , meaning lifting up, arrogance and pride.
This word reveals the problem, of arrogance and
pride (lofty sides), which causes a valley. The valley
will be lifted up if the arrogance and pride are
removed. Humility is not forcing yourself to become
humble,. Humility is a result of removing pride from
your life. This is the internal work Messiah is doing in
everyone through His Spirit.
Mountain is the word har
, which comes from the word harar ,
meaning to loom up and mount. Harar is first used in Scripture in Gen 14:6
where it talks about Mount Seir and the Horites. Horite means cave dweller
and Seir comes from the word sa-yir , which means hairy, goat,
kid and devil. This word is associated with Esau who was hairy. (was he
possessed?). The opposite of Hairy (Esau) is Jacob, who was smooth.
Smooth is the word chalaq meaning flattery and smooth words. This
correlates with Jacobs personality of being a heel catcher and deceiver.
Jacob > Israel

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YHVH needed to change Jacobs character, and it was changed to Israel in Gen
32:28 Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince
you have power with Elohim and with men, and have prevailed.
Jacobs name changed to Israel. Israel
means Straight ones of Elohim
or Righteous people of Elohim. The first part of the name is yisra
, which
comes from the word sarah , which is the changed name of Sarah
meaning power. In this verse we see that, Jacob became a Prince with power.
Power is the word sarah
( name of Sarais name which changed to
Sarah added Hey ). It says here that Jacob became a Prince or leader with
Elohim (Counsel of YHVH) and this implies that he has the authority as a Prince
under YHVH, and this gave him power to rule over men (nations). This Prince is
called Israel and the nation, of Israel has that same, authority and power over
the other nations, as confirmed in the name Israel.
Q What is this power (sarah) and authority to be used for?
The other names which are changed by adding a hey were Sarai changing to
Sarah, and Abram, changing to Abraham.
Sarai > Sarah added
Abram > Abraham added

This implies that Sarah became a Princess and Abraham became a Prince
and Counsel Members of Elohim because of this power and authority. That is
why Abraham could intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of Lot and
his family. Receiving the Anointing of the Spirit of YHVH (hey). This power and
authority (anointing) is given to extend grace to the nations to ensure that the
promise made to Abraham comes to pass; that all the families of the earth will
be blessed through his seed.

Comfort My People
Isa 40:1-2 Comfort, yes, comfort My
people! Says your Elohim. 2 Speak comfort
to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her
warfare is ended, that her iniquity is
pardoned; for she has received from YHVHs
hand, double for all her sins.
Q What does it mean to comfort Jerusalem so
that her warfare will end?
Comfort is the word nacham , which means to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;
by implication, to be sorry, to pity, repent(-er,-ing, self). This word is repeated
twice, underlining its importance and is first found in Scripture in Gen 5:29,
listing the genealogy, specifically the portion from Lamech and his son Noah.

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Lamech means powerful and to overcome a curse. The curse came upon
the earth because of mans initial sin and resulted in a fallen state that resulted
in even more sin. This fallen state is what we looked at last week and is
described as barenness.

It is interesting that Lamechs age is mentioned three times, firstly, when he had
his son Noah (age of 182), and from then till the day he died was 595 years.
Lastly, Lamech lived a total of 777 years.
Isa 40 talks about comforting Jerusalem, which is YHVHs people. Generally, in
Scripture, YHVHs people are referred to as Israel, but here He uses the title
Jerusalem, specifically after they have been comforted or repented. It is as if the
people of YHVH move from their initial state, Israel, to a perfect state,
Jerusalem.
Q What does Jerusalem mean regarding YHVHs people?
Jerusalem is Yarushalaim
, which means teaching of peace. It
consists of two parts, the first part comes from yara , meaning flow as
water (i.e. to rain); to shoot (arrow), to teach, to instruct. Yara is also the root
word for Torah, which is YHVHs Commandments. This gives us the insight
that Jerusalem is the title the people of Israel receive when they repent and turn
back to Torah. This idea is captured in the following verse.
Micah 4:2 Many nations will come and say, "Come and let us go up to
the mountain of YHVH and to the house of the Elohim of Jacob, That He
may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For
from Zion will go forth the law, even the Word of YHVH from Jerusalem.
The second part is shalaim
that comes from the word shalam meaning
to be safe (in mind, body or estate), to be friendly; to end, finish, full, give again,
make good, peace restore, reward. The second part of the meaning Jerusalem
underlines the restoration process that is now complete.
We know that Noahs life depicts the time of Judgement and the Tribulation. It
places the 182 years as the time of preparation and the 595 years, depict the
1000-year Winepress, before entry into the Promised Land and Jerusalem.
Before entering the
Jerusalem state,
you have to go
through the Noah
state as well as the
Lamech state.
Lamech takes
Israel, the people of
YHVH and prepares
them for the next
phase.

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This preparation is depicted by the meanings of the number
185. The gematria of 185 relates to the following words and
meanings:

az-book meaning strong devastation ie. the

flood.
ool-pey meaning fainted many hearts will faint from fear.
an-an-yah meaning Yahs clouds rain for 40 days.
kad-mee-ale meaning Elohim is the ancient One. Reveals the
Name YHVH Ever Existing One.
am-as-yah meaning YHVH is strength.

This brings you to the next phase, which is Noah and the
Tribulation and judgement, associated with the number 777; &
Years, & Trumpets and the meaning of the number 7, which is
oath (Covenant protection) and curse (judgement). The
Gematria of 777 relates to the following words and meanings:

Methusael meaning who is of Elohim?

az-zawn meaning very strong.

These meanings reveal the judgement of YHVH, and ask the question; who is of
Elohim? Those who are of Elohim will be strengthened to endure and will enter
the New Jerusalem. Those who do not will go through the Winepress and the
Final Judgement. The 1000-year period is associated with the
number 595. The Gematria of 595 relates to the following word
and meanings:

yah-ar-esh-yah meaning whom YHVH

nourishes.
This is the time when the Bride of Messiah (Jerusalem) rules over the nations
for 1000 years, nourishing them and teaching them YHVHs ways.

Spreading your Wings as an

Eagle
One of the meanings of 777 is az-zawn, which
means very strong and from 185 is the word am-
as-yah meaning YHVH is strength. The idea of
YHVH giving strength is found in Isa 40, in our
Haftarah Portion.
Isa 40:28-32 Have you not known? Have
you not heard? The everlasting El, YHVH, the Creator of the ends of the
earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He

increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fall,

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 31 Butthose who wait on YHVH shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they
shall walk and not faint.
Q What does wings of eagles mean?
Wing is the word eber , meaning pinion, wing. It comes from the word
abar which means soar and fly. If you add the letter Hey , which means
Spirit of Truth, similar to changing the name Abram to Abraham, you get the
word abarah . When you add the letter mem which means Word of
YHVH, you get the name Abraham . Abraham is the Father of Faith
and faith is required to be strengthened as in receiving eagles wings, which is
based upon revelation of YHVHs Word .

Eagles wings > Abraham added and

In this weeks Torah Portion we learn about the life of Abraham. YHVH called
Abram to leave his homeland. He travelled to Egypt because of famine in the
land. Here he encountered with Pharaoh who took Sarai as his wife. After this
was resolved he separated from Lot due to a dispute regarding the flocks.
Abram moved to Mamre in Hebron, while Lot settled in plains of the Jordan.
Gen 13:18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the
terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar
there to YHVH.
Mamre is the word mam-ra armm that means strength or fatness, generally
referring to the strong oak trees in Hebron. Mam-ra comes from the root word
mara arm that means to flap the wings as in a bird lifting off, or to beat a
horse so that it can run faster. Mamre was the place in the mountainous area,
which relates to YHVHs Mountain or high standards in His Word.
When we looked at the crying in the wilderness section, we discussed the
concept of crying over all the valleys, so that they can be elevated, and over all
the mountains, so that they will be made low. The Valley that is elevated is
similar to an inverted mountain. If you elevate the valley and lower the lofty
sides (pride), you get a mountain and if you do the same with a mountain, you
get a valley. This is a beautiful picture of how YHVH restores, in this case,
inverts the humble, making them Princes and take down the worldly Leaders,
making them valleys (low).
Mamre is located in Canaan (Gen 12:6) and is described to be a place with
strong terabinth (oak) trees. Canaan is better known as the Promised Land and
associated with the Kingdom, the Garden of Eden and the New Jerusalem,
which will be restored after Yshuas Second Coming. Abram lived in Hebron by
the terebinth trees, in the garden of Mamre. This garden had trees, similar to
the trees in the Garden of Eden.

Terebinth is the word elon ]vla that is translated as planes, terebinth and
very strong tree. It comes from the root word ayil that means, strong tree,
mighty men, strong leader, doorpost, ram. This relates to the strength or power
Jacob received when his name changed to Israel.

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Terebinth is first found in Scripture in Gen 15:9 when YHVH made the blood
Covenant with Abram. (Note: his name was not changed to Abraham yet).
This strong tree in Memre is a representation of the Tree of Life that can be
accessed through the Covenant YHVH made with Abram. (All families would be
blessed it would extend to all nations through his Seed Messiah Yshua
worm see next section).
The Garden of Mamre is located in Canaan (Promised Land). Mamre is the
place where Abram built an Altar unto YHVH (Gen 13:18). Mamre is the place
where YHVH visited Abraham (note changed name), and where Abraham acted
as Prince and Counsel member of Elohim, interceding on behalf of the families
of the earth ie. Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:1). Mamre is an elevated place
(tower linked to eagles wings - elevation) where Abram was strengthened
(mam-ra), to become a strong leader (ayil).

Fear Not!
Isa 41:14-16 Fear not, you worm Jacob, you
men of Israel! I will help you, says YHVH, and
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I will make you into a new threshing

sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the

mountains and beat them small, and make the
hills like chaff. 16 You shall winnow them, the
wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind
shall scatter them; you shall rejoice in YHVH,
and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
YHVH tells us not to fear where we would normally fear, during a time of trials,
turmoil and tribulation. He refers to Jacob and the men of Israel as worms.
Worm Is the word tolah , which is a worm ("coccus ilicis"), a maggot (as
voracious); specifically used as dye colouring materials into crimson or scarlet.

Tolah has the gematria of 506 that relates to the following

words:

shor meaning bullock and ox. This relates to

the letter Aleph a that shares the same meaning.

Aleph depicts YHVH and the number 26. This reveals that the One Who
became like a worm, and gave His blood (scarlet garment in Rev), is
YHVH as well.
shef-oo-farm meaning serpent. This word, about the previous
word, reveals the Work of Messiah Yshua Who sacrificed Himself to
overcome the serpent. The word says that He became sin, which is the
symbol of the bronze serpent on the pole which Moses made to save the
people as they look upon it (Him).

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 shoor meaning enemy and watcher, wall. Jacob is a worm,
meaning that the descendants of Jacob, namely Israel, are to be
watchmen to identify the enemy. The verse that uses Watchmen and
wall in one sentence is in Isa 62:6 I have posted watchmen on
your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. This is in
line with our Half-Torah reading (Isa 40:1) where YHVH is comforting
Jerusalem, that her warfare has ended after the enemy was destroyed.
The Watchmen on the Wall also represent the Seven Moedim that
reveal who is coming, the enemy or the Redeemer of Israel.
shuwr meaning to observe, to spy out. This relates to the 12 who
were sent out before entering the Promised Land. The story reveals a
divided group where only 2 of the 12 had a good report, the majority
responded in unbelief. In the time before the Second Coming of
Messiah, the majority of the Body of Messiah will not spy out the
Promised Land, and those who do, will come back with unbelief. Shuwr
also means to observe and is related to shamar, which represents a
thorny hedge, as well as observing the Moedim.
This indicates that the majority of the Body of Messiah do not spy out or
keep the Festivals of YHVH, to see who is coming or having faith in
what is going to happen at the end. They would rather believe the
doctrine of the rapture, so they do not have to face the events recorded in
the Book of Revelation, because of their unbelief.

YHVH still encourages His people, instructing them not to fear and He will help
them. This implies that the Body of Messiah will face the events during Jacobs
Trouble (Tribulation) and will overcome them by being transformed into a
threshing-sledge (sort of hammer), which relates to the Maccabees (hammers).

In this Torah Portion, Abram had to face his fears when he travelled through the
wilderness because there was famine in the land. Famine, according to the
dream Joseph interpreted, prophetically points to the time of Jacobs Trouble or
the Tribulation.