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(♪ Theme Music ♪)
( Speaking Hebrew )
♪ ♪
Myles: SHALOM AND WELCOME TO
ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS.
I'M MYLES WEISS.
Katharine: AND I'M
KATHARINE WEISS AND WE WANT TO
WELCOME YOU BACK TO OUR SHOW,
"FATHER OF FAITH."
WE BEGAN THIS JOURNEY
IN GENESIS 12.
GOD MAKES A COVENANT
WITH ABRAHAM AND HE ESTABLISHES
THAT HE'S GOING TO BE A BLESSING
AND HE'S GOING TO
BLESS THOSE THAT BLESS HIM
AND CURSE THOSE WHO CURSE HIM.
Myles: THAT'S TRUE.
Katharine: AND WE'VE ALREADY
GONE THROUGH SEVERAL CHAPTERS
AND NOW WE ARE IN CHAPTER 16
AND THE COVENANT
HAD COME TO ABRAHAM.
HE'S CONFIRMED IT,
HE'S DONE EVERYTHING
BUT THERE'S BEEN THIS LONG TIME.
SARAH HAS NOT CONCEIVED.
IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS
AND SHE'S FINALLY SAYING,
"ABRAHAM, IT'S BEEN TOO LONG.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO
BRING THIS TO PASS.
TAKE MY MAID; TAKE HAGAR."
Myles: RIGHT, SHE TRIES TO MAKE
PROVISION IN THE FLESH
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE
HOW COMPLICATED THAT BECOMES.
Katharine: FOR CENTURIES.
Myles: YES, SO LET'S GO
TO OUR DRAMA RIGHT NOW,
AS WE PICK UP THE STORY OF
"ABRAHAM: THE FATHER OF FAITH."
( Speaking Hebrew )
Myles: TALK ABOUT
THE PLOT THICKENING,
WE ARE SEEING SOME INCREDIBLE
COMPLEXITY COME INTO THE LIFE
OF ABRAM AND SARAI; I MEAN,
HERE, THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US,
( Speaking Hebrew )
IT HAD BEEN YEARS
AND THEY HAD NOT HAD CHILDREN.
SARAI DID NOT GIVE ABRAM
CHILDREN AND THAT'S
A REAL DILEMMA FOR ANYONE BUT
CERTAINLY BACK IN THE DAY--
Katharine: IT HAD ACTUALLY BEEN
10 YEARS AND SARAH WAS
NOW FEELING LIKE...BLAME.
SHE SAID THE LORD HAS SHUT UP
MY WOMB, SO SHE WAS IN QUITE
CONSTERNATION AND SO SHE TURNS
AND OFFERS ABRAM
HER MAIDSERVANT AND SHE SAYS,
"HERE, TAKE MY MAIDSERVANT."
IN OUR DAY WE COULDN'T THINK
OF DOING THAT WITH OUR HUSBAND
BUT IT'S KIND OF LIKE
YOU WOULD A SURROGATE,
AND IN THE CULTURE OF THAT DAY,
THERE WAS A SYRIAN LAW
THAT IF THEY HADN'T HAD A CHILD
WITHIN TWO YEARS,
THEY COULD GIVE THEIR
MAIDSERVANT TO THEIR HUSBAND.
Myles: AND ISN'T A MAIDSERVANT
CLOSER IN AND MORE
OF AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE MISTRESS?
Katharine: WELL, I THINK THERE
MIGHT HAVE EVEN BEEN
A REALLY SWEET RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN HAGAR AND SARAI.
THEY HAD ACQUIRED HAGAR
IN EGYPT WHEN THEY WENT DOWN.
IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THERE WAS
A WORKING RELATIONSHIP,
A VERY "ON" RELATIONSHIP FOR HER
TO EVEN OFFER HER MAIDSERVANT
TO ABRAHAM.
Myles: IT STARTED THAT WAY,
BUT IT BECAME VERY CONTENTIOUS
AS ONE MIGHT IMAGINE.
WHEN HAGAR CONCEIVED,
THAT BECAME A REPROACH
FOR SARAI AND THEY HAVE WORDS
WITH EACH OTHER, IN FACT,
SARAI HAS REAL STRONG SAYINGS
TOWARDS ABRAM, DOESN'T SHE?
Katharine: ONCE SHE CONCEIVES,
HAGAR DESPISES HER MISTRESS.
SO I CAN SEE HER..."HERE I AM,
MY BELLY'S FULL AND LOOK AT YOU.
THERE'S NOTHING
THAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER ABRAM.
I AM NOW SUPERIOR."
SO NOW, WE'RE IN THIS CONFLICT.
SARAI'S MADE A MESS, AND SO
SHE GOES TO ABRAHAM AND SAYS,
"YOU FIX IT...YOU SUCCUMBED
TO MY WORDS AND NOW YOU FIX IT."
Myles: IT REALLY IS
A PICTURE FOR US
OF NOT WAITING ON GOD'S PROMISE
BUT RUSHING AHEAD
AND TRYING TO FULFILL SOMETHING
IN THE NATURAL WAY,
IN A BIOLOGICAL WAY, THAT GOD IS
WANTING TO DO SUPERNATURALLY,
AND SO, BETWEEN THEM,
THEY CREATE THIS ALTERNATIVE,
WHICH IS ISHMAEL.
NOW THIS IS A TOUCHY SUBJECT,
BECAUSE ISHMAEL
WILL ALSO BE BLESSED BY GOD
AS A SON OF ABRAM.
BUT WHAT IT DOES SET UP
IS THIS CONTENTION BETWEEN
THE SON OF PROMISE, ISAAC,
AND THE SON OF THE NATURAL LIFE,
ISHMAEL, WHICH WILL HAVE
INCREDIBLE REPERCUSSIONS
OVER THE CENTURIES
AND EVEN INTO OUR DAY.
WE'RE LIVING WITH THE
REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT CHOICE.
AND ONE THING THAT HAPPENS
IS THE DE-PERSONALIZING
THAT WE SEE IN THE WORDS
THAT ABRAM AND SARAI USE
REGARDING HAGAR.
IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH
THIS DILEMMA THEY START SAYING
"THAT HANDMAID,"
"YOUR HANDMAID,"
"SHE," "HER" AND THEY REALLY TAKE
AWAY THE NAME AND TAKE AWAY
THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
IN ORDER TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES
FROM HER.
I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS
WHENEVER THERE'S OPPRESSION,
WHENEVER THERE'S A GROUP
THAT'S SINGLED OUT,
THE FIRST THING THAT TAKES PLACE
IS A DE-PERSONALIZING.
AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE
IS THAT SARAI AND ABRAM
ARE TRYING TO FIND THEIR WAY
THROUGH THIS AND IN ORDER
TO FIND THEIR WAY THROUGH,
THEY HAVE TO DISTANCE
THEMSELVES FROM THE EFFECT
OF THEIR OWN CHOICES.
Katharine: NO MATTER WHAT WE DO,
IF WE FALL OR IF WE STUMBLE,
IF WE TURN TO THE LORD,
HE CAN MAKE IT RIGHT.
HE CAN WORK IT TOGETHER
FOR GOOD.
Myles: RIGHT,
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT
IN THE UPCOMING STORY HOW GOD
IS GOING TO TAKE ALL OF THIS
SEEMING MESS AND DYSFUNCTION
AND USE IT FOR GOOD FOR
ABRAHAM: THE FATHER OF FAITH.
Announcer: FOR INSIGHTFUL
PERSPECTIVES OF ISRAEL
AND BIBLE PROPHECY ASK FOR
OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
"THE LEVITT LETTER."
WHEN YOU CALL, BE SURE TO ASK
FOR OUR FREE CATALOG WITH THE
LATEST VIDEOS, BOOKS AND MUSIC.
OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE,
"THE INSTITUTE
OF JEWISH CHRISTIAN STUDIES"
INCLUDES READING PACKETS,
TEACHINGS CDs
AND MAIL-IN TESTS.
YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN US
ON AN UPCOMING TOUR OF ISRAEL
OR PETRA
OR CRUISE THE MEDITERRANEAN,
VISITING GREECE AND EPHESUS.
PLEASE CONTACT US
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Narrator: AND ABRAM
SAID UNTO SARAI,
"BEHOLD THY MAID
IS IN THY HAND.
DO TO HER AS IT PLEASES THEE."
AND WHEN SARAI DEALT HARSHLY
WITH HAGAR, SHE FLED
FROM THE FACE OF SARAI.
AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
FOUND HER BY A FOUNTAIN
OF WATER IN THE WILDERNESS,
BY THE FOUNTAIN
ON THE WAY TO SHUR.
( Speaking Hebrew )
Myles: OUT OF ALL THE PERSONAL
DIFFICULTIES, OUT OF THE TENSION
IN THE RELATIONSHIPS
WE'RE ABOUT TO SEE,
AN INCREDIBLE INTERVENTION
BY GOD HIMSELF,
AND HAGAR IS SENT OUT.
AND SHE WILL HAVE
AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD
THROUGH HIS ANGELIC PRESENCE.
IT'S AMAZING.
Katharine: WELL,
SARAH WAS UNDONE.
SHE SAID, "I'VE MADE A MESS;
YOU FIX IT ABRAHAM."
AND THEN HE SAYS,
"YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT
WITH YOUR HANDMAIDEN."
SO SHE DEALT WITH HER HARSHLY
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS,
SO HAGAR FLED AND SHE BEGAN
TO GO BACK TOWARDS EGYPT.
AND HERE SHE WAS WITH CHILD,
VERY LITTLE WATER...
BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS A MIRACLE.
GOD APPEARS TO HAGAR
AND HE SAYS,
"I AM THE GOD THAT SEES YOU."
IN THIS STORY THAT WE'VE LEARNED
ABOUT ABRAHAM,
WE SEE THAT GOD CALLS ABRAHAM
OUT OF THE WORSHIP OF MANY GODS
TO REVEAL HIMSELF AS THE ONE
TRUE GOD WITH MANY NAMES.
AND WHAT'S SO AMAZING
ABOUT THIS STORY IS THAT HAGAR
IS THE ONLY ONE IN SCRIPTURE
THAT ACTUALLY GIVES GOD A NAME.
Myles: IT SAYS IN SCRIPTURE...
( Speaking Hebrew )
AND SHE CALLED
THE NAME OF THE LORD,
"YOU ARE THE GOD WHO SEES ME."
SHE GETS TO NAME GOD AND SAYS,
"YOU'VE SEEN ME."
AND JUST IN TIME, I WOULD SAY.
SHE WAS GOING TO DIE OF THIRST
AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD COMES
TO HER, RESCUES HER AND ISHMAEL
AND THEN GOD NAMES ISHMAEL.
Katharine: HE SAYS TO HAGAR,
"HAGAR, YOU ARE WITH CHILD."
SHE KNEW SHE WAS WITH CHILD.
AND HE SAYS, "IT IS A BOY
AND HIS NAME IS ISHMAEL."
AND HE EVEN DESCRIBES
WHAT KIND OF MAN HE WILL BE.
Myles: RIGHT, GOD PROPHESIES
OVER HER THAT ISHMAEL
WILL BE A WILD MAN.
HIS HAND WILL BE AGAINST HIS
BROTHER AS HE WILL BE A WILD MAN
IN THE EARTH AND REALLY GIVES
A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IS
GOING TO COME TO PASS THROUGH
THE CENTURIES AND THROUGH
THE GENERATIONS OF THE SONS
OF ISHMAEL, NOT THE LEAST OF
WHICH IS THE TENSION THAT WE SEE
EVEN IN OUR DAY, OF THE TENSION
BETWEEN THE SONS OF ISHMAEL
AND THE SONS OF ISAAC.
HE TELLS HER
THAT THERE WILL BE 12 TRIBES,
12 SONS, THAT WILL COME FROM HIM
AND GOD HAS BLESSED ISHMAEL.
EVEN TODAY WE CAN SEE
THAT GOD HAS BLESSED ISHMAEL
WITH INCOMPARABLE WEALTH.
WHEN THIS LITTLE NATION
OF ISRAEL, SURROUNDED BY
THE SONS OF ISHMAEL,
THE NEIGHBORS AROUND
THIS NATION, 22 NATIONS
THAT ARE GIVEN TO THE RELIGION
OF ISLAM, WHICH HAS BEEN
APPROPRIATED AS THE RELIGION
OF THE SONS OF ISHMAEL,
BY AND LARGE, BUT IT IS
THIS TINY SLIVER OF LAND
GIVEN TO THE SONS OF ISAAC
AND THE INCREDIBLE TENSION
OVER THESE PROVISIONS,
THE PROVISION TO ISAAC
AND THE PROVISION
TO THE SONS OF ISHMAEL.
BUT GOD SAYS SOMETHING
PRETTY AMAZING TO HAGAR.
HE TELLS HER TO GO HOME
AND SUBMIT.
Katharine: WE CONTINUALLY SEE
GOD'S ORDER...
GO HOME AND SUBMIT
TO YOUR HANDMAIDEN SARAI
AND I WILL BLESS YOU.
AND THERE'S EVEN A PROPHETIC
NUDGING IN THIS VERY DECREE
THAT GOD SAYS BECAUSE
IF THE ISHMAELITES WOULD
SUBMIT TO SARAIS, GOD WILL BRING
AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING.
Myles: THE WAY WE COULD SAY IT
IN MODERN LANGUAGE
COULD BE THAT IF THE SONS
OF ISHMAEL WOULD COME IN
THROUGH THE SAME DOOR,
THAT IS YESHUA,
THAT THE SONS OF ISAAC
NEED TO COME IN THROUGH...
YOU SEE, GOD PROMISED THE SEED
OF ABRAHAM WOULD BE A BLESSING
IN ALL THE EARTH.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IT MEANS THE BLESSING WOULD
COME THROUGH THE LINE OF ISAAC,
THE PROMISED SON,
AND THE GREATEST BLESSING
OF ALL WOULD BE THE MESSIAH,
THE JEWISH MASHIACH, OR MESSIAH.
THE SONS OF ISHMAEL
CAN PARTAKE OF THAT BLESSING
BY COMING IN THROUGH THE DOOR
OF THE MESSIAH,
AND THAT IS OUR PRAYER TODAY,
THAT THE SONS OF ISHMAEL WOULD
SAY "YES" TO THE JEWISH MESSIAH.
WHEN THEY DO THAT--AND
WE'VE SEEN THIS IN OUR LIVES--
WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY ARE
FILLED WITH LOVE FOR THE JEWS
AND FOR THE CHRISTIANS.
THEY'RE FILLED WITH LOVE THAT
IS NOT THERE BEFORE THEY SAY
"YES" TO THE PROMISED MESSIAH.
AND IF THE SONS OF ISHMAEL
WOULD DO THAT, THERE WOULD
BE PEACE IN THE WORLD.
REALLY, THE ENTIRE CONFLICTS
THAT WE SEE IN SO MANY
OF THE WARS IN THE WORLD ARE
BASED ON THE RELIGION OF ISLAM.
IF THESE SONS OF ISHMAEL
WOULD ONLY, LIKE HAGAR,
GO HOME AND SUBMIT.
IF THEY WOULD ONLY COME HOME
AND SUBMIT TO THE GOD
OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB,
TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL,
THERE WOULD BE PEACE
IN THIS WORLD.
AND I THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN
WHEN SAR SHALOM APPEARS,
WHEN THE PRINCE OF PEACE
APPEARS,
WE'LL ACTUALLY SEE PEACE.
FOR NOW, ONE BY ONE,
LITTLE BY LITTLE,
HERE A LITTLE, THERE A LITTLE,
THE SONS OF ISHMAEL STILL HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY "YES"
TO THE GOD OF ABRAHAM
AND WE'RE PRAYING THAT
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
♪ ♪
Myles: WE LOVE ISRAEL.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HOST YOU
IN ISRAEL.
IN FACT, WE MAKE IT
AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT
EASIER FOR YOU,
WE HAVE WITH US TODAY,
TRACIE, OUR TRAVEL MANAGER.
TRACIE, WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH THE TOURS THESE DAYS?
Tracie: MYLES, WE JUST POSTED
SOME BRAND-NEW VIDEO ONLINE.
I INVITE YOU TO GO
ON levitt.com.
WE ADDRESS THE THREE COMMONLY
ASKED QUESTIONS THAT I GET.
Myles: WHICH ARE?
Tracie: WHY ZOLA TOURS?
I KNOW THAT YOU AND KATHARINE
ARE A BIG PART
OF WHAT MAKES THAT.
I TALK ABOUT THE FIVE REASONS
YOU SHOULD COME WITH US
AND ONE IS THE EXCELLENT
SPIRITUAL COMPONENT.
DO YOU KNOW THAT
MOST TOURS DON'T OFFER
THE MESSIANIC COMPONENT
THAT YOU AND KATHARINE BRING?
IT'S AMAZING.
I ALSO TALK ABOUT...
IS ISRAEL EVEN SAFE?
IT ABSOLUTELY IS
AND I INVITE YOU
TO WATCH THAT VIDEO.
ALSO, ARE WE GOING TO GREECE
THIS YEAR, WITH EVERYTHING
GOING ON OVER THERE?
AND WE ARE.
YOU KNOW, MYLES, WE HAVE NEVER
CANCELED ONE TOUR IN 28 YEARS.
Myles: I LOVE THAT.
Tracie: AND IT'S REALLY A JOY
TO HAVE YOU AND KATHARINE.
I KNOW THAT THE EVALUATIONS
CONTINUE TO COME BACK
EXCELLENT, AND YOU'RE A BIG PART
OF THAT, YOU AND KATHARINE.
AND, SPEAKING OF THAT,
I KNOW THAT YOU AND SHE HAVE
SERVED IN A MINISTRY AT CHURCH
FOR 25 YEARS IN THE PASTORATE,
AND YOU MAY KNOW THAT WE HAVE
A SPECIAL HEART FOR YOU PASTORS
OUT THERE WHO WANT
TO GET A GROUP TOGETHER.
YOU GET 10 PAYING PASSENGERS
AND YOU COME FREE.
WE'D LOVE YOU TO HAVE
20 PAYING PASSENGERS
AND YOU AND YOUR WIFE
CAN COME FREE.
I HANDLE ALL THE LOGISTICS
AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW AS
A PASTOR HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
Myles: OH, IT MAKES
ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD,
HAVING SET UP TOURS,
TO HAVE YOU THERE.
AND THE FEEDBACK WE GET
FROM THE PILGRIMS,
IS TRACIE HANDLED EVERYTHING,
SHE MADE IT SEAMLESS FOR US.
SO THAT'S JUST YOUR GIFT
TO THE MINISTRY.
Tracie: WELL, IT'S A JOY
TO HAVE YOU AND KATHARINE.
I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO GO TO
OUR WEBSITE AND LOOK AT THOSE
THREE MOST COMMONLY ASKED
QUESTIONS AND CALL ME ANYTIME.
I'D LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU
PERSONALLY.
Myles: THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU,
TRACIE; IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE
YOU DOING THIS AND OUR PILGRIMS
ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT
HOW YOU MAKE IT SO EASY
FOR THEM TO COME WITH US.
AND YOU REALLY WANT TO COME
WITH US ON THESE TOURS.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLE....
LIFE-CHANGING.
ISRAEL IS THE CENTER
OF THE UNIVERSE; NO QUESTION.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO STAY IN TOUCH
WITH US, "THE LEVITT LETTER"
IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
IT'S FREE TO YOU.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEND IT TO YOU.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR OFFER
THIS WEEK:
"ABRAHAM: FATHER OF FAITH."
THE VERY SERIES THAT YOU'RE
SEEING IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
OUR ANNOUNCER AT THE END
OF THE PROGRAM WILL TELL YOU
HOW TO GET AHOLD OF IT.
WE'D LOVE TO GET THAT INTO
YOUR HANDS, AS WELL, SO THAT YOU
CAN REALLY WALK THROUGH
THE WAY OF THE PATRIARCHS
AND UNDERSTAND
THE CONFLICT IN ISRAEL,
BUT THE HOPE THAT IS THERE
BECAUSE GOD HIMSELF
HAS GIVEN THE LAND.
SO LET'S RETURN TO OUR DRAMA
AS ABRAHAM AND SARAI
CONTINUE ON THE WALK OF FAITH.
Narrator: AND WHEN ABRAM
WAS 99 YEARS OLD,
THE LORD APPEARED TO HIM
AND SAID,
"I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD.
WALK BEFORE ME
AND BE THOU PERFECT
AND I WILL MAKE MY COVENANT
BETWEEN ME AND THEE AND WILL
MULTIPLE THEE EXCEEDINGLY."
AND ABRAM FELL ON HIS FACE
AND GOD TALKED WITH HIM SAYING,
"BEHOLD, MY COVENANT
IS WITH THEE
AND THOU SHALT BE A FATHER
OF MANY NATIONS.
YOUR NAME
SHALL NO LONGER BE ABRAM
BUT THY NAME SHALL BE 'ABRAHAM'
FOR A FATHER OF NATIONS
HAVE I MADE THEE AND I WILL
MAKE THEE EXCEEDINGLY FRUITFUL.
AND I WILL MAKE NATIONS OF THEE
AND KINGS SHALL COME OUT OF
THEE AND I WILL GIVE UNTO THEE
AND THY SEED AFTER THEE
THE LAND WHEREIN
THOU ART A STRANGER...
ALL THE LAND OF CANAAN
FOR AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.
EVERY MALE
SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED.
AS FOR SARAI, THEY WIFE,
THOU SHALT NOT
CALL HER NAME SARAI,
BUT 'SARAH' HER NAME SHALL BE.
AND I WILL BLESS HER AND
GIVE THEE A SON ALSO OF HER
AND SHE SHALL BE
A MOTHER OF NATIONS.
KINGS OF PEOPLE
SHALL BE OF HER."
( Abraham Laughing )
( Speaking Hebrew )
Myles: TALK ABOUT
THE GRACE OF GOD,
ABRAHAM IS OVERWHELMED
BY THESE ENCOUNTERS
WITH THE LORD.
GOD KEEPS COMING TO HIM
CALLING HIM FORWARD, PROMISING
HIM GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS.
IN FACT, NOW EVEN REVEALING
HIMSELF AS EL SHADDAI.
INCREDIBLE.
THE NAME "SHADDAI,"
"THE ONE THAT NOURISHES,"
"THE ONE THAT TAKES CARE OF,"
"THE ONE IN WHOM WE CAN
COMPLETELY TRUST AND REST."
"SHADDAI" AS,
( Speaking Hebrew )
...THE "S" SOUND, THE "D" SOUND
AND THE "I" SOUND,"
SHADDAI."
AND IT'S, ACTUALLY, THE MEZUZAH.
THE DOORPOST HOLDS
THE SCRIPTURE THAT SPEAKS
OF EL SHADDAI.
AND IT IS REALLY A PLACE
WHERE GOD COVERS US,
WATCHES OVER US,
CALLS US TO HIMSELF.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE PICTURE
THAT ABRAM'S EXPERIENCING NOW.
NOT ONLY IS GOD CALLING HIM
TO WALK WITH HIM AND BE PERFECT,
WHICH MEANS "WHOLE" OR "ENTIRE,"
BUT HE'S ALSO PROMISING HIM
A SON FROM HIS OWN LOINS
WHICH IS, OF COURSE,
ON A CERTAIN LEVEL, HILARIOUS.
ABRAHAM'S ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD
AND HIS WIFE IS BEYOND
CHILD-BEARING AGE ALSO.
AND YET TOGETHER THEY'RE HAVING
TO BELIEVE INTO THIS PROMISE
THAT WILL AFFECT
ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY,
BECAUSE IT WILL BE
THROUGH THIS LINE,
THROUGH ABRAHAM,
THAT THE PROMISED SEED
WILL COME.
THE "SEED," THE "MESSIAH,"
"JESUS," "YESHUA HA' MASHIACH,"
"JESUS CHRIST,"
WILL COME THROUGH
THIS LINE OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH.
GOD, IN HIS GRACE, GOES EVEN
FURTHER AND CHANGES THEIR
NAMES FROM ABRAM TO ABRAHAM;
FROM SARAI TO SARAH.
AND, IN THAT, HE PUTS HIS FIFTH
LETTER OF THE HEBREW ALPHABET,
THE "HAY" LETTER.
IT IS THE FIFTH LETTER,
FIVE BEING THE NUMBER OF GRACE
HE BREATHES THAT
INTO THEIR NAMES.
AND THAT REALLY IS
WHAT THAT WORD IS ABOUT.
THAT LETTER IS A BREATH SOUND.
YOU CAN GO LIKE THIS..."
HAAAA"...YOU CAN HEAR
THE SOUND OF GOD BREATHING LIKE
THE RUACH HAKODESH,
THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BREATHING SOMETHING OF HIMSELF
INTO ABRAM AND SARAI
TRANSFORMING THEM
INTO ABRAHAM AND SARAH.
FIVE, THE NUMBER OF GRACE,
APPEARS THROUGHOUT
THE SCRIPTURES AS A NUMBER
REFERRING TO THE GRACE OF GOD.
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES...
FIVE LOAVES AND FISH...
FIVE LEVITICAL OFFERINGS...
FIVE WOMEN
IN THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS.
FIVE APPEARS OVER AND OVER AGAIN
AND IT ALWAYS REFERS TO GRACE.
AND THAT'S WHAT ABRAHAM
AND SARAH ARE FINDING NOW.
THEIR NAMES ARE BEING CHANGED.
NAMES ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND IT
CONCLUDES THE TRANSFORMATION.
IT SPEAKS OF A TRANSFORMATION
IN CHARACTER,
THEY'RE GROWING CLOSER
TO THE LORD AND HE'S ASKING THEM
TO WALK BEFORE HIM
AND BE ENTIRE, BE WHOLE.
WALK IN THE SHALOM,
THE FULLNESS, THE PEACE OF GOD.
THE REPERCUSSIONS FOR US
ARE INCREDIBLE.
IN FACT, HE TELLS SARAH THAT
IN THIS NAME CHANGE SHE WILL
NOT ONLY BE A PRINCESS BUT OUT
OF HER LOINS, KINGS WILL COME,
SPEAKING OF THOSE THAT WILL BE
OF THE LINE OF ISAAC AND THOSE,
LIKE YOU, THAT ARE KNITTED INTO
THE LINE OF ISAAC THROUGH THE
GRAFTING THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
SAY "YES" TO THE JEWISH MESSIAH.
GOD ALSO INSTITUTES
CIRCUMCISION.
ABRAHAM AND HIS SON ISHMAEL
ARE CIRCUMCISED IMMEDIATELY.
ABRAHAM AT HIS OLD AGE
AND ISHMAEL AT 13 YEARS OLD.
AND TO THIS DAY,
THE SONS OF ISHMAEL,
THE ARABIC PEOPLES
ARE CIRCUMCISED AT 13 YEARS OLD.
THE JEWISH PEOPLE,
SONS OF ISAAC, 8 DAYS OLD.
THIS CIRCUMCISION IS ALWAYS
TO BE A SIGN OF COVENANT
BETWEEN MANKIND AND GOD.
IT'S BLOODY, PERSONAL,
PAINFUL, BUT IT SPEAKS
OF GOD'S COMMITMENT TO US
AND HIS DESIRE THAT WE WOULD BE
COMMITTED TO HIM.
ABRAHAM IS ALWAYS
GOING TO LOVE ISHMAEL.
IN FACT, YOU SEE HIM
CRYING OUT TO GOD THAT ISHMAEL
MIGHT LIVE BEFORE HIM.
IT'S NEVER BEEN ABOUT
CHOOSING ISAAC
AND DEFERRING AGAINST ISHMAEL.
IT'S THAT ISAAC AND THE SEED
OF ISAAC HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR
A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND ISHMAEL
FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
SO ABRAHAM IS THE FATHER
OF MANY NATIONS
AND HIS NAME CHANGE
INCLUDES THAT UNDERSTANDING
THAT HE WAS NO LONGER THE
FATHER BUT NOW HE'S THE FATHER
OF MANY NATIONS, AND OUT OF
HIS LOINS COME THOSE WHO WILL
WALK WITH THE GOD OF ABRAHAM,
ISAAC AND ISRAEL.
THIS IS SUCH A DRAMATIC PART
OF THE BIBLE,
WHERE WE SEE THIS CONFLICT
BETWEEN ISAAC AND ISHMAEL,
THE HEART OF ABRAHAM
FOR BOTH SONS...
THE PROMISE OF THE ISAAC
AND THE BLESSING OF ISHMAEL AND
ABRAHAM'S HEART FOR ISHMAEL.
IT'S SO AMAZING THAT WE SAW
IN THE SCRIPTURE THAT THE LORD
DESCRIBES ISHMAEL IN THIS WAY.
IN VERSE 12 OF CHAPTER 16
HE SAYS:
( Speaking Hebrew )
HE WILL BE A WILD MAN.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY SEEING THAT
IN THE DAY IN WHICH WE LIVE,
WHERE THE SONS OF ISHMAEL HAVE
DRIFTED SO SADLY FROM THE GOD
OF ABRAHAM AND ARE SERVING,
MOST OF THEM, ANOTHER GOD.
IT'S VERY SAD.
Katharine: YEAH, THE MOON GOD,
THEY'RE WANTING TO GO TOTALLY
AGAINST WHAT THE GOD
OF ABRAHAM DESIRED FOR THEM,
THAT THEY WOULD BE
PART OF THE COVENANT.
THEY JUST HAVE TO COME THROUGH
THE LINE THAT HE'S ESTABLISHED.
Myles: THAT'S REALLY IT,
ISN'T IT?
TO COME IN THE SAME DOOR
THAT WE ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH,
WHICH IS THROUGH THE DOOR
OF THE MESSIAH.
Katharine: AND THROUGH THE
PROMISE THAT HE'S GIVEN US,
THE PROMISE THAT GOD
WOULD HAVE A SON.
THE PROMISE IS IN ISAAC BUT IT'S
ALSO IN YESHUA HA' MASHIACH,
JESUS THE MESSIAH.
SO HE IS THE ONE.
WE WANT TO REMIND YOU
THAT YOU CAN CONTACT US
THROUGH FACEBOOK...TWITTER...
WE WOULD LOVE
TO HEAR FROM YOU.
WE WOULD LOVE
TO DIALOGUE WITH YOU ABOUT
ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT
YOU MIGHT HAVE OR ANYTHING
THAT'S ON YOUR HEART TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT THIS SAVING FAITH OR
MORE ABOUT THE CONFLICT
THAT'S GOING ON
BETWEEN ISHMAEL AND ISAAC.
MYLES, YOU AND I PRAY
FOR BOTH SIDES ALL THE TIME.
Myles: WE DO.
Katharine: WE'VE SEEN SALVATION
ON BOTH SIDES...JEWS AND ARABS,
AND THAT IS GOD'S HEART,
THAT THEY BE ONE NEW MAN.
Myles: IT IS.
GOD'S HEART IS THAT
WE WOULD LOVE WHAT HE LOVES.
AND SO AS WE GO TODAY
WE WANT TO REMIND YOU,
SHAL'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM
Katharine: PRAY FOR
THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.
Narrator: OUR RESOURCE
THIS WEEK...THE DVD,
"ABRAHAM: FATHER OF FAITH."
THIS 8 PART SERIES TELLS
THE STORY OF THE PATRIARCH
THROUGH DRAMA AND TEACHING
AT THE ACTUAL BIBLICAL SITES.
"ABRAHAM: FATHER OF FAITH."
HE LEFT WITH ALL HE HAD
FOR A LAND UNKNOWN
NOTHING COULD STOP HIM.
"IN THEE ALL NATIONS
SHALL BE BLESSED."
GOD HAD SPOKEN
AND THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK.
THIS SERIES ALSO
INCLUDES RIVETING INTERVIEWS
THAT ILLUSTRATE
THE SEAMLESS CONNECTION
WITH THE PROMISED LAND
TO THE DESCENDANTS
OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.
CALL 1-800-WONDERS AND ASK FOR
"ABRAHAM: FATHER OF FAITH."
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♪ ♪