From our Torah this week (i.e., parashat Vayera) we read: “And the LORD said, ‘The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave…’” (Gen. 18:20). But what was the grave sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? Why did God destroy the two cities? Was it because the people there refused to show hospitality to the angelic visitors (as claimed by some), or was it because of some ongoing sin of the people?
Some people assume that they are entitled to prosperity, good health, and happiness during their lives, and they are offended if they fail to attain these worldly ends. The apostle Paul admonished us to think spiritually about the meaning and purpose of life, particularly in light of omnipresent suffering… He wrote that our “momentary affliction” (θλῖψις) – that is, the cares and troubles of this life – work within us to attain an “everlasting glory beyond all comparison,” and therefore we should focus not on present circumstances but on the deeper purpose, promise, and providence of God (2 Cor. 4:17-18). The visible fades away, the spiritual endures; our mortification leads to everlasting life, and that which is hidden will be manifest…
Yeshua forewarned of the moral depravity that would pervade mankind just before the time of his return: “Because lawlessness (i.e., ἀνομία, from -α (‘not’) + νομος, ‘torah’) will be increased,” he said, “the love of many will grow cold (i.e., ψύχομαι, ‘be extinguished’)” (Matt. 24:12). Note the link between Torah and love: true love requires respect for God’s authority, for without that the divine image is disfigured and desecrated. Likewise the Apostle Paul said the “End of Days” (אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים) would be marked by “times of peril” (καιροὶ χαλεποί) because people would become increasingly narcissistic, self-absorbed, infatuated with their own self-importance, abusive toward others, disrespectful to elders, ungrateful, heartless, unforgiving, without self-control, brutal, treacherous, and so on (2 Tim. 3:1-4). When Paul said “times of peril,” he used the same word (χαλεποί) that described the character of the demonaics mentioned in Matthew 8:28. Therefore, in light of the spiritual war that rages all around us, it is vital that we remain firmly rooted in what is real by taking hold of our identity and provision as children of God.
Abraham is the “father of all who believe” in the miracle of the Promised Seed (הזרע הבטיח), that is, in the Coming Deliver who would bring redemption and healing to the whole world (see Gal. 3:16; Rom. 4:1-5:1). The Torah states that God chose Abraham because he would faithfully teach his children to guard “the way of the LORD” (דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה), by trusting in God’s acts of “righteousness and justice” (צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט) that He would perform according to his promise (Gen. 18:19). God regarded Abraham as faithful to retain His promise, and therefore He would manifest salvation (יְשׁוּעָה) through his descendants. The “way of the LORD” refers to Yeshua, “the way and the truth and the life” (הַדֶּרֶךְ וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַחַיִּים), the Promised Seed that would crush the head of the serpent in the battle for our redemption (Gen. 3:15). Abraham’s faith was directed toward the Deliverer to come, as Yeshua said: “Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). Likewise we guard the way of the LORD as our father Abraham did – namely, by trusting in God’s promises given to us in Yeshua our Messiah.
Contrary to the vain philosophy of this fallen world, the essence of love hates what is evil; just as it is hateful to be “tolerant” of what is wicked… Followers of Yeshua must love the truth and abhor the lie. Tolerating (or indulging) sin in a world ripe for judgment is a tacit form of “collaboration” with the enemy… Indeed, the only thing regarded as intolerable in the devil’s world is the objection that people have a supposed “liberty” to sin. But the LORD is clear on this point: those who call evil good and good evil are subject to divine wrath and judgment.
Regarding the pagan holiday of “Halloween,” remember that there is no “spell” or evil incantation (i.e., nachash: נַחַשׁ) effective against Jacob, there is no sorcery (i.e., kesem: קֶסֶם) against Israel. At this time it must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Look at what God has done (מַה־פָּעַל אֵל)’ [Num. 23:23]. No weapon formed against God’s people shall prosper (Isa. 54:17), and the curse of the wicked is powerless against the tzaddikim (Prov. 26:2). Ein od milvado (אֵין עוֹד מִלְבַדּו) – God is the only true Power (Deut. 4:35; 1 Chron. 29:11; Rev. 4:11). Satan is an impostor and a foiled usurper. As Yeshua told his followers, “Behold I give to you authority (ἐξουσία) to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy (καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ), and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). Like Balaam and Haman, all who curse God’s people or attempt to foil His plans will be upended… Hallelujah and Amen.
Some time after entering the promised land, Abram’s faith was tested: “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there…” (Gen. 12:10). The sages say that Abram stumbled by leaving the land, and that he should have trusted that the LORD would provide for him despite the lack of food. Indeed during his time in Egypt Abram lost sight of God, lied about Sarai, compromised his values, and was passive as his wife was abducted into Pharaoh’s harem. The situation got so bad that God finally intervened by sending “great plagues” upon Pharaoh and his household to rescue the family from their captivity (Gen. 12:17). Because of these plagues, Pharaoh urged Abram to to make an “exodus” from the land, and Abram left with wealth acquired there (including Hagar, a daughter of Pharaoh). Humbled by his lapse of faith, Abram then returned to the altar he built near Bethel and called upon the LORD (Gen. 12:10-13:4).
Just as the body can become sick with illness, so can the soul: “I said, ‘O LORD, be gracious to me; heal my soul (רְפָאָה נַפְשִׁי), for I have sinned against you'” (Psalm 41:4). The targum Onkelos states that God breathed into Adam the ability to think and to speak. In other words, thought and speech are two primary characteristics of the image (tzelem) and likeness (demut) of God. Since our use of words is directly linked to the “breath of God” within us, lashon hara (לָשׁוֹן הָרָה), or evil speech, defaces God’s image within us…. Using words to inflict pain therefore perverts the image of God, since God created man to use language to “build up” others in love. This is part of the reason the metzora (i.e., one afflicted with tzara’at, or skin disease) was regarded as a “leper” in need of rebirth…
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The Torah reveals that the very first “priest” (i.e., kohen: כּהֵן) was neither a Jew nor a Levite nor a descendant of Aaron, but rather Someone who is said to have “neither beginning of days nor end of life” but is made like (ἀφωμοιωμένος) the Son of God, a priest continually (Heb. 7:3). This priest, of course, was Malki-Tzedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק), the King of Salem (מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם) to whom Abraham offered tithes after his victory over the kings (Gen. 14:18). The author of the Book of Hebrews makes the point that the priesthood of Malki-Tzedek is greater than the Levitical priesthood and is therefore superior to the rites and services of the Tabernacle (Heb. 7:9-11). It was to Malki-Tzedek that Abram (and by extension, the Levitical system instituted by his descendant Moses) gave tithes and homage — and rightly so, since Yeshua is the great High Priest of the ultimate covenant based on God’s eternal life (Heb. 8:6).
In our Torah reading for this week (i.e., parashat Lekh Lekha) Abram is called ha-ivri (הָעִבְרִי) – “the Hebrew,” a term that means “one who has crossed over” (עָבַר) from another place (Gen. 14:3). Rashi identifies this “other place” as Ur of the Chaldees (אוּר כַּשְׂדִים), located east of the Euphrates River, though the midrash (Genesis Rabbah) symbolically identifies it as the realm of idolatry: “The whole world stood on one side, but Abram crossed over to the other.” Abram separated himself from a world steeped in idolatry and polytheism by worshiping the One LORD God who is the sole Creator of all things…. Understood in this way, being “Hebrew” means being regarded as an “other,” a “stranger,” or an “outsider” to idolatrous world culture. Similarly, all those who “cross over” from the realm of death to life because of Yeshua our Savior are rightly called “Hebrews” (John 5:24).
