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Galatians 4:26
"But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother." Then Isaac brought her (Rebecca) into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. (Genesis 24:67. It is said that in seeking a wife a man looks for another mother. Today, our stubborn demand for individuality makes potential wives want to distinguish and define themselves against their husband’s mothers. A man will often refer to his mother’s cooking as the best. New wives who haven’t sat learning at the feet of an older Mom feel they can’t compete and this often creates deep issues within families. In the ancient world, a betrothed woman would spend her betrothal time until marriage learning about the things that please her husband. She would learn from his parents, mostly his mother and others who knew him well. She would learn to prepare the food he likes, wear clothes and do her hair in the manner that he liked, as well as behave in the way that he liked. Today the mentality is more of, ‘if you love me, you take me as I am’. There is no respect for continuity, traditions, or culture and in the end, grand-children live in a different world than that of their grand-parents. This creates fragmented families. That’s why it is hard for old people today; they feel everything they know and taught their children is obsolete and as a result they feel useless! Sarah was the matriarch. Whole traditions of hospitality, care, wisdom and even of the prophetic gift have developed around her. She was a tough act to follow; that’s why Eliezer’s mission of finding Isaac a wife was so crucial. Though coming from the idolatrous culture of Babylon, she had to have the right spirit and endorse the traditions of Sarah, and she did. Isaac wanted and needed her to enter into his 'mother’s tent' and continue in the godly traditions of his Mom. Things would have been different if she would have said, ‘Look, I am not living in your mother’s tent; can’t you give me my own tent; I am my own person after all, I left my parents house for you so you take me as I am …etc …etc…’. Jewish prophetic eschatology compares Sarah to Jerusalem. After her second captivity, Sarah birthed Isaac. After the binding of Isaac, Sarah dies which narration is followed by Isaac’s marriage to Rebecca … after a long time. This order of event is not coincidental. Classic Judaism always looked upon Isaac as foreshadow picture of the coming Messiah. Like Isaac, Yeshua had a miraculous birth and was sacrificed on the altar; the sacking and consequent dying of Jerusalem follows under the Roman Empire. A long time after, the text tells us, Yeshua will return to marry His bride. Even now today, like Eliezer (meaning: my God is my help) of old did, the Holy Spirit, roams in the earth in search of the bride who will enter ‘Jerusalem/Sarah’s tent’ and continue in the Jewish traditions of His Mom; the bride where the Sabbath’ candle burns continually and where the ‘dough’ is blessed. May we spend our time in preparation to please our Messiah, learning from the Torah all the things that please Him.
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John 14:9
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” The dear sages who compared Jerusalem to Sarah our matriarch could not have foreseen the extent of their analogy. In the midrash of the barren woman, Hashem reveals the messianic future of His dear city to the prophet Isaiah. Since its sacking by the Romans in the first century C.E., many have looked at Jerusalem just as Isaiah saw her: a barren woman sitting on a heap of ashes, ostracized and rejected by her husband because of her many infidelities (Isaiah 54; Jeremiah 26:6). One of the legends I like the most is the one about the weaning of Isaac. It is said that Abraham called in a great feast (Genesis 21:8). The rumor had gone around that Isaac was actually Pharaoh Abimelek’s child (Genesis 20:2). Not only people couldn't believe that old Abraham sired a boy, but they also could not conceive Sarah lactating at ninety years old. The point of the feast was to vindicate the miracle God had performed and put the rumors to rest. Great Sheiks came from all around in great caravans and pomp to attend Abraham’s feast. To prove herself, not only did Sarah nursed her son, but she offered to nurse every baby in the camp. She did, and the story goes on to say that every child Sarah nursed eventually became a king or a person of great influence and integrity. Also, in order to erase any doubt that the child was truly Abraham’s, God had made the face of Isaac similar to that of his father, so that it was said that he who saw the son saw the father. Sounds familiar doesn’t it (John 14:9)? Look now why our ages compared Sarah to Jerusalem. Just like Sarah was, twice Jerusalem was conquered and taken captive by foreigners, first by the Babylonians, and the second by the Romans. With the re-establishment of the State of Israel, the Roman captivity shows signs of coming to its end. Having the past of Jerusalem in Sarah's life, let us now see now its future. After the return from her second captivity, Isaac, the promised child, the fore-shadow of Messiah was born. Sarah who barren and past the age, finally bore fruit. In the same manner today, Jerusalem, one of the oldest city in the world, a city that has been used, abused, rejected, redeemed, to be rejected again and re-redeemed, prides itself of a new vibrant Messianic community rising all over in Israel: the ‘remnant of the seed of the woman’ (Revelation 12:17) preparing the way for the soon return of the King (Revelations 19). The same miracle that rejuvenated Sarah to conceive Isaac and lactate happens in our day through Jerusalem. Think of it: a whole country was re-born in a day with a new generation of messianic believers preparing the way for the soon-coming of the King who will rule the earth in the justice and righteousness of the Father. Will they become the kings of integrity ‘nursed’ to rule in the Jerusalem of the World to Come? May it be soon Abba, even in our days! Those who would try to interfere with the miraculous plan of God are playing with the unstoppable spiritual and natural forces that created the heavens and the earth. May they beware! Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. The itinerant prophet Elisha often traveled through the Jezreel Valley also called the Plain of Megiddo in the Northern Kingdom. A prominent childless woman from the village of Shunem noticed the that this oftentimes wonderer was a prophet of God, so her and her husband who were part of a small remnant who had not gone the way of Jeroboam decided to offer him hospitality whenever he passed through. They added an extra bedroom on the roof of their house which they equipped with a bed, a chair, a table, and an oil lamp. (The first Hebrew letters of each of these elements in the room spell the word: Mishkan which is the term used for the area where the Ark of the Covenant used to rest. This teaches us the very important principle that he who practices hospitably transforms his house into a Sanctuary for the Divine Presence to dwell in.) Our Master relates to this Shunamite woman when He said, The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward (Matthew10:41) . Against the woman’s protests, knowing how God rewards those who care for His saints without personal motives but just because they are God’s people, Elisha desired to reward the woman for her kindness. When Elisha’s servant pointed out to him that she was barren, the prophet proceeded to tell her that by next year, at the time of life (same Hebraic expression used by the angel who spoke to Abraham about Sarah in Genesis 18:10) she will embrace a son, a son which Elisha later raises form the dead. These carry an uncanny resemblance with those told in the Book of Genesis about Sarah after Abraham practiced hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18), but they also follow closely those that Elijah, Elisha’s master performed in that very same area. These local stories were still recounted in those towns of Israel when the Master arrived on the scene. They were still fresh and people encouraged each other with them as they waited for the final Messiah who would deliver them. They knew that He would do the same miracles and even more. What a surprised then it must have been for the people of Nain when this new prophet who was born not too far from them in Nazareth crashed one of their funeral procession and being moved with compassion brought a young man back to life (Luke 7:11-15). If you want Hashem’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven; if you desire to make a Sanctuary of your heart and of your house for the Presence of God to dwell in; if you want to see the life-giving blessings of the Almighty fill your life: practice hospitality, especially on the Sabbath! Galatians 4:26
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. Then Isaac brought her (Rebecca) into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. (Genesis 24:67. It is said that in seeking a wife a man looks for another mother. Today, our stubborn demand for individuality makes potential wives want to distinguish and define themselves against their husband’s mothers. A man will often refer to his mother’s cooking as the best. New wives who haven’t sat learning at the feet of an older Mom feel they can’t compete and this often creates deep issues within families. In the ancient world, a betrothed woman would spend her betrothal time until marriage learning about the things that please her husband. She would learn from his parents and others who knew him well. She would learn to prepare the food he likes, wear clothes and do her hair in the manner that he liked, as well as behave in the way that he liked. Today the mentality is more of, ‘if you love me, you take me as I am’. There is no respect for continuity, traditions, or culture and in the end, grand-children live in a different world than that of their grand-parents. This creates fragmented families. That’s why it is hard for old people; they feel everything they taught their children is gone and as a result they feel useless! Sarah was the matriarch. Whole traditions of hospitality, care, wisdom and even of the prophetic gift have developed around her. She was a tough act to follow; that’s why Eliezer’s mission of finding Isaac a wife was so crucial. Though coming from the idolatrous culture of Babylon, she had to have the right spirit and endorse the traditions of Sarah, and she did. Isaac wanted, Isaac needed her to enter into his mother’s tent, continue in the godly traditions of his Mom. Things would have been different if she would have said, ‘Look, I am not living in your mother’s tent; can’t you give me my own tent; I am my own person after all, I left my parents house for you so you take me as I am …etc …etc…’. Jewish prophetic eschatology compares Sarah to Jerusalem. After her second captivity, Sarah birthed Isaac. After the binding of Isaac, Sarah dies which the text narration follows with Isaac’s marriage to Rebecca, after a long time. This order of event is not coincidental. Classic Judaism always looked upon Isaac as foreshadow picture of the coming Messiah. Like Isaac, Yeshua had a miraculous birth and was sacrificed on the altar; the sacking and consequent dying of Jerusalem follows under the Roman Empire. A long time after, the text tells us, Yeshua will return to marry His bride. Even now today, like Eliezer (meaning: my God is my help) of old did, the Holy Spirit, roams in the earth in search of the bride who will enter ‘Jerusalem/Sarah’s tent’ and continue in the Jewish traditions of His Mom; the bride where the Sabbath’ candle burns continually and where the ‘dough’ is blessed. May we spend our time in preparation to please our Messiah, learning from the Torah all the things that please Him. John 14:9
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” The dear sages who compared Jerusalem to matriarch Sarah could not have foreseen the extent of their analogy; so many have written about this. In the midrash of the barren woman, Hashem inspires the prophet Isaiah with the messianic future of his dear city. So many have looked at Jerusalem just as Isaiah saw her! They saw a barren woman sitting on a heap of ashes, ostracized and rejected by her husband because of her many infidelities (Isaiah 54; Jeremiah 26:6). One of the legends I like the most is the one of the weaning of Isaac. When it was time for Isaac to be weaned Abraham called in a great feast (Genesis 21:8). Rumors circulated about this old man who just sired a child. People even suspected that it was actually Abimelek’s child, the Pharaoh who had kept Sarah captive (Genesis 20:2). People also could not believe that Sarah, at her age, had ever lactated. So the point of the feast was to vindicate the miracle God had performed. Great Sheiks came from all around in great caravans and pomp to attend Abraham’s feast. To prove herself, Sarah nursed her son, and then offered to nurse every baby in the camp. She did, and the story goes on to say that every child Sarah nursed eventually became a ruler, and a person of great integrity. Also, in order to erase any doubt that the child was truly Abraham’s, God had made the face of Isaac similar to that of his father, so that he who saw the son saw the father. Sounds familiar doesn’t it (John 14:9)? Look now at our mother Sarah. Just as Sarah was, twice Jerusalem was conquered and taken captive by foreigners, first by the Babylonians, and the second by the Romans, captivity which recently came to its end with the re-establishment of the State of Israel. Looking into Sarah’s life, let us see now the future of Jerusalem. After the return from her second captivity, Isaac, the fore-shadow of Messiah was born. Sarah, who barren till past the age, finally bore fruit. In the same manner, we can see Jerusalem, one of the oldest city in the world, a city that has been used, abused, rejected, redeemed, to be rejected again and re-redeemed, pride itself of a new vibrant Messianic community rising all over in Israel: the ‘remnant of the seed of the woman’ (Revelation 12:17) preparing the way for the soon return of the King. The same miracle that rejuvenated Sarah to conceive Isaac and lactate happened again in our days. A whole country was re-born in a day with a new generation of messianic believers preparing the way for the soon-coming of the King who will rule the earth in the justice and righteousness of the Father. Will they become the kings of integrity ‘nursed’ to rule in the Jerusalem of the World to Come? May it be soon Abba, even in our days! Those who would try to interfere with the miraculous plan of God are playing with the unstoppable spiritual and natural forces that created the heavens and the earth. May they beware! Romans 11:12, 18
Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!? Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. “You find that as long as Sarah lived, a cloud hung over her tent … her doors were wide open … there was a blessing on her dough, and the lamp used to burn from the evening of the Sabbath until the evening of the following Sabbath …. In this scrap of tradition, Sarah’s tent is homiletically compared to Jerusalem represented by the Temple. The cloud is symbolic of the Shekinah of God’s presence, the doors of the temple being wide opened is an invitation to the world to the house of prayer (as Yeshua called it); the blessed dough is the showbread which miraculously never spoiled, and the lamp is the seven-branches candelabrum which burned continuously in the Holy Place. In the Book of Galatians Paul builds on this illustration. Using the concept that Judaism views Sarah as the great matriarch he says, But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. Then, using Isaiah’s allegory and adding the fact that that Sarah was barren (not Hagar) He quotes, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! Though Paul doesn’t quote it, the rest of the oracle says, Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:1-2; Galatians 4:26).This is an illustration that Jerusalem, (the center of Jewish religion) was one day to open its doors to all nations. The next chapter of Isaiah goes on to call all nations to drink and be fed from the fountain of Jerusalem (Isaiah 55; Zecheriah 14:16).). Referring to modern history, I now will build on this concept. In their impatience waiting on God to fulfill the messianic promise of the birth of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah brought Hagar into the picture. As Hagar bore fruit she despised and boasted against Sarah who was still barren and dry. In His own time, Hashem miraculously caused Sarah to bear the fruit of the messianic promise. In the end, though blessed by God because of the seed of Abraham, Hagar paid for her attitude having to leave Sarah’s presence. For 2,000 years while waiting for the 19th century when Jerusalem would miraculously birth the present-day world-wide Messianic movement, the nations of the world, who did bear fruit through what is called Christianity, have done so while ‘boasting’ against the ‘natural branches’ in a doctrine called ‘Replacement Theology’, and even subjecting these ‘natural branches’ to horrible persecutions (or was silent while it happened). Will the nations suffer the same fate as Hagar? The Text tells us that not, but that in the end Jerusalem will return to its rightful original owners, and that the nations will come and serve and worship God in Jerusalem, bringing in their glory (Isaiah 66; Haggai 2:7). For what it’s worth, there is an ancient Jewish teaching which suggests that Keturah, Abraham’s second wife after Sarah died, is actually Hagar returned (Genesis 25:1-6). |
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