 10-28-2007, 8:51 AM
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LovingNeighbor
 
Joined on 02-10-2006
Washington
Posts 397
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Blindness - The Problem we can't See
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Blindness
For Parasha Vayera
By Lovingneighbor 11-11-2006
This weeks Parasha is in the book of Genesis also called B'reisheet, and is called Vayera which means 'And Appeared'. In this weeks parasha:
- YHWH and 3 men appeared to Avraham and Avraham asked if they would stay and eat
- Avraham and Sarah prepared foor for their guests
- Promise is made to Avraham that Sarah is going to have a child
- When Sarah heard she laughed in herself and YHWH asked Avraham why she laughed because nothing is impossible for YHWH
- Sarah said she didn't laugh but He said yes you did
- The men rose up to leave to Sedom and YHWH said shall I hide from Avraham what I am about to do
- YHWH knows Avraham that he will teach his children so YHWH may fulfill His promise
- YHWH says He will visit Sedom and Amorah to see if it is true how wicked they are
- Avraham asks if YHWH will spare the city if there are 50 righteous men inside
- Avraham asks if they lack five will you destroy it, YHWH says no
- Avraham asks if there is 40 will you destroy it, YHWH says no
- Avraham says don't be angry but if you find 30, and YHWH said if I find 30 I will not
- Avraham says if you find 20 will you, YHWH says for 20 I will not
- Avraham said this last time, If you find 10 will you, and YHWH said for 10 I will not and He left
- 2 Angels came to the gate of Sedom and Lot bowed down and asked if they would stay at his house
- The men of Sedom surrounded the house and wanted to molest Lot's guests
- Lot offered the men his two daughters instead
- The wicked men said we will deal worse with you then with them, but the angels pulled Lot back into the house
- The angels smote the wicked men with blindness
- The angels ask if Lot has any other family there because they are going to destroy the city
- He went to his son-in-laws but they thought he was joking
- In the morning the angels grabbed Lot,his wife, and 2 daughters and took them out of the city
- The angels said escape to the mountains and don't look back, but Lot asked if he could go to the small city
- The angel says OK and Lot fled to Tzo'ar
- YHWH rained fire and brimstone upon Sedom and Amorah
- Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt
- Avraham looked and Sedom and Amorah was in a smoke and YHWH saved Lot because of Avraham
- Lot flees to the mountains and Lot's daughters get their father drunk and sleep with him
- Lot's daughter's each have a child, one named Mo'av and the other Ben-ammi
- Avraham journeyed to Gerar to sojourn and told the king Sarah was his sister
- Elohim came to Avimelech in a dream and said you are a dead man if you don't return his wife
- Avimelech called for Avraham and asked him why he said she was his sister
- Avimelech gave Avraham Sheep, Oxen, servants, and 1000 pieces of silver and said dwell where you please
- Sarah bore a son Yitzchak and he was circumcised on the 8th day
- Avraham was 100 years old when Yitzchakwas born and Sarah said Elohim has made me laugh and all who hear will laugh with me
- Yitzchak was weaned and Avraham made a feast, but Yishma'el mocked
- Sarah told Avraham to cast out Yishma'el
- YHWH told Avraham to send out Hagar and Yishma'el
- Hagar ran out of water and set Yisma'el away from her to die
- Elohim said Yisma'el shall be a great nation and showed her a well of water
- Yisma'el grew up and became an archer
- Avraham swore he would deal well with Avimelech and his son's after him
- Avraham reproved Avimelech over a well his servants violently tool away
- Avraham gives Avimelech 7 female lambs to bear witness that he dug that well
- Elohim tests Avraham by asking him to offer up Yitzchak
- On the 3rd day of the journey Avraham tells the young men to stay and he will go up with Yitzchak
- Yitzchak sees the wood and the fire but asks where is the lamb for the offering
- Avraham builds and altar and lays Yitzchak on it
- An angel says don't hurt the boy Avraham because now I know you fear Elohim
- Avraham looked behind himself and saw there a ram caught in the bushes by his horn and he offered it instead of his son
- YHWH tells Avraham because he has done this thing and not withheld his son YHWH will bless him
- Avraham is told later that Milcah has born children to his brother Nachor
- Haftarah - Blessings fiven to the Shunammite woman and son, he dies and is brought back to life by Elisha
In this weeks portion there is one thing that was right in front of our eyes and yet we couldn't see it . In looking for the spirit of this portion we sit and meditate on the points and wonder what is the common thing. We pray for YHWH to show us, to reveal to us, to open our eyes to see the wonderful things in his Torah. So what is our porblem? Blindness. That makes sense, blindness was what I couldn't see. Let's see how this relates to this weeks portion.
The name of this weeks parasha is Vayera which is from the root word Ra'aw which means to see. In the andcient Hebrew it could be beginning stranth revealed. The firstborn sounds like a description of the beginning of strength and the revealing of the firstborn is when they personally open their eyes and when the unseen as in the baby becomes seen for the first time. All these point to the same thing. To see Elohim and his messengers is the beginning of your strength. Like a small child it needs to grow and develop. We do this by studying Elohim's words. After Avraham saw YHWH and His messenger then he had to listen to what they were saying. After he heard what they were saying he had to believe what they were saying. Some in his own household heard but didn't believe. They couldn't believe in the unseen. They saw only earthly things.
Joh 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
So we start this parasha with Avraham being visited by YHWH and his messingers and Avraham greets them and has something to offer them. Later the same messengers will visit Sedom and Amorah and the result will be quite different. They wanted to do evil and the punishment was they were struck with blindness so that they could not find the door. Now why add that they couldn't find the door. If they were blind wouldn't that be enough. But I don't think any text is extra in the scripture
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Mashiach is the door and the blind cannot find him because they walk in darkness. As he says those who walk in darkness hate the light because it reveals their evil deeds. So the pattern is that the righteous see the messengers and bow to them just as Avraham and Lot did. The wicked will not allow Elohim to be authority in their choices and so they live in darkness. Even Lot's own family didn't believe they would be destroyed. They thought he was joking. I know many who think they will not see punishment or destruction in religion these days and it's just about everyone. Everyone thinks their group is the right ones and the others wil be destroyed. They will not bow to the messengers or the king. They think they will boldy go to Mashiach and into the holy of holies.
Pro 25:6 Put not forth yourself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
Pro 25:7 For better it is that it be said unto you, Come up here; than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince who your eyes have seen.
Mashiach healed many blind, but not all blind were healed and not all who were blind knew it. This was one of the signs of the Mashiach
Mat 11:4 Yahushua answered and said unto them, Go and shew Yochanan again those things which you do hear and see:
Mat 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Many people who thouht they knew were wrong. Self justified people like the people of Sedom and Amorah who like san francisco think even if it's a sin if we all say it's ok maybe it's ok.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Joh 9:39 And Yahushua said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Yahushua said unto them, If ye were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains.
The worst place to be is blind and not know it. If you really think about this you'll realize how dangerous this could be. In no kind of job would you want to be around a person who thinks they are't blind but are. But this reminds me of when Mashiach said they didn't know the day of their visitation. Blindness follows pride. Being sure of things you don't understand but you think you understand and not humbling yourself to the truth when you find it if you find it at all.
There is what other people think is blindness. Like when Avraham left his country to follow a Elohim others can't see, to cut off your foreskin in faith, to offer up your son to the unseen Elohim. Many would say Avraham was blindly following things not seen. But Avraham saw what others didn't. Like Noach before him Avraham saw YHWH and his messengers and obeyed Him.
Joh 20:29 Yahushua saith unto him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.
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