Parasha Vayera: Day 5

B'reisheet/Genesis 21:5-34

It is strange to think that a covenant can exist between two opposing and unrelated parties, yet a covenant may not ever materialize between ones so close as father and son. This is precisely what took place between Abraham and the future of the Philistines contrasted to Abraham and his own son Ishmael. Either through rejection or neglect, both parties would become the eventual enemies of Abraham's descendants and seed. His descendants named through Isaac would be forced to hostilely engage both parties over their own posterity and the source of their bloodline. Abraham's Seed would be Messiah meaning that the earthly seed found within those rejected and neglected would be incompatible with that Seed until repentance.

A Yah breathed ordinance was revealed to Abraham causing him to send Ishmael and his mother away. Whether Elohim knew that Ishmael would lead Isaac into evil temptations and inclinations, or he would allow jealousy to rise up so as to kill Isaac just as Cain did Abel is somewhat unclear. It stands to reason, though, that YHVH knew the heart and future of Ishmael. Quite obviously, that future did not run parallel to Isaac's by Providential design. From an earthly, emotionally based perspective, it really did not matter who suggested or justified Ishmael's removal, to Ishmael it would have felt, smelled and smacked of rejection by his father, worse yet, his only dad. Abraham was not so callous to not feel pain. Turning his son away from himself and his household must have been heart wrenching. In turn, Ishmael, being almost a man at around sixteen years old, still stung with grief and related this under the bush in the desert.

The kind of grief felt as abandoning and neglect by Abraham and abandonment and rejection by Ishmael must be a great example of how the Creator felt when sin was found in Adam. As difficult of a situation this would cause and the grief encountered was all necessary for the future of those that would choose YHVH as their only Elohim, serving Him the way He designed and purposed.

The neglect of the covenant established between Abraham and Abimelech would not be Abraham's doing, nor could Isaac be blamed for negligence. From the start, it was clear that Abimelech was self-motivated in desiring a covenant relationship. It was clear to him that Abraham, his sons and posterity would be mightier than the future Philistine nation. A little after Abraham's life, Isaac would come back to the same wells that his father dug. The same discussion and arguments would circulate as Abimelech's men would want Abraham's water sources, not having done the work to get them. Their sense of self-entitlement was warped based on a covenant established sole for the sake of self gain. While Abraham was seeking peace, as would Isaac, Abimelech and the future Philistines would be interested in only their own interests and self preservation, not dependent on YHVH in the least.

Herein lies the rub toward YHVH in the Covenant(s) He establishes with His own children. They seek self gain and self reliance, all the while YHVH seeks the good for all His people for the glory of Israel and the Standard that YHVH is as Creator, Provider and Husband. It is as quite the arrogance that a people, insisting on a King, desiring one Elohim and longing for nationalistic covenant and heritage are the very ones to immediately break covenant, fellowship and loyalty to the other party. Not only does this describe Abimelech and the Philistines, but it describes Israel at Mt. Sinai and all of the future generations of Israel that have gone astray from their Elohim.

Our desire should turn toward the maker and initiator of Covenant. As much as we may desire that relationship with a Husband, He is the One from which that desire initialized and was handed down, even through Abraham, Isaac, Yacov through Messiah. We may not choose who partakes of this Covenant and relationship. It could be that dads and sons of one household cling to YHVH's promises, while others are divided in blood and conviction. We, however, if chosen and being tested should cling to the Covenant Giver and count ourselves as blessed among nations that YHVH would desire to be Father and Husband to us. If we choose Him and seek to do His will, abandoning our own Ishmael's and walking with integrity in the promises we make (even when the other party fails), we will be lifted up above all nations and be rendered as the Bride, sons and daughters, and inheritors of the Promise. Those being like Ishmael or the Philistines are slaves to themselves in trying to seek what they might gain out of the covenant. Those being like Isaac are free, living in the house of the Covenant Maker forever (John 8:35).

Dwell upon Galatians 4:28-31, "And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Ruach, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.' So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman."