Читать книгу Secret References to Christ In the Old testament Scriptures - Kenneth B. Alexander - Страница 7

Shem and his descents eventually birthed Terah, the father of Abram. In the story of Abram (later Abraham) we have the birth of the family of God and the nation of Israel who would become God’s chosen people until Christ’s coming. They began the physical blood-line of the coming Messiah. Abraham is the Father of the faithful and the first to receive the following promise from God: “Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:16). Paul quotes the case of Abraham, who ‘believed God”, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, to prove that a person is justified through faith without works (Rom. 4:3ff.; Gal. 3:6; quoting Gn. 15:6). In Rom. 4:5, 9 (cf vv. 22, 24) Paul refers to the Genesis text as teaching that Abraham’s faith was ‘reckoned … as righteousness’. All he means, however, as the context shows, is that Abraham’s faith — whole-hearted reliance on God’s promise was the occasion and means of his being justified. This covenant between Abraham and God remains in effect today and is a basis of the New Covenant of Christ wherein our faith in Christ as Lord is the source of our righteousness.

This promise was confirmed by the ministry of Christ who taught that righteousness was the result of faith in Him and not by human works designed to please God. Those who rely on human works to please God are ineffectual; as faith is the only thing that pleases God. As Isaiah said: “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all  fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind” (Isaiah 64:6). Anything we do as humans to please God are rejected as “filthy rags”. Only through the promise of Abraham, and later Christ, can we be truly righteous. Abraham was a type of Christ who laid the foundation for His future coming.

The interesting thing was that Abraham was nowhere near perfect in his actions yet he was honored by believing God. For instance during a famine in Canaan he went into Egypt and took Sarai (later Sarah) with him. He thought he could protect Sarah by passing her off to the Egyptians as his sister. However Pharaoh desired her and attempted to take her as his own. When Abraham found out he had to tell pharaoh she was his wife. The Pharaoh backed off but kicked Abraham out of the country. He also acted in unbelief towards God in fathering Ishmael from Sarah’s maid (see below).

Later God promised Abraham an heir, a Son. However as time went along, and both he and Sarah became old, past child bearing age, Abraham, upon advice of his wife, had relations with Sarah’s maid Hagar. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. So the couple, in unbelief as to whether God would fulfill His promise, took matters into their own hands and produced a son that would cause them and succeeding generations great suffering. Sarah despised her maid and made things so difficult for her. So Hagar, pregnant with Ishmael, fled. “Now the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to  Shur. He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” The angel of the Lord said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, [God hears] Because the Lord has given heed to your affliction. “He [your son] will be a  wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him; And he will live to the east [in defiance of] all his brothers” (Gen 16:7-12).

What actually happened is that Ishmael eventually became a great nation in what would be considered Arabia. His life was filled with bloodshed as the Lord had predicted. The Muslim religion adopted Ishmael as their child of promise instead of Isaac, the Christian child of promise. Muslims have clashed with Christian over the ages, probably stemming from the time of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael. There are many reasons why today there still exist conflicts between the two peoples but certainly, the birth of Ishmael, an act of unbelief by Abraham and Sarah, is one of them. There are many similarities between Christian and Muslim beliefs but the differences are wide and significant. Muslims don’t believe Christ was the resurrected Son of God and they believe that Ishmael (the child of unbelief) is the child of promise. Isaac went on to establish Christ’s lineage but Ishmael’s descendents became a thorn in the side of Israel and Christendom today. “They settled from Havilah to Shur which is east of Egypt as one goes toward Assyria;  he settled in defiance of all his relatives” (Gen 25:18). He and his settled basically in Arabia where he became a great nation (for a list of Ishmael’s descents see Gen 25:12-18). Note that they were all enemies of Israel before the Muslims.

Abraham went on to Father a son Isaac, born by Sarah who by all accounts was in her 90s. So Isaac was the miracle son born according to God’s promise when fulfillment of the Promise seemed impossible. According to one great man of God many times God makes His promises impossible before they happen so there can be no question it was God doing the fulfillment, not man. “It has to be Impossible before it happens” (Stevens, John Robert: This Week, Volume XIII (1982). North Hollywood, CA. : Living Word Publications, 2007, p.. 505).

Abraham had gone to Canaan with his nephew Lot and his family. Eventually the two split up due to lack of adequate resources for their flocks and Lot had gone to live in the city of Sodom, a settlement along the northern end of the Dead Sea. There were several settlements there including Gomorrah and Zoar. God told Abraham he was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness. Fearing for his nephew Lot’s life Abraham bargained with God to save the cities if there were as few as 10 righteous men in them. The Lord sent two angels to Sodom to access the situation. But after the townspeople tried to rape the angels God had seen enough. The next morning the angels dragged a reluctant Lot, his wife and daughters out of the town prior to the destruction.

Lot, his wife and his daughters fled to a cave, away from the God wrought destruction. God has warned them not to look back on the destruction of Sodom. However Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. Lot and his daughters went on and the following occurred: “Lot went up from Zoar, and  stayed in the mountains, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; and he stayed in a cave, he and his two daughters. Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us and have sex after the manner of the earth. “Come,  let us make our father drink wine, and let us lie with him that we may preserve our family through our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. On the following day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve our family through our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. As for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the sons of  Ammon to this day” (Gen 19:30-38).

Both the Descendents of Moab, the Moabites and the descendents of Ammon (the Ammonites) proved to be hostile to Israel. The Ammonites were closely associated with the Moabites in their opposition to Israel. Both of the tribes hired Balaam to curse Israel (Deut 23:24). They showed no kindness to the Israelites when passing through their territory, and therefore they were prohibited from “entering the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation” (Deut. 23:3).

They afterwards became hostile to Israel (Judg. 3:13). Jephthah waged war against them, and “took twenty cities with a very great slaughter” (Judg. 11:33). They were again signally defeated by Saul (1 Sam. 11:11). David also defeated them and their allies the Syrians (2 Sam. 10:6–14), and took their chief city, Rabbah, with much spoil (2 Sam. 10:14; 12:26–31). Thus the result of the incestuous behavior of Lot’s daughters proved to be a thorn in the side of Israel for years. Lot’s family, who cane with Abraham to Canaan and served the Lord, were turned from the Lord by living in Sodom and acquiring their beliefs, and later acquiring descendants by the incestuous relationships of the family. It is yet another example of the cities, started by Cain and continued by Nimrod, which became centers of extremely paganistic activities. Collectively they became known as the Canaanites. Joshua had to ultimately destroy them one by one in the conquest of the Promised Land. The prophets predicted fearful judgments against the Ammonites because of their hostility to Israel (Zeph. 2:8; Jer. 49:1–6; Ezek. 25:1–5, 10; Amos 1:13–15). The national idol worshipped by this people was Molech or Milcom, at whose altar they offered human sacrifices (1 Kings 11:5, 7). The high places built for this idol by Solomon, at the instigation of his Ammonitish wives, were not destroyed till the time of Josiah (2 Kings 23:13).

So through Ham, Cain, Ishmael, Nimrod, Lot and later Esau descents were brought forth brought forth worshipping various gods and were against God and Christ throughout the Old Testament. Eventually their descendents led to Israel and Judah’s defeat and exile. They were the original antichrists. As John said of the antichrist spirit: “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:18-19). Although John is speaking in New Testament times, his description can be applied to the evil nations that opposed Israel. He says they “went out from us”. The persons named above (except Nimrod) all were bred from Godly families but they chose another course of evil and destruction and opposed God as antichrists throughout Israel’s history. They continued to harass followers of Christ. These enemies in the physical realm became the principalities of which Paul warned of in the New Testament. He said: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [as it had been in the Old Testament], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The same enemies fought by physical Israel became the spiritual enemies described by Paul in the New Testament.

A type of Christ appeared to Abraham after he had defeated a great Canaanite army. His name was MELCHIZEDEK. Following Abraham’s return he was met by a man identified only as Melchizedek. According to scripture, and correct translation, Melchizedek was the King of Salem; some say ancient Jerusalem (King of righteousness) and a priest of a single God named El Elyon. Melchizedek is translated roughly from the Hebrew Malkiy-edeq). This King brought bread and wine for Abraham and blessed him saying: “Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.” (Genesis 14:19-20, KJV). Abraham then gave him a tithe of a tenth of all the spoils of the battle. This is the only personal appearance of Melchizedek in the Bible.

Melchizedek was identified as both a priest of God, El Elyon, and a King of Salem (meaning peace or prince of peace). In a literal interpretation of Genesis 14:19, Melchizedek blesses Abraham “in the name of God Most High” which could be translated El Elyon. Melchizedek also calls the “God Most High” (El Elyon) the possessor or “creator” of heaven and earth. Abraham, worshipped a God called “Yahweh” but apparently made no distinction between his God and that of Melchizedek because Abraham gave tithe to Melchizedek thereby conceding him a priesthood greater than his own patriarchal priesthood. Also Melchizedek worshiped only one God, unlike Abraham’s Canaanite neighbors, who worshipped many Gods, eliminating the theory that he hailed from any polytheistic society. Salem, wherein Melchizedek was identified as being King, is closely associated with Jerusalem which eventually became the center for worship by the Jews in King David’s time. Prior to the Jewish occupation of the city it was named “Uru-salem or Uru-salimmu” (see the Tell el-Amarna letters, 14th century B.C.). It is believed that Melchizedek heralded from that city and Salem is also translated “peace” (see Psalm 76:2). Melchizedek’s validity as a priest of the Most High God (also El Elyon) is emphasized by Abraham, as he rejects any spoils offered him by the defeated Canaanite Kings, in the name of the same God he mentioned in Genesis 14:19.

Melchizedek is later identified in the scriptures as holding an eternal priesthood as a type of Christ who was to come. The Book of Hebrews goes into the most detail as to whom this mysterious figure, Melchizedek, represented. Hebrews explains that Old Testament Priests, from the tribe of Levi, officiated over the various sacrifices given to God by the people to atone for sin. However, this priesthood was temporary, not permanent, in that the sacrifices had to be offered over and over again. Further, the Priests died and their priesthood was ended. Christ, on the other hand, was not from the physical tribe of Levi (He was of the natural lineage of Judah). Therefore Christ had no part in the Old Testament temporary priesthood. His priesthood was permanent in that His one sacrifice forever accomplished salvation and reconciliation to God.

Christ’s ministry as a priest is therefore compared to that of Melchizedek “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God…to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent , having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually” (Hebrews 7:1-3). The writer of Hebrews goes on: “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there arises another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment [Mosaic Law], but after the power of an endless life” (vs. 16-17). The Old Testament priests were appointed by law; the eternal priesthood was appointed by God and was eternal. “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent [change His mind] Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110). “By saying “The Lord said to my Lord”, David seems to be speaking of the Father [The LORD] and Christ, the Son of God [my Lord], who is the “Priest forever”, ever living to make intercession for the Saints and the Sons of God they become” (Hebrews 7:25).

The oath “thou are a priest forever”, was never made to the Levitical priesthood. Both Christ and Melchizedek are identified as being made priests forever, seeing no beginning or end of their priesthood. Christ was also, like Melchizedek, called a King. “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:32-33). And “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations” (Psalm 145:13). “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9: 6-70.

Many speculate as to who Melchizedek really was. Some say Shem, the son of Noah. Others say he was an actual incarnation of Christ himself. The Christian mystics and the Gnostics identify him as many things including a pagan God-like figure, a Buddha, a divine being in the secret doctrines of Jesus etc. Still others identify him as an angel or messenger of God. However, without speculation, he was clearly identified in the Bible. These theories must be rejected because they contradict the actual word of God wherein he is identified as none of these, only as a priest and a King of the Most High God creator of the heavens and the earth.

Melchizedek served as confirmation of Christ’s ministry of eternal priesthood (see above). He was also a King, like Christ, over His Kingdom of Salem, a Kingdom of Peace. He could be identified as a prophet (Genesis 14:19-20), speaking the Word of God over Abraham after his victory.

Christ (Messiah) was also identified as a prophet, priest and King. When Christ came to the earth as God, He restricted Himself and walked as a man within human limitations. He came as a prophet (speaking The Father’s word) and was a priest (see above), after the order of Melchizedek—that divine priesthood which was instituted when God, in human form, ministered on this earth in the priesthood which preceded the Levitical priesthood. That He is also a King requires no explanation. This is called the three-fold ministry of Christ (prophet, priest and King), three being the number of unity (Father-Son-Holy Spirit; spirit-soul-body etc.).

So we see Melchizedek for what he is--a confirmation of Christ’s ministry. Any more identification other than what is written in the Word of God is fruitless human speculation. The mention of Melchizedek as part of God’s priesthood is meant to glorify Christ and further solidify our understanding of His great sacrifice for us.

Abraham was called upon by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. Isaac was spoken of God to be the child of promise and had been born miraculously to his parents, who were far beyond child bearing age. Yet Abraham did not hesitate but set out to fulfill God’s word. “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him…. “Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. This place was in the region of Moriah (v. 2; later the temple mount- 2 Chron. 3:1) Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But  the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Gen 22:3, 9-12). Thereafter there appeared a ram, stuck in the thicket, and Abraham sacrificed the ram instead of his son. This episode had been merely to test Abraham’s faith, albeit a severe test.

This was a completely illogical request by God since He had gone to great effort to produce Isaac. Abraham already had had to reject his first son Ishmael and God had made many promises about the son that was to come from Sarah’s womb. Yet never did Abraham question God but was immediately obedient. There could be no greater test put on a man than this. Imagine what Sarah thought! Yet the main point of Genesis 22:9-14 is the portraying an obedient servant worshiping God in faith at great cost, and in the end receiving God’s provision. Abraham did not withhold his son. Similarly Paul wrote that God “did not spare [epheisato] His own Son, [Jesus] but gave [delivered] Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:32). A form of the same Greek word is used of Abraham in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament “Thou hast not spared [epheisō] thy beloved son” (Gen. 22:12). This reveals the greatness of Abraham’s faith; he was willing to obey God by sacrificing his son, even though it appeared as God was acting against His own plan and what Abraham had lived for. It also reveals the greatness of Isaac’s faith in submission; he had everything in the world to live for but willingly followed his father’s words, believing that God would provide. The lamb ultimately sacrificed by Abraham in place of His son is symbolic of God providing the “lamb of God” to die in place of everyone on the earth. This goes back to Abel who offered a lamb which was acceptable to God.

As a result “Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, [Heb YHWH-jireh] as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed [descendents] shall possess the gate of their enemies. “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have  obeyed My voice” (Gen 22:14-18).

This promise was not only to Israel but to the whole world. The religious Jews, confronting Christ, defended themselves by saying they were the sons of Abraham so whatever they were doing was right. Christ replied sternly to that:, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. “But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have  not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me….“You are of your father the devil, and  you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he  speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:39-44).

Paul explained the covenant with Abraham as applying to Christ and those who are His: “So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Even so Abraham  believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” [Gen 15:6]. “Therefore, be sure that  it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS [not just the jews]will be blessed in you” [Gen 12:3]. So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer” (Galatians 3:5-9). In Abraham God foresaw Christ who would justify everyone by faith. But the same promise was given to Abraham long ago. In Abraham’s time, and now, it is those who are of faith who inherit the promises.

Now Abraham took another wife, after the death of Sarah, whose name was Keturah. She bore to him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah. “All the years of Abraham’s life that he lived,  one hundred and seventy-five years. “Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people” (25:1-2, 7-8).

The child of God’s promise, Isaac, married Rebekah. It came about after the death of Abraham, that  God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac lived by Beer-lahai-roi near the Negeb, (Heb. Negev), a dry parched, south country, the southern part of Judah, and the largest region in the modern state of Israel. Abraham had sternly warned Isaac not to marry a girl from the Canaanite tribes. Rebekah became pregnant with twins who struggled in her womb. “So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; and  the older shall serve the younger.” When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob; . [one who takes by the heel or supplants, known as the supplanter] and Isaac was  sixty years old when she gave birth to them” (Gen 25:22-26). Supplanter means: “to take the place of (another), as through, scheming, strategy, or the like; to replace (one thing) by something else” (Distionary.com). The meaning of this as it applied to Jacob will become apparent later.

Esau started off on the wrong foot with God. Being the elder he was entitled to the family birthright, the right of inheritance, and a blessing from his Father. “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had  a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom [red Father of the Edomites]. But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so he swore to him, and  sold his birthright to Jacob” (Gen 25:27-33). “When Esau was forty years old he married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; [Canaanites] and they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah” (Gen 26:34-35).

Isaac became old and blind and he called Esau, the first born, to him. “Isaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death. “Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and  hunt game for me;” (Gen 27:2-3) because I want to bless you”. “Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring home, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau…“Now therefore, my son…“Go now to the flock and bring me two choice young goats from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves. “Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.” Jacob answered “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man. “Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me” (Gen 27:5-13). Rebekah was willing to break tradition, and even the way of God, because of her firm belief that Jacob should be the one with the birthright, not Esau.

“Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son….. She also gave the savory food and the bread, which she had made, to her son Jacob…. Then Jacob came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. Get up, please, sit and eat of my game, that you may bless me.” Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord your God caused it to happen to me.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob came close to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” So he said, “Bring it to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, that I may bless you.” And he brought it to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine and he drank” (Gen 27:15, 17, 18-25).

So Isaac, deceived, blessed Jacob with an irrevocable blessing. Jacob, the supplanter, had usurped Esau’s place, and received the firstborn blessing. “So Isaac came close and kissed him; and when he smelled the smell of his garments, he blessed him and said, “See,  the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field  which the Lord has blessed; Now may  God give you of the dew of heaven, And of the  fatness of the earth, And an abundance of grain and new wine; May peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you; Be master of your brothers, And may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you, And blessed be those who bless you” (Gen 27:27-29). Thus was fulfilled God’s promise to Rebekah and Jacob the supplanter lived up to his name. Scripture was also fulfilled: “Just as it is written, [God had said] “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated [Malachi 1:2]” (Romans 9:13).

Esau came home and pleaded for a blessing from his father. When Esau brought in his food, emotions ran high. Isaac trembled violently over what had happened and Esau was very bitter and angry (v. 34). Isaac knew he had been tampering with God’s plan and had been overruled; there was no going back now. Esau began to realize the true nature of Jacob—twice he had “overreached” or deceived Esau, by taking his birthright (25:27-34), and now by taking his blessing. All that was left was a blessing for a profane person (27:39-40). Esau would not enjoy the earth’s riches or heaven’s dew (cf. v. 28). The Edomites, Esau’s descendants, would live in a land less fertile than Palestine. Also Esau would live by force, be subservient to Jacob, and be restless. They would also be enemies of Israel.

So how does this add up to a secret reference to Christ in the Old Testament? We have shown that Abraham was the Father of faith, the very platform that Christ advocated in His time of earth. Abraham’s promises led directly to the person of Christ and His earthly ministry. We have shown the build-up of the enemies of Christ from those who failed to follow God and His plan. We have shown that God and Christ were aiming for a Kingdom, a family, the Father’s family. We have shown that God continued to create that family despite the opposition from the Nepilim and the disobedient from Cain to Esau. Although it looks as if God used stealth and deception to accomplish His plan He nonetheless accomplished it, through imperfect humans. In using imperfect vessels to accomplish His will He reinforces his nature which says: “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”(1 Samuel 16:7). His Kingdom, and those who participate in constructing it, are those with a perfect heart in His eyes, not those who may be more qualified or stronger or better people. Abraham may have acted less than perfectly with God more than once but God saw His heart and highly exalted Him. Jacob used trickery and deceit to get what He wanted but God loved him and manipulated circumstances to get what HE wanted.

So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. “Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of  Bethuel your mother’s father; and from there take to yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. “May God Almighty [El- Shaddai] bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples.“May He also give you the  blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham” (Gen 28:1-4). On the other hand Esau took another course: “Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take to himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he charged him, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,”. Esau, displeased, did the opposite: “and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Paddan-aram. So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased his father Isaac; and Esau went to Ishmael, and married,  besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael” (Gen 28:6-9). To spite his father he not only married a Canaanite but a daughter of Ishmael, the false son.

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba. As he slept he had a dream: “behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. “Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out  to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and  in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. “Behold, I am with you and  will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Gen 28:12-15). “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it” (Gen 28:16). He made an altar there and called the place Bethel (the house of God).

This dream is interesting in that it is prophetic of the coming Kingdom of God. Jesus said: “Your Kingdom, your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10). In other words Jesus was proclaiming the coming oneness of the spirit realm (heaven) and the earth. There is to be no distinction or separation of the two realms. The fact that Jacob saw angels descending and ascending, from heaven to earth, is a sign of the days when the unification of the two realms will be a reality. He also received a Word from God similar to the ones given to Abraham, showing the unification of the first family with one another. In that day there will be no more death; the separation between God, His hosts and man will be done away with so there is only one spiritual Kingdom—on earth as it is in heaven.

Jacob went on to Laban, his mother’s brother, and got some of his supplanting thrown back in his face. Jacob met Rachel and immediately fell in love with her. “Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face. Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, [to Laban] “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her” (Gen 29:16-20).

God puts His chosen through severe dealings to test their faith. Becoming a Son of God is like boot camp of the Navy Seals today. Now Laban was a treacherous man. After the 7 years labor “Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, [Rachel] for my time is completed, that I may go in to her” (Gen 29:21). However Laban had other ideas. He prepared a wedding feast “but in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her” (Gen 29:23). “So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?” But Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn. “Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years” (Gen 29:25-27). Jacob’s treachery had been turned against him. But “Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife” (Gen 29:28).

Leah conceived and bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi then Judah. With each birth she thought it would bring her closer to Jacob since she knew he loved Rachel. But Rachel was barren. Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die.” So Rachel gave her maid Billah to Jacob and she bore two sons Dan and Naphtali. “When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife” (Gen 30:9). Zilpah bore 2 more sons: Gad and Asher. Leah then obtained some mandrakes grown in the field from Rachel. A mandrake is an aphrodisiac Hebrew dudaim. The weight of authority is in favor of its being regarded as “a near relative of the night-shades, the ‘apple of Sodom’ and the potato plant.” It possesses stimulating and narcotic properties (Gen. 30:14–16). The fruit of this plant resembles the potato-apple in size, and is of a pale orange color. It has been called the “love-apple.” The Arabs call it “Satan’s apple.” After taking the mandrakes Leah gave birth to two more sons Issachar and Zebulun. She also gave birth to a daughter Dinah. At this time God opened Rachel’s womb and she gave birth to Joseph.

To show how God chooses imperfect men to be Hi Sons Joseph the supplanter had one more trick up his sleeve. Laban begged Jacob to stay but Jacob wanted to take his family and animals home. On his way out He made a deal with Laban as to what flocks he could take. But through a complicated breeding trick he actually outsmarted Laban and left with more premium sheep than he should have (Genesis 30:25-43). So through trickery “the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys” (Gen 30:43). Laban was exceedingly mad when he realized he had been tricked and pursued Jacob. But eventually Laban and Jacob reached an agreement, Jacob went on and Labaan went home.

Jacob knew he would encounter his brother Esau on his way home. He didn’t know if Esau was still angry at him and he feared what Esau might do to his small band of travelers. Before he met Esau Jacob had a meeting with God in the night. “Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he [the Lord] touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he [the Lord] said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he [Jacob] said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” So he [ the Lord] said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; [Heb. “he who strives with God”] for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed” (Gen 32:24-28). So began the nation of Israel which means “striving with God”.

Jacob and his sons would become the sons of Israel and would eventually inhabit the Promised Land promised by God to Abraham. They would be, as He said to Abraham, a great nation. Even though God had crippled Jacob in his hip, God considered Jacob’s struggling all night a victory. “So Jacob named the place Peniel, [Heb. “the face of God”] for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved” (Gen 32:30). Very few men in the scriptures can claim they saw God face to face so the meeting was significant in the overall plan of God.

Jacob went on and was very apprehensive about meeting Esau his brother. But “Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and  fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” “And he [Esau] said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own” (Gen 33:4-5, 8-9). So Esau accepted a gift from Jacob and even offered to ride along to protect them on their journey but Jacob refused saying: “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. Jacob journeyed to Succoth, [“booths” in Heb.] and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth. Succoth is also the name for the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles instituted by Moses in the wilderness years later.

Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his  household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and  purify yourselves and change your garments;” (Gen 35:1-2). An altar (Heb. mizbe<ah, from a word meaning “to slay”) means any structure of earth (Ex. 20:24) or unwrought stone (20:25) on which sacrifices were offered. An altar is a type of Christ in that it is erected for the sacrifice of an animal for one purpose or another. After Christ no altars were necessary since Christ was the sacrifice for once and all time. We smile a little at Peter as he wanted to build 3 altars to commemorate the transfiguration. “And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: [altars] one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not realizing what he was saying” (Luke 9:33). “So Jacob built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, [the God of Bethel] because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother” (Gen 35:7).

“Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He  blessed him. God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name.” Thus He called him Israel. God also said to him, “I am God Almighty [Heb El Shaddai] Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. “The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you” (Gen 35:9-12). Here and in many places we have spoke of previously, God is speaking futuristically to Jacob. Physical Israel, compared to other nations at the time, was, in mass, a very small nation. Yet God is speaking, both to Abraham, Isaac and now Jacob, of many nations with Kings and people as numerous as the sand of the seashore. God’s vision reached beyond this point in history to the day in which we are living. There will be a conversion of all nations when it is over. Isaiah says: “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). And: “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them” (Heb 8:11). “But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you. “Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:2-3). This all had limited fulfillment in the days of physical Israel but with the fulfillment of the coming spiritual Israel the fulfillment will be beyond our imagination.

It happened that Rachel died in childbirth, while giving birth to Benjamin, the 12th son of Israel. Some say she died because she had sinned before the Lord because she had hid Laban’s idols in her saddlebag when Jacob had told his family to get rid of them. “When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols [Heb teraphim] that were her father’s…Now Rachel had taken the household idols [Heb teraphim] and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them. She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the idols” (Gen 31:19, 34-35). Teraphim are statues or figurines representing household gods; false gods who were to protect the house and inhabitants. According to many ancient and modern interpreters, talismanic, cultic, and legal significance accrued to their possession. Laban’s angry reaction when he thought Rachel had the teraphim suggests their idyllic importance. Idols in your saddlebag has come to mean, in Christianity, a person hiding things in his/her heart and does not reveal them to God by repentance. In Rachel’s case it showed her bond to the old ways when Jacob was heading in a new direction, towards the Lord and His plan.

Next came Joseph, Jacob’s 11th son mothered by his favorite wife Rachel. The ministry of Joseph is one of the most significant appearances of Christ in the Old Testament. “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored full robe [the coat of many colors]. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms” (Gen 37:3-4). Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. His dream was: “we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.” Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind” (Gen 37:7-11).

The brothers devised a plan against Joseph. Joseph, the young brother, was sent to his brothers tending sheep. Being alone in an isolated place, they argued whether to kill him or throw him in a pit. However a Midianite caravan of merchants were going by and they decided to sell him into slavery. They killed an animal, soaked Jacob’s coat in it and returned to Jacob with the story that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Meanwhile, the Midianite merchants sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard (Gen 37:18-36).

Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. He was so faithful that Potiphar gave him charge over all his household as well. However Potiphar’s wife desired Joseph and tried many times to persuade Joseph to lay with her. Joseph refused. One day, as Joseph resisted her advances. he accidently left a torn piece of his garment with the woman. She screamed and reported to the other slaves that Joseph had made advances toward her. When his master heard the words of his wife, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned. So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer (Gen 39:7-21).

Joseph was in jail 11 years. To show how the Lord works, often not in the ways of men, the following occurred: “the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious with his two officials,…So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the jail, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned” (Gen 40:1-4). Both men had dreams while in jail. The cup bearer had a dream that Joseph interpreted as meaning he would soon be restored to the Pharaoh at his old job. Joseph told the cup bearer to tell Pharaoh what had happened in hopes of gaining favor and being released. However the cup bearer, when he was released, forgot all about Joseph. The chief baker also had a dream but unfortunately Joseph had to tell him the dream meant his death. The chief baker was hanged later at a party thrown by Pharaoh just as Joseph had said.

However God intervened. The Pharaoh had had dreams he knew were important but none of his wisemen, priests or magicians could interpret the dreams. It was at that time the cup bearer remembered Joseph and his ability to tell dreams. “Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it” (41:14-15). So in a space of less than 24 hours Joseph went from the dungeon to Pharaoh’s palace. God sometimes tarries in His coming but when He is ready to move He does so in a hurry. Pharaoh related his dreams to Joseph and Joseph interpreted them as follows:, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do. “The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; “The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine. “It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do. “Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land….”Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about. (Gen 41:25-37).

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. “You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.”…Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. He had him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, “Bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt” (Gen 41:39-40, 42-43). “Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; [Probably Egyptian for “God speaks; he lives”] and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of  On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt. Now Joseph was  thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt” (Gen 41:45-46). (there is a story from the Apocrypha entitled Joseph and Asenath which gives background on their relationship; and how the pagan princess converted to Joseph’s religion in order to marry him).

So there were 7 years of plenty as Joseph had said. Then came a great famine which affected all the land in the Middle East. Joseph had done his job and stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure. The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth (Gen 41:47-57). Joseph bore two sons. “He named the firstborn Manasseh, [Heb. “making me forget] “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” He named the second Ephraim, [fruitfulness] “For,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” (Gen 41:51-52).

“Now Jacob [living in Caanan] saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” He said, go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.” Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt” (Gen 42:1-3). Thus begins a chain of events in which Joseph toyed with his brothers while selling them grain. The end of all this was that Jacob (Israel) found favor with the Pharaoh and he allowed the Israelites to settle in the land of Goshen. Scripture says: “It was “the best of the land” (Gen. 47:6, 11). Israel remained there until the time of the Exodus. Jacob became old and blessed the two sons of Joseph. “Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. But Israel [Jacob] stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, [consciously directing meaning Ephraim was the favored son in his eyes] although Manasseh was the firstborn. He then blessed Joseph. When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head [because Manasseh was the eldest] Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations” (Gen 48:13-19).

When Joseph saw that his father was blessing Ephraim over Manasseh, he protested. But Jacob’s words, “I know, my son, I know”, expressed the confidence of his faith: he was blessing according to the divine plan, not according to normal custom. He had learned that in spite of what man attempted to do God had blessed him, the younger. This he now carried forward to Joseph’s sons. Years later Ephraim became a leading tribe in the Northern Kingdom, much superior to the tribe of Manasseh, as Jacob had predicted. This showed what a far reaching vision Israel had in foreseeing events hundreds of years in advance. Jacob (Israel) was not only the head of a great family but was an outstanding prophet as well.

The story of Joseph is a prime example of God (Christ) using an impossible situation of hate, jealousy, betrayal and murderous intentions to get what He wanted. His ultimate aim was to destroy the peoples of Cannon but obviously Jacob and his small band was incapable at the time. He needed to maneuver the Israelites into a position where they could grow into a great nation. He saved the Israelites from a famine that would have destroyed them by getting Joseph to Egypt where he would be in a position to save and preserve them. The Israelites were in Egypt 430 years, for the most part happy and prosperous. They became so numerous and prosperous that Egypt began to fear their numbers and fear they might attack Egypt someday. So the Egyptians subjected them to slavery and, in trouble, they began to cry out to God for help. God always works things to His advantage. If they had not been subjected to hardship they may have stayed in Egypt and became Egyptians. But God had greater plans for them, plans which laid the foundation for the coming of Christ and the initiation of the great spiritual Kingdom of Israel in the last days.

“Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob [Canaanland] .” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.” So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was  embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt” (Gen 50:22-26). Joseph’s prophecy concerning his bones were fulfilled in Exodus 13:19: “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you”.