Tag: Genesis 21

Is destruction of the wicked an example of ‘God so loved the world’? (Genesis 18–22; John 3)

Post author By Jeff
Post date November 4, 2023
No Comments on Is destruction of the wicked an example of ‘God so loved the world’? (Genesis 18–22; John 3)

The Torah reading וַיֵּרָא Vayera (“he appeared,” Genesis 18–22) grabs readers’ attention with its gripping account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the scandalous consequences of Lot’s choices. This seems at odds with “God so loved the world” (John 3:16).

This study explores the importance of trust (faith), the power of prayer and God’s mercy balanced with justice. We’ll see that God’s desire is to save humanity from divine judgment that must come to bring to an end the forces dragging humanity toward death. Mercy indeed triumphs over judgment for those who learn to trust their Creator. That’s how “light” (righteousness) overcomes “darkness” (wickedness).

Tags Genesis 18, Genesis 19, Genesis 20, Genesis 21, Genesis 22, John 03, messianic prophecy, Parashat Vayera

Torah readings

Torah reading Vayera (וירא): Genesis 18:1–22:24

Post author By Hallel Fellowship
Post date October 28, 2023
No Comments on Torah reading Vayera (וירא): Genesis 18:1–22:24

One of the Creator’s names is YHWH Yireh (Jehovah Jirah), translated as “the LORD sees” or “the LORD is seen.” And one of the key times Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus Christ) is foreseen is Abraham’s near-sacrifice of is “one and only son.” The mercy and sacrifice of God is on full display in this week’s Torah portion, וַיֵּרָא Vayera (“he appeared,” Gen. 18:1–22:24).

Tags 2nd Kings, Genesis, Genesis 18, Genesis 19, Genesis 20, Genesis 21, Genesis 22, Parashat Vayera

Discussions Torah

How the righteous can preserve a wayward nation (Genesis 18–22)

Post author By Daniel
Post date November 7, 2020
No Comments on How the righteous can preserve a wayward nation (Genesis 18–22)

Does God judge the nations based on what they don’t know? The Torah reading וירא Vayera (“he appeared,” Genesis 18-22) illustrates through Abraham’s dealings with Sodom-Gomorrah and Philistia that Heaven judges the Gentiles by their conduct, specifically on how they take care of other people, aka the Golden Rule.

Tags Genesis 18, Genesis 19, Genesis 20, Genesis 21, Genesis 22, Gentiles, Golden Rule, hospitality, judgement, Lot, Matthew 25, Parashat Vayera, Sodom

Discussions Torah

Genesis 18–22: Open your eyes when God ‘shows up’

Post author By Jeff
Post date November 4, 2017
No Comments on Genesis 18–22: Open your eyes when God ‘shows up’

Banner photo by Adam Jacksons/Freeimages.com.

God “shows up” all over the place in events recorded in the Bible and today, but He is not passive. Rather, the LORD is active in Earth’s affairs.

A pattern of behavior we see in the Torah reading וַיֵּרָא Vayera (“and He appeared”) is that when people are in “fight or flight” mode, they usually make very poor decisions. Lot’s “bright idea” to give his daughters to protect his guests from a vile mob, Lot’s daughter’s “bright idea” to get pregnant by their father a mere few days after they escaped from Sodom’s flames, and later Abraham and Sarah’s decision to lie to Abimelech about the extent of their kinship, all these poor decision had consequences.

We will see through the testimony of the words of God the interplay between the promised one, Yitskhak (Isaac), and the one born only through the flesh, Yishma’el (Ishmael).

Tags Genesis, Genesis 18, Genesis 19, Genesis 20, Genesis 21, Genesis 22, Gomorrah, Isaac/Yitskhak, Ishmael, Lot, Parashat Vayera, Sodom

Discussions Torah

Abraham’s teachable moments on faith (Genesis 18:1–22:24)

Post author By Daniel
Post date November 19, 2016
No Comments on Abraham’s teachable moments on faith (Genesis 18:1–22:24)

Why is Abraham considered our “father of faith” when so much of his biblical biography shows examples of his utter lack of faith? He laughed in God’s face about a son from a barren wife, circumvented God’s prophesy for that son and lied to two different kings about his relationship with Sarah, putting her in real danger.

In the Torah parashah (portion) called Vayera (“He appeared,” Gen. 18:1–22:24), we learn that despite Abraham’s (and Sarah’s) ups and downs, their faith was growing, not shrinking. That is why God Himself not only credited Abraham’s trust as righteousness but also made them patriarch and matriarch of “a great and mighty nation” through which all nations of Earth would be blessed.

Tags faith, Genesis, Genesis 18, Genesis 19, Genesis 20, Genesis 21, Genesis 22, Parashat Vayera, Recordings

Appointments With God Chanukah Discussions

8 miraculous women of Chanukah

Post author By Daniel
Post date November 30, 2013
No Comments on 8 miraculous women of Chanukah

The eight days of Chanukah (Festival of Dedication, John 10:22–39), historically parallel the eight days of Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles). But there is a startling parallel to eight women in the Bible for whom having children would have been miraculous — including the mother of Yeshua (Jesus) — yet these women dedicated themselves to God’s mission to restore the Earth.