This is “Our Example of Abraham Being a Friend of God.”

 

It is, essentially, the haftorh and apostolic readings associated with the 11th Torah Reading of the 3-year Torah Reading Cycle.

 

The actual Torah Reading is the 14th chapter of Genesis. And having studied the reading throughout this week, and seeking Abba’s guidance through prayer and meditation and extra-biblical research, it became clear to me today that I really don’t have anything unique to share with you as it relates to this reading.

 

This reading, essentially, consists of two, somewhat, separate stories, although the two stories are linked together by circumstances and timing:

 

1. An Assyrian confederacy comes against the cities of the Plain, to include Sodom and Gomorrah, for their failure to pay the prescribed tributes unto the Assyrian Regime.

 

2. The Assyrian marauders in their overrun of the cities of the Plain, take into captivity citizens of Sodom, as well as Lot, Avram’s nephew. Recall that due to a dispute over grazing lands, Lot and Avram separated one from the other: Lot went to dwell near or in Sodom, while Avram dwelt in Hebron. Lot, because of his proximity to Sodom, was taken captivity with several citizens of that city. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

3. Avram, upon receiving the news that his nephew Lot had been taken captive by the Assyrian confederacy, which some extra-biblical text numbered in the 100’s of 1,000’s, assembled a small cadre of fighting men from his household. That small cadre totaled some 318 men, which the extra-biblical accounts of this story all agree with. Avram, along with his band of devoted servants, engaged the Assyrian armies in Dan, using advanced, special warfare techniques (such that his men divided themselves into attacking groups and engaged the enemy at night when they were least prepared to repel their attack).

 

4. Avram’s band of devoted men decimate the Assyrian confederacy, free the captives and return home. This is the first storyline.

 

5. While journeying home, the King of Sodom and Avram are met along their way by the Melchizedek. Melchizedek is identified in all corroborating texts on this story, as the King of Salem (aka Yerushalayim). He is a man who is further identified by his title as a high priest unto Yehovah Elohim. The Melchizedek brings forth unto Avram and his men, bread and wine. He blesses Avram and the Most High Elohim (14:18-20). Avram gives a 10th or a tithe of all he recovered from the battle to Melchizedek. And of course, this event is one of the first instances in Torah where the giving of Tithes unto Yehovah is demonstrated and promoted by Yah’s set-apart people. This being the second storyline.

 

I was tempted to discuss the aspect of the story that involved the Melchizedek.

 

But I would rather point you to a fascinating book that my dear Brother in the Faith once delivered, Robert Bills, just published entitled, “The Melchizedek Perspective.” I recently read this wonderful book and found it to be very informative and a blessing. And I would encourage you all to go on over to his ministry’s website: Melchizedek Perspective | Highpursuit (highpursuitministries.com), and get yourself a copy of this must have read and resource. And the good news is: Brother Bills has made this available to anyone who is led to learn about the Melchizedek, absolutely free of charge, as the book is a downloadable eBook.

 

There are several aspects of this story that we could unpack and discussed if I were so led to do so. But for this round of discussion, I’m led to focus on the relationship Avram had with Yehovah.

 

Avraham’s relationship with Yehovah Most High is a template of sorts, of the kind of relationship we all must aspire and endeavor to have with the Creator of the Universe. You see, it’s not enough, as we’ve mention countless times on this program, to possess a cognitive understanding and acknowledgment of Yehovah and of His Son Y’shua Messiah, for as James, the half-brother of our Master so aptly stated:

 

“Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (2:19).

 

We are called to a higher standard of understanding and relationship.

 

The would-be elect of Yah is called to enter into a faithful, obedient covenant relationship with the Most High; the Holy One of Yisra’el. And this covenant relationship is facilitated through the Person and Ministry of our Master, Yahoshua Messiah.

 

It is clear from so many witnesses in the scripture, that Avram possessed such a relationship with Yah. In fact, Avraham’s covenant relationship was of such that he became known as a friend of Yah. A friend of Yah. This fact is found specifically in three verses of Scripture:

 

⁷ Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (2Ch 20:7 KJV)

 

⁸ But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. (Isa 41:8 KJV)

 

²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (Jam 2:23 KJV)

 

Imagine being known as a friend of Yah Most High. How is that even possible we may wonder. Some of us may even think it impossible simply because we possess a false notion that the biblical patriarchs were some type of blblical superheroes. But the simple truth of the matter is that, like us today, each patriarch who Yah befriended, had personal issues that they had to work through with Yah’s help. But the thing that took them to “friend-status” with the Creator of the Universe was that which Yah found within each of them.

 

 

Two patriarchs are singled out as being friends of Yah: Avraham and Moses.

 

Of Avraham, it is written:

 

⁷ Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (2Ch 20:7 KJV)

 

²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (Jam 2:23 KJV)

 

⁴ Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (Jam 4:4 KJV)

 

Of Moshe it is written:

 

¹¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. (Exo 33:11 KJV)

 

The thing that must be understood is that neither of these gentlemen woke up one day and they chose to be Yah’s friend and Yah went along with that friendship agreement. No. The fact of the matter is that they were chosen of Yah to be His friend. Any who would endeavor or aspire to be known as or become a friend of Yah is chosen to be so by the Eternal. In fact, in order for any to enter into a true, faithful, obedient covenant relationship with Yehovah—the first step to friendship with the Creator—must receive the call, and then be chosen.

 

Our Master taught this by way of parable:

 

¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. (Mat 20:16 KJV)

 

¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen. (Mat 22:14 KJV)

 

As counterintuitive as it may seem to our western sensibilities, Yah establishes the rules to the relationship He establishes with His human creation, as well as He choses whom He will enter into a covenant relationship with. Yes, to our western sensibilities, this may seem unfair. If Yah chooses who He will enter into a relationship with, then that would mean He is excluding a great many—billions—from entering into a relationship with Him. And the truth is that He is excluding the vast majority of humans from such a relationship. Just look at the story undergirding our Torah Reading today: Only two individuals are recorded to have been in a deep and abiding, covenant relationship with Yehovah in our story: Avram and Melchizedek. Just two. But that just shows how narrow the road to heaven is: many are called, but only a precious few are chosen.

 

²⁰ And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. (Mar 13:20 KJV)

 

 ⁴⁰ Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; ⁴¹ Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. (Act 10:40-41 KJV)

 

 ²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence. ³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: ³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1Co 1:27-2:1 KJV)

 

 ⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Eph 1:4-6 KJV)

 

 ¹³ But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: ¹⁴ Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2Th 2:13-14 KJV)

 

 ⁵ Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (Jam 2:5 KJV)

 

You see, much of, if not all of humanity in some form or another, receives the call to enter into a relationship with Yehovah. From that general calling, many positively answer that call. And so, these enter into some form of relationship that is best understood through the parable of the Sower: some seed falling on stony, versus thorny, versus wayside versus good ground (Mat. 13:18-23).

 

Unfortunately, only a small percentage of seed actually falls onto good ground.

 

That good ground, according to Master, is symbolic of the one who hears the word, seeks to understand it and then obey it. When this situation takes place, Yah chooses that one to enter into a covenant relationship with Him.

 

This all was best epitomized or demonstrated by our Master who imitated His Father by choosing those who would be His disciples. Indeed, a general call went out to the masses for discipleship, but He ended up choosing just a few, and even of those few, He chose just 12 who would ultimately become His anointed, set-apart apostles to the world (Mat. 12:18; Joh. 6:10; 13:18; 15:16-19; Act. 1:2).

 

So, how does Yehovah get away with choosing those who would become His friends and ultimately His children?

 

Let’s not be fooled beloved, it’s an admirable thing to aspire and endeavor to be a friend of Yah, just as Moshe and Avram were. But ultimately, we want to attain Child of Yah status. That is Yah’s ultimate desire and Will for humanity.

 

Well, a couple reasons He can get away with choosing people to be His beloved; His friends; and ultimately His children, while excluding the overwhelming vast majority of people in the world, is because He is sovereign. He’s Yehovah, Creator of the Universe. He has every right as sovereign to choose those who will be His and to exclude those He chooses not to be His.

 

But secondly, in association with Yah’s righteousness, Yah chooses those who would be His according to the state of each soul’s heart.

 

 ²⁴ And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, ²⁵ That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. (Act 1:24-25 KJV)

 

Yah calls virtually every human on the earth in some way, but He chooses those who would be his based upon the state of that chosen one’s heart:

 

 ⁷ But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1Sa 16:7 KJV)

 

 ¹⁰ I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jer 17:10 KJV)

 

Few folks realize that Yehovah is attracted solely to those who possess a certain state of heart:

 

¹⁸ The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psa 34:18 KJV)

 

¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psa 51:17 KJV)

 

¹⁵ For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isa 57:15 KJV)

 

The circumcised heart of an individual—contrite and broken and humble in spirit—is the one thing that captures Yah’s attention and places him or her in contention for being chosen as His friend and ultimately His child. If our heart ain’t right, we ain’t going to be chosen to enter into an obedient covenant relationship with Yehovah, much less a friend or child of His.

 

Many of us have been chosen of Yah, even today.

 

And that’s a glorious, blessed thing to be chosen of Yah.

 

As was promised to Avram by Yah in the Avrahamic Covenant, we are most blessed in this respect because of the covenant relationship Avram had with Yehovah (Gen. 12:1-3).

 

 ⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1Pe 2:9 KJV)

 

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Rev 17:14 KJV)

 

And so it goes likewise, because we are chosen to be of Avram’s seed, the conference of those same Avrahamic blessings is passed on to us. Others receive Yah’s Righteousness—His goodness; His justification; His salvation—because we have been chosen to be in an obedient covenant relationship with Him; to be His friend; and ultimately to become His child. Let us not squander that opportunity to bless others through our chosen status.

 

Indeed, only those who are chosen will reign with our Master in His Coming Kingdom. One can aspire and try by their own strength and understanding to be included in the Kingdom, but unless he or she is chosen of Yah, no sinner’s pray; no loyalty to a religious order; no resolution to be holy; no amount of Torah-keeping or whatever is going to get one chosen to reign with Master Yahoshua. Yah will choose His elect to reign with His beloved Son Yahoshua. It’s up to us to put ourselves in the position of being chosen of Yah, and we do that by getting our hearts circumcised and in right-standing before Yah.

 

If you’ve not been chosen of Yah to enter into a covenant relationship with the Almighty and you desire to be included in this, the greatest of all opportunities to be rendered unto humanity—to be in a relationship with the Most High—I plead with you to contact me. And you can contact me either via email: perceptionwp@gmail.com; or through our website’s communications app: SpeakPipe, over at www.themessianictorahobserver.org, hovering on over to the middle of the very right-side of the landing page.

 

For those of us who have been chosen of Yah to be in covenant with Him, let us aspire to be chosen as His friend and ultimately His child by seeking His Kingdom and righteousness; loving Him with our whole heart, mind, soul and body; serving Him and serving and loving one another; learning of Him and His Ways as though our very lives depend upon it (which it does). Dying to self and walking in the newness of life. Trusting Him and embracing the authority and power that comes with chosen status in Yahoshua Messiah.

 

Stay well, blessed and in Yah’s perfect Will, chosen of Yah. And until next time, may you be most blessed, fellow saints in training. Take care.