podcast, thought you might like to listen to. Not me, david Levine from Jacksonville FL.
http://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail?pid=5265
Friday, November 6, 2009
Va Yera
Va Yera:
2 Peter 2:6-9 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned
Them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live
ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked
(for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his
righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds):
the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;
The Prince of the Apostles. The great “Rock” Peter commented on this very Torah passage, and what is most amazing is that we still have those words today.
Peter was writing to the persecuted church. His words were intended to encourage them, about God’s ability to preserve and care for his people even in some of the toughest times. I thought this might be a nice place to start.
In this Torah passage, we have some key Bible stories from the Old Testament. Sometimes in the Torah portions we find places that we are very unfamiliar since they don’t get a lot of messages taught in traditional Sunday school classes or Sunday morning church services in which most of us have been familiar. This passage is different. Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac is very familiar. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah very familiar stories.
A personal comment here: When I read the story of Lot, I am a bit tempted to heap some abuse on the poor guy. He spent his days with Abraham. He was already an old man when the events of this passage happened. When he and Abraham parted company, it was he who got to choose which land to go to, and he chose what looked to be the more lush area leaving Abraham to the wilderness. Strangely enough, he doesn’t stay in the country. He finds himself in the city of Sodom, which he knew was a bad city. When the men of Sodom swarm his house…he offers both of his daughters to them?!? What kind of father would do such a thing?!? He doesn’t listen well to the angels. He too much of a wimp to even go to where the angels tell him to go, and it looks like his story ends stored away in some cave in the mountains. Sometimes, I sort of feel…well, his sad end of his days is likely his due.
Fortunately, you have an author like Peter, who helps us put things in perspective. One of the tools I learned in Seminary was “whenever possible in rendering a passage, it is always safest to have Scripture interpret Scripture.” The reason for this is simple. If we believe that God’s word is “God Breathed” (what we call inspired), you never run the risk of just tossing your own ideas into the mix.
Peter, in writing “God’s word” says that Lot was a Zadok. In fact, he is intentional about how troubling it was for him to live in that world. If you read that story again, you do see the men of Sodom have no difficulty heaping abuse on Lot. (Gen 19:9) In fact by their own words they would deal worse to him then with the travellers. He wasn’t just “one of the boys”.
Of course, like I said, with Peter’s understanding of the passage. Lot was a desperate man. A Zadok who was trying to do right and was “vexed” a good choice in English. The word is a lot more then troubled. It is the idea of being torn apart, tortured relentlessly by living among the “lawlessness” Greek word anomos (“a” means negation. “without” “law” the same word is the one which is translated often in the New Testament and in the LXX as “Torah”) The lived as people without God’s Word.
Lot offered his own daughter. I still don’t have to like this, but it is technically better from a standpoint of righteousness. I am willing to do as Peter did and give him the benefit of the doubt. He was a desperate man, who was likely to die anyway, who was likely to fail in the simplest rules of hospitality, and his daughters were likely to be taken as well. He could not fight off the crowd. His choice was terrible by my perspective, but if he was left to his own devices, what other choice did he have. He obviously tried reasoning with them.
The overall theme is that “God had no problem protecting Lot”. In fact, had there been just a few more people who were like Lot in the town, that city would stand.
It reminds me of what I read the other day with my children from the book of Matthew.
Mat 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day.
Remember, many people have noted, during Yeshua’s time, Capernaum was the northern home base, and yet, the great symbol of destruction for sin would have repented even if Capernaum seemed to have ignored Yeshua and the apostles.
Back to our story with Lot. The angels provide a temporary solution and buy lot some time. They pull him into the house and strike the men all blind. He’s commanded to get his whole family together and flee. His son-in-laws ignore him. (His girls were engaged, but not really married, according to Lot’s own words). He seems to have become shell shocked and the angels have to drag him out of the city. He begs to go to some tiny little town and the angels because he’s too weak to make it to the mountains. The angels allow it. He is told not to turn back, and obviously his wife does. She becomes a pillar of salt.
I always thought it strange that she dies for looking back. I remember thinking, maybe it was an accident. Maybe she wasn’t last in line and looked back to check on her daughters. It is amazing to find what efforts the mind will take to try to make God the bad guy in the story. The truth is she was told “don’t even look back”, and she did. She disobeyed. That was reason enough for her death. We also don’t know what her heart was like. Perhaps, there was longing for things that would be lost or pity for the city. She is not called “righteous”, only Lot. It never says she was troubled by living there, only Lot. It is an argument from silence, but she may very well have been a completely different cut then Lot. I think the strongest proof is that God’s judgement for her was the loss of her life. We do believe the judge of the world does what is right.
As they made it to the tiny town of Zoar. God destroyed Sodom. Just so you note, seeing the destruction did not necessarily bring punishment humanity. Abraham saw the destruction and he didn’t become a pillar of salt.
For some reason Lot feared living in Zoar and escaped to the mountains (like the angels had said) and after the incidents with his daughters, that is the last we hear of Lot. A very sad end to this “Righteous man”.
Back to the original theme. God doesn’t have problems taking care of his own.
As many of you know, on May 29, we lost our house in a complete fire. This was only a couple weeks after a dear brother and true prophet announced that “no fire would touch our home”. We had abuse heaped on us from the local fire department. Evidence was found that suggested the fire was deliberately set by someone who wanted to “kill us” (their own words. The fire investigators do not feel as if they want to look any further into what happened. In fact, they never did. The RCMP were told about the evidence of ill intent and have chosen to ignore it. “the case is closed”, they told us.
So, we have taken this as far as we can easily. For months we wandered not sure what was going to happen to us, but we began to see that our world was more complete then ever before. God promised protection of our ‘home’. The buildings and the stuff inside was just the house. It really didn’t matter that much. The home. The stuff that really matter were all perfectly safe. I had Julie, Josh, Sera, Sasha, Noah, Shamus, Shimone, Shemiel, and a new baby (due at the first part of January). None were lost. None were even damaged. (you might argue some emotional damage, but not physically). We lost stuff…but now we are starting to see that was a blessing. We pack lighter and live lighter. Praise God.
I remember, when we were part of the mission WEC (World Evangelization for Christ) we read of fellow missionaries, including the founder, who would pray for their basic needs, including food, and sometimes, there would not be enough. Those men and women would rejoice, and say…”that means that God says we just don’t need that right now.” The truth is, that much of what we have we don’t need. For years I surrounded myself with things that made me feel comfortable and safe. From our experience, I sincerely believe God helped us to see that much of that is unnecessary.
I couldn’t really say that this life and lifestyle is “for everyone”. Who am I to judge another man’s servant? But I thank God that he cared enough about us to destroy our house by fire and allow us to flee to a tiny community. I hope unlike Lot, this is not the final chapter in our story.
May the grace of God and the Peace of Yeshua be with you and yours, Bradley Avi
2 Peter 2:6-9 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned
Them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live
ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked
(for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his
righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds):
the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;
The Prince of the Apostles. The great “Rock” Peter commented on this very Torah passage, and what is most amazing is that we still have those words today.
Peter was writing to the persecuted church. His words were intended to encourage them, about God’s ability to preserve and care for his people even in some of the toughest times. I thought this might be a nice place to start.
In this Torah passage, we have some key Bible stories from the Old Testament. Sometimes in the Torah portions we find places that we are very unfamiliar since they don’t get a lot of messages taught in traditional Sunday school classes or Sunday morning church services in which most of us have been familiar. This passage is different. Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac is very familiar. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah very familiar stories.
A personal comment here: When I read the story of Lot, I am a bit tempted to heap some abuse on the poor guy. He spent his days with Abraham. He was already an old man when the events of this passage happened. When he and Abraham parted company, it was he who got to choose which land to go to, and he chose what looked to be the more lush area leaving Abraham to the wilderness. Strangely enough, he doesn’t stay in the country. He finds himself in the city of Sodom, which he knew was a bad city. When the men of Sodom swarm his house…he offers both of his daughters to them?!? What kind of father would do such a thing?!? He doesn’t listen well to the angels. He too much of a wimp to even go to where the angels tell him to go, and it looks like his story ends stored away in some cave in the mountains. Sometimes, I sort of feel…well, his sad end of his days is likely his due.
Fortunately, you have an author like Peter, who helps us put things in perspective. One of the tools I learned in Seminary was “whenever possible in rendering a passage, it is always safest to have Scripture interpret Scripture.” The reason for this is simple. If we believe that God’s word is “God Breathed” (what we call inspired), you never run the risk of just tossing your own ideas into the mix.
Peter, in writing “God’s word” says that Lot was a Zadok. In fact, he is intentional about how troubling it was for him to live in that world. If you read that story again, you do see the men of Sodom have no difficulty heaping abuse on Lot. (Gen 19:9) In fact by their own words they would deal worse to him then with the travellers. He wasn’t just “one of the boys”.
Of course, like I said, with Peter’s understanding of the passage. Lot was a desperate man. A Zadok who was trying to do right and was “vexed” a good choice in English. The word is a lot more then troubled. It is the idea of being torn apart, tortured relentlessly by living among the “lawlessness” Greek word anomos (“a” means negation. “without” “law” the same word is the one which is translated often in the New Testament and in the LXX as “Torah”) The lived as people without God’s Word.
Lot offered his own daughter. I still don’t have to like this, but it is technically better from a standpoint of righteousness. I am willing to do as Peter did and give him the benefit of the doubt. He was a desperate man, who was likely to die anyway, who was likely to fail in the simplest rules of hospitality, and his daughters were likely to be taken as well. He could not fight off the crowd. His choice was terrible by my perspective, but if he was left to his own devices, what other choice did he have. He obviously tried reasoning with them.
The overall theme is that “God had no problem protecting Lot”. In fact, had there been just a few more people who were like Lot in the town, that city would stand.
It reminds me of what I read the other day with my children from the book of Matthew.
Mat 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day.
Remember, many people have noted, during Yeshua’s time, Capernaum was the northern home base, and yet, the great symbol of destruction for sin would have repented even if Capernaum seemed to have ignored Yeshua and the apostles.
Back to our story with Lot. The angels provide a temporary solution and buy lot some time. They pull him into the house and strike the men all blind. He’s commanded to get his whole family together and flee. His son-in-laws ignore him. (His girls were engaged, but not really married, according to Lot’s own words). He seems to have become shell shocked and the angels have to drag him out of the city. He begs to go to some tiny little town and the angels because he’s too weak to make it to the mountains. The angels allow it. He is told not to turn back, and obviously his wife does. She becomes a pillar of salt.
I always thought it strange that she dies for looking back. I remember thinking, maybe it was an accident. Maybe she wasn’t last in line and looked back to check on her daughters. It is amazing to find what efforts the mind will take to try to make God the bad guy in the story. The truth is she was told “don’t even look back”, and she did. She disobeyed. That was reason enough for her death. We also don’t know what her heart was like. Perhaps, there was longing for things that would be lost or pity for the city. She is not called “righteous”, only Lot. It never says she was troubled by living there, only Lot. It is an argument from silence, but she may very well have been a completely different cut then Lot. I think the strongest proof is that God’s judgement for her was the loss of her life. We do believe the judge of the world does what is right.
As they made it to the tiny town of Zoar. God destroyed Sodom. Just so you note, seeing the destruction did not necessarily bring punishment humanity. Abraham saw the destruction and he didn’t become a pillar of salt.
For some reason Lot feared living in Zoar and escaped to the mountains (like the angels had said) and after the incidents with his daughters, that is the last we hear of Lot. A very sad end to this “Righteous man”.
Back to the original theme. God doesn’t have problems taking care of his own.
As many of you know, on May 29, we lost our house in a complete fire. This was only a couple weeks after a dear brother and true prophet announced that “no fire would touch our home”. We had abuse heaped on us from the local fire department. Evidence was found that suggested the fire was deliberately set by someone who wanted to “kill us” (their own words. The fire investigators do not feel as if they want to look any further into what happened. In fact, they never did. The RCMP were told about the evidence of ill intent and have chosen to ignore it. “the case is closed”, they told us.
So, we have taken this as far as we can easily. For months we wandered not sure what was going to happen to us, but we began to see that our world was more complete then ever before. God promised protection of our ‘home’. The buildings and the stuff inside was just the house. It really didn’t matter that much. The home. The stuff that really matter were all perfectly safe. I had Julie, Josh, Sera, Sasha, Noah, Shamus, Shimone, Shemiel, and a new baby (due at the first part of January). None were lost. None were even damaged. (you might argue some emotional damage, but not physically). We lost stuff…but now we are starting to see that was a blessing. We pack lighter and live lighter. Praise God.
I remember, when we were part of the mission WEC (World Evangelization for Christ) we read of fellow missionaries, including the founder, who would pray for their basic needs, including food, and sometimes, there would not be enough. Those men and women would rejoice, and say…”that means that God says we just don’t need that right now.” The truth is, that much of what we have we don’t need. For years I surrounded myself with things that made me feel comfortable and safe. From our experience, I sincerely believe God helped us to see that much of that is unnecessary.
I couldn’t really say that this life and lifestyle is “for everyone”. Who am I to judge another man’s servant? But I thank God that he cared enough about us to destroy our house by fire and allow us to flee to a tiny community. I hope unlike Lot, this is not the final chapter in our story.
May the grace of God and the Peace of Yeshua be with you and yours, Bradley Avi
Monday, November 2, 2009
Va Yera
sent by e-mail from Rabbi Jack Farber: some good comments
"פרספקטיבה נכונה וחשיבותה"
"Proper Perspective Matters"
Parashat HaShavua VaYera / And He Appeared
This Week's Reading List:
BeReshit / Genesis 18:1-22:24
Melachim Bet / 2 Kings 4:1-37
Kefa Bet / 2nd Peter 2:4-11
Donate On-Line
Bereshit {18:1} HaShem appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. {18:2} He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, {18:3} and said, "My L-RD, if now I have found favour in Your sight, please do not go away from Your servant. {18:4} Now let a little water be fetched, wash Your feet, and rest Yourselves under the tree. {18:5} I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh Your heart. After that You may go Your way, now that You have come to Your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
There has been much controversy over this passage, and it is all because of where to place one nikkud (Hebrew vowel point). Christian and Messianic translators place the vowel point one way while Jewish translators place it another. This one vowel point, this one little slash by Messianics or dot by traditional Jews, changes the whole context of the passage that I just quoted above.
First, for those who do not understand the Hebrew language and how it is written, allow me to explain. Originally, Hebrew was written without any vowels, like our English vowels (a, e, i, o and u). Hebrew writing back then, as it is now, is written with consonants only. There are 22 consonants in the Hebrew language. The Torah, in its original form, did not have any nikkudot (plural for nikkud). This leaves room for mistranslations because, as I said above, one dot or dash improperly placed can change the whole meaning of a word. Now, before you start worrying about the accuracy of the Word of HaShem, remember that under the vast majority of the cases this would not be a problem, especially when you know the context and know the language. The nukkudot were not added until the early Middle Ages. This was done so as to facilitate the reading and thus the understanding of words and their sentences. The most widely used Hebrew vowel points that are used today were developed by the Masoretes of Tiberias, which is from where we get the Masorettic text of the Tanach (Hebrew Scriptures). However, as with anything man puts his hands to, the interpretation of the original text by the placing of the vowel points becomes subject to human error and personal prejudice. This is the case with our above text.
The original Hebrew word that is in question in this passage, the word that can change the whole context and understanding of the passage, is אדני. It can, by the placing of a different vowel point under the נ, change the reading of the word from “Adonai” (G-d or L-rd) to “adoni” (sir or lord). Needless to say this difference has been the subject of many debates over the ages. Was Avraham (Abraham) greeting G-d or was he just being respectful and addressing three mortals as sir or lord? Jewish translators, as I said, see it one way while Christian and Messianic translators see it another way; I suppose you can understand why. Was this encounter a theophany (a physical appearance of G-d) or was it not? The implications for either theology could be far reaching.
Let us take a closer look at our passage of Scripture and attempt to determine, by the context of the text, whom it was that Avraham was greeting, G-d or man?
Most Jewish commentators use this passage to say that Avraham was a hospitable man. After all, they say, he was sitting and relaxing at the door of his tent just waiting for passer-bys so that he could offer them rest and refreshment on their journey. This, they say, explains why he jumped up so abruptly and hastily greeted these three men as they were passing him by. Thus they imply the word אדני to mean “sirs or lords” . However, is this really the right interpretation of this passage? In jumping up to greet these three passer-bys Avraham runs, bows before them and says “...if now I have found favour in your sight...” If these so called “men” were perfect strangers who were just passing by then why would Avraham say such a thing? Why would Avraham refer to himself as “your (singular) servant?” Why did he not just ask them to rest with him a while and join him in a meal before continuing on their journey? “Finding favour” implies a relationship of some kind, which could imply that Avraham understood that he was greeting G-d. Rendering the passage this way also agrees with the other passages in this Parasha.
Bereshit {18:10} He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round; behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.
In their conversations with Avraham, one of the men make this incredible prophecy, a prophecy that will change the events of the world; the birth of Yitzchak (Isaac).
Bereshit {18:22} The men turned from there, and went toward S'dom, but Avraham stood yet before HaShem. {18:23} Avraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the tzaddik (righteous) with the wicked?
There is no mistaking this text, vowel points or not. It is clearly written that Avraham was speaking toיהוה (Yud Hay Vav Hay), HaShem, the G-d of Heaven and earth. As it happens HaShem was on His way to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. So the only other question that could cause a loophole in our conclusion is, “Did HaShem just all of a sudden appear or was He actually one of the three all along? Well the text does not seem to indicate the former so the latter must be true, He must have been apart of the original three.
Finally, but certainly not the least of our proofs that Avraham was greeting G-d in the flesh, is this passage.
Bereshit {18:16} The men rose up from there, and looked toward S'dom. Avraham went with them to see them on their way. {18:17} HaShem said, "Will I hide from Avraham what I do, {18:18} seeing that Avraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the goyim of the earth will be blessed in him? {18:19} For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of HaShem, to do tz'dakeh (righteousness) and justice; to the end that HaShem may bring on Avraham that which he has spoken of him."
Even though this passage comes before the one I quoted directly above I have placed it after because of the implication it presents. Again, in the Hebrew where we have translated it as HaShem it is written יהוה, which is explicitly G-d. There is no doubt, therefore, that one of the three so called “men” Avraham greeted was a physical manifestation of G-d (G-d in human form).
Do you see the implications here? Yeshua HaMashiach is G-d in human form, something Judaism denies and rejects. So is it any wonder that Jewish translators have manipulated the vowel points in this passage of Scripture that I quoted at the beginning of this drash (commentary)? They are protecting their anti-Messianic Jewish, anti-Yeshua theology
"פרספקטיבה נכונה וחשיבותה"
"Proper Perspective Matters"
Parashat HaShavua VaYera / And He Appeared
This Week's Reading List:
BeReshit / Genesis 18:1-22:24
Melachim Bet / 2 Kings 4:1-37
Kefa Bet / 2nd Peter 2:4-11
Donate On-Line
Bereshit {18:1} HaShem appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. {18:2} He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, {18:3} and said, "My L-RD, if now I have found favour in Your sight, please do not go away from Your servant. {18:4} Now let a little water be fetched, wash Your feet, and rest Yourselves under the tree. {18:5} I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh Your heart. After that You may go Your way, now that You have come to Your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
There has been much controversy over this passage, and it is all because of where to place one nikkud (Hebrew vowel point). Christian and Messianic translators place the vowel point one way while Jewish translators place it another. This one vowel point, this one little slash by Messianics or dot by traditional Jews, changes the whole context of the passage that I just quoted above.
First, for those who do not understand the Hebrew language and how it is written, allow me to explain. Originally, Hebrew was written without any vowels, like our English vowels (a, e, i, o and u). Hebrew writing back then, as it is now, is written with consonants only. There are 22 consonants in the Hebrew language. The Torah, in its original form, did not have any nikkudot (plural for nikkud). This leaves room for mistranslations because, as I said above, one dot or dash improperly placed can change the whole meaning of a word. Now, before you start worrying about the accuracy of the Word of HaShem, remember that under the vast majority of the cases this would not be a problem, especially when you know the context and know the language. The nukkudot were not added until the early Middle Ages. This was done so as to facilitate the reading and thus the understanding of words and their sentences. The most widely used Hebrew vowel points that are used today were developed by the Masoretes of Tiberias, which is from where we get the Masorettic text of the Tanach (Hebrew Scriptures). However, as with anything man puts his hands to, the interpretation of the original text by the placing of the vowel points becomes subject to human error and personal prejudice. This is the case with our above text.
The original Hebrew word that is in question in this passage, the word that can change the whole context and understanding of the passage, is אדני. It can, by the placing of a different vowel point under the נ, change the reading of the word from “Adonai” (G-d or L-rd) to “adoni” (sir or lord). Needless to say this difference has been the subject of many debates over the ages. Was Avraham (Abraham) greeting G-d or was he just being respectful and addressing three mortals as sir or lord? Jewish translators, as I said, see it one way while Christian and Messianic translators see it another way; I suppose you can understand why. Was this encounter a theophany (a physical appearance of G-d) or was it not? The implications for either theology could be far reaching.
Let us take a closer look at our passage of Scripture and attempt to determine, by the context of the text, whom it was that Avraham was greeting, G-d or man?
Most Jewish commentators use this passage to say that Avraham was a hospitable man. After all, they say, he was sitting and relaxing at the door of his tent just waiting for passer-bys so that he could offer them rest and refreshment on their journey. This, they say, explains why he jumped up so abruptly and hastily greeted these three men as they were passing him by. Thus they imply the word אדני to mean “sirs or lords” . However, is this really the right interpretation of this passage? In jumping up to greet these three passer-bys Avraham runs, bows before them and says “...if now I have found favour in your sight...” If these so called “men” were perfect strangers who were just passing by then why would Avraham say such a thing? Why would Avraham refer to himself as “your (singular) servant?” Why did he not just ask them to rest with him a while and join him in a meal before continuing on their journey? “Finding favour” implies a relationship of some kind, which could imply that Avraham understood that he was greeting G-d. Rendering the passage this way also agrees with the other passages in this Parasha.
Bereshit {18:10} He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round; behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.
In their conversations with Avraham, one of the men make this incredible prophecy, a prophecy that will change the events of the world; the birth of Yitzchak (Isaac).
Bereshit {18:22} The men turned from there, and went toward S'dom, but Avraham stood yet before HaShem. {18:23} Avraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the tzaddik (righteous) with the wicked?
There is no mistaking this text, vowel points or not. It is clearly written that Avraham was speaking toיהוה (Yud Hay Vav Hay), HaShem, the G-d of Heaven and earth. As it happens HaShem was on His way to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. So the only other question that could cause a loophole in our conclusion is, “Did HaShem just all of a sudden appear or was He actually one of the three all along? Well the text does not seem to indicate the former so the latter must be true, He must have been apart of the original three.
Finally, but certainly not the least of our proofs that Avraham was greeting G-d in the flesh, is this passage.
Bereshit {18:16} The men rose up from there, and looked toward S'dom. Avraham went with them to see them on their way. {18:17} HaShem said, "Will I hide from Avraham what I do, {18:18} seeing that Avraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the goyim of the earth will be blessed in him? {18:19} For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of HaShem, to do tz'dakeh (righteousness) and justice; to the end that HaShem may bring on Avraham that which he has spoken of him."
Even though this passage comes before the one I quoted directly above I have placed it after because of the implication it presents. Again, in the Hebrew where we have translated it as HaShem it is written יהוה, which is explicitly G-d. There is no doubt, therefore, that one of the three so called “men” Avraham greeted was a physical manifestation of G-d (G-d in human form).
Do you see the implications here? Yeshua HaMashiach is G-d in human form, something Judaism denies and rejects. So is it any wonder that Jewish translators have manipulated the vowel points in this passage of Scripture that I quoted at the beginning of this drash (commentary)? They are protecting their anti-Messianic Jewish, anti-Yeshua theology
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