THE FOUNDATIONAL PROCESS In relation to Israel, Yahweh is always called the God of Abraham, Isaac (Yitszak) and Jacob (Yaacov); because these men's spiritual genes were the foundations upon which He gave the covenants and the promises for the kingdom.
ABRAHAM - FAITH
Yahweh called Abraham to be a man of faith and he became the foundation upon which all future generation of believers would be established in their relationship to God. The Biblical account starts with him being called out of his country, away from his family and his own relatives and friends to go to a place He would show him (Genesis 12:1).
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)
That took implicit faith in the One he knew as the Almighty God. It also took a complete commitment to leave everything and everyone, the culture with which he was familiar, the occupation which he had there – to leave the settled life of an established civilization, to go out to a foreign country and live as a nomad, a dweller in tents with no fixed abode, no certain means of provision .... and not knowing where he was going or what would be required of him.
There were ten tests of his faith and commitment before Abraham came into the inheritance promised him by Yahweh.
1. The challenge of the initial call to believe in the promise and leave all to follow the calling (Genesis 12:1-3)
2. The test of his faith with Sarah being taken into Pharaoh's harem (Genesis 12:10-20)
3. The test of his faith in relinquishing the things of this world (Genesis 13:4-18) Abraham extended grace to Lot to have first choice and was rewarded with an extension and development of the promise (vs 14-17)
4. The test of faithfulness in his priesthood oversight of the land promised him (Genesis 12:7-8). Abraham is blessed by Yahweh's High Priest (Genesis 14:18-20) and enters a new spiritual dimension .(Genesis 15:1)
5. Abraham reaches out in faith and Yahweh covenants with him for an heir and for the land. Abraham receives the promise through the exercise of faith in intercession and spiritual warfare. (Genesis 15:2-20)
6. The test of faith in Yahweh's Word alone for the promised son on the basis of walking blamelessly in covenant relationship through the circumcision of his flesh – another level of faith! (Genesis 17:1-16)
7. The test of faith in intercession for the righteous in Sodom and releasing Lot to the will of God and separation from him (Genesis 18:10-33 & 19:27-29)
8. Abraham is again tested in regard to the promised son when Sarah is taken into the Philistine's harem and again his faith is rewarded and Sarah is preserved from being violated. (Genesis 20)
9. Abraham's faith is tested in Yahweh's provision and loving care by putting Hagar and Ishmael out into the wilderness and releasing them to the will of God. (Genesis 21:8-20)
10. The ultimate test came in the offering of his beloved son, Isaac, upon the altar in whom the fulfillment of all the promises, all that he had lived and hoped for, was dependent upon his faith in the covenant bond, that as he gave his son, so also Yahweh would give His Son as the Messiah/Mediator/Savior (Genesis 22)
A Bride for Isaac was not initiated until his faith had soared to embrace Yahweh's provision of His Son (Genesis 24)
YITSZAK (Isaac), SUBMISSION
Yitszak's life exemplifies submission to the will of God. He does not initiate anything new, as much as he holds fast the testimony of what his father attained through perseverance, submitting to the will of the Father in every instance where he encounters opposition and adversity. His meek and quiet spirit are the evidence of a circumcised heart.
1. Test of being offered on the altar as a young man of 37 years old, giving his life as a complete sacrifice for the furtherance of the kingdom of God and His purposes in bringing forth the Messiah. (Genesis 22:1-12)
2. The test in the loss of his mother's spiritual input and guidance into his life (Genesis 23:1-3)
3. The test of acceptance Yahweh's choice of a wife for himself (Genesis 24:66-67)
4. The test of Rikvah's (Rebekkah's) barrenness for the fulfillment of the promises.
5. The test of remaining in the land during famine (Genesis 26:1-6, 12-14)
6. The test of the Philistines usurping ownership of the wells which belonged to them (Genes is 26:17-32)
7. The test of Esau's rebellion against his instruction and oversight and worldliness (Genesis 26:34-35)
8. The test of his sons conflicts over the Birthright & the Blessings (Genesis 25:26-34)
9. The test of reconciling the betrayal in the Blessing of His sons (Genesis 27)
10. The test in releasing Ya'acov from his household to find a wife and generate his posterity (Genesis 28:1-5) The next cycle is set in motion after Ya'acov receives the inheritance, by him going to take a wife from the same genealogical stock as his forefathers. The process now moves on to dealing with the flesh.
YA'ACOV (Jacob), SANCTIFICATION
Ya'acov's life was a conflict of the flesh warring against the Spirit. The warfare was set in motion in the womb by the two opposites of the worldly nature in his twin brother Esav, and his own spiritual calling. After gaining the spiritual inheritance, the warfare was transferred to an internal conflict wherein he had to gain victory over his fleshly nature. The situations that were allowed in his life worked toward him overcoming his human nature.
1. Overcoming his inferiority as the lesser son who was not eligible for the inheritance. (Genesis 25:27)
2. Overcoming the obstacles that stood in the way of obtaining the blessing (Genesis 27:1-27)
3. Escaping for his life from Esav's hatred of him and the deprivation of everything (Genesis 27:41; 28:20-21)
4. Overcoming the deceit, trickery and disappointment in the swapping of Leah for Rachel (Genesis 29:15-30)
5. Overcoming the emotional demands in the internal conflict between his wives (Genesis 30:1-24)
6. Overcoming the trial of Laban's meanness and changing his wages 10 times (Genesis 31:36-41)
7. Overcoming the confrontation; mediating and conciliating with Laban in covenant relationship (Genesis 31)
8. Overcoming his grasping, fleshly nature to obtain the blessing, face to face with Yahweh (Genesis 32:22-32)
9. Overcoming self-preservation. Ya'acov meets Esav and walks in Yahweh's love and grace toward him, offering a material compensation for Esav's loss of the inheritance. (Genesis 33:10-11)
10. Overcoming and removing all idolatry from his household. Yahweh changes his name to “Israel” - a prince with God”, one who reigns with Him in life and inherits the promises given to his forefathers. (Gen. 35:1-15)
The foundations of the set apart, priestly nation were founded upon these men's lives
1.ABRAHAM FAITH Righteousness through living by complete faith in God
2.YITSZAK SUBMISSION Circumcision of heart to the will and purposes of God
3.YA'ACOV SANCTIFICATION Subjection of the fleshly nature to the Spirit of God
It took the components of each of these men's lives to establish the basis for the nation that would inherit the kingdom.
The nation that came forth from the loins of Abraham, Yitszak and Ya'acov had to also be established in these spiritual principles to be eligible to inherit the kingdom. What was in their genes had to have an outworking in their lives.
And so, Yahweh brought them forth as a nation by the same process of faith, submission and sanctification.
Each individual's life, that would come into the kingdom, must undergo the same process from the faith relationship in their spirit, into submission of the will and through to sanctification in their soul. Through many trials we must press in and wrestle against the flesh and all spiritual opposition in order to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 11:12).
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn of many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)
The trials and sufferings of this present age are not to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed IN us if we go through the purifying process (Romans 8:18-25). The end result is being a partaker of His glory.
From the twelve sons of Ya'acov a nation was brought forth out of Egypt. The nation was birthed at the Exodus and established in their faith through the mighty signs and wonders during the ten plagues poured out upon the gods of Egypt. They demonstrated their faith in the application of the blood of the redemption placed upon their doorposts. Exodus 12 They were circumcised in their hearts through their immersion into Moshe (a type of Messiah) in the Red Sea, creating a separation of them from their old life in the world. 1 Corinthians 10:1-5.
But although they were separated from the world (Egypt) after their transit through the Red Sea, the lusts of the world were still in them and they needed to be purged from the lusts of their flesh and walk in obedience to His Word.
And so, they underwent the long journey through the wilderness while they wrestled with their fleshly nature. Like their forefather Ya'acov, it was many hard long years before they came into their inheritance. In the meantime their carcasses fell in the wilderness (Genesis 47:9). That which is of the flesh cannot inherit the kingdom, and so, none of those who sinned entered into the promised land (Deuteronomy 1:34-40; Ezekiel 20:10-24; 1 Corinthians 15:50).
As He is calling and gathering His people to the kingdom again in this day, so He will again cause us to pass under the rod (of discipline) to take the Firstfruits tithe; and thereby bring us into the bond of the covenant (circumcision of the heart) which will be in the “wilderness”, where He will purge out the rebels and they shall not enter the land of Israel.
They will have no portion in the kingdom rule of Messiah (Ezekiel 20:33-38; Galatians 5:19-21).
But the overcomers, the “Caleb's” and the “Joshua's”, the remnant of both Yehudah & Ephraim shall enter the land.