Torah portion: Chayay Sarah – The Life of Sarah
B’reshiyt (Genesis) 23:1 – 25:18
Melekim Alef (I Kings) 1:1-31
I Corinthians 15:50-58
Why is this portion called ‘The Life of Sarah’ when it starts with her death? The only remembrance we have of her life in her death is the number of years she lived. Is that all there is to her eulogy?
The life of Sarah lived on through her children. When a father or mother dies, some things about them are shaped into their children’s lives for the better. Other things are best left dead, not to live on through their children.
What was it about in Sarah’s life that lived on through her offspring? What would any righteous parent want to carry on in the lives of their offspring?
The Helper
After honoring Sarah by burying her in the best of tombs, Abraham directs his servant to go find a wife for their son, Isaac. This servant is not named in this Torah portion, but we do find that he was ‘the oldest of his household, who had charge of all he owned.’ (Genesis 24:2)
Back in Genesis 15:2, we find Abram asking Master YHWH if the son of his inheritance would be through his servant Eliezer. Knowing a little about the ancient Hebrew culture, it stands to reason that Eliezer would have had to have been the oldest who had charge of all his master owned (Genesis 24:2). What can we learn then from the servant that Abraham sent to go find a wife for his son if his name was Eliezer?
The name ‘Eliezer’ means ‘God is help.’ How does God help any of His people? Yeshua told His disciples Who the Helper is Whom the Father sends. See John 14:26:
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father shall send in My Name, He shall teach you all, and remind you of all that I said to you.”
The fact that we are not given a name for the servant in this Torah portion says something about the Author of the Scriptures – the Holy Spirit. Peter verified His authorship: ‘but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.’ (2 Peter 1:21) Also consider Yeshua teaching us that the Holy Spirit doesn’t speak of Himself, but only that which glorifies the Messiah:
“But when that One comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you into all Truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will announce the coming things to you. That One will glorify Me, for He will receive from Mine and will announce to you. John 16:13-14, LITV
These common threads lead us to the servant Eliezer, ‘God is Help,’ to be a clear type of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has the charge to minister to all the household of our heavenly Father. By the Spirit, parents of the Seed of Abraham want the Ruach Ha’Qodesh to do the same in their households.
Righteous parents also want the Father in Heaven to send the Holy Spirit after a spouse for their offspring. Parents pray that the Spirit of Truth would teach their children and lead them in the way of righteousness, future spouses included. A woman of faith like Sarah would certainly have wanted this for her son.
Rebekkah Like Sarah
When the servant, sent by father Abraham, stopped to water himself and his camels, he found a woman that was remarkably like Sarah, the wife of his master. He knew that Rebecca had the same righteous spirit as Sarah did, because of her hard-working hospitality and eager willingness, hurrying to serve strangers (Genesis 18:1-18; 24:11-20).
We see the character traits of the Messiah in both of these beautiful women. Consider Yeshua with the woman at the well. Yeshua superseded Rebekka’s many gallons of water she carried to satisfy ten camels. Yeshua gave the Living Water of the Holy Spirit to a woman who thirsted in her soul; by His Spirit, she would never thirst again (John 4:1-30).
Isn’t that what every good parent wants for their children – to not go from one disappointing dry well in life to another, but to find the fountain of eternal life in Yeshua the Messiah? Parents pray their children would find spouses, not to be unequally yoked, by the agency and ministry of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.
Love Lives on
When the servant, sent by father Abraham, stopped to water himself and his camels, he found a woman that was remarkably like Sarah, the wife of his master. He knew that Rebecca had the same righteous spirit as Sarah did, because of her hard-working hospitality and eager willingness, hurrying to serve strangers (Genesis 18:1-18; 24:11-20).
We see the character traits of the Messiah in both of these beautiful women. Consider Yeshua with the woman at the well. Yeshua superseded Rebekka’s many gallons of water she carried to satisfy ten camels. Yeshua gave the Living Water of the Holy Spirit to a woman who thirsted in her soul; by His Spirit, she would never thirst again (John 4:1-30).
Isn’t that what every good parent wants for their children – to not go from one disappointing dry well in life to another, but to find the fountain of eternal life in Yeshua the Messiah? Parents pray their children would find spouses, not to be unequally yoked, by the agency and ministry of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.
Love Lives on
The love story of Isaac and Rebecca has inspired many of the Seed of Abraham to marry. This story, more than any other, inspired me when courting Leslie before we were married. Even better, their story inspires us to go deeper into our relationship with our Messiah Yeshua. Now let’s look at where these two met.
Then she said to the servant, “Who is that man there who is walking in the field (sadeh) – to meet us?” The servant said, “He is my master.” So she took the veil and covered herself. Genesis 24:65
A connecting thread to our Bridegroom Yeshua is in the Hebrew word – sod, translated as ‘field.’ Rebecca asked who the man was walking in the field (sadeh) to meet them. The root word for sadeh is sod. In most other love stories in the Scriptures, the place a man would first meet his bride was at a well. Why in this rare occurrence was she to meet her bridegroom in the sod?
Real beauty in the Word is hidden and covered behind the veil of the surface meaning at the literal level. So she took the veil and covered herself. (Gen 24:65) What mysterious beauty is behind the veil?
The Hebrew word sadeh (field) occurs 14 times in this portion, far more than in any other Torah portion. The Spirit of Truth prompts the reader to dig deeper into the sod, to search below the surface level, the literal meanings, for the hidden treasure of the Word.
The Bride of Messiah knows Who most often shows up beneath the surface – Yeshua and His deep love for His Bride! Isaac, a type of Messiah, and Rebecca, a type of His Bride, are types and shadows of Yeshua relating with His beloved disciples and with those close to Him today. So often when I dig deeper into the Word, I find the Messiah and His fathomless love. Pray that our children discover Him this way as well.
Who had more sod-level revelations in the Torah than any of the Master’s apostles? Paul, Sha’ul, who was forgiven much and received much mercy (Luke 7:47; 1 Tim 1:15-16) Sha’ul is the one who wrote the great ‘Love Chapter,’ I Corinthians 13, which starts with those doing good works – and have not love, I am nothing, and ends with – the greatest of these is love.
The Great Mystery Revealed
Sha’ul reveals to us this mystery hidden in the sod, in the field where Isaac and Rebecca met. Sha’ul called it – a Great Mystery:’
For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. “For this, a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak as to Messiah and His Congregation. Ephesians 5:30-33
You and I, the congregation of YHWH, out here among the nations, are a part of that glorious mystery revealed – Messiah in you the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)
…for His Body’s sake, which is the assembly; of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of Elohim which was given me toward you, to fulfill the Word of Elohim, the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his holy ones, to whom Elohim was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory… Colossians 1:25-27
What a privilege to have received this great revelation which fulfills the Torah and all the Word – that we are a part of the re-uniting of the Messiah with His Bride in a covenant relationship, made one with the Messiah. ‘Messiah in you” is the beautiful treasure that was hidden in the Torah all along!
The more we dig beneath the surface of His Word, the more we discover the Messiah and His love! May our children discover Him in their hearts and lives and live out the faith of our forefathers.
M’ahavah – out of love,
In Yeshua’s Name,
David