VaYetze And He Went Out
B’reshiyt (Genesis) 28:10 – 32:3
Hoshea (Hosea) 12:13 – 14:9
Yochanan (John) 1:43-51
Have you ever wondered what it will take to put the fear of God in someone who seems to have no regard for how they mistreat you? What will it take for an oppressor to stop oppressing me or my loved ones? I’ve about had it! How do I shake loose of their tyrannical words and actions that bring others down?
The Dream Factor
We here in the northern hemisphere are facing shorter days and longer nights. We find ourselves wanting to sleep more than in the summer, often in a dreamy state. By the Author’s creative design, the Torah portions these days recount a series of dreams and how they factor in the making of decisions impacting lives and relationships.
Joel prophesied that afterward, that then ‘old men would dream dreams and young men would see visions’ (Joel 2:28) When will this happen?
After a time of restoration rebuking the devourer, Abba promises to deal wondrously with His people. Joel prophesied a future of the time of the presence of YHWH when we are no longer ashamed of anything (Joel 2:26-27).
We can find these themes in the story of Jacob serving uncle Laban and starting a large family. Afterward will be a time of the outpouring of His Spirit with signs and wonders. How do we prepare and enter into such a season when dreams and visions will be common?
The Torah gives us guidance on how to interpret dreams and how they impact our lives and the world around us. This Torah portion, Vayetze, carries us into three dreams: 1. Jacob’s ladder (28:11-16), 2. the call for Jacob to journey (31:11-13), and 3. a warning to Laban (31:24). The first two dreams YHWH connected together by reminding Jacob in the second dream the vow that he had made at Bethel in the first dream to return to his father’s house.
Jacob had to face his oppressive brother Esau and his tyrannical uncle, Laban. Jacob had made the life-changing decision to make YHWH his Elohim, the Mighty Authority over his life, and for Him to direct the path he would choose to go – the way of salvation.
The Dream of White-Washed Laban
Fast forward to the third dream of this portion: YHWH warned Laban not to speak to Jacob “from good to evil” (Gen 31:29). YHWH knows our tactics, He knows our hearts.
Laban sounded like a good guy at the onset. After all, Laban and his mother had blessed and prophesied over his sister Rebecca, Jacob’s mother, that she would: “become myriads of thousands and may our seed possess the gate of those who hate them.” Genesis 24:60
So Laban knew how to speak blessings, but he later chose treacherous words that would oppress Jacob by changing his wages ten times (Gen 31:7-41).
Laban’s name means ‘white.’ I believe Yeshua would refer to a guy like him as a “white-washed sepulcher.” (Matthew 23:37) Yeshua warned the religious rulers and leaders of His day with “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees…” Yeshua exposed their hearts by saying:
“So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23:28.
In the dream with Laban, I believe it was Yeshua Who exposed Laban’s heart by telling him not to speak to Jacob “from good to evil.” In other words, He was saying, ‘Don’t start off sounding religious and pious and then use guilt and condemnation to bring your subject back in under your tyranny to continue to make yourself rich while you just supervise him” (Klug Korner paraphrase). In all the accounts of Laban, we don’t see him lift a finger to help anyone, nor show hospitality to even distant relatives.
Let’s make sure we heed this warning and don’t speak to our brothers and sisters in Messiah “from good to evil.” But always from good and continue in His goodness in word and deed without an agenda or ulterior motive, only in selfless love.
Continuing in Goodness
Paul double warned the Roman believers to ‘Behold then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity (a warning); but toward you, goodness; if you continue in His goodness, otherwise you also will be cut off (another warning). Romans 11:22.
Other translations aptly use ‘kindness’ instead of ‘goodness’ to continue. How true, Hebrew!
We who love to keep and teach commandments and how to not sin, how to not miss the mark of the Torah leading people to repentance, need to remember this important warning! We must continue in His kindness.
We should beware of starting out looking holy and sounding good, but we end up oppressing people with evil speaking – Lashon harah. What would lead us to do that?
I can see myself doing that when I see how someone whom Yah prospers more than me is somehow slipping from my grasp, like when Jacob was slipping from Laban’s grasp. When I feel I will lose a source of blessing, it could be money, it could be friendship, if I were to see them leave my sphere of influence, then my old man wants to manipulate them to my advantage with evil words of guilt and condemnation. I’ve repented of that.
Have a Change of Heart!
What will it take for us to heed the warning of our Elohim, the Mighty Authority in the universe? Dreams are given when our flesh and mind are at rest and inactive.
We certainly need to still our souls and crucify the flesh to hear from the Spirit of God, especially when it comes to warnings that call for a change in direction in how we treat one another.
The prophet Jeremiah declared ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is incurable; who can know it? I, YHWH, search the heart. I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.’ Jeremiah 17:9-10
This word tells me that I cannot know my own heart unless I allow my Father in Heaven to search my thoughts, to try the reins of my heart, and to show me what I cannot see or know about myself.
YHWH says, “I try the reins!” That’s what it takes! We sometimes don’t realize we speak ‘good to evil’ with our friends and loved ones, when we think we’re speaking only good. We sometimes fail to see how we have not continued in kindness when we started out as good and kind before a brother or sister in our fellowships, for example. It takes YHWH searching and trying our hearts and revealing what’s inside – maybe through another brother or sister speaking to us, or through a dream or a vision.
I believe we need to be more open to what the Father is saying to His children, including in the night season in our dreams. I know I need to be asking myself when I wake up from a dream – what did I just dream? What is the Father trying to show me about what’s in my heart and about my relationships with others? Is He trying the reins of my heart? I know He tries my reins. I just need to pay better attention to my Master.
Interpreting Dreams
What will it take to have the wisdom to interpret our dreams?
Humbly spending time trembling before the Word of the Creator of the universe is one way:
“And My hand has made all these things, even all these things exist,” declares YHWH. “But I will look toward this one, to the humbled one, and the contrite of spirit, even trembling at My Word.” Isaiah 66:2
This is the right approach to studying the awesome words of our Elohim and when we’re together midrashing. It’s not about straightening others out or how to use the Scriptures to manipulate others to our advantage, but to come before Him and His Word with humility, fear, and trembling, seeking Him for what He wants to show us about our hearts and our motives.
Wisdom to interpret the Word or dreams and how to understand YHWH by trying the reins of our hearts begins with searching the Scriptures with humility and the ‘fear of YHWH.’
The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding to all those who are practicing them; His praise is standing forever! Psalm 111:10
If we’re going to understand what YHWH wants us to change, what direction we are to go, and how we are to treat others, then we start with the fear of YHWH which is the beginning of how to practically apply what we know from what He shows us for our lives.
The Fear of Isaac
Jacob declared one of the strangest titles for our awesome Elohim – ‘the Fear of Isaac’ to the face of his uncle Laban. Why after saying:
“Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham” did he say “and the Fear of Isaac had been for me”? Genesis 31:42
Genesis Chapter 31 is the only place in all of the Scriptures where we can find this title attributed to our Elohim.
At that time, Isaac was still alive and feared His Elohim. Abraham had passed on ‘to be absent from the body and to be at home with YHWH.’ (2 Corinthians 5:8) Elohim is Love. Where Perfect Love is, ‘there is no fear (1 John 4:8,18). There are no hearts that fear in the underworld.
But Isaac’s beating heart feared the Mighty One, the God of Abraham. He revered Him enough to obey His voice and make the decisions in the way He had for him to go in his life as his father Abraham did.
Did Laban’s heart come to fear Elohim? Let’s read on to what Jacob told him: “…surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.” Genesis 31:42b
Jacob was hot and told him off! Laban had searched through all his stuff for his idols and found nothing stolen. His wages had been changed ten times over twenty years of serving him, making Laban wealthy. Jacob always bore the loss of everything, even by wild beasts taking down livestock. It was judgment time!
Yet YHWH prospered Jacob through it all. We see that despite oppression and persecution, the people of Yah always multiply and prosper. They did down in Egypt, in captivity in the nations, and even with His people today in exile. The more the enemy oppresses us today, the more we can expect to see His people prosper!
Rendered Judgment
So Jacob tells off Laban that he would have sent him away with nothing and would have kept everything for his greedy self. But Elohim, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac saw how Jacob was unrighteously oppressed, how he hadn’t sinned, and so He ‘rendered judgment last night.” (Genesis 31:42b)
How did Jacob know that YHWH ‘rendered judgment last night? Yeshua said that by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established (Deut 19:15; Mat 18:16). Laban was the second witness making a stunning admission that kept him in check:
“It is in the power of my hand to do you harm. But the God of your fathers spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Watch out for yourself that you do not speak with Jacob from good to evil.’” Genesis 31:29
Laban changed his mind about doing Jacob harm to take him back under his jurisdiction. What got to him? The dream.
YHWH had tried the reins of his heart and warned him not to say anything ‘from good to evil.” Laban actually feared the judgment that YHWH had rendered and heeded the judicial warning. He knew he better not harm Jacob in any way – or else!
Yet we see that mercy triumphed over judgment (Jacob/James 2:13). YHWH could have easily stopped Laban in his greedy tracks and destroyed him and his wealth, but He allowed him to chase after Jacob.
Why let him go? Laban had a witness to testify to Jacob that YHWH had ‘rendered judgment last night. Jacob then knew from his oppressor’s very mouth that his Elohim was for him and his seed, and not against him. That judgment had been rendered.
The Fear of Isaac in the Cutting of a Covenant
Laban also had to come to Jacob to make an oath with him to settle their contractual relationship. It was time for a new covenant to end the tyrannical relationship with a hold-harmless agreement (Genesis 31:52). They made a heap of stones and a pillar for a future witness to the oath. It is very interesting how Jacob sealed the deal: “So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.” (Genesis 31:53)
There it is again for the last time – Pachad Yitschaq. From the lexicons, I find the Hebrew word ‘Pachad’ means ‘Fear, afraid, dread, awe, terror, shake, as shaking when frightened.’ It’s not so much about respect out of reverence, but to be trembling with reverence before an awesome and mighty Elohim.
In paleo Hebrew, we see the word ‘Pachad (Fear)’ to be a picture of an open mouth speaking words that shake a wall and open a closed door. Applying that to our hearts, we see that the powerful spoken Word of Elohim, the Mighty Authority, causes the walls we put up around our hearts to shake and open up!
Why would anyone open the door of the heart to let in ‘The Fear of Isaac’?
The Gospel From the Top of the Ladder
The answer is by hearing the voice at the top of Jacob’s Ladder. From there, Yeshua said that ministering angels ascend and descend upon the Son of Man (John 1:51). Yeshua is the ladder through the portal of heaven to the Father. And, He is the Door, the Way to the Father (John 10:7-9; 14:6).
Let’s hear what the Father says by the way of the Son from the top of the Ladder:
And, behold, YHWH stood above it and said, “I am YHWH the Elohim of your father Abraham, and the Elohim of Isaac; the land on which you are lying, I will give it to you and to your seed. And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your Seed. And, behold, I will be with you and will guard you in every place in which you may go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not forsake you until I have surely done that which I have spoken to you.” Genesis 28:13-15
This is Good News! This is the Gospel extended from Abraham to Jacob and all his Seed!
Jacob hears in his dream that YHWH will multiply his seed in that all the families of the earth would be blessed. YHWH promises to be with him, guard him every step of the way, never leaving nor forsaking him. Mishpochah that promise of blessing is ours today!
Paul said that these words of blessing from the top of the ladder ‘preached the gospel:
Now the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” Genesis 12:3, Galatians 3:8
This same good news, that all the Seed of Abraham, the Seed being the Messiah in us (Gal 3:16), is a blessing to all the families of the earth. In Messiah, we are a blessing, you are a blessing! In Messiah, we are good news to the world! Let that truth penetrate through the walls of our hearts and bless us richly in our days.
Despite the tyranny and oppression in our world today, we are a blessing to all the families of the earth – all of them! That’s how we should carry the Gospel to the nations, not that we promise material wealth and prosperity, but that we promise that by the new covenant and the regeneration of our spirits, we have become a new creation, reproducing the life of Messiah and His many blessings to all the families of our world.
For us to be that blessing to others, we must refrain our tongues from being like Laban and speaking ‘from good to evil.’ Let’s be sure to speak kindly and to continue in that kindness as we continue to love one another. Let’s be sure that we’re not oppressing our brothers and sisters with religious facades of whiteness ending up with lashon harah, evil speaking, but with the many blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The Fear of Laughter
The Fear of Isaac can be looked at from the aspect of Isaac’s name meaning ‘laughter.’ Substituting the meaning of his name we see ‘the Fear of Laughter.’
Not only is the fear of YHWH what Isaac had before the God of Abraham, but the fear that the enemy has for those who bring a sacrifice of praise (Psa 40:3; Heb 13:15) and who will laugh with YHWH at their plots:
But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity. The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth. Adonai (the Master, Lord) laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming. Psalm 37:11-13
Judgment will come to the rich like Laban, who devour the righteous with deceitful words. The righteous will get the last laugh. Here is a warning to our oppressors:
You love only devouring words – treacherous tongue! God will pull you down forever, and snatch you, rip you out of your tent, and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.
Then the righteous will see and fear, and laugh at him. Here is the man who did not make God his stronghold. Instead, he trusted in his great riches – and was strong in his evil desire.” Psalm 52:6-9
Rejoice, O House of Jacob!
The Fear of Isaac is the Fear of Yeshua
Who in the end is Adonai (the Master, Lord) Who will judge all mankind when all the righteous will laugh about the end of the oppression of the white-washed and the rich?
Who is the Fear of Isaac/Laughter? Adonai Yeshua – ‘Messiah Yeshua, will judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His Kingdom.’ 2 Timothy 4:1
Adonai Yeshua is the Fear of Isaac. The Messiah made a New Covenant through His sacrifice whereby His covenant He promises nothing will harm those to whom He gives His authority. He is the Deliverer Who released Jacob and his Seed from the tyranny of their oppressors. He promises us the blessings of the Renewed Covenant in His blood.
Behold I give authority to you to tread on snakes and scorpions and all the power of the enemy, and nothing will harm you. Luke 10:19
It is not the flesh and blood of a Laban we wrestle with when we’re under oppression, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
We put our trust in our God, our Messiah, walking in covenant relationship with our Deliverer Who fights our battles for us – for the battle belongs to YHWH (1 Sam 17:47).
Our walk is directed by His Word, a light unto our feet, and a lamp to our feet (Psalm 119:105). That may come by leading of the Spirit of Truth when in prayer or in the Word. Or it may come from the Spirit in a dream or a vision.
Our job is to fear and respect Him enough to obey the Mighty One, our Elohim.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear The Elohim, and keep His commandments; for this applies to every man. Ecclesiastes 12:13, HRB
In the Fear and Awe of our Divine Messiah,
David