Your God, not My God

Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your first-born; I have done as you told me. Pray sit up and eat of my game, that you may give me your innermost blessing.”
Genesis 27:19 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

The rabbis debate Jacob’s words in Genesis 27:19. Some say he lied, similar to “she is my sister.” Lies about identity is a theme.

But some say the phase can be read, “I am; Esau is your firstborn,” being technically not a lie, but maybe a “good” kind of deception, if there is such a thing.

Isaac said to his son, “How did you succeed so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because your God יהוהgranted me good fortune.”
Genesis 27:19 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

On the other hand, the phrase, “because YOUR God,” in verse 20 may be the key to the story. Jacob has no relationship with God, yet.

His intention isn’t to honor God, so we shouldn’t try to reconcile righteousness and deception. It is only deception at this point in the story.

Hagar’s Cry

Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “May I not see the boy die!” And she sat opposite him, and raised her voice and wept. God heard the boy crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
Genesis 21:16-17 (NASB)

It’s fascinating to read that both Hagar and Ishmael are crying out, but the text only says that God heard the boy crying, but then the angel asks “what is the matter with you, Hagar?”

Why would it say “God heard the boy crying?”

There are thoughts in the commentaries about this:

Perhaps the boy is about to die, and his need is greater than hers. Surely God attends to the needs of the most needy.

Or Perhaps it’s because Ishmael is a son of Abraham, so there’s a special connection. God has made a promise to be with Ishmael.

Etc, etc. It’s all Ishmael-centered.

But maybe the story is actually still centered around Hagar. Maybe the reason God hears the boy’s cry is because that is Hagar’s specific prayer. She cries out to God, “Please hear my son’s cry.” Though God made a promise about Ishmael to make him a great nation, God and Hagar already have an established relationship. God sees Hagar.

The Prophet’s Role

Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
Genesis 20:7 (NKJV)

When “prophet” is first introduced, we are shown the prophet’s role:

1. To restore relationship
2. To plead on behalf of someone:
– a) So they may live
– b) So they may avoid destruction

The word “restore” is שׁוּב (shuv), and it’s the same as “repent” or “turn back.” It is a word that means to return to origin and start again. It is a word of healing and repair.

But restore back to what?

The phrase “man’s wife” is אֵשֶׁת־הָאִישׁ (ishet ha’ish). Literally “the wife of the husband.” These words bring us back to Genesis 2, when Adam first meets his wife, who is just like him, as though she’s made in his image and likeness.

And this points us back to Genesis 1: “Let us create mankind in our image.”

The prophet’s role is firstly one of restoration. To restore us to one anther, and to God. To bring us into oneness and wholeness and peace with God, like it was in the Garden.

And this is done through intercession, through praying on behalf of others.

Look at the words of life and death. God doesn’t say “if you don’t, I will kill you.” He says “if you do not שׁוּב (shuv), you will die.

In the hebrew, it is מוֹת תָּמוּת (mot tamut). “You will surely die.” (lit. dying-die)

Yes. The same words from the Garden.

In the first story of death, we were told if we ate from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, we would mot tamut. But here: if we do not restore, we will mot tamot.

Can you see it? Can you see God’s desire? God wants the restoration of relationships: Ish and Ishah, God and humanity, we and our neighbors… as it was in the garden. As it is in heaven.

This is the prophet’s prayer.

Because everything else is death, chaos, destruction, hopelessness, emptiness, loneliness.

God and Women

Does the Genesis 17 Covenant of Circumcision show that God has a special relationship with men that He does not have with women? Does Circumcision make men more special?

Perhaps the opposite. Per Jewish teaching, women are “born circumcised,” and are therefore under the Covenant from the beginning. It is only men who must be “fixed.”

El Shaddai

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
Genesis 17:1 (NIV)

There is so much depth in the Hebrew names of God, and the English has a hard time capturing it succinctly.

Yes, “El Shaddai” means “God Almighty.” But it also means so much more.

Shaddai is a word that has several meanings. The root is assumed to be SH-D-D, related to power, force, and destruction. The related Hebrew word “shadad” means to devastate, ravage, or plunder.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Proverbs 11:3 (NIV)

The scriptures use this word as power against unrighteousness. Divine judgement.

But some scholars suggest that the root of “El Shaddai” may be something else. Focusing on the last part of the word (dai), the Hebrew meaning becomes “sufficient” or “enough.”

Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
Exodus 36:6-7 (NIV)

In this, they see El Shaddai as:

The God who is self-sufficient.
The God who is enough.
The God who says ‘it is enough.’

And it’s from this third name (The God who says ‘it is enough’) that we arrive at this teaching that says “with the name יְהֹוָה (I AM), God creates the world and it expands; with the name אֵל שַׁדַּי (God Almighty), God stops the expansion, so the world is contained.”

As the rabbis explored this name, they also saw something special about this covenant of Genesis 17.

Abram was already given a promise of land and progeny in Genesis 15; this new covenant can’t seal those two things which were already unconditionally promised.

So what is new?

God uses this Hebrew word “olam” four times in this chapter, which means “everlasting.”

It’s not the first time the word shows up. Previously, God mentions the “everlasting covenant” with all humanity after the flood.

I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Genesis 17:7 (NIV)

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
Genesis 9:16 (NIV)

But what’s different here is this promise of **relationship.**

In Genesis 9, God promises not to destroy the world by flood, but in Genesis 17, God promises to always be Abram’s God and the God of Abram’s descendants.

But this is conditioned on circumcision. An outward sign.

This is the nature of relationships: It has to go both ways. God is not merely “out there” keeping the universe from flying apart. He’s right here, desiring intimacy with us. He wants us to be whole hearted with Him as He is with us.

And if we will not? If Abram refused?

The rabbis see something else in the “sufficient” part of El Shaddai: Perhaps God says if we will not participate with Him, then there is no point to any of it. The world could end in fire and God will still be holy and have kept His word: “shadad = destroyer.”

To be “self-sufficient” is to need nothing. God can do it all himself.

And yet… God desires to engage the world with us, through us, in relationship. He wants us involved. He loves us. Though He is self-sufficient, God *wants* us.

To love God back is to respond.

In this way, our “works” in response earn us nothing. It doesn’t save us from fire or elevate us in righteousness. It is purely the manifestation of relationship: to be circumcised is to dedicate ourselves in relationship. To be circumcised of heart is to belong to God.

There is another meaning of “El Shaddai,” and it is tied to nurturing. It is the word “shad,” or “breasts.”

… because of your father’s God, who helps you,
because of the Almighty, who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,
blessings of the breast and womb.
Genesis 49:25 (NIV)

In Genesis 49, Jacob blesses his sons, and “shaddai” and “shad” are tied together here.

And there is both a meaning of blessing of progeny and of comfort, like a mother holding her child against her body. Nurturing. Compassion.

El Shaddai cares deeply for you.

All of this in a name of our God: mighty, sufficient, nurturing, compassionate… for us. For you.

Come and meet my God.