Shalom All, 

Welcome to Bereisheet  (B’reisheet) (In the Beginning), this week’s Torah / Bible study section.

Genesis 1:1–6:8; Isaiah 42:5–43:10; John 1:1–18.  “In the beginning [Bereisheet] God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.”  (Genesis 1:1).  Week 1, 29/10/16 

Is it not wonderful to have a fresh start?  To have an opportunity to begin again and put previous failures right? 

This is the precious gift we are given each year at the completion of the fall feasts which includes the annual holy day of the Day of Atonement.  At this time the Jewish people also begin their annual reading of the instructions given to mankind by Yahweh God, through Moses.  The instructions given the synonym   of T.O.R.A.H (TORAH).  In an attempt to constantly be learning and maintaining them in their minds, heart and actions.  Added to these are specific readings of the prophets and, by the Messiah believing Jews and others, a section of the New Testament.  The first two being the Law and the Prophets constantly referred to by the Messiah (Yahshua) and the apostles.

The instructions given by God are contained in the first five books of the Old Testament as these relate to words from God Himself.  They are divided into 52 weekly Torah sections (portions) called Parasha.  Each of which adopt their names from the first unique Hebrew word that appears in the reading, instead of being given a name or title from a theme in the text.  For regular readers, you may note me using either the words, portion, section or Parasha.  Both this first Parasha in the yearly cycle of Torah readings and the first book of the Bible take their name from the first unique word in the text “Bereisheet”, which means in the beginning.  In English, the book of Bereisheet is called Genesis. 

Sometimes the bible account leaves some questions un readers’ minds.  I have added extracts from other accounts not added to the common bible.  These being from the Apocrypha and Josephus’ writings. As this week’s Genesis account should be known to most readers, I have filled the content with an extract from Josephus on Genesis chapters 4 at the end of this week’s scriptures as an example of what is to come in the future. 

A Good Creation.  Parasha Bereisheet opens with a dramatic, awe-inspiring narrative of the creation of our world.

In as few as 31 verses and 469 words, Genesis describes how God takes confusion and emptiness (tohu v’vohu תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ) and creates a perfect, delicate balance of order and beauty. Forming an environment with all the necessities for human life; spiritual and physical. Spiritual because He also set up appointed times translated as “seasons” in Gen 1:14.  These are not summer, winter, rain or other seasons!  “The earth was unformed and void [tohu v’vohu], darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water.” (Genesis 1:2). 

In this Parasha, the Ruach Elohim (רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים The Spirit of God) hovers over the waters (mayim) as God separates the light from the darkness and land from the water.  He creates vegetation and creatures — fish of the sea and birds of the air, as well as land animals.  God looks at everything He has made and declares it good; however, He is not quite finished. On the sixth and final day of creation, God brings forth the first human — Adam (אָדָם) — out of the dust of the earth (adamah אדמה).  In brief, named Adam becomes he comes from the earth which is red.

“Then the LORD God formed man [Adam] of the dust of the ground [adamah], and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”  (Genesis 2:7). 

Notice that it takes the breath of God to transform Adam into a “living soul”, a being of flesh and blood with personality, emotions and desires.  Contained within the name of the first “man” on earth is the Hebrew root word dam (דָם blood).  This is not a coincidence, since God tells us often that life is in the blood (Genesis 9:4; Deuteronomy 12:23; Leviticus 17:11).

Notice as well that humankind, both male and female, are created in the likeness of God (Gen 1:27).  This is not to mean physically i.e. God has two arms, legs etc.  He takes whatever form He wishes.  Pillar of fire, cloud and at times human form when appearing to man as Abraham in Gen 18:23.  While we do not necessarily resemble God in our temporary vessels made out of dust, we may resemble Him in our spirit.  How did God create the universe?  The Bible says He spoke it into existence using words.  For that reason, each act of creation begins with the phrase “And God said ...”.  “And God said: ‘Let there be light.’  And there was light.”  (Genesis 1:3).  Compare to Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth 1Jn 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; 

Although we are not gods, as some movements claim, we have been given creative power in our words.  Even the power of life and death is in the tongue!  (Proverbs 18:21 basis of James 3:1-9).  We see this principle at work when God tells the Israelites that He would give them that which they had declared with their own words.  They fostered unbelief and disobedience and spoke death over themselves.  The result of their faithless words was that the entire generation perished in the wilderness.  “As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness.’”  (Numbers 14:28–29). 

Keeping this in mind, let us carefully guard our mouth and watch our words for they have the power to create good things in our lives and the lives of others, or to cause destruction  (Proverbs 15:4).  [Sadly, many are feeble in conviction and allow words of others to influence their destiny.  Rather than be motivated by them, even to prove negativity wrong, they rely on them.  So be weary of such and protect them where possible].  Moreover, the Word of God spoken in faith is powerful and effective to create light in the darkness and order out of confusion and emptiness.   In the beginning, everything in God’s creation worked perfectly and everything made perfect sense.  He had spoken all into existence in faith, hope, and love. 

Six Days of Labour, One Day of Rest.  After six days of actively creating, God instituted the seventh day Sabbath, a time to cease from labour and enjoy communion with him.  As well as for us and our working animals to be refreshed.  This aids longevity and mental health.  “By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.  Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”  (Genesis 2:2–3)

This holy day of rest is so important that God included it in the top four instructions. Exodus 20:8.  He instituted daily (morning, noon, evening as Daniel), weekly and annual times (lev 23) to spend with and learn of Him.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you…  For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8–11)”. 

Many people substitute “Sabbath” for “rest” as if they mean the same.  They DO NOT.  The name “Sabbath” was given to a period of time between the sixth and seventh sunsets.  Unlike the other periods which were given numbers, day 1, 2, 3 etc. Thus “Sabbath” cannot be inserted between 1 and 2 or any other day’s number.  It goes specifically and exclusively after day six.  Neither is the name interchangeable with “rest” because that is what we are instructed to do.  The instruction is to “cease” from work for the purpose if having a holy convocation with God not to i.e. sleep otherwise sleep or rest would be called “sabbath”!! [Lev 23:3  Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work].  Infact ALL of God’s holy days of Lev 23 are called Sabbaths. Ignorance of this is what leads seekers to think the Messiah died at 3pm Friday and rose early Sunday morning; because they interpret  the references in “Mar 15:42  And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,  Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.” To be speaking of the same day.  They ignore or fail to understand  Mat 12:39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: Mat 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

The Problem of Loneliness.  “And the LORD God said: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him’” (Genesis 2:18).  When God placed man in the Garden of Eden, He declared that it is not good for a man to be alone.  He saw man’s need for a helper, counterpart, and companion; therefore, God put Adam into a deep sleep and took from him a rib to create a suitable partner for him.  

“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh instead thereof.  And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from the man, He made into a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:21–22). 

In Hebrew, a man is called “ish” and a woman, “isha”, the feminine form of “ish”.  God uses this term when He woos Israel and promises a time when Israel will regard Him with fond affection, rather than stand at arm's length from Him, viewing Him as a stern authority figure.  “It will come about in that day,’ declares Yahweh, ‘That you will call Me Ishi (my Man) and will no longer call Me Ba'ali (my Master).”  (Hosea 2:16).  Another taking on this scripture, which I held using the Strong’s concordance, is “ish” means singular and Baali means “lord” of which there are many and is also a term used for false gods “baalims”.  We all accept there is only ONE God and master of all so Yahweh God could be saying we, Israel (believers) would see and call Him as one God and not part of a “lord” system.  1Co 8:5  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,). 

God wants Israel to serve Him out of love, love like that of a woman for her husband.  Likewise, His love for Israel is that of a devoted, tender husband.  Furthermore, God is utterly concerned with our relationships with Him and with one another.  He wants our relationships to be borne of love and devotion, not relationships ruled through domination, control, manipulation, and coercion.   Although the verse describing Chavah (Eve) has often been translated as "helper" or "helpmate", the word used for the role of a wife in Genesis 2:18 is ezer kenegdo.  The word “ezer” means a protector, a guard, an aid, and a help.  So we can understand from this text that helping a husband doesn't means always agreeing. 

The Fall in the Garden.  Sadly, due to a crafty serpent’s trickery, Eve sinned and Adam sinned soon after her; humankind went from grace to disgrace in a single day!  Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, and men and women have been pointing the finger at one another ever since.  There, in the Garden, for the first time in human history, we see the emergence of shame.  With shame came forth a fear of God’s wrath.  In his utter humiliation, Adam hid among the trees, having become aware that he was naked.  From their utopian, sheltered, and innocent existence in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were thrust into a cruel and unforgiving world of hardship and pain.  Being cast out of the Garden prevented them from eating from the Tree of Life in their fallen state.  Doing so would have turned their temporary fallen state into an eternal fallen state.  The barred door of the Garden actually opened the door for redemption in the fullness of time.  How quickly the order and beauty of God’s creation deteriorated into moral degeneracy, even to the point of brother murdering brother (Cain and Abel). 

With humankind spiritually separated from God and deciding for themselves what was good and what was evil, only six chapters into the book of Bereisheet (Genesis), mankind descended to such depths of evil, depravity and violence that God’s heart is broken, and He regrets ever creating mankind.  Yet God had a plan for redemption.  God sent His one and only Son, Yahshua, to pay the penalty for all of our sins.  “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast, all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). 

A New Beginning.   “By the word [davar] of Yahweh the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6).  As shown above  the very first word of this book is the very same first word found in this Torah portion:  Bereisheet (In the Beginning): John 1:1-3, 14.   Yahshua was there at the beginning, and John (Yochanan) describes Him as the agent of creative power, the power that made everything through the spoken word (davar).  It is also through Yahshua, who is called HaDavar (the Word), that we enter into a relationship with God and our true conversation with God begins.  When we accept Yahshua, HaDavar has a home in our hearts.  This means we are born again and given a new beginning as a child of the Heavenly Father, the God of the Universe. 

Immortality can be a curse.

I have always wondered why God does not simply kill the devil and fallen angels rather than bind them for a period of time, even for 1,000 years.  Maybe the answer is in Genesis with what happened to Adam and Eve. 

The LORD exiled Adam and Eve from the garden. It was an act of mercy. Had they remained in the garden, they might have eaten of the fruit of the Tree of Life. God did not create them immortal, yet He left immortality hanging within their grasp. They only needed to reach out and eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life, and that fruit was never forbidden them. Should they do so in their fallen state, they would have been consigned to an immortal existence in rebellion against God, not unlike the Devil, unredeemed and unredeemable for all of eternity: an eternal life of endless death. 

In His abundant mercy, God exiled them from paradise and banned them from immortality:

“Then Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken (Genesis 3:22-23). 

God created our souls and our bodies for the Garden of Delight. In some spiritual memory, every human being can still recall the taste of the fruit of the garden. Human beings have a longing wired into their hearts for the place of God, a desire we cannot quite articulate. We thirst for water we have never tasted. We long for fruit we have never eaten. We hunger and thirst for the presence of God. That’s why you are reading these words. That’s why we are always seeking to fill the empty places of our lives, and it is why we are prone to addictions, sensuality, and self-destructive behaviours. We are longing for Eden.

Adam and Eve’s exile from the garden due to disobedience, corresponds to Israel’s exile from the land and this current exile we individually endure.  When the kingdom comes, Israel will return to the land and the exile will be over. The gates of Eden will open and we will return to the presence of God. Then all humanity will know the LORD. 

So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).  There is a way back to Eden, past the flaming sword and between the cherubim. The Torah calls this the “derech etz haChayim” the “way of the tree of life.” The word “way (derech, דרך)” appears first in Genesis 3:24. The cherubim embroidered in the Temple curtains allude to the way of the tree of life. They stand sentry before the holy of holies and the presence of God, just as the cherubim in Genesis guard the way to the tree of life. This may be one of the meanings of the rending of the Temple curtain when the Master died. He has made the way between the cherubim. He Himself is “The Way, the Truth and the Life.” The early sect of Jewish believers (sect of the Nazarenes Acts 24:5) who followed Him and believed Him called themselves, “The Way.” He has made the way through the curtain, into the garden, to holy of holies and the tree of life.  We can follow His way and gain entry to the garden of God by obeying Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 

Adam and Eve had choices: The tree of life or the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Israel were given the same choice in Deu 30:19.  Choosing is an essential part of being human. We can choose good, which is the way of life, or disobedience, which results in death. We choose between the two trees countless times every day.  We can choose to seek God or remain in temporal hiding. 

Isaiah 42:5-43:10

Isa 42:5  Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and..  Astronomers now say the universe is expanding all the time

 Isa 42:6  I Yahweh have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;  The righteous way of living was given to God’s newly formed nation in Exodus 12 to be a light to the other nations of the earth like a lighthouse is to a ship in danger of destruction against perilous rocks concealed by the ocean. 

Isa 42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. Isa 42:8  I am the LORD (YHWH or Yahweh with the vowels): that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.  Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

False worship is not restricted to that of graven images.  The deceiver has refined his deceits so one may now worships in a false way though belief in the Bible and God of Jacob. 

Isa 42:16  And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Isa 42:17  They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods. Isa 42:18  Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 

Isa 42:21  The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.  By sending the living Word, the Messiah in form of flesh to show keeping the Law can be done if separated from the traditions of men.

Isa 42:24  Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

43:1 ..O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. Isa 43:2  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isa 43:3  For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour… Isa 43:8  Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Isa 43:9  Let all the nations be gathered together, … 

John 1:17:   I will keep my comment on John to one verse that has caused misinterpretation, v17.  Joh 1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  In the KJV (not even NKJV) inserted words are distinguished by being in “itallics” and sometimes in a grey colour.  

The word “but” should not be in the sentence.  It was added in by Christian mentality translators as if Law and grace cannot be together.  However, I remind you of Ex 20:6 which states God shows mercy to those who keep His commandments, not everyone.  In brief, the “law” had its own remedy for sin; the animal sacrifices.  Yahshua’s sacrifice now replaces the animals.  It is through belief (faith) in His atoning blood we now get the mercy (grace) for confessed transgressions of the part of the law relating to what to do and what not to do.  Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Josephus on Genesis 4.

1. ADAM and Eve had two sons: the elder of them was named Cain; which name, when it is interpreted, signifies a possession: the younger was Abel, which signifies sorrow. They had also daughters. Now the two brethren were pleased with different courses of life: for Abel, the  younger, was a lover of righteousness; and believing that God was present at all his actions, he excelled in virtue; and his employment was that of a shepherd. But Cain was not only very wicked in other respects, but was wholly intent upon getting; and he first contrived to plough the ground. He slew his brother on the occasion following : - They had resolved to sacrifice to God.

Now Cain brought the fruits of the earth, and of his husbandry; but Abel brought milk, and the first-fruits of his flocks: but God was more delighted with the latter oblation, (6) when he was honoured with what grew naturally of its own accord, than he was with what was the invention of a covetous man, and gotten by forcing the ground; whence it was that Cain was very angry that Abel was preferred by God before him; and he slew his brother, and hid his dead body, thinking to escape discovery. But God, knowing what had been done, came to Cain, and asked him what was become of his brother, because he had not seen him of many days; whereas he used to observe them conversing together at other times. But Cain was in doubt with himself, and knew not what answer to give to God. At first he said that he was himself at a loss about his brother's disappearing; but when he was provoked by God, who pressed him vehemently, as resolving to know what the matter was, he replied, he was not his brother's guardian or keeper, nor was he an observer of what he did. But, in return, God convicted Cain, as having been the murderer of his brother; and said,

He also cast him, together with his wife, out of that land. And when he was afraid that in wandering about he should fall among Wild beasts, and by that means perish, God bid him not to entertain such a melancholy suspicion, and to go over all the earth without fear of what mischief he might suffer from wild beasts; and setting a mark upon him, that he might be known, he commanded him to depart.  2. And when Cain had travelled over many countries, he, with his wife, built a city, named Nod,

which is a place so called, and there he settled his abode; where also he had children. However, he did not accept of his punishment in order to amendment, but to increase his wickedness….  

He also introduced a change in that way of simplicity wherein men lived before; and was the author of measures and weights. And whereas they lived innocently and generously while they knew nothing of such arts, he changed the world into cunning craftiness. He first of all set boundaries about lands: he built a city, and fortified it with walls, and he compelled his family to come together to it; and called that city Enoch, after the name of his eldest son Enoch… 

 1. NOW this posterity of Seth continued to esteem God as the Lord of the universe, and to have an entire regard to virtue, for seven generations; but in process of time they were perverted, and forsook the practices of their forefathers; and did neither pay those honours to God which were appointed them, nor had they any concern to do justice towards men. But for what degree of zeal they had formerly shown for virtue, they now showed by their actions a double degree of wickedness, whereby they made God to be their enemy. For many angels (11) of God accompanied with women, and begat sons that proved unjust, and despisers of all that was good,  on account of the confidence they had in their own strength; for the tradition is, that these men did what resembled the acts of those whom the Grecians call giants. But Noah was very uneasy

at what they did; and being displeased at their conduct, persuaded them to change their dispositions and their acts for the better: but seeing they did not yield to him, but were slaves to their wicked pleasures, he was afraid they would kill him, together with his wife and children,  and those they had married; so he departed out of that land.

2. Now God loved this man for his righteousness: yet he not only condemned those other men  for their wickedness, but determined to destroy the whole race of mankind, and to make another race that should be pure from wickedness; and cutting short their lives, and making their years not so many as they formerly lived, but one hundred and twenty only, (12) he turned the dry land into sea; and thus were all these men destroyed: but Noah alone was saved; for God suggested to him the following contrivance and way of escape : - That he should make an ark of four stories high, three hundred cubits (13) long, fifty cubits broad, and thirty cubits high.

Accordingly he entered into that ark, and his wife, and sons, and their wives, and put into it not only other provisions, to support their wants there, but also sent in with the rest all sorts of living creatures, the male and his female, for the preservation of their kinds; and others of them by sevens. Now this ark had firm walls, and a roof, and was braced with cross beams, so that it could not be any way drowned or overborne by the violence of the water. And thus was Noah, with his family, preserved. Now he was the tenth from Adam, as being the son of Lamech, whose father was Mathusela; he was the son of Enoch, the son of Jared; and Jared was the son of Malaleel, who, with many of his sisters, were the children of Cainan, the son of Enos. Now Enos was the son of Seth, the son of Adam. 

Shalom.