Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Tag: Grace

Is EleloheIsrael Eleohe(YourName)?

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On March 5, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

After Jacob found grace (unmerited favor) in the face of God (Exodus 32:28-30) and from his brother Esau (Genesis 33:10), at Padanaram, he pitches a tent, and erects an altar there and called it EleloheIsrael, which means God, The God of Israel. 

In other words, after his experience of grace, Jacob, now rechristened with a new name/identity as Israel (Genesis 32:28), upon coming to a place of temporary rest (since a tent is not permanent), on his journey toward the promised land, stops and worships God by erecting an altar. He also makes a personal declaration recognizing The One whom he is worshipping. He identifies God, who had identified himself to Abraham, Isaac, and to him as Elohim (from which we get the root El), meaning God Almighty (Exodus 6:3) as His personal God – The God of Israel (Hebrew: eloheIsrael). Israel in other words is saying that Elohim is His God. 

Points to ponder:
One experiences the grace of God when they acknowledge and admit their current sinful state (as did Jacob) and are graciously given a new identity in Christ, for whoever is in Christ (by belief in Him) is made a new creation/identity (2 Corinthians 5:17). Have you believed in Jesus Christ and been given a new name and identity in Christ? (Galatians 2:20). If you have experienced the grace of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6; John 14:9), the rightful response is to worship him.

Upon belief, as we move on the journey toward the promised land of God, we must recognize that this world is a temporary place (tent), and we must worship God and recognize him to be our personal God. Though He is God Almighty (Elohim), He can be addressed as the God of Israel (Jacob formerly), as your God, and as mine. Is the Almighty God, your personal God? In other words, is EleloheIsrael Elelohe(YourName)? 

Exodus 33:17-20 (KJV)
17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money.
20 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

John 14:8-10 (KJV)
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.



Shalem in Shechem

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On March 4, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

After Jacob (rechristened Israel),finds favor in the eyes of Esau, his brother goes to Seir while he continues to Succoth and arrives at Shalem, a city in Shechem in the land of Canaan, which was promised by God to be given to Abraham and his seed (Genesis 12, 15, 17). Before the city of Shechem, at Padanaram, he pitches his tent and also engages in trade to buy a parcel of land from Hamor, Shechem’s father for a price.

While these place names – Shalem, a city in Shechem, are given to inform us of place names in Israel’s journey en route to Canaan, it is interesting to note the meanings of the names of these places. Shalem is a variant of Shalom meaning peace in Hebrew. Shechem, possibly named so, after the name of Hamor’s son, means “ridge/neck” or “(ridge/neck between the) shoulders” in Hebrew (Genesis 21:14, 24:45).

Armed with these meanings, what starts to formulate is a picture of peace on the ridge of the shoulder. It brings to my mind the picture of the lost sheep now peacefully resting on the shoulders of the good shepherd (Luke 15:3-7). 

Points to ponder:
Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14). He seeks those who are lost (away from God in the clutches of death), finds them, and places them on the ridge of His shoulder (Luke 15:3-7). On His shoulders, one can find peace (Shalem) for He is the Prince of Peace, knowing that He is in control and the government (rule) is upon his shoulders (Shechem) (Isaiah 9:6).

Are you resting on the shoulders of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, meaning have you believed in Him or are you still lost – away from God? In Jesus’ Shechem (shoulder) can one truly find true Shalem (peace); no other place.

Exodus 33:17-20 (KJV)
17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money.

John 10:11,14 (KJV)
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
…
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Luke 15: 3-7 (KJV)
3 And he (Jesus) spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The face of Esau – the face of God

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On March 2, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

In the previous article, we learned about the fatherly love of Esau and his response of love, forgiveness and acceptance, as recorded in Genesis 33:1-7. Reading through Scripture, something equally or if not even more significant surfaces in the character profile of Esau.

The context is as follows. Jacob shrewdly and deceptively had deprived his twin brother, Esau of his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34) and blessings (Genesis 27:1-40). Fearing for his life (Genesis 27:41), he had fled to his uncle Laban’s place, where God had blessed him. Upon God’s direction (Genesis 31:13, 32:9), he is returning to the land that God had covenanted to give his fathers – Abraham and Isaac. Proactively he sends word with his servants, that he may find grace in the eyes of Esau (Genesis 32:5), hoping to have Esau’s wrath turned away from him. His servants return and tell him that Esau is coming to meet him with four hundred men (Genesis 32:6). Greatly distressed, fearing for the loss of his life and his family’s (Genesis 32:11), Jacob cries out to the Lord for his mercy and protection (Genesis 32:9-12) and then he acts again; this time, making ready an appeasement gift of significant proportions to give his brother Esau to avert his brother’s wrath. He sends his possessions as gifts, drove (flock) after drove. When Esau’s comes close to Jacob, he responds not with hatred, but with an accepting and restorative love, just as the father of a prodigal son did. Then when Esau questions, as to what all these droves meant, Jacob responds by saying that these gifts were to find grace in Esau’s eye. Esau informs his brother Jacob that he has enough and that he was not in need of his gifts. Jacob then makes an interesting statement, which is likely one of the greatest commendations that could be said of any man. Seeing the face of Esau, Jacob expresses that it felt as if he had seen the face of God for Esau had accepted him.

The Bible establishes that no man may see the face of God and live (Exodus 33:20). So how can Jacob make such a bold statement? How does Jacob know what God’s face looks like? Just a night ago, Jacob was in the presence of the angel of the Lord with whom he had wrestled. After he accepted his sinfulness and confessed that he was indeed a Jacob (deceiver), God (the angel of the Lord is likely the pre-incarnate Christ) responded with grace and acceptance and said that his past (as Jacob the deceiver) would no longer be necessary for his identification, for henceforth he shall be known by a new name Israel. He had seen God’s face (Exodus 32:30) reflect forgiveness, grace and acceptance. It was not any gift that appeased God, but his humble confession in repentance. Esau reflects that same character of God – of forgiveness, grace, and acceptance. Just as God had shown grace (unmerited favor), so did Esau.

Points to ponder:
The glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6) and we have this treasure hidden in us (2 Corinthians 4:7). When people look at us, do they feel the presence of the Lord? In other words, do they see us forgive, be gracious and accepting of those who have wronged us? Simply put, when people see our lives, can they express that they feel as if they have seen the face of God (in us) – the hidden treasure in our jars of clay? Do they God’s grace in us? Do they see God’s face in us?

Exodus 33:8-16 (KJV)
8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.
12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.
15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (ESV)
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 

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