The Legacy of Jacob "Israel"

Let's look at our family tree...our real inheritance. Perhaps the revelation of who we really are will bring us to real repentance.

"O Yahweh, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to thee shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: 'Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.' " Who is Jeremiah (16:19) speaking to? Clearly, in the preceding verses the "fishers" and "hunters" are sent to find and bring back the whole of Israel.

Hosea words of indictment are addressed to the grandson of Jacob, that is Ephraim the son of Joseph. That indictment goes on and on verse after verse... And perhaps it is not too early in the recitation to suggest the possibility that these words of Yahweh apply to us... Similarly, using virtually an exact quotation from Hosea, the seventh and last letter to "the Churches" in the book of Revelation declares: "For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." In Hosea (12:8) Ephraim says, "Ah, but I am rich, I have gained wealth for myself"; but all his riches can never offset the guilt he has incurred." Does the "tiger" change his stripes? Has the legacy of Jacob "Israel" been passed on down in the inheritance? From Abraham to Isaac to Jacob "Israel" to Jeroboam "Israel" to us?

4:1 No faithfulness, or kindness, no knowledge of God
4:2 They break all bounds, murder follows murder
4:6 Forgotten Torah
4:12 Spirit of harlotry
4:16 "Israel" (Ephraim) is a stubborn heifer
4:17 "Ephraim" is joined to idols
4:18 Drunkards (in spirit as well as body and soul?)
4:19 A Wind (Prince of the Power of the Air) has wrapped them in its wings
5:5 Pride in "Israel"
5:7 Borne alien children
5:11 Goes after vanity
5:13 Goes to the "world's powers" symbolized by Egypt and Assyria
6:4 Love that doesn't last---heat of sun on the dew---poof, the love evaporates
7:8 "Ephraim" mixes with people
7:11 "Ephraim" like a dove, silly without sense
7:13 Strayed and rebellious, speaking lies against me (Yahweh)
7:14 Gash themselves (cutting), devise evil
8:4 Make leaders, kings, princes but not through me (Yahweh) and without my knowledge
8:7 Sow to Prince of Power of the Air and reap whirlwind
8:9 A wild ass (to Assyria), hiring lovers
8:10 Hiring allies
8:11 Multiplying altars for sinning
8:13 Returns to Egypt
9:3 Not in Land of Yahweh, gone to Egypt, eating unclean foods, the "dainties" of Assyria
for their hunger only; not eating in the house of Yahweh, his food
9:9 Sin of Gibeah: homosexuality (see Judges 19:22)
9:15 Sin of Gilgal: every evil (see Judges 15:33, 1 Sam. 11:15, 13:8-11); Yahweh begins to hate them...
10:3 King...no king: double-mindedness
10:4 Empty oaths, vows, commitments... mere words
10:13 Eaten fruit of lies: trusted in chariots, armies, weapons, and skills
11:5 Return to Egypt (the land of fleshly satisfaction); Assyria shall be king (rule the spiritual)
11:11 "Ephraim" has encompassed me with lies
12:1 "Ephraim" herds the wind, pursues the east wind (desert); makes a bargain w/Assyria
12:2 Yahweh will punish Jacob according to his ways; Ephraim included?
12:7 "Ephraim": a trader with false balances, unequal weights and measures...
12:8 "Ephraim": Ah, but I am rich, I have gained wealth for myself...
12:12 Jacob "fled"...did (hard) service for a "wife" and "herded sheep"; does it apply today?
13:9 I will destroy you, O Israel: clearly not the old Jacob!!
13:12 The iniquity of Ephraim: no distinction between grandson and grandfather!

According to Paul "all Israel" will be saved when the fullness of the nations, the "wild" branches, are grafted back into the Olive Tree of Israel. But before "the rest of Israel" will be saved, perhaps the "East wind of Yahweh, out of the wilderness will dry the fountains, parch the springs, and strip the treasury of 'riches'... (Hosea 13:15)
"Samaria" shall bear her guilt---are we Samaria?---because she has rebelled against her God. Samaria's lineage is clearly traceable back to Jacob; Jeroboam's sin is Jacob's sin. Is not Jacob's "Israel" also Ephraim's "Israel"?
Many claim to be "Israel": will all "Israel" acknowledge the full legacy and inheritance which they have received from Jacob their father: the sin as well as the promises? Especially, the "Ephraimites"?

The much-used, churchy, catch-all phrase "to be born again" in Hosea receives Yahweh's light: "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his sin is kept in store. The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son; for now he does not present himself at the mouth of the womb." (13:12-13, 14:1-2) "Return, O Israel, to Yahweh your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take with you words and return to Yahweh; say to him "Take away all iniquity..." Ephraim needs to be born again, but because of the above stored-up "sin", which the Laodicean letter confirms, he is likely to be a Jacob-come-lately to birth. Likely requiring the reality of "Jacob's Trouble!"

Ephraim needs to be born again, "again"!

How to Find Mr. Right...or Ms. Right!!

Is not the search for a "mate" one of the most anxiety-producing priorities of the human soul? From television series to executive boardrooms to the bathroom and the bedroom closet, "the quest" occupies a considerable portion of our personal energy budgets. Here are a few suggestions, perhaps they should be called "The Ten Suggestions" on how not to meet and marry that special person:
1) Book a cabin on a "Singles" cruise ship to the Bahamas
2) Go to a singles Bar
3) Have a search plan for your "Soul-mate" and really strive to reach your goal
4) Write your favorite Celebrity Actor-Columnist-Guru and get some advice
5) Hang out with the "In-Crowd"!
6) Post a photo/profile on Facebook
7) Have your palm-fortune read, and of course consult your horoscope
8) Sign-up with an on-line dating service
9) Vacation at a "dude" spa-ranch, hike the Appalachian Trail...
10) Pickup a date at your best friend's wedding
11) Perfect the tale of your life (the juicier the details so much the better) and get a TV interview with "Phil"... whichever Phil fills the bill
12) Listen to all your friends' tales of success and... well, by now you get the general drift of...

I was once described as "a keeper" by a sister of a woman I was dating (like in reel this fish in...he's keeper, or perhaps she meant shoot this "buck"...?). A few years back it was the fad to rate men and women on a scale of one to ten. A 10 was a trophy catch!! And always it seemed the Trophy 10 Men and Women were in short supply and never gave a "nerd" a second look!

So what are men and women of "faith" to do in such a world? Before you "start your engines" perhaps the following checklist would be helpful and profitable in moving toward the hope of a Yahweh prepared and selected partner/spouse.
1) What Tree is she eating from: The Tree of Life or the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
2) Where is he planted: in the garden of the world or in Yahweh's Garden/Kingdom?
3) Is his Life and the Tree bearing fruit every month?
4) How will she do in the "day" of Adversity? Drought? Darkness? Is she "sappy and green"?
5) Is he a "choice vine" of Yahweh and would you choose him?
6) Is she rooted in Yahweh and drawing water from a live spring?
7) Is his/her fruit sweet to your taste? Will you be content to abide/sit in his shade?
8) Who is he abiding in, resting in, trusting in? Is she a Proverbs 31 woman?
9) What are her desires? Who is her delight?
10) Does he have a wisdom and understanding of Yahweh's teaching, instructions, His ways?

Might these be considered as "The Ten Questions" of Yahweh's revelation, perhaps even His Ten Commandments of matchmaking?
"So Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which Yahweh God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh..." Is this not the perfect matchmaking that Yahweh offers to all who would have His ways, without the running to and fro with all its striving and anxiety? Is not His match perfect in spirit first (because He has brought it about in His own Spirit!), then fitted in soul and in the physical/flesh? Adam, in his deep sleep, never knew his rib and been taken, and then secretly fashioned into Eve, but when Yahweh brought her to him, he immediately recognized her. He didn't recognize her as a "soul-mate", but as an ezer ka-negdo (face to face) mate in the Spirit of Yahweh from His Kingdom Realm---then all the rest in the soul and physical were ordered rightly.
So you think you can improve on His Way and His Creation?

Bread Crumbs: Follow the Trail...

In the World, the conventional wisdom is "follow the money, follow the Green...! Where's the Bread?" Whole populations emigrate, couples marry, technologies are adopted, businesses are justified or fail...all in quest of the money honey pot. An adequate "provision" in this age is a trophy paycheck, a trophy house, a trophy wife/husband, and, of course, the "perfect family." Many know such a package is way beyond their aspirations or capabilities, so they settle for a "good" facsimile of the above. Best to avoid such people, because they have given up on their dream, if they ever had one, and you can be assured, sooner or later, they will try to persuade you to give up on your dream...or at the minimum they will hint you are a bit peculiar or delusional or self-deceived...
Yahweh's economy, along with His Ways, are different. His ways are not our ways. The bread of Yahweh's Kingdom is easily discerned by those who have eyes to see. Yet one loaf or a few fishes generally are interpreted as completely inadequate to feed twelve or three thousand... Quite easily the statement follows: we have no "Bread!!"; and then comes the Question--- "Why do I/we have no bread?..."

Here is Yahweh's response: 1) Why are you talking about "no bread"? 2) Why don't you "see" or understand? 3) Why are your hearts hardened, stubborn, rebellious...? 4) Why having eyes do you not "see"? Why having ears do you not "hear"? 5) Do you not "remember" (five loaves for five thousand, seven loaves for four thousand...)? 6) Why do you not "understand"?

When "the leaven" of a different "spirit" guides us, we quite naturally insist on "seeing" with eyes of the flesh, and these eyes always insist on seeing "the Bread"!! No see...no believe...no sign...no believe... This disposition comes from a"spiritual leaven" that rejects Yahweh's provision and the faith that believes His Promises to His Children. Faith is believing in that which is not seen with the physical or fleshly eyes... Those who insist on "seeing" with those fleshly eyes a "provision" will never see His Provision.

Perhaps your faith is not adequate to face spiritual powers, or is riddled with doubts, or is insistent on "seeing"... The man who sought healing for his son saw the inadequacy of his faith and cried out, "I believe, help my unbelief!"

The Canaanite woman seeks out God for healing for her daughter. She has absolutely no standing within the "children of Israel." She is reminded that "the bread" is for Israel and it is not to be given to "the dogs"; by clear implication she is a dog! But she sees even the crumbs of bread falling from God's Table as being sufficient: "Yes, Lord...yet even the dogs eat the crumbs from their master's table." Her faith is acknowledged and commended. She "saw" God in the "crumbs"!

"And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh, and distribute to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins." (1 Chron. 16:2-3) From the King's Table came a loaf of bread for all Israel.
Can you "see" the crumbs? Do the crumbs reveal the possibility or existence of the loaf? Are you seeing and perhaps settling for the crumbs...? Can you see perhaps a slice from off the loaf and do you want it? Can you see a loaf for you from the Kings Table as one of the men and women of "all Israel"?

So you will either see "the bread" of the world, or you will see the Bread from Yahweh's Table, and that Bread, even if it be "crumbs" will be filling and satisfying. Following the trail of the "Bread Crumbs" is the way to go... better yet follow the Baker... and of course, make sure he is not Pharaoh's baker!!