Musing – How many times did God test Abram’s faith?

How many times did God test Abram’s faith before giving him a character from His own name, changing Abram’s name to Abraham?  This list of 10 tests is supported by familiar Bible passages:

1.      God tells Abram to leave his homeland to become a stranger in the land of Canaan.

2.      Immediately after his arrival in the Promised Land Abram encounters a famine.

3.      Egyptians take beloved wife Sarai, and bring her to Pharaoh.

4.      Abram faces incredible odds in the battle of the four and five kings.

5.      Abram lays with Hagar after not being able to have children with Sarai.

Note – Abram is 99 years old and God renews His covenant and give Abram an “H” and renames him Abraham.  See Hebraic Insight #20 reprinted below to understand the significance of the name changing in Genesis 17.  

But the testing continues…

6.      God tells Abraham to circumcise himself – at the age of 99!

7.      Abraham argues with God about Sodom and Gomorrah and rescues Lot’s family.

8.      Abimelech, king of Gerar captures Sarah, intending to take her for himself.

9.      God tells Abraham to send Hagar away after having a child with her.

10.  Hagar and Abraham’s son, Ishmael, have to be sent away.

11.  God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, upon an altar.

Thank you Lord for not testing me this much!  But On-the-other-hand, I heard that God only tests those He loves. 

Point to ponder

Has God tested us to this degree?

Did Abraham earn the title “Father of Faith”?

Consider the covenental significance of giving someone a part of your name?
Are you called a “Christ”ian?

Shalom y’all                                                                                        November 24, 2015   

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,   Author:                       

“Hebraic Insights”  “Biblical_Marriage” “Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   www.InsightsByYosef.com

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Insight #20 from: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of Christian faith” 
            by Yosef  March 2015   (Requires Hebrew font capability to fully appreciate)

20. Ha Shem (the Name) Yeshua
Or  Why is His name to be lifted up?    On the cross?

The special name of God is to be revered and is thus unpronounceable:

Yod Hei Vav Hei in Hebrew, h w h y (ßHebrew reads R to L)

We have heard it pronounced Yahweh or Jehovah.  The powerful symbolism says God’s hand, God’s breath, secured by, God’s breath. This name of God is so sacred that Jews refuse to pronounce it for fear of violating the third commandment. But then:

In Gen. 17:5 God gave Abram part of His name, an H, to become Abraham.
            (minus) Hei (breath of God)—h

In Gen.17:15 He gave Saria part of His name, the other H, to become Sarah.
            (minus) Hei (breath of God)—h

That left God with Yod ___ Vav ___    or   _ w _ y (ßR to L)

But man needed to have the original sin dealt with. The original sin was seeing and consuming from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So God took man’s sin into His name by replacing the missing letters with letters that represent the original sin.

·         Seeing the fruit with knowledge of good and evil.
       So He added to His name Ayin (eye, see, know)—u

·        Consuming from the tree of good and evil.
       (plus) Shin (teeth, consume)—v

Thus God’s name became Yeshua:
          Yod Shin Vav Ayin   or   u w v y (ßR to L)
which means salvation (in Greek “Jesus”).

Yod Shin Vav Ayin or the name Yeshua (Jesus) symbolically means God’s hand,   consuming teeth,   securing nail,   seeing knowledge.

Is this what it means to “pray in His name”?

Another thought, is this possibly what Yeshua meant when He said in Matt. 5:38 “You have heard that it was said,
            “Eye for an eye,  (Ayin (eye, see, know)  u ))   and a  tooth for a tooth (Shin (teeth, consume)  v )” ?

Points to Ponder

Consider the covenantal significance of giving someone a part of your name?

Are you called a “Christ”ian?