Genesis

One may feel insignificant in their own eyes, but no one is insignificant in God’s Eyes!! How we see ourselves is NOT how God Sees us! David stated, ‘O Lord, you have searched me and known me. When I sit down and rise, you understand my thoughts from far away. You measured my going and lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. For before a word is in my tongue, behold, O Lord, You Know it all. I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, (Psalms 139).’

(Genesis 32.11) [Jacob says to Lord] God of Israel, ‘I am unworthy of all the kindness and of all the faithfulness that You have completely placed upon Your servant for I crossed the Jordan [twenty years ago only] with my staff, and presently I have become two [large, powerful, forceful, God fearing] camps.’

Jacob needed to flee from his bitter, hateful, angry, resentful murderess brother, Esau. Why? Jacob took Esau’s birthright and blessing reserved for the firstborn. Esau planned to kill Jacob for taking his birthright and the blessing reserved for the firstborn. Rebecca, Jacob’s mother, instructed Jacob to flee to her brother Laban who lived in Haran. After fleeing, he studied at the Academy of Shem and Eber for fourteen years. Then he traveled with his servants, cattle, and wealth to Haran. However, Elifaz, the son of Esau, went after Jacob and overtook him. Elifaz was ordered by his evil father, Esau, to murder his Uncle Jacob. Yet Elifaz was raised by his grandfather Isaac. Elifaz did not want to disobey Esau’s order to kill Uncle Jacob. Elifaz was a righteous man! He was conflicted! How could he do both? Elifaz confronted Jacob with the predicament. Uncle Jacob helped him sort it out. He counseled his nephew to take everything that he owned because a poor man is considered as though he were dead. Jacob was left with the clothes on his back and his staff. Is it possible that Jacob felt small, insignificant, unimportant, helpless, a failure, weaker than a noodle, pushed around, and defeated by our evil inclination, lower than dirt with people walking all over us?

Like Jacob and Elifaz, we sometimes find ourselves in predicaments and conflicting situations. We have allegiances to perhaps [unethical] employees, neighbors, friends, and relatives while also a responsibility to God and His Torah.

[ יַעֲקֹב ]. Jacob’s Name begins with the Letter י Yod. The size of the Letter י Yod is the tiniest of all the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. Yet, the Yod is spiritually the most powerful!! The Holy Name of Lord begins with the Letter Yod. The Name Israel [ יִשְׂרָאֵל ] begins with the Letter Yod. The Holy City Jerusalem [ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם‎ ] begins with the Letter Yod. The Yod is known as a jot or tittle. The Gematria of Yaakov’s Name [182] in connection with the time measured between when Avram was commanded to go to Eretz Canaan and when his grandson Yaakov was commanded to return to Eretz Canaan [182 years]. Notice the Gematria of the word בְמַקְלִי Vi Mahk Lee [ with my staff ] is also the Gematria 182.

Years ago, the Lord Gave me a revelation, ‘Challenge Me to take something small and make it great, something man has discarded and make it something God can use.’ Honestly, doesn’t Lord place the same challenges before each of us? What is challenging in your life? Can you take something small and make it something extraordinary? Let’s look at the י Yod in our life.

The point of our discussion is that even though it may appear like life is going in the wrong direction for us, God Uses many tools to correct our circumstances. God Turns problems into Blessings for The People of Israel. In Numbers, God Turned Baalam’s curse into a blessing for The People of Israel. ‘How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!, (Numbers 24.5].

(Psalms 121.1 – 8) says, ‘I will lift my eyes to the mountains. From where does my help come? My advice comes from The Lord, who made Heaven and Earth. He Will not let your foot be moved; He who Watches you will not slumber. Behold, He who Watches Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper and your shade upon your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall keep your going out, and you’re coming in from this time forth and forever.’

May each of us be encouraged to know that God has our back.

The Lord’s Blessing upon those who make and follow righteous agreements. May The Lord Bless all who study Ha Torah and dedicate themselves to Lovingkindness. Do not be frightened or tripped out by the Esau’s of our world.

Blessings and Peace,

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

Author