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Parsha Page
Torah, Genesis
19:1-38
The two angels arrived in S'dom in the evening, as Lot was sitting in the gate
of S'dom.
Chapter 19
presents the story of the two malakhim (angels) that went to S'dom after leaving
Abraham. Lot is faithful to extend hospitality to the
strangers, but there is quite a contrast between his hospitality and that of
Abraham. While Abraham ran to greet his visitors and prepared an extravagant
meal, Lot merely rose from a place of importance and provided matzah (unleavened
bread). Lot also merely saw the two angels of Adonai, not the Lord Himself.
Lot convinced
the malakhim to spend the night in his house for protection, and all the men of
S’dom came to sexually abuse the strangers. Lot provided protection from the
townspeople, even offering his virgin daughters in their place. As the
townspeople became increasingly violent, the malakhim blinded them, and told Lot
and all his extended family to flee from the destruction that was to come. Lot
was unable to convince his son-in-laws that the destruction was imminent, so
they stayed behind and were lost.
Lot's wife looked back as she fled, against the commands of the malakhim, and
she was turned into a pillar of salt.
Lot and his
daughters eventually went into the hill country, and lived in a cave. There, his
daughters decided they had no chance to obtain husbands, and got Lot drunk, had
incestuous relations and each daughter had children by Lot.
One is the ancestor of Moab, the other the ancestor of Ammon. These are
the same daughters that Lot offered to the people of S’dom in the place of the
malakhim. There is commentary that perhaps these daughters truly believed that
Lot was the last surviving male. Their comment in 19:31 “Our father is old, and
there is not a man on earth to consort with…” supports that commentary. The
descendants of these two sons become bitter enemies of Israel, but also produce
the Moabite Ruth, and the Ammonite Naamah, who is King Solomon’s wife and also
Rehoboam’s mother.
Qeriath,
Isaiah 17:14 - 18:7
Yeshiyahu
(Isaiah) is making a pronouncement regarding the fate of the Northern Kingdom
(Judah) and Damascus, who are allies. This occurred in 735 BCE, and is described
in Isaiah chapters 7 and 8. The fall of the Northern Kingdom came because the
people had turned away from Adonai, trusting in idols and treaties with other
kings.
When Ethiopian
leaders encourage Judah to revolt against Assyria, Isaiah tells the people that
they are safe, because Adonai is resting calm and confident in His habitation,
which is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. They should rely on Adonai, not on
treaties with other kingdoms. Isaiah then prophesies the destruction of a great
nation, perhaps Assyria, with vultures feasting on the dead in the hills. At
that time people will recognize the power and might of the God of Israel, who
resides at Mount Zion.
Da'ath,
Hebrews 13:1-6
The author of
Hebrews is telling the Messianic Jews to continue observing the mitzvoth
(commands from Torah) to extend sacrificial hospitality to each other, and also
to strangers and foreigners. In this way, some have entertained malakhim – just
as Lot did in our Torah reading. The people of S’dom were guilty of violating
this command, to the extreme. We are to empathize with those who are suffering
or enduring mistreatment. Keeping sexually pure is emphasized, which was another
of the sins of S’dom. And we are encouraged to always keep in mind that Adonai
has promised not to leave us, and He will not fail to provide for us. There is
nothing that a person can do to us that God cannot prevent, or provide shelter
from.
Igarath,
Hebrews 8:1-6
The author continues describing
Yeshua as our Cohen Gadol, or high priest. Yeshua sits at the right hand of God,
in what the author describes as the true Tent of Meeting, in the Holy Place in
Heaven. This would be what Moshe saw on Mount Sinai, to use as a pattern for the
Mishkan. Just as the Mishkan was a shadow or copy of what Moshe was shown on the
mountain, what the earthly cohen did was just a shadow of the true work of
Salvation that Yeshua performed as He committed Himself to death on the cross.
The covenant that Yeshua mediates is superior to the one the earthly cohanim
mediated.
Conclusion
In Torah, Lot is saved because he
provided hospitality and protection to strangers. Qeriath tells us of Isaiah's
prophecy of judgment over a nation that disregarded Him, but the protection of
HaShem over Isra'el if they will rest on His Divine protection. Da'ath tells us
to continue following the mitzvah to provide hospitality to those in need, as
Lot did. And Igarath tells us that we can be confident because Yeshua is the
true Cohen Gadol that has offered the perfect Sacrifice, and He sits in Heaven
mediating the covenant on our behalf.
Barukh HaShem,
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Shalom