After the previous study on the patriarchs I had some really great feedback. Many have texted and said how much it had blessed them. I am truly grateful for the response. Now we carry on with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I really trust this will enrich your walk with Messiah.
Remember nothing was created outside of Messiah.
Ephesians 3:9 KJV
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Yeshua ha Messiah)
Col 1:16 KJV
For by Him (Yeshua) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him
There is something special about knowing that these patriarchs of the faith probably knew the Messiah. Or at least of the redemptive plan of Yah through the Messiah. Let’s start with Abraham.
Did Abraham know Yeshua?
The gospel of John said Abraham knew the day of Yeshua/redemption plan of Yeshua, point blank;
John 8:55 TS2009
Your father Abraham was glad that he should see My day, and he saw it and did rejoice
In Genesis 18 we are given a clear description of how Yah manifested in human form to Abraham;
Genesis 18:1-2
The Lord appeared to Abraham near the large trees of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent. It was the hottest time of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. So he quickly left the entrance to his tent to greet them. He bowed low to the ground.
In the Writings of Abraham we are given much more detail of Abraham’s life. Do not confuse this book with the Book of Abraham that is endorsed by Mormons. Here is a link if you would like to check out the Writings of Abraham for yourself. In the Writings of Abraham, after Yah changes Abram to Abraham, Yah promises Abraham the following;
Writings of Abraham 76: 5-7
Moreover, from the loins of thine heir shall proceed the Messiah, even the Son of God, who shall walk upon the earth ministering to the poor and lowly, who shall be lifted up that the price might be paid for the original sin of Adam and for the sins of all mankind, that all who will believe on His name and receive His ordinances and keep His commandments should not perish but inherit everlasting life.
Moreover, in the last days I will raise up out of the loins of thine heir a choice seer through whom the fullness of my gospel shall be restored to the earth and all things shall be restored as in the beginning. For upon him shall rest the priesthood of his fathers and he shall commence the organization of that holy order which was in the beginning of the world which shall be consummated before the Son of God shall walk again upon the earth.
This is possibly what the Gospel of John is referring to. Is Yeshua’s day actually referring to the redemption plan of the Melchizedek priesthood and the forgiveness of sin according to the writings of Abraham? Or the ‘sacrifice’ of Isaac? Might very well be that Yah disclosed His entire plan to Abraham. Like the instance when Yah revealed the purpose of the angels going to Sodom and Gomorrah, He said that He will not withhold His plans from His servant. So Yah was in the habit of laying out His plans before Abraham.
Let’s have a quick glance at the Targum. As per the previous study, The Targums were authoritative Aramaic paraphrases of the books of the old testament.
Gen 15 Targum
Thereupon was the word of the Lord with Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not; for if these men should gather together in legions and come against thee, My Word (Memra) will be thy shield: and also if these fall before thee in this world, the reward of thy good works shall be kept, and be prepared before Me in the world to come, great exceedingly.
The phrase “the Word of God” was referring to a divine entity within God Himself, yet distinguishable at times from God. This has to be Messiah. Nobody else fits the profile. Yeshua is the One shown in this vision and also the One shielding Abraham.
In the Gospel of John, the writings of Abraham, and the Targums, Abraham knew Messiah and what He would do. Of all the patriarchs, Abraham was clearly the most informed according to the documented evidence of knowing the Word of Lord. This relationship between Abraham and the Word culminated in the sacrifice of Isaac. Which in itself was a prototype of the sacrifice of Yeshua. Which leads us to the next question.
Did Isaac know Jesus?
There is not much written on Isaac’s life. And there is even less evidence that he knew Yeshua. However we do know that Abraham taught Isaac and Abraham knew Yeshua;
Gen 18:19
For I have chosen him (Abraham), so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.
Jasher 22:40
And Isaac the son of Abraham was growing up in those days, and Abraham his father taught him the way of the Lord to know the Lord, and the Lord was with him.
We know for a fact that Abraham knew Yah and Yeshua intimately. And if Abraham was the one who taught Isaac, why would Isaac be any different?
Except for the fact that Isaac was taught by the patriarchs that knew Yeshua, he was the archetype of Yeshua to come. Jasher paints this clearly;
Jasher 23:75
And all that Abraham did on this occasion by the altar, he would exclaim and say, This is in the room of my son, and may it this day be considered before the Lord in the place of my son; and Abraham finished the whole of the service by the altar, and the service was accepted before the Lord, and was accounted as if it had been Isaac; and the Lord blessed Abraham and his seed on that day.
Even though it is not stated verbatim that Isaac knew the Word of the Lord, he was taught by Abraham and was in himself a shadow picture of the Messiah to come.
Did Jacob know Jesus?
Probably the most famous chapter, where people contend if Jacob knew Yeshua or not, is Genesis 32. Here we see the world’s first recorded wrestling match take place:
Gen 32:24-31 KJV
And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
In my opinion this points to Yeshua. We know that Yah says nobody can see Him and live. Yet, Jacob says he saw God face to face. As John 1 states Yeshua was the Word made flesh. They wrestled in the flesh, so much so Jacob had been severely injured. The only person that could manifest God in the flesh would be Yeshua.
Furthermore, in the Testament of Jacob, we some hints to the Messiah. The Testament of Jacob is an apocryphal work based on Genesis 49. The testament of Jacob is to be found together with the testaments of Abraham and Isaac in Arabic, Ethiopic, and Coptic.
Below is an insert from the Testament of Jacob, Chapter 8:
Although it is not certain who wrote this, bit of catholic influence if you ask me, but it gives us an idea that Jacob also knew the means of forgiveness was always going to be through Yeshua ha Messiah.
In the previous study we examined how Adam and Eve knew Yeshua’s voice, how Enoch walked with Yeshua and how Yeshua made the covenant with Noah and closed the ark door.
In this study we see that Abraham saw Yeshua in the flesh and was glad. Abraham knew about the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood and the redemption plan. Isaac demonstrated the sacrifice of the yachid, the beloved son. Isaac was also taught by Abraham. Jacobs wrestled with the Angel of God. To my understanding that angel can be nobody else than Yeshua. They were locked in hand to hand combat until Yeshua blessed Jacob and changed His identity. In exploring this question, this is the observations I’ve made. This is definitely not set in stone, and I would like to invite you to be a Berean, and search out the matter with the Spirit.
In Spirit and Truth
Shalom fam
Edgar<>Judah
