The Heritage of Abraham
Monte Judah
There is a story told of a father who only had one son left in his family.
The father had been successful in his business and had acquired much wealth. He
was also very devout and loved the Lord. His son, on
the other hand, rejected the faith of his father and wanted only to go and live
his own life. He also wanted some of his father’s wealth, but his father had
refused, fearing that he would depart from him completely.
The time came that the father passed away and the son met with the executor
of the estate.
“Your father instructed me to give you this.” It was his father’s Bible.
The son was very angry and left with the Bible. Years passed. The son
married, raised his own children, and worked hard. Then one day, he was going
through some old things and discovered his father’s Bible. Opening it for the
first time, he discovered an envelope. The contents of the envelope directed
him how to receive his father’s business and wealth.
Many believers today have a father from the past who has left them an
inheritance that they know nothing about. His name is Abraham and inside the
pages of the Bible are the contents of that inheritance.
Abram was the first Hebrew. He “crossed the river” and came into a land
promised by God. He was different from the local people, so they referred to
him as “Hebrew” meaning “from across the river.” God promised Abram that he
would become the father of many people, that kings and other nations would come
from him. In the course of events, his name was changed to “Abraham,” meaning
the “father of many nations.” Thus, Abraham began to develop an inheritance
that would be for all of his descendants. In fact, the Scripture says that this
inheritance would be large enough that “all the families of the earth” would
receive the blessing.
Today, Christians have heard of Abraham, but to them he is merely a part of
the Old Testament, how
Back to Abraham - Abraham was not a Jew. He was a wandering Aramean who
became a Hebrew. All Hebrews are not Jews. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were not
Jews. The first Jew who was not even called that was Judah, the son of Jacob.
“Jew” is a shortened term for “
Let’s get our definitions straight. Jews are a segment of the Hebrew people,
descending from Abraham. Therefore, all Jews are Hebrews, but not all Hebrews
are Jews.
This is an important distinction because Messianic believers are not all
Jews. Some Jews are Messianic believers. I, myself, am of Jewish descent. My
birth name from my fathers is
When a person becomes a new Messianic believer, because of the stereotyping,
many Christians assume that observing Sabbath, keeping kosher, and learning
about the Torah is the process of becoming Jewish. It is an understandable
thought process, but it is not correct. All of those things have to do with
Hebrew things and “the children of
So, who exactly are the true Hebrews and the true “children of
Based on Paul’s definition, he says that a believer of Yeshua the Messiah
(Jesus Christ in Greek) is the “seed” of Abraham through which “all the
families of the earth” would be blessed. New Messianic believers are not trying
to become Jews. They are returning to their Abrahamic and “children of promise”
birthright. They have not left their faith in the Messiah; they have instead
chosen to endorse it the way Abraham and Moses expressed it, and how Yeshua
fulfilled it.
What exactly did God promise to Abraham and his descendants? What have we
inherited that we have been ignorant of, hidden in the pages of our Bible?
God promised Abraham the “promised land.” This is the same “promised land”
given to
Now the Lord
said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from
your father's house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a
great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall
be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you
I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:1-3
These words and promises are profound. But this is only the beginning. God
promised more.
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram,
I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.”
Genesis 15:1
At that time, Abram had no children. The only member of his house that could
possibly receive anything from him was his faithful servant Eliezer of
Damascus. But God said that “one coming from his body” would be his heir.
And He took him outside and said,
“Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count
them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Then he believed in
the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:5-6
God promised that Abraham’s heirs would be more numerous than the stars that
he could see. Abraham’s faith in God’s promises also revealed something more
than a large number of descendants, it defined our faith in God and the
righteousness of God.
Let me quickly summarize for you what God really did with Abraham in
defining our heritage from Abraham.
Faith is counted for Righteousness; Righteousness has kissed Justice;
Justice demands Sacrifice; and with Sacrifice you receive Salvation. These are
common terms referred to by the Messiah in His ministry, but how can we know
what they mean?
Abraham believed the promises of God (the land, the blessings, children and
heirs). This is the definition of faith – believing the promises of
God. Righteousness is defined as “doing the right thing.” What is the
right thing? Answer: believing what God has said. Righteousness and Justice
are inseparable; they are intimate friends. Justice is Righteousness
balanced with mercy and truth. Justice demands payment or a substitution
in order to bring about resolution. Sacrifice is something of value
that is given as payment or substitution. Once the Sacrifice is given
and accepted, Salvation is received. Salvation is life.
Now how did Abraham teach us all of that? You can know the answer to how
Faith and Righteousness were taught by referring to Genesis 12 and 15. Now,
consider this: what he taught about justice, sacrifice, and salvation.
Abraham had lunch with three angels (it was actually the Lord
in the form of three men). After the lunch, God revealed that He was going to
When did Abraham teach us about Sacrifice? After Abraham had
received his long-awaited son Isaac, God instructed Abraham to take his son to
the place where He would show him and sacrifice him back to God. Abraham
followed God’s instructions in faith and took Isaac, the wood, and the fire to
And Isaac spoke to Abraham his
father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said,
“Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
And Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt
offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
Genesis 22:7-8
The lamb that was to be provided by God is called “the lamb of God.” This is
a clear promise by Abraham to his son (and us) that the “lamb of God” would be
a substitute for all of us (Abraham, Isaac, and all who follow).
As you know, the rest of the story goes on to explain how God stopped
Abraham and Isaac was spared (Salvation). Another sacrifice was substituted. A
ram whose head was caught in the thorns of a thicket was offered. Abraham
summarized this great promise by stating that the very place where Isaac was
taken would be the same place where God would fulfill His promise.
And Abraham called the name of that
place the Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this
day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”
Genesis 22:14
The Messiah (a promised son) came to us as the “lamb of God.” God provided
Himself to be the Sacrifice (the payment for the Justice required). Like the
ram, the Messiah’s head was in a crown of thorns as well. He offered Himself in
the very same place –
The Apostle Paul summarized all this taught by Abraham by saying that our
justification is by the example of Abraham, by faith. He simplified the process
by saying that we are saved by faith through grace. But to get from Faith to
Salvation, you must go through Righteousness, Justice, and Sacrifice. All of
these too were accomplished by the Messiah (by the Grace of God).
Before we move on, we need to mention a couple of other things that Abraham
also taught us. Hospitality leads to Intercession. Abraham’s works were
hospitality. This is what enabled Abraham to intercede on behalf of the
Righteous in
Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said,
“By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because
you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed
I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of
the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall
possess the gate of their enemies. And in your seed all the nations of the
earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Genesis 22:15-18
The heritage of Abraham is about the land, blessings, and the Messiah. It is
also about Faith, Righteousness, Justice, Sacrifice, and Salvation. So how does
Torah and the Law fit into all of this? Answer: the Torah is defined as the
“instruction” of Abraham (the promises and principles). It also is our
instruction in Righteousness, answering the question “what is the right thing
to do?”
Because of Faith, we want to do the right thing. But we need to be
instructed in the basics from God. We need a straightforward definition from
God to know how to cooperate with one another as to what is clean and unclean,
holy and profane, pure and impure in God’s eyes. Without these simple
definitions, we cannot do this together. Apparently, these definitions were
understood by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But since there are more of us now, we
need a common set of instructions. This the reason why the Law (translators
changed “instructions” to “law”) was given to all of
From Genesis chapter one, In the Beginning, the Torah defines man and
animal. It defines time (a day, a month, and a year) by the orbits of the
Earth, Moon, and Sun. A week is defined by the Sabbath (the last day of the
week). It defines the relationship we have with God as our Creator. It also
defines the relationship of a man and his wife. These are basic elements to all
that follows.
The Torah defines sin and transgression. It also explains what is an
acceptable substitute for payment of a sin or transgression. The Torah also
teaches us about grace and mercy. These terms are not New Testament terms.
Grace is receiving something you did not deserve and mercy is not receiving
something you did deserve.
The Torah also teaches us how to come before God and worship Him. It
explains how to offer a gift to God and how to celebrate life with God. It was
Moses who first built the Tabernacle with the instructions given in the Torah.
The centerpiece of the Tabernacle and our fellowship with God is the
construction of an altar. Abraham and other patriarchs worshiped and did
business with God by way of erecting altars. Altars are still an important part
of our faith, despite what any churchman might argue.
This is probably one of the strongest reasons why most Christians have been
told not to be a part of
Every table has a protocol. There are rules and they define what is holy and
unholy. At my Grandmother’s table, I learned that elbows on the table were
unholy, just like you did. I learned how I was to eat properly and how to use
my napkin. I learned how to wash my hands and offer thanks first and to excuse
myself upon leaving. The rules of a dinner table are similar in intent to the
rules of an altar before God. Yet, an altar to God has something even more
powerful about it. It is God’s ownership symbol of the world. Maybe you didn’t
know it but the words of Psalms 24 are said first over an altar to God and
every first day of the week.
(A Psalm of David.) The earth is
the Lord's, and all it contains, the world, and those
who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon
the rivers. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. He
shall receive a blessing from the Lord and
righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those
who seek Him, who seek Thy face— even Jacob. Selah.
Psalms 24:1-6
King David wrote this psalm and is the man responsible for purchasing the
land upon which the permanent tabernacle (the temple) with the permanent altar
was erected. This is also the same place and altar that the Lamb of God
fulfilled the promise given to Abraham and his descendants.
Those who teach against the temple in
Messianic believers have discovered the heritage of Abraham. They have
discovered that it clearly enriches their faith in the Messiah, causing their
faith to grow to much greater heights of understanding and joy. They have also
learned about the altar in their hearts built by the Messiah. Another example
of that enrichment can be illustrated in keeping the Passover.
Passover is one of the Appointed Times of the Lord.
It is a memorial to when the children of
Just to review quickly: This commandment was not just given to the Jews. It
was given to all those who believed God and put the blood of the lamb on their
doorposts. It was for all those who wanted to be passed from death to life.
According to Scripture, the children of
If you believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob then the Torah was
given to you. It is not the exclusive property or right of just the Jewish
people. And if any man tells you different, he is a liar.
A traditional Passover Seder (which means order) includes four cups
of wine, unleavened bread and other food elements representing the story of
Most Christians do not understand this but the cup the Church calls Communion
is the cup of Redemption from the Passover. Churchmen have substituted their
traditions for the commandments of God, pushing the teachings and messages of
Moses and the Messiah away because they were too “Jewish.” The truth is that
Passover is part of the heritage of Abraham. But here is something more
significant than just understanding the elements of Passover. On the same date
that Abraham received the promise of a son who would come from his own body and
that his descendants would go down to
And it came about at the end of
four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the
Exodus 12:41
Then Moses instructed the commandment of Passover based on the day when the
promise was given to Abraham and fulfilled by God.
And Moses said to the people, “Remember
this day in which you went out from
Exodus 13:3-4,10
Passover is part of the heritage of Abraham (the promises of God). This is
the context and background for the Messiah to fulfill the Passover for us (the
children of promise).
There are three ceremonial pieces of bread eaten at the Passover Seder. They
are stacked together forming the “Unity.” The first piece is eaten by the
leader of the Passover, the father. The second piece is broken with the best
part wrapped in white linen and stored as the dessert (best part of the
Passover). The third piece is eaten with the bitter herbs to “comfort” the
taste. But let’s focus a bit more on the second piece. It is called the Afikoman
which means “it is fulfilled” or “it is finished.” The Afikoman, wrapped in the
linen napkin, is “buried.” Actually, they place it away from the Passover table
and put a pillow over it. The pillow is called the “stone.”
The children play a traditional game at Passover. Sometime during the meal,
the children remove the Afikoman leaving the cloth and pillow. After the meal,
the father calls for the resurrection of the Afikoman, for the bread to come
forth to be the best part of the meal. It is then reported to the father or
leader that the “stone has been moved and all that was found was the linen
cloth.” Messianics understand that this tradition is actually a picture of the
Messiah and His disciples. The Messiah said that His body would be broken for
us. It was. He was wrapped in the cloth, He was buried, the stone was put in
place, and then… the stone was moved and all that was found was the cloth. This
truly is the bread of the resurrection. Maybe this why Yeshua’s words were
“afikoman” – it is finished.
Messianics keep the Passover to remember their ancestors coming out of
The Apostle Paul emphatically taught, just as Moses instructed us to tell
our sons, that all of our fathers came out of
For I do not want you to be
unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed
through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink,
for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock
was the Messiah.
I Corinthians 10:1-4
And it shall be when your son asks
you in time to come, saying, “What is this?” then you shall say to him, “With a
powerful hand the Lord brought us out of
Exodus 13:14
Passover is a one-day observance filled with heritage and rich spiritual
meaning. Instead of teaching our children as God instructed us, the church
brethren has them color eggs, according to a pagan (non-Christian) tradition.
During Yeshua’s ministry, there was in conflict with the religious leaders
of His day. They took issue with Yeshua when He did not follow their traditions
or teach their precepts. Yeshua explained that they had departed from Moses and
the commandments of God (Torah).
Many Christians think that the religious leaders were following the Law
(Torah) and that Yeshua was departing from it. It is the exact opposite. Yeshua
was keeping the Torah and doing what it said. The Pharisees and Sadducees were
doing their thing. While speaking to them, Yeshua said the following:
Do not think that I will accuse you
before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your
hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But
if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"
John 5:45-47
Yeshua said that believing in Moses was the same as believing in the
Messiah. He said that you would not understand His teachings if you did not
first understand the teachings of Moses. The first teachings of Moses are about
Abraham. Maybe this is why Yeshua emphasized His background with Abraham when
arguing with some other religious Jews a little bit later.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see
My day, and he saw it and was glad. The Jews therefore said to Him, “You are
not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Yeshua said to them,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am.”
John 8:56-58
We know that the Messiah is the pinnacle of our faith in God. He is the
promised Son of God and the Lamb of God. But what is the foundation of our
faith? It all begins with our father Abraham.
Let me conclude this article by going back to the story I shared at the
first with the father and the son. Do you know how rich people in the world
generally get their riches? Very few actually go out and earn it in their life
times. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, created his wealth from his
software company. He is an exception. But, where do the vast majority of other
rich people get their riches?
They inherit it. Had the son listened to his father and followed his
counsel, he would have received it much quicker than he did.
I don’t know where your walk is with the Lord.
Maybe you are seeking the Lord the best you know how.
I would recommend that you seek the Heritage of Abraham. He received a reward
that was exceedingly great. He has passed it on to us if we will simply look in
the book for our inheritance.
YAVOH, He is Coming is a monthly newsletter published as an
outreach ministry of Lion and Lamb Ministries.
The ministry is a non-profit organization with an end time prophetic message in
a Messianic Jewish context.
Subscription to YAVOH, He is Coming is without cost and supported only
by donation.
Permission is granted to reprint any article in YAVOH, He is Coming
with attribution given to YAVOH, He is Coming.
Editor - Monte Judah
Electronic Editor - Ephraim Judah
Lion and Lamb Ministries
Phone: (405) 447 4429
Fax: (405) 447 3775
E-mail: info@lionlamb.net
Web: lionlamb.net