Fear is often our greatest enemy. Fear of the unknown. Fear of danger. Fear of death. There are innumerable reasons to fear and one of the challenges in life is to overcome these fears. This week’s Torah Portion contains a simple blessing that is fulfilled in the most magnificent manner which can release us from all fear.
Life & Death
In the beginning of this week’s Torah Portion reading we read about the death of Sarah in Genesis 23 and then at the end of this section of Scripture we read about the death of Abraham in Genesis 25. In the approximately 38 years between these two accounts, we read about the marriage of Isaac with Rebekah in Genesis 24. We literally read about life and death in these chapters and we are reminded of the cycle of life that we encounter as human beings. To read more about the life of Sarah, read the following article: The Cave & The Promise
The account of how Isaac and Rebekah became husband and wife is beautifully explained in Genesis 24 and is one of the hundreds of divine appointments recorded for us in the Bible. To read more about this account, read the following article: Confidence in Prayer After the bridal match was confirmed and Rebekah agreed to be the wife of Abraham’s son Isaac, Rebekah’s family blessed her as she prepared to take the journey across the river and into the Promised Land:
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.” – Gen. 24:60
This short blessing contains the last significant words that Rebekah heard from her family before leaving behind all that was familiar to her and becoming Isaac’s wife.
The Blessing of Rebekah
Although the blessing that Rebekah received from her family is short and concise, the words of this blessing would outlive her for generations to come. There are clearly two parts to this blessing; the first part is a blessing of fruitfulness, “May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands,…” and the second part is a blessing of protection over her numerous future descendants, “…may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.” Possessing the gate of the one who hates you means being victorious over your enemy and being in control of the city gate. The Middle East has never been an easy place to live but when a people or a nation has control over their borders and gates they establish security for all who dwell in the land.
The blessing that Rebekah received from her family is actually in keeping with one of the many blessings that God gave to Abraham. God had told Abraham on several different occasions that he would be fruitful and that nations would come from him, however, it is only on one occasion that we read in the Scriptures that God blessed Abraham’s descendants regarding possession of the enemy’s gate:
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.” – Gen. 22:15-18
This blessing of the LORD to Abraham came to him on Mount Moriah after he proved to the LORD that he loved Him more than his very own son.
Abraham was a unique person whom God choose to use on this earth. One of the greatest blessings that came through Abraham is seen in part in the verses above regarding how all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his seed, which was ultimately fulfilled in the marvelous mystery of the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Time and space do not allow us to go into all of the details of the many blessings given to Abraham which either have been or will be fulfilled. In this article I want to narrow our focus on the overlap of the blessings of Abraham and Rebekah.
Possessing the Gate of the Enemy
The physical blessing regarding the fruitfulness of the descendants of both Abraham and Rebekah has been realized through the nation of Israel. The spiritual fulfillment of this blessing regarding their seed is the Messiah who came through the Jewish people. What about the blessing over the gate of the enemy? How do we see the blessing spoken over Abraham “…your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies…” (Gen. 22:17) and the blessing spoken over Rebekah “…may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them…” fulfilled both physically and spiritually?
A gate is an entry and exit point of a home, a city, and even a country. In our modern era, when a person flies from one city to another or from one country to another they must enter by one gate to enter a plane and exit by another gate as they depart and enter a new territory. Exercising possession over a gate of a city or a country is a matter of sovereignty and authority. What is true today was true 4000 years ago in the time of Abraham and Rebekah: possessing the gate of one’s enemy means being victorious over the enemy and having complete freedom from fear or harm.
Throughout the Scriptures we see numerous examples of domination of one nation over another with the final battle ground being at the gates of the city. Once the gates of a city are breached, the battle is quickly over and the sovereign power exercises authority over the gates of that city. Whoever possesses authority at the gate controls the city and everything in it.
The Power of Possessing the Gate
In the beginning of the book of Jeremiah we read how the discipline of the LORD concerning the people of Judah would begin through foreign kingdoms setting up their authority at the gates of Jerusalem:
Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north the evil will be unleashed on all the inhabitants of the land. For, behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD; “and they will come and place, each one of them, his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls around, and against all the cities of Judah. And I will pronounce My judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, since they have abandoned Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands…” – Jeremiah 1:14-16
This specific judgment of the LORD against Judah would be realized when the enemies of Judah set up their thrones at the gates of Jerusalem. The one who possesses authority over the gates of a city controls the entire city.
The blessing that Rebekah’s family spoke over her as she entered into marriage with Isaac was that her descendants, literally זרע – Zerah – seed, would possess the gate of those who hate them, meaning their enemies. We see numerous examples in the Bible of how this blessing was fulfilled when the people of Israel walked in the fear of God and maintained sovereignty over their cities and land, however, we also see how this blessing was removed when they rejected the fear of God and chose their own way while having foreign nations possess their gates and rule over them.
Is there also a spiritual fulfillment to this blessing of possessing the gates of the enemy?
What is the spiritual manifestation of this blessing concerning the gates of the enemy?
Identifying the Spiritual Gates of the Enemy
Just as Yeshua is the ultimate spiritual fulfillment of the blessing on the seed of Abraham (which continued through Isaac and Rebekah), even so Yeshua is the ultimate spiritual fulfillment of the One who possesses the gates of the enemy. The spiritual reality of this blessing required Yeshua to take on human flesh in order to conquer the gates of the enemy. The New Testament clearly details how this was accomplished.
One day while Yeshua was discussing His identity with His disciples, we read the following exchange that is recorded in the gospel of Matthew between Yeshua and Simon:
He said to them, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Yeshua said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it…” – Matthew 16:15-18
This dialogue is well known because it is considered to be the bedrock foundation of what we know today as the believing community of Yeshua that started 2000 years ago.
The Congregation of God
I am compelled to point out here that the word “church” is not an accurate translation from the Greek. The original Greek word here, and throughout the New Testament (114 times), is the word Ekklesia and simply means assembly or congregation. Therefore in the above verses, Yeshua declared, “…And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My congregation; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it…” Peter (Petros), which is Greek for rock, is a name given to Simon by Yeshua Himself. We are the congregation or assembly of Yeshua and we are built upon the truth of what Peter (the Rock) declared, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Conquering the Gates of Hades
It is upon this solid rock foundation of who Yeshua is as the Messiah and Son of God that Yeshua declared: “…the gates of Hades will not overpower it…” The “it” spoken of in this verse is the congregation of Yeshua. We as the congregation of Yeshua are included in this promise which sets us free from the confines of Hades, the place of the dead. Death and Hades were conquered by Yeshua through His sacrificial death:
Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
Physical death is a reality for us all and Hades is a place of the dead but it is not our final destination. Yeshua has conquered the gates of Hades!
The Last Enemy is Death
Throughout the pages of the Bible we read how death entered this world through the first Adam in the book of Genesis and how death is destroyed through the Last Adam, Yeshua (1 Corinthians 15). Death is actually named in the New Testament as the last enemy to be destroyed:
For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. – 1 Corinthians 15:25-26
It is by means of the life, death, and resurrection of Yeshua that we can believe in His name and have eternal life today. Yeshua has conquered the grave and He will ultimately abolish death in the end.
In Revelation chapter 20 we read about the first resurrection, which includes all of those who will come to life and be gathered together with Yeshua in order to reign with Him on the earth during the time of His millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:4-6). It is after this one-thousand year reign that we read about the final judgment which will come upon all those on the face of the earth:
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them; and they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20:13-15
At the end of this time of judgment, after the one-thousand year reign of the Messiah, death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire. Both death and Hades (the place of death) will be destroyed forever more. There will be no death in eternity with God (Rev. 21:4).
Yeshua is The Gatekeeper
Possessing the gate of the enemy is not just a nice blessing that was given to Rebekah as a wedding gift 4000 years ago to allow her descendants to live in security in the Promised Land, it is also a spiritual blessing of eternal life to each of us who is counted in the congregation of God through Yeshua the Messiah. Knowing that Yeshua has conquered our enemy, death and Hades, guarantees our eternal security in His Kingdom and releases us from all fear!
In closing, I want to recall the words of Yeshua which He spoke to the apostle John which is recorded in the first chapter of Revelation:
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. – Rev. 1:17-18
The gates of Hades cannot overpower the congregation of Yeshua because He holds the keys of death and Hades. Our eternal security is based on the truth that Yeshua the Messiah has overcome death and He possesses the gates of our enemies! Do Not Be Afraid!
Shabbat Shalom!
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*All Scripture take from NASB Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
**The Hebrew name “Yeshua” is used in the biblical quotations in place of the English name “Jesus” to give emphasis to the meaning of this name, salvation. The word “Messiah” is also used in place of the word “Christ” to bring clarity to the office of Yeshua.