Monday, 22 November 2021

How Fortunate For You!

Tweet

Ah yes, the seventh son born to Jacob (Zilpah #1), Gad. Genesis 30:9-11 Now Leah saw that she stopped having children, so she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Then Zilpah, Leah's female servant, gave birth to a son for Jacob. Leah said, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad.

Rabbi Trail: What are the odds ...? What are the odds of hitting the MegaMillion$ lottery? So small you can't measure it with your finite mind. Probably closer to one in a billion than one in a million. You might as well throw your money in the garbage can.

Rabbi's NoteEnd RN.

What are the odds that Jacob would have 7 sons (and no girls), on his way to 12 sons and 1 girl? Not as small as you might think. If 100 couples have 7 children, the odds are that between 1 and 2 of those couples would have all boys. I'm just pointing out, to anyone who does not fear or respect God's providence, how unlikely it is that Jacob would have 12 sons and 1 girl. My math skills are good, but not that good. Approximately 1 in 3,200. Very rare, but not impossible. But with God, all things are possible (except that God would lie). End RT.

Back to the name Gad ... It is translated as "fortunate" in the TLV. The NKJV translates it as "a troop comes." In those days, soldiers were called "soldiers of fortune." They fought wars in order to divide the spoils. War was profitable for the victors, while those who lost were vanquished.

The message in this name that relates to our character as followers of Yeshua is that we will be fortunate. How fortunate to just be in the Kingdom of God. The people of God are called to a life of increase, not so to those who follow the adversary. Hear the words of Yeshua ... John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly! That's it right there; "more abundant life" in the Kingdom than outside the Kingdom.

You might be saying, "This not my reality?" What if it is, and you just don't know it yet? 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, "Things no eye has seen and no ear has heard, that have not entered the heart of mankind - these things God has prepared for those who love Him."

And finally, there is this (one of my life verses) ... Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or imagine, by means of His power that works in us. How fortunate for you. And as we continue reading, all the glory goes to God. Ephesians 3:21 to Him be the glory in the community of believers and in Messiah Yeshua throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen.