Genesis 12:7-8 Keeping Your Eye On The Big Picture.

And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Abram has been traveling and it had to be pretty difficult up to now. However, as G-d does with us, Abram is stop and reminded of the promise. Abram responds like one with true faith. Abram builds an altar to G-d. We need to continually keep the altar of G-d first and foremost in our minds. The altar of G-d has been and always will be the way that reminds and leads us to G-d's side. The altar of G-d is the cross on which Y'shua was sacrificed for our sins.

As we journey with Abram and through our own lives, keep your eye on the cross, the altar of G-d.

And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Abram was reminded of the promise of the land. However, Y'shua tells us that not only did Abram see this promise but he saw the big picture of the promise, the coming of salvation through the Messiah and rejoiced in it.

Abraham, your father, was glad that he might see my day; and he saw, and did rejoice. John 8:56

We see an alusion to exactly that here. The first altar represents the first part of the promise, the promise of the land, being a great nation and a great people. The second altar refers to the second part of the promise, the promise of the whole earth will be blessed through Abraham by way of the Bethel, which means "House of G-d."

I find it very interesting that Bethel was assigned to the Benjamites(which is representative of Israel), but they did not possess it, and we find it taken by the children of Joseph(which is representative of the Messiah and those who follow him, the church).

Please, don't take this as the promise passing from Israel to the church. That is not supported by the Bible. However, you can take it as the church as the fulfillment of that promise.

Presently, the House of G-d is still calling out to the House of Israel and the House of the Gentiles. This is my calling. I feel that G-d is using me to reach out to the Jew and Gentiles. G-d desires for the the two houses to become one within the House of G-d under the leadership of the Messiah.

If you belong to a synagogue or church that does not actively reach out to both, then it's time for a serious self re-evaluation.

Shalom