A CREATIVE IMAGINATION
Ya‘akov took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white streaks on them by peeling off the bark. Then he set the rods he had peeled upright in the watering troughs, so that the animals would see them when they came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, the animals mated in sight of the rods and gave birth to streaked, speckled and spotted young. (Genesis 30:37-39)
When I first read these verses, from Torah, I was quite alarmed. Why would our Beloved God allow Ya’akov, Jacob, to use magic? I had been told, on many an occasion, God abhorred the occult and the use of magic. This was a mystery to me. Unfortunately, the rabbi, whom I asked for clarification, was unable to provide an adequate answer.
Then, as I matured and became more aware of what was being taught in His Sacred Word, another, deeper understanding came to me. I read the beginning of B’resheit, Genesis, again and came to another important understanding. Join me, please, in reading Genesis 2:1,2 – Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Obviously, God did not really need to ‘rest’; after all, He is above human standards and needs. Why did He stop his construction activity? Had He finished? Was everything constructed? Was there nothing more to do?
Clearly this was not the case. So, if God halted in His construction work, how would the remaining work of creation proceed? Are you with me?
Human beings. We are the ones who are creating, now. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that every child born is a creation of human kind. God has created the mechanism by which humans are created and human beings merely carry that process along. Our roles are now to create through our creative imagination. We created chairs and tables; we created houses and tents; we trained animals to be our servants and our friends. Every time there is a need, a human being will exercise her/his creative imagination, perceive a solution to that need and, through the creative function given to us by Adonai, may His Name be blessed, that need is fulfilled.
Thus, when the ebola virus struck, human beings created a vaccine. When the corona virus struck, a human being utilized her/his creative imagination and a vaccine was created. The creation process continues, with the steady input of God’s Blessed Holy Spirit. Now, we must be aware of the dangers inherent in this process.
Our Beloved Abba wants us to love and obey Him. He wants us to be aware that He is the Master Creator and we are His apprentices. Remember what Adonai Yeshua shared with us, in Luke 6:40 – A talmid (student) is not above his rabbi; but each one, when he is fully trained, will be like his rabbi. This is not to say we will never learn to be like God wants us to be. The more we do learn, the closer we will come to understanding His mechanisms. BUT, and this is a huge BUT; if we refuse to acknowledge Him as our Creator and our Master, then we run the risk of developing a god-complex. Call it what you will, when human beings are of the opinion that we have created everything by our own efforts, as many today do believe, we are creating ourselves into gods. This is a technique, a scheme by which the adversary may grab hold of our souls and wrench them away from Adonai’s loving care.
Beloved, is this the desire of your heart – to be a god? Does that sound silly? Of course it does, after all, who but God is God? But look around you; speak to others who do not believe in the Father or the Son and dig deeply into their own understandings. Many of these people have in their hearts the belief they are above you and me; they perceive themselves as superior to mere mortals; they perceive themselves as gods.
Finally, I leave you with a question: Was the result of the streaked, speckled and spotted sheep a product of Ya’akov’s life experience with sheep, as well as his vivid, creative imagination of our Holy God’s divine intervention?
CONSIDER: Is there some space within your thinking that perceives others as inferior to you, less than you? Are you harbouring a god-complex, deep within your sub-conscience? Do you know someone who is?
ACTION: If this is you, I urge you to get on your knees and repent to our Beloved Abba, for such deadly disobedience. If this is someone you know, I urge you to confront that person with appropriate Scripture and, relying on the Blessed Holy Spirit of the Living God, with His words to convict your friend of her/his gross sin. Their salvation is in severe danger.
PRAYER: Abba B’Shamayim, Heavenly Father, You are our Great Leader; You are the Creator of the universe. Only through your loving goodness and faithfulness, may we continue Your task of creation. I pray, Abba, everyone who does not yet understand this reality is convicted to refocus, repent and return to Your Truth. B’Shem Adonai Yeshua, Mashichainu, In the Name of our Messiah, Jesus. Amen.
May you be fully and richly blessed by God.