Quote from Forum Archives on May 10, 2002, 11:17 am

Posted by: Shalomyshua <Shalomyshua@...>

Psychologists and counselors tell us today that fathers have a tendency to favor one of their children over another, but Mothers rarely do that. Our wonderful son Kevin who is in heaven with Y'shua, was, indeed, favored by me as his Daddy! When he was 20 months old he was diagnosed as a "brittle" diabetic and very ill. During the 13 short years of his life, he had to be rushed to emergency wards and doctor's offices in a diabetic coma, turning blue, to receive urgent treatment to sustain his life. Consequently he came "first!" Our other three children, although greatly loved, remained in the "background."

So, you see, sometimes we seem to have priorities in our lives that make us show "favoritism." May Jo-ann and I walk you through an incredible case of sibling favoritism from the Torah this morning? It is the true story of a Jewish girl that won her grandpa's heart, and not many Bible readers have even noticed it in the parasha from Genesis Chapter 46! Here it is:

The little girl's name is Serakh Bat' Asher; ever heard of her? You will now!! Of Jacob's many grandchildren from twelve sons only one is mentioned in Scripture by name~~~~Serakh, the daughter of Asher, the granddaughter of Leah's handmaid, Zilpah, as it is written: "And their sister Serakh" {Gen 46:17}.

Serakh actually deserved this singular mention because of the extraordinary circumstances of her history. She was Asher's adopted daughter, the three year old child of his second wife, Hadorah. Even as a little Jewish child she was beautiful, bright and wise, skilled in singing, and playing the harp, and she was the "apple" of her grandfather's eye!

When her father, Asher, and her uncles returned from Egypt after they learned that her uncle Joseph was still alive, they feared that her old grandfather, Jacob, would not survive the shock, so they asked her to play her harp and sing to him the message: "Joseph is not dead but rules over all Egypt." Serakh so gently sang and played this good news to Jacob that he regained his former joy and his spirit of prophecy!

To thank his granddaughter, Serakh, Jacob blessed her with eternal life! Four hundred years later, when Moses declared himself redeemer of Israel, the elders did not believe him until Serakh verified that Moses's words precisely matched those prophesied long ago by her grandfather, Jacob and handed down through his sons to her.

When the Children of Israel were finally ready to leave Egypt, Moses did not know how to find Joseph's coffin, without which the Israelites could not depart. So, Moses came to Serakh and she led him to the exact place in the Nile where the Egyptian magicians had sunk it to block Israel;s exodus! Only then could the Jews leave Egypt. For those many centuries Serakh Bat Asher continued to live among her people as "guardian of their memories!"

And when Serakh Bat Asher, Jacob's favorite grandchild, had had enough of this world, she became one of a "handful" of mortals {among them, {Enoch, Pharaoh's daughter, Batyah and Elijah the Prophet} who were privileged to enter "Olam Habah" {Paradise} alive!!!

So, now you see, our son Kevin is sitting in Olam Habah at the feet of Y'shua, and you know what? He has probably met Serakh!!! When we put our trust in Y;shua what an incredible future we have! Jo-ann and I are looking forward into being together with two "favorite kids", Kevin and Serakh!

              His bondservants,   Pastor Dick & Jo-ann