January 2021
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 16
Beshalach (Sent out)
So Pharaoh let the people go. Moses took the bones of Joseph with them as their forebears had promised they would. God directed the route they should go. The short route was along the coast, well north of the Red Sea. But that route involved possible conflict with the Philistines, which God said, might have been discouraging enough to cause the people to turn back. In continuation of His miraculous display of might and power, God caused a “pillar of cloud” to guide them by day, and a ”pillar of fire”, giving light, to guide them through the darkness. Eventually they came to a place where they rested, a place where they could see both the desert and the sea. Pi Hahiroth, on the eastern border of Egypt where the terrain was slightly elevated. Read the story. It gave them a good view of the advancing armies of the Pharaoh. At that sight, they had their first (of many) complaints against Moses. IN a most decisive statement of leadership and faith in God, faced, as they were, with overwhelming enemy force. Moses responded, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He WILL accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today (a very large force of armed men with chariots and horses), you shall see again no more FOREVER. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Just consider that.
Well, what followed is very well known by believers the world over. The “pillar of cloud” moved and stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians, so that the Egyptian armies could not see ahead. The “pillar of fire” went ahead of the Israelites giving light in the darkness. Then they came to the Red Sea. I do not need to add words to the text. God wrought another miracle. Summed up in the words “So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea … Not so much as one of them remained.” (Exodus 14:27,28) And the result of that was “Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.” And that leaves a question for those who read the account of that miraculous event. What is MY view of the God who so miraculously saves His people in covenant keeping love? Selah!
Moses’ reaction? And that of his sister Miriam? “I will sing unto the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.” If you know the song from the “Scripture in song” days of the 70’s and 80’s … sing it .. now! You will be in some pretty impressive company! We know that Moses wrote Psalm 90 and another song (Deuteronomy 32). But we also read in Revelation 15, that “seven angels, having the seven last plagues, for in them is the wrath of God is complete.” sing the “song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb.” How about that?
With the threat of the Egyptians gone, they set out across a desert. No water. Anywhere. Eventually they came to an oasis, there was water. Undrinkable. Another miracle of God. The LORD showed Moses a tree, which when cast into the water made it drinkable. Perhaps we should remind ourselves that we are looking at a LARGE group of people here, well over a million, maybe 2 million, plus their cattle. But God needed to get some commitment from the whole group, so He said “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” He then led them to a place, Elim, where there was plenty of water and some shade (but not much). “So they camped there.” At this point they were probably not much more than a couple of weeks into their travels. And they had no idea where they were going, or how long it would take. So when one is tempted to judge them harshly (and one is), try to remember their circumstances.
About a month into the journey the complaining started again. They recalled that they ate well when they were in Egypt (probably minimising some of the hardships). So the LORD told Moses how He would provide “bread from heaven” for the people, every day. Like food falling from heaven, appearing with the morning dew. And a double portion on the sixth day. This is the very first mention to the Israelites of the seventh day having something special about it! No food delivery. God was teaching His chosen people how to trust Him and learn about being special in His sight. The first steps of nationhood. Just one month after rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. “So the people rested on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:30) And they still do, to this very day. So God instructed Moses to keep a”jar’”of that “bread” as a reminder in the future as to how they were sustained in the wilderness.
Two more miracles sustained them as they journeyed. As they moved along, the issue of water provision was a constant concern. In the first event, God told Moses to take some of the elders of the people as witnesses, and the staff which he had held over the waters of the Red Sea, then to strike a rock with it. Water in abundance gushed from the rock. Then later they were confronted by some hostile Amalekites. You know the story. Moses hands raised, the Israelites prevailed. Hands down, Amalekites prevailed. When the battle was won, Moses built an altar to the LORD. Jehovah Nissi. The LORD is my Banner. But that encounter also sealed the fate of the Amalekites for evermore. Perpetual conflict with the Children of Israel.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 15
Bo (Come)
In early to mid April last year (2020), I, like most others around the world was self isolating because of world health issues. It was also the time of the feast of the Passover. How remarkable! Despite the current situation, all over the world, Jewish and Christian families who see themselves ‘grafted in’ to the ‘natural olive tree’, Israel, (Romans 11:17) are telling the story of this event in the Passover Seder (the telling).
“ Go into Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I might show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s sons the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and MY signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” And friends, that is what Passover is about. That the world may know that “I AM THE LORD.” So be it.
We ended our ‘reflection’ last week after SEVEN plagues. Before the last six, Pharaoh had agreed to let the people go, and six times he broke his word. So Moses and Aaron went again to Pharaoh, reporting the words of God, and said “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me .” Following that, and Pharaoh’s obstinance, the land was plagued twice more. First with locusts and then with darkness. Again, on each occasion, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, were spared these plagues. Pharaoh’s reaction? “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” Moses’ reaction? “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.” I am reminded as I write of the occasion when Noah’s family were safely on board the “floating box”. God closed the door. I am reminded of the description of Yeshua in the letter to the church at Philadelphia (Rev 3:7) “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no-one shuts and shuts and no-one opens.” The door on Pharaoh was firmly shut, BUT there was one more plague to come, a devastating plague, the death of the firstborn. And having conveyed this message to Pharaoh, Moses left “in great anger”. However, this plague, in God’s plan, affected everyone, no exceptions. Both Egyptians and Israelites included. BUT there was ‘an escape clause’.
When our covenant keeping God visited Moses and told him His plan (Genesis 3:21) He told him that they WOULD leave Egypt, and they would NOT leave empty handed. Now back to our text. God told Moses “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he WILL let you go.” But two important actions for those who would escape the plague. First, He said “Let every man ask from his (Egyptian) neighbour and every woman from her neighbour, articles of silver and articles of gold.” And they did. More about that in a future ‘reflection’.
The second instruction was given so that it would NEVER be forgotten. It is remembered and told every year to this very day. God told Moses “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” It was to be a new beginning. So He instructed him to tell the people how they should prepare to avoid the plague. The instructions were quite precise. No misunderstanding. Everyone on the “same page”. It would be appropriate here to consider how these steps are replicated in the life of our Messiah Yeshua. Select a lamb without blemish (Yeshua rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9)) on the tenth day of the month, examine it carefully (He was examined by both Jewish and Roman authorities and found blameless) to ensure it is without blemish. Then at twilight on the fourteenth day kill (sacrifice) it, roast it, and eat it together in your family. (SO Yeshua became the embodiment of that lamb, and the conditions of salvation both then and now are the same for everyone.) As God continued his instructions, the blood of the sacrificed lamb was to be painted on the doorposts and lintels of each dwelling, as a sign that those within accepted the conditions the LORD had set. It was a sign of faith.
Now take careful note. We are often told that “An Angel of Death” passed through the land. That is NOT what the Bible says. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night.” (Exodus 12:12). “For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians.” (Exodus 12:23) This, my dear friends is the judgement of the LORD. It is not delegated to anyone. It will be the same as we stand before Him in the Great White Throne judgment. (Revelation 20:11) I said earlier that there were no exceptions, Egyptian or Israelite, and I believe that because salvation is offered to ALL. But in order to receive that salvation, God needs to see the SIGN. It’s what you DO, not what you SAY.
Well, there is so much more in this portion of Scripture. One question often asked is “Are gentiles allowed to keep Passover?” Certainly it is a solemn duty of Jews to observe the festival and pass on to their offspring the mighty act of salvation wrought on that first Passover. Most gentiles (Christians) don’t even know the date when Passover occurs these days. But some do. My understanding is that gentiles are NOT obligated to keep this festival. BUT, for those who claim to be “grafted in” to the natural olive tree, which is Israel, they may partake of the richness and fatness of that experience. (Romans 11:17). If you are not sure, go before the LORD with an open mind, and an open Bible, and ask Him. It is certain that this festival is an “appointed time” (mo’ed) of the LORD. A time when He has promised blessing to those who ‘turn up’. Because He certainly will.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 14
Vayera (I appeared)
“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as ‘El Shaddai’, but by My name YHWH I was not known to them.” So what is the difference? God is ONE. There are not TWO God’s at work here. IF you study the Scriptures carefully, you will discover a subtle difference. I confess that my research is not exhaustive, but what I found was that when God ‘appeared’ to these patriarchs, it was in a dream or a vision or a time of reflective contemplation. It was a time when covenantal promises were made. But when God ‘spoke’ to these same people it was in the vein of showing His mighty hand at work. It is a fact that some of the covenant promises were not seen by these patriarchs, but those same covenantal promises were, and are, being fulfilled, even in our lifetime.
Right at the beginning of this chapter we see different words used. “And ‘Elohim’ spoke to Moses and said to him ‘I am YHWH”.” What he was about to convey to Moses, regarding his leadership of the Israelites before Pharaoh, was in covenantal terms. In paraphrase, “I will do what I am telling you and you WILL see it happen, but I want Pharaoh to understand who I am too, so he has a few lessons to learn about Me on the way.” But Moses was unprepared for such a challenge and protested that he wasn’t eloquent in speech etc. so God said that his brother Aaron would be with.him to do the talking. Then another shock. “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and he will not heed you.” Now friends, because we have the privilege of knowing the whole story, which Moses and Aaron did not, you have to try to imagine that magnitude of the task that God had set these men. The Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the land. He had enslaved the Israelites in hard labour. They were huge contributors to the economy of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron were to confront him knowing that he would refuse them their God commanded request. And HE would harden Pharaoh’s heart, making sure Pharaoh would say no!
But Moses, now 80 years old, and Aaron, three years older, went anyway. What incredible faith in their God. It is the kind of faith that God expects of ME, and ALL others who claim to belong to Him. Selah!
As we proceed with the narrative, we need to keep in mind that this whole event, ALL of it, was designed by the LORD, to bring His own people from the place where He had sent them. It was God who had made provision for Jacob’s family, a relative handful of people, to be preserved in the face of severe famine. At first they enjoyed the best the land had to offer. They were comfortable. They prospered and grew large in number. Sufficient in number we have to conclude, for the LORD to establish them as an independent nation. BUT, God had to prepare them for the rigours of independence. He raised up a Pharaoh who began to treat them as ‘foreigners’. Eventually making them slaves to himself and the Egyptian people. Second class. Unwanted. Disposable. All the ingredients which caused them “to cry out to HIM.”
(Friends, it is happening AGAIN, in our lifetime. God is making His people ‘uncomfortable’ in the countries where they have been living ‘comfortably’. In accord with His many prophetic promises, He is calling them back to the land He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And in their thousands, they are going. Think about it please.)
Moses and Aaron, went into Pharaoh, and made the request that he allow the Israelites to leave Egypt so that they could participate in a festival of thanks to their God. “How do I know your God has sent you?” said Pharaoh, as God had told Moses he would. The first test was Aaron’s rod turning into a serpent which the “magicians” in Pharaoh’s court promptly replicated, only to see their serpents eaten by Aaron’s rod. But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard. The scene is set. Read the story , which in short form, finds a series of miraculous events taking place which have TWO outcomes. The events first, seven days later, each accompanied by the request to “Let My people go.”
1. Rivers turn to blood. Replicated by the ‘magicians’. Pharaoh says NO.
2. Plague of frogs. Replicated by the magicians, But Pharaoh agrees.
3. Plague of lice. Magicians give up. Pharaoh agrees but again refuses.
4. Plague of flies. Magicians tell Pharaoh ‘this is God’. Same response.
5. Cattle diseased. But NOT in Goshen. Same response from Pharaoh.
6. Plague of boils on Egyptians. The LORD hardens Pharaoh this time.
7. Plague of hail. Goshen excepted again. Some Egyptians recognise God’s authority in this. But same reaction from Pharaoh. His heart remains hard.
So now let us see the ‘outcome’ of these catastrophic events in Egypt, from which the Land of Goshen was spared. In the case of the Egyptians, and even in the household of Pharaoh, there were those whose hearts were NOT hardened, who recognised the hand of God, the God of the Israelites. More about them later. Importantly though, the reaction amongst the Israelites, is profound. They witnessed their God in action. This people, who had been comfortable in Egypt, but saw their circumstances change, were now ready to leave. Willingly. Enthusiastically. And under the leadership of Moses. In that united situation, God had prepared them, through trials and tribulations, to be ready to accept His authority and His leadership, the extent of which had still not been revealed to them.
The lesson for us. That is the kind of faith God expects of those who call Him LORD. But we have the advantage of knowing, from His Word, His nature, His character, and His expectation, because He has revealed Himself in His dealings with the people ‘called by His name.’ We will see how this event progresses next week.
Shabbat Shalom.
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 13
Shemot (Names)
“These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt.”
Our reflection last week ended with the death of both Jacob and Joseph. The main narrative this week takes place approx. 150 years later. Scholars have calculated that the sojourn in Egypt lasted 215 years. (The 430 years being calculated from the time God made His promise to Abram in Genesis 12) During those 150 years the Israelites had maintained their unique identity. They had not assimilated into the general population. They were readily identified, and they were numerous. And then .. “There arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” That was a “game-changer”. It may be perfectly understandable given the time which had passed, but it also has a meaning of ‘not respecting’, in the sense of ‘its time to move on’. Whatever the word, the new king was cautious about having such a large group of unassimilated residents with a capacity to ‘rise up’ in conflict with the Egyptian authorities.
So, as time passed, in order to keep the Israelites in check, the Pharaoh devised a plan to severely oppress them with hard labour. “So the Egyptians made the Children of Israel serve with vigour.” The Israelites were forced to make their own bricks, and with those bricks to build cities for the Pharaoh. The work load was increased and the task-masters were cruel in their supervision. But then we are told “The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.” So the Pharaoh instructed the midwives to kill all the boy babies at birth. And when that scheme became ineffective because of the refusal of the midwives to kill the boys, the instruction was given to drown the boys in the river. It’s a truely horrible story and calls to mind a much more recent persecution of the Jewish people in the lifetime of some of us. But just as in that more recent horror, God is able to bring lasting good, fulfilling His purposes, out of the evil of men.
About 64 years after Joseph died, a baby boy was born in the house of Levi. He had an older sister called Miriam, A very well known story. Circumstances arose which saw that baby boy discovered by a daughter of Pharaoh in a basket on the river. How did the princess know Moses was a Hebrew? Genesis 17:9-12. She arranged for him, to be cared for, and eventually adopted him as her own, and called him Moses (“because I drew him up out of the water”). So Moses was brought up, from boyhood, in a situation of privilege. But he was still a Hebrew. One day much later in his life, when Moses was about 40 years old he saw an Egyptian beating one of the Israelites, Moses rose in defence of his compatriot, and killed the Egyptian, burying his body in the sand. Un-noticed he thought. Wrong. Next day he discovered that his deed of mercy was no a secret. The Pharaoh found out about it and sought to bring justice on Moses. So Moses fled the country to the safety of the land of Midian where Southern Jordan is today.
What seems like a bit of a “side trip” to the main story, we are given insight into the new life Moses gained by running away. Helping out the seven daughters of Reuel (also known as Jethro), who were shepherdesses, led to Moses meeting their father and living in that land, working as a shepherd, for the next 40 years. He married one of the daughters of Reuel, Zippora, and had two children, Gershom and Eliezer. But that was not the end. While Moses was living in that far country, the plight of the Israelites in Egypt got progressively worse. “The king who did not know Joseph” died. The bondage in which the Israelites were living was unbearable. They cried out to God. “So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.”
God miraculously visited Moses. A bush on fire but not consumed by the flames. A voice from within the flames calling his name. “I am the God of your father - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. Moses shrank in fear. Read the words of the LORD which He spoke to Moses. “Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Wasn’t this is the same Pharaoh that sought to kill him? No. God assured him that “all the men who sought your life are dead.” Please read the story, it is compelling. But God has a bit more to say as Moses protested his unsuitability for the task. “What shall I say to the people if they ask me who sent me?” .. “I AM WHO I AM” tell them “I AM has sent me to you.” Then the shock, “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.” What an assignment. Hold on, I haven’t finished. “So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.” Then an impossible promise. “And it shall be when you go, that you shall not go empty handed.” Read Exodus 3:22.
On his way back to Egypt, at God’s direction, Moses’ brother Aaron came to meet him,(Exodus 4: 14-16) and Moses shared with Aaron all that the Lord had told him. Together they confronted the Pharaoh with the request that he let the people go to hold a feast to their God in the wilderness. He refused, and even put more onerous work on the people. It seemed to Moses that he had brought more harm on his people as a result of their approach to Pharaoh. And our reading ends in a note of despair. But God hasn’t even started yet!!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 12
Vayechi (It came to pass)
It is important to remind readers that these ‘reflections’ are just that. They are highlights the LORD has quickened to me as I seek Holy Spirit guidance and write. There is no suggestion that these writings are a “commentary” on the Scriptures. The LORD will show you other, and possibly different, lessons as you study these passages for yourself. I pray readers will be blessed by these writings, but there is greater blessing in studying the word for oneself.
And so it is that we come to the end of the beginning. The family of Israel, now residing in the territory of Goshen in Egypt, and finding great favour with the Pharaoh and his Prime Minister, Joseph, prosper and multiply. Jacob had been in Goshen for 17 years and was nearing the end of his life. He called Joseph and made him promise that he would not be buried there, but be taken back to Canaan to be buried with his forebears.
Then “it came to pass”, that eventually, Joseph was summoned to his father’s side because he was very close to death. He took with him Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph’s two sons who were born to him before Jacob arrived in Egypt. Amazingly, but in God’s perfect plan, Jacob ‘anointed’ them as his own. They were to take their place as equal with Reuben and Simeon (and others) as heads of the tribes of Israel, in due time, in place of their father Joseph. (We note that there were 12 brothers, but in time Levi was given no land inheritance and neither was Joseph. Their land allocation was given to Manasseh and Ephraim. Future children of Joseph were not afforded such privilege). But Jacob, who was virtually blind at this time, had one more surprise for Joseph. It seems a small matter, but it was both unusual and prophetic in the circumstance. Manasseh was the firstborn, so Joseph placed him adjacent to Jacob’s right hand, and Ephraim to his left hand. In blessing the boys, Jacob crossed his hands, to place his right hand onto Ephraim.
In spite of Joseph’s attempted correction, Jacob said “I know my son, I know he (Manasseh) also shall become a people, and he also shall be great’; but truly his younger brother (Ephraim) shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” Now it is true, that about 1,000 years later, the Northern kingdom of Israel (the ten tribes) including Ephraim, were captured by the Assyrians (Shalamanezer V) and have been referred to ever since as “the lost tribes”. Some have argued, from this blessing of Jacob, that the ‘many nations’ actually includes what is known as “British Israelites”, and even America (Pilgrim fathers). But of course, such conclusion requires quite inventive thinking!
In addition to the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, the main content of our reading this week relates to the blessings which Jacob spoke to his own sons. He blessed them in the order they were born from the oldest to the youngest. Because we are privileged to have knowledge of future events, we can see how the LORD gave Jacob wisdom and insight into that future in each blessing. It has long been said that much care should be given in the words used to utter blessing over anyone. A word of caution. Do not speak presumptuously the first words that enter your mind. Ask the LORD to speak through you, that HIS words are heard, not yours.
“Gather together and hear you sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father” Hear and listen. They are not the same thing.
Reuben. “Unstable as water, you shall not excel” Why? Genesis 35:22. Be sure your sins will find you out.
Simeon and Levi. “Cursed be their anger, it is fierce; and their wrath for it is cruel I will divide them and scatter them in Israel.” Genesis 34:25-31.
Judah. “You are he whom your brothers shall praise; The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, .. and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” A prophetic description of the One who shall arise from Judah.
Zebulun. “Shall dwell by the sea and become a haven for ships.”
Issachar. “He saw that rest was good and the land was pleasant.”
1 Chronicles 12:32
Dan. “Dan shall judge his people.” Genesis 30:6
Gad. “A troop shall tramp upon him, but he shall triumph at last.” Genesis 30:11
Asher. “Bread from Asher shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.”
Naphtali. “Is a deer let loose; he uses beautiful words.”
Joseph. Well it is a LONG blessing. “Joseph is a fruitful bough … his branches run over the wall … the arms of his hands were made strong” And much more praising the attributes of the one who is seen by most as a ‘type’ of Messiah. And so he was for his family.
Benjamin. “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey. And at night he shall divide the spoil.” Judges 21: 20,25
And when Jacob had completed his blessings and comments about his children, he died. His body was enbalmed, and after 70 days of mourning, Joseph and his brothers, together with a company of the house of Pharaoh, took his body to Hebron, where he was laid to rest with his wife Leah.
Joseph lived for many years after that, But before he died at the age of 110 years, he extracted from his brothers the promise to one day take his bones back to the land of his birth. His tomb, recently desecrated by some angry Palestinians, is situated in Shechem, modern day Nablus.
Shabbat Shalom
RS