We’re Getting Married in the Morning–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 59

by | Nov 26, 2022 | Blog

Shabbat Shalom Saints of the Most High. Welcome to the second post of our The Messianic Torah Observer Journal.

Today is a special day of sorts. It’s not only the Sabbath, but it is also the start of the 9th Biblical Month. Rosh Chodesh.

There are no mandated Feasts of the LORD in this 9th Biblical Month (Leviticus/Vayikra 23). However, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of this month (which is 12/20/2022). And Hanukkah goes on for 8 days, concluding this year on 12/27/2022.

Hanukkah is born, not of Torah (which explains why it is not a mandated feast of the LORD). But rather, it is born of the successful Maccabean Revolt against the forces of Antiochus Epiphanes (a Seleucid king) in the 2nd century B.C.E.

The holiday memorializes the rededication of the Jerusalem altar after its desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes.

There are significant spiritual lessons to be gained from the background story of this holiday that we may tackle in a future post.

But for today, our focus will be on this week’s Torah Reading, which is contained in Exodus/Shemot 18:1-20:26. It is the 59th reading of our 3-year Torah Reading cycle.

Jethro: A Portrait of Paternal Wisdom Yah Used to Help Steer Mosheh

Jethro, Priest of Midian (i.e., Moshe’s father-in-law) brought unto Moshe his wife Zipporah and his two sons in the wilderness after hearing of what Yah had done for Moshe and the nation (18:1-6). It would appear that this may have been an insertion into the exodus timeline, as it mentions this meeting taking place at the Mount of Elohim (18:5). It talks about Jethro speaking to Moses in verse 18:6, then it talks about Moses going out to meet Jethro in verse 18:7.

Verse 18:10–Jethro rejoices: Blessed be Yehovah who has (1) delivered you out of the hand of the Mitsriyim; and (2) out of the hand of Pharaoh; and (3) who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Mitsriym.  The deliverance of Moshe and Yisra’el convinced Jethro that Yehovah was “greater than all elohiym” (18:11). Which tells me that Jethro was a polytheist who probably worshiped a number of regional elohim.  And it was after Jethro’s and Moshe’s talk that Jethro offered unto Yah an ascending smoke offering and sacrifices, which were followed by a celebratory meal with the leaders of Yisra’el (18:12).

The next day Jethro observed Moshe judging the people from morning to night (18:13-14). Moshe clarified to Jethro that the people came to him and that he might serve in the capacity of a court system. Ruling on various legal matters involving their personal situations (18:15). And the people did this because Moshe was the one who possessed knowledge of Yah’s statutes and Torah (18:17). And thus Moshe taught the people Yah’s ways, which strongly suggests that Yah had taught Moshe His ways–His Torah.

It would seem that Yah used Jethro to counsel Moshe as it relates to the proper godly governing of Yah’s people (18:16-26). And despite the common misconceptions of many in our Faith community, Yah does require His people to operate under proper human governance that is exclusively Torah-based.

True Messianic assemblies are supposed to operate in a similar manner. Whereby, Yah chooses that assembly’s leader (in the case of our reading it was Moshe). That leader is tasked with teaching the assembly Yah’s ordinances and Torah and the way in which the people must live and operate as individuals and as a community and nation. As I’ve stated in previous posts, we are not meant to operate in isolated, individual vacuums in this Faith community of ours. For whatever reason, many brethren have chosen to go it alone in their Faith walk. They’ve abandoned the assembling of themselves together with like-minded brethren. They ultimately become a government unto themselves. Many despise Yah’s assemblies for various and sundry reasons, which is a problem in and of itself.

Yah’s assembly member is also tasked with training up and employing “able men” who fear Elohim; men of Truth who hate covetousness, to be leaders over the congregation according to the number of people that make up the congregation. These would be tasked with assisting Yah’s chosen leader with governing the body. And only those matters of great importance will the leader be obliged to deal with.

And so it was, that Moshe took the counsel of Jethro to heart and established a working government over the people (18:24-26).

In 19:1-2, the narrative brings us back to the sequential chronology of the Exodus as the nation, having departed Rephiydiym, had at this point finally arrived in the “wilderness of Ciynai” in the 3rd month of Yah’s calendar year; 3 months after the nation’s departure from Mitsriym. And in terms of Yah’s reckoning of time and His set-apart days, we know that Shavu’ot always falls within the 3rd month of the calendar year.  The nation established its camp at the base of the Mountain of Elohim.

It is here that Moshe was led up into the Mountain where Yah instructs Him to pitch a marriage proposal to the nation, whereby He would be her Elohim and she would be a “peculiar treasure unto Him” above all the nation peoples of the earth; a kingdom of priests unto Him; a holy people. For all the earth belongs to Him. In return, Yah was asking the nation to obey His voice and shama (i.e., guard; keep) His covenant. Which covenant? The covenant He was proposing unto them. The terms of the marriage proposal (i.e., the ketubah) (19:3-6).  And Moshe was to deliver this proposal precisely as Yah articulated it to him.

Respecting the government that he’d previously installed over the nation, Moshe pitched the marriage proposal Yah had given to him on the Mount (19:7). Thus, he put forth the proposal to the nation’s elders, whom no doubt went back to their assigned people and pitched the exact same proposal to their constituents. And the nation resoundingly consented to the marriage proposal saying: “All that Yehovah has spoken we will do” (19:8).

And Moshe, serving as the intermediary between the nation and Yah, returned to Yah with the people’s consent to be His set-apart people.

Thus, Abba lays out before Moshe the sequence of events that will officially bring about this marriage: (1) He would come specifically and primarily to Moshe and declare unto Him His Word, manifested in a thick cloud. This would serve to certify that Moshe was the de-facto intercessor and leader for the nation. This would solidify in the people’s minds that He was in fact chosen by Yah to be the nation’s leader (19:9). (2) The people needed to be sanctified over the course of those next two days, primarily symbolized by them washing their clothes in anticipation of them meeting Yah on the 3rd day (19:10). This means that there would have had to have been a significant water source in order to make such a thing happen. But the text does not provide any such information on such a water source. (3) The nation was to be present in body, mind, heart, and soul to receive Yah on the 3rd day when He would descend from the Mountain and manifest in their sight (19:11). (4) When the nation hears the shofar blasts, that would be her signal to assemble at the designated place before the Mountain. In so doing, the nation was to be trained regarding boundaries. Yah instructed Moshe to establish and enforce strict boundaries about the mountain. Obviously, this was to teach the people about respecting the sacred things of Yah. The holy things of Yah. That they were never to overstep the established boundaries between the holy and the mundane, under the fear of summary execution (19:12-13).

And thus, Moshe relayed these 4 key marriage events that the people would experience and the text says that he “sanctified the people and they washed their clothes” and not engage in intimate relations with their spouses (19:14-15). What does it mean that Moshe sanctified the people? This is certainly reminiscent of Yochanan the Immerser’s call to the nation to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins in preparation to receive their Messiah and the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 3:1-12). For Yah requires that His would-be people be made ritually pure to receive His presence. For Yah does not dwell in the midst of impurity. Our intercessor, Yeshua Messiah, sanctifies us to be in Yah’s presence by cleaning us up and purifying us with His blood. This is spiritual sanctification. But in terms of personal responsibilities, we are required to prepare ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally to receive Yah’s presence each day. We need to clean our spiritual garments by ridding ourselves of the filth of the carnal world and enter into His presence with fear and reverence.

Yah’s presence was manifested so as to impress upon every physical human sense with exception of taste: sight (cloud, lightning), hearing (thunderings and the blasts of the sofar), feeling (fear, quaking of the mount before them, and overwhelming loudness of the shofar and thunder), smell (no doubt smelling the burning fire on the mount) (19:16-18).

And when the sound of the heaven shofar had sounded long and grown ever so loud, Moshe called out to Yehovah who answered Him (19:19).  Yah calls Moshe up to meet him on His Mountain (19:20). And it is here that Yah admonishes Moshe to warn the people not to cross the established boundaries separating Him/His mountain and them (19:21-22). And Moshe reminds Yah that he’d already warned the people not to violate any established boundaries lest they suffer immediate death. But for a 3rd time, Yah admonishes Moshe to tell the people not to violate the established boundaries between He and them.

Why would (1) Yah instruct Moshe 3-times to admonish the people to not violate the established borders between Him and them knowing the people were essentially terrorized by that which they were witnessing? (2) Didn’t Yah know beforehand that the people would be too afraid to violate those established boundaries in the first place?

Jethro (aka Yitro; Raguel (1), and Reuel(2)) is referred to as “administrator” or “kho’heyn” of Mid’yahn (aka Priest of Mid’yahn/Midian), father-in-law to Mosheh, who hears of the awesome wonders that Yehovah did on behalf of Mosheh and his people, Yisra’el. And so, he leaves his home in Midian with Mosheh’s wife, Zipporah/Tsiporah, and Mosheh’s two sons in tow, and journeys out to meet Mosheh in the Sinai Wilderness.

Yitro/Jethro is referred to in the Book of Jasher (aka Yashar) as Re’u’el the Midian, who had heard of the great exploits of Yah on behalf of Mosheh and Yisra’el. One may be led to wonder if Yitro/Jethro, curious about the stories he’d heard about Yehovah and Yisra’el second-hand, could not resist coming to hear of these wonders directly from the horse’s mouth so-to-speak.

You know, it’s always more powerful to hear a testimony of Yah’s awesome power operating in a person’s life directly from the affected individual than to read or hear of it from a 3rd party.

The most poignant thing that I drew from my reading of this event in Jasher is that the author makes the point that it is through this fortuitous meeting between Mosheh and Re’u’el/Jethro, and Re’u’el/Jethro hearing of the awesome exploits of Yehovah on Yisra’el’s and Mosheh’s behalf, that Re’u’el/Jethro came to personally know and worship Yehovah.

Josephus refers to Jethro/Yitro as Raguel.

Josephus writes that Raguel advised Mosheh (described as the arbitrator over the people) to devote himself to Godly matters and to looking or searching out ways to preserve the wellbeing of the nation. To leaving the arbitration of “common causes to others”. And it is here that Raguel suggests to Mosheh that he appoint rulers over 10,000s, over 1,000’s, and divide those up into 500’s, and those into 100’s, and still those into ’50s, ’30s, 20’s, and 10’s.

The leaders that were to rule over these groupings, were to be selected by members of their own communities, based upon their righteous reputations. These would serve in the place of Mosheh to arbitrate over the causes of the people. The more complex and difficult the cause to arbitrate, the higher up the ruler-ladder or chain it would go. And only the most difficult causes would be brought to Mosheh to arbitrate.

The governmental set-up that Raguel suggested to Mosheh, according to Josephus, would serve to advance and promote justice throughout the nation, and free up Mosheh “to attend constantly on God, and procure Him (Him being Yah) to be more favorable to the people” (Antiquities of the Jews 4.1.72).

This of course serves as a shadow of the government that the Jerusalem/Yerushalayim Church put into place by the apostles, who appointed seven qualified men to attend to the daily ministrations of the assembly, while the apostles were freed up to devote themselves to prayer and the work of the critical work of the Gospel.

Later on in the Brit Hadashah, under the leadership of the Apostle Paul/Shaul, the various assemblies strewn throughout the Roman Empire of his day, began to implement government systems therein. This system was composed of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, that some today refer to as the five-fold ministry of the Church. Unfortunately, these offices or ministry roles have been compromised and improperly administered by denominationalism and even our Messianic Community. But Yah’s Ruach HaQodesh placed these offices or roles into the Body of Mashiyach for, as Shaul described, “the perfecting (I.e., “katartismos” or equipping) of the saints; for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (I.e., “oikodome” or the building up) of the Body of Mashiyach till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah/Mashiyach (Ephesians 4:11-13; KJV).

Therefore, that which became the governing body of the Body of Messiah had its humble beginning with this fortuitous meeting and suggestion by Mosheh’s father-in-law.

Sometimes Yah places individuals in lives to help us transition and work through challenging situations that would, if not properly addressed, hinder our faith walk.

In the reading that lays before us we have Yitro/Jethro, who the text titles as Mosheh’s in-law. We know him previously as Zipporah’s/Tsiporah’s father. Zipporah/Tsiporah of course married Mosheh during his sojourn in Midian.

I think it is not too much of a stretch to surmise that during his sojourn in Jethro’s/Yitro’s house that Mosheh got somewhat, if not very, attached to his father-in-law.

May I go even further to suggest that Mosheh, not having a true biological father in his life to steer his upbringing and development as a man, may have attached himself all the more closer Yitro/Jethro than he would have otherwise?

Amram, Mosheh’s biological father, apparently was not present in much of Mosheh’s life for obvious reasons (Exodus/Shemot 6:18,20). But rather, Mosheh was raised in Pharaoh’s house. Now, to what extent Pharaoh played a father role in Mosheh’s life is speculative at best.

But given the warm welcome Mosheh extends to Yitro/Jethro upon his arrival at Yisra’el’s camp, it would seem that maybe Mosheh saw Yitro/Jethro as the father that Egyptian/Mitsrayim slavery deprived him of.

Throughout the 18th chapter, Yitro/Jethro is referred to simply as Mosheh’s in-law (aka Moshe’s father-in-law), which I found to be quite interesting. I could not fathom fully the reason Mosheh chose to refer to Jethro/Yitro as his father-in-law, rather than by his name. It’s possible that he did not want to confuse the record by citing variations of his name. The other possibility is that Mosheh, whom we presume to be the author, sought to frame Yitro/Jethro from the perspective of a close relative, such as an in-law. And this goes back to what I just mentioned regarding the absence of Amram, Mosheh’s biological father, from much of Mosheh’s life. Clearly, the amount of parchment that Mosheh gives to Yitro/Jethro (more than is ever given to Amram) and his influence over his life is very telling.

When many of us come into this beloved Faith-community of ours, especially us men, the close paternal relationship we may have once shared with our biological fathers either fades or disappears for obvious reasons. And few of us ever find suitable spiritual fathers to step in and fill that void.

But just because we transition into the true Faith once delivered doesn’t mean we are no longer to have any human paternal influence over our lives. This is despite the erroneous belief by some that Yah is the only parent one is to have once one comes to faith. But the reality is that Yah established human families as a means by which each individual is to receive wisdom, identity, and a purpose in life.

Thus, those of us who are or were bereft of human paternal and maternal influence in our lives because of our faith and life situations, are often deprived of the Yah-ordained benefits that family is supposed to provide every individual. That’s why, in part, Yah had such a heart for the orphan/fatherless, and demands His chosen ones to look after the fatherless (Exodus/Shemot 22:22, 24; Deuteronomy/Devarim 10:18; 14:29; 16:11, 14, 17, 19, 20-21; 26:12-13; 27:19). Consequently, we generally tend to focus our attention on children as it relates to Yah’s instructions that we care for the fatherless. But what about the fatherless adults in our Faith-community? How many in our Faith-community have come and gone from our community because they lacked sage, paternal influence in their faith walk?

Just a thought beloved.

Why has/is the enemy so bent on attacking the family? Among a great many reasons is that if there is no sage father present in one’s life, there is often no flow of Godly wisdom from parent to child. In this case, no flow of Godly wisdom from a mature, Godly father figure to an immature soul coming into the Faith.

This is why it is important that each of us has a human spiritual father, and even mother, in his/her faith walk.

Thus, we who are chosen of Yah must learn to distinguish the value (e.g. wisdom) that certain individuals bring to our faith walk. We must learn to not dismiss or overlook those potential paternal and maternal figures that Yah may place in our lives as we journey through the wilderness of our faith walk. For Yah can and will (from time to time) use virtually certain sage individuals to enlighten, encourage, correct, lead, guide, and blessings us as Yah sees fit.

And so, after exchanging affectionate greetings with one another and inquiring as to each other’s wellbeing (I.e., le’ sha’ lom), the pair proceeded to Mosheh’s tent, where Mosheh recounts for Yitro/Jethro all that he and the people witnessed and experience throughout their wilderness journey.

Yitro/Jethro is said to have exalted Yehovah for delivering His people. And then he declares: “Now I know” (I.e., Ya’da’ti) that Yehovah is greater (I.e., gadol Yehovah) than all the Elohim because those elohim treated Yisra’el so terribly.

Yitro/Jethro, no doubt prior to this visitation, was a polytheist (I.e., he was the priest of Midian), clearly saw the utter injustice that was common to the elohim of this world (I.e., the demigods of this world). And thus, he came to recognize that Yehovah was the only just Elohim. That Yehovah reigned supreme over all the elohim.

The Onkelos records: “…For by the thing by which the Mizraee had thought to punish (I.e., to judge) Yisra’el, they themselves are punished.” This can be interpreted in a couple of ways: (1) The Mitsri/Egyptians, influenced by their many elohim, once drown Hebrew newborns in the Nile, and thus, Yah drowned the Mitsri/Egyptian army in the Yam Suph/The Red Sea. Or (2), as some believe Pharaoh intended to slaughter the Hebrews in the Yam Suph/Red Sea, Yah instead destroys the Mitsri/Egyptian forces in the Yam Suph/Red Sea.

Jewish tradition holds that Jethro hereby gave up polytheism and that he became a Jewish proselyte.

The next day Yitro/Jethro observes the people coming before Mosheh to seek of him the will of Elohim. Mosheh at this time was not a simple arbitrator as some text may suggest by their wording. But rather, Mosheh served as the nation’s mediator or intercessor before Yehovah. And so, when a matter (I.e., a da’var) was brought to Mosheh to arbitrate, Mosheh would teach the parties involved “the customs or ways and teachings of Elohim” (18:16). Thus, Mosheh served also as a teacher of the Ways of Yehovah to the nation.

This was apparently a sight to behold and it obviously troubled Jethro/Yitro to see such inefficient governance taking place within the nation. And so, at an opportune moment, Jethro/Yitro pulls Mosheh off to the side and says to him: “fade you will fade” (I.e., na’volti’bol). That both you and the people will wear out through this inefficient system of governance. He noted that the process (I.e., ha’da’var) that Mosheh employed to govern the people was excessively burdensome (I.e., kha’veyd). And that it was too much for one man to handle.

Thus, Jethro/Yitro advised “if you listen (I.e., shema) to my advice, Elohim will be with you (I.e., Yah will bless and guide you) and you will intercede to Elohim on behalf of the people as you bring their matters (I.e., ha’de’va’rim) before Elohim. And you will make known unto the people the customs/statutes (I.e., ha’chu’qim), the teachings (I.e., ha’to’rot/torah), and the path or way they are to walk (I.e., ha’de’rekh yeyl’khu) and the work (I.e., ha’ma’a’seh) that is expected of them (18:18-20).

“So then, it will be that you will select and distinguish leaders of the nation: Men of force who fear Elohim. Men of truth that despise bribery” to arbitrate and govern the people as it would relate to general matters (18:21). However, the great matters the leaders were to bring to Moshe’s attention and he would arbitrate them by interceding on the people’s behalf before Yehovah.

And so, Mosheh took his father-in-law’s advice and it befell the selected leaders of the nations to lessen the governing burden that Mosheh alone had taken on.

We’re Getting Married in the Morning

The nation arrived at the wilderness of Sinai in the 3rd month after departing Mitsrayim/Egypt. They set up camp near the foot of the Mountain of Yah/Mount Sinai.

And so, Mosheh ascends the mountain, at which point Yehovah directs Mosheh to put forth a proposal to the nation. And that proposal is like that of a marriage proposal. And the proposed marriage would be between Yehovah and Yisra’el. Yah would become Yisra’el’s Elohim and Yisra’el would be Yah’s chosen people.

Yehovah framed the proposal in a manner that the people would fully understand and afford them the opportunity to think through whether or not they wanted to move forward with being Yehovah’s bride.

Yah’s proposal went something like this:

“Look Yisra’el, based on what you witnessed and experienced me do on your behalf against Egypt/Mitsrayim (I.e., I’ve courted you and I’ve shown you that I love you and that I am more than capable of taking care of you), I’m proposing that if you would hear (I.e., sha’mo’a) My voice and safeguard my covenant (I.e., ush’mar’tem et be’ri’ti), you will be to Me a “jewel” (I.e., se’gu’lah) from all the peoples of the earth. This is to say that all the earth belongs to Me and yet I’m choosing you to be my beloved out of all the people nations of the world. I find you special.

“And so, if you will adhere to the terms of this proposal (I.e., that you will hear My voice and safeguard My covenant with you), then you will become a kingdom of administrator/priests (I.e., mam’le’khet ko’ha’nim) and a unique/holy/set-apart nation (I.e., we’goy qa’dosh)” (19:3-6).

A simple marriage proposal that He has extended to each and every one of us on an individual basis. And like our ancient cousins, we have the opportunity to accept or decline the proposal.

After receiving these instructions, Mosheh comes down from the mountain and extends the proposal to the nation’s leaders (I.e., the very ones that were selected to help Mosheh govern the nation). And it turns out that the leaders all agreed to Yehovah’s proposal. Thus, Mosheh went back up the mountain to report to Yah the consent of the people to His marriage proposal.

Why do you think it was necessary for Mosheh to go back and forth in setting up this marriage arrangement between Yah and Yisra’el? Isn’t Yah omniscient?

Well, of course, Yah is omniscient. He most certainly knew the outcome of Mosheh’s interaction with the nation’s leaders before Mosheh delivered the proposal to them. But Yah, instead of making of effecting the marriage proposal (I.e., the ketubah) between He and Yisra’el unilaterally (I.e., without Yisra’el’s consent), He instead chose to bring about this agreement/marriage proposal using a recognizable courting paradigm that no doubt the whole nation would be able to identify with. Thus, Yah chose Mosheh to be the “go-between” of the two-parties and to make sure all the t’s were crossed and all the I’s were dotted for this forthcoming marriage. This thing was going to transpire decently and in order.

Yah then lays out before Mosheh how the marriage ceremony was to transpire. The people (I.e., the bride to be) were to sanctify themselves in order that they be presentable to Him (I.e., the groom to be) and to formerly receive the marriage contract (I.e., the ketubah) (19:9-25). Indeed, Yisra’el was getting married in the morning.

In establishing the protocol for the marriage ceremony, Yah also established clear lines of separation between His bride to be and Him. For He was holy. The people were not holy. And they, like us, were not holy because of sin. So, they would in time be made holy once they adhered to Yah’s covenant provisions. But for the time being, there’d have to be a separation between His bride-to-be and Him. Eventually, if Yisra’el would hearken to Yah’s voice and keep His covenant, she would become holy and the marriage between Yah and Yisra’el would be fully consummated.

This beloved was a foreshadowing of Yah’s Plan of Salvation. And there is no better illustration of Yah’s Plan of Salvation than that which is to be found in His Feasts. Yah’s moedim. His set-apart days (Leviticus/Vayikra 23). For out of all the nation peoples of this world (now totaling some 8 billion people), He chose us to be His beloved. And He chose Yeshua to be the go-between: The mediator of our marriage to Yehovah. It is the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah that bring us into a covenant relationship (I.e., a marriage if you will) with Yehovah, the Creator of the Universe (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24).

Getting back to our reading: The line that Yah established around His Mountain, promising death to any who would dare broach or cross it, would serve as a critical learning lesson, not only to our ancient Hebrew cousins but to us today in the 21st century west.

When one seeks to come into Yah’s presence, he or she must always bear in mind that Yah is holy. Any place that His presence touches becomes holy. Therefore, it is incumbent upon those who are His chosen ones to know and respect Yah’s holiness. He or she must know how to approach and treat Yah at all times. They must also be in a position spiritually to distinguish the difference between the holy things of Yah and the things that are of this world or that are profane. That’s why Yah has provided His chosen ones with His Holy Spirit to aid in our ability to distinguish between the holy and the profane (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8). And one must learn to respect Yah’s holiness at all times and not presume that he or she is Yah’s equal in any way.

We as Yah’s chosen ones are being made holy each day by virtue of our sanctification journey. And at the time of our Master’s return and at the time of our resurrection (if we’ve died) or translation (if we’re still alive), the work of the Ruach HaQodesh/the Holy Spirit in the life of the chosen one will be completed. And we will be changed and made holy and ushered into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

Like in the example of our ancient Hebrew cousins at the base of Mount Sinai, we may boldly enter into Yah’s presence because we have a mediator/an administrator/a high priest that can identify with our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15-16). The major difference between us and our ancient cousins is that our mediator/administrator/high priest’s blood has cleansed and continues to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7).

At the base of the Mountain, Yah was teaching our ancient cousins this critical lesson. Because He was holy and they were not, there had to be boundaries drawn between Him and them, despite the pending marriage ceremony. Our ancient cousins had to be taught the essential distinction between the holy and the profane. This would have been new to them.

The understanding of Yah’s holiness must become a hardwired reality to Yah’s chosen ones. That reality will influence how they conduct themselves before both humanity and Yehovah. Fear of Yehovah that is garnered through a healthy understanding of Yah’s holiness and irresistible power will lead to one’s obedience to the ways and instructions of Yehovah Elohim. And this becomes, according to Solomon, the whole duty of humanity: That he/she fear Yehovah and that he/she keep his commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

The line of demarcation between our ancient cousins and Yah, coupled with the awesome display of Yah’s glory and power, served to strike fear into their hearts, minds, and souls. For without true fear of Elohim, there will be no true obedience. This leads us to the third part of our reading:

Yisra’el’s receiving of the Ten Words which is the Foundation of our Covenant Relationship with Yehovah.

In 20:1-2, Yah audibly identifies Himself to the nation as Yehovah, their Elohim. (Remember, the nation has agreed to marry Yehovah, which would mean that they had agreed to have Yah be their Elohim/their God.) He further identified Himself as the One Who brought the nation from Mitsrayim/Egypt and out of the “land of slaves”.

Now, the nation was free to serve Him having been freed from serving the elohim of Mitsrayim/Egypt. (This is certainly a shadow of us being freed from serving the gods of this world, and upon our coming to Faith, being free to serve Yehovah and His glorious Kingdom.)

But unlike Yisra’el’s previous overlords, Yah had redeemed them into a loving covenant relationship with Him. And that loving covenant relationship would rest upon Yisra’el’s faithful, loving obedience to Yah’s instructions in righteousness.

Yah says to our ancient cousins: “You saw what I did (on your behalf) to the Mitsri/Egyptian forces and how I bore you on eagles’ wings from your place of enslavement unto Myself. So, now you will be My true love and I will be yours.”

Then Yah presents to the nation the terms of the marriage covenant agreement, which has famously become known as the Ten Commandments.

In 20:3-17, Yah stipulates:

1. We are to have no other god (I.e., demigods; false gods) before Him (I.e., before His face).

2. We are to make no grave images (I.e., no idols), nor are we to bow ourselves down to worship any idol or demigod.

3. We are not to misuse Yah’s holy Name.

4. We are to remember to keep the Shabbat holy (I.e., set-apart; sacred).

5. We are to honor our mother and father.

6. We are not to commit murder.

7. We are not to commit adultery.

8. We are not to steal.

9. We are not to provide false testimony against another.

10. We are not to covet.

In verses 20:18-19, we receive a powerful understanding that all of the physical senses of the mixed multitude standing at the base of the Mountain were tremendously impacted by the awesome manifestations of Yah’s presence. So awesome were the manifestations that the people trembled in fear of Yah and that fear kept them from getting any closer to the cloud.

The fear that the people experienced at that event led to them demanding Mosheh that he alone communicate with Yehovah. To the end that they would not suffer death.

You see, there was an ancient near east (ANE) belief that if a human were to see or experience a manifestation of God, they would die right there on the spot. Which we know, in hindsight, was not necessarily the case. Only in cases when Elohim came to mete out wrath and punishment.

Then, in verse 20:2 we see Mosheh, desperately desiring that the people settle into the covenant relationship with Yah by trusting that He indeed had their best interest at heart, not shy away from His awesome presence. And that the fearsome wonders they were presently witnessing and experiencing were tests. They were tests put forth to them by Yah to confirm that they truly would fear Him, which was a requirement for establishing the covenant relationship with Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13; fear and obey). That through their fear, they would be swayed to not violate/transgress Yah’s Torah. For to violate or transgress Yah’s Torah is sin (1 John 3:4).

And so, Mosheh, a type of Messiah/Yeshua Ha Mashiyach, provided the example behavior to the people by Him drawing near unto Yehovah (I.e., the thick cloud a physical manifestation of Yehovah before the people). The people, conversely, withdrew out of fear of Yah. But Yah nonetheless continued to convey the terms of the marriage agreement to the nation.

Consequently, the nation, like us as individuals, will have to come to terms with their fear of Yehovah, and whether that fear leads to obedience. Whether that fear leads to a loving, obedient covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Whether that fear leads to them ultimately becoming Yah’s unique possession and them entering the promised land (for us, the Kingdom of Yah).

Does our fear of Yah lead us to become true Children of Elohim? This is the question each of us must come to terms with and answer, not by words, but by the way, we conduct our lives and how we relate to Yehovah and to one another (Matthew 22:37-40).

Shabbat Shalom and Sameach Rosh Chodesh fellow saints in Training.

Learning to Lean on Yeshua Messiah–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 58

by | Nov 19, 2022 | Blog

Shabbat shalom beloved. We pray that you, your families, and your fellowships are well and blessed during these perilous times.

Despite these being perilous times, beloved, we who are the redeemed of Yah through Yeshua Messiah, can find refuge and shalom in our Elohim. And we will find illustrated in the reading that is here before us today that Yah will indeed be that refuge—that strong tower-for those who are His.

Welcome beloved to a discussion on this week’s Torah Parashah, which is the 58th reading in our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle.

Today’s reading is contained in Exodus (Shemot) 16:25-17:16, with a Haftarah found in Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 58:13-14.

I would humbly encourage you to take the time to read this rather small portion.

General Outline of Parashah 58-Manna, the Sabbath, Water from a Rock, and Fighting the Enemy

Rules Surrounding the Consumption of Manna

In 16:29 Yah commanded that our ancient cousins stay within the confines of their sukkahs on every Sabbath. Specifically, Abba instructed that no one goes out of his/her place on the seventh day.

Why would Abba enact such a stringent prohibition around the Shabbat so early in our wilderness sojourn?

Well, we learn from last week’s reading that when Yah put forth to the people regulations for gathering the manna for the first six days of the week, which included a double-portion gathering on the 6th day, with the caveat that no manna be left over for the next day and that no one was to go out in search of manna on the 7th-day (I.e., the Shabbat), the people disobeyed these instructions. Not only did they test Yah by holding over and saving the manna they had collected the previous day (which “was full of worms and began to stink”), they foolishly ventured out in search of the heavenly food on that first Sabbath morning (16:20, 27). These blatant transgressions and displays of a lack of trust in Yehovah angered Yehovah, who nonetheless held back His righteous wrath against the offenders.

Interestingly, the first mention by name of the Sabbath Day is found in last week’s Torah Reading (16:23), which may cause one to wonder whether the Sabbath was observed by God’s people as a mandated day of rest and worship prior to its first mention in Reading 57 (Exodus/Shemot 15:19-16:24).


First Mention of the Sabbath

The first mention of the 7th Day being a day of rest is found at the time of the Creation (Gen. 2:2-3). There, the text states that He “ended His work which He had made and He rested on the 7th day from all His work which He had made. And Yah blessed the 7th day and sanctified it: Because that in it He had rested from all His work which Yah created and made.”

We then do not come upon any further mention of the 7th Day until Genesis 8:4. And that mention of the 7th Day has to do with the day of the week in which Noah’s/Noach’s Ark came to rest upon the mountains of Ararat.

And from there we have no further mention of the 7th Day or Sabbath until Exodus 16:26-30 where Yah links the day to His provision of the manna for the people’s sustenance.

God’s People Keeping the Sabbath Even When the Sabbath is not Mentioned

So, does this mean that the patriarchs did not keep the Sabbath?

Well, contrary to the seeming evidence, I believe they most certainly did. Yah affirmed with Isaac/Yitshaq that his father Avraham had “obeyed His voice, and kept His charge, and His commandments, and statutes, and His laws” (Gen. 26:5). And when contemplating whether to reveal His plans to deal with Sodom to Avraham, Yah is recorded to have reasoned that “He knew Avraham and that He would command his children and his household after him to keep Yah’s way” (Gen. 18:19).

Furthermore, I think we can safely conclude that Yah instructed Adam to keep the Sabbath during Adam’s time in Gan Eden. And certainly, it would have fallen to Adam to pass on and teach his children, Cain, Abel, and Seth Yah’s ways, which would have most likely included the keeping of the Shabbat. And we can most assuredly say the same as it relates to Noah/Noach whom Moshe described as “a just man and perfect in his generations, and that Noach walked with Yah” (Gen. 6:9), that he kept the Sabbath and taught his household to do so as well.

Yes, it is odd that the keeping of the Sabbath or the 7th Day by Yah’s chosen ones is absent in the Torah all the way up to our sojourn in the wilderness. But we must remember, Torah is clear that Yah’s elect ones, even the Patriarchs, kept His commandments, statutes, and His laws. And since our Torah is very clear about this fundamental reality, it becomes a foregone conclusion that they kept the Shabbat in some form or another. No doubt they kept the weekly Shabbat close to the way that Abba gave to us at Sinai:

Remember the Sabbath (Exo. 20:8a) …if the people didn’t know anything about the Sabbath Day, how were they to remember (i.e., Zakhar) it? This speaks to the likelihood that during their time in Mitsrayim, they at the very least recalled what they’d been taught about Yah and His laws, including the Shabbat. It’s unlikely, given their slave status in the land that they were able to keep the Sabbath Day as they’d been taught. However, now that they’d been redeemed out of Mitsrayim servitude, Yah is instructing them to remember the Sabbath. The giving of this mitzvah regarding the Sabbath clearly wasn’t something new to our ancient Hebrew cousins at the time of the Exodus. Yah was reintroducing to and reminding the people that the Sabbath was a statute and ordinance that He had brought into existence and that it was a day that they would be required to keep (I.e., shamar) and remember (I.e., Zakhar) and keep sacred; holy; set apart (Exodus/Shemot 20:8; 31:14, 16; Deuteronomy/Devarim 5:12, 15).

Abba goes on to expound on this day. And we find that it is this mitzvah about the weekly Sabbath Day that Abba spends the most time clarifying its relevance and how it is to be treated:

Keep the day holy. And that six days are to be our time of laboring. But the 7th Day, the Sabbath, belonged to Yah. It was a day that we are to honor Yah and not do that which we desire to do. Thus, we are not to do any work in commemoration of Him resting or ceasing from His creation labor on the 7th Day (Exo. 20:11).

The Manna and its Relevance to Yah’s People

In 16:33 we find that Aharon is commanded to place an omer of manna in a jar to be kept as a remembrance unto YHVH and His miraculous sustaining of our nation.  It was to be placed before the Testimony for safekeeping, which is a reference to a later instruction that would be given for the jar of manna to be placed in the Ark of the Covenant in perpetuity.

And it is here at this juncture of our history as Yah’s set-apart people that Yah ties our sustenance to our keeping of the weekly Sabbath. In this amazing instruction, Yah clearly sought to show us that it was He and He alone that provided for our sustenance and existence. That it was not through any strength or wherewithal of our own that we exist. And so, in alignment with this reality, Yah requires us to respect, honor, and keep His house rules. And the first official house rule He chose to give us is the keeping of the Sabbath Day and the trusting faith required for us to properly keep His Sabbath.

Yah Responds to our Murmurings for Water by Giving us Water from a Most Unlikely Source

In every incidence of our murmuring against Moshe, which was our murmuring against Yehovah, Yah answered the murmurings by miraculously providing that which we cried out for.

We find in 17:2 of our reading that our murmurings against Moshe were seen by Yah and Moshe as testing the faithfulness, might, provision, and patience of Yehovah. Again, reminiscent of our murmuring on the shores of the Yam Suph/the Red Sea, whereby we believed in both incidents that we were facing extinction, we questioned the competence and goodwill of Yehovah (17:3). In a mockery of Yehovah’s leadership through Moshe, we questioned the wisdom of our being led out of Egypt only to be slaughtered by the Egyptians, starved, and dehydrated to death in the wilderness.

So, in a similar stance to that which He took on the shore of the Yam Suph when He stood in between us and the Egyptian army, in 17:6, Yah stood before the Rock in Horeb. Yah instructed Moshe to strike the rock with his staff. In so doing, water flowed from the rock, and the nation miraculously received the water she cried out for.

Another Enemy to Contend With

Then we come to 17:9-16 where we find Yah’s reaction to the brazen, unforgivable attack on the nation by the Amalekites.

The Amalekites took advantage of our weakened state in the wilderness of Rephidim. And because the Amalekites committed such a heinous act against us, they found themselves on Yah’s “kill list”. Yah aimed to eliminate the Amalekites from generation to generation.

Thus, we went to battle against the Amalekites. Moshe, acting as our intermediary with Yehovah, stood on a hill overlooking the battlefield. And as long as Moshe held up his staff amid the battle, we prevailed against the enemy. However, as Moshe would tire and his staff lowered, we would begin to lose against the enemy. Thus, it fell to Aaron/Aharon and Hur to help prop us Moshe’s hand holding the staff of Yah such that we ultimately prevailed against the enemy.

In remembrance of this miraculous deliverance, Moshe built an altar unto Yehovah that he named Yehovah is my Banner (i.e., Yehovah-nissi).

How are we today to hold up the staff/banner/emblem/ensign of Yah? Through steadfast prayer. By declaring Yah’s immutable character and Name to the world. Through our trusting faith in Him. In addition, our Master Yahoshua HaMashiyach, operating out of the Heavenly Mishkan (I.e., the Heavenly Sanctuary), intercedes on our behalf before Yehovah day and night. We have the victory and provision of Yehovah through Yeshua our Master.

The Three Lesson Learning Opportunities of Parashah 58

The Torah Reading that is before us today consists of three relevant, what I would refer to as, “lesson learning” opportunities. Each of the three lesson-learning opportunities reveals a little more to us about the nature and Person of Yehovah, as well as reveals to us more information about the things that Yehovah expects from His set-apart people. And so, if we are careful to “shama” (I.e., hearken to; to hear, listen, and obey) these lessons, our covenant relationship with Yah will most certainly be enhanced.

Let’s examine each of these lesson-learning opportunities and see what Yah has in store for us.

Lesson Learning Opportunity #1: The gift of the weekly Sabbath and what we need to do as God’s set-apart people to properly prepare to receive it and keep it.

Yah gave us manna as our primary survival food source. It was not only unique from the perspective of it being unlike any food ever known to humanity, but it was also unique from the perspective that it served to teach essential spiritual lessons to us as Yah’s set-apart people.

It would teach us the essential element of trusting Faith; the critical realities of the weekly Sabbath; and the faithful, sustaining, and provisional wherewithal of Yehovah.

The manna that came from Yah would always prove to be, not only sufficient in amount to sustain the lives of every person that made up the mixed multitude coming out of Egypt/Mitsrayim, but also sufficient in its nutritional value. Sufficient to sustain us along and throughout our wilderness sojourn of 40 years (16:35).

Yah’s manna-Yah’s bread from heaven-would prove to guarantee our yeshuah-our salvation from the ravages of the hunger and physical deprivation that the harsh wilderness environment sojourned in would induce.

It would also serve to teach us valuable lessons about trusting faith and obedience, both principles being tied to the weekly Sabbath. For it was Father’s reintroduction of the weekly Sabbath to His people that required us to trust that the double portion of manna we’d collect on Preparation Day (I.e., the 6th day) would remain edible on over through the Shabbat, and that first thing on the first day of the week He would be faithful to provide us with a next day’s supply of manna. Our trusting faith in Yah’s provision then would require us to act on that faith. To not test Yah by going out to hunt for manna on the Sabbath or to worry and entertain any doubts that Yah would deliver on His promise to provide for our nutritional needs.

However, as we saw demonstrated by our ancient cousins, their lack of trusting faith in the provision of Yah naturally led to their murmuring against Moshe and Yah. And the sinful act of murmuring, against Yah and Yah’s anointed one, will invariably lead to problems for all concerned in the long run.

Trusting that Yah will do as He has promised exercises the threshold of Faith that leads to our obeying Yah’s instructions regarding the keeping of His Sabbath. For Yah as revealed to us through the pen of the author of the Cepher/Book of Hebrews, that “without faith it is impossible to please” Yehovah. Such that “the one that would draw near unto Yah is required to believe that He exists; that He is who He has said He is; and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (11:6).

Indeed, what Yah was endeavoring to incite within our ancient Hebrew cousins was Faith. A way of life that was built upon a symbiotic relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Such that they would trust Yah to do that which He has promised He would do. And in direct response to that trusting faith, they would engage in heartfelt obedience to His instructions. This translates into what the Apostle Paul called “An Obedience of Faith” (Romans 1:5). And in our trusting and obeying Yah, we become His special possession. We become a kingdom of priests unto Him (Exodus 19:6).

Lesson Learning Opportunity #2: Yehovah is the only Sustainer of Life.

It was at Meribah that Abba miraculously caused water to flow from a rock. And the ancients’ mediator at the time, Moshe (I.e., a type of Mashiyach) petitioned Elohim to provide them with lifesaving and preserving water, even in the midst of their murmuring against him and Yehovah.

Lesson Learning Opportunity #3: Yehovah, Through Yeshua’s Intercession, is key to us overcoming our enemies.

Whereas Yah once stood between our ancient cousins and their former taskmaster, the Egyptians and their demigods near the shores of the Yam Suph/the Red Sea and the Migdol of Ba’al Zephon, ultimately drowning the Egyptian/Mitsri forces in the waters of the Red Sea, in our reading today, Yah employed His people to physically confront and war against their Amalekites enemy as He concurrently assured their victory through the intercession of their mediator Moshe. For as long as Moshe was able to keep the hand bearing his staff raised up towards Yah, the nation prevailed against the Amalekites. But when Moshe’s hands lowered due to fatigue, their enemy prevailed against them. Moshe did not physically participate in the battle, but instead, interceded on behalf of the nation.

We see here in this Lesson Learning Opportunity a transition from Yah unilaterally destroying our enemy (I.e., without our doing anything but following His lead such as was seen when Yah alone drowned the Egyptian/Mitsri forces in the Yam Suph/the Red Sea), now here, to that of us being directly and personally participatory in a battle that would ultimately lead to victory over our enemies through the intercessory work of Moshe and the Mighty Arm of Yehovah-Nissi.

Indeed, in this latest model of Yah fighting on our behalf, there are three involved parties: (1) Yehovah our Elohim. (2) Moshe, our intercessor before Yah. And (3), we who engaged in physical fighting against the Amalekites.

And so, as long as our intercessor was able to stand for us and intercede on our behalf, Yehovah aided us in physically overcoming the enemy.

This, my friends, is a clear foreshadowing of the spiritual warfare that we, the redeemed of Mashiyach, are having to face throughout our day-to-day life-wilderness journey. The enemy pops up from time to time and threatens us; hurts and harms us; seeks to deter us from the path that Yah has us on. And so, we are forced to deal with the wiles of the enemy through steadfast prayer and petitions to Yehovah through the intercessions of Yeshua our Master (Hebrews 7:25).

It is Yeshua’s ongoing intercessory work in the Heavenly Mishkan/Heavenly Tabernacle that prompts Yehovah to fight on our behalf and provide us the wherewithal to overcome the enemy. When there is no intercession, we are left to battle the enemy on our own. And one can rationalize that when we’re dealing with an enemy that is flesh and blood, we might physically and personally stand a chance of overcoming and prevailing against them. But the Apostle Paul, Shaul, enlightened us to the reality that, generally speaking, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12).

Yes, we’re talking spiritual warfare. Not a popular topic in our Faith Community, is it?

But the truth of the matter is beloved (and we’re learning this from our Torah Reading here today), that we must deal with the enemy throughout our wilderness journey (I.e., our life’s journey in this faith of ours). And we must realize that we cannot defeat and overcome the true enemy on our own. We can only prevail against him through the intercession of our Master and the power and might of Yehovah our Heavenly Father. Thus, it is Yah who wins the battle that all too often befalls us. And He helps us overcome the enemy through our trusting reliance on the Person and Ministry of Yeshua Messiah, the author and finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2).

But overcoming the enemy requires trusting faith that Yah can and will deliver us. And that faith is made evident through the force of our prayers and the strength of our faith and our unwavering obedience of Faith.

It must become evident to each of us, however, that Yehovah may not always unilaterally destroy the enemy on our behalf. He may, for reasons that only He will know, require our direct participation in the warfare. This means that we’re going to have to grow some calluses on our knees and learn to engage the enemy in spiritual warfare. We must learn to treat the hostile environment that we find ourselves in from time to time as though we are Yehovah’s trained and fearless soldiers and face the enemy head-on through faithful prayer and supplication; fasting when warranted; disciplined obedience to Yah’s instructions. And if our hearts are in the right place, Yeshua will petition the Father to fight on our behalf and we will inevitably overcome and prevail against the enemy.

This is the model that Yehovah has revealed to us and expects us to follow.

This is Yeshua-focused Torah Living at its greatest level.

Learning to Lean

It is through these lesson-learning opportunities that we learn the role that faith plays in our covenant relationship with Yehovah through the experiences of our ancient Hebrew cousins. And despite Moshe not mentioning faith whatsoever in his narrative here, when we read between the lines of the text, faith subtly emerges as an irresistible staple and element in the lives of Yah’s set-apart people. For we cannot escape the obvious reality that it is impossible to please Yah without faith (Hebrews 11:6). And we see nestled within the storyline of our reading here today that Yah was invariably showing our ancient Hebrew cousins that faith in Him was required for their very survival. Faith was essential for their yeshuah/salvation.

Within the paradigm of Yah’s manna provision, it became clearly apparent that Yah is no respecter of person (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; 1 Peter 1:17). Every Hebrew soul would receive enough manna to satisfy his or her nutritional needs, regardless his or her station in life. All would have to learn to trust in Yah’s provision and that He would indeed be faithful to His promises.

The Apostle Paul/Shaul taught: first the natural then the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46). Thus, as our text clearly reveals, the manna that Yah provided us amid our lack and dire need as we wandered about in the Sinai Wilderness (I.e., the natural), the life-sustaining bread that Abba provides us today consists of His Son Yahoshua Messiah (I.e., the spiritual). He is all we need to spiritually nourish and sustain us as we sojourn and wander about this barren wilderness, we call 21st-century western life.

Our Master boldly described and proclaimed Himself to be the source of His disciple’s nourishment:

Our father did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ (32) Then Yahoshua said unto them, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moshe gave you not that bread from heaven; but My father giveth you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of Yah is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world’ (John 6:31-33; KJV).

In other words, just as Yehovah, our Creator, and our Elohim, provided for and sustained our ancient Hebrew cousins with manna for 40 years through His unfathomable power and wisdom, so too He has provided us the substance for our natural and eternal existence. Yahoshua Messiah. Indeed, our Torah Reading that is here before us today is “a shadow [picture] of good things [that were] to come” (Hebrews 10:1). For it foreshadowed the life-giving and life-sustaining Person and Ministry of Yahoshua Messiah (Learning Lesson #2).

Knowing and living and walking in the Faith of our Master Yahoshua HaMashiyach leads us to a place of eternal rest which is illustrated in the weekly Sabbath (Learning Lesson #1).

Father wants us, His beloved, to dwell in peace. A peace that only He can provide. And the weekly day of rest we refer to as the Sabbath or the Shabbat serves to teach us a lesson regarding living a faithful, wholesome, and peaceful life. And as we can see illustrated in our reading, that place of faithful, wholesome, and peaceful rest comes through trusting faith and obedience. We trust Yah to protect, provide, and sustain us and then act on our trusting faith by obeying His instructions in righteousness, He grants us His rest. His shalom translates into rest and peace of soul, mind, body, and spirit.

Our Master beckoned unto those who would be His to:

Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me (I.e., hearken-shama unto and obey My voice and My instructions; feast on my life-giving and life-saving teachings; receive My love and provisions); for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30; KJV).

However, the peace that Yah and His Son Yahoshua promise us does not come without dedicated, trusting effort on our part.

As we see illustrated in our reading here today, for us to truly receive and appreciate and enjoy the Sabbath rest He gifted us, we had to prepare for it. And one of the great “Learning Lessons” that one can draw from this miraculous moment in time is that of unwavering obedience to Yah’s instructions that must be inextricably linked/tied to our trusting Faith in Yah. He instructed us to gather twice as much manna on the 6th day. And upon gathering the double portion of manna on the 6th day, He instructed us to prepare the manna before sundown. For once sundown came upon us, we were to cease all manner of work, just as our Creator ceased all His creative work on the 7th day. All the while we were to rest assured that Yah would replenish our manna allotment first thing in the morning on the first day of the week, and then repeat the daily cycle without fail.

Indeed, not doing some form of work for an entire 24-hour period takes a great amount of discipline for many of us. If it’s not working a paid job on the Sabbath, it’s tinkering with stuff in the garage; mowing the grass; planting a garden; doing laundry; cleaning the house, or running errands. All of these are undeniable forms of “work”. But Yah has unequivocally commanded us to not engage in any form of work. For the Sabbath is reserved exclusively for our Creator. It’s a day we are to devote entirely to Him. In fact, it’s a day that we are not to do our own pleasure as beautifully worded in this week’s Haftarah reading:

Isaiah/Yesha’Yahu 58:13-14. You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on My holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat Yehovah’s holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. (14) Then you will find joy in your relationship to Yehovah, and I will give you great prosperity, and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Ya’achov.” Know for certain that Yehovah has spoken (NET).

The Beauty of the Weekly Sabbath (All too Often Unappreciated by Humanity)

Isn’t it ironic that Yah must insist that we not engage in any form of labor or work on the Shabbat? Wouldn’t it seem intuitive that humanity would appreciate a day of not having to do anything but sit at our Master’s feet and learn of Him and His Ways and the ways of the Kingdom? But truth be told, keeping the Sabbath as Yah originally intended for us to do, is often one of the hardest things that even we His people are obliged/obligated to do.

But we’re not supposed to look upon keeping the Sabbath as an obligation. But rather, look upon the Sabbath as a delight (Isaiah 58:13).

Do we truly live for each week’s Sabbath and all that it entails? Or do we despise the Sabbath as many of our ancient Hebrew cousins have done throughout their nation’s history?

Nevertheless, the preparation day, although not a biblically stipulated or ordained, set-apart day as such, is critical for our properly entering into Abba’s Sabbath Day Rest.

And the preparation day also has tremendous spiritual applications attached to it. One that readily comes to mind is the need for us to put in the faithful, obedient work along our Faith walk journey so that we may enter Yah’s eternal rest when our Master returns, so that we may enter Yah’s eternal Kingdom His rest.

Mashiyach is the Rock that Provides us Life-giving Water (Learning Lesson #2)

It was from the rock at Meribah that we were given water to sustain us and satisfy our thirst. In response to Moshe’s petition, Yah instructed him to strike the rock. And water issued from the rock, satisfying our thirst.

Yeshua boldly proclaimed that He was indeed “the Bread of Yah that had come down from heaven and that gives life unto the world. For he that comes to Him shall never hunger nor thirst again” (John 6:33-35, 47-51).

It was during one Sukkot (I.e., a Feast of Tabernacles) that occurred during our Master’s earthly ministry that He disrupted the festivities of the Water Libation Ceremony by declaring to the throngs in attendance:

“…If any man or woman thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. For He that believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his or her belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).

Master promised those disciples who sat at His feet during His delivering of the Beatitudes that “happy are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

Indeed beloved, our Master is all we need to sustain us along our spiritual journey through this 21st-century wilderness we call modern life. That is if we are willing to learn of Him and obey His teachings and instructions in righteousness. And His instructions and teachings came exclusively from His Father, who happens to also be our Father (John 5:19,30). Praise Yah!

Shaul, by inspiration of the Ruach HaQodesh, viewed this historic miracle as yet another Yahoshua HaMashiyach life lesson.

He wrote to the Messianic Assembly in Corinth:

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, (recall that we looked at this amazing passage in Part 1 of our True Biblical Baptism series) 3 and all ate the same spiritual food (Yeshua being our bread—the Word made flesh—that leads to abundant life that is eternal), 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. (1Co 10:1-4 NET)

Clearly, the miracle that took place at Meribah was a Messianic shadow picture of Yeshua Messiah who would bring us His Father’s Words and His atoning sacrifice, followed by the indwelling of His Father’s Ruach HaQodesh.

And Shaul explained his Midrashic treatment of the miracles of the manna and the Rock at Meribah as being “examples for us so that we will not crave evil things” as our ancient Hebrew cousins did (10:6). Which means that we “not be idolaters” and not be “immoral”. That we did not put Mashiyach to the test. Not complain or murmur (10:7-11).

The apostle further warned that we learn from the ancients’ mistakes and foolish ways. And in so doing, we resist the temptation to think that we’ve somehow “arrived in Messiah”. That it is below us to falter and repeat, in one form or another, the same mistakes and missteps that our ancient cousins had (10:12). And know that Yah is faithful to continue and bring to completion the work that He has begun in each of us (Philippians 1:6). Know that every testing and trial is a means to our being perfected for the Father’s special purpose. He will be faithful to take us successfully through every trial and test. And neither trial nor test will overtake us. For Yah will make a pathway for each of us out of every trial and testing (10:13).

Faith and Submission to Yah are Key to our Salvation

Let us never overlook or forget the goal and purpose that we are in pursuit of. That goal is to make it into the Kingdom and to glorify our Heavenly Father in the process (Matthew 6:33). And for us to make it into the Kingdom and glorify Yah by imaging Him in the world, we must learn the lessons that Yah has laid out before us in His Torah. In the case of today’s reading, it is incumbent upon us to submit ourselves in every way to Yah’s leadership and guidance. Such an act—the act of submitting that is—requires that we trust Yehovah implicitly.

We must resist the urge, tendency, or habit to murmur. Murmuring is simply another form of complaining or grumbling. So, when things don’t go the way we think they should and we utter out into the ether our displeasure or frustrations, we are displaying a terrible lack of trusting faith in the Person and Promises of Yehovah our Elohim.

How so? When we fully submit to Yah and His Ways and His guidance and leading, we trust that He knows what He’s doing and that He has only our best interest at heart. 

Our ancient Hebrew cousins never took trials and tests from Yah very well. They would invariably murmur against Moshe, which was them murmuring against the very one they were called to trust: Yehovah Elohayka.

But contrary to the foolish, ungrateful, unfaithful, and sinful thoughts of our ancient cousins amid their Babylonian Captivity that Yah declared through the Prophet Isaiah/Yermi’Yahu:

 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jer 29:11-13 KJV)

If there is any lesson to be learned from our Torah Reading here today beloved, it is the necessity for us to trust Yah and to submit to His leading, guidance, provision, testing, chastening, protection, salvation, all of which is delivered in accordance with His holy and righteous Plan, Will, and Sovereignty. In other words, all that we expect of and from Yah may not come about in accordance with our perceptions and personal preferences. Yah is going to do things His way or He’s going to do things His way. For our way is irrelevant to Yah. In fact, when we faithfully submit to Yah, our way simply does not exist.

We Have a Secret Weapon That is Effective Against the Enemy

The good thing in all this is that like our ancient Hebrew cousins, we have an intercessor Who can identify with our human issues.

It was the writer of the Book/Cepher of Hebrews who affirmed this foundational understanding of our Faith:

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4:15-16 KJV)

In other words, beloved, when we are feeling less than victorious in our walk with Mashiyach such that we begin to have doubts as to whether we can weather the storms of testing and trials that come our way, like our ancient cousins, we do have an effective and sanctioned intercessor and mediator, who will intercede on our behalf before our Father. Yahoshua knows what it’s like to be human. He knows all of that which goes along with being human. So, when we start to lose it and we start to doubt, we have it at our disposal Yahoshua. This means that we take our concerns and fears and doubts to Yehovah in fervent prayer. And Yeshua is the One, in His capacity as our High Priest operating out of the heavenly Mishkan, who will intercede on our behalf.

Again, it was the writer of the Book/Cepher of Hebrews who penned the following:

 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. 25 So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all. (Heb 7:24-27 NET)

Yeshua thus serves as our relief valve. His intercession, along with the overcoming capacity of the Ruach HaQodesh to aid us in steadfast obedience to Yah’s instructions in righteousness, through our trusting faith, will take us through any trial that we may find ourselves subjected to.

We were Baptized into Moses in the Red Sea

by | Nov 12, 2022 | Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer's Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections

Our Baptism in the Red Sea Was Illustrative of our Transformation into the People of God

So, in our departure from Mitsrayim/Egypt, which was representative of a would-be child of Yah coming into a covenant relationship with Yah through the Person and Ministry of Yahoshua Messiah, guided and led by the Presence of Yah as representative of the pillar of cloud, we crossed the Yam Suph/the Red Sea. Our backs to Mitsrayim/Egypt and Ba’al Zephon, representative of the world and its gods, we began our new existence as a people of Yehovah. Separated, set apart from the nation peoples of this world. And Yah celebrated our transition and transformation from that of being slaves and servants to this world to that of being the chosen ones of Yehovah, serving Him, by cleaving the waters of the Yam Suph and gloriously leading us through the Red Sea on dry ground. We entered/went down into the Yam Suph as if we were dead to our former way of life, having left the things and ways of this world. But we came up out of the Yam Suph on the other side as new people. As servants and children of Yehovah Elohim.  

We Were Baptized into Moses in the Cloud and the Red Sea

And thus, we were, in a great spiritual sense, baptized into Moshe (i.e., a type of Yahoshua Messiah) in Yah’s cloud (i.e., Yah’s presence; His Ruach HaQodesh) by way of the Yam Suph/the Red Sea. 

This beloved is just one example of the beauty, mystery, and efficacy of Torah to Yah’s set-apart people when they learn of Yah and walk steadfastly in His ways, with our Master Yahoshua as their focus.

 The Miracle of the Red Sea Crossing is Illustrative of Great Spiritual Truths Regarding our Redemption

The Apostle Shaul wrote:

“But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual” (1 Corinthians 15:46; ESV).

The transformation that we are called to in Messiah consists of two parts: 

  1. Being made dead to our former lives. 
  1. Being made alive to Kingdom living—transforming into the image of Yahoshua.

True Biblical Baptism is About the Netsari’s Transformation from Death to the Newness of Life

The act of baptism symbolically encapsulates both parts of the redeemed one’s transformation. The chosen one to be submerged in the waters of the mikveh spiritually and symbolically aligns him or her with Yahoshua’s death and burial. As our Master was once dead to this world in every way, so too we are to be dead to this world in every way as symbolized in the simple, but powerful act of baptism.  

But the act of baptism also illustrates to the Netsari that there’s more than being dead to the ways of the world. For our Master Yahoshua did not remain physically dead. By the power of Father Yah’s Ruach HaQodesh/Holy Spirit, our Master arose from the dead, having been transformed into a glorious being.  

The Apostle Paul/Shaul described this glorious transformation that our Master experienced in 1 Corinthians 15 where he wrote:

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. (1Co 15:20-23 KJV)

Our Master’s transformation, in a sense, serves as an earnest. A promise if you will of what’s in store for those who are His at His return. In fact, it was the Apostle John/Yochanan who described this glorious future event in his first epistle:

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1Jo 3:2 KJV)

Our Glorious Transformation Begins at Baptism

But in the interim, Father requires that we begin that transformation by …no longer conforming to this world and renewing our minds to conform to the things of the Kingdom (Romans 12:2). And water immersion/baptism is where the Netsari begins his or her transformation.

And so, for the Netsari, water immersion/baptism is not just a ritual that born-again folks go through in order to be admitted to a church roll. In fact, it is far from that. But rather, water immersion/baptism is one of the great mysteries of our Faith that embodies both a state of mind and of being.

And over the course of the next couple installments of this series within a series, we will explore this mystery of true biblical baptism that I pray you will be a part of.

What Did Paul Mean by Being Under the Law–Part 1

by | Nov 6, 2020

Goal of this Post  “For Yah shows no partiality (that is, Yah shows no favoritism). For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are...

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Feast of Tabernacles and the Kingdom of God in You

by | Sep 27, 2020

The Feast of Tabernacles and the Kingdom of God (of Yah) in You   My goal in delivering this discussion to you here today is to communicate to you another way of looking at and understanding the Kingdom of Yah. Another perspective. Another angle. Another Truth....

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Polygamy and the Bible–A Messianic Perspective

by | Sep 4, 2020

My Interest Piqued In my studies of this past week’s Torah Reading, I was drawn to Deuteronomy 21:15-17. Many modern English bibles generally entitle this passage something akin to “The Right of the Firstborn.” That being said, this short passage really is about the...

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Walking in God’s Divine Guidance and Protection

by | Nov 5, 2022 | Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

Introduction

 

This week’s Torah Portion/Parshah/Reading is the 56th Reading in our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. And it is contained in the Cepher of Exodus/Shemot 13:21-15:18.

 

It is a continuation of last week’s reading which I entitled “The Key to Knowing God is Remembering and Obeying”.

 

Now, one of the critically important things that we will see rising to the surface as we journey through these readings, especially as it relates to the Exodus story, is the realities associated with Yah’s intense desire to dwell with His people. And those realities that are associated with Yah’s intense desire to dwell with His people are extremely beneficial to the would-be Child of Yah.

 

Those beneficial realities are essential to our covenant walk. They are extremely beneficial and dare I say, indispensable to our goal as Netzarim which is making it into the Kingdom of Yah. For without those beneficial realities or elements, which essentially constitute Yah’s help—His direct assistance, we cannot make it into the Kingdom. We cannot maintain a true and substantive covenant relationship with Him. We cannot keep His Torah and maintain His Way of life as He requires us to do. We cannot love Him and love others as He requires us to do.

 

Without these beneficial elements or realities, we will falter in our Faith walk. And the perfect illustrative examples of this can be seen throughout our years of sojourning in the Sinai Wilderness. For when we were faithful in our Faith walk with Yehovah, Yah kept us; provided for us; protected us; guided us; blessed us; He taught us. But when we were unfaithful in our walk, Yah would for a time withdraw His protection; His provision; His blessings; His guidance; His favor; and so forth.

 

Last week’s reading revealed to us that when we remember all that Yah has, is, and will do for us, and we act on those memories by obeying Him, He reveals more and more of Himself to us, which is key to the health of our covenant relationship with Him. For if we fail to know Yah, we fail to know and understand the things that He likes and dislikes; the things that please Him or the things that displease Him; what He expects of us, and what He prohibits us from doing, our chances of making it to the promised land is hindered and in doubt.

 

You know, it’s one thing to know of Yah versus knowing Yah. For a great many souls on this planet know of Yah (yea, I’ve heard of Him they’ll say). But how many truly know (I.e., “yada”) Yah? We can safely conclude that only a precious few, indeed only a remnant of souls on this planet truly knows Yah.

 

And how did this precious remnant of souls get to truly know Yah? Through their steadfast remembrance of Him and His Ways and then their faithful obedience to His instructions.

 

Yah told us in last week’s reading that He expects us to remember all that we were to experience and witness in our Exodus from Mitsrayim/Egypt and our journey to Canaan. And that we recall, recite, and explain to our little ones those things that we experienced and witnessed. That we demonstrate to them and to one another the principles and statutes that He conveyed to us in our journey.

 

In our reading today beloved, we will see the crucial element and realities of Yah’s guidance and protection that He provides to His chosen ones. We will see that He is more than capable and willing to guide and protect those that are His. That He will lead us to His promised land (I.e., His glorious Kingdom) and fight for us along the way. And we learn that without His guidance and protection, we will not make it to the promised land. We will succumb to the enemy. We will die, not just physically but spiritually.

 

You see beloved, Yah didn’t preserve this amazing story of our Exodus from Egyptian/Mitsri servitude as just a historical marker for us to reference. He preserved this story to teach us eternal life and spiritual lessons. And most importantly, He preserved this story to reveal Himself to us and to show us just how desirous He is to dwell with us. But that dwelling comes about only on His exacting terms. He calls the shots. He establishes the course of our walk. And in the process, He requires that we give over to Him every aspect of our lives. That we trust Him. That we call out to Him. That we follow His instructions. That we earnestly seek to know and understand Him.

 

And if we do all these things, Yah promises to take care of us forever.

 

Our Master admonished us to first and foremost seek Yah’s Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). And if we successfully do that, He will take care of us.

 

Yah’s way is the only way to freedom and eternal life. And so, it is incumbent upon us to choose life and not death (Deuteronomy 30:19). And we do so by loving Yah, obeying His voice, and cleaving to Him as He guides us to the Promised Land and protects us from our enemies.

 

Beloved, we’re going to need Yah’s guidance and protection more than we’ve ever needed it in the past as we enter the dark days ahead. The world has seemingly gone past the point of redemption and is prime for Yah’s judgment and wrath to come. The enemy, seeing he has but a short time remaining, is rallying his forces and is ramping up for major assaults against us. And we cannot make the journey that is laid out before us on our own accord. We need Yah today. We need Him now.

 

I’ve elected to entitle today’s discussion: “Walking in God’s Divine Guidance and Protection”.

 

Because this week’s reading is so meaty in terms of its content and length, for the sake of time I invite you to read the text on your own and I will focus exclusively on the commentary.

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Yehovah Walks Before and With His People

 

(13:21) In this verse we read how Yah walked (I.e., ho’ leykh) before and with us during the day. Yah physically and visually manifested Himself in a cloud pillar by day to guide us (I.e., lan’ hho’ tam) along our route out of Mitsrayim/Egypt. And at night Yah manifested Himself in a fire pillar to illuminate (I.e., le’ ha’ ir) our way so that we would not stumble in the dark as we journeyed during night hours.

 

Indeed, as we come out from Mitsrayim/Egypt/Babylon/the world, our walk does not have off-hours. We have an appointment with destiny, the kingdom, to keep. And the enemy is right on our heels. So, we must keep going, knowing that Yah is with us and before us, guiding us and illuminating our way, even in the darkest times.

 

In these two physical and visual manifestations (i.e., the pillars of cloud and fire), Yah was continuing to reveal Himself to us. In this case, Yah reveals Himself as the One who “guides” His people as well as provides “illumination” to His people as they journey to their destination.

 

 

Recall from our discussion of STAR-55—The Key to Knowing God is Remembering and Obeying—we reflected on the key to knowing (I.e., “yada”) Yah is to (1) remember (I.e., “Zakhar) His exploits and deeds and all that He’s done for us, and (2) that we commemorate (I.e., “shama”) those exploits and deeds through our obedience to His commands/His mitzvot.

 

 

The physical and visual manifestations of the pillars of cloud and fire are clearly representative of Yah’s enduring and mighty presence along our journey—our Faith walk.

 

When Yah truly leads us, His guidance and illumination are clear and unambiguous (NET).

 

 

These visual and physical manifestations remind us also of the realities of the Apostle Paul’s description of the warfare that we, the redeemed of Yah, go through on a recurring and frequent basis.

 

Shaul wrote:

 

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12; KJV).

 

 

So, the manifestations of Yah’s presence and power clearly reveal to Yah’s people that the real war and ongoing battles we often experience take place in the spirit realm and against the gods of this world.

 

Yah revealed to Moshe in preparation for the 10th and final plague that would hit Egypt/Mitsrayim:

 

“For I (I.e., Yehovah) will pass through the Land of Egypt/Mitsrayim…Against all the gods of Egypt/Mitsrayim, I will execute judgment” (Exodus/Shemot 12:12; KJV; cf. Isaiah/Yesha’Yahu 19:1; Psalms 82:1; Zephaniah 2:11).

 

 

 

Both the pillars of cloud and of fire led us or guided us along our journey out of Egypt.

 

So, from a Hebraic standpoint, this leading that Yah is doing for us can be likened to that of a loving parent who lovingly takes their little ones by their hands and leads and guides them throughout their early development (Psalms 139:10). Teaching them. Protecting them. Providing for them. Correcting them. Helping them. Loving them. Being with them.

 

The writer of the Book of Hebrews echoed this analogy when he wrote:

 

(8) For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (9) not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to led them out of the Land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord (8:8-9; KJV).

 

The pillar of fire by night provided us light so that we would not stumble in the dark and that we can always see and feel His presence even during the darkest hours of our journey (I.e., “leha ‘ ir) (Psalms 43:3; 119:105; 119:130; Isaiah 42:16; 51:4; 60:19; Micah 7:8).

 

Our Master Yahoshua is the Light of the World. This means that He illuminates for the world the only path one can take to a covenant relationship with the Almighty and to the Kingdom—our Promised Land so to speak (John 8:12; 12:35; Acts 13:47; 26;23; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 1:5; 2 John 2:8).

 

 

Yah Never Leaves Us Alone—His Presence Steadfastly Remains with His Us

 

 

(13:22) We see in this verse that Yah maintained His presence before us 24/7 as we exited Egypt and journeyed to our destination at Mount Sinai—the Mountain of Yah.

 

The text describes Yah’s presence as being constant and that it did not move (I.e., “lo’ ya’ mish”) from before us (cf. Numbers/Bemidbar 33:5-8).

 

Our Master Yahoshua told His disciples that He would not “leave them comfortless”. That is, He would not leave them fatherless or as orphans (John 14:18-31).

 

This idea of Yah’s presence remaining with His chosen people is indicative of Yah’s intense desire to dwell with His beloved (1 Kings 6:13).

 

A writer of one of the Psalms passages echoed this very sentiment when he wrote:

 

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. Thy rod and staff, they comfort me” (23:4; KJV).

 

The Prophet Isaiah/Yesha’Yahu wrote that Yah will not forsake His people (41:17). The question that must be answered here, however, is who the ones are that Yah considers His people. Clearly, those that walk in a covenant relationship with Him and who believe in Him and who love Him with their entire being, and who love one another as they love themselves (John 13:34).

 

As Yah’s chosen ones through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah, Yeshua sent us the “Comforter”. Yah’s Ruach Ha Qodesh/Yah’s Holy Spirit. And Master made it clear that Yah’s presence through His Holy Spirit would abide with us forever (John 14:16).

 

 

Yah Leads us to Establish Camp in Plain View and Access to the Enemy

 

 

Getting back to our reading, Josephus informs us that the Egyptian/Mitsri army consisted of 600 elite chariots; 50,000 horsemen; and 200,000 footmen. Indeed, a formidable force that would be impossible for us to resist and overcome without Yah’s help. Not to mention the spiritual enemy—Ba’al Zephon—that most certainly influenced Pharaoh and His forces to pursue after us and that stood against us.

 

 

Yah led us to turn back or reverse our course, ultimately leading us to settle before (or to the east of) of Pi-hahiroth”; between the Migdol and the sea (I.e., the Yam Suph/Suf or the Red/Reed Sea); and Ba’al-Zephon.

 

Given that Yah positioned us just across from or within clear view of Ba’al Zephon and the Migdol (I.e., an Egyptian military fortress), what message did this send the enemy? Clearly, this sent a deceiving and erroneous message to both the gods of Egypt and Pharaoh and his forces that we were confused and lost and that our God, Yehovah, was an incompetent Elohim.

 

But the truth of the matter was that Yah was about to do a mighty work in plain view of the gods and military elite of Egypt. He was about to show all creation that He was Yah and beside Him, there is no other that could do what He was about to do. For He was about to make a fool out of His and His people’s enemies. And He will do the same thing even for us today beloved.

 

It is spiritually significant that Yah instructed us as a nation to position ourselves at this interim campsite with our forward face looking towards the Red Sea/Yam Suph—that being in the direction towards the Mountain of Yah–and our backs to the enemy: Ba’al Zephon and the Egyptian forces.

 

Doubts Exist

 

 

There is great speculation among secular, Jewish, and Christian scholars as to the precise locations of Pi-hahiroth, the Migdol, and Ba’al-Zephon. The lack of any verifiable archaeological remnants of these places has led some of these scholars to doubt that the Exodus even took place. That the parting of the Yam Suph was some form of natural event and not the magnificent miraculous event that Cecil B. DeMille so brilliantly portrayed in his legendary film “The Ten Commandments” back in the day.

 

Many of these naysayers contend that the sea or body of water in this story is not the “Red Sea” as recorded in the Latin Vulgate and KJV. But rather, the Reed Sea.

 

The Reed Sea as known to us today is little more than a swampy marsh that happens to be festooned with reeds. That being the case, the great parting of the sea by Yah, according to the naysayers would have been nowhere as spectacular as the scriptures or the movie portrays. In fact, there’d be no real parting of the waters of the Reed Sea because there is more reed than water.

 

These refuse to even acknowledge that the presence of Yah, manifested in a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, led the nation to this place and orchestrated the miracles that would follow.

 

We must, however, resist being offended by those who seek to challenge the legitimacy of the Red Sea/Yam Suph miracle. The natural bodies and the courses and the precise locations of these landmarks most certainly have been altered or even removed by time. And despite there no longer being physical evidence of these recorded elements doesn’t mean the Exodus and its accompanying miracles did not take place.

 

You see, Yah demands that His people live by their Faith (Habakkuk 2:4).

 

The Ba’al Zephon Factor

 

Ba’al Zephon could have been a pagan sanctuary, again, the exact location to date is unknown. And I personally believe Yah may have hidden its location (assuming a sanctuary existed there at the time) as a final put down of this demigod in Egypt.

 

I would ask why Yah would not leave the enemy’s stronghold location markers for posterity’s sake. Well, I would say that for Yah to do so would only provide this fallen one legitimacy. For Yah admonished us to not even inquire after pagan gods (Deuteronomy/Devarim 12:30). It’s best that the location of this demigod’s strongholds is forgotten and lost to time. For Yah has declared that “He is Yehovah and His glory He will not give to another; neither His praise to graven images” (Isaiah/Yesha’Yahu 42:8; cf. 48:11; KJV).

 

 

 

But what we have before us here in this reading is not so much a chronological set of miraculous events leading to the destruction of the Egyptian army (which in a great sense was). But more so, it is about Yah’s redemption—His redemptive work in action for all of creation to witness. It is about a showdown between Yah and the forces of evil in this world. And I’m talking this being about spiritual warfare, which is a topic not spoken a whole lot about in our Faith Community.

 

Remember beloved, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness. So, this event was in every sense a grand confrontation between two entities: The Almighty and the demigod Ba’al Zephon or the demigods of Mitsrayim.

 

You see, Ba’al Zephon was not so much about a place as much as it was about a fallen entity that Yah would judge and put in its place.

 

Yah orchestrated this confrontation down to the very place, time, and circumstances so that all creation would know once and for all Who is the one True Elohim.

 

You know, this hearkens to the showdown between Elijah/Eliyahu and the priest of Ba’al (1 Kings 18). You might recall that in that showdown, as in our present reading, the confrontation was not so much between Elijah/Eliyahu and the Ba’al priests, as much as it was a repeat match between Ba’al and Yah. In both matches, Yah won spectacularly.

 

But this present battle was one of several spiritual battles that Yah waged against His and Yisra’el’s enemies leading up to this juncture of our story. All of which is to say that despite Yisra’el being described by Moshe as an army, Yisra’el would not be participatory in this battle. For Yah would fight for Yisra’el (14:14). And in so doing, Yah purposed to receive all the glory and honor for redeeming and delivering His people from Egyptian and Ba’al servitude.

 

I should mention that Ba’al Zephon was the Chief god/elohim of that region of Egypt/Mitsrayim. And it appears evident from archaeological findings that Ba’al Zephon was “master or lord over the sea”. And this understanding certainly plays well with the Rabbinic story that Pharaoh had counted on Ba’al Zephon to aid and give him victory over the boxed-in Hebrews encamped between the Migdol, the Ba’al Zephon sanctuary (assuming one existed), and the Yam Suph/Red Sea.

 

Dr. David Rohl, in his excellent textbook, entitled “The Exodus-Truth or Myth,” notes that “Ba’al Zephon is associated with “Seth”, the “god of chaos” or the “storm god” during the 13th Egyptian Dynasty (pg., 166).

 

 

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance identifies Ba’al Zephon as the “lord of the North” (Strong’s Number 1189).

 

We see from our text that Yah not only took the fight to Ba’al Zephon’ s own house (I.e., his front yard) but also to his domain (I.e., the whole of Egypt/Mitsrayim), whereby he takes the Hebrews through the very sea that this demigod was supposed to have undisputed power and authority over.

 

 

 

The Guidance and Protection Yah Gives to His Children are Often Misunderstood and Misinterpreted by the Enemy

 

Pharaoh rationalized that we had become entangled in or shut in or closed in/blocked in/lost in (I.e., “sa’gar) the land.

 

One could imagine the land that Pharaoh believed had shut us in is representative of the world we live in.

 

The world does at times seem to have the tendency of shutting us in and entangling us such that at various times in our walk with Messiah we may appear as being without hope and prime for complete and utter defeat by the enemy. But if we are fully led by Yah, appearances, at least to the world, will be deceiving.

 

For Yah wants us to recognize that despite all appearances, He’s got us. He is in control over the lives of those He is in covenant with.

 

And when all is said and done, there will be no doubt that Yah has successfully guided us through our sojourn in this world, and when necessary, He fought for us. That Yah redeemed and delivered us from the servitude and entanglements of this world and the enemy.

 

Yah is forever walking with and before us. He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalms 121:4).

 

 

Yah Reveals Himself to Those Who Seek to Know Him and Seek His Protection and Guidance

 

 

When it erroneously appears that Yah has put us in harm’s way, Yah explains to Moshe His strategy and purpose. And that is to cause Pharaoh and his forces to move past their desire to let us go and for them to return to their high-handed arrogance towards us, especially upon hearing reports that we had turned back from our original path out from Mitsrayim/Egypt and had encamped on the shore of the Yam Suph. For Yah knows human nature and He reads and understands/discerns the hearts of men:

 

“Before destruction the heart of a person is proud, but humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 18:2; NET).

 

“I Yah search the heart, I try the reins (I.e., the inner workings of a person that is believed to control his/her emotions and affections or “kilyah”), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doing” (Jeremiah/Yermi’Yahu; 17:10; KJV).

 

“But, O Yah Sabaoth, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart (I.e., “leb” or the mind and will of a person) … (Jeremiah/Yermi’Yahu 20:12:KJV).

 

“But, O Yah Sabaoth, who judgest righteously, who triest the heart and the mind…” (Jeremiah/Yermi’Yahu 11:20; ASV).

 

 

And in so doing, Yah knowing the heart of His enemies, He shields the righteous and overthrows the wicked and manifests His justice and might (J.H. Hertz; Torah and Haftarah). Thus, Yah purposed that through Pharaoh and the Mitsri/Egyptian army, all creation will honor Him, especially Mitsrayim/Egypt, who venerated a multitude of gods.

 

 

The Enemy is Ruthless Requiring that we Always Have Yah’s Protection and Guidance

 

 

We find Pharaoh’s and Mitrayim’s/Egypt’s attitudes officially changed towards us, despite the nation previously being anxious to see us leave their country.

 

Recall previously, at his thrusting us from His country, Pharaoh asked Moshe to intercede on his behalf to Yah. But we see here that Pharaoh has assembled his best charioteers and all his fighting forces and has set them out to confront us on the shores of the Yam Suph. So, Yah’s humbling of Pharaoh proved short-lived it seems.

 

 

English texts suggest that Yah somehow, someway changed Pharaoh’s “leb”, his heart, causing him to change his mind and attitude towards us. Thus, it would erroneously appear that Yah was setting Pharaoh up for a great fall. But the truth of the matter is that Pharaoh’s heart was already evil towards us. It was Yah’s actions, that of having us circle back around and settle by the Yam Suph, giving the enemy the false appearance that Yah had either abandoned His people or that Yah didn’t know what He was doing, that brought to the surface Pharaoh’s and his court’s true evil dispositions. The righteousness of Yah exposes the evil of the unrighteous of this world. Yah in effect becomes a weight—a driving occupation—upon the minds and hearts of the unrighteous.

 

 

And so, Pharaoh acted upon his evil heart:

 

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt or wicked…” (Jeremiah/Yermi’Yahu 17:9; ASV).

 

And he leads his army in pursuit of Yah’s people, not fully realizing that he was leading his army into a fight against the Creator of the Universe:

 

  1. Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? 2. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against Yehovah and against His anointed…” (Psalms 2:1-2; KJV).

 

 

Yah is Responsive to our Cries for Help

 

 

Then in verses (14:10-14) we find that upon seeing the Mitsri/Egyptian forces approaching, the people with great fear (1) cry out to Yah, and (2) openly criticize Moshe for His seeming incompetence.

 

The naysayers complained to Moshe:

 

“Was it for lack of graves in Mitsrayim/Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the desert” (14:11)?

 

 

Indeed, this sentiment was just the second of numerous murmurings that would punctuate or manifest throughout our sojourn in the wilderness. The first such dissension against Moshe was back in Mitsrayim when we were forced to make brick without the provision of straw from our taskmasters (5:21-23).

 

 

I guess it’s human nature to turn against Yah when life appears to get difficult. But rather, Abba wants us to call out to Him and seek His “yeshuah”—His salvation—His deliverance—during those difficult times. And then for us to “stand firm and witness His yeshuah” (14:13).

 

Yah intends to fight for his chosen ones. To deliver them. He’s already redeemed us from the enemy and the world with the blood of His Pesach Yeshua Messiah (John 1:29, 36). And yes, the enemy will rail against us and the redemption that Yah has wrought on our behalf. But if we are obedient and faithful, Yah will fight on our behalf against our enemies, both the physical ones and the spiritual ones (14:14).

 

And as much as it becomes our nature to doubt and wish we were back in Mitsrayim/Egypt where life seemed better to us, at least when compared to the challenges we were going through at the time, it falls upon us to hold our peace and allow Yah to do what He does. Deliver. Yeshuah. And in the process, we grow and learn to trust Him.

 

Mitsrayim/Egypt holds only death for us (I.e., the world). We latched on to Yah because we recognized this reality. So, regardless of how difficult things may get in our redeemed lives, it behooves us to obediently trust Yah and steadfastly anticipate His “yeshuah”. His relief.

 

He goes before us to lead us through life and illuminate our way in the darkness of this world. And when the enemy rallies and assembles itself against us, if we but call upon Him, Yah will come between us and the enemy and protect us as He did when the Mitsri/Egyptian forces stood against us at the choke point of the Yam Suph (14:19).

 

None of this is to say that in every challenge that we, the redeemed of Mashiyach will experience, Yah will eliminate the threat. Some challenges come by permission and will of Yah to either (1) try or test or grow us. Others are meant to chasten or correct our behavior.

 

Granted, enduring such challenges are usually not going to be pleasant. But ultimately, if we are faithful and obedient and our heart is in the right place, Yah will always bring us out on the other side of those challenges (I.e., our Red Sea) in a better state than when we first entered the challenge.

 

 

If it’s testing or proving, Yah will cause us to endure the difficulty so that we may become better instruments—better servants—for His purpose. If it’s chastening or correcting, Yah intends for us to repent, seek His face, and alter our behavior such that we do not repeat the sin.

 

In all, Yah will always be with us if we remain faithful to Him and to the covenant relationship we have with Him. In every case, however, yah desires for us to look to Him for our “yeshuah”.

 

 

Often Yah’s Ways are Counterintuitive to Us, But We Must Trust that He Knows What He’s Doing

 

 

In verses (14:15-18) we find Yah instructs Moshe to urge us forward towards the sea and that he extends his staff over the sea such that the waters will “cleave open” (I.e., “uv’ qa’ ey’ hu”) and provide us a safe path across in the midst of the cleaved waters on dry ground.

 

This bold, unprecedented move, prompted and orchestrated by Yah, will play upon the arrogance—the heart—of Pharaoh, who will foolishly lead his forces into the Yam Suph after us. And after Pharaoh gives into his “strengthened heart” (I.e., “me’ hha’ zeyq et leyv”; some translations render this as hardened heart) , Yah would “be heavy with Pharaoh” (I.e., “YHVH be’ hi’ kav’ di be’ phar’ oh”). That is, Yah will unleash His power-His wrath upon Mitsrayim/Egypt and show forth His strength, wisdom, and glory.

 

Yah is always playing 3-D chess, while the world, even the enemy, is ignorantly playing checkers; foolishly believing they know better than Yah. That their arms are long enough to successfully box with Elohim.

 

In the end beloved, Yah is going to always win the war and every battle and in the process get the glory He so justly deserves.

 

 

Yah’s Protection is Glorious and Complete

 

 

Verses (14:19-31) detail how Yah dispatched His angel—His “mal’ akh”—to stand before the Mitsri/Egyptian forces. Between Mitsrayim and us, Yisra’el.

 

This mighty one manifested himself in that pillar of cloud and fire as we journeyed with Yah out of Mitsrayim/Egypt. This mal’ akh/angel prevented the Mitsri/Egyptian army from attacking us that night while the waters of the Yam Suph were being parted and we journeyed across on dry ground.

 

The camp of the Mitsrayim/Egyptians stood in utter confusion and darkness, while we, of the Yisra’el camp, upon the Yam Suph being cleaved by Yah, in order, and in peace, crossed the cleaved Yam Suph on dry ground in the early hours of the morning.

 

And of course, the enemy, once the mal’ akh released them, pursued us through the cleaved Yam Suph. And as they pursued us, their vehicles began to break down and they began to realize they’d picked a fight with the wrong God. That their fight really was not against us, Yisra’el, but rather, it was against Yehovah Sabaoth (14:25).

 

 

Shaul wrote to the Messianic Assembly in Rome:

 

“If Yah be for us, who can stand against us” (8:31)?

 

A psalmist wrote:

 

“YHVH is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me” (118:6).

 

 

Ultimately, once we were safely on the other side of the Yam Suph, Moshe again extended his rod over the cleaved waters, and the waters returned to its original state, in the process drowning the entire Mitsri/Egyptian army (14:28).

 

And we witnessed this awesome sight as we stood on the opposite shore of the Yam Suph (14:30).

 

This terrible sight should have cemented in the psyche of every Hebrew (1) Who it was that delivered them. His power. His greatness. His genius and wisdom. And His mercies. (2) Who Yah’s chosen leader for the nation was: Moshe (14:31).

 

 

As we exit Mitsrayim/Egypt, even the world, the enemy, not willing to let us go, will embark on a relentless pursuit to destroy us and or attempt to reclaim us as his servant. But in such cases, Yah tells us to stand firm, be quiet, and witness His “yeshuah”.

 

 

We Must Always Celebrate Yah’s Guidance and Protection with Praises and Rejoicing

 

 

Lastly, in verses 15:1-18 we rejoiced in song regarding that which Yah did for us.

 

 

When Yah rescues us from the wiles of the enemy and the muck and mire of this world, it is incumbent upon us to rejoice. To render unto Yah the praise, thanks, honor, and glory He so justly and richly deserves.

 

In so doing, we openly acknowledge that our redemption and deliverance did not come about by our own abilities. For we are incapable on our own accord of overcoming the world and the enemy. We desperately require Yah’s “yeshuah”.

 

Our Master was sensitive to this reality, and He told his troubled disciples:

 

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering but take courage. I have conquered the world” (John 16:33).

 

One of the many reasons our Master Yahoshua came was that we might have life and that that life would be more abundant (John 10:10).

 

 

Yah Intensely Desires to Dwell with Us

 

Central to any thoughts and or reflections on the Torah reading that is before us is for us to recognize the crucial reality that Yah intensely desires to dwell with His people.

 

As we journey each week into our readings, this reality of Yah desiring to dwell with us takes on several facets. And each of these facets has direct implications and applications to our respective walks with Mashiyach/Messiah.

 

 

The Spiritual Ramifications of Yah’s Steadfast Protection

 

 

Although Yah had us turn back from our set path out of Mitsrayim, our faces were toward the Yam Suph and our backs to Ba’al Zephon and Mitsrayim. This is certainly indicative or illustrative of how our lives should be as we walk in Faith and live in covenant with Yah our Elohim. Our faces must always be toward Yah and His coming Kingdom, while our backs are continually to the enemy and this world.

 

The enemy, as in the example of our reading, often sees us as lost; incompetent; weak and without hope. And certainly, without Yah walking with us and leading and guiding us and illuminating our understanding of Him and His ways, we are all these things.

 

 

The Apostle Shaul in his first letter to the Messianic Assembly in Corinth applied the lesson of the Red Sea crossing to the mandate of baptism or water immersion. Our crossing the Yam Suph was representative of our redemption and our affiliation and our Kingdom Status (1 Corinthians 10:2).

 

Redeemed from the perspective that our ownership has changed hands: From that of the enemy (I.e., Mitsrayim and the gods of Mitsrayim) to that of Yah exclusively. Yah has claimed rightful and legal ownership of us as a people and as individuals whom He has selected from all the nation peoples of the earth. We are redeemed from the world and the enemy.

 

Affiliated as a redeemed people, we henceforth would be exclusively identified and linked to Yehovah.

 

New status in that we were once dead. But in our coming out from the world, we have now been made alive and made servants of Yah through Yahoshua Messiah.

 

 

Baptism/Water immersion symbolizes these things and so much more.

 

 

Yah’s salvation—His yeshuah—is rendered unto His people via:

 

His outstretched arm (Exodus/Shemot 6:6; Deuteronomy/Devarim 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 9:29; 11:2; 26:8).

 

Yahoshua HaMashiyach is often referred to by Jewish sages as Yah’s Right Arm (Isaiah 53:1).

 

A Mighty Hand (Exodus/Shemot 13:9; 32:11; Numbers/Bemidbar 20:20; Deuteronomy/Devarim 4:34; 5:15; 6:21; 7:8; 9:26; 26:8).

 

We were boxed in by the mountains; the Mitsri forces; and the Sea. We were seemingly facing impossible odds against us. But Yah miraculously rescued us from that impossible situation.

 

The enemy translates today into people and fallen spiritual beings that come against us as we journey toward the Kingdom. Nevertheless, Yah is more than able to defeat every foe and deliver us safely to our destination.

 

The land and sea are representative of the cares and challenges of life. We need Yah to help untangle us from this world. Only Yah holds the key to our overcoming this world.

 

The fears and insecurities of the mixed multitude are representative of ourselves. Such that we rationalize that we were better off in Egypt/Mitsrayim than we are as redeemed souls heading for the Kingdom. But the truth of the matter is that the world offers only death and no relationship with the Creator of the Universe. We then choose life, not death. We choose a relationship with the Creator of the Universe, not one with the world and the god of this world. For eye has not seen nor ear has heard, nor has entered into the imagination of humankind the things that our Elohim has in store for His chosen ones.

 

 

It behooves us as the redeemed of the Most High to look towards the author and finisher of our Faith as the only means for our “yeshuah” (I.e., our salvation). (Hebrews 12:2).

 

 

In many situations, such as the situation outlined in our text, it appears to the natural eye that the only thing that will come out of many difficult life situations is certain death and destruction. Even Moshe cried out to Yah for help.

 

But Yah, as He did with Moshe in his moment of despair, disappointingly asks us: “Why do you cry out to me? Move forward. Use the instruments I’ve given you (I.e., His staff) and I will make a way for you out of your impossible situation…” (14:15-16).

 

 

Psalms 23:4—Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (KJV).

 

 

Our rod or staff is Yah’s Torah and the teachings and example of Yahoshua HaMashiyach. Yah’s Ruach Ha Qodesh operating within us guides us and illuminates our way through the darkness of this world. And thus, we don “The Whole Armor of Yah” so that we may withstand the wiles of the enemy in those evil days. Truth. Righteousness. Understanding and Possession of the Gospel. And faith above all else. The Ruach Ha Qodesh/Holy Spirit. Prayer. Perseverance. And Salvation (Ephesians 6:12-18). All these things make up Yah’s protective spiritual clothing that when properly worn, will help us in overcoming the world and the enemy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Timothy-The Properly Attired Praying Woman-Part-12 of our Paul and Hebrew Roots Series

by | Aug 16, 2019

In this installment of our Paul and Hebrew Roots series, we consider Paul’s instructions regarding properly attired praying woman. We explore the significance of prayer in the early Church and the fact that Paul sought to use prayer as one of his first tactics against the scourge of early Gnosticism that had infiltrated the Ephesian assemblies of Messianic Believers. And we find clearly layed out in 1 Timothy that Paul advocated women leading worship and corporate prayer in the assemblies. Shalom and welcome.

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The Key to Knowing God: Remembering and Obeying

by | Oct 29, 2022 | Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer's Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections

In the past two readings, which we did not cover because we were on hiatus for the Fall Feasts, Yisrael experienced or witnessed the inauguration of Pesach in the midst of the final tenth plague that resulted in the death of every Egyptian/Mitsri firstborn and the salvation of every Hebrew firstborn. With these came the expulsion of Yisrael from Egypt/Mitsrayim and the start of the Exodus. And this is where we’re picking up in our teaching today. With the start off the Exodus out of Egypt/Mitsrayim.

 

In (13:1-2) we have the setting apart–sanctifying the Hebrew firstborn unto Yah for His express purposes. That which openeth the womb (males) is the first offspring of every womb (cf. 13:12; 22:29; 34:19; Deu. 15:19). This will apply to both humans and beasts. Firstling beasts, however, are subject to being sacrificed unto Yah (22:30).

 

Now, we’ll be getting more into this sanctifying of Yisra’el’s firstborn to Yah a little later in this teaching and in future Torah Readings. So, this is a Torah Commandment that I really want to look at in its applicability to us today.

 

In (13:3) Yah instructs us to remember (Zakhar) the day (the historical event) of the Exodus. Remembering–Zakhar—implies action to be taken in response to one’s remembering. Within the context of this remembering, we are to keep FUB. Our remembrance should be that we keep Pesach each Aviv. No leavened foods may be eaten for 7-days. Neither may leaven be found in our quarters (NKJV).

 

We are to remember the day in which Yah took us by the hand, out from Egyptian/Mitsri servitude (I.e., Mi’Beyt A’va’dim, or house of slaves) by not consuming leavened foods.

 

Just as Yah delivered and redeemed us from Egyptian/Mitsri servitude/slavery, we’ve been redeemed and delivered from servitude/slavery to sin, Babylon, and the god of this world and death, and Yah’s wrath to come through the Person and ministries of Yahoshua our Mashiyach (Romans 7:6; 8:21; 2 Corinthians 1:10; Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Luke 1:68; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 5:9; 14:3-4).

 

Father Yah commanded that we remember (i.e., Zakhar) all that we experienced in the Exodus.

 

The Hebrew term for remember is “Zakhar.” It carries with it a “cognitive” as well as a “ritual act of commemoration” component (Robert Alter; The Five Books of Moses). So, when Abba Yah instructs us to remember, it’s not just a matter of cognition or memory. But also, that of commemoration. Of obedience to His instructions as it relates to that thing, He’s instructing us to remember.

 

In terms of that which we are to do in commemoration of that which He tells us to remember—that being the events of the Exodus—Abba instructed us to not consume unleavened stuff for seven days during Pesach (I.e., during the pilgrimage Feast of Unleavened Bread) (13:6).

 

 

(13:4) Here, Yah tells Moshe to relay to the people that all that they were experiencing was taking place in the new moon or month of the “Green Grain” or Aviv Barley (I.e., Be’hho’desh Ha’a’viv).

 

We know that Yahoshua is the “telos” (I.e., the objective or purpose) of the Spring Feasts of the LORD, for we find written in the Book of Isaiah a prophecy that describes Master Yahoshua as a tender shoot/plant growing out of dry/parched soil (53:2).

 Previous Spring Feasts Teachings:

Guarding the Month of Aviv-Aviv’s Critical Importance to God’s Covenant Elect

https://www.themessianictorahobserver.org/2022/04/08/shabbat-hagadol-the-pathway-towards-our-redemption-and-atonement-star-28/

https://www.themessianictorahobserver.org/2022/04/14/some-passover-basics-keeping-passover-and-unleavened-bread-in-2022-part-1/

https://www.themessianictorahobserver.org/2022/04/14/keeping-passover-by-way-of-the-original-covenant-part-2-of-keeping-passover-and-unleavened-bread-in-2022/

https://www.themessianictorahobserver.org/2022/04/14/keeping-passover-by-way-of-the-renewed-covenant-part-3-of-keeping-passover-and-unleavened-bread-in-2022/ 

 

Master was that Aviv barley growing in a parched land (I.e., Yisra’el). He is the spiritual Firstfruits stalk—that omer of barley—that we were to take to the Tabernacle/Temple to be waved before Yehovah on our behalf. It’s all about Yeshua, beloved.

 

Furthermore, Master Yahoshua’s passion—His sacrifice—took place during the time of Pesach, which is exclusive to the month of the Aviv. Thus, our remembrance of the Month of the Aviv holds even greater significance for the redeemed of Yah.

 

 

In (13:5) Father instructs us to engage in the “unleavened” service (i.e., keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the Month of the Aviv) when we enter the Promised Land, which is a land Abba Yah described as “issuing with fat/milk and honey/sticky mass which can also refer to dates from a palm tree (Benner).

 

When we talk about rendering service unto Yah within the context of our reading here, we’re talking about all the elements surrounding Pesach. All the rituals surrounding Pesach. We’re not talking about the rabbinic stuff, mind you. But instead, we’re talking about those instructions given to us by Yah through Moshe.

 

Interestingly, Robert Alter, in his commentary on this passage in his “Five Books of Moses,” makes a sharp point. He notes that we once served Pharaoh and Mitsrayim/Egypt in a state of abject servitude/slavery. Because Yah has redeemed us from that mess, we are obliged to render service to Yehovah. To serve Yehovah (23:25; Deuteronomy 6:13; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8; Deuteronomy 10:12, 20; 11:13).

 

Thus, we are compelled to serve Yah with all our mind and being (13:4; Matthew 6:24). We can serve only one Master (Luke 1:68-75).

 

 

Here in (13:6), we are commanded in response to our “Zakhar” to consume unleavened bread (I.e., matstasah) for seven days. And on the seventh day, we are to convene a “Chag” or a solemn feast unto Yah. A holy convocation.

 

The seven days may be illustrative or representative of the lifetime of a child of Yah such that for the rest of their life, he or she purges out or eliminates leaven (I.e., sin) from their life through the inner workings of the Ruach HaQodesh (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Here, Shaul told His readers to purge out the old leaven that they may be a “new lump/batch.” For they, as well as us today, are to be without leaven as our Master’s sacrifice has atoned for our sins once and for all (2 Timothy 2:15-26). We are to purge the evil from our lives and become vessels unto honor: Sanctified for the Master’s exclusive use (Hebrews 9:14).

 

 

Here in (13:7), we are to consume “matzah” (I.e., unleavened bread) for seven days. And in so doing, no leavened bread or leavened stuff/products are to exist in all our territory.

 

This is representative of Bene Yisra’el becoming “sinless” and “set apart” before Yah amongst all the people nations of the earth. The focus is on eliminating sin and evil from Yah’s people so that He may dwell with them (29:45-46; Numbers 5:203; 35:34; Deuteronomy 12:11).

 

Beloved, this is the bottom line of this whole discussion. Yah desires to have a true and substantive relationship with His children. Thus, as a child of, His, it behooves us to get to know Abba Yah through our obedience to His instructions and understanding of His Ways.

 

 

Here in (13:8), we are commanded to recall the Exodus events to explain why we engage in the Unleavened Bread service to our children.

 

The rabbis refer to this as the “Haggadah Shel Pesach.”

 

 

We have here in (13:9) Yah’s instruction that we verbally recite the exodus event to our children serves as a “Zikhron” (i.e., a remembrance or commemoration) of Yehovah and all that He did for us. Recitation reminds us of this important event and Yah’s deliverance and redemption. For He alone delivered us from Mitsri slavery.

 

Our actions/behavior (I.e., metaphorically as a sign on our hands) and our very thoughts on these things (I.e., metaphorically as an amulet between our eyes) are to reflect the goodness and greatness of Yah in our lives. That is what Yah has, is, and will do for us.

 

This is metaphorical and not to be understood as rabbinically derived “tefillin” and “phylacteries” (cf. 13:16).

 

Master may have been referring to this rabbinic practice of making and wearing tefillin/phylacteries as recorded in Matthew 23:5. Here, Master criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for engaging in such physical manifestations for purposes of being seen and admired by men.

 

Yah sees the heart of every soul.

 

This instruction is purely metaphorical and is not to be construed as a commandment that we men of Hebrew Faith should don phylacteries.

 

In his Torah and Haftarah, J.H. Hertz contends that the lessons to be drawn from the Exodus story are to always be at the forefront of every Yisra’elite’s mind.

 

 

And here in (13:10), we are instructed to keep Pesach as a statute every Aviv.

 

For the Netsari, our focus must be on Yahoshua and his atoning sacrifice. And because of what He did for us, we are being saved and redeemed and eternally connected to a covenant relationship with Abba Yah.

 

 

Here in (13:11-13), we are commanded that when we come into the Land of Promise that Yah has given us (I.e., the very land Yah promised the Patriarchs), Yah instructed us to dedicate every firstling to Him. Every firstling is to be set aside. All firstling males are holy/set apart unto Yehovah (Luke 2:23).

 

 

We are to ransom our firstborn sons unto Yah.

 

A firstborn donkey may be ransomed unto Yah with a ram. Otherwise, that firstling donkey’s neck must be broken.

 

The donkey/ass is an unclean creature. Therefore, it was not eligible for sacrifice. Nevertheless, an ass was valuable to the ancients for apparent reasons. Thus, Yah being merciful in respect to the obvious hit it would have on one’s ability to make a living if one were to kill one of their firstling donkeys, instituted the option of redeeming the beast of burden with a ram. Thus, a lamb/ram could be substituted for the life of a firstling donkey.

 

Later in Israeli history, five shekels would be the price given to the Levitical Priests in redeeming our firstborn sons (Numbers 3:45-47).

 

Now, some ancient pagan societies sacrificed their firstborn sons, which was entirely counterintuitive to the ways of Yah (J.H. Hertz; pg. 262).

 

In this discussion regarding redeeming the firstborn son, I can’t help but hearken back to the Avraham-Yitshaq story on Mount Moriah. Although not Avraham’s biological firstborn, Yitshaq could be viewed as Avraham’s firstborn under the auspices of his covenant with Yah. Yah instructed Avraham to offer unto Him Yitshaq, Avraham’s only son; the son Avraham loved, as a burnt offering (Genesis/Beresheit 22:2). But just before Avraham was to obediently slay Yitshaq on the pyre, Yah provided a ram in a nearby thicket as a substitute for Yitshaq (Genesis/Beresheit 22:13).

 

We should also recall how the Egyptian/Mitsri firstborn were slain, even sacrificed, while the firstborn Israelites were saved and redeemed by the blood of the Pesach (Exodus/Shemot 12:27-29).

 

We also, more than anything else, know that Yah offered up His firstborn son as a ransom for us: sinful humanity. Yahoshua is holy unto Yah and worthy of being the vicarious offering/sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity.

 

Could it be that the redemption of the firstborn was a foreshadowing of Yeshua’s sacrifice as well?

 

 

So, how do we keep this mitzvah today; we who are engrafted into the commonwealth of Yisra’el? Yah’s Torah remains wholly intact as our Master taught (Matthew 5:18). And because we cannot keep this command as given to our ancient cousins, we are obliged to keep this instruction in “spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

 

Separating out and dedicating our firstborn children, in particular, our sons unto Yah is a mitzvah that I have heard preached and taught by only one person in all my years in this beloved faith of ours. And that person is Michael Rood. I’m certain there are others who have taught this subject, but they are few and far between.

 

Of course, there may be more than one way of keeping this mitzvah. But the way that comes to mind is to lift up to Yah, in a manner worthy of our heartfelt respect and love for Yah and His instructions, our firstborn children. Truly lift up our children—all of them—unto Yah and dedicate them to Yah. Give them over to Yah. Seek Yah’s instructions on how we are to raise them. And in our obedience to the leading of Yah’s Spirit, from that point forward, raise our children—immerse our children—in the true Faith once delivered.

 

 

In verses (13:14-15) once again, Yah explains that in the future, when our sons inquire of us what all these services mean (I.e., Pesach; Unleavened Bread; redeeming the firstborn; etc.), we are to tell them that these services are all connected to Yah leading us out of Egyptian/Mitsri slavery.

 

However, under the auspices of the renewed covenant, we must constantly inform our children of the greater redemption we enjoy through the Person and ministries of Yeshua Messiah.

 

 

I love Robert Alter’s emphases for the one who loves Yah’s Word, how Yah’s focus in His imparting of Torah to Yisra’el, both an “educational” and “commemorative” relevance to His mitzvot.

 

Yah has always wanted to impart to us through His Torah an understanding as to why He requires us to remember the experiences He’s brought us through and the mitzvot He requires us to keep.

 

You know, often we find understanding of Yah’s Torah mitzvot through the Person and Ministries of Yahoshua HaMashiyach. He is, in every sense, the walking-talking Torah. For Abba Yah informed us that He would “raise up” for us “a prophet like Moshe from among us (us, being a fellow Yisra’elite).” That being the case, “we must listen to Him” (Deuteronomy/Devarim 18:15; Acts 3:22; 7:37). Yah put His words—His Torah—in His Prophet’s mouth. And this One would speak to the nation—Yisra’el—and to the world—whatever Yah instructs Him to say (Deuteronomy 18:18).

 

Therefore, we must remember, obey, and understand all that Abba instructs us to do through the teachings and example of Yeshua HaMashiyach (John 13:15).

 

 

(13:17) At this juncture of our reading, Moshe continues the historical, chronological narrative of the Exodus story. And Moshe notes the wisdom of Yah that ensured the safety of Yisra’el by not leading the nation through Philistine country. Taking such a route would have been a more direct one to Canaan but would also have subjected the unprepared and untested Hebrews to unnecessary harassment by the Philistines.

 

 

(13:18) So, Yah takes Yisra’el through the Wilderness of the Yam Suf (I.e., The Wilderness of the Sea of Reeds or the Red Sea). Yah had plans far exceeding that of simply having His people avoid the Philistines. But that’s a story for another day. For our Yah is a God with plans within plans within plans. His ways are always above ours.

 

Nevertheless, so-called biblical scholars, both Protestant and Jewish, seem to go out of their way to cast doubt as to the miraculous nature of the Red Sea Crossing. These refuse to believe Yah’s written Word at face value. These need a true and substantive relationship with the Creator of the Universe. And then, maybe they can rightly divide Yah’s Word of Truth.

 

We, on the other hand, place our whole trust in Yah and His Word without wavering (Psalm 146:3; Jeremiah/Yermi’Yahu 17:5; Psalm 118:8).

 

 

(13:19-20) Moshe ensured that the remains of Yosef, as instructed by Yosef to His brothers and offspring, went with the nation as they departed Egypt/Mitsrayim (Genesis/Beresheit 50:25). Clearly, Moshe’s respect for the forefathers is evident.

 

The nation’s Exodus journey would officially begin at Succoth, with the first leg of the journey ending at Etham, which is at the edge of Mitsri/Egyptian territory, heading out towards the wilderness.

 

 

Netsari Hallachah

 

 

Master Yahoshua added an essential layer to our understanding of Pesach. No longer would the Exodus story, which is embodied in Pesach, be just about the redemption of the nation Yisrael from Egyptian (Mitsri) servitude. But more so about what His passion, His death, His sacrifice, His redeeming of fallen humankind would ultimately provide the opportunity for any who would be so led to enter into a covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

 

 

And this whole idea of Father insisting that we remember is not lost on this added, a more supreme layer of Yeshua’s redemptive work to Pesach/Passover/the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Father requires us to remember, or “Zakhar,” all the events surrounding the Exodus of Yisrael from Egypt/Mitsrayim not so much that we would cognitively forget these miraculous, historical happenings (although it is conceivably possible that we could). But more so, the obedience that we apply to our remembering Pesach through our keeping of the Pesach rituals and commandments/mitzvot will teach us about the Person of Yehovah Elohim.

 

Our keeping the elements of Passover, especially the bread and wine ceremony that Yeshua instructed us to keep each year at Pesach, will serve to educate us about our Heavenly Father. And as we learn about Father Yah through a combination of Feast-keeping, scriptural studies, and the revelation of the Ruach HaQodesh, we incrementally grow in our covenant relationship with Yah.

 

And this is, in a nutshell, the “essence” of Yah’s mitzvah to “Zakhar.” “Zakhar” is us getting to know and love our Heavenly Father through His established means of feast-keeping, scriptural studies, and Holy Spirit revelation. These are all, as Torah Teacher Tim Hegg so eloquently put it: “divinely ordained means for knowing the Creator and having our every longing and expectation filled by His presence.” Our obedience and remembering are means to a glorious end: Knowing Yah. Being “at-one-ness” with Yah.

 

Denominationalism celebrates Yeshua’s death, burial, and resurrection as how one gets into heaven. But this is not what Yeshua, nor His Father intended as the reason behind our Master’s crucifixion and sacrifice.

 

So, suppose you ever wondered about there being a bigger purpose and reason behind our walking out and keeping in mind Abba Yah’s Ways besides simply doing so because He said so. In that case, it’s more about getting to know and getting closer to Yah in a pure and substantive way.

 

Master prayed this to His Father on that cool, dark, terrible night just before His crucifixion:

 

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent… 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.  24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.  25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. (Joh 17:3,23-26 KJV)

 

Even as He faced death, our Master still saw the bigger picture about us getting to know His Father and having a true and substantive relationship with Him.

 

And so, this is what this week’s Torah Reading is all about. How we get to and maintain an intimate covenant relationship with Yah.

 

  1. We remember (that is, we “Zakhar”) the many things that Yah has done for us. In particular, we remember Yah’s Plan of Salvation, Redemption, and Restoration that He instituted through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah.
  2. We keep His services. We keep His Feasts and obey His instructions in righteousness in Spirit and in Truth.

 

These two things—our remembering and our obedience—over time, bring us to a deeper and more intimate covenant relationship with the Almighty. They bring us to a divine place of knowing our Creator and being at-one-ment with Him, through His Son Yeshua Messiah.

 

May we strive, because of our steadfast Yeshua-focused Torah Living, to endeavor to get closer to Abba Yah. Endeavor to be like Abba Yah in every way. To love Abba Yah more than we could ever love ourselves.

 

 

1 Timothy-The Properly Attired Praying Woman-Part-12 of our Paul and Hebrew Roots Series

by | Aug 16, 2019

In this installment of our Paul and Hebrew Roots series, we consider Paul’s instructions regarding properly attired praying woman. We explore the significance of prayer in the early Church and the fact that Paul sought to use prayer as one of his first tactics against the scourge of early Gnosticism that had infiltrated the Ephesian assemblies of Messianic Believers. And we find clearly layed out in 1 Timothy that Paul advocated women leading worship and corporate prayer in the assemblies. Shalom and welcome.

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