Sabbath Torah Nugget (#15) The Journey from the Wilderness to the Promised Land The Final Plagues and The Passover Lamb We are overjoyed each week as we discover new golden nuggets from the Torah ~ the teachings and instructions from our Heavenly Father ~. This past week we studied the last three plagues & the story of the Passover in Shemot (Exodus) chapters 10-13. The last three of the ten plagues are visited on Egypt: a swarm of locusts devours all the crops and greenery; darkness so thick you could feel it envelops the land; and all the firstborn of Egypt are killed at midnight. יהוה (LORD) establishes the beginning of the year with the month that is known as the month of Abib in the “Paleo Hebrew.” There is also a clue as to the timing in Ex. 9:31. “And the flax and the barley were smitten, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud.” This would be the equivalent of March / April according to the Gregorian calendar. The Israelites are also instructed to bring a Passover offering to יהוה: a lamb or kid is to be slaughtered and its blood sprinkled on the doorposts and lintel of every Israelite home, so that יהוה should pass over these homes when He comes to kill the Egyptian firstborn. The roasted meat of the offering is to be eaten that night together with matzah (unleavened bread) and bitter herbs. The death of the firstborn finally breaks Pharaohs resistance and he literally drives the Children of Israel from his land. So hastily do they depart, there is no time for their dough to rise, and the only provisions they take along are unleavened. Before they go, they ask their Egyptian neighbors for gold, silver and garments, draining Egypt of its wealth. The Children of Israel and the entire mixed multitude (gentiles) are commanded to consecrate all firstborn and to observe the anniversary of the Exodus each year by removing all leaven from their possession for seven days, eating matzah, and telling the story of their redemption to their children. They are also commanded to remember the Exodus and their resultant commitment to יהוה as an everlasting covenant throughout their generations. Pharaoh could have stopped the path of death and destruction by simply submitting to יהוה and obeying His voice. All Pharaoh had to do was heed the sign of the blood. Egypt could have been spared if Pharaoh would have paid attention to the first plague. The firstborn of each family could have lived if Pharaoh would have understood the message behind the Nile River turning to blood. The Egyptian society depends on the Nile River for its existence. Thus, the Nile is considered the life-force of Egypt. The people consider the Nile the embodiment of their many gods. Each morning Pharaoh would rise and bathe in the beautiful water. When the Nile flooded or dried up, the Egyptians considered their god to be unhappy. To appease the Nile and calm the waters, they would even offer human sacrifices. 80 years before the Exodus, Pharaoh had commanded that every son born from the Hebrew slaves was to be cast into the river and drowned. Later, when the next Pharaoh ignored יהוה’s command, the water turned to blood again. Through this blood יהוה was calling out to Pharaoh to repent of his sins and release the Israelites. We read in Exodus that after watching the Nile turn to blood, Pharaoh simply turned away. He saw the blood and turned His back on salvation. The Scriptures declare that יהוה declares the end from the beginning in Isaiah 46:10. When the Nile River was first turned to blood, יהוה was warning Pharaoh of a coming disaster. יהוה was offering Pharaoh an escape. Life is in the blood, Leviticus 17:11. Pharaoh ignored the blood and brought death upon his firstborn and the firstborn of all his subjects. The wages of sin is death but the blood offers life! The blood remained for 7 days giving the leader and his people plenty of time to repent. יהוה is so gracious that he always gives us time to turn to Him. During the time יהוה gives, man will either grow sorry for what he as done or he will allow his heart to harden. Pharaoh chose the latter. Sadly, Pharaohs response is repeated by millions each day. Notice too that Pharaoh turned to his magicians to see if they could duplicate the blood. Through the power of demons, the enchanters were able to seemingly copy the miracle of יהוה. However, they were not able to make the blood leave and allow the Nile to return to normal. The occult and the world have many false promises and false manifestations that seem to mirror moves of יהוה. The evil powers may be able to duplicate some of יהוהs miracles BUT the dark side can not stop יהוהs judgment. Life is not found in false fabrications but in the blood of The Lamb of יהוה. Today, millions know the message of the gospel but turn to mediums, horoscopes, and witchcraft. Even Messianic believers have to battle the demonic powers behind the teachings of reincarnation and kabbalah. The Messiahs message is pretty simple - life is in the blood! When יהושע (Jesus) celebrated Passover he lifted the cup and said this is the blood of the Renewed Covenant, unless you drink my blood and taste my flesh you can not enter the kingdom of יהוה. Again, He was proclaiming that life is in the blood. His blood was the fulfillment of the prophetic blood of the Nile and the lambs blood on the doorposts. We read in the book of Matthew that the disciple that betrayed יהושע dipped his hand in the dish before the cup was offered. Even in the face of death, יהושע offered eternal life to those at his table, including the one who would trade his life for silver. The blood covers all sin and all reproach, no matter what you have done, said, or thought. ...and the blood of יהושע Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin, 1 John 1:7. Forgiveness is found in the blood. Speaking of the lamb’s blood on the doorpost, consider this. In Hebrew, the word for life is Chayim. Notice the picture with the doorpost stained with blood and the red Hebrew letter chet beside it. Many times, especially on jewelry, Jewish people will simply write the letter, chet as an abbreviation for the word life. If you were to trace the shape of the blood smeared on the doorposts and lintel, what would it look like? Does that shape look familiar? Yes, it’s the same as the Hebrew letter chet, which is sometimes used as an abbreviation for life! This is one of the many ways the Torah constantly teaches us one important message. When you obey יהוה’s commandments (in this case, the Passover) you will have life. Now let’s look at some thematic connections between the Passover lamb and יהושע. The lamb had to be examined four days, to ensure that it was perfect without blemish. 1Peter 1:18, 19 tells us, “knowing that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers, not with what is corruptible, silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless.” We can associate יהושע with a lamb because in John 1:29, John the Baptist declares Him the Lamb of Elohim (God) who takes away the sin of the world. John the Baptist was in the lineage of the High Priest. (Remember, his father was serving as the High Priest) So, John had the right to declare a lamb/יהושע fit for sacrifice. When יהוה saw the blood he passed over the houses of the Israelites, thereby allowing the firstborn to pass from death to life, just as it is the blood of יהושע that gives us life, saving us from the second death to eternal life. The fact that no bones of the Passover lamb were to be broken was a prophecy that the Messiah’s bones wouldn’t be broken on the stake, even though it was customary to break a person’s bones to hasten their death. Revelation 13:8 states that יהושע is the Lamb of Elohim slain from the foundation of the world. It’s always been יהוה’s intent to send יהושע as the perfect Lamb of Elohim. The Passover was a picture of the true Lamb of Elohim. This picture is also seen in the Akeida (the Binding of Isaac). Isaac asked, “Where is the lamb for a burnt offering? Abram prophesied that יהוה would supply the lamb and יהושע is the fulfillment of that statement. A very important message needs to be understood here. The Passover sacrifice was the price of redemption. The Passover sacrifice paid for their salvation, redemption and deliverance from Egypt —a picture of salvation and deliverance from bondage to sin! And guess what? The Passover sacrifice occurred before the giving of the Torah! In fact, did you know that the first picture of Passover occurred long before the Passover in our current study? This picture goes all the way back to Adam and Eve! In Genesis chapter 3, we read about the fall of Adam and Eve. When they sinned, they tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves from the works of their own hands, but their works were not sufficient to cover them. יהוה had to provide a covering for them from bloody animal skins. So, the innocent animal gave up its life, to provide for them a covering. So, from the very beginning, we see a picture of how our sinless Messiah would cover everyone who repents, with His blood! This is further evidence that יהוה’s Word/Torah was established long before the giving of the written tablets on stone at Mt. Sinai and that it should be guarded carefully, to the best of our ability. Not for our salvation, but because we can show our love and appreciation to יהושע by keeping His commandments! John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” Our Haftorah reading is found in Jer. 46:13-28. As always, lets find some thematic connections to the Torah portion and then apply it to our lives today! Our first connection is in the very first verse in Jer. 46:13, The word which יהוה spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar sovereign of Baḇel, to smite the land of Egypt: This is thematically connected to three verses in Ex. 12. Verses 12, 13, & 23: And I shall pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and shall smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt,... ...and let the plague not come on you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt. And vs. 23, “And יהוה shall pass on to smite the Mitsrites, and shall see the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, and יהוה shall pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you. Notice in both passages, someone is being smitten or struck down. Lets look at Jer. 46:22,23, Its sound moves along like a serpent, for they move on like an army and come against her with axes, like woodcutters. “They shall cut down her forest,” declares יהוה, “for it is not searched, because they are more numerous than locusts, and without number. This is connected to Ex. 10:4,5, ...I am bringing locusts within your borders. ‘And they shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one is able to see the land. And they shall eat the rest of what has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. We see through these passages, locust and the destruction of the land in Egypt! Jer. 46:19 is connected to Ex.10:7 in the idea that the land of Egypt is laid waste, desolate, and destroyed! Lets look at Jer, 46:17, There they cried, ‘Pharaoh, sovereign of Egypt, is but a noise... Now lets contemplate Ex. 11:3, And יהוה gave the people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians. And the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh’s servants and in the eyes of the people. How are these two passages thematically connected? From what looks like a contrast, we will glean a connection! Just as Pharaoh was insignificant when Nebuchadnezzar came through the land in the book of Jeremiah, the Pharaoh of the Exodus was insignificant or nothing but a noise to the everyone when יהוה used Moses to bring on all the plagues that destroyed Egypt. Remember, יהוה had made Moses like a god to Pharaoh in Ex. 7:1, therefore Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, while Pharaoh was insignificant! “The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame... Jer. 46:24 Here we see the idea of humility or that Egypt was humbled before the nations. This is connected to Ex. 10:3, ...Till when shall you refuse to humble yourself before Me?... and Ex. 11:8, “And all these servants of yours shall come down to me and bow down to me,... In Jer. 46:21 we read, ...for the day of their calamity has come upon them,... This is connected to Ex. 12:41, ...on that same day it came to be... Notice that יהוה is doing what He prophesies on the day that He says He is going to do it! יהוהs timing is perfect and not negotiable!!! יהוה of hosts, the Elohim of Israel, has said, “See, I am bringing punishment on Amon of No, and on Pharaoh, and on Egypt, and on their mighty ones, and on their sovereigns, and on Pharaoh and on those trusting in him. Jer. 46:25 This is thematically connected to Ex. 12:12, ...And on all the mighty ones of Egypt I shall execute judgment. I am יהוה. We can see the idea of judgment and punishment on the Egyptians and ALL of their gods in both passages! “But as for you, do not fear, O My servant Jacob, and do not be discouraged, O Israel! For look, I am saving you from afar, and your descendants from the land of their captivity. And Jacob shall return, and shall have rest and be at ease, with no one disturbing. Jer. 46:27 This is connected to Ex. 13:5,8 And it shall be, when יהוה brings you into the land...which He swore to your fathers to give you,... ...It is because of what יהוה did for me when I came up from Egypt. Here we are seeing that in both passages we see a return to the Promised Land from a land of captivity / exile! In Jer. 46:28 we read, “Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,” declares יהוה, “for I am with you. Though I make a complete end of all the gentiles to which I have driven you, yet I do not make a complete end of you. But I shall reprove you in right-ruling, and by no means leave you unpunished.” This is connected to Ex. 10:22,23, ...there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. while all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. Now lets allow Scripture to interpret itself in Ex. 11:7! But against any of the children of Israel no dog shall move its tongue, against man or against beast, so that you know that יהוה makes distinction between Egypt and Israel. Here we see that יהוה is making a distinction between the children of darkness (gentiles) and the children of light (Israel)! Now lets apply these themes to us and our day! We are living in a time where our freedom either has been or is in the process of being taken away. Although there are leaders (modern-day pharaohs) who want to enslave us, יהוה is going to execute judgment and punish all of the nations / leaders who refuse to humble themselves and who come against Him! For it has been written, “As I live, says יהוה, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to Elohim.” Rom. 14:11 It is written in Isa. 45:23 I have sworn by Myself, a word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, so that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue swear. When this happens, we will be redeemed, gathered from the nations (exile), and return to the Promised Land! Its our own choice, we can follow our own path or love / obey יהוה and His Word (Torah), then choose to be grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel! Paul didnt convert the gentiles to remain gentiles, he was showing them how to be grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel!!! (Rom. 11 & Eph. 2:12) Blessings in Messiah, Kevin & Michelle
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 04:00:58 +0000