Joy in the Messiah

שְׁמוֹת
Shemot/Names
Exodus 1:1-6:2
Isaiah 27:6-28:13
Acts 7:17-29

       This parsha begins with the names of the sons of Israel with their families who went to Egypt with Jacob. Chapter one continues with the death of Joseph, a new king who did not know Joseph, the affliction of the Hebrew people, their fruitfulness and the Egyptian’s fear of the Israelites’ strength. Chapter one ends with Pharaoh’s command to throw every Hebrew male into the river because of Exodus 1:19 ‘…and the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”
     In Exodus 2 Moses is rescued from the river and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter. God mercifully interceded yet again, orchestrating events so that Moshe’s mother could nurse him. Moses grows up and eventually flees to Midian after slaying an Egyptian. Exodus 2 ends with God’s mercy upon His people, ‘Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. ²⁴ So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵ And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.’ Exodus 2:23-24. 
     In Exodus 3, Moshe sees the burning bush, and encounters God in the most miraculous way. 
     Moshe, undoubtedly aware of the greatness before him, his fleshly inabilities and his fear, asks God three important questions. Exodus 3:11, ‘But Moses said to God, “Who am I (Mi anochi) that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” And in Exodus 3:13, ‘Who shall I say sent me?’
     God answers the second, “Because I will be with you.”  God is stating that He will do it; He will be with Moshe through everything. 
     But God never answered the first question. It seems like the prophets God used are those that doubted their calling. The Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 6:5 argued, ‘I am a man of unclean lips.’ In Jeremiah 1:6 the prophet Jeremiah said, ‘I cannot speak, for I am a child.’ David, the man after God's own heart, in 2 Samuel 7:18 echoed Moses’ words, ‘Who am I?’ Jonah, sent on a mission by God, tried to run away.  Rashbam’s interpretation of Genesis 32:23 is that Jacob was about to run away when he found his way blocked by the man/angel (Yeshua), whom he wrestled that night. Even Elijah in 1 Kings 19 doubted himself, begged to die, and hid in a cave. 
   Is it possible that Moshe and these prophets really knew who they were and what they were destined for? Exodus 2:11 states: ‘Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens.’ In Exodus 2:21-22 when he named his son, Moshe knew he was a Hebrew, ‘Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. ²² And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” 
    In Exodus 4 Moshe accepts the calling and has his first encounter with Pharaoh in Exodus 5. At the end of Exodus 5, Moshe again doubts his calling and resists, ‘So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? ²³ For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” Exodus 5:22-23. This Torah portion ends with God’s assurance, ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand, he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” ² And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord.” Exodus 6:1-2. 
     Do we accept the calling? Do we really understand the calling? Do we truly know who we are and what we are called to do?
     The Book of 1 John explains it so well.  It begins with ‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— ² the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Yeshua Messiah. ⁴ And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.’  
     From the beginning…eyes saw and hands handled the Torah Scroll.  The Word of life which was manifested and we have seen (The Torah Scroll becoming flesh and the Living Word in Yeshua Messiah). Fellowship is with The Father and Yeshua, not just Yeshua or Jesus as is often taught. 
    The explanation and test of who we are continues in 1 John 2:3-6 ‘Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.’ John continues:
     The commandment is not new, yet from the beginning, 1 John 2:7-8.
     Anyone who hates his brother is blinded and lives in darkness, 1 John 2:9-11.   
    Our spiritual state, again know Who it is from the beginning, 1 John 2:12-14. 
    Who has the Father and the Son in truth, 1 John 2:20-27.
    The definition of sin, which is lawlessness, Torahlessness, 1 John 3:7-9.
    The Spirit of Truth, 1 John 3:24.
    The power and truth of love, 1 John 4. 
    Obedience by faith, 1 John 5:1-5.
    God’s witnesses, 1 John 5:6-13.
    Compassion through prayer, 1 John 5:14-17.
    Knowing the truth and rejecting the false, 1 John 5:18-21.
    We are called to live life according to His will and His Truth.  

Shemot/Names
Exodus 1:1-6:2
Isaiah 27:6-28:13
Acts 7:17-29

    Shemot begins with the death of Joseph, his brothers and that generation. The Hebrew people multiply, a new Pharaoh who does not know the history of Joseph comes to power and greatly fears the Israelites. He demands harsh work, oppression and finally for all male babies to be annihilated.  Almost instantly - it would seem - from Beresheeth to Shemot, the Hebrew people go from being protected citizens to slaves, while Moses goes from prince of Egypt to Midianite shepherd to leader of the Israelites through the miraculous encounter at the Burning Bush.
     In chapter 1 of Shemot/Exodus Pharaoh orders all male children to be killed: ‘Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.’  Exodus 1:15-16. But the midwives do not obey the command. 
     In the second chapter of this parsha, Moshe is rescued, ‘drawn from water’, by the Pharaoh’s daughter. He was raised in the palace as an Egyptian until in the end of chapter two when he kills an Egyptian, then flees to Midian. Moses encounters Ruel, the priest of Midian, and marries his daughter, Zipporah and together they have a son, Gershom; “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”  Exodus 2:22. 
     In Exodus chapter three, Moses encounters the burning bush. ‘When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.’ Exodus 3:4-6. After Moshe questions God, He gives Moshe the instructions:  Exodus 3:14-15 ‘And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” (I will be who I will be). And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’  God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is My Name forever, the Name you shall call Me from generation to generation.’
     In Genesis 4, God gives His signs to Moshe and he returns to Egypt. On route his son is circumcised by Zipporah, thus saving Moshe’s life.  Moshe and Aaron meet, and Aaron then spoke the words of the LORD and the people bowed and worshiped. Exodus 4:30-31.  Shemot ends with Moshe’s first encounter with Pharaoh Israel’s deliverance assured and in Exodus 6:1 God declares, ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
    In each one of these chapters there is a code of a moral awareness or a moral compass. The first example is that of the midwives. Torah gives us their names, Shifra and Puah and that they were the midwives summoned by Pharaoh. The Hebrew wording of the two women as hameyaldot ha’ivriyot is not clear. It could mean “the Hebrew midwives”; so most translations and commentaries read it that way. But it could equally mean, “the midwives to the Hebrews,” in which case they may have been Egyptian. What we do know, however, is that they refused to carry out the order. In Exodus 1:17 it says that they feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt told them to do. The Torah suggests that they did so without fuss or drama.  Questioned by Pharaoh to explain their behavior, they simply replied: “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”  To this, Pharaoh has no reply.  Pharaoh changes his plan and commands the male children to be thrown into the river. 
     In chapter 2 the daughter of Pharaoh rescues Moshe from the river, deciding to love and raise the baby instead of killing him. ‘And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Exodus 2:6. In Exodus chapter 3 there is the encounter with Moshe and the burning bush where upon Moses hid his face instead of trying to ‘see’ God.  In Exodus 4 Zipporah circumcises Gershom, almost for Moshe, thus saving his life.  This parsha ends with the moral compass of Adonai, Himself. 
     In Acts 5:29, Peter/Kefa makes it clear: ‘But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.’
   Have we made the moral decision to follow God at all costs? Starting with the basics, we first have to make the choice. ‘And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’  Joshua 24:15. 
     Secondly, we have to be aware of what we are choosing, ‘I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live’…Deuteronomy 30:18. We must also be quite aware that once we make the choice, it is not our timing to hem and haw about matters, but rather it is God’s. Acts 17:30-31 ‘Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.’ 
     We make the choice to serve The One.  By making this choice, our preferences become null and void.  We pattern our lives around The Almighty, the Creator of the Universe.  “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.’ Matthew 6:24. Once we come to the total realization that we are serving the Creator of All, then we should absolutely understand that if our moral compass veers away from the Word of God, we would be engulfed in total arrogance. 
     The lesson comes from the Hebrew midwives.  They defied the orders of the king of Egypt, not knowing if they would suffer.  Their moral compass was to serve God by serving the Hebrew women and the males that they gave birth to.  We can almost all agree on defying any governmental order that would go against the God we serve. But can we and do we defy the friendly suggestions of our own egos or our family and friends that try to steer us away from something as clear and simply commanded as the Ten Words found in Exodus 20? What about the Sabbath?  Is Erev Shabbat cluttered with secular places or even secular friends? Are the Sabbath days to worship God an option if we have nothing else to do? Does anything in our lives take precedence over the Sabbath? People?  Jobs? Family? Outings? Sports? Shopping? Hunting? Arguing? Traveling? Proverbs 14:12 ‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.’ Isaiah 5:21 ‘Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!’
     All of His words and ways are to be joy to us, especially His Shabbat and Moedim. We are to have joy in Him as we live and keep our moral compass in His gates.  Psalm 16:11 ‘You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.’
Psalm 71:23 ‘My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.’