Beginning

The title of this Sabbath's reading is Bo, meaning to go in, or enter. The title comes from the beginning line of the reading, as God commands Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh..." in Exodus 10. The Hebrew letters that form the word Bo are beth, vaw, and aleph. While Moses entered into Pharaoh's presence, based on the meanings of the individual Hebrew letters used in Bo above, he was going in by "the house of the authority and strength of the nailed God (Adonai)". Pharaoh's house, and all houses of power, are subject to the greater power of the House of God. We would see that as "The House of the Nailed God" went into Pharaoh's house, Pharaoh's kingdom would be turned upside-down. Later, in Exodus 12, another portion of this Sabbath's reading, as the LORD was about to deliver Israel out of slavery in Egypt, He announced it as a new beginning in a point of time. He redefines the marking of time to them while they were still in Egypt: "Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, 'This month shall be your beginning (Hebrew: ros) of months (Hebrew: hodes); it shall be the first month of the year to you..." (Ex. 12:1-2). The Hebrew words and root meanings used in the phrase "beginning of months" gives this phrase the meaning, "the chief, captain, ruler, head is the beginning of the shaking that renews, repairs, rebuilds, restores, produces newness (as in a sharp, polished, splendid sword)". This beginning of months is brought about in the form of a person (chief, ruler, captain, head). This newly designated time of your "beginning of months", when your Captain Who restores, repairs, and produces newness, will also form around the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:3-14). The LORD describes to Moses the selection and killing of the lambs for each household. The blood of those lambs was to be applied on the two doorposts and on the lintels of their houses: "...It is the LORD's Passover (pesah - the sacrifice of Passover for a sparing, an immunity from penalty and calamity). For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgment: I am the LORD (YHWH). Now the blood shall be a sign (ot - a distinguishing mark, banner, a miraculous sign, proof, beacon, evidence) for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt." (Ex. 12:11-13). The Hebrew word for "sign" above is the word ot. The letters of this Hebrew word are aleph, vaw, and tav. The meaning of these letters together is "God (Adonai) nailed to a cross (two crossed sticks)". This miracle sign of Passover was to be remembered and observed in all following generations forever: "You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting (olam - old, ancient, perpetual, eternal, hidden time) ordinance." (v. 14). The houses of the Israelites bore the blood of the sacrificed lamb as an outward sign. We, who believe in Jesus as our Passover Lamb (Rev. 5:12), slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8), also bear the sign of the blood on our houses (bodies). This "beginning of months" containing Passover spoken of above is personal. The beginning or this renewal is a Person, according to the Hebrew meaning, and the beginning is directed to each person: The LORD says "your beginning of months". The Passover, within this beginning of months, is followed by the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread. No leaven may be used in the bread. It is taught that leaven is a symbol for sin. There are many references in scripture that carry this meaning, and even the Hebrew word for "leaven" carries a negative meaning. However, considering the meanings that we have discovered in the Hebrew language used in this passage, I would like to also look at a perhaps additional significance concerning unleavened bread. It is interesting that unleavened bread is striped from baking, and pierced to assure that it won't rise. This is a picture of Christ to us. Although Jesus was striped by scourging and pierced, He still rose! No other raising power of man was present, except for the power of the Holy Spirit, who raised Jesus, and us, from the dead (Rom. 8:10-11). It is also interesting to me that the process of leavening bread requires the addition of old leavened dough called "the mother". When the new leavened bread is mixed, a portion of old leavened or fermented dough, that has been set aside and kept for this purpose, is also mixed in with the new dough. Sometimes that old leavened dough, "the mother", is kept on hand for many years. The inclusion of the old leavened mixture gives the new loaves of bread a more sour taste. So leavened bread often contains old leaven. Paul wrote for us to purge out the old leaven, and become a new, unleavened lump: "Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore, purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed, Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Cor. 5:6-8). We can see here that Paul spoke about the Passover fulfilled in Christ and its connection to the thought of old leaven and the new unleavened. Our "beginning of months" spoken of by the LORD in Exodus 12, is for our sparing from calamity by the blood of the Lamb, and the newness of Christ in us. We are not to mix the old with this newness: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17) and "...as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Eph. 4:21-24). I think the symbolism of old leavened, and new unleavened, fits right into the context of what the LORD was saying in Exodus. This beginning of months commanded by God in this Sabbath's reading, that includes both the Passover and the seven days of Unleavened Bread, represents the deliverance from calamity by Christ as the blood of the Lamb, and the renewing power that immediately follows, doing its work in us as we are to walk in "newness of life" (Rom. 6:4). We remember and keep the specific appointed days of these Feast, but while this is not yet the date of the Feast of Passover, Christ is our Passover and Unleavened Bread from eternity past, and into eternity future. In these present days of calamity and corruption, we have a promise of rescue and renewal. If you would like to receive Jesus as your "Beginning of months", your Passover sacrifice and your newness, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, You have fulfilled these Feasts of the LORD. I receive You as my Passover, and I receive Your renewing work in me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit who leads me in purging the old leaven from my life, and becoming instead new unleavened bread. You are my beginning of months, my newness, and I thank You in Your mighty, saving name. AMEN."