This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Va-eira, meaning "and I appeared," and begins in Ex. 6. Our title comes from v. 2-3: "And God spoke to Moses and said to him: 'I am the LORD (YHWH). I appeared (ra'a - see, look, behold, appear, consider, perceive, foresee, seer, have vision, discern, be visible, experience) to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by My name LORD I was not known to them." This name, LORD, is a new revelation to the people of God. It is revealed at a time when the LORD will perform mighty miraculous acts to free His people from bondage and oppression.
The LORD first revealed His name to Moses in Ch. 3:14-15, when Moses asked His name to tell to the Israelites: "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM (written in Hebrew as YHWH or יְהֹוָה ).'...Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you...This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations." Not only is this name, LORD, an eternal name, but it is the name that is to be made known to every generation. Every generation must have this knowledge for the reason that will be revealed below.
In both places where this name is mentioned, there is also the promise to deliver the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and to bring them into the land promised by covenant in Canaan. This name, LORD, means "the existing One," and it is this name by which God delivers His people using whatever means necessary. Each Hebrew letter in the name LORD, yod-hey-vaw-hey, carries a separate meaning that when combined can be translated "Behold, the hand, behold the nail." We can see the identity of Jesus in this named. This is also a name that defeats monsters as we will see.
In another reading portion from this Va-eira, "and I appeared" Sabbath, the LORD says to His prophet, Ezekiel: "Speak and say, 'Thus says the LORD GOD: Behold, I am against you O Pharaoh king of Egypt, of great monster (tannin - dragon, great serpent, sea or river monster, venomous, devourer) who lies in the midst of his rivers, who has said, 'My River (referring to the Nile River) is my own; I have made it for myself.'...I have given you as food to the beasts of the field and to the birds of the heavens. Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When...you broke and tore all their shoulders; When...you broke and made all their backs quiver." (Ezek. 29:3, 5-7).
Several of the gods, or ruling spiritual powers, of Egypt were associated with the Nile River, the most important river to the ancient Egyptians in their religion by which they used occultic practices in order to claim to have control over death and resurrection. There are organizations today that still rely upon these occultic beliefs and practices in order to accomplish eternal life. The ancient Egyptians also relied upon the Nile's flooding seasons for their agricultural production. The Nile River became the center of creation, fertility, the underworld, including death and resurrection as mentioned, and to the LORD, it also was the source of oppression of God's covenant people as He told Ezekiel, above. The LORD told Moses that He would judge the gods of Egypt, "I will execute judgment: I am the LORD." ( Ex. 12:12). Again the LORD attaches His name to this judgment that would bring deliverance to His people.
In another reading portion from this Sabbath, the psalmist wrote of the judgment of the LORD against Pharaoh, Egypt and its gods: "He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them." (Ps. 78:49).
The first plague sent by the LORD against Egypt and its gods in order to force Pharaoh to release the Hebrew slaves was the plague against the Nile and all of the waters of Egypt. The LORD instructed Moses to meet Pharaoh as he went to the River and say to him: "The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, 'Let (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness'; but indeed, until now you would not hear! Thus says the LORD: 'By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike (naka - smite, slay, kill, beat, slaughter, punish, conquer, ravage, captured, wounded, stricken, stripes, smitten, scourge) the waters which are in the river (ye'or - of Egyptian origin, specifically the Nile and its collateral trenches) with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood (dam/damam - blood, bloodthirsty, blood guiltiness, blood shed that causes death/silence, cut off, cut down, cease, be astonished or stupefied, perish). And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink (ba'as - stink, abhor, abomination, loathsome, be offensive), and the Egyptians will loathe (la'a - be weary of, to exhaust oneself, to labor, be offended, make disgusted, faint, loathe) to drink the water of the river." (Ex. 7:16-18, see also Ps. 78:43-44).
Not only did the Nile turn to blood, but every source of water in Egypt turned to blood, including any water that was in a container or cup! (v. v. 19). The plague lasted seven days. (v. 25). The magicians of Egypt were able to copy this plague, which hardened Pharaoh's heart against the power of the LORD, but the magicians were not able to alleviate the plague of God, neither were the Egyptian gods of the River able to reverse the plague evidently, because the plague continued for its appointed timespan.
The purpose of this and the other plagues against Egypt were not only for the purpose of forcing Pharaoh to let God's people go, but it was also to be a testament to the LORD's people of His power and willingness to deliver His people out of their severe bondage. Psalm 78 mourns the fact that God's people failed to remember all that He did in order to deliver them and make them a nation (Ps. 78:52-55). Even after all that the LORD had accomplished on their behalf, His people tested and provoked (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega-Elohim) God, turned back and acted unfaithfully, did not keep His testimonies, and moved Him to jealousy with their idols (v. 56-58).
The question is: Do we remember all that the LORD has done for us through mighty wonders and works? Or have we forgotten His absolute power and might? Have we hardened our hearts against the ways of God as Israel once did, as Psalm 78 laments?
Some may not believe that there are monsters. Some may have forgotten how the LORD defeated monsters on behalf of His people. Some may have forgotten that we, the Church of believers in Christ, are called to be monster slayers ourselves.
The apostle Paul wrote this to the Church: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness or this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Eph. 6:1-013).
Paul is talking about monsters here - spiritual serpents and dragons -venomous and merciless devourers of human beings and whole nations (see above Hebrew meaning of "monster").
Paul also wrote further: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Do you look at things according to the outward appearance?..." (2 Cor. 10:3-7a).
As we war against the flesh of others (although we do not spend much time or effort warring against our own flesh), and as we war against what outward appearances seem to tell us, we become totally ineffectual as monster slayers. The warfare against monsters begins in our own minds and in our own obedience to the Lord and to His Word and Spirit.
In another place, Paul wrote that the Church of believers is to make known the mystery that has been revealed to it: "...and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confidence through faith in Him." (Eph. 3:9-12). There is a mystery, now revealed to the church to be made known to the monsters mentioned in the above verse from Ephesians, and to all men, "...which is "Christ in you (meaning the believer), the hope of glory." (see Col. 1:26-27). Jesus revealed the same mystery when He said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (Jn. 3:16-27). There is escape from condemnation and death, there is everlasting life, there is salvation for all who will believe in the Son, Jesus, who accomplished this earth-shaking work in the will and in the name of His Father.
Here is another monster slayer: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20). This overcomes the biggest monster of all - Satan himself: "...for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb (meaning Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God) and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev. 12:10-11).
Calling all monster slayers - Fall in and take up your weapons of warfare: the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:14-18).
The connection between the name LORD and Jesus is discussed above. LORD is the name by which God will judge the gods or monsters of Egypt and deliver His people. Scripture also relates how the name of Jesus has authority over all created beings, including monsters: "And being found in appearance as a man, He (Jesus) humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:8-11).
All knees must bow at this name, Jesus/Yeshua (meaning "the LORD is salvation"), and at the title of "Lord", including the knees of monsters. Keeping this in mind, the greatest monster slayer and ruler of all time and before time, is coming, the returning Messiah/Christ, Jesus as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." (Rev. 19:15-16). At that time, "...the lawless one... the son of perdition (hell)...will be revealed, whom the Lord (Jesus) will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thess. 2:3, 8-10).
The Book of Revelation gives us a detailed description when the coming of the Lord shall destroy Mystery Babylon the Great (Rev. 17:3-6, 18:4-8), overcome the nations, the beast (meaning the lawless one as described above, also known as the antichrist), and the false prophet who served the beast. Also His angel: "laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old (see the Hebrew meaning for "monster" above), who is the Devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him..." (Rev. 19:11-21, and 20:1-3).
In this age when spiritual monsters have used their wicked power to attempt to destroy all that is life, we, the believers in Christ, should begin to understand what it means to be a monster slayer.
If you would like to know more about the LORD and His determination to judge the spiritual monsters that seek to destroy His people, you can pray with me: "LORD God, Creator of all, LORD of all, Your Son, who came in Your name, appeared to us in the flesh and died and rose again so that we might have life and that more abundantly. Your promise Lord Jesus is to dwell in me as I dwell in You, to cleanse me of all unrighteousness, to remove all power of sin and death over my life, that I may stand before monsters in the evil day with my life hidden in You, and Your Word and Your faith in my mouth. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and with Your Word so that my obedience will be fulfilled as a witness against the spiritual monsters of wickedness who seek to destroy life. I ask this in the name of Jesus, AMEN."
*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.
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