MyTestimony

       "And He (Jesus) said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs shall follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents (ophis - snake, serpent, sly and cunning deception, artful and malicious person like Satan, the devil, hypocrite); and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mk. 16:15-18).

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'shallach, which means "When he let go." This title is taken from the first verse of the reading portion, Exodus 13:17: "Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people go (shawlakh - send forth, send away, send out, loose, cast out, stretch out, shoot forth as a weapon, set free, let go, let depart, send/drive to pasture, send a messenger), that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines (pelisti/palas - descendants of the Egyptians who migrated to the western seacoast of Canaan, strangers/to roll in ashes and dust, to wallow, to dig a hole, to roll oneself), although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people change their minds when they see war (milhama/laham - war, battle, fight, warriors, warfare/devour or eat as food, make war, overcome, prevail, to fight, to battle), and return to Egypt."

     After the last plague of death to the first born of Egypt, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, let the people of God go (shawlakh, see above) . The LORD led His people, not by the nearest route which would take them through the land of the Philistines but led them by the longer route through the Red Sea wilderness. He did not think that they had the fortitude to face battle with the Philistines yet. The Israelites would not face the Philistines until later in time.

     After the Israelites left Egypt, they began to face continual challenges. Pharaoh decided to pursue them and trapped them by the Red Sea. They were terrified. They cried out to the LORD and said to Moses: "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?...Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." (Ex. 14:11-12). At that point, the LORD delivered the Israelites from the Egyptian army by dividing the waters of the Red Sea so that they could cross to the other side: "So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (v. 22, see also Ps. 78:13). The sea water was so thoroughly removed that the ground underneath the waters was not muddy but dry.

    As the Israelites were trapped before the Red Sea, Moses had promised them: "Do not be afraid. Stand still and see (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-salvation (yesua - Jesus' Hebrew name, salvation, help, deliverance, welfare, victory) of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today....". (Ex. 14:13). After the LORD parted the waters of the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to pass through it and then released the waters of the sea in order to drown the pursuing Egyptian army, Moses and the Israelites celebrated this great miracle with a joyous song. Part of this song included: "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation (yesua - see above); He is my God, [and I will prepare Him a habitation (nava - abide, adorn, beautify, celebrate with praise)]/and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him." (Ex. 15:2).

     Immediately after this celebration, however, (*aleph-tav/Alopha and Omega)-Israel came to a place of undrinkable, bitter waters, and they complained. The LORD made the bitter waters sweet by having Moses cast a certain tree ('es - tree, gallows, carpenter) into the waters. At this place, the LORD revealed His name, "I AM the LORD who heals you." (see Ex. 15:22-26).

     Then the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-whole-assembly began to make (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-murmurings against Moses and the LORD over not having meat and bread. Then the LORD heard their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) murmurings and sent them quails for meat in the evenings and bread from heaven in the mornings. (Ex. 16:1-13). Their "murmurings" have the written Hebrew *aleph-tav before them because the murmurings were against the Messiah/Christ.  Generations later, Jesus would solve this mystery by comparing Himself to the manna bread in the wilderness, calling Himself the Bread from heaven of eternal life as the Israelites of His day murmured and complained against Him, as specifically worded in the verses from The Gospel of John. (see Jn. 6:41-43, 48-51). The exact repetition of the wording between Exodus 16 and John 6 is no coincidence.

     As believers in Jesus Messiah/Christ, when we murmur and complain about anything, who are we really murmuring against but the One who is the Lord of our lives, Jesus? Murmurings and complaints become our testimony to others of who Jesus is, or is not, in our lives.

     Psalm 78 is another portion from this week's B'shallach, "When he let go" Sabbath reading. This psalm recounts the kindness and miracles that the LORD showed to Israel even though they continually rebelled against Him and complained against Him.

     The psalmist, Asaph ('asap - "gatherer", "collector", assemble together, to gather and take away, gather the harvest, to take in, to receive into), wrote of the wonders that God did for His people to deliver them from slavery in Egypt, and afterwards, to give them the provision that they needed in the wilderness. However, Asaph wrote, His people were stubborn and rebellious and "whose spirit was not faithful to (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-God." (v. 8). The psalmist said that he wrote this psalm as a testimony for future generations: "We will not hide them (referring to the sayings of old from the fathers) from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony ('edut/'ed/'ud - testimony, witness, holy rites, revelation, "the Holy Ghost saith"/prince, recorder, emphatically affirming/testify, record, surround, restore, say again and again, affirm solemnly, exhort solemnly, give warning) in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel...that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise (qum - arise, establish, stand, confirm, continue, abide, accomplish, perform, endure, prove) and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." (v. 4-7).

     The power contained in the testimony given to Israel praising the wonderful works of God kept generation after generation alive and preserved them through danger, even the danger of their own rebellion, and sorrow. As we see the Hebrew meaning connected to the word "testimony", we can see that it is powerful, inspired and appointed by the Holy Spirit.

      When Pharaoh the king of Egypt let the people go (see B'shallach and shawlakh above), he would be sending them out to encounter an eternal testimony.

     Similarly, in verses from Mark 16 shown at the top of this page, Jesus, the King of Kings, sent His believers out with a testimony, the Gospel, commanding them to take that testimony of His suffering, death, burial and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and the glory of God, to every creature. It is also an eternal testimony leading the hearer to salvation and eternal life. It is a testimony so powerful that it overcomes Satan, himself: "And they overcame him (referring to the accuser of the brethren, Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev. 12:11). This testimony contains the power of "salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ" (see Rev. 12:10). As the verses from Mark 16 at the top of the page tell us, miracle signs and wonders follow the believers with this testimony in their mouths.

     Rather than the testimony of murmuring and complaining, we have been entrusted with this amazing testimony, the Gospel, not only for our own sakes but for the sake of every creature.

     If you would like to learn more about our testimony, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You have given to us the most amazing and powerful testimony to bring to future generations and to every creature! By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Lord, keep this testimony in my heart, mind and mouth, rather than the testimony of murmuring and complaining, which testifies against You. Forgive me, Lord, when my words and testimony have robbed You of glory. Let this testimony that You have given to me glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit always, as well as testifying to life, even eternal life gained for us by Christ. As the song says, "O how marvelous! O how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!" These are the wonderful works of God. This is my testimony in Jesus' name. 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. 

Unbelief

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'shallach meaning "When he let go". The title comes from Ex. 13:17: "Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt." The LORD led the Israelites by the longer route around the Red Sea instead of the direct route through the land of the Philistines. The LORD did not think that they had the faith (in Him) to face battle at that time.

     The LORD knew His *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega people well, because when, shortly thereafter, they appeared to be trapped between the Red Sea and the pursuing Egyptian army, God's *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega people said to Moses: "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." (Ex. 14:11-12).

    The Israelites had just witnessed and participated in one of the greatest and most dreadful encounters with the power of God exhibited on their behalf - the death of the first born of Egypt, and the Israelites' escape from the angel of death by the blood of the lamb applied to the doorposts and lintels of their homes, which is the Passover. However, they did not believe that the LORD could deliver them from the Egyptian army.

     As we know, the LORD would again rescue the Israelites from the Egyptian army by parting the waters of the Sea, allowing Israel to pass through it on dry land, and then drowning the chasing Egyptian army as the waters of the Red Sea closed upon them. Of this miraculous escape the LORD said, "Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." (v. 18).

     It is almost inconceivable to us how millions of Israelites could repeatedly lose faith in God after seeing these miracles and many others in the wilderness, yet they did.

     Right after the Red Sea was divided and the Israelites crossed safely, Moses and the Israelites sang a song celebrating the greatness of God. Miriam, a prophetess and sister of Moses, led the women in a dance of victory. However, about 2 months later, the Israelites were in a panic because they had no meat nor bread. They said to Moses and Aaron: "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) whole assembly with hunger." (Ex. 16:1-3). It didn't take long for their celebrations of God to turn into a "pity party".

     Again, God heard the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) murmurs of the people and sent quail and manna flakes of grain from heaven with the dew for the Israelites. (Ex. 16:9-12). The LORD fed His people in such a manner that they would know that He is the LORD their God. As we see from the above verses, when the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega people of God murmur and complain, those complaints become *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega murmurs and complaints. That is a shame upon God's people. Do we think that our complaints do not reflect upon the character and being of Messiah/Christ Jesus, the Alpha and Omega? The written Hebrew says that they do.

     Moses revealed this truth when he said to the complaining Israelites: "...for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) complaints/murmurings are not against us but against the LORD." (Ex. 16:8). Our murmurs and complaints, and we have many, are not against flesh and blood but against God Himself, who has charge over us.

     Another reading portion from this B'shallach, "when he let go" Sabbath from Psalm 78 describes the generation that had been delivered out of slavery in Egypt as: "A stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God...And forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them...they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation...they still sinned, and did not believe in His wondrous works. Therefore their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear...their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant." 

     These verses tell us that this rebellion and faithlessness is a heart and spirit problem. We will also see this later in verses from the New Testament.

     Psalm 78 also reminds us of the command that we saw previously from the LORD to tell the new generation of the greatness of God: "That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." (V. 6-7). Faith begins to be built into our children's hearts as we glorify God to them.

     We see another form of unbelief in a different reading portion from this Sabbath. In Judges 4, the Judge and prophetess of Israel, Deborah, sends for Barak (baraq - lightning, flash of lightning, the brightness of a sword, a gleam, swift brightness, swift destruction, cast forth lightning) and said to him: "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men...and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's (king of Canaan) army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand?" And Barak said to her, 'If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." (Judges 4:6-8).

     Deborah is not giving Barak the instruction to go into battle. She is confronting him with the fact that the LORD had already commanded Barak to gather an army and go into battle with Sisera, a Canaanite general. Barak refused to obey the LORD's command the first time and refuses again to Deborah unless she goes with him into battle. We can see from the meaning of Barak's name (see above) that he was destined and appointed by the LORD for this task. However, Barak's faith was not in God but in the physical presence of the prophetess. Do we also place our faith in man rather than God? The apostle Paul challenged the idea that the churches placed their faith and identity in a man, including himself, rather than God. (see 1 Cor. 3:3-7).

     Although the battle against Sisera and his army would be won, Deborah said that because Barak did not honor God, he would get no glory from the victory. Instead, Deborah said, a woman, Jael, who was not even an Israelite, would kill the enemy general Sisera in her tent.

     Jesus told His followers that faith and belief would be seriously challenged in the times before His return. The challenges would come in all forms from natural disasters, wars, disease, famine, persecution and earthquakes to false prophets and false Messiah/Christs who would come to deceive and rob the faith of others. The danger would be so extreme that even the elect could be deceived and unless the days were shortened no flesh would be left on the earth. The apostles who wrote the epistles of the New Testament warned of the same. As Jesus said, "I have told you beforehand." (Mt. 24:21-25). He told us beforehand so that we would be prepared for the troubles.

     Before He suffered on the cross, Jesus also promised His believers that He would send them the Holy Spirit to teach them and to bring them peace as He goes away to His Father in heaven and returns again. As Jesus said above about the trials and tribulations coming, He also said of the promise of the Holy Spirit: "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe." (Jn. 14:25-19). Jesus wanted us to believe.

     How much of the above-mentioned catastrophes the believers in Christ will experience before Jesus calls us away (see 1 Cor. 15:51-55, and 1 Thess. 4:15-18) is unknown, but we are seeing at least the beginning of these challenges now. Will we be able to hold onto faith? Jesus wondered if He would find any faith on the earth when He returns. To His disciples who saw miracles daily in their walk with Jesus, including the raising of the dead, Jesus still had to say to them: "O ye of little faith." (see Mt. 8:25-26, Mt. 14:29-33, Mt. 16:8-12). 

     Instead of having a false confidence in our own faith, our prayer should be as the father prayed to Jesus while seeking a miracle healing for his child: "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." (see Mk. 9:22-24). This desperate father revealed a subtle truth to us here. Faith is not generated by us, but it is a spiritual gift given to us by God (see 1 Cor. 12:7-11, Eph. 2:8-10). Faith and faithfulness are also a fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Gal. 5:22-25) meaning that it multiplies. So our first mistake is in thinking that we generate our own faith rather than God. This mistake causes us to walk in spiritual pride which is carnal and hardens our hearts. All good and perfect gifts, including faith, come down to us from our Father of lights. (James 1:17-18). God's faith is perfect and unaffected by any circumstance. Why do we not pray for faith? Faith is part of the armor of God and the power of His might that He has provided for us (Eph. 6:10-18). Why do we insist on wearing our own armor against spirits of wickedness and darkness?

     Daniel wrote that the people who know their God will do great things in the coming trials of the latter days. Do we know our God as intimately as we think we do?

     Do we think that our self-generated faith is far superior to the faith of the Israelites in the wilderness? or superior to Barak's faith above? That is the first sign of a hardened heart: "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil (poneros/ponos/penes - evil things, labors, hardships causing pain and troubles, hurtful, degeneracy, diseased, derelict/great trouble, pain, anguish/poor, starving, to toil for daily sustenance) heart (kardia - the heart as an organ and as a center and seat of physical and spiritual life of the soul) of unbelief (apistia - faithless, unbelief, disbelief, withholding belief in the divine power) in departing (ephistemi - draw away, fall away, depart, remove, withdraw, become faithless) from the living (zao - to live, breathe, be among the living, not dead, true life, life as active, blessed and eternal in the kingdom of God, life as active, powerful and effective producing the desired or intended result) God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called, "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers (metochos/metecho - partner, sharing in, an associate/take part, belong to, of the thing hoped for) of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence (hypostasis - firm foundation, real being, substance, assurance, confidence, resolution, firm trust, essence, support) steadfast to the end, while it is said: 'Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion (of the Israelites)." (Heb. 3:12-15).

     As snares are set for the people of God, and troublesome times increase in severity, let us reconsider what we need to know about faith. It is not foolishness but humility of heart that asks the Lord to gift us with His faith, for without that faith it is impossible to please God.

     If you would like to learn more about the importance of godly faith in your walk, you can join me in prayer: "Heavenly and Gracious Father, through Your Son, Jesus, and through Your Holy Spirit, help my unbelief. Pour out Your perfect gift of faith into my heart so that I might please You, and walk with You in the days ahead. Help my prayers to be filled with Your faith and show me how to walk in Your armor. Help me not to rely on my own understanding and strength, but in Your might, which You freely and lovingly provide for me. 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.

theAnointing

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'Shallach, which means "when he (referring to Pharaoh) let go". The phrase comes from the first verse of the reading portion of this Sabbath, Ex. 13:17: "Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt." In written Hebrew, it is aleph-tav (Alpha and Omega in Greek, referring to Jesus in Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6 and Rev. 22:13) the people. By that, these people are identified as belonging to the prophesied Messiah. Aleph-Tav, the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, also means "God of the Cross/Mark/Covenant". The Messiah/Christ is prophesied throughout the Torah scriptures, from the very beginning of scripture, in Genesis, to the last Book of the Torah, Malachi.

     Looking further at the aleph-tav people, who are the Israelites, the Hebrew word for "people" is am, and is written with the Hebrew letters hey, ayin, mem. Each of these Hebrew letters have an individual meaning that, when combined together, can mean "Behold the appearance/experience of the fountain of (massive) water". Jesus described this experience in Him: "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart/belly (koilia - whole belly, entire cavity, womb: the place that conceives and nurtures life, man's innermost part: the soul, the heart) will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive..." (Jn. 7:37-39, see also Isa. 12:2-3, Isa. 44:1-4, Isa. 55:1, Zech. 12:10, 13:1). 

     As Jesus referenced "the belly" above, we see it again in our next verse from Exodus: "So God led (aleph-tav) the people around by way of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt." (Ex. 13:18). The Hebrew word for "orderly ranks" is hamas/homes, and means "in battle array, armed men, arranged by fives/belly, abdomen, area of the fifth ribs". The former slaves were not armed with physical weapons at this point, or trained in war, but they represented the living spiritual power or weapon that would flow out of the bellies of the believers in Christ, and in their wombs they carried Messiah/Christ to be born at the appointed time. These were aleph-tav the people.

     So, Pharaoh let aleph-tav the people go, whom he would later try (and horribly fail) with his whole army of six hundred chariots and many foot soldiers, to re-capture. Egypt, including Pharaoh's house had just gone through the terrible plague from the LORD of the death of the first born of Egypt. Why was he so determined to risk annihilation by the hand of the God of Israel in order to chase after and re-capture these aleph-tav people? One reason is because God hardened Pharaoh's heart to do so, as the LORD told Moses beforehand (Ex. 14:1-9). God would glorify Himself before all of His aleph-tav people, as well as before the Egyptians, with His victory over this very stubborn, rebellious, and most powerful earthly king. 

     Spiritually speaking, the spirits of darkness, represented by the gods of Egypt which the ancient Egyptians served, would have been determined to destroy "the bellies", and the fruit of those bellies, of the LORD's aleph-tav people, as Pharaoh also tried to do earlier by killing newborn Hebrew male babies, in order to prevent the Deliverer King of all people from coming forth.

     History may be able to shed light on another reason, which the scriptures verify, that Pharaoh had great fear of these aleph-tav Hebrews (see Ex. 1:8-12). Ancient writers of Egyptian history reveal that Egypt was, for a period of time, ruled by foreign Pharaohs. These foreigners who ruled Middle and Lower Egypt were called the Hyksos. Only Upper Egypt was ruled by an Egyptian Pharaoh at the time. This time of foreign Pharaohs is known as Egypt's Second Intermediate Period, which lasted for about a century from circa 1670 to 1550 B.C.E. According to the historians, these Hyksos foreigners were a Semite population that had migrated from Canaan into the northern Egyptian Delta, which included the land of Goshen, to become a powerful ruling class that, over a slow process, began to rule as Pharaohs. The Hyksos, or "Shepherd Kings" were a unique people known for their shepherding and multicolored garments. We will hear more about "multicolored garments" later in our Sabbath reading. The Jewish historian, Josephus, recorded that these Hyksos people ruling at that time in Egypt were Jews! Other ancient historians were not willing to go that far but did admit that these Hyksos people had emigrated to Egypt from Canaan. This ties into the account in scripture of Joseph's and Jacob's travel to Egypt from Canaan in Genesis, and Exodus Ch. 1. Eventually, the foreign Hyksos people lost their ruling position in Egypt, and a new Egyptian Pharaoh (Ex. 1:8) was able to establish rule over all of Egypt. This period was called The New Kingdom. This being the case, we can understand why a new Egyptian Pharaoh, having obtained rulership, might fear this very numerous foreign former ruling class still living within his borders, and seek absolute power over them. He did not want these foreign "Shepherd Kings" with their colorful garments to ever be able to rise up in his territory again.

     Now about those very colorful garments that distinguished these Hyksos foreigners: We would soon learn that the Israelites had knowledge of vibrant fabric and thread dyes, because these very bright dyes would be used in the materials of the tabernacle that would soon be built in the wilderness under the supervision of Moses. The Israelites' knowledge of making these original dyes has been lost for many centuries, but has recently been rediscovered and the dyes are now being made and used again, especially in sacred garments. We will see later that these colorful garments would be a coveted and identifiable mark of the Israelites.

     From another reading portion from this week's Sabbath B'shallach, or "when he let go", generations later, under the period of the Judges, the Israelites, now long settled in the Promised Land as promised by the LORD, would fall under the oppression of their enemies when they turned away from the worship of the LORD, and turned instead to the idols and false gods of the land. A judge would be raised up by the LORD to deliver the aleph-tav people from oppression, and restore them to the worship of and obedience to God. One such judge was a prophetess named Deborah. The enemy king of Canaan, Jabin ("whom God observes, considers, discerns, distinguishes") of Hazor (haser/hasar - castle, tower, enclosure, court/ sound a trumpet, blow a trumpet), had an army of nine hundred iron chariots led by his general Sisera (meaning "battle array", "field of battle"), and had harshly oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years. The LORD had sold (makar - to sell, surrender, be given over to death, to betroth a daughter) the Israelites into his hands because of the evil (ra/ra'a - evil, wickedness, distress, injury, giving pain unhappiness and misery, unkind, malignant/do an injury, hurt, break in pieces, afflict) the Israelites had done in the sight of the LORD. The evil of God's people brought the evil back upon them. The long, harsh oppression of the conquering enemy had caused the Israelites to cry out to the LORD.

     A man named Barak (lightning, glittering, bright, flashing arrowhead, glittering sword, cast forth, send lightning used of God, to thunder) of KedeshNaphtali (holy sanctuary/ to wrestle, struggle, to twine) had been appointed by God to lead the Israelite armies against the enemy general Sisera, but he had not done so. Deborah called him before her and said: "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor (tebar/sabar - to break in pieces, fragile/break, destroy, hurt, crushed, rend violently, give birth)...and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army...and I will deliver him into your hand?" (Judges 4:6-7). Barak said that he would go but only if the prophetess went with him, which she agreed to do. Deborah told him, though, that because of this, he would get no glory from the victory, but the LORD would "sell" (see above) Sisera into the hands of a woman (v. 8-9). The enemy army was destroyed, but the general, Sisera, escaped to eventually hide in the tent of a Kenite family, where the wife killed the general with a workman's hammer and a tent peg. Sisera thought the Kenites would be an ally, but this Kenite family had severed themselves from the other Kenites. They were direct descendants of Moses' father-in-law, Jethro! They were not Israelites, but this family of Kenites was in covenant with the Israelites by marriage. This Kenite family was made up of Heber (heber/habar - a house in common, shared association/couple together, unite, join together, have fellowship with, to be marked with stripes or lines or blows), and his wife Jael (ya'al - to be good, profitable, to ascend on high, to rise above, set forward, stand on a summit, ascend a mountain, a noble prince, to excel). This family's tent (ohel/ahal - tent, tabernacle: the sacred tent of Jehovah, covering, home/shine) was pitched by (aleph-tav) Kedesh (meaning holy place, sanctuary). This family represented non-Israelites, severed from the idolatrous Canaanites, being joined by marriage to the Israelites, and with the One marked by stripes and blows, dwelling next to the Aleph-Tav holy place, and his wife who ascends to the heights. This sounds like the church to me. 

     We can tell from the Hebrew meanings of the key words used in the account in Judges that Deborah  was setting in place a spiritual battle as much as a physical battle. Barak's and Deborah's song of victory spells it out. They sing of how the people willingly offer themselves (nadab - to offer oneself freely, free-will offering, willingly, spontaneously) (Judg. 5:2, 9). Paul also wrote to the church: "I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world (remember that Heber severed himself from the other Kenites), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). This is a first step in spiritual warfare - the weapon of the holiness of an offering of oneself. Deborah commands herself to "Awake, awake...awake, awake (ur - awake, lift up, arise, raise, be triumphant, be awake and watchful), sing (dabar) a song!" and Barak to "Arise (qum - arise, establish, to be raised up, preserve alive, become powerful)...and lead thy captivity captive (of the Messiah/Christ Jesus: see Eph. 4:8-10) !". The spiritual warfare is done in the name of Jesus, who is the Resurrection and the Life. Deborah and Barak also sang: "They fought from the heavens; the stars (kokab - star, of Messiah, blazing, shining, prince) from their courses (mesilla/salal - highway, raised way, steps of a ladder/lift up, exalt, elevate, esteem highly, cast up a highway, make plain, raise up, make a level way, wave to and fro like boughs of willow and palm trees; also see also Lk. 3:4-6, Isa. 40:3-5, Mt. 21:6-9) fought against Sisera." (v. 20). Again, we have a direct connection to the Messiah/Christ in v. 20, above. Sisera's army was swept away by a torrent of water, "an ancient (qedumim/qadam - antiquity, a pristine hero/anticipate, hasten, meet, go before) torrent" (v. 21), reminding us of the rivers of massive living waters that come out of the belly of believers in Christ, who is the Water of Salvation. This Song is full of references to Jesus Christ. 

     Remember the colorful garments of the Hyksos foreign rulers of  Egypt, and their possible connection to the Jewish people? In the Song of Deborah and Barak, the mother of the dead general Sisera was wondering why he has not yet returned. This was the mother's conclusion: "Her wisest ladies answered her, 'Yes', she answered herself, 'Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: to every man a girl (raham - womb, bowels, damsel, mercy, compassion, grace, favor) or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?" (v. 28-30). Sisera's mother thought that the great prize that would go to the general was the embroidered, dyed garments of the Israelites. It seems a strange battle prize for the general unless these garments were very highly prized or had great significance. What was it about the multicolored garments of God's people that made them so valuable?

     Psalm 45, which my Bible subtitles, "The Glories of the Messiah and His Bride" (this is an interpretation on the part of the scholars who published this version of the Bible), "the royal daughter" is among the daughters of kings who have come to the palace of the anointed King in order to serve among the King's honorable women. This King of this Psalm is described as having lips of grace, with glory, and majesty, with truth, humility and righteousness, anointed (masah - to anoint with oil, to smear, to lay colors on any thing, anoint in inauguration and consecration, consecrate as King) by God more than any other. We get the word "Messiah" or "Christ" in Greek from the understanding in the Hebrew of His anointing by God.  In this Psalm, at the King's right hand stands the queen, His wife was dressed in gold from Ophir (unknown location meaning "reducing to ashes" that was known as a place from which fine gold, precious stones, sandal wood, silver, and ivory could be imported). The entering royal daughter is "all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold. She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors or in raiment of needlework (riqma - see above); The virgins, her companions who follow her, "shall be brought to You. With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; They shall enter the King's palace." (v. 13-14).  We can see here that the idea of many colors and embroidered colors is part of the meaning of the Hebrew word "anointed" (see above). No wonder the enemy general, Sisera, coveted the multicolored garments of the Israelites, and no wonder Pharaoh despised letting them go! However, these special garments are not for the enemies of God to possess.

     The Book of Revelation tells us that for her marriage to the Lamb/Messiah/Jesus Christ it has been granted for His wife to be clothed in "fine (white) linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." (Rev. 19:6-8). Verse 9 continues to say, "...Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!".  Here, the wife of the Messiah is to be dressed in clean, fine (white) linen, but the wife of the King in Psalm 45 is dressed in gold. If Psalm 45 is indeed about the glory of the Messiah and His Bride, why is she wearing "gold from Ophir" in the Psalm instead of white? When we look at the Hebrew root word for "gold", it is katam, meaning "marked, defiled, deeply stained, soiled, stained, filthy". That's a surprise! However, the main or key Hebrew word translated as "gold" is ketem, which means "fine gold, pure gold, precious, gold ore: pure as originally mined, that which is hidden away in treasuries". We can see by the use of the Hebrew words for gold, that something which was defiled, soiled, and filthy, has become pure, fine, and precious. What once was hidden away because of its filth, is now hidden away because it is of the greatest value. This golden garment of the wife represents the salvation and cleansing from all unrighteousness found in the Messiah/Christ Jesus. In Revelation, Jesus tells one of His churches: "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire...and white (leukos/luke - light, bright, brilliant, dazzling white/light) garments, that you may be clothed..." (Rev. 3:18, see also Dan. 12:9-10, Mal. 3:2-3).

     The song of Deborah and Barak in Judges 5 ends saying: "Thus let all your enemies perish, LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun (semes - sun, sun-rising, to be brilliant, a ray or beam of light) when it comes out in full strength." (Judges 5:31, see also Dan. 12:2-3).

     If you would like to learn more about the anointing of the Messiah, and the purification of His Bride, we can pray: "Heavenly Father, You have called Your aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega people to walk in and rejoice in the Anointed One, Your Messiah, Jesus Christ, who purifies us from all uncleanness and sin, and has called us as His Bride, to shine in dazzling light, and to walk in His anointing. Rivers of massive living waters are to flow from our bellies, our innermost being, which is the Holy Spirit in us through Christ. Work in my life, Lord Jesus, through Your Word and Spirit, so that I my life will reflect the glory of the purity and anointing of my Messiah and Savior. I ask this in Your great name, JESUS. AMEN."

Remember

The sabbath readings continue in the Book of Exodus, and as we have found out, the word exodus is a Greek-Latin word meaning "the way or road out of". In the Book of Exodus, the LORD miraculously leads His people in the way out of the bondage of Egypt. We will see another element of exodus, valid both then and now, in this week's reading. The title of this sabbath's reading portion is B'shallach, which means "when he let go", and refers to Pharaoh having finally agreed to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. The Torah portion of this sabbath's reading covers Exodus chapters 13 through 16. Egypt had just been through the terrible tenth plague, the death of the firstborn (Ex. 12:29-32). Israel had been spared from this plague by the blood of an unblemished lamb applied to their doorposts and lintels, which is called the LORD's Passover (Ex. 12:21-27). Not only did Passover involve the blood of the lamb, and its complete consumption, but it also included the eating of unleavened bread. This also became an appointed Feast of the LORD to be told to, and remembered by, all future generations (Ex. 12:15-17). The Feast of Unleavened Bread is to last seven days. The unleavened bread was to be a sign before Israel's eyes always, even taking a prominent position in the Holy Place of the tabernacle, and in the two temples that would come later. The phrase "unleavened bread" in Hebrew is the word massa/masas, meaning "without leaven, something greedily devoured for sweetness, sweetness (not soured or bittered with yeast), specially sweet, to draw out or suck out with pleasure as one would with a sweet like milk, sweet and pleasant to the taste". There is a scripture that says: "The Angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who fears in Him!" (Ps. 34:7-8). We are to know the sweet, good taste of the LORD. What is the nature of this sweetness found in the bread of Passover? Jesus solved the mystery of the unleavened bread as He observed the Passover meal with His disciples before His death. He took the unleavened bread of the Passover "...gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body which is given/broken for you; do this in remembrance (anamnesis/anamimnesko - remembrance, recollection, call to mind, admonish, weigh well and consider, put in mind) of Me." (Lk. 22:19, 1 Cor. 11:24). As the LORD led the Israelites out to the border of Egypt by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21), there was no mistaking His presence with them. It may surprise us to find out that the LORD purposefully led His people into a "dead end". They ended up positioned within three fortified cities of Egypt: Pi Hahiroth ("the mouth of caverns"), Migdol ("fortified tower"), Ba'al Zephon ((sacred to the lord destroyer"), and the Sea (roar") before them, making four obstacles. The LORD did this in order to cause Pharaoh to believe that the Israelites were trapped because of their unfamiliarity with the wilderness territory, and consequently chase after the "helplessly" trapped Israelites. The LORD said to Moses to tell the children of Israel: "For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.' I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so." (Ex. 14:1-4). Though there appeared to be four immovable obstacles around and ahead of the Israelites, the LORD previously repeated four times that they were to remember and pass to their children the knowledge that He had delivered them out of bondage by His "strong hand" and "strength of hand" (Ex. 13:3, 9, 14, 16), even telling them regarding this knowledge: "It shall be as a sign on your hand, and as frontlets between your eyes..." (v. 16). As the Egyptian army advanced to the location of the Israelites, who were facing the Sea, the Israelites began to panic (they had forgotten to remember already!) and God commanded: "...Tell the children of Israel to go forward (v. 15)." Go forward?! Into the Sea?! However, as we know, the LORD instructed Moses about how he was to divide the waters of the Sea (Ex. 14:16, 21-22). As the Israelites crossed the dry land of the sea bed after the waters were divided, the Egyptians who chased them did not make it across before the waters closed over them. The LORD had caused their chariot wheels to fall off in the middle of the crossing. The stuck Egyptian army drowned in the returning waters (Ex. 14:24-29). The same "way or road out of" bondage for the Israelites through the roaring Sea, became the road or way into death for their oppressors as they tried to follow. The Israelites saw miracle upon miracle as the LORD delivered them out of the bondage of the Egyptians. As they crossed to the other side of the Sea, Moses and the Israelites sang a song of praise, but also a song meant for remembrance. Several parts of the song will appear many generations later in the Psalms and the Prophets, and into the New Testament. This is one example: "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God and I will praise Him; my father's God and I will exalt Him." (Ex. 15:2, Isa. 12:2, 25:1). However, the song of Moses did not just celebrate an accomplished miracle of God, but it also contained prophetic events. The defeat of Canaanite nations, which the Israelites had not yet encountered, were included (v. 14-16). The knowledge that the LORD was not only leading them to a land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to a holy habitation in God: "You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation...You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which You have made for Your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established. The LORD shall reign forever and ever." (v. 13, 17-18). Not only could this be referring to the tabernacle and temples yet to be built, but this moreso refers to a dwelling and sanctuary of God, built, not with human hands, but with God's own hands. We see this revelation taught in the New Testament also (Acts 7:48-50, Acts 17:24-25, 2 Cor. 5:1-3, Heb. 11:9-10). Remembering the mighty works of the LORD is not only about the past, but carries within it the proclamation of the future, and eternity. Sometimes our understanding limits this power and importance of "remembering". Our exodus today is empowered in part by our remembrance of the exodus from the past. We have another example of an exodus from this week's sabbath reading, and the important part that remembering played in it. From Judges 4 and 5, Israel is delivered from their enemy's oppression by King Jabin of Canaan and his general, Sisera (meaning "battle array, a field of battle"). This enemy had been allowed to overcome Israel in the first place because Israel "had done evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 4:1-3). The prophetess/judge Deborah later described that "evil": "They chose new gods; then there was war in the gates; not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel." (Judges 5:8). They had forgotten their God, and these new gods had so deceived them with a false sense of security that they had dis-armed themselves. The deliverance of the LORD would come through two women this time. The first woman, as mentioned above, was the prophetess and judge, Deborah. She is strangely described in scripture. She sat under the palm tree (tomer - palm tree, post, column) of Deborah in Ephraim, meaning doubly fruitful from the root word Ephrath which is another word for Bethlehem. Deborah was the wife (issa - wife, woman, married) of Lapidoth, whose name means "torches, lamp, to shine, flame". As written in the Hebrew, the word for wife or woman, issa, is repeated twice in this verse as "issa Deborah issa Lapidoth". In her song of victory, Deborah describes her calling this way: "Village life had ceased in Israel, until I Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel." (Judges 5:7). Again, in Hebrew but also in English, a word is repeated: arose (qum - raise up, be raised up, establish, confirm, be proven, set, fixed, again). In the Hebrew it is "qum Deborah qum". Deborah, because of the special use of Hebrew words concerning her, sounds to me like a New Testament kind of prophet and judge who had been set in the time of the judges for the purpose of deliverance. In another verse of her song (Judges 5:9), Deborah said that her heart (leb/lebab/labab - heart, mind, understanding, soul, seat of emotions, passions and courage, knowledge, reflection, memory) is with the haqaq (cut, cut into, strike with a sword, stamp violently, encounter violently, to beat, engrave letters, carve out a sepulchre, law giver, leader, sceptre), who offered (themselves) willingly ((nadab - freely, willingly offer, given willingly). Again, from the meanings of these words, Jesus, beaten violently, cut with whips, who willingly gave His life, comes to mind as the place where Deborah has placed her heart (see Jn. 10:11, 17-18). Her husband was a "Lamp", and she sat under a tree (column), which reminds me of the cross. Deborah said that she was raised up to be a "mother" in Israel" in the verse above. Mother is the Hebrew word em, which means mother, but also means "point of departure or division, "mother of the way", a parting of the road, a great and leading city". Being a "point of departure", a "mother of the way", she established a road for a different kind of exodus from oppression. In her song, Deborah orders all judges in Israel: "Speak...you who sit in judge's attire, and who walk along the road...among the watering places, there they shall recount/rehearse (tana - tell agsin, celebrate, commemorate [officially remember and give respect], distribute gifts) the righteous acts of the LORD..." (Judges 5:10-11). The judges were to bring to remembrance to Israel all of the righteous acts of the LORD on behalf of His people. As well as remembering the events of that battle, Deborah concludes her song prophetically: "Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength." (v. 31). Jesus also said this many generations later: "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear!" (Mt. 13:43). This week's sabbath reading concludes with Psalm 78. In it the psalmist repeatedly states the necessity of remembering the works of the LORD: "...our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done...That they should make them known to their children...that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." (v. 4-7). Sadly, the Psalm continues by speaking of those who saw these wonderful works that we have read about above, but "forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them...They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy..." (v. 11-42). We do not want to be a people who forgets; a people who have experienced the wonderful works of the LORD, but then are turned away by new cares, fears, desires, and events, and forgetting an essential part ot the exodus then and now - to remember. If you would like to learn more about our own way or road of exodus in the LORD, you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father, I remember how You delivered Your people out of bondage and the oppression of enemies by the work of Your strong hand. I will recount and rehearse these paths of deliverance again and again, so that when trying circumstances arise in my life that are meant to tempt me to forget, I will instead be prepared, believing, and following the way and the road out of the house of bondage. I will prepare my children in the same manner, telling them about the miracles of deliverance that you have done. I remember Your Son, who was and is our deliverance. I remember the Holy Spirit, who has been my pillar of cloud by day, and my pillar of fire by night. I remember and praise You in the name of Jesus. AMEN." **There is a free ebook now available that was written by a well-respected author on the subject of the fascinating Shroud of Turin titled: "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary". You can get this free ebook by going to www.The ShroudofTurin.org/freebook.**

Destination

When the LORD led His people out of Egypt, He was also leading them to a destination. We know from scripture that the LORD was leading his people to the Promised Land, the land that He had promised in covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, we have hints, as we will see, that the Israelites were aware that there was a greater destination accomplished spiritually than even the physical homeland they were promised. Abraham, scripture tells us, was looking for a city whose builder and maker was God: "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Heb. 11:8-10). While the forefathers passed down the knowledge of the promise of land to their future generations, Abraham was aware from the beginning that there was an even greater promise involved, the promise of the city of God. The title of this Sabbath's reading is B'shallach, which means "When he let go". The Hebrew letters which form the word B'shallach, beth, shin, lamedh and cheth could also form the meaning: "The house of God (El Shaddai) to which He guides by a shepherd's hook into an inner chamber". It is just as important to know where God is leading us to, as well as knowing what He is leading us from. The apostle Peter also revealed this when he wrote: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Pet. 2:9). We were not just brought out of something, but we were brought into something, a destination, at the same time. By the meaning of the letters of the word, B'shallach used this Sabbath, God leads His people into an innermost chamber of His House. As part of this Sabbath's reading, we see, not only how God brought His people out, but also how He brought them in at the same time. After God stood the waters of the Red Sea up like solid walls, His people crossed over the Sea bed as if on dry land. As the Egyptian army and its princes pursued the Israelites through the divided Sea, the walls of water that had stood up solidly became liquified once again and drowned Pharaoh's army (Ex. 14:21-29, Ps. 78:12-13). After this miraculous victory, Moses and the Israelites sang a song rejoicing and praising God for His mighty works on their behalf (Ex. 15). Within this song, the Israelites sing of an accomplished destination beyond the physical land promised to their forefathers: "...You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation...Till the people pass over whom You have purchased. You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which You have made for Your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established. The LORD shall reign forever and ever." (v. 13, 16-18). Paul wrote that the Israelites' miraculous experience at the Red Sea was a type of baptism, and the Rock which followed them through the wilderness and provided them with water, was actually Christ (1 Cor. 10:1-4). So there is a spiritual change that took place here, besides the miraculous deliverance from the armies of Egypt. Unfortunately, the Israelites quickly forgot this accomplishment of God, and the destination to which He had guided them, and they began to complain about their current circumstances (Ex. 16:2-4). How easy it is to take our eyes off the miraculous destination into which the LORD has already delivered us, and to get enslaved once again in the things we see as lack! How easily we surrender ourselves once again to the land of bondage, and the Pharaoh who rules it! Jesus also reminded His disciples of the destination that is accomplished for them in the House of God through Himself: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." (Jn. 14:1-4). Not only does Jesus confirm the accomplishment of the promise that Abraham looked to so long ago, but Jesus connected His return to the fulfillment of that promise of being guided into the inner chamber of the House of God, a house whose builder is not man, but God, Himself. Jesus wanted us to have the knowledge of this finished work, and to be assured in it. This destination achieved through Christ is greater than any and all circumstances that we may encounter in our lives. This destination is not only a future habitation with God, but it is an accomplished reality now, as Jesus said: "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...Therefore do not worry...for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Mt. 6:25, 31-33). In these times of trials and struggles, the knowledge of where we dwell in the Spirit becomes more important than ever. God has brought us to our destination in His House. If you would like to learn more about walking in the promise of the city of God, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You guide Your people into Your House. Through Jesus, Who has made a place for me, I enter into that eternal dwelling place with You. Fill me with the Holy Spirit to guide me into, and keep me in this inner most chamber of Your House, and to remind me that now, in this life, I already dwell in this great destination. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."