Y2 05-09

Shemot (Names): Daber el-b’nei Yisrael (Tell the sons of Israel), commonly called Exodus 14:1 – 15:21 (*Divided for seven Torah readers)

1 Amen* 1 Now Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. 3 "For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, 'They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.' 4 "Thus I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh." And they did so.

2 Amen* 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" 6 So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; 7 and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly. 9 Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

3 Amen* 10 And as Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh. 11 Then they said to Moses, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 "Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians '? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." 13 But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of Yahweh which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 "Yahweh will fight for you while you keep silent."

4 Amen* 15 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. 16 "And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17 "And as for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 "Then the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen." 19 And the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

5 Amen* 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Yahweh swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. 22 And the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24 And it came about at the morning watch, that Yahweh looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 And He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from Israel, for Yahweh is fighting for them against the Egyptians." 26 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen." 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh's entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

6 Amen* 30 Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 And when Israel saw the great power which Yahweh had used against the Egyptians, the people feared Yahweh, and they believed in Yahweh and in His servant Moses.

7 Amen* 15:1 Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said,

"I will sing to Yahweh, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. 2 "Yahweh is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will extol Him.

3 "Yahweh is a warrior; Yahweh is His name. 4 "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 "The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone. 6 "Thy right hand, O Yahweh, is majestic in power, Thy right hand, O Yahweh, shatters the enemy. 7 "And in the greatness of Thine excellence Thou dost overthrow those who rise up against Thee; Thou dost send forth Thy burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff. 8 "And at the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were piled up, The flowing waters stood up like a heap; The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 "The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand shall destroy them.' 10 "Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11 "Who is like Thee among the gods, O Yahweh? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?

12 "Thou didst stretch out Thy right hand, The earth swallowed them. 13 "In Thy lovingkindness Thou hast led the people whom Thou hast redeemed; In Thy strength Thou hast guided them to Thy holy habitation. 14 "The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. 15 "Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. 16 "Terror and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of Thine arm they are motionless as stone; Until Thy people pass over, O Yahweh, Until the people pass over whom Thou hast purchased. 17 "Thou wilt bring them and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, The place, O Yahweh, which Thou hast made for Thy dwelling, The sanctuary, O Yahweh, which Thy hands have established. 18 "Yahweh shall reign forever and ever."

6 * 19 For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea. 20 And Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. 21 And Miriam answered them, "Sing to Yahweh, for He is highly exalted; the horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea."

1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. 3 'Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac. 4 'And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. 5 'Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did in its midst; and afterward I brought you out. 6 'And I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 'But when they cried out to Yahweh, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them and covered them; and your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness for a long time.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified when Thou dost speak, and blameless when Thou dost judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice. 9 Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Thy presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners will be converted to Thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Thy praise. 16 For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; Thou art not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. 18 By Thy favor do good to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then Thou wilt delight in righteous sacrifices, in burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then young bulls will be offered on Thine altar.

1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. 2 And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had come off victorious from the beast and from his image and from the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3 And they sang the song of Moses the bond-servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying,

"Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. 4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; for all the nations will come and worship before Thee, for Thy righteous acts have been revealed."

5 After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

3500 years ago
Prophetic of Yeshua
Background for today’s mid-east war
The story of our life

(V.2-4) “Tell the sons of Israel to (REPENT!) turn back and camp before Pi-hachirot (mouth of the freedom), between Migdol (tower – fortified city) and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-tzephon (god of the north), opposite it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ Thus I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.”

(V.14:13) “Do not fear! Stand by and see Yeshua Yahweh which He will accomplish for you today”

Nisan 14 was the date of the preparation of the Lambs for the midnight Nisan 15 Passover. It was to be the future date of Yeshua’s crucifixion.
On Nisan 15 Israel traveled from the world’s Treasure City (Rameses) to a Temporary Dwelling (Sukkot).
On Nisan 16 they traveled to Away from Them (Etham).
On Nisan 17 they repented (turned back toward Egypt) and camped at the Mouth of Freedom (Pi-hachirot). [This was to be the future date of Yeshua’s resurrection (from the mouth of the grave), when He came back to the world, “toward Egypt”.]
On Nisan 18 the three days were passed and Israel had not returned to Egypt – so the Pharaoh organized his armies to get them.

We are to leave the treasure city (worlds delights) and go to the place of temporary dwelling here with God. We are to go “away from them” – be holy/separate from sinners. The world will think that we are totally confused, not knowing where we are going. When we come back toward the world, at our resurrection, it will be renewed – idolaters will be destroyed from it.

(V.21-22) Then Moses (Drawn out of Water) stretched out his hand over the sea; and Yahweh swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. And the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. They crossed the Red Sea on Nisan 21. The seven days from the Passover (Nisan 15) to the crossing of the Sea (Nisan 21) are memorialized by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover Lamb is always prepared on Nisan 14, and eaten at the beginning (evening) of the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Egyptians were so steeped in their idolatry that they refused to recognize Yahweh – even after all the plagues that struck them but not Israel, even upon seeing the sea parted: they still pursued. Is this not like our day, when the world worships theories of their own making, in order to reject God?

Israel was able to see the dead Egyptians on the shore, thus comprehending the full extent of God’s miraculous salvation. Of the future, it is written, (Psalm 91:8) “You will only look on with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked”, and ().

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Shemot (Names): Yasa Moshe (Moses caused them to journey), commonly called Exodus 15:22 – 16:24 (*Divided for seven Torah readers)

1 Amen* 22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" 25 Then he cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a judgment and statute, and there He tested them. 26 And He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of Yahweh your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His judgments, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, Yahweh, am your healer."

2 Amen* 27 Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters. 16:1 Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt.

3 Amen* 2 And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the sons of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by Yahweh's hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." 4 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction. 5 "And it will come about on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily."

4 Amen* 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, "At evening you will know that Yahweh has brought you out of the land of Egypt; 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of Yahweh, for He hears your grumblings against Yahweh; and what are we, that you grumble against us?" 8 And Moses said, "This will happen when Yahweh gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for Yahweh hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against Yahweh." 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, 'Come near before Yahweh, for He has heard your grumblings.'"

5 Amen* 10 And it came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud. 11 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12 "I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God.'" 13 So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

6 Amen* 14 When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. 15 When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat. 16 "This is what Yahweh has commanded, 'Gather of it every man as much as he should eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent.'" 17 And the sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. 18 When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat.

7 Amen* 19 And Moses said to them, "Let no man leave any of it until morning." 20 But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. 21 And they gathered it morning by morning, every man as much as he should eat; but when the sun grew hot, it would melt. 22 Now it came about on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 then he said to them, "This is what Yahweh meant: Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning." 24 So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul, nor was there any worm in it.

10 "They will not hunger or thirst, neither will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; for He who has compassion on them will lead them, and will guide them to springs of water. 11 "And I will make all My mountains a road, and My highways will be raised up. 12 "Behold, these shall come from afar; and lo, these will come from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim." 13 Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For Yahweh has comforted His people, and will have compassion on His afflicted. 14 But Zion said, "Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me."

Psalm 52 For the choir director. A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, "David has come to the house of Ahimelech."

1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long. 2 Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit. 3 You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah. 4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5 But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up, and tear you away from your tent, and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah. 6 And the righteous will see and fear, and will laugh at him, saying, 7 "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and was strong in his evil desire." 8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. 9 I will give Thee thanks forever, because Thou hast done it, and I will wait on Thy name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy godly ones.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. 15 And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

On Nisan fourteen the Passover Lambs were slain and the blood put on the doorposts, prefiguring Yeshua’s crucifixion on that date.

(V.22) Israel went from the Sea to the Wilderness of Shur / Vision, the name implying that there the people could be close to God.

After three days travel, they found no water. Then they came to a place of bitter water, so it was called Marah / Bitterness. (This is the root of the name Miriam / Mary.) The people therefore complained to Moses.

Even after witnessing such miracles as God had just performed for them, they had trouble believing that God would provide for their mundane needs, such as water and food. Like our society that trusts in money instead of God.

(Psalm 52:7) “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and was strong in his evil desire.”

As water represents the Word of God, this is seen to mean that after neglecting Torah for three days, the people lost their vision and complained about having left the world’s Treasure City. For this reason the prophets established the Second and Fifth Days of the Sabbath (Monday and Thursday), in addition to the weekly Sabbath, as days for Bible reading – so that three days would never elapse without Bible reading.

When we neglect Bible reading, it can become as a bitter chore. But God can make it a delight for us. Upon purifying the water for them, God said that He was their healer.

(Isaiah 43:1) Yahweh Bora-acha – Yahweh our creator
(Jeremiah 23:6) Yahweh Tzidkenu – Yahweh our righteousness
(Exodus 17:15) Yahweh Nissi – Yahweh our Banner
(Genesis 22:14) Yahweh Yireh – Yahweh will see to it (our provider);
“In the Mount of Yahweh it will be provided”
(Judges 6:24) Yahweh Shalom – Yahweh our Peace

Because the lack of Torah study had caused a disaster, God gave the people mishpatim / judgments (the first category – moral and ethical laws) and hukim / statutes (the third category – commandments bonding God and man, having no obvious reasons). As we have seen to be typical, edut / ordinances (the second category – rituals and festivals showing spiritual truths) is implied: Sabbath observance was enjoined.

God gave these commandments because of sin: even His chosen people were failing to live by a view of Him. (Galatians 3:19) Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made.

This was the first of ten tests that God would give His people. As soon as the people accepted their place, they were brought to the place of abundant sweet water. Bible study becomes so abundant with sweets when we accept our place in it.

(V.16:1) One month after their departure from the world’s Treasure City, on Iyyar 15, they came to the Wilderness of Sin (pronounced “seen”). This date would later become “Second Passover” (for those unable to partake of the first). [For us, this is next Shabbat.]

Here the people all complained about the lack of bread. God said that He would give them “bread from heaven”, but the people called it “manna / what’s this stuff”. Now God’s people would be taught to trust Him for their needs day-by-day, and to trust Him for provision for Sabbath without working on that day.

Shemot (Names): Hayom ki-Shabbat (Today is Sabbath), commonly called Exodus 16:25 – 17:15 (*Divided for seven Torah readers)

1 Amen* 25 And Moses said, "Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to Yahweh; today you will not find it in the field. 26 "Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none." 27 And it came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.

2 Amen* 28 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions? 29 "See, Yahweh has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31 And the house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey.

3 Amen* 32 Then Moses said, "This is what Yahweh has commanded, 'Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'" 33 And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar and put an omerful of manna in it, and place it before Yahweh, to be kept throughout your generations." 34 As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And the sons of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (Now an omer is a tenth of an ephah.)

4 Amen* 17:1 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of Yahweh, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water that we may drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?" 3 But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, "Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

5 Amen* 4 So Moses cried out to Yahweh, saying, "What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me." 5 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested Yahweh, saying, "Is Yahweh among us, or not?"

6 Amen* 8 Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us, and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." 10 And Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.

7 Amen* 13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Write this in a book as a memorial, and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." 15 And Moses built an altar, and named it Yahweh is My Banner;

13 "If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of Yahweh honorable, and shall honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure, and speaking your own word, 14 then you will take delight in Yahweh, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."

Psalm 53 For the choir director; according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good. 2 God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. 3 Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Have the workers of wickedness no knowledge, who eat up My people as though they ate bread, and have not called upon God? 5 There they were in great fear where no fear had been; for God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you; you put them to shame, because God had rejected them. 6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

After these things Yeshua went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 And a great multitude was following Him, because they were seeing the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3 And Yeshua went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Yeshua therefore lifting up His eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?" 6 And this He was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little." 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, 9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?" 10 Yeshua said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Yeshua therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12 And when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost." 13 And so they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 When therefore the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Yeshua therefore perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. 16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. And it had already become dark, and Yeshua had not yet come to them. 18 And the sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When therefore they had rowed about three or four miles, they beheld Yeshua walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 They were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat; and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. 22 The next day the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Yeshua had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the multitude therefore saw that Yeshua was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Yeshua. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?" 26 Yeshua answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. 27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal." 28 They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Yeshua answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." 30 They said therefore to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'" 32 Yeshua therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." 34 They said therefore to Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread." 35 Yeshua said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 "But I said to you, that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." 41 The Jews therefore were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven." 42 And they were saying, "Is not this Yeshua, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, 'I have come down out of heaven '?" 43 Yeshua answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 "Not that any man has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 "I am the bread of life. 49 "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh." 52 The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" 53 Yeshua therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. 58 "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever." 59 These things He said in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" 61 But Yeshua, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? 62 "What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? 63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Yeshua knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father." 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 Yeshua said therefore to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" 68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 "And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God." 70 Yeshua answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

On Nisan fourteen the Passover Lambs were slain and the blood put on the doorposts, prefiguring Yeshua’s crucifixion on that date.

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, Israel traveled from the world’s Treasure City (Rameses) to a Temporary Dwellingplace (Sukkot) where they could begin to mature in God’s way. Then they traveled to “Away from Them” (Etham). Next they came to the Mouth of Freedom (Pi-hachirot), on the date that Yeshua would be freed from the grave. After three days, the Pharaoh’s armies caught up with them. On the seventh and last day of Unleavened Bread, they were baptized in the split Red Sea. Israel went from the Sea to the Wilderness of Shur / Vision, the name implying that there the people could be close to God. After three days travel without Torah study (water), they came to a place of bitter water, so it was called Marah / Bitterness. The people therefore complained to Moses. Even after witnessing such miracles as God had just performed for them, they had trouble believing that God would provide for their mundane needs, such as water and food. Like our society that trusts in money instead of God. Because the lack of Torah study had caused a disaster, God gave the people commandments – “added because of transgression”.

(V.16:1) One month after their departure from the world’s Treasure City, on Iyyar 15 (today’s date), they came to the Wilderness of Sin (pronounced “seen”). Here the people all complained about the lack of bread. God said that He would give them “bread from heaven”, to teach them to trust Him for their needs day-by-day, and to trust Him for provision for Sabbath without working on that day.

(V.28-29) Then Yahweh said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments (Mitzvot) and My instructions (Torah)?”

Categories of Mitzvot (Deeds to serve God) of the Torah (Instruction):
Note: The terms Judgments, Ordinances, Statutes, Decrees, Laws, etc., are confusingly interchanged in many translations.

1 Mishpatim / Judgments – moral and ethical laws (such as: No murder, No stealing, Being truthful)
Psalm 119:7 KJV, NAS - Judgments, NLT - Laws

2 Edut / Ordinances – rituals and festivals showing religious truths (such as: Baptism, Passover, Sabbath)
Psalm 119:88 KJV, NAS - Testimonies, NLT - Decrees

3 Hukim / Statutes – bonding man to God, reasons not obvious (such as: Kosher foods)
Psalm 119:8 KJV, NAS - Statutes, NLT - Principles

“See, Yahweh has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day.”
See Isaiah 58:13-14 – “The mouth of Yahweh has spoken.”

(V.17:1) They journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of Yahweh, and camped at Rephidim (a contraction of a Hebrew phrase “rafu y’dayhem min hatorah” – “they loosened their grip on the Torah” (Mechilta) because they had become “lax” in their faith), and there was no water (no light of Torah) for the people to drink.

(V.5-6) “Take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile (to bring forth plagues!), and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” The rock (Yeshua) had not moved: the people had backslid. The Word is always available, but we tend to put our eyes on the world instead.

(V.8) Then Amalek (descendants of Esau, also called Edom) came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. When we are lax in Torah study, the world comes in to capture us.

(V.2-6) On a day approaching Passover, when people would be letting their bread run out, Yeshua went up on a mountain with His disciples, and a great multitude followed Him. As God tested Moses, so Yeshua tested Philip, saying, “Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?”

(V.14) When therefore the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world."

“The Prophet” refers to Deuteronomy 18:15, “Yahweh your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me (Moses) from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him” (See Acts 7:37).

Amalek, as Esau’s grandson, knew Israel’s boundaries, and that Israel posed no threat; yet they attacked Israel in defiance of God. This is what we are seeing today in faith-less Israel with the falsely-so-called Palestinians! Israel and Esau/Amalek/Edom/Rome are representatives of good and evil, godliness and idolatry. Yeshua will ultimately defeat and annihilate Amalek (See Obadiah 1:21 and Revelation 18:1-4).

See Psalm 53:6 – “When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.”

Faith . . . is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4) – to turn around towards God. Only God can restore those captivated by the world’s Treasure City.

(V.32-37) Yeshua therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said therefore to Him, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Yeshua said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you, that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”

(V.65-68) And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father.” As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. Yeshua said therefore to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

Shemot (Names): Vayishma Yitro ( Jethro heard), commonly called Exodus 18:1 – 19:6a (*Divided for seven Torah readers)

1 Amen* 1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." 4 And the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

2 Amen* 5 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. 6 And he sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her." 7 Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare, and went into the tent. 8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how Yahweh had delivered them.

3 Amen* 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 So Jethro said, "Blessed be Yahweh who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 "Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people." 12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God.

4 Amen* 13 And it came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. 14 Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?" 15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 "When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of God and His laws." 17 And Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 "You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

5 Amen* 19 "Now listen to me: I shall give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people's representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, 20 then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk, and the work they are to do. 21 "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them, as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 22 "And let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 "If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace."

6 Amen* 24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. 27 Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land.

7 Amen* 19:1 In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.

5 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'

6:1 In the year of King Uzziah's death, I saw Yahweh sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is Yahweh of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory." 4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 5 Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of hosts." 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 And he touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven." 8 Then I heard the voice of Yahweh, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" 9 And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.' 10 "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, And their eyes dim, lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed." 11 Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered, "Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people, and the land is utterly desolate, 12 "Yahweh has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 "Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump."

33:13 "You who are far away, hear what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge My might."

Psalm 54 For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, "Is not David hiding himself among us?"

1 Save me, O God, by Thy Name, and vindicate me by Thy power. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers have risen against me, and violent men have sought my life; they have not set God before them. Selah. 4 Behold, God is my helper; Yahweh is the sustainer of my soul. 5 He will recompense the evil to my foes; destroy them in Thy faithfulness. 6 Willingly I will sacrifice to Thee; I will give thanks to Thy name, O Yahweh, for it is good. 7 For He has delivered me from all trouble; and my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.

19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. 26 And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreordained, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; 30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Messiah Yeshua is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Messiah? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.

[1]   Nisan 1           waters gone -- earth muddy (New Year)
      13 days to crucifixion, +
        3 days to resurrection, +
      40 days to ascension
[2]   Iyyar 27          earth dry

(Gen 8:14) – “And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.”

On the twenty-seventh day of Iyyar – forty-three days after Nisan 14, the Preparation of the Passover – the earth was dry.

Yeshua was crucified on Nisan 14, at the Preparation of the Passover. He rose after three days and three nights. After forty more days, on Iyyar 27, He ascended into the heavens. The “Water of Life” was gone from the earth.

(Acts 1:1-11) 1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 To these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4 And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6 And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; 11 and they also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."
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(V.1) Moses was once a homeless wanderer, and Jethro a priest of Midian (Exodus 3:1). Now the roles were reversed: Moses was high priest of God’s people, and Jethro was coming to him in recognition of Yahweh his God.

We see this story about Jethro in juxtaposition with the story of Amelek. Both Amelek and Jethro had heard about the miraculous events culminating in the exodus. But Amelek came to destroy God’s people, whereas Jethro came to join and bless them.

(Isaiah 33:13) “You who are far away, hear what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge My might.”

(V.11) “Now I know” – seeing that as the Pharaoh had intended to kill all Hebrew boys in the sea, God punished “in kind” by drowning the Pharaoh and his armies in the sea. Jethro saw clearly that Yahweh was over all gods.
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(V.16) Moses said, “I judge between a man and his neighbor, and make known the statutes (hukim) of God and His laws (Torot).” This is the definition of halachic judgment. Halacha means walk: how we are to walk with God in fulfillment of Torah. Moses taught the details of the application of Torah – God’s instruction, as well as settling disputes. This became the position of the Temple Sanhedrin (71 judges) and the District Courts (21 judges) and Synagogue Courts (3 judges for each town). This is the pattern for our court system today in the USA.

The Courts were to teach and enforce God’s instruction, not create new laws. Our civil courts of today are supposed to enforce the laws of our land, not create new ones. However, just as our local legislatures make rulings – such as setting highway speed limits to safeguard life, so the Biblical servants made halachic rulings – detailing fences to safeguard Torah laws.

Torah says to safeguard life: ancient halachic rulings and modern civil laws both serve to detail how we should act to fulfill this Torah mandate. Torah says to avoid sexual promiscuity: ancient halachic rulings and apostolic teachings both properly stipulate modest dress, as a fence to help us observe this Torah mandate. Even though the Torah does not specify “Thou shalt not look sexy in public”, modest dress is the kind of judgment made by God’s authority, and does not represent a new law.

The law “was added because of sin”, because men were getting further away from the mark of glorifying God. When we are glorified, we will have no more desire or inclination to sin, and will no longer have need of written rules to learn how to glorify God

(Romans 8:28-30) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

For whom He foreordained, (God’s own determination from eternity; not simply a knowledge of our future works.)

He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, (Predestination is “unto good works” – Ephesians 2:10)

these He also called; and whom He called, (Calling is “by the Gospel”, not “regardless” – 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

these He also justified; and whom He justified, (Justification is “by grace, through faith that is a gift of God” – Ephesians 2:8-9)

these He also glorified (After-resurrection life); this relates to Yeshua,s ascension.

Friday Sivan 6 (May 17) is Hag Shavuot / Pentecost – celebrating the giving of the Torah as the Betrothal Contract.

Shemot (Names): T’daber (You shall speak), commonly called Exodus 19:6b – 20:20 (*Divided for seven Torah readers)

1 Amen* “These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” 7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh had commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the words of the people to Yahweh. 9 And Yahweh said to Moses, "Behold, I shall come to you in a thick cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh. 10 Yahweh also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; 11 and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day Yahweh will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

2 Amen* 12 "And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 'No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain." 14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments. 15 And he said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman."

3 Amen* 16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because Yahweh descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 20 And Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

4 Amen* 21 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish. 22 "And also let the priests who come near to Yahweh consecrate themselves, lest Yahweh break out against them." 23 And Moses said to Yahweh, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for Thou didst warn us, saying, 'Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.'" 24 Then Yahweh said to him, "Go down and come up again, you and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest He break forth upon them." 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

5 Amen* 20:1 Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2 "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 "You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 "You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

6 Amen* 8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of Yahweh your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11 "For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. 12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

7 Amen* 13 "You shall not murder. 14 "You shall not commit adultery. 15 "You shall not steal. 16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." 18 And all the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, lest we die." 20 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of Yahweh God is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; 2 to proclaim the favorable year of Yahweh, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, 3 to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that He may be glorified. 4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. 6 But you will be called the priests of Yahweh; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. 7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs. 8 For I, Yahweh, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; and I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom Yahweh has blessed. 10 I will rejoice greatly in Yahweh, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Hebrews 12:18-29

18 For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear the command, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned." 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling." 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 and to Yeshua, the mediator of a renewed covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." 27 And this expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Commentary:

While I do not accept the Jewish idea of Israel being more worthy than other nations, the following is an interesting characterization: “Esau’s offspring (Amelekites) would not tolerate a law that prohibited murder; Ishmael’s could not live with a law that banned thievery; and Lot’s (Moabites) would not accept a ban on adultery. Now it was Israel’s turn.” Today’s falsely-so-called Palestinians are Esau’s offspring.

Review:

Sivan 1 (Sunday) – (v.19:1-6) In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.

Today we will look at some technical considerations, while on Shavuot we will only look at the spiritual aspects. As at Passover, this year the dates are on the same days of the week as at the time about which we are studying.

Sivan 3 (coming Tuesday*) – (v.9) Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold! I come to you in the thickness of the cloud, so that the people will hear as I speak to you, and they will also believe in you forever.”

Sivan 4 (coming Wednesday*) – Moses related the words of the people to Yahweh. The people had said, (v.8) “Everything that Yahweh has spoken we shall do.”

Sivan 6 (coming Friday*) – (v.10) A three-day period of purification preceded the giving of the commandments. The people were to sanctify themselves and be baptized (enter the mikvah). This period culminated on Sivan 6, the Day of Firstfruits – the fiftieth day of Counting the Omer (Pentecost).

Thus Shavuot is seen as the betrothal date – when Israel was betrothed to Messiah – with the Betrothal Contract (the Commandments) being presented the following day.

Sivan 7* (next Shabbat) – (v.16) With lightning and thunder, fire and smoke, and shofar blasts, God descended upon Mt. Sinai, and millions of people heard the giving of the Ten Commandments. Actually, they heard firsthand the first two Commandments, and the remainder through Moses.

* It may be noted that there are two viewpoints of the timing of events: this Sabbath was either Sivan 6 or Sivan 7, the day of or the day after Pentecost, according to the ancients; but the Commandments were given on the Sabbath. The difference is in how one interprets the three days of verses ten through sixteen. Neither viewpoint fits the modern Roman idea that Pentecost was a Sunday. The accepted viewpoint, as indicated above, fits with Passover Preparation on Wednesday, and fifty days of counting from Friday Nisan 16 to Friday Sivan 6.

The Temple is the ultimate “Sinai” experience. Four levels of holiness:
(a)     The bottom of Mt. Sinai, where the people stood, relates to the gate of the Temple courtyard.
(b)     The mountain relates to the interior of the courtyard.
(c)     The cloud, where Moses stood, relates to the interior of the Temple.
(d)     The “thickness of the cloud” relates to the Holy of Holies, the seat of God’s presence.

The writer of Hebrews seems to have this in mind, saying that we have not come to Mt. Sinai, but Mt. Zion – Jerusalem. And the spiritual implication is stated as the heavenly Jerusalem, which is to come to earth.

(V.28-29) Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.

Yeshua said: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” – Matt 22:40.

"Yahweh your God is one, and you shall . . . (Deut 6:4)

"Love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might."

"Love your neighbor as yourself."

1    Have Yahweh as only God.                                        6     Do no murder.
          +1    Believe in God                                                            +184 Remove dangers
          +5    Worship God                                                               -302 No hating brother
          +20 Build sanctuary for God

2    Have no other gods, for I,                                          7    Do no adultery.
      Yahweh, am jealous;                                                              -350   No homosexual acts
      make no graven images.                                                        -355   No sex without marriage
          -31   No divination
          -38   No necromancy

3   Take not the name of Yahweh                                 8     Do no stealing (kidnapping).
      your God in vain.                                                                   +200 Pay wages timely
          +9    Sanctify God’s Name                                                - 230 Charge no usery
          -61   No violation of oaths                                              - 246 No altering land lines

4    Remember the Sabbath Day,                                     9     Bear no false witness.
     Yahweh made it separate.                                                     +177 Treat litigants equally
          +154 Assemble to worship                                               - 274 Accept no bribes
          - 320 Do no servile work                                                   - 299 No misleading advice

5    Honor your father and mother,                                10   Do no coveting.
      to prolong your days in the                                                 - 47    Do not follow heart
      land Yahweh is giving you.
         -318 No cursing parents
          -319 No striking parents

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