Exodus 13:17-17:16
Judges 4:4-5:31
Introduction
From the Reed Sea, the Israelites journey on, into the Wilderness of Shur and then to Elim, where they camp, and then set out to travel the wilderness of Sin to Mount Sinai, scene of the God-ordained covenant. A slave people, their shackles still figuratively chained to them, cannot be expected to act as a free people in so brief a time. The moment they encounter difficulty, they long for a return to familiar surroundings.
Exodus 13:17-22 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt." 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here." 20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. (ESV)
There seems to be a contradiction between verse 17 and verse 18. In verse 17 God says He led the people away from the land of the Philistines because they might change their minds because of war but in verse 18 we are told the people left Egypt equipped for battle. Is this truly a contradiction or are we seeing the reality of the fact God knew the Hebrews had just been brought out of slavery and they did not know how to defend themselves even though they were equipped for battle. Being equipped for battle does not mean one is ready to fight if they never have. Soldiers are trained for war, they are equipped for battle but they are taught how to wage war. Israel was not ready for war and the Lord knew the Philistines were a war-like people and if He brought them through the land of the Philistines and the people had to face a battle right out of Egypt they might turn around and run back to Egypt something they wanted to do shortly after being freed from slavery when various trials faced them. Many times we behave just like them because we are ill equipped to face the enemy and when things don’t go our way we are ready to give up. To walk with Yeshua and to follow in His footsteps is not a promise of an easy time of it but that we will face trials, testing’s, and tribulation in our walk in order that we might be strengthened in our walk and to be able to withstand the onslaught of the enemy.
Psalm 11:5 The LORD tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. (NKJ)
Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts. (NKJ)
Strong's 0974 bachan (103c)
Meaning: to examine, try
Origin: a prim. root
Usage: assay(2), examine(2), proved(1), test(7), tested(3), tests(3), tried(5), tries(2), try(3)
The Hebrew word for test is bachan and is the same word used in both of these Scripture verses. The Lord tests the righteous and tests the hearts. It’s always interesting to me how so many flock after teachers who give teachings that tickle the ear but don’t help someone to mature from milk to meat or grow in their walk with Yeshua. The teachings cover everything but what is important. Too many of us are getting sidetracked by teachings that do nothing to help one grow in their knowledge of the Holy One of Israel. If the book of Job teaches us anything it is the Lord will allow the enemy to test us to see if we will fall by the roadside or will we be able to submit ourselves to the leading of the Almighty. The Ruach HaKodesh-the Holy Spirit of the Almighty is there is guide us, to teach us, to comfort us and at times to prod us along but in the final analysis we have free-will and it is up to us to make the right decisions. The stories we find in the Bible are stories about men and women just like us who heard the word of the Lord calling to them and they were asked to follow a different way. They grew in their walk and relationship with the Holy One of Israel but they made mistakes along the way. These mistakes did not disqualify them from a relationship with the Almighty, in fact, if it did anything it provided them with the opportunity to find their way back to Him. Think of it as a course adjustment like when we are driving down a road and we encounter a detour. We may become frustrated because this detour interrupts our trip but we follow it and get back on course. This is what we have to learn to do in our walk with the Lord. There are course adjustments which need to be made from time to time. Can you get your walk with the Holy One back on track or will you let yourself be sidetracked?
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Messiah’s gift. (ESV)
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (ESV)
The Apostle Shaul in Ephesians directs the congregation in Ephesus to walk according to the way the Lord desires us to be. We are to be humble, gentle, patient, bearing one another in love and be in peace. There are too many in the Body of Messiah who are not humble but demanding what they want believing they are right and everyone has to think the way they do. One who is called by the Lord to teach or lead a group or congregation should be humble and not hungering after the adulation of the world. What kind of an example are these teachers and leaders setting when they place themselves above the Body of Messiah and ask the Body to look to them instead of looking to the Lord? To serve the Lord does not mean “what is in it for me” but they are to have a humble attitude waiting on the timing of the Lord not on the desire of their own heart. We are to follow the way of the Lord in the same manner the Hebrew’s were following the Lord when they came out of Egypt. He led them the way He knew they needed to go but as time went on they became frustrated and rebelled against the Almighty by going against Moses the one He had chosen to lead Israel. When the Hebrews came out of Egypt they were former slaves with a slave mentality. They were a group of people composed of Hebrews and the mixed multitude. They were not a nation but a group of people leaving the devastation of Egypt after the Almighty had brought His judgment down on the nation of Egypt and against Pharaoh – the step-brother of Moses.
The Holy One knew the people needed to be formed into a nation of warriors if they were to survive but He also knew they need to learn about faith and belief in Him because it would be the Holy One who would lead the emerging nation of Israel for forty years. Moses would be His mouthpiece and would teach Israel the ways of the Lord and an entire generation would fail the tests which came against them. The Lord was not out to make Israel fail they did that to themselves because without a taskmaster over them they did not know what to do with their new found freedom. They squandered the opportunity given to them by the Almighty something we do ourselves. Time and time again the Lord gives us opportunities to grow in our walk with Him but instead we turn aside to listen to those who would build themselves up instead of lifting up the Holy One. The Lord loves all of you so much it breaks His heart to see you wandering off of the road. We wind up taking so many side trips we lose our way and get lost having lost sight of the Lord and His ways. The road the Lord led the Israelites by was meant to help them so they would not lose heart but in the end they did lose their way and had to wander 40 years in the Wilderness waiting for the day of their passing because they would not be allowed to enter into the Promised Land. Will we follow their example or the example laid out for us by our Master and Messiah Yeshua?
Matthew 14:26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Yeshua spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Yeshua. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Yeshua stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (NKJ)
While the Apostle Peter had some understanding of whom Yeshua was he had not fully embraced the truth. There were times when he declared the Son of God and times when he doubted. When he saw Yeshua walking on the water he wanted to go and meet Him or perhaps he was caught up in the moment? We can only make assumptions, right or wrong, but from the story of Yeshua walking on the water what we see is Peter desiring to do the same and Yeshua telling him to get out of the boat and come to Him. Peter did so and for a moment everything was fine until Peter saw the wind was blowing really hard and he became afraid and began to sink in the water. He cried out to Yeshua to save him and Yeshua reached out and grabbed Peter’s hand and caught him. Yeshua told Peter his faith was lacking and in that moment of doubt he began to sink in the water until he called out to the Lord and the Lord grabbed hold of him and saved him. If we learn anything from this story it is the Lord will save all of us if we ask Him to. He will not turn away from us in our hour of need if we ask Him to save us.
Strong's G4982 sozo
Meaning: to save
Origin: from sos (safe, well)
Usage: bring...safely(1), cured(1), ensure salvation(1), get(1), get well(2), made...well(6), made well(5), preserved(1), recover(1), restore(1), save(36), saved(50), saves(1), saving(1)
The Greek word in this passage for save is sozo and it means to save or bring safely. Isn’t this what Yeshua does for us when we ask Him to save us from ourselves? What I mean is Yeshua is there waiting for the moment when we cry out to Him to redeem us from where we are when we are at a critical point in our lives. When it is time to make a decision that means life or death for us will we make the right choice or wind up following in Israel’s footsteps and being part of the generation left to die in the Wilderness because of a lack of faith?
Judges 5:7-13 7 The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel. 8 When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD. 10 "Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way. 11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. "Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD. 12 "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. 13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty. (ESV)
This is part of Deborah’s song to Israel at a time of national crisis where Israel faced destruction at the hand of its enemy. Barak a leader in Israel came to Deborah, a judge in Israel to ask for her help against the enemy. Deborah told Barak if she was to go with him the victory would be hers and not his. Was he willing to allow a woman to gain the victory and to his credit Barak agreed and victory belonged to Israel that day. Both Deborah and Barak sang a song of the victory and Deborah spoke of herself as a mother in Israel perhaps a mother of Israel at a time when she was needed? Though the victory belonged to her she gave praise to the commanders of Israel who willingly stepped forward on behalf of the people. She commended Barak and the Israelites for defending the nation. Israel has had to fight her enemies down through history. As a country that has deep Biblical roots its history goes back thousands of years it is the only nation in modern memory that rose from the ashes of its destruction to be born again in the same way we are born again to our new lives in Messiah Yeshua. The country of Israel was brought back to life because the Almighty has a plan He intends to bring to fruition and the country of Israel is at the center of it just as they are in the center of the storm that is swirling around them.
Job 21:17 "How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger? 18 That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away? 19 You say, 'God stores up their iniquity for their children.' Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it. 20 Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty. (ESV)
2 Peter 2:15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (NKJ)
We are at a crossroads people! Will we turn from the right way and wander off into the darkness turning back to where we were before we followed the way of righteousness found through our faith In Yeshua? Are you sinking into the water of sin being pulled down and you don’t know which way to turn? Are you afraid and finding the way of the Lord a hard road to follow? It is not a hard road to follow; it is an easy road if you look to Him to show you the way. The difficulty lies in the tests that will come your way. Before you sink out of sight and out of mind look to the One who is the author and finisher of your redemption – Yeshua the Messiah!
Hebrews 12:1 So then, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us, too, put aside every impediment- that is, the sin which easily hampers our forward movement- and keep running with endurance in the contest set before us, 2 looking away to the Initiator and Completer of that trusting, Yeshua- who, in exchange for obtaining the joy set before him, endured execution on a stake as a criminal, scorning the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (CJB)
Yeshua is the Author and Finisher of our faith because He went before us to pave the way for us to follow. The Hebrews followed God because of what they saw Him do to Egypt but when they did not know what to do with their freedom each man wanted to set his own way and many wanted to return to Egypt a place they cried out to the Holy One to rescue them from. Maybe this is the beginning of why some of the Jewish people are looking for a Messiah to rescue them from the enemies not from themselves? The problem is they have lost their way the same as most of the world has done. Whether Messianic or Christian it is nothing more than a label for who they think they are when they really don’t know. We need to learn how to fight the battles we are facing in order that we can be ready for the war that is coming my friends. Call out to Yeshua to grab hold of you and to save you before you sink into the water that will drag you down into the depths of despair in the swirling storm of sin.
Blessings, Mordecai Silver
If a man says something in the woods and there is no woman there to hear him…is he still wrong?
Tree of Life Messianic Ministries
PO Box 467
Organ, NM 88052
866-874-7250 (toll free)
866-800-2390 (toll free fax)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.etz-chayim.org