Exodus 10:1 to 13:16
Jeremiah 46:13-28
Luke 2:22-24
John 19:31-37
Continued from last study…
In Hebraic understanding, everything that has happened and is yet to happen, will always be explained in the beginning. According to Isaiah 46:10, “[Yahweh makes] known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.” The exodus is not only a historic event. It also heralds a prophetic picture of the Messiah’s return, including the redemption He offers His people and a pattern of how to walk in His ways. Scripture says that the people who know Moses will know the Messiah (John 5:46-47); they will look forward to His return and not fear His coming; they will be encouraged because they have studied the beginning and consequently understand the end. Our future is held in the beginning. The book of Revelation is a reflection of the book of Exodus; the story of the exodus is an important lesson for us to study today as it holds the revelations for tomorrow. How we prepare for the Messiah’s return is modeled in the words given Moses. Egypt is a type of the world system and all that holds us in bondage. May we be a people who “leave Egypt” today and come out to worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords – Melech-HaMelechim va Adon-Adonim.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
The Eighth Plague - Locusts
Exodus 10:1-20
Moses was told to warn Pharaoh of the impending plague if he would not positively respond to “Let My people go that they may worship Me.” Pharaoh’s own officials warned him saying, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship Yahweh their Elohim. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?”
When Moses and Aaron were brought back yet again to Pharaoh, he asked them just who would be joining them if he were to give his consent to let them go worship Yahweh in the wilderness. Moses answered, “We will go with our young and old, with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds.” Hearing this, Pharaoh flatly refused! “No! Only the men may leave.”
Pharaoh’s own words invited a plague of locusts that surpassed anything they had ever seen in Egypt or ever would see again. The previous plague of hail had completely decimated the flax and barley crops, now the latter crops of wheat and spelt were totally lost as well. Every last bit of green left on the trees and plants was wiped out, all eaten by locusts.
It is reported that a swarm of locust can be anywhere from 40 million to 80 million strong per square kilometre and climb up to 3,000 feet (914 meters) in the air posing problems for pilots. Depending on the wind, locust swarms can fly at some 10 to 12 miles an hour (16 to 19 kilometers an hour), traveling 80 miles (130 kilometers) or more in a single day. During this century, Desert Locust plagues occurred in 1926-1934, 1940-1948, 1949-1963, 1967-1969 and 1986-1989.- In 1954 locusts migrated from northwest Africa to the British Isles.
- In 1988 they moved from West Africa to the Caribbean, covering some 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) in the period of about ten days.
- In 2010 Australian locust swarmed over 500,000 square kilometers (190,000 square miles) roughly the size of Spain.
The insects weigh less than one tenth of an ounce (two grams) but eat their weight in food each day. In a day, one ton of locusts, a very small part of a swarm, consume enough food for 2,500 people. The locust can live between three to six months, and there is a tenfold increase in locust numbers from one generation to the next.
“During plagues, a locust called the Desert Locust may spread over an enormous area of some 29 million square kilometres, extending over or into parts of 60 countries. This is more than 20% of the total land surface of the world and they have the potential to damage the livelihood of a tenth of the world's population.” (Locust watch: http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/
The locust was an attack on Anubis, the god of the fields, especially cemeteries. The locusts finished up the work done by the hail. This plague also mocked Isis, protector against locusts, and Seth, protector of crops.
Pharaoh again had to summon Moses and ask him to pray to Yahweh, his God, to forgive his sin and take away the plague of locusts. Moses did so, but Pharaoh’s heart continued to harden.
The Ninth Plague - Darkness
Exodus 10:21-29
This next plague was given with no warning to Pharaoh at all. Yahweh instructed Moses to stretch out his hand toward the sky, and thick darkness came over all Egypt. “They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days.” Darkness represented the complete removal of Yahweh’s presence from the Egyptians, while the light (of His presence) continued to remain over the Children of Israel. His presence (i.e. His faithfulness) was with them.
Revelation 21:23 “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of Yahweh illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”
Darkness snuffed out life; without light life ceased. Scripture said that no one could move. They were paralyzed for those three days. Without the life support of light, even the air around them was immobile. Fire could not even burn. This plague was so terrible they could actually feel the darkness.
The plague of darkness was an attack on Ra or Amon-Re, the sun god. Darkness was considered a creation of Seth, evil principle destroyer of Osiris. It seemed Ra, the sun god, was dead and Seth had killed him. Ra was believed to be the physical father of all pharaohs, and pharaoh to be the king of all gods.
The Sun god
The early church father, Constantine, saw himself as the sun god. To glorify himself, he had Yahweh’s biblical lunar calendar changed to a solar calendar to have people pay homage to him. This solar calendar so was designed to take the focus from Yahweh because without His lunar calendar directing and guiding them, Yahweh’s people lost their heritage and their identity. It caused them to assimilate into a Christian identity, which distanced them from their heritage to become kings and priests to Yahweh. Without Yahweh’s blueprint in the heavens, they began to see Yahweh’s celebrations as strange and foreign.
Hosea 8:12 “I have written for him [Ephraim, the House of Israel] the great things of My law, but they were considered a strange thing.”
Yahweh’s lunar calendar establishes the timing of His moedim/feast days called the paths of righteousness, an aspect of the walk of holiness He has called His people to follow. Without the celebration of the Rosh Chodesh/New Moon, which marked the beginning of each new month, how could God’s people follow and worship Him at His appointed times of meeting?
Constantine tried to wipe out any remembrance of Yahweh by dominating God’s people and plunging them into spiritual darkness. The establishment of his solar calendar to do this was successful and many were led away from Yahweh, into the worship of Babylonian celebrations like Christmas and Easter. Constantine named the days of the week after Babylonian gods to have the people pay homage to the gods he worshipped. Thus we readily accept the days of the week as Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday etc. not realizing they are names of pagan gods.
As a redeemed, betrothed people of Yahweh, many believers are coming out of the darkness and are being restored to the truth/light through His Covenant. Yeshua is the Light of the World - our Kinsman Redeemer – who has made a highway of holiness/principles through the wilderness for His redeemed Bride. Revival of Yahweh’s principles is causing believers to restore His lunar calendar, to observe His dietary instructions, to observe all His Feasts Days, including the seventh day Sabbath and the New Moon/Rosh Chodesh. Yahweh’s people are choosing to put away from themselves strange gods and foreign celebrations, to come out of the darkness and embrace His Kingdom (light) (Leviticus 23).
Colossians 2:16-17 “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Messiah,” the goal of our salvation.
The Tenth Plague - Death of the Firstborn
Exodus 11:1-10
This was the last and final plague on Egypt. The death of the firstborn was a direct attack on Pharaoh, the god-king. As Pharaoh was considered to be a god, so was his firstborn son who would succeed him on the throne. In fact, in the Egyptian culture, the firstborn of people and animals in general were often worshipped. Pharaoh was considered an incarnation of Ra, the sun god, and Osiris, the giver of life. Because Pharaoh’s son was considered a god, when he died it was as if a god of Egypt had actually died.
Moses delivered this final warning of Yahweh’s coming judgment to Pharaoh and then left him to go prepare the Israelites for their redemption. In judgment (of their enemy) was their deliverance. Certain guidelines were to be followed to bring them through this night of deliverance. These guidelines were to be remembered each year at the same time throughout all generations, even in our generation today. The feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread are Yahweh’s feasts. They are prophetic appointments and hold revelations for redemption by the only One that can redeem us, Jesus Christ/Yeshua Ha Mashiach, the Messiah of Israel.
Guidelines for Passover
Exodus 12:1-28, 43-49
Redemption always leads us away from the internal darkness (the realm of death – Olam Hazeh), toward the eternal light (the realm of life – Olam Haba). Those who are waiting for Yahweh’s hand of deliverance will receive it in His perfect timing. The Israelites came out of Egypt in the exact timing revealed to Abraham (Genesis 15:13).
In preparation for Passover, on the tenth day of that first month the Israelites were to take a male lamb, one year old, into their homes for four days. Just as a pet can have a place in our heart, bringing a lamb into our home would have a similar effect. You would become very attached to this innocent lamb and its personality, relationship and bonding would grow, as this lamb would in essence become “part of the family.” It was very hard to give this animal up, knowing that by their own hands they must offer this lamb up for death as a covering for their sins.
“Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when “ALL” the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight [the ninth hour]” (Exodus 12:6).
- The word “house” was a reference to the tabernacle/altar in our hearts. John the Baptist said of Yeshua, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ ” Yeshua came into Jerusalem on the tenth of the first month. He went to His Father’s house and was examined for four days, fulfilling the Exodus scriptures that the lambs come into the “houses” on the tenth of the month to be examined.
- Luke 18:31 “Yeshua took the twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the gentiles/goyim. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.’ ”
The question of what people group killed Yeshua is subtly designed to promote anti Semitism. It is not a certain people who killed Yeshua; we are all guilty of His death. He chose to lay down his own life for us. In John 3:16 it states: “This is how we know what love is: Yeshua the Messiah laid down His [own] life for us.”
He died because of our sinfulness. He took our sins upon Himself and died our death. He is the Passover Lamb. He is our redemption. No other sacrifice is needed for our sins. It is finished. Yeshua, from the House of Judah and the throne of David, became the kinsman-redeemer for the Whole House of Israel.
Exodus 12:7; 22-23 “They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.”
John 10:7-9 “Yeshua said, ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.’”
The Israelites were to apply the blood using the hyssop plant. This was a prophetic picture of Yeshua’s crucifixion.
John 19:29-30 “A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Yeshua’s lips. When he had received the drink, Yeshua said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
The blood was to be applied to the doorposts and lintel of the entrance to their houses.
- The two doorposts can be representative of an altar; also they represent the Two Houses of Israel, the House of Judah and the House of Israel.
- The lintel joins the two doorposts, as Yeshua, the Lamb of God, is the mediator between heaven and earth. End times unity during the Messianic Era is seen here in the restoration of all Twelve Tribes.
- The gate can also reflect the future “twelve gates” unified in One/Yeshua that lead into the New Jerusalem.
- The house represents the house of Yahweh and His covering, which we choose to remain in when we walk in obedience to the principles of His Kingdom/government.
When we walk in His ways, obeying His commandments forbids the enemy from having any authority over us and is also how we show agree with Yeshua’s atonement. (Ezekiel 37:15-28; Ephesians 2:14-22; Ezekiel 48:31; Revelation 21:12-13)
Not one bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Exodus 12:46). This was prophetic of Yeshua’s body, in that not one bone of His body was broken at His death. It was also prophetic of the Twelve Tribes of Israel who make up the “whole” body of Yeshua; not one “Tribe” will be missing, broken or split off from the main body. All twelve tribes are complete in Him. Yeshua’s death was for the restoration of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.; thus not one bone in His body was broken upon His death.
John 19:32-33 “The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Yeshua, and then those of the other. But when they came to Yeshua and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.”
The angel of death spared those in the “houses” that had the blood of the lamb upon the doorways. “The blood is a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt” (Exodus 12:12-13).
Exodus 12:8-11 “That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is Yahweh’s Passover.”
The Missing Feast
The Passover is a prophetic picture revealing end-times truth. We are to celebrate the remembrance of this night throughout all generations. Early church ruling removed the observance of Yahweh’s Passover in 325 CE when they met at the Council of Nicea under Constantine’s leadership. At that time they chose to replace Yahweh’s set-apart day with the invention of their own “paganized” Passover, commonly known as Easter. Today, more and more people are returning and embracing the prophetic words of Moses and the truth that is held there. One way they are returning is by restoring Yahweh’s true Passover.
Passover was not only the night the angel of death passed over the Israelites but also it was a feast time. The Israelites were told to eat roasted lamb with bitter herbs–like onions and horseradish–along with unleavened bread. Today many people celebrate Passover using a Seder plate to place the bitter herbs on. Through the generations folklore has been added to the truth, and items such as eggs and shank bones have found their way into the Passover celebration. When asked why, many people respond, “It is tradition."
After the temple was destroyed, during the time of exile in Babylon, the Rabbis replaced Yahweh’s commandment to eat roast lamb with a man-made command to symbolize the lamb by placing a shank bone on a Seder plate. Today, many Jewish homes serve turkey, meat or fish instead of lamb. Their argument is the commandment of sacrificing a lamb no longer applies since the temple was destroyed.
Although early rabbinic authorities diminished the representation of the Messiah at Passover by replacing the lamb, Yahweh’s commandment of eating roast lamb came as the Israelites were about to leave Egypt, before a tabernacle, temple or rabbinic authority ever existed. Scripture also speaks of Yahweh’s temple now being in those who accept and walk in Yeshua’s redemptive plan, and enter into covenant relationship with Him. One of the promises of this marriage covenant is that Yahweh will place the Torah on the hearts of His Bride (Deuteronomy 30: 14; Romans 10:8).
Although early rabbinic authorities diminished the representation of the Messiah at Passover by replacing the lamb, Yahweh’s commandment of eating roast lamb came as the Israelites were about to leave Egypt, before a tabernacle, temple or rabbinic authority ever existed. Scripture also speaks of Yahweh’s temple now being in those who accept and walk in Yeshua’s redemptive plan, and enter into covenant relationship with Him. One of the promises of this marriage covenant is that Yahweh will place the Torah on the hearts of His Bride (Deuteronomy 30: 14; Romans 10:8).
The Lamb of God, Yeshua, was always with His people, whether a physical temple was present or not. Without the lamb at Passover, the revelation of a Savior, salvation and redemption is lost to a people who are still looking for their Messiah. The commandment to eat the lamb, therefore, applies to all who worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as their God/Elohim, as Passover always (both before and after He came to earth), pointed to Yeshua as the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world as propitiation for our sins (Revelation 13:8; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
It was during the Babylonian exile that the egg became a popular addition in the celebration of both Passover and Easter for the Houses of Judah and Israel respectively. The House of Judah placed the egg on the Seder plate at Passover. After searching the scriptures, no mention of the commandment for a roasted egg at Passover can be found. When asked the reason for their observance, they say it is a symbol of life, but scripture, specifically the Shema, says we are to have only one symbol for life. The presence of an egg represents a Babylonian influence in connection with the belief of a pagan goddess of fertility. Today, with a renewed understanding of Yahweh’s Word, many people are declining the traditions that have been added to the celebration of Passover. (Deuteronomy 6:4-25)
- Bitter herbs represent the bitterness of our slavery and bondage.
- Matzo, flat unleavened bread, represents Yahweh’s pure Word pointing to our redemption and deliverance from our sin.
- Roasted lamb represents the Messiah Yeshua, the Savior of the World who took our death upon Himself.
Early Church fathers eliminated the Passover celebration altogether, leaving the people without a vision or heart for their Hebraic Messiah and His ways. This left them without an identity as part of Israel or the knowledge of their inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Man imposed Easter (by threat of death) on the people three hundred and twenty five years after Yeshua died. Yeshua never taught Easter or the celebration of it. Easter originated and was celebrated in Babylon hundreds of years before Yeshua was born. Easter is the celebration of Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of fertility at the spring equinox. Eggs are a symbol of Ishtar, and were dipped in the blood of human sacrifices made to pay homage to her. Today’s practice of decorating Easter eggs originated from this tradition. May we not be a people who “replace” the Lamb of God with pagan idolatry but rather worship and obey Yahweh, remembering that Passover is a prophetic celebration of the Lamb of God, Yeshua, with future events, blessings and redemption to come.
The Israelites obeyed Yahweh’s command and put blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, then ate the roasted lamb with bitter herbs and bread without yeast. While the Israelites were safe in their homes, the angel of death passed through the land. Loud wails of mourning and weeping were heard as the firstborn of the Egyptians died. True to Yahweh’s word, Pharaoh gave Moses and Aaron permission to leave. The Egyptians handed over articles of gold, silver and clothing to the Israelites, who plundered Egypt as they left (Exodus 12:33-36).
In reference to the angel of death who passed over the Israelites’ homes, we note that the law of sin and death that was destroyed and has no hold over us, IF we come under the authority of the Messiah. What follows is a life of learning His Kingdom principles/constitution that brings redemption and life abundantly.
The Israelites in their haste to leave Egypt, had to carry bread without yeast covered in their kneading troughs on their shoulders (Exodus 12:34). This bread became their life source. It was a prophetic picture of Yeshua dying for our sins, His temporary burial, and His resurrection to life.
The realm of death had no hold on the Children of Israel when they obeyed Yahweh. This will be the same for believers as we, His people, seek to obey Him, for we are not of this world (Egypt) but are of a heavenly, spiritual realm. Yeshua was the Light, the Lamb, and the Unleavened Bread who redeemed the Israelites from all of their bitterness. In effect, they had taken Him into their lives and partaken IN HIM that night. When they left Egypt they took the very symbol of the Messiah with them on their shoulders.
Another prophetic picture appears. At the time of His birth, Yeshua was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Swaddling clothes were worn out priestly garments; were used to light the menorahs in the temple. Yeshua is our High Priest and is the Light of the world. All power and authority – His Kingdom government - rests on His shoulders, and His gift of His Kingdom is to all who choose to accept and partake in the Lamb of Yahweh. Through the feast of Passover we are given a picture of the end times Feast of Yahweh called the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, when Yeshua was born (Luke 1:26-2:20; Matthew 28:18).
- Yeshua said, “For the bread of Yahweh is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Yeshua declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:33-35).
Yeast represents sin. At Passover they were to remove ALL the yeast from their homes and not consume it for seven days. The bread they carried on their shoulders represented Yeshua, the spotless Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world (1 Corinthians 5:7).
- “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Yeshua, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
The Israelites were commanded to eat unleavened bread, bread with no yeast, for seven days. Yahweh repeats this over and over again in scripture. The Passover is a night to remember, but the eating of the unleavened bread was for seven days and is a feast where the first day and the last days are holy to Yahweh (Exodus 12:15-20). It was so important to Yahweh that anyone who did not obey this was cut off from Israel.
Seven days represents a personal consecration period for believers. The Israelites had come from living in the realm of death (world system – Olam Hazeh); they needed consecrating or a status change from the realm of death to the realm of life (Olam Haba). In the obedience to the command to not eat unleavened bread (bread with no yeast) for seven days, came a cleansing of not only the physical body but, of the soul and spirit also. Again, it was imperative that everyone ate only unleavened bread for those seven days, according to Yahweh’s command. This instruction is also for us today, as it is prophetic of the end time’s preparation of the Bride of Yeshua. It is not for salvation purposes but is the pursuit of holiness and sanctification.
- Ephesians 5:26-27 Yeshua gave Himself up for His Bride “to make her holy, having cleansed her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant ekklesia (assembly), without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”
The commandment to celebrate Passover is still in place today as the scripture says, “Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come” (Exodus 12:15-17). Yeshua’s blood redeems the Bride, but it is up to the Bride to prepare herself. “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7). The seven-day feast is the first step in the preparation of the Bride for her wedding. Of Yahweh’s feasts/moadim, the spring feasts are the prophetic steps that bring the Bride into a betrothal relationship with her Bridegroom. This is why we continue to observe them each year; they are “dress” rehearsals for the Bride in preparation for her wedding day.
We are fitting and clothing ourselves with the imperishable.
1 Corinthians 15:53 says, “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” Seven days represents a “cleansing” or consecration ceremony. As a royal priesthood of Yeshua, may we “desire” to participate in this Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 8:33; 1 Peter 1:9-16; 1Peter 2:9: Exodus 19:5-6).
The Exodus
Exodus 12:37-42, 51
After plundering Egypt, the Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, and with them their women and children. Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all Yahweh’s divisions (all twelve tribes) left Egypt. Because Yahweh kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night may all the Israelites keep vigil to honor Yahweh for generations to come.
Who May Eat the Passover?
Exodus 12:43-49
Yahweh lists the people who may eat the Passover meal. He alone knows the hearts of man and not all were eligible to partake in the Passover meal.
- The first category mentioned is the people who may not eat at the Passover dinner/seder. They are: a foreigner, a temporary resident or a hired worker. Those people reflect hearts not interested in serving the God Israel.
- The second category is the people who may eat the Passover. They are: all slaves, aliens and native born who desire to serve and walk in the ways of Yahweh. They are those with circumcised hearts, who put aside their own desires, to embrace and follow after the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and have entered into a covenant relationship with Yahweh by faith. Circumcision is not the actual covenant itself; it is the sign of the Covenant as we see in Genesis 15 and 17. Circumcision was given thirteen years after Abraham received the Covenant of God by faith.
Circumcision
There is a great debate among some believers today whether to allow a physically uncircumcised believer to come to the Passover Seder. Yeshua’s disciple Rabbi Shaul/Paul, settled the argument for us. Of the great Messianic leaders along with Paul, Timothy was circumcised and Titus, Paul’s fellow worker, was uncircumcised (Galatians 2:3). Each year they celebrated the Passover. If Titus were alive today, would he be welcome at our Passover table?
The story of Hezekiah, in 2 Chronicles 30-31:1 sets the example for us to follow when considering Passover guests. The king of Judah sent invitations to the House of Judah and to the House of Israel inviting all twelve tribes to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. Since many of the priests had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs to Yahweh. Many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves (they were uncircumcised), yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. Hezekiah prayed on their behalf: “‘May Yahweh, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God – Yahweh, the God of his fathers – even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.’ And Yahweh heard Hezekiah and healed the people.”
Abraham is the father of the circumcised and the uncircumcised, and those who are of the law and those who are of faith (Galatians 3:7, 29; Hebrews 2:2:10-3:6; Romans 4:9-18).
Consecration of the Firstborn
Exodus 13:1-16
"It [Passover] shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
“You shall set apart to Yahweh all that open the womb, every firstborn that comes from an animal; the males shall be Yahweh’s. But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.”
"So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.’ "
The Exodus led by Moses is a type and shadow of our Exodus today. Their deliverance speaks of our deliverance. The Deliverer and Redeemer, Yeshua, will come. Yeshua is returning for a Bride. Will we be a Bride “in-waiting” or a Bride not prepared for her wedding because she has not known the ways and celebrations of her Bridegroom or known of the season of His return? The full redemption of His Bride not only results in a wedding, but also ushers in the Millennial Kingdom. Will we be found to have obeyed and taken the steps laid out in Yahweh’s Word? Will we keep the Passover Feast and enter into His seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread eating matzos (unleavened bread) for the seven days? As mentioned earlier, the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread is for our cleansing. The Passover physically delivers us in a seven-day period. It literally cleanses our souls and minds, and gives us a change of status that elevates us. We are clothing ourselves with the imperishable and being fitted with the imperishable. Part of the priestly garments was the mitre, a gold plate on the High Priest’s forehead that read “Holy unto Yahweh.” This is the “sign” that distinguishes the Bride in the end days; we are being prepared to be the Bride and the priesthood. We are being called Holy unto Yahweh when we walk in His ways and keep His feasts! (Exodus 28:36; Revelation 20:4)
1 Corinthians 15:53 “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”
1 Peter 1:22-23 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Shabbat Shalom
Julie Parker
Note: We are in the process of publishing the studies in soft spiral study format and soft bond format for prison ministry (an eBook format is coming!). Exodus is the second book in a five part series: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. Each book is part of the yearly Torah cycle starting in Genesis and is designed to be used each year for study purposes. To pre order please contact the information below.
Reference
National Geographic: http://news.
Israel’s Feasts and their Fullness by Batya Wootten www.messianicisrael.com
Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays by Scarlata and Pierce www.biblicalholidays.com/
Locust Watch: http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/
Torah 301 by R. Ralph Messer www.torah.tv
Studies in the Five Books of Moses by Ben and Catherine Dixon www.torah.tv
Wikipedia – http://www.wikipedia.org
The Church and the Jews by Daniel Gruber
Torah: Law or Grace by Rabbi Ralph Messer www.torah.tv
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