Exodus 6:2 to 9:35
Ezekiel 28:25 to 29:21
Romans 9:14-17
2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1
Revelation 16
The last lesson examined the children of Israel’s four hundred years in captivity, and how Yahweh’s hand of deliverance was beginning to work on their behalf as spoken in Genesis 15:13-14. Moses was prepared as Yahweh’s prophet and ambassador to bring about the deliverance and redemption of His people. As Yahweh gave assurances to Moses, He also confirmed His name –Yahweh – and that He alone was the God of Israel, the same God who had appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and gave them His Covenant. Yahweh heard the groaning of enslaved Israel and remembered the Covenant He had made with His chosen people.
God Promises Deliverance
Exodus 6:6 -8
"Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 'I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 'And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD' " (Exodus 6:6-8).
These seven “I wills” are a gift from Yahweh not only for Moses and the Israelites at that time, but also for us today. As part of Israel, this is our inheritance by Covenant. It is not our faith that brings these promises; it is only by Yahweh’s faithfulness to His Covenant that we obtain redemption and fulfillment, which equal our willingness to follow His directions/principles. Our part is to “hear and to obey” (shema in Hebrew) His word, to pursue holiness and rest in His faithfulness. The words of Yahweh in Exodus 6:6-8 was prophetic language spoken to the children of Israel/Jacob as we see through the writings of the prophet Ezekiel. His prophecy was directed to a people who had broken faith with Yahweh but was the same redemptive message that was spoken to Moses centuries earlier.
Ezekiel 36:24-31 (A Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel) "For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, that you may not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations.”
Israel’s Response
Exodus 6:9
When Moses reported to the people what Yahweh would do for them, they were not overjoyed.
Their struggles and deep discouragement under Pharaoh’s cruelty had left them with little hope in their hearts. They had longed to believe the words that Moses said but because of their bondage their hearing had grown dull. Many of us have gone through struggles in our lives and have waited for Yahweh’s deliverance. During these challenging times our walks were strengthened, (as were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph’s) knowing that when we were in Yahweh’s covenant relationship, we are a people who do not loose hope and still have open hearts to perceive–and receive – when our redemption draws near.
Isaiah 35:4-10 “Say to those who are fearful-hearted (the redeemed ones in the wilderness), ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of jackals, where each lay, there shall be grass with reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and a road and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
The House of Israel needs to keep these words close to their hearts to remember that they were found by Yahweh in the wilderness in the first place, because of their rebellion to His ways and the rebellion of their forefathers. We need to also remember that once we make repentance/teshuvah and start our walk of redemption back to Him, we will no longer be dull of hearing or blind to His ways. Our walks will become stable and the desert – or wilderness – experience will no longer seem parched and dry but will suddenly be full of abundant life, like refreshing streams of water to our souls. The wilderness will deal with the sinful nature of our lives as we pursue the goal of our faith: holiness. That is why the way home is called the Highway of Holiness in Isaiah 35 and 40, a highway that starts at Mount Sinai with the receiving of the ten utterances (commandments) of Yahweh. There are many today, not just a few, who are coming out of a wilderness experience and beginning to see the way of Holiness through Yeshua in His Word.
Exodus 6:13-25
Genealogy of Moses and Aaron Scripture now breaks in the narrative to highlight Moses and Aaron’s lineage. As the third son of Jacob, Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Moses and Aaron were from the Kohath family of Levites. Kohath had four sons: Amran, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Amran married a Levite, Jochebed, and they had three children: Miriam, Aaron and Moses. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, and Moses had two sons: Gershom and Eleazer. All these families were called Levites. The priestly line came from the Kohath family with Aaron and his firstborn sons becoming the high priests for the tabernacle duties. It was Aaron’s son Eleazar who became high priest after him, and then Eleazar’s son Phinehas after him.
Understanding the family tree and functions of the Levites helps us to see deeper into the Yahweh’s Word. Each Levitical family had their designated responsibilities in the care of the tabernacle but only one Levitical family, the Kohaths, was accorded the priestly duties and care of the tabernacle furnishings. No other Levitical family had this duty. The Kohaths ministered to Yahweh while the Gershonites and Merarites ministered in the outer court of the Tabernacle to the people of Israel.
It was also interesting to see that after four hundred years in exile and oppression, not only were the twelve tribes still in their distinct tribal units, but we have an inside look at the tribe of Levi and the bloodline inheritance of the firstborn. When Yahweh called the Levite tribe to depart from Egypt, their genealogy was still intact. This revealed Yahweh’s faithfulness to His people to bring them home. It was true in their day and it will be true in our day as well, as this story of Exodus is prophetic of the Messiah’s return and ingathering of His people.
In the Messianic Era that we are in today, we will see order being restored back into Yahweh’s house (our hearts) and an assembling of a people called Israel. This is His promise by Covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that He would restore His people back to His Kingdom ways. This is called the restoration of the House of David. One of the signs of the restoration and the advent of the Messianic Era is that Yahweh’s hidden and scattered people in the nations, will start to observe the true Sabbath, Yahweh’s true Feast Days and celebrate the New Moon (Ezekiel 44:23-24).
Exodus was not just a story of ancient times but is a prophetic vision for us today. The book of Revelation is a reflection of the book of Exodus. When the Apostle John was on the island of Patmos he saw the book of Exodus in prophetic imagery but in a future time. That book is called The Revelation of Jesus Christ / Yeshua Ha Mashiach. The plagues John saw and recorded were almost identical to the plagues that were in the Exodus.
The book of Exodus is for believers today, as it holds the revelations of their “tomorrow.” How we prepare for Yeshua’s return is modeled in the book of Exodus. Egypt is a type of the “world system.” “Yahweh said, ‘Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their divisions.’ ” It was Moses who led the children of Israel out of captivity, and it will be the people who uphold and follow Moses in these last days, who will dwell with Yeshua in the Garden ( the New Jerusalem) in the millennial. If we hold onto Moses, we hold onto Yeshua as it was Yeshua who gave the words of the Living Torah to Moses in the desert. Moses did not write down his own words to form Torah. He wrote Yeshua’s words. If we follow those words we too will return to the land of our promise. We must turn back (to Moses) in order to go forward.
John 5:46-47 Yeshua said, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
We are told in Revelation 21:12 that the twelve gates into the New Jerusalem have the names of the twelve tribes on them. Is this scripture telling us that after all these generations, where many tribes have in the natural, become an unidentifiable people, that in the end all twelve tribes will emerge intact in their identities as the twelve tribes of Israel?
Acts 26:7 records the words of Paul/Rabbi Shaul in the New Testament/Brit Chadasha, thirty years after Yeshua died: “This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve Yahweh day and night.”
May we be a united people who have Rabbi Shaul’s hope and desire to stand on the promises Yahweh made so long ago – that all twelve tribes will return. This is the time. "Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions" (Exodus 6:26). Yahweh is going to bring us out of “our Egypt” through the teachings of Moses, all twelve tribes of Israel, in their full divisions. He spoke it and He will do it! (Galatians 3:7, 29)
Appearing before Pharaoh
Exodus 7:6-19
Moses and Aaron started their ministry in Yahweh’s service at the ages of eighty and eighty-three respectively. They were commanded to appear before Pharaoh and perform a miracle. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and it changed into a snake. Pharaoh’s magicians were able to duplicate this sign so the king of Egypt’s heart remained unchanged; he would not let the Israelites go into the desert to offer sacrifices to Yahweh.
Following Yahweh’s pattern, plagues appeared in stages to the Egyptians, attacking their gods and the Egyptian lunar and civil calendar feast days, their surroundings and houses, their clothing and flesh (Leviticus 13-14). By doing this, Yahweh was showing how detestable the ways of the Egyptians were and revealed the corruption of their hearts at the same time.
Note: Yahweh uses this illustration of Egypt and the plagues throughout the history of the Israelite people (and into the future) for those who fall away from His Word to elevate other gods. References: Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60; Amos 4:10; Matthew 24:6-7 and Revelation 16)
The First Plague - Blood
Exodus 7:14-24
This hardening of Pharaoh’s heart set in motion a chain of events that would show the deliverance and power of Yahweh and bring about the promised redemption of the Israelite people. With this, Yahweh exposed the false gods of Egypt and displayed His Name (character) and glory among the nations.
In the first series of plagues, Yahweh sent Moses early in the morning to wait by the bank of the Nile River for Pharaoh, in order to warn him what Yahweh planned to do. “Moses raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile River, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt” (Exodus 7:20-21).
This first plague attacked Hapi, the father of the gods. He was god of the Nile, the one who was said to provide water to all Egypt for the preservation of life. He was responsible for watering the meadows and bringing the dew. More importantly, he brought fertile flooding by the rising of the Nile. As a fertility god, he was associated with Osiris.The Nile was considered the link from this life to the next and was considered the blood of Osiris. The priests of Egypt held blood in abhorrence, yet they cruelly sported with the blood of the captive Israelites, whose children they caused to be cast into the Nile. The Egyptians worshipped the river but when its waters turned to blood they loathed and detested it. This plague brought confusion and shame regarding their great god Hapi who was defamed. Other deities connected with the Nile were Amon and Khnum who were the guardians of the Nile.
The Nile held the very life of Egypt and controlled their economy. What happens when a people put their hope in their economy? Many do not realize money has become a god in their lives until, one day, it is gone. What would happen if we were to go for a week without money or there was a natural disaster and our life support in the world was cut off? Living without food, water or shelter is traumatic. Can we imagine the loss of livelihood if the world’s economy fell like the Nile? Many are experiencing this today. What about living through a natural disaster like a tsunami or a hurricane? The loss would not only affect us personally but nationally and on a world wide scale as many countries depend on other nations for their support. Where have we put our hope and faith?
The magicians were able to duplicate this plague; therefore Pharaoh was unimpressed.
The Second Plague - Frogs
Exodus 8:1-15
After waiting seven days (for purification from the blood), Yahweh sent Moses again to Pharaoh to say, “Let my people go so they may worship Me.” When he refused, Aaron was commanded by Yahweh to raise his staff over the streams, canals and ponds and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt. The frogs were left where they died, in the Nile, in the houses, the courtyards and in the fields. They piled up in heaps and the land reeked of them. Their fertility god had brought the stench of death throughout the kingdom.
The attack of frogs was an attack on Heka (Heqt) the toad goddess, wife of Khnum who was goddess of the land. Heka was also the goddess of resurrection and procreative power. Frogs were consecrated to Osiris and were the symbol of inspiration. Frogs and toads were very sacred to the Egyptians. If anyone killed a frog, even unintentionally, the sin was punishable by death.
Pharaoh’s magicians were able to duplicate the frogs, but could not make the frogs disappear. Pharaoh himself had to acknowledge that it was the God of the Israelites who brought the plague of frogs and it would be the God of Israel who could remove them from Egypt. After the land was cleaned, Pharaoh’s heart was still hardened.
The Third Plague - Gnats
Exodus 8:16-19
With no warning at all for Pharaoh, Yahweh had Aaron strike the dust of the ground with his staff. Throughout the land of Egypt the dust became gnats/lice. Gnats were on all the men and animals.
The plague of gnats was an attack on Geb, “the Great Cackler,” god of earth and vegetation. His representation was that of a goose that was said to have laid the egg that hatched the sun. The royal throne of Egypt was known as the “throne of Geb.” He was the father of Osiris and husband of Nut.
Egyptian priests shaved their heads to prevent lice which, if found, would render them unclean. The plague of gnats/lice/fleas stopped all priestly rituals.
The magicians could not duplicate this and said, “This is the finger of Yahweh.”
The Fourth Plague - Flies
Exodus 8:20-32
In the second series of plagues, Yahweh told Moses and Aaron to rise early and confront Pharaoh as he went to the water, and say to him, “Let my people go, so they may worship me.” Moses warned Pharaoh if he did not let them go a plague of flies would come upon the Egyptian people but not on the land of Goshen where Yahweh’s people lived. Here Yahweh made a distinction between clean and unclean, holy and unholy. A separation was made between what was Egypt (the world Olam Hazeh), with all its idolatry, and what was holy to God (Olam Haba).
Pharaoh’s heart did not change and the flies came in swarms on all the people, filling their homes. Pharaoh responded by saying the Israelites could offer a sacrifice to Yahweh but remain within the borders of Egypt. Moses replied that the Hebrew sacrifice would be detestable to the Egyptians as Yahweh required the sacrifice of a bull, one of the most sacred gods in Egypt. If the Israelites did this in their land, the Egyptians would try to stone them.
Yahweh does not want us to harbor other gods or idolatry, in our hearts. We learn through His word what He considers is idolatry, and what might cause our hearts to desire other “gods.” Spirits of addiction, greed and lust; the need to keep up of appearances (food, clothing, cars etc) is called desiring things of the flesh and can propel the need for excessive money. Unloving spirits can cause people to feel the need to have man’s approval and become like others; harboring spirits of jealousy and fear can result in arguments, and slanderous thoughts or speech against others. These reveal struggles within the hearts of man and represent idols that take the focus of our hearts away from Yahweh, which He considers to be adultery. Our sin comes from within ourselves (James 4). The cure for this is to separate ourselves from that which keeps us from honoring Yahweh. Repent and learn to obey Him, allowing Him to circumcise our hearts.
Genesis 4:7 Yahweh said, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
All Creation obeys Yahweh. The sun, moon and stars stay in their orbits; the ocean does not cross its boundaries; the seasons change and the birds migrate - all in obedience to Yahweh’s creation. It is only man, made in God’s image, who is given a free choice to obey Yahweh or not.
The plague of flies was an attack on Khepfi, who was the god of insects. Included in the same plague was the beetle, a scarab, which was the emblem of Re (Ra), the sun god. Their sun god had now become detestable to them. To stop the massive swarms of flies, Pharaoh again had to come to the God of Moses for help. The flies left, but Pharaoh’s hard heart would not let the Israelites go.
The Fifth Plague - On Livestock
Exodus 9:1-7
Yahweh again warned Pharaoh of the consequences for not responding to “Let my people go, so that they may worship Me…” A terrible plague fell on Egyptian livestock in the field. The working domestic animals of horses, donkeys and camels and the pasture animals of cattle, sheep and goats died.
This fifth plague struck Apis who was the bull god. His counterpart was Hathor, the cow goddess. The Egyptians held many beasts as idols in their land. The lion, wolf, dog, cat, ape, and goat were very sacred to them, as well as were the ox, heifer, and ram (Khnum) especially. The soul of their god Osiris was believed to reside in the body of the bull, Apis. The plague that struck the Egyptian livestock was a type of anthrax carried by the flies.
Pharaoh sent men to investigate and was told that not one of the animals belonging to the Hebrew people where touched by this terrible plague. This hardened Pharaoh’s heart further.
The Sixth Plague - Boils
Exodus 9:8-12
With no warning to Pharaoh, Yahweh had Moses and Aaron “take handfuls of soot from a furnace and [had] Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It [became] fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils [broke] out on men and animals throughout the land.”
This plague was an attack on Thoth (Imhotep), who was the god of medicine, intelligence and wisdom. The Egyptians had several medical deities to whom, on special occasions, they sacrificed humans. They were burnt alive on a high altar, and their ashes were cast into the air, that with every scattered ash a blessing might descend upon the people.
“Moses took ashes from the furnace and cast them into the air. The ashes were scattered by the wind descending upon all the priests, people, and beasts as boils, thus shaming the god of Thoth.” Not even the magicians could stand before Moses. Boils are also called skin anthrax, a black abscess that develops into a pustule. These can be caused by impurities in the blood through a diseased spirit, or a heart filled with bitterness.
The Seventh Plague - Hail
Exodus 9:13-35
This was the last set of plagues against Pharaoh. Moses was told again to rise early in the morning to confront Pharaoh and say to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says, ‘Let my people go, so that they may worship Me.’ ” If Pharaoh again refused, a force of such that had never been seen before would hit Egypt. “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. Therefore…” And with this, Yahweh told Pharaoh to issue a warning for people and animals to not be outside in the field during the storm or they would die.
“This was an attack on Nut, who was the sky goddess and the mother of Osiris. This plague struck at the height of the flax and barley harvest. Like her husband Geb, mentioned in the third plague, Yahweh attacked and destroyed the crops of Egypt. This also was an attack on Isis, goddess of life and Seth the protector of crops.”
Some people obeyed the warning, but those who stayed in the field died. As Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, Yahweh sent thunder, hail and lighting flashing down to the ground. The huge hailstorm struck everything in the fields, both men and animals, ruined any crops growing (flax and barley) and stripped every tree. Only the land of Goshen was protected from the hail.
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “This time I have sinned. Yahweh is right and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to Yahweh for we have had enough…” Moses left the city, an unclean place, to pray so that they would know that the earth was Yahweh’s. This did not stop Pharaoh from sinning and he again hardened his heart.
Today…
The Exodus of the Israelites is a living parable for us today. It was intended to free Yahweh’s people from bondage and bring them, His covenantal betrothed people, back to personal relationship with Himself. This story of the plagues cautions us to not embrace the ways of the nations or the sin of assimilation will cause us to lose our identity which brings a spiritual destruction. They act as a warning system, designed to deliver us if we have “ears to hear.”
Deuteronomy 28:58-60 “If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name Yahweh your God, Yahweh will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you.”
Yahweh is as faithful to the curse as He is to the blessing.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love Yahweh your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For Yahweh is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Are we to fear Yahweh’s return in what is commonly called the end times? There are shepherds that teach fearful things will happen to believers at that time but are they correct in this? In John’s Book of the Revelation of Yeshua, many plagues are mentioned, but John’s fellow apostle Peter, says we are to look forward to Yeshua’s coming and not to fear. Fear does not come from Yahweh’s kingdom and is not one of His attributes. If we are walking in Yahweh’s righteous ways, what do we have to fear? And just what are His righteous ways? It is written that being obedient to Yahweh and abiding in His Word and celebrating at His appointed times brings the blessings; in doing this we also learn to walk by means of His Faithfulness. Walking hourly, daily, monthly and yearly in His teaching and instruction, is having faith. Faith in Hebrew also means to drive a stake, to secure a structure, as in the tabernacle, Yahweh’s pattern for how to live in Him.
Torah is only considered a cold and harsh book of laws in the Greek/Western understanding of the word. In Hebrew thought, Torah is deliverance - the written principles for life that deliver us from the Olam Hazeh (evil inclinations) within us and teach us Yahweh’s ways. Fear comes from following man’s knowledge not Yahweh’s and is the lifeless seed of Pharaoh (or the tree of knowledge of good and evil). As believers, we have Yeshua the living Seed of the Tree of Life, in us. We who are born of this Seed, walk in the Spirit of Yahweh, not after the lifeless seed of man. We need this understanding so we not to fall into the pride or ignorance of Pharaoh. Be on guard against false teaching and false prophets. A true prophet in the Messianic Era/last days will not teach the sheep to fear but will teach the difference between clean and unclean, holy and unholy and about Yahweh’s Feasts, Sabbaths and New Moon celebrations through the Spirit (heart) of Yeshua. It is up to us to seek out biblical teachers, right associations and fellowship with like-minded individuals; to discern good from evil by the standard of Yahweh’s Word. (Ezekiel 44:23-24; Deuteronomy 28)
Rabbi Ralph Messer of Simchat Torah Beit Midrash teaches that we are in the 7000 year today. The terms used for the 7000th year in scripture include: today, His rest (as in Sabbath Rest), the day of the Lord and in that day. In God’s 7000 year redemptive plan for mankind, the Age of Law began with the life of Abraham lasted from the years 2000 to 4000 BC. This was when the great Hebrew Torah Sages taught Yahweh’s authority, teaching and instruction (that Moses transcribed known as Torah), but did not specifically teach the Messiah.
In the Church Age, is the range from 4000 to 6000 BC, when the early Church fathers taught Jesus/Messiah and the Holy Spirit (Yahweh’s power) but not the Torah.
Today, following the Biblical Hebrew calendar, we are in the year 5772/2012. There are approximately 240 known unaccounted for years from the destruction of the Temple, which brings us to the year 6012. In Hebrew understanding, any time frame passed the start of a one or two thousand year period, is spoken of as being in that 1000 year time frame. Therefore to be in the year 6012, is counted as having entering into the 7000th year era, also known as the millennial. That brings us today into the end times, 7000th BC, the Messianic Era or Future Age, where Torah and Messiah are united to become one in believers. There has never been a time like this since Mount Sinai where the people of Yahweh, believers in Jesus the Messiah, desire to walk in Torah. (Hebrews chapter 3-4)
The story of the Exodus prophetically guides us in this Messianic Era, where the world system, likened to Pharaoh, will be destroyed at the same time as the Bride is delivered to her Bridegroom. There will be a war and there will be a wedding. Which kingdom will we be found in? Those who are taught to fear the return of their Messiah - are they preparing for a wedding or a war? If a shepherd is teaching his sheep to prepare for personal destruction when the world goes through its destruction, and does not understand that Yahweh is not preparing a Bride to destroy her, then they are a false teacher. A shepherd today must be teaching His flock about sanctification and holiness to prepare them to meet their Bridegroom. Only then is his flock a light to the world. He must understand that “heaven” is not somewhere in the atmosphere with Yahweh, but is on earth with Yeshua in the literal, New Jerusalem, the Bridal chamber (Revelation 21:22-23).
2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
Rabbi Shaul
Paul/Rabbi Shaul, who exhorts us to choose between clean and unclean, holy and unholy, said, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers [a believer who rejects Yahweh’s plan]. For what fellowship has righteousness [a believer who is faithful to Yahweh] with lawlessness [a believer who is unfaithful to God’s laws and teach against them]? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ/Messiah with Belial [worthless or wicked/Olam Hazeh]? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ (Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27.) Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. (Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34, 41.) I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.’ (2 Samuel 7:14.) Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness [sinful nature] of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
The apostle Peter said, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night [without warning], in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless” (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21).
2 Peter 3:10-13 is written in the Messianic Era/ end times language of deliverance. It is not talk of destruction for us, but for the Pharaoh in and among us. We are a shadow of the days of Moses, when a baby in his basket (ark) was placed on the waters of tribulation and destruction to ride over them in deliverance. In the midst of the destruction of our earthly (sinful) nature and the destruction of the world, will be deliverance for those who recognize the signs of the times of Yahweh. Yahweh is not going to destroy His betrothed Bride but has promised to protect and care for her until His return. Our deliverance from fear is found when we trust and obey His Word.
Isaiah 66 “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,’ declares Yahweh. ‘But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’… ‘But those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens, following one in the center [man’s ways], who eat swine's flesh [pig], detestable things, and mice, shall come to an end altogether,’ declares Yahweh.”
Many desire the righteous ways that honor Yahweh, but at the same time may be living and eating in ways that defile His Altar (in us), the place He desires to dwell. The time to pursue holiness is today if we do not harden our hearts. May we heed the following words of Yahweh: "For just as the new heavens and the new earth which I make will endure before Me, so your offspring and your name will endure. And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all mankind will come to bow down before Me" (Isaiah 66:23).
To Be Continued…
Shabbat Shalom
Julie Parker
Since its inception in 2003, Sheepfold Gleanings has been written under the pen name of Carl and Julie Parker. It will now be published under the authors name Julie Parker, with her husband Carl’s continued support and covering.
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
Torah: Law or Grace by Rabbi Ralph Messer www.torah.tv
Redeemed Israel – Reunited and Restored by Batya Wootten www.messianicisrael.com The Five Books of Moses: “Shemos” by Ben and Catherine Dixon. Publisher: STBM www.torah.tv
Plagues notes: Internet source http://biblia.com/disasters/
© Copyright 2003-2012 Exodus - Sheepfold Gleanings Inc. All Rights Reserved
A More Excellent Way by Henry W.Wright www.beinhealth.com
The 7000 Year Redemptive Plan of God by Rabbi Ralph Messer STBM www.torah.tv
Wildbranch Ministry: Brad Scott www.wildbranch.org
Sheepfold Gleanings written by Julie Parker
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