Impudent speech causes more problems than it solves. Ancient Israel, as they were delivered from the “house of bondage” in Egypt and moved towards Sinai, grumbled about their living conditions and their food, causing Moses a lot of stress and bringing God’s judgment on them.
In the 21st century, social media has made it easier to say things to a wide audience that we should keep to ourselves. The Torah reading (בְּשַׁלַּח Beshalach, “when he sent,” Ex. 13:17-17:16) provides us practical tips on what things are wise to share and what things should be kept to ourselves or only spoken of with God alone in prayer.
The Heavenly Father was not the only one who was able to command the weather and the bodies of water to do His bidding. Yeshua our Messiah (Jesus our Christ) also made the weather and water do His will. Just as ancient Israel was called to exercise unwavering faith in God, we are called to exercise the same faith in Yeshua.
Here are the key questions underlying Parashat Beshelach, as relevant today as they were for our Kingdom ancestors at the Red Sea:
- Is God with us or not?
- Are we really free?
- Where are we going?
- How will we get our “daily bread”?
- Where will we find “living water”?
In previous studies of these chapters (“Journey to the 10”), we saw how Israel went from bondage in Egypt to the covenant with God.
All the events from Exodus 13–20 originally happened during a significant time period. The Festival of Weeks (Sevens), aka Shauvuot and Pentecost, caps a period of time that starts with the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Matzot).
Escape through the sea
Not only did they ask “Is God with us or not?” this Torah reading also call us to ask ourselves “Are we free from our former way of life?”
Are we following the LORD’s Yeshua (Salvation) and allowing His Word and His Spirit to block the oppressing forces of our past lifestyle?
God brought them to a place with bitter water and the people complained bitterly about it. Was bitter water a problem for God? No, He had just brought them though the Red Sea, in comparison to that great miracle, changing bitter water into potable water was a minor issue in comparison, yet the people, who didn’t really appreciate their freedom, were looking for an excuse to return to their old, miserable way of life.
How will we get our ‘daily bread’?
The manna encounter, juste a month after the Exodus, teaches all of us important lessons: What we need may not be what we want. The Hebrew manna can be translated, “What the …?” or “What is it?”
Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) taught us to pray that God gives us “daily bread,” literally, “food for tomorrow” (Matt. 6:11; Luke 11:3). In other words, trust that God will sustain us, whether we have little or much.
Don’t despise ‘bread from Heaven’
At Kibroth-hattaavah (graves of greediness), Israel complains about manna (Num. 11:4–35).
God answered their greed for something other than Heaven-sent manna with another Heaven-sent food miracle, a massive flock of quail. But that greed came with a price, eating that meat brought a plague.
Meribah & Massah
- מְרִיבָה Meribah (H4809) means place of strife. (New American Standard Bible Hebrew lexicon)
- It is derived from רִיב rib or rub (H7378), a root verb for to strive, contend.
- מַסָּה Massah (H4532) means place of testing.
- It comes from נָסָה nasah (H5254), a root verb for to test, try.
Bitter water is not a problem for God, a lack of water is also not a problem for God. The children of Israel had forgotten where they came from, what they had seen. Israel’s history is all about being born again, out of Ur, out of Egypt, out of Babylon, etc.
- Israel also had seen God’s 10 plagues against Egypt (Exodus 7–11).
- Israel also had witnessed Savior-God’s delivering Israel from the Egyptian army by taking the people through the Red Sea (Exodus 14–15).
- The crossing happened right after the arrival of manna (Exodus 16), re-emphasizing that God the Creator and Liberator also was the Provider.
- After the Exodus, the crossing of the sea and the gift of daily bread, the people ask when faced with another struggle, “Is the LORD with us or not?”
Hebrews 3-4 and Psalm 95 invoke the events of Massah and Meribah very hard applying the lessons to the contemporary generations (time of David and 1st century A.D.).
God goes to war, and the people stand silent
“Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”” (Exodus 13:17 NASB)
““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.” But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”” (Exodus 14:12–14 NASB)
“Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:30–31 NASB)
Will the real God-fearers please show up and stand for Him?
- יָצַב yāṣab: stand, set or station oneself, present oneself
Moses is commanded, “Present yourself before Pharaoh” (lit. “station yourself”) in Ex 8:20; 9:13. Moses didn’t just stand in Pharaoh’s presence like a decorative ornament. He showed up to be of service to HaShem in Pharaoh’s presence.
God tells Moses and Joshua to “present themselves” at the tent of meeting, that he might commission him” i.e. install him for service (Deut. 31:14).
“the kings of the earth take their stand … against the Lord and against his anointed” (Psalm 2:2)
“These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth.” (Zech 6:5)
Are we awaiting not just the LORD’s Salvation but our next steps?
Messiah tames the sea: ‘Take heart. It is I. Don’t be afraid’
Messiah was the Master of the winds, waves and the sea (Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52; John 6:15–21). He told His Apostles not to worry, but they had not yet learned the lessons of the multiplication of the loaves, and they were afraid. This is the same as the children of Israel had not learned the lesson of the manna.
The plagues completely crippled Egypt, yet the children of Israel were afraid.
People disappoint us all the time when they promise to show up and don’t. We have to learn to trust people but sometimes we also have to learn not to trust certain people.
Faith is not just about knowledge, but it’s about a faith that works. It’s the kind of faith that goes forward even when you are terrified.
Proverbs: What is a fool?
Doesn’t seek the LORD’s knowledge as the basis for wisdom
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7 NASB)
“A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is sensible.” (Prov. 15:5 NASB)
Acts without counsel
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” (Proverbs 12:15 NASB)
Is indiscreet
“A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly.” (Proverbs 12:23 NASB)
“He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool. When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” (Proverbs 10:18–19 NASB)
Is hot-tempered
“He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” (Proverbs 14:29 NASB)
Doesn’t learn from the past
“So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done?” (Ecclesiastes 2:12 NASB)
Doesn’t know what he doesn’t know
“The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both.” (Ecclesiastes 2:14 NASB)
Lacks motivation
“The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:5–6 NASB)
Is easily led astray
“‘How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?’” (Proverbs 1:22 NASB)
One of the most important things about foolishness is that it is not a condition to wantonly diagnose (Matthew 5:21–26).
““You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.” (Matthew 5:21–26 NASB)
A fool in the Bible is not just someone who is ignorant about a particular topic. A “fool” is a person who lives unrighteously in all parts of his or her life.
Think before you post
We must think carefully about what we text, tweet, post, before hitting send.
There is a case that just came out in the news this week involving a pop star named Kesha. Kesha sent a private text message to Lady Gaga back in 2016 accusing her former producer of committing a vile crime against another pop-star named Katy Perry. The problem is that Ms. Perry had testified under oath in court that she was not a victim of this producer. Because of this rash text, that Kesha thought was just a private conversation between herself and Lady Gaga, it was discovered by the court and she was found guilty of defamation. New York Supreme Court Judge Jennifer G. Schecter wrote:
“Publication of a false statement to even one person,…is sufficient to impose liability.”
If the New York Supreme Court, a secular court, decides based on the rule of law that things said in a private conversation rises to the level of defamation, how much more careful should those of us in the Body of Messiah be careful about what we say about others? If secular courts are upset about slander, how much more does it upset God when people slander each other?
Those who are involved in talk radio also need to be careful, particularly if they do not have a filter between their brains and their mouths. When you are paid to talk nonstop through two to three hours a day of airtime, it can be easy to slip and say things that might be very entertaining but are in fact very harmful and foolish.
The question is if sin is crouching at your door, will you chain it up or will you let it chain you?
Summary: Tammy