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Discussions Torah

Exodus 25:1–27:19: How thankful are we for our Savior?

A cherubim icon painting from a Russian Orthodox icon-painting workshop, photo by Иконописная мастерская Елеон

How thankful are we our Savior freed us from our old way of life far off from the Kingdom of Heaven? After generations of bondage in Egypt, ancient Israel was sent into freedom with all kinds of material wealth. In the Torah reading תרומה Terumah (“heave offering,” Exodus 25:1-27:19), the Holy One Who freed the people asks for contributions to build the Tabernacle, a special embassy between Heaven and Earth. Through these lessons of returning some of the blessings we receive, we get clued into the great gift we’ve been given through Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ).

In this reading, we also learn about cherubim, which we also see in Ezekiel and Revelation, and explore whether images of them in the Tabernacle are idolatry.

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Discussions Torah

Exodus 21–24: 13 hues of the Creator’s justice and mercy

Cyrus interrogates the King of Armenia. Painting by Noël Coypel from the Château de Versailles currently housed at the Musée de Grenoble. Photo by Wikimedia Commons.

Does the Torah promote vigilantism? Are its instructions backward and obsolete? If not, what do these instructions mean to me today?

In the Torah reading מִּשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (“Judgments,” Exodus 21–24), we see an explanation of each of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). By keeping the words of Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ) in our minds (Matthew 22:36–40) while reading the Torah, we can start to understand how the instructions teach us as much about the character of the Father as they do about Heaven’s goal for our treatment of other people.

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Discussions Torah

Exodus 18–20: Ten Commandments reveal the Creator and Savior of Israel and the world

At Mt. Sinai, God made trespassing a death penalty offense. ““You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. ‘No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”” (Exodus 19:12–13 NAS95) Photo by onixxino via Creative Commons License from Freeimages.com

Much of the world knows that happened in Egypt long ago, when the Holy One of Israel turned slaves into victors through 10 devastating plagues and the Red Sea crossing. And at the time, many in the surrounding Ancient Near East knew about it, too, even without the benefit of social media or CNN.

In Torah reading יתרו Yitro (Exodus 18:1–20:23)​, we learn that Yitro (Jethro) wanted the inside scoop, the real story on this victory over a superpower of the time, so he took his daughter and grandsons and tracked Moses down in the desert of Midian. Israel also got the inside scoop on Who their Savior was, through the 10 Commandments. But they and we must learn to treat the Holy One with respect.

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Discussions Torah

Are you ready to enter God’s rest? 5 questions to ask yourself (Exodus 13:17–17:16)

Cat resting from his hard work. Photo Patataj Patataj via Freeimages.com.

Am I really free from my old way of life? Am I going somewhere in life that leads to eternal contentment, or am I wandering through this existence, at the mercy of happenstance? These are some of the big questions tackled in the Torah reading בְּשַׁלַּח Beshalach (“when he sent”), covering Ex. 13:17-17:16. We can’t imagine what our ancestors in faith experienced as they witnessed God’s work during the Exodus from Mitzraim (Egypt). As they were leaving the house of bondage, were they really free or did they leave their hearts in Mitzraim, despite the cruelties and indignities they experienced there?

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Discussions Torah

Those who try to erase history may end up repeating it (Exodus 1–5)

What we fear, we want to eradicate. In the Torah reading שמות Shemot (“names,” Exodus 1:1–6:1), we read how one particular Pharaoh feared the Israelite’s because they refused to assimilate into Egypt. King Herod feared losing his earthy throne to a more rightful Davidic heir so he slaughtered all the young boys in Bethlehem to consolidate his power. This is how all despots deal with real or imagined threats to their control. 

Scripture shows us again and again that the rightful heir inevitably prevails, God makes sure of that, but those around them suffer difficulty and persecution and God takes care of them, too. 

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Chanukah: Dare to be a Daniel, Joseph, Judas Maccabeus

Lighting the Chanukkah lights at Chabad Hanukkah lighting in Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa, Calif., on December 26, 2016. Photo by Tammy Quackenbush

Yosef (Joseph) a betrayed brother turned slave turned prime minister in Mitzraim (Egypt). Daniel a war captive turned wise man turned second to an emperor in Babylon. יהודה המכבי Yehudah ha-Makabi (Judas Maccabeus) a priest of Yisrael turned leader of a successful insurrection against the Seleucid empire’s campaign of forced conversion. Yeshua ha-Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) in the Temple during the Festival of Dedication. These four accounts may seem to quite disjointed, but the conjunction of the Torah reading מקצ Miketz/Miqetz (Genesis 41:1-44:14, “from the end”) and the celebration of Chanukah/Hannukah helps underscore that ongoing lessons from both help us understand what Yeshua meant by “the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13 NASB).

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 37–40: Joseph and Judah’s school of hard knocks

Two lion cubs play fighting, learning how to fight for real when they grow up. Photo by Freeimages.com/Kimberlee Kessler Designs via Creative Commons License

God prepared two self-centered “brats” — Yosef (Joseph) and Yehudah (Judah) — and their descendants to become the saviors of their families. Yosef was a tattle-tale and a bit of a braggart, but Yehudah was willing to throw weaker, younger people to the wolves, either figuratively or literally to obtain a higher status in his society. God really cares about how you treat other people, especially those who are weaker and less fortunate. In the Torah reading וישב Vayeshev (Genesis 37–40), we learn from Yosef and Yehudah their life lessons the hard way.