The tablets in the Ark of the Covenant represents the heart of God, with His law (the Ten Commandments) written on them. In the Torah reading תְּרוּמָה Terumah (“contribution,” Exodus 25:1–27:19), we explore the detailed instructions from Heaven on how to build that precious container.
The high priest, the Ark of the Covenant and the Messiah are synonymous. They have God’s law written on their hearts, and God’s words are at the core of who and what they are.
“(T)he Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 NASB). While some see the instructions in the Torah about relationships between masters and slaves as proof of no transcendent Source for the text, others see the context as part of a “poison pill” that Heaven put in the human heart sickness that seeks subjugation of others deemed weaker or powerless.
That’s the surprising lesson we learn from the Torah portion מִּשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (Exodus 21–24) and companion passages on the wrong treatment (Jeremiah 34:8–22) and right treatment (Philemon 1–22) of those who are at our mercy.
God gave Moshe (Moses) a very wise and discerning father-in-law. Yitro (Jethro) was a blessing to Moshe all the days of his life. The Torah reading יתרו Yitro (Exodus 18:1–20:23) shows us how he saved Moshe from burnout.
Yitro’s humble advice to Moshe resonates with all of us as he encourages us to not take more work than we can handle and to be willing ask for help from those in our lives who have been blessed by God with discernment and mercy.
Just as Moshe delegated the spirit of discernment on the elders of Israel, how much more would Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) delegate the Spirit of God to His students and those who do His work on Earth.
1Corinthians 10 was the apostle Paul’s midrash on Israel’s history, detailing how division arose among the children of Israel during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.
In the Torah reading בְּשַׁלַּח Beshalach (“when he sent,” Ex. 13:17–17:16), we see that it didn’t take Israel very long to forget all of the miracles that God had rendered on their behalf for their freedom and struck out in anger against Moses and Aaron. These lessons can teach us how to trust our Deliverer, Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) and follow Him to true rest for our restless souls.
Pride can lead us to overlook danger signs in our behavior or the things we have invested ourselves in. Pride can prevent us from turning back — repenting — from a foolhardy pursuit. One of the key lessons in the Torah section בוא Bo (“come,” Exodus 10:1–13:16) is that humility — like that lived out by the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt who entrusted ancient Egypt to the God of Yosef (Joseph) — opens one’s eyes to help, particularly help from Heaven.
Conversely, the malicious arrogance of the Pharaoh who didn’t know the God of Yosef and Moshe (Moses) led to the humbling of his nation by that God of the people that Pharaoh had humbled.
How much more will our humility before the Ultimate Help from Heaven, Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ) free us from the chains of which we may be oblivious.
The God that spoke to the Pharaoh of Joseph was the same God Who spoke to the Pharaoh of Moses, who we meet in the Torah reading וארא Va’era (“I appeared,” Exodus 6:2–9:35). God does not change or grow, but He expects us to grow and change for the better. When we do, He is pleased. When we don’t, He is not pleased.
God showed great favor to the “Pharaoh who knew Joseph” because this Pharaoh accepted the warnings given to him by God and by Joseph. He and his people were blessed because of his humility and wisdom.
Similarly, the chief priests wouldn’t relent from their jealousy against Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ), yet Paul turned did turn away from his equally zealous persecution of believers.
At Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles), we celebrate Heaven’s work to heal the breach between the God and humanity, so that once again, the Creator can live with His creation. And one of the most enduring and repeated reassurances the Holy One is Immanu El — God with us.
In the Torah reading שמות Shemot (“names,” Exodus 1:1–6:1), we see Heaven’s revelation of “the Name,” translated as “I am” or “I will be.” But in this passage, we also see a foreshadowing of the “name above all names”: God With Us. This study explores the “now and not yet” prophecies of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) in the “Book of Immanuel” (Isaiah 7–12).