Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Dec 26, 2004 13:54:26 GMT -8
The following commentary for "Shemot" is by Rabbi Yaakov benYosef...Enjoy!
Shemot “Names” - Shemot (Exodus) 1:1- 6:1
20 Tevet 5765 – Jan. 1, 2005
The responsibility of every believer is to fight the continuing battle against evil. The closer we come to the return of Yeshua the more critical our fight becomes. The adversary's attacks become more aggressive and widespread. For example, during the time of Yeshua suicide bombing and global terrorism were non-existent. However, with each passing generation, the reality of such atrocities becomes more pronounced. Therefore, to be well equipped we must analyze each past generations’ victories and defeats. Nowhere in the are the victories and defeats of HaShem’s people as clearly seen as in Shemot. Shemot explains how the adversaries of HaShem desire to destroy HaShem's people, while also explaining how HaShem intervenes on behalf of His people to protect them from His destruction.
In Shemot, we can see that envy is the primary reason that the adversary seeks the destruction of HaShem's people. The adversary (HaSatan) continually attacks HaShem's people because he is envious of the blessings HaShem bestows on His people. A picture of this type of envy can be seen in Shemot 1:1-11 “And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Yisrael are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there fall out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore, they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.” From the passage, we can see that the Pharaoh’s envy of Yisrael became so great that he increased their affliction. In fact, the Pharaoh’s envy of Yisrael is responsible for his desire to increase his own wealth. In other words, because of Pharaoh's envy, Pharaoh afflicted his slaves to increase his own wealth. Therefore, Pharaoh is diminishing others to exult himself.
In addition, Shemot explains how the Pharaoh is obsessed with usurping HaShem's authority. For example, Shemot 5:2 states “Pharaoh said, who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” From the passage, we can see that Pharaoh has become obsessed with being in control. Pharaoh has a burning desire to prove he is greater than HaShem. In other words, Pharaoh is obsessed with wanting to be a G-d. Pharaoh is committed to proving he is more powerful than HaShem. As a result, pharaoh will not listen to HaShem's demand to let his people go. In fact, Pharaoh blatantly states, “Who is HaShem that I should obey him”. Shemot makes it clear that Pharaoh is similar to HaSatan in his desire to rebel against HaShem.
In addition, Shemot exemplifies how HaShem intervenes on behalf of his people. For instance, in Shemot we can see that HaShem intervened on Yisrael's behalf by sending Moshe to tell Pharaoh to let His people go. However, Shemot also makes it clear that HaShem did not send Moshe unprepared. In fact, HaShem's action on Yisrael's behalf was a well planed and carefully executed action that involved timing, supplication and intervention.
Before HaShem acted to deliver Yisrael, HaShem waited for the perfect time. In Shemot, 1:8 the text states “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Yosef.” From the passage, we can see that as long as a Pharaoh ruled that knew Yosef, HaShem did not take action against Egypt. As long as the Egyptians were aware of the righteousness of Yosef, the children of Yisrael were not in danger from them. However, when Yosef's righteous deeds were forgotten, Yisrael became the target of persecution. When the Egyptians began to persecute Yisrael, the Egyptians lost the covering of protection that HaShem had brought to Egypt. As a result of the loss of covering, the timing was right for HaShem to act against the Egyptians.
The second thing Shemot indicates was needed before HaShem intervened is Supplication. For example, Shemot 2:23 states “it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Avraham, with Yitzhak, and with Yaakov. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had acknowledged them.” From the passage, we can see that that HaShem's people need to seek Him for divine intervention. In other words, Yisrael needed to turn to HaShem, and ask for His assistance. This required Yisrael to humbly acknowledge they could not win the battle alone. Therefore, by seeking HaShem Yisrael was praying for a savior, to delver them from bondage.
After the timing is right and supplication is made, HaShem intervenes. Shemot makes it clear that HaShem's intervention took an indirect form. For example, in Shemot we find that HaShem used an emissary to deliver his message of judgment, instead of personally speaking to Pharaoh. For example, Shemot 3:7-10 states
“The LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Yisrael is come unto me: and I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”<br>
The passage makes it clear that HaShem called Moshe to deliver Yisrael. In fact, we see that He not only called Moshe, but He gave Moshe the authority to judge Egypt. For example, Shemot 4:16 of the Complete Jewish Bible states “Thus he will be your spokesman to the people, in effect; for you, he will be a mouth; and for him, you will be like G-d”. It becomes clear that HaShem used Moshe as an intermediary to deliver His people form Egyptian bondage.
Understanding an enemy is one of the most important preparations of any war. Understanding spiritual adversaries is also critical in a battle waged not against flesh and blood. The war that believers fight is eternal. Therefore, it is critical for us to understand the motivation and the tactics of our adversary. One of the best places to gain knowledge of how the adversary thinks and HaShem intervenes is through the study of Shemot. In Shemot, clear and specific examples are given of how envy and obsession drive our adversary, and how HaShem intervenes.
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – .org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ABOUT-.org
Shemot “Names” - Shemot (Exodus) 1:1- 6:1
20 Tevet 5765 – Jan. 1, 2005
The responsibility of every believer is to fight the continuing battle against evil. The closer we come to the return of Yeshua the more critical our fight becomes. The adversary's attacks become more aggressive and widespread. For example, during the time of Yeshua suicide bombing and global terrorism were non-existent. However, with each passing generation, the reality of such atrocities becomes more pronounced. Therefore, to be well equipped we must analyze each past generations’ victories and defeats. Nowhere in the are the victories and defeats of HaShem’s people as clearly seen as in Shemot. Shemot explains how the adversaries of HaShem desire to destroy HaShem's people, while also explaining how HaShem intervenes on behalf of His people to protect them from His destruction.
In Shemot, we can see that envy is the primary reason that the adversary seeks the destruction of HaShem's people. The adversary (HaSatan) continually attacks HaShem's people because he is envious of the blessings HaShem bestows on His people. A picture of this type of envy can be seen in Shemot 1:1-11 “And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Yisrael are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there fall out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore, they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.” From the passage, we can see that the Pharaoh’s envy of Yisrael became so great that he increased their affliction. In fact, the Pharaoh’s envy of Yisrael is responsible for his desire to increase his own wealth. In other words, because of Pharaoh's envy, Pharaoh afflicted his slaves to increase his own wealth. Therefore, Pharaoh is diminishing others to exult himself.
In addition, Shemot explains how the Pharaoh is obsessed with usurping HaShem's authority. For example, Shemot 5:2 states “Pharaoh said, who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” From the passage, we can see that Pharaoh has become obsessed with being in control. Pharaoh has a burning desire to prove he is greater than HaShem. In other words, Pharaoh is obsessed with wanting to be a G-d. Pharaoh is committed to proving he is more powerful than HaShem. As a result, pharaoh will not listen to HaShem's demand to let his people go. In fact, Pharaoh blatantly states, “Who is HaShem that I should obey him”. Shemot makes it clear that Pharaoh is similar to HaSatan in his desire to rebel against HaShem.
In addition, Shemot exemplifies how HaShem intervenes on behalf of his people. For instance, in Shemot we can see that HaShem intervened on Yisrael's behalf by sending Moshe to tell Pharaoh to let His people go. However, Shemot also makes it clear that HaShem did not send Moshe unprepared. In fact, HaShem's action on Yisrael's behalf was a well planed and carefully executed action that involved timing, supplication and intervention.
Before HaShem acted to deliver Yisrael, HaShem waited for the perfect time. In Shemot, 1:8 the text states “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Yosef.” From the passage, we can see that as long as a Pharaoh ruled that knew Yosef, HaShem did not take action against Egypt. As long as the Egyptians were aware of the righteousness of Yosef, the children of Yisrael were not in danger from them. However, when Yosef's righteous deeds were forgotten, Yisrael became the target of persecution. When the Egyptians began to persecute Yisrael, the Egyptians lost the covering of protection that HaShem had brought to Egypt. As a result of the loss of covering, the timing was right for HaShem to act against the Egyptians.
The second thing Shemot indicates was needed before HaShem intervened is Supplication. For example, Shemot 2:23 states “it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Avraham, with Yitzhak, and with Yaakov. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had acknowledged them.” From the passage, we can see that that HaShem's people need to seek Him for divine intervention. In other words, Yisrael needed to turn to HaShem, and ask for His assistance. This required Yisrael to humbly acknowledge they could not win the battle alone. Therefore, by seeking HaShem Yisrael was praying for a savior, to delver them from bondage.
After the timing is right and supplication is made, HaShem intervenes. Shemot makes it clear that HaShem's intervention took an indirect form. For example, in Shemot we find that HaShem used an emissary to deliver his message of judgment, instead of personally speaking to Pharaoh. For example, Shemot 3:7-10 states
“The LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Yisrael is come unto me: and I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”<br>
The passage makes it clear that HaShem called Moshe to deliver Yisrael. In fact, we see that He not only called Moshe, but He gave Moshe the authority to judge Egypt. For example, Shemot 4:16 of the Complete Jewish Bible states “Thus he will be your spokesman to the people, in effect; for you, he will be a mouth; and for him, you will be like G-d”. It becomes clear that HaShem used Moshe as an intermediary to deliver His people form Egyptian bondage.
Understanding an enemy is one of the most important preparations of any war. Understanding spiritual adversaries is also critical in a battle waged not against flesh and blood. The war that believers fight is eternal. Therefore, it is critical for us to understand the motivation and the tactics of our adversary. One of the best places to gain knowledge of how the adversary thinks and HaShem intervenes is through the study of Shemot. In Shemot, clear and specific examples are given of how envy and obsession drive our adversary, and how HaShem intervenes.
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – .org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ABOUT-.org