Post by alon on Dec 27, 2018 12:38:06 GMT -8
Par’shah 13.2 Sh’mot
This week’s readings: Par’shah 13
Date of reading: 29 December 2018/21 Tevet 5779
Name of Par’shah: Sh’mot (Names)
Par’shah: Sh’mot 1:1-6:1
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23; Yirmeyahu 1:1-2:3
Brit Chadashah: Mattityahu 22:23-33; 41-46; Mark 12:18-27; 35-37; Luke 20:27-44; Acts 3:12-15; 5:27-32; 7:17-36; 22:12-16; 24:14-16; Messianic Jews 11:23-26
D’rash: After Ya’akov and his entire family move to Mitzrayim, generations had passed and they became very numerous. When another king arose that did not know of Yosef’s contributions, they became fearful that the Israelites might turn against them in a time of war, and thus subjected them to slavery. This was first revealed to Avram in B’resheet 15:13-14:
Adonai said to Avram, “Know this for certain: your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs. They will be slaves and held in oppression there four hundred years. But I will also judge that nation, the one that makes them slaves. Afterwards, they will leave with many possessions…”
Adonai now begins to set in motion His plan to deliver His people. He first draws Moshe to Himself by an unassuming fire that is burning a bush, yet the bush is not consumed. As Moshe approaches, he responds with respect and humility at the gentle instructions of G-d to remove his sandals, for the place is holy ground. Notice that this fire is a very personal one, speaking only to one individual and not the fire that manifests the power and glory of G-d as was seen in the destruction of S’dom and ‘Amora, or the fire that would be later seen in the giving of the
. Today, G-d still speaks and reveals His plans that He has for individuals who have a heart after Him---not through a literal burning bush but through a gentle voice that ignites a flame within the heart. Sometimes, we respond and follow through with unhindered obedience; other times we need a little more encouragement as was in the case of Moshe:
Sh’mot 3:11---"Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” Putting it another way, “L-rd, there are better and more qualified people than me.”
Sh’mot 4:1---“…But I’m certain they won’t believe me, and they won’t listen to what I say, because they’ll say, ‘Adonai did not appear to you.’” The calling that G-d has for you might be met with doubt or ridicule from others such as, “C’mon, gimme a break, you?”
Sh’mot 4:10---“…Oh, Adonai, I’m a terrible speaker...” Here, we might focus on our weaknesses that to us would be disqualifying factors but 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 says:
“But G-d chose what the world considers nonsense in order to
the wise; G-d chose what the world considers weak in order to the strong; and G-d chose what the world looks down on as common or regards as nothing in order to bring to nothing what the world considers important; so that no one should boast before G-d.”
Also, in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9a, when emissary Sha’ul asks the L-rd to remove his thorn in the flesh, the L-rd tells him that His grace is enough for him, for His power is brought to perfection in weakness.
Our weaknesses can be a good thing, placing us in a position of humility and dependence on G-d so that He can use us. When Moshe was a ruler in Mitzrayim, he likely had a lot of self-confidence:
Acts 7:22---“So Moshe was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became both a powerful speaker and a man of action.”
4). Sh’mot 4:13---“…, Please, L-rd, send someone else---anyone you want!” In other words, “I don’t want to do this!” G-d’s persistence, and concession to allow his brother Aharon to be the speaker, convinces him to go; He became angry at the continual pleas but it was out of mercy that He did not let Moshe miss the calling of a lifetime, in this case, one that would never be repeated in history.
Likewise, G-d does not want us to miss opportunities and have great regret over what we could have experienced and accomplished in Him. Instead, over the years, when we look back on our lives, we want to express gratitude for the opportunities that He presented to us with which we followed through. King David could look back with gratitude, even in old age, of his victory over goliath and gave confidence to the army of Israel to defeat the P’lishtim; Hadassah could look back with gratitude on that intense moment when she entered the king’s presence unsummoned (though the consequences would have been greater if she hadn’t) and saved her nation; Nechemyah and the people successfully pressed through opposition when they rebuilt the walls of the Holy City. Y’hudah from K’riot unfortunately missed out on being part of the great beginning of the new sect of the Natzratim.
What is G-d calling you to do? It can be something great or small, in the physical or spiritual. It could be entering a community running event, learning a new practical skill, playing a musical instrument, attending higher education, memorizing scripture---from a few short verses to a chapter or even a book, or teaching children about G-d or participation in other ministries. Along with a holy life, G-d wants us to be competent and useful servants for His glory; and whatever you do, do it to the best of your abilities (1 Kefa 4:10-11).
Remember that G-d is for us and wants us to live a full and meaningful life for Him, one that we can look back on with gratefulness to Him and have no regrets. Yeshua teaches us in Yochanan 10:10:
“The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, life in its fullest measure.”
References: Scriptures taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright 1998 by David H. Stern
MRD
This week’s readings: Par’shah 13
Date of reading: 29 December 2018/21 Tevet 5779
Name of Par’shah: Sh’mot (Names)
Par’shah: Sh’mot 1:1-6:1
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23; Yirmeyahu 1:1-2:3
Brit Chadashah: Mattityahu 22:23-33; 41-46; Mark 12:18-27; 35-37; Luke 20:27-44; Acts 3:12-15; 5:27-32; 7:17-36; 22:12-16; 24:14-16; Messianic Jews 11:23-26
D’rash: After Ya’akov and his entire family move to Mitzrayim, generations had passed and they became very numerous. When another king arose that did not know of Yosef’s contributions, they became fearful that the Israelites might turn against them in a time of war, and thus subjected them to slavery. This was first revealed to Avram in B’resheet 15:13-14:
Adonai said to Avram, “Know this for certain: your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs. They will be slaves and held in oppression there four hundred years. But I will also judge that nation, the one that makes them slaves. Afterwards, they will leave with many possessions…”
Adonai now begins to set in motion His plan to deliver His people. He first draws Moshe to Himself by an unassuming fire that is burning a bush, yet the bush is not consumed. As Moshe approaches, he responds with respect and humility at the gentle instructions of G-d to remove his sandals, for the place is holy ground. Notice that this fire is a very personal one, speaking only to one individual and not the fire that manifests the power and glory of G-d as was seen in the destruction of S’dom and ‘Amora, or the fire that would be later seen in the giving of the
. Today, G-d still speaks and reveals His plans that He has for individuals who have a heart after Him---not through a literal burning bush but through a gentle voice that ignites a flame within the heart. Sometimes, we respond and follow through with unhindered obedience; other times we need a little more encouragement as was in the case of Moshe:Sh’mot 3:11---"Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” Putting it another way, “L-rd, there are better and more qualified people than me.”
Sh’mot 4:1---“…But I’m certain they won’t believe me, and they won’t listen to what I say, because they’ll say, ‘Adonai did not appear to you.’” The calling that G-d has for you might be met with doubt or ridicule from others such as, “C’mon, gimme a break, you?”
Sh’mot 4:10---“…Oh, Adonai, I’m a terrible speaker...” Here, we might focus on our weaknesses that to us would be disqualifying factors but 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 says:
“But G-d chose what the world considers nonsense in order to
the wise; G-d chose what the world considers weak in order to the strong; and G-d chose what the world looks down on as common or regards as nothing in order to bring to nothing what the world considers important; so that no one should boast before G-d.”Also, in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9a, when emissary Sha’ul asks the L-rd to remove his thorn in the flesh, the L-rd tells him that His grace is enough for him, for His power is brought to perfection in weakness.
Our weaknesses can be a good thing, placing us in a position of humility and dependence on G-d so that He can use us. When Moshe was a ruler in Mitzrayim, he likely had a lot of self-confidence:
Acts 7:22---“So Moshe was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became both a powerful speaker and a man of action.”
4). Sh’mot 4:13---“…, Please, L-rd, send someone else---anyone you want!” In other words, “I don’t want to do this!” G-d’s persistence, and concession to allow his brother Aharon to be the speaker, convinces him to go; He became angry at the continual pleas but it was out of mercy that He did not let Moshe miss the calling of a lifetime, in this case, one that would never be repeated in history.
Likewise, G-d does not want us to miss opportunities and have great regret over what we could have experienced and accomplished in Him. Instead, over the years, when we look back on our lives, we want to express gratitude for the opportunities that He presented to us with which we followed through. King David could look back with gratitude, even in old age, of his victory over goliath and gave confidence to the army of Israel to defeat the P’lishtim; Hadassah could look back with gratitude on that intense moment when she entered the king’s presence unsummoned (though the consequences would have been greater if she hadn’t) and saved her nation; Nechemyah and the people successfully pressed through opposition when they rebuilt the walls of the Holy City. Y’hudah from K’riot unfortunately missed out on being part of the great beginning of the new sect of the Natzratim.
What is G-d calling you to do? It can be something great or small, in the physical or spiritual. It could be entering a community running event, learning a new practical skill, playing a musical instrument, attending higher education, memorizing scripture---from a few short verses to a chapter or even a book, or teaching children about G-d or participation in other ministries. Along with a holy life, G-d wants us to be competent and useful servants for His glory; and whatever you do, do it to the best of your abilities (1 Kefa 4:10-11).
Remember that G-d is for us and wants us to live a full and meaningful life for Him, one that we can look back on with gratefulness to Him and have no regrets. Yeshua teaches us in Yochanan 10:10:
“The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, life in its fullest measure.”
References: Scriptures taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright 1998 by David H. Stern
MRD
