Studies

Exo. 18:25, 26 

     And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people… 

     And they judged the people in all seasons. The hard case they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 

After the introduction of the “bread from heaven” and the Sabbath in the wilderness of Sin, Numbers 33 informs us that the children of Israel journeyed to a place called Dophkah. Breaking camp at Dophkah, they then traveled to Alush. From here, they made their way to Rephidim.  

It was here that Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to him from the land of Midian, along with his daughter Zipporah (Moses’ wife) and their two sons. After paying their respects, Moses tells Jethro about all that YHWH had done to Pharoah and the Egyptians. He also tells him of YHWH’s mighty hand with the children of Israel along the way.  

Rejoicing, Jethro blesses YHWH and offers Him a burnt offering and slaughtered animals. Moses, his father-in-law, and the elders of Israel then broke bread. 

The following day, Jethro noticed Moses judging the people all day –from sunrise to sunset. Inquiring Moses concerning this matter, Moses tells him that he must relate YHWH’s decrees and instructions in each case of controversy. 

Jethro tells Moses that, so that he doesn’t wear himself out, he should delegate some of this responsibility to others. Listening to his father-in-law, Moses told the people to choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men for the task of judging them. 

Forty years later, Moses recounted this event. Recorded in Deuteronomy chapter one, verses sixteen and seventeen, he told the next generation: 

     “And I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. 

     You shall not show partiality in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of anyone; for the judgment is the Almighty’s. And the cases that are too hard for you, you bring to me and I will hear it.’” 

These words, along with those recorded in Deu. 1:9-14, are in Exodus 18:24-25 in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Samaritan Pentateuch. 

Before YHWH made a covenant with them at Mt. Sinai, He taught the children of Israel about the purpose of appointing judges: administering justice. 

He taught the people-elected judges not to show favoritism or discrimination. Exo. 18:25-DSS/SP; Deu. 1:17. [He later taught them not to take bribes. Deu. 16:19. He also taught the people not to take bribes. Exo. 23:8.] 

He taught the judges to execute fairness between every native-born citizen as well as foreign-born citizens. Exo. 19:25-DSS/SP; Deu. 1:16. [He later taught that foreign-born residents are to be treated the same way as native-born citizens. Exo. 22:21; Lev. 19:34.] 

He taught them not to be intimidated by threats or to be pressured by anyone. Exo. 19:25-DSS/SP; Deu. 1:17. [He later expounded on this teaching by specifically mentioning marginalized groups. Exo. 23:6; Deu. 24:17; 27:19.] 

Exo. 14:31 

     And Israel saw the great hand which YHWH had used in Egypt, and the people feared YHWH and believed YHWH and His servant Moses. 

After seeing the parting of the Red Sea, crossing it on dry ground, then witnessing the Egyptian king and his army destroyed in the very Sea they crossed, the people feared YHWH.  

According to the text, they also believed in Him. The word used here for “believed” is Eminu, coming from the word Amein –which is used at the end of prayers. It means to affirm or to put confidence in something.  

It means to trust. Abraham trusted YHWH when he was given the promise to father a great multitude. YHWH counted Abraham’s Emin for righteousness. Gen. 15:6. 

Commenting on the Red Sea crossing, the Psalmist declared: 

     And they believed in His words, they sang His praise! Psa. 106:12 

They trusted in His words because they just witnessed His mighty hand at work. They trusted in His servant Moses because they saw that he was part of the miracle YHWH had performed. 

They had trusted Moses enough to follow him out of Egypt. They lost faith in him when they saw the Egyptian army pursuing them. But when he lifted up his staff and made a way for them to cross, and then lifted up his staff again to close it, they couldn’t help but acknowledge him as YHWH’s servant. 

They then sang praises to YHWH. Psa. 106:12; Exo. 15:1-21. This was in the fourth leg of their journey from Egypt to the Promise Land. 

At the end of this three-day stretch, they came to a place called Marah. Here, they again began to lose faith and doubted YHWH’s ability to preserve them. Here, YHWH tested them and told them to rely on His instructions. Exo. 15:22-26. 

Three stops later, they came to the wilderness of Sin. Here, at the conclusion of the seventh leg of their journey, YHWH again tested them.  

Exo. 16:4 

     And YHWH said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people will go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my instruction, or not. 

The first lesson they were taught here was to trust YHWH to provide for their daily needs. They were told to gather a day’s portion and no more. The next day, they were to gather a day’s portion and no more. Any access would spoil. Everyone would gather just enough for their family. Exo. 16:18. 

The second thing YHWH taught the children of Israel at this location was to honor the Sabbath. 

Exo. 16:22 

     And he said to them, “This is what YHWH has said: ‘Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a set-apart Sabbath to YHWH. Bake that which you will bake, and boil that which you will boil; and whatever remains to keep until the morning.’” 

In the morning, there was no manna to gather and what they had leftover (because they had gathered twice as much the day before) did not spoil. Moses told the people that “today is a Sabbath to YHWH”. Exo. 16:24-25. 

The Sabbath later became a sign or a mark that YHWH gave to His people for everyone to know that He set them apart from all other people. Exo. 31:13, 17; Eze. 20:12, 20. And the prophet Isaiah made it clear that this sign is given to everyone who wishes to join themselves to YHWH. Isa. 56:3, 6-7.

Israel’s journey through the desert continues. Up to this point, and moving forward, they are taught the “Way of faith”. Psa. 119:30.

Exo. 13:17 

     And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go, that the Mighty One led them… 

The book of Exodus, also called the book of Names, begins with the account of how the children of Jacob (renamed Israel) became slaves in the land of Egypt. Moses is introduced early on. The story of how YHWH used Moses to free the Israelite slaves is then told. This culminates with the first Passover. 

Exodus 13:17 starts a new chapter. The journey of our ancestors through the desert begins. 

Sukkot 

Numbers 33:3-5 informs us that the first place the Israelites stopped on their journey was Sukkot. In the seven-day period between Exodus 13:17 and Exodus 13:20, YHWH led the people to where their ancestor Jacob had “built a house”. Gen. 33:17.  

The week of Sukkot mirrors the week of unleavened bread. One begins on the fifteenth day of the first month and the other begins on the fifteenth of the seventh month—exactly half a year later. Lev. 23:6, 34. Both feasts recall the same event. Lev. 23:43; Exo. 13:3-8. 

Yah’s Messenger 

Exo. 13:21, 14:19 

     And YHWH went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way… 

     And the Messenger of the Mighty One, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud which went from before them, and stood behind them: 

YHWH led the people through the wilderness through His Messenger. His Messenger was the One in the “pillar of cloud”. This can be easily seen by comparing these two passages.  

This conclusion is later confirmed in Exodus 23:20-21. This Messenger is none other than the “Messenger of the Covenant” (Mal. 3:1) –that is the Messiah.  

He can forgive sin because His Father’s name is in Him. Exo. 23:21. He spoke with Moses “face to face” instead of His Father. Exo. 33:11, 20, 23. He came to Moses on Mt. Saini and proclaimed the name of YHWH. Exo. 34:5-6.  

He made a covenant with the people that He would completely expel the Land’s inhabitants if they did the same. Exo. 34:10-12; Jdg. 2:1-3. He was certainly the One who YHWH sent to do this. Exo. 33:2.  

The Crossing 

Exo. 14:22 

     And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 

The miraculous parting of the Red Sea is both historical and symbolic. The sea represents all people on the planet. Jer. 51:13; Rev. 17:15. When humanity is separated, a path is made ready for the redeemed to walk on. On the right side is Christianity; on the left is Judaism. In the middle is the Way.

Those who are redeemed are purchased. Exo. 15:13, 16. YHWH purchases them with the life of His Messiah. Act. 20:28; Rev. 5:9; etc. He releases them from their slavery to sin. Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:14; etc. This redemption destroys Pharoah, a symbol of the serpent who deceived Eve.  

As a result, the redeemed will sing: 

      “Yah has become my Yeshuah!” (Exo. 15:2) 

     “Your Right Hand, YHWH, is glorious in power!” 

     “You Right Hand, YHWH, will shatter the enemy!” (Exo. 15:6) 

     “YHWH’s Messiah will reign forever!” (Exo. 15:18) 

Exo. 13:9 

     And it shall be to you as a sign upon your hand and as a remembrance between your eyes, in order that the Torah of YHWH shall be in your mouth, for with a mighty hand YHWH took you out of Egypt. 

This language is used again in Exodus 13:16, Deuteronomy 6:8, and 11:18. The instructions YHWH gave to our fathers are not meant to be a spectator religion. Active participation is required. 

In our Hearts 

Deu. 6:6, 11:18, 30:12-14 

     And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 

     Therefore, you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart… 

     It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 

     Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 

     But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. 

On our Hands 

Every seventh day of the week, we teach our children to cease work and focus on YHWH. We must teach them by example.  

Likewise, on the 14th day of the first month of the year, we teach them about our Redeemer. For the next seven days, we will continue to teach them about what He has done for us. This training cannot be mere words.  

We follow His instructions. They are like signs on our hands. We do what He has taught us to do. We put away the leaven. We abstain from eating leaven for seven days, resting on the first and seventh days.  

On our Mouths 

When our children ask why we tell them. 

     “Leaven represents false teaching and hypocrisy. It also represents pride and evil in general. It represents everything that Yeshua was not”. 

     “The unleavened bread we eat represents the Body of the Messiah. It represents sincerity and truth”. 

On our Minds 

We also remember YHWH and His mercy. They are as phylacteries or “frontlets” between our eyes. We are repeatedly taught to remember Him and our redemption. Exo. 13:3; Deu. 5:15; 15:15; 16:3, 12; 24:12, 18; Deu. 4:9, 23; 6:12; 8:11, 14; Deu. 8:2; 9:6-7. 

We cannot be like those who bind leather boxes on their arms and foreheads (Mat. 23:5) and forget the simplistic message of the Torah: trust YHWH and trust His Messiah. Circumcise your heart by removing self-confidence and stubbornness. Allow Him to put His Words inside you. 

Exo. 12:26-27 

And it will come to pass if your children say to you, ‘What is this service to you?’ 

you shall say, ‘It is a slaughtering of the Passover to YHWH, for He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt
when He smote the Egyptians, and He saved our houses.’ And the people kneeled and prostrated themselves.  

The observance of Passover is the first annual service YHWH commanded our fathers to perform. Performing this service is the first thing He instructed them to do as a nation.  

Predating the weekly Sabbath, the redemption of the firstborn, and tied with the annual week of unleavened bread, Passover plays a unique role in our relationship with YHWH. It is meant to teach our children and us what YHWH has done for us. 

The word Pesach can refer to the animal–lamb or goat–used in the service. It also refers to the action of YHWH passing over our houses in the land of Egypt. 

The “Pass over” teaches us of the eternal nature of YHWH. 

In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul taught the followers of Yeshua to observe the feast with additional significance. He taught that Yeshua also represented the Passover lamb. 1 Co. 5:8, 7. 

Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 

For indeed the Messiah, our Passover, was slaughtered.” 

YHWH is our Redeemer in all three of our modern concepts of time. He redeemed us from Egypt. This points backward in time to a specific event. We would call this the past tense.  

Through His Messiah, YHWH redeems us from slavery to our sinful inclination. This points to the ongoing reality of His mighty hand in the life of the reformed sinner. This has been true since Abraham’s (Isa. 29:22), and Jacob’s (Gen. 48:16) day. He passes over our shortcomings if we trust in Him. We would call this the present tense.  

In the last days, He will redeem us from our enemies. Isa. 31:5 

Like hovering birds, so will YHWH of hosts defend Jerusalem.
Defending, He will also deliver; Passing over, and the escape. 

This points forward in time to a specific event. We would call this the future tense. 

Before we eat the Passover meal (consisting of a household-sized slaughtered lamb or goat, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs), we must exercise extreme caution. Not anyone can partake. Only those who have circumcised their hearts, and only males who have been physically circumcised, can serve YHWH in this way. 

YHWH instructed Moses to teach His people about circumcision concerning eating the Passover. Exo. 12:44, 48. The apostle Paul taught the Corinthians to examine themselves before partaking in the Passover meal. 1 Co. 11:27-29; Cf. 1 Co. 11:24; Luk. 22:19, 7-15.