JANUARY 16, 2022 Exodus 36:8 Then all the gifted artisans among them who worked on the tabernacle made ten curtains woven of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim they made them. I have always found it interesting that the curtains of the Sanctuary, as well as the veil, were […]
Jewish tradition maintains that the first commandment is the commandment to believe in God. Christian tradition has the first commandment as the prohibition on worshipping other gods. Eastern Orthodox reckoning agrees that the second commandment is a prohibition on idols. All of these commandments teach us to worship God alone and not to make representations of Him or any other gods. God explains these commandments by saying, “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5).
Does this mean that God is jealous in the sense of a petty, selfish jealousy that takes offense when attention and affection are directed anywhere else? Of course not. God is jealous in the sense that a loving husband is jealous over his wife.
If your spouse told you, “I don't care whether you see other people; it doesn't bother me,” you would be alarmed that he or she no longer holds your wedding vows as sacrosanct. It would bother you that your spouse had such little affection for you that infidelity was not even an issue. It would be a clear and certain sign that your spouse cared little for you or for your relationship.
The Hebrew word for jealousy (kana, קנאה) is also translated as “zeal.” The term “jealous God” could be translated as “zealous God” or even “impassioned God.” God is passionately in love with His people. He is like a steadfast and faithful husband who does not waver in his affection or commitment to his bride. Because of that, He will not tolerate the worship of other gods, nor will He allow for the worship of idols. He feels the same way about idolatry and paganism that a faithful husband would feel about his wife having an affair.
God's fidelity should encourage us to adopt the same standard of jealous devotion to Him. Just as a faithful and steadfast wife would shun the affections of other men and refuse their flirtatious gifts and suggestive advances, we should be resolved to give no room to idolatry in our lives.
God is passionately in love with us. We should return that passion.
Yitro – יתרו : “Jethro” Torah : Exodus 18:1-20:23 (26) Haftarah : Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6 Gospel : Mark 7-8
JANUARY 15, 2022 Exodus 36:6-7 And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much. Let us consider something: have you ever been in a church service where the minister had to instruct the people to stop bring their offerings? Have you ever been […]
JANUARY 14, 2022 Exodus 35:30-32 The Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, […]
JANUARY 13, 2022 Exodus 35:30-32 The Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, […]
JANUARY 12, 2022 Exodus 35:21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. When it came to “funding” the Sanctuary, Moses didn’t have to ply the people with smooth words or exact a […]
JANUARY 11, 2022 Exodus 35:10-11 “All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle, its tent, its covering, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets…” The Hebrew phrase translated as “gifted artisans” is more literally translated as “every wise-hearted man.” This […]
JANUARY 9, 2022 Exodus 35:4-5 And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying: ‘Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord.’” There is a common perception among Christians that most everything Israel was instructed […]
JANUARY 10, 2022 Exodus 35:10-11 “All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle, its tent, its covering, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets…” In these and several other verses, God instructs the people to build the Sanctuary which was a project the entire nation […]
The Israelites understood that they were to escape through the midst of the sea, but the sea had not yet split. Jewish legend says that Moses bade the Israelites step into the sea, but they were unwilling to do so until Nahshon sprang forward and plunged into the water. He struggled under the waves and nearly drowned. As the water washed over him, the LORD instructed Moses to lift his staff and stretch out his hand so that the water might split. Nahshon then led the Israelites to safety on the other side.
The legend of Nahshon’s leap of faith hints toward Messiah. The rabbis teach that Nahshon earned merit for the entire tribe of Judah when he leapt into the sea, earning his tribe the right to the kingdom of the house of David: “Nahshon jumped into the midst of the waves of the sea, followed by his tribe. Therefore the tribe of Judah merited the kingdom.” (Mechilta).
What did Israel say at the sea? They said, “The LORD shall reign forever and ever” (Exodus 15:8). The Holy One, blessed be He, therefore said, “I will make him king because He was the reason they proclaimed me as king at the sea.” (Mechilta, Beshalach)
The rabbis compared Nahshon’s leap into the sea to the willing sacrifice made by Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego when they stepped into the fiery furnace. Nahshon acted like a holy martyr voluntarily accepting martyrdom for the sake of sanctifying the name of the LORD. Through his voluntary act of “martyrdom,” so to speak, he obtained the privilege of becoming an ancestor of the kingly dynasty of Messiah.
Like Nahshon, Yeshua willingly laid down His life for the sake of His people. His death brought forgiveness for transgressions. He became the “great atoning prince.” Like Nahshon, the Messiah is the prince (nasi) over the tribe of Judah. The Messiah is the archegos of life in that He was the first to pass from death to life. In that sense, the Red Sea can be compared to death. Just as Nahshon led Israel through the sea to safety on the other side, Messiah leads the way through death to safety on the other side through His resurrection.
Day 7 of Passover Torah : Exodus 13:17 – 15:26 & Numbers 28:19 – 28:25 Haftarah : II Samuel 22:1-51
