Va-ayra ‘I Appeared’ Parashah Study

‘Let My People Go’

One Wonder, Six Plagues

What Day is it: January 18, 2015, Tevet 27 5775 – Shemittah Year

My Life * World * History * Scripture

Happenings in my life: Praying for my sister in Emergency room Friday in excruciating pain from her sciatic nerve. Sunday, she is back in emergency room on her 66^th birthday. We are 18 months apart in age.  Doing better.

Answer to my two-year prayer: sil got promoted to supervisory position within his company. Praying now that his traveling will be safe and not hard on him or his family.

Witnessed woman’s homeless shelter in Mesa.

Celebrated my husband’s brother birthday (84) in Glendale, AZ. They are 18 years apart in age. Then we watched his grandson, Seth (18), perform in: Hello, What Is Your Name? You can email actingzone@mipschool.org to follow them on tour for about a month. Actors were from sixth grade to age 18. It was amazing to see these young people take on the roles of both sides of the fence in dealing with mental issues like autism to Multiple Sclerosis. They clearly had a message to help all of us communicate better with those that struggle.

Happenings in the World: 2015 Gas expected to stop dropping. Gas $1.79-$1.85 in Gilbert AZ area.

Happenings in History: Tevet 20 – 26 5775, January 11-17 2015 – Shemittah Year

Tevet 20 – 1973 Shemittah Year, S&P Peak 120 (42^nd Anni), long descent hitting bottom 10.3.1974 at 62 pts. Lost 48% of value causing severe global recession..

2009 – Japan 7.4 earthquake

Tevet 21 – 856 December 22 IRAN 200,000 die Damghan Earthquake.

Tevet 22 – 1956 Kansas City MO eve Shabbot part of quakes felt 16,000 sq miles.

1961 Oklahoma 5.0 SE Latimer and Pittsburgh Counties.

Tevet 23 – 2007 Japan 8.2

2010 Alaska SE 7.5 Shabbot Shemot

2012 World Trumpet sounds begin and still heard in 2015. Canada, Poland, Ukraine

2013 Alaska SE 7.5 Shabbot

2013 Bendelladj arested for cyber theft

2015 Hamas play at Palestinian Univ allowed. Temple Mount setting shows how to kill Jews.

Tevet 24 2015 – Paris – Jewish Policewoman intentionally run down.

Tevet 25 1920 – Prohibition 18^th Amendment. Overturned 2.18.1933.

Tevet 26 2015 – Va’era Paseach Reading – (I appeared)

Why all of the 18’s? I don’t know….I just always look for patterns.

Happenings in Scripture: Exodus 6:2-9:35, Ezekiel 28:25-29:21, Mark 3.

I AM ADONAY – It is not a new name, but a name that the Fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) had not experienced. They were promised the LAND, but did not SEE it. Now, their children were about to SEE it.

THEME: God’s Faithfulness. To Give Reality To God’s Words.

Realizations: Pharaoh DOES not know the Lord.

God Hands will now show Pharaoh who is God through His character known as Adonay.

Book/Blog THOUGHT: God’s hand will show us who God is. God’s Hand shows us His character. God’s Hand shows us that He is FAITHFUL (He gives reality to His Words).

How do I know God? He is seen in his Faithfulness to his words.

Witness of God’s Faithfulness for author, hadassah:

Husband who does NOT give up on me.

Sitting in Arizona in nice weather while Midwest is below zero.

My first blog: Sitting at this kitchen table writing what I see about God’s Faithfulness to us.

I am NOT afraid of God’s Faithfulness because it causes me to stand in “awe” of His wonders.

Today’s Torah readings are about God’s Faithfulness.

1. The Israelites didn’t believe Mosche because they had been long stuck in Egypt.
2. They didn’t believe Mosche because they didn’t understand how God could let them suffer. They even lost children to the Nile River when even Mosche was cast in to be drown eighty years earlier. Now God would avenge the blood in the Nile by turning it to blood…reminding Egypt of their past.

Our world will be reminded of it’s past in the killing of God’s children, as well. Abortion has removed the ‘image of God’ from the face of our earth by the millions and millions. The World’s Holocaust that took not only 6 million Jews, but up to 70 million human, all created in the image of God. Wars begin for personal gain, wars for slavery, wars for a perfect race. God said there is no one perfect, but all sin.

The Bible is God’s Instruction Book known as Torah: I sin when I do NOT follow/obey the parts of the Torah that apply to me.

1. Pharaoh did not know this god that Mosche was presenting to him.
2. Pharaoh first had to recognize that God was who He said He was.
3. Pharaoh’s magicians large reptiles (‘tannin’) were eaten by the crocodiles (tannin) Mosche produced from Aaron’s rod. Interestingly, these large reptiles were considered ‘gods’ to the Egyptians. We do not witness a plague, but a ‘wonder’ representing God destroying ‘gods’ who were considered Pharaohs. This wonder (live vision) was not taken serious by Pharaoh.
4. Pharaoh did not heed the first plaque of 7 days of blood throughout the waters of Egypt. (Seven is a number of severe sifting to find purification.)
5. Pharaoh did not repent of his and his people’s sin until after the second plague which was of frogs. (interesting, that Yeshua (Jesus) came in what is known as the ‘second day’ and then many repented as they recognized him as the Meschiach. We also see this week’s Ezekiel story of showing the “second” temple’s partial destruction in 597 B.C.E. (Mosche’s tabernacle in the desert was the first. Solomon built the second where Yahweh’s Shekinnah glory also resided.)
6. Pharaoh’s frog plague was God’s third request to ‘Let My people go.’ God continues to accept the ‘hands of Mosche’ stretched out in prayer to stop the plague. Mosche represents Messiah as an intermediary. Messiah is known to be returning in the ‘Third Day’ to set the captives free.

7. Pharaoh did come to the point of admitting he was a sinner. But, this admission and cry only came to STOP the plague/judgment. Do people repent just to escape, ‘The Fire?’

El Shaddai is PROVIDER. Abraham, Isaac, Israel knew him as El Shaddai but not ADONAI. The Latin Vulgate version: “Dispenser of Benefits, nothing is impossible, shepherds and preserves from harm.”

Adonay is the God of power that has the faithfulness to fulfill any promise. Now God would bring them out TO His promise. Abraham did see the power of God in his battles. But this hand of God would be with God’s purpose of bringing them TO the LAND that God promised.

Today, men must see God’s purpose for Israel returning to her land.

Israel has TWO inheritances: SPIRITUAL and LAND.

FAITHfulness: TO GIVE Reality to God’s Word.

Let’s make note that Egypt had many gods and God is throwing each down.

1. Pharaoh Crocodile-god wonder.
2. Pharaoh’s productive River Nile-god and it’s tributaries (ponds) struck with 7 days of blood. (Likens to the 7-years of tribulation.)
3. Pharaoh’s fertility frog-god of the Nile River.
4. Gnats. Heb. Kinnim. ‘sand flies, or, fleas.’ The beetle or scarab was sacred. Emblem of the Sun-god. Painted on monuments, tombs, gems, neck amulets, 10,000 images (Geikie)  ‘Finger of God’ now declared by Pharaoh’s magicians.
5.  Murrain of Cattle, horses, asses, camels, herds, flocks. Cow was a god.  
6. Boils: Soot thrown in air carried to man and beast.
7. Hail – Thundering with fire…lightning.

Exodus 9:15 “Surely now I had put forth My hand, and smitten thee and they people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the earth. 16 But in very deed for this cause I have made you to stand, to show thee My power, and that My name be delivered throughout all the earth.

Exodus 6:17 And yet exaltest thou thyself against My people, that thou wilt not let them go? Behold tomorrow……

God is speaking to my generation. Men do NOT believe God smites the earth much less men! His name is delivered throughout all the earth through His hand smiting. Behold tomorrow…..

Exaltest: treadest down my people. Oppressest My people.

BEHOLD: Hey ה

Admit you are NOT obeying Torah.

Why not?

Why should I?

Does it have eternal consequence for me personally?

Why am I obeying?

What joy do I have today because of obeying God’s instructions on how to live happily on His earth?

SEVENTH PLAQUE – Hail – Thunderings. Pharaoh admits he and people are wicked. Barley in the ear, flax in bloom, now fine linen for clothing has been destroyed. God is showing that Egypt will NO longer wear the fine linen of priests. Scripture gives the time line: End of January beginning February (Tevet).

The Hyskos dynasty of Pharaohs have been replaced with Pharaohs who did not remember the ‘Days of Joseph’, of whom saved them in that 7-year Shemittah cycle.

7^th Plaque, Mosche stretches his hands out…..in prayer. Hands (yoods) lifted and spread out are reaching out hands. Hands begging to connect with Adonai in WORSHIP:

1. Thank God
   1. Caring enough to discipline us as a parent does when he cares for a child.
   2. Keeping us from disobedience to His instructions.
   3. Providing our needs
   4. Providing protection
   5. Providing for us a place of refuge now and in the future in Him.

Exodus 9:34 commentary from Pentateuch & Haftorahs edited by Dr. J H Hertz: “Pharaoh sins yet more and becomes a rebel. The ministers of state are associated with the king in the obstinate resistance to God.”

Haftorah Va-ayra: Ezekiel 28:25:

When I shall gather the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then shall THEY dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant JACOB (Isra’el).

They shall dwell safely, shall build houses, plant vineyards, dwell SAFELY when,…

How will God sanctify Himself in them?

Ezekiel 28:26. “when I have executed judgments upon all those that have them in disdain around about them.”

and then they shall KNOW that I AM ADONAY their ELOHIM.

Ezekiel and the flower of the nation were deported to Babylon in 597 B.C.E. He seems to have lived in a peaceful and honoured life in Chaldea. (remember: Abraham came out of the fires of the Chaldreas; same area.)

The exiles had their own houses and land, and their own governments by Elders. Nebuchadnezzar was NOT unjust but firm. Jeremiah and Ezekiel lives were devoted to warning the Israelites NOT to assimilate and align with Egypt.

Ezekiel’s message is that God will restore and purify His people to be the people to reveal the NAME of God to all the nations; the real character and majesty of the God of Israel.

The ORACLE against EGYPT: Ezekiel 29:

Egypt, known as the house of bondage and oppression for Israel in it’s younger days has not changed and is known as a “broken” reed in its decadence.

Note: I started developing yhebrew Blog in Tenth Month, Tevet. The Hebrew letter ‘yood’ is represented in the picture language as a hand. It’s numerical value is 10. It is the closed hand of Yahweh representing power and strength. Ezekiel is writing about the Tenth Year, 10^th Month (Tevet) reign of the LAST King of Judah, Zedekiah.

I will begin the, yhebrew.com blog by declaring it during this week. I will continue the story that began with Mosche and the TEN (yood) plagues where a miracle was first declared. Mosche was declaring the HAND (Yood) of God to Pharaoh. Aaron’s hands were also used to declare the WONDER before Pharaoh.

The plagues were used to declare God in the Tenth Month, Tenth Day. Tevet 10 becomes the Fast of Tevet memorializing the beginning of Israels call to Babylon for 70 years. They are warned not to assimilate into the world. They will live safety in Babylon.

We see Mosche setting up the first Passover. Ezekiel is the Haftorah scriptures chosen to go with this Exodus reading. The sages and rabbis could see the connection through history. Hadassah (known as Esther) is part of a clan of Hebrews that do NOT return to Israel and begin to assimilate into the people in the Assyria Empire. We will soon approach PURIM on the calendar and learn more about that clan. Because Mordicai revealed himself as a Hebrew, we see Messiah coming through this lineage.

This Torah portion begins the yhebrew.com blog and The Yood of Elohim book being written. They are known as The Yood of Elohim or better defined in Greek as The HAND OF GOD.

These scriptures that we’ve studied reveal exactly why this blog and study are written. Again, I feel The Hand of God in these writings. Let’s continue.

Pharaoh: Pharaoh Hophra.

1. son of man. Ezekiel’s favorite expression for man or mortal.
2. The great dragon. The crocodile that infested the Nile and worshiped as a god symbolizes Egypt.
3. My river is mine own. Brings Egypt’s fall as it was it’s self-deification of it’s Pharaohs.
4. Hooks in thy jaws. Crocodiles are easy prey for those with skill and thus Egypt is an easy prey.
5. Fish of thy rivers. The allies of Egypt will be involved in it’s ruin.
6. Egypt and her allies will suffocate from lack of oxygen; the beasts of the field will devour them.
7. Forty years (a generation) will pass before man or beast will be able to pass between the land of their allies that joined them in being crocodiles to Israel.
8. After forty years they would be drawn back but Egypt would be the lowest of kingdoms.
9. Exodus and Ezekiel both show us a generation (40 years) of people that die off.
10. Mosche was beginning his second generation with the Israelites. He was 80 years old. He will spend a ‘generation’ of time with them. He does not enter the LAND, but dies at the end of his third set of forty years at 120 years of age. Raised around Egypt 40 years; Raised a family near Median for 40 years; instructed a new generation as parents died off over 40 years.
11. Ezekiel’s Egypt returned to Pathros. Upper (south) Egypt, the original seat of Egyptian rule.
12. No more confidence in Egypt. Israel would not even be tempted to trust Egypt. We see this in our very own day and in the 1967 Six-Day War that is known for all it’s miracles. Egypt had surrendered on the fifth day, but then Egypt (Pharaoh) changed it’s mind. That is the day history records that Jerusalem was taken back into the hands of Israel. It was Pharaoh’s heart seen one more time in history.
13. Egypt and Pharaoh both repent admitting their mistake, but then they and their people change their minds. That one day in May, 1967 when Egypt’s Pharaoh changed his mind again and sought its allies for help, was the day that The Yood of Elohim put hooks into Egypt and the world’s jaws and suffocated them.

Today in 2015, Egypt and it’s allies are once again “testing” Adonai. The God that they test is not JUST the God known as El Shaddai who showed Himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who were given the verbal promise of land, they are today testing THEE God ADONAY. The one who loves showing the entire world His character of FAITHFULNESS. It is in the character of Adonay that Justice with a vengeance is shown.

This Torah lesson should show us the POWER of God and how we should be a respecter of Him. ISRAEL (Jacob) begged to be blessed by Jehovah. He wanted to know His name. It is in this desire that Jacob’s named was changed. What did Adonai, with whom Jacob struggled ALL night, change his name to? ISRAEL.

Israel will now be the instrument through which Adonay will reveal Himself to the world of nations TODAY.

Ezekiel 9:16 shows us that every time Egypt or it’s allies come against Israel, that iniquity will be remembered and Israel will NOT be tempted by them. Who is tempted by Egypt who has been controlled by The Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt is no longer a viable source of confidence.

570 B.C.E. Ezekiel’s last prophecy.

7 and 20^th year. 27^th year.

Separately, we see the scripture showing us one Shemittah cycle (7) and the 20^th year which brings us to the closing year of the third Shemittah cycle (3×7=21). The 27^th year is the 6^th year of the 3^rd Shemittah cycle. It should be a year of double and triple blessing or cursing. The 28^th year will be the year of release or ‘falling away.’

Let’s finish this weeks Torah lesson called, Va-ayra (I appeared). We’re almost done, so be patient. I can’t close this blog without seeing what is next. Open your bible to Mark Chapter 3.

“And it came to pass in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me saying…..”

What day is this?

We could place this in the Fall as Tishrei is the first month on the Hebrew civil calendar. The first day of Tishrei is Tishrei 1 known as The Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah. It has many names and is very important in Hebrew history. This feast was established in Leviticus with Mosche.

Nissan is also known as the first month but of the religious year and it too is a very special day. Let’s study it and see if we can place Mark 3.

(An interesting side note: they estimate that about 90 percent of the bible is written around or about The Lord’s Feasts or fast days. In John we see Yeshua (Jesus) celebrating Chanukah…a Hebrew created celebration.)

King Nebuchadnezzar and his army were instruments of God who actually brought fill to the water to make a land bridge to the island of Tyre. Their shoulders were bare from the work and Tyre did not have the bootee needed to pay Nebuchadnezzar’s army or build the king’s coffers. God gives Egypt into King Nebuchadnezzar hands as payment for work in freeing Tyre.

Verse 21 in that day, the humiliation of Egypt would open the way for Israel’s restoration….after 70 years in Babylon.

Why was Egypt cut off? Because they have been a ‘staff of reed’ to Israel. Bending Israel with injustice.

Opening of Mouth: so the people would believe.

(We just open our mouths so people will believe and see the ‘Yood of Elohim.’)

Mark 3

“Yeshua went again into a synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse him of something, people watched him carefully to see if he would heal him on Shabbat.” …..

Yeshua tells them to come close so they can be seen. He says, “What is permitted on Shabbat? Doing good or doing evil? Saving life or killing?” “But they said nothing. He heals the man’s hand and then they run off plotting how to do away with him.

We can tie this into what the Pharaoh’s did to the Israelites in Egypt. They bent Israel like a reed. There are different sects of Pharisees at Yeshua’s time and this sect went to Herod. Herod was a hireling by the Rome of that day. Herod was not really a Jew, but married a Jew to gain his position. His job was to keep peace in the city between Rome and the Jews. There were two governments in Israel. There was Roman rule and Jewish rule. Jews could not kill anyone, so they bribed the Roman’s to do their dirty work.

What happens next?

Mark 3:7 begins with Yeshua going off to the lake with his followers and great numbers followed from the Galil. “When they heard what he was doing, great numbers also followed him from Y’hudah (Judea), Jerusalem, Idumea, and Tzor-Tzidon areas. He has a boat prepared in case he needed to get in it to prevent from being crushed by the crowds who also wanted healing.

Demons were falling down in front of him declaring, “You are the Son of God.” Yeshua did not want to be revealed yet as his time was not yet to go to the stake. Yes, he had come on a suicide mission. But, his suicide had to be fulfilled according to each prophecy told about him through the ages. It would not be a “selfish” suicide to elevate himself higher into the heavens. He had already come from above and was willing to come “down” so others may be elevated. He allowed and orchestrated each step and person that would finally result in His death. But, it had to be perfectly timed!

Did a Jew kill Jesus? Yes, He came as a Jew, to die as Jew, to return as a Jew! He was the Jew who had Himself killed! He opened not his mouth as a sheep lead to the slaughter! His glory was seen in “Setting captives free.” Mosche was setting the captives free….as Messiah Yeshua set captives free. Physical and Spiritual Israel were free to worship their King.

Pharaoh and the magician’s knew they were witnessing the ‘finger of God.’ All of Egypt witnessed the ‘hand of God’ showing Himself to them. Many of these Egyptians even left with the Israelites trusting in their God. But, this generation would die off in the desert because of “unbelief” that God would bring them into the promised land. God had the plan and they were to cross over. But, they insulted God by asking to look at the land before they crossed over. This is where TEN (yood) of them stumbled on the stone. Ten said, “No” and two said, “Yes.”

In Mark we see Yeshua calling out just twelve disciples to be with him, to be instructed to preach, and to cast out the evil spirits (demons.) This is a great section and I’ll leave it to the “reader” to read. I know my opinion on the binding of spirits and I’m not going to go into that. But, even in this number of twelve talmidim we read that Judas would be the betrayer in the group. We now have eleven.

Today, the Jews need a quorum of TEN (yood) in order to vote and ten men present at a burial. These traditions go back to what God established. I find it odd that men seem to make fun of things that they don’t understand. In the case of Hebraism, I’m very careful of making fun because I just might be making ‘fun’ of God. It is a dangerous thing to fall into the (yood) hands of angry Adonay.

The key to this section is the Ruach HaChodesh (Holy Spirit.)

Mark 3:29 …Yeshua tells them that “men will be forgiven whatever blasphemies they utter; however, someone who blasphemes against the

 HaChodesh never has forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

“For they had been saying, ‘He has an unclean spirit in him.”

Yeshua’s family hears about these accusations and they come asking for him. Yeshua replies with a famous verse, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Looking at those seated in a circle around him, he said, “See! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever wants God is my brother, sister and mother!”

This has been a power-packed Torah lesson for Va’yara (I appeared). They are scriptures that have past present and future meanings to them. I have become a deeper thinker and so I don’t want to scare my readers off with too deep of a conversation today. But, I also want to challenge those that know God’s Word with taking a deeper view at each of these stories we’ve witnessed.

The deeper side of God’s Word shows us that what has happened once in history will repeat itself, but in a somewhat slightly different way. That is what the Rabbi’s are doing as they connected Ezekiel with Exodus this week. Then we have Mark thrown into the pot and challenge our thinking. But the three sections connect. Write down your own comments on how you see them connecting. What lessons are there that you can pass unto another person so they can witness, “The Hand of God?”

Or are we going to be sold out to the world and think as the Pharaohs do? I just don’t know WHO this god is!

Write out what you see. I’m not interested in dialogue. I have a group that is strong and I dialogue with them. My hope is that this blog will inspire you to dig deeper into God’s Word so He is revealed to you.

This is a serious last statement we just read. What do we do with the statement about the Ruach HaChodesh?

“someone who blasphemes against the Ruach HaChodesh never has forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

What type of spirit did Judas allow to come into him? There is NO room but for one spirit and it is the Ruach HaChodesh (Holy Spirit).

Yes, there is a sin that leads to eternal (spiritual) death. God will never force His will on anyone. He desires any evil force affecting us be removed from our lives. He was teaching them to remove ‘unclean’ spirits. These spirits would NOT be quiet about declaring WHO Yeshua really was. He was GOD! Even demons knew who Yeshua was!

But what did those people NOT have in them? The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can NOT dwell where anything “unclean” is.

I love the verse, “Greater is He that is in you, than is in the world.”

This is a great lesson. We’ll pick it up again next week with the lesson called, “BO” (Come).