10:21-29
Bechoros (slaying of firstborn 12:29-32). These are recited
every
year in the Pesach Seder, which is eaten with matzah and
M'rorim bitter herbs (see 12:8). Read carefully 12:1-27. Notice
the mixed crowd or rabble Erev Rav (large motley group) in 12:38
and remember the parable of the tares and wheat in Matt. 13:25.
Not all were prepared for holy battle (13:18).
Normally, passages like 12:37-39 are used in the Seder to
explain
the matzah or unleavened bread. Ex. 12:42 explains why some
Jewish people stay up all night for the Chag (Festival). Read the
breath-taking description of the parting of what is
traditionally
called the "Red Sea" (Yam Soof in Hebrew) in Ex. 14. and the
"Mi-chamochah Ba'Alim Adonai song in Ex. 15:11 found in the
synagogue liturgy. Notice a key theme of the entire Torah in
Ex. 15:13, "You guided them by Your strength to Your Holy Abode."
A Messianic theme in Exodus is the refrain we heard in Genesis
37:8, where Joseph's brothers taunt Joseph with the question:
"Do
you think that you will indeed be king over us and rule us?" In
Exodus 2:14 Moses, even though he has been raised in a palace as
a prince, is likewise taunted, "Who set you as an official and
judge over us?" This is a continuation of the theme we will see
again in King David's life and in Isaiah 53 where, once again,
the spiritually anointed Leader is sent by G-d but rejected by
the people. In the case of both the Mediator of the Sinai
Covenant and also the Mediator of the (Jer. 31:31-34) Messianic
Brit Chadasha, the Savior-figure who "sprinkles" ["NAZAH"], with
the blood of the Covenant (Ex. 24:8; Isaiah 52:13) is called the
Eved (Servant) of the L-rd (Ex. 14:31; Isa. 52:13). Prince
Moses will be a type of the Moshiach, just as Joseph "prince
among his brothers" (Gen. 49:26) was. Genesis 49:10 tells us
that the obedience of the nations will come to the Moshiach
descended from the tribe of Judah, but Scripture gives us
various
pictures of him. For example, the Jewish people (some of them,
that is) meant to do Yehoshua Son of Joseph harm, but G-d meant
to bring good out of it by saving many people (Genesis 50:20).
Also, Genesis offers the promise of land and life but ends with
everyone being sucked into a tomb (see Genesis 49:29-33), and
the
body of Joseph going back to that tomb in a 400 year long trek
(Genesis 50:24-26; Exodus 13:19). But a victory over the defeat
of that tomb will occur when "the 70" (Exodus 1:5) burst forth
from the tomb of Egypt in a great exodus of "600,000" (Exodus
12:3?). This was possible because of midwives who didn't believe
in abortion (1:17), who did believe instead in the G-d of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the G-d of the living. This awesome
G-d commissions Moses (1:23-2:15) while he is a shepherd in
Midian on Mt. Sinai (Horeb) to deliver His people with Match
Ha'Elohim (the rod of God) performing signs and wonders (this
word wonder" mofet in Ex.7:3 we will see again in a key
Messianic passage in Zechariah 3:8). The G-d of Israel reveals
to Moses his personal covenant Name which contains his
character,
that he is the G-d who always is (Ex. 3:14), the eternally
self-existent true G-d. This one true L-rd is the author of
salvation (Ex. 6:1-8), and he explains that he is going to
remember his covenant with the Patriarchs (Ex. 2:24) and then he
will plunder the Egyptians (3:21-22; 11:2-3 12:35-36) and harden
Pharaoh's heart before he brings out Israel from Egypt with a
mighty hand. G-d has many marvelous reasons for this (see 6:1;
7:3; 9:16; 10:1-2; 11:9; 14:4; 18:11). The plagues of the Exodus
were acts of judgment. The plagues were also deliberate
denigrations of the destructive deities and idol religion of the
Egyptians (12:12), the kind of Holy War that Moses and Joshua
will be continuing as preparations are made to invade the Holy
Land. Ex. 6:6 says "I am the L-rd, and I will free you from the
burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I
will redeem (I will be the Go'el) Redeemer, literally buying you
back from slavery by putting a blood sacrifice ransom on every
door). I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with
mighty acts of judgment." But in doing these acts of judgment,
in
pouring out the plagues, G-d promises to "make a distinction
between my people and your (Pharaoh's) people" (Ex. 8:23; Gen.
3:15). This is the key to what Yochanan means in Rev. 3:10,
"Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep
you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to
test the inhabitants of the earth." Believers have been taken
out of judgment and they will not be "destroyed with those who
destroy the earth" (Rev. 11:18); just the opposite, they will be
raptured first (Rev. 11:12). G-d will "take" them like he took
Enoch and Elijah. However, not all the tribulation plagues of
Exodus necessitate evaculation for G-d's people to escape them
(see 8:22; 9:20-21,26,34; 10:23; 11:6-7). This should prompt us
to anticipate an imminent rapture but not to presume that
rapture
is the only way G-d can protect his kedoshim while He pours out
bowls of wrath and plagues of judgment on the worldly people all
around his chosen ones. Like a typical reprobate who continually
refuses to humble himself before G-d (10:3), the proud
unregenerate Pharaoh does not believe even though all the
terrible plagues of judgment and wrath fall on him. But these
plagues the L-rd uses to distinguish between Egypt and Israel
(11:7), for He is redeeming a people of slaves set apart to
worship Him (10:26) and to become a free nation of kohanim to
G-d. The L-rd will make his covenant with his redeemed people,
and they will remember the covenant in a solemn covenant meal,
the Pesach Seder (chapter 12 Pesach). Chapter 13 hearkens back
to
Genesis 22 and shows that only the first-born of the redeemed
will be included in the Pidyon HaBen redemption of the son--see
22:29b-30). When the first-born of Pharaoh and Egypt were struck
down while the first-born of Israel was preserved alive even
before the Red Sea parted, these events showed the Israelites
that they were being delivered from destruction by One who is
omnipotent and can alone assure their future (their future lay
with the ruling heir, the firstborn). The early Messianic Jews
had the same realization when they saw G-d likewise save and
raise his own firstborn Son from the dead and effect their and
His "exodus"--see Luke 9:30 and I Cor. 5:7. Matthew also
presents Moshiach Yehoshua as the New Moses, just as Isaiah
looks
forward to a new exodus of salvation and the Moshiach to lead it
(see Isaiah 49:9-10). The Pesach lamb was a vicarious sacrifice
for the first-born heir, who represented the whole community and
its future. The Pesach Lamb purchased the redemption of those
who
were saved and its blood on their houses literally bought them
so
that they became the people whom G-d bought or acquired
["KANAH"]
Ex. 15:16; 12:23-27). Atonement money (30:11-16) was meant to
remind the Israelites of the ransom given in the blood sacrifice
of the Pesach lamb and in the tent of meeting, that is "the
kofer
(ransom) given for your lives" (30:12). Trace the word for lamb
in Hebrew Seh from Genesis 22:7 to Exodus 12:3 to Isaiah 53:7.
Moshiach is the coming Passover Lamb, the redemptive-savior of
Abraham's progeny. He is the one that Isaac asks for
(unwittingly
not only for his own redemption but also for the purchased
redemption of all Abraham's children by faith).
Sometimes, as in the case of the detour the Israelites took
through the desert rather than the more direct route to Israel,
G-d has a reason for making us take longer to reach our
objectives. The disheveled ex-slaves needed time to get
disciplined and organized. We talmidim also sometimes need more
time and therefore should not get discouraged when our
long-range
goals are not reached over-night. See 13:17-18. The important
point is that we must wait on the L-rd who will remember his
people (2:24). The L-rd works very quickly when he wills to do
so. It took only three months for the L-rd to bring his
Lamb-redeemed (13:13-14) and Red Sea-mikvehed people to Mount
Sinai (Horeb) where he met with their mediator Moses for one
year
and where Israel became a blood-covenanted nation! These latter
two events look forward to the mediator Moshiach on the Mount of
Transfiguration and the remnant Shluchim of Israel at the
Moshiach's Last Passover Seder, when we too became a
blood-covenanted people.
One of the twelve sons of Jacob was Levi. He had a son named
Kohath who had a son named Amram whose children were Aaron and
Miriam and Moses. Aaron had a son named Eleazar who had a son
named Phinehas (read about Eleazar's death in the last verse of
Joshua). In the book of Exodus Moses is depicted as a Levite who
in chapter 32 leads a vanguard of zealous Levites in setting the
standard of kedushah for the Israelites in the wilderness. Many
Hebrews are still slaves in Egypt, spiritually speaking,
worshipping the Egyptian bull G-d Apis (the golden calf) with
orgiastic worship (the Hebrew word L'Tsachek in 32:6 has,
according to the medieval rabbinic commentator Rashi, sexual
connotations). The point is that the called out kahal of the
Exodus is in need of a second Exodus, a new creation Exodus from
the "Egyptian" idolatry and bondage within and the hard-hearted
"Pharoah" of their own proud and unspiritual nature. Moses has
been to the mountaintop and has seen the pattern of G-d's coming
salvation (25:9,10; 26:30), but the people, lacking his vision,
murmur against G-d's leader, break the covenant, and perish
("without a vision the people perish" [Prov. 29:18]--not
realizing that there is a spiritual march and a discipleship
discipline necessary to reach salvation's goal.) The people
develop increasing carnality, rebelliousness, faithlessness,
ingratitude, unteachability, anger and cowardice until G-d
condemns them and replaces them with a new-born people that
emerges at the end of the forty year wilderness wanderings. Only
the new-barn "inherit the earth" of the land of Israel in the
end! But G-d is the Prime Mover of the Exodus; it doesn't depend
on Moses' eloquence (or lack of it--4:l0; 6:30) or even on
Israel's competence. He will say, "Israel, come forth!" and she
who was dying in chains in an unclean land of idols will come
forth living and free, destined for kedushah and hitkhadeshut.
Notice the power encounter is between the "New Age"
Anti-Moshiach
pseudo-miracles and occult arts of magicians in Pharaoh's court
and the power of the Ruach Hakodesh (7:11; see II Thes. 2:9-10;
Rev. 13:11-18). We see that Anti-Moshiach oppression is of a
political and religious kind, and that it is diabolically
designed to hinder worship of the true G-d and His Moshiach (See
13:13).
In many ways Moses prefigures the Moshiach. Moses himself is no
messianic hero, however, but a limited man who needs Aaron as
his
press secretary and spokesman, and Miriam as his music and
choreography worship leader. Through Jethro's advice, Moses
wisely admits his need for a vast division of labor as far as
leadership is concerned (18:18, 21), because the job of Shofet
(Judge) was getting too large for him. So we see Moses as a
model of the true spiritual leader, one who spends time on the
mountaintop alone in intercessory prayer and devekut with G-d as
well as in meditation on the Word, and then allows a host of
others to help him carry the load of work, which would be too
heavy for him to bear alone. He does this by supervising their
work which is compartmentalized and graded in complexity under
properly fitted leadership so that as problems go up the
hierarchy, most get solved before they reach him. Exodus 29:4
shows the kohen's total abulation looking forward to Moshaich's
tevilah. This kohen's washing is the source of the consecration
ritual for service to G-d (19:14) and the proselyte initiation
ritual which is Brit Chadashah tevilah. See the word (mikveh) in
Exodus 7:19 and Genesis 1:10. There is typology for this in the
parting of the Red Sea and in the washings of the kohanim as
they
are installed in their ministry. Deliverance and redemption,
however,are not ritually received (rituals are commanded but as
"wilderness tests" of obedience and faith, not for their
supposed
magical properties). Deliverance and redemption come through
emunah in the ransom of the Passover Lamb (later fulfilled in
the
Moshiach) that heals us from the plagues of sin and death (Ex.
15:26; 23:25; Isa. 53:5,7).
The promised life G-d offers (later fulfilled in the mavet,
kevurah and techiyas hamesim of the Moshiach) is symbolized in
time (Shabbos and Festivals of Sacred Calendar) and in space
(Holy Camp, Mishkan and Promised Land).
In front of the OHEL MO'ED was the KIYYOR for washing and the
MITZBE'ACH of the burnt-offering. In the Holy Place was found
the
golden SHULCHAN with the LECHEM PANIM and beside it, the
MENORAH.
In front of the PAROKHET on the KODESH HAKODESHIM was a
MITZBE'ACH HAKETORET. In the KODESH HAKODESHIM was the
ark of the
covenant with the ASERET HADIBROT on the LUCHOT AVANIM
inside and
the KAPPORET functioning as its lid, with the two cherubim
facing
each other on top of the KAPPORET. Typology of Moshiach is seen
in the MISHKAN's construction, since he is the perfect pattern
of
G-d's saving presence with men; he is the bread of life, the
Lechem Panim, bread of the Presence and he is the Shulchan upon
which all our sustenance rests; he is the menorah, the
Lampstand,
the light of the world; he is the Mizbe'ach Haketoret (the altar
of incense), He is the sweet fragrance of salvation's incense;
He
is the Mizbe'ach Ha'Olah, (the altar of burnt-offering); he is
the great Kohen Gadol, the acceptable sacrifice, the one MELITZ,
the kiyyor (basin) who washes us with the Ruach Hakodesh, the
law-giver, the door, the KAPPORET, the blood, the victim, and
the
Word as well as the Presence who tabernacled with us in the
flesh. Isaiah says He is even the covenant (Isa. 42:6).
Exodus 30:30 is the origin of the word Moshiach. Kohanim were
anointed with a special oil, and among laymen only the Davidic
King (Himself a kohen after the order of Malki-tzedek) was
anointed. When David's dynasty became acknowledged as the
Messianic line, "G-d's anointed" (Moshiach) became a portentous
way of referring to David's Moshiach-bringing dynasty. (See the
Hebrew word in Psalm 2:2 and Daniel 9:26).
In the theology of Exodus, Egypt is not just exited; it is
judged
and condemned, just as is the old humanity in the momentous
sacrifice of the Lamb of G-d. The true people of G-d is a
remnant within the "rabble." Not all Israel is Israel. The royal
idol of Pharaoh was a serpent g-d, a cobra, and the most
important of all Egyptian devils was Apophis represented by a
serpent. Genesis 3 has this in its background since Moses is the
author. The Serpent g-d of this world is being rejected.
Ironically, Moses finds he has a more gruelling challenge in
dealing with the people of G-d than he did with the people of
Pharoah. Nearly stoning him, they crave the sensual delights of
their former life of slavery, not realizing that these will
bring
upon themselves the evil diseases of Egypt (see Exodus 15 and
Deuteronomy 7). The murmurers are always yearning to get out of
the ministry and have a "normal life." Doubting that G-d can
furnish a table in the wilderness" (Psalm 78:19), many fail to
endure to the end and be saved.
As we see in the Servant Songs of Isaiah, both Israel and
Moshiach are G-d's first-born Son (see Exodus 4:23; Psalm
89:27).
They are both the "seed" of Abraham, but Isaiah 53 says that
Moshiach makes atonement for the people. "For the transgression
of my people was he stricken" (Isa. 53:8). We see much typology
of Moshiach in Exodus: the Pesach lamb chavurah meal (with blood
protection for covenant-keepers), the manna "test of obedience"
meals (teaching not to "gather" faithlessly in the flesh but to
wait on the L-rd and trust in the L-rd's providence and his
provision), and the legislation about strangers and outsiders
needing to be consecrated in the covenant initiation of
circumcision to partake of Pesach, as well as the sections on
the
Zekenim eating and drinking with G-d.
Exodus 36:2 speaks of the artists G-d used to make His worship
beautiful and acceptable to Him (see also Ex. 35:10-19;
35:30-36:7). If the worshipers sacrificing and meeting G-d at
the MISHKAN are a prophetic foreshadow or type of the people of
G-d, then each KEHILLAH should have its artisans and artists
today to coordinate and embellish the gifts and talents that
each
worshipper is prompted by his own heart to bring to G-d's
service. In Exodus we see the leaders coordinating the arts and
the artistic contributions of the people for the esthetic
enhancement of worship. It's important to remember that
Solomon's Beis Hamikdash and other artistic achievements of
great
beauty (such as the Bible itself as a literary achievement) are
used by G-d to attract the heathen to come and taste and see
that
the L-rd is good. No Brit Chadasha kehillah should underestimate
the power of the arts in attracting outsiders.
Exodus chps. 35-40 tells about the building of the mishkan (a
type of portable royal pavilion-palace for G-d to dwell in as
His
people travelled with Him toward the Promised Land of new life).
The fire and cloud (Ex. 40:34-38) associated with it from the
time of its completion are a sign that G-d indeed dwells there.
At the end of Deuteronomy we find Moses, old and ready to die
and
yet not entering the promised land. G-d had almost killed him
once before (possibly in a deadly illness) over the mitzvah of
Bris Milah (circumcision) [Ex. 4:26]. In the book of Exodus we
learn about many Jewish matters of importance: the L-rd calls
Himself the Elohei Ha'Ivrim (G-d of the Hebrews) (7:16); the
L-rd
gives the prohibition on travel and fire-building on Shabbos
(16:29-30; 35:3); the testing of Moses occurs (compare Ex. 17
and
Num. 20); we see the Amalek (17:14) people over whom King Saul
got in trouble for not killing their king (I Sam. 15:8), There
are other important themes. The people of G-d are called to be a
malchut of kohenim and a holy nation (19:6). The reverential
glory attached to the ministry is seen in the striking
ceremonies
and clothing of the kohanim (28:40-43). We see the trumpet or
shofar and catch its esohatological significance (see 19:13,16
and I Thes. 4:16).
The Aseret haDibrot which form the basis of all other laws in
the
Bible are introduced (20:1-17). A depiction of G-d's nature is
given to us (34:6-7). The fear of the L-rd is seen as a
preventative against sin (20:20). The redemption price of a
slave
is thirty shekels of silver (see Zech. 11:12 and Matt. 26:15;
27:3,9). The typology of Moses the Judge points to Moshiach the
Judge, since, to come before such a Judge means to come before
G-d (see 22:9); the Angel (Messenger) of the L-rd will have the
Name or Presence of G-d in Him and will be virtually the
equivalent of the L-rd Himself and therefore a picture of Mal.
3:1--see Ex. 23:20-21.
The reason for the Holy War In the Holy Lend concerns the seven
indigenous peoples there who were made Charem (devoted under the
ban of destruction--Ex.23:32-33).
Much of this book is taken up with the detailed plans for
building the Mishkan as an acceptable place for G-d to dwell and
be met by His people. In fact it is called Ohel Mo'ed the tent
of
meeting." Notice the fulfillment that comes with serving the
L-rd
there. "The Israelites had done all of the work just as the L-rd
had commanded Moses. When Moses saw that they had done all the
work just as the L-rd had commanded, he blessed them" (Ex.
39:42-43).
On Moses' authorship, see 24:4,7 which says "Moses wrote down
all
the words of the L-rd"..and read from "the Sefer HaBrit (Book of
the Covenant)." On the other "book," the Sefer HaChayyim,
referred to elsewhere in Scripture, see Ex. 32:33.
The Moshiach is Immanuel ("G-d-with-us"), the Word of G-d (G-d's
Wisdom, His Son) who descended from heaven to Mount Sinai to
dwell "with us" in the Devir (Kodesh HaKodeshim) of the
Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, where G-d pitches His Royal
Pavilion among His people and can only be approached with
Biblically specified blood sacrifice acceptably mediated.
The temporary Tent of Meeting that Moses set up before the
tabernacle was erected is mentioned in Ex. 33:11.
EXODUS 3:13
And Moses said unto G-d, Behold, when I come unto the children
of
Israel, and shall say unto them, The G-d of your fathers hath
sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name?
what shall I say unto them?
EXODUS 3:14
And G-d said unto Moses, I AM WHO I AM: and he said, Thus shalt
thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
EXODUS 25:40
And see that thou make them after their pattern, which was shown
thee on the mountain.
Isn't it time to come back 
