Wow… I’m still studying Torah Portion Bo and now I have to write a Part Two. There is so much going on here in this portion!!!
In this portion we have the command to keep the Pesach (Passover) as a memorial. First I looked up the meaning of Pesach, Gesenius gives a telling definition…
I’ll just recount my thoughts as I read through this section.
Exodus 12:1 – 2 YHWH said to Moshe and to Aharon in the land of Egypt, saying: Let this New-Moon be for you the beginning of New-Moons, the beginning-one let it be for you of the New-Moons of the year.
THIS makes sense. It is spring, the beginning of the Creator’s calendar, when live begins anew and rebirth is seen everywhere in nature. Last week I wrote about the Gregorian Calendar New Year and how Out of Sync I feel with it. I look forward to the day when our calendars match His calendar (His appointed times, His Holy Appointments).
Exodus 12:3 Speak to the entire community of Israel, saying: On the tenth day after this New-moon they are to take them, each-man, a lamb, according to their Fathers’ House, a lamb per household.
Exodus 12:4 Now if there be too few in the house for a lamb, he is to take (it), he and his neighbor who is near his house, by the computation according to the (total number of) persons; each-man according to what he can eat you are to compute for the lamb.
Exodus 12:5 A wholly-sound male, year-old lamb shall be yours, from the sheep and from the goats are you to take it.
Exodus 12:6 It shall be for you in safekeeping, until the fourteenth day after this New-moon, and they are to slay it-the entire assembly of the community of Israel-between the setting-times.
Exodus 12:7 They are to take some of the blood and put it onto the two posts and onto the lintel, onto the houses in which they eat it.
Exodus 12:8 They are to eat the flesh on that night, roasted in fire, and matzot, with bitter-herbs they are to eat it.
Exodus 12:9 Do not eat any of it raw, or boiled, boiled in water, but rather roasted in fire, its head along with its legs, along with its innards.
Exodus 12:10 You are not to leave any of it until morning; what is left of it until morning, with fire you are to burn.
Exodus 12:11 And thus you are to eat it: your hips girded, your sandals on your feet, your sticks in your hand; you are to eat it in trepidation- it is a Passover-meal to YHVH.
Exodus 12:12 I will proceed through the land of Egypt on this night and strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man to beast, and on all the gods of Egypt I will render judgment, I, YHVH.
Exodus 12:13 Now the blood will be a sign for you upon the houses where you are: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, the blow will not become a bringer-of-ruin to you, when I strike down the land of Egypt.
This one may be hard to reconcile… but a dear friend of mine helped me walk through this section, so I’m going to present it and maybe you can study it out. What was the blood on the door for? Remission of their sins? NO! Blood on the door was for protection of the first born. How did you get this protection? Obedience… by slaughtering the lamb and putting the blood on the door posts. Study this one out. So much more there!
Exodus 12:14 This day shall be for you a memorial, you are to celebrate it as a pilgrimage-celebration for YHVH, throughout your generations, as a law for the ages you are to celebrate it!
What is a pilgrimage feast? These are feasts that are commanded for all the males to travel to Jerusalem to worship Abba.
Exodus 23:14 Three times you are to hold pilgrimage for me, every year.
Exodus 23:15 The Pilgrimage-Festival of matzot you are to keep: for seven days you are to eat matzot, as I commanded you, at the appointed-time of the New-moon of Ripe-grain- for in it you went out of Egypt, and no one is to be seen before my presence empty-handed;
Exodus 23:16 and the Pilgrimage-festival of the Cutting, of the firstlings of your labor, of what you sow in the field; and the Pilgrimage-festival of Ingathering, at the going-out of the year, when you gather in your labor’s (harvest) from the field.
Exodus 23:17 At three points in the year are all your males to be seen before the presence of the Lord, YHVH.
We are told that these same feasts will continue in the New Jerusalem (His Kingdom) and we are told if we DON’T go, we will experience drought! And notice it is even for the nations that came against Israel… so you know it applies to us if it applies to them!
Zec 14:16 And it shall come to pass that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
Zec 14:17 And it shall be, whosoever will not come up of all the families of the earth to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there shall be no rain upon them.
Now, let’s return to Exodus 12:14 for a moment.
Exodus 12:14 This day shall be for you a memorial, you are to celebrate it as a pilgrimage-celebration for YHVH, throughout your generations, as a law for the ages you are to celebrate it!
We need to look up “law”.
statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed
This is not a suggestion, but a law. Why are we no longer keeping Abba’s feasts? These are not “Jewish” feasts, they are Abba’s feasts. He commanded these and they are continuing in the New Jerusalem, His Kingdom. So why do we think they don’t apply to believers today? Look at where this specific word “law” is used throughout scripture. Especially study Psalms.
And if you question if this applies to us because we are not Jewish… read this
Exodus 12:19 For seven days, no leaven is to be found in your houses, for whoever eats what ferments, that person shall be cut off from the community of Israel, whether sojourner or native of the land.
What is a sojourner?
Brown Driver Briggs’ Definition for sojourner:
1a) a temporary inhabitant, a newcomer lacking inherited rights
1b) of foreigners in Israel, though conceded rights
So this law applied to both the natives of the land (Israelites) and to foreigners. But not only that…. We are grafted into Israel and no longer foreigners… so that means that even if it didn’t apply to foreigners, it still would apply to us because we are no longer considered foreigners.
Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
I personally love the Complete Jewish Bible, so I am going to post that translation below:
11 Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth – called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised – 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el.You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God. 13But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood. 14 For he himself is our shalom – he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah which divided us 15 by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, 16 and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity. 17 Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby, b 18 news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s family.
So, in my opinion, if you are going to claim your place as part of His family, you also have to recognize this part of who we are now too. We are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel. Another word we need to look up from Ephesians 2:12.
Thayers’ Definition of commonwealth
1) the administration of civil affairs
2) a state or commonwealth
3) citizenship, the rights of a citizen
See, we are now part of HIS Kingdom and as a citizen of His Kingdom we now have His laws and rules to live by. Just like if you are an American citizen you have laws to live by here in America.
I have written this to show you another reason why we are Messianic. These are my words…. however, you should not take my word for it (or anyone’s for that matter)… read it for yourself. Leave your doctrine at the door and pray for God to reveal His heart to you via the Holy Spirit as you study His Word. I hope you will study this out and that it will be a blessing for you and your family!
If you are enjoying this series, here is part three.
Shalom, Shalom!
Just as good as part 1. Thank you!