I'm sorry about the lack of a post last week ... there was some miscommunication about who was going to write it and it did not get done at all!
The Torah this week is Exodus 13:17–17:16 and the Haftarah is Judges 4:4–5:31.
This portion has so much in it - especially the Haftarah! The story of Deborah and Barak and Yael is quite an exciting one. I think it is also one that is often misunderstood or misconstrued (specifically, Deborah's part) and I'd love to share more of my thoughts on that, but for now I'm going to stick with the Exodus passage.
Of course, this is a very exciting portion too with so much happening, but one of the main things that stood out to me is this:
Think about all the incredible miracles that Israel experienced ... the ten plagues in Egypt ... crossing the Red Sea ... Pharaoh and his chariots being destroyed ... the bitter water made sweet ... quail and manna for the people to eat ... a victorious battle with Amalek, due to Moses's hands being raised all day long ...
But what keeps happening? The children of Israel reacted over and over again in fear, grumbling and complaining. For some reason, when I read the story of the exodus and events that took place shortly thereafter, I can't imagine having doubts. I mean, if I saw YHWH divide the sea right in front of my eyes and bring water out of a rock that was hit with a stick, it seems that I could trust Him for anything. But is that really the case? If I were a part of the children of Israel, how would I have responded?
In 1 Corinthians 10:1-12, we read about the different ways in which the children of Israel sinned and verse 11-12 say, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
We need to learn from the example of Israel in the wilderness. Hebrews 3:8-12 says, "Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."
It is a scary thing to have a hard heart. Look at what happened to the Egyptians because of Pharaoh's hard heart. I do not want to harden my heart against YHWH in any way, but to always be pliable so that I can be molded into His image.
YHWH works in miraculous ways! (Kinda reminds of the line in that old movie Sergeant York ... "the Lord sure does move in mysterious ways!") Have you experienced His hand in a supernatural way? I know that our family has and besides that, we can read so many Scriptural accounts of His incredible power. So why do we worry about little things? Look at the way He cared for the children of Israel, keeping them safe from their enemies and providing for their needs. If we serve the God who could divide the sea to allow hundreds of thousands of people to cross on dry land, and then brought it back together to destroy their enemies ... why can't we trust Him in the itty-bitty, nitty-gritty, every day details of life?!
When we look at the experiences of the children of Israel, I think there is a tendency to think, "Look at everything YHWH did for them and they still didn't trust and believe Him!" In Hebrews 3 and 1 Corinthians 10, we are being encouraged to examine ourselves. After all, we serve the same God and He cares for us just as He cared for them. He is our provider and protector ... are we fully trusting and believing Him?
Let me close with two verses ...
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Hebrews 3:13
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
May YHWH bless all of you as you continue this journey of trusting, believing and following His incredible and wonderful plan for your life!
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