VA’ERA “I appeared”

TORAH: Exodus 6:2-9:35HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 28:25

B’RIT CHADASHAH: Romans 9:14-33All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

For Today and understanding the days to come

FROM BAD TO WORSE

And Mosheh returned to יהוה and said, “יהוה, why have You done evil to this people? Why did You send me? “For ever since I came to

Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil to this people. And You have not delivered Your people at all.” (Exodus 5:22-23)

MY NAMEAnd יהוה said to Mosheh, “Now see what I do to Pharaoh, for with a strong hand he is going to let them go, and with a strong hand he is

going to drive them out of his land.” And Elohim spoke to Mosheh and said to him, “I am יהוה. “And I appeared to Abraham, to Yitshaq, and to

Yaʽaqob, as Ěl Shaddai. And by My Name, יהוה, was I not known to them? (Exodus 6:1-3)

This name is used over 6000 times in the Bible!

SHEMOT 6:3And Elohim spoke to Mosheh and said to him, “I am יהוה. (Exodus 6:2).

“Va‟era el Avraham el Yitzaq va‟el Ya‟aqob b‟ El Shaddai va‟shemee YHVH le‟ah n‟adahtee la‟hem.”

“And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzaq, and to Ya‟aqob, as El Shaddai. And by My Name, YHVH, was I not known to them?”

EQUALS FAITHFUL יהוה

“And I appeared to Abraham, to Yitshaq, and to Yaʽaqob, as Ěl Shaddai. And by My Name, יהוה, was I

not known to them? (Exodus 6:3)

• And He said to him, “I am יהוה, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” (Genesis 15:7)

• And see, יהוה stood above it and said, “I am יהוה Elohim of Abraham your father and the Elohim of Yitshaq. The land on which you are lying, I give it to you and your seed. (Genesis 28:13)

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EL SHADDAI“El Shaddai” literally translates as

“El” (Elohim, Mighty One, The Almighty) “Shaddai” (His Shad, Breast or Nursing is Dai, Enough).

El Shaddai (God the All Sufficient) reveals the maternal quality of God’s character as nurturer, comforter, and sustainer of life-giving nourishment, since it relates to the Hebrew word for a woman’s breast. You could say that in and by His Mightiness He sustains us.

REVEALED יהוה• – appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Ěl Shaddai יהוה ..

walk before Me and be perfect. “And I give My covenant between Me and you, and shall greatly increase you.” (Genesis 17:1-2)

• To Jacob: And Elohim said to him, “I am Ěl Shaddai. Bear fruit and increase, a nation and a company of nations shall be from you, and sovereigns come from your body. (Genesis 35:11)

“And I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Kenaʽan, the land of their sojournings, in which they have sojourned. (Exodus 6:4)

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?And afterwards Mosheh and Aharon went in and said to

Pharaoh, “Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Let My people go, so that they keep a festival to Me in the wilderness.’ ” And Pharaoh said, “Who is יהוה, that I should obey His voice to let Yisra’ĕl go?

I do not know יהוה, nor am I going to let Yisra’ĕl go.” (Exodus 5:1-2)

The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

(Exo 3:15)

denotes His characteristics of “chesed” (loving-kindness) יהוהand “rachamim” (mercies).

will answer Moses dilemma with a speech that is awesome in its יהוהliterary structure. Here are some of the extraordinary details of the Hebrew text:• The first and second halves of the speech each contain exactly 50

Hebrew words• (B) and (B1) are about the patriarchs• (C) and (C1) are about the land• (D) and (D1) are about Egypt and slavery• The first half is about the past, the second half is about the future• The first half refers to the Israelites in the third person (them)• The second half refers to the Israelites in the second person (you)• I am יהוה– Beginning, centre, and the end of the speech

ANSWER יהוה

ANSWER יהוה A:“I am ( .6:2יהוה)

B: appeared to Abraham, to Yitshaq, and to Yaʽaqob, as Ěl Shaddai. And by My Name, יהוה, was I not known to them? (6:3)

C: And I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Kenaʽan, in which they have sojourned. (6:4)

D: And I have also heard the groaning of Yisra’ĕl whom the Mitsrites are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant. (6:5)

E: Therefore, to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘I am ( ,6:6יהוה)

D1: and I shall bring you out from under the burdens of the Mitsrites, and shall deliver you from their enslaving, and shall redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments, and shall take you as My people, and I shall be your Elohim. And you shall know that I am יהוה your Elohim who is bringing you out from under the burdens of the Mitsrites. (6:6-7)

C1: ‘And I shall bring you into the land which I swore to give (6:8)B1: to Abraham, to Yitshaq, and to Yaʽaqob, to give it to you as an inheritance.

A1: I am (6:8).’ ” יהוה

I WILL "Therefore, say to the people of Isra'el: 'I am Adonai. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians, rescue you from their oppression, and

redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am

Adonai your God, who freed you from the forced labor of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya`akov — I will give it to you as your inheritance. I am Adonai.' " (Exodus

6:6-8 CJB)The first four “I wills” of Exodus 6:6–7 are central to the Passover (Pesach) Seder. The four cups in the Passover Seder represent the four I wills that :declares over Israel יהוה1. “I will bring you out” is represented in the Cup of Sanctification2. “I will rid you out of their bondage” is represented in the Cup of

Deliverance3. “I will redeem you” is represented in the Cup of Redemption4. “I will take you to me” is represented in the Cup of Praise or

Completion. This last cup is marriage language. He is taking Israel to be his bride.

REDEMPTION1. The exchange of one thing (money or blood) for something else (the

sins of Israel) must occur. This is expressed in the phrase, “I will redeem you.” Through the shed blood of the Passover lamb, יהוה redeemed Israel from the power and penalty of sin, which is death (Ezek 18:4; Rom 6:23, 1 Peter 1:18-19)

2. Redemption involves the use of power to extricate that which is being redeemed (in this case, Israel) from that which is holding it captive or enslaved (i.e., the world, sin and the devil as pictured by Pharaoh and Egypt). This is expressed in the phrase, “with an outstretched arm.” Deut 26:8; Jer 21:5; 27:5 (Eph 1:19)

3. Redemption involves judgment upon and or destruction of the captor. This is expressed in the phrase, “and with great judgments.”

RENEWED COVENANTThe Renewed Covenant has “I wills” from יהוה as well:

“See, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when I shall make a new covenant with the house of Yisra’ĕl and with the house of Yehudah, not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares יהוה. “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts,

and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. “And no longer shall they teach, each one his neighbour,

and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know יהוה,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares יהוה.

“For I shall forgive their crookedness, and remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

COMING OF יהושע“As in the days when you came out of the land of Mitsrayim, I

shall let him see wonders.” (Micah 7:15)

LISTENAnd Mosheh spoke thus to the children of Yisra’ĕl, but they did not

listen to Mosheh, because of shortness of spirit, and from hard slavery. (Exodus 6:9)

1. Because of “kotzer” (Strong’s #7115) meaning “impatient”, from the root word katsar which means “to shorten”. The word used for “spirit” here is “Ruach” (Strong’s #7307) meaning “spirit” or “breath”.

2. “hard bondage”. The Hebrew word translated here as “hard” is “kasheh” (Strong’s #7186) meaning “hard” or “stiff-necked”. Describing the Children of Israel in Exodus 32:9, 33:3, 33:5, 34:9, Deuteronomy 9:6, 9:13, 31:27 and Judges 2:19. The word “slavery” “abodah” (Strong’s #5656) meaning “work”, “labour” or “service”.

ATTACHED TO THE CAPTORExodus 6:9 DHV “And Moshe spoke these words to the Children of Yisra’el, but they did not “hear and obey‟ Moshe, because they were ”impatient‟ of “spirit‟ and “stiff-necked‟ in their “service‟.”

LEVIThese are the names of the sons of Lĕwi according to their generations:

Gĕreshon, and Qehath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Lĕwi were one hundred and thirty-seven. ..And Amram took for himself Yokebed, his father’s sister, as wife. And she bore him Aharon and

Mosheh. And the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven. (Exodus 6:16-20)

Levi (Strong’s #3878) means “joined to” as in “at the heart”. His sons Gereshon (#1648), meaning “exile”, Qehath (#6955) meaning “assembly” and Merari (#4847) meaning “bitter herbs”. Levi lived 137 years. The gematria of Levi’s lifespan matches that of the word “matseva” which means “monument”. Levi (137 years), his tribe is to be a monument for us and for all time. That he is “joined in heart” to the “exiled assembly” and eats the “bitter herbs” of our slavery with us. Here we see a picture of Levi’s destiny to teach Ephraim in these last days.

THE SONSThe sons of Gereshon (sons of exile):• “Libni” (#3845) meaning “white”. • “Shim‟i” (8096) meaning “renown” or “known”, from “sh‟ma”

meaning “hear and obey”. The sons of Qehath (the assembly) who lived 133 years; • “Amram” (#6019) meaning “exalted people”, • “Yitshar” (#3323 & 3324) meaning “shining oil” or “anointed”, • “Hebron” (2275) meaning “joining” or “conjunction” and • “Uzzi‟el” (#5816) meaning “my strength is Elohim”. ..The numeric value of 133 matches the letters “Nun-Gimmel-Lamed” which, depending on how they are arranged mean “to stumble” or “to smite”, “to hide” and “to come out” or “sprout”. The sons of Merari (bitter herbs), which are; • “Mahli” (#4249) meaning “sick” and • “Mushi” (#4187) meaning “yielding” as in “tested and surrendered”

MEANING BEHIND THEIR NAMESWe see in the names of his sons that:1. The “sons of exile” can (if willing) be made “white” and “known”

by יהוה, if they “hear and obey” Him. 2. The “sons of the assembly” are “exalted people”, “anointed” with

“shining oil” or Ruach HaKodesh, and are “joined” together in “Elohim, their strength”.

3. That though they “stumbled” and were “smitten” by Elohim and were “hidden”, they will “come out” and in fact “sprout” as written in Hosea 2:23; “And I shall sow her for Myself in the earth, and I shall have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion. And I shall say to those who were not My people, “You are My people,‟ while they say, “My Elohim!‟

4. Though the “sons of the bitter herbs” are “sick” from the sin and slavery, they will be “tried and surrendered” to יהוה and will be “yielded” vessels to Him.

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UNCIRCUMCISED MOUTHAnd Mosheh said before יהוה, “See, I am of uncircumcised lips, and

why would Pharaoh listen to me?” (Exodus 6:30)

1. “arel” means “uncircumcised” or “one who stammers as with a foreskin over his lips” or

2. “one who has a foreskin on his ears and cannot receive divine instruction”. This is where the phrase “uncircumcised heart” also comes from. Now, “saphah” means “speech” or “lip”, as in the “lip”, “rim” or “border” of a vessel.

s words in Matthew: And calling the crowd near, He said to’יהושעthem, “Hear and understand: “Not that which goes into the mouth defiles the man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” (Matthew 15:10-11)

MOSES AS GOD

So יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I have made you an elohim to Pharaoh, and Aharon your brother is your prophet. (Exodus 7:1)

WHEN PHARAOH SPEAKS

And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ ..

MAGICIANSIn the story of Joseph and the dreams of Pharaoh, it was the magicians who first attempted to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. There are a lot of similarities between the two events. The Hebrew has the advantage over the Egyptian magicians• Something is swallowed

Sheaves and cows in Pharaoh’s dreams A staff in Aaron’s case

• The situation comes about as a result of Pharaoh’s fears The Pharaoh is anxious about his dreams: And it came to be in

the morning that his spirit was moved, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Mitsrayim and all its wise men. And Pharaoh related to them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:8)

The Pharaoh is worried about the Israelites: and he said to his people, “See, the people of the children of Yisra’ĕl are more and stronger than we, ..shall be when fighting befalls us, that they shall join our enemies and fight against us, and shall go up out of the land.” (Exodus 1:9-10)

DANIELAs for these four young men, Elohim gave them knowledge and

skill in all learning and wisdom. And Dani’ĕl had understanding in all visions and dreams. … And in any word of wisdom and

understanding about which the sovereign examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians, the astrologers, who were in all his reign. (Daniel 1:17-20)

“And in the days of these sovereigns the Elah of the heavens shall set up a reign which shall never be destroyed, nor the reign pass on to other people – it crushes and puts to an end all these

reigns, and it shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:44)

ENCOURAGEMENTAnd the great dragon was thrown out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who leads all the world astray. He was thrown to the

earth, and his messengers were thrown out with him. (Revelation 12:9)And he seized the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the Devil and

Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2)

• The sign of the rod – that they would come alive and “swallow up” Egypt! (Egypt is called “tanniyn” (serpent and crocodile) in Isaiah 51:9, Ezra 29:3 and Ezra 32:2.)

• The sign of the leprous hand – their Elohim could heal any disease

• The sign of the Nile turning to blood – the Nile, also seen as a god, was the life of Egypt. When it turned to blood, the Egyptians would have seen it as the death of a god.

SERPENTSo Mosheh and Aharon went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as

commanded. And Aharon threw his rod before Pharaoh and יהוהbefore his servants, and it became a serpent. But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the practisers of witchcraft. And they, the magicians of Mitsrayim, also did so with their magic. And

they, each one, threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But the rod of Aharon swallowed up their rods. (Exodus 7:10-12)

“serpent” - “tanniyn”, (Strong’s #8577) used in verses 9, 10 and 12. Tanniyn is translated as “serpent” or “crocodile”. In verse 15 “nachash” - literally means “shining one” because it resembles burnished metal. “Nachash” is the root word in “nekhoshet” (bronze or copper).

WATER INTO BLOODAnd Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to

them, as יהוה had said. ..” And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, “Say to Aharon, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the

waters of Mitsrayim, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they become

blood. And there shall be blood in all the land of Mitsrayim, both in wooden and in stone containers.’ ..(Exodus 7:13-25)

FROGS.. I am smiting all your border with frogs. “And the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and shall come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants, .. and the frogs shall come up on you

and on your people and on all your servants.” ’ ..(Exodus 8:2-5)

FROGSRevelation 16:13-14: And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as frogs, for they are spirits of demons, doing signs, which go out to the sovereigns of the entire world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of יהוה the Almighty.

PINCHING LICE..‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it becomes

gnats in all the land of Mitsrayim.’ ” And they did so, and Aharon stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became

gnats on man and beast. ..The magicians then said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of Elohim!” But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not

listen to them, as יהוה had said. (Exodus 8:16-19)

FIRST THREE PLAQUESThe Children of Israel went through the first three plagues along with the Egyptians. יהוה was showing Israel that the “Blood” was also important to them. The pictures they saw and experienced in the plagues of the frogs (evil spirits) and the stinging gnats were to show them that if they did not accept His gift of salvation and deliverance, their judgment and punishment would be as that of the nations. NOTE: Pharaoh’s magicians could not duplicate this plague of gnats, or lice. They declared this to be the “Finger of Elohim”. With that “Finger” יהוה wrote the two “tablets of the Testimony” in stone and as יהושע said in “But if I cast out demons by the finger of Elohim, then the reign of Elohim has come upon you. (Luke 11:20)

INSECTS.. “Let My people go, so that they serve Me. .. I am sending

swarms of flies on you and your servants, ..“And I shall put a distinction between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.” ’ .. the land was ruined because of the swarms of

flies. (Exodus 8:20-24)

LIVESTOCK..“Let My people go, so that they serve Me.. the hand of יהוה is on your livestock in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the cattle, and on the sheep – a very grievous

pestilence. ..And יהוה did this word on the next day, and all the livestock of Mitsrayim died, but of the livestock of the children of

Yisra’ĕl, not one died. (Exodus 9:1-6)

BOILS OR BLISTERSAnd יהוה said to Mosheh and Aharon, “Fill your hands with ashes

from a furnace and let Mosheh scatter it toward the heavens before the eyes of Pharaoh. “And it shall become fine dust in all the land of Mitsrayim, and it shall cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast in all the land of Mitsrayim.” ..(Exodus

9:8-12)

KEPT ALIVE TO REVEAL יהוהAnd יהוה said to Mosheh, .. for at this time I am sending all My

plagues unto your heart, and on your servants and on your people, so that you know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. “Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off

from the earth. “And for this reason I have raised you up, in order to show you My power, and in order to declare My Name in all

the earth. (Exodus 9:13-16)

HAILSTORM“See, tomorrow about this time I am causing very heavy hail to

rain down, such as has not been in Mitsrayim, from the day of its founding until now. “And now send, bring your livestock to safety, and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every beast which is found in the field and is not

brought home, and they shall die.” ’ ..... (Exodus 9:18-33)

STAND BEFOREThere was a divine order to how this would happen. We will see that the first nine plagues are divided into three groups of three. The first plague in each group describes a time “in the morning” (baboker) when Moses should “stand” (yatzav) before Pharaoh with his warning:• Plague One (blood) - “Go to Pharaoh in the morning, .. you shall

stand by the river’s bank to meet him. ... (Exodus 7:15)• Plague Four (gnats) - And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Rise early in the

morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water, ... (Exodus 8:20)

• Plague Seven (hail) - And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, .. (Exodus 9:13)

The goal of the first set of three plagues – Prove that He isיהוה

‘Thus said יהוה, “By this you know that I am יהוה. ..(Exodus 7:17)

GO TOIn the second plague of each of the three sets, there is no mention of when (in the morning) or of “standing” before Pharaoh. Instead, we see a different set of common phrases:• Plague Two (frogs) - And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, “Go to Pharaoh and

say to him, ... if you refuse to let them go, see, I am smiting all your border with frogs. (Exodus 8:1-2)

• Plague Five (cattle) And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go in to Pharaoh and speak to him, ....if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, see, the hand of יהוה is on your livestock in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the cattle, and on the sheep – a very grievous pestilence. (Exodus 9:1-3)

• Plague Eight (locusts) - And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go in to Pharaoh, .....if you refuse to let My people go, see, tomorrow I am bringing locusts within your borders. (Exodus 10:1-4)

WITHOUT WARNINGEach of the third plagues in the three sets occurs without any prior warning:• Plague Three (lice): And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Say to Aharon,

‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it becomes gnats in all the land of Mitsrayim.’ ” (Exodus 8:16)

• Plague Six (boils): And יהוה said to Mosheh and Aharon, “Fill your hands with ashes from a furnace and let Mosheh scatter it toward the heavens before the eyes of Pharaoh. “And it shall become fine dust in all the land of Mitsrayim, and it shall cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast in all the land of Mitsrayim.” (Exodus 9:8-9)

• Plague Nine (darkness); And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Stretch out your hand toward the heavens, and let there be darkness over the land of Mitsrayim, even a darkness which is felt.” (Exodus 10:21)

1. FIRST PLAGUEWATERS to BLOOD EXODUS 7:15-17

1. FOURTH PLAGUE of FLIES EXODUS 8:20-22

7. SEVENTHPESTILENCE OF HAIL

EXODUS 9:13-15

2. SECOND PLAGUEFROGS

EXODUS 8:1-4

2. FIFTH PLAGUEMURRAIN

EXODUS 9:1-4

2. EIGHTH PLAGUELOCUSTS

EXODUS 10:1-4

3. THIRD PLAGUEDUST INTO LICE EXODUS 8:16-18

3. SIXTH PLAGUEBOILS

EXODUS 9:8-10

3. NINTH PLAGUE DARKNESS TO BE FELT

EXODUS 10:21-23

EARLY IN THE MORNING

GO TO PHARAOH

NO WARNING GIVEN

1.WHO IS THE LORD? (CHALLENGING GOD'S EXISTENCE) 2.WHY SHOULD I OBEY HIM? (CHALLENGING GOD CONCERNS HIMSELF THE WORLD) 3.WHY LET ISRAEL GO? (CHALLENGING GOD'S ABILITY TO STOP HIM)

I BRING OUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

EXODUS 7:5

I PUT DIVISION BETWEEN MY PEOPLE AND YOUR PEOPLE EXODUS 8:22,23

YOU SHALL BE CUTOFF FROM THE EARTH

EXODUS 9:15

AND ALL OF EGYPT WILL KNOW WHEN . . .

NO DEATHS DEATH OF ANIMALS DEATH OF MEN & BEASTSWARNING GIVEN EXO 4:22/11:4

1O. TENTH PLAGUEDEATH OF ALL FIRSTBORN

EXODUS 11:4-7

THAT ISRAEL MAY KNOW HOWTHELORDPUTSADIFFERENCEBETWEENTHEEGYPTIANSANDISRAEL

each group brings the Egyptians one step closer in coming to know the Hebrew’s Elohim. 1. The aim of the first group of plagues – “in order that you will know

that I am יהוה” has been achieved. It should be added that it was specifically the Egyptians who first needed to be taught about the existence of a transcendental Divine Cause, for – as opposed to other ancient Middle Eastern religions.

2. The second group is meant to prove that not only does יהוה exist, but He is involved in “the land” – in worldly, human affairs, and that He watches over those who fear Him. How can יהוה’s involvement in “the midst of the land,” in worldly affairs, be proven? This set of plagues highlights the distinction – as yet unmentioned – between the Egyptians and the sons of Israel.

3. The third group of plagues gives special expression to the idea that is the only God, for His actions are without precedent in יהוהanything that has ever happened in the world.

HARDENEDAnd Pharaoh saw that the rain, and the hail, and the thunder had ceased, yet he sinned again and he hardened his heart, he and his

servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the children of Yisra’ĕl go, as יהוה had said through Mosheh. (Exodus

9:34-35)Altogether there are three different Hebrew verbs which our translators have rendered by 'harden' or 'hardened' - ka bad, gashah, and khazag. • The first of these, which occurs in Exodus 7:14; 8:15, 32; 9:7 and 34,

is the weakest of the three, and means to be 'dull' or 'heavy', rather than 'to be hard.'

• The second, which appears in Exodus 7:3 and 13:15, is the stronger term, and means 'to be hard', or, in the Hiphil [a form of Hebrew verbs], 'to make hard.‘

• The third has the most intensive sense, implying fixed and stubborn resolution. It occurs in Exodus 4:21; 7:22; 8:19; 9:35; and elsewhere.

END TIMESWe are in the 7000 year today. The 7000 year in scripture is termed: today, “His rest, a Sabbath rest (Hebrews chapter 3-4 etc) the day of the Lord and in that day”. In God’s plan for mankind the Age of Law, the years 2000 to 4000, is when the great Hebrew Torah Sages taught the Torah (God’s teaching and instruction) but did not specifically teach the Messiah. In the Church Age, from the years 4000 to 6000, is when the early Church fathers taught יהושע/Messiah and the Holy Spirit but not the Torah (or the Law/Moses). According to the Biblical Hebrew calendar the year is 5775/2014. There are approximately 271 known missing years, which brings us to the year 6014. In Hebrew understanding, any years passed the 6000 are counted as having entering into the 7000 year. Thus today, we are in the end times, the Age of the Messiah, where Torah and Messiah join together to become one in His people. Since Mount Sinai, there has never been a time like this where the people of יהוה , who are believers in Jesus the Messiah, desire to walk in Torah.

CLEAN AND UNCLEANEzekiel 44:23-24 “And they [teachers: rabbis and pastors] shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.”

CLEAN AND UNCLEANApostle Paul, exhorts us to choose: Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers (a believer who is not faithful to, or dis-believes Yahweh’s plan). For what partnership have righteousness (a believer who is faithful to Yahweh) and lawlessness (a believer who chooses to violate (by unbelief) God’s laws and teach against them)? And what fellowship has light with darkness? And what agreement has Messiah with Beliyaʽal (worthless or wicked)? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever? And what union has the Dwelling Place of Elohim with idols? For you are a Dwelling Place of the living Elohim, as Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among them, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” (Paul quotes Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27.) Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you. (Paul quotes Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34, 41.) “And I shall be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה the Almighty.” (Paul quotes 2 Samuel 7:14.) Having, then, these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting set-apartness in the fear of Elohim. (2 Corinthians 6:14- 7:1)

ISAIAH 66 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me,” declares יהוה, “so your seed and your name shall stand. “And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” declares יהוה. (Isaiah 66:22-23)

VA’ERA “I appeared”

TORAH: Exodus 6:2-9:35HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 28:25

B’RIT CHADASHAH: Romans 9:14-33

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