There
was silence as Moshe and his brother Aharon approached the throne
room. Only the echo of their footsteps could
be heard against the sound of their breathing as they climbed
the huge and lofty staircase.
These stairs would lead them to the land’s most powerful
person. At the
top of the incline were two huge wooden and gold inlay doors
that were open before them.
Armed guards were posted at both sides, yet they walked
right through the opening and stepped into a huge hallway.
The mysterious hall was aflame
with torches held by detailed statues. These statues were spaced with what looked
like tables along the walls.
These were no ordinary statues though. The figures were each a different depiction
of the various gods of Egypt.
And these weren’t just tables that spaced them out – they
were altars for making sacrifices.
Egypt was full of false gods and this room seemed to house
them all. This was not just Pharaoh’s throne room;
it was a place of worship, a sanctuary to all the evil of the
land. The farther Moshe and Aharon walked the
more they realized that the room rose in elevation until they
were led to one final altar and one final god – it was Pharaoh
himself.
Moshe and Aharon both took
deep breaths as they approached the king of Egypt. They had a radical message to take to
the ruler. Nevertheless,
it had to be done. The
Almighty had spoken to Moshe and now Moshe had to speak to Pharaoh. With butterflies in his stomach and a
frog in his throat, Moshe began to speak.
His brother also presented the Israelite case before Pharaoh. Their message was simple and their message
was heard. “Here
is what Yahweh the Mighty One, the Elohim of Israel, says “Let
my people go so that they can celebrate a festival in the desert
to me,” Shemot 5:1.
These powerful words fell
on silence and Pharaoh shifted in his huge throne. He was definitely uncomfortable with this
message. His eyes
seemed to dart wildly from side to side.
They seemed to be looking for something or someone. His face moved as he looked at his statues,
as he looked at his gods.
Perhaps he was searching for an altar to “Yahweh” but he
could not find it. Then,
almost without a sound Pharaoh stood and spoke with a booming
voice, “Who is Yahweh that I should obey when he says to let Israel
go? I don’t know
Yahweh, and I also won’t let Israel go.”
Pharaoh knows well the gods of Mitzrayim
(Egypt). Yet he does
not know or recognize the Elohim of Israel.
Pharaoh doesn’t know Yahweh so Pharaoh doesn’t obey Yahweh.
Even today a distorted view
of Father Yahweh leads man to disobedience to His word and rebellion
against his ways. To
answer Pharaoh’s question (and maybe yours) let’s look to the
events of this week’s parasha.
Just who is the Elohim of Israel?
The answers might surprise you.
He is an Elohim
to be feared
Early on in this portion Pharaoh
instructed the midwives of Egypt to kill the children of the Hebrews
if a boy was being born.
Yet, the Torah states that the midwives disobeyed the ruler
of Egypt because they feared Elohim.
Fear, or deep respect, for Yahweh will lead to obedience
to Yahweh. And obedience always leads to blessing.
Evidently the midwives feared Elohim more than they feared
Pharaoh. Their defiance to a ruler of this world
brought blessing from the Ruler of the universe.
Fear though is a tricky thing.
Fear of Elohim leads to profit but fear of man leads to
bondage. If you fear something or someone
then this emotion could lead you to act irrationally or be scared
of events. For example,
Pharaoh was motivated by fear to kill the Hebrews.
The Talmud says that astrologers had warned Pharaoh that
a savior was to be born to Israel soon.
This caused Pharaoh to be afraid of what could happen in
the future. So in response to his fear of man Pharaoh
sought to kill off all possible boys who could grow and become
the Redeemer that was prophesied.
The midwives preserved the lives of the Hebrew boys because
they feared or respected Yahweh.
Fear of man leads death while fear of Yahweh leads to life.
When the Elohim of Israel is feared, actions of righteousness
are performed and blessings come.
He is an Elohim
Who hears prayers
“During that
long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in
their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of
their slavery went up to Elohim.
Elohim heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant
with Avraham, with Yitz’chak and with Ya’acov.
So Elohim looked on the Israelites and was concerned about
them,” Shemot 2:23-25.
The Israelites
prayed for many years about their slavery.
They groaned about their harsh conditions. Yahweh heard their prayer and responded.
He listened and He answered.
The Elohim of Israel hears prayer and responds.
Nothing else needs to be said.
He is Elohim of
the mountain
In
this parasha the burning bush is set aflame atop Mount Horev. This peak is also called Sinai and the
“mountain of Elohim” throughout the scriptures. This is the mountain where Yahweh reveals
himself to Moshe. He
tells Moshe that Israel will assemble at this very place to worship
as a nation freed from bondage and slavery.
Consequently it is here, on the mountain of Elohim that
the Torah is given to Moshe.
Mount Horev is a place of worship, a place of holiness,
it is a place of Yahweh. Here the “the glory of Yahweh was like
devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children
of Israel,” Shemot 24:17.
Many Bible teachers also agree that it was on Horev that
Yahshua’s transfiguration took place, thus revealing the glory
of Yahweh Yahshua. You
see, mountain peaks are very important to the message of the Bible.
Much of the Messiah’s ministry and life took place on mountaintops. The mountain is a place where man can
do aliyah or ascension to meet with Yahweh.
“Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to
the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the Elohim of Ya’acov. He will teach us his ways, so that we
may walk in his paths.”
The Torah will go out from Zion, the word of Yahweh from
Jerusalem,” says Micah 4:2. The mountain is a place of meeting for
instruction from Yahweh.
On
these high peaks Moshe was instructed to go to Pharaoh, Torah
was given to Israel, and Yahshua delivered the “sermon on the
Mount.” The mountain of Elohim is where Yahweh
is revealed as teacher.
It is where man goes up and Yahweh comes down and life
is forever changed. Notice the eternal pattern here – man
goes up and Yahweh comes down.
The
Elohim of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’acov
“Then
he said, “I am the Elohim of your father, the Elohim of Avraham,
the Elohim of Yitzchak, and the Elohim of Ya’acov.” At this, Moshe
hid his face, because he was afraid to look at Elohim,” Shemot
3:6. It is here that
this eternal phrase of the patriarchal name is first used.
The mighty one of Israel is the Elohim of Elohim of Avraham,
Yitzchak, and Ya’acov.
For
Moshe each name must have brought to mind how Yahweh had interacted
with these patriarchs in times gone by.
For us this title should still do the same.
Yahweh is a personal Elohim.
He appeared and related personally to the founding fathers
of the faith. He
called out to Avraham, He appeared to Yitzchak, and He wrestled
with Ya’acov. “Like the patriarchs each person should
believe in Yahweh on the basis of personal investigation, not
merely tradition,” says the classic Jewish book “Etz Yosef.”
As Father Yahweh He was with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’acov
He was with Moshe. And
is with us today.
This
name is also a direct reference to the resurrection power of Yahweh. Yahshua quoted the Torah and said, “But
about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what Elohim
said to you, ‘I am the Elohim of Avraham, the Elohim of Yitz’chak,
and the Elohim of Ya’acov? He is not the Elohim of the dead but
of the living.” You see Avraham was dead yet Yahweh is
the Elohim of Avraham. Just
as He was, and Is, and Is to come Yahweh is the Elohim of Avraham,
Yitz’chak, and Ya’acov.
The
Elohim Whose name is Yahweh
When
you meet someone, usually the first thing you do is tell that
person your name. Next you hear them tell you theirs. When a name is exchanged a bond is made.
Well, the Elohim of Israel has a personal name.
This designation is to be remembered forever and used for
all eternity. When a person calls on the name of Yahweh
a bond is made and blessings abound. “Anyone who calls on the name of Yahweh
will be saved,” says the scriptures.
“Elohim also
said to Moshe, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘YHVH, the Elohim of your
fathers—the Elohim of Avraham, the Elohim of Yitzchak and the
Elohim of Ya’cov—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever,
the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation,’”
Shemot 3:14. Most English Bibles render “YHVH” as the
“L/rd” yet this is hardly what was told to Moshe thousands of
years ago. What was spoken to him was four Hebrew
letters that mirror the verb form of “to be.” These four letters are “yod-heh-vav-hey”
or “YHVH.” This is
THE name of the creator.
“Yahweh” is found over 6800 times throughout the scriptures
hidden behind the capitalized term “Lord” in English Bibles. The Jewish Publication Society says, “YHVH
was probably pronounced “Yahweh,” but in Second Temple times,
as an expression of reverence Jews began to avoid uttering it,
substituting “Adonai” and other surrogates.”
Why though would the Creator of the Universe reveal His
name to Moshe, tell Moshe to use it, and command it to be used
for all generations if He wanted to be called something different?
The Elohim of Israel is Yahweh.
Moshe used His name and so should we.
Who
is Yahweh?
Much
more can be discovered about Yahweh in this weekly Torah account. Just a little reading will discover that
He is the Elohim of worship, the Elohim of miracles and wonders,
and the Elohim of Israel.
What also takes place in this parasha is the defiance of
Pharaoh. Remember
that is was Pharaoh who declared “Who is Yahweh that I should
obey when he says to let Israel go?
I don’t know Yahweh, and I also won’t let Israel go.” This trap of rebellion is easy to fall
in if you don’t become acquainted with the truth about the Elohim
of Israel.
The
events that followed the dramatic conversation between Moshe and
Pharaoh occurred to respond to that simple question.
The miracles, the plagues, and even the exodus are answers
to Pharaoh’s query. A battle is beginning between the “gods”
of Mitzrayim and the Elohim of Israel.
The god of the Nile, the sun, the animals, and the god
of Pharoah will soon be triumphed over. Pharaoh will finally obey Yahweh and let
Israel go. This will
occur when Pharaoh at long last understands that Yahweh is THE
Elohim of the Universe.
Honestly
though, it is hard to obey someone you don’t know.
Many people don’t obey the commandments of the Torah because
they don’t understand the Elohim of the Torah.
So, get to know Father Yahweh.
Times of deception are now ending with the restoration
of all things. This
restoration includes a proper understanding and knowledge of Yahweh
the Almighty. Discover in this parasha and
throughout scripture just Who Yahweh is.
When you do you’ll be amazed, humbled, and led to obedience.
