<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s reading from Parashat Shemot (Shemot \/ Exodus 47:28-50:26<\/span><\/em>) detail the sons of Israel who had come to Egypt.\u00a0 The narrative tells us that Joseph and all of his brothers had passed away and a new king arose in Egypt who did not know Joseph (1:1-7<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 This king of Egypt feared the people of Israel and placed them into slavery (1:9-14<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 It is interesting how, according to Parshiot Miketz, Vayigash, and Vayechi, we are told that the years of blessing were seven, and the years of famine were also seven.\u00a0 We are told in the book of Genesis, that the famine was so great, the people sold all that they had and then finally sold their lives into servitude for food.\u00a0 The introductory to the book of Exodus, we read of Joseph\u2019s death and of a new king in Egypt.\u00a0 According to the Scriptures, this new king placed Israel into slavery being afraid because of their numbers.\u00a0 Why do you think up until this point in time the people did not travel back to the land of Canaan?\u00a0 Did they become complacent in their new found life where they had an abundance of wealth, of food, and a good life in Goshen?<\/p>\n \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05d0<\/strong> Shemot \/ Exodus 1:5-11<\/span><\/em><\/strong> In the previous Parshiot, we are told that the years of blessing and famine was temporal, seven years each.\u00a0 Moshe tells us that Joseph died and a new king arose in Egypt who did not know him.\u00a0 The Scriptures say, \u05d8\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05e2\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05e8\u05b7\u05d1 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05e6\u05d5\u05bc\u05dd \u05de\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b6\u05e0\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc: 1:9 He said to his people, \u2018Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. (NASB)<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 It appears that Pharaoh and his people saw the sons of Israel as being greater in number and stronger than Egypt.\u00a0 As a result of their perception the Scriptures say, this new king placed Israel into slavery out of fear of them.\u00a0 Thinking on these Scriptures, why do you think up until this point in time the people did not return to the land of Canaan following the conclusion of the famine?\u00a0 According to Bereshit \/ Genesis 47:28<\/span><\/em>, Jacob lived 17 years in Egypt before he died, this appears to be a significant amount of time following the famine.\u00a0 Was this simply a matter of their having sold themselves into servitude?\u00a0 The Scriptures tell us that up until this time the people remained free, and it was out of fear Pharaoh placed them into servitude.\u00a0 It seems as if their remaining in the land of Goshen was more a matter of choice rather than being forced to stay.\u00a0 Life was good, the people were prospering, becoming greater in number and stronger then the surrounding peoples.\u00a0 It can be safely assumed that the people had passed down knowledge of the Abrahamic promises, of the land of Canaan, and how the Lord God Almighty worked in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.\u00a0 Did the people become complacent in their relationship with God and in their traditions in the midst of their prosperity? Zephaniah 1:12-18<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Note the state of the men to whom the Lord is speaking.\u00a0 These men are stagnant in spirit meaning they have become complacent in their faith.\u00a0 Those who have become complacent say the Lord will do neither good or evil.\u00a0 These men have prospered greatly and are wealthy; their wealth will become plunder for thieves and robbers.\u00a0 These things are brought into context with the \u201cday of the Lord.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 The prophet says that the day of the Lord is a day of weeping, of wrath, troubles, distress, and destruction.\u00a0 A day of darkness and thick clouds, and of war (e.g. the battle cry).\u00a0 The Lord says that these men will walk about blind because of their sins.\u00a0 It seems that according to these Scriptures, wealth multiplies complacency, and complacency multiplies sins, and sins causes one to become blind to seeking the Lord for help which feeds the mentality of being complacent in one\u2019s faith, walk, and trusting in the Lord.<\/p>\n Midrash Rabbah Shemot, Parashat 1, Part 1<\/span><\/em> (\u05de\u05d3\u05e8\u05e9 \u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d0 \u05e1\u05d9\u05de\u05df \u05d0) has the following to say concerning the opening verses of the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n Midrash Rabbah Shemot, Parashat 1, Part 1<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Another example, Now Isaac loved Esau (Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:28); hence because he did not chastise him, he became depraved.\u00a0 As we have learned, on that day, Esau the wicked committed five transgressions.\u00a0 He seduced a betrothed maiden, killed a man, denied resurrection, rejected the fundamental principles of religion, and despised his brithright.\u00a0 Moroever, he longed for the death of his father and sought to slay his brother, as it is said, Let the days of mourning for my father be at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob (Bereshit \/ Genesis 27:41).\u00a0 He caused Jacob to flee from his father\u2019s home and he also went to Ishmael to learn of him evil ways and to get more wives, as it is said, So Esau went unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives that he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, and took unto the wives that he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham\u2019s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife (Bereshit \/ Genesis 28:9).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Similarly, because David did not rebuke or chastise his son Absalom, he fell into evil ways, seeking to slay his father, sleeping with his concubines, and becoming the cause of his wandering bare-footed and weeping, and of the slaughter of many thousands and tens of thousands of Israelites, as well as of other sorrows without end…<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The midrash opens on the verse that states \u201cNow these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob\u201d<\/span><\/em> and then proceeds to comment on disciplining your son.\u00a0 Why do you think the rabbis look at Shemot \/ Exodus 1:1<\/span><\/em> and then proceed to discuss disciplining one\u2019s son?\u00a0 Could it be they too are thinking upon how the son\u2019s of Israel become complacent in their position and place in Egypt?\u00a0 Could it be that their complacency led to their servitude in Egypt for 400 years?\u00a0 Could this be paralleled to the one who is complacent sins to a greater extent than those who take their faith and walk before God more seriously?\u00a0 The midrash states that \u201canyone who refrains from chastising his son causes him to fall into evil ways and thus comes to hate him.\u201d\u00a0 The rabbis take the example of Abraham and Ishmael saying that Ishmael fell into sin and wickedness because Abraham failed to chastise him.\u00a0 The failure to chastise led to idolatry and worship of false gods.\u00a0 When one becomes complacent, sins multiply, and a sin can be the thing that one places in one\u2019s heart (set up in one\u2019s heart) as an idol (e.g. Ezekiel 14<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The midrash says the reason Sarah asked Abraham to cast Hagar and Ishmael out was because of the idolatry of Ishmael, she did not want Isaac to learn his ways.<\/p>\n The midrash continues with another example, Isaac and Esau.\u00a0 Isaac did not chastise Esau and so he became deprived as he learned to do wickedness committing five transgressions, \u201cHe seduced a betrothed maiden, killed a man, denied resurrection, rejected the fundamental principles of religion, and despised his brithright.\u00a0 Moroever, he longed for the death of his father and sought to slay his brother, as it is said, Let the days of mourning for my father be at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob (Bereshit \/ Genesis 27:41).\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 He took from the wives of Ishmael, from the land of Canaan, that which was explicitly forbidden.\u00a0 Esau did not regard the word of the Lord, he was complacent, and abstinent against God.\u00a0 The midrash continues with the example from David and Absalom.\u00a0 In a similar manner, David did not chastise Absalom and so Absalom fell into evil ways, seeking to slay his father, sleeping with his concubines, slaughtering thousands, etc.<\/p>\n The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4<\/span><\/em> saying,<\/p>\n 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Based upon Paul\u2019s words, he was paying tribute to the believers in Thessalonica who suffered persecution to follow Yeshua the Messiah.\u00a0 Thessalonica was a large harbor city\u00a0 that was full of idolatry.\u00a0 It was not an easy place to live and Paul was praising what he had heard of their steadfastness and hope in Yeshua.\u00a0 The ekklesia was thriving and persecuted in Thessalonica, this may be paralleled to the children of Israel in the land of Goshen, they continued to prosper and grow in numbers in the midst of their servitude to Pharaoh.\u00a0 1 Thessalonians suggests that the people thrived more as they were persecuted more in Thessalonica.\u00a0 Shemot \/ Exodus tells us something similar, the sons of Israel also thrived as they were persecuted (put into servitude \/ bondage).\u00a0 Today, we can see believes standing strong in places where their faith in Yeshua is outlawed and driven underground.\u00a0 On the other hand, we can also see where faith in the Messiah is not persecuted, there is much complacency and compromise.\u00a0 Today we have more freedom to share the gospel, great resources, bibles, commentaries, the Greek and Hebrew translations, lexicons, tools for searching the Scriptures, etc.\u00a0 With all of these things, why is there so much complacency in faith, love, patience, hope, and God\u2019s Word today?\u00a0 The rapid acceptance of homosexuality across the Christian denominations is one such illustration of the sloppiness in the manner in which the Word of God is handled today.\u00a0 Is this because of complacency which leads to laziness in one\u2019s walk with the Lord?\u00a0 Has prosperity caused believers to become focused more upon other things, for example, focusing more upon the lusts of the flesh due to the availability and opportunity to sin today?\u00a0 In the book of Exodus, the sons of Israel appeared to be complacent in their lives which led them to remain in a land filled with idols and wickedness which also became a part of their own lives to a certain extent.\u00a0 Complacency led to sin, and sin to more complacency.<\/p>\n We need to break up the ground of complacency in our lives to rid ourselves of spiritual complacency and replace this with a hunger for God, His Messiah Yeshua, and for His word.\u00a0 A complacent person is a person who is satisfied where he is and what he has in God.\u00a0 His life becomes stale, similar to what Zephaniah said in 1:12 \u201c… Who are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, \u2018The Lord will not do good or evil!\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 The idea is that the Lord does not care about how I live my life, I am fine… Complacency is also the deceiver\u2019s playground because this becomes a place for sin and worldly thinking.\u00a0 As Zephaniah stated, the one who has a stagnant spirit, he walks around blinded, he does not recognize is own spiritual deficiencies.\u00a0 The point of the Torah study for this week is that we are to guard our lives against complacency and not become comfortable like Israel appeared to be in the land of Egypt which led to 400 years of slavery and sin.\u00a0 The significance of these things on breaking complacency in our lives may be brought into perspective looking at Revelation 22:10-11<\/em><\/span> which says the following regarding these things:<\/p>\n Revelation 22:10-11<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Revelation tells us that those who sin will continue to sin, those who walk in righteousness will continue to walk in righteousness, and those who are holy will continue to keep themselves holy.\u00a0 Which group are you in?\u00a0 Which group do you want to be in?\u00a0 Has complacency made you think you are OK before God?\u00a0 The end of those who continue to practice sin, unrighteousness, wickedness, is not good resulting in eternal separation from the Lord.\u00a0 It seems that the pattern of repetitive sin as described in Revelation is connected to these types of people who are complacent in their lives to live and to walk in opposition to the way the Lord God.\u00a0 Seek the Lord today to break the spirit of complacency, to turn from sin and to turn towards righteousness and truth in the Messiah Yeshua.\u00a0 BTT_Parashat Shemot-2014<\/a><\/p>\n Heavenly Father,<\/em><\/p>\n We ask that You would show us mercy, create in us a new heart, a new spirit, and deliver us from the bondage to sin and complacency in our lives.\u00a0 Help us to have more faith, to trust and to seek You and Your ways, and to live our lives for Your glory.\u00a0 Thank You for sending Your Son Yeshua to save us and to empower our lives to overcome these things.<\/em><\/p>\n In Yeshua\u2019s name we pray!\u00a0 Amen.<\/em> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week\u2019s reading from Parashat Shemot (Shemot \/ Exodus 47:28-50:26) detail the sons of Israel who had come to Egypt.\u00a0 The narrative tells us that Joseph and all of his brothers had passed away and a new king arose in Egypt who did not know Joseph (1:1-7).\u00a0 This king of Egypt feared the people 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\n\u05d4\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05dc-\u05e0\u05b6\u05e4\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d9\u05b9\u05e6\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0-\u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e7\u05b9\u05d1 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05e2\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05e0\u05b8\u05e4\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05e1\u05b5\u05e3 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05b0\u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd: \u05d5\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b8\u05de\u05b8\u05ea \u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05e1\u05b5\u05e3 \u05d5\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc-\u05d0\u05b6\u05d7\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b0\u05db\u05b9\u05dc \u05d4\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0: \u05d6\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b0\u05e6\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05e6\u05b0\u05de\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05de\u05b0\u05d0\u05b9\u05d3 \u05de\u05b0\u05d0\u05b9\u05d3 \u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b8\u05dc\u05b5\u05d0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd:\u00a0\u00a0 \u05e4\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d7\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b8\u05e7\u05b8\u05dd \u05de\u05b6\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0-\u05d7\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0-\u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05e1\u05b5\u05e3: \u05d8\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05e2\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05e8\u05b7\u05d1 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05e6\u05d5\u05bc\u05dd \u05de\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b6\u05e0\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc: \u05d9\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d1\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e0\u05bc\u05b4\u05ea\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b0\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b6\u05df-\u05d9\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9-\u05ea\u05b4\u05e7\u05b0\u05e8\u05b6\u05d0\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05de\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e1\u05b7\u05e3 \u05d2\u05bc\u05b7\u05dd-\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05e9\u05b9\u05b9\u05e0\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05dd-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05de\u05b4\u05df-\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5: \u05d9\u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b8\u05e9\u05b4\u05b9\u05d9\u05de\u05d5\u05bc \u05e2\u05b8\u05dc\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05e8\u05b5\u05d9 \u05de\u05b4\u05e1\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05b9\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e1\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05dc\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d1\u05b6\u05df \u05e2\u05b8\u05e8\u05b5\u05d9 \u05de\u05b4\u05e1\u05b0\u05db\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05dc\u05b0\u05e4\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b9\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05e4\u05bc\u05b4\u05ea\u05b9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05e8\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05de\u05b0\u05e1\u05b5\u05e1:<\/p>\n
\n 1:5 All the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt. 1:6 Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 1:7 But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them. 1:8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 1:9 He said to his people, \u2018Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. 1:10 \u2018Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.\u2019 1:11 So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nThe prophet Zephaniah, prophesied in the days of Josiah, king of Judah (BCE 641-610), a contemporary with the prophet Jeremiah, saying the following:<\/p>\n
\n 1:12 \u2018It will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And I will punish the men Who are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, \u2018The Lord will not do good or evil!\u2019 1:13 \u2018Moreover, their wealth will become plunder And their houses desolate; Yes, they will build houses but not inhabit them, And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.\u2019 1:14 Near is the great day of the Lord, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the Lord! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. 1:15 A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness, 1:16 A day of trumpet and battle cry Against the fortified cities And the high corner towers. 1:17 I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the Lord; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung. 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the Lord\u2019s wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob.\u00a0 Thus we read, He that spares his rod hates his son; but he that loves him chastens him (Mishley \/ Proverbs 13:24).\u00a0 Ordinarily, if a man\u2019s friend says to him, so-and-so, smite your son, he is ready even to deprive him of his livelihood.\u00a0 Then why He that spares his rod hates his son?\u00a0 To teach you that anyone who refrains from chastising his son causes him to fall into evil ways and thus comes to hate him.\u00a0 This is what we find in the case of Ishmael who behaved wickedly before Abraham his father, but he did not chastise him, with the result that he fell into evil ways, so that he despised him and cast him forth empty-handed from his house.\u00a0 What did Ishmael do?\u00a0 When he was fifteen years old, he commenced to bring idols from the street, toyed with them and worshiped them as he had seen others do.\u00a0 So when Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, making sport (Bereshit \/ Genesis 32:6) she immediately said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son (Bereshit \/ Genesis 21:10) lest my son learn of his ways.\u00a0 Hence, And the thing was very grievous in Abraham\u2019s sight on account of his son, because he had become depraved…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
\n 1:2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 1:3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, 1:4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n 22:10 And he said to me, \u2018Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 22:11 \u2018Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.\u2019 (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n