Parsha Page

  Shalom
  to you,

Wellsprings of Torah,  www.TorahWellsprings.org
Rick Wills - Messianic Elder,  Mishareth@TorahWellsprings.org

Parsha 15:  Bo - Go


Torah: Exodus 10:1-13:16

    10:1 Adonai said to Moshe, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have made him and his servants hardhearted, so that I can demonstrate these signs of mine among them,”

    Verse 2 continues, and tells us specifically the reason God is doing this “so that you can tell your son and grandson about what I did to Egypt and about my signs that I demonstrated among them, and so that you will all know that I am Adonai”.

    The rest of chapter 10 describes the eight and ninth plagues, the locusts and darkness. Pharaoh continues unrepentant, and in Chapter 11 Moses tells Pharaoh there is one plague left, the death of the firstborn of every household, from Pharaohs household to the slave-girls, along with the livestock.

    And verse 10 says “Moshe and Aharon did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but Adonai had made Pharaoh hardhearted, and he didn’t let the people of Isra’el leave his land.”

    Chapter 12 tells the Israelites to take the Passover lamb into their home for four days. Then specific instructions for the Passover meal, and the spreading of blood on the doorposts.

    The commands to observe this Pesach are given, along with the familiar question the children will ask. In verse 26-27 When your children ask “What do you mean by this ceremony” say “It is the sacrifice of Adonai’s Pesach because Adonai passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he killed the Egyptians but spared our houses.”

    Finally, in 12:27 we see the people leaving. This is 430 years to the day after 70 persons entered Egypt in the midst of a famine. Now there are some 600,000 men on foot, not counting children. A mixed crowd also went, along with livestock in large numbers. And they carried the wealth of Egypt with them.

    Chapter 13 outlines Hashem’s command that the Israelites set aside each firstborn, both humans and animals, to Him.

    So, we have the 10 plagues, each one has been against a specific god of Egypt. There has been a complete spiritual defeat of Egypt by God for the mistreatment of Israel. And, Adonai has been with Israel, and delivered her.


Haftarah: Jeremiah 46:13-28

    In the Haftarah, we now move forward some 800 years, and read again of the judgment of God against a nation that has once again mistreated the people of Israel. This actually parallels the prophecies of Ezekiel that we read last week.

    Here we read the prophecies of Jeremiah against Egypt. These detail a total military defeat at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. But it is made very clear that this is all at the direction of Hashem.

    The end of the destruction is merciless as described in 46:23-24 “They cut down her forest’ says Adonai, for they cannot be numbered; yes, there are more of them than locusts, far too many to count. The daughter of Egypt is put to shame, handed over to the people from the north.”
Eventually, however, Egypt will be restored.

    But Hashem also gives confidence and consolation to the people of Israel in verses 27-28, repeating “Do not be afraid, Ya’akov my servant…”. There is reassurance that Adonai will be with Ya’akov, and will bring him back to the land where he will live in peace. However, God will discipline Ya’akov as he deserves, but not completely destroy him.


Chadasha:  Revelation 8:6-9:12; 16:1-21

    In Revelation 8:6-9:12 we find a series of plagues visited upon the earth, including seas becoming blood, hail, darkness and locusts. And still, many remain hardhearted against God.

    In chapter 16:1-21 we see another set of plagues, including sores on all the people who had the mark of the beast, seas and rivers becoming like blood, darkness, miracle working demonic spirits that looked like frogs, tremendous earthquake, and hail. Still, people cursed God.

    In the Torah, Hashem used plagues to completely defeat Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt spiritually, because Pharaoh would not obey God. In the Haftarah, Hashem used an evil ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, to provide a complete military defeat of Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt because Pharaoh would not obey God. In the Brit Khadasha, Hashem will use plagues to provide a complete and utter spiritual and physical defeat of men who still refuse to turn to Him in obedience.

    But in every case, Israel, or Ya’akov, is protected, with promises that Hashem will be with them, and a remnant will always be maintained.


Baruch Hashem,
George Robinson