Parasha Shemot 5783

Me

(Talk about calling and journey to become a rabbi—ordination application not being addressed for ten years)

We

We’ve probably all experienced something like this in our live… the idea of knowing God had something huge in store for us and then it feeling like it was never going to happen for whatever reason.

Maybe we know God has reassured us of family salvation, yet for some reason it all feels so distant, so far off.

Maybe we know 100% God has called us into a specific avenue of ministry and it feels like the closer we get the farther away it really is.

Maybe we are yearning for a dynamic revival, for massive outpouring, yet we just keep falling short of seeing it happen.

Whatever it is, so often we know without a doubt what God is promising us, but for reasons out of our control, or because of sin in our lives, or because of the season we find ourselves in, or a thousand other reasons, God’s promises just feel a million miles away.

God

Well, this week we read Parasha Shemot, the opening Parasha of Sefer Shemot—The Book of Exodus. Interestingly, Shemot begins with the Hebrew letter Vav, which serves as a conjunction and stresses the continuity between the narrative of Genesis and the narrative of Exodus. And this is exactly what is happening as we pick up in Exodus 1 with the reminder of the twelve sons of Israel in Egypt and Joseph and all of his generation dying. Yet, despite the death of their generation the infantile nation continues to be fruitful and multiply.

Exodus 1:8 says a Pharaoh arose that knew not Joseph—which is more likely that a Pharaoh arose who just didn’t care what Joseph did for Egypt. He then goes on a mission to enslave B’nei Yisrael and to try and kill off all boys who could become their savior. These plans backfire in quite a few ways, but the primary being the providence of HaShem lands Moshe, the very savior Pharaoh feared, in his own household being raised as his own grandson.

As Moses grows up, when he’s about 40 years old, he realizes the plight of his people Israel and slays an Egyptian task master in defense of a Hebrew. He becomes afraid that news will get back to Pharaoh of what he did and he runs away to the dessert where he ultimately marries Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro.

In chapter 3 Moses, after another 40 years, encounters the Burning Bush and draws close to figure out what this oddity is exactly. The Lord begins to speak to Moses from the Bush and tells Moses He is equipping him to go back to Egypt and to lead Israel out of slavery into freedom, and ultimately into the Promised Land. Moses has this whole back and forth argument with HaShem which runs on forever… Until Moses finally realizes he can’t win.

In the latter half of chapter 4 Moses let’s his father-in-law know what he has to do and gets released from Jethro to follow his calling. Then Moses meets Aaron along the way and they begin their journey to Egypt to follow through on what God has in store.

In chapter 5 we see Moses and Aaron go before Pharoah and request Israel’s release. And this begins the saga that is the foundation of the Great Exodus of Israel from Egypt by HaShem’s strong and mighty hand.

However, as we look at Parasha Shemot this Shabbat I want to try to focus on one key part that I think is often unintentionally overlooked. And this is a reality that I think is 100% pertinent to us today as we are all awaiting a move of God in our lives in one way or another. And there is a key principle at play that I want us to keep in mind and heart as we move through this...

As we see over and over again in Scripture, God’s promises do not come with deadlines and we must be faithful to trust in His promises, even if He tarries in fulfilling them.

(Repeat)

So let’s dig into the text together today...

Exodus 4:29–31 TLV

Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of Bnei-Yisrael. Aaron spoke all the words that Adonai had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed. When they heard that Adonai had remembered Bnei-Yisrael and had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshipped.

So Moses has this absolutely surreal encounter with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob on Mount Sinai. In this encounter Moses is instructed by HaShem to return back to Egypt, against Moses’ better judgement, and to lead Israel to freedom. Adonai tells Moses He has heard the cry of the heart of Israel and has not forgotten them. After a little back and forth and Moses trying to wiggle his way out of the assignment (which I can completely understand his reservation), he heads off, meets Aaron along the way, and together they head to Egypt equipped with the Words of God and signs and wonders.

With great excitement and anticipation they call all the elders of Israel together and they begin to share with them exactly what God has said and what will happen.

Now, I imagine, being enslaved for some time now, the Israelites were very much welcoming to the idea of freedom.

Exodus 4:31 TLV

So the people believed. When they heard that Adonai had remembered Bnei-Yisrael and had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Can you imagine the excitement of Israel? Can you imagine how rapidly the word of what was happening spread among B’nei Israel in Goshen? And social media wasn’t even a thing back then… I’d like to think that they began to pack everything up immediately… There was an anticipation that this great move of freedom may very well happen the next morning. Actually, if we look at the total context of the account, I think it’s safe to say Israel did in fact think this was going to happen immediately.

It’s also safe to say that Moses probably did too. Nobody would have picture it taking upwards of a year to happen, as Mishnah suggests.

But, here we see Israel is all for it. They have been crying out to HaShem for over a generation for freedom. They have been stuck in Egypt separated from the Promised Land since Jacob came down. And now Moses and Aaron are telling them God has heard their cries and freedom is coming. Israel was ready to go, and Moses was ready to see what God had in store.

However, little did either know that what God had in store was not exactly how they had all pictured it going.

Exodus 5:1–2 TLV

Afterward, Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “This is what Adonai, God of Israel, says: Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast for Me in the wilderness.” But Pharaoh said, “Who is Adonai, that I should listen to His voice and let Israel go? I do not know Adonai, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

Interestingly, the Hebrew for what Moses tells Pharaoh in verse 1 is this: Shalach et-ami which is translated as “Let my people go...” But the Hebrew word Shalach doesn’t mean to passively let them go, as if Pharaoh was just suppose to open the gates and let them walk away. No, Shalach means to send them out, to force them to leave, to push them out the door with great haste. This was not God asking Pharaoh to pretty please let Israel go, this was God prophesying about HOW Israel would be sent out.

See, I think Moses and Israel both knew that God said they’d go free and so they had it in their heads that they’d get to roll out as soon as Moses had his first meeting with Pharaoh. So, when things didn’t quite go according to their plans they gave up on God’s plan altogether.

Pharaoh flat out told Moses, with no possibility to misconstrue it, where Moses could stick his request for freedom. Pharaoh had absolutely no intention of letting them go at all. And Adonai was well aware of this, hence the wording He placed in Moses’ mouth, “Shalach et-ami.” Send my people out with great haste.

After Pharaoh said no to Moses, he turned and made Israel’s work load that much more difficult, which in turn broke the spirits and hearts of Israel. And what faith in God’s Promise they were able to muster up early on was quickly squashed. The Hebrew foreman go before Pharaoh and ask why he’s made their work load more difficult and he responds that it is because you are lazy and this is why you want freedom. Then they encounter Moses and Aaron as they are leaving Pharaoh...

Exodus 5:20–23 TLV

Then they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them as they came from Pharaoh. So they said to them, “May Adonai look on you and judge, because you have made us a stench in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants—putting a sword in their hand to kill us!” So Moses returned to Adonai and said, “Adonai, why have You brought evil on these people? Is this why You sent me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has brought evil on these people. You have not delivered Your people at all.”

Israel was quick to believe in God’s promise when they thought it was going to play out quickly… But once they realized God was playing the long game they buckled under the pressure. See, God wasn’t looking for a swift “get out of jail free card” kind of an ordeal, He was planning to make His might, power, and sovereignty unmistakeable before all nations through Egypt and Pharaoh as He forced Egypt to Shalach et-ami.

But neither Israel nor Moses were ready for all of that. And when the going got tough they broke down… And what was Adonai’s response to Moses?

Exodus 6:1 TLV

Adonai said to Moses, “Now you will see what I am going to do to Pharaoh. By way of a strong hand he will let them go, and drive them out of his land.”

See, Adonai had a plan… And a big one at that. He had a big picture plan and Israel and Moses could only see the small picture. They were so hung up on the promise of freedom that they couldn’t wrap their heads around the process of freedom. They heard God say they were going to be free and that was all they could think about and when things got rough they got weak and scared.

And this is the complicated part of walking in faith…

As we see over and over again in Scripture, God’s promises do not come with deadlines and we must be faithful to trust in His promises, even if He tarries in fulfilling them.

See, so often this is how we react to the promises of God. I know I have… We have heard, time and time again, God speak specific visions over Congregation Mayim Chayim and every time we hear these visions we get excited, we begin to get great anticipation for what is coming. And, honestly, we can even see the build up to the greater promise. But, when what we are expecting doesn’t come fast enough we take on a defeatist mentality.

God has promised revival breaking out at CMC, and we’ve gotten samplings from time to time. But we have yet to see the fullness of the vision He has given us for this revival. We have experienced confirmation after confirmation, some from people right here in CMC, and some from random people who don’t even know us or this congregation.

And every single time we get to a point where Danielle and I are looking at where we are verses where we thought we would be we begin to get kind of disappointed, if I can be honest. Because we see the potential, we know the promise, we are hopeful and expecting, but we haven’t seen the fulfillment yet. And every time we get beaten down and feel like maybe we misheard, or maybe we messed up and missed out, or maybe it ain’t ever going to happen, God sends someone new in our lives to speak encouragement or to reconfirm the vision and promise over CMC.

So, in a lot of ways I know what Israel is feeling like at this point. “Moses, why did you come here and tell us all this, get our hopes up, and then just make our lives more miserable? Couldn’t you have just left well enough alone…?”

In a lot of ways I know what Moses and Aaron are feeling like… “Come on God… Why did You get their hopes up if You weren’t going to follow through? Why did you send us here just to embarrass us before Pharaoh and Israel? Why… Just why...”

But God responds to Moses, “This is all a part of the plan. You know the outcome, but I know how we’re getting there. Just trust me, do everything I say, and you will see my great and mighty Hand at work. Egypt will Shalach et-ami, they will drive my people out with great haste. Just trust me and play along.”

Proverbs 13:12 TLV

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

This is exactly what Israel is dealing with… Moses got their hopes up for freedom and they believed in it. But their hope was not in God’s plan but instead in their assumptions. Their hopes would be deferred for a bit, their hearts definitely grew sick and sorrowful, but when it finally happened they found great life and joy in the fulfillment of what their hearts were longing for.

Hebrews 11:1–3 TLV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. For by it the elders received commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come from anything visible.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen… The rest of Hebrews 11 draws our attention to the countless people throughout the Tanakh who longed to see the coming of Messiah, who believed in perfect faith in the Promised Redeemer but never actually saw His day come themselves. But they carried on in faith and in great works for the Kingdom of God anyways without loosing faith or hope. They died never seeing for themselves the fullness of the promise.

And, again, here’s that complicated reality of walking in faith…

As we see over and over again in Scripture, God’s promises do not come with deadlines and we must be faithful to trust in His promises, even if He tarries in fulfilling them.

But you and I are walking evidence here and now of the very reality they all hoped for. We inherited the Kingdom they all worked tirelessly to see come about. How often have we seen greater miracles than our forefathers awaiting freedom from Egypt? We have the Gospels which relay to us the mighty works of Messiah Yeshua while in ministry here on earth. We see the narratives of the death, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua and the outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh.

We have all seen signs and wonders in our own lives. Many of us, through great prayer, witnessed Mr. Bob (Ms. Maxine’s now deceased husband) toss his walker aside in our healing service and walk for weeks on his own strength and a random man experience healing from giant growth on his back in the same service. We’ve witnessed the Lord work many miracles in our congregation from Monte and Tami’s grand-baby’s miracle healing when the doctors thought the baby may die, to Lynn sitting in the hospital with Covid only hours away from being put on a vent being fully restored miraculously through the prayers of our mishpacha, to the miraculous way God has provided for CMC to have our own building and even to have it fully renovated after the hurricane. We’ve seen how God has worked miracles in Dyann and Deedee’s life when they were diagnosed with cancer, we’ve seen the miracle He has done in Elizabeth’s life through prayer and fasting. And so much more!!!

Listen, we are not alone in longing to see the fullness of God’s promise in our lives or in our congregation. Do you really think that the disciples ever thought it would take 2000 plus years for Mashiach to return and establish His eternal kingdom? Do you really think that every generation of the Body of Messiah since hasn’t felt shorted in some way because what they longed for and fully thought would happen in their day still hasn’t happened yet?

Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11:1 TLV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Hebrews 12:1–3 TLV

Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:28-29

Hebrews 12:28–29 TLV

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude—through this we may offer worship in a manner pleasing to God, with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.

As we see over and over again in Scripture, God’s promises do not come with deadlines and we must be faithful to trust in His promises, even if He tarries in fulfilling them.

You

(Call worship team back up and unmute)

So what is it God has promised you and you have been praying and longing for that you haven’t seen fulfilled just yet?

Is it the salvation of your spouse? Your children? Your parents? Siblings?

The restoration of broken and damaged relationships?

Is it a reunion and restoration with your family who rejected you because of your faith in Yeshua or your walking in the Messianic Jewish life?

Is it revival? Is it signs and wonders? Is it freedom and healing? Is it chains being broken and the captive set free?

We

As I prepare to close I want to encourage us today, God’s promises are not constrained to our timeframes or our assumptions. As such, we must learn to be faithful to His promise, faithful to His calling, faithful to Kingdom no matter what. When things do not go according to our plans, trust that His plans are all that matter.

As we see over and over again in Scripture, God’s promises do not come with deadlines and we must be faithful to trust in His promises, even if He tarries in fulfilling them.

Just like with B’nei Yisrael in Egypt, God promised freedom to Israel but He never specifically mentioned when or how. He has promised the Body of Messiah that Yeshua will return, but He told us we will not know the day or hour… And in the same sense, His promises to us (including revival for CMC) will never fail, we must hold firm to the encouragement of Hebrews 11:1…

Hebrews 11:1 TLV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen.