Va'era (וארא)- And (יהוה) I (am) Appeared -Audio-Podcast January 28, 2023

The patriarchs did not know Adonai by the name יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh) because the time had not yet come to carry out the promise He had made. The promise was in:

Genesis 15:13–14 NKJV

Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

He starts recounting His appearance to the fathers of the faith.

Exodus 6:2–3 NKJV

And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them.

The Lord is making a clear distinction with BUT that they did not know Him.

The letter (vav) ו is a conjunction that connects. If He had used it as AND He would have connected with the past. The conditions of the past will still be of effect at that present time. Reason being to indicate there is going to be a change.

The two verses in Exo 6:2-3 seem to suggest that the fathers only knew Him as God Almighty (El Shadday), and they did know Him as יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh)

Genesis 15:6–7 NKJV

And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”

יהוה

Yahweh

YHWH

Adonai

This announced the name of יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh) to Abraham. The passage we are reading does not say He never revealed the name to them. It says they did not know Him as יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh)

The Biblical word know suggests intimacy - yada - the same word used for Adam and Eve, in their relationship.

The forefathers experienced Him as El Shadday, as they experienced His power, provision, care and justice.

He gave them success. But nothing like the miracles they are about to witness in the following passages. They experienced miracles that did not disrupt the laws of nature - in Genesis

The fulfillment of His promise was not completed yet because the time had not come yet. They did not experience nature changes.

The name יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh) means to be: present, past and future

This means the Lord has absolute power of everything- and provides the opportunity for His manifestation in a glorious way, demonstrating who He is.

יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh)

denotes sovereign control as King over His creation. He can, and will, disrupt the laws of nature to fulfill covenant promises.

The purpose of revealing Himself as King is found in:

Exodus 7:5 NKJV

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”

This is also an announcement to Moses to see open miracles, which the forefathers had not seen.

He stated His name 4 times in 8 verses which we will begin to read as part of our presentation, in order to understand with the name יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh) means

Presentation

Exodus 6:2–8 NKJV

And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will 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 shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’ ”

He accomplished His promise - by the hand of Yeshua and the help of the Holy Spirit- who wanted to build them into a kingdom of Priest, a holy nation.

In Exodus, God had to display His power to Moses more than the forefathers because needed to realize man cannot do it alone.

Although, God may have presented to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in different ways, emphasizing different attributes as the season demanded, still the God of Abraham and Moses is the same God

Moses is the 7th generations after Abraham

7 is the number of wholeness, completion, blessing, and rest

What we learned from the 7th generation, the generation of Moses is how to build God’s tabernacle, a sanctuary for the Almighty, a house for God with a sanctuary which was supervised by Moses

This Torah Portion is completed saturated with number 7 to demonstrate the Devine nature of this nature. For example:

This the 14th portion of the year 7+7

The opening statement: “I appeared to Moses” has 14 Hebrew letter- 7x2 = 14

Exodus 6:3 contains 49 Hebrew letters 49 is 7x7

This portion also presents 7 promises of God regarding His redemption

There are 10 plagues in total that take place in Egypt, but this Torah Portion only presents 7 plagues:

Not only does Adonai makes the following promises, but He brings a new element to the covenant: He adds marriage language

Exodus 6:6–8 NKJV

Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will 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 shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’ ”

He ends His plan of redemption with I AM יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh)

He uses language of marriage in 4- I will take you, and 5- I will be yours. He offers Israel a divine marriage in this Torah Portion

7 Verbs the Lord offers to do as promises:

1- I will bring you out of the burdens

2- I will rescue you from bondage

3- I will redeem you with an outstretched arm

4- I will take you as my people

5- I will be your Elohim

6- I will bring you into the Land

7- I will give it to you as a heritage

He uses language of marriage in 4- I will take you, and 5- I will be yours. He offers Israel a divine marriage in this Torah Portion

He will expect their fidelity. They must acknowledge Him and honour Him.

One of the major challenges a person can have is the hardening of the heart. Pharaoh’s hardening of heart happens in this Torah Portion.

Many of times the Greek way of thinking is one or the other, always expecting to see one from the other. With this type of thinking we miss what is important.

For many a contradiction: Pharaoh hardened his heart or God hardened his heart - YES

When we concentrate in the perceived conflict of this contradiction we may miss the importance of what is happening at the spiritual level and the eternal implications for the occurrence.

Egyptians believed that after dying their would be their heart taken out of the body to be weighed against a feather (truth and justice), before a tribunal, and if their heart was heavy they would not weigh entrance in the after life. They needed to have a light heart.

In our Torah portion Va’era, we see Pharaoh’s heart hardened 10 times:

Exodus 7:22 NKJV

Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.

Exodus 8:15 NKJV

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said.

Exodus 8:19 NKJV

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.

Exodus 8:32 NKJV

But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.

Exodus 9:7 NKJV

Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.

Exodus 9:12 NKJV

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

Exodus 9:34 NKJV

And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Exodus 10:1 NKJV

Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him,

Exodus 10:20 NKJV

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.

Exodus 10:27 NKJV

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.

Exodus 11:10 NKJV

So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

(each one of the verses above correlates to each one of the plagues)

But only one is the word hard used - kaved

3878 II. כָּבֵד‎ (kā·ḇēḏ): adj.; ≡ Str 3515; TWOT 943a—1. LN 78.1–78.27 severe, i.e., pertaining to a great degree of intensity (Ge 12:10; 50:10; Ex 9:3; ); 2. LN 59.1–59.10 large1

1 James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

Exo 7:14

Only once the word hazaq

2616 חָזַק‎ (ḥā·zǎq): v.; ≡ Str 2388; be strong, i.e., have the ability to accomplish what is intended, implying an element of resolve is needed as well (Jos 1:6); (piel) strengthen1

1 James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

Exodus 7:22

Every other time it is the word:

3877 I. כָּבֵד‎ (kā·ḇēḏ): v.; ≡ Str 3513; TWOT 943—1. LN 86.1–86.3 (qal) be heavy, weigh much, i.e., have an object be physically heavy (Job 6:3; Eze 27:25); (hif) make heavy, feel heavy1

1 James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

Or was it that he already had a hardened heart?

Exodus 7:14 NKJV

So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.

But God is going to separate His people from others. He is going to set them apart, but realizes the condition of their heart:

Exodus 6:9 NKJV

So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

קֹצֶר‎ (qō·ṣěr) = lack

7919 קֹצֶר‎ (qō·ṣěr): n.[masc.]; ≡ Str 7115; TWOT 2061b—1. LN 57.37–57.48 lack, i.e., what is needed and essential but absent (Ex 6:9+), note: possibly “shortness” as a feature of an object, see also domain LN 79.123–79.128; 21

1 James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

רוּחַ ‎ (rûaḥ) = Spirit

8120 רוּחַ‎ (rûaḥ): n.fem.; ≡ Str 7307; TWOT 2131a—1. LN 12.1–12.42 Spirit, i.e., the divine Power of God, which can be grieved, closely identified with the Lord himself (Ps 106:33; Isa 63:10); 2. LN 26 spirit, mind, heart, i.e., the psychological faculty which can respond to God (2Ch 36:22); 3. LN 23.185–23.187 breath, i.e., unit of air that comes from the lungs, as a normal sign of animate life, with an associative meaning of causation of an event (Ge 6:17); 4. LN 14.4–14.9 wind, i.e., air in rapid movement, as a normal weather condition (Ge 8:1), note: in some contexts “wind” has an associative meaning of not having substance and so a vanity or emptiness;1

1 James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

Where have we seen the issues of the heart before?

Genesis 6:5 NKJV

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

He wipes the entire humanity, except for 8 people - not to get rid of the wicked, but to show us that even if He gets rid of the wicked the issue continues to be in the heart. Let us not blame others for our own inequity

Noah has children

Genesis 6:10 NKJV

And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The Lord is going to separate the seed of Shem (Israel) from the seed of Hem (Egypt)

The idea of separation comes from the Hebrew word Kodosh, which many Bibles translate as Holy - not wrong, but not complete -

Kodosh = קֹ֫דֶשׁ = SET-APARTNESS

(qof, dalet, shin)

The basic idea of kodosh is SET-APARTNESS, being separated from what is not Kodosh

At the same time, they are going to be set on the way to grow spiritually to serve Him

In our last Torah Portion, Mosses and Aaron are asked to bring about this separation. They asked Pharaoh but he asks

Exodus 5:2 NKJV

And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”

The plagues are an answer to Pharaoh’s question as well as a way to separate Israel for his much needed spiritual growth

7 plagues in this Torah Portion:

The 10 plagues can be divided in three segments of 3 and one:

The first three Plagues prove the existence of God

The second set of three plagues prove that God has influence over the world

The third set of three plagues prove that God is omnipotent - He has no match to his power. He is יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh)

The last plague shows God’s covenant

There are 10, but we will discuss 7

The Ten Plagues can actually be viewed as a ten-step program that chips away at the obstacles to spiritual growth.

The first impediment to emotional and spiritual health is our belief in false icons.

The first plague that turned the Nile into blood was aimed at destroying the fallacious belief that the Nile was the true source of Egyptian sustenance

https://www.chabadwestside.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/67576/jewish/VaEra.htm

Ten Plagues were not just ways of punishing the Egyptians or motivating them to set the Jews free. The plagues were also, if not primarily, intended to teach the Egyptians (and the Jewish people as well) certain theological and moral lessons: who YHWY is

https://www.chabadwestside.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/353642/jewish/VaEra.htm

What they meant to the Egyptians

1-Egyptian Plague- Water Turned to Blood

Exodus 7:17

- Hapi- Egyptian God of the Nile

This Egyptian God was a water bearer.

https://www.stat.rice.edu/~dobelman/Dinotech/10_Eqyptian_gods_10_Plagues.pdf

The worship of the Nile as a pagan ritual, although many anthropologist say Egypt was monotheistic, the Bible seems to suggest differently:

The Nile river was worshipped by Egypt and thus, by having the river turn into blood (the first plague) and then become the source of disgusting frogs pervading every one's life, the Nile was thoroughly discredited as a true deity, as the Egyptians saw the Nile as a god which provide, as their source

https://www.chabadwestside.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/353642/jewish/VaEra.htm

The first plague that turned the Nile into blood was aimed at destroying the fallacious belief that the Nile was the true source of Egyptian sustenance, and parallels to the first commandment: "I am the L-rd your God, who has taken you out of the land of Egypt."

Lasted 7 days

2-Egyptian Plague- Frogs coming from the Nile River

Exodus 8:3

Heket- Egyptian Goddess of Fertility, Water, Renewal

Heket the Egyptian Goddess, had the head of a frog.

Frogs - Fertility

The plague of the frogs was intended to discredit the Egyptian belief in false gods

In ancient Egypt, the frog appears as a symbol of fertility, water, and renewal. The water goddess Heket often appeared as a woman with the head of a frog.

Frogs were also the symbol of the midwife goddess Heqit, who ruled conception and birth, and Egyptian women often wore metal amulets in the form of frogs to enlist her good favor.

Frogs appeared in great numbers each year at the flooding of the Nile, an event which was crucial to agriculture in that it provided water for many distant fields.

Frogs thrived in the muddy bogs left by the receding waters, and it is easy to imagine how frogs came to be viewed as favorable symbols of abundance. In fact, the frog became a symbol for the number hefnu, which meant either 100,000 or simply "an immense number."

Perhaps it is frogs' impressive fertility combined with their association with water, so important for human life, that has led humans to see them as such potent and positive symbols.

https://www.exploratorium.edu/frogs/folklore/folklore_4.html

Psalm 78:45 NKJV

He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them.

Psalm 105:30 NKJV

Their land abounded with frogs, Even in the chambers of their kings.

Revelation 16:13 NKJV

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

This second plague parallels the second commandment of: "Do not have any other gods before Me," where the objective is total repudiation of idolatry, intellectually and emotionally.

3- Egyptian Plague- Lice from the dust of the earth

Exodus 8:16-17

Geb- Egyptian God of the Earth

The Egyptian God Geb, was over the dust of the earth.

https://www.stat.rice.edu/~dobelman/Dinotech/10_Eqyptian_gods_10_Plagues.pdf

The plague of lice demonstrated that for God there is nothing trivial or unimportant.

One of the greatest obstacles to growth is the desire to make great strides, so that one can realize their goal quickly.

If one cannot rise to the top immediately, one is disappointed and frustrated.

Every little incremental action has cosmic value.

Once one has eliminated the obstacle of viewing small things with disdain, one can really begin to grow, leaving the Egyptian morass behind

These first three Plagues prove the existence of God

4- Egyptian Plague- Swarms of Flies

Exodus 8:21

Khepri- Egyptian God of creation, movement of the Sun, rebirth

Khepri, the Egyptian god had the head of a fly.

This fourth plague, with its emphasis on the separation between the Israelite and the Egyptians, and attachment to the Lord of Lords.

This parallels the fourth commandment to "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." In this commandment the Torah stresses that the Sabbath is a sign given to the Jewish people.

It is our way of highlighting the unique spiritual qualities that we possess that separate us from the mundane world and its activities.

On Shabbat we are all royalty, standing head and shoulders above our weekday existence. It is no surprise then that Shabbat has been described as the most therapeutic experience.

The Sabbath allows to reconnect and remember the Lord. The Sabbath reminds us of the one who is the center of the 7 menorah branches - the center of the fig tree. The one we depend on for our rebirth.

5- Egyptian Plague- Death of Cattle and Livestock

Exodus 9:3-4

Hathor -Worship of Bull and Oxen

Usually this Egyptian Goddess was depicted with the head of a cow.

Disease and pestilence would fall upon their livestock with so severe a consequence as to cause them to die.

Our Good Shepherd will take care of us

6- Egyptian Plague- Ashes turned to Boils and Sores

Exodus 9:6

Isis- Egyptian Goddess of Medicine and Peace

Egypt could not find cure for her people

Our Lord is the healer, the delivered, the one who brings peace. He is the one who gives us Life

These second set of three plagues prove that God has influence over the world

7- Egyptian Plague- Hail rained down in the form of fire

Exodus 9:18

Nut- Egyptian Goddess of the Sky

They believed that gods came from above

We know who is the one who came from Heaven

8-Egyptian Plague- Three Days of Complete Darkness

Ra- The Sun God

9- Egyptian Plague- Locusts sent from the sky

Seth- Egyptian God of Storms and Disorder

These third set of three plagues prove that God is omnipotent - He has no match to his power. He is יהוה (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh)

10- Egyptian Plague- Death of the Firstborn

Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was worshipped by the Egyptians because he was considered to be the greatest Egyptian God of all. It was believed that he was actually the son of Ra himself, manifest in the flesh.

Let us go back to our Torah Portion and the main purpose for the display of power and strength by the Lord:

Exodus 8:10 NKJV

So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.

Exodus 9:14 NKJV

for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.

Exodus 15:11 NKJV

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

The Best to Describe what the Lord means, we need to go to

SHEMA

Deut 6:4-5

SHEMA

Patterns

These two verses have 16 words

These 16 words can be divided in a grid of 4/4

The name of the Lord has 4 letters

If you count only the unique letters of the verses, only 16 letters of the 22 letter Hebrew alphabet are being used: again 16 is a multiple of 4x4

Israel - Jacob was not Israel until he left the house of his uncle Laban. He had a brother named Esau

He fought with the Angel of Lord because he did not want to let go: He prevailed in the fight

His name:

שראל’ - Israel

שר’ - Sar (Prince/Ruler)

אל - God

You can also pronounce it and interpreted it as [YaAsar el] - means straight- righteous

Israel is a spiritual status which does not come with birth. Jacob was not a spiritual man but carnal

Israel is supposed to do some works:

What are we to do when we hear?

1- ואהבת - You shall love (shema: you shall love your God)

(ve·'a·hav·ta,)

He is referring to Israel loving the Lord- Israel is not for only one individual. Israel is a spiritual status found in everyone who believes

The house is Israel is composed by both Jews and grafted Gentiles

Children of Israel - Christian view, but has become a concept for many ortodox Jews - even the ones who study the Siddur, Sahidukh and the Chabad

- shema- HEAR - is not not for one person but a group of people

ahavta - Thou shall love

Mark 12:30 NKJV

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

Who are we to love?

2- יהוה

yod-hey-vav-hey

Adonai

This is not only God the creator, and Just - Elohim, but also The Lord who is Merciful

The word for Lord -(Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh) יהוה appears in Shema 3 times - Is this a suggestion that He appears in three forms?

He is אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ (e·lo·hei·nu) Our God

The word for Lord -(yod-hey-vav-hey) יהוה means HE IS - HE who exists, He will be, He always was - He is the only who is -there is no other

Why are we to love Him?

3- אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ

(e·lo·hei·cha;) -

Our God (e·lo·hei·nu) = POWER

Hear Israel - the EVER EXISTING God is the POWER (e·lo·hei·cha) of our Existence

He is only one - ECHAD - אֶחָֽד - ONE

Exodus 3:14–16 NKJV

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;

If we are going to have any existence we can only have it with Him

Freedom is only in Him

Love is only in Him

Truth, justice, mercy and and grace - only in Him

That’s the meaning of ECHAD - אֶחָֽד - ONE

There is no other that can give you what He gives us.

He gives you the ability to be:

Acts 17:28 NKJV

for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

He gives us our being

Genesis 2:7 NKJV

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

4- וּבְכׇל

(u·ve·chol-)

With all

With all what?

5- All your being

A- לְבָבְך

(le·va·ve·cha)

your heart

Inner man

B- נַפְשְׁךָ֖

(naf·she·cha)

your soul

Animal too have soul (which can be destroyed)

C- מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃

(me·'o·de·cha.) -

strength -your

with all your wholeness

Romans 10:9–12 NKJV

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

John 14:15–18 NKJV

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Only God can love God like this

There is only one God

Exodus 8:10 NKJV

So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.

Exodus 9:14 NKJV

for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.

Exodus 15:11 NKJV

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

2 Samuel 7:22 NKJV

Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

1 Chronicles 17:20 NKJV

O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Psalm 86:8 NKJV

Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Your works.

Isaiah 46:9 NKJV

Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,

This is the work that The Lord is doing in this Torah portions: Teaching Israel and Egypt that there is no other God

The fulfillment of this work, now open to anyone’s heart who believes, is found in the NT:

Why is this Torah portion necessary?

To understand the heart of man and

That we may understand the end times

Heart of Man

1 Kings 8:38 NKJV

whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple:

Jeremiah 19:8 NKJV

I will make this city desolate and a hissing; everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its plagues.

Revelation 18:8 NKJV

Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

Revelation 22:18 NKJV

For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;

The plagues were overcome in Jesus

Plague one

John 8:12

Light of the World

Plague two

John 14:6

The way, the Truth and the Life

Plague 3

John 10:9

The Door

Plague 4

John 15:5

The vine

Plague 5

John 10:11

Good Shepherd

Plague 6

John 11:25-26

The resurrection and life

Plague 7

John 6:50

The Bread of Life

He says this 7 times, the same number of plagues we are discussing in this Torah Portion

Closing

The end times

SEVEN PLAGUES

Leviticus 26:21 NKJV

‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins.

Leviticus 26:28 NKJV

then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

Seven Angels - John sees in Revelation

Revelation 15:1–8 NKJV

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.” After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Seven Bowls in Revelation:

Revelation 16:1–21 NKJV

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died. Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds. Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.

But Yeshua renews the covenant of the marriage:

Luke 22:20 NKJV

Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

The four cups are as follows:

Exodus 6:6–8 NKJV

The four cups are as follows:

1- The Cup of Sanctification - I will bring you out - וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣י (vavhotzei’ti ) of Egypt. The first cup “sets apart” the time of Passover

2- The Cup of Salvation - I will deliver you -וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י (vavhitzal’ti) from the slavery. The second cup celebrates the story of the Exodus, and recounts the 10 plagues, described in the Book of Shomot

3- The Cup of Redemption - I will redeem you- וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י (və-ḡā-’al-tî) with My power. The third cup celebrates God’s redemption through the blood of the lamb at the end of the meal. This was the cup that Yeshua sanctified to commemorate the “blood of the new covenant: which He poured out for the remission of our sins (Luke 22:20 and Matt: 26:28 )

4- The Cup of Restoration - I will take you- וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י (wə-lā-qaḥ-tî), as My people and I will be (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh) יהוה the Lord, your God. This cups closes the passover seder, since Yeshua told His disciples that He would not drink the fourth cup but promised to do so with them in the coming Kingdom (Matt: 26:29) It may be called the Cup of Restoration since it will be savoured after “all Israel shall be saved” Rom 11:26