THE PATH OF DELIVERANCE

“The Name of HaShem is a tower of strength; with it a righteous person will run and be strong” Proverbs 18:10

What a wild ride 2020 was and 2021 is shaping up to be! Would you all agree that the past 12 months especially, have been truly extraordinary and unprecedented? The COVID pandemic, the political strife and division, financial losses, stresses beyond measure, deaths of family members and friends, and this is just the minor stuff going on! Say nothing about all the demonic schemes and plans being implemented to utterly change the United States into an oppressed society controlled by government rule. The shackles of imprisonment are truly falling on America and they are falling very, very quickly.

Is it a coincidence then that as I write this Op it is Shabbat, 30 January 2021 and the Torah portion for today is ‘Beshalach’ which is found in Shemot (Exodus) 13:17-17:16 which discusses the account of HaShem waging war on behalf of Israel against Egypt and parting the Sea, allowing all of Israel to walk in dry land to the other side and then He brought the sea back down upon Pharaoh and his military forces and wiped them all out once and for all, saving Israel! There is SO much contained in this one Torah portion, it is astounding! Nothing is a coincidence with HaShem! Everything is perfectly timed and placed exactly where He wants it to serve the purpose He has ordained to serve and NOTHING will thwart that! Baruch HaShem!

Consider us today in America, which is quickly being locked down under various pretexts and excuses along with law abiding citizens who happen to think on the Conservative side of the isle now being labeled potential ‘Domestic Terrorists/National Security Threats’. Those who are striving to walk in the Torah of HaShem and believe His Word, are doubly marked as being threats to society, again not a coincidence!

Would you be surprised that what is happening in America today is nothing new and has happened before? When we read the account of how Israel while in Egypt, originally a place of safety, suddenly turned into oppression and slavery by the rise of a Pharaoh who had zero regard for how Joseph had saved not only Israel but all of Egypt during the great famine. This same Pharaoh arose and suddenly declared all of Israel a national security threat, enslaved them and crushed their independence, thus Israel cried out to HaShem for help and deliverance, which He heard their cries. We know what happened next, in a quick summary, HaShem waged war on Pharaoh and the rest of Egypt, and Israel was led out with Moshe leading i.e. delivered! Why is this important? Remember HaShem commands each us to recall and retell this story of the Exodus every year! Why? Because He reveals the end out of the beginning, there is nothing new under the sun and as such how He delivered His people out the first time is how He will do so again, only on a much larger scale! Additionally, Pharaoh is a very good picture of the False Messiah, who will very, very soon rise to power on a global scale upon the sudden and complete destruction of Babylon (America) by a surprise nuclear attack by Russia and her allies (read Jeremiah 50-51 for more context).

My intention with this Op is to discuss the account of the Exodus and find the hope that is in it which we can apply to our current time and day in Babylon (America) as our new Pharaoh (President) has arisen and is locking the citizens down, having zero regard for what came before; again nothing new under the sun! But before we jump into that, always remember the unchanging characteristics of HaShem as they are even more important today than before:

• HaShem never changes per Num 23:19/Mal 3:6/Hebrews 13:8/James 1:17
• His Word is firmly established per Psalm 119:89
• He reveals the end out of the beginning per Is 46:10
• He does nothing without first revealing it to His prophets per Amos 3:7
• He says there is nothing new under the sun per Ecclesiastes 1:9
• He says His Torah is the ONLY truth there is per Psalms 119:142
• He says His Torah is a tree of life and eternal per Proverbs 3:18-19 and Psalm 119:160
• He says His Torah is perfect and restores the soul per Psalm 19:7
• He says His Torah makes the simple one wise per Psalm 19:7
• He says His Torah Is freedom and liberty per Psalm 119:45 and James 1:25
• He says His Torah is the only good doctrine there is Proverbs 4:2
• He says His Torah will add length of days and years of life and peace per Proverbs 3:2
• He says all of the ways of His Torah are ways of pleasantness and peace per Proverbs 3:17
• He says His Torah is for our good and well-being per Deuteronomy 6:24
• He says His Torah is health for our lives per Proverbs 3:8
• He says His Torah is life to our soul and a graceful ornament for our neck per Prov 3:22
• He says His Torah is better than pearls and all desires cannot compare to it per Prov 8:11
• He says those who walk with His Torah are praiseworthy per Psalms 119:1
• He says observing His Torah is how we purify our path per Psalms 119:9
• He says His Torah is better than thousands in gold and silver per Psalms 119:72
• He says His Torah brings abundant peace to those who love Him and His Torah per Psalms 119:165
• He says there is one Torah for all per Exodus 12:49/Leviticus 24:22
• He says those who hate His Torah love death per Proverbs 8:36
• He says His Torah is the way of faith per Psalms 119:29-30
• He says His Torah makes us wiser than our enemies per Psalms 119:98
• He says His Torah is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path per Psalms 119:105
• He says one who finds His Torah has found life per Proverbs 8:35
• He says one who finds His Torah has found favor from HaShem per Proverbs 8:35

“Moshe said to the people, ‘Do NOT fear! Stand fast and see the salvation of HaShem that He will perform for you today; for as you have seen Egypt today, you shall not see them ever again! HaShem shall make war for you, and you shall remain silent.'” Shemot (Exodus) 13:14-15

It is amazing to me to watch how quickly tyranny is arising in this country. It seems each day we as a nation fall deeper and deeper into that black hole of tyranny while a despot and his backers grow more powerful. I have heard many people ask the question ‘Why does HaShem allow this?’ ‘The wicked rise up while the righteous are crushed.’

In order to answer, we need to see how HaShem reacted to the cries of Israel under Egyptian oppression. To quickly summarize, He directs Moshe to go speak to Pharaoh, which he does and requests Pharaoh let Israel go. Pharaoh reacts harshly and increases the required work load on the enslaved Israelites which causes Israel to look at Moshe and say “What have you done! You have put a sword in Pharaoh’s hand and now we must work harder!” Even Moshe goes to HaShem and asks Him and I will paraphrase “What have You done! Now things are worse than ever!” HaShem replies and I will paraphrase “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh and Egypt and then you shall know I am HaShem!” Point is, HaShem, in an act of mercy and compassion, sped up the flourishing of the wicked in order to then rescue Israel! Keep this in mind in our day and time as well for remember He is unchanging and there is nothing new under the sun! I digress.

So why does HaShem allow the wicked to sprout and flourish? He does tell us why and is it again just a coincidence the answer is found in the Shabbat Psalm i.e. Psalms 92? Nothing is a coincidence with HaShem! He says in Psalms 92:6-8 which says “How great are Your deeds, HaShem, exceedingly profound are Your thoughts. A boor cannot know, nor can a fool understand this. WHEN THE WICKED BLOOM LIKE GRASS AND ALL THE INIQUITIOUS BLOSSOM, IT IS TO DESTROY THEM TILL ETERNITY.”” The commentary on this verse is very interesting. It says “The enemies of HaShem are raised up to meet their downfall! The Holy One, Blessed is He, elevates the wicked for their own detriment. This may be likened to the vile galley slave who viciously cursed the king’s beloved son. The king reasoned, ‘If I kill him, people will not take notice of it and they will learn nothing from it, for of what consequence is the life of a lowly galley slave?’ Therefore, the king first promoted the slave to the rank of captain, then he elevated him to the post of governor general. Only then, after giving him prominence and renown, did the king execute the rogue for his crime. Point is, every success which the wicked enjoy brings them one step closer to their eternal doom.” So, we can see HaShem allows the wicked to flourish only to destroy them in such a fashion that all will know HaShem is the One and only King! Further, once the wicked are destroyed, their destruction is eternal, there is zero hope for them.

On the flip side, what does HaShem say about the righteous? Psalms 92:13-16 says “A righteous man will flourish like a date palm, like a cedar in the Lebanon he will grow tall. Planted in the House of HaShem, in the courtyards of our Elohim they will flourish. They will still be fruitful in old age, full of sap and freshness they will be. To declare that HaShem is just, My Rock in Whom there is no wrong!”

Why does HaShem use a Date Palm Tree as an example of a righteous person? The commentary on these verses explains why which says “The palm grows very straight, without bending, just as the righteous man remains upright and honest. The wood of the palm is free of knots, just as the righteous man is free of flaws. The palm’s shady leaves and fronds are far off the ground, at the very top of the tree. Similarly, the reward promised the righteous is not immediate, but reserved for the distant future of the World to Come. Every part of the palm is useful, its fruits are eaten, its leaves and fronds are used in thatching, and its wood is used for construction. Similarly, each righteous person fulfills a special purpose.”

Further, HaShem uses the example of a cedar in the Lebanon: “Cedar symbolizes virtue and righteousness. Furthermore, the unique properties of the cedar compensates for any deficiencies in the palm tree. The wood of a palm is unsuitable for furniture and utensils, whereas the wood of the cedar is excellent for these purposes. When a palm tree is cut down, its trunk dries in the ground. When the cedar is felled, however, its roots and stump remain alive, and a new cedar shoot will sprout in its place. Similarly, righteousness is indestructible; if a righteous man is harmed, he will only grow stronger. If he is cut down, another righteous man will rise to take his place.”

“Moshe died on the Shabbat, and David died on the Shabbat. Moshe wrote the five books of the Torah, and David wrote the five books of the Psalms to strengthen the Jew’s faith in Torah. Both Moshe and David excelled in their recognition that HaShem’s judgment is completely righteous and fair. Thus both could declare with full confidence that there is no wrong in Him!” Further, we must understand HaShem executes His judgment typically by using the elements of His creation to do so!

So, you are probably asking how Psalms 92 fits into the Torah portion ‘Beshalach’ and the path of deliverance? We see in this Torah portion after HaShem brought Israel out of Egypt, He brought them to the Sea, seemingly trapping them into one place, an inescapable position from which to be easily defeated. Egypt pursues not realizing they are riding head fast into HaShem’s trap! HaShem then tells Moshe to “Stretch out his hand over the sea and HaShem then moved the sea with a strong east wind all the night, and He turned the sea to damp land and the water split. The Children of Israel came within the sea on dry land; and the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left.” Then Egypt, in their arrogance, pursues after them, “Every horse of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea. It happened at the morning watch that HaShem looked down at the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, and He confounded the camp of Egypt. He removed the wheels of their chariots and caused them to drive with difficulty. Egypt said, ‘I shall flee before Israel, for HaShem is waging war for them against Egypt!‘“ I love that verse….“For HaShem is waging war for them against Egypt!” Imagine HaShem waging war for you and I? Baruch HaShem!

Then HaShem commands Moshe “Stretch out your hand over the sea, and the water will go back upon Egypt, upon its chariots and upon its horsemen. Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea, and toward morning the water went back to its power as the Egyptians were fleeing toward it; and HaShem churned Egypt in the midst of the sea. The water came back and covered the chariots and the horsemen of the entire army of Pharaoh, who were coming behind them in the sea, there remained not a one of them. The Children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea; the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left.”

Now this next part of the Exodus account is extremely important because it immediately has a prophetic connection to it. HaShem says in Shemot (Exodus) 14:30-31 “ON THAT DAY, HaShem saved Israel from the hand of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel the great hand that HaShem had inflicted upon Egypt; and the people revered HaShem, and they had faith in HaShem and in Moshe, His servant.” Whenever read read in His Word the phrase ‘On that day’ or ‘In that day’ it always points to ‘The Day of HaShem’ i.e. the Millennium in which the first seven years are the Birth Pains, what Christendom erroneously calls ‘The Tribulation’. Why is that important here for us today? Because, again HaShem reveals the end from the beginning and in the End of Days the major players are: Babylon (USA), Egypt (Europe) and Gog and Magog (Russia and her allies). Since Pharaoh is a picture of the False Messiah and arises out of Egypt, then in the end the False Messiah will arise out of Egypt i.e. Europe and ultimately HaShem WILL save Israel from the hand of Egypt as well as destroy Gog and Magog and Israel from that point on for all eternity will have faith in HaShem and His Messiah Yeshua (Not Jesus) Who comes in the likeness of Moshe i.e. teaching the Torah per Devarim (Deuteronomy) 18:15-19!

What is the point for all this thus far? The more we see the rise of wickedness and oppression, the faster HaShem WILL act on our behalf for just as it was with Israel in Egypt, when He sped up the oppression, it just meant His mercy was in play so He could rescue His people!! IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN!! WE HAVE TO TRUST HE IS TRUE TO HIS WORD! Then when He does suddenly rescue us, then we can sing the same song Israel sang as recorded in Shemot 15:1-19 which says “Then Moshe and Children of Israel chose to sing this song to HaShem, and they said the following:

I shall sing to HaShem for He is exalted above the arrogant, having hurled horse with its rider into the sea. The might and vengeance of Elohim was salvation for me. This is my Elohim and I will build Him a Sanctuary; the Elohim of my father and I will exalt Him. HaShem is MASTER OF WAR, His Name is HaShem. Pharaoh’s chariots and army He threw into the sea, and the pick of his officers were mired in the Sea of Reeds. Deep waters covered them; they descended in the depths like stone. Your right hand, HaShem is glorified with strength; Your right hand, HaShem smashes the enemy. In Your abundant grandeur You shatter Your opponents; You send forth Your wrath, it consumes them like straw. At a blast of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up; straight as a wall stood the running water, the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.

The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide plunder; I will satisfy my lust with them. I will unsheathe my sword, my hand will impoverish them.’ You blew with Your wind, the sea enshrouded them; the mighty sank like lead in the water; Who is like You among the heavenly powers, HaShem! Who is like You, mighty in holiness, too awesome for praise, Doer of wonders! You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them. With Your kindness You guided this people that You redeemed; You led with Your might to Your holy abode. Peoples heard, they were agitated, terror gripped the dwells of Philistia. Then the chieftains of Edom were confounded, trembling gripped the powers of Moab, all the dwellers of Canaan dissolved. May fear and terror befall them, at the greatness of Your arm may they be still as stone; until Your people passes through, HaShem, until this people You have acquired passes through. You will bring them and implant them on the mount of Your heritage, the foundation of Your dwelling place that You, HaShem, have made, the Sanctuary, my Master, that Your hands established. HaShem shall reign for all eternity! When Pharaoh’s cavalry came with his chariots and horsemen into the sea and HaShem turned back the waters of the sea upon them, the Children of Israel walked on the dry land amid the sea.”

I know it is much easier said than done, I struggle with it all the time as well, but HaShem is unchanging, He reveals the end out of the beginning and thus if He rescued His people once before in the beginning, then He WILL do so again in the end! How that is, when that will be, I have absolutely no idea, however, I can look at all that is going on around us and know it is getting very, very, very close, in my opinion, much closer than I think we realize! With this said, don’t lose hope and don’t lose resolve…HaShem will send His Mighty Right Arm i.e. Messiah Yeshua to rescue His Own…He IS coming!

I will close with this excerpt from Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs) 2:8-9 says “The Voice of my Beloved! Behold it came suddenly to redeem me, as if leaping over mountains, skipping over hills. In His swiftness to redeem me, my Beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. I thought I would be forever alone, but behold! He was standing behind our wall, observing through the windows, peering through the lattices.” Point is, He hasn’t abandoned us! If we first believe Him i.e. faith, this is what secures our salvation, then we strive to walk with Him and His Torah out of love, devotion and loyalty to Him, to ever improve our relationship with Him, because we are His people! He IS coming!

Much to consider.

Shabbat Shalom!

SOURCE MATERIALS:

• The Milstein Edition Chumash by Artscroll
• Tehillim (Psalms) by Artscroll
• Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs) by Artscroll