This weeks reading is from Parashat Beshalach (Shemot / Exodus 13:17-17:16), Pharaoh let the people go, however, the Lord God did not lead the people by the way of the Philistines but into the wilderness. Moshe carried the bones of Joseph out of Egypt (13:19), and the Lord led the people by a pillar of cloud during the day and pillar of fire by night. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened (14:4-9) and follows Israel to the Red Sea. The Lord sends a strong east wind and divides the sea so the people could cross on dry land (14:15-22). The Egyptian army pursued Israel and the Lord destroyed them (14:23-31). The people sing praise to the Name of the Lord (15:1-22). The people then arrive at a place called Marah (bitter) and the Lord tested them there (15:23-26). They travel to Elim and to the wilderness of Sin and grumble because there was no food (16:1-3). The Lord then gives the people bread in the morning and meat in the evening to eat (16:4-16). The people eat Manna for 40 years until entering into the Promised Land (16:35). Amalek comes to fight against Israel at Rephidim (17:8) and Israel prevails against Amalek. This week’s reading is interesting because at two points in the text we read of the Lord’s Salvation (יְשׁוּעַ) in Shemot / Exodus 14:13 and 15:2.
כתבי הקודש / The Holy Scriptures
ספר שמות פרק יא
יג וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם אַל-תִּירָאוּ הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת-יְשׁוּעַת יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶֹה לָכֶם הַיּוֹם כִּי אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת-מִצְרַיִם הַיּוֹם לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאֹתָם עוֹד עַד-עוֹלָם:
ב עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי-לִי לִישׁוּעָה זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי וַאֲרֹמְמֶנְהוּ:
Shemot / Exodus 14:13, 15:2
14:13 But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.
15:2 ‘The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him. (NASB)
In the reading for this week, we learn that “Yeshua” (יְשׁוּעַ) is the Lord’s Salvation. At the red sea, Moshe declares “stand and see the salvation of the Lord.” Following their deliverance, the people sing of the Salvation of the Lord. In addition to this, God provides bread from heaven in Shemot / Exodus 16:15 טו וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְֹרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל-אָחִיו מָן הוּא כִּי לֹא יָדְעוּ מַה-הוּא וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵהֶם הוּא הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהוָֹה לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה: 16:15 When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. (NASB) This week’s portion from the Hebrew text provides us with an interesting midrash on the salvation and provision of the Lord God Almighty. Historically we know the synagogue service in the 1st century used the weekly readings we use today. According to John 6:46-59, Yeshua was teaching in the Synagogue saying that He is the true bread from heaven.
John 6:46-59
6:45 ‘It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 6:46 ‘Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 6:47 ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 6:48 ‘I am the bread of life. 6:49 ‘Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 6:50 ‘This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. … 6:58 ‘This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.’ 6:59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. (NASB)
Was Yeshua teaching a midrash using a word play from the weekly reading while speaking in the synagogue in Capernaum? Looking at the Hebrew text, it is interesting that those who following the sacred name movement would be unable to recognize “Yeshua” (יְשׁוּעַ) as God’s Salvation using the name “Yahshua” since “Yahshua” doesn’t exist anywhere in the Scriptures. In the great deliverance God provided for Israel, the dividing of the sea, Yeshua taught that He is God’s Salvation, “so all who believe will have eternal life!”
