The Birth of a Nation

Last weeks Torah study was all about Israel leaving Egypt after the first Passover.  Our focus was on Exodus 12 with special focus on verses 43-50 as they are not in chronological order but instead have thematic significance.  The theme in these verses is about circumcision and the Passover...basically you can not eat of it unless you have been circumcised.  This section of scripture is what is called a parsha, in this case verses 43-50 are a parsha stumah, which is a minor. The parsha before this one is verses 37-42 (parsha p'tuchah) and the one directly after is verse 51 (parsha p'tuchah).  These two sections speak of Israel leaving Egypt 'to the day'.

(Page 3 of the study will tell you the difference between the two parsha types, you can find the study Bo here:  Restoration of Torah - Torah Study)

430 years 'to the day' of what?  We know that the covenant was made with Abraham and part of that had to do with circumcision.  So we can go back to Genesis 15 and find that: Abram is promised a son, Abram is imputed righteousness because of his faith, Yahweh makes the covenant with Abram, and tells Abram his descendants will be enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years.  In Genensis 15:17 it uses the same words...'on the same day'...

If we look at a genealogical timetable we can see that the period of exile begins on the same day Issac was born and would end on that same day.

Going back to the main theme of the Exodus 43-50 parsha and reading forward to Genesis 17 about Yahweh and Abram's covenant, circumcision instituted as a sign of the covenant, the promise of Isaac and Abram fulfilling circumcision of everyone who was with him.  The two passages both deal with those who are not blood born Hebrews.  

Yahweh was now going to fulfill his promise to Abraham by delivering them from Egyptian bondage, their side of the covenant was for Israel and all who joined them to be circumcised and then follow the directions of the Passover sacrifice to save life.

Life in Hebrew is chayim, the first letter is chet and looks like this: 

Looks somewhat like a door:

This letter is often used as an abbreviation for the word life.  Pretty cool huh?

It get's better actually.  This is the birth of the nation of Israel!  Israel went into Egypt as a family and is coming out of Egypt as a nation.  You see, they went into their homes as slaves to remain inside while all over Egypt there was screaming and crying as all the firstborn died, then they all came out of those blood-stained doorways similar to a child born from the womb, as a free nation!  (See Ezekiel 16:1-6)

The Torah clearly teaches about  the 'new birth' or 'born again' experience, think about Yeshua's conversation with Nicodemus...interesting....

Why is this all important to know?

The Torah is a picture of what is to come, in this case the first Passover is a picture of a future Passover.  Examination of lamb from the 10-14th making sure it is 'without blemish', 1 Peter 1:18-19 and John the Baptist being a Levite, the priest declares a lamb fit for sacrifice...'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  The blood of the lamb and the blood of Messiah give life from death.   No bones were to be broken in the lamb is a prophecy that no bones would be broken in Messiah.  The Passover sacrifice redeemed Israel just as Yeshua the Messiah's sacrifice redeems us!  The Passover sacrifice was the price of redemption which paid for their salvation (firstborn life) and deliverance from Egyptian bondage.  Yeshua the Messiah's sacrifice also is the price of redemption which pays for our salvation (life) and deliverance from the bondage of sin if we put our faith in the blood of the Lamb.  The Passover is pre-Torah...simply put, you cannot be saved by keeping Torah.  Keeping Torah comes after we are saved because we want to show love to the one who saved us!

There is SO much in this study...

One more thing I will share just to make the connection back to the passage about circumcision.  True circumcision is of the heart Romans 2:29, Abraham was circumcised outwardly but also of the heart, Romans 4:11 tells us that this was a sign of his righteousness he obtained by faith.  Do we also have this seal of righteousness?  Ephesians 1:13 tells us that the Ruach Ha'Kodesh (Holy Spirit) is our seal of righteousness through being born again!

This is just some of the study, there is so much more and my ramblings could even be a bit hard to follow.  If you would like to know more I encourage you to go to the above link, under Shemot (Exodus) click on the download of Bo.  I love learning how to tie all of scripture together, it is making a solid foundation out of rubble.  It is showing how important ALL of scripture is.  Without the front of the Book we can NOT understand what the back of the Book really means as it is not the scripture 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is talking about, it wasn't considered scripture yet.  So, "Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth".  2 Timothy 2:15

~Blessings