Parashah #16 Beshalach: "In Sending Away"
Exodus 13:17-17:16
In this week's Torah portion, HaShem soundly defeats the armies of Egypt and delivers His people out of their reach. Manifested in the pillar of cloud and fire, He shields Yisrael as they make their way through Yam Suf (the Sea of Reeds). During this scenario, Scripture tells us a detail that illuminates what kind of G-d we serve and how we should conduct ourselves in light of this revelation. Shemot 14:19-20 says: "Next, the angel of G-d, who was going ahead of the camp of Isra'el, moved away and went behind them; and the column of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them. It stationed itself between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Isra'el--there was cloud and darkness here, but light by night there; so that the one did not come near the other all night long." This is intriguing. According to this passage, the Sh'china, the Presence of G-d, presents itself as darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Yisraelim. the paradox contained in this manifestation continues to be woven throughout Scripture. Our Mashiach, the very radiance and essence of G-d (Hebrews 1:3), reflects this seeming dichotomy.
Our L-rd Yeshua, before Whom we must all stand one day, is called both the Lamb of G-d, Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and the Lion of the tribe of Y'hudah (Revelation 5:5). For those who have bowed the knee to Him as L-rd and Savior, He is the Lamb, but for those who have not, He is the Lion. Though we as believers have passed from death unto life (John 5:24), this reality of Who Mashiach Yeshua is has direct bearing on something we all will experience in the future. According to 2 Corinthians 5:10, we must all stand before the judgment seat of Mashiach in order to receive the consequences of what we did in this life, whether good or bad (CJB). This event each of us will experience is all too seldom discussed, yet the degree of our eternal reward is determined in the here and now. To put this in practical terms, whenever we are tempted to behave in an ungodly way or permit anything unholy into our hearts, minds, or lives, it would behoove us to ask whether the pleasures of sin are worth having to give an account before the L-rd Who bought us with His blood. As it is written: "Then Yeshua told his talmidim, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him say ‘No' to himself, take up his execution-stake, and keep following me. For whoever wants to save his own life will destroy it, but whoever destroys his life for my sake will find it. What good will it do someone if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or, what can a person give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come in his Father's glory, with his angels; and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct." (Matthew 16:24-27) Unlike the Egyptians of old, let us have tender, obedient hearts that we might walk in the Light of our L-rd's countenance.
Shalom uvracha,
Hadassah