Parasha Beshalach
Exodus 13:17 – 17:15
Please Pray this
Prayer before
reading
In the name of Yahushua
Our
Messiyah,
I
pray for the Spirit of Understanding
The
Spirit of Knowledge and
The Spirit of Wisdom
As I read through this Parsha
While going through the pages
of the Zohar I discover the unique gift it gives us on this Shabbat. I
came across a section that reads “The energy of the words that comes from
our mouth literally awaken the same type of energy from above.” If a
believer speaks positive, he or she awaken within themselves positive energy
from above.
The Zohar goes on to
elucidate that if a person is participating and connecting to the Light of the
Shabbat, he should not awaken the mundane things of the world on the Shabbat,
for by doing so, he literally cause damage to the Light of the Shabbat.
A number of amazing things
happen in the portion of Beshalach, including the parting of the Red Sea . The CREATOR said to the Children of Yisrael just
prior to the crossing, "I will do battle for you and you must remain
splent.” Which seams to indicate that on this Shabbat, the power of the
Word is even greater than usual.
The Zohar goes on to
explain that the Light revealed on Beshalach Shabbat is called the “Light of
Atika,” which is beyond anything we
can awaken with our work or with our prayers. This is why ABBA YAHVEH warned
the the Yisraelites not to speak. If these words had awakened any other type of
Light during the parting of the Red Sea , they
would have diminished the Superior Light being revealed at that time, the same
way the mundane thing of the world dampen the effect of the Shabbat.
On the Shabbat of Beshalach,
even Light revealed by prayer or study can diminish the greater Light available
to us.
If the Light of this Shabbat
is not revealed through the Words of the Torah, then how is it revealed? The answer
to this question, we need to first know why the Kabbalists called this day the
“Shabbat Shirah,” or the Shabbat of the Song. When we look at the Major
events surrounding this day, beside the parting of the Red
Sea , and the Song that was sang thanking ABBA YAHVEH for saving
their lives.
As we look closer we see that
the song itself was a singular event in the Torah. There is no other recorder
event of a song in Torah. No one in Torah had sung a song prior to the
Yisraelites singing the Song of the Sea.
As believers we either operate
in the reality of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil or the reality of The
Tree of Life. Unfortunatly the majority of believers operate under the
influence of the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.
When we look at events of the
physical world and see them as good and evil, we are living in the more
superficial reality of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the
deeper reality of the Tree of the Tree of Life, there is only good. If we were
able to look at our world today and see only how it benefit me, I am living in
the knowledge of good and evil.
If we were able to look at the
world and see only the Might Hand of YAHVEH at work, we would be standing in
the “Gemar HaTikkun,” the Final Correction. However, because we are
still feeding from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, we still see
darkness as well as light, we still see the world according to how it benefit
Me.
Ultimately, the purpose of our
lives in this world have never been explain to us. The goal and objective of
all our works is to help us attained the highest spiritual level possible. Life
is to elevate ourselves and the world to the consciousness of the Tree of Life
in reality.
This Torah portion explains
that when the Yisraelite sang as they cross the Red Sea ,
the words came directly from the Holy Spirit, and their song expresses the
gratitude of their heart. The parting of the Red Sea
was not as important as the song they sang, an expression of the Tree of Life
counsciousness, a taste of miracuous unit.
The Shabbat of Beshalach is
the only Shabbat of the year where the consciousness of Shirah of the unity of
the world, of the Tree of Life, is revealed. This priceless gift cannot be
successfully describe, we have to experience it.
This is why the Zohar makes it
so clear that on the Shabbat of Beshalach, we have to be exceptionally carefull
of our speech. This is a Shabbat when, if we are quite, the experience of the
Tree of Life consciousness is made more available to each of us.
The quickest, easiest, and
most direct route out of Egypt
to the Promise Land of Yisrael is north East, along the coast of the Mediterranean
Sea , a route that goes through Palestine , which is on the West Cost of the Holy Land .
However just as this was the
easiest route to return home. Since the war-like Philistines were sure to wave
war, EL YAHVEH knew that the Children of Yisrael who had just came out of
slaver, had no fighting skills. They would lose heart and return to Egypt
To avoid this He took them on
a round about path through the Sinai, to develop a sense of unity and purpose
among them. In the ongoing story, Yisrael would develop their fighting skill
little by little against the weaker enemies like the Amalekites. This is the
same way our Heavenly Father do to us today.
After we are saved we are only
a child spiritually, He waits untill we become a young man spirituall, one who
is stronger in the Word, before He ask us to be in spiritual warfair.
Exo 13:17 And it came
to be, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that Elohim did not lead them by way
of the land of the Philistines, though that was nearer, for Elohim said, “Lest
the people regret when they see fighting, and return to Mitsrayim.” - The choice YAHVEH ROEH made
of their way. He was their guide. Moses gave them direction but as he received
it from YAHVEH ROEH. The way of man is not in himself, Jer. 10:23. He may devise
his way, and design it, which is eating of the Tree of Good and Evil; but,
after all, it is ABBA YAHVEH that must directs all our steps, Prov.
16:9.
Man proposes, but YAHVEH
disposes, and in HIS disposal we must acquiesce, and set ourselves to follow
providence. There were two ways from Egypt
to Canaan . One was a short cut from the north
of Egypt to the south of Canaan, perhaps about four or five days’ journey; the
other was much further about, through the wilderness, and that was the way in
which YAHVEH chose to lead HIS people Yisrael.
Exo 13:18 So Elohim
led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Sea of Reeds land of Mitsrayim Promise Land Mt.
Sinai
Even though a nation under the direct
protection of EL YAHVEH should not need arms to defend itself, it is the
Torah’s way that people should conduct themselves in a matural manner, and
then, if necessary, EL YAHVEH will intervene with miracles.
Even though the people were armed, they
would have fled back to Egypt
It was not the sword by their side
that was the problem; it was the condition of their heart. The Hebrew word wmh
used in this contex represent a fifth, and it implies that only one-fifthe
of the Children of Yisrael left Egypt
Exo 13:19 And Mosheh
took the bones of Yosĕph with him, for he certainly made the children of
Yisra’ĕl swear, saying, “Elohim shall certainly visit you, and you shall bring
my bones from here with you.” - Although Joseph wanted to be buried in The Land, he could not ask his
children or his brother to do so because of the lofty position he hold as
Viceroy of Egypt. He knew that the role of Yisrael was to rape Egypt
Exo 13:20 And
they departed from Sukkoth and camped in Ětham at the edge of the
wilderness. Like most of the - In the
first two stages it was enough that YAHVEH directed Moses whither to march: he
knew the country and the road well enough; but now that they had come to the
edge of the wilderness they would
have occasion for a guide; and a very good guide they had, one that was
infinitely wise, kind, and faithful.
Exo 13:21 And יהוה went
before them by day in a column of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a column
of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. – In our spiritual journey
from Egypt
Exo 13:22 The column
of cloud did not cease by day, nor the column of fire by night, before the
people. – This preseence will
never cease and it never cease untill the children of Yisrael reach the Promise Land
Chapter 14
Exo 14:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, - This chapter like most of
the other chapter it begins with EL YAHVEH spoke to Moses. This confirms the
fact that Moses was a mature believer. Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with you,
and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two
cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will
give you in commandment to the children of Yisrael. It is those of
us who have achieve the contents of the Ark of the Covenant who is a mature believer.
Those who have the Ten Commandments written on their heart, those who have the
Holy Spirit Aarons rod internilize, those who become a Pot of Manna to others
around them. They are a mature believer; they are the ones who will hear the
Voice of EL YAHVEH.
Exo 14:2 “Speak to the
children of Yisra’ĕl, that they turn and camp before Pi Haḥiroth, between
Miḡdol and the sea, opposite Baʽal Tsephon – camp before it by the sea. –After having spent three days traveling away
from Pharaoh, the Children of Yisrael now retreated and retract their steps,
coming to a halt before Baal Zepon, the only idol that had not been destroyed
during the Plague. EL YAHVEH did this to let Pharaoh believe that the Children
of Yisrael were probably lost and confused.
Exo 14:3 “For
Pharaoh shall say of the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘They are entangled in the land,
the wilderness has closed them in.’ – Pharaoh belived that the power of Baal-zephon was so strong that it had
force the Children of Yisrael to return to him.
Exo 14:4 “And I
shall harden the heart of Pharaoh, and he shall pursue them. But I am to be
esteemed through Pharaoh and over all his army, and the Mitsrites shall know
that I am יהוה .”
And they did so. – Because of this
mind set Pharaoh hardens his heart again. Religious minded people are the same
way, when they are confronted with the truth, they reply it was nail to the
cross brother, it was nail to the cross.
Exo 14:5 And it was
reported to the sovereign of Mitsrayim that the people had fled, and the heart
of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people. And they said, “Why
have we done this, that we have let Yisra’ĕl go from serving us?” – This passage teaches us an important
lesson in human nature. Whena person’s own interests are involved and his
desires aroused, he can rationalize everything in his favor, as Pharaoh did
when he decided that the survival of the idol Baal Pephon was an sign that he
would prevail.
Exo 14:6 So he made
his chariot ready and took his people with him. – Pharaoh set an example
for his people by harnessing his own chariot and leading his army in persuit.
He attracted his nation by persuasion, telling them that he would share the
spoils with them, and that he would join them in bringing back the fugitives,
unlike other Kings who bask in luxury while their subjects endanger themselves.
Pharaoh knew that proper leadership is all important in battle. All this was
possible only because EL YAHVEH strengthen his heart, or he would not have
attempted such foolishness.
Exo 14:7
And he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Mitsrayim with
officers over all of them. – One of
the way the children of darkness encourage followers is to give people
authority, while in the Kingdom
of H e
Exo 14:8 And יהוה hardened the heart of Pharaoh sovereign of
Mitsrayim, and he pursued the children of Yisra’ĕl, but the children of
Yisra’ĕl went out with an upraised arm. – The term with an upraised arm, is figurative. The Hebrew left Egypt
The Children of Yisrael left Egypt Egypt Red Sea parted and the
Hebrew people escape, while Pharaoh army was destroyed.
Exo 14:9 And the
Mitsrites pursued them, and all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen
and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Haḥiroth, before
Baʽal Tsephon. – When anyone come
to initial salvation, the evilone will always try and used there most powerful
force to bring them back into a life of sin. Pharaoh had not used his army up
to this point in the encounter between himself and Moses.
Exo 14:10 And when
Pharaoh drew near, the children of Yisra’ĕl lifted their eyes and saw the
Mitsrites coming up after them. And they were greatly afraid, so the children
of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה . – The Hebrew people saw a
hugh force aproching them. This cause them to be very afraid, and they cried
out to EL YAHVEH. The following Psalms gave us a good example of that
situation. Exo 20;1 May YAHVEH answer you when you
are in trouble! May the El “God” of Jacob protect you! 2 May he send you help from his Temple and give you aid from Mount Zion
Exo 14:11 And they
said to Mosheh, “Did you take us away to die in the wilderness because there
are no graves in Mitsrayim? What is this you have done to us, to bring us up
out of Mitsrayim? – There were apparently two
contradicictory groups: One group of Hebrew who held on to the promises made to
Abraham and prayed accordingly, and the second group who was so frighten that
they regret having left Egypt
May believers who have made this decision
to follow Yahushua often change their mind, when they realize the price they
have to pay in the pursuit of Salvation? This verse is painting such a picture
to us. That why it is essential for us to have a mature believer as a leader.
Exo 14:12 “Is this not the word that we spoke to you in
Mitsrayim, saying, ‘Leave us alone and let us serve the Mitsrites?’ For it
would have been better for us to serve the Mitsrites than to die in the
wilderness.” - It was not everyone in
the Hebrew community who wanted to leave Egypt
Exo 14:13 And Mosheh
said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the deliverance of יהוה , which He does for you today. For the
Mitsrites whom you see today, you are never, never to see again. – Strong leadership, who usually knows the
road to Mt. Sinai Egypt
Exo 14:14 “יהוה does
fight for you, and you keep still.” – Although the consensus is that EL
YAHVEH was about to show them this great miracle in order to strengthen their
faith. Miracles are not design for the unsaved; it is design to help the
believers grow stronger. There were over 600,000 men who could easily fight for
they were armed. But year of servitude in Egypt
Exo 14:15 And יהוה said
to Mosheh, “Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and let
them go forward. – Was EL YAHVEH
frustrated by the crying of the children of Yisrael as they are so rightly
called here? For children when they are inconvenient they usually cry. Moses
was rebuke, led the children forward. Children must be led, they will always
cry when they do not know what to do. When a child is hungry, he or she will
always run to mom, they will never consider that they could go make a sang
wedge. Most children are basically dependable people. That why belivers are
discribe in three class: Children, youngmen, and Fathers.
Moses response should have been, YAHVEH
where do we go from here?,instead of keep going back to EL YAHVEH with the
complain of the people.
Exo 14:16 “And you, lift up your rod, and stretch out
your hand over the sea and divide it, and let the children of Yisra’ĕl go on
dry ground through the midst of the sea. – Moses establishes a spiritual relationship with EL YAHVEH over the past
year or so. It would not be rebellious for him to keep asking EL YAHVEH what
next. Most good leaders are usually those who are ahead of the game. They see
the game unfold in slow motion. Our Creator gave us free choice to operate
within His sphere of influence. I wonder, did Moses had an Open Heavens Status
as El Yahushua did. My answer is no.
An Open Heavens Status is a free
exchange of information between Heavens and Earth. Similar to what Jacob had in
the dream when he saw the ladder and the angels ascending and descending.
Exo 14:17 “And I, see I
am hardening the hearts of the Mitsrites, and they shall follow them. And I am
to be esteemed through Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his
horsemen. – EL YAHVEH could
have saved the Children of Yisrael without having them go through the Red Sea . However as the verse indicates, El wanted to be
glorified through the destruction of Pharaoh army. The way to do so was through
the double miracle of the dividing the red sea to save the Children of Yisrael
and using the same miracle to destroy Pharaoh Army.
Exo 14:18 “And the
Mitsrites shall know that I am יהוה , when I am esteemed through Pharaoh, his
chariots, and his horsemen.” – This verse is not
referring to those who will die, but to those who will survive and will hear of
the total destruction of their forces. This incident also draws a parallel to
those who come to Justification or initial salvation, it allude to the removal
off all thing, which seems to hold us captive to sin. This could implies,
substance abuse, demon possession, or any addition. Who the Son sets free is free
indeed.
Exo 14:19 And the
Messenger of Elohim, who went before the camp of Yisra’ĕl, moved and went
behind them. And the column of cloud went from before them and stood behind
them, - In the Hebrew language a messenger is an
Angel. So the Angel of the EL YAHVEH who went before the Camp, now moved and
went behind the Children of Yisrael. The Angel seem to be a separate entity
from the Column of Cloud.
Exo 14:20 and came
between the camp of the Mitsrites and the camp of Yisra’ĕl. And it was the
cloud and the darkness, and it gave light by night, and the one did not come
near the other all the night. – The Manifestation of YAHVEH came between bothe the camps of the Hebrew
and Egyptians so that they could not see each other. To the Egyptians it was
darkness, but to the Children of Yisrael it was light. We are admonish that the
things of the Spirit are foolish (darkness) to the unsaved, but to those who
are saved it is Light everlasting.
Exo 14:21 And Mosheh
stretched out his hand over the sea. And יהוה caused the sea to go back by a strong east
wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were
divided. – When we send the
Five Fold Ministry of the: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher,
the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH, up against the doctrine of Philosophy, the Wind
of the Holy Spirit will make land dry even in the midst of the doctrine of
Philosophy.
Dry land is where the children of
Yisrael travel. Their path will be well secure for whatever journey they may
choose to embark on. It is the Holy Spirit in our liver that creates the path
for us; He is the only One who knew the road each and every one need to travel.
Exo 14:22 And the
children of Yisra’ĕl went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the
waters were a wall to them on their right and on their left. – This verse paints a very
pictorial picture of our spiritual journey. The Holy Spirit creates a road for
us to follow, yet we sometime choose to walk in the life less water of
Philosophy, instead of walking on the clear dry land EL YAHVEH had prepare for
us.
Exo 14:23 And the
Mitsrites pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all the horses
of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. – The substitute religion of the world will always mimic the path of
sanctification, but they will die in the process, it will be there grave
instead of there glory. When the Mighty Hand is send into the world of religion,
the enemy or Pharaoh army will always try to persue after us. I have personally
experience this principle, when I attemp to start my ministry a bunch of
Karrites came into my fellowship and did evry thing to disrupt my ministry.
Exo 14:24 And it came
to be, in the morning watch, that יהוה looked down upon the army of the Mitsrites
through the column of fire and cloud, and He brought the army of the Mitsrites
into confusion. – The night is
divided into three parts each called a watch, or shift, because a different
group of Angels sings praises to EL YAHVEH at each of the three watches. The
punishment of the Egyptian took place during the third watch just before dawn.
The Spirit of EL YAHVEH, that causes
Pharaoh to harden his heart, also cause confusion among the Egyptians. They
were so confused they did not know where the Children of Yisrael was, what was
a pillow of light to the Children of Yisrael was a cloud of darkness to the
Egyptian.
Exo 14:25 And He took
off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty. And the
Mitsrites said, “Let us flee from the face of Yisra’ĕl, for יהוה fights for them against the Mitsrites.” - EL
YAHVEH through the Holy Spirit causes the wheels of the false religion to fall
off, so the false leaders had difficulties operation their false religion. They
made no spiritual headway in anything they were doing. Today Christian churches
are in this position spiritually.
Exo 14:26 Then יהוה said
to Mosheh, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, and let the waters come back
upon the Mitsrites, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” - Too often we hear of
miracles in Scripture yet we never stop to understand the principle behind it,
or should I say the principle it is establishing. The stretching forth of the
Mighty Hand over the water cause it to part, the stretching forth of the
Fivefold Ministry will cause judgment upon them. This is the same principle
being establishes here that Moses utilize every time he spoke to Pharaoh. When
we tell someone to keep the Sabbath and they refuse to do so, they were in
essence, harding their own heart. Judgement cannot be dispell by EL YAHVEH if
belivers refused to spred the Word.
Exo 14:27 And Mosheh
stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its usual flow, at
the break of day, with the Mitsrites fleeing into it. Thus יהוה overthrew the Mitsrites in the midst of the
sea, - EL YAHVEH the
Creator of Nature, the boundried of the water were establish on the third day
of Creation. This bountries was temporary lifted for a period of time by the
Holy Spirit, to enable EL YAHVEH purpose to be fulfilled. The term normal flow
is indicitive of the limits set by EL YAHVEH on the third day of Creation.
Exo 14:28 and the
waters returned and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the army of
Pharaoh that came into the sea after them, and not even one was left of them. – The philosophy of man is
like the sea, its intended purpose is to embrace mankind in its doctrine that
will suficate his spiritual nature, with its logic and reason.
Exo 14:29 And the
children of Yisra’ĕl walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea, and the
waters were a wall to them on their right and on their left. – When we walk on the straight and narrow
path that leds to eternal life, there will be walls of water, the philosophy of
man not far away. These walls might seems to the weak in heart as life
treathing. Yet its is under the control of the Holy Spirit. EL YAHVEH will even
suspent the Laws of Nature to protect one of His people who wishes to depart
from this evil world system.
Exo 14:30 Thus יהוה saved Yisra’ĕl that day out of the hand of the
Mitsrites, and Yisra’ĕl saw the Mitsrites dead on the seashore. – How many of us saw the
carnage in Haiti
Notice the Children of Yisrael did not
establish a rescue operation to see how many they could have saved. Is it right
for the believer to try to comforth those who EL YAHVEH is punishing?
Exo 14:31 And
Yisra’ĕl saw the great work which יהוה had
done in Mitsrayim, and the people feared יהוה , and believed יהוה and
His servant Mosheh. – The judgment dish out on Haiti Haiti ,
yet when people in Haiti
Chapter 15
In the Torah’s definition, a song is a
profound and unusual phenomenon. In the normal course of events, we fail to
preceive the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH at work, and we often wonder how most of
the daily, seemingly unrealated phenomena surrounding us could be part of a
Divine, coherent plan.
In our suffering, we often wonder how
we can be the handy work of a merciful El. Very rarely, there is a flash of spiritual
insight that make people realize how all the pieces of the puzzle fall into
place.
At such time, we can understand how
every note, instrument, and participant in EL YAHVEH’s symphony of Creation
plays its role. The resulting song, or the Torah’s concept a song is the
condition in which all the aparently unrelated and contradictory phenomena, do
indeed meld into a coherent, merciful, comprehensible whole.
At the Red Sea ,
Only Moses and a few others truly comprehend the significant of the event.
Those who understand broke out in a song after they saw the demise of the
Egyptian. To the few among the group who truly understand, Creation became a symphony,
a songs; because they understood how every unrelated and incomprehensible
events was part of the harmonious score that led up to the grand-finally.
Once a believer attained this
realization, they will also become convinced that all the myriad events of the
past and the future are part of EL YAHVEH Divine plan.
Only when the full plan of Creation
become one harmonious whole in the minds of sinful man, could we ever become
echad, one. This elevated status will always bring the outpouring of songs from
the heart. The uniqueness of this Song was that a nations were singing with one
voice.
The song contain the following;
1 A General prase of EL YAHVEH as the
Mighty Savior for all mankind, before whom no force can stand;
2
a review of the mirale that that accompanied the splitting of the sea;
3 Pharaoh’s plan in persuing the
Children of Yisrael and the utter failer of his designs;
4 the action of the canaanite and the
other nations to the miracleand what it portended for them; and
5 Yisrael’s futureas EL YAHVEH’s
People.
Exo 15:1
Then
Mosheh and the children of Yisra’ĕl sang this song to יהוה , and spoke, saying, “I sing to יהוה , for He is highly exalted! The horse and
its rider He has thrown into the sea! – The redeemed community should have gotton up and sing this song every Passover,
in memory of this wonderful occasion.
He gives glory to YAHVEH,
and triumphs in HIM; this is first in HIS intention: I will sing unto ABBA YAHVEH.
All our joy must terminate in ABBA YAHVEH, and all our praises be offered up to
HIM, the Father of lights and Father of mercies, for HE hath triumphed.
All who love ABBA YAHVEH triumph in HIS triumphs; what is HIS honor should be
our joy. Yisrael rejoiced in YAHVEH.
Exo 15:2 “Yah is my
strength and song, and He has become my deliverance. He is my Ěl, and I praise
Him – Elohim of my father, and I exalt Him. - As their own EL, and therefore their strength,
song, and salvation. Happy therefore the people whose EL is YAHVEH;
they need no more to make them happy.
They have work to
do, temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear, and are weak in
themselves; but he strengthens them: his grace is their strength. They are
often in sorrow, upon many accounts, but in him they have comfort, he is their
song; sin, and death, and hell, threaten them, but he is, and will be, their
salvation: See Isa. 12:2.
As their ABBA’ YAHVEH. This they take notice of, because, being conscious
to themselves of their own unworthiness and provocations, they had reason to
think that what YAHVEH had now done for them was for their fathers’ sake,
Deu. 4:37. The children of the covenant
ought to improve their fathers’ relation to YAHVEH as their EL for comfort, for
caution, and for quickening.
Exo 15:3 “יהוה is a
man of battle, YAHVEH TSEBOATE is HIS Name.
- As a EL of infinite power: YAHVEH
TSEBOATE is a EL of war, that is, well able to deal with all those that
strive with their Maker, and will certainly be too hard for them.
As a EL “God” of
matchless and incomparable perfection. This is expressed, First, More
generally: Who is like unto thee, O YAHVEH, among the Elohim “gods”!
This is pure praise, and a high expression of humble adoration.
It is a challenge to
all other gods to compare with him: "Let them stand forth, and pretend
their utmost; none of them dare make the comparison.’’ Egypt
Exo 15:4 “He has
cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea, and his chosen officers are
drowned in the Sea
of Reeds
Exo 15:5 “The depths
covered them, they went down to the bottom like a stone.-
Exo 15:6 “Your right
hand, O יהוה , has become
great in power. Your right hand, O יהוה , has crushed the enemy. - Thy right hand, O Lord, not ours, has dashed in pieces the enemy. It
was with the blast of thy nostrils verse 8, and thy wind verse
10, and the stretching out of thy right hand.
Exo 15:7 “And in the
greatness of Your excellence You pulled down those who rose up against You. You
sent forth Your wrath, it consumed them like stubble. - It was an instance of YAHVEH transcendent power in
the greatness of thy excellency; and it was the execution of his justice: Thou
sentest forth thy wrath.
Exo 15:8 “And with
the wind of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up, the floods stood like a
wall, the depths became stiff in the heart of the sea.
Exo 15:9 “The enemy
said, ‘I pursue, I overtake, I divide the spoil, my being is satisfied on them.
I draw out my sword, my hand destroys them’. - The enemy said, I will
pursue. Here is,
First, Great confidence. When they pursue, they do not
question but they shall overtake; and, when they overtake, they do not question
but they shall overcome, and obtain so decisive a victory as to divide the
spoil. Note, It is common for men to be most elevated with the hope of
success when they are upon the brink of ruin, which makes their ruin so much
the sorer. See Isa. 37:24, 25.
Secondly, Great cruelty, nothing but killing, and slaying,
and destroying, and this will satisfy his lust; and a barbarous lust that is
which so much blood must be the satisfaction of. It is a cruel hatred with
which the church is hated; its enemies are bloody men. This is taken notice of
here to show,
1. That YAHVEH resists
the proud, and delights to humble those who lift up themselves; he that says,
"I will, and I will, whether YAHVEH will or no,’’ shall be made to know
that wherein he deals proudly YAHVEH is above him.
2. That those who
thirst for blood shall have enough of it. Those who love to be destroying shall
be destroyed; for we know who has said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay.
Exo 15:10 “You did
blow with Your wind, the sea covered them, they sank like lead in the mighty
waters. - Hast overthrown. The Egyptians were completely undone by YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE by a blast of thy nostrils. Of course, YAHVEH has no bodily parts; but
sometimes He is spoken of in this manner to graphically portray elements of
truth for us. The practice is called anthropomorphism, (GK anthropos and morphe, man
and form.
Exo 15:11 “Who is
like You, O יהוה ,
among the mighty ones? Who is like You, great in set-apartness, awesome in
praises, working wonders? - Who is
like unto thee, ABBA YAHVEH? YAHVEH is without equal to an infinite degree, and
is glorious in holiness, fearful (awesome) in praises, who performs
awe-inspiring supernatural acts.
Exo 15:12 “You
stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.
Exo 15:13 “In Your
kindness You led the people whom You have redeemed, in Your strength You guided
them to Your set-apart dwelling. - The protection and guidance
of Yisrael: Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people, led them forth
out of the bondage Egypt ,
led them forth out of the perils of the Red Sea ,
verse19. But the children of Yisrael went on dry land. The destruction
of the wicked serves for a foil to set off the salvation of Yisrael, and to
make it the more illustrious, Isa. 45:13–15.
In order to
encourage them to trust in YAHVEH. So confident is this Psalmist of the happy
issue of the salvation which was so gloriously begun that he looks upon it as
in effect finished already: "Thou hast guided them to thy holy
habitation. Thou hast thus put them into the way to it, and wilt in due
time bring them to the end of that way,’’ for YAH’s work is perfect; or, "Thou
hast guided them to attend thy holy habitation in heaven with their
praises.
Exo 15:14 “Peoples
heard, they trembled, anguish gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.- Those whom God takes under his direction he will
guide to his holy habitation in faith now, and in fruition shortly. Two ways
this great deliverance was encouraging:
First, It was such an instance of YAH’s power as would
terrify their enemies, and quite dishearten them. The very report of the
overthrow of the Egyptians would be more than half the over throw of all their
other enemies; it would sink their spirits, which would go far towards the
sinking of their powers and interests; he Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, and
Canaanites (with each of which nations Israel was to grapple), would be alarmed
by it, would be quite dispirited, and would conclude it was in vain to fight
against Yisrael, when a EL of such power fought for them. It had this effect;
the Edomites were afraid of them (Deu. 2:4), so were the Moabites (Num. 22:3),
and the Canaanites, Jos. 2:9, 10; verse 1, therfore YAHVEH sent HIS fear before
them (ch. 23:27), and cut off the spirit of princes.
Secondly, It was such a beginning of YAH’s favour to them as
gave them an earnest look at the perfection of HIS kindness.
Exo 15:15 “Then the
chiefs of Eḏom were troubled, the mighty men of Mo’aḇ, trembling grips them,
all the inhabitants of Kenaʽan melted. - This third and final section (before the epilogue)
of the poem turns from YAH’s recent triumph and looks prophetically ahead to
the conquest of Canaan . specifically mentioned
as fearing YAH’s power are those of Palestina (the Philistines), Edom (descendants of Esau), and Moab (from Lot ,
Gen 19:30–38).
Exo 15:16 “Fear and
dread fell on them, by the greatness of Your arm they are as silent as a stone,
until Your people pass over, O יהוה , until the people, whom You have bought,
pass over.
Exo 15:17 “You bring
them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O יהוה , which You have made for Your own
dwelling, the set-apart place, O יהוה , which Your hands have prepared. - This new heaven was buld in
order to accommodate the Sons of Light: Thou shalt bring them in. If he
therefore bring them out of Egypt
Our experiences of YAHVEH’s
power and favour should be improved for the support of our expectations.
"Thou hast, therefore, not only thou canst, but we trust
thou wilt,’’ is good arguing. Thou wilt plant them in the place which
thou has made for thee to dwell in. It is good dwelling where YAHVEH
dwells, with HIS people on earth (Ps. 27:4), in HIS Assembly in heaven, Jn.
17:24. Where HE says, "This is my rest for ever,’’ we should say,
"Let it be ours.
Exo 15:18 “יהוה reigns forever and ever. - The great ground of the encouragement which they
draw from this work of wonder is, ABBAYAHVEH shall reign for ever and ever.
They had now seen an end of Pharaoh’s reign; but time itself shall not put a
period to YAH’s reign, which, like HIMSELF, is eternal, and not subject to
change. It is the unspeakable comfort of
all YAH’s faithful subjects, not only that he does reign universally and with
an incontestable sovereignty, but that he will reign eternally, and there shall
be no end of his dominion.
Exo 15:19 For the
horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and יהוה brought back the waters of the sea upon them.
And the children of Yisra’ĕl went on dry ground in the midst of the sea. – There is coming a time when Pharaoh
“Lucifer” and his army the sons of darknesswill be cast in the sea of fire,
while the Sons of Light will go in a possess their inheritance. They will watch
as the final distruction of the sons of darkness is carryed out.
Exo 15:20 And Miryam
the prophetess, the sister of Aharon, took the timbrel in her hand. And all the
women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. – For those who think that
a woman cannot be in ministry, Torah said here that Miryan was the prophetess,
she took the timbrel and lead the nation in worship. It will always take a
prophetic person to lead a fellowship in praise and worship. For their action
alone is prophetic, the instrument used in that prase and worship, is also the
weapon of our warfare in the spiritual realm.
The solemn singing
of this song. Miriam (or Mary, it is the same name) presided in an assembly of
the women, who (according to the softness of their sex, and the common usage of
those times for expressing joy, with timbrels and dances) sang this song. Moses
led the psalm, and gave it out for the men, and then Miriam for the women.
Famous victories were wont to be applauded by the daughters of Israel Egypt
Exo 15:21 And Miryam
answered them, “Sing to יהוה ,
for He is highly exalted! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!” – Miriam was one of those persons who understand the position the Children
was in when the Red Sea split. She led in
worship by setting an example to others to see. In the merit of a righteous
woman of that generation were the Children of Yisrael redeemed from Egypt
In addition to maintaining the
spiritual vigor of the nation during the trying years of oppression, some women
had greater faith than the men. This is why we see that EL YAHVEH will call
women to fill the role that the men of the different generations, have fail to
fulfill.
Exo 15:22 And Mosheh
brought Yisra’ĕl from the Sea
of Reeds
Exo 15:23 And they
came to Marah, and they were unable to drink the waters of Marah, for they were
bitter. So the name of it was called Marah. – the first test of the nature of Yisrael was about to begin. This test was
that they had no water for three days. All these situation was to see the
mindset of the people, Mark you, it was not all the people who murmered, but
the greater majority did.
Exo 15:24 And the
people grumbled against Mosheh, saying, “What are we to drink?” - Like spiritual Children they cried out, Mom there is no water in the house,
what are we supposed to drink. I am starving!
Exo 15:25 Then he
cried out to יהוה ,
and יהוה showed him a tree. And when he threw it into
the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a law and a right-ruling
for them, and there He tried them. – Moses must have
been very frustrated at this point. He did the right thing. He cried out to EL
YAHVEH, and EL YAHVEH showed him a tree, and when Moses threw the three in the
bitter water of Marah, it became sweet.
There is another spiritual lesson to
be learn here. The bitter water of Marah is an example of the Torah; the tree
is symbolic of the Cross, the Tree where Yahushua our Messiyah was to be
crucified. When we add the Sacrifice that El Yahushua did no the Cross, Torah
will become a sweet water for us to drink. Torah by its self is a bitter water,
it is not conducive to sustaining life, but by adding the Spirit of
understanding which we get by believing in Yahushua it become a well of living
water.
Exo 15:26 And He
said, “If you diligently obey the voice of יהוה your
Elohim and do what is right in His eyes, and shall listen to His commands and
shall guard all His laws, I shall bring on you none of the diseases I brought
on the Mitsrites, for I am יהוה who
heals you.” – Yahushua said if
you love Me keep My Commandment, John 14:15. Moses was prophesying here about
this same verse Yahushua would say centuries later. We will read this same
definition in Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken
unto the voice of YAHVEH thy EL, to observe to do all his commandments and his
statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon
thee, and overtake thee:
Exo 15:27 And they
came to Ělim, where there were twelve fountains of water and seventy palm
trees. And they camped there by the waters. – EL YAHVEH showed Yisrael
that material deprivation and plenty are outgrowths of man’s spiritual
condition, for as soon as the people accepted the pleasant yoke of Torah study
at Marah with its bitter water, they came to a place with an abundance of sweet
water and fruits. Theses spring and trees were prepared from creation in
anticipation of the coming of the twelve tribes and the seventy leaders, in
order to show individual honor to them.
Chapter 16
Although the sweetened water of Marah
had shown that EL YAHVEH had not forsaken the Children of Yisrael and that His
attention extended to even the mundane, daily needs, the lesson had not been
fully learned by the Hebrews.
When the entire assembly arrives at
the Wilderness of Sin, the people again felt threatened by hunger. They once
again protest this time even more vehemently than at Marah. They went so far as
to say that they had been better off in Egypt than nowThe spectacle is
disquieting but not surprising, for hunger and the fear that one will not be
able to provide for one’s children can drive even a mature believer to do are
say thing they would never have done in normal circumstances.
This too, was apart of the Children of
Yisrael schooling, or object leason to be learn for eternity, for EL YAHVEH was
about to give them mana, the Heavenly food, which proved that our wilderness
experience is to secuclude the would be bride unto Himself.
This was a lesson that the Children of
Yisrael the Bride to be, was to setapart, to be made Holy for the rest of there
existence.
The giving of the manna was a
objective lesson for the Torah that would be give much later. When the Children
of Yisrael neglect the Torah they were neglecting the wedding covenant. When
the Children of Yisrael neglected the Toprah or lost faith in the Marah and
Sin, it was thrist or hungry; when it recognized that EL YAHVEH is the Groom,
He will supply the sweet water to quench or thrist and the Manna to feed our
body.
Exo 16:1 And they set out from
Ělim, and all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl came to the
Wilderness of Sin, which is between Ělim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the
second month after their going out of the land of Mitsrayim Egypt Red Sea , now they set their
focus on Elim; a place with Palm trees. They arrive there on the 15 day of Zif.
|
MONTHS IN THE
SACRED CALENDAR
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|||
|
No.
|
Name
|
Bible Reference
|
Comment
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|
1
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Abib / Nisan
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Exo. 12:2, 13:4, Esther 3:7
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Sprouting / Budding
|
|
2
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Zif
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1 Kings 6:1
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Blossom month
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|
3
|
Sivan
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Esther 8:9
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Third month
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4
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Tamuz
|
Jeremiah 39:2
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Name not in Bible
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5
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Ab
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Numbers 33:38, Zech. 7:3
|
Name not in Bible
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6
|
Elul
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Nehemiah 6:15
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The gleaning month
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7
|
Ethanim / Tishri
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1 Kings 8:2
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Perennial / Seventh
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8
|
Bul
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1 Kings 6:38
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Rain / Eighth
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|
9
|
Chisleu
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Nehemiah 1:1, Zech. 7:1
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The Hunter / Ninth
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10
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Tebeth
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Esther 2:16
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Winter / Tenth
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11
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Sebat
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Zech. 1:7
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Eleventh
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12
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Adar
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Esther 8:12
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Fire / Twelfth
|
This was now one month since Passover. It is important to
also follow this time line to see which date they reach Mt.
Exo 16:2 And all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl grumbled
against Mosheh and Aharon in the wilderness. – They were rightly called the Children
of Yisrael, for like most children they complain a lot. When you are in a
congregation or fellowship those who usually complain are spiritual children’s.
This verse is describing to us the spiritual mature of those individual.
Exo 16:3 And the children of Yisra’ĕl said
to them, “If only we had died by the hand of יהוה in
the land of Mitsrayim Egypt
Exo 16:4 And יהוה said
to Mosheh, “See, I am raining bread from the Heavens for you. And the people
shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, in order to try them,
whether they walk in My Torah or not. – EL YAHVEH is a Elohim that uses whatever we choose to do, as the next
object lesson to us. YAHVEH is about to use the complaining of the People, as
another of those object lesson; He will rain bread from Heavens, which is a
form of Torah. It was the responsibility of every to go out and gather what was
required for their personal use for the day. Included in this down pouring is
also a test! This test was to determine if the Children would be obedient!
There is always a stipulation attach to what EL YAHVEH says we are to do. As a
future bride, will we be obedient. The essential quality of a wife to be is
always obedience, even if it does not make sense.
Exo 16:5 “And it
shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it
shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” – Here comes the stipulation, the condition. Even though food is essential
for live, we are told that on the sixth day, special arrangement must be made
in the gathering and preperation of the Manna. All food preperation was to be
done on the sixth day, and not on the seventh day, the Sabbath. Take twice as
much, cook twice as you will require, for tomarrow is the Sabbath and no
preperation of food. Notice also that the sixth day was not called Friday! But
it was numbered in conjunction with the Sabbath day.
Exo 16:6 And Mosheh
and Aharon said to all the children of Yisra’ĕl, “At evening you shall know
that יהוה has brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim
Exo 16:7 “And in the
morning you shall see the esteem of יהוה , for He hears your grumblings against יהוה . And what are we, that you grumble against
us?” – Every evening we should remember that it
was EL YAHVEH Grace, His Love for us, that He brought us out of Egypt
Exo 16:8 And Mosheh
said, “In that יהוה gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in
the morning bread to satisfaction, for יהוה hears your grumblings which you make against
Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against יהוה .” – Like all true Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH, Moses give all th Glory to YAHVEH.
When we complain against the true Mighty Hand we are in essence complaining
against YAHVEH Himself.
Exo 16:9 And Mosheh
said to Aharon, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Come
near before יהוה ,
for He has heard your grumblings.’ – Grumbling is one
of those sins that grief our Master heart. If we have a grumbling nature, it is
essential for our spiritual life to bring it before our Creator. It is quite
obvious that not everything got wash away by the Red Sea .
There are some small things in our lives that we must bring before our Creator
for disposal. El Yahushua (Jesus Christ) said to Peter if I cannot wash your
feet, your cannot be with me. This is what Yahushua was referring to Peter
about; the continuous waste of our hand our work and our feet our walk, until
we reach perfection.
Exo 16:10 And it came
to be, as Aharon spoke to all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl,
that they looked toward the wilderness and see, the esteem of יהוה appeared in the cloud. – The Glory of EL YAHVEH
will always appear to us in the wilderness part of our spiritual journey. The
direction that they were looking was towards Mt. Sinai Mt. Sinai
Exo 16:11 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Exo 16:12 “I have
heard the grumblings of the children of Yisra’ĕl. Speak to them, saying,
‘Between the evenings you are to eat meat, and in the morning you are to be
satisfied with bread. And you shall know that I am יהוה your
Elohim.’ – Here we see another Torah principle! In the
afternoon we are to eat meat, and in the morning we are to eat bread. The
redeem community would do well to adhere to this statue.
Exo 16:13 And it came
to be that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning
the dew lay all around the camp. – Quail is a type
of bird and Manna a type of flour to make bread. In order to encourage them to trust in YAHVEH. So confident is this
Psalmist of the happy issue of the salvation which was so gloriously begun that
he looks upon it as in effect finished already: "Thou hast guided them
to thy holy habitation. YAHVEH has put them into the way to it, and wilt in
due time bring them to the end of that way,’’ for YAH’s work is perfect; or, "Thou
hast guided them to attend thy holy habitation in heaven with their
praises.
Exo 16:14 And the
layer of dew went up, and see, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small
round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. - Those whom YAHVEH takes under
his direction he will guide to his holy habitation in faith now, and in
fruition shortly. Two ways this great deliverance was encouraging:
First, It was such an instance of YAH’s power as would
terrify their enemies, and quite dishearten them. The very report of the overthrow
of the Egyptians would be more than half the over throw of all their other
enemies; it would sink their spirits, which would go far towards the sinking of
their powers and interests; he Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, and Canaanites
(with each of which nations Yisrael was to grapple), would be alarmed by it,
would be quite dispirited, and would conclude it was in vain to fight against
Yisrael, when a YAHVEH of such power fought for them.
It had this effect;
the Edomites were afraid of them (Deu. 2:4), so were the Moabites (Num. 22:3),
and the Canaanites, Jos. 2:9, 10; verse 1. Therefore YAHVEH sent HIS fear
before them (ch. 23:27), and cut off the spirit of princes.
Secondly, It was such a beginning of YAH’s favour to them as
gave them an earnest of he perfection of HIS kindness.
Exo 16:15 And the
children of Yisra’ĕl saw, and they said to each other, “What is it?” For they
did not know what it was. And Mosheh said to them, “It is the bread which יהוה has
given you to eat. – The Torah merely mentioned
the appearance of the quail, but it did not go into details. The Manna however,
was a phenomenon that had never appeared before and might never appear again
after the wilderness experience is over.
First the Torah describes the process
through which the manna appeared. Dew covered the ground as a sheet. The Manna
did not become noticeable until the sun melts the upper layer of dew, whereupon
the people saw something the like of which they had never seen before. Moses
informed them that it was the food that EL YAHVEH would be giving them every
day except on Sabbath.
Here is another, picture words, Manna
represent the Word, it is incumbent on all of us to feed on the Word every
morning and it will be like spiritual manna to our soul. The quail were not
described as such. In the evening we must examine our life to see if we were
living in the realm of the flesh, and devour our sinful nature before we go to
bed. It is our fleshly nature the Quail represent, but before we can control
this nature we nead the Word inside of us to do so. That is why the focus was
on the Manna and not on the quail.
Exo 16:16 “This is the word which יהוה has
commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, an omer for
each being, according to the number of beings. Let every man take for those who
are in his tent. – When EL YAHVEH
makes a statement that His people, should do a certain actions; it becomes a
command. EL YAHVEH says that every man should gather for his own family,
according to their needs. One omer for each person; It there were three person
in a family the three omer should be gathers, except on the sixth day the six
omer were to be gathered.
Exo 16:17 And the
children of Yisra’ĕl did so and gathered, some more, some less. – One of the few times in
the history of the Children of Yisrael that they actually did what they were
told to do.
Exo 16:18 And they
measured it by omers, and he who gathered much did not have too much, and he
who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered according to his
need. – The Word of EL
YAHVEH is like unto Manna, or the Bread from the Altar of Showbread. If one
study one word, one verse, one chapter or even one book. Regardless off how
much one eat or gathered it will fill us spiritually. This is another object
lesson about the Word, it will not return to us void, it will accomplish what
it is destine to achieve.
Exo 16:19 And Mosheh said, “Let no one leave any of it
until morning.” – We know that the
Word of EL YAHVEH cannot spoil, there fore what does this mean not to leave any
till the next day. Whenever we have the opportunity to read or study the Word,
we must not leave put it off until the next day. The Spirit of understands come
to us everyday when we call on Him. Today’s blessings are tomorrow fertilizer.
What we can learn today should not be delayed until tomorrow.
Exo 16:20 And they
did not listen to Mosheh, so some of them left part of it until morning, and it
bred worms and stank. And Mosheh was wroth with them. – We read in verse 17 that they did what
they were told, now we read that they like children do not always listen,
therefore they paid the penalty.
Exo 16:21 And they gathered it every morning, each one
according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted. – Another Torah Principle,
another pictorial word been reveled. Like Abraham and Jacob who woke up early
in the morning these people were encourage to awake early in the morning and
gathering in the bread from Heavens before the sun become too hot.
Exo 16:22 And it came to be, on the sixth day, that
they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers
of the congregation came and told Mosheh. – The Children of Yisrael gather their normal daily portion and an extra
portion for the Sabbath, but a miracle happened. It did not spoil or melt. I
believe that the reason why it was not wasted for they prepared it for the
following day. If were are given the Word of EL YAHVEH, as we are given the
Parasha for this week and we do not study it. The blessing that is associated
with that Parsha will be lost to us.
Exo 16:23 And he said
to them, “This is what יהוה has said, ‘Tomorrow is a rest, a Sabbath
set-apart to יהוה .
That which you bake, bake; and that which you cook, cook. And lay up for
yourselves all that is left over, to keep it until morning.’ – Tomorrow is the Sabbath cook what as to be
cook on the sixth day, that is require for the Sabbath. The whole purpose of
life is to prepare for the Sabbath rest, which is a weekly celebration of the
time, which will be all Sabbath. The sixth day is the final preparation time
before the Sabbath rest, six thousand years is to prepare us for the Millennium
rule.
Exo 16:24 And they
laid it up till morning, as Mosheh commanded. And it did not stink, and no worm
was in it. – there is a widely
nown saying that food prepae for the Sabbath do not spoil. This passage seems
to confirm it.
Exo 16:25 And Mosheh
said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to יהוה , today you do not find it in the field. – All food prepared for
the Sabbath must be eaten on the Sabbath, none should be left over for the
first day.
Exo 16:26 “Gather it six days, but on the seventh day,
which is the Sabbath, there is none.” - Upon this occasion, YAHVEH came upon terms with
them, and plainly told them, now that they had got clear of the Egyptians, and
had entered into the wilderness, that they were upon their good behaviour, and
that according as they carried themselves so it would be well or ill with them:
There he made a statute and an ordinance, and settled matters with them.
There he proved them, that is, there HE put them upon the trial,
admitted them as probationers for his favour. In short, he tells them. For six
thousand years He will gather in and on the seventh day which is the Sabbath
none must be gathered. He gave us the sixt days of creation to produce a
perfect son, however on the seventh day it is a rest.
Exo 16:27 And it came
to be that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they
found none. – there is always a few who even among the
redeemed, even thought they are told that they will be no Manna, will not
listen. This rule must be bent for them. They are like our Christian friends
who are told that the Seventh day is YAHVEH Day, yet they still attend their
church on the first day.
Exo 16:28 And יהוה said
to Mosheh, “How long shall you refuse to guard My commands and My Torot1?
Footnote: 1Torot - plural of Torah, teaching. – When we as Sabbath
Keepers tell our Christian friends, how long will you refuse to guard EL YAHVEH
Commandments, judgement will not be dished out on them.
Exo 16:29 “See, because
יהוה has given you the Sabbath, therefore He is
giving you bread for two days on the sixth day. Let each one stay in his place,
do not let anyone go out of his place on the seventh day.” - Moses explain to the people that because EL
YAHVEH have given us food for two day, it means that we are to keep the Sabbath
day Holy. You do not have to go out to look for food. For forthy years EL
YAHVEH taught this principle to the Children of Yisrael. There are no other
Commandment that He has taught every week for forthy years like the 4th
Commandment. There can be no more serious violation of Torah than to doubt or
disobey the word or a spification command.
Exo 16:30 So the
people rested on the seventh day1. Footnote: - The seventh day of the week, the weekly Sabbath, was observed before the
Ten Words were given on Mt.
Sinai
Exo 16:31 And the house of Yisra’ĕl called its name
Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like thin
cakes made with honey.
Exo 16:32 And Mosheh
said, “This is the word which יהוה has
commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it, to keep for your generations, so that they
see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of
the land of Mitsrayim.’ – Here is another picture word, fill an omer with Manna to keep it for all
generation to see who we are supposed to become. We are all called to be a pot
of Manna to other around us. We must feed them from what is inside of us. This
verse is a prelude to the description of the contents of the Ark of the
Covenant, an illustration of a mature believer.
Exo 16:33 And Mosheh
said to Aharon, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and set it down
before יהוה , to keep for
your generations.” - YAHVEH having provided manna to be
HIS people’s food in the wilderness, and to be to them a continual feast, we
are here told.
How the memory of it
was preserved. An omer of this manna was laid up in a golden pot, as we
are told (Heb. 9:4), and kept before the testimony, or the ark, when it
was afterwards made. The preservation of this manna from waste and corruption
was a standing miracle, and therefore the more proper memorial of this
miraculous food. "Posterity shall see the bread,’’ says YAHVEH, "wherewith
I have fed you in the wilderness,’’ see what sort of food it was, and how
much each man’s daily proportion of it was, that it may appear they were
neither kept to hard fare nor to short allowance, and then judge between YAHVEH
and Yisrael, whether they had any cause given them to murmur and find fault
with their provisions, and whether they and their seed after them had not a
great deal of reason gratefully to won YAH’s goodness to them.
The Pot of Manna
spiritually is our ability to teach other from what is inside of us. The Pot of
Manna is the third item to be place inside the Ark.
Exo 16:34 As יהוה commanded Mosheh, so did Aharon set it down
before them to be keep as a Witness. -
Exo 16:35 And the
children of Yisra’ĕl ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited
land. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Kenaʽan.
Exo 16:36 And an omer
is one-tenth of an ĕphah. –
Chapter 17
Maricle are no gurantee that people
life will be change. After the bitter water turn sweet, one might belive that
the children of Yisrael would have learn avaluable lesson. They were agin
without the basic necessity of life.
The question that is begs to ask! Was
it warrented? As the leader, should it not be Moses responsible as the sheepard
of the flow to provide water for the sheep! After all they had not yet reach
maturity, the land flowing with milk and honey.
On the other hand, should they have
cried out to EL YAHVEH over Moses head. Or should they have just suck it up and
be patient. I would go for the latter, suck it up and be patient.
Exo 17:1 And all the congregation
of the children of Yisra’ĕl set out on their journey from the Wilderness of
Sin, according to the command of יהוה , and camped in Rephiḏim. And there was no
water for the people to drink. – Again, the whole purpose of the journey is to reach the promise land. On
that journey there will be many trials and testing. This verse is no exception.
On this particular leg of the journey, so to speak they came to a particular
place in the desert where they complain for water. Do your remember your
Rephidim experience? Mom, I did not get enough breakfast and I am late for
school. Why don’t you just help your self honey, there is lots in the cupboard
to eat.
When we call on the Rock, which is
Yahushua He will provide us will rivers of Living Water for us to drink from.
The Word Picture been displayed here
is that of the Yahushua HaMashiach. Yes in one way the leader shoud led us to
that water, but he cannot make us drink. You hear abot that saying ”you can led
a horse to water, but cannot make him drink.” That is so true, it is the
obligation of every leader to led the people to the rock, the water will flow
when we get there.
Exo 17:2 Therefore
the people strove with Mosheh, and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Mosheh
said to them, “Why do you strive with me? Why do you try יהוה ? - I believe that every situation the Children of Yisrael finds them selves
in, we should ask for the Spirit of Understanding and the Spirit of Wisdom.
Wisdom to see what we should do, and understand to learn the desire lesson for
the occasion. If they had wisdom they would see the purpose and the understand
on how to act.
Exo 17:3 And the
people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Mosheh, and
said, “Why did you bring us out of Mitsrayim, to kill us and our children and
our livestock with thirst? – Like most children who lack the spirit of wisdom and understanding, they
fail to grasp the importance of the situation; therefore they did not have the
wisdom to act accordingly. We can usually see in believers certain action and
discern form those actions where they are spiritually. That is why Galatians
speak of the fruit of the Spirits.
Exo 17:4 Then Mosheh
cried out to יהוה ,
saying, “What am I to do for these people? Yet a little and they shall stone me! – As a good leader Moses did the right think,
he asked what am I to do for these people. Moses when on to add, in a little
more time they are going to stone me. Was Moses putting pressure on EL YAHVEH?
This also showed a little of Moses attitude.
Exo 17:5 And יהוה said
to Mosheh, “Pass over before the people, and take with you some of the elders
of Yisra’ĕl. And take in your hand your rod with which you smote the river, and
go. – This was an implied rebuke to Moses for
having accused the Children of Yisrael being ready to stone him. Pass before
them, EL YAHVEH Command, and see if they will do such a thing! Moses was to
take the elders with him as a witness that there was no hidden spring; rather,
the water would be created miraculously. Aaron was not ask to accompany Moses,
was this to assert Moses leadership of the people.
By the use of his staff was to prove
to the Elders that it could bring benefits to Moses as the Leader. One the rock
was seen split, the water would flow, and the Elders would return to their
respected group and declared what they had seen. Maybe this would squelch any
more complaining.
Exo 17:6 “See, I am
standing before you there on the rock in Ḥorĕḇ. And you shall smite the rock,
and water shall come out of it, and the people shall drink.” And Mosheh did so
before the eyes of the elders of Yisra’ĕl. – By telling Moses that he would be found standing at a rock in the
Wilderness, EL YAHVEH indicated that the potential for spiritual elevation is
everywhere. All Mighty Hand ministers, EL YAHVEH is always standing before us
on the Rock who is Yahushua.
The spiritual implication here is this
Rock is Yahushua (Jesus), He would be stricken the first time He arrive here on
earth. By Stricken Yahushua with death, Grace would flow in abundance for all
of the redeemed community to have.
Exo 17:7 And he called the name of the place Massah and
Meriḇah, because of the ‘strife’ of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and because they
‘tried’ יהוה , saying, “Is יהוה in
our midst or not?” – The name of the
place was called Messiyah and Merid literally test and contention. The people
tested EL YAHVEH, as the verse goes on to say, to see if EL YAHVEH would send a
Savoir. They content with Him by putting their complaint in the form of a
challenge, as explained above. By naming the place after there behavior; Moses
reminder us, that the way to express our needs is through prayer, not insolent
challenges.
The eternal struggle against the
Amalek the descendant of Esau the people of the flesh. The evil prophet Balaam
referred to Amalek as the first among nations, which means that Amelek is the
leading force of evil, just as Yisrael is the leading force of good, the flesh
and the spirit.
Therefore the struggle of the Children
of Yisrael and the Amalek is the eternal struggle of the flesh and the Spirit.
Therefore when Torah stress that the Divine purpose is to erase the memory of
Amalek from the face of the Earth, the implication is that when the flesh is
finally destroyed all sin will disappear.
Exo 17:8 And Amalĕq
came and fought with Yisra’ĕl in Rephiḏim. – By mentioning the place, Torah alluded to the reason for the reason for
the attack It was at Rephiden Yisrael question EL YAHVEH’s presence among them.
AS long as the Children of Yisrael was diligent to Torah study, the flesh would
not have domination over them. The reason why Moses chose Joshua, to led the
Children of Yisrael for he never left the Torah Tent 33:11 And YAHVEH spake vnto
Moses, face to face, as a man speaketh vnto his friende. After he turned againe
into the hoste, but his seruant Ioshua the sonne of Nun a yong man, departed
not out of the Tabernacle.
Exo 17:9 And Mosheh
said to Yehoshua, “Choose for us men and go out, fight with Amalĕq. Tomorrow I
am stationing myself on the top of the hill with the rod of Elohim in my hand.”
- When we do battle against whom do we send? We sent the Evangelist the
middle finger of the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH. The first wave of battle is
always the Evangelist. They go out and tell the unsaved world about the
Messiyah, and the purpose of Salvation.
This fighting is not for any and any person,
they must be chosen for their spiritual maturity as Joshua. When the
Evangelist, the ground force goes out to attack the enemy strong hold. The
other four fingers should be in spiritual support of them.
In this case the support team was like
the air fore flying spiritual formation over the intended area of operation;
that no enemy can mount a surprise attack against them.
Exo 17:10 And Yehoshua
did as Mosheh said to him, to fight with Amalĕq. And Mosheh, Aharon, and Ḥur
went up to the top of the hill. - Again Moses the Apostle, Aaron the Teacher, Hur the Pastor, while Miriam
the Prophetess was at home covering the Camp.
Exo 17:11 And it came
to be, when Mosheh held up his hand, that Yisra’ĕl prevailed. And when he let
down his hand, Amalĕq prevailed. – Was it Moses hand that causes victory, or was it him reaching up to EL
YAHVEH that creates an atmosphere of spiritual success.
Exo 17:12 But
Mosheh’s hands were heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he
sat on it. And Aharon and Ḥur supported his hands, one on one side, and the
other on the other side. And his hands were steady until the going down of the
sun. – They took the
Stone that follow them through their journey, that Rock was Yahushua the
Messiyah. When the true Mighty Hand sat on Yahushua the Rock we will have constant
aerial support in all our spiritual warfare. Supported by his two-trusted
sidekick Moses prevails in spiritual warfare over the Army of Yisrael led by
the Evangelist Joshua.
Exo 17:13 And Yehoshua defeated Amalĕq and his people
with the edge of the sword. - The defeat of
Amalek. Victory had hovered awhile between the camps; sometimes Yisrael
prevailed and sometimes Amalek, but Yisrael carried the day. Though Yehoshua
fought with great disadvantages, his soldiers by them YAHVEH accomplish a great
salvation, and made Amalek pay dearly for his insolence. Weapons formed against
YAH’s Yisrael cannot prosper long, and shall be broken at last. The cause of YAHVEH
and HIS people Yisrael will be victorious. Though ABBA YAHVEH gave the victory,
yet it is said, Joshua discomfited Amalek, because Yehoshua was a type
of Messiyah, and of the same name, and in him it is that we are more than
conquerors. It was his arm alone that spoiled principalities and powers, and
routed all their force.
Exo 17:14 And יהוה said
to Mosheh, “Write this for a remembrance in the book and recite it in the
hearing of Yehoshua, that I shall completely blot out the remembrance of Amalĕq
from under the Heavens.” – The general purpose of the redeem community is for us to be overcomes,
what then do we overcome nothing more that the flesh which Amalek represent.
Moses should write these things down and teach them to Joshua the next leader
of Yisrael.
When the Mighty Hand realizes that our
main goal is to overcome the flesh, we will not spend so much time worrying
about the evil one and focus on the goal of the higher calling.
Exo 17:15 And Mosheh
built an altar and called its name, יהוה NISSI, - and Moses build an Altar and called it YAHVEH is my Banner. The trophies of this victory set up.
Moses took care that
YAHVEH NISSI should have the glory of it; instead of setting up a triumphal
arch, to the honor of Yehoshua (though it had been a laudable policy to put
marks of honor upon him), he builds an altar to the honor of YAHVEH NISSI, and
we may suppose it was not an altar without sacrifice; but that which is most
carefully recorded is the inscription upon the altar, YAHVEH NISSI, YAHVEH
is my banner, which probably refers to the lifting up of the rod of YAHVEH
as a banner in this action.
The presence and
power of YAHVEH were the banner under which they enlisted, by which they were
animated and kept together, and therefore which they erected in the day of
their triumph. In the name of YAHVEH NISSI we must always lift up our banners,
Ps. 20:5. It is fit that he who does all the work should have all the praise.
Exo 17:16 for he said,
“Because a hand is on the throne of Yah, יהוה is to
fight against Amalĕq, from generation to generation.” – This is the age old cry from the Throne
fight the Good fight from generation to generation, it as not change, the war
as not change, the purpose has not change, the goal as certainly not change. Who
did?
Haftarah
Shophtin Judges
4:4-5:31
In the Haftarah of Beshalach from the book of
Judges, we read that Deborah theProphetess told Barak Ben Abinoan that she had
a message for him from YAHVEH. The message was that Barak would become a
leader, and that he needed to go to Mt. tabor and gather an army of 10,000.
Deborah explained to barak that these men would
come from the tribe of Naftali and Zebulum, and that once barak had assemble
them, a miracle would allow Barak to defeat Siserah, the general of the
Canaanite army, in battle.
Through Deborah, YAHVEH told Barak that this was
Barak’s chance to do what he came into this world to accomplish. But Barak was
uncertain.
Barak did not doubt that the Creator spoke to him
through Deborah, but he did not truly believe that he, on his own, could be a
conduit for victory. So he asked Deborah to accompany him and support him.
Once he had made that decision, however, the Light
of ABBA YAHVEH would not give him the strength he needed for victory. Deborah
had to accompany him in order to defeat the army of the Canaanites. As a result
Deborah achievedthe level of spiritual maturity Barak himself never achieved.
As we read the Haftarah on the Shabbat of
Beshalach, we, too, have the opportunity to receive this revelation of Deborah
the prophetess. If Deborah were to come to us on the Shabbat of Shirah
with a promise from the ABBA YAHVEH, would you believe her?
Would you accept her word as the truth? If our
answer is yes, then we can achieve the level of revelation, as the Yisraelites
did at the Red Sea and as Deborah herself did.
But if the answer is doubt, then like Barak, we will never know.
Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she
judged Yisrael at that time. -
The year of the redeemed at length
came, when Yisrael was to be delivered out of the hands of Jabin, and restored
again to their liberty, which we may suppose the northern tribes, that lay
nearest to the oppressors and felt most the effects of his fury, did in a
particular manner cry to YAHVEH for. For the oppression of the poor, and the
sighing of the needy, now will YAHVEH arise. Now here we have,
I. The preparation
of the people for their deliverance, by the prophetic conduct and government of
Deborah. Her name signifies a bee; and she answered her name by her
industry, sagacity, and great usefulness to the public, her sweetness to her
friends and sharpness to her enemies. She is said to be the wife of
Lapidoth; but, the termination not being commonly found in the name of a
man, some make this the name of a place: she was a woman of Lapidoth.
Others take it appellatively, Lapidoth signifies lamps. The Rabbis say
she had employed herself in making wicks for the lamps of the tabernacle; and,
having stooped to that mean office for YAHVEH, she was afterwards elevated to
her position out of her loyalty.
Or she was a woman
of illuminations, or of splendours, one that was extraordinarily
knowing and wise, and so came to be very eminent and illustrious. Concerning
her we are here told,
1. That she was
intimately acquainted with YAHVEH; she was a prophetess, one that was
instructed in divine knowledge by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of YAHVEH,
and had gifts of wisdom, to which she attained not in an ordinary way: she heard
the words of YAHVEH, and probably saw the visions of the Almighty.
2. That she was
entirely devoted to the spiritual growth of Yisrael. She judged Yisrael at the
time that Jabin oppressed them; and perhaps, being a woman, she was the more
easily permitted by the oppressor to do it. She judged, not as a princess, by
an civil authority conferred upon her, but as a prophetess, and as YAH’s mouth
to them, correcting abuses and redressing grievances, especially those which
related to the worship of YAHVEH.
The children of
Yisrael came up to her from all parts for judgment, not so much for the
deciding of controversies between man and man as for advice in the reformation
of what was amiss in things pertaining to YAHVEH. Those among them who before
had secretly lamented the impieties and idolatries of their neighbours, but
knew not where to apply for the restraining of them, now made their complaints
to Deborah, who, by the sword of the Spirit, showing them the judgment of YAHVEH,
reduced and reclaimed many, and excited and animated the magistrates in their
respective districts to put the laws in execution.
It is said she dwelt,
or, as some read it, she sat under a palm-tree, called ever after from
her the palm-tree of Deborah. Either she had her house under that tree,
a mean habitation which would couch under a tree, or she had her judgment-seat
in the open air, under the shadow of that tree, which was an emblem of the
justice she sat there to administer, which will thrive and grow against
opposition, as palms under pressures. Josephus says that the children of
Yisrael came to Deborah, to desire her to pray to YAHVEH for them, that they
might be delivered out of the hand of Jabin; and Samuel is said at one
particular time to judge Israel in Mizpeh, that is, to bring them back again to
YAHVEH, when they made the same address to him upon a like occasion, 1 Sa. 7:6,
8.
Judges
4:5
And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount
Ephraim
Some struggles, we
may suppose, that brave man had made towards the shaking off of the yoke, but
could not effect it till he had his commission and instructions from Deborah.
He could do nothing without her head, nor she without his hands; but both
together made a complete deliverer, and effected a complete deliverance. The
greatest and best are not self-sufficient, but need one another.
Judges
4:6 And
she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said
unto him, Hath not YAHVEH EL-ELYON of Yisrael commanded, saying, Go and draw
toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of
Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? - By YAH’s
direction, she orders Barak to raise an army, and engage Jabin’s forces, that
were under Sisera’s command. Barak, it may be, had been meditating some great
attempt against the common enemy; a spark of generous fire was glowing in his
breast, and he would fain do something to the purpose for his people and for
the cities of his EL. But two things discouraged him:
(1.) He wanted a
commission to levy forces; this therefore Deborah here gives him under the
broad seal of heaven, which, as a prophetess, she had a warrant to affix to it:
"Hath not the YAHVEH EL-ELYON of
Yisrael commanded it? Yet, certainly he has; take my word for it.’’ Some
think she intends this as an appeal to Barak’s own heart.
"Has not
YAHWWH, by a secret whisper to thyself, given thee some intimation of his
purpose to make use of thee as an instrument in his hands to save Yisrael? Hast
not thou felt some impulse of this kind upon thy own spirit?’’ If so, the
spirit of prophesy in Deborah confirms the spirit of a soldier in Barak: Go and draw towards Mount Tabor
[1.] She directs him
what number of men to raise 10,000; and let him not fear that these will be too
few, when YAHVEH hath said he will by them save Yisrael.
[2.] Whence he
should raise them only out of his own tribe, and that of Zebulun next
adjoining. These two counties should furnish him with an army sufficient; he
need not stay to go further. And,
[3.] She orders him
where to make his rendezvous, at Mount
Tabor
Judges
4:7 And
I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army,
with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. - When he had gathered an army, he knew not when he
would have an opportunity of engaging the enemy, having heard that Yisrael, if
they had but courage enough to make head against any enemy, seldom failed of
success.
"Well,’’ says Deborah, in the name of
"YAHVEH TSEBAOTE, I will draw unto thee Sisera and his army.’’ She assured
him that the matter should be determined by one pitched battle, and should not
be long in the doing.
1. In mentioning the
power of the enemy, Sisera, a celebrated general, bold and experienced, his
chariots, his iron chariots, and his multitude of soldiers, she obliged Barak
to fortify himself with the utmost degree of resolution; for the enemy he was
to engage was a very formidable one. It is good to know the worst, that we may
provide accordingly. But,
2. In fixing the
very place to which Sisera would draw his army, she gave him a sign, which might
help to confirm his faith when he came to engage. it was a contingent things,
and depended upon Sisera’s own will; but, when afterwards Barak should see the
event falling out just as Deborah had foretold, he might thence infer that
certainly in the rest she said she spoke under a divine direction, which would
be a great encouragement to him, especially because with this,
3. She gave him an
express promise of success I will (that is, YAHVEH TSEBAOTE will, in whose name
I speak) deliver them into thy hand; so that when he saw them drawn up against
him, according to Deborah’s word, he might be confident that, according to her
word, he should soon see them fallen before him. YAHVEH TSEBAOTE drew them to
HIM only that he might deliver them into his hand. When Sisera drew his forces
together, he designed the destruction of Yisrael; but YAHVEH gathered them as
sheaves into the floor, for their own destruction, Mic. 4:11, 12. Assemble
yourselves, and you shall be broken to pieces, Isa. 8:9. See Rev. 19:17, 18.
Judges
4:8 And
Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt
not go with me, then I will not go. – At
Barak’s request, she promises to go along with him to the field of battle.
Barak insisted much
upon the necessity of her presence, which would be to him better than a council
of war: "If thou wilt go with me to direct and advise me, and in every
difficult case to let me know YAH’s mind, then I will go with all my heart, and
not fear the chariots of iron; otherwise not.’’ Some make this to be the
language of a weak faith; he could not take her word unless he had her with him
in pawn, as it were, for performance.
It seems rather to
arise from a conviction of the necessity of YAH’s presence and continual
direction, a pledge and earnest of which he would reckon Deborah’s presence to
be, and therefore begged thus earnestly for it. "If thou go not up with
me, in token of YAH’s going with me, carry me not up hence.’’ Nothing would be
a greater satisfaction to him than to have the prophetess with him to animate
the soldiers and to be consulted as an oracle upon all occasions.
Judges
4:9 And she said, I will surely go
with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor;
for YAHVEH TSEBAOTE shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah
arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. -
Deborah promised to go with him. No
toil nor peril shall discourage her from doing the utmost that becomes her to
do for the service of her country. She would not send him where she would not
go herself. Those that in YAH’s name call others to their duty should be very
ready to assist them in it.
Deborah was the
weaker vessel, yet had the stronger faith. But though she agrees to go with
Barak, if he insists upon it, she gives him a hint proper enough to move a
soldier not to insist upon it: The journey thou undertakest (so
confident was she of the success that she called his engaging in war but the
undertaking of a journey) shall not be for thy honor; not so much for
thy honor as if thou hadst gone by thyself; for YAHVEH tSEBAOTE shall sell
Sisera (now his turn comes to be sold as Israel was, verse 2, by way of
reprisal) "into the hands of a woman;’’ that is,
1. The world would
ascribe the victory to the hand of Deborah: this he might himself foresee.
2. YAHVEH (to
correct his weakness) would complete the victory by the hand of Jael, which
would be some eclipse to his glory. But Barak values the satisfaction of his
mind, and the good success of his enterprise, more than his honor; and
therefore will by no means drop his request. He dares not fight unless he have
Deborah with him, to direct him and pray for him. She therefore stood to her
word with a masculine courage; this noble heroine arose and went with Barak.
Judges 4:10 And Barak called Zebulun and
Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and
Deborah went up with him. - Here, I. Barak beats up for volunteers, and soon has
his quota of men ready. Deborah had appointed him to raise an army of 10,000
men verse 6, and so many he has presently at his feet, following him,
and subject to his command.
YAHVEH is said to
call us to his feet (Isa. 41:2), that is, into obedience to him. Some
think it intimates that they were all footmen, and so the armies of the Jews
generally were, which made the disproportion of strength between them and the
enemy (who had horses and chariots) very great, and the victory the more
illustrious; but the presence of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE and HIS prophetess was
abundantly sufficient to balance that disproportion. Barak had his men at
his feet, which intimates their cheerfulness and readiness to attend him
whithersoever he went, Rev. 14:4.
Though the tribes of
Zebulun and Naphtali were chiefly depended on, yet it appears by Deborah’s song
that some had come in to him from other tribes (Manasseh and Issachar), and
more were expected that came not, from Reuben, Dan, and Asher, ch. 5:14–17.
But these are
overlooked here; and we are only told that to make his 10,000 men effective indeed
Deborah went up with him. The 11th verse, concerning the removal of
Heber, one of the families of the Kenites, out of the wilderness of Judah, in
the south, where those families had fixed themselves (ch. 1:16), into the
northern country, comes in for the sake of what was to follow concerning the
exploit of Jael, a wife of that family.
Judges 4:11 Now Heber the Kenite,
which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed
himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which
is by Kedesh. - Sisera, upon notice of Barak’s motions, takes the
field with a very numerous and powerful army verse 12, 13: They showed
Sisera, that is, it was shown to him. Yet some think it refers to the
Kenites, mentioned immediately before, verse 11. They gave Sisera notice of
Barak’s rendezvous, there being peace at this time between Jabin and that
family, verse 17.
Judges 4:12
And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was
gone up to mount Tabor .- Whether they
intended it as a kindness to him or no, it served to accomplish what YAHVEH had
said by Deborah verse 7: I will draw unto thee Sisera. Sisera’s
confidence was chiefly in his chariots; therefore particular notice is taken of
them, 900 chariots of iron, which, with the scythes fastened to their
axle-trees, when they were driven into an army of footmen, did terrible
execution. So ingenious have men been in inventing methods of destroying one
another, to gratify those lusts from which come wars and fightings.
Judges 4:13 And Sisera gathered together all his
chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with
him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon Kishon River
Judges 4:14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up;
for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is
not YAHVEH TSEBAOTE gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor
"Now they
appear most threatening they are ripe for ruin. The thing is as sure to be done
as if it were done already: The Lord hath delivered Sisera into thy hand.’’
See how the work and honor of this great action are divided between Deborah and
Barak; she, as the head, gives the word, he, as the hand, does the
work.
Therefore YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE dispense HIS gifts variously, 1 Co.
12:4, etc. But, though ordinarily the head of the woman is the man (1 Co.
11:3), he that has the residue of the Spirit was pleased to cross hands, and to
put the head upon the woman’s shoulders, choosing the weak things of the world
to shame the mighty, that no flesh might glory in his presence. It was well for
Barak that he had Deborah with him; for she made up what was defective,
1. In his conduct,
by telling him, This is the day.
2. In his courage,
by assuring him of YAH’s presence: "Has not YAHVEH TSEBAOTE gone out
before thee? Darest not follow when YAHVEH TSEBAOTE HIMSELF is thy leader?’’
(1.) In every
undertaking it is good to be satisfied that YAHVEH TSEBAOTE goes before us,
that we are in the way of our duty and under his direction.
(2.) If we have
ground to hope that YAHVEH TSEBAOTE goes before us, we ought to go on with
courage and cheerfulness. Be not dismayed at the difficulties that he face in
resisting Satan, in serving YAHVEH, or suffering for HIM; for has not YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE gone out before thee? Follow him fully then.
Judges 4:15
YAHVEH TSEBAOTE discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and
all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted
down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. – YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE HIMSELF routs the enemy’s army. Barak, in obedience to Deborah’s
orders, went down into the valley, though there upon the plain the iron
chariots would have so much the more advantage against him, quitting his
fastnesses upon the mountain in dependence upon the divine power; for in vain is salvation hoped for from hills
and mountains; in YAHVEH alone is the salvation of his people, Jer.
3:23. And he was not deceived in his confidence: YAHVEH TSEBAOTE discomfited Sisera. It was not so much the bold
and surprising alarm which Barak gave their camp that dispirited and dispersed
them, but YAH’s terror seized their spirits and put them into an unaccountable
confusion. The stars, it seems,
fought against them, ch. 5:20. Josephus says that a violent storm of hail which
beat in their faces gave them this rout, disabled them, and drove them back; so
that they became a very easy prey to the army of Yisrael, and Deborah’s words
were made good: "YAHVEH TSEBAOTE
has delivered them into thy hand; it is now in thy power to do what thou
wilt with them.’’
Judges 4:16 But Barak pursued after the chariots,
and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera
fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. -- The
context seems to make it clear that as the two armies engaged in battle, they
were caught in a flash flood brought about by a severe rainstorm. The AV
translation discomfited does not fully convey the intensity of the Hebrew verb hamam (routed or destroyed).
The 10,000
Yisraelites, who were lightly armed and highly mobile, engaged in the combat
with the cavalry and chariots of Sisera which were caught in the sudden
flooding of the swollen river to such a degree that the chariots became mired
in the mud, and the drivers were forced to flee on foot.
The normally dry
wadi was now filled with water, immobilizing the chariots, and giving the
advantage to the ground troops. It is interesting to note that this same
situation was repeated when Napoleon defeated the Turkish army at the Battle of
Mount Tabor on April 16, 1799; hundreds of fleeing Turkish troops were swept
away and drowned. Therefore, the story clearly indicates the direct
intervention of YAHVEH, who inspired the prediction of Deborah and sent the
storm just in time to defeat Yisrael’s enemies.
Judges 4:17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his
feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace
between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. - In the battle that followed, the Yisraelites pursued
the fleeing army all the way back to Harosheth and annihilated the entire
force. In the meantime, however, Sisera fled away on foot and came to the tent
of Heber the Kenite (thus explaining the significance of the earlier reference
in verse 11. It was there that he met Heber’s wife Jael, from whom he
sought refuge. Verse 17 notes that there was peace between Jabin and Heber at
that time, and this made an ideal place for the defeated king’s general to hide
himself.
Judges 4:18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him,
Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her
into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. - The text offers no explanation as to why Jael turned
against Sisera. Perhaps, as a sense of duty to defend YAH’s people, or perhaps
because she disagreed with the Kenite-Canaanite coalition.
Obviously, Sisera would
have been soaking wet from the rainstorm; and she covered him with a mantle
(Heb semé÷kah).
Instead of
protecting him, Jael quickly murdered the sleeping Sisera. Taking the nail of
the tent (tent peg or stake) and a hammer (wooden mallet), she quietly
approached her unsuspecting guest and literally nailed him to the tent floor,
driving the tent peg into his temples and through his head.
The explanation, So
he died, is hardly necessary! Therefore, when Barak arrived in pursuit
of Sisera, he found that he was already dead and that the honor of his capture
had gone to a woman, just as Deborah had prophesied. Pfeiffer (p. 243) notes
that no attempt is made in the text to justify Jael’s action. She is looked
upon as a heroine who delivers the enemy into the hands of the Yisraelites.
Throughout the scene, YAHVEH is acting in history while actually controlling
history. He allows the heathen to chasten His people and then in turn raises up
deliverers to save them. The victory led to the complete demise of Jabin and
brought peace and prosperity to Israel
Judges 4:19 And he said unto her, Give me, I
pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle
of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. - She made very much of him, and seemed mighty careful to have him easy,
as her invited guest. Was he weary? She finds him a very convenient place to
repose himself in, and recruit his strength. Was he thirsty? well he might. Did
he want a little water to cool his tongue? the best liquor her tent afforded
was at his service, and that was milk , which, we may suppose, he drank
heartily of, and, being refreshed with it, was the better disposed to sleep.
Was he cold, or afraid of catching cold? or did he desire to be hid from the
pursuers, if they should search that tent? she covered him with a mantle, verse
18.
Judges 4:20 Again he said unto her, Stand in
the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of
thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. - All expressions of care for his safety. Only when he
desired her to tell a lie for him, and to say he was not there, she declined
making any such promise.
We must not sin
against YAHVEH, no, not to oblige those we would show ourselves most observant
of. Lastly, We must suppose she
kept her tent as quiet as she could, and free from noise, that he might sleep
the sooner and the faster. And now was Sisera least safe when he was most
secure. How uncertain and precarious is human life! and what assurance can we
have of it, when it may so easily be betrayed by those with whom it is trusted,
and those may prove its destroyers who we hoped would be its protectors! It is
best making YAHVEH our friend, for HE will not deceive us.
Judges 4:21 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a
nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and
smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was
fast asleep and weary. So he died. - When
he lay fast asleep she drove a long nail through his temples, so fastened his
head to the ground, and killed him. And, though this was enough to do the
business, yet, to make sure work (if we translate it rightly, ch. 5:26), she
cut off his head, and left it nailed there. Whether she designed this or no
when she invited him into her tent does not appear; probably the thought was
darted into her mind when she saw him lie so conveniently to receive such a
fatal blow; and, doubtless, the thought brought with it evidence sufficient
that it came not from Satan as a murderer and destroyer, but from YAHVEH as a
righteous judge and avenger, so much of brightness and heavenly light did she
perceive in the inducements to it that offered themselves, the honor of YAHVEH
and the deliverance of Israel, and nothing of the blackness of malice, hatred,
or personal revenge.
It was a divine
power that enabled her to do it, and inspired her with a more than manly
courage. What if her hand should shake, and she should miss her blow? What if
he should awake when she was attempting it? Or suppose some of his own
attendants should follow him, and surprise her in the face, how dearly would
she and all hers be made to pay for it? Yet, obtaining help of YAHVEH, she did
it effectually.
It was a divine
warrant that justified her in the doing of it; and therefore, since no such
extraordinary commissions can now be pretended, it ought not in any case to be
imitated. The laws of friendship and hospitality must be religiously observed,
and we must abhor the thought of betraying any whom we have invited and
encouraged to put a confidence in us. And, as to this act of Jael (like that of
Ehud in the chapter before), we have reason to think she was conscious of such
a divine impulse upon her spirit to do it as did abundantly satisfy herself
(and it ought therefore to satisfy us) that it was well done. YAH’s judgments
are a great deep.
The instrument of
this execution was a nail of the tent, that is, one of the great pins with which
the tent, or the stakes of it, were fastened. They often removing their tents,
she had been used to drive these nails, and therefore knew how to do it the
more dexterously on this great occasion. he that thought to destroy Israel
In his sleep, fast
asleep, and weary. It comes in as a reason why he stirred not, to make
resistance. So fettered was he in the chains of sleep that he could not find
his hands. Thus the stout-hearted are
spoiled at thy rebuke, O EL of Jacob! they are cast into a dead sleep,
and so are made to sleep their last, Ps. 76:5, 6. Let not the strong man then
glory in his strength; for when he sleeps where is it?
It is weak, and he
can do nothing; a child may insult him then, and steal his life from him; and
yet if he sleep not he is soon spent and weary, and can do nothing either.
Those words which we here put in a parenthesis (for he was weary) all
the ancient versions read otherwise: he struggled (or started, as we
say) and died, so the Syriac and Arabic.
So the vulgar Latin, joining
sleep and death together, seeing they are so near akin. He fainted and died.
He dies,
With his head nailed
to the ground, an emblem of his earthly-mindedness. O curve in terram
animoe! His ear (says bishop Hall) was fastened close to the earth, as if
his body had been listening what had become of his soul. He dies,
By the hand of a
woman. This added to the shame of his death before men; and had he but known
it, as Abimelech (ch. 9:54), we may well imagine how much it would have added
to the vexation of his own heart.
Judges 4:22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera,
Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the
man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead,
and the nail was in his temples. –
The glory and joy of Yisrael
hereupon. Barak their leader finds his enemy dead, and no doubt, he was very
well pleased to find his work done so well to his hand, and so much to the
glory of YAHVEH and the confusion of his enemies.
Hhad he stood too
nicely upon a point of honor, he would have resented it as an affront to have
the general slain by any hand but his; but now he remembered that this
diminution of his honor he was sentenced to undergo, for insisting upon
Deborah’s going with him (YAHVEH TSEBAOTE shall sell Sisera into the hand of
a woman), though then it was little thought that the prediction would be
fulfilled in such a way as this.
Judges 4:23
So YAHVEH subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Yisrael. - Yisrael
is completely delivered out of the hands of Jabin king of Canaan .
They not only shook off his yoke by this day’s victory, but they afterwards
prosecuted the war against him, till they had destroyed him, he and his nation
being by the divine appointment devoted to ruin and not to be spared.
The Yisraelites,
having soundly smarted for their foolish pity in not doing it before, resolved
now it is in their power to indulge them no longer, but to make a thorough
riddance of them, as a people to whom to show mercy was as contrary to their
own interest as it was to YAH’s command; and probably it is with an eye to the
sentence they were under that this enemy is named three times here in these
last two verses, and called king of Canaan; for as such he was to be
destroyed; and so thoroughly was he destroyed that I do not remember to read of
the kings of Canaan any more after this.
Judges 4:24 And the hand of the children of Yisrael
prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had
destroyed Jabin king of Canaan . - The children of Yisrael would have prevented a great
deal of mischief if they had sooner destroyed these Canaanites, as YAHVEH had
both commanded and enabled them; but better be wise late, and buy wisdom by
experience, than never wise.
The victory over the
Canaanites is indicitive of the victory we will have over the sons of darkness,
when we are aboput to gain our inheritance in the heavenly kingdom. As Joshua
was told not to make a peace treaty with them, do not spare them, these story
is to prepare the believers to prepare our hand to do war.
Chapter
5
This chapter contains the triumphal song
which was composed and sung upon occasion of that glorious victory which
Yisrael obtained over the forces of Jabin king of Canaan
and the happy consequences of that victory. Probably it was usual then to
publish poems upon such occasions, as now; but this only is preserved of all
the poems of that age of the judges, because dictated by Deborah a prophetess,
designed for a psalm of praise then, and a pattern of praise to after-ages, and
it gives a great deal of light to the history of these times.
I. It begins with praise to YAHVEH verse
2, 3.
II. The substance of this song transmits
the memory of this great achievement.
1. Comparing YAH’s
appearances for them on this occasion with his appearances to them on Mount Sinai verse 4, 5.
2. Magnifying their
deliverance from the consideration of the calamitous condition they had been in
verse 6-8.
3. Calling those to join
in praise that shared in the benefits of the success verse 9–13.
4. Reflecting honor upon
those tribes that were forward and active in that war, and disgrace on those
that declined the service verse 14–19, 23.
5. Taking notice how YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE HIMSELF fought for them verse 20–22.
6. Celebrating
particularly the honor of Jael, that slew Sisera, on which head the song is
very large verse 24–30. It concludes with a prayer to YAHVEH verse 31.
Judges 5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, - The former chapter let us know what great things YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE had done for Yisrael; in this we have the thankful returns they made
to YAHVEH, that all ages the Yisrael might learn that work of heaven to praise YAHVEH.
YAHVEH is praised by
a song, which is, a very natural expression of rejoicing. Is any merry? Let him sing; and holy
joy is the very soul and root of praise and thanksgiving. YAHVEH is pleased to
reckon to HIMSELF glorify by our joy in HIM, and in HIS wondrous works. HIS
servants’ joy is HIS delight, and their sons are melody to HIM.
A very proper expedient
for spreading the knowledge and continue the remembrance of great events.
Neighbours would learn this song one of another and children of their parents;
and by that means those who had not books, or could not read, yet would be made
acquainted with these works of YAHVEH; and one generation would thus praise
YAH’s works to another, and declare
HIS mighty acts, Ps. 145:4, etc.
Deborah herself
penned this song, as appears by verse 7: Till
I Deborah arose. And the first words should be rendered, Then she sang, even Deborah.
She used her gifts
as a prophetess in composing the song, and the strain throughout is very fine
and lofty, the images are lively, the expressions elegant, and an admirable
mixture there is in it of sweetness and majesty. No poetry is comparable to the
sacred poetry.
We may supposed she
used her power as a princess, in obliging the conquering army of Yisrael to
learn and sing this son. She expects not that they should, by their poems,
celebrate her praises and magnify here, but requires that in this poem they
should join with her in celebrating YAH’s praises and magnifying HIM. She had
been the first wheel in the action, and now is so in the thanksgiving.
It was sung on that
day, not the very day that the fight was, but on that occasion, and soon after,
as soon as a thanksgiving day could conveniently be appointed. When we have
received mercy from YAHVEH, we ought to be speedy in our returns of praise,
while the impressions of the mercy are fresh. It is rent to be paid at the day.
Judges 5:2 Praise ye YAHVEH TSEBAOTE for the avenging of Yisrael, when the people
willingly offered themselves. - She begins with a general Hallelujah: Praise
(or bless, for that is the word) you YAHVEH TSEBAOTE.
The design of the song is to give glory to YAHVEH;
this therefore is put first, to explain and direct all that follows, like the
first petition of YAH’s prayer, Hallowed be thy name. Two things YAHVEH
is here praised for:
(1.) The vengeance
he took on Yisrael’s enemies, for the avenging of Yisrael upon their proud and
cruel oppressors, recompensing into their bosoms all the injuries they had done
to his people. YAHVEH TSIDKENU is known as a righteous EL, and the EL to
whom vengeance belongs by the judgments which he executeth.
Judges 5:3 Hear, O ye kings; give
ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto YAHVEH ; I will sing praise to YAHVEH
EL of Yisrael. - The grace he gave to Yisrael’s friends, when the
people willingly offered themselves to serve in this war. YAHVEH is to have
the glory of all the good offices that are at any time done us; and the more
willingly they are done the more is to be observed of that grace which gives
both to will and to do. For these two things she resolves to leave this song
upon record, to the honor of the everlasting EL: I, even I, will sing unto YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE, that EL of incontestable sovereignty and irresistible power, even
to YAHVEH EL_ELYON of Israel, who governs all for the good of Yisrael.
She calls to the
great ones of the world, that sit at the upper end of its table, to attend to
her song, and take notice of the subject of it: Hear, O you kings! give ear,
O you princes!
She would have them
know that as great and as high as they were there was one above them with whom
it is folly to contend, and to whom it was their interest to submit, that
horses and chariots are vain things for safety.
She would have them
to join with her in praising the EL of Yisrael, and no longer to praise their
counterfeit deities, as Belshazzar did. Dan. 5:4, He praised the gods of gold
and silver. She bespeaks them as the psalmist (Ps. 2:10, 11), Be wise
now therefore, O you kings! serve YAHVEH with fear.
She would have them
take warning by Sisera’s fate, and not dare to offer any injury to the people
of YAHVEH, whose cause, sooner or later, YAHVEH will plead with jealousy.
Judges 5:4 YAHVEH, when thou wentest
out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom
For HE is the same
yesterday, to-day, and for ever: YAHVEH, when thou wentest our of Seir.
This may be understood either,
Of the appearances
of YAH’s power and justice against the enemies of Yisrael, HIS people, to
subdue and conquer the children of darkness; and so Hab. 3:3, 4, etc., is
parallel to it, where the destruction of the Yierael’s enemies is described.
When YAHVEH will led
HIS people Yisrael from the country of Edom HE brought down under their feet
Sihom and Og, striking them and their armies with such terror and amazement
that they seemed apprehensive heaven and earth were coming together.
Their hearts melted,
as if all the world had been melting round about them. Or it notes the glorious
displays of the divine majesty; and the surprising effects of the divine power,
enough to make the earth tremble, the heavens drop like snow before the sun,
and the mountains to melt. Compare Ps. 18:7.
YAH’s counsels are
so far from being hindered by any creature that, when the time of the
restoration is accomplish, that which seemed to stand in their way will not
only yield before them, but be made to serve them. See Isa. 64:1, 2.
(2.) It is meant of
the appearances of YAH’s glory and majesty to Yisrael, when he gave them HIS
law at Mount Sinai . It was then literally
true, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, etc. Compare Deu.
33:2; Ps. 68:7, 8.
Let all the kings
and princes know that this is the EL whom Deborah praises, and not such mean
and impotent deities as they paid their homage to.
Judges 5:5 The mountains melted from before, even that Sinai from
before YAHVEH EL of Yisrael. - The
Chaldee paraphrase applies it to the giving of the law, but has a strange
descant on those words, the mountains melted. Tabor, Hermon, and Carmel,
contended among themselves: one said, Let the divine majesty dwell upon me; the
other said, Let it dwell upon me; but YAHVEH made it to dwell upon Mount Sinai,
the meanest and least of all the mountains. I suppose it means the least
valuable, because barren and rocky.
Judges 5:6 In the days of Shamgar the
son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the
travellers walked through byways. - Deborah describes the distressed state of Yisrael
under the tyranny of Jabin, that the greatness of their trouble might make
their salvation appear the more illustrious and the more gracious: From the
days of Shamgar, who did nothing towards the deliverance of Yisrael from
the Philistines, to the days of Jael, the present day, in which Jael has so
signalized herself, the country has been in a manner desolate. Much like
present day Yisrael.
1. No trade. For
want of soldiers to protect men of business in their business from the
incursions of the enemy, and for want of magistrates to restrain and punish
thieves and robbers among them (men of broken fortunes and desperate spirits,
that, having no employment, took to rob on the highroad), all commerce ceased,
and the highways were unoccupied; no caravans of merchants, as formerly.
2. No travelling.
Whereas in times when there was some order and government the travellers might
be safe in the open roads, and the robbers were forced to lurk in the by-ways,
no, on the contrary, the robbers insulted on the open roads without check, and
the honest travellers were obliged to sculk and walk through by-ways, in continual
frights.
Judges 5:7 The inhabitants of the
villages ceased, they ceased in Yisrael, until that I Deborah arose, that I
arose a mother in Yisrael. - No tillage. The fields had laid waste and unoccupied
when the inhabitants of the villages, the country farmers, ceased from their
employment, quitted their houses which were continually alarmed and plundered
by the banditti, and were obliged to take shelter for themselves and their
families in walled and fenced cities.
She takes notice of
YAH’s great goodness to Israel
Judges 5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the
gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Yisrael? - No
administration of justice. There was war in the gates where their courts were
kept. So that it was not till this salvation was wrought that the people of YAHVEH
durst go down to the gates, verse 11. The continual incursions of the
enemy deprived the magistrates of the dignity, and the people of the benefit,
of their government.
She shows in one
word what it was that brought all this misery upon Yisrael: They chose new
gods. It was their idolatry that provoked YAHVEH to give them up into the
hands of their enemies. YAHVEH their EL is one “echad”, but this would not
content them: they must have more, many more, still more.
Their EL was the
Ancient of days, still the same, and therefore they grew weary of YAHVEH, and
must have new gods, which they were as fond of as children of new clothes,
names newly invented, heroes newly canonized.
Their fathers, when
put to their choice, chose YAHVEH for their EL (Jos. 24:21), but they would not
abide by that choice, they must have gods of their own choosing.
Judges 5:9 My heart is toward the
governors of Yisrael, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless
ye YAHVEH. – In this verse Deboyah she became a mother in
Yisrael, a nursing mother, such was the affection she bore to her people, and
such the care and pains she took for the public welfare. Under her there were
other governors of Yisrael, who, like her, had done their part as governors to
reform the people, and then, like her, offered themselves willingly to serve in
the war, not insisting upon the exemption which their dignity and office
entitled them to, when the had so fair an opportunity of appearing in their
country’s cause; and no doubt the example of the governors influenced the
people in like manner willingly to
offer themselves, verse 2.
Of these governors
she says, My heart is towards them,
that is, "I truly love and honor them; they have won my heart for ever; I
shall never forget them.’’ Those are worthy of double honor that recede
voluntarily from the demands of their honor to serve YAHVEH and HIS People
Yisrael.
Judges 5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white
asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. - She
calls upon those who had a particular desire in the advantages of this great
salvation to offer up particular thanks to YAHVEH for it. Let every man speak
as he found of the goodness of ABBA YAHVEH in this happy change of the posture
of public affairs.
You that ride on
white asses, that is, the nobility
and gentry. Horses were little used in that county; they had, it is probable, a
much better breed of asses than we have; but persons of quality, it seems, were
distinguished by the colour of the asses they rode on; the white being more
rare were therefore more valued.
Notice is taken of
Abdon’s sons and grandsons riding on ass-colts, as indicating them to be men of
distinction, ch. 12:14. Let such as are by this salvation restored, not only to
their liberty as other Yisraelites, but to their dignity, speak YAH’s praises.
Let those that sit
in judgment be sensible of it, and thankful for it as a very great mercy,
that they may sit safely there, that the sword of justice is not struck out of
their hand by the sword of war.
Let those that walk
by the way, and meet with none there to make them afraid, speak to
themselves in pious meditations, and to their fellow-travellers in religious
discourses, of the goodness of ABBA YAHVEH in ridding the roads of those
banditti that had so long infested them.
Judges 5:11 They that are delivered from the noise of
archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous
acts of YAHVEH, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages
in Yisrael: then shall the people of YAHVEH go down to the gates. -
Let those that draw in peace, and have not
their wells taken from them, or stopped up, nor are in danger of being caught
by the enemy when they go forth to draw, there, where they find themselves so
much more safe and easy than they have been, there let them rehearse the
acts of ABBA YAHVEH, not Deborah’s acts, nor Barak’s, but the YAH’s, taking
notice of HIS hand making peace in their borders, and creating a defence upon
all the glory. This is the YAH’s doing. Observe in these acts of HIS:
Justice executed on
his daring enemies. They are the righteous acts of ABBA YAHVEH. See him
pleading a righteous cause, and sitting in the throne judging aright, and give
him glory as the Judge of all the earth.
Kindness shown to
his trembling people, the inhabitants of the villages, who lay most open
to the enemy, had suffered most, and were most in danger, Eze. 38:11. It is the
glory of YAHVEH to protect those that are most exposed, and to help the
weakest. Let us all take notice of the share we in particular have in the
public peace and tranquility, the inhabitants of the villages especially, and
give ABBA YAHVEH Gadol the praise of.
Judges 5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah:
awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou
son of Abinoam. - Deborah stirs up herself and Barak to celebrate this
victory in the most solemn manner, to the glory of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE and the honor
of Yisrael, for the encouragement of their friends and the greater confusion of
their enemies.
Deborah, as a
prophetess, must do it by a song, to compose and sing which she excites
herself: Awake, awake, and again, awake, awake, which intimates
the sense she had of the excellency and difficulty of the work; it needed and well
deserved the utmost liveliness and vigour of soul in the performance of it; all
the powers and faculties of the soul in their closest intensity and application
ought to be employed in it.
She expresses the
sense she had of her own infirmity, and aptness to flag and remit in her zeal
in this work. Praising YAHVEH is work that we should awake to, and awake
ourselves to, Ps. 108:2.
Barak, as a general,
must do it by a triumph: Lead thy captivity captive. Though the army of
Sisera, the children of darkness was cut off in the field, and no quarter
given, yet we may suppose in the prosecution of the victory, when the war was
carried into the enemy’s country, many not found in arms were seized and made
prisoners of war.
These she would have
led in chains after Barak, when he made his public entry into his own city, to
grace his triumphs; not as if it should be any pleasure to him to trample upon
his fellow-creatures, but thus he must give glory to ABBA YAHVEH, and serve
that great purpose of HIS government which is to look upon those that are
proud and to abase them.
Judges 5:13 Then he made him that
remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: YAHVEH made me have
dominion over the mighty. – In this verse She gives good reason for this praise
and triumph. This glorious victory had made the remnant of Yisrael, and Deborah
in particular, look very great, a circumstance which they owed entirely to YAHVEH.
The Yisraelites had
become few and inconsiderable, and yet to them ABBA YAHVEH gave dominion over
nobles. Many of them were cut off by the enemy, many died of grief, and perhaps
some had removed their families and effects into foreign parts; yet those few
that remained, by divine assistance, with one brave and generous effort, not
only shook off the yoke of oppression from their own neck, but got power over
their oppressors. As long as any of YAH’s Yisrael remain (and a remnant ABBA YAHVEH
will have in the worst of times) there is hope, be it ever so small a remnant,
for YAHVEH can make him that remains, though it should be but one single
person, triumph over the most proud and potent.
Deborah here
represent the body, Yisrael, and the sex that from the fall had been sentenced
to subjection, and yet ABBA YAHVEH that is himself higher than the highest authorized
her to led Yisrael, the bride to victory, who willingly submitted to her
direction, and enabled her to triumph over the children of darkness the men of
Canaan, who fell before the army she commanded; so wonderfully did he advance
the low estate of his handmaid. "YAHVEH made me, a woman, the bride,
to have dominion over mighty men of darkness.’’ A despised stone is made head
of the corner. This is indeed the YAHVEH’s doing, and marvellous in our
eyes.
Judges 5:14 Out of Ephraim was there a root
of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir
came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. - In this verse
Deboyah makes particular remarks on the several parties concerned in this great
action, taking notice who fought against them, who fought for them, and who
stood neutral.
Who fought against
them. The power of the enemy must be taken notice of, that the victory may
appear the more glorious. Jabin and Sisera had been mentioned in the history,
but here it appears further,
That Amalek was in
league with Jabin, and sent him in assistance, or endeavoured to do it. Ephraim
is here said to act against Amalek, probably intercepting and cutting off some
forces of the Amalekites that were upon their march to join Sisera. Amalek had
helped Moab
That others of the
kings of Canaan, who had somewhat recovered themselves since their defeat by
Joshua, joined with Jabin, and strengthened his army with their forces, having
the same implacable enmity to Israel that he had, and those kingdoms, when they
were in their strength, having been subject to that of Hazor, Jos. 11:10. These
kings came and fought, verse 19.
Yisrael had no king;
their enemies had many, whose power and influence, especially acting in
confederacy, made them very formidable; and yet Yisrael, having ABBA YAHVEH for
their King, was too hard for them all. It is said of these kings that they took
no gain of money, they were not mercenary troops hired into the service of
Jabin (such often fail in an extremity), but they were volunteers and hearty in
the cause against Yisrael: they desired not the riches of silver, so the
Chaldee, but only the satisfaction of helping to ruin Israel
Who fought for them.
The several tribes that assisted in this great exploit are here spoken of with honor;
for, though YAHVEH TSEBAOTE is chiefly to be glorified, instruments must have
their due praise, for the encouragement of others: but, after all, it was
heaven that turned the scale.
Ephraim and
Benjamin, those tribes among whom Deborah herself lived, bestirred themselves,
and did bravely, by her influence upon them; for her palm-tree was in the tribe
of Ephraim, and very near to that of Benjamin: Out of Ephraim was there a root,
and life in the root, against Amalek. There was in Ephraim a mountain called
the mount of Amalek, mentioned, ch. 12:15, which, some think, is here meant,
and some read it, there was a root in Amalek, that is, in that mountain, a
strong resolution in the minds of that people to make head against the
oppressors, which was the root of the matter.
Here Benjamin had
set them a good example among his people. "Ephraim moved after thee,
Benjamin;’’ though Benjamin was the junior tribe, and much inferior, especially
at this time, to Ephraim, both in number and wealth, yet when they led Ephraim
followed in appearing for the common cause.
If we are not bold
to lead, yet we must not be so proud and sullen as not to follow even our
inferiors in a good work. Ephraim was a at a distance from the place of action,
and therefore could not send forth many of its boughs to the service; but
Deborah, who was one of them, knew there was a root of them, that they were
hearty well-wishers to the cause.
The ice being broken
by Ephraim and Benjamin, Machir (the half-tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan
With men of courage
for officers, and such the family of Machir furnished them with, for thence
came down governors. The children of Machir were particularly famous for their
valour in Moses’ time (Num. 32:39), and it seems it continued in their family,
the more because they were seated in the frontiers.
With men of learning
and ingenuity for secretaries of war, and with such they were supplied out of
Zebulun: thence came men that handle the pen of the writer, clerks that issued
out orders, wrote circular letters, drew commissions, mustered their men, and
kept their accounts. Therefore every man, according as he has received the
gift, minister the same, for the public good (1 Pt. 4:10); the eyes see, and
the ears hear, for the whole body. I know it is generally understood of the
forwardness even of the scholars of this tribe, who studied the law and
expounded it, to take up arms in this cause, though they were better skilled in
books than in the art of war.
Judges 5:15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even
Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the
divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. - Issachar
did good service too; though he saw that rest was good, and therefore bowed
his shoulder to bear, which is the character of that tribe (Gen. 49:15),
yet they disdained to bear the yoke of Jabin’s tribute, and now preferred the
generous toils of war to a servile rest.
Though it should
seem there were not many common soldiers enlisted out of that tribe, yet the
princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak , probably, as a great
council of war to advise upon emergencies. And, it should seem, these princes
of Issachar did in person accompany Barak into the field of battle. Did he go
on foot? They footed it with him, not consulting their honor or ease. Did he go
into the valley, the place of most danger? They exposed themselves with him,
and were still at his right hand to advise him: for the men of Issachar were
men that had understanding of the times, 1 Chr. 12:32.
Judges 5:16 Why abodest thou among
the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of
Reuben there were great searchings of heart. - The
call to awake and rise introduces Deborah and Barak, the singers of the song,
as the subjects of the song as well. To lead thy captivity captive (Heb shabah) means to “lead away captives” as the fruit of
victory. Notice that this phrase is repeated in Psalm 68:18 and is quoted in
Ephesians 4:8 as predictive of Messiyah who also “led captivity captive”.
Judges 5:17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan Jordan
refers to the two and one-half tribes which settled east of the Jordan
Judges 5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali were
a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the
field. - Zebulun and Naphtali were the most bold and active
of all the tribes, not only out of a particular affection to Barak their
countryman, but because, they lying nearest to Jabin, the yoke of oppression
lay heavier on their necks than on those of any other tribe. Better die in honor
than live in bondage; and therefore, in a pious zeal for YAHVEH and their
country, they jeoparded their lives
unto the death in the high places of the field. With what heroic bravery
did they charge and push on even upon the chariots of iron, despising danger,
and setting death itself at defiance in so good a cause!
Judges 5:19 The kings came and fought, then
fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo Megiddo refers to Taanach, five
miles southeast of Megiddo , commanding one of
the main passes to the Plain of Esdraelon .
Judges 5:20 They fought from heaven; the
stars in their courses fought against Sisera. - The
stars from heaven appeared, or acted at least, on Yisrael’s side: The stars in their courses, those
stars that was not taken by the tail of Lucifer, those stars are still the sons
of light, while the stars that was taken by the tail of Lucifer, those who
follow his rebelion, are the sons of darkness or in this story Sisera.
The restoration of
the Kingdom of Heavens
The Chaldee reads
it, from heaven, from the place where
the stars go forth, war was waged against Sisera, that is, the power of YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE of heaven was engaged against him, making use of the ministration of
the angels of heaven. Some way or other, the heavenly bodies (not arrested, as
when the sun stood still at Joshua’s word, but going on in their courses)
fought against Sisera.
Judges 5:21 The river of Kishon river of Kishon
Deborah’s own soul
fought against them; she speaks of it with a holy exultation: O, my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
She did it by exciting others to do so, and assisting them, which she did with
all her heart. Also by her prayers; as Moses conquered Amalek by lifting up his
hand, so Deborah vanquished Sisera by lifting up her heart. And when the soul
is employed in holy exercises, and heart-work is made of them, through the
grace of YAHVEH the strength of our spiritual enemies will be trodden down and
will fall before us.
Judges 5:22 Then were the horsehoofs broken
by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones. - Those who YAHVEH TSEBAOTE is an enemy to, the whole
of creation is at war with. Perhaps the flashes of lightning by which the stars
fought was that which frightened the horses, so as that they pranced till their
very hoofs were broken, and probably overturned the chariots of iron which they
drew or turned them back upon their owners.
So it is in the
margin. The river of Kishon is called that
ancient river because described or celebrated by ancient historians or
poets, or rather because it was designed of old, in the counsel of YAHVEH, to
serve HIS purposes against Sisera at this time, and did so, as if it had been
made on purpose; thus the water of the
old pool YAHVEH is said to have fashioned long ago for that use to which
it was put, Isa. 22:11.
Judges 5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel
of YAHVEH, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to
the help of YAHVEH, to the help of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE against the mighty. - But above all Meroz is condemned, and a curse
pronounced upon the inhabitants of it, Because
they came not to the help of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE. Probably this was some
city that lay near the scene of action, and therefore the inhabitants had a
fair opportunity of showing their obedience to YAHVEH and their concern for
Yisrael, and of doing a good service to the common cause; but they basely
declined it, for fear of Jabin’s iron chariots, being willing to sleep in a
whole skin.
YAGHWEH TSEBAOTE
needed no help; HE made it to appear so, HE could fight HIS wars without them;
but no thanks to them: for aught they knew the attempt might have miscarried
for want of their hand, and therefore they are cursed for not coming to the help of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE,
when it was in effect proclaimed, Who
is on the YAHVEH’s side?
The cause between YAHVEH
and the mighty (the principalities and powers of the kingdom of darkness) will
not admit of neutrality. YAHVEH looks upon those as against HIM that are not
with him. This curse is pronounced by the angel of YAHVEH, our Messiyah Yahushua, the captain of YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE’s army (and those whom HE
curses are cursed indeed), and further than we have warrant and
authority from Him we may not curse.
He that will richly
reward all His good soldiers and He will certainly and severely punish all
cowards and deserters. This city of Meroz
Judges 5:24 Blessed above women shall Jael
the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. - DeboYah in this concludes
this triumphant song,
With the praises of
Jael, her sister-heroine, whose valiant act had completed and crowned the
victory. She had mentioned her before in verse 6, as one that would have served
her country if it had been in her power; now she applauds her as one that did
serve it admirably well when it was in her power. Her poetry is finest and most
florid here in the latter end of the song.
How honorably does
she speak of Jael, who preferred her peace with the God of Israel before her
peace with the king of Canaan, and though not a native of Israel (for aught
that appears) yet heartily espoused the cause of Israel in this critical
conjuncture, jeoparded her life as truly as if she had been in the high places
of the field, and bravely fought for those whom she saw YAHVEH TSEBAOTE fought
for! Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Those whose lot is
cast in the tent, in a very low and narrow sphere of activity, if they serve YAHVEH
in all that is according to our capacity, shall in no way lose their reward.
Jael in the tent
wins as rich a blessing as Barak in the field. Nothing is more confounding,
grievous, and shameful, than disappointment, and Deborah here does most
elegantly describe two great disappointments, the shame of which was typical of
sinners’ everlasting shame. Those sons of darkness, who gave up such a lofty
position as a son of light, for the disgrace of a burnt out dark stars, that is
destined for death.
Judges 5:25 He asked water, and she
gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. - Sisera found a fatal enemy where he expected a
firm and faithful friend. Jael showed him the kindness of a friend, and perhaps
at that time intended no other than kindness, until YAHVEH, by an immediate
impulse upon her mind (which impulses then were to be regarded, and carried so
much of their own evidence with them that they might be relied upon, but cannot
now be pretended to), directed her to do otherwise.
He asked only for
fair water to quench his thirst, but she, not only to show her housewifery and
good housekeeping, but to express her respect to him, gave him milk and brought
forth butter, that is (say some interpreters), milk which had the butter
taken from it; we call it butter-milk. No (say others), it was milk that had
the butter still in it; we call it cream. Whichsoever it was, it was probably
the best her house afforded; and, to set it off, she brought it in a lordly
dish, such as she called so, the finest she had, and better than she
ordinarily used at her town table.
Judges 5:26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the
workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head,
when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. - This confirmed Sisera’s opinion of her friendship,
and made him sleep the faster and the more secure.
She proved his
mortal enemy, gave him his death’s stroke: it is curiously described. How great
does Jael look, hammering Sisera, as it is in the margin, mauling that
proud man who had been so long the terror of the mighty, and sending him down
slain to the pit with his iniquities upon his bones! Eze. 32:27.
She seems to have
gone about it with no more terror nor concern than if she had been going to
nail one of the boards or bars of her tent, so confident was she of divine aid
and protection.
We read it she smote
off his head, probably with his own sword, which, now that his head was
nailed through, she durst take from his side, but not before, for fear of
waking him.
But because there
was no occasion for cutting off his head, nor was it mentioned in the history,
many think it should be read, she struck through his head. That head
which had been proudly lifted up against YAHVEH and Yisrael, and in which had
been forged bloody designs for the destruction of YAH’s people, Jael finds a
soft place in, and into that with a good will strikes her nail. Who will strike
the nail to Lucifer head?
Judges 5:27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he
fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. - How mean does Sisera look, fallen at Jael’s
feet! At the feet of this female
executioner he bowed, he fell; all his struggles for life availed not; she
followed her blow until he fell down dead.
There lies extended
the deserted carcase of that proud man, not on the bed of honor, not in the
high places of the field, not having any glorious wound to show from a
glittering sword, or a bow of steel, but in the corner of a tent, at the feet
of a woman, with a disgraceful wound by a sorry nail struck through his head.
Therefore is shame
the fate of proud men. And this is a very lively representation of the ruin of
those sinners whose prosperity slays them; it flatters and caresses them with
milk and butter in a lordly dish, as if it would make them easy and happy, but
it nails their heads and hearts too to the ground in earthly-mindedness, and
pierces them through with many sorrows; its flatteries are fatal, and sink them
at last into destruction and perdition, 1 Tim. 6:9, 10.
Judges
5:28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window,
and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry
the wheels of his chariots? - Sisera’s mother had the
tidings brought her of her son’s fall and ruin when she was big with
expectation of his glorious and triumphant return, where we have,
Her fond desire to
see her son come back in triumph: Why
is his chariot so long in coming? She speaks this, not so much out of a
concern for his safety, or any jealousy of his having miscarried (she had no
fear of that, so confident was she of his success), but out of a longing for
his glory, which with a feminine weakness she was passionately impatient to
see, chiding the lingering chariot, and expostulating concerning the delays of
it, little thinking that her unhappy son had been, before this, forced to quit
that chariot which they were so proud of, and which she thought came so slowly.
The chariots of his glory had now become the shame of his house, Isa. 22:18. Let us take heed of indulging such
desires as these towards any temporal good thing, particularly towards that
which cherishes vain-glory, for this was what she here doted on. Eagerness and
impatience in our desires do us a great deal of prejudice, and make it
intolerable to us to be crossed. But towards the second coming of Messiyah
Yahushua, and the glories of that day, we should therefore stand affected (Come, Messiyah Yahushua, come quickly),
for here we cannot be disappointed.
Judges 5:29 Her wise ladies answered her,
yea, she returned answer to herself, - Her
foolish hope and confidence that he would come at last in so much the greater
pomp. Her wise ladies answered her, and thought they gave a very good account
of the delay; yea, she (in her wisdom,
says the Chaldee) tauntingly made answer to herself, "Have they not sped? No doubt they have, and that which
delays them is that they are dividing
the prey, which is so much that it is a work of time to make a
distribution of it.’’ In the spoil they pleased themselves with the thought of,
observe,
How impudently, and
to the reproach and scandal of their sex, these ladies boast of the multitude
of damsels which the soldiers would have the abusing of.
How childishly they
pleased themselves with the hope of seeing Sisera himself in a gaudy mantle of divers colours; how charmingly would
it look! of divers colours of
needle-work, plundered out of the wardrobe of some Yisraelitish lady; it
is repeated again, as that which pleased their fancy above any thing, of divers colours of needle-work on both
sides, and therefore very rich; such pieces of embroidery they hoped
Sisera would have to present his mother and the ladies with.
It is easy to
deceive ourselves with great expectations and confident hopes of honor, and
pleasure, and wealth in this world, by which we prepare for ourselves the shame
and grief of a disappointment. And therefore does YAHVEH often bring ruin on
his enemies when they are most elevated.
Judges 5:30 Have they not sped? have they
not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers
colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of
needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? - She concludes all with a prayer to YAHVEH TSEBAOTE,
For the destruction
of all HIS foes: "So, so
shamefully, so miserably, let all thy
enemies perish, YAHVEH; let all that hope to triumph in Yisrael’s ruin
be thus disappointed and triumphed over.
Do to them all as unto Sisera,’’
Ps. 83:9. Though our enemies are to be prayed for, YAH’s enemies, as such, are
to be prayed against; and, when we see some of YAH’s enemies remarkably humbled
and brought down, this is an encouragement to us to pray for the downfall of
all the rest.
Deborah was a
prophetess, and this prayer was a prediction that in due time all YAH’s enemies
shall perish, Ps. 92:9. None ever hardened his heart against YAHVEH and prospered.
For the exaltation
and comfort of all YAHVEH friends. "But let those that love HIM, and
heartily wish well to his kingdom among men, be as the sun when he goeth forth in his strength; let them shine
so bright, appear so glorious in the eye of the world, cast such benign
influences, be as much out of the reach of their enemies, who curse the rising
sun because it scorches them; let them rejoice
as a strong man to run a race, Ps. 19:5.
Let them, as burning
and shining lights in their places, dispel the mists of darkness, and shine
with more and more lustre and power unto
the perfect day.’’ Prov. 4:18. Such shall be the honor, and such the
joy, of all that love YAHVEH in sincerity, and for ever they shall shine as the sun in the firmament of our
Father.
Judges 5:31 So let all thine enemies perish,
YAHVEH TSEBAOTE: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth
in his might. And the land had rest forty years. - The victory here
celebrated with this song was of such happy consequence to YIsrael that for the
best part of one age they enjoyed the peace which it opened the way to: The
land had rest forty years, that is, so long it was from this victory to the
raising up of Gideon. And well would it have been if, when the churches and the
tribes had rest, they had been edified, and had walked in the fear of YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE.
The leason of Beshalach extends beyond this
Shabbat; it hold true all through our lives. Our consciousness creates our
reality. Do we know with certainty that if ABBA YAHVEH chooses us, we can
become a complete channel for the Light of the Creator?
If we do not, then, quite simply that door is
closed to us. The moment Barak said, I do not think I can do it on my own,
Deborah respond, you are right, you cannot. Fortunately, we have another
opinion. On the Shabbat of Beshalach, ABBA YAHVEH comes to each of us through
Deborah and asks, Do you accept that you can achieve the tree of Life? Do you
accept the task for which I have chosen you? Those of us who say yes will have
the gift of the Shabbat of Beshalach revealed to us.
Brit Chadasha
Gilyahma Revelation
15:1-8
Hitherto, according to the judgment of very eminent
expositors, YAHVEH had represented to his servant, John,
I. The state of the
church under the pagan powers, in the six seals opened; and then,
II. The state of the
church under the papal powers, in the vision of the six trumpets that began to
sound upon the opening of the seventh seal: and then is inserted.
III. A more general
and brief account of the past, present, and future state of the church, in the
little book, etc. He now proceeds,
IV. To show him how
antichrist should be destroyed, by what steps that destruction should be
accomplished, in the vision of the seven vials. This chapter contains an awful
introduction or preparation for the pouring out of the vials, in which we
have,
1. A sight of those
angels in heaven who were to have the execution of this great work, and with
what acclamations of joy the heavenly hosts applauded the great design verse
1-4.
2. A sight of these
angels coming out of heaven to receive those vials, which they were to pour
out, and the great commotions this caused in the world verse 5, etc.
Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and
marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up
the wrath of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE. - Here we have the preparation of matters for the
pouring out of the seven vials, which was committed to seven angels; and
observe how these angels appeared to the apostle—in heaven; it was in a
wonderful manner, and that upon account. Of the work they had to do, which was
to finish the destruction of antichrist, as we see the destruction of Sisera. YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE was now about to pour out HIS seven last plagues upon that interest;
and, as the measure of Babylon
Revelation 15:2 And
I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the
victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the
number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of YAHVEH. - The
spectators and witnesses of this there commission: all that had gotten the
victory over the beast, etc. These stood on a sea of glass,
representing this world, as some think, a brittle thing, that shall be broken
to pieces; or, as others, the gospel covenant, alluding to the brazen sea in
the temple, in which the priests were to wash, the faithful servants of YAHVEH
stand upon the foundation of the righteousness of Messiyah; or, as others, the
Red Sea, that stood as it were congealed while the Yisraelites went
through; and, the pillar of fire reflecting light upon the waters, they would
seem to have fire mingled with them; and this to show that the fire of YAH’s
wrath against Pharaoh and HIS horses should dissolve the congealed waters, and
destroy them thereby, to which there seems to be an allusion by their singing
the song of Moses, in which, they extol the greatness of YAH’s works, and
the justice and truth of HIS ways, both in delivering his people and destroying
their enemies. They rejoiced in hope, and the near prospect they had of this,
though it was not yet accomplished.
They call upon all
nations to render unto YAHVEH the fear, glory, and worship, due to such a
discovery of his truth and justice: Who shall not fear thee?
Revelation 15:3 And
they sing the song of Moses the servant of YAHVEH, and the song of the Lamb,
saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Almighty; just and true are thy
ways, thou King of saints. - The
theme of their harp playing is the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb (cf.
Ex 15:1–18). What do these songs have in common? They both celebrate redemption
and deliverance.
Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear thee,
ABBA YAHVEH, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations
shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. - In
the first case, it was YAHVEH’s physical release of Yisrael from Egyptian
servitude through the Passover Lamb; here it is liberation spiritually from the
bondage of Satan and his agents through “Messiyah our Passover” (cf. I Cor
5:7). In their singing they extol YAH’s great and marvelous works, His
righteousness and truth, His sovereignty over the nations, His holiness, and
ultimate reception of universal worship through the disclosure of His righteous
dealings.
They extol the
greatness of YAH’s works, and the justice and truth of HIS ways, both in
delivering his people and destroying their enemies. They rejoiced in hope, and
the near prospect they had of this, though it was not yet accomplished. They
call upon all nations to render unto YAHVEH the fear, glory, and worship, due
to such a discovery of his truth and justice: Who shall not fear thee?
Revelation 15:5 And
after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony
in heaven was opened: - In this verse
we will learn: How these angels appeared coming out of heaven
to execute their commission: The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony
in heaven was opened. Here is an allusion to the holiest of all the
tabernacle and temple, where was the mercy-seat, covering the ark of the
testimony, where the high priest made intercession, and YAHVEH communed
with HIS people, and heard their prayers. Now by this, as it is here mentioned,
we may understand,
That, in the
judgments YAHVEH was now about to execute upon the antichristian interest, he
was fulfilling the prophecies and promises of his word and covenant, which were
there always before him, and of which he was ever mindful.
That in this work he
was answering the prayers of the people, which were offered to him by their
great high priest.
That he was herein
avenging the quarrel of his own Son, and our Messiyah Yahushua, whose offices
and authority had been usurped, His name dishonored, and the great designs of
His death opposed, by antichrist and his adherents. How do we dishonor His
name, by calling Him Jesus Christ, and not Yahushua?
That he was opening
a wider door of liberty for His people Yisrael to worship Him in numerous
solemn assemblies, without the fear of their enemies.
Revelation 15:6 And
the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in
pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. - How they were equipped and prepared for their
work against the children of darkness.
Their array: On the
contrary the children of light were clothed with pure and white linen,
and had their breasts girded with golden girdles. This was the habit of
the high priests when they went in to enquire of YAHVEH, and came out with an
answer from him. This showed that these angels were acting in all things under
the divine appointment and direction, and that they were going to prepare a
sacrifice to the Lord, called the supper of the great EL, ch. 19:17.
The angels are the
ministers of divine justice, and they do every thing in a pure and holy manner.
Their artillery,
what it was, and whence they received it; their artillery, by which they were
to do this great execution, was seven vials filled with the wrath of YAHVEH;
they were armed with the wrath of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE against HIS enemies the
children of darkness. The meanest creature, when it comes armed with the anger
of YAHVEH TSEBAOTE, will be too hard for any man in the world; but much more an
angel of YAHVEH.
This wrath of YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE was not to be poured out all at once, but was divided into seven
parts, which should successively fall upon the children of darkness. Now from
whom did they receive these vials, from one of the four living creatures, one
of the ministers of the true Yisrael, that is, in answer to the prayers of the
ministers and people of YAHVEH, and to avenge their cause, in which the angels
are willingly employed.
Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts
gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of YAHVEH
TSEBAOTE, who liveth forever and ever. - The form in which he appeared. Before he is called
a lion; here he appears as a lamb slain. He is a lion to conquer Satan, a lamb
to satisfy the justice of YAHVEH.
He appears with the
marks of his sufferings upon him, to show that He interceded in heaven in the
virtue of His satisfaction. He appears as a lamb, having seven horns and seven
eyes, perfect power to execute all the will of YAHVEH and perfect wisdom to
understand it all and to do it in the most effectual manner; for he hath the
seven Spirits of YAHVEH, the Menorah, He has received the Holy Spirit without
measure, in all perfection of light, and life, and power, by which he is able
to teach and rule all parts of the earth.
He is described by
His act and deed: He came, and took the book out of the right hand of him that
sat on the throne, not by violence, nor by fraud, but he prevailed to do it as
verse 5, He prevailed by His merit and worthiness, He did it by authority and
by the Father’s appointment. YAHVEH very willingly and justly put the book of
His eternal counsels into the hand of Messiyah, and Messiyah as readily and
gladly took it into His hand; for He delights to reveal and to do the will of
His Father.
Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled
with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to
enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were
fulfilled. - The smoke filling the temple
came from the incense of the priests’ censers (cf. 8:5). Two attributes of YAHVEH
are now underscored: His power and His glory. Where YAH’s glory is manifested,
man is unable to abide the sight. So it was with Moses (cf. Ex 40:34–35) and in
Solomon’s day (cf. I Kgs 8:10–11). So solemn and grave is the action that no
man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven
angels were fulfilled (the chapter beginning and ending with the concept of
finality and irretrievability).
The apostle observes
the universal joy and thanksgiving that filled heaven and earth upon this
transaction. No sooner had Messiyah received this book out of the Father’s hand
than he received the applauses and adorations of angels and men, yea, of every
creature.
Indeed, it is just
matter of joy to all the world to see that YAHVEH does not deal with men in a
way of absolute power and strict justice, but in a way of grace and mercy
through the Redeemer. He governs the world, not merely as a Creator and
Lawgiver, but as our ABBAH YAHVEH and Messiyah. All the world has reason to
rejoice in this. The song of praise that was offered up to the Lamb on this
occasion consists of three parts, one part sung by the church, another by the
church and the angels, the third by every creature.
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