Parsha Shemot
Exodus/Shemos
1:1 –
6:1
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 Parasha
The word Shemot means name, the names of
those who came out of Egypt “Misrayem.” The book of Exodus begins with the
conjunction “and” to help us relate to the book of Genesis where Jacob’s
family began the process of exile by descending to Egypt, and here the
narrative of the exile is developed until it ends with the blaze of miracles
that culminated in the exodus and finally the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
Genesis listed the names of all those
who came to Egypt, include Jacob’s grandchildren, whereas Shemot lists only his
sons. In the context of resisting the corruptive atmosphere of Egypt and
preserving the moral and spiritual grandeur of Jacob’s family, his sons were equal
to the task.
Because they kept the nation of Yisrael
on the high level set be Jacob, the slavery did not began as long as they were
alive. His grandchildren, however, were not as righteous, they were not able to
maintain the same level of spiritually grandeur. Never the less, their merit
was great enough to prevent the onset of the enslavement as long as they were
alive.
The
name, the shem, of the tribal ancestors had been mentioned in their lifetimes
and they are repeated here as they pass from the scene, as one often repeats
something that is dear to them. They are likened to the stars, which YAHVEH
brings out and brins in by number and by name, Isaiah 40:26. Lift up your
eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them
all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
He counts and
enumerates when they come out and again when they are gathered in. This shows
that the forefathers, like the stars, are precious to ABBA YAHVEH. The twelve
tribes are compared to stars because they correspond to the twelve
constellation, in that both the tribes and the constellations are composed of
many individual units that complements one another. Just like the combination
of stars forms the constellation, so too the combination of people forms a
tribe, and the combination of tribes creates the nation.
Jacob was like the
sun and his sons like the stars; when the sun is ot the stars are not visible.
When the sun is set like Jacob the stars his sons begain to shine. When the sun
is out, the stars are not visable, but when the sun sets, the stars take over
the sky. So too, after Jacob’s death, the tribal ancestors achieved great
importance, for the presence of their light in the increasing darkness of
Egypt.. As long as they are conscious of their true purpose, they are only in
physical not spiritual exile.
As time passes this exile is about to be
concluded, as promise by EL YAHVEH. This exile like our lives, were condition
on who we believe.
As long as the children of Yisrael like
our selves obeyed the Word of EL YAHVEH, they would receive a favorite status
as Joseph and his brother did, at the conclusion of Genesis it stipulated. As
time progress, however, the people would forgot the purpose of being in Egypt
Joseph warned his brothers to remember
Genesis 50:24 and the purpose of being in Egypt
Exo 1:1
And
these are the names of the children of Yisra’ĕl who came to Mitsrayim with
Yaʽaqoḇ, each one with his household: - In this verse the term “who came,” this is written in the present tense, which suggest that
they were arriving only now. This also suggest that a new era began with the
passing of Joseph, whose death is reported at the end of Genesis. As long as Joseph was alive, the Egyptian
treated the children of Yisrael with great respect, but as soon as Joseph was
gone, their attitude changed, and it was as if the nation was now coming to
Egypt.
Today,
unless we believe in Messiyah Yahushua, we have not influence with the world.
The Messiyanic assembly in which I am apart off, is such an assembly.
Exo 1:2 Re’uḇĕn, Shimʽon, Lĕwi, and Yehuḏah;
Exo 1:3 Yissasḵar,
Zeḇulun, and Binyamin;
Exo 1:4 Dan and Naphtali, Gaḏ and Ashĕr.
Exo 1:5 And all those who were descendants of Yaʽaqoḇ were
seventy beings, as Yosĕph was already in Mitsrayim. – To stop any
fighting over who EL YAHVEH is talking about, He wrote here that Joseph was
already in Egypt
Exo 1:6 And Yosĕph died, and all his brothers, and
all that generation. – The generation that feared EL
YAHVEH, with all there short comings, died off and a new generation who did not
had the same fear was now in control. In the naritive of Joseph we see a great man going through
the process of being created into a perfect son. Now that generation had died
off, and a new generation of Yisraelites were going through the same process of
Santification.
Exo 1:7 And the children of Yisra’ĕl bore fruit and increased very
much, multiplied and became very strong, and the land was filled with them. – Curse and
Blessing flows the same, to the third and sometime forth generation. The
Blessing of Jacob and Joseph stayed with the children of Yisrael generations
after the death of both Jacob and Joseph. Prosperity was the norm, as they
develop into a mighty nation. This is a Torah Principle worth remembering. As
long as the descendant of Jacob maintains the same spiritual level with ABBA
YAHVEH they would maintain the same favorite status in Egypt
Exo 1:8 Then a
new sovereign arose over Mitsrayim, who did not know Yosĕph,
- A new King who did not knew Joseph; one who did not have the same
spiritual inclination to Joseph: one who had the spirit of fear toward the
Children of Yisrael, came into power. We must remember that the way we relate
to people is by the Spirit that we radiate toward them. EL YAHVEH can give us a
favorable spirit even to the devil him self, or an unfavorable spirit even with
a fellow believer. I believe that this generation was the one who would be the
one that was taken out of Egypt
Exo 1:9 and he said to his people, “See, the people of the
children of Yisra’ĕl are more and stronger than we, - The world
system will never tell us the truth, here we see the reason Pharaoh gave, they
are more and stronger than us. That is the spirit of fear that came up on him
against the Children of Yisrael. As believers we must bring our mind inline
with Torah, that all our taught to be one with our Creator.
The Hebrew people were supposed to follow Torah and
they would have been a ruler like Joseph on the throne at all times. I believe
that, if they had maintained the same level of spirituality, that Joseph
implemented, they would not have had to borrow money when they finally depart
from Egypt Egypt
Exo 1:10 come, let us act wisely towards them, lest they increase,
and it shall be when fighting befalls us, that they shall join our enemies and
fight against us, and shall go up out of the land.” - The spirit of
fear is a powerful spirit; it will bend the mind in what ever way it wants. Believers
who operate under the spirit of fear should remember that we were not given
this spirit of fear but of a sound mind, Rom 8:15. It was not a military fear
that was against Egypt Egypt Germany
Exo 1:11 So they set slave-masters over them to
afflict them with their burdens, and they built for Pharaoh supply cities,
Pithom and Raʽamses. – When we as believer depart from
the Spiritual narrow road we have to walk and embrace the broad and winding
road of Egypt
Exo 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they increased
and grew, and they were in dread of the children of Yisra’ĕl. – The
blessing of Jacob and Joseph were still on them. I will almost guarantee that
there was a remnant among the Children of Yisrael who were still practicing
Torah, who had not gone away from the Promise of EL YAHVEH. There were at least
two among them, as we saw with Abraham and Lot .
If there were two in any one of the cities, it would not be destroyed.
Exo 1:13 And the Mitsrites made the children of Yisra’ĕl serve with
harshness, - when we as believers continue
along the same path which is contrary to EL YAHVEH Will; He will increase the
level of harshness in order to bring us back to the straight and narrow path. This
harshness is never meant to destroy us, just for us to realize that we are on
the wrong path.
Exo 1:14 and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in
mortar, and in brick, and in all kinds of work in the field, all their work
which they made them do was with harshness. – The Children
of Yisrael who were suppose to be the example of Torah obedience to the World
were now been subjugated to the purpose of the world; to build cities and large
monument to it kings. We were not Created to build this world system; we were
created in the Image of EL YAHVEH distinct to rule and Reign with Him,
Revelation 3:21. Cain when he left the Garden went and build a city.
Exo 1:15 Then the sovereign of Mitsrayim spoke to the Heḇrew
midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puʽah, - The king of Egypt
Exo 1:16 and he said, “When you deliver the Heḇrew women, and see
them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death, but
if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” – Who did the
king of Egypt
Exo 1:17 But the midwives feared Elohim, and did not do as the
sovereign of Mitsrayim commanded them, and kept the male children alive. – As in the
Book of Ruth, Ester was born for a time just like this. Several Ester like
character name Shiphrah and Puah were called to step up to the plate and bat
for Yisrael. These were women of good character; this does mean that EL YAHVEH
will also used women to be a form of savior to Yisrael.
Exo 1:18 So the sovereign of Mitsrayim called for the midwives and
said to them, “Why have you done this, and kept the male children alive?” -
Exo 1:19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Heḇrew
women are not like the Mitsrite women. For they are lively and give birth
before the midwives come to them.” – Understandably,
the midwives would not tell Pharaoh that they had defied him. Instead, they
said that the Hebrew women were so knowledgeable that they gave birth
unassisted before the midwives arrived. All that was left for the midwives to
do was to assist after the birth, when it was impossible to kill the male child
without arousing suspicion.
Exo 1:20 So Elohim was good to the midwives, and the people
increased and became very numerous. – When EL YAHVEH see that a person
desires to serve Him at great personal expense, He enable them to succeed,
therefore enabling him to perform even more good deeds, for which He deserves
to be rewarded. When anyone assists in the development of Yisrael, EL YAHVEH
chosen people, there will always be a blessing. I will bless those who bless
you and curse those who curse you. Notice also how many children the Yisraelites
women had, it was not the 2.5 as today women had. It is only righteous people
should have children, the rest is just creating fire wood for the judgement.
Exo 1:21 And it came to be, because the midwives feared Elohim,
that He provided households for them. - I believe
that the mix multitude that came out with the Exodus were descendant of these
midwives, who were later admitted as apart of Yisrael. Yes I believe that they
also got physical house, but the most significant house was admittance in the
House of Yisrael.
Exo 1:22 And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Throw every
son who is born into the river, and keep alive every daughter.” – This may well
be true. Pharaoh’s astrologers pinpointed the time that the savior of the
Hebrew people would be born; he saw that his down fall would be through water.
Consequently, pharaoh ordered all male children to be thrown into the Nile River
Chapter 2
This brief and concise chapter is a textbook on the
hidden workings of EL YAHVEH’s providence and how man’s most intelligent
analyses fall short of comprehending, and surely thwarting, the Divine
Sovereign Will. Amram and Jochebed the parents of Moses and Miraham and Aaron,
who could have been one of the spiritual remnant of Yisrael, produces a
beautiful child.
Exo 2:1 And a man of the
house of Lĕwi went and married a daughter of Lĕwi. – Here is
another Torah Principle being displayed, do not be unequally yoke. Levi means a
heart of EL YAHVEH, those who have a heart for Torah. Not those who gave lip
service, with no substance behind it.
Exo 2:2 And the woman
conceived and bore a son. And she saw that he was a lovely child, and she hid
him three months. - Next to El Yahushua this was a
Divinely ordain conception. How then could the child be describe as a lovely
Child. The Ruach (The Spirit) was already upon him from day one.
Exo 2:3 And when she could hide him no longer, she took an ark of
wicker for him, and coated it with tar and pitch, and put the child in it, and
laid it in the reeds by the edge of the river. - There is
always something that every person must do in order to experience miracles. We
must take the first step; our Creator will send His Angels to help us when we
cannot take another step in the natural. She hid Moses for a while, when that
was no longer possible she conceive another plan that entail building an Ark.
The very Nile ,
which was ordained by Pharaoh to be the instrument of death, became the very
source of his deliverance. EL YAHVEH will use what the enemy design for bad for
our deliverance. Remember the Book of Ruth, and Hamon.
Exo 2:4 And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be
done to him. – Every one of us has a guiding angels
who look over us, to see if EL YAHVEH Sovereign Will is being carried out. The
source of Moses protection was his older sister, reminiscence of a guardian
angel.
Exo 2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at
the river, and her young women were walking by the river-side. And when she saw
the ark among the reeds, she sent her female servant to get it, - Again, an
Ester type personality came to the rescue, she was also born for a time just as
this. I believe that she did not have the same mind set as her father. Maybe
she was a hidden believer, and could have been one of those mix multitude who
came out with the Children of Yisrael. However she was in the possession to be
beyond suspicion as one who harbors a fugitive. Who would dare question
Pharaoh’s daughter.
Exo 2:6 and opened it and saw the child, and see, the
baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the children
of the Heḇrews.” – On opening the basket, her spirit saw
what her father could not see, how spiritual beautiful this child was. Her
spiritual eyes, in particular the Spirit of Wisdom was already open to the
Sovereign Will of EL YAHVEH. She knew in her spirit what had to be done. This
Ester mentality is a Spirit of the Fear of YAHVEH. Isaiah 11:2.
Exo 2:7 And his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter,
“Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Heḇrew women to nurse the child
for you?” – Merriam in the Spirit of EL YAHVEH said to Pharaoh’s daughter, shall
I go and find a nurse to nurse the child for you.
Exo 2:8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” And
the girl went and called the child’s mother. – It is my belief that these
couple of statements made by Pharaoh’s daughter and Miriam was Divinely
inspired. They were only the mouthpieces through which the Sovereign Word came.
Lord make me Your humbly servant a mouth piece for Your Sovereign Word and
Will.
Exo 2:9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take
this child away and nurse him for me, then I shall pay your wages.” So the
woman took the child and nursed him. – The blessing? Moses mother was given
the opportunity to murse her own child and get paid for it. Is anything too
hard for EL YAHVEH? If only those who call them self by His name would get this
principle, all would be well in Christendom.
Exo 2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him to
Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Mosheh,
saying, “Because I have drawn him out of the water.” - Pharaoh’s
daughter led by the Holy Spirit gave the name Mosheh (Moses) which means that
he will draw people out of the Water; as the future giver of the Torah, he will
be instrumental in giving the uncompromising Written Word to the people.
Exo 2:11 And in those days it came to be, when Mosheh was grown,
that he went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens. And he saw a
Mitsrite beating a Heḇrew, one of his brothers. – A part of
Moses Divine training start from day one. He was raised in a Levities home as a
Torah observant child. Now we see that Torah describe his childhood. Moses was
raised in the splendor of anti Semitism of the Egyptian culture; however he
remains the son of a Levite. The early training by his biological parents had
instilled in him certain Torah principle his parents had taught him. His parent
had him for the earlier part of his life, they succeeded in imbuing in him the
love for EL YAHVEH, and I believe the purpose they were in Egypt
Exo 2:12 So he turned this way and that way, and when he saw no
one, he smote the Mitsrite and hid him in the sand. – Moses even
though his observation was correct, he chose to take things in his own hands.
This verse did not say he prayed before acting. He acted then maybe he prayed.
This was an identification of a character trait that needs some adjustment
before he could be called upon to do what he was destined to be.
Exo 2:13 And he went out the second day and saw two Heḇrew men
fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why do you smite your
neighbour?” – This incident
reveal different situation that was prevalent in Yisrael at that time. Because
of the spiritual demise of the people there was infighting among themselves.
They had forgotten the purpose of been in Egypt
The fruit of the spirit of the people came out when
the two brothers were fighting, the same is true in an assembly when socalled
believers in the group only see themselves and not the big picture as Moses
obviously did.
Exo 2:14 And he said, “Who made you a head and a judge
over us? Do you intend to slay me as you slew the Mitsrite?” And Mosheh feared
and said, “Truly, the matter is known!” – In the plain sense Moses
action was no longer a secret. Verse 12 says that no one was watching, could it
be that this none refers to No Egyptian was looking. How could the man have
said do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? This obviously creates
a spirit of fear in Moses that causes him to become fearful.
Exo 2:15 And Pharaoh heard of this matter, and he
sought to kill Mosheh. But Mosheh fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in
the land of Miḏyan
Lets meet the character that would be instrumental
in the next 40 years of his spiritual development.
Exo 2:16 And the priest of Miḏyan had seven daughters. And they
came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock, - In every
walk of life, the people we experience are sent to help us in our development.
They are like sandpaper, some are course, some are medium, and some are for
fine-tuning. Yet they are all essential for the refining process we must all go
thought before we can become the vessels of honor in the Master Hand.
Notice that the seven daughters were all ministers
of the Word, they brought their flocks to the watering hole everyday like all
good shepherdess should.
Exo 2:17 but the shepherds came and drove them away. Then Mosheh
stood up and came to their rescue, and watered their flock. – Lets see
how they meet. The other shepherd (ministers) came and drove them away from the
watering hole. As a man of fair play Moses stood up and say this is not right.
If Moses had not exercise this trait he would not have meet the shepherds. Act
of kindness is not an option; it is a requirement for every believer to
display. We never know when the next level of our spiritual development will
manifest it self, if we fail to exercise what we already know.
Exo 2:18 And they came to Reʽuw’ĕl their father, and he said, “How
is it that you have come so soon today?” – here is the consequence of his
action. The Father of the Shepherdess asks how come you are home so early?
Exo 2:19 And they said, “A Mitsrite rescued us from the hand of the
shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.” – they reply
a Egyptian help us. Kindness is a character trait, there is always a reward.
Exo 2:20 And he said to his daughters, “And where is
he? Why did you leave the man? Call him and let him eat bread.” – it is also
interesting that these were not Hebrews; they were probably descendant of Esau.
Yet they knew enough Torah to repay kindness with kindness. How many of us have
fail in our spiritual progress because we fail to reward kindness when we have
an opportunity to. The character of Jethro was now been manifested. It is not
right that you should accept a substantial favor from a stranger without
showing him the courtesy of an invitation to our home.
Exo 2:21 And Mosheh agreed to dwell with the man, and he gave
Tsipporah his daughter to Mosheh. – One good deed requires another.
Moses agrees to live in the land with Jethro, because Moses saw the godly
kindness at come only from a pure heart. What will people see when they see us.
And Jethro gave one of his daughters to mosses as a wife.
Exo 2:22 And she bore him a son, and he called his
name Gĕreshom, for he said, “I have become a sojourner in a foreign land.” - The road to
our spiritual Canaan is always through a
foreign land. This foreign land, is only a temporary dwelling place, it should
never become our permanent dwelling.
Exo 2:23 And it came to be after these many days that
the sovereign of Mitsrayim died. And the children of Yisra’ĕl groaned because
of the slavery, and they cried out. And their cry came up to Elohim because of
the slavery. – In the process of time the king of Egypt
Exo 2:24 And Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim
remembered His covenant with Aḇraham, with Yitsḥaq, and with Yaʽaqoḇ. -
EL YAHVEH did not forget, there was something that triggers His action,
something that causes Him to act in a way to our struggle. He knows that as a
people we are not capable of helping our self. Therefore he had to send us a
Savior to bargain for the release of those who are in prison to the world
system.
Exo 2:25 And
Elohim looked on the children of Yisra’ĕl, and Elohim knew! – It is
reassuring to know we have a Elohim who is well aware with out plight, and who
knew exactly how to act to redeemed us from the gates of sin and death.
Chapter 3
Moses spent the next 40 years as the shepherd of his
father-inn-law’s sheep, and this experience became the proving ground for him
as a future shepherd of the children of Yisrael. King David too, developed his
leadership skill, by showed his mettle as a shepherd, the occupation of such
righteous people as Abel, Jacob’s sons, the Patriarchs. This is where integrity
as a leader is developed; Moses displayed his honesty as a shepherd by taking
the sheep to the mountain where he meets EL YAHVEH face to face.
It is there in the wilderness that EL YAHVEH
appeared to Moses for the first time, to appoint him leader of Yisrael, the
position that, in his humility, Moses strenuously resisted until EL YAHVEH
commanded him to comply.
The Torah tells us that the infant Moses was taken
from the Nile River into the house of Pharaoh, where he was raised by the royal
family, as part of his future role as leader of Yisrael. Many years later,
Moses was forced to flee to Midian where he became a shepherd, and married the
daughter of his boss the hight priest of Midian. One day, while tending the
flock of sheep in the wilderness, Moses sa a burning Bush on the mountain, when
he draw neer the bush, ABBA YAHVEH revealed to him.
Exo 3:1 And Mosheh was shepherding the flock of Yithro
his father-in-law, the priest of Miḏyan. And he led the flock to the back of
the wilderness, and came to Ḥorĕḇ, the mountain of Elohim mountain of EL YAHVEH in the future, when it became
the site where the Torah was given. The general area where the mountain was
located was Horeb.
The Torah describes Moses’ vision in three
different ways: a fire, an angel, and as EL YAHVEH. Because this was Moses’ first
prophecy dream, EL YAHVEH had to expose it to him gradually, like someone in a
dark room, whose eyes cannot tolerate an immediate expose to bright light.
First Moses was shown a fire that was strange because it did not consume the
bush. This excited Moses curiosity to investigate further; something he would
not have done if he had realized that it was a Holy Place
Then it was revealed to him as an angel in the
fire. Once Moses was accustomed to this new phenomenon, he was given the vision
of EL YAHVEH Himself.
EL YAHVEH identifies Himself as the El of Amram,
the El of Abraham, the El of Isaach, and the El of Jacob.
In the three places YAHVEH reveals Himself to Moses
He is called YAHVEH, the Name of Mercy, to show that His primary intention is
to save Yisrael in a historic demonstration of His Divine Mercy.
Exo 3:2 And the Messenger of יהוה appeared to him in a flame of fire from the
midst of a bush. And he looked and saw the bush burning with fire, but the bush
was not consumed. – The vision of the burning bush was symbolic of the Egyptian exile; He
joins in their suffering, as it were. The bush itself, representing Yisrael, it
would not be allow to be consumed by the present circumstance.
Exo 3:3 And Mosheh said, “Let me turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the
bush does not burn.” - What is the hock
that draws us close to EL YAHVEH presence? What is the means by which our
attention is drawn to a higher revelation of EL YAHVEH in our lives? What is
the place when we reach it we will hear the Voice of EL YAHVEH? We will read
more about this when we study the Ark of the Covenant.
Exo 3:4 And יהוה saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim
called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Mosheh! Mosheh!” And he
said, “Here I am.” - The spiritual level that Moses
had reach allows him to readily accept the Word of EL YAHVEH, even if he did
not know who it was. He said here I am, ready, and will to do what I am ask.
This is the position of total submission.
Although Moses’ decision to
investigate the burning bush seems insignificant, given the more dramatic parts
of this story, it is a crucially important moment, for Moses would not have
encountered the CREATOR, had he not investigated the pecular fire in the
distance. This action also reveals the state of Moses’ consciousness, his
awareness that nothing comes into our lives by accident, that everything that
comes to our attention contains a sign from the CREATOR.
So when Moses spotted the
burning bush on the mountain, he knew it had special meaning: something would
be revealed to him there, so he turn to investigate.
How many of us would respond
this way if we see a strange phenomenon in the distance? Most of us would
decide that it had nothing to do with us, and we would continue doing what we
are doing.
Why is this truth as clear to
us as it is to Moses? The answer is that our consciousness has not yet reached
the spiritual level, where we truly understand that there are no coincidences.
Because we do not see the CREATOR in everything, the creator’s messages are not
always revealed to us.
This insight into the
consciousness of Moses serves as a valuable reminder of just how often we have
missing oppertunities in life when we choose to ignore things happening around
us, when we just pass them by. Imagine how different things might have been if
Moses had thought, it is just another forest fire, and keep walking.
Exo 3:5 And He said, “Do not come near here. Take your sandals off your feet, for
the place on which you are standing is set-apart ground.” – in a test to see if Moses was totally sold out in obedience, He was
told do not come any closer. Eve failed this test! The greatest thing that ever
happen to me and I am being told not to come any closer. I have been waiting 80
years for this day and I am been told do not come any further. I have been
searching all my life for the manifestation of the Shechinah Glory now it is
arrive and I must not come any closer. All my life I have been praying draw me
closer and You tell me do not come any closer. Ok! I wont!
Now take of your shoe from off
your feet for the place where you stand is Kadosh ground. Really! Hurriedly
Moses complies, What Else Master? The removal of one shoe represent that Moses
was to give himself up unreservedly, and without any impediment between himself
and the Holy Ground where he now stood. Moses was at the place spiritually
where EL YAHVEH View is Moses view.
Exo 3:6 And He said, “I am the Elohim of your
father, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ.”
And Mosheh hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Elohim. - EL YAHVEH with that Strong Voice of Authority,
at the same time a reassuring Still Voice, that seems to be coming from
everwhere at once. I am the Elohim of your Father, of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. The moment that every person who has ever been born of a woman, should
experience! That all Powerful Voice, yet reassuring Voice, broth a grateful
Moses to his knee, not that he was afraid, but in total reverence of been able
to be in such an Illustrious Company. This is the essence of our redemptive
walk. It cannot get any better than this!
Exo 3:7 And יהוה said, “I have indeed seen the oppression of My
people who are in Mitsrayim, and have heard their cry because of their
slave-drivers, for I know their sorrows. – A part from the other consideration, EL YAHVEH responds to the
despairing outcry of the downtrodden. After having said that, He knew what they
were going through. Knowledge is the climax of seeing and hearing for if one do
not understand and draw a accurate spiritual conclusion of what he has seen and
heard, his perceptions are of no value.
Exo 3:8 “And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Mitsrites, and
to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing
with milk and honey, to the place of the Kenaʽanites and the Ḥittites and the
Amorites and the Perizzites and the Ḥiwwites and the Yeḇusites. – EL YAHVEH descended to Mount
Sinai the epitome of spiritual maturity to reveal Himself to
Moses, in order to start the process of redemption. For EL YAHVEH to
communicate with an immoral Pharaoh is an unseemly descent, but He is prepared
to do so in order to rescue Yisrael from servitude.
The promise I will take the
redeem community to a good and spacious land is a metaphor. It means that the
land is good and in that the climate is pleasant and the country is filled with
desirable features, and it is spacious in that the nation will have adequate
living space. A land with such advantage will produce healthy livestock that
will give abundant of milk, and fruits that will be rich and sweet as honey.
There were seven Canaanite nations, but these verses only identify six. The
seventh was Girgashites.
Exo 3:9 “And now, see, the cry of the children of Yisra’ĕl has
come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Mitsrites
oppress them. – Something happen that causes
EL YAHVEH to react in this fashion. It was the cry of his people. This is also
another one of these principle you will hear me speak of often. What cause EL
YAHVEH to respond? It is always the cry of His people.
Exo 3:10 “And now, go, I am sending you to
Pharaoh, to bring My people, the children of Yisra’ĕl, out of Mitsrayim.” – At this point in time Moses was a sent one, a Malachem, an Apostle.
The time had come and Moses is the redeemer. EL YAHVEH assured him that he would
succeed, despite the apparent hopelessness of one man prevailing against the
greatest power in the world.
It seems strange, even
inconceivable that Moses would refuse to obey EL YAHVEH’s explicit command.
Even if he was sure in his own mind if we would be successful, how could he
substitute His judgment for EL YAHVEH’s?
I believe that Moses taught
that he was the one who was to go and do this task by himself. If this is so,
he is justified in refusing. However of Creator will always give us the choice,
should I go under my own power or should I wait for the Authority be given to
me.
Many today, when they get a
revelation they run off in fanaticism to fulfilled EL YAHVEH will and do not
realize that there must be a preparation time.
Exo 3:11 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that
I should bring the children of Yisra’ĕl out of Mitsrayim?” - The humbleness of Moses was learn in forty years
of leading sheep up and down the mountains, in contrast to his eagerness he had
in Egypt, when he killed a man in his zeal. Moses was now another person! How
can I who am so unqualified, influence Pharaoh? You want me to do what? To led
those stiff neck people out of Egypt
Exo 3:12 And He said, “Because I am with you. And this is to you the sign that I
have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Mitsrayim, you are to
serve Elohim on this mountain.” – Two question was answered in this verse: Moses need not fear Pharaoh
because EL YAHVEH will be with Him at all time. The second answer is an answer
for all times. All true leaders who are sent by EL YAHVEH will bring their
people to the very place where they met EL YAHVEH for themselves. If more so
call Pastors had a Mt.
Sinai
This teaches that we should
reward believers on the bases of their spiritual potential; all believers have
within themselves the capacity to grow, that will enable them to Hear the Word
of EL YAHVEH and to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, alone justify the
Exodus. Moses was told that where he was spiritual was the intended vision EL
YAHVEH had for the entire nation of Yisrael. The ability to see Him and talk to
Him Face to Face, and not be consumed by His presence.
Exo 3:13 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “See, when I come to the children of Yisra’ĕl
and say to them, ‘The Elohim of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say
to me, ‘What is His Name?’ what shall I say to them?” – Obviously the Hebrew people
knew the various names of EL YAHVEH, therefore the question will come up what
name do you come under. EL YAHVEH has many names, each a represents an
Attribute of EL YAHVEH. These Attribute determine Name by which He is reveled.
When He displays mercy, He is called hwhy, YAHVEH the Name
that represents compassion When He exercise judgment, He is called Elohim. When
He excersise His Mastery over nature and performs hidden miracles, He is called
El SHADDAI.
Therefore Moses was saying
that one the Children of Yisrael accepted him as EL YAHVEH’s emissary, they
would want to know His Name or His Attribute being displayed.
Exo 3:14 And Elohim said to Mosheh, “I am that
which I am.”1 And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of
Yisra’ĕl, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” Footnote: 1The Heḇrew text
reads: ’eyeh ’asher ’eyeh, the word ’eyeh being derived from hayah which means
to be, to exist, but the Aramaic text here in reads: ayah ashar ayah. This is not His Name,
but it is an explanation that leads up to the revelation of His Name in verse
15, namely: יהוה . – I shall Be As I Shall Be. This is in itself a
Divine Name, as implied, if we translate these three words they literally means
“I will be with them in this sorrow as I shall be with them in other sorrow.”
The One who have seen your sorrows have sent me.
Exo 3:15 And Elohim said further to Mosheh, “Thus you are to say
to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘יהוה Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of
Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ, has sent me to
you. This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance to all generations. ’ – After EL YAHVEH conveyed the unfamiliar Name
of the previous verse, a Name that was His response to the current plight of
the Children of Yisrael, EL YAHVEH instructed Moses to tell Yisrael that the
Elohim Who was about to redeem them was no different from the Elohim of their
forefathers.
The significance of the two
different Names: I Shall Be in verse 14 and YAHVEH in this verse. EL YAHVEH was
conveying the message that He was with them even in their suffering, as He will
be with them forever.
Exo 3:16 “Go, and you shall gather the elders of Yisra’ĕl together, and say to
them, hwhy Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, of Yitsḥaq, and of
Yaʽaqoḇ, appeared to me, saying, “I have indeed visited you and seen what is
done to you in Mitsrayim; - Moses was now told to speak the elders of the people first. He is A
Elohim of order. He work with the establish structure to make things better.
Even though Moses was told to convey the message to every Hebrew, he could not
do it alone. There was a hierarchy that was to be establish, this was to be
used later when the organization of the people to travel would be required.
The fullness of the Promise
was at hand; it was time for the people to prepare themselves for plundering of
Egypt
Exo 3:17 and I say: I am bringing you up out of the affliction of Mitsrayim to the
land of the Kenaʽanite and the Ḥittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and
the Ḥiwwite and the Yeḇusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’ – In order to appreciate the Land
of Yisrael , the people will have to
remember Egypt Egypt
This is also essential in
ministry, keep the people focus on their ultimate objective, the obstacle along
the way will become secondary.
Exo 3:18 “And they shall listen to your voice.
And you shall come, you and the elders of Yisra’ĕl, to the sovereign of
Mitsrayim, and you shall say to him, יהוה Elohim of the Heḇrews has met with us. And
now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness to slaughter to יהוה our Elohim.’ – EL YAHVEH assured Moses that the spiritually
more mature elders would heed his voice, they would be as one voice when Moses
stands before Pharaoh. EL YAHVEH spared no small detail, even to the very words
that was to be spoken. This was the start of a spiritual onslaught against the
gods of Egypt
Exo 3:19 “But I know that the sovereign of Mitsrayim is not going to let you go,
not even by a strong hand. – In every negotiation there must be a starting point. EL YAHVEH was
giving Egypt and Pharaoh an
opportunity to turn Egypt
EL YAHVEH does not take
pleasure in seeing any one go to a spiritual death. He will always give us a
chance to repent, even though He knew that they would not repent. His Justice
demands that He give everyone a chance before judgment is served. This last
earthquake in Haiti
Exo 3:20 “And I shall stretch out My hand
and smite Mitsrayim with all My wonders which I shall do in its midst. And
after that he shall let you go. – It is sad to say, but many will turn to EL
YAHVEH after a tragedy such as what happen in Haiti
The term My Hand is the first example given of the
Fivefold Ministry of the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher?
This is the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH. These ministry principles still apply to
day in principle!
Exo 3:21 “And I shall give this people favor in the eyes of the Mitsrites. And it
shall be, that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. – Not only were the Children of Yisrael find favor
in the eyes of Egypt Egypt
If Yisrael had remained
faithful to the promise as Joseph did, they would not have being in slavery.
They would be an example to the Egyptians; the outcome would have been
different. I believe that if the Children of Yisrael had maintained the same
level of spiritual intensity Joseph had established, Egypt
Exo 3:22 “But every woman shall ask from her
neighbour and from the stranger in her house, objects of silver, and objects of
gold, and garments. And you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters,
and shall plunder the Mitsrites.” – The wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous. Have you
plundered the wicked in your area of influence yet? Then get moving!
Chapter
4
After
Moses arrives at the burning bush, the CREATOR appears to him and tells him
that the suffering of the Yisraelites will soon come to an end,for Moses has
been chosen to bring the Children of Yisrael out of Egypt. How does Moses
respond to this miraculous, overwhelming moment? Astonishingly, he resists the
CREATOR, offering one reason after another, why he cannot agree to ABBA
YAHVEH’S bidding.
Exo 4:1 And Mosheh answered
and said, “And if they do not believe me, nor listen to my voice, and say, יהוה has not appeared to you?’ ” – Even after Divine assurances, Moses insisted
that the people will not believe him. EL YAHVEH then showed him three miracles
that he was to display to the people to win their confidence.
Moses never doubts that it is
YAHVEH speaking to him; he never considers that he might be sufferinh
hallucinations from the heat. Moses recognizes the CREATOR, and he knew how
important YAH’S plan could be to the Yisraelites. Yet Moses continues to find
reasons for not acceding to the CREATOR’S request.
Exo 4:2 And יהוה said to him, “What is
that in your hand?” And he said, “A rod.” - The juxtaposition of Moses’ hand and his staff. To show him that EL
YAHVEH holds the power of life and death, in the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH,
which he had just become.
Exo 4:3 And He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and
it became a serpent. And Mosheh fled from it. - The three signs. Moses was shown three miracles that he was commanded
to repeat to the Children of Yisrael in order to improve his legitimacy.
However, the first two of the sign, the snake and the tzaraas, were for Moses
benefits than anyone else.
The message that can be learn
from this is that in his hands the rod wound be a position of authority,
similar t Aaron’s rod, but if it falls to the ground it could become an
instrument for evil. Moses was right to have jump back from it after the
incident with Evan and the serpent. Moses may be cautious, but he was no fool.
Exo 4:4 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Reach
out your hand and take it by the tail” – so he reached out his hand and caught
it, and it became a rod in his hand. – In this verse EL YAHVEH is teaching Moses how to deal with the serpent
kingdom. With the Mighty Hand of Yah, we should always reach for the tail, the
least offensive part of the serpent. The ten plagues would employ the same
strategy in the weeks to follow.
Exo 4:5 so that they shall believe that יהוה Elohim of their fathers, the Elohim of
Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ, has appeared to
you.” – in employing such a strategy against the
serpent kingdom, they would see the Spirit of Wisdom in Moses and know that
Moses is a Mature believer, one who had been in the presence of EL YAHVEH.
Exo 4:6 And יהוה said to him again, “Now put your hand in your
bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, and see, his
hand was leprous, like snow. – As a mature believer
he now had the authority to control matter. He Moses could now command the very
atomic structure of thing at will.
Exo 4:7 And He said, “Put your hand in your
bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his
bosom, and see, it was restored like his other flesh. – To reinforce this idea, he was ask to reverse the process. This would
help to establish Moses authesency.
Exo 4:8 “And it shall be, if they do not believe you, nor listen to the voice of
the first sign, they shall believe the voice of the latter sign. – There is always a few who are never easily
convince, they are skeptic at heart. Those who the mighty hand has to show over
and over again.
Exo 4:9 “And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two
signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and
pour it on the dry land. And the water which you take from the river shall
become blood on the dry land.” – EL YAHVEH is the
Creator of all human, He alone knew there personality type, He was giving Moses
the tool necessary to deal with the various personality type, even the most
skeptic among them. In the church there are many who will accept things readily
and there are those it have to drop and hit them, before they believe.
Exo 4:10 And Mosheh said to יהוה , “O יהוה , I am not a
man of words, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I
am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” - Just when it
seems that YAHVEH has addressed all of Moses’ concern, he raise one more
complication: “I am slow of speech and slow of
tongue.” And surely someone without a speech impediment
would be better suited to persuade the Yisraelites to demand their freedom and
to persuade Pharaoh into giving it to them. Even after the Creator says He will
guide Moses’ speech, Moses continues to resist.
Moses contends that from his
earliest youth he had a speech impediment; surely this would be a problem when
dealing with the fluent Pharaoh. I will be inferior in Pharaoh court! I can
relate to this scenario, as a boy I had a severe case of stuttering; today I
find that when I am giving a speech I no longer exhibit that trait. The Spirit
of Authority gives me the authority to be an overcomer over my physical
ability.
As a stutter myself, when I am
giving a message, I do not stutter, yet when I speak to my friends later I
revert to my normal way of speaking with a visible stutter.
The moment that Moses like
myself finish conveying the CREATOR’S messages, his speech impediment return.
This is exactly what happen. For the rest of his life, Moses stutters and
stammers, except for those times when the CREATOR sends him to speaks without
the slightest impediment. In fact, when speaking on the CREATOR’S behalf, Moses
is able to deliver the most remarkably moving and articulate speeches.
Exo 4:11 And יהוה said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who
makes dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, יהוה ?
– EL YAHVEH began to lecture Moses on two count:
Whatever communications skills he required were well within YAHVEH’s capacity
to used, and He would provide whatever guidance and assistance Moses needed.
Exo 4:12 “And now, go, and I shall be with your mouth and teach you what to say.” - The Spirit of
Authority is a very necessary tool for every mature believer. Yahushua (Jesus
Christ) was describing by those who heard Him speak. No one spoke with such
authority, this is a result of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11:2,
Revelation 5:6.
Exo 4:13 But he said, “O יהוה , please send by the hand of him
whom You would send.” – Moses was now
contending that he was clearly not YAHVEH’s most suitable choice for this task,
he was never a leader of anything except for a bunch of sheep in the
wilderness, he was not competence to led the Children of Yisrael out of Egypt
Exo 4:14 And the displeasure of יהוה burned against Mosheh, and He said, “Is not
Aharon the Lĕwite your brother? I know that he speaks well. And see, he is also
coming out to meet you. And when he sees you, he shall be glad in his heart. – Gentlemen and Lady’s do not
let the fury of EL YAHVEH burns against us for over questioning His request. We
have a right to question His order in order to learn more, but never to oppose
His Sovereign Will. Moses lost the position of priesthood for his opposition to
EL YAHVEH request. The Position of priesthood would have gone to Moses decedent
instead of Aaron’s.
Exo 4:15 “And you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I am with
your mouth and with his mouth, and I shall teach you what to do. – Moses lost the position as mouthpiece to
Pharaoh. When we resist EL YAHVEH request, He will give it to a person who is
more will to accept. Even though Moses may have been a mature believer that
does not mean that he is above making mistake. The influence of the evil one
seeks after those who are at this lofty height of their spiritual development.
We must be very careful at this stage of our spiritual development to be even
more aware of the doubt place in our mind by the serpent kingdom.
Exo 4:16 “And he
shall speak for you to the people. And it shall be that he shall be a mouth for
you, and you shall be an elohim1 for
him. Footnote: 1Or mighty one, which is proof that elohim is but a title, indicating order or authority – it is not a proper name.
Exo 4:17 “And take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” – The rod of authority, Moses
was to perform the ten plagues with the rod he had in his mighty hand. Every
mature will have the same ability to perform theses same miracle as they embark
in taking believers out of Egypt
Exo 4:18 Then Mosheh went and returned to
Yithro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my
brothers who are in Mitsrayim to see whether they are still alive.” And Yithro
said to Mosheh, “Go in peace.” – Since Moses had promise that He would remain with Jethro, he had to
seek his permission to leave. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who open
their house to us even thought we might have work for them forty years. Moses
did not tell Jethro the nature of his mission, because EL YAHVEH had not
authorized him to do so. Unless EL YAHVEH tells a prophet to reveal a Divine
message, he is forbidden to do so.
Exo 4:19 And יהוה said to Mosheh in Miḏyan, “Go, return to
Mitsrayim, for all the men are dead who sought your life.” – This verse shed some more light on why Moses was so adamant in
opposing EL YAHVEH request in going to Egypt Egypt
Exo 4:20 So Mosheh took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he
returned to the land
of Mitsrayim
Moses was in the same
predicament. Now that they were dead, all that load was lifted off his back. If
Moses had gone to EL YAHVEH and say, here is a little problem I have with going
back to Egypt
Exo 4:21 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “As you
go back to Mitsrayim, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I
have put in your hand. But I am going to harden his heart, so that he does not
let the people go. – The Commander and Chief instruction to His general make sure you
follow my command to the letter. Go with the determination that you will
perform the wonders without fear; carry out your mission with strength and with
courage. However, Pharaoh will not let them go. The doctrine of predestination
follows this teaching. Some of us are made for honor some for dishonor. In
order for the full arsenal to be unleashing against the serpent kingdom, some
things had to happen. If Pharaoh had submitted at the first appearance of
Moses, then this story would not be available for us today.
Exo 4:22 “And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus
said יהוה , “Yisra’ĕl is My son, My first-born, - In this verse we see EL YAHVEH establishing the boundary, Thus says EL
YAHVEH Yisrael is my Son. This is the source of the contention when the evil
one fell. Who will be the chief son in Heavens? Lucifer knew that his position
was threatened; he had to do something about it.
Exo 4:23 so I say to you, let My son go to
serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, see, I am killing your son, your
first-born.” – The King had spoken, He had establish Himself
as EL YAHVEH, the El of all Elohim, the God of all Gods. This should have been
enough to shake Pharaoh in his boots, so to speak.
Exo 4:24 And it came to be on the way, in the
lodging place, that יהוה met him and sought to kill him. – We come to a very peculiar
incident in this saga. As if there was a break in the story and this incident
just drop in. There are no wasted letters in Torah, let find out why? This
versa seem to say that Moses sons were new born, Moses was over concern with
carrying out EL YAHVEH Sovereign Will that he forgot the welfare of his own
family. The angel met Him on the way and seeks to kill Him; this showed the
importance of circumcision in the Divine order of things.
Exo 4:25 And Tsipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and
threw it at Mosheh’s feet, and said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to
me!” – Zipporah touched the feet of Moses with the
foreskin of her son in the hope that the merit of the circumcision, like the
blood of the Passover offering would save Moses from the angel of death. This
woman who was a Medianite, how did she knew so much or have the insight to discern
the purpose of the angel.
Exo 4:26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You
are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision. – Zipporah taught that Moses was about to die
because he had sinned by delaying the circumcision. A sin that he had already
committed. Now she realized that his treat of death was to get her to
circumcise the baby immediately. This showed her the importance of the
commandment.
Is it possible that this was
because Zipporah had been objecting to the circumcision all along? We know that
women usually object to the wishes on her husband. Why was it that she was the
one to do the Circumcision?
Exo 4:27 And יהוה said to Aharon, “Go to meet Mosheh in the
wilderness.” And he went and met him on the mountain of Elohim Egypt Mount Sinai .
Exo 4:28 Mosheh then told Aharon all the words
of יהוה who had sent him, and all
the signs which He had commanded him. – All good leaders usually share with those under their command the
purpose of the mission, before returning to Egypt
Exo 4:29 And Mosheh went with Aharon and
gathered together all the elders of the children of Yisra’ĕl. – Moses went with his older
brother Aaron who was familiar with the terrene and the people; he knew who was
who in the redeemed community.
Exo 4:30 And Aharon spoke all the words which יהוה had spoken to Mosheh. Then he did the signs
before the eyes of the people. – As instructed by EL YAHVEH they both accomplish the Divine task set
before them.
Exo 4:31 And the people believed. And they heard that יהוה had visited the children of Yisra’ĕl and that
He had looked on their affliction, and they bowed their heads and did
obeisance. – The Hebrew word emonah implies more than the
simple belief that something happens to be factually true. People do not
sacrifice their lives of make intense efforts simply for the sake of something
that they know to be a fact.
The belief of which this verse
speaks is the conviction that a principle is at the essence of their lives and
worthy of every effort. In recognition of their faith, the people bowed their head, signifying that
their intellect would be sub servant to EL YAHVEH’s Sovereign Will, and they
prostrated themselves, signifying the complete devotion of all their physical
faculties to Him.
Chapter
5
Many of us have numerious reason for why we place
limits on what we can accomplish, on how much we can help people. Every one of
us, must overcome the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree of Life
represent the upper world or the spiritual world. The tree of the knowledge of
Good and Evil represent the lower word, the world of doubt. When we see ourselves giving in to
doubt, we can remind ourselves of this Torah Portion of Shemot. We can consider
Moses mistakes and from the miracle of freedom that we are able to bring forth
a people from slavery.
I find this tremendously inspiring. Any time we
have doubts about what we can do, doubts about our ability to progress
spiritually will always be at the forefront. We need to remember Moses and
realize that no task is beyond our reach, everyone of us, even those with
visible handicap can become one of the greatest leadership of all time.
The CREATOR cause the Pharaoh in our lives to test
us as he did Moses, knowing that this test would bring out the best in Moses.
The Torah Portion among many other leasons is to teach us that the reatest
leader in the history of humanity was a person with ordinary flaws, just like
you and I.
After gaining the allegiance of the elders of the
Children of Yisrael, Moses, and Aaron wasted no time in delivering EL YAHVEH’s
message to Pharaoh.
Exo 5:1 And afterwards
Mosheh and Aharon went in and said to Pharaoh, “Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Let My people go, so that
they keep a festival to Me in the wilderness. -
Moses and Aaron when to Pharaoh to delivered the
message. Let My People Go! This is still the age-old cry of the Mighty Hand Ministry
for Egypt
Exo 5:2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is יהוה ,
that I should obey His voice to let Yisra’ĕl go? I do not know יהוה , nor am I
going to let Yisra’ĕl go.” – Pharaoh defiance took three
forms. Do you think that this YAHVEH of yours is so mighty that I must obey
him. I have never heard of Him, Even if
I had heard of Him, I would not consent to send away an entire nation of slaves
at His request.
Exo 5:3 And they said, “The Elohim of the Heḇrews
has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness and
slaughter to יהוה our Elohim, lest He fall upon us with
pestilence or with the sword.” – They responded to Pharaoh with the terms that EL YAHVEH had
instructed Moses to used in 3:13. Pharaoh claimed not to have heard of YAHVEH,
so now Moses spoke about the Elohim of the Hebrews that even Pharaoh should understand
that every nation has its own God to which it owes unquestionable loyalty.
Exo 5:4 But the sovereign of Mitsrayim said to
them, “Mosheh and Aharon, why do you take the people from their work? Get back
to your burdens.” - Pharaoh refused to
even consider the request. Though he showed a modicum of respect by addressing
the two Hebrew leaders by name, and dismissed them curtly and chastised them
for interfering with Egyptian economy.
Exo 5:5 And Pharaoh said, “See, the people of
the land are many now, and you make them cease from their burdens!” - in this verse Pharaoh
implied a further criticism: The Hebrew people is too large for him to even
consider three days off. Moses and Aaron should cease their trouble making and
go to their own chores.
Exo 5:6 And the same day Pharaoh commanded the
slave-drivers of the people and their foremen, saying, - Pharaoh was convinced that the people were simply looking for an
excuse to shirk the responsibility, Pharaoh decided that the best cure for
Moses’ incitement was to make the people work so hard they would have neither
the time nor the desire with their Elohim. Pharaoh contended that the people
must not be working hard as they should, or else they would not have had time
to thinking to go praise their Elohim.
Exo 5:7 “You are no longer to give the people
straw to make bricks as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. – The world system build their life with straw, straw that
will be easely burnt up in the fire that test our works. When we build our
lives our building blocks of our life from the solid rock, we do not have to
worry about our foundation when it is tested.
Exo 5:8 “And lay on them the required amount of bricks which they made before, do
not diminish it. For they are idle, that is why they cry out, saying, ‘Let us
go and slaughter to our Elohim.’ - it is always the world policy to keep the people so busy that they will
not have enough time for anything else.
Exo 5:9 “Let
more work be laid on the men, so that they labour in it, and not pay attention
to words of falsehood.” – The objective of
the world system is to keep the believers busy building buildings instead of
studying Torah, which the world think is falsehood.
Exo 5:10 And the slave-drivers of the people and their foremen went
out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus said Pharaoh, ‘I do not give you
straw. - The slaver drivers
are the education institution of today, which teacher our children secular
knowledge. The teachers or institution goes out into the religious society and
tell them that the world system will not give you a carear to build your life,
they had to go and find there own. On the contrary Torah give us the
information we require for us to build our life or home. We are admonish to
build on the rock and not upon the sand.
Exo 5:11 ‘Go, take straw for yourselves, wherever you find it, for your work shall
not be diminished.’ ” – Consider today
when a student attend University, he or she have to take a part time job while
they are studying. They must continue to build the world system while gathering
there own straw, there own career, to help build the world
Exo 5:12 And the people were scattered in all the land of Mitsrayim Egypt
Exo 5:13 And the slave-drivers were hurrying them on, saying, “Complete your work,
your daily amount, as when there was straw.” – The world system
practice a particular principle. Produce, produce, produce, weather you are
educated or not, regardless of our socal background we are all require to be
kept busy building this world system.
Exo 5:14 Also the foremen of the children of Yisra’ĕl, whom Pharaoh’s slave-drivers
had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not completed your
task in making bricks both yesterday and today, as before?” – The taskmaster would set the quotas and help the
foremen who were also Hebrews to enforce compliance. If the slave the social
slaves fell short of fulfillment, the Egyptians, the head of the corporaion
would beat, or manipulate the Hebrew
foremen, not with physical force anymore but with financial insentive.
This was similar to the
anti-Semitic strategy used by later persecutors, who forced the Hebrew to
mistreat one another. But the foremen sacrifice themselves to protect their
fellow Hebrews. The road to leadership is paved with unselfish dedication to
the people, not self-aggrandizement.
Exo 5:15 And the foremen of the children of Yisra’ĕl came and cried out to Pharaoh,
saying, “Why do you treat your servants this way? – The Hebrew foremen
protest in vain.
Exo 5:16 “There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make
bricks!’ And see, your servants are beaten, but your own people are at fault.” – The redeem community need to learn that the spiritual logic does not
apply to the unsaved world. The only logic they knew is the $ sign. The world
system does not see any value in human who does not provide a service that
build this world system. In our secular school system we are taught to learn a
skill that will make us productive member of society. The constant bombardment
of our mind in our school system is similar to the beating describe here in
this verse.
Exo 5:17 But he said, “You are idle! You are idle! That is why you say, ‘Let us go
and slaughter to יהוה .’ - The things of
the Spirit are foolish to those who do not believe. To the redeem community studying
Torah is the essence of what we are all about. To the world system it is
consider laziness and a waste of time.
Exo 5:18 “So now go, work. And straw is not given to you, but deliver the amount of
bricks.” – Many Sabbath when I am trying to keep the Sabbath day holy, I am disturb
by the secular world busy working on there home. Many of these people have been
beaten into submission by the world system.
Exo 5:19 And the foremen of the children of Yisra’ĕl saw that they were in trouble
after it was said, “You are not to diminish your daily amount of bricks.” – There is an Divine ordain plan, and when those
with good intension go beyond the spiritual authority, they will never succeed.
These elders were not sent by EL YAHVEH to speak to Pharaoh on Yisrael behalf.
We are living in such a time as Yisrael did when they were in Egypt
Exo 5:20 And when they came out from Pharaoh, they met Mosheh and Aharon who stood
there to meet them. – The mature leader Moses and Aaron was, they stood outside and waited
until the elders failed to convince Pharaoh.
Exo 5:21 And they said to them, “Let יהוה look on you and judge, because you have made
us loathsome in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, to give a
sword in their hand to kill us.” – when rebellious leadership failed in their endeavor, they will always
blame someone else. The person on the spot was Moses and Aaron. The immature
elders accused them of placing a sword in Pharaoh hand to kill them. What a way
to motivate those who are trying to help.
The Hebrew foremen who acted
on their own and fail, held Moses and Aaron responsible for the new and
worsening conditions of the Hebrew People.
Exo 5:22 And Mosheh returned to יהוה and said,
יהוה , why have You done evil to this people? Why did You send me? – Moses feeling the pressures, he question EL YAHVEH’s conduct.
Exo 5:23 “For ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil
to this people. And You have not delivered Your people at all.” – Although EL YAHVEH had warned him that Pharaoh
would not allow the people to go, Moses might have thought that it would be a
lot easer on the People. Moses still had a lot to learn in the next couple of
Months. Moses surely did not expect the subjugation to get worst. The preordain
time of redemption had not yet come.
EL YAHVEH had sent the
message; the response by Pharaoh to the message would determine the next
response. Too often we critic the dealings of EL YAHVEH, for we only see the
immediate effect not the whole picture.
Chapter
6
Exo 6:1 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Now see what I do to Pharaoh,
for with a strong hand he is going to let them go, and with a strong hand he is
going to drive them out of his land.” – Judgment cannot
start until every conceivable options have been exhaustive. Now Moses is advise
to stand and see what the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH will do. We cannot expect
immature leaders to bring the people out of spiritual slavery to spiritual maturity,
Canaan .
Haftarah
Isaiah 27:6-28:13
Isaiah 27:6 He shall cause them
that come of Jacob to take root: Yisrael shall blossom and bud, and fill the
face of the world with fruit. – That the
church of YAHVEH in the world shall be a growing body, developing into a great
body: He shall cause those of Jacob
mentality to come back out of their captivity, or (as we read it) those that come of Jacob, to establish
spiritual root, and bear fruit of the spirit, ch. 37:31. They shall be
established in a prosperous state, and then they shall blossom and bud, and give evidence of a great increase; and so
it shall prove, for they shall fill
the face of the world with fruit.
Many shall be
brought into the Messianic Assembly, proselytes shall be numerous, some out of
all the nations about that shall be to the EL of Yisrael for a name and a
praise; and the converts shall be fruitful in the fruits of righteousness. The
preaching of the gospel brought forth
fruit in all the world (Col. 1:6), fruit that remains, Jn. 15:16.
Isaiah 27:7 Hath he smitten
him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the
slaughter of them that are slain by him? – Here is the prophet again
singing of mercy and judgment, not, as before, judgment to the enemies and
mercy to the believers, but judgment to the unfaithful believers and mercy
mixed with that judgment.
In this verse
judgment is threatened even to Jacob and Yisrael. They shall blossom and bud
verse 6, but, they shall be smitten
and slain, some of them shall.
If YAHVEH TSEBAOUT find any thing amiss
among them, HE will lay them under the tokens of HIS displeasure for it.
Judgment shall begin at the house of YAHVEH, and those whom YAHVEH has known of
all the families of the earth he will punish in the first place.
Yerushalayim, their defenced city, shall be made desolate,
verse 10, 11. "YAHVEH having tried a variety of methods with them for
their reformation, which, as to many, have proved ineffectual, ABBA will for a
time lay their country waste,’’ which was accomplished when Yerushalayim was
destroyed by the Chaldeans; then that habitation
was for a long time forsaken.
If less judgments do
not do the work, YAHVEH will send progressive judgement; for when HE judges HE will overcome. Yerushalayim
had been a defenced city, not so much by art or nature as by grace and the
divine protection; but, when YAHVEH was provoked to withdraw, her defence
departed from her, and then Yerushalayim was left like a wilderness. "And
in the pleasant gardens of Yerushalayim wild animals shall feed, shall lie down
there, and there shall be none to disturb them or drive them away; there they
shall be couchant, and they
shall eat the tender branches of the fruit-trees,’’ which perhaps further
signifies that the people should become an easy prey to their enemies. "When the limb of the trees withered
as fruits began to grow upon the tree, being blasted by winds and frosts and
not pruned, they shall be broken off
for fuel, and the women and
children shall come and set them on
fire.
There shall be a
total destruction, for the very trees shall be destroyed.’’ And this is a
figure of the deplorable state of the vineyard verse 2 when it brought forth wild grapes (ch. 5:2);
and our Saviour seems to refer to this when he says of the branches of the vine
which abide not in him that
they are cast forth and withered, and
men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (Jn.
15:6), which was in a particular manner fulfilled in the unbelieving Jews.
The similitude is
explained in the following words, It
is a people of no understanding, and destitute of the knowledge of YAHVEH,
and that have no relish or savour of divine things, like a withered branch that
has no sap in it; and this is at the bottom of all those sins for which YAHVEH TSEBAOUT
left them desolate, their idolatry first and afterwards their infidelity.
Wicked people,
however in other things they may be wits in their political agenda are of no
understanding; and their ignorance, being wilful, shall not only be their
excuse, but it shall be the ground of their condemnation; for HE that made them, and gave them
their spirit, will not show mercy on
them, nor save them from the ruin they bring upon themselves; and HE that establish them into a people,
formed them for himself, to show forth HIS praise, seeing they do not
accomplish the end of their formation, but refused to be reformed, to be
new-formed, YAHVEH TSEBAOUT will reject them, and show them no mercy; for, if HE that made us by HIS power do not
make us happy in HIS favour, it would have been better if we were never made.
Sinners flatter
themselves with hopes of impunity, at least that they shall not be dealt with
so severely as their ministers tell them, because YAHVEH is merciful and
because HE is their Maker. But here we see how weak and insufficient those
pleas will be; for, if they be of no understanding, HE that made them, though
HE made them, and hates nothing that HE has made, and though HE has mercy in
store for those who so far understand their interests as to apply to HIM for
it, yet on them HE will have no mercy, and will show them no favour.
Here is a great deal
of mercy mixed with this judgment; for there are good people mixed with those
that are corrupt and degenerate, a remnant
according to the election of grace, on whom YAHVEH will have mercy and
to whom HE will show favour: and these promises seem to point at all the
calamities of the church, for which YAHVEH would graciously provide these
allays.
Though they shall be
smitten and slain, yet not to that degree, and in that manner, in which their
enemies shall be smitten and slain. YAHVEH has smitten Jacob, and he is slain. Many of those that understand among the people shall fall
by the sword and by flame many days, Dan. 11:33. But it shall not be as
those are smitten and slain, Who smote him formerly, who were the rod of YAH’s
anger and the staff in HIS hand, which HE made us of for the correction of HIS
people, and to whose turn it shall come to be reckoned with even for that: the
child is spared, but the rod is burnt.
Who shall afterwards
be slain by HIM, when HE shall get the dominion, and repay them in their own
coin, or slain for his sake in the pleading of his cause. YAH’s people and
YAH’s enemies are here represented,
As struggling with
each other; so the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent have been,
are, and will be. In this contest there are slain on both sides. YAHVEH makes
use of wicked men, not only to smite, but to slay HIS people; for they are HIS sword,
Ps. 17:13. But, when the cup of trembling comes to be put into their hand, it
will be much worse with them than ever it was with YAH’s people in their
greatest straits. The seed of the woman has only his heel bruised, but the
serpent has his head crushed and broken.
Though YAH’s
persecuted people may be great losers, and great sufferers, for a while, yet
those that oppress them will prove to be greater losers and greater sufferers
at last, here or hereafter; for YAHVEH will render double to them, Rev. 18:6.
As sharing together
in the calamities of this present time. They are both smitten, both slain, and
both by the hand of YAHVEH; for there is one
event to the righteous and to the wicked. But is Jacob smitten as his
enemies are? No, by no means; to him the property is altered, and it becomes
quite another thing.
However it may seem
to us, there is really a vast difference between the afflictions and deaths of
good people and the afflictions and deaths of wicked people.
Isaiah 27:8 In measure, when it
shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day
of the east wind. - Though YAHVEH will debate with them, yet it shall be
in measure, and the affliction shall be mitigated, moderated, and proportioned
to their strength, not to their deserts. He will deal out afflictions to them
as the wise physician prescribes medicines to his patients, just such a
quantity of each ingredient, or orders how much blood shall be taken when a
vein is opened: therefore YAHVEH orders the troubles of HIS people, not suffering
them to be tempted above what they are able, 1 Co. 10:13.
He measures out
their afflictions by a little at a time, that they may not be pressed above
measure; for he knows their frame, and corrects in judgment, and does not stir
up all his wrath. When the affliction is shooting forth, when he is sending it
out and giving it its commission, then he debates in measure, and not in
extremity.
He considers what we
can bear when he begins to correct; and when he proceeds in his controversy, so
that it is the day of his east-wind, which is not only blustering and
noisy, but blasting and noxious, yet he stays his rough wind, checks it, and
sets bounds to it, does not suffer it to blow so hard as was feared; when he is
winnowing his corn, it is with a gentle gale, that shall only blow away the
chaff, but not the good corn.
YAHVEH has the winds
at HIS command, and every affliction under HIS check. Hitherto it shall go,
but no further. Let us not despair when things are at the worst; be the
winds ever so rough, ever so high, YAHVEH can say unto them, Peace, be
still.
Isaiah 27:9 By this therefore shall
the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his
sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten
in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up. –
Though YAHVEH will afflict them, yet HE will make their afflictions to work for
the good of their souls, and correct them as the father does the child, to
drive out the foolishness that is bound up in their hearts : By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be
purged.
This is the design
of the affliction, to this it is adapted as a proper means, and, by the grace
of YAHVEH working with it, it shall have its blessed effect. It shall mortify
the habits of sin; by this those defilements of the soul shall be purged away.
It shall break them
off from the practice of sin: This is
all the fruit, this is it that YAHVEH intends, this is all the harm it
will do them, to take away their sin,
than which they could not have a greater kindness done them, though it be at
the expense of an affliction.
Therefore, because
the affliction is mitigated and moderated, and the rough wind stayed, therefore
we may conclude that he designs their reformation, not their destruction; and,
because ABBA YAHVEH deals so gently with us, we should therefore study to
answer HIS ends in afflicting us.
The particular sin
which the affliction was intended to cure them of was the sin of idolatry, the
sin which did most easily beset that people and to which they were strangely
addicted. Ephraim is joined to idols.
But by the captivity in Babylon
Isaiah 27:10 Yet the defenced
city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a
wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume
the branches thereof. - Jacob has his sin taken away,
his beloved sin, when he makes all the
stones of the altar, of his idolatrous altar, the stones of which were
precious and sacred to ABBA YAHVEH, as
chalk-stones that are beaten asunder; ABBA YAHVEH not only has them in
contempt, and values them no more than chalk-stones, but HE conceives an indignation
at them, and, in a holy revenge, beats them asunder as easily as chalk-stones
are broken to pieces. The groves and
the images shall not stand before this penitent, but they shall be
thrown down too, never to be set up again. This was according to the law for
the demolishing and destroying of all the monuments of idolatry (Deu. 7:5); and
according to this promise, since the captivity in Babylon, no people in the
world have such a rooted aversion to idols and idolatry as the people of the
Yisrael. The design of affliction is to separate between us and sin, especially
that which has been our own iniquity;
and then it appears that the affliction has done us good when we keep at a
distance from the occasions of sin, and use all needful precaution that we may
not only withdraw from it, but so much as to be tempted by it again, Ps.
119:67.
Isaiah 27:11 When the boughs
thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on
fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will
not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour. – Here is a kingdom principle that believers need to
learn. When a limb is withered it can never be brought back to life. Many time
we hold on to things that are only dead limbs, break it of and cast it into the
fire, do not be burden down with withered or dead limbs. It there anything in
your life that ABBA YAHVEH have separate us from and we are still holding on to
it.
Isaiah 27:12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that YAHVEH
shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye
shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Yisrael. - Though Yerushalayim shall be desolate and forsaken
for a time, yet there will come a day when its scattered friends shall resort
to it again out of all the countries whither they were dispersed verse 12, 13;
though the body of the nation is abandoned as a people of no understanding, yet
those that are indeed children of Yisrael shall be gathered together again, as
the sheep of the flock when the shepherds that scattered them are reckoned
with, Eze. 34:10–19.
Now observe
concerning these scattered Yisraelites, whence they shall be fetched: YAHVEH shall beat them off as fruit
from the tree, or beat them out as corn out of the ear. He shall find them out,
and separate them from those among whom they dwelt, and with whom they seemed
to be incorporated, from the channel
of the river Euphrates north-east, unto Nile, the stream
of Egypt, which lay south-west, those that were driven into the land of
Assyria, and were captives there in the land of their enemies, where they were
ready to perish for want of necessaries, and ready to despair of deliverance,
and those that were outcasts in the
land of Egypt, whither many of those that were left behind, after the
captivity in Babylon, went, contrary to YAH’s express command (Jer. 43:6, 7),
and there lived as outcasts: YAHVEH has mercy in store for them all, and will
make it to appear that, though they are cast out, they are not cast off.
Isaiah 27:13 And it shall come
to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come
which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land
of Egypt, and shall worship YAHVEH in the holy mount at Yerushalayim. – In
what manner they shall be brought back: "You shall be gathered one by
one, not in multitudes, not in troops forcing your way; but silently, and
as it were by stealth, dropping in, first one, and then another.’’ This
intimates that the remnant that shall be saved consists but of few, and those
saved with difficulty, and so as by fire, scarcely saved; they shall not come
for company, but as YAHVEH shall stir up every man’s spirit.
By what means they
shall be gathered together: The great trumpet shall be blown, and then they
shall come. Cyrus’s proclamation of liberty to the captives is this great trumpet,
which awakened the Yisraelites that were asleep in their thraldom to bestir
themselves; it was like the sounding of the jubilee-trumpet, which published
the year of release. This is applicable both to the preaching of the gospel, by
which sinners are gathered in to the grace of YAHVEH, such as were outcasts and
ready to perish (those that were afar off are made nigh; the gospel proclaims
the acceptable year of ABBA YAHVEH), and also to the archangel’s trumpet at the
last day, by which saints shall be gathered to the glory of YAHVEH, that lay as
outcasts in their graves.
For what end they
shall be gathered together: To worship ABBA YAHVEH in the holy mount at Yerushalayim.
When the captives rallied again, and returned to their own land, the chief
thing they had their eye upon, and the first thing they applied themselves to,
was the worship of ABBA YAHVEH. The holy
temple was in ruins, but they had the holy mount, the place of the altar,
Gen. 13:4.
Chapter
28
In this
chapter,
I. The Ephraimites
are reproved and threatened for their pride and drunkenness, their security and
sensuality verse 1-8. But, in the midst of this, here is a gracious promise of
YAH’s favour to the remnant of his people verse 5, 6.
II. They are
reproved and threatened for their dulness and stupidity, and unaptness to
profit by the instructions which the prophets gave them in YAH’s name verse
9–13.
III. The rulers of Yerushalayim
are reproved and threatened for their insolent contempt of YAH’s judgments, and
setting them at defiance; and, after a gracious promise of Messiyah and His
grace, they are made to know that the vain hopes of escaping the judgments of YAHVEH
with which they flattered themselves would certainly deceive them verse
14–22.
IV. All this is
confirmed by a comparison borrowed from the method which the husbandman takes
with his ground and grain, according to which they must expect YAHVEH would
proceed with his people, whom he had lately called his threshing and the corn
of his floor (ch. 21:10) verse 23–28. This is written for our admonition, and
is profitable for reproof and warning to us.
Isaiah 28:1 Woe to the crown of
pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower,
which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! - In this verse, the prophet warns the kingdom of the
ten tribes of the judgments that were coming upon them for their sins, which
were soon after executed by the king of Assyria, who laid their country waste,
and carried the people into captivity. Ephraim got his name from fruitfulness,
their soil being very fertile and the products of it abundant and the best of
the kind; they had a great many fat valleys, and Samaria
Their country was
rich and pleasant, and as the garden of YAHVEH: it was the glory of Canaan, as
that was the glory of all lands; their harvest and vintage were the glorious
beauty on the head of their valleys, which were covered over with corn and
vines. Now observe, what an ill use they made of their abudance. What YAHVEH
gave them to serve him with they perverted, and abused, by making it the food
and fuel of their lusts.
They were puffed up
with pride by it. The goodness with which YAHVEH crowned their years, which
should have been to him a crown of praise, was to them a crown of pride.
Those that are rich in the world are apt to be high-minded, 1 Tim. 6:17. Their
king, who wore the crown, was proud that he ruled over so rich a country; Samaria
Pride was a sin that
generally prevailed among them, and therefore the prophet, in his name who
resists the proud, boldly proclaims a woe to the crown of pride. If
those who wear crowns be proud of them, let them not think to escape this woe.
What men are proud of, be it ever so mean, is to them as a crown; he that is
proud thinks himself as great as a king. But woe to those who exalt themselves,
for they shall be abased; their pride is the preface to their destruction.
They indulged
themselves in sensuality. Ephraim was notorious for drunkenness, and excess of
riot; Samaria, the head of the fat valleys, was full of those that were overcome
with wine, were broken with it, so the margin. See how foolishly
drunkards act, and no marvel when, in the very commission of the sin, they make
fools and brutes of themselves; they yield,
To be conquered by
the sin; it overcomes them, and brings them into bondage (2 Pt. 2:19);
they are led captive by it, and the captivity is the more shameful and
inglorious because it is voluntary. Some of these wretched slaves have
themselves owned that there is not a greater drudgery in the world than hard
drinking. They are overcome not with the wine, but with the love of it.
To be ruined by it.
They are broken by wine. Their constitution is broken by it, and their health
ruined. They are broken in the callings and estates, and their souls are in
danger of being eternally undone, and all this for the gratification of a base
lust. Woe to these drunkards of Ephraim! Ministers must bring the
general woes of the word home to particular places and persons. We must say, Woe
to this or that person, if he be a drunkard.
There is a
particular woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, for they are of YAH’s professing people,
and it becomes them worse than any other; they know better, and therefore
should give a better example. Some make the crown of pride to belong to
the drunkards, and to mean the garlands with which those were crowned that got
the victory in their wicked drinking matches and drank down the rest of the
company. They were proud of their being mighty to drink wine; but woe to those
who thus glory in their shame.
Isaiah 28:2 Behold, YAHVEH hath
a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as
a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the
hand. – The justice of YAHVEH TSEABOTE in taking away their plenty from them,
which they abused. Their glorious beauty, the plenty they were proud of,
is but a fading flower; it is meat that perishes. The most substantial
fruits, if YAHVEH blast them and blow upon them, are but fading flowers. YAHVEH
can easily take away their corn in the season thereof (Hos. 2:9), and
recover, ground that has been alienated and has run to waste, those
goods of HIS which they prepared for Baal.
YAHVEH has an
officer ready to make a seizure for him, has one at his beck, a mighty and
strong one, who is able to do the business, even the king of Assyria, who shall
cast down to the earth with the hand, shall easily and effectually, and
with the turn of a hand, destroy all that which they are proud of and pleased
with. He shall throw it down to the ground, to be broken to pieces with a
strong hand, with a hand that they cannot oppose.
Isaiah 28:3 The crown of pride, the
drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: - Then the
crown of pride, and the
drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under foot ; they shall lie
exposed to contempt, and shall not be able to recover themselves. Drunkards, in
their folly, are apt to talk proudly, and elevate themselves most when they
most shame themselves; but they render to themselves more ridiculous. The
beauty of their valleys, which they gloried in, will be like a fading flower (as before, verse 1;
it will wither of itself, and has in itself the principles of its own
corruption; it will perish in time by its own moth and rust.
Isaiah 28:4 And the glorious
beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and
as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth,
while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. – Like the hasty fruit, which, as soon as it
is discovered, is plucked and eaten up; so the wealth of this world, besides
that it is apt to decay of itself, is subject to be devoured by others as
greedily as the first-ripe fruit, which is earnestly desired, Mic. 7:1. Thieves break through and steal. The
harvest which the world ling is proud of the
hungry eat up (Job 5:5); no sooner do they see the prey but they seize
it, and swallow up all they can lay their hands on. It is likewise easily
devoured, as that fruit which, being ripe before it has grown, is very small,
and is soon eaten up; and there being little of it, and that of little worth,
it is not reserved, but used immediately.
Isaiah 28:5 In that day shall
the YAHVEH TSEBAOTH be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto
the residue of his people, - He next turns
to the kingdom of Judah, whom he calls the residue of HIS people, for
they were but two tribes to the other ten.
He promises them
YAH’s favours, and that they shall be taken under HIS guidance and protection
when the beauty of Ephraim shall be left exposed to be trodden down and eaten
up.
In that day, when the Assyrian army is laying Yisrael waste, and
Judah might think that their neighbour’s house being on fire their own was in
danger, in that day of treading down and perplexity, then YAHVEH will be to the
residue of HIS people all they need and can desire; not only to the kingdom of
Judah, but to those of Yisrael who had kept their integrity, and, as was
probably the case with some, betook themselves to the land of Judah, to be
sheltered by good king Hezekiah.
When the Assyrian,
that mighty one, was in Yisrael as a tempest of hail, noisy and
battering, as a destroying storm bearing down all before it, especially
at sea, and as a flood of mighty waters overflowing the country verse 2,
then in that day will YAHVEH TSEBAOTH, of all hosts, distinguish by
peculiar favours his people who have distinguished themselves by a steady and
singular adherence to him, and that which they most need he will himself be to
them. This very much enhances the worth of the promises that YAHVEH,
covenanting to be to his people a all-sufficient EL, undertakes to be HIMSELF
all that to them which they can desire.
He will put all the credit and honor upon them
which are requisite, not only to rescue them from contempt, but to gain them
esteem and reputation. He will be to them for a crown of glory and for a
diadem of beauty. Those that wore the crown of pride looked upon YAH’s
people with disdain, and trampled upon them, for they were the song of the
drunkards of Ephraim; but YAHVEH will so appear for them by HIS providence as
to make it evident that they have his favour towards them, and that shall be to
them a crown of glory; for what greater glory can any people have than for YAHVEH
to acknowledge them as his own? And HE will so appear in them, by HIS grace, as
to make it evident that they have HIS image renewed on them, and that shall be
to them a diadem of beauty; for what greater beauty can any person have than
the beauty of holiness?
Those that have
Yahushua for their EL have Him for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty; for
they are made to Him kings and priests.
Isaiah 28:6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment,
and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. - He will give them all the wisdom and grace necessary
to the due discharge of the duty of their place. He will himself be a spirit
of judgment to those that sit in judgment; the privy counsellors shall be
guided by wisdom and discretion and the judges shall govern by justice and
equity.
It is a great mercy
to any people when those that are called to places of power and public trust
are qualified for their places, when those that sit in judgment have a spirit
of judgment, a spirit of government.
He will give them
all the courage and boldness requisite to carry them resolutely through the
difficulties and oppositions they are likely to meet with. He will be for
strength to those that turn the battle to the gate, to the gates of the
enemy whose cities they besiege, or to their own gates, when they sally out
upon the enemies that besiege them. The strength of the soldiery depends as
much upon YAHVEH as the wisdom of the magistracy; and where YAHVEH gives both
these HE is to that people a crown of glory. This may well be supposed to refer
to Messiyah, and so the Chaldee paraphrast understands it: In that day shall
the Messiah be a crown of glory. Simeon calls him the glory of his
people Yisrael; and He is made of YAHVEH to us wisdom, righteousness, and
strength.
Isaiah 28:7 But they also have
erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and
the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine,
they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble
in judgment. – He complains
of the corruptions that were found among them, and the many corrupt ones: But
they also, many of those of Judah Judah
Sparing mercy lays
us under peculiar obligations when it is distinguishing. Ephraim’s sins are
found in Judah
It is also the
occasion of a great many errors in principle; their understanding is clouded
and their conscience debauched by it; and therefore, to support themselves in
it, they espouse corrupt notions, and form their minds in favour of their
lusts. Probably some were drawn in to worship idols by their love of the wine
and strong drink which there was plenty of at their idolatrous festivals; and so
they erred through wine, as Yisrael, for love of the daughters of Moab
That those were
guilty of it whose business it was to warn others against it and to teach them
better, and therefore who ought to have set a better example: The priest and
the prophet were swallowed up of wine; their office is quite drowned and
lost in it. The priests, as sacrificers, were obliged by a particular law to be
temperate (Lev. 10:9), and, as rulers and magistrates, it was not for them to
drink wine, Prov. 31:4.
The prophets were a
kind of Nazarites (as appears by Amos 2:11), and, as reprovers by office, were
concerned to keep at the utmost distance from the sins they reproved in others;
yet there were many of them ensnared in this sin. What! a priest, a prophet, a
minister, and yet drunk! Tell it not in Gath
That the
consequences of it were very pernicious, not only by the ill influence of their
example, but the prophet, when he was drunk, erred in vision; the false
prophets plainly discovered themselves to be so when they were in drink. The
priest stumbled in judgment and forgot the law (Prov. 31:5); he reeled
and staggered as much in the operations of his mind as in the motions of his
body. What wisdom or justice can be expected from those that sacrifice reason,
and virtue, and conscience, and all that is valuable to such a base lust as the
love of strong drink is? Happy art thou, O land! when thy princes eat
and drink for strength, and not for drunkenness, Eccl. 10:17.
Isaiah 28:8 For all tables are full of
vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. – That the disease was epidemic, and the generality of
those that kept any thing of a table were infected with it: All tables are
full of vomit. See what an odious thing the sin of drunkenness is, what an
affront it is to human society; it is rude and ill-mannered enough to sicken
the beholders, for the tables where they eat their meat are filthily stained
with the marks of this sin, which the sinners declare as Sodom
Their tables are
full of vomit, so that the victor, instead of being proud of his crown, ought
rather to be ashamed of it. It bodes ill to any people when so sottish a sin as
drunkenness has become national.
Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach
knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned
from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
– The prophet here complains of the wretched stupidity
of this people, that they were unteachable and made no improvement of the means
of grace which they possessed; they still continued as they were, their
mistakes were not rectified, their hearts not renewed, nor their lives
reformed.
What it was that their prophets and ministers
designed and aimed at. It was to teach them knowledge, the
knowledge of YAHVEH and HIS will, and to make them understand doctrine.
This is YAH’s way of dealing with men, to enlighten men’s minds first with the
knowledge of HIS truth, to gain their affections, and bring their wills into a
compliance with HIS laws; HE enters in by the door, whereas the thief and the
robber climb up another way.
What method they took, in pursuance of this
design. They left no means untried to do them good, but taught them as children
are taught, little children that are beginning to learn, that are taken from
the breast to the book, for among the Yisraelites it was common for mothers to
nurse their children till they were three years old, and almost ready to go to
school. And it is good to begin betimes with children, to teach them, as they
are capable, the good knowledge of YAHVEH, and to instruct them even when they
are but newly weaned from the milk. The prophets taught them as children are
taught; for. They were constant and industrious in teaching them.
What little effect
all this had upon the people. They were as unapt to learn as young children
newly weaned from the milk, and it was as impossible to fasten any thing upon
them : one would choose rather to teach a child of two years old than undertake
to teach them; for they have not only (like such a child) no capacity to
receive what is taught them, but they are prejudiced against it. As children,
they have need of milk, and cannot bear strong meat, Heb. 5:12.
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept
upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a
little: - They took great pains with them, and with great
prudence, teaching them as they needed it and were able to bear it: Precept
upon precept. It must be so, or (as some read) it has been so. They
have been taught, as children are taught to read, by precept upon precept,
and taught to write by line upon line, a little here and a little
there, a little of one thing and a little of another, that the variety of
instructions might be pleasing and inviting, a little at one time and a little
at another, that they might not have their memories overcharged, a little from
one prophet and a little from another, that every one might be pleased with his
friend and him whom he admired.
Isaiah 28:11 For with
stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. –
How severely YAHVEH would reckon with
them for this.
He would deprive
them of the privilege of plain preaching, and speak to them with stammering
lips and another tongue. Those that will not understand what is plain and
level to their capacity, but despise it as mean and trifling, are justly amused
with that which is above them. Or YAHVEH will send foreign armies among them,
whose language they understand not, to lay their country waste. Those that will
not hear the comfortable voice of YAH’s word shall be made to hear the dreadful
voice of his rod. Or these words may be taken as denoting YAH’s gracious
condescension to their capacity in his dealing with them; he lisped to them in
their own language, as nurses do to their children, with stammering lips, to
humor them; he changed his voice, tried first one way and then another; the
apostle quotes it as a favour (1 Co. 14:21), applying it to the gift of
tongues, and complaining that yet for all this they would not hear.
Isaiah 28:12 To whom he
said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is
the refreshing: yet they would not hear. – They would not hear, no, not that which would
be rest and refreshing to them. They had no mind to hear it. The word of YAHVEH
commanded their serious attention, but could not gain it; they were where it
was preached, but they turned a deaf ear to it, or as it came in at one ear it
went out at the other.
Isaiah 28:13 But the word
of YAHVEH was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon
line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go,
and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. - They
would not heed. It was unto them precept upon precept, and line upon line;
they went on in a road of external performances; they kept up the old custom of
attending upon the prophet’s preaching and it was continually sounding in their
ears, but that was all; it made no impression upon them; they had the letter of
the precept, but no experience of the power and spirit of it; it was
continually beating upon them, but it beat nothing into them.
It should seem, they
ridiculed the prophet’s preaching, and bantered it. The word of YAHVEH was unto
them; in the original it is in rhyme; they made a song of the prophet’s
words, and sang it when they were merry over their wine. David was the song of
the drunkards. It is great impiety, and a high affront to YAHVEH, thus to make
a jest of sacred things, to speak of that vainly which should make us serious.
Brit Chadasha
John 17:1-26
This chapter is a
prayer, it is the Messiyah’s prayer, the Messiyah Yahushua’s prayer. There was
one Messiyah’s prayer which He taught us to pray, and did not pray himself, for
he needed not to pray for the forgiveness of sin; but this was properly and
peculiarly his, and suited him only as a Mediator, and is a sample of his
intercession, and yet is of use to us both for instruction and encouragement in
prayer.
I. The circumstances
of the prayer verse 1.
II. The prayer
itself.
1. He prays for
himself verse 1-5.
2. He prays for
those that are his. And in this see,
(1.) The general
pleas with which he introduces his petitions for them verse 6 –10.
(2.) The particular
petitions he puts up for them
[1.] That they might
be kept verse 11–16.
[2.] That they might
be sanctified verse 17–19.
[3.] That they might
be united verse 11 and 20–23.
[4.] That they might
be glorified verse 24–26.
John 17:1 These
words spake Yahushua, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also
may glorify thee: - Here we have, the
circumstances of this prayer. Many a solemn prayer Messiyah made in the days of
his flesh (sometimes he continued all night in prayer), but none of his prayers
are recorded so fully as this.
1. The time when he
prayed this prayer; when he had spoken these words, had given the
foregoing farewell to his disciples, he prayed this prayer in their hearing; so
that, it was a prayer after a sermon; when he had spoken from YAHVEH to them,
he turned to speak to YAHVEH for them. Those we preach to we must pray for. He
that was to prophesy upon the dry bones was also to pray, Come, O breath,
and breathe upon them. And the word preached should be prayed over, for YAHVEH
gives the increase.
It was a prayer
after sacrament; after Messiyah and his disciples had eaten the passover and
the Messiyah’s supper together, and he had given them a suitable exhortation,
he closed the solemnity with this prayer, that YAHVEH would preserve the good
impressions of the ordinance upon them.
It was a
family-prayer. Messiyah’s disciples were His family, and, to set a good example
before the masters of families, he not only, as the son of Abraham, taught his
household (Gen. 18:19), but, as a son of David, blessed his household (2 Sa.
6:20), prayed for them and with them.
It was a parting
prayer. When we and our friends are parting, it is good to part with prayer,
Acts 20:36. Messiyah was parting by death, and that parting should be
sanctified and sweetened by prayer. Dying Jacob blessed the twelve patriarchs,
dying Moses the twelve tribes, and so, here, dying Jesus the twelve apostles.
It was a prayer that
was a preface to his sacrifice, which he was now about to offer on earth,
specifying the favours and blessings designed to be purchased by the merit of
his death for those that were his; like a deed leading the uses of a fine,
and directing to what intents and purposes it shall be levied. Messiyah prayed
then as a priest now offering sacrifice, in the virtue of which all prayers
were to be made.
It was a prayer that
was a specimen of his intercession, which he ever lives to make for us within
the veil. Not that in his exalted state he addresses himself to his Father by way
of humble petition, as when he was on earth. No, his intercession in heaven is
a presenting of his merit to his Father, with a suing out of the benefit of it
for all his chosen ones.
The outward
expression of fervent desire which he used in this prayer: He lifted up his
eyes to heaven, as before (ch. 11:41); not that Messiyah needed to engage
his own attention, but he was pleased thus to sanctify this gesture to those
that use it, and justify it against those that ridicule it. It is significant
of the lifting up of the soul to YAHVEH in prayer, Ps. 25:1.
John 17:2 As
thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to
as many as thou hast given him. – Yahushua pleads His commission; He desires to
glorify His Father, in conformity to, and in pursuance of, the commission given
him: "Glorify thy Son, as thou hast given him power, glorify him in the
execution of the powers thou hast given him,’’ so it is connected with the
petition; or, that thy Son may glorify thee according to the power
given him, so it is connected with the plea. Now see here the power of the
Mediator.
a. The origin of His power: Thou hast given Him
power; He got it from YAHVEH, to whom all power belongs. Man, in his
fallen state, must, in order to recover his original garden state, must be
taken under a new model of government, which could not be erected but by a
special commission under the broad seal of heaven, directed to the undertaker
of that glorious work, and constituting him sole arbitrator of the grand difference
that was, and sole guarantee of the grand alliance that was to be, between YAHVEH
and man; so as to this office, he received his power, which was to be executed
in a way distinct from his power and government as Creator. is incontestable.
b. The extent of his power: He has power over all
flesh.
(a.) Over all
mankind. He has power and authority in and over the world of spirits, the
powers of the upper and unseen world are subject to him (1 Peter 3:22); but,
being now mediating between YAHVEH and man, he here pleads his power over
all flesh. They were men whom he was to subdue and save; out of that race
he had a remnant given him, and therefore all that rank of beings was put
under his feet.
(b.) Over
mankind considered as corrupt and fallen, for so he is called flesh,
Gen. 6:3. If he had not in this sense been flesh, he had not needed a Redeemer.
Over this sinful race Messiyah Yahushua has all power; and all judgment,
concerning them, is committed to him; power to bind or loose, acquit or
condemn; power on earth to forgive sins or not. Messiyah, as Mediator,
has the government of the whole world put into his hand; he is king of nations,
has power even over those that know him not, nor obey his gospel; whom
he does not rule, he over-rules, Ps. 22:28; 72:8; Mt. 28:18; ch. 3:35.
c. The grand intention and design of this power: That
he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. Here is the
mystery of our salvation laid open.
(a.) Here is
the Father making over the elect to the Redeemer, and giving them to him as HIS
charge and trust; as the crown and recompence of his undertaking. He has a
sovereign power over all the fallen race, but a peculiar interest in the chosen
remnant; all things were put under his feet, but they were delivered
into his hand.
(b.) Here is
the Son undertaking to secure the happiness of those that were given him, that
he would give eternal life to them. See how great the authority of the
Redeemer is. He has lives and crowns to give, eternal lives that never die,
immortal crowns that never fade. Now consider how great Messiyah Yahushua is,
who has such preferments in his gift; and how gracious he is in giving eternal
life to those whom he undertakes to save.
[a.] He
sanctifies them in this world, gives them the spiritual life which is eternal
life in the bud and embryo, ch. 4:14. Grace in the soul is heaven in that soul.
[b.] He will
glorify them in the other world; their happiness shall be completed in the
vision and fruition of YAHVEH. This only is mentioned, because it supposes all
the other parts of his undertaking, teaching them, satisfying for them,
sanctifying them, and preparing them for that eternal life; and indeed all the
other were in order to this; we are called to his kingdom and glory, and
begotten to the inheritance. What is last in execution was first in
intention, and that is eternal life.
(c.) Here is
the subserviency of the Redeemer’s universal dominion to this: He has power
over all flesh, on purpose that he might give eternal life to the select
number. Messiyah’s dominion over the children of men is in order to the
salvation of the children of ABBA YAHVEH. All things are for their sakes,
2 Co. 4:15. All Messiyah’s laws, ordinances,
and promises, which are given to all, are designed effectually to convey
spiritual life, and secure eternal life, to all that were given to Messiyah; he
is head over all things to the church. The administration of the
kingdoms of providence and grace are put into the same hand, that all things
may be made to concur for good to the called.
John 17:3 And
this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true Elohim, and
Messiyah Yahushuat, whom thou hast sent. – Here is a further explication
of this grand design: "This is life eternal, which I am empowered
and have undertaken to give, this is the nature of it, and this the way leading
to it, to know thee the only true Elohim, and all the discoveries and
principles of natural religion, and Messiyah Yahushua whom, was sent, as
Mediator, and the doctrines and laws of that holy religion which he restored
for the recovery of man out of his lapsed state.’’ Here is,
The great end which
biblical Judism sets before us, and that is, eternal life, the happiness of an
immortal soul in the vision and fruition of an eternal YAHVEH. This he was to
reveal to all, and secure to all that were given him. By the gospel life and
immortality are brought to light, are brought to hand, a life which
transcends this as much in excellency as it does in duration.
The sure way of
attaining this blessed end, which is, by the right knowledge of YAHVEH and
Messiyah Yahushua: "This is life eternal, to know YAHVEH,’’ which
may be taken two ways.
Life eternal lies in the knowledge of YAHVEH and Messiyah
Yahushua; the present principle of this life is the believing knowledge of YAHVEH
and the Messiyah; the future perfection of that life will be the intuitive
knowledge of YAHVEH and Messiyah. Those that are brought into union with
Messiyah, and live a life of communion with YAHVEH in Messiyah, know, in some
measure, by experience, what eternal life is, and will say, "If this be
heaven, heaven is sweet.’’ See Ps. 17:15.
The knowledge of YAHVEH
and Messiyah leads to life eternal; this is the way in which Messiyah gives
eternal life, by the knowledge of him that has called us (2 Peter 1:3), and
this is the way in which we come to receive it.
The Christian
religion shows us the way to heaven,
First, By directing us to YAHVEH, as the author and
felicity of our being; for Messiyah died to bring us to YAHVEH. To know
HIM as our Creator, and to love HIM, obey HIM, submit to HIM, and trust in HIM,
as our owner ruler, and benefactor, to devote ourselves to HIM as our sovereign
Master, depend upon HIM as our chief good, and direct all to his praise as our
highest end, this is life eternal.
YAHVEH is here
called the only true EL, to distinguish HIM from the false gods of the
heathen, which were counterfeits and pretenders, not from the person of the
Son, of whom it is expressly said that HE is the true Elohim and eternal life
(1 Jn. 5:20), and who in this text is proposed as the object of the same
religious regard with the Father.
It is certain there
is but one only living and true Elohim and the EL we adore is HE. He is the
true EL, and not a mere name or notion; the only true EL, and all that ever set
up as rivals with him are vanity and a lie; the service of HIM is the only true
religion.
Secondly, By directing us to Messiyah Yahushua, as the
Mediator between YAHVEH and man: Messiyah Yahushua, whom thou hast sent.
If man had continued innocent, the knowledge of the only true EL would have
been life eternal to him; but now that he is fallen there must be something
more; now that we are under guilt, to know YAHVEH is to know him as a righteous
Judge, whose curse we are under; and nothing is more killing than to know this.
We are therefore
concerned to know Messiyah as our Redeemer, by whom alone we can now have
access to YAHVEH; it is life eternal to believe in Messiyah; and this he has
undertaken to give to as many as were given him. See ch. 6:39 40. Those that
are acquainted with YAHVEH and Messiyah are already in the suburbs of life
eternal.
John 17:4 I have
glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to
do. – Messiyah Yahushua in this verse prays that He had
accomplish His task, He had glorified the ABBA YAHVEH by living according to
the commandment. He had pass all the test, he had aqchieve perfection as the
Law require it, without breaking of failing any. This is how we can glory the
ABBA YAHVEH here on earth. Not only have he accomplish the perfection the law
require, Messiyah Yahushua also gave up His life for the curse of our sins.
The purpose of the
law is to create perfect sons; Messiyah Yahushua was the first to accomplish it
absolutely perfect. No one else can claim this most illustrious of
accomplishment. That is why He is the first born of Creation, and become our
High Priest.
I have glorified thee on the earth, and now glorify thou me. With what comfort Messiyah reflects on the life He
had lived on earth: I have glorified
thee, and finished my work; it is as good as finished. He does not
complain of the poverty and disgrace he had lived in, what a weary life He had
upon earth, as ever any man of sorrows had. He overlooks this, and pleases
himself in reviewing the service He had done His Father, and the progress he
had made in His understanding. This is here recorded,
First, for the honor of
Messiyah, that His life upon earth did in all respects fully answer the end of
his coming and all men coming into the world.
Our Messiyah
Yahushua had work given Him to do by HIM that sent Him; He came not into the
world to live at ease, but to go about
doing good, and to fulfill all
righteousness. His Father gave Him His work, His work in the vineyard,
both appointed Him to it and assisted him in it.
The work that was given Him to do
he finished. Though He had not, as yet, gone through the last part of his
undertaking, yet he was so near being made
perfect through sufferings that he might say, I have finished it; it was
as good as done, he was giving it its finishing, I have finished.
The word signifies
his performing every part of his undertaking in the most complete and perfect
manner.
Herein he glorified
ABBA Father; He pleased HIM, He praised HIM. It is the glory of YAHVEH that HIS work is perfect in HIS sons, and
the same is the glory of the Redeemer; what HE is the author of HE will be the
finisher of. It was the only way for the Son to glorify the Father by abasing
himself (this looked more likely to disparage him), yet it was contrived that
so He should glorify him: "I have
glorified thee on the earth, by call calling HIM, ABBA YAHVEH and follow
all HIS Commandment. We glorify the Father the same when we call on HIS Name
and follow HIS Commandments.
Secondly, It is recorded for
example to all, that we may follow His
example. We must make it our business to do the work YAHVEH has
appointed us to do, according to our capacity and the sphere of our activity;
we must each fulfil the commandment in our lives by passing the test set before
us.
We must aim at the
glory of YAHVEH in all HIS Commandment. We must glorify HIM while we are still
on the earth, which he has given unto
the children of men, demanding only this; on the earth, where we are in
a state of probation and preparation for eternity.
We must persevere
herein to the end of our days; we must not sit down till we have finished our
work, and accomplished as a hireling
our day, by experiencing each day of Creation.
Thirdly, It is recorded for
encouragement. If he has finished the
task that was given him to do, then he is a complete Saviour, and did
not do his work by the halves. If He that finished His work, we are admonish to
pickup our cross daily and follow His example, untill the days of Messiyah.
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with
the glory which I had with thee before the world was. - See with what confidence
He expects the joy set before Him: Now, O Father, glorify thou Me.
It is what he depends upon, and cannot be denied Him.
First, See here what He prayed for: Glorify thou Me,
as before, verse 1. All repetitions in prayer are not to be counted vain
repetitions; Messiyah prayed,
saying the same words (Mt. 26:44),
and yet prayed more earnestly. What His ABBA had promised Him, and He
was assured of, yet He must pray for; promises are not designed to supercede
prayers, but to be the guide of our desires and the ground of our hopes.
Messiyah’s being
glorified includes all the honors, powers, and joys, of his exalted state. See
how it is described.
It is a glory to YAHVEH
when we use HIS Name, Glorify my name on earth, but, Glorify me with
thine own self. It was paradise, it was heaven, to be with His Father, as
Prov. 8:30; Dan. 7:13; Heb. 8:1. The brightest glories of the exalted Redeemer
were to be displayed within the veil, where the Father manifests HIS glory in
HIS Sons. ABBA YAHVEH is still trying to glorify more sons, when we too, call
HIM by HIS Name and keep HIS Commandments.
The praises of the
upper world are offered up to HIM that sits upon the throne and to the lamb
in conjunction (Rev. 5:13), and the prayers of the lower world draw out grace
and peace from ABBA YAHVEH and our Messiyah Yahushua in conjunction; and
so the Father has glorified Yahushu with himself.
It is the glory
He erned with ABBA YAHVEH in this world. By this it appears, that Messiyah
Yahushua, had a being before the world was, co-eternal with the Father;
our religion acquaints us with one that was before all things, and by whom
all things consist.
That His glory with
the Father is from everlasting, as well as His existence with the Father; for
he was from eternity the brightness of His Father’s glory, Heb. 1:3. As
YAH’s making the world only declared his glory, but made no real additions to
it; so Messiyah undertook the work of redemption, not because he needed glory,
for he had a glory with the Father before the world, but because we
needed glory.
That Messiyah
Yahushua in His state of humiliation divested Himself of this glory, and took
upon Himself the cover of flesh, that He might learn obedience; though He was
still El, yet He was El manifested in the flesh, not in His glory. He
laid down this glory for a time, as a pledge that He would go through with his
undertaking, according to the appointment of his Father.
That in His exalted
state He resumed this glory in a higher degree, and clad himself again with a
higher robes of light as our High Priest. Having performed His the requirement
of the law, He did, as it were, take up His pledge, by this demand, Glorify
thou me. He prays that even his human nature might be advanced to the
highest honor it was capable of, his body a glorious body; and that the glory
of the Godhead might now be manifested in the person of the Mediator, Emmanuel,
God-man. He does not pray to be glorified with the princes and great men of the
earth: no; He that knew both worlds, and might choose which he would have his
preferment in, chose it in the glory of the other world, as far exceeding all the
glory of this. He had despised the kingdoms of this world and the glory of
them, when Satan offered them to Him, and therefore might the more boldly
claim the glories of the other world.
Let the same mind
be in us. "ABBA YAHVEH, give
the glories of this world to whom HE wilt give them, but let me have my portion
of glory in the world to come. It is no matter, though I be vilified with men;
but, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self.’’
Secondly, See here what he pleaded: I have glorified thee;
and now, in consideration thereof, glorify thou me. For,
There was an equity
in it, and an admirable becomingness, that if YAHVEH was glorified in Him,
He should glorify Him in HIMSELF, as He had observed, ch. 13:32. Such an
infinite value there was in what Messiyah did to glorify His Father that He
properly merited all the glories of his exalted state. If the Father was a
gainer in His glory by the Son’s humiliation, it was fit the Son should be no
loser by it at long run, in his glory.
It was according to
the covenant between them, that if the Son would make his soul an offering
for sin he should divide the spoil with the strong (Isa. 53:10, 12),
and the kingdom should be his; and this he had an eye to, and depended
upon, in his sufferings; it was for the joy set before him that he
endured the cross: and now in his exalted state he still expects the
completing of his exaltation, because he perfected his undertaking, Heb. 10:13.
It was the most
proper evidence of His Father’s accepting and approving the work he had
finished. By the glorifying of Messiyah we are satisfied that YAHVEH was
satisfied, and therein a real demonstration was given that the Father was well
pleased in Him as HIS beloved Son. We are ABBA YAHVEH beloved son when we
achieve the level of spiritual maturity Yahushua achieved, but we will not be
able to do it the way Messiyah did His.
Therefore we must be
taught that those, and only those, who glorify ABBA YAHVEH on earth, and
persevere in the work HE hath given us to do, shall be glorified with the
Father, when they must be no more in this world. Not that we can merit the
glory, as Messiyah did, but our glorifying YAHVEH is required as an evidence of
our interest in Messiyah, through whom eternal life is YAH’s free gift.
John 17:6 I
have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world:
thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. – Whom Messiyah pray for;
not for angels, but for the children of men.
He prays for
those that were given him, meaning primarily the disciples that had
attended him in this regeneration; but it is doubtless to be extended
further, to all who come under His guidance, those who He led to Maturity.
He prays for all
that should believe on him verse 20, that they too should come to spiritual
maturity, and it is not only the petitions that follow, but those also which
went before, that must be construed to extend to all believers, in every place
and every age; for He has a concern for them all, and calls things that are
not as though they were.
What encouragement
He had to pray for them, and what are the general pleas with which He
introduces His petitions for them, and recommends them to His Father’s favour;
they are five:—
1. The charge He had
received concerning them: Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and
again verse 9, Thou whom thou hast given me. "Father, those I am
now praying for are such as thou hast entrusted me with, and what I have to say
for them is in pursuance of the charge I have received concerning them.’’ Now,
(1.) This is meant
primarily of the disciples that were, who He had chosen as His pupils to be
educated by Him while he was on earth, and His agents to be employed for Him
when he went to heaven. They were given Him to be student of His doctrine, the
witnesses of His life and miracles, and the monuments of His grace and favour,
in order to their being the publishers of his gospel and the planters of his
church.
When they left all
to follow Him, this was the secret spring of that strange resolution: they were
given to him, else they had not given themselves to him. Note, The apostleship
and ministry, which are Messiyah’s gift to spiritual Yisreal, were first the
Father’s gift to Him. As under the law the Levites were given to Aaron (Num.
3:9), to him (the great high priest of our profession) the Father gave
the apostles first, and ministers in every age, to keep his charge, and the
charge of the whole congregation, and to do the service of the tabernacle.
See Eph. 4:8, 11; Ps. 68:18.
Messiyah received
this gift for men, that He might give it to men. As this puts a great honor
upon the ministry of the gospel, and magnifies that office, which is so much
vilified; so it lays a mighty obligation upon the ministers of the gospel to
devote themselves entirely to Messiyah’s service, as being given to him,
(2.) But it is
designed to extend to all the elect, for they are elsewhere said to be given to
Messiyah (ch. 6:37, 39), and he often laid a stress upon this, that those he
was to save were given to him as his charge; to his care they were committed,
from his hand they were expected, and concerning them he received commandments.
He here shows,
[1.] That the Father
had authority to give them: Thine they were. He did not give that which
was none of his own, but covenanted that he had a good title. The elect, whom
the Father gave to Messiyah, were his own in three ways:
First, they were creatures, and their lives and beings
were derived from him. When they were given to Messiyah to be vessels of honor,
they were in his hand, as clay in the hand of the potter, to be disposed
of as YAH’s wisdom saw most for YAH’s glory.
Secondly, They were criminals, and their lives and beings
were forfeited to him. It was a remnant of fallen mankind that was given to
Messiyah to be redeemed, that might have been made sacrifices to justice when
they were pitched upon to be the monuments of mercy; might justly have
been delivered to the tormentors when they were delivered to the
Saviour.
Thirdly, They were chosen, and their lives and beings were
designed, for him; they were set apart for ABBA YAHVEH, and were consigned to
Messiyah as his agent. This he insists upon again: All things whatsoever
thou hast given me are of thee, which, though it may take in all that
appertained to his office as Mediator, yet seems especially to be meant of
those that were given him. "They are of thee, their being is of
thee as the Elohim of nature, their well-being is of thee as the EL of grace;
they are all of thee, and therefore, Father, I bring them all to thee,
that they may be all for thee.’’
[2.] That he did
accordingly give them to the Son. Thou
gavest them to me, as sheep to the shepherd, to be kept; as patients to
the physician, to be cured; children to a tutor, to be educated; thus he will
deliver up his charge (Heb. 2:13), The
children thou hast given me. They were delivered to Messiyah,
First, That the election of
grace might not be frustrated, that
not one, no not of the little
ones, might perish. That great concern must be lodged in some one good
hand, able to give sufficient security, that
the purpose of YAHVEH according to election might stand.
Secondly, That the undertaking
of Messiyah might not be fruitless; they were given to him as his seed, in whom he should see of the travail of his soul and be
satisfied (Isa. 53:10, 11), and might not spend his strength, and shed his blood, for nought, and in vain, Isa. 49:4. We may plead, as Messiyah
does, " ABBA YAHVEH, keep my graces, keep my comforts, for thine they were, and thou gavest them to
me.’’
2. The care he had
taken of them to teach them in verse 6: I
have manifested thy name to them. I have given to them the words which thou
gavest to me, verse 8. Observe here,
(1.) The great
design of Messiyah’s doctrine, which was to manifest YAH’s Name, to declare him
(ch. 1:18), to instruct the ignorant, and rectify the mistakes of a dark and
foolish world concerning YAHVEH, that he might be better loved and worshipped.
(2.) His faithful
discharge of this undertaking: I have
done it. His fidelity appears,
[1.] In the truth of
the doctrine. It agreed exactly with the instructions he received from his
Father. He gave not only the things, but the very words, that were given him. Ministers, in wording their message,
must have an eye to the words which the
Holy Spirit teaches.
[2.] In the tendency
of his doctrine, which was to manifest YAH’s Name. He did not seek himself,
but, in all he did and said, aimed to magnify his Father.
First, It is Messiyah’s
prerogative to manifest YAH’s Name to the souls of the children of men. No man knows the Father, but he to whom the
Son will reveal HIM, Mt. 11:27. He only has acquaintance with the
Father, and so is able to open the truth; and he only has access to the spirits
of men, and so is able to open the understanding. Ministers may publish the name of the Lord (as
Moses, Deu. 32:3), but Messiyah only can manifest that name. By the word of
Messiyah, ABBA YAHVEH is revealed to us; by the Spirit of Messiyah, ABBA YAHVEH
is revealed in us. Ministers may speak the words of YAHVEH to us, but Messiyah
can give us His words, can put them in us, as food, as treasure.
Secondly, Sooner or later, the
Spirit of Messiyah will manifest YAH’s Name to all that were given Him, and
will give them His Word, to be the seed of their new birth, the support of
their spiritual life, and the earnest of their everlasting bliss.
John 17:7 Now
they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
- The good effect of the care he had taken
of them, and the pains he had taken with them, verse 6: They have kept they
word, they have known that all things are of thee verse 8; they
have received thy words, and embraced them, have given their assent and
consent to them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and have
believed that thou didst send me.
What success the
doctrine of Messiyah had among those that were given to him, lets
observed:
[1.] "They have
received the uncompromise words which He gave them, the same word that was
given to Moses, as the ground receives the seed, and the earth drinks in the
rain.’’ They attended to the words of the Living Torah, apprehended in some
measure the meaning of them, and were affected with them: they received the
impression of them. The word was to them an ingrafted word.
[2.] "They
have kept thy word, have continued in it; they have conformed to it.’’
Messiyah’s commandment is not only kept, it was obeyed. Those that have to
teach others the commands of Torah ought to be themselves observant of them. It
was requisite that these should keep what was committed to them, for it
was to be transmitted by them to every place for every age.
[3.] "They have
understood the word, and have been sensible on what ground they went in
receiving and keeping it. They were aware that Messiyah was the living Word
from the original author of that holy religion which He came to restore, that
all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.’’ All Messiyah’s
offices and powers, all the gifts of the Spirit, all His graces and comforts,
which YAHVEH gave without measure to Him, were all from ABBA YAHVEH,
contrived by HIS Wisdom, appointed by HIS Will, and designed by HIS grace, for
HIS own glory in man’s salvation.
It is a great
satisfaction to us, in our reliance upon Messiyah, that He, and all He is and
has, all He said and did, all He is doing and will do, are of YAHVEH, 1 Co.
1:30. We may therefore venture our souls upon Messiyah’s mediation, for it has
a good bottom. If the righteousness be of YAH’s appointing, we shall be
justified; if the grace be of HIS dispensing, we shall be sanctified.
John 17:8 For
I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received
them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed
that thou didst send me. – They have set their
seal to it: They have known surely that I came out from YAHVEH. See
here,
First, What it is to believe; it is to know surely,
to know that it is so of a truth. The disciples were already grounded in
Torah, but not the Spirit of Torah; yet Messiyah, who knew them better than
they knew themselves, passes His the spirit of the word to them that might
believe more.
We may know surely
that which we neither do nor can know fully; may know the certainty of the
things which are not seen, though we cannot particularly describe the
nature of them. We walk by faith, which knows surely, not yet by
sight, which knows clearly.
Secondly, What it is we are to believe: that Messiyah
Yahushua came out from YAHVEH, as He is the Son of YAHVEH, in His person the
image of the invisible Elohim, and that YAHVEH did not send Him; that in
His undertaking He is the ambassador of the eternal king: so that the Messianic
Judaism stands upon the same footing, and is of equal authority; and therefore
all the doctrines of Messiyah are to be received as divine truths, all His
commands obeyed as divine laws, and all His promises depended upon as divine
securities.
(2.) How Messiyah
Yahushua here speaks of this: He enlarges upon it,
[1.] As pleased with
it himself. Though the many instances of his disciples’ dullness and weakness
had grieved him, yet their constant adherence to him, their gradual
improvements, and their great attainments at last, were his joy. Messiyah is a
Master that delights in the proficiency of his scholars. He accepts the
sincerity of their faith, and graciously passes by the infirmity of it. See how
willing he is to make the best of us, and to say the best of us, thereby
encouraging our faith in him, and teaching us charity to one another,
[2.] As pleading it
with the Father. He is praying for those that were given to him; and he
pleads that they had given themselves to him. The due improvement of grace
received is a good plea, according to the tenor of the new covenant, for
further grace; for so runs the promise. To him that hath shall be given.
Those that keep Messiyah’s word, and believe on him, let Messiyaht alone to
commend them, and, which is more, to recommend them to His Father.
John 17:9 I
pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me;
for they are thine. – He pleads the Father’s own interest in them: I
pray for them, for they are thine; and this by virtue of a joint and mutual
interest, which he and the Father have in what pertained to each: All mine
are thine, and thine are mine. Between the Father and Son there can be no
dispute (as there is among the children of men) about mine and thine,
for the matter was settled from eternity; all mine are thine, and thine are
mine. Here is,
(1.) The plea
particularly urged for his disciples: They are thine. The consigning of
the elect to Messiyah was so far from making them less the Father’s that it was
in order to making them the more so.
[1.] All that
receive Messiyah’s word, and believe in Him, are taken into covenant-relation
to the Father, and are looked upon as HIS; Messiyah presents them to HIM, and
they, through Messiyah, present themselves to HIM. Messiyah has redeemed us,
not to Himself only, but to ABBA YAHVEH, by His Blood, Rev. 5:9, 10.
They are first-fruits
unto ABBA YAHVEH, Rev. 14:4.
[2.] This is a good
plea in prayer, Messiyah here pleads it, They are thine; we may plead it
for ourselves, I am thine, save me; and for others (as Moses, Ex.
32:11), "They are thy people. They are thine; wilt thou not provide
for thine own? Wilt thou not secure them, that they may not be run down by the
devil and the world? Wilt thou not secure thy interest in them, that they may
not depart from thee? They are thine, own them as thine.’’
(2.) The foundation
on which this plea is grounded: All mine are thine, and thine are mine.
This bespeaks the Father and Son to be,
[1.] One in essence.
Every creature must say to YAHVEH, All mine are thine; but none can say
to him, All thine are mine, but he that is the same in substance with
him and equal in power and glory.
[2.] One in
interest; no separate or divided interests between them.
First, What the Father has as Creator is delivered over to
the Son, to be used and disposed of in subserviency to his great undertaking. All
things are delivered to him (Mt. 11:27); the grant is so general that
nothing is excepted but he that did put all things under him.
Secondly, What the Son has as Redeemer is designed for the
Father, and his kingdom shall shortly be delivered up to him. All the benefits
of redemption, purchased by the Son, are intended for the Father’s praise, and
in his glory all the lines of his undertaking centre: All mine are thine.
John 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am
glorified in them. – The Son owns nothing that is
not devoted to the service of the Father; nor will any thing be accepted as a
piece of service to biblical Judaism religion which clashes with the dictates
and laws of natural religion. In a limited sense, every true believer may say, All thine are mine; if ABBA YAHVEH be
ours in covenant, all HE is and has is so far ours that it shall be engaged for
our good; and in an unlimited sense every true believer does say, ABBA, all mine are thine; all laid at his
feet, to be serviceable to him. And what we have may be comfortably committed
to YAH’s care and blessing when it is cheerfuly submitted to his government and
disposal: "ABBA, take care of what I have, for it is all thine.’
He pleads his own
concern in them: I am glorified in
them: I have been glorified in
them. What little honor Messiyah had in this world was among his
disciples; he had been glorified by their attendance on him and obedience to
him, their preaching and working miracles in his name; and therefore I pray for them. , Those shall have an
interest in Messiyah’s intercession in and by whom he is glorified.
"I am to be glorified in them
when I am gone to heaven; they are to bear up my name.’’ The apostles preached
and wrought miracles in Messiyah’s
name; the Spirit in them glorified Messiyah (ch. 16:14): "I am glorified in them, and
therefore,’’
"I concern
myself for them.’’ What little interest Messiyah has in this degenerate world
lies in his church; and therefore it and all its affairs lie near his heart,
within the veil.
"Therefore I
commit them to the Father, who has engaged to glorify the Son, and, upon this
account, ABBA YAHVEH will have a gracious eye to those in whom HE is
glorified.’’ That in which YAHVEH and Messiyah are glorified may, with humble
confidence, be committed to YAH’s special care.
John 17:11 And now I am no more in the
world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep
through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as
we are. – After the general pleas with which Messiyah Yahushua
recommended that His disciples to His FATHER’s care follow the particular
petitions He puts up for them;
1. They all relate
to spiritual blessings in heavenly things. He does not pray that they might be
rich and great in the world, but that they might grow in Grace and become
mature, but that they might be kept from sin, and furnished for their duty, and
brought safely to Spiritual Maturity.
The prosperity of
the soul is the best prosperity; for what relates to this Messiyah came to purchase
and bestow, and so teaches us to seek after the greater gift, in the first
place, both for others and for ourselves.
2. They are such
blessings as were suited to their present state and case, and their various
exigencies and occasions. Messiyah’s intercession is always pertinent. Our advocate
with ABBA YAHVEH is acquainted with all the particulars of our wants and
burdens, our dangers and difficulties, and knows how to accommodate His
intercession to each, as to Peter’s peril, which he himself was not aware of
(Lu. 22:32), I have prayed for thee.
3. He is large and
full in the petitions, orders them before His Father, and fills His mouth
with arguments, to teach us fervency and importunity in prayer, to be large
in prayer, and dwell upon our errands at the throne of grace, wrestling as
Jacob, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Now the first thing
Messiyah prays for, was His disciples, is their preservation, in these verses,
in order to which he commits them all to His Father’s custody. Keeping supposes
danger, and their danger arose from the world, the world wherein they
were, the evil of this he begs they might be kept from.
The request itself: Keep
them from the world. There were two ways of their being delivered from the
world:
1. By taking them
out of it; and Messiyah does not pray that they might be remove from this life:
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world; that is,
(1.) "I pray
not that they may be speedily removed by death.’’ If the world will be
vexatious to them, the readiest way to secure them would be to hasten them out
of it to a better world, that will give them better treatment. Send chariots
and horses of fire for them, to fetch them to heaven; Job, Elijah, Jonah,
Moses, when that occurred which fretted them, prayed that they might be taken
out of the world; but Messiyah would not pray so for his disciples, for two
reasons:
[1.] Because he came
to conquer, not to countenance, those immoderate heats and passions which make
men impatient of life, and importunate for death. It is His will that we should
take up our cross, and not outrun it.
[2.] Because he had
work for them to do in the world; the world, though sick of them (Acts 22:22),
and therefore not worthy of them (Heb. 11:38), yet could ill spare them. In
pity therefore to this dark world, Messiyah would not have these lights removed
out of it, but continued in it, especially for the sake of those in the world
that were to believe in him through their word.
Let not them be
taken out of the world when their Master is; they must each in his own order
die a martyr, but not till they have finished their testimony.
First, The taking of good people out of the world is a
thing by no means to be desired, but rather dreaded and laid to heart, Isa.
57:1.
Secondly, Though Messiyah loves His disciples, He does not
presently send for them to heaven, as soon as they are effectually called, but
leaves them for some time in this world, that they may do good and glorify ABBA
YAHVEH upon earth, and be ripened for heaven. Many good people are spared to
live, because they have not reach maturity.
(2.) "I pray
not that they may be totally freed and speared from the troubles of this world,
and taken out of the toil and terror of it into some place of ease and safety,
there to live undisturbed; this is not the preservation I desire for them.’’
Not that, being
freed from all trouble, they may bask in luxurious ease, but that by the help
of ABBA YAHVEH they may be preserved in a scene of danger; Not that
they may be kept from all conflict with the world, but that they may not be
overcome by it; not that, as Jeremiah wished, they might leave their people,
and go from them (Jer. 9:2), but that, like Ezekiel, their faces may be
strong against the faces of wicked men, Eze. 3:8.
It is more the honor
of a Messianic soldier by faith to overcome the world than by a
monastical vow to retreat from it; and more for the honor of Messiyah to serve
Him in a city than to serve him in a cell.
2. Another way is by
keeping them from the corruption that is in the world; and Messiyah prays they
may be thus kept, verse 11, 15. Here are three branches of this petition:
(1.) Holy Father,
keep those whom thou hast given me.
[1.] Messiyah was
now leaving them; but let them not think that their defence was departed from
them; no, He does here, in their hearing, commit them to the custody of His
Father and their Father. It is the unspeakable comfort of all believers that
Messiyah Himself has committed them to the care of ABBA YAHVEH.
Those cannot but be
safe whom the almighty Elohim keeps, and HE cannot but keep those whom the Son
of HIS love commits to Him, in the virtue of which we may by faith commit
the keeping of our souls to ABBA YAHVEH, 1 Pt. 4:19; 2 Tim. 1:12.
First, He here puts them under the divine protection, that
they may not be run down by the malice of their enemies; that they and all
their concerns may be the particular care of the divine Providence: "Keep
their lives, till they have done their work; keep their comforts, and let them
not be broken in upon by the hardships they meet with; keep up their interest
in the world, and let it not sink.’’
To this prayer is
owing the wonderful preservation of the gospel ministry and gospel church in
the world unto this day; if ABBA YAHVEH had not graciously kept both, and kept
up both, they had been extinguished and lost long ago.
Secondly, He puts them under the divine tuition, that they
may not themselves run away from their duty, nor be led aside by the treachery
of their own hearts: "Keep them in their integrity, keep them
disciples, keep them close to their duty.’’ We need YAH’s power not only to put
us into a state of grace, but to keep us in it. See, ch. 10:28, 29; 1 Pt. 1:5.
[2.] The titles
Yahushua gives to ABBA YAHVEH whom He prays to, and them He prays for, enforce
the petition. First, He speaks to ABBA YAHVEH as a holy Father.
In committing ourselves and others to the divine care, we may take
encouragement,
1. From the
attribute of his holiness, for this is engaged for the preservation of his holy
ones; he hath sworn by his holiness, Ps. 89:35. If HE be a holy EL and
hate sin, HE desire to make those holy that are HIS, and keep them from sin,
which they also hate and dread as the greatest evil.
2. From this
relation of a Father, wherein He stands to us through Messiyah. If HE be a
Father, HE will take care of HIS own children, will teach them and keep them;
who else should? Secondly, He speaks of them as those whom ABBA YAHVEH
had given Him. What we receive as our Father’s gifts, we may comfortably
remit to our ABBA’s care. "ABBA, keep the graces and comforts thou hast
given me; the children thou hast given me; the ministry I have received.’’
(2.) Keep
them through thine own name. That is,
[1.] Keep them for
thy name’s sake; so some. "Thy name and honor are concerned in their
preservation as well as mine, for both will suffer by it if they either revolt
or sink.’’ The pre-Messiyah saints often pleaded, for thy name’s sake;
and those may with comfort plead it that are indeed more concerned for the honor
of YAH’s name than for any interest of their own.
[2.] Keep them in
thy name “YAHVEH”; so others; the original is so. "Keep them in the
knowledge and fear of thy name “YAHVEH”; keep them in the profession and
service of thy name “YAHVEH”, whatever it cost them. Keep them in the interest
of thy name “YAHVEH”, and let them ever be faithful to this; keep them in thy
truths, in thine ordinances, in the way of thy commandments.’’
[3.] Keep them by or
through thy name “YAHVEH”; so others. "Keep them by thine own power, in
thine own hand; keep them thyself, undertake for them, let them be thine own
immediate care. Keep them by those means of preservation which thou hast
thyself appointed, and by which thou hast made thyself known. Keep them by thy
word and ordinances; let thy name be their strong tower, thy tabernacle their
pavilion.’’
(3.) Keep them
from the evil, or out of the evil. He had taught them to pray daily, Deliver
us from evil, and this would encourage them to pray.
[1.] "Keep them
from the evil one, the devil and all his instruments; that wicked one and all
his children. Keep them from Satan as a tempter, that either he may not have
leave to sift them, or that their faith may not fail. Keep them from him as a
destroyer, that he may not drive them to despair.’’
[2.] "Keep them
from the evil thing, that is sin; from every thing that looks like it, or leads
to it. Keep them, that they do no evil,’’ 2 Co.
13:7. Sin is that evil which, above any other, we should dread and deprecate.
[3.] "Keep them
from the evil of the world, and of their tribulation in it, so that it may have
no sting in it, no malignity;’’ not that they might be kept from affliction,
but kept through it, that the property of their afflictions might be so altered
as that there might be no evil in them, nothing to them any harm.
John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name:
those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of
perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. – The reasons with which Messiyah enforces these
requests for their preservation, which are five:
1. He pleads that
they would kept them : "While I was with them in the world, I have kept
them in thy Name, in the Name of YAHVEH, the true faith of the Gospel is
the service of ABBA YAHVEH; those that thou gavest me for my constant
attendants I have kept, they are all safe, and none of them missing, none of
them revolted nor ruined, but the son of perdition; he is lost, that the
scripture might be fulfilled.’’
(1.) Messiyah’s
faithful discharge of His undertaking concerning His disciples: While He was
with them, He kept them, and His care concerning them was not in vain. He
kept them in YAHVEH’s name, not in the name of God, preserved them from falling
into any dangerous errors or sins, from striking in with the Pharisees, who
would have compassed sea and land to make proselytes of them; He kept
them from deserting Him, and returning to the little all they had left for Him;
He had them still under His eye and care when he sent them to peach; went
not His heart with them?
Many that followed
Him awhile took offence at something or other, and went off; but He kept the
twelve that they should not go away. He kept them from falling into the hands
of persecuting enemies that sought their lives; kept them when He surrendered
himself, ch. 18:9.
While he was with
them Messiyah kept them in a
visible manner by instructions till sounding in their ears, miracles still done
before their eyes were done in YAHVEH
name; when He was gone from them, they must be kept in a more spiritual manner.
Sensible comforts
and supports are sometimes given and sometimes withheld; but, when they are
withdrawn, yet they are not left comfortless. What Messiyah here says of His
immediate followers is true of all the saints while they are here in this
world; Messiyah keeps them in YAH’s name. It is implied,
[1.] That they are
weak, and cannot keep themselves; their own hands are not sufficient for them.
[2.] That they are,
in YAHVEH’s account, valuable and worth the keeping; precious in his sight and honorable;
his treasure, his jewels.
[3.] That their
salvation is designed, for to this it is that they are kept, 1 Pt. 1:5. As the
wicked are reserved for the day of evil, so the righteous are preserved for the
day of bliss.
[4.] That they are
the charge of the Messiyah Yahushua; for as His charge He keeps them, and
exposed Himself like the good shepherd for the preservation of the sheep.
(2.) The comfortable
account Messiyah gives of His undertaking: None of them is lost.
Messiyah Yahushua will certainly keep all that were given to Him, so that none
of them shall be totally and finally lost; they may think themselves lost, and
may be nearly lost (in imminent peril); but it is the ABBA’s will that He
should lose none, and none He will lose (ch. 6:39); so it will appear
when they come all together, and none of them shall be wanting.
(3.) A brand put
upon Judas, as none of those whom he had undertaken to keep. He was among those
that were given to Messiyah, but not of them. He speaks of Judas as already
lost, for he had abandoned the society of his Master and his fellow-disciples,
and abandoned himself to the devil’s guidance, and in a little time would go
to his own place; he is as good as lost. But the apostasy and ruin of Judas
were no reproach at all to his Master, or his family; for,
[1.] He was the
son of perdition, and therefore not one of those that were given to
Messiyah to be kept. He deserved perdition, and Messiyah left him to throw
himself headlong into it. He was the son of the destroyer, as Cain, who
was of that wicked one. That great enemy whom YAHVEH will consume is
called a son of perdition, because he is a man of sin, 2 Th. 2:3.
It is an awful
consideration that one of the apostles proved a son of perdition. No man’s
place or name in the Assemble, no man’s privileges or opportunities of getting
grace, no man’s profession or external performances, will secure him from ruin,
if his heart be not right with YAHVEH; nor are any more likely to prove sons of
perdition at last, after a plausible course of profession, than those that like
Judas love the bag; but Messiyah’s distinguishing Judas from those that were
given him (for ei meµ is adversative, not
exceptive) intimates that the truth and true religion ought not to suffer for
the treachery of those that are false to it, 1 Jn. 2:19.
[2.] The scripture
was fulfilled; the sin of Judas was foreseen of YAH’s counsel and foretold in
His word, and the event would certainly follow after the prediction as a
consequent, though it cannot be said necessarily to follow from it as an
effect. See Ps. 41:9; 69:25; 109:8. We should be amazed at the treachery of
apostates, were we not told of it before.
John 17:13 And
now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have
my joy fulfilled in themselves. – He pleads what a satisfaction it would be to them to
know themselves safe, and what a satisfaction it would be to him to see them
easy: I speak this, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
(1.) Messiyah
earnestly desired the fulness of the joy of His disciples, for it is his will
that they should rejoice evermore; this is coming to full maturity. He was
leaving them in tears and troubles, and yet took effectual care to fulfil
their joy.
When they thought
their joy in him was brought to an end, then was it advanced nearer to
perfection than ever it had been, and they were fuller of it. We are here
taught,
[1.] To found our
joy in Messiah: "It is my joy, joy of my bestral, or rather joy
that I can achieve spiritual maturity in Messiyah.’’ Messiyah is a Messianic’s
joy, His chief joy. Joy in the world is withering with it; joy in Messiyah is
everlasting, like him.
[2.] To build up our
joy with diligence; for it is the duty as well as privilege of all true
believers; no part of the Messianic life is pressed upon us more earnestly,
Phil. 3:1; 4:4.
[3.] To aim at the
perfection of our soul in His joy, that we may have it fulfilled in us, for
this is what Messiyah has done, this is the legacy Messiyah have left for us.
(2.) In order that
He would commit them to His ABBA’s care and keeping and took them for witnesses
that He did so: These things I speak in the world, while I am yet with
them in the world. His intercession in heaven for their preservation would have
been as effectual in itself; but saying this in the world would be a greater
satisfaction and encouragement to them, and would enable them to rejoice in
tribulation.
[1.] Messiyah has
not only treasured up comforts for His people, in providing for their future
welfare, but has given out comforts to them, and said that which will be for
their present satisfaction. He here condescended in the presence of his
disciples to publish his last will and testament, and (which many a testator is
shy of) lets them know what legacies he had left them, and how well they were
secured, that they might have strong consolation.
[2.] Messiyah’s
intercession for us is enough to fulfill or reach perfection in Him; nothing
more effectual to silence all our fears and mistrusts, and to furnish us with
strong consolation, than this, that He is in the presence of ABBA YAHVEH making
intercession for us; therefore the apostle puts a yea rather upon this,
Rom. 8:34. And see Heb. 7:25.
John 17:14 I
have given them Thy Word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not
of the world, even as I am not of the world. – He pleads the ill usage
they were likely to meet with in the world, for His sake: "I have given
them thy word to be published to the world, and they have received it,
have believed it themselves, and accepted the trust of transmitting it to the
world; and therefore the world hath hated them, as also because they are
not of the world, any more than I.’’ Here we have,
The world’s enmity
to Messiyah’s followers. While Messiyah was with them, though as yet they had
given but little opposition to the world, yet it hates them, much more would it
do so when by their more extensive preaching of the gospel they would turn
the world upside down. "
Father, stand by My
friend,’’ says Messiyah, "for they are likely to have many enemies; let
them have Your love, for the world’s hatred is entailed upon them. In the midst
of those fiery darts, let them be compassed with thy favour as with a
shield.’’ It is YAH’s honor to take part with the weaker side, and to help
the helpless. YAHVEH, be merciful to them, for men would swallow them
up.
John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,
but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. – The reasons of this enmity, which strengthen the
plea.
It is implied that
one reason is because they had received the word of YAHVEH as it was sent them
by the hand of Messiyah, when the greatest part of the world rejected it, and
set themselves against those who were the preachers and professors of it.
Those that receive
Messiyah’s good Will and good Word must expect the world’s ill will and ill
word. Gospel ministers have been in a particular manner hated by the world,
because they call men out of the world, and separate them from it, and teach
them not to conform to it, and so condemn the world.
"ABBA
Father, keep them for it is for thy
sake that they are exposed; they are sufferers for thee.’’ As the psalmist
pleads, For thy sake I have borne reproach, Ps. 69:7. Those that keep the word of Messiyah’s
patience are entitled to special protection in the hour of temptation, Rev.
3:10. That cause which makes a martyr may well make a joyful sufferer.
Another reason is
more express; the world hates them, because they are not of the world.
Those to whom the word of Messiyah comes in power are not of the world, for it
has this effect upon all that receive it in the love of it that it weans them
from the wealth of the world, and turns them against the wickedness of the
world, and therefore the world bears them a grudge.
John 17:16
They are not of the world, even as
I am not of the world. – He
pleads their conformity to Himself in a holy non-conformity to the world:
"Father, keep them, for they are of my spirit and mind, they are not of
the world, even as I am not of the world.’’ Those may in faith commit
themselves to YAH’s custody,
Who are as
Messiyah was in this world, and tread in His steps. YAHVEH will love those
that are like Messiyah. Who do not engage themselves in the world’s interest,
nor devote themselves to its service. Observe,
That Messiyah
Yahushua was not of this world; he never had been of it, and least of all now
that he was upon the point of leaving it. This intimates,
First, His state; he was none of the world’s favourites
nor darlings, none of its princes nor grandees; worldly possessions he had
none, not even where to lay his head; nor worldly power, he was no judge
nor divider.
Secondly, His Spirit; he was perfectly dead to the world, the
prince of this world had nothing in Him, the things of this world were nothing
to Him; not honor, for He made Himself of no reputation; not riches, for
for our sakes He became poor; not pleasures, for He acquainted
Himself with grief. See ch. 8:23.
That therefore true
Judaism is not of this world. The Spirit of Messiyah in them is opposite to the
spirit of the world.
First, It is their lot to be despised by the world; they
are not in favour with the world any more than their Master before them was.
Secondly, It is their privilege to be delivered from the
world; as Abraham out of the land of his nativity.
Thirdly, It is their duty and character to be dead to the
world. Their most pleasing converse is, and should be, with another world, and
their prevailing concern about the business of that world, not of this.
Messiyah’s disciples were weak, and had many infirmities; yet this he could say
for them, They were not of the world, not of the earth, and therefore he
recommends them to the care of Heaven.
John 17:17 Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy Word is Truth – The next thing he prayed for for them was that they might be
sanctified; not only kept from evil, but made good.
Here is the
petition: Sanctify them through thy Truth, through thy Word, thy Torah,
for thy word is truth; it is true, it is truth itself. He desires they
may be sanctified,
As Messianic.
Father, make them holy, and this will be their preservation, 1 Th. 5:23.
(1.) The grace
desired, sanctification. The disciples were sanctified, for they were not of
the world; yet Messiyah prays, Father sanctify them, that is,
[1.] "Confirm
the work of sanctification in them, strengthen their faith, inflame their good
affections, rivet their good resolutions.’’
[2.] "Carry on
that good work in them, and continue it; let the light shine more and
more.’’
[3.] "Complete
it, crown it with the perfection of holiness; sanctify them throughout and to
the end.’’
First, It is the prayer of Messiyah for all that are His,
that they may be sanctified; because He cannot own them as his if they are not
sanctified, either here or hereafter, either employ them in his work or present
them to his Father, if they be not sanctified.
Secondly, Those that through grace are sanctified have need
to be sanctified more and more. Even disciples must pray for sanctifying grace;
for, if he that was the author of the good work be not the finisher of it, we
are undone. Not to go forward is to go backward; he that is holy must be
holy still, more holy still, pressing forward, soaring upward, as those
that have not attained.
Thirdly, It is YAHVEH that sanctifies as well as YAHVEH that
justified, 2 Co. 5:5.
Fourthly, It is an encouragement to us,
in our prayers for sanctifying grace, that it is what Messiyah intercedes for
for us.
(2.) The means of
conferring this grace, through thy truth, thy Word is Truth. Not that
the Holy One of Yisrael is hereby limited to means, but in the counsel of
peace among other things it was settled and agreed,
[1.] That all
needful truth should be comprised and summed up in the Word of ABBA YAHVEH.
Divine revelation, as it now stands in the written word, is not only pure truth
without mixture, but entire truth without deficiency.
[2.] That this Word
of Truth should be the outward and ordinary means of our sanctification; not of
itself, for then it would always sanctify, but as the instrument which the
Spirit commonly uses in beginning and carrying on that good work; it is the
seed of the new birth (1 Pt. 1:23), and the food of the new life, 1 Pt. 2:1-2.
As ministers. "Sanctify
them, set them apart for thyself and service; let their call to the
apostleship be ratified in heaven.’’ Prophets were said to be sanctified, Jer.
1:5. Priests and Levites were so. Sanctify them; that is,
(1.) "Qualify
them for the office, with Messianic graces and ministerial gifts, to make them
able ministers of the post Messiyah gospel.’’
(2.) "Separate
them to the office, Rom.
(3.) "Own them
in the office; let thy hand go along with them; sanctify them by or in thy
truth, as truth is opposed to figure and shadow; by anointing and sacrifice.
Sanctify them to thy truth, the word of thy truth, to be the preachers of thy
truth to the world; as the priests were sanctified to serve at the altar, so
let them be to preach the gospel.’’ 1 Co.
9:13, 14.
Messiyah Yahushua
intercedes for His ministers with a particular concern, and recommends to His
ABBA’s grace those stars He carries in His right hand.
The great thing to
be asked of ABBA YAHVEH for gospel ministers is that they may be sanctified,
effectually separated from the world, entirely devoted to YAHVEH, and
experimentally acquainted with the influence of that word upon their own hearts
which they preach to others. Let them have the Urim and Thummim,
light and integrity.
John 17:18 As
thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.-
We have here two pleas or arguments to enforce
the petition for the disciples’ sanctification:
The mission they had
from him: "As thou hast sent me into the world, to be thine
ambassador to the children of men, so now that I have santify these whom YOU
have given Me, I also have I sent them into the world, as my
delegates.’’ Now here,
(1.) Mesiyah speaks
with great assurance of His own mission: Thou hast sent me into the world.
The great author of the Messianic Judais, which had His commission and
instructions from Him who is the origin and object of all religion. He was sent
of ABBA YAHVEH to say what He said, and do what He did, and be what He is to
those that believe on Him; which was His comfort in his undertaking, and may be
ours abundantly in our dependence upon Him; His record was on high, for thence
His mission was.
(2.) He speaks with
great satisfaction of the commission He had given His disciples "So
have I sent them on the same errand, and to carry on the same design;’’ to
preach the same doctrine that Messiyah preached, and to confirm it with the
same proofs, with a charge likewise to commit to other faithful men that which
was committed to them.
He gave them their
commission (ch. 20:21) with a reference to his own, and it magnifies their
office that it comes from Messiyah, and that there is some affinity between the
commission given to the ministers of reconciliation and that given to the
Mediator; he is called an apostle (Heb. 3:1), a minister (Rom.
15:8), a messenger, Mal. 3:1. Only they are sent as servants, he as a
Son. Now this comes in here as a reason,
[1.] Why Messiyah
was concerned so much for them, and laid their case so near his heart; because
he had himself put them into a difficult office, which required great abilities
for the due discharge of it. Whom
Messiyah sends he will stand by, and interest himself in those that are
employed for him; what he calls us out to he will fit us out for, and bear us
up in.
[2.] Why he
committed them to his Father; because he was concerned in their cause, their
mission being in prosecution of his, and as it were an assignment out of it. Messiyah
received gifts for men (Ps. 68:18), and then gave them to men (Eph.
4:8), and therefore prays aid of his Father to warrant and uphold those
gifts, and confirm his grant of them. The Father sanctified Yahushua
when HE sent Him into the world, ch. 10:36. Now, they being sent as He
was, let them also be sanctified.
John 17:19 And
for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through
the Truth. – The merit he had for them is another thing here
pleaded: For their sakes I sanctify myself. Here is,
(1.) Messiyah’s
designation of Himself to the work and office of Mediator: I sanctified
Myself. He entirely devoted Himself to the undertaking, and all the parts
of it, especially that which He was now going about, the offering up of Himself
without spot unto ABBA YAHVEH, by the eternal Spirit. He, as the priest and
altar, sanctified Himself as the sacrifice. When he said, Father, glorify
thy name, ABBA YAHVEH, thy will be done, ABBA YAHVEH, I commit My
spirit into THY Hands, He paid down the satisfaction He had engaged to
make, and so sanctified Himself.
This He pleads with
ABBA YAHVEH, for His intercession is made in the virtue of His satisfaction; by
His own blood He entered into the Holy Place (Heb. 9:12), as the high
priest, on the day of atonement, sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice at the
same time that He burnt incense within the veil, Lev. 16:12, 14.
(2.) Messiyah’s
design of kindness to his disciples herein; it is for their sakes, that they
may be sanctified, that is, that they may be martyrs; so some. "I
sacrifice myself, that they may be sacrificed to the glory of ABBA YAHVEH and
the church’s good.’’ Paul speaks of his being offered, Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:6.
Whatever there is in the death of the saints that is precious in the
sight of ABBA YAHVEH, it is owing to the death of the Messiyah Yahushua.
But I rather take it more generally, that they may be saints and ministers,
duly qualified and accepted of ABBA YAHVEH.
[1.] The office of
the ministry is the purchase of Messiyah’s blood, and one of the blessed fruits
of his satisfaction, and owes its virtue and value to Messiyah’s merit. The
priests under the law were consecrated with the blood of bulls and goats, but
gospel ministers with the blood of Messiyah.
[2.] The real holiness
of all good Messianic is the fruit of Messiyah’s death, by which the gift of
the Holy Spirit was purchased; He gave Himself for His Body, to sanctify
it, Eph. 5:25, 26. And He that designed the end designed also the means,
that they might be sanctified by the truth, the truth which Messiyah
came into the world to bear witness to and died to confirm.
The word of truth
receives its sanctifying virtue and power from the death of Messiyah. Some read
it, that they may be sanctified in truth, that is, truly; for as ABBA YAHVEH
must be served, so, in order to this, we must be sanctified, in the spirit,
and in truth. And this Messiyah has prayed for, for all that are His; for this
is His will, even their sanctification, which encourages them to pray for
it,
John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;- Next to their purity Mesiyah prays for
their unity; for the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable;
and amity is amiable indeed when it is like the ointment on Aaron’s holy head,
and the dew on Zion’s holy hill.
Who are included in this prayer: "Not
these only, not these only that are now My disciples’’ (the eleven, the
seventy, with others, men and women that followed Him when He was here on
earth), "but for those also who shall believe on me through their word,
either preached by them in their own day or written by them for the generations
to come; I pray for them all, that they all may be one in their interest
in this prayer, and may all receive benefit by it.’’
1.
Those, and those only, who are interested in the mediation of Messiyah, that
do, or shall, believe in Him. This is that by which they are described, and it
comprehends all the character and duty of a Messianic Judaism. They that lived
then, saw and believed, but they in after ages have not seen, and
yet have believed.
2. It is
through the word that souls are brought to believe on Messiyah, and it
is for this end that Messiyah Yahushua appointed the scriptures to be written,
and a standing ministry to continue in the Assembly, while the church stands,
that is, while the world stands, for the raising up of a seed.
3. It is
certainly and infallibly known to Messiyah who shall believe on Him. He does
not here pray at a venture, upon a contingency depending on the treacherous
will of man, which pretends to be free, but by reason of sin is in bondage
with its children; Messiyan knew very well whom He prayed for, the matter
was reduced to a certainty by the divine prescience and purpose; He knew who
were given Him, who being ordained to eternal life, were entered in the
Lamb’s book, and should undoubtedly believe, Acts 13:48.
4.
Messiyah Yahushua intercedes not only for great and eminent believers, but for
the meanest and weakest; not for those only that are to be employed in the
highest post of trust and honor in his kingdom, but for all, even those that in
the eye of the world are inconsiderable. As the divine providence extends
itself to the meanest creature, so does the divine grace to the meanest
believer. The good Shepherd has an eye even to the poor of the flock.
5.
Messiyah Yahushua in His mediation had an actual regard to those of the chosen
remnant that were yet unborn, the people that should be created (Ps.
22:31), the other sheep which He must yet bring. Before they are formed
in the womb He knows them (Jer. 1:5), and prayers are filed in heaven for
them beforehand, by Him who declareth the end from the beginning, and
calleth things that are not as though they were.
John 17:21 That
they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. –
What is the
intended
of this prayer: That they all may be one. The same was said before in
verse 11, that they may be one as we are, and again, verse 22. The heart
of Messiyah as is the Heart of ABBA YAHVEH in that the Kingdom of Heavens
Some
think that the oneness prayed for in verse 11 has special reference to the
disciples as ministers and apostles, that they might be one in their testimony
to Messiyah; and that the harmony of the evangelists, and concurrence of the
first preachers of the post Messiyah gospel, are owing to this prayer.
Let them
be not only of one heart, but of one mouth, speaking the same
thing, doing the same things. The unity of the gospel ministers is both the
beauty and strength of the unity in the Holy Spirit. But it is certain that the
oneness prayed for in this verse, apply to all believers.
It is
the prayer and goal of Messiyah for all that are His to be one, and we may be
sure it is an answered prayer, that they all may be one, one in us, one as
we are one verse 22, made perfect in one, verse 23. It includes
three things:
1. That
they might all be incorporated in one body. "Father, look upon them
all as one, and ratify that great charter by which they are embodied as one
Assembly. Though they live in distant places, from one end of heaven to the
other, and in several ages, from the beginning to the close of time, and so
cannot have any personal acquaintance or correspondence with each other, yet
let them be united in me their common head.’’ As Messiyah died, so he prayed,
to gather them all in one, ch. 11:52; Eph. 1:10.
2. That
they might all be animated by one Spirit. This is plainly implied in this, that
they may be one in us. Union with the
Father and Son is obtained and kept up only by the Holy Spirit. He that is
joined to ABBA YAHVEH in one spirit, 1 Co.
6:17. Let them all be stamped with the same image and superscription, and
influenced by the same power.
3. That
they might all be knit together in the bond of love and charity, all of
one heart. That they all may be one,
(1.) In
judgment and sentiment; not in every little thing, this is neither possible nor
needful, but in the great things of ABBA YAHVEH, and in them, by the virtue of
this prayer, they are all agreed, that YAH’s favour is better than life, that sin is the worst of evils, Messiyah the
best of friends, that there is another life after this, and the like.
(2.) In
disposition and inclination. All that are sanctified have the same divine
nature and image; they have all a new heart, and it is one heart.
(3.)
They are all one in their designs and aims, to come to full maturity. Every
true believer, as far as he is so, eyes the glory of YAHVEH as his
highest end, and the glory of heaven as his chief good.
(4.)
They are all one in their desires and prayers; though they differ in language
and culture and the manner of expressions, yet, having received the same spirit
of adoption, and observing the same rule, they pray for the same things in
effect.
(5.) All
one in love and affection. Every true believer has that in him which inclines
him to love all true beliversas such. That which Messiyah here prays for is
that communion of saints which we profess to believe; the fellowship
which all believers have with YAHVEH, and their intimate union with all the
saints in heaven and earth, 1 Jn. 1:3. But this prayer of Messiyah will not
have its complete answer till all the saints come to maturity in Him, for then,
and not till then, they shall be perfect in one, verse 23; Eph. 4:13.
What is intimated by way of plea or argument
to enforce this petition; three things:
The oneness
that is between the Father and the Son, which is mentioned again and again,
verse 11, 21–23.
(1.) It
is taken for granted that the Father and Son are one, one in nature and
essence, equal in power and glory, one in mutual endearments. The Father
loveth the Son, and the Son always pleased the Father. They are one in
design, and one in operation.
The
intimacy of this oneness is expressed in these words, thou in me, and I in
thee. This he often mentions for his support under his present sufferings,
when his enemies were ready to fall upon him, and his friends to fall off from
him; yet he was in the Father, and the Father in him.
(2.)
This is insisted on in Messiyah’s prayer for his disciples’ oneness,
[1.] As
the pattern of that oneness, showing how he desired they might be one.
Believers are one in some measure as ABBA YAHVEH and Messiyah Yahushua are one;
for,
First, The union of believers is a strict and
close union; they are united by a divine nature, by the power of divine grace, in
pursuance of the divine counsels.
Secondly, It is a holy union, in the Holy Spirit,
for holy ends; not a body politic for any secular purpose.
Thirdly, It is, and will be at last, a complete
union. Father and Son have the same attributes, properties, and perfections; so
have believers now, as far as they are sanctified, and when grace shall be
perfected in glory they will be exactly consonant to each other, all changed
into the same image.
[2.] As
the centre of that oneness; that they may be one in us, all meeting
here. There is one God and one Mediator; and herein believers are
one, that they all agree to depend upon the favour of this one EL as their
felicity and the merit of this one Mediator as their righteousness. That is a
conspiracy, not a union, which doth not centre in ABBA YAHVEH as the end, and
Messiyah as the way. All who are truly united to ABBA YAHVEH and Messiyah
Yahushua, who are one, will soon be united one to another.
[3.] As
a plea for that oneness. The Creator and Redeemer are one in interest and
design; but to what purpose are they so, if all believers be not one in
purpose, body with Messiyah, and do not jointly receive grace for grace from
him, as he has received it for them? Messiyah’s design was to reduce revolted
mankind to YAHVEH: "Father,’’ says he, "let all that believe be one,
that in one body they may be reconciled’’ (Eph. 2:15, 16), which speaks
of the uniting of Jews and Gentiles in the Messiyah; that great mystery, that
the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body (Eph. 3:6), to
which I think this prayer of Messiyah principally refers, it being one great
thing He aimed at in his dying; and I wonder none of the expositors I have met
with should so apply it. "Father, let the Gentiles that believe be
incorporated with the believing Jews, and make of twain one new man.’’
Those
words, I in them, and thou in me, show what that union is which is so
necessary, not only to the beauty, but to the very being, of his church.
First, Union
with Messiyah: I in them. Messiyah dwelling in the hearts of believers
is the life and soul of the new man.
Secondly, Union
with ABBA YAHVEH through Messiyah: Thou in me, so as by me to be in
them.
Thirdly, Union
with each other, resulting from these: that they hereby may be made
perfect in one. We are complete in him.
John 17:22 And
the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as
we are one: - The design of
Messiyah Yahushua in all His communications of light and grace to belivers: "The
glory which thou gavest me, as the trustee or channel of conveyance, I
have accordingly given them, for this intent, that they may be
one, as we are one; so that those gifts will be in vain, if they be not
one.’’
Now
these gifts are either,
(1.)
Those that were conferred upon the apostles, and first planters of the post
mesiyah church. The glory of being YAH’s ambassadors to the world, the glory of
working miracles, the glory of gathering a bady out of the world, and
establishing the throne of Yah’s kingdom among men, this glory or privelage was
given to Messiyah, and some of the honor He put upon the disciples when He sent
them to disciple all nations.
(2.)
Those that are given to all believers. The glory of being in covenant with the
Father, and accepted of HIM, of being laid in His bosom, and designed for a
place at HIS Right Hand, was the glory which the ABBA YAHVEH gave to the
Redeemer, and He has confirmed it to the redeemed.
[1.]
This honor He says He hath given them, because He hath intended it for
them, settled it upon them, and secured it to them upon their believing
Messiyah’s promises to be real gifts.
[2.]
This was given to hHm to give to them; it was conveyed to him in trust for
them, and he was faithful to him that appointed him.
[3.] He
gave it to them, that they might be one.
First, to entitle them to the privilege of
unity, that by virtue of their common relation to one ABBA YAHVEH, and one
Messiyah Yahushua, they might be truly denominated one. The gift of the
Spirit, that great glory which the Father gave to the Son, by him to be given
to all believers, makes them one, for he works all in all, 1 Co. 12:4, etc.
Secondly, To engage them to the duty of unity.
That in consideration of their agreement and communion in one creed and one
covenant, one Spirit and one Bible, in consideration of what they have in one
ABBA YAHVEH and one Messiyah, and of what they hope for in one heaven, they may
be of one mind and one mouth.
Worldly
glory sets men at variance; for if some be advanced others are eclipsed, and
therefore, while the disciples dreamed of a temporal kingdom, they were ever
and anon quarrelling; but spiritual honors being conferred alike upon all
Messiyah’s subjects, they being all made to our Messiyah kings and priests,
there is no occasion for contest nor emulation. The more Messianic belivers are
taken up with the glory Messiyaht has given them, the less desirous they will
be of vain-glory, and, consequently, the less disposed to quarrel.
John 17:23 I
in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the
world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved
me. – He pleads the happy influence their oneness would
have upon others, and the furtherance it would give to the public good. This is
twice urged verse 21: That the world
may believe that thou hast sent me. And again in this verse: That the
world may know it, for without knowledge there can be no true faith.
Believers must know what they believe, and why and wherefore they believe it.
Those who believe at a venture, venture too far. Now Messiyah here
shows,
(1.) His good-will
to the world of mankind in general. In this verse He is of His Father’s mind,
as we are sure he is in every thing, that He would have all men to be saved,
and to come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pt. 3:9.
Therefore it is His will that all means possible should be used, and no stone
left unturned, for the conviction and conversion of the world. We know not who
are chosen, but we must in our places do our utmost to further men’s salvation,
and take heed of doing any thing to hinder it.
(2.) The good fruit
of the oneness of the body; it will be an evidence of the truth of post
Messiyah Judaism, and a means of bringing many to embrace it.
[1.] In general, it
will recommend Messiyah’s Judaism to the world, and to the good opinion of
those that are without.
First, The embodying of all believer in one society by the
gospel charter will greatly promote Messianic Judaism. When the world shall see
so many of those that were its children called out of its family, distinguished
from others, and changed from what they themselves sometimes were, when they
shall see this society raised by the foolishness of preaching, and kept up by
miracles of divine providence and grace, and how admirably well it is modelled
and constituted, they will be ready to say, We will go with you, for we see
that ABBA YAHVEH is with you.
Secondly, The uniting of belivers in Messiyah in love and
charity is the beauty of their profession, and invites others to join with
them, as the love that was among those primo-primitive messianic Judaism, Acts
2:42, 43; 4:32, 33. When Messianic, instead of causing quarrels about itself,
makes all other strifes to cease, when it cools the fiery, smooths the rugged, and
disposes men to be kind and loving, courteous and beneficent, to all men,
studious to preserve and promote peace in all relations and societies, this
will recommend it to all that have any thing either of natural religion or
natural affection in them.
[2.] In particular,
it will beget in men good thoughts, First, Of Messiyah: They will know
and believe that thou hast sent me, By this it will appear that Messiyah
was sent of ABBA YAHVEH, and that HIS doctrine was divine, in that HIS religion
Post Messiyah Judaism prevails to join so many of different capacities,
tempers, and interests in other things, in one body by faith, with one heart by
love.
Certainly He was
sent by YAHVEH EL-ELYON, who fashions men’s hearts alike, and the EL of love
and peace; when the worshippers of YAHVEH are one, HE is one, and HIS name one.
Secondly, post Messiyah Judaism: They will know that thou
hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Here is,
1. The privilege of
believers: the Father himself loveth them with a love resembling HIS
love to HIS Son, for they are loved in HIM with an everlasting love.
2. The evidence of
their interest in this privilege, and that is their being one. By this it will
appear that ABBA YAHVEH loves us, if we love one another with a pure heart;
for wherever the love of ABBA YAHVEH is shed abroad in the heart it will
change it into the same image. See how much good it would do to the world to
know better how dear to ABBA YAHVEH all messianic belivers are. The Jews had a
saying, If the world did but know the worth of good men, they would hedge
them about with pearls. Those that have so much of YAH’s love should have
more of ours.
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also,
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory,
which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the
world. – Here is, a petition for the glorifying of all those
that were given to Messiyah, not only these apostles, but all believers: Father,
I will that they may be with me.
1. The
connection of this request with those foregoing. He had prayed that ABBA YAHVEH
would preserve, sanctify, and unite them; and now He prays that He would crown
all His gifts with their glorification. In this method we must pray, first for
grace, and then for glory (Ps. 84:11); for in this method ABBA YAHVEH gives.
Far be it from the only wise Elohim to come under the imputation either of that
foolish builder who without a foundation built upon the sand, as he
would if he should glorify any whom he has not first sanctified; or of that foolish
builder who began to build and was not able to finish, as he would if he
should sanctify any, and not glorify them.
2. The
manner of the request: Father, I will. Here, as before, He addresses
Himself to ABBA YAHVEH and therein we must do likewise; but when He says, I
will, He speaks a language peculiar to Himself, and such as does not become
ordinary petitioners, but very well became him who paid for what he prayed for.
(1.)
This intimates the authority of His intercession in general; His word was with
power in heaven, as well as on earth. He entering with His own blood into
the holy place, His intercession there has an uncontrollable efficacy. He
intercedes as a king, for he is a priest upon his throne (like Melchizedek), a
king-priest.
(2.) It
intimates his particular authority in this matter; he had a power to give
eternal life verse 2, and, pursuant to that power, He says, ABBA, I
will. Though now He took upon Him the form of a servant, yet that
power being to be most illustriously exerted when He shall come the second time
in the glory of a judge, to say, Come ye blessed, having that in his
eye, He might well say, ABBA YAHVEH, I will.
3. The
request itself, that all the elect might come to be with him in heaven at last,
to see his glory, and to share in it. Now observe here,
(1.)
Under what notion we are to hope for heaven? wherein does that happiness
consist? three things make heaven:
[1.] It
is to be where Messiyah is: Where I am; in the paradise whither
Messiyah’s soul went at death; in the third heavens whither his soul and body
went at his ascension: Where I am, am to be shortly, am to be eternally.
In this world we are but in transitu—on our passage; there we truly are
where we are to be for ever; so Messiyah reckoned, and so must we.
[2.] It
is to be with Him where He is; this is not tautology, but intimates that we
shall not only be in the same happy place where Messiyah is, but that the
happiness of the place will consist in his presence; this is the fulness of
its joy. The very heaven of heavens is to be with Messiyah Yahushua, there
in company with Him, and communion with Him, Phil. 1:23.
[3.] It
is to behold His glory, which the Father has given Him. Observe,
First, The glory of the Redeemer is the
brightness of heaven, the bright stars in the heavens. That glory before which
angels cover their faces was His glory, ch. 12:41. The Lamb is the light of the
new Yerushalayim, Rev. 21:23. Mesiyah will come in the glory of his ABBA
“Father”, for he is the brightness of His glory. ABBA YAHVEH shows HIS
glory there, as he does his grace here, through Messiyah. "ABBA YAHVEH
“The Father” has given Me this glory,’’ though He was as yet in his low
estate; but it was very true, and very near.
Secondly, The felicity of the redeemed consists
very much in the beholding of this glory; they will have the immediate view of
his glorious person. I shall see YAHVEH in my flesh, Job 19:26, 27. They
will have a clear insight into his glorious undertaking, as it will be then
accomplished; they will see into those springs of love from which flow all the
streams of grace; they shall have an appropriating sight of YAH’s glory (Uxor
fulget radiis mariti, The wife shines with the radiance of her husband),
and an assimilating sight: they shall be changed into the same image, from
glory to glory.
(2.)
Upon what promise we are to hope for heaven; no other than purely the mediation
and intercession of Messiyah, because He hath said, Father, I will. Our
sanctification is our evidence, for whosoever that has this hope in Messiyah
purifies himself; but it is the will of Messiyah that is our title, by
which will we are sanctified, Heb. 10:10. Messiyah speaks here as if He did
not count His own happiness complete unless He had His elect to share with Him
in it, for it is the bringing of many sons to glory that makes the captain
of our salvation perfect, Heb. 2:10.
4. The
argument to back this request: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of
the world. This is a reason,
(1.) Why
He expected this glory Himself. Thou wilt give it to me, for thou lovedst
me. The honor and power given to the Son as Mediator were founded in the
Father’s love to him (ch. 5:20): the Father loves the Son, is infinitely
well pleased in his undertaking, and therefore has given all things into His
hands; and, the matter being concerted in the divine counsels from
eternity, he is said to love him as Mediator before the foundation of the
world.
(2.) Why
does Messiyah expected that those who were given to Him should be with
Him to share in His glory: "Thou lovedst me, and them in me, and
canst deny me nothing I ask for them.’’ Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. In the book of revelation we see our Messiyah giving us a promise,
that anyone of us who overcome will be with Him is Paradise .
John 17:25 O
righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and
these have known that thou hast sent me. – The conclusion of the prayer, which is designed to
enforce all the petitions for the disciples, especially the last, that they may
be glorified. Two things Messiyah insists upon, and pleads:
1. The respect He
had to His Father:
(1.) The title He
gives to YAHVEH: O YAHVEH TSIDKENU “righteous Father”. When He prayed
that they might be sanctified, He called him KADOSH ABBA “righteous Father”;
when He prays that they may be glorified, Yahushua calls YAHVEH “Righteous
Father”; for it is a crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge
shall give. YAH’s righteousness was engaged for the giving out of all that
good which the Father had promised and the Son had purchased.
(2.) The character
He gives of the world that lay in wickedness: The world has not known thee.
Ignorance of YAHVEH TSIDKENU overspreads the world of mankind; this is the
darkness they sit in. Now this is urged here,
[1.] To show that
these disciples need the aids of special grace, both because of the necessity
of their work, they were to bring a world that knew not YAHVEH to the knowledge
of HIM; and also, because of the difficulty of their work, they must bring
light to those that rebelled against the light; therefore keep them.
[2.] To show that
they were qualified for further peculiar favours, for they had that knowledge
of YAHVEH which the world had not.
(3.) The plea
Messiyah insists upon for Himself: But I have known thee. Messiyah knew
the Father as no one else ever did; He knew upon what grounds He went in His
undertaking, knew His ABBA’s mind in every thing, and therefore, in this
prayer, came to HIM with confidence, as we do to one we know. Messiyah is here
suing out blessings for those that were his; pursuing this petition, when he
had said, The world has not known thee, one would expect it should
follow, but they have known thee; no, their knowledge was not to be
boasted of, but I have known thee, which intimates that there is nothing
in us to recommend us to ABBA’s favour, but all our interest in Him, and
contact with hHm, result from, and depend upon, Messiyah’s interest and
association. We are unworthy, but He is worthy.
(4.) The plea
Messiyah insists upon for His disciples: And they have known that thou hast
sent Me; and,
[1.] Hereby they are
distinguished from the unbelieving world. When multitudes to whom Messiyah was
sent, and His grace offered, would not believe that ABBA YAHVEH had sent
Him, these knew it, and believed it, and were not ashamed to own it. To
know and believe in Messiyah Yahushua, in the midst of a world that persists in
ignorance and infidelity, is highly pleasing to ABBA YAHVEH, and shall
certainly be crowned with distinguishing glory. Singular faith qualifies for
singular favours.
[2.] Hereby they are
interested in the mediation of Messiyah, and partake of the benefit of His
acquaintance with the Father: "I have known thee, immediately and
perfectly; and these, though they have not so known thee, nor were capable of
knowing thee so, yet have known that thou hast sent me, have known that
which was required of them to know, have known the Creator in the Redeemer.’’
Knowing Messiyah Yahushua as sent of ABBA YAHVEH, they have, in him, known the
Father, and are introduced to an acquaintance with him; therefore,
"Father, look after them for my sake.’’
John 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that
the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. - The
respect He had to His disciples: "I have led them into the knowledge of
ABBA YAHVEH, and will do it yet more and more; with this great and kind
intention, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I
in them.’’
(1.) What Messiyah
had done for them: I have declared unto them thy name.
[1.] This he had
done for those that were his immediate followers. All the time that He went
in and out among them, He made it His business to declare His ABBA’s name
to them “YAHVEH”, and to beget in them a veneration for it. The tendency of all
His sermons and miracles was to advance His ABBA Father’s honors, and to spread
the knowledge of HIM, ch. 1:18.
[2.] This Messiyah
had done for all that believe on Him; for they had not been brought to believe
if Messiyah had not made known to them His Father’s name.
First, We are indebted to Messiyah for all the knowledge
we have of the Father’s name; He declares it, and He opens the understanding to
receive that revelation. Secondly, Those whom Messiyah recommends to the
favour of YAHVEH He first leads into an acquaintance with the name of YAHVEH.
(2.) What Yahushua
intended to do yet further for them: I will declare it. To the disciples
He designed to give further instructions after his resurrection (Acts 1:3), and
to bring them into a much more intimate acquaintance with divine things by the
pouring out of the Spirit after his ascension; and to all believers, into whose
hearts he hath shined, he shines more and more.
Where Yahushua has declared
His ABBA Father’s name “YAHVEH”, He will declare it; for to Him that
hath shall be given; and those that know ABBA YAHVEH both need and desire
to know more of HIM. This is fitly pleaded for them: "ABBA YAHVEH, own and
favour them, for they will own and honor thee.’’
(3.) What was
Messiyah aimed at in all this; not to fill their heads with curious
speculations, and furnish them with something to talk of among the learned, but
to secure and advance their real happiness in two things:
[1.] Communion with
ABBA YAHVEH: "Therefore I have given them the knowledge of thy name, of
all that whereby thou hast made thyself known, that thy love, even that wherewith
thou hast loved me, may be, not only towards them, but in them;’’
that is,
First, "Let them have the fruits of that love for
their sanctification; let the Spirit of love, with which thou hast
filled me, be in them.’’ Messiyah declares His ABBA Father’s name ‘YAHVEH’
to believers, that with that divine light darted into their minds a divine love
may be shed abroad in their hearts, to be in them a commanding constraining
principle of holiness, that they may partake of a divine nature.
When YAH’s love to
us comes to be in us, it is like the virtue which the loadstone gives the
needle, inclining it to move towards the pole; it draws out the soul towards
ABBA YAHVEH in pious and devout affections, which are as the spirits of the
divine life in the soul.
Secondly, "Let them have the taste and relish of that
love for their consolation; let them not only be interested in the love of ABBA
YAHVEH, by having YAH’s יהוה name declared to them, but, by a further
declaration of it, let them have the comfort of that interest; that they may
not only know YAHVEH, but know that they know him,’’ 1 Jn. 2:3. It is the
love of YAHVEH that shed abroad in the heart that fills it with joy,
Rom. 5:3, 5.
This EL “God” has
provided for, that we may not only be satisfied with HIS loving kindness, but
be satisfied of it; and so may live a life of complacency in YAHVEH and
communion with HIM; this we must pray for, this we must press after; if we have
it, we must thank Messiyah for it; if we want it, we may thank ourselves.
[2.] Union with Messiyah in order create the following: And
I in them. There is no getting into the love of ABBA YAHVEH but through
Messiyah, nor can we keep ourselves in that love but by abiding in Messiyah,
that is, having Him to abide in us; nor can we have the sense and apprehension
of that love but by our experience of the indwelling of the Holy Spiritt, that
is, the Spirit of Messiyah in our hearts.
It is the Spirit
of Messiyah in us that is the only hope of glory that will not
make us ashamed, Col. 1:27. All our communion with ABBA YAHVEH, the
reception of HIS love to us with our return of love to him again, passes
through the hands of Messiyah Yahushua, and the comfort of it is owing purely
to him.
Messiyah had said
but a little before, I in them, and here it is repeated (though the
sense was complete without it), and the prayer closed with it, to show how much
the heart of Mesiyah was sent upon it; all his petitions centre in this, and
with this the prayers of Yahushua, the Son of David, are ended: "I in
them; let me have this, and I desire no more.’’ It is the glory of the
Redeemer to dwell in the redeemed: it is His rest for ever, and He has
desired it. Let us therefore make sure our union with Messiyah, and then take
the comfort of His intercession. This prayer had an end, but that
He ever lives to make.
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