Va’eira
Ex. 6:2 - 9:35=
Haftorah
Ezek. 28:25 - =
29:21
This week our Torah portion is about the process of the
redemption of the Jewish people out of Egypt. I use the word “process̶=
1; because
we usually think
of the redemption as one specific act. However, it was more than one act - =
it
was many acts. It included the events of the burning bush, God’s prom=
ise
to the people, the ten plagues, the crossing of the =
Red
Sea as well as other acts of God. This process of redemption was des=
igned
not only to redeem Israel
out of Egypt
but also to make God’s name known among the nations. Exodus 7:5 says, “The Egyptians shall know that I am the=
LORD,
when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel
from their midst." I=
n a
broader context, when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, the proces=
s of
redemption began almost immediately.
God judged the man and the woman and promised that a redeemer would
come. The story of the Bible is the story of the process of redemption. When Yeshua came and fulfilled the=
role
of suffering servant&n=
bsp;
the process of redemption was profoundly affected but it was =
not
completed. He provided the blood atonement necessary for the redemption. The
New Covenant was inaugurated and all who believe are redeemed. But, of cour=
se
the final redemption has yet to arrive.&nb=
sp;
It is described in Isaiah 45:22ff. “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of=
the
earth; For I am God, and there is no other. "I have sworn by Myself, The =
word
has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That =
to
Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. They will say of Me,
'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.' Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. In=
the
LORD all the offspring of Israel
Will be justified and will glory." This passage is the basis of these =
words
which we read in the Brit Chadasha God highly exalted Him, and bestowed o=
n Him
the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Yeshua EVERY KNEE
WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and =
that
every tongue will confess that Yeshua Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God =
the
Father. Notice at the end=
of the
first quote in Is. 45 it says that Israel will be justified and =
will
glory. This means that the redemption of Is=
rael
and hence the testimony and service of Israel toward the nations is =
a very
strategic part of the process. The
nations will know through Israel
that Messiah is Lord. Although we are living in “post biblical”
days, the process continues today. God is in the process of redeeming the
world. He is doing it as people come to faith in Messiah and he is doing it=
through world
events. God is sovereign over all the earth and He is working though everyt=
hing
that there is in some way to bring people to their knees in acknowledgement=
of
Him. During the process of the plagues, as well as the days of the Babyloni=
an Capivity as well as during this 2000 year diaspora God has been at work in the Jewish community=
and
in the world. May I suggest that the Messianic Movement has been raised up =
to
participate in the process of redemption. Although certainly God works throu=
gh all
believers in Messiah and through many circumstances, the Bible specifically
states that it is when Israel
believes that the covenant promises will be fulfilled. See Jer. 31;
Ps. 67; Rom.
11.
Our Haftorah portion relates this same theme. In Ezek.
28:25-26 we read that God says, "When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among=
whom
they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in them in the sight of t=
he
nations, then they will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob.
They will live in it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards =
and
live securely when I execute judgments upon all who scorn them round about
them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God."'" Today God is at work in the world.=
He is
using every means possible to bring people to Himself. Among Jewish people =
He
is still redeeming a remnant for Himself. When asked when the end would be,
Yeshua responded by saying “be occupied until I come.” May we be occupied with the proces=
s of
God’s redemption. May we be serving people=
and
sharing the good news of the Messiah. Shabbat Shalom!
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