• Torah – Exodus 6:2-9:35
• Haftarah – Isaiah 26:20, Ezekiel 28:25-29:21, Zephaniah 2:3
• Brit Hadashah – Romans 9:14-18, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Revelation 6:1-17, 8:1-13, ch16

This week we pick up right after Moshe’s first encounter with Pharaoh which didn’t end so well for the Hebrew children. After the foremen scolded Moshe for getting them into trouble with Pharaoh, Moshe cries out to YHVH  and asks “Why did you send me?”

“Why?” seems to be the cry of many believers. I know that I have asked this myself many times. And like Moshe we can often feel very inadequate and unworthy of the charge that we have been given. However, just as Moshe is getting discouraged, YHVH gives him a word of encouragement.

Exodus 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.”

This parsha picks up in Chapter 6 verse 2

Vs 2. And Elohim spoke to Mosheh and said to him, “I am יהוה.“

This phrase is reminiscent of eheyeh asher eheyeh אהיה אשׁר אהיה found in our last parsha in Exodus 3:14 and is translated as “I AM that I AM“. This is one phrase that the first century Jews would have been very familiar with its meaning and its association with YHVH, that is why they sought to stone Yeshua when He said “I AM” in John 8:58 .

John 8:58-59  Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM!”.  At this, they picked up stones to throw at him; but Yeshua was hidden and left the Temple grounds.

Later in the Epistle of John we see that when Yeshua uttered these words the men were knocked backwards upon hearing them.

John 18:6  When, therefore, He said to them, “I AM,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

There is definitely some serious power in the name of our Heavenly Father! and it is clear to me that He is jealous over His name. And not just that, but He wants us to know it.  This is why it is mentioned nearly 7000 times in the Hebrew scriptures, yet in our English Bibles it has been changed some 6823 times to “LORD”.  Anyone want to take a guess which Hebrew word translates to Lord? Yep Baal… Yet this substitution was even prophesized of in Jerimiah and is still being fulfilled in the pulpits of today’s modern church.

Jer 23:26-27  How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

However, as we enter a time like no other, it seems that the curse which was placed upon the northern tribes of Israel is finally being lifted. And it seems that the Name of our Father is finally being restored to its rightful place. Like the prophets before, we too have a desire to proclaim His name among the people, to declare His power, His glory, and His righteousness wherever we go.

All through scripture there are patterns that show up. Often times they are subtle, but what we have before us in this parsha is anything but subtle.  The signs that YHVH will perform upon Egypt are huge, and it is very interesting to realize that these “signs” have a parallel version in Revelation. Just as the people of Israel were stuck in the bondage of Egypt, we too are stuck in bondage to the world system. As Moshe and Aharon proclaimed the forth coming plagues if Pharaoh didn’t repent, there will soon be two other witnesses that will stand and boldly preach repentance to the world and its leaders and warn them of the impending doom. As you can kind of guess, the second time around is going to be an amped up version of the account in Exodus. The “Greater Exodus” as its been dubbed will cause the Exodus from Egypt seem like child’s play.

Jer 23:7-8  “Therefore, see, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when they shall say no more, ‘As יהוה lives who brought up the children of Yisra’ěl out of the land of Mitsrayim,’ but, ‘As יהוה lives who brought up and led the seed of the house of Yisra’ěl out of the land of the north and from all the lands where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell on their own soil.”

So as we look forward to the days and events that lay before us in anticipation of the return of our Messiah. Let us remember who’s name it is that we go in, “for there is no other Name under the heaven given among men by which we need to be saved”.

Yeshua Ha-Mashiach

Below I have included a quick reference of the judgments that God plagued Egypt and their counter part in Revelation.

Judgments	Exodus	Revelation
		Trumpet Judgments	Bowl Judgments
1. Water into blood (דָם)	Ex. 7:14-24	Rev. 8:8-9	Rev. 16:3-7
2. Frogs (צְּפַרְדֵּעַ)	Ex. 7:25–8:15		Rev. 16;12-14
3. Lice (כִּנִּים)	Ex. 8:16–19
4. Flies (עָרוֹב)	Ex. 8:20–32
5. Diseased livestock (דֶּבֶר)	Ex. 9:1–7	Rev. 8:7-9	Rev. 16:3,8
6. Boils (שְׁחִין)	Ex. 9:8–12		Rev. 16:1-2,8
7. Thunderstorm of hail (בָּרָד)	Ex. 9:13–35	Rev. 8:7,11:19	Rev. 16:17-21
8. Locusts (אַרְבֶּה)	Ex. 10:1–20	Rev. 9:1-11
9. Darkness for three days (חוֹשֶך)	Ex. 10:21–29	Rev. 8:12	Rev. 16:10
10. Death of firstborn (מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת)	Ex. 11:1–12:36

Shalom!

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Below are the links to this weeks Torah parashah. Enjoy!

• Parsha in 60 Seconds Presents Va’eira

• The Way Biblical Fellowship – Torah Portion: Va’era – 02/01/16

• Messianic Family – Va’era Torah Portion 2017 “Signs and Wonders” Part 2