Faith and Redemption

“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”—Exodus 12:13

The Torah portion for this week is Bo, which means “come,” from Exodus 10:1–13:16, and the Haftorah is from Jeremiah 46:13–28.

An impala is an African antelope capable of jumping to a height of 10 feet and covering a distance greater than 30 feet. Yet, these magnificent creatures can be kept in any zoo behind a mere three-foot wall. Why? Because impalas will not jump where they cannot see. They become the keepers of their own prison.

One of the most famous scenes in the Exodus story is when the Israelites each slaughtered lambs and placed the blood on their doorposts as God had commanded them. The blood served as a signal to God to “pass over” their houses during the final plague of the death of all the firstborn in the land, and indeed, that is how Passover got its name.

But have you ever wondered why it was necessary for the Israelites to give God a sign? After all, our God is all-knowing and all-powerful. Surely He knew which homes contained Egyptians and which housed the Israelites.

The reason, of course, is that placing the lamb’s blood on the doorposts wasn’t really for God’s sake. It was for the children of Israel.

God knew where each and every Israelite lived. However, in order to be redeemed, they had to pass a test – a test that would prove that they knew where God was. They had to demonstrate their faith in God and their belief that He was everywhere and would protect them from all harm.

In ancient Egypt, sheep were considered sacred. So when God required that the Israelites slaughter these lambs, He was essentially asking them to kill an Egyptian god. There was no greater level of faith and reliance on God than flaunting the killing of these so-called deities by placing their blood on Israelite doorposts for all Egypt to see. This was stepping out in faith to the fullest. It was a declaration that they fully trusted in the God they could not see — and then, they were seen by that very God and saved.

Often, all it takes for our own redemption is trust and faith. We can be like the impala, imprisoned by our own insecurities and fears. Or we can be like the Israelites on the eve of the Exodus — we can embrace trust and step out in faith. It’s the only way out and the only prerequisite for redemption.

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/faith-and-redemption

Fickle Followers

How quickly public opinion can change! When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the Passover feast, He was welcomed by crowds cheering to have Him made king (John 12:13). But by the end of the week, the crowds were demanding that He be crucified (19:15).

I recognize myself in those fickle crowds. I love cheering for a team that’s winning, but my interest wanes when they start losing. I love being part of a movement that is new and exciting, but when the energy moves to a new part of town, I’m ready to move on. I love following Jesus when He is doing the impossible, but I slink away when He expects me to do something difficult. It’s exciting to follow Jesus when I can do it as part of the “in” crowd. It’s easy to trust Him when He outsmarts the smart people and outmaneuvers the people in power (see Matt. 12:10; 22:15-46). But when He begins to talk about suffering and sacrifice and death, I hesitate.

I like to think that I would have followed Jesus all the way to the cross—but I have my doubts. After all, if I don’t speak up for Him in places where it’s safe, what makes me think I would do so in a crowd of His opponents?

How thankful I am that Jesus died for fickle followers so that we can become devoted followers.

For Further Thought Read these Bible verses and ponder Jesus’ love for you (Rom. 5:8; Rom. 8:37-39; Heb. 13:5-6,8; 1 John 3:1). Allow your devotion to Him to grow.

Christ deserves full-time followers.

http://odb.org/2013/05/31/fickle-followers-2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+odb%2Ffeed+%28Our+Daily+Bread%29

Lies that Hurt, Words that Heal

“Save me, LORD,   from lying lips   and from deceitful tongues.”—Psalm 120:2

Psalm 120 is the first of 15 psalms called “Songs of Ascent.” One reason these psalms are given this title is because they are especially conducive to lifting a person up from hopelessness and helplessness into knowing that anything is possible with God. Through reciting these psalms a person ascends, rising above circumstances and coming closer to God.

In this particular psalm, King David voiced concerns over the lies that were spoken about him. Like David, the Jewish people have often been the target of slander and lies designed to hurt, if not destroy. Whether it was the countless blood libels spread in Europe, claiming that Jews used the blood of innocent Christians in baking Passover matzo, or lies spread by Arab propaganda designed to convince the world that Israel intentionally kills children – Israel has been the victim of lies time and again. Like David, we pray “Save me, LORD, from lying lips.”

In this psalm, David likened lies to “a warrior’s sharp arrows” (v.4). The Sages explain that just as an arrow is designed to kill from afar, so, too, can false words bring danger to those at a distance from the speaker. No wonder David turned to God for help! How else could he protect himself from these sharp arrows pointed in his direction?

Appropriately, this psalm is often read when Israel is in imminent danger. The last verse especially resonates with every Israeli, every Jew, and every lover of Zion. David wrote: “I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war” (v.7).

Israel has only ever wanted peace. While our enemies pretend to want peace as well, they have proven repeatedly that they want nothing less than the complete destruction of Israel; “they are for war.” When our enemies saw that they could not defeat us militarily, they resorted to the age old anti-Semitic tactic of telling lies. This is their warfare – and so much of today’s media is quick to spread this deceit as truth. This is how they try to defeat us. Who can protect Israel from such vicious lies?

The answer, of course, is God. One day the truth will become clear and until that time God will protect His people.

But we need to do our part. Whether it’s doctored pictures or blatant lies, we need to uncover the truth and spread it. With today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to learn the truth and share it. Our enemies may use their words to harm, but we can use our words to heal. We can use our words to speak the truth, and most importantly, to pray. Pray for the safety of Israel and protection from all destructive lies.

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/lies-that-hurt-words-that-heal

Matthew 27:14 He answered him to never a word.

He had never been slow of speech when He could bless the sons of men, but He would not say a single word for Himself. “Never man spake like this Man,” and never man was silent like Him. Was this singular silence the index of His perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that He would not utter a word to stay the slaughter of His sacred person, which He had dedicated as an offering for us? Had He so entirely surrendered Himself that He would not interfere in His own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be bound and slain an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim? Was this silence a type of the defenselessness of sin? Nothing can be said in palliation or excuse of human guilt; and, therefore, He who bore its whole weight stood speechless before His judge. Is not patient silence the best reply to a gainsaying world? Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to afford no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean, will ere long overthrow and confute themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet, and finds silence to be its wisdom. Evidently our Lord, by His silence, furnished a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. A long defence of Himself would have been contrary to Isaiah‘s prediction. “He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” By His quiet He conclusively proved Himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we salute Him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart, let us hear the voice of Thy love.

http://www.crosswalkmail.com/ShareArticle.do?perform=view&articleID=adpttthdl&siteID=zpzwmdrlwzwrfltbjqgvgrdfpjjfzsrgmmt&recipID=526889780

 

Let My People Grow!

Dear Reader: Happy Passover! For the next eight days, we celebrate Pesach (Passover),  offering you devotional reflection tied to this very special observance as well as Torah readings for each day. Since no work is done on the holiest of these days, these devotions were prepared in advance for you.

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’”—Exodus 13:17

Today is Day 7 of the eight-day celebration of Passover. The Torah reading for today is Numbers 9:1–14 and the Haftorah is 2 Samuel 22:1–51.

The Sages teach that if the Bible had not been given over to man, we would have learned many virtues from His creations. For example, we would have learned faithfulness from a dog. Perseverance from an ant. Creativity from a spider. While God did give us the Bible, we can still benefit from observing His wondrous creatures. Here’s what we can learn from a simple crab.

Unlike most animals that grow as an entity during their lifespan, crabs, with their hard outer shells, cannot. As babies grow into older children, their organs, limbs, and facial features grow right along with them. But a crab’s shell stops growing when it gets to a certain size. Crabs have to shed their outer shell in order to grow a new one. They have to leave the old behind in order to step into something new and better. Crabs teach us a powerful lesson about growing: Sometimes, in order to grow, we have to leave behind something – or many things – that no longer suit us.

Crabs instinctively know this truth about growing. They know that without letting go of their old shell, they’ll never grow a new and improved one. But as human beings, we tend to resist change – especially when it involves leaving behind a part of us. We need to learn from the crabs and let go of the old.

Exodus 13:17 reads: “When Pharaoh let the people go . . .” However, if we translate this verse literally from the original Hebrew, we get this: “When Pharaoh sent the people away . . . ” The Sages explain that when it finally came time for the Israelites to leave Egypt, they were hesitant to go. Pharaoh had to literally push them out the door!

While we may have assumed that the children of Israel would jump at the chance to escape their lives of slavery and bitterness, they didn’t. In fact, four-fifths of them – about 2 million Israelites – stayed behind in Egypt! Were they crazy? No. Just afraid. Afraid of change and afraid to grow.

The reaction of the Israelites to the opportunity for freedom is actually quite natural. As human beings, most of us fear the unknown. So we stay in jobs that we don’t like, relationships that hurt us, or in places that no longer suit us. But there is something is even scarier than the unknown: It’s staying with something that we know is bad for us!

Passover is a time for stepping out in faith. It’s a time of letting go of the old in order to make way for the new. As we shed our old selves, we can become newer, improved versions of ourselves. Pharaoh let the people go. We need to let ourselves grow!

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/let-my-people-grow

Our Source of Strength

Dear Reader: Happy Passover! For the next eight days, we celebrate Pesach (Passover),  offering you devotional reflection tied to this very special observance as well as Torah readings for each day. Since no work is done on the holiest of these days, these devotions were prepared in advance for you.

“All you Israelites, trust in the LORD—   he is their help and shield.”—Psalm 115:9

Today is Day 6 of Passover, and the Torah reading is Numbers 9:1–14.

The Israel Defense Forces is one of the greatest armies in the world. From daring rescue missions to winning ground battles against all odds, the IDF has surprised the world time and time again. But what is the source of Israel’s strength? Israel herself is still finding out.

Two of Israel’s greatest battles came in quick succession of each other, but played out very differently. In 1967, Israel fought the Six-Day War. In response to a threat from the Arab world, Israel’s military reacted swiftly and strongly. The whole war was won in less than a week!

Jews and Israel supporters everywhere felt both awe and pride. Perhaps a little too much pride. Israel’s slogan after the Six-Day War was “All the honor to the Israel Defense Forces.” Certainly, the IDF deserved credit. But not enough credit was given to God. Scripture tells us, “God is the one who goes with you to fight for you” (Deuteronomy 20:4). All of Israel’s battles are fought and won by Him.

The Yom Kippur War, fought in 1973, was a completely different experience for Israel. The war was unexpected; the army, unprepared. Syria attacked and outnumbered Israel. One particularly memorable battle was fought in a place now known as “The Valley of Tears,” due to the loss of life during the fierce battle that took place there. The attack happened at night, and the Syrians had over 1,000 tanks, equipped with night-vision technology. Israel had less than 200 tanks, none of which had night-vision capability. Israel was outnumbered and unequipped. But guess who won? God performed great miracles, and while Israel sustained heavy casualties, she defeated her enemies.

Battles such as this one are the reason why Israel’s motto changed after the Yom Kippur War. It became “Israel trusts in God,” based on the verse in Psalms 115: “All you Israelites, trust in the LORD – He is their help and shield.” Everyone realized that God was behind the miracle. It was no accident that the war began on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year. Almost every Jew spent that day engaged in prayer and fasting. Those are the “weapons” that helped win the war.

More than three thousand years ago, a tiny David went out to fight a massive Goliath. He said: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD” (1 Samuel 17:45). Then David went on to slay the mighty giant against all odds.

So it was and so it always will be: Israel’s source of strength and protection – and ours – is God.

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/our-source-of-strength

Remembering the Bitter and the Sweet

“That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.”—Exodus 12:8

This Torah portion for this week, Bo, is from Exodus 10:1–13:16 and Jeremiah 46:13–28.

As final preparations for the Exodus were made, God went over the instructions with Moses and Aaron. On the tenth day of the month, the people were to select a one-year-old sheep which they would keep for four days and then slaughter. They were to take the blood of the sheep and place it on the doorpost, then roast the sheep and eat its meat. Specifically, they were commanded to eat the meat together with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, also known as matzo.

The Sages ask why were the children of Israel commanded to include bitter herbs together with the festive lamb and matzo? The lamb and matzo were both symbols of redemption. The blood of the lamb would save the Israelites from the plague of the death of the firstborn, and the matzo would be the bread of the Exodus because there was no time for the dough to rise.

Even today, matzo is the symbol of the Passover celebration. So why dampen the festivities with bitter herbs? Their bitterness symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. But why are they included just as the slavery came to an end? Wouldn’t the people want to leave that horrid experience behind?

Remembrance is an important aspect of Judaism. There’s a well-known joke that asks: “What is the summary of every single Jewish holiday? They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat.” This is followed up with: “What is the summary of every Jewish fast day? They tried to kill us, they won, let’s fast.” Indeed, Judaism is replete with both holidays and fast days that commemorate events of the past. In fact, when it comes to the Exodus, we remember it every single day in our daily prayer services!

The stress on remembrance isn’t because we are stuck in the past and unable to move on; it’s because we can’t move forward without remembering where we have been. We remember joyous times because they remind us to be grateful for everything we have. And we remember the bitter times because they remind us that everything can be gone in one moment if we aren’t careful to protect what we have. As the saying goes, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Remembrance is not optional – it’s a necessity!

It’s a good idea for all of us to spend some time remembering. Take out some old photographs, read an old journal, or reminisce with others about your shared experiences. As you review the bitter and the sweet, the hard times and the joyful moments, you will find the experience both inspirational and educational. Sometimes the greatest advice for how we should live in the present comes from the voices in our past.

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/remembering-the-bitter-and-the-sweet