Daily Bible Portion (Sunday)
Daily Bible Portion – 1 of 7
"THE NAMES"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 1:1-6:1, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Hebrews 11:23-26)
Exodus is the second of the five books of Moses, which are called Torah[Instruction], and the Torah is the constitution that governs Yahweh’s Kingdom on earth. The scriptures now have us travel forward over three hundred years. From Joseph’s death we follow the continuing history of Jacob’s house or family, the Israelites.
As the book of Exodus opens, it recounts the success that Jacob’s grandchildren had in maintaining the Torah lifestyle that their forefather’s walked in. While living in Egypt, all twelve tribes were identifiable and unified during this exiled time. They did not assimilate with the Egyptians but kept themselves apart in their tribal families. Scripture reports that they were blessed for obeying Yahweh and keeping a torah lifestyle.
The New Pharaoh
As time passed and life within the Israelite camp flourished, Egypt came under the rule and government of a new Pharaoh. This king was not familiar with the history of Joseph’s service to Egypt, or of the special provisions made for Jacob’s twelve tribes of Israel. As Jacob’s family served Yahweh in Egypt, they had become very prosperous and had multiplied greatly. The new Pharaoh saw this wealth as a threat to his kingdom and allowed his jealousy to grow into hatred toward Yahweh’s people. The king, in his insecurity, dealt shrewdly with them. He began to devise ways to destroy the God of the Israelites and oppress Jacob’s family in an effort to bring them under his subjection. Pharaoh saw himself as the dominant god of Egypt chosen to lead the people and maintain order so that he might provide an important link between the Egyptian people and their gods. Those who worshiped the God of Israel stood in direct opposition to Pharaoh’s plans and threatened his kingdom.
Pharaoh encompassed both the secular and sacred worlds, which to Egyptians were one in the same. He settled legal disputes and led the religious rituals that were the backbone of Egyptian culture. In accordance with his role as god-king, Pharaoh was responsible for maintaining the role of Ma’at and thus the role of balance-keeper. Ma’at was the god who had the rule of order over the chaos that was waiting to envelop the world. As long as king and commoner alike honored the gods and obeyed the laws they enforced, the balance was maintained and all would be well. Should the Pharaoh fail in his role, the entire world would suffer and descend into the unthinkable state of anarchism.
The god Ma’at was the patron of truth, law and universal order. The appearance of this god was that of a woman wearing a crown surmounted by a huge ostrich feather. Her totem symbol is set on a stone platform or foundation, representing the stable base on which order is built. Ma’at was described as the personification of the fundamental order of the universe, without which all of creation would perish. The primary duty of Pharaoh was to uphold this order by maintaining the law and administering justice. To reflect this, many pharaohs took the title Beloved of Ma’at, emphasizing their focus on justice and truth.
Yahweh’s plans are higher than man’s ways. We will soon see that although Yahweh allowed Pharaoh to play a role in Israel’s history, it was Yahweh’s hand alone that would deliver HIS people at HIS appointed time. He had not forgotten Israel. In Genesis 15:13-14 Yahweh said to Abraham,
Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.
Devious Plans
This Pharaoh began planning hardships for the Israelites, designed to bring about their subjugation.
In order to bring the Egyptian people onside with his plans, Pharaoh manufactured suspicion among his own people toward the Israelites. With the Egyptians incited by jealousy, the scene was set for the delivery of Yahweh’s people. Pharaoh said to his people,
Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land (Exodus 1:9-10).
continues tomorrow...
"THE NAMES"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 1:1-6:1, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Hebrews 11:23-26)
Exodus is the second of the five books of Moses, which are called Torah[Instruction], and the Torah is the constitution that governs Yahweh’s Kingdom on earth. The scriptures now have us travel forward over three hundred years. From Joseph’s death we follow the continuing history of Jacob’s house or family, the Israelites.
As the book of Exodus opens, it recounts the success that Jacob’s grandchildren had in maintaining the Torah lifestyle that their forefather’s walked in. While living in Egypt, all twelve tribes were identifiable and unified during this exiled time. They did not assimilate with the Egyptians but kept themselves apart in their tribal families. Scripture reports that they were blessed for obeying Yahweh and keeping a torah lifestyle.
The Israelites were fruitful, multiplied and became exceedingly numerous (Exodus 1:7).
The New Pharaoh
As time passed and life within the Israelite camp flourished, Egypt came under the rule and government of a new Pharaoh. This king was not familiar with the history of Joseph’s service to Egypt, or of the special provisions made for Jacob’s twelve tribes of Israel. As Jacob’s family served Yahweh in Egypt, they had become very prosperous and had multiplied greatly. The new Pharaoh saw this wealth as a threat to his kingdom and allowed his jealousy to grow into hatred toward Yahweh’s people. The king, in his insecurity, dealt shrewdly with them. He began to devise ways to destroy the God of the Israelites and oppress Jacob’s family in an effort to bring them under his subjection. Pharaoh saw himself as the dominant god of Egypt chosen to lead the people and maintain order so that he might provide an important link between the Egyptian people and their gods. Those who worshiped the God of Israel stood in direct opposition to Pharaoh’s plans and threatened his kingdom.
Pharaoh encompassed both the secular and sacred worlds, which to Egyptians were one in the same. He settled legal disputes and led the religious rituals that were the backbone of Egyptian culture. In accordance with his role as god-king, Pharaoh was responsible for maintaining the role of Ma’at and thus the role of balance-keeper. Ma’at was the god who had the rule of order over the chaos that was waiting to envelop the world. As long as king and commoner alike honored the gods and obeyed the laws they enforced, the balance was maintained and all would be well. Should the Pharaoh fail in his role, the entire world would suffer and descend into the unthinkable state of anarchism.
The god Ma’at was the patron of truth, law and universal order. The appearance of this god was that of a woman wearing a crown surmounted by a huge ostrich feather. Her totem symbol is set on a stone platform or foundation, representing the stable base on which order is built. Ma’at was described as the personification of the fundamental order of the universe, without which all of creation would perish. The primary duty of Pharaoh was to uphold this order by maintaining the law and administering justice. To reflect this, many pharaohs took the title Beloved of Ma’at, emphasizing their focus on justice and truth.
Yahweh’s plans are higher than man’s ways. We will soon see that although Yahweh allowed Pharaoh to play a role in Israel’s history, it was Yahweh’s hand alone that would deliver HIS people at HIS appointed time. He had not forgotten Israel. In Genesis 15:13-14 Yahweh said to Abraham,
Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.
Devious Plans
This Pharaoh began planning hardships for the Israelites, designed to bring about their subjugation.
But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin[Torahlessness]; and sin[Torahlessness], when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:14-15). [note:definition of sin 1 John 3:4]
In order to bring the Egyptian people onside with his plans, Pharaoh manufactured suspicion among his own people toward the Israelites. With the Egyptians incited by jealousy, the scene was set for the delivery of Yahweh’s people. Pharaoh said to his people,
Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land (Exodus 1:9-10).
continues tomorrow...