B’shallach (And It Came to Pass) Exodus (Sh’mot) 13:17-17:16
Haftorah Reading: Judges 4:4-5:31
1.Exodus 16:32-33 G-d gave instructions to fill a jar with manna. It was to be kept for generations to come. In fact, this container was to be kept in the Ark along with the tablets of the Law and the staff of Aaron. What was G-d’s reason for telling Moshe to keep this jar through their generations. What is your manna? What do you feed on in your life?
Why did G-d give these instructions? What was His purpose? What does it mean to us if anything? There have been many reasons suggested such as it would be a sign of the final redemption. It could have also been looked at over the years as a sign of the provision of G-d for His people. It would bring to mind His love and care for His people.
Now I want to consider what does this say to us? How does it broaden our connection and reliance on the Father in our own life? As followers of the Messiah we are to be able to remember clearly and share clearly our walk of faith. What is our manna? What can we point to and use to explain who we are and what G-d has done for us? Maybe we can look at the words of G-d to the people in our portion or other verses that remind us of who G-d is and what He had done for us in our lives. Exodus 20:1-2, “And G-d spoke all these words, saying, I am the L-rd your G-d who have brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery.” G-d is faithful. He brought us out of bondage.
My question is, what gives you hope and reminds you every day that G-d is in control, that He loves you and is with you no matter what happens. Like the manna, what do we draw on or feed on for life? Where do we go when we need direction or strength in our life? Our daily manna is the word of G-d found in scripture. It is like the manna that the people ate each day. We can read it and study it each day. Also the Spirit of G-d is our constant companion.
We must remember that our daily, public walk of faith is a testimony to the world of who we are and what we believe. In II Corinthians 3:2-3, “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men, clearly you are an epistle of Yeshua, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the spirit of the living G-d, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.” Whether we think we are this witness or not, the world watches G-d’s people. Our task is to be true to what G-d has done for us and live a life fed by the manna of G-d’s word. We carry our witness in jars of clay. We are today’s jars of manna. Our lives should reflect this clearly to the world by how we live, how we speak and how we relate to this world. Remember G-d is still providing for His people even while we are in the wilderness. The Promised Land is our final destination and until then we are to reflect our G-d in everything we do and say.
2.Exodus 15:22 says, “So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.” Verse 24 says the people murmured against Moses saying, “what shall we drink?” What is interesting is that it never says they were thirsty, just that three days into the wilderness they found no water. Next came the issue with no food to eat. What do you think these verses are telling us? What is the lesson here for us?
Right out of Egypt the children of Israel witnessed the miraculous death of Pharaoh and his army. They broke out in songs of praise to G-d. Then three days later they couldn’t find water. So they began to complain. Scripture does not say they were all thirsty or about to die of thirst. They couldn’t find drinkable water. Why do you think G-d orchestrated the two events of not finding water and no meat to eat? In both of these cases the people thought their needs were for physical sustenance – food and water. However in both cases G-d gave them what they really need – a spiritual lesson.
I think G-d was starting with the basics. He wanted them to learn to walk by faith. This would not be an easy lesson. He began with water and food both things they needed to survive. They would need to learn to depend totally on G-d’s provision for their basic needs.
After they talked about how good they had it in Egypt with the meat pots in Exodus 16:3 G-d supplied them with manna. But they had to gather it according to G-d’s directions. All this was training to listen and obey.
This might seem like simple instructions to us but have you ever experienced only having enough food for one day and at the end of that day nothing edible could be found in your house? You had to wake up and wait for the L-rd to provide for you day after day? That would take faith.
G-d was teaching them to trust Him for their provision. He was teaching them that He is the source of everything. He was reminding them that, “I was, I am, I will be” and that would never change.
It is a reminder to us also that G-d Almighty is our Provider. He is not our last resort. Our faith problem begins when we see ourselves as responsible, everything is up to us. Sometimes when we get to the end of ourselves we might cry out to G-d or complain to G-d as the children of Israel did. However, G-d is calling all of us to a deeper faith. He wants us to rest in Him and to know that He is our Provider. Everything that we are and everything that we have is completely from Him. We are vessels of G-d to be used for His Kingdom.
Here is a story of what true faith looks like. George Mueller (1805–1898), was a Christian evangelist who ran the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. This is a true story of one incident in his life while he was head of the orphanage.
“The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat.” The housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked G-d for the food and waited. George knew G-d would provide food for the children as He always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. “Mr. Mueller,” he said, “last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.” Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was a milkman. His Car had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.”
So in both of these cases we see G-d teaching the people and us that we must be able to look for the spiritual lesson and spiritual growth in everything that we encounter along our walk. It is never about the “thing.” It is always about Him and what He has for us. It is about our perspective.
Also many commentaries compare the story of the lack of water in our portion to the lack of Torah. We cannot survive without Torah. We cannot go weeks without taking in G-d’s word. We are nourished by Torah.
When we have been out working in the sun we come in super thirsty and nothing tastes better than a cool glass of water. We come through the door yearning for it. We go straight to the kitchen to quench our thirst. It is the same with G-d’s word. When we really hunger for His word nothing can keep us away from it. But if we are living in the world we are not so thirsty for truth. In fact when we read scripture it can be bitter to us. We cannot survive and be spiritually healthy without feasting on G-d’s word and His intervention in our daily lives.
3.In Exodus 15:1-21 Moses and the people sang a song to the L-rd. Why was it important for Moses to sing to the L-rd? He could have delivered a message about the L-rd to the people . Why is it important that we sing to the L-rd? Who else in scripture sang to the L-rd?
Rabbi Sacks said, “Words are the language of the mind. Music is the language of the soul. Singing gives us an avenue to worship and praise our Heavenly Father. Some believers neglect to worship G-d with their minds others neglect to worship G-d with their emotions. There is always a balance. Music affects our emotions. But we cannot be led only by our emotions.
When Moses began singing and the people followed him his words were teaching them truths about G-d and what he had done for them. He sang, “The L-rd is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my G-d, and I will praise Him… On and on for 21 verses he spoke truths about G-d. Singing is a way of memorizing scripture. It is also a way of expressing our love and adoration to our Heavenly Father.
I am sure we can all remember the words to songs we learned as teenagers. They stay with us. It is the same when we sing scripture verses about G-d. Singing helps us memorize truths about G-d and his word.
We are speaking out loud, words of our faith. G-d created us to praise Him. Sometimes we might find ourselves in a difficult place in our life. I think it helps us persevere when we intentionally choose to use our voice to sing praises to G-d even in difficult times. It helps us put things in perspective.
Judges 5:Deborah sang after Israel’s victory over the forces of Sisera.
I Samuel 2:1-10: Hannah sang when she had a child.
II Kings 3:15-19: Elisha called for a harpist to play and while he was playing the “Hand of the L-rd came on him.”
II Chronicles 5:11-14: The Levites sang in the Temple.
Acts 16:25-26: Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to G-d.
Ephesians 5:19 says we should speak to one another in psalms and hymns. It says we are to sing and make music from our heart to the L-rd
Revelation 5:9-10: talks about a new song that will be sung to celebrate the Lamb’s redemption.
Revelations 5:12-13: Thousands of angels and every creature in heaven and on earth sing, “worthy is the Lamb.”
These passages and many more, emphasize that singing is not merely a suggestion but an act of obedience. It is a way to express gratitude, declare G-d’s works, and build up our faith and the faith of fellow believers. Even in the most difficult times of our lives we have been given the gift of a voice to lift up praise.