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Parasha Shemot - 2025 - Rabbi Yehudah

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Shemot-שְׁמוֹת / Names - Our Redemption Draws Near!

The Hebrew word Shemot means “names.” We get the name of the 2nd book of the Torah, from the first line. “Now these are the names [shemot] of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob.” Shemot is commonly known as Exodus in English which derives from the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The Greek title for the book is Exodus Aigyptou, which translates as “Departure from Egypt.” Let us look at the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, through the hand of G-d and his servant Moses (a type of our Lord).

 

Shemot 1:1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All of Jacob’s descendants then numbered 70, including Joseph, who was living in Egypt.

 

The story begins with an accounting of Jacob’s sons who came to Egypt to in avoiding the plague. Jacob had summoned his father and brothers with their household’s which numbered seventy souls.  Seventy is significant in Hebrew thinking as it is symbolic for the nations. Seventy is the biblical number of languages where all languages came from. Seventy was the number of bulls offered up for the nations during Tabernacles for the nations. Consequently, in the latter days the nations will all be required to go up to Jerusalem for the feast of tabernacles. Zech 14:16, Zechariah also tells us that all of the nations and enemies of Israel will attack them. Then eventually they will humble themselves and go to Jerusalem to worship the G-d of Israel!

 

This week’s parashat is a snapshot of the redemption not only of Israel. but of the world! The picture of Jacob’s and his sons’ households numbering 70 going into Egypt symbolizes Jews (Jacob’s sons), and the Gentiles (70) going into slavery under an evil Pharoah. Jacob’s sons had all died at this point and Israel was prospering in strength and size. The current Pharoah chose to forget our G-d, and the G-d who revealed himself to the former Pharoah. This is not unlike our generation. Many have departed from the faith as was foretold. 

 

Thessalonians 2:2-3 – Complete Jewish Bible - 2 not to be easily shaken in your thinking or anxious because of a spirit or a spoken message or a letter supposedly from us claiming that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom. 

 

We are told not to be deceived into thinking that we will be whisked away to meet our Lord until we see the apostasy. That is until the anti-christ reveals himself. President Trump is back in office which appears to be very promising. In his last term he was able to promote peace through strength and no new wars were started. Unfortunately, much has changed in the world since Trump left office and the world is in disarray.  As an evil Pharoah eventually rose up to oppress G-d’s people, the evil one spoken of in Daniel will rise up as well. 

 

Daniel 11:36-38 - Complete Jewish Bible - 36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god, and he will utter monstrous blasphemies against the G-d of gods. He will prosper only until the period of wrath is over, for what has been determined must take place. 37 He will show no respect for the gods his ancestors worshipped, or for the god women worship — he won’t show respect for any god, because he will consider himself greater than all of them. 38 But instead, he will honor the god of strongholds; with gold, silver, precious stones and other costly things he will honor a god unknown to his ancestors.

 

This evil King will arise as the evil Pharoah arose.  Pharoah’s considered themselves gods, as will this evil King (the anti-christ) who will exalt himself above all G-ds! Our G-d, i.e. the G-d of gods (Dan.11:36). He will not respect the gods of former Pharoah’s, (the god of the Nile, sun or moon gods, etc.) nor the fertility god’s that women worship. He raises himself up above all gods. This should not be hard for the believer to spot. Some may think that Trump will be the anti-christ as he is brokering peace in a time of trouble. But he cannot be the evil one of Daniel as G-d is always on Trumps lips, whom he openly praised during his inauguration. The anti-christ will be against the G-d of gods, our G-d and Father. 

 

The unbeliever will not know what to expect and will unknowingly show allegiance to this evil one. But we know that the rise of the evil one is temporary, so we hold fast to our G-d knowing that our deliverance is coming!  We may encounter hardships as did the Israelites, yet as Moshe was sent by G-d to rescue the Israelites, so too will the one like Moshe rescue us. 

 

Matthew 24:13-14 - Complete Jewish Bible - 13 But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered. 14 And this Good News about the Kingdom will be announced throughout the whole world as a witness to all the Goyim. It is then that the end will come.

 

We have seen G-d help Israel defeat and decimate their enemies on seven fronts. As Matthew 12:14 states this has been a testimony and a witness to the nations that G-d is with Israel! We are not to fear but welcome the trouble as our time of purification draws near.

 

Daniel 12:10 Many will purify, cleanse and refine themselves; but the wicked will keep on acting wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand. But those with discernment will understand. 11 From the time the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 How blessed will be anyone who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But you, go your way until the end comes. Then you will rest and rise for your reward, at the end of days.”

 

So let us take these words of G-d to heart and not be anxious or dismayed. As we cleave to G-d we cannot lose! Whether we are called to carry our crosses and sleep (R.I.P), or we are delivered in the flesh as were the Israelites who left Egypt, our reward awaits us.  Although we desire for all to know Yeshua and to be delivered, we unfortunately know that evil is stubborn and persuasive.  Daniel tells us that the wicked will keep on acting wickedly and will not understand. Some will not be reach with the message (b’sorah/good news).  We must learn to accept this and give it to G-d in prayer that they may come to the knowledge of G-d and his Son Yeshua.   

 

As we study the book of Shemot the children of Israel remained oppressed in slavery. Moshe even wonders where are you G-d?  Something many of us most likely have said or felt in the face of evil.  The taskmasters had increased Israel’s workload to an unbearable amount. The taskmasters had even resorted to beating those that could not handle it anymore. 

 

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 5:22, Moses returned to G-d and said, “G-d, why have You mistreated this people? Why have You sent me?  23 For ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has made things worse for this people, and still You have not delivered Your people!”

 

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 6:1, G-d said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: that because of My strong hand he will send them forth, and indeed, he will forcibly drive them out of his land.”

 

But G-d had not forgotten His promises. He remembers His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. G-d brings a Redeemer to their children’s children, for the sake of His name, with love

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