Weekly Torah Lesson
Parasha: Bo – come, enter
Torah: Shemot: 10:1 – 13:16
** I thought that you would enjoy the perspective of “Egypt” from the view of the authors of the Apostolic Writings.
“11 Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Yaakov heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And at the second time Yosef was made known to his brothers; and Yosef’s kindred was made known to Paro. 14 Then sent Yosef, and called his father Yaakov to him, and all his kindred, three score and fifteen souls. 15 So Yaakov went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulcher that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hecht.”
** Yaakov lived in Egypt seventeen years. His great, great grandson, Moshe, brought Israel out of Egypt.
“17 But when the time of the promise drew near, which Avinu had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. 19 The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live. 20 In which time Moshe was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: 21 And when he was cast out, Paro’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22 And Moshe was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brothers would have understood how that Avinu by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26 And the next day he showed himself to them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, you are brothers; why do you wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Will you kill me, as you did the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then fled Moshe at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.”
“30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of Avinu in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moshe saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of Avinu came to him, 32 Saying, I am Elohei avotekah, Elohei Avraham, and Elohei Yitzak, and Elohei Yaakov. Then Moshe trembled, and dared not behold. 33 Then said Avinu to him, Put off your shoes from your feet: for the place where you stand is holy ground. 34 I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you into Egypt. 35 This Moshe whom they refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? the same did Avinu send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.” (Ac 7:11-36 AKJV)
** “Egypt” (confinement, lawless) is a metaphor for everything wicked. Writers describe “our own spiritual Egypt as a place where we indulge in sin.
“Elohei of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelled as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.” (Ac 13:17 AKJV)
“Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, said Avinu.” (Heb 8:9 AKJV)
“26 Esteeming the reproach of Meshiach greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” (Heb 11:26-27 AKJV)
“I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that Avinu, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” (Jude 1:5 AKJV)
** Avinu delivered Israel from Egypt because of His promise to Avraham, Yitzak and Yaakov. When He tried to bring them into the land of Canaan and they rebelled against Him ten times, He made them wander in the desert for forty years until the entire generation died. He then brought the next generation into the land.
“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Master was crucified.” (Re 11:8 AKJV)
** Here we see that “Egypt” is used as a metaphor for a sinful Yerushalem.
** The world that we live in today is also referred to as “Egypt”. Just as Avinu used His “strong arm” to deliver Israel, He is also using a “strong arm” to save us from the clutches of our own “Egypt”.
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