Shemot - Reading #3

Shemot, שְׁמוֹת - Names

Torah Portion: Exodus 1:1-6:1

Reading #3 - Exodus 2:11–25

My Thoughts:

Hashem hears our cries. This Scripture today proves it. In verse 24 it says, “Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim remembered His covenant…”. Sometimes I know we feel like giving up because we don’t think Hashem is going to help us when we are in trouble or fighting a battle. But He does! It is just all in His timing not ours. We must remember this powerful story of His people. They were oppressed and were down trodden, they cried out to Hashem and He heard them. And most importantly, He did something about it! He raised up a deliverer in Moses -- and took them out of their hardship to the Land of milk and honey. Of course, that is another story...

Challenge:

Are you or someone you know going through a really tough time? Cry out to Hashem (pray and seek His face) and ask Him to help you/them. Write your prayer down on paper, and then when He answers you in His very special way -- write down how He blessed you! Maybe keep a prayer journal with other requests and answers. It will become a lifelong blessing and testimony of Elohim and His love for you!

Reading #3 - Exodus 2:11–25

2:11 In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. 12 He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

13 He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?”

14 He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?”

Moses was afraid, and said, “Surely this thing is known.” 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”

19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.”

20 He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”

21 Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter. 22 She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”

23 In the course of those many days, the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to Elohim because of the bondage. 24 Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 Elohim saw the children of Israel, and Elohim was concerned about them.

Shemot - Reading #2

Shemot, שְׁמוֹת - Names
Torah Portion: Exodus 1:1-6:1

Reading #2 - Exodus 1:18–2:10

My Thoughts:

The plans of Hashem always carry through. In today’s reading we see two miracles. First of all that the midwives are rescuing babies from murder, and secondly that the Pharaoh's daughter finds Moses in the river and rescues him! And actually a third miracle -- baby Moses is given back to his birth mother to be nursed and cared for! Hashem had a wonderful plan to raise up a deliverer for His people and the enemy obviously was not liking this. However, Hashem’s plan prevailed. Moses is saved and placed back into the loving arms of his mother. There is nothing that can stop the plans of Hashem! Amen!

Challenge:

If you saw something that was going on that was wrong, would you intervene to stop it? Would you lie to save a life? Would you be daring to carry out a dangerous plan (like placing baby Moses into the river)? Would you trust in Hashem that if you did any of this that He would bless and protect you? My challenge to you today is to be on the lookout for what Hashem is challenging you to do. It is going to take you out of your “comfort zone” but you must pray that He will give strength to you. Be brave and bold. Hashem will go with you wherever you go!

Reading #2 - Exodus 1:18–2:10

1:18 The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?”

19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”

20 Elohim dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. 21 Because the midwives feared Elohim, He gave them families. 22 Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

2 A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him, and coated it with tar and with pitch. She put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. 4 His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him. 5 Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe at the river. Her maidens walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds, and sent her servant to get it. 6 She opened it, and saw the child, and behold, the baby cried. She had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”

7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”

8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.”

The young woman went and called the child’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.”

The woman took the child, and nursed it. 10 The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

Shemot - Reading #1

Shemot, שְׁמוֹת - Names

Torah Portion: Exodus 1:1-6:1

Reading #1 - Exodus 1:1–17

My Thoughts:

The story of the midwives is one of my favorite stories in the Bible! They decide to “not tell the truth” and save babies from being murdered -- it is a beautiful story of dedication. In verse 17 we read, “But the midwives feared Elohim, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.” They feared and respected Hashem so much that they didn’t do what the King asked of them! This is the most pro-life story in all of Scripture. Maybe there are times in our lives when it is wiser to fear Hashem, and do what we have to do even if it is disobeying someone in authority. As we will read tomorrow their households were blessed for actually being disobedient to the King’s orders. We can assume from this teaching that Hashem would do the same for us in a similar situation.

Challenge:

Think of a situation in your life where you righteously defended someone and so you could not tell the truth or had to disobey your authority. Or maybe you have a situation right now in your life where Hashem is calling you to do something brave. Pray and ask Him for strength to defend what is right. Unfortunately, there may be a time where you do not dispel the truth or you disobey some authority and it might land you in jail or you may lose a job, or get fined. This is where you must be sure you have heard from G-d how to handle a difficult situation. Be in prayer and use a listening ear. You may have a “cost” for defending what is right, but in the end you will have done what is good and you will be blessed for doing so.

Reading #1 -  Exodus 1:1–17

1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every 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 the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. 10 Come, let’s deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against us, and escape out of the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They started to dread the children of Israel. 13 The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve, 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.

15 The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah, 16 and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared Elohim, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.

Shemot - Week #1

Shemot, שְׁמוֹת - Names

Exodus:1:1-6:1

Isaiah 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23

Matthew 2:1-12

1.1 First reading — Exodus 1:1–17

1.2 Second reading — Exodus 1:18–2:10

1.3 Third reading — Exodus 2:11–25

1.4 Fourth reading — Exodus 3:1–15

1.5 Fifth reading — Exodus 3:16–4:17

1.6 Sixth reading — Exodus 4:18–31

1.7 Seventh reading — Exodus 5:1–6:1