1. TORAH: Exodus 10:1-13:16
HAFTARAH: Jeremiah 46:13-28
B’RIT CHADASHAH: Luke 2:22-24, John 19:31-37
All scripture references: The Scriptures 1998+ unless otherwise noted 1
2.
3. And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have
hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, so that I show
these signs of Mine before him,(Exodus 10:1 )
“Bo” spelled “Beit-aleph” =“come”, “enter”, “come with”,
“bring near”, “go out”, “go”, or “go in”.
The letters in “Bo” (beit = 2, aleph = 1) value of “3”.
Seven is the number of spiritual perfection or completeness,
three is the number of a divine perfection or completeness.
Yahshua spent three days and nights in the grave; which as
he said, was the “sign of Yonah”
B‟nei Yisra‟el was separated from Mitzrayim by darkness for
three days.
They were also commanded to separate themselves
completely from Mitzrayim by a journey of three days into
the wilderness, in order to make offerings to ,יהוה (Shemot
3:18)
4. And Mosheh and Aharon came in to Pharaoh and said to him,
“Thus said יהוה Elohim of the Heḇrews, ‘Till when shall you refuse
to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they
serve Me. ‘Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, see,
tomorrow I am bringing locusts within your borders. ‘And they
shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one is able to see
the land. And they shall eat the rest of what has escaped, which
remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which
grows up for you out of the field. ‘And they shall fill your houses,
and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the
Mitsrites, which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers
have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’
” …Pharaoh then called for Mosheh and Aharon in haste, and
said, “I have sinned against יהוה your Elohim and against you.
“And now, please forgive my sin only this once, and pray to יהוה
your Elohim, that He would only turn away this death from me.”
..(Exodus 10:3-19 )
5. “locusts” is “arbeh” (aleph-reish-beit-hey) “swarming locusts”.
also“floodgates”, as in the floodgates of heaven, that open up
during hard rains.
The locust was an attack on Anubis, the god of the fields,
especially cemeteries.
6. “arbeh” have the numeric value of 211 which equals; ”hei
„ra‟ah” or “he has shown”, “gibor” or “mighty”, “ee‟ra” or “you
fear”, “ha ber‟ad” or “the hail” and “El Pa‟al” or “El of
Recompense”.
The equivalent Aramaic word for “arbeh”, in the Aramaic
Targum is “gova”. The word “gova” is used in Revelation 9:1-11,
the locusts that come out of the pit.
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the
earth:and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the
bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great
furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the
pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them
was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was
commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any
green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God
in their foreheads.
related to “geva”, which means “height”, “coming down from
on high” as with judgment.
Then I shall repay you the years that the swarming locust (ha arbeh) has eaten,
the young locust (ha yeleq), and the (chaseil) consuming locust, and the
(gazam) gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” Joel 2:25
7. However, יהוה hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not let
the children of Yisra’ĕl go. And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Stretch out
your hand toward the heavens, and let there be darkness over
the land of Mitsrayim, even a darkness which is felt.” ..and there
was thick darkness in all the land of Mitsrayim for three days.
They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place
for three days, while all the children of Yisra’ĕl had light in their
dwellings. (Exodus 10:20-23)
8. This kind of darkness is talked about throughout Scripture.
First Abram:
And it came to be, when the sun was going down, and a deep
sleep fell upon Aḇram, that see, a frightening great darkness fell
upon him. (Genesis 15:12 ).
And, this is the same darkness mentioned at the giving of the
“Ten Commandments” in ..
“Do not fear, for Elohim has come to prove you, and in order that
His fear be before you, so that you do not sin.” So the people
stood at a distance, but Mosheh drew near the thick darkness
where Elohim was. (Exodus 20:18-21)
9. And he said to them, “Let יהוה be with you as I let you and your
little ones go! Watch, for evil is before your face! (Exodus 10:10 )
Then he said to them, “You better hope יהוה is with you because
when I let you and your little one go…..beware for RA is in front
of your faces!”
Hebrew word is Ra, and was a chief god of Egypt.
He was the sun god, the god of light
…and Pharaoh considered himself to be the son of this god.
So we can see here that Pharaoh is setting forth the
challenge of the Elohim of the Hebrews versus the sun god Ra!
The light of Egypt verses the light of !יהוה
And no wonder! For Satan himself masquerades as a messenger
of light! (2 Corinthians 11:14 )
10. Ra was the ancient Egyptian sun god, and was viewed as the
creator of all life.
This false god was identified primarily with the noonday sun
and represented light, warmth, and growth to its worshipers.
It is depicted as a man with the head of a hawk, bull, ram, or
solar orb, and its symbols were sometimes combined with
other gods.
Darkness represented the complete removal of Yahweh’s
presence from the Egyptians, while the light (of His presence)
continued to remain over the Children of Israel. His presence
(i.e. His faithfulness) was with them.
11. And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in
it, for the esteem of Elohim lightened it, and the Lamb is its lamp.
(Revelation 21:23 )
Darkness snuffed out life; without light life ceased.
Scripture said that no one could move, they were paralyzed
for those three days.
Without the life support of light even the air around them
was immobile,
fire could not even burn.
This plague was so terrible they could actually “feel” the
darkness.
12. The pattern of how worship of the sun
has continued throughout history.
In ancient Babylon, the kings served
as high priests of the sun god, Bel-
Marduk.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 ed., the
celebration of the winter solstice around
December 25 was regarded as the
birthday of the sun. It was a major
holiday associated with gift-giving and
the sacred evergreen tree
13. Persia was Babylon’s successor and the ancient Persian
religion centred on the worship of Mithras, the god of light.
The Greeks of Asia Minor identified Mithras with their
ancient sun god, Helios.
Then Alexander the Great travelled to Egypt to the Temple
of Amon-Ra to be proclaimed by the priests as the literal son of
the sun god.
In 274 AD Aurelian established the sun-god as the supreme
god of the Roman Empire.
14. Constantine, considered Rome’s first “Christian” emperor,
was himself a devotee of the sun god.
The famous vision of the cross as he marched on Rome came
to him from the sun.
The sun appeared on most of his coins and his own statue at
Constantinople bore the rayed crown of the sun-god. His coins
were inscribed: “Sol Invicto Comiti” (Committed to the
invincible sun).
While claiming to be a “Christian”, Constantine maintained
the title “Pontifus Maximus” the high priest of paganism.
15. In 321 AD, Constantine enacted laws that all courts of justice,
inhabitants of towns,
workers were to be at rest on Sun-day, doing away with
the Sabbath.
The term used was “the venerable day of the sun.”
The observance of Sunday (associated with sun worship),
has thus worked its way right on down through the
medieval period to modern times.
Contrary to what we’ve been told, it was not יהוה that
authorized the change from a 7th day Sabbath to the 1st
day of the week.
Constantine decided to improve ways church
worshipped.
Less than one year after his conversion: “I am going to
make plain to them what kind of worship is to be
offered to God. . . What higher duty have I as
emperor than to cause all to offer God true
religion and due worship.”
16. He saw himself as the sun god,
he believed this so much that he had יהוה 's
Biblical lunar calendar changed to a solar calendar to have the
people pay homage to him and take the focus off the God of
Israel.
Without God’s lunar calendar directing and guiding them,
Yahweh’s people lost their heritage and their identity.
They even began to see ’יהוהs celebrations as strange and
foreign.
The establishment of his solar calendar worked, and many
were led astray into the worship of Babylonian celebrations
like Christmas and Easter.
17. Constantine even named the days of the week after
Babylonian gods to have the people pay homage to the gods
he worshipped.
Thus we readily accept the days of the week as Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday etc. not realizing they are so named
in honor of pagan gods.
So don't let anyone pass judgment on you in connection with
eating and drinking, or in regard to a Jewish festival or Rosh-
Hodesh or Shabbat. These are a shadow of things that are
coming, but the body is of the Messiah. (Colossians 2:16-17 CJB)
18. The idea to celebrate Christmas on December 25 also
originated in the 4th century.
The Church wanted to cover the festivities of a rival pagan
religion that threatened Christianity’s existence.
The Romans celebrated the birthday of their sun god,
Mithras during this time of year.
Although it was not popular, or even proper, to celebrate
people’s birthdays in those times, church leaders decided that
in order to compete with the pagan celebration they would
themselves order a festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus
Christ.
19. December 25 was chosen as the official birthday celebration
as Christ’s Mass so that it would compete head on with the
rival celebration.
This was the Roman version of Christianity.
It was polluted and mixed and filled with pagan rituals.
Christmas was slow to catch on in America.
The early colonists considered it a pagan ritual.
The celebration of Christmas was even banned by law in
Massachusetts in colonial days,
not taught in most public school history classes.
20. Ezekiel is taken through a vision to the temple of יהוה and shown many
detestable things, and the MOST detestable thing was this. There are men
worshiping in the temple of ,יהוה but they are participating in some facet of
sun worship, which causes their backs to face the ALMIGHTY !יהוה Worship
of the sun in ’יהוהs own house! יהוה hates the mix in our worship.
Then He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? You are
to see still greater abominations than these.” And He brought me
into the inner court of the House of .יהוה And there, at the door
of the Hĕḵal of ,יהוה between the porch and the altar, were
about twenty-five men with their backs toward the Hĕḵal of יהוה
and their faces toward the east, and they were bowing
themselves eastward to the sun. (Ezekiel 8:15-16 )
21.
22. There is darkness in the “Day of ”יהוה
“And I shall give signs in the heavens and upon the earth: blood
and fire and columns of smoke, the sun is turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and
awesome day of .יהוה “And it shall be that everyone who calls on
the Name of יהוה shall be delivered1. ..(Joel 2:30-32).
Woe to you who are longing for the day of !יהוה What does the
day of יהוה mean to you? It is darkness, and not light, as when a
man flees from a lion, and a bear shall meet him; or entered his
house, rested his hand on the wall, and a serpent shall bite him. Is
not the day of יהוה darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark,
with no brightness in it? (Amos 5:18-20 )
Near is the great day of ,יהוה near and hurrying greatly, the noise
of the day of .יהוה Let the mighty man then bitterly cry out! That
day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and trouble, a day of
waste and ruin, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds
and thick darkness, a day of ram’s horn and alarm ... “And I shall
bring distress on men, and they shall walk like blind men .. their
blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.”
(Zephaniah 1:14-17 )
23. “This month is the beginning of months for you, it is the first
month of the year for you. (Exodus 12:2 )
The very first commandment given to Israel, before the last
plaque happens and it was “change your calendar”.
The calendar of Egypt was based on the sun
יהוה commanded the Israelites to base their calendar on the
moon. They were no longer to have anything to do with
worshiping the sun or with the sun god, Ra.
24. The beautiful concept of light had been so perverted by the
evil one. Teaching them the truth about light will be a part of
Elohim freeing His people from Pharaoh’s rule and Egypt’s
influence.
And He will do this by starting with the celebration of the
New Moon. Based on this calendar, the events of the Passover
will be remembered and celebrated each year as an
everlasting ordinance!
‘And this day shall become to you a remembrance. And you shall
observe it as a festival to יהוה throughout your generations –
observe it as a festival, an everlasting law. (Exodus 12:14 )
25. The first mitzvah of the Torah to the Children of Israel is that
of "sanctifying the month" (KIDDUSH HACHODESH).
This involves counting the months of the year from Nissan,
the month of redemption, and, when the Sanhedrin sits in the
Land of Israel, taking testimony from witnesses who have
sighted the new moon in order to declare the start of the new
month.
26. Marking time from the point at which the moon, having
briefly disappeared from sight, begins to wax and grow, is a
sign of constant regeneration and vitality.
The sign of the crescent was taken over by Islam, but the
unique power of the crescent of the new moon as a symbol of
renewal is known only to the Children of Israel, who observe the
commandment of Sanctifying the Month.
’יהוהs lunar calendar establishes the timing of His
moedim/feast days called the paths of righteousness, an aspect
of the walk of holiness He has called His people to.
27. Rosh Chodesh is the Hebrew term for “New/renewed moon”
Blow the ram’s horn at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon,
on our festival day. (Psalms 81:3)
Rosh Chodesh is a time to come together with other believers
and “sound the shofar”!
28. The moon is a heavenly body that cannot produce its own
light.
Israel also has no light of its own, but she would learn she
was to be a light to the nations.
On Rosh Chodesh the moon’s light breaks forth from the
darkness and brings light to the world as a reminder to us of
our calling and purpose.
Our purpose is to bring the light of salvation to the world.
We are to be reflecting the light of Torah into a dark world.
For the command is a lamp, And the Torah a light1, And reproofs
of discipline a way of life (Proverbs 6:23)
29. Torah and Yehushua is the Living Torah!
Therefore יהושע spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of
the world. He who follows Me shall by no means walk in
darkness, but possess the light of life.” (John 8:12)
The light that we are reflecting, is the light of Torah, which is
Yehushua! When we love Yehushua by keeping His
commandments, we reflect that light into a dark world:
“If you love Me, you shall guard My commands. (John 14:15)
Yehushua also said:
“You are the light of the world. It is impossible for a city to be
hidden on a mountain. “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under
a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines to all those in the
house. “Let your light so shine before men, so that they see your
good works and praise your Father who is in the heavens.
(Matthew 5:14-16)
30. Rosh Chodesh is the exact day when ’יהוהs presence filled
the tabernacle:
And it came to be in the first month of the second year, on the
first day of the month, that the Dwelling Place was raised up. …
And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the esteem of
יהוה filled the Dwelling Place. ..(Exodus 40:17-35)
It is written in the Talmud that “anyone who blesses the New
Moon is like one who receives the Shekinah (the glory)”.
This is exactly what happened when the Israelites raised up
the tabernacle in the desert on Rosh Chodesh!
Thus every month on Rosh Chodesh, we are able to watch
that little sliver of moon pierce the darkness and we are
reminded of our purpose…. shine forth His light! Be renewed!
“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand
before Me,” declares ,יהוה “so your seed and your name shall
stand. “And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and
from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before
Me,” declares .יהוה (Isaiah 66:22-23)
31. Moshe said, "Here is what Adonai says: 'About midnight I will go
out into Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die,
from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting on his throne to the
firstborn of the slave-girl at the hand mill, and all the firstborn of
the livestock. There will be a horrendous wailing throughout all
the land of Egypt — there has never been another like it, and
there never will be again. (Exodus 11:4-6 CJB)
The death of the firstborn was an attack on Pharaoh, the
god-king. Pharaoh was considered a god, as was his firstborn
son who would succeed him on the throne.
the firstborn of people and animals in general were often
worshipped.
Pharaoh was considered an incarnation of Ra, the sun god,
and Osiris, the giver of life. Because Pharaoh’s son was
considered a god, when he died it was as if a god of Egypt had
actually died.
32. Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and
you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats. " 'You are
to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the
entire assembly of the community of Isra'el will slaughter it at
dusk. (Exodus 12:5-6 CJB)
The month of Nissan is governed by the astrological sign of
Aries (T'LEH, the Ram), called the "head" or first of the
constellations, since this is when the annual "regeneration" of
the world begins in springtime.
The Egyptians, who were masters of astronomy and
astrology, worshipped sheep (Gen. 46:34).
The commandment to the Children of Israel to take young
sheep, ritually slaughter and eat them,
33. They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides
and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house in which
they eat it. That night, they are to eat the meat, roasted in the
fire; they are to eat it with matzah and maror. Don't eat it raw or
boiled, but roasted in the fire, with its head, the lower parts of its
legs and its inner organs. Let nothing of it remain till morning; if
any of it does remain, burn it up completely. " 'Here is how you
are to eat it: with your belt fastened, your shoes on your feet and
your staff in your hand; and you are to eat it hurriedly. It is
Adonai's Pesach [Passover]. (Exodus 12:7-11 CJB)
The two doorposts represent theTwo Houses of Israel: the
House of Judah and the House of Israel. They are joined
together by the lintel,
Yeshua, the Lamb of God, the mediator between heaven and
earth. End times unity is seen here of the restoration of all
Twelve Tribes. The future “twelve gates” unified in Yeshua that
lead into the New Jerusalem.
The house represents the house of Yahweh and His covering,
which we choose to remain in as we walk in obedience to Him.
34. For that night, I will pass through the land of Egypt and kill all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, both men and animals; and I will
execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt; I am Adonai.
(Exodus 12:12 CJB)
At Midnight, on the 14th day of Abib, יהוה killed all the first-
born in Mitzrayim, of man and beast.
But, the Children of Yisra‟el, and those of the “mixed
multitude”, who obeyed the instructions LIVED.
“And I shall be revealed in the land of Mitsrayim on that night…‟.
“He” passed through not an angel” and “I and not a seraph” and
“I and not a messenger”.
Only ,יהוה Who gives life, can take it.
The concept of meting out judgment to Mitzrayim, while
showing mercy and salvation to Yisra‟el, are the attributes that
are revealed in the Name “Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey”.
35. " 'This will be a day for you to remember and celebrate as a festival to Adonai;
from generation to generation you are to celebrate it by a perpetual regulation. "
'For seven days you are to eat matzah - on the first day remove the leaven from
your houses. For whoever eats hametz [leavened bread] from the first to the
seventh day is to be cut off from Isra'el. On the first and seventh days, you are to
have an assembly set aside for God. On these days no work is to be done, except
what each must do to prepare his food; you may do only that. You are to observe
the festival of matzah, for on this very day I brought your divisions out of the land
of Egypt. Therefore, you are to observe this day from generation to generation by
a perpetual regulation. From the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month
until the evening of the twenty-first day, you are to eat matzah. During those
seven days, no leaven is to be found in your houses. Whoever eats food with
hametz in it is to be cut off from the community of Isra'el — it doesn't matter
whether he is a foreigner or a citizen of the land. Eat nothing with hametz in it.
Wherever you live, eat matzah.' “(Exodus 12:14-20 CJB)
36. Bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8) - Represent the bitterness of our
slavery and bondage.
Matzo - Flat unleavened bread, represents יהוה’s pure Word
pointing to our redemption and freedom from our sin.
Roasted lamb - represents the Messiah Yeshua, the Savior of
the World who took our death upon Himself.
Easter: Man imposed Easter (by threat of death) on the people 350 years
after Yehushuah died.
Yehushua never taught Easter or the celebration of it. Easter originated
and was celebrated in Babylon hundreds of years before Yeshua was born.
Easter is the celebration of Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of fertility at
the spring equinox. Eggs are a symbol of Ishtar, and were dipped in the
blood of human sacrifices made to pay homage to her.
Today’s practice of decorating Easter eggs originated from this tradition.
37. "Moreover, it will serve you as a sign on your hand and as a
reminder between your eyes, so that Adonai's Torah may be on
your lips; because with a strong hand Adonai brought you out of
Egypt. Therefore you are to observe this regulation at its proper
time, year after year. When Adonai brings you into the land of
the Kena`ani, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and gives it
to you, you are to set apart for Adonai everything that is first
from the womb. Every firstborn male animal will belong to
Adonai. Every firstborn from a donkey, you are to redeem with a
lamb; but if you choose not to redeem it, you must break its
neck. But from people, you are to redeem every firstborn son.
(Exodus 13:9-13 CJB)
Part of the priestly garments was the mitre, a gold plate on
the High Priest’s forehead that read “Holy unto Yahweh.” This
“sign” distinguishes the Bride in the end days; the
Bride and the priesthood, and are called Holy unto יהוה when
they walk in His ways and keep His feasts! (Exodus 28:36;
Revelation 20:4)
38. The Hebrew word used here for “donkey” is “cham‟or”
(Strong‟s #2543) literally meaning “ass”, also “troubled” or “in
turmoil”.
“Cham‟or” is spelled “chet-mem-reish”.
“Chet” means “fear”, “mem” means “water” or “fountain of
Wisdom” and “reish” means “head” or “beginning”;
fear (or reverence) of the water (the washing of the Word) is
at the “beginning” of our relationship to Elohim.
donkeys represent those who have fear (or reverence) of the
Word.
Our turmoil, then, is to understand and learn it. These are as
“first-born” who are ransomed. Those who don‟t care for the
Word are not ransomed and their necks are broken.
So, being an ass isn‟t always a bad thing. 39
39. Today the world is witnessing cataclysmic, earth-shaking
events.
The last thing that any of today's cultured classes want to
admit of is evidence of the "finger of "יהוה behind all the
turmoil.
Natural disasters have their sources in scientific fact, and
when those facts are stretched to the breaking point then the
finger is pointed at man as the source of nature's breakdown:
• Pollution and overpopulation;
• Abuse of the planet's natural resources have set laws of
nature awry
Our greatest minds tell us that political and social upheaval
are the result of past and present colonialism and economic
injustice.
40. Pharaoh's necromancers were able to turn the Nile to blood.
Like today's soothsayers, Pharaoh also wanted to believe that
all phenomena, no matter how powerfully devastating and
directed, are basically explainable and explicable.
If they can recreate the plagues of Egypt, no matter how self
destructive that recreation may be, then this is a great comfort.
If we can explain what is happening all around us via our intellect
then we don't need to search for a greater answer.
then we don't need to search our hearts.
Pharaoh bounce back after each and every plague and dig in
his feet once again and deny that there is a יהוה in the world.
41. While יהוה was raining destruction down upon Egypt, He was
simultaneously communicating with His people, giving them
instruction.
He told them to be ready to relate the wonders He was
working to their children and their children's children for all
time. (Exodus 10:2)
He told them to take note of the new moon and to use it to
take control of time and thereby take control of their own
destiny.
He told each household to acquire a lamb and to be ready to
slaughter and eat it, in what would be the most extreme and
outrageously politically incorrect act of their day
42. He told them to take the blood from the Pesach lamb and to
paint their doorposts red, so that they would no longer see
themselves as being just like everyone else, but as being special
and in possession of a יהוה given mission.
And the most miraculous thing happened, in fact the only
miraculous thing: They listened.
Because Israel took up 'יהוהs great challenge to team up with
Him and change the world forever, His efforts were not in vain,
and His presence was revealed in the world and acknowledged
by all.
43. “As in the days when you came out of the land of Mitsrayim, I
shall let him see wonders.” (Micah 7:15)