בְּשַׁלַּח
B’shalach / When He Let Go
Exodus 13:17-17:16
hafTorah Portion Judges 4:4-5:31
John 6:22-40

     This Torah portion is also known as the Sabbath of Song; Shabbat Shirah -Exodus 15:1-21 The chapter continues with exalting praise to Elohim. Miriam begins her song in Exodus 15:20-21 ‘Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted. Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.”
     These songs of great praise are sandwiched between the actual Exodus; complete with excitement, fear, the parting of the sea and victory of escaping the enemy; and the beginning of other miracles coupled with murmuring -the waters of Marah, mana, quail, and water from the rock.
     Throughout Beshalach we see the reasoning behind every single instruction and thought of Elohim.  For instance; God did not lead the people to the Promised Land by the coastal route, which would have been more direct.  It was a main thoroughfare being a main path from Egypt where the Egyptians had established a number of forts along the way. Elohim knew that His people living the life of bondage for hundreds of years would be weak and terrified in the face of an enemy.  However interesting that for His people, the alternative route they took was potentially even more traumatic. God led them around by the desert road towards the Red Sea. The result was that the Israelites, when they saw the Egyptian chariots pursuing them in the distance, had nowhere to go. They were terrified. They were not spared the fear of war. Why the Red Sea? Looking at the face of it, it seems it would be the worst of all possible routes.
    The motivation for everything is: ‘And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for Myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” Exodus 14:4.  
     As the children of Israel wait terrified for the Egyptian army to pursue and destroy them, Moses answered the people in Exodus 14:13-14, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (wait to do what He says).
     The Exodus was not only a release of God’s people from bondage into freedom to worship Him, but an opportunity for God to erase the Egyptians and their arrogance. In His Divine Wisdom, He used the very arrogance of the Egyptians to confuse them. Exodus 14:1-4 reveals this: ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.’
      This Torah portion is a great reminder to us to trust in Abba, even though we do not understand.
Isaiah 55:8-9 ‘“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’
Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.’
       Beshalach is a great lesson in obeying the voice of Abba even when our flesh wants to turn the other way. We know obeying brings blessings to us and our household, and we know that God’s desires our obedience out of love.
1 Samuel 15:22 “And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”
Genesis 22:18 “…and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Isaiah 1:19 “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”
    Beshalach is also a great reminder that God fights the battles with us, for us, for His glory.
Exodus 14:4 ‘The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
2 Chronicles 20:17 ‘You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
Deuteronomy 20:4 ‘For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’
Deuteronomy 3:22 ‘You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.’
Isaiah 40:31 ‘But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.’
Psalm 34:17 ‘When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.’
Deuteronomy 1:30 ‘The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes…’
     Beshalach is also a great reminder of shalom in Elohim.
John 16:13 ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’
Psalm 4:8 ‘In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.’

בְּשַׁלַּח
B’shelach / When He Let Go
Exodus 13:17-17:16
HafTorah Judges 4:4-5:31            
Brit Chadasha John 6:22-40

        Sabbath of Song; Shabbat Shirah
        B’shelach opens with Pharoah releasing the Israelites and the reason why God did not lead them by the way of the Philistines. ‘When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Exodus 13:17. 
      Moshe took Joseph’s bones with him on the journey as promised, and God continued to lead the people by cloud and fire. Exodus 13:22 states that God did not remove these signs from His people, He did not take away their sense of security.
    Chapter 14 describes the crossing of the Red Sea, but it begins with God's ingenious plan, which causes Pharaoh to liken the Israelites to a people of bewilderment. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart again, and he continues to pursue the Israelites.
     Throughout the ordeal, fear begins to replace faith within the Israelites, even after all the miracles they witnessed.  At the end of this chapter, the Israelites once again put their fear and trust in God. ‘And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses his servant.’ Exodus 14:31.
     In chapter 15, we read the beautiful songs of Moshe, Exodus 15:1-18 and Miriam, Exodus 15:19-21.  This is called ‘The Song by the Sea’ and likens the Egyptians to three things: a stone in 15:5, straw or stubble in 15:7, and lead in 15:10.  In Exodus 15:6 we see the power of the Right Hand, ‘Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.’ 
     Exodus fifteen ends with the waters of Marah, where bitter becomes sweet. Before the waters turned sweet, the people grumbled against Moshe and he cries out to Adonai God gives His people another test in Exodus 15:25-26, reassuring His people ‘I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” The Israelites camped by the twelve springs and seventy palm trees of Elim.  Exodus 16 contains bread from heaven and heavenly quail. B'shelach ends with water from the Rock.
     All the miracles, all the grace, security, and signs and wonders that God gave His people on this journey, and they still were ungrateful. Exodus 17:6-7 ‘And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
     B’shelach concludes with the rush of water in Horeb, victory over the Amalekites and a Name for Adonai; “The LORD is my banner/YHWH Nissi”. This altar that Moses built marked the place where God intervened on behalf of His people and promised to utterly defeat His enemies, thus the appropriate name: YHWH Nissi. 
     Fear is contagious and causes doubt, seen and unseen.  Fear caused the Israelites to grumble, complain and live in negative thoughts.  
     Through out Scriptures, we find that there are only three types of fear. The first type of fear is of earthly troubles and men- which is considered a sin. The second fear is of the Lord which denotes our reverence and love for Him.  Fear and awe are found in the same Hebrew word: Yirah and according to Proverbs 1:7 – ‘The fear – Yirah - of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ The third kind of fear is the fear that we should feel to keep us from sin. That is found in 1 Timothy 5:20.   And what is sin? Lawlessness/Torahlessness. 
     Fear changes us and our motives.  The first mention of fear in the Bible is just after Adam and Eve sinned.  As God came looking for them in the garden they hid themselves because ‘they were afraid’.  Genesis 3:10.  Abraham was afraid to say that Sarah was his wife, Genesis 26:7-9. Saul was afraid in 1 Samuel 28:5-7. Elisha feared Jezebel, 1 Kings19:3.  Jonah and the men were afraid, Jonah 1:10.
      The Exodus was not only a release of God’s people from bondage into freedom to worship Him, but an opportunity for God to erase the Egyptians and their arrogance. In His Divine Wisdom, He used the very arrogance of the Egyptians to confuse them. Exodus 14:1-4 states: ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.’
      This Torah portion is a great reminder to us to trust in Abba, even though we do not understand.
Isaiah 55:8-9 ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’
Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.’
     The contrast between before and after the Red Sea is this: before, facing the approaching Egyptians, Moses said to the people: “Stand still and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today ... The Lord will fight for you; you need only be silent.” Exodus 14:13. In other words, do nothing. God will do it for you. And He did. In the case of the Amalekites, however, Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and prepare for battle against Amalek.” Exodus 17:9. Joshua did so, and the people waged war. This was the great transition: The Israelites grew from a life in which Moshe with the help of God did everything for the people to one in which the leader empowered the people to act for themselves.
     What God is saying is: “Get up and get going.  Do not fear for I am with you and this will once again bring honor to Me.”
    There is no glory when we are stagnant and locked in fear.  There is not glory to God when we worry about the events in our lives.  There is no glory when we complain and plead to move backwards instead of moving forward.
    However, there is great honor- kavod - and glory to God when we rise to the occasion and press on.  It is when we overcome the situation, with Elohim and because of Elohim that glory bestows Adonai.