- Shemot, Names
Shemot (Exodus) 1:1 – 6:1
YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 27:6-13; 28:1-29; 29:22-23; YirmeYahu (Jeremiah) 1:1 – 2:3
Matthew 22:23-33,41-46; Mark 12:18-27; 35-37; Luke 5:12-39; 20:27-44; John 8:58; 17:1-26; Acts 3:12-15; 5:27-32; 7:17-36,46; 22:12-16; 24:14-16; 1 Peter 2:13-20; Hebrews 11:23-26
One of the last things most of us want to do is to talk to a group of people or speak to someone who holds a position of authority above us. It’s especially difficult if it’s something you believe they don’t want to hear but is critically important to say. Be encouraged, we can stand on the shoulders of men of faith who were much like us.
Stephen: You want me to speak to the religious who slay prophets?
Ironically, Jews from ‘the Synagogue of the Freedmen’, among others, were trying to restrain Stephen from speaking:
‘But they were unable to cope with wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.’ Acts 6:10
Spirit-filled Stephen was bold to speak what YHWH had given him to speak, despite the animosity against him. Where did he get his inspiration to speak so boldly?
In his last message, before he was stoned to death, Stephen gave us insight into what Moses went through before he was commissioned to speak to Pharaoh:
“Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.” Acts 7:22
If Moses was an educated man with power in his words, why did he later tell YHWH at the burning bush he was such a poor speaker and couldn’t speak for Him? Read on:
“When he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he went to the defense of the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He was assuming that his brothers understood that by his hand God was delivering them, but they did not understand.
So on the next day, he appeared to them as they were fighting. He tried to reconcile them in shalom, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’ But the one doing wrong to his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? You don’t want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ ” Acts 7:24-28
Stephen recounts how Moses made a wrong assumption. As a young man, Moses made the same miscalculation that Peter did when he cut Malchus’ ear off with a sword. Moses and Peter each thought they could rally Yah’s people to a righteous insurrection. But neither of them were authorized by YHWH, nor recognized to make militant judgments. Broken, both were isolated for a time for Abba to correct them.
At this remark, Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. Acts 7:29
By the mouth of one Hebrew brother rebuking him, at this remark,’ Moses left Egypt. Moses thought that he could demonstrate how Elohim would deliver His people from Egypt’s rule by using him to strike down an Egyptian. But it didn’t serve the purpose of YHWH; it wasn’t part of His plan. His Hebrew brethren knew that Moses wasn’t going to turn things around by slaying Egyptians. On the back side of the desert, YHWH needed to instruct Moses how deliverance would come according to His plan in His way – beginning with His servant speaking to the tyrannical ruler – Pharaoh.
Moses: You want me to speak to a cruel dictator?
After forty years of tending sheep, YHWH commissioned Moshe to go back to Egypt to speak to a Pharaoh who had no regard for Joseph and didn’t know Moshe. At the burning bush, YHWH promised that He would strike Egypt with signs and wonders.
He gave His servant two miraculous signs with his staff and his hand as proof that Elohim had sent him to speak to the people of Israel to deliver them. Yet, Moshe could not be persuaded to speak up for YHWH.
Moshe said to YHWH, “Oh, Adonai, I’m a terrible speaker. I always have been, and I’m no better now, even after you’ve spoken to your servant! My words come slowly, my tongue moves slowly.” Exodus 4:10 (CJB)
Really? Moses didn’t remember when he was educated and became powerful in words. Funny how the fear of speaking before a high authority can change how a person thinks of himself and his God-given abilities! What did YHWH say in reply?
YHWH answered him, “Who gives a person a mouth? Who makes a person dumb or deaf, keen-sighted or blind? Isn’t it I, YHWH? Now, therefore, go; and I will be with your mouth, and will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:11-12
Our Father in Heaven is good at stripping away our excuses for why we think we can’t do something He calls us to do. He created us in the first place, surely He gives us the ability to speak His words. Then it must be in our willpower where the problem lies.
Aaron Shust picked up on this theme when he wrote a song called ‘Give Me Words,’ on the album ‘Anything Worth Saying.’ Aaron’s message is that only the Lord gives us anything worth saying. That’s all he wants to write for lyrics. It’s because ‘I know that I owe You my life’ is why a believer should be willing to say what Abba wants him to say.
But he replied, “Please Adonai, send someone else- anyone you want!” Exodus 4:13
Either Moshe truly did not believe he was capable of speaking for the Almighty before Pharaoh, or he did not want to do it, or both. I think we’re all a lot like him.
Another reason may be found in the paleo-Hebrew meaning of Pharaoh’s name – Paroh spelled pey and ra (resh, ayin).
‘Ra’ means evil, bad, wrong. These letters picture the open mouth of an exalted head with an evil eye. Like Moshe, who among us wants to go talk to an exalted tyrant with an evil mouth?
Jeremiah: You want a youngster like me to speak to the nations?
Now the Word of YHWH came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5
If YHWH creates and appoints someone to speak His words, how could he say ‘No’ and resist the Master’s commission? When I was young, I didn’t speak up for Him.
Then I said, “Alas, Adonai YHWH! Behold, I do not know how to speak because I am a youth.” But YHWH said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares YHWH. Jeremiah 1:6-8
Isn’t this what all youth say – I’m too young to speak up? Our Father in Heaven helped Jeremiah overcome his fear of speaking before authorities at a young age. Shouldn’t this be what parents/adults should help our children to overcome as well?
Then YHWH stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and YHWH said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.” Jeremiah 1:9
Laying hands on our young people, may we pray that Abba touches their mouths and puts His words in their mouths to speak. Of course, adults need this prayer too.
Jonah: You want me to speak to pagan city people?
Now the Word of YHWH came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of YHWH. Jonah 1:1-2
Recently, at the Restoration Synagogue in Seattle, Leslie and I heard an excellent message on how ‘every man’ is like Jonah, shared by Matt Rosenberg. (shalomseattle.com/media)
Matt expounded how we are all incline to avoid going to the pagans with the message of repentance and the Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah. We need to seek Abba for empathy for the lost and for faith in a Savior, who can save an entire pagan city like Seattle. Matt pointed out how Abba can take away our creaturely comforts to help make us willing to go meet them where they’re at with His words.
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. He prayed to YHWH, and said, “Please, YHWH, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm. Jonah 4:1-3
Jonah had proclaimed the message of judgment, calling the people of Nineveh to repent from the greatest to the least, which they did! Because YHWH is more merciful and gracious than Jonah was, God relented and spared the city. But Jonah wasn’t happy with that – he wanted the city to get the judgment they deserved.
I know that’s my flesh’s inclination – to see wicked cities like Seattle just be destroyed to end all the evil and stop their influence; rather than pray for YHWH to send them messengers of the Gospel, believing that the city can be turned around. What do we believe can happen for Yah’s Kingdom in Portland, Salem, or a pagan city near you?
The Runner: You want me to prepare a message before I go?
We find a humorous story in David’s life after his son had died in an attempted insurrection (II Samuel 18:19-32). Two runners came to give him the news, but the first one didn’t bother to prepare what to say. He didn’t know what all the commotion was all about to tell the king. So David had him stand aside until the second runner gave him the good news that YHWH had avenged all those who rose up against him.
The lesson is to prepare to explain the Gospel that our King Yeshua will destroy those who rise up against us! No one can usurp His authority! Praise Yah, Yeshua reigns!
Adam & Eve: You want to talk to - who me?
They heard the sound of YHWH Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of YHWH Elohim among the trees of the garden. Then YHWH Elohim called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” Gen 3:8-9
Could the root of my problem with running away from my call to speak up stem from my avoiding YHWH talking to me? Is there a secret sin I don’t want to be exposed to separating me from Him that I’d rather not deal with?
Genesis 3:12-13 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree and I ate.” Then YHWH Elohim said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
When Abba does get my attention, how often do I blame my wife, or someone else? How easy is it to blame all my failures to obey YHWH on the devil?
Seems to me that the fall of man didn’t start with Eve eating the forbidden fruit. It started with Adam not approaching the serpent to speak up about the commandment of Elohim, to stop the deceptive conversation with his wife. Where was Adam when Eve was talking with the serpent that day? Maybe he was like Moshe and didn’t want to confront that evil mouth with the words of his Elohim.
The Children of Israel: What do I even say to You about how bad it’s gotten?
Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out, and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them. Exodus 2:23-25
Many times in my life when I have had to deal with evil, I don’t know what to say to our Father in Heaven about it. Sometimes all I can do is groan and cry out to YHWH for deliverance and trust that He hears me. The letter ‘Yod’ in both Names – YHWH and Yeshua – means that He is at work in my life – even when I don’t see it He’s working!
Give ear to my words, O YHWH. Consider my groaning. Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray.
In the morning, O YHWH, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You, and eagerly watch. Psalms 5:1-3
Paul: You want me to talk to You how?
But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:25-28
The Holy Spirit provides the words and the utterances for us to speak to our Father in Heaven. I am thankful for one way to pray to Him with what many call ‘the prayer language,’ the gift of the unknown tongue. When I don’t have the words, He does.
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
1 Corinthians 14:2
Paul: You want me to preach the Gospel?
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with excellence of speech or wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery of God.
For I decided not to know about anything among you except Yeshua the Messiah – and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling. My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power – so that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
We may find answers in the sayings of a song by the late Rich Mullins ‘We are not as strong as we think we are.’ (Songs, 1995)
Even Paul came across with ‘weakness and fear.’ We don’t need to be eloquent speakers – ‘not in cleverness of speech’ (1 Corinthians 1:17). But we do need to be filled with the Spirit of God for the power of God to change hearts and lives by the power of the Gospel message we speak.
Why don’t we boldly proclaim the Gospel more than we do? Are our reasons the same as what so many others before us had to struggle with?
Hebrews: You want me to go speak to the Jew first?
So, for my part, I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:15-16
Why don’t Hebrew Roots believers, who don’t identify as ‘Messianic Jews,’ even talk about going ‘to the Jew first’ with anything at all? Is it for the same reasons that Moses, Jeremiah, Jonah, and others did not want to speak to whom Yah sent them?
Is it because we think they won’t listen like the Hebrews down in Egypt; they are too far gone and not likable like the Ninevites; they’re too anti-missionary like the ones the martyr Stephen spoke to?
Why would any of us go ‘to the Jew first,’ if we are not sent by a supportive body of believers who love the Jews and have empathy for their lost souls? The runner must be supported and prepared to run with an effective message. Where are they?
How then shall they call on the One in Whom they have not trusted? And how shall they trust in the One they have not heard of? And how shall they hear without someone proclaiming? And how shall they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!’ Romans 10:14-15, TLV
If we actually prepared, equipped, and sent someone to speak ‘to the Jew first’ with the Gospel message, how much more effective would we be at going to the pagan, secular world around us with the Gospel? Seems like a good acid test to me!
Fishers of men use bait. What bait would we use to send the fisher ‘to the Jew first’? Would there be any advantage for us embarking on such an outreach? Here are questions that Paul raised with the Roman believers that I cannot shake:
Then what is the advantage of being Jewish? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Much in every way. First of all, they were entrusted with the sayings of God. Romans 3:1-2, TLV
Oh, so maybe the Jews do have sayings that are an advantage to us Joes towards our outreach with the Gospel! Notice that Paul did not write ‘the writings of God’, like the Hebrew Torah scrolls, but he wrote – ‘the sayings of God’.
What could those ‘sayings of God’ be? How about the sayings that characterized the Messiah and His work before He came the first time? Maybe that would help us characterize and know our Messiah better than we do using the Christian lens of theology. What do you think we should say ‘to the Jew first’?
Pray that I may make the mystery clear, as I ought to speak. Colossians 4:4
BaShem Yeshua HaMashiyach,
David
