Beth Emunah Drash, January 2020

Parashah Va’era (And I Appeared)

God says to Moses, “I am Adonai” I appeared to Abraham, Issac and Jacob. He established (or Cut) His covenant with them, and He has heard the cry of His people in the land of Egypt.  What we see next are very familiar to us…the “four expressions of redemption,” 

These redemptive acts: He would bring out the Israelites from under the burdens of Egypt; deliver them from bondage; redeem them with His outstretched arm and great judgements; and take them to Himself as His own people.

These four promises are called the Four Expressions of Redemption, and they are traditionally commemorated during the Passover Seder (ritual meal) with four cups of wine.

God also makes a fifth expression of redemption.   He promises He will bring His people back into their own land. The land promised to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

Exodus 6:8 - “And I will bring you to the land I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it to you as an inheritance.  I am Adonai.”  

Of course, we know what happens next…God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that His mighty signs and wonders could be displayed for all to see.

In this particular parashah we see 7. I wonder, were these signs and wonders that came in the form of plagues intended to show the Egyptians who the God of Israel was, or to remind Israel of who their God is? But I actually want to concentrate on the expression of redemption.

This whole account of God’s desire for  the redemption of Israel from Egypt has a spiritual parallel in our salvation from darkness, and into His Marvelous Light - The Light that is Yeshua.

We are delivered and redeemed through faith in Yeshua, just as Israel was delivered and redeemed from Egypt, not simply for the purpose of freedom, but, just as it was for the Israelites, the purpose of our freedom is to serve the living God. A willing bond servant as it were!

What signs and wonders of redemption has God revealed to us when our hearts were still hardened toward Him? Here are just a few examples of the redemptive power of our God through Yeshua… And BTW…Paul knew this all to well as he himself was redeemed by the mighty hand of God…As he writes in Colossians 1:13–14 - 

“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” 

Eph 1:7 - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. 

Gal 1:4 - who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father 

1 Cor 1:30 - It is because of him that you are in Messiah Yeshua, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 

Romans 5:10 - For if, while we were yet enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 

And a vision of the future from Yeshua’s own words found in Luke 21:25-28… “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 

The redemptive power of God is in His very nature. We are a people of His own possession. Whether part of the chosen Nation, or grafted in by grace, His promises are as real today, as they were then. And you will know that I am Adonai.

Shabbat Shalom