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When questioned about the disparity in school achievement between Iowa and Washington, D.C. in 2007, President Joe Biden...

 

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THE REPUBLICAN BALLOT - BENADRIL EFFECTIVE IN CURING COVID!!!

 

Kamala Harris struggles through question on inflation during CBS interview

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Source: Fox News

JUDICIAL WATCH WEEKLY UPDATE

 

Judicial Watch Sues Maryland for Gerrymandered Congressional Districts – Voters Challenge Unconstitutional Plan

WND BREAKING NEWS

 

Famous pastor urges clerics to unite and fight for biblical morals
 
Posted by Bob Unruh
 
When a new law was passed that deliberately undermines traditional standards on sexuality, one pastor came out swinging.

He is urging churches to unite – and fight. ... Read more…

CHUCK KOLB

 Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Va'era (And I Appeared) - Five Expressions of Redemption !!!



New Year’s Eve is on Shabbat this year.  
Happy Gregorian New Years


Previously posted ...
Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Shemot (Names) - Like Israel, Like Us !!!
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/12/chuck-kolb_25.html
It is Our Time to CELEBRATE
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/12/sermon-it-is-our-time-to-celebrate.html
 

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world
ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Luke 12:37
The war against Truth has been raging ever since
evil was expulsed from the realm of Heaven.  
God instructed Pharaoh, "Let my people go."
God instructs us, "Let my people know."
Shema Y'israel - Maranatha !
Na'aseh V'nishma 
 
✡ ✡ ✡
כבוד שם יהוה Baruch Hashem Adonai  

#ShabbatShalom - Welcome to Va'era (And He Appeared), this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion).  Please read along with us as we make our way through the Torah portion that will be read in synagogues around the world during this week’s Shabbat (Saturday) service. May you be blessed, refreshed, and inspired as you study God’s word with us. Enjoy!

In last week’s Torah study Shemot, God appeared to Moses at the foot of Mount Sinai in a burning bush, instructing him to lead the Israelites out of Pharaoh’s bondage.  Because Moses perceived himself to be slow of speech, God appointed his brother Aaron to be his spokesperson. When the brothers went before Pharaoh, he refused to let the Israelites go.  Instead of making the situation better, the Israelites’ enslavement became more oppressive. In this Parasha Va'era, God promises Moses that He will accomplish four redemptive acts: He would bring out the Israelites from their suffering in Egypt, rescue them from slavery, redeem them from their oppression with His outstretched arm, and take them as His own nation (am). God also makes a fifth expression of redemption.  He promises He will bring (heveiti הֵבֵאתִי) His people back into their own land.

You can view this Parasha on our website complete with embedded links ...
Va’era: Like Egypt, Like the World

https://free.messianicbible.com/parasha/vaera-like-egypt-like-the-world-5782/ 

Revelation and Na'aseh V'nishma
https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/11880
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/do-first-understand-later/
We will do and we will listen to all that God has declared. Exodus 24:7


When to Celebrate Yeshua HaMashiach's birthday ...
The Joy of Tabernacles when Jesus was Born
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2019/10/chuck-kolb-10142019.html
How Yeshua was born on the Feast of Tabernacles by Rabbi Yitzchak
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/how-yeshua-was-born-on-the-feast-of-tabernacles/


A Living Library of Jewish Texts in Hebrew and English translation
https://www.sefaria.org/   https://dictionary.co.il/   https://www.hebrew-verbs.co.il/
https://www.mechon-mamre.org/
 
Torah Teasers Parshat Va'eira by Moshe Erlbaum
https://www.aish.com/tp/i/teasers/Torah-Teasers-Parshat-Vaeira.html

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All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16


Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Ralph Messer ...
Simchat Torah Beit Midrash - Joy of God’s Teaching and Instruction

What Does It Mean to Choose Life? Every decision you make can be made in a way that you are “choosing life.”
The Torah is God’s constitution; it is His teaching and instruction; it is eternal and it is life.
His Spirit is pure Light, abundant with untouchable, supreme, sovereign power.
God is the Source of all life.  
 
וָאֵרָא  Va’eira means “and I appeared.” 
In this portion, we read of the first seven plagues that came upon the Egyptians.  When reading about the fourth plague, it says, “And I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell…And I will put a division between My people and thy people…” Here, the point is emphasized: God chose the Jewish people and distinguished them from everyone else.  They were different for a reason, and their difference was meant to affect their surroundings. What Makes You Different? You have a lot of reasons to be happy about who you are. Your difference counts, your difference is significant, and you have within you a great purpose. 
https://stbm.org/vaeira/

Arrive a half hour+ early for starting lessons ...
Online> Saturday Shabbat (9:00am ET / 12:30pm ET) Services and Midrash  
Online> Monday Nights with STBM 8:30pm ET  / Thursday Afternoon> 3:00 pm ET
Learn more about special event streaming when you call our team! 866-867-2488
https://stbm.org/stbm-live-main/ - https://www.youtube.com/c/RalphMesser/videos
https://stbm.org/study-home/  https://stbm.org/rrm-subscriptions/  https://store2.torah.tv/  


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Todah Rabah - Dr. Gary Hedrick 
...
Reaching the Jewish people with the Gospel
https://www.cjfm.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/
Charles Halff - What It Costs a Jew to Become a Christian
https://store.cjfm.org/product/146/what-it-costs-a-jew-to-become-a-christian

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Yitzchak .
..
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/sermon-topic/torah-parashot/
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/free-downloads/
https://www.facebook.com/CalledOutBelievers/ at 10am PT
https://www.calledoutbelievers.org/events/shabbat-telegram-teaching/
https://www.youtube.com/c/AssemblyofCalledOutBelievers/videos
The Mark of the Beast is Coming Quickly Upon Us!
https://www.calledoutbelievers.org/news/the-mark-of-the-beast-is-coming-quickly-upon-us/
The Importance and Beauty of צִיצִ֥ת Tzitzit
https://player.vimeo.com/video/152885286
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/tzitzit/
The Hidden Beauty of the Holy Name of God - YHVH
vid> https://youtu.be/dbb45zmkli4 (20:59)

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Chaim Richman
 ...
Weekly Torah Study: with Rav Gedalia Meyer
Temple Talk with Yitzchak Reuven and Rabbi Abba Horovitz
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheTempleInstitute/videos
https://www.facebook.com/The-Temple-Institute-22738684968/
https://www.instagram.com/thetempleinstitute/ - https://twitter.com/TempleInstitute
https://www.templeinstitute.org/ w Weekly Newsletter - 35 years
https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer/

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Chaim Jachter ...
Kol Torah Academy of Bergen County    

Va'Eira - Tevet 27, 5782 - December 31, 2021
https://www.koltorah.org/articles/?category=Va%27Era
https://www.koltorah.org/by-parashah https://www.koltorah.org/about-us
https://www.koltorah.org/rav-jachters-halachah-files
Yeshiva - https://www.tabc.org/ https://www.instagram.com/koltorah.tabc/
TABC Parashat Va'Eira (6 page pdf)  
https://www.koltorah.org/s/Kol-Torah-VaEira-2021.pdf
 
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Parshat Va'era

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3242/jewish/Vaera-in-a-Nutshell.htm
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/default.asp?tDate=12/31/2021  
https://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/month_cdo/jewish/Jewish-Calendar.htm
https://www.chabad.org/calendar/converter_cdo/aid/6225/jewish/Jewish-Hebrew-Date-Converter.htm
 
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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Naphtali “Tuly” Weisz 
...  
https://israel365.com/  https://www.israel365news.com/
https://www.israel365.com/about/  https://theisraelbible.com/
https://theisraelbible.com/bible/torah/  
 
The Portion of Va’era
https://theisraelbible.com/2015/01/11/vaera/

Chief Rabbi’s refusal to authorize conversions sure sign Messiah is imminent

by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
https://www.israel365news.com/264800/chief-rabbis-refusal-to-authorize-conversions-sure-sign-messiah-is-imminent/

Top ten Biblical prophecies of 2021

by David Sidman
https://www.israel365news.com/264738/top-ten-biblical-prophecies-of-2021/

Experts say new avian flu outbreak may soon jump to humans

vid> https://youtu.be/4XXW9j6g6vw (3:09) https://www.iltv.tv
https://www.israel365news.com/264806/experts-say-new-avian-flu-outbreak-may-soon-jump-to-humans/

Anti-Semitism is on the rise in the United States.
Stand with 100,000+ people who stand with Israel.

https://www.israel365.com/the-israel-covenant/

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President Donald J. Trump

https://melaniatrump.com/
https://www.45office.com/
https://gab.com/realdonaldtrump
https://t.me/real_DonaldJTrump
http://Instagram.com/realDonaldTrump  
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/alerts
https://rumble.com/c/DonaldTrump
https://tmtgcorp.com/ https://truthsocial.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ivankatrump/
DONALD DATES
Donald, Jr. 12/31/77 <<<

Jared Kushner 1/10/81
Eric 1/6/84

  
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Good News From Israel - Achievements and Heartwarming Stories
In the 26th Dec 21 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
https://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/2021/12/israels-good-news-newsletter-to-26th.html
http://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/

Mishpacha Jewish Family Weekly
https://mishpacha.com/  

The Red-Green Threat to Jews
America's new anti-Israel alliance takes shape
by Binyamin Rose
Combating Islamophobia also sounds like fair play. Since 2004, the State Department
employs a special envoy who tracks global anti-Semitism.

https://mishpacha.com/the-red-green-threat-to-jews/

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Todah Rabah - beloved Ted Belman writing from Jerusalem, Israel for 20+ years ... 
THERE IS NO DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION 

Israel’s contributions to the US enhance 2022
T. Belman writes, This is a follow up to  What’s in it for the US in its “foreign aid” to Israel?
It is often claimed that Israel is the biggest recipient of US foreign aid. That’s a lie. What Israel receives from the US comes from the US defense budget and and is a miniscule part of it. It is a US investment that yields a big return to the US.
by Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought: a US-Israel Initiative”
https://www.israpundit.org/israels-contributions-to-the-us-enhance-2022/
https://theettingerreport.com/israels-contributions-to-the-us-enhance-2022/

Mike Lindell Announces Major Court Filings 12/29/21
vid> https://rumble.com/vrltr9-mike-lindell-announces-major-court-filings.html (6:54)
https://rumble.com/c/BannonsWarRoom
https://www.israpundit.org/mike-lindell-announces-major-court-filings/

Whatever happened to Lindell’s lawsuit which required the AG’s to join
by Peloni
As you are likely aware, Byrne claims the lawsuits are still alive and being considered by the AGs. However, Jovan Pulitzer has come out and lodged a public assault on Professor Dave Clements and Dr. Frank, regarding culpability for the lawsuits not being pursued by the AGs.
https://www.israpundit.org/whatever-happened-to-lindells-lawsuit-which-required-the-ags-to-join/
https://jovanhuttonpulitzer.locals.com/upost/1480229/replay-of-my-live-feed-and-my-introducing-you-to-chlamydiaites-followers-of-litte-davey
https://patrickbyrne.locals.com/upost/1460907/ask-me-anything
PODCAST Losing American and HOW WE LET IT HAPPEN and
how WE KILL AUDITS AND ANSWERS! We Own This!
https://jovanhuttonpulitzer.locals.com/upost/1477910/podcast-losing-american-and-how-we-let-it-happen-and-how-we-kill-audits-and-answers-we-own-this

Biden & Fauci Are National Security Threats For Not Following The Science
by Gregory Hoyt - RED VOICE MEDIA
Immunologist Dr. Hooman Noorchashm recently appeared on Fox News to discuss the caveats associated with “hyper immunizing people” with respect to mandated COVID jabs and boosters, saying that the Biden administration and Dr. Anthony Fauci pose “a very serious national security threat” by not following the science of immunology. 12/28/21
vid> https://rumble.com/vrkklz-immunologist-dr.-hooman-noorchashm-calls-biden-and-faucis.html (2:23)
https://rumble.com/c/ThePostMillennialClips  https://www.redvoicemedia.com/author/gregoryhoyt/

Pfizer inoculations do more harm than good

This analysis is absolutely brilliant. 12/29/21
vid> https://rumble.com/vrlftb-the-pfizer-inoculations-for-covid-19-more-harm-than-good.html (38:57)
Q1776Q - https://rumble.com/user/Q1776Q
https://www.israpundit.org/pfizer-inoculations-do-more-harm-than-good/

>> The Jordan Option, plain and simple
https://www.israpundit.org/the-jordan-option-plain-and-simple/
>> The Jordanian Option is the only game in town

https://www.israpundit.org/my-jordan-option-is-the-only-game-in-town/

Kindly donate to support the work I do
by Ted Belman

https://www.israpundit.org/please-support-the-work-i-do-2/
https://www.israpundit.org/my-half-yearly-appeal-for-donations/
 
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Quest For The Lost Tribes - Full Simcha Jacobovici Documentary

vid> https://www.bitchute.com/video/jbB2ELq4xPw/ (1:33:29) 8/18/19
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simcha_Jacobovici
12 Tribes of Israel: The Shevatim
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3798842/jewish/12-Tribes-of-Israel-The-Shevatim.htm
https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/blog/who-are-tribes-judah
 
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In parsha Va'era,

it is a remarkable scene in ancient Egypt.  Moses and Aaron standing before Pharaoh in his court.  The brothers are there to redeem the Jewish people and they know their opponent will not bend easily.  The plagues will soon follow, but for the moment it is just Moses and Aaron alone with Pharaoh in the palace of the king. It is this moment when Moses and Aaron throw their staffs to the ground and issue their challenge to Egypt.  This week, our Shabbat meal begins with its own symbol to recall that historic summit.  We start with homemade SAVORY MIXED OLIVE TAPENADE BABKA ripped from the pages of our latest cookbook, No Mistaking Baking, you can use the babka dough or our favorite challah dough.  Now you can present a challenge to anyone at your table.  How can you possibly resist this delicious treat?
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/italian-feast-shabbat-menu/

A New Year's Eve Shabbat Party
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/years-eve-shabbat-party/

The most popular dinner recipes of 2021

https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/caribbean-roast-chicken-with-pineapple-and-sweet-potatoes/
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/salmon-sheet-pan-dinner/
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/shakshuka-ish/

10 Hearty and Warming Soup Recipes
https://jamiegeller.com/browse/10-hearty-and-warming-soup-recipes/

Middle Eastern Stuffed Vegetables 4-Ways
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/middle-eastern-stuffed-vegetables-4-ways/  

Support Our Farmers
To keep the biblical mitzvah of shmitah
https://campaigns.causematch.com/SupportOurFarmers
Meir Panim helping Israel’s impoverished
https://meirpanim.org/end-of-year-2/

A $1,000,000 apartment overlooking the Temple Mount
https://unitedwithisrael.thedreamraffle.com/special-offer-2021-triple-tickets/?a=jok_121621

Aish annual $100,000 Sweepstakes w earlybird
https://donate.aish.com/event/sweepstakes-2021/e374377
Free Hebrew course Aleph Bet
https://academy.aish.com/course/aleph-bet
This entire four-lesson course in 30 minutes.

AISH DESTINY, the life changing women's mission to Israel
The Aish Destiny Women’s Mission - Jan 31 - Feb 6, 2022
https://about.aish.com/destiny-women/

Jamie's Quick & Easy Shabbat Menu App
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/exclusive-jamie-gellers-menu-plans/
https://www.prepear.com/jamiegeller/cookbooks/quick-and-easy-shabbat-menus/

Simchat Torah Menus
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/simchat-torah/
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/shabbat/   
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/

Vegan Recipes
https://jamiegeller.com/search?query=vegan+recipes  

This is Where You Can Find Me Most of the Time
JewLish - One People - Many Flavors
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLpomjPnHcZ/
https://www.instagram.com/jamiegeller/
https://www.facebook.com/jamiegeller
https://www.facebook.com/jewlishbyjamie/

LIVE Series: FEED YOUR SOUL
vid> https://youtu.be/b4Z5lLnuggE (49:18) JG
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/feed-your-soul/

Joy of Aliyah  
http://jamiegeller.com/tag/joy-of-aliyah/
https://jamiegeller.com/tag/joyofisrael/
Jamie Geller Welcome's You
vid> https://youtu.be/XO-owES713c (0:35) JG  
Lots of 💕 Jamie - Until next week Shabbat Shalom from Israel !  

The answer is, it's made with love from Israel ! 
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/my-jewish-food-memories/
My Love Affair With Jerusalem
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/my-love-affair-with-jerusalem/

The Jamie Geller Spice Collection: Now Available Worldwide!
Sending you love and my heartfelt wishes for peace, from Israel.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jamie+Geller/page/55E36343-CF6F-4E88-A4D5-D7C1C0274F7F
https://www.amazon.com/shop/jamiegeller  
Adding Israel Wildflower Honey to my Amazon collection
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BN1985Q/

Babies, Books, and a Billion Views: My Decade in Review
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/a-decade-in-review/

Best of the Best w Hubby - Family Heirloom Cholent ...
vid> https://youtu.be/Ae2-lQVFsGw (12:01) 8/11/11 JG classic
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/family-heirloom-chulent/

Jamie at Aish - Chief Media & Marketing Officer
https://www.aish.com/authors/48868432.html
https://www.aishhatorah.com/
How You Can Make the Future Brighter
vid> https://youtu.be/fclstyB-1rA (2:48) Aish
https://www.youtube.com/c/Aishdotcom/videos

The Influence of the Hebrew Bible on America's Founding Fathers
vid> https://youtu.be/jE6Sqh-kezw (7:15) J-TV
https://www.aish.com/jl/h/h/The-Influence-of-the-Hebrew-Bible-on-Americas-Founding.html
Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. An Introduction
https://www.aish.com/jl/b/eb/ge/48966101.html

Jamie Hanala Geller
https://jamiegeller.com/author/jamie-geller/
Tamar Genger MA, RD
https://jamiegeller.com/author/tgenger/
Titles by Jamie Geller
https://www.amazon.com/Jamie-Geller/e/B001JS2GV8/
The High Holiday Recipe Collection - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/om8u2hvu10jwaeo5xuzi/
Beef Bacon 101 - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/jeithgmmua2s7fpzrgzk/
A Passover for Everyone - Aish and Jamie - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/sqyphcgmojgxtcq32ndx/
The Ultimate Challah - free eBook
https://koshernetwork.ac-page.com/pinterest-challah
Comforting Soups - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/vp6jenajjphxppjobhib/
Rosh Hashanah Sides - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/lmhvzqio815zbglkdar8/
Modern Israeli Kebobs - free eBook
https://koshernetwork.acemlnc.com/lt.php?s=a476321cee1a62660d5e43a07fe84c19&i=109A824A1A5341
Modern Israeli Summer - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/myjxowbuybzbzl3de8zb/
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/qlxqz3dqauo76fhgwlfd/
The Perfect Turkey Guide - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/g4ibbdtyf0mfdt5fudgu/
Join My Way Better Cooking Class with Jamie Geller
https://get.waybetter.com/jamiegeller/

And I appeared [Va’era] to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaacov as El Shaddai  [אל שדי] but by My name, YHVH [יהוה], I did not make
Myself known to them. Exodus 6:2–3

Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Va'era (And I Appeared) - Five Expressions of Redemption !!!

Welcome to Va'era (And He Appeared),
this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion). 
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Please read along with us as we make our way through the Torah portion that will be read in synagogues around the world during this week’s Shabbat (Saturday) service.  Enjoy!
 
VA’ERA (And I Appeared)
Exodus 6:2–9:35;  Ezekiel 28:25 - 29:21; Revelation 15:1–16:20
 
And I appeared [Va’era] to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaacov as El Shaddai  [אל שדי] but by My name, YHVH [יהוה], I did not make Myself known to them.”  (Exodus 6:2–3)
 

Reading the Torah with a yad (pointer)
 
In last week’s Torah study,
God appeared to Moses at the foot of Mount Sinai in a burning bush, instructing him to lead the Israelites out of Pharaoh’s bondage.  Because Moses perceived himself to be slow of speech, God appointed his brother Aaron to be his spokesperson.
 
When the brothers went before Pharaoh, he refused to let the Israelites go.  Instead of making the situation better, the Israelites’ enslavement became more oppressive.  Pharaoh required them to gather their own straw (whereas previously it had been provided for them) and still produce the same quota of bricks.
 
Of course, the children of Israel complained to Moses, so he brought their suffering before God, who reassured him that things would turn around.  God told him that He would not only save the Israelites with a mighty deliverance, but Pharaoh would drive them from Egypt.
 

God Appears to Moses in the Burning Bush, by Eugene Pluchart
 
God Redeems Israel Past, Present and Future
In this Parasha, God promises Moses that He will accomplish four redemptive acts: He would bring out the Israelites from their suffering in Egypt, rescue them from slavery, redeem them from their oppression with His outstretched arm, and take them as His own nation (am).
 
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.
 
For each of these acts of deliverance written in Exodus 6:6–7, God used the following Hebrew words:
  • Hotzeiti (הוֹצֵאתִי), which means I will bring out;
  • Hitzalti (הִצַּלְתִּי), which means I will rescue;
  • Ga’alti (גָאַלְתִּי), which means I will redeem; and
  • Lakachti (לָקַחְתִּי), which means I will take.

Jewish men wearing tallitot (prayer shawls) pray with tefillin (phylacteries)
and siddurim (Jewish prayer books).
 
God also makes a fifth expression of redemption.  He promises He will bring (heveiti הֵבֵאתִי) His people back into their own land.
 
“And I will bring [heveiti] you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.  I will give it to you as a possession.  I am the LORD.”  (Exodus 6:8)
 
Two thousand years ago, when the Jewish People lived in the Promised Land, this fifth expression may have been commemorated during the Seder with a fifth cup of wine.
 
Although God has been rescuing the Jewish people from their exile and bringing them back into the Land, the fifth cup is considered to represent a complete Redemption through Messiah.
 
This fifth cup at the Passover Seder, therefore, is called the Cup of Elijah, which is left untouched for the Prophet Elijah, who is expected to return to earth to herald the coming of the Messiah
and His Messianic reign.
 

Five shiny, decorative silver cups filled to the brim with red wine during
a Passover Seder, a ritual meal commemorating the Exodus.  The
largest cup is the Cup of Elijah, which remains untouched throughout
the meal.
 
When God speaks a Word, it will be done as He has said, despite how circumstances appear in the natural.
 
Still, we live in a fallen world.  Many of us suffer from spiritual myopia (short-sightedness) caused by focusing on our own suffering and loss.
 
The Israelites were no different.  They were so downtrodden and grieved in spirit that they simply could not believe what Moses said the Lord would do for them. 
They couldn’t even listen to his words of hope.
 
“Moses reported this [promise of the Lord] to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.”  (Exodus 6:9)
 
This tendency in human nature should remind us to be patient and merciful as we minister to people.
 
Even today, there are those whose bondage is so cruel and whose spirit so broken that they also cannot hear those who preach the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus).  Sometimes, they must watch us walk in the power of God, seeing signs and wonders before they will listen and believe.
 
Sometimes, we must faithfully sow seeds, patiently waiting
as God grows them.
 
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God
has been making it grow."  (1 Corinthians 3:6)
 

Harvesting wheat in Israel
 
As God had commanded them, Moses and his brother Aaron (Aharon) returned to Pharaoh over and over again, demanding that he let God’s people go so that they may serve Him in the wilderness.
 
This whole account of God’s redemption of Israel from Egypt has a spiritual parallel in our salvation from the kingdom of darkness, ruled by haSatan (literally, the Adversary) and the Kingdom of Light, ruled by the LORD.
 
We are delivered from haSatan through faith in Yeshua, the Passover Lamb, not simply to walk away and “do our own thing.”  As it was for the Israelites, the purpose of our freedom is to serve the living God.
 
“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.”  (Colossians 1:13–14)
 

The Nile River runs through Cairo.  This important river was the location
of the first of ten plagues: blood.
 
Pharaoh Remains Prideful Despite Marvels and Wonders
God gave Moses and Aaron a special sign to show Pharaoh.  In Hebrew the sign is called a mofet, which means a marvel or wonder.  Aaron was to throw his stick down before Pharaoh, and it would be transformed.  In most English translations, we read that the stick became a serpent; but in the Hebrew, the word used is tannin.
 
However, Pharaoh, as God foreknew, still refused to let the people go; therefore, God sent His judgment on Egypt in the form of the Ten Plagues.
 
“Pharaoh will not listen to you.  Then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring My hosts, My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.”  (Exodus 7:4)
 
These plagues are remembered each year at the Passover Seder during the second cup of wine.  One drop is removed from the cup for each of the plagues, while the leader recites the list of judgments in Hebrew.
 
The idea behind this custom is that our cup (which represents joy) cannot be full while others are suffering.
 
First, the waters of the Nile River were turned to blood (dam)making it undrinkable.  Then frogs (tzfardeimswarmed the land, and then an infestation of lice (kinim) tormented man and beast.
 

Jewish men wearing tallitot (prayer
shawls) listen while the Torah is read
at the Western (Wailing) Wall
in Jerusalem.

Until the plague of lice (kinim), the Egyptian magicians and sorcerers were able to duplicate the plagues but, with this plague, they could not.  Therefore, they recognized this to be the finger of God.
 
“Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh: 'This is the finger of God'; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken.”  (Exodus 8:19)
 
Pharaoh had hardened his heart and would not listen to the voice of reason—one of the surest signs of pride.  A humble man will receive correction willingly, but a person with pride immediately becomes defensive and will not listen to others.  This can bring about his downfall.
 
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”  (Proverbs 16:18)
 
Note the contrast between Pharaoh and Moses, who even today is considered to be the most humble man to walk the earth.  When Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, corrected him on his approach to settling disputes between the Israelites in the wilderness, Moses listened and took heed.
 
“So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.”  (Exodus 18:24)
 

Israeli cattle farm
 
Although Pharaoh promised to let the Jewish People go after the plague of lice, he hardened his heart and reneged on his promise.  As a result, God sent swarms of flies (arov) that covered the land, then a disease (dever) that killed all the cattle.
 
God made a distinction between Israel and Egypt.  While all the cattle of Egypt died, not even one of Israel's cattle fell to the disease. 
(Exodus 9:4)
 
This underlines the importance and reliability of being in a covenantal relationship with the Almighty God.  None of Egypt’s best sorcerers and masters of the occult could save them
from the hand of God.
 
In the sixth plague, when God turned dust into painful boils (shechin) upon man and beast, even the magicians suffered, and they could not stand before Moses because of them.  (Exodus 9:9–11)
 
This week’s Parasha ends with the seventh plague of hail (barad).
 
God sent thunder, fire and a grievous hail that destroyed anything and everything in the field—man and beast and all vegetation.  Only in Goshen where the Israelites lived was there no hail.  (Exodus 9:26)
 

While Scripture promises that the natural cycle of winter and summer will
not end (Genesis 8:22), it does say that God will intervene in Earth's
weather, turning the wilderness green in Israel and blessing Israel with
the early and latter rains (Joel 2:21).  It also states that there will be
extreme weather events in the last days (Revelation 16:8–9).   In the above
photo, a woman holds a handful of hail that fell in the summer of 2014 in
Sofia, Bulgaria.
 
Like Egypt, Like the World
We know from the book of Revelation that many of these plagues will again strike the inhabitants of the earth in the end times.  These events that happened in Egypt foreshadow what is to comepossibly on a global scalein the final days.
 
In his vision, the Apostle John describes the seven last plagues
on the earth:
 
“I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.”  (Revelation 15:1)
 
As God pours out the full bowl of His wrath upon the earth, loathsome sores appear on all those who have taken the mark of the beast and worship his image (Revelation 16:2).  Then, just like in Egypt, the waters turn to blood (Revelation 16:3–6).  Other plagues also bombard the earth, such as darkness, scorching fire, and destructive hail.
 
“From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people.  And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.”  (Revelation 16:21)
 
May we be ever mindful that we are living in the end times; and while we remain safe in the security of our holy covenant with Elohim, let us patiently share the Good News and diligently pray for mercy upon those who stubbornly continue to rebel against God.
 
 
In these troubled, difficult last days, please pray for the salvation of the Jewish People and help us bring the Good News of Yeshua
to the Holy Land.
 
"You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."  (Micah 7:19)
 
"Hear the word of the LORD, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands:  'He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd.'"  (Jeremiah 31:10)
 
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