Torah Portion No. 13

Torah: Exodus 1:1-6:1

January 12, 2025

Like last week, I’m trying to go through my four-step process in this portion. It’s proving to be a bit more difficult because of the length of the portion, but we’ll carry on.

During my initial read through Exodus 1-6:1 I wrote down a few questions.

1. What is God’s name? (3:14-15)

2. Was the “holy ground” that Moses stood on the future site of the temple? (3:5, 12)

3. Who did the Lord confront and intend to kill? And why? (4:24)

4. What did killing the baby boys do for Pharaoh? What was the point? (1:15)

January 13, 2025

Last week I was able to complete steps 1 and 2 all in one day. Step 1 is read through the portion following along with the audio in my CSB translation. Step 2 is to read through again and annotate in my ESV journaling Bible. I only completed step 1 yesterday. For the sake of time and to honor my desire to go deeper and answer the questions, I think this week I will tackle it chapter by chapter. Today I read and annotated Exodus 1 and now I’m going to spend a bit of time answering any questions I have.

What did killing the baby boys do for Pharaoh? What was the point? (1:15)

Unlike other times in Scripture, Pharaoh isn’t looking to kill a certain baby boy when he orders all the baby boys to be killed. Realizing this makes me wonder why this was Pharaoh’s solution to over-population of the Hebrews.

From the text, we know that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was fearful of the Hebrews because they were growing in size, and in power. He says in Exodus 1: 9-10

“Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land” (ESV).

Plan A was to oppress the people of Israel through slave labor. This didn’t work and they continued to multiply. Plan B was asking the Hebrew midwives to kill all the baby boys but let the girls live. Other than eventually reducing the population of the people of Israel, I don’t see any indicators in this text as to why this was his plan.

Because in the story of the Messiah, Herod ruled that all baby boys under the age of 2 be killed, I wonder if there is some sort of prohetic link in the story to that one.

The Two Witnesses: The Lampstands and the Olive Trees

Originally posted on Jan. 3, 2025.

If you’ve read Revelation, you’ve heard about the two witnesses from chapter 11. These two are granted authority to prophecy for 1,260 days (3.5 years). During this time they are invincible breathing fire and killing their enemies. After their time is up, the beast from the bottomless pit rises up and kills them. Their enemies rejoice over their dead bodies for three and a half days then the Lord raises them back to life and brings them up to Heaven on a cloud. Wild right?

The big question I’ve always had about the two witnesses is, are they two individuals or are they representative of two groups of people? The more of the Bible I read, the more I lean towards two groups, yet part of me believes it could be both because if feels like anything is possible when it comes to God and especially the end times.

As I read Revelation 11 this evening, verse 4 intrigued me. Referring to the two witnesses it says, “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth” (ESV).

At the beginning of the book, lampstands were established to be the churches. “…and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Rev. 1:20).

And when I think of olive trees, I think of Jews versus Gentiles as found in Romans 11. Israel being the natural, native olive tree and the gentiles are wild olive branches that have been grafted into the native tree.

Other important verses can be found in Zechariah 4 — the vision here is very closely connected to this. The two olive trees are the two anointed ones that stand with God.

I also thought about the sons of Zebedee who asked Jesus to grant them to sit at his right and at his left in glory — the olive trees in Zechariah are one on the right and one on the left.

All this to say, I’m no closer to an answer yet. The Bible is confusing and mysterious and I pray one day God helps me understand.

Torah Portion No. 12

Torah: Genesis 47:28-50:26 Haftarah: 1 Kings 2:1-12 Gospel: John 13:1-19

January 5, 2025

This week I am trying a new way to approach the Torah Portion. I decided on a four step process.

1. Read #1: Read the portion from start to finish following along with the audio Bible in my CSB translation. Write down quesitons.

2. Read #2: Read the portion from start to finish making annotations in my ESV Journaling Bible. Write down questions.

3. Read #3: Read in sections & consult resources. Begin addressing questions.

4. Synthesize in writing.

Today I read the Genesis passage and completed reads #1 and #2.

Questions:

• Joseph was younger than most of his brothers. Why did he die sooner? Who outlived him? (50:24)

• Why is the blessing often given to the younger? (48:14)

• What happened with Ruben? (49:4)

• How were the prophecies of Chapter 49 realized?

• What is a scepter? (49:10)

• Why did the Egyptians weep for Israel for 70 days? (50:3)

• Did they leave the children alone? (50:8)

January 6, 2025

As decided yesterday, I’ll begin addressing questions and consulting resources.

I began with chapter 49 trying to answer these questions:

1. How were the prophecies of Chapter 49 realized?

2. What happened with Ruben? (49:4)

3. What is a scepter? (49:10)

In this chapter, Jacob (Israel) gathers together his 12 sons that he “…may tell [them] what will happen…in days to come” (49:1 ESV).

“Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father” (v.2)

Jacob’s sons are the representatives, starts, first of each tribe of Israel. My assumption is that these prophecies that Jacob speaks are fulfilled not just in these men’s lifetimes but in and through the tribes that will descend from these men.

Jacob then addresses each of his sons from oldest to youngest.

Note: As I studied, one of my curiosities was weather or not the sons of Jacob and their tribes are included in the list of Israel’s tribes in Revelation 7. If they are, I’ve included an aesterick

Ruben*: Though he is the first born he will not receive preeminence because of his sexual immorality. He slept with his fathers concubine (his brothers mother). We read about that is Genesis 35:22.

Simeon* and Levi* are violent men born of Leah, Jacob’s first and unloved wife. “For in their anger, they killed men” (49: 6) may be referring to the slaughter of their sisters rapists in Genesis 34. They are also violent in their boredom. The CSB reads, “…and on a whim they hamstring oxen” (49:6).

January 7, 2025

What is the scepter? (49:10)

A scepter is “an ornamented staff carried by rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of sovereignty.” Here the scepter and the ruler’s staff represent the kingship beginning with David and being fulfilled in Yeshua the Messiah.

January 8, 2025

Today I looked into Ephraim and Manasseh. I’m trying to figure out why the birthright and blessings are so often given to the younger sibling. 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 says of Ruben, “…He was the firstborn, but his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Ruben defiled his father’s bed” (CSB). And while this gives clarity on why Ruben lost his birthright, I’m still wondering why Joseph, rather his two sons, received it. Was it simply because Joseph was Jacob’s favorite? Or is there something else here?

Also, I was today years old when I realized that Ephraim and Manasseh are two of the tribes of Israel even though they were not sons of Jacob. I’ve always been curious about why Joseph didn’t get a tribe named after him. Now I’m curious about who of the 12 sons also didn’t get a tribe.

January 11, 2025

About the tribes and land allotments. When I left my last study of this portion, I was wondering which of Israel’s 12 sons didn’t get a tribe. But the fact is that Israel really had 13 tribes. 12 had land allotments and 1 didn’t.

Israel’s favored son Joseph received a double portion, two tribes named after his two sons Ephriama nd Manasseh. Levi got a scattered tribe and no land allotment. The Levites are spread about the other territories and have special priestly responsibilities.

Why did the Egyptians weep for Israel for 70 days? (50:3)