February 8, 2025: Torah Portion Parashah Beshalach - “When He Sent Off”
Updated: 18 hours ago
In this study, we will explore the Torah Portion Beshalach.
Torah Portion: Exodus 13:17-17:16
Haftarah: Judges 4:4-5:31
Brit Chadashah (New Testament): John 6:15-71; 1Corinthians 10:1-5
Before you read this wonderful Bible study about this special Torah Portion Beshalach and message for this SHABBAT, please HELP us continue to make a positive impact, partner with us in this vision! How You Can Make a Difference:
1. Pray for Our Mission: We need your prayers as we move forward with this important ministry. Pray for favor, resources, and divine guidance.
PARTNER WITH US - YOUR DONATIONS ARE ALL TAX EXEMPT IN THE UNITED STATES:
As we start off the civil YEAR 2025, we have so many projects and we need your help, for the glory of Adonai! Please DONATE to keep us going.
All of the ministry funds to Restore Israel is for ministerial, educational and charitable purposes. Restore Israel is recognized as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization in the United States.
Your financial support is crucial to making this vision a reality. Whether you give a one-time gift or set up monthly support, every contribution is an investment in the Kingdom of God as we work in producing MUSIC, MEDIA, MERCY MISSIONS, ETC...
SHARE the Vision: Help spread the word. SHARE this newsletter with friends, family, and others who might feel called to support this mission!
Parashah Beshalach - “When He Sent Off”
Last week’s Torah Portion Parashah Bo described how the children of Israel were finally rescued from Egypt after God delivered the tenth and final plague during the time of Pesach (Passover).
In this week’s portion, the Israelites began their journey home, after 430 years of exile. Instead of leading Israel along a direct route to the Promised Land, however, ADONAI directed them south, into the desert, in order to avoid war with the Philistines. The Israelites first traveled from Raamses (near the Nile Delta) to the city of Sukkot, an Egyptian city on the eastern border. After this they went south to Etham, at the “edge of the desert,” where the Shekinah (Glory) of ADONAI appeared as a Pillar of Cloud by day and as a Pillar of Fire by night to lead them on their way.
When Pharaoh heard that the Israelites were camped at Etham, however, he thought they were lost and hemmed in by the desert. The LORD then “hardened Pharaoh’s heart” one final time so that he would pursue the Israelites and attempt to bring them back to Egypt. Paradoxically, God then redirected the Israelites to camp near the edge of the Sea of Reeds, where the Egyptian army finally caught up with them. Dramatically, the Israelites were caught between a rock and a hard place, with the sea on one side, and Pharaoh’s army on the other!
The people were terrified and began to blame Moses for their predicament. Moses reassured them of ADONAI’s deliverance and raised his staff to divide the waters of the sea. All that night the Shekinah Glory of ADONAI enshrouded the Egyptian army but gave light to Israel as the people crossed through the sea on dry ground. Just before dawn, the dark pillar of cloud that veiled the Egyptian army lifted, and the soldiers immediately rushed after the Israelites into the pathway of the sea. God then told Moses to lift his staff again so that the waters would overwhelm the Egyptians with their chariots and horsemen. By the time dawn arrived, the Israelites saw the dead bodies of Pharaoh’s army lining the seashore.
Moses and Miriam then led the people of Israel in a spontaneous hymn of thanks and praise to God for their complete deliverance from Pharaoh, which is often called the "Song of the Sea" Shirah Hayam. The song begins, "The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation".
Elihana and Dr. Hadassah Elia wrote a beautiful rendition of this "Song of the Sea" Shirah Hayam:
The great message of our deliverance resounds throughout Jewish history, and indeed it is regarded as a theme of the faithful love of LORD for His people:
LORD then led the Israelites from Elim into the deeper part of the desert, to midbar (desert) Sin מדבּר־סין, a desolate region that was about midway to Sinai going southeast:
"The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” Exodus 16:1-5
About this time the matzah that the Israelites brought with them ran out. The lack of food made them wish they had died among the "pots of meat" in Egypt. The people again began to complain to Moses. After Moses prayed, the LORD declared that He would cause "bread to rain" from heaven and would test whether the Israelites would obey His torah or not (verse 4).
In the evening, quails came to the camp, providing the people with meat; in the morning, the ground was covered with manna (bread from heaven). The Israelites were commanded to each gather no more than an omer (approximately four pints) of manna per day; However, on the sixth day, they were told to gather a double portion so that they would have it on Shabbat, when work was prohibited (a foretaste of the Ten Commandments).
As the people continued traveling through the desert, they arrived at Rephidim (near Mt. Horeb) and complained that they were running out of water. Some even threatened to stone Moses to death!
Moses then asked the LORD for help and was instructed to take the leaders outside the camp to watch him strike a rock with his staff. When he did, fresh water flowed forth and the people were refreshed. The name of the place was called "Massah and Meribah" מסּה וּמריבה - "testing and arguing" - because there the Israelites tested God and argued with Moses.
Note that 40 years later, at Kadesh, Moses would strike the rock twice:
"7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank." Numbers 20:7-11
This ended up being a sin that dishonored the true Rock, YESHUA HA'MASHIACH (1 Cor 10:1-5), and would deny him entry into the Promised Land!
Warnings From Israel’s History:
"1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”[a] 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ,[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
The parashah ends with the unprovoked attack of a warlike and nomadic tribe called the Amalekites while Israel camped at Rephidim near Mount Sinai. Amalek may have been a grandson of Esau and chief of an Edomite tribe (Gen. 36:12, 16).
This sets the introduction of Joshua as the leader of the army of Israel. Joshua, Moses' assistant, was put in charge of the defense of Israel. Moses ascended a hilltop with Aaron and Hur. As the battle raged, whenever Moses held up his hands, the Israelites prevailed, but when he tired, they began to lose.
Aaron and Hur then had Moses sit down and held his arms up for him. By sunset, Joshua had defeated the Amalekite armies. The LORD then vowed to one day wipe out the descendants of Amalek.
To this day, the soferim (scribes) blot out the name Amalek to test their quill before writing a Torah scroll, and the Amalekites are regarded as the perpetual enemies of Israel. Many regard Haman, Hitler, and other anti-Jewish people as "Amalekites".
To commemorate the victory, Moses built an altar and called it ADONAI NISSI יהוה נסּי "The LORD is my Standard (or Banner)," in commemoration of his raised arms as a sign for God's sustenance of Israel.
The LORD commanded Moses to record the incident and impress its occurrence upon Joshua (who would lead the people into the Promised Land). Because of their treachery in attacking the Israelites, the tribe of Amalek was to be totally destroyed and its memory eradicated and blotted out.
"When the LORD your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!" Deuteronomy 25:19
Why Your Support Matters:
As you know, creating high-quality media takes resources, and this vision is urgent. Your donation will directly support:
• TV Program Production: Reaching millions with the message of Yeshua and the importance of supporting Israel.
• Faith-Based Media: Producing movies, documentaries, and shows that reflect the truth of the Gospel and the significance of Israel in God’s plan.
• Music Production: Sharing the Gospel through powerful worship and faith-based music that touches hearts and opens lives to the Messiah.
• Podcasts
• School of Prophets & School of Ministry: Educating ministers in the Restoration
By investing in these projects, you are not only helping to advance the Kingdom of God but also ensuring that the message of salvation through Yeshua is broadcast across the nations. Your partnership will help us to reach people who may have never heard the Gospel and may never step foot into a church or synagogue.
How You Can Make a Difference:
1. Pray for Our Mission: We need your prayers as we move forward with this important ministry. Pray for favor, resources, and divine guidance.
2. Donate to Our Vision: Your financial support is crucial to making this vision a reality. Whether you give a one-time gift or set up monthly support, every contribution is an investment in the Kingdom of God.
3. Share the Vision: Help spread the word. Share this newsletter with friends, family, and others who might feel called to support this mission.
A Final Word: The Urgency of the Hour
The time is now. We are living in the final days, and the harvest of souls is at hand. Just as we must stand with Israel, we must also stand together to spread the Good News of Yeshua the Messiah. This is an urgent matter—souls are at stake, and the need is greater than ever.
We are grateful for your partnership in prayer and financial support. Together, we can make a powerful impact, not just in supporting Israel, but in reaching the lost with the Gospel message of salvation through Yeshua.
Thank you for standing with us. May God bless you richly, and may He continue to bless Israel and the work of His Kingdom.
Shabbat Shalom!
In His Service,
Elihana Elia & Dr. Hadassah Elia and team at RONI International Alliance, Lev
Echad One Heart Messianic Congregation & Restore Israel Ministry
Comments