Torah Portion Bo (Go), Genesis 10:1-13:16

This week’s portion from the Torah, Bo, is a telling narrative laden with hidden gems waiting for us to unearth.

“And Yehovah said unto Moshe, Go in to Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him: And that you may tell in the ears of your son, and of your grandson, what things I have done in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yehovah.” (Exodus 10:1-2)

Our portion name comes from the word ‘go’ in the first line of Exodus 10:1. Pharaoh has already experienced seven devastating plagues on Egypt. As I think about this Pharaoh, a couple of things come to mind.

A Hardened Heart

His heart is hardened. Our first verse says, “For I (Yehovah) have hardened his heart.” We discussed briefly last week in portion va’eira that Elohim in essence strengthened the Pharaoh’s heart because he was wicked and wanted to be wicked. If we really want to be wicked, there are times when Elohim will strengthen us to remain wicked so that we can become filled with wickedness, as in this case. That is perhaps one reason that Pharaoh didn’t cave in and let Israel go.

To Pharaoh’s credit, it is possible that he thought Moshe was just another magician, albeit, one with superior skills to the court magicians. It would be an unwise king who submitted to blackmail by a magician. But when the hail came, it probably would have become obvious that something more was going on than sorcery.

Another explanation is that he didn’t care what happened to his people or the land. There is some speculation that this Pharaoh who arose, “Who did not know Joseph,” was a foreign king, not an Egyptian. If that were the case, it is possible he didn’t care what happened to the land or the people, they weren’t his people. Perhaps he was only there for the power that being the ruler of the greatest nation on earth gave him. And with a combined Egyptian and foreign army, he could reign over his world. We have no mention of the Pharaoh showing any concern for the people or the land, only for his house and his court, and little for his court.

I see an echo in the current predicament of the United States. The administration doesn’t appear to care that the nation is experiencing death throes, financially and in the protection and defense of the nation’s constitution. The sworn duty of those in office who are actively seeking to change and currently ignore that foundational document.

Suffering from Judgment

The nation of Egypt is a little over halfway through the signs that Elohim has in store for them, and the worst is yet to come. As we talked about last week, some of the Egyptians figured out the El that Moshe represented was in fact the El of all the earth. They brought their servants and livestock in from the hail. Even though there were believers in the nation, the nation still suffered the plagues.

Even Israel was not exempt from some of the plagues. The text specifically mentions that the frogs were in all the land as were the locusts, the boils were on man and beast in all the land of Egypt, as opposed to those plagues that were on only the Egyptians. Even though Israel had light in their dwellings, the land of Goshen was also covered with darkness. The death of the firstborn also reached into Goshen, only those with the blood of the Pesach (Passover) lamb on their mezuzot (doorposts) were spared from loss.

The first reason we are given that Elohim strengthens Pharaoh’s heart is, “That I might show these my signs before him.” The second reason concerns each of us who seek to follow the Creator, “And that you may tell in the ears of your son, and of your grandson, what things I have done in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know how that I am Yehovah.”

This is why I commemorate Pesach with a Seder each year. To sit down and fulfill this instruction. Are we commanded to conduct a Seder? No, but I can explain the things Elohim did in Egypt with those who sit at the table so they will know Yehovah is Elohim, and He is real. The Seder is a choreographed method to share the Exodus story in a multi-sensory experience that every participant can appreciate at the level of his age and understanding. At my Seders, I use a Haggadah that I wrote because there are some things in traditional Haggadahs that are not Scriptural and are of questionable origins. I have found that using a written program that includes telling the story, songs, food, and activities valuable to relate to everyone at the table.

The next plague on Elohim’s time schedule is locusts.

” And they will cover the eye of the land, and no one will be able to see the land. And they will eat the rest of that which escaped, that which is left to you from the hail. And they will eat every tree that sprouts to you from the field.” (Exodus 10:5)

Still no Concern

 Egypt faced total loss. Pharaoh’s court recognized it. “And Pharaoh's servants said to him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yehovah their Elohim: Don’t you know yet that Egypt is destroyed?” (Exodus 10:7) Yet Pharaoh still does not relent. This reflects back on what I mentioned earlier, his lack of concern for what happens to the land or the people.

I suspect the palace in Egypt was similar to the situation in much of America. Many of us are far removed from the source of our food. The market shelves are always stocked with ample variety and quantity. But for the common Egyptians, who were close to the land and knew that if there were no crops ripening in the fields, there would be no food on the table in few months, these were extremely frightening events

.

Today we hear about a frost in Florida or California, and may or may not think about the loss of crops. The only effect it may have on our consumption is an increase in the price of orange juice, fruit and vegetables, or more fresh produce from places like Chile or Mexico. But there is a greater effect that we don’t see, and may not even be aware of. The Egyptians of Moshe’s time literally saw their food disappear before their eyes. They knew hard times were ahead.

Three days

Darkness covered the land for three days, including the land of Goshen. Although the Children of Israel had light in their dwellings, outside it was dark, palpably dark. There are three parallels I would like to mention. The request Moshe made to Pharaoh for Israel to go into the wilderness for three days to offer sacrifices.

“And they said, The El of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray you, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto Yehovah our Elohim; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.” (Exodus 5:3) 

In light of what happens later, the last part of this initial request is interesting, “Lest He fall on us with pestilence...” because that is exactly what happens to all of Egypt.

The second three day shadow occurs with Jonah. He was told to go and preach repentance to Nineveh, but tried to shirk his duties and ended up three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish. It is important to remember that the text is explicit about the time period he spent inside the fish. Then he went to Nineveh, a large city, the distance of three days. During Jonah’s three day walk across the city, the people repented and were spared the destruction scheduled for forty days later.

Then we have Yeshua, who told the Scribes and Pharisees;

“An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:39-40)

Again, note the specific time periods. Three days and three nights after Yeshua was executed and buried, Elohim resurrected him. He remained with the disciples on and off for the next forty days, then departed.

Torah is the Foundation

One of the basic understandings I have gained is that the Torah is the foundation of all of Elohim’s teachings. The teachings in all the other books of the Bible have to line up with the Torah. If we find anything in the other books that contradicts what the Torah teaches, then one of three things has occurred.

·         We don’t understand either what the Torah says, or what the writer outside the Torah meant.

·         The information has been translated incorrectly.

·         The information in the other books is incorrect.

I have been asked how I could say that information in the Bible could be incorrect. A good deal of our New Testament is, by the admission of the writers, letters from a church leader to a congregation. There are times within those letters that the author admits that what he is writing is his own opinion, but he thinks he is correct. It is possible that even with the best of intent, the writer may have been mistaken, or was addressing a specific problem for a specific group, neither of which we are privy to, and the counsel is not meant to be taken as “gospel” for everyone everywhere.

Obedience Brings Blessing

The last plague, the most horrific, the death of the firstborn should give us all pause to consider. What would have happened to an Israelite firstborn if the dwelling in which he spent the night of Pesach did not have the blood of the lamb on the muzuzot? By all indications, he or she would have died. If Elohim’s instructions were not followed to the letter, position, genealogy, location, or belief would not have mattered. The vital element was obedience to the instructions; to circumcise the males, eat the Pesach (Passover lamb), matzoth (unleavened bread), and bitter herbs, apply the blood to the doorposts and lintel of the door, and stay inside during the night. Obedience brings blessings, but the wages of sin is death.

Next week Yehovah willing, we will get back together to discuss our next Torah portion, parasha Beshelach. May the Messiah come quickly and in our day, and may we be found living the Torah when he arrives. Shalom