by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shalom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eight (8) months into the war started by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack into Israel, more than 100 hostages (many still alive?) composed of children, women, men, and the elderly are still held in Rafah or somewhere in Gaza. As Israel searches for the hostages to rescue them while hunting for the remaining terrorist battalions in Gaza, they are forced to contend with Hezbollah rocket, missile and drone attacks on a daily basis in northern Israel bordering southern Lebanon. Military analysts believe that a 3rd<\/sup> Israel-Hezbollah ground war is a certainty and the only question is when it will finally happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us continue to pray that more Jews, Arabs and other peoples accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and true Prince of Peace. Let us continue to pray for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and for a just end to the wars against the Jewish nation. Let us continue to stand with Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9). <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Exodus chapters 6-7, the narrative quickens to the account of the plagues brought upon Egypt by the LORD. Through several chapters the motif of the \u201chardening of Pharaoh\u2019s heart\u201d is seen alongside the resulting plagues (Exodus 7-11) since the Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, so that they may worship and serve \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u059e\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05a4\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd\u0599 (read right to left, \u201cYHWH Elohei haIvrim,\u201d the LORD, the God of the Hebrews) in the wilderness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Commentaries abound regarding the significance of the individual plagues on the life of Egypt. From The IVP Bible Background Commentary \u2013 Old Testament<\/em>, a take-away was that the plagues were an attack on the false gods of Egypt; and the LORD\u2019s sovereign use of nature as part of the attacks. The different Egyptian gods were supposed to protect its people from harm brought about by demons or natural disasters. Hence, in the first plague when the Nile River was turned into blood, the gods of Egypt could not protect the lifeblood and livelihood of the Egyptians who were so heavily dependent on it. Meanwhile, the plague of heavy darkness (that could be felt, as it may have partially resulted from the \u201ckhamsin\u201d dust storms) signified the defeat of Amon-Re\/Ra, the sun god, the national deity of Egypt, the divine father of Pharaoh. The last plague on the firstborn moved from afflicting the father of the Pharaoh to the Pharaoh himself, who was considered a deity, with a divine right to rule and to be succeeded by his firstborn son in the divine order of things for Egypt. The plagues represented God\u2019s judgments upon Pharaoh and Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Passover ceremony was instituted in the 10th<\/sup> and last plague of the death of the firstborn in Exodus chapter 12. In Exodus 12:11 its Hebrew term \u05e4\u05b6\u05e1\u05b7\u05d7 (\u201cpesach\u201d) was first used. The IVP Bible Background Commentary \u2013 Old Testament<\/em> states that the English translation \u201cdoes not do justice\u201d to the Hebrew word. The LORD is not simply \u201cpassing over\u201d the Hebrew homes because of the blood on the door posts and lintel but more so protecting the inhabitants from the slaughtering angel as the doorway has been purified (with the blood of the sacrifice using hyssop).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The institution of the Passover (\u05e4\u05b6\u05e1\u05b7\u05d7 \u201cpesach\u201d) as part of an everlasting covenant ceremony in Exodus 12 brings with it a mention of the accompanying land grant. This is found in Exodus 12:24-25. The Hebrew verses of Exodus 12:24-25 are given below (read right to left, top down) with the land grant highlighted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05b6\u05bc\u0596\u05dd \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d4\u05b7\u05d3\u05b8\u05bc\u05d1\u05b8\u05a3\u05e8 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b6\u05bc\u0591\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05e7\u05be\u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8\u05a5 \u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05e0\u05b6\u0596\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e2\u05b7\u05d3\u05be\u05e2\u05b9\u05d5\u05dc\u05b8\u05bd\u05dd\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u059e\u05d4 \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05bd\u05d9\u05be\u05ea\u05b8\u05d1\u05b9\u05a3\u05d0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u0597\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05a8\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b4\u05ea\u05b5\u05bc\u05a7\u05df \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u059b\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b8\u05db\u05b6\u0596\u05dd \u05db\u05b7\u05bc\u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05a3\u05e8 \u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u0591\u05e8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05b6\u05bc\u0596\u05dd<\/mark> \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05d3\u05b8\u05a5\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b9\u05bc\u05bd\u05d0\u05ea\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation is given below for these 2 verses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 24<\/sup><\/strong>You shall observe this rite as a perpetual ordinance for you and your children.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 25<\/sup><\/strong>When you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised,<\/mark> you shall keep this observance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even as Exodus 12:24-25 narrate that the LORD looks to the coming exodus of his people from Egypt, their settlement of Canaan and the perpetual observance of the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread, Exodus 13 while speaking of the dedication of the firstborn, further contains verses that reiterate the promise of the land and harks back to its description. The Hebrew verse of Exodus 13:5 is given below (read right to left, top down) with the LORD\u2019s promise and land grant highlighted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u05a3\u05d4 \u05db\u05b4\u05bd\u05d9\u05be\u05d9\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05bd\u05d9\u05d0\u05b2\u05da\u05b8\u05a3 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05a1\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d0\u05b6\u05a3\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d4\u05b7\u05bd\u05a0\u05db\u05b0\u05bc\u05e0\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b4\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05a8\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b9\u05e8\u05b4\u059c\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b4\u05d5\u05b4\u05bc\u05a3\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e1\u05b4\u0597\u05d9<\/mark> \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05a8\u05e8 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05a4\u05e2 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b6\u0599\u05d9\u05da\u05b8\u0599 \u05dc\u05b8\u05a3\u05ea\u05b6\u05ea \u05dc\u05b8\u0594\u05da\u05b0<\/mark> \u05d0\u05b6\u059b\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d6\u05b8\u05d1\u05b7\u05a5\u05ea<\/mark> \u05d7\u05b8\u05dc\u05b8\u0596\u05d1<\/mark> \u05d5\u05bc\u05d3\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u0591\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05d1\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u059b \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05d3\u05b8\u05a5\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b9\u05bc\u0596\u05d0\u05ea \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d7\u05b9\u05a5\u05d3\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b6\u05bc\u05bd\u05d4\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NRSV translation is given below for this verse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5<\/sup><\/strong>When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites,<\/mark> which he swore to your ancestors to give you,<\/mark> a land flowing with milk and honey,<\/mark> you shall keep this observance in this month.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As seen before in Exodus 3:8, 17; and 6:4, 8 the land promised is identified as Canaan with various occupants; sworn to be given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and \u201ca land flowing with milk and honey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the context of the perpetual observance of the Passover ceremony and the dedication of the firstborn of animals and human beings in remembrance of the first Passover, Exodus 13:10-11 reiterates the intent of Exodus 13:5. The Hebrew verses of Exodus 13:10-11 are given below (read right to left, top down) with the LORD\u2019s promise and land grant highlighted in verse 11:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u059b \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05bb\u05e7\u05b8\u05bc\u05a5\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b9\u05bc\u0596\u05d0\u05ea \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b9\u05d5\u05e2\u05b2\u05d3\u05b8\u0591\u05d4\u05bc \u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u0596\u05d9\u05dd \u05d9\u05b8\u05de\u05b4\u05bd\u05d9\u05de\u05b8\u05d4\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u059e\u05d4 \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05bd\u05d9\u05be\u05d9\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05bd\u05d0\u05b2\u05da\u05b8\u05a4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4\u0599 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d0\u05b6\u05a3\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d4\u05b7\u05bd\u05db\u05b0\u05bc\u05e0\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u0594\u05d9<\/mark> \u05db\u05b7\u05bc\u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u059b\u05e8 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05a5\u05e2 \u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8\u0596 \u05d5\u05b0\u05dc\u05b7\u05bd\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b6\u0591\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05b0\u05ea\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u0596\u05d4\u05bc \u05dc\u05b8\u05bd\u05da\u05b0\u05c3<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n The NRSV translation is given below for these 2 verses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10<\/sup><\/strong>You shall keep this ordinance at its proper time from year to year.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 11<\/sup><\/strong>\u201cWhen the LORD has brought you into the land of the Canaanites,<\/mark> as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you,<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The LORD assures his people that the land (Canaan) is to be given and is indeed granted as their inheritance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We will continue next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God bless us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Eight (8) months into the war started by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack into Israel, more than 100 hostages (many still alive?) composed of children, women, men, and the elderly are still held in Rafah or somewhere in Gaza. As Israel searches for the hostages to rescue them while…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[6,7,9,8,5],"class_list":["post-416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ptr-art-calaguas","tag-church-of-the-risen-lord","tag-crl","tag-spiritual-refreshment-of-the-day","tag-upcemi","tag-upcrl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=416"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":417,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/416\/revisions\/417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}