by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shalom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Almost nine (9) months into the war as a result of the Hamas October 7, 2023 attack and massacre in Israeli neighborhoods near Gaza, the IDF is in control of the entire Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border all the way up to the Mediterranean coast. But fighting continues in Rafah. The 100+ hostages (only half still alive?) are still held somewhere in Rafah or elsewhere in Gaza as evidenced by the last successful rescue of 4 hostages last June 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, as Hamas weakens, Hezbollah in the northern front continues to increase its daily missile, mortar and drone attacks and bombardment of northern Israel. It would seem the stage is getting prepared for a full-scale war in southern Lebanon as both sides threaten ground invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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
Exodus 14 narrates the wondrous, miraculous event of the parting of the \u05d9\u05b7\u05dd\u05be\u05e1\u0591\u05d5\u05bc\u05e3 (\u201cYam Suph\u201d Reed [or Red] Sea), the crossing of all the Israelites on dry land, and the destruction of Pharaoh\u2019s chariot force when the waters engulfed them all. This momentous redemption event is celebrated in the Song of Moses. It is a song of deliverance found in chapter 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exodus 15:13-21 of the song in particular, point to God\u2019s steadfast love and the redemption of his chosen people and his leading them into the land he had promised to their patriarchs. The fear and trembling of the nations which come to know of the supernatural crossing of the sea is expressed in verses 14-16. The inhabitants and rulers of Philistia, Edom, Moab and Canaan are mentioned by name. These are the very nations that Israel will encounter enroute to their settlement of the land promised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In verse 17 Moses prophetically looks forward to and sings about the implantation of the Israelites in God\u2019s mountain, abode, and sanctuary. Previously, the Exodus chapters and verses spoke about the land having existing occupants such as the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Jebusites, etc. Also, the land was described as \u201cflowing with milk and honey.\u201d Now, Philistia, Edom and Moab are given some prominence. These places were encountered before by the patriarchs, like Jacob. These lands may also have been encountered by Moses during his exile in Midian. Now, in verse 17 different symbolic aspects of the land promised are given. The Hebrew verse of Exodus 15:17 is given below (read right to left, top down) with these 3 symbolic aspects of the land highlighted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05d1\u05b4\u05d0\u05b5\u0597\u05de\u05b9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05d8\u05b8\u05bc\u05e2\u05b5\u0599\u05de\u05b9\u05d5\u0599 \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05d4\u05b7\u05a3\u05e8 \u05e0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05dc\u05b8\u05bd\u05ea\u05b0\u05da\u05b8\u0594<\/mark> \u05de\u05b8\u05db\u05b9\u05a7\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05b0\u05e9\u05b4\u05c1\u05d1\u05b0\u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05da\u05b8\u059b<\/mark> \u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05e2\u05b7\u0596\u05dc\u05b0\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u0591\u05d4 \u05de\u05b4\u05e7\u05b0\u05bc\u05d3\u05b8\u0595\u05e9\u05c1<\/mark> \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05b9\u05e0\u05b8\u0596\u05d9 \u05db\u05b9\u05bc\u05d5\u05e0\u05b0\u05e0\u05a5\u05d5\u05bc \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b6\u05bd\u05d9\u05da\u05b8\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) translation is given below for this verse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 17<\/sup><\/strong>You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your possession;<\/mark> LORD, You have prepared the place for Your dwelling;<\/mark> Lord, Your hands have established the sanctuary<\/mark>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The phrase \u201cbring them in and plant them\u201d refers to the \u201cpeople pass by whom you (the LORD) have purchased\u201d in verse 16; the children of Israel redeemed by God. The LORD speaks to Moses, and Moses speaks to the people that the land promised to them was especially selected for them and points to the suitability of the mountain<\/mark> (Mt. Moriah or Mt. Zion) as the abode<\/mark> of the LORD himself, where God\u2019s sanctuary<\/mark> will be. This sacred place may point to the eventual Temple in Jerusalem to come in the succeeding centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapters 16-22 narrate the journey of the Israelites toward Canaan. They are given quail and manna (bread from heaven) by the LORD. Water is made to flow from rock. Jethro, Moses\u2019 father-in-law advises Moses on how to manage the \u201cjudgment\u201d needs of the people by appointing and delegating lighter cases to appointed \u201cchiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.\u201d On the 3rd<\/sup> month since they departed from Egypt, Moses and the Israelites arrive at the wilderness of Sinai, Moses is asked to meet the LORD in Mt. Sinai and the Sinaitic Covenant is given. The NIV Study Bible<\/em> comments that Exodus 20:18-21 which concludes the account of the giving of the Decalogue, is \u201cmost likely a continuation of (Exodus) 19:25.\u201d The commentary says that the chronological offset was written in to set off the Decalogue (Exodus 20:1-17) from the \u201cBook of the Covenant\u201d of various laws and stipulations that follow in Exodus 20:22-23:19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Decalogue, Exodus 20:12 (cf. Deuteronomy 5:16) points out that honoring one\u2019s father and mother will bring about \u201clong life\u201d or a \u201cfull life\u201d in the land that the LORD God is giving. It is the first Commandment with an attached specific promise of benefit. Exodus 20:12 is given below (read right to left, top down) with the LORD\u2019s promise of a long, full life in the land promised highlighted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05db\u05b7\u05bc\u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u05a5\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d0\u05b8\u05d1\u05b4\u0596\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d0\u05b4\u05de\u05b6\u05bc\u0591\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u0599\u05e2\u05b7\u05df\u0599 \u05d9\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05e8\u05b4\u05db\u05a3\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05d9\u05b8\u05de\u05b6\u0594\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e2\u05b7\u059a\u05dc \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05b8\u05de\u05b8\u0594\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8\u05be\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u05a5\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u0596\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05a5\u05df \u05dc\u05b8\u05bd\u05da\u05b0<\/mark>\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The HCSB translation is given below for this verse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 12<\/sup><\/strong>Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The 5th<\/sup> Commandment thus carries an added weight to the goodness of the land (Canaan) being given to the Israelites. But it also obligates a responsibility to take care of one\u2019s parents as a conditionality. It parallels by contrast, the requirement of God to drive out the current occupants of Canaan, as directed by the LORD in Exodus 23:20-33. In these verses, the literal conquest of Canaan is promised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exodus 23:20-23 narrates that the \u201cangel\/messenger of the LORD\u201d will accompany the Hebrews in their journey to Canaan. In these verses, the LORD makes it very clear that if the Israelites maintain covenantal loyalty and obedience to him, God himself will drive out the existing occupants. Later, it would be clear that the people also need to do their part in taking possession of the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hebrew verse of Exodus 23:20 is given below (read right to left, top down) with the land prepared for the Israelites highlighted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05b5\u05bc\u05a8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b8\u05e0\u05b9\u05db\u05b4\u059c\u05d9 \u05e9\u05b9\u05c1\u05dc\u05b5\u05a4\u05d7\u05b7 \u05de\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b8\u05da\u05b0\u0599 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e4\u05b8\u05e0\u05b6\u0594\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e8\u05b0\u05da\u05b8\u0596 \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d3\u05b8\u05bc\u0591\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05dc\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05d1\u05b4\u05a3\u05d9\u05d0\u05b2\u05da\u05b8\u0594 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b8\u05bc\u05e7\u05b9\u0596\u05d5\u05dd \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05a5\u05e8 \u05d4\u05b2\u05db\u05b4\u05e0\u05b9\u05bd\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9<\/mark>\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The HCSB translation for this verse is given below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 20<\/sup><\/strong>I am going to send an angel before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is evident from the context that \u201cthe place\u201d established\/set up by the LORD for the Hebrews is the land he has promised to their patriarchs ever since. It is the land of Canaan. This is further fleshed out in verse 23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hebrew verse of Exodus 23:23 is given below (read right to left, top down) with the land occupants to be driven out highlighted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05bd\u05d9\u05be\u05d9\u05b5\u05dc\u05b5\u05a3\u05da\u05b0 \u05de\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b8\u05db\u05b4\u05d9\u05ae \u05dc\u05b0\u05e4\u05b8\u05e0\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8\u0592 \u05d5\u05b6\u05d4\u05b1\u05d1\u05b4\u05bd\u05d9\u05d0\u05b2\u05da\u05b8\u0597 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d4\u05b8\u05bd\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b9\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u0599 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05a3\u05d7\u05b4\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u0594\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05e4\u05b0\u05bc\u05e8\u05b4\u05d6\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u0599 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05bd\u05db\u05b0\u05bc\u05e0\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u0594\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b4\u05d5\u05b4\u05bc\u0596\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e1\u05b4\u0591\u05d9<\/mark> \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05db\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05bd\u05d9\u05d5\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The HCSB translation for this verse is given below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 23<\/sup><\/strong>For My angel will go before you and bring you to the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites,<\/mark> and I will wipe them out.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hebrew verb translated as \u201cwipe out\u201d or \u201cblot out\u201d also means \u201cto efface\u201d or \u201cto annihilate.\u201d This verse and the succeeding verses make it clear that the land promised is to be conquered, but also makes it clear that God himself will do the conquering and the driving out. For instance, Exodus 23:27-28 seems to bear this out. However, there are also succeeding verses in Exodus 23:24-33 that also lay down the responsibilities of the Israelites and their role in the conquest of Canaan.<\/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. Almost nine (9) months into the war as a result of the Hamas October 7, 2023 attack and massacre in Israeli neighborhoods near Gaza, the IDF is in control of the entire Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border all the way up to the Mediterranean coast. But fighting continues in…<\/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-418","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\/418","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=418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":419,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions\/419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}