Haftarah Shemot
“Calling All Saints”
Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23 (A);
Jeremiah 1:2:3 (S)
excerpted from TorahScope Haftarah Exhortations
The obvious leap in time, from the end of Genesis to the opening of Exodus, makes this a logical point of separation, as the Torah is sub-divided into five separate books. The previous focus on the families of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their offspring shifts, as their descendants have multiplied significantly while residing in Goshen. The exact number of years from when Joseph died to when Moses was born is debatable, but it is certainly a number of generations, as the new Pharaoh was not knowledgeable about the earlier redeeming works of Joseph:
“The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph” (Exodus 1:7-8, WMB).
The opening chapters of the Book of Exodus record the unique calling of the self-acclaimed, ineloquent Moses, to lead the people of Israel into freedom. Some of the Sages found parallels between Moses’ call, and in the special call which was upon the youthful Jeremiah, who was chosen by God to be a prophet to the Southern Kingdom. Notice in these passages the genuine humility of both Moses and Jeremiah, as they each recognized that being a mouthpiece for Him was beyond their human ability:
“Moses said to the LORD, ‘O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.’ The LORD said to him, ‘Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.’ Moses said, ‘Oh, Lord, please send someone else’” (Exodus 4:10-13, WMB).
“Now the LORD’s word came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child’” (Jeremiah 1:4-6, WMB).
Obviously, two servants of the Lord like Moses and Jeremiah, had profound impacts during their respective generations. Neither sought their calling, but simply were chosen by the Almighty for works which He prepared for them from eternity past (cf. Ephesians 2:10). Both were faithful to their callings, despite the challenges which came during their lifetimes.
When one views the life of Moses as captured in the opening of Exodus, and compares it to what one learns of Jeremiah in his prophetic ministry, the statement made by the Lord regarding Him accomplishing His stated words, should bring much comfort to the heart. Just read the following acclamation after God supernaturally touched the mouth of Jeremiah, and then gave this youth an incredible assignment to make declarations to nations and kingdoms, with attendant consequences, which was followed by the promise to perform His word:
“But the LORD said to me, ‘Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you. Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,’ says the LORD. Then the LORD stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then the LORD said to me, ‘Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. Behold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’ Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ I said, ‘I see a branch of an almond tree.’ Then the LORD said to me, ‘You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.’ The LORD’s word came to me the second time, saying, ‘What do you see?’ I said, ‘I see a boiling cauldron; and it is tipping away from the north’” (Jeremiah 1:7-13, WMB).
When God calls people into His purpose and speaks His word into their lives, He is fully able to carry it out. As the old sentiment goes, God is not necessarily looking for your ability, but rather your availability. When you have been touched by God and called into His service, are you willing and able to allow Him to use you for whatever purposes He has created you?
These are important things for us to ponder. When we read about the life of Moses, we discover that he spent a lifetime seemingly discussing various issues with God—problems and challenges which cropped up during his sojourn through life. While there is initially some reluctance due to self-perceived inadequacies, over time, God performed the word He confirmed to Moses that He was in charge, simply using him as an instrument for the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. Later in Moses’ life, when the time came for the people of Israel to enter into the Promised Land, we find Moses attempting to change God’s word, so that he would be able to overcome an indiscretion which occurred, when he struck the rock rather than speak to it as directed (Numbers 20:11-12). However, God did not change His word to Moses, but instead reminded Moses that he would receive punishment for his disobedience (Deuteronomy 3:25-26).
Jeremiah’s call was different than Moses’, but substantial nonetheless. Jeremiah was directed to make prophetic statements to not only six different kings of Ancient Judah, but also declarations about many of the nations in the region. We find that Jeremiah remained faithful to his call throughout his life, despite the numerous physical challenges which ensued. In both cases, the supernatural calls and visitations from the Lord, gave both Moses and Jeremiah, the intestinal fortitude to persevere through the trials and tribulations of their respective eras.
It is important that you consider the call God has upon your life. If you are truly born from above, then God has supernaturally transformed your heart of stone to a heart of flesh, and has taken up residence inside of you via the presence of the Holy Spirit. He has created you for a unique purpose in His created order, and none of us gets a pass on not being useful in the Kingdom’s work in some way. By faith in the accomplished work of the Messiah at Golgotha (Calvary), you have a personal responsibility to be a useful vessel in His hands. In the words of the Apostle Paul,
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10, WMB).
By performing the good works He has prepared for us, every Believer has the privilege of accomplishing the call which is upon his or her life.
Moving ahead in the Scriptures, we see many others who were called by God for unique purposes. Paul was one who clearly understood how every holy one or saint, has a unique place for service unto the Lord, having exhorted the audiences of his various epistles to take up their call with all diligence and perseverance:
- “For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong. God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, that no flesh should boast before God. Because of him, you are in Messiah Yeshua, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, as it is written, ‘He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord’ [Jeremiah 9:24]” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31, WMB)
- “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one immersion, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all. But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Messiah” (Ephesians 4:1-7, WMB).
- “Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Messiah Yeshua before times eternal, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Messiah Yeshua, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News. For this I was appointed as a proclaimer, an emissary, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this cause I also suffer these things” (2 Timothy 1:8-12, WMB).
Time after time, Paul constantly encouraged those he was able to touch in ministry, to walk in a manner worthy of their calling, unashamed, without regard to the fact that God often chooses weak and seemingly foolish vessels, to confound the purported wise and strong of the world. This does not mean that Believers are weak willed or ignorant people, but rather that they joyfully choose to be weak in their own strength, so that God can be strong through them (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).
Thankfully, the Lord has given us the extended testimonies of individuals like Moses and Jeremiah. The testimony of those like Paul, confirm how there has been a line of faithful people called by God for His service. As holy ones or saints who have received the same calling of salvation, it is inherent upon each of us that we continually grow and mature in the knowledge not only of our Messiah Yeshua, but our respective responsibilities and the mission we are to perform. With this in mind, I offer you this, given our collective need to be enlightened in every capacity, so that we might each fulfill the call upon our lives:
“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the holy ones, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might which he worked in Messiah when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:18-23, WMB).
No one called of the Father has an excuse to avoid the works He has prepared for us to walk into! He will perform His word, whether we believe it or not. Moses, Jeremiah, and Paul all knew it to be true. If you are called, respond accordingly and accomplish much in the Lord! He will receive all the glory!
