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Shemot

Names
“Fear to Hear”

Exodus 1:1-6:1
Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23 (A);
Jeremiah 1:2-3 (S)

excerpted from TorahScope, Volume II

This week our Torah cycle turns to the beginning of the Book of Exodus. In an attempt to link the opening verses (Exodus 1:1-7) with the previous teachings from the concluding chapters of Genesis, the narrative immediately reminds the reader of the “names” of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The Hebrew word shemot, used for the Hebrew title of the entire book, means “names” in English, and we see a reminder that God had been faithful to not only preserve, but also to multiply the emerging nation of Israel while in Egypt. The English title Exodus is derived from the Greek Septuagint designation Exodos, being specifically intended to draw the attention of readers to how the Ancient Israelites would be delivered from the servitude they had been forced to experience in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-14), and then begin their rather arduous journey to the Promised Land.

Many lessons can be learned from this parashah, as the focus of attention was directed to the figure of Moses, the one chosen by God to implement His deliverance process. As I pondered this rather well-known account about the rise of Moses, from the waters of the Nile to the one called to declare “Let my people go!” in the courts of Pharaoh, I was drawn to consider some of the unique characteristics which Moses embodied, in order to discern how his pattern for living was specifically applicable to modern-day Believers in our walk with Yeshua. While seeking to hear what the Spirit has to say about this week’s reading, the Lord pointed me to one of the foundational building blocks of our faith, which can be summarized in this ancient proverb:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10, WMB).

Following this train of thought, I began to seriously contemplate how fearing God and hearing His voice more clearly, almost goes hand in hand. From the life example of Moses, we encounter a depiction of a humble human being, who we know from later descriptions was actually able to commune with the Creator on a “face-to-face” basis (Exodus 33:11). But as we quickly discover in the opening chapters of Exodus, Moses did not begin his life with the ability to dialogue with the Almighty with such intimacy. Instead, we notice that this communicative ability was an acquired trait, which was, in many respects, a by-product of not only his humility, but also—most profoundly—his fear of the Living God.

A Healthy Fear

The opening of Exodus informs the reader about the state of affairs for the Ancient Israelites, as the growing numbers of slaves were becoming a threat to the new Pharaoh of Egypt (Exodus 1:8), who did not know anything about Joseph (likely the result of a change in Egyptian royal dynasties). While impressed into slavery, the numbers of Israel became so great that the Egyptians perceived them as a threat (Exodus 1:12), and so the Egyptian Pharaoh issued a decree that any male children born to Israelite women were to be killed (Exodus 1:15-16, 22). In many ways, this edict prefigures a similar action committed by Herod in the First Century C.E., immediately prior to the birth of Yeshua the Messiah (Matthew 2:16). But just as the life of the infant Yeshua was spared from Herod’s sordid intentions, so some 1,500/1,300 or so years earlier was Moses also protected, because the Hebrew midwives feared God:

“But the midwives feared God, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive. The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, ‘Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?’ The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.’ God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families” (Exodus 1:17-21, WMB).

Twice in the narrative, in defiance of the command from the Pharaoh, the Hebrew midwives were unwilling to slay the male infants of Israel. Their distinct fear of God establishes a theme seen throughout much of the Torah, and the rest of the Bible. After all, a proper fear of God is critical to offer reverence, worship, and praise to Him as our Creator, Protector, Redeemer, and Deliverer. By fearing the Lord, the Hebrew midwives did not only place Him ahead of their own safety, but in this specific case, they were unwilling to murder the male children who were added to their numbers. As a result of the midwives’ willingness to fearfully obey God rather than adhere to the Pharaoh’s demand, they were rewarded for choosing Him by the establishment of their own households and families.

Of course, as we continue through the specific details, we are soon introduced to the child Moses, who was spared an untimely death and eventually adopted by one of the daughters of the Pharaoh himself (Exodus 2:1-10). We are further informed in the Apostolic Scriptures, that Moses was raised in the house of Pharaoh with all of the privileges of royal living. Stephen’s defense speech before the Sanhedrin, just prior to his stoning, provides some good insight into the early life of Moses:

“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose a different king who didn’t know Joseph. The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive. At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house. When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son. Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works. But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand. The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?”’ Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, the voice of the Lord came to him, ‘I am the God of your fathers: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses trembled and dared not look. The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’ This Moses whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Sea of Suf, and in the wilderness for forty years” (Acts 7:17-36, WMB; cf. Exodus 2:11-15:27ff).

In this summary about Moses, many details about his life were included to enhance Bible readers’ understanding about him as a man, and some of the obstacles he had to overcome in order to be the one chosen by God to be Israel’s deliverer. We see that Moses was not only brought up in the house of Pharaoh, but that he was just as knowledgeable about the things of the world as his peers. Moses was reared up as an educated man (Acts 7:22-23a), which would doubtlessly be important as he would later be given the Ten Commandments and the Law by God, to deliver to the Ancient Israelites. At the very least, this meant that Moses was literate! He surely had the skills to oversee the written composition of the Torah.

For the first forty years of his life, we can deduce that Moses lived in exquisite surroundings (cf. Hebrews 11:25-26) and learned the knowledge which Egypt, the preeminent power of the Fifteenth/Thirteenth Century B.C.E., could teach him. Being a member of the royal court, Moses was a very powerful man in Egypt, who had likely achieved a degree of noted success in his position as the adopted grandson of Pharaoh. The First Century Jewish historian Josephus records various extra-Biblical traditions about the Egyptian Moses making war with the Ethiopians (Antiquities of the Jews 2.238-253), among the many accounts found in ancient Jewish literature. While some of these accounts seem rather implausible, the prince Moses leading the Egyptian army to victory would be reasonable to treat with a degree of accuracy.

In various respects, we can almost see some parallels between Moses’ early life and the life of Joseph, as both were in positions of great influence in spite of their Hebrew heritage. But for some reason or another, it is Moses’ very Hebrew ancestry that got him into difficulties:

“In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, ‘Why do you strike your fellow?’ He said, ‘Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?’ Moses was afraid, and said, ‘Surely this thing is known’” (Exodus 2:11-14, WMB; cf. Acts 7:23b-25).

Moses, at the height of his natural strength and societal position, decided to visit his own people, the Israelites, and he defended one of his fellow Hebrew brothers by striking an Egyptian dead. For some reason or another, Moses took it upon himself to be the dispenser of rash judgment upon the Egyptian. Whether it was losing control of his temper, or the full realization that he was an Israelite too, the result was murder. Something in Moses compelled him to take vengeance into his own hands. He finally knew he was a Hebrew—and apparently knew something about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But here with some admitted provocation, Moses took the life of another human being. The result of this altercation was not what he expected. When he approached some Israelites the following day, news of what he had done was circulating.

At forty years of age with the blood of an Egyptian on his hands, Moses began to exhibit a great fear of other people and what the Egyptians could do to him. This does not make a huge amount of sense at first, because as an Egyptian prince Moses could see to the deaths of many taskmasters and not incur any major reprimand for it. How many Egyptians themselves died building the Pyramids or the many palaces and temples for the different Pharaohs? Did the Pharaoh really care if some of his best artisans, painting or sculpting his many monuments, ever get caught in a cave in or a terrible accident and were killed? They were serving him as a god, after all. How many Egyptian officials were regularly executed because they knew secrets about Egypt’s wealth and how to access various treasure vaults? Moses seeing to the death of a taskmaster would normally have not been that big a deal in the eyes of Pharaoh.

Bible readers are informed, “Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well” (Exodus 2:15, WMB). News had apparently gotten back to the Pharaoh that Moses was now aware of his Israelite heritage, which would of course mean that there was an imposter prince in the Egyptian royal court. At the same time, though, we see that Moses was so fearful of the Pharaoh that he chose to flee from the possible consequences of his murderous act. Moses had yet to really meet the One True God of his ancestors. He was able to flee to the land of Midian to avoid capture and death, with the remainder of our Torah portion focusing on the experiences of Moses (Exodus 2:15-4:13), as he was prepared to eventually return to Egypt and deliver his people in bondage (Exodus 4:14-6:1).

The Fear of the Lord

After spending some forty years in the desert, the Lord decided that it was time for Moses to understand that fearing Him was absolutely crucial for him to enter into his vocational calling as Israel’s deliver. For forty years Moses pastured the flocks of Jethro, his father-in-law, who was described as a priest of Midian (Exodus 3:1). The people of Midian were actually from the offspring of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:2). Although we are not absolutely sure that Jethro was a worshipper of the God of Abraham during this time, as the one noted to be the “priest of Midian,”[1] it would be fair to conclude that he was at least a seeker of truth.

We know that eventually in the years ahead, Jethro definitely came to a full recognition that the God of Israel was indeed the true Creator (Exodus 18:10-12). But at this point, we are not sure just what Moses learned from his association with Jethro. We can determine that Moses honored Jethro’s position as leader of the community, for when the time to depart and return to Egypt did come, Moses asked for and received blessings from Jethro (Exodus 4:17-20). We also know that in the future, when Jethro joined Moses and the Israelites in the desert, Moses honored, respected, and even followed the wise advice of his father-in-law (Exodus 18:13-27).

For forty years Moses had been refined, to be the instrument for the deliverance of the people of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. Learning the skills of a shepherd seems to be one of the best instructional tools which the Father employs in Scripture for selected vessels for His purposes. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all shepherds, and as we know, King David and others used throughout the ages by God, have likewise been molded by their experiences as shepherds. Yeshua referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd, in describing to His Disciples the main attribute which was to be exhibited toward the sheep, the people His Disciples were to serve:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, WMB).

After forty years of shepherding, Moses had been prepared for a formal introduction to the Holy One of Israel, and no Bible reader can deny that the highlight of our Torah portion is the great theophany of the burning bush. In a very dramatic fashion—but in a manner where the humbled murderer turned shepherd could handle the light of revelation—the Almighty showed Himself in the midst of a burning bush:

“The LORD’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. Moses said, ‘I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’ When the LORD saw that he came over to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, ‘Moses! Moses!’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.’ Moreover he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:2-6, WMB).

The stunned Moses was perplexed by the fact that the burning bush was not being consumed. This is a very confusing reality, because all of the knowledge he had retained from his forty years in Egypt, and now his forty years of experience in the desert, could not help him comprehend this. After all, he had probably warmed himself and his sheep many a night by some of those very bushes. Now for some unknown reason, this fire did not consume the bush. Then from the midst of the bush, as Moses’ confusion was evident, a voice cried out: “Moses, Moses.”

You might be able to imagine your own reaction to a voice declaring your name twice from a burning bush. Without apparent hesitation, Moses blurted back, “Here I am,” hinneini. Consider how your own heart would be pounding as the presence of the Holy One was evident, and a voice seemingly out of nowhere called your name twice. The voice beckoned Moses to remove his sandals, because the place where Moses was standing was to be considered admat-qodesh or “holy ground” (Exodus 3:5)—and by inference, he was a mere mortal who could not approach the Most High because of his lack of holiness. All Moses could do was get down on his face and hope that he was not consumed by His Divine presence.

From out of the same unconsumed bush the voice continued: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6, WMB). The narrative takes a break to describe how Moses was probably prostrate on the ground covering his face, being too afraid to look at God. Moses was probably trembling, being most ready to fear the Lord God Almighty in order to hear His voice with absolute clarity.

Continuing to read through Exodus ch. 3, it is very apparent that the voice of God did not stop with simply declaring that He was the God of Moses’ ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Lord went on to declare that He had heard the cries of His people Israel (Exodus 3:7-9), and that He had decided to use Moses as His instrument to convey His words to Pharaoh (Exodus 3:10), and ultimately to them as well (Exodus 3:18).

The More You Fear the Better You Hear

Contemplating our Torah portion, it strikes me that the Holy One of Israel had chosen a rather broken vessel in Moses, to use in delivering His people. At eighty years of age, Moses had already undergone two diametrically opposed “lives” which were permanently embedded in his memory. From the riches and power of the courts of Pharaoh, interrupted by the impetuous act of murder, to star-filled nights in the desert tending the needs of helpless sheep—Moses was uniquely prepared for the work he was called to do. And then, in the great revelation of the burning bush encounter, the fear of God’s holiness was emphatically implanted into Moses’ being.

As I thought about this, I was prompted to consider the correlation between the degree of one’s fear of the Lord, and the ability to hear His voice more clearly. After all, following this dramatic encounter with God, Moses reluctantly became the instrument through whom He would lead the Ancient Israelites to freedom, and then guide them throughout their wilderness trek. The communication between God and Moses is detailed later, as though they were two people who would normally be able to speak face to face:

“When Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and the LORD spoke with Moses. All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door. The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, [panim el-panim] as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:9-11a, WMB).

Is it possible that the burning bush experience and the dialogue Moses had with God (Exodus 3:4-4:17), had such a profound impact on Moses—that he truly feared Him like no other human has since? Is a result of a great fear of one’s Creator the ability to hear His voice more perfectly? This is something which certainly stimulates me to want to know my Heavenly Father better.

Think about your own life experiences. When are the times you have been able to tune into the voice of the Almighty? Does it occur at times when you are in crisis or have great needs? Is it when you humble yourself and intercede for difficult circumstances? Do you remember the time when you had a significant, real life encounter with the Lord when you recognized Yeshua (Jesus) as Savior and were born again? Do you remember the time when you came to the end of yourself and cried out for mercy, in order to receive His salvation and deliverance? Do you remember hearing His comforting words as He communicated to you the assurance that you were saved, and/or delivered from oppressive spirits which might have harassed you?

How about the times you might have had a vision or a dream, or heard an audible word, from whom you truly knew was God? Can you remember this vision or dream or word with absolute clarity, almost like it was burned into your brain’s “hard drive”? If you think back to those times when the Almighty distinctly touched you, you might recall that you probably experienced a great deal of holy fear, awe, or reverence for Him. Can you see the connection between fearing Him and hearing Him?

If we consider one of the Haftarah selections which corresponds to this week’s reading, Jeremiah 1:2-3, we are directed to another individual who was uniquely chosen to be a vessel of the Most High during his life as a prophet. The call upon Jeremiah had some real similarities, which were directly parallel to Moses’ prostrated time on Mount Horeb when he covered his face:

“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.’ 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’” (Jeremiah 1:4-9, WMB).

As the calling to Jeremiah is described, it is evident that Jeremiah, just like Moses, was chosen—here from his conception—for the Divine assignment to be a prophet to His people. Jeremiah, like Moses, was also rather reluctant, because in his humility as a youth, he did not think he was capable of handling the assignment, and was a bit fearful about his mission. Fear was a good thing which probably resulted in the ability to hear God more clearly, as Jeremiah would be empowered to confidently speak forth His message. Jeremiah received confidence that via the touching of his mouth by the hand of God, that the words he would speak would be from Him.

Following Jeremiah’s life as a prophet, considering the other prophets of God, we begin to see a pattern emerge. As one truly fears the Holy One of Israel, the ability to hear His voice and then boldly proclaim His intention is augmented. Further writings include examples of the concept that the more you fear the Lord, the better you hear the Lord:

“What man is he who fears the LORD? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose. His soul will dwell at ease. His offspring will inherit the land. The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant” (Psalm 25:12-14, WMB).
“I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14, WMB).
“This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, WMB).

Fear to Hear

Do you fear the Lord? If so, are you able to discern His voice if and when He speaks to you? If you are unsure of any of this, learn to fear and revere God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Recall figures like Moses and Jeremiah, and others throughout the ages, who knew that the Holy One of Israel is a living God who can truly show up and be with you at any time He so chooses. Remember that He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient—but most of all and that He is absolutely concerned about the intimate details of your life. By fearing Him and getting to know Him, you will undoubtedly begin to hear His voice more clearly.

Secondly, when you think about hearing His voice, make reading and meditating upon the words which we believe are absolutely His, as recorded in the Bible, a constant discipline. Learn to judge what you hear by the instruction of the Torah, the admonitions of the Prophets, the wisdom of the Writings, and the guidance of the Apostolic Scriptures. Meditate upon the examples of those who preceded you in faith, and learn how to emulate those who were truly able to obey the Lord when they heard Him.

Moses feared the Holy One of Israel, and he heard His voice clearly. Thankfully, what he heard has been recorded and retained for our collective edification, so that we can effectively serve Him today as well. If this does not bring you to fear the One who made you, then you might consider getting down on your face and crying out to Him for more mercy, so that your fear of Him will result in hearing Him better. Proverbs 13:12-14 offers us a critical thought:

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death” (Proverbs 13:12-14, WMB).

May we each learn to fear Him, so that we may hear Him more clearly!