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This week’s Parasha is entitled Bo, which means “Go,” and covers Exodus 10:1 – 13:16

In the previous parasha, we saw the first seven plagues unleashed on Egypt. In chapter 10, the Lord commands Moses to go before Pharaoh to continue to demonstrate Adonai’s superiority over the false gods of Egypt.

Moses was instructed to announce the next plague, locusts.

In reply, Pharaoh stated that he would only allow the Israeli men to go worship the Lord in the desert. A display of partial obedience, but not what Adonai commanded and the result is continued devastation to the land of Egypt from these pests.

Once the plague of locusts passed, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more and Pharaoh refused to release anyone. Adonai told Moses to lift his hand toward the sky so that the plague of darkness could be released.  This darkness engulfed all of Egypt, except the land of Goshen where the children of Israel lived and was a darkness that could be felt. It was so dense that no light could penetrate it.

At this point, Pharaoh has had enough, but his heart is too hardened now to give up. He threatens Moses by telling him that he will have Moses killed if he steps foot inside the palace again.

Starting in chapter 11 and continuing through chapter 12, Adonai prepares and leads Moses and the nation of Israel through the final plague: Death of the firstborn.

The Lord gives Moses and the nation of Israel specific instructions concerning every portion of what would eventually become the Passover celebration.

Studying these instructions with the hindsight of knowing that Yeshua is the Messiah, one can clearly see the foreshadowing and symbolism of the greater Lamb of God.

The people were instructed to pick out a lamb without blemish, take care of it and watch it for four days. They were to remove any leaven from the house. They were to slaughter the lamb and place its blood on the doorpost of their houses. They were to roast the lamb and ensure there was nothing left over.

A foreigner that wanted to participate in the Passover had to first be circumcised. The final requirement was that everyone had to stay in the house as the Angel of Death went forth to complete God’s will.

The Passover lamb was selected on the tenth day, and the people watched the lambs to make sure they were satisfactory. If the lamb was found to be without defect or blemish, then he became your lamb and was killed on the evening at the end of the fourteenth day. The lamb was set aside for the specific purpose of death.

Likewise, Yeshua was tested and watched during His earthly ministry, especially during the last week before He was crucified and He was set aside for the purpose of death before the foundation of the world.

In Egypt, the blood had to be applied to the doorposts of their homes just like the blood of Yeshua must be applied to the doorposts of our hearts.

First, the people had to believe and then they had to put that faith or belief into action. If they said they believed but didn’t apply the blood, their firstborn died. Only by believing and then acting was their first born saved.

There was no difference between the firstborn of Egypt and the firstborn of Israel. The difference was in the application of the blood. The same principle applies to us today. All are sinners, but those who have faith in Messiah Yeshua are under the covering of His blood and saved from the forces of sin, death and hell.

This teaches us that faith without works is dead. If we say we believe that Yeshua is our personal Savior, we should have actions, or fruit, that support this claim.

The blood of the lamb was sufficient to save from death on that night, but the people had to feed on the lamb to get strength for their coming journey. Salvation is just the beginning. We must feed on Messiah, the living Word of God if we are to have the strength to follow Him. The lamb was to be roasted with fire, which speaks of the sufferings of Yeshua on the cross. The lamb was special, and leftovers could become corrupt, so nothing was to remain to be eaten later.

The feast was to be eaten among the people of the covenant. No stranger could participate, nor could a hired servant or one who was uncircumcised. These regulations remind us that salvation is a birth into God’s family. No strangers are there. It’s by grace and no one can earn it.

Along with the lamb, unleavened bread was eaten. Leaven (yeast) in the Bible is often used as a picture of sin: it works silently; it spreads and puffs up.

The Jewish people had to put all leaven out of their homes at Passover season, and they were not allowed to eat leavened bread for seven days. The bread speaks of and reminds us of Messiah. He is pure and sinless, and as we feast on Him, by getting close to Him and staying loyal to Him, we become more able to lead a life free from sin.

After this last plague, Pharaoh finally admitted defeat and allowed the Israelis to go free.

For years, the Jewish people had slaved for the Egyptians without pay, now God permitted them to ask for (not borrow) their just wages. Generations earlier, Adonai made a promise to Abraham, saying: My people will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years, I will punish the nation that they served as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. The Three-In-One God had now kept the promise He had made with Abraham. The God of Israel is always faithful, His Word is true and He is always true to His Word.

I want to leave you with this final thought: Always remember that it’s not enough to call Messiah Yeshua “A Savior” (one among many), or “THE Savior” (meaning for somebody else). Each of us must be able to say, “He is MY Savior.” If at this moment you are unable to say Yeshua is MY Savior, I encourage you to pray and receive the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world into your heart. And, if you are already a follower of Yeshua, may you feed on the Lamb daily for sustenance, getting close to Him and drawing strength from Him for the journey to the New Jerusalem!

Shabbat Shalom!