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Outline Notes for Parashat Va'era

 

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I. Introduction

A. Shemot (Exodus) – The Book of revelations – Promise and fulfillment
B. Parashah Abbreviated Outline

1. G-d reveals Himself to Moses. Employing the "four expressions of redemption," He promises to take out the Children of Israel from Egypt, deliver them from their enslavement, redeem them and acquire them as His own chosen people at Mount Sinai; He will then bring them to the Land He promised to the Patriarchs as their eternal heritage. Shemot 6:2 - 8
2. Moses and Aaron repeatedly come before Pharaoh to demand in the name of G-d, "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me in the wilderness." Pharaoh repeatedly refuses. Aaron's staff turns into a snake and swallows the magic sticks of the Egyptian sorcerers. G-d then sends a series of plagues upon the Egyptians. Shemot 6:28 - 7:13
3. The waters of the Nile turn to blood; swarms of frogs overrun the land; lice infest all men and beasts. Hordes of wild animals invade the cities, a pestilence kills the domestic animals, painful boils afflict the Egyptians. For the seventh plague, fire and ice combine to descend from the skies as a devastating hail. Still, "the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he would not let the children of Israel go; as G-d had said to Moses." Shemot 7:14 – 9:35

C. Review - To reveal, revelation - definition

1. The revelation of God's will to mankind - חשיפה; התגלות; גילוי רצונו של אלוהים לכל בני-האדם (בתיאולוגיה)
2. To open the eyes - Nu. 22:31; Psalm 119: 18
3. To open the ears - I Sam. 9:15; Is 22:14
4. To reveal a secret - Amos 3:7 cp._____?
5. A personal manifestation of God Himself - I Sam. 2:27

D.  God reveals the significance of His name - The Tetragrammaton - a form of to be?

(http://tripatlas.com/YHVH - Note: this is a link to an external website provided for educational value. The information contained therein may not necessarily represent the views of Congregation Beth Avinu or its leadership.)

1. Yahweh - He who causes to be
2. Havayeh - He who generates existence - Kabbalah
3. Yahuah - He who proves himself

 

II. The Revelations of HaShem in the Book of Shemot

A.    HaShem reveals Himself through His Name - Shemot 6:2-3

1. The unknown aspect of The Name

a. If we remember that in the Torah, a name signifies an  attribute or attributes, then this passage becomes a little easier to understand. Thinking along those lines, it appears that what God is telling Moses is that He appeared to his forefathers as El (God), El Shaddai (God Almighty), or Elohim (God), thereby revealing those particular aspects of His nature to them. However, the attribute of His nature signified by the Name _____ had not, until then, been revealed. - FFOZ
b. The patriarchs knew Him as a great, mighty, and powerful God. They knew Him as a God who made promises, but He never related to them as a God who fulfilled those same promises! God gave some far-reaching promises to the patriarchs, but they were never brought to complete fulfillment before them. As it says of the patriarchs in the book of Hebrews, "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises." (Hebrews 11:13) - FFOZ
c.  God appeared to the patriarchs as El Shaddai but they did not know Him as Yahweh cp. Ber. 4:1

B.    Levels of Revelation

1. El Shaddai represents the level of the emotions and the physical realm
   a. El Shaddai - God the Nourisher
   b. El Shaddai - God the Mountain
   c. El Shaddai - God the Sufficient One
   d. El Shaddai - Bereshit 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; 49:3
2. Yahweh represents the level of the inner person The Spirit, the neshamah - Spiritual transformation through an act of redemption - cp Jer. 31: 33 (level 3)
3. The subtle distinction between promise and fulfillment-Shemot 6: 4 -5

C.    HaShem decides to reveal Himself as Yahweh in response to His people's cry - Shemot 6:6 - 8

1. The use of the future (the prophetic perfect) and the reversing vav to indicate that when HaShem makes a promise the promise has already been fulfilled
2. The use of ‘I am HaShem' to indicate God's reliability (4x) cp. Jer. 31; 31-34 (level 3)
3. The revelation of the progressive stages of redemption (The Four Cups at Pesach)

a.    I will free/ take / bring you out - God would remove the Jewish people from the burden of slavery cp.  Ber. 15:14; Yochanan 10:14; Mat 11:29
b.    I will release / rescue you - God would formally terminate the Jewish people's relationship with the Egyptians - From slavery to freedom cp. Yochanan 19: 30 ; 8:36
c.    I will redeem you - God would be the Jewish people's Kinsman - Redeemer - When I see the blood I will pass over you - cp.Ber 22:16; Shemot 14: 13; Ruth ;  Yochanan 3:29; I Cor 10:2
d.    I will take/ adopt/ marry you as - God would marry the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai - Shemot 19:1-24:3-4 cp. Hosea 2 cp. Yochanan 14:1ff
        i. I will be their God - God would have a personal relationship with His Bride
        ii. I will bring you to the land - God would fulfill His promise to the patriarchs by giving His Bride the gift of Eretz Yisrael

D.    The initial sad response of the Jewish people - Shemot 6:9

III.   Conclusion
A.  When HaShem makes a promise the promise has already been fulfilled
B.  Yeshua has come to fulfill the promises of His Heavenly Father - Yochanan 5:43,14:9-14 ; Heb. 4:3; I Peter 4:18-23
C.  The Spirit and the Bride say come. Rev. 22:17