Parashat Beshalach (When He Sent)
Shemot (Exodus) 13:17–17:16
Haftarah: Judges 4:4-5:31
There is an important yet often missed principle in God’s Word, and that is the difference between personal salvation and collective salvation. Every time I read this week’s portion, I am reminded of this important distinction. Salvation of a people is actually a very Jewish concept but is often missed in Christian circles because of the emphasis on personal salvation. However, one does not cancel out the other, so please keep this in mind as you read.
I like to think of personal salvation in terms of a “first redemption”. In Exodus 12:13, we see that a personal choice to obey God was key to being saved from death:
And the Blood will be for you a sign on the homes where you are, and I will see the blood and I will pass over you and I will not be to you as a destruction disease when I smite the land of Egypt.
The clear parallel between the blood of the lamb protecting the Israelites from death and the blood of the Lamb of God, Yeshua, protecting our souls from death cannot be missed. But this was not the final redemption, as we see when we read on.
In this week's Parashah, we read of God’s final redemption of His people - rescuing the children of Israel from Pharaoh and his army at the “End Sea”. You may wonder why I call it the “End Sea” and not the "Red Sea". Sometimes, important details get lost in translation, and I think the literal translation of the sea's name is important to our understanding of the account. In Exodus 13:18, the English translation reads:
Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt.
In Hebrew, the name for the “Red Sea” is “Yam Sof”, which literally means, “the End (or Final) Sea.” However, I believe that we need to use the actual translation as the “End Sea” because it foretells what was to happen to Pharaoh and his army. The End Sea is where God performed His final act of judgment, and also the final redemption of the children of Israel! Later in Exodus 14, we read of that redemption when Moses tells the people of Israel:
But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”
Exodus 14:13-14
I personally find a similar concept in the Scripture for us, His followers. The “first” redemption is personal and can only come through God’s provided atonement, Yeshua:
“…that if you confess with your mouth Yeshua as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”
Romans 10:9
and
So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
Romans 14:12
We also find that Paul writes about collective redemption in Romans 11:25-26:
For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
There will be a time for the final redemption when all of Israel will be saved. I personally believe that it will be similar to how the children of Israel experienced God’s final redemption – a supernatural event that occurred when they had nowhere else to look but to the Lord Himself:
I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their distress they will search for Me.
Hosea 5:16
and as Yeshua said in Matthew 23:37-39:
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Yeshua was speaking to the people of Jerusalem - the Jewish people. He was speaking of a day in the future when all Israel will be saved.
If there is one thing I am certain of, it is this; a day will come when Israel - and the world - will witness the Lord’s final redemption of His people! What a glorious day that will be!
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran
One Comment on “The Final Redemption Draws Near”
Hello Mora
I’m praying for peace for Israel and for your family well being!
I was interested in your trip to Cypress however I have conflict schedule in September 2023.
Maybe next time!
Thank you and have a great week