Beshalach “When He Let Go”
Exodus 13:17 - 17:16
This week we see God telling Moses to have the Israelites set up camp, but Pharaoh changes his mind on freeing them and takes off after them. The Egyptians are not far behind this mix multitude coming out of Egypt and up ahead they face water and lots of it. Our God is so awesome, He literally parts the waters and gives the Israelites dry ground to cross. As soon as the last of the Israelites reach the other side, God closes up the gap and water comes rushing back and drowns out Pharaoh and his army. The women begin to sing and dance to celebrate. But it doesn’t take long for the Israelites to become uncomfortable with their new living conditions. God has given them provision of food, but that soon isn’t enough for the Israelites…
The Israelites lived in Egypt for 400 years. Even though they lived as slaves in the end, they still became prideful. The freedom God had granted them wasn't enough. They didn’t like their new living conditions in the wilderness. They only see the past and don’t look ahead to the promises of a better future.
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He didn’t tell them to go the most direct route. God took them through the wilderness. God went before them in a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. God did this, so they could travel in the day light and in the dark. Moses remembered Joseph’s dying words, “God will surely remember you and then bring my bones with you to the promised land”, so Moses made sure to bring Joseph’s bones out of Egypt to be brought to the promised land. When Pharaoh’s army approached the Israelites, they cried out, asking God, “why did you bring us here to die”? Let us go back to Egypt and be slaves.” Moses assured them, to not fear, to trust in God and He would deliver them. We read how God instructs Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea, the sea parted, so they could cross safely. Once the people saw this miraculous sight, they trusted in God and Moses as God’s prophet.
We believe there was 600,000 mix multitude of people that left Egypt. We say “mix multitude” because there were Egyptian ethnicity that believed in the God of Israel and they left with the Israelites.
Moses led them into the wilderness but after several days they could find no water. They came to a spring in Marah, but the water was bitter and they couldn’t drink it. God showed Moses how to take a certain tree and put it in the water to make it sweet and they could drink. God proclaims, “if you will listen to Me and do what is right in my sight, then I will not plague you as I have the Egyptians, for I am the Lord and your Healer.” As the people moved onward, they became hungry and began to complain to Moses and Aaron that they would all starve. God spoke to Moses and told him that by evening they would have meat to eat and they would have bread in the morning. Moses made sure to let them know, to gather only what they needed, to not be greedy. But unfortunately some did not heed these instructions and decided to gather more than they needed. When the people woke the next morning, bugs and maggots covered the extra they had taken.
On the 6th day, God tells Moses to have them gather enough for that day as well as the following day. God tells Moses, that the 7th day is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath of the Lord.
This is the 2nd time “Sabbath rest” is mentioned. In Genesis 2:2-3 we see God set aside the Sabbath as a day of rest. Here we see God instructing His people to take the 7th day (Sabbath) and rest.
God promises the extra food they gathered would not spoil. The people that did not trust in what Moses told them, did not gather what they were told. On the 7th day, they went out and there was no food to be found. Soon, the people found themselves at another camp, but no water was to be found. The people begin to grow angry and Moses begin to wonder if they would gang up on him and stone him. Moses is at his wits end as their leader and goes to God and asks, “what shall I do with these people”? God instructs Moses to go in front of the elders at Horeb and strike a rock to bring water for the people. Moses follows this instruction. While at camp, Amalek comes to fight with the people. Moses sends Joshua with an army to do battle against Amalek. Moses climbs a hill (maybe as a vantage point to see), he holds up his hand and Israel prevails and begins to win as long as his arms are outstretched, but when Moses lets his arms down, Amalek gains the upper hand. Aaron and Hur understand what is going on and they both stand on each side of Moses, holding up his arms until Joshua beats the Amalekites.
Moses builds an alter right at the site, because he knows the war with Amalek would be hanging in the present throughout the generations to come.