The Four Spiritual Stages (4)
Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, “I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; . . .” Exodus 6:6-7 NASB
Take you – Go stand at Sinai. Attune your ears to Moses’ storytelling. When you hear the verb laqah, what does it remind you of? Well, you might think of the great call to Abraham (lek-leka’ – “go out”) or you might think of Enoch (ki-laqah – “God took him”). But you must also notice the connection to marriage symbolism (“taking a wife”) and education (leqah). So what does it mean when we read, “I will take you”?
The words are connected with the command to separate ourselves from the world. The words recall imagery of being caught up with God. The words symbolically represent the exclusivity of a marriage covenant. The words form the basis of our re-education. When God “takes” Israel, all of these nuances apply.
Has God taken you? Have you left behind the world of your origins? Have you come out from the idolatry of your past? Are you following YHWH to a place He will show you?
Has God taken you? Have you felt Him lift you away? Have you experienced the slice of heaven on earth that comes with His presence? Do you know the agony and the ecstasy of the Ancient of Days coming on the clouds?
Has God taken you? Are you “married” to the God of Israel? Is He your one true love, your faithful spouse, your exclusive partner? Are disrupting relationships set aside? Is your deepest intimacy with Him?
Has God taken you? Is He your teacher, your tutor, your mentor, your guide? Are you listening to His words, studying His teachings, practicing His instructions? Has He taken top priority in your pursuit of knowledge and wisdom?
Imagine the range of meaning for this simple verb, laqah, applied to you. When God takes He includes all of His character, all of His concern, all of His comfort. Have you allowed Him to take all of you?
Topical Index: laqah, to take, to go forth, leqah, education, marriage, Exodus 6:7
When I began this walk of recognizing my need to know the Father on July 3rd 1977, my heart was filled with a burning zeal and desire to know Him. As years went by the desire became to be used by Him. Difference? Now I think that is just a Christian teaching not even related to the desire for relationship. The lines got blurred and the desire to know became less important than being a vessel. Well? My heart longs for the relationship. Can I say there truly is one if those two things aren’t hand in hand? So much to think about.
And another thing am I in relationship if I am not observing feasts days and Sabbath is such a desire but so far has seemed so out of reach! I have no one who lives with me who understands or is willing to observe Sabbath, it is a struggle every week! Aghhhh. Does He understand do I stand forgiven in my struggle? This isn’t Christendom here! Is He really one I am taken by?
Babs,
I too struggle to observe the Sabbath with rest and study as I live in a community that totally shuts down on Sundays. I have come to peace with doing the best I am able to under the circumstances. The Lord says that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a gift for us. People do not function well if they don’t take a day in 7 off to rest and reflect.
The times and seasons have already been changed. We count our days differently, and Christians have chosen different holy days, turning their backs on the feasts.
I have kids and grand children that love Christmas (ugh). I used to love Christmas. Now it is all I can do to keep from blasting people who talk about putting “Christ” back in Christmas because He was never there to begin with! Seems to me the longer we have walk down the road with the world the harder it is to push back to get on the correct path.
Take not mixing fabrics in the clothes we wear. How hard is that when for your whole life you just wore what was reasonable and looked good? It occurred to me that all of my undergarments need to be replaced in order to comply with this.
How about not castrating your animals? Does that mean don’t neuter your dogs and cats? I keep goats, sheep, and cows from time to time. Have you ever had a bull? Castrated cows are bad enough when they get big.
Mostly in this day and age when we talk about keeping the Torah it is about what we eat, but there are really so many more aspects of it than that one facet and we have all gotten so far away from the way that we were intended to live that much of it seems unattainable, at least to me.
Hi Babs,
These are issues many of us in Torah ways are facing. We do the best we can with our whole hearts, even by ourselves, but YHWH is with us! Often I bless and keep Shabbat by myself too, and it is beautiful, though with the like-minded brethren it’s more so.
We are in the days of restoration to be re-gathering, and that is the day we are anticipating!
So, be encouraged to take a step at a time. YHWH’s chesed is always available to us.
Shalom!
Ester I just really don’t want to confuse or make excuses for myself as to walking in obedience before Yaweh. I understand trying to do the best I can. I don’t want to allow the “oh, it will be okay” excuses and the he understands and forgives” attitude to take hold of my heart anymore than it has. When I read the word I know that I cannot measure up except through His strong right hand which has pulled me out of the darkness. I also know that my entire life even as a small child I have heard Him calling me and guiding me. To realize what you are saying that we are being called to a restoration in Torah is exciting. I guess just allowing Yaweh my covenant keeper to continue doing his work is the best thing to rest in at this point. Jill, thank you for sharing as well. There are many things that have changed for my family as well. Celebrating the pagan holidays and eating publisher were the easiest things even thou caused they caused some ruckus with the family and friends. As for the rest it is a work in progress. Probably the hardest is my desire to celebrate feasts and observe Sabbath. Keep striving as I will also. It feels comforting to have connected even if through this blog with others who are walking the walk. Thank you once again Skip for your heart and desire to share some of who you are and who our precious Redeemer is with us.
Kosher don’t know where publisher came from! I eat kosher!
How many are the “I WILLS” of God’s holy Word?
Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, “I AM the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; . . .” (Exodus 6:6-7)
Because “HE IS”- He will! It is as “good as done!”
Just to rest upon His promise
Just to know,- “thus saith the LORD!”
When God says “I will”- it’s as good as done. Why?
God, is totally “other”- and is incapable- He cannot (ever) lie! (Numbers 23.19)
Because we have (in one form or fashion) been lied to (in one way or another) our entire lives, are we now -battered, bruised, wounded creatures that we are, able still to hear and to know and to recognize and to realize, “truth?” Even after the disastrous results of Adam’s sin (disobedience) are we still able to hear the voice of our LORD saying, “this is the Way, walk in it?”
How many “I wills” do you remember? For every “I will” is a blessing! If God said it, (or says it) it is as good as done. “Take it to the bank”- If He says, “I will,” – He will!.
~ Come unto Me, ALL you who labor and are heavy-laden, and “I WILL” give you rest! ~
Did He just say “I will?” Does He/has He ever, the ONE who is Truth Incarnate, (ever once) lied? NO!!
Do we want to see results? Do we want/desire to see change? Don’t you think (also) we should DO as He says?
If we believe what He says is true, this is “step #1.” But “step #2” is to obey. “Trust” is one side of the coin of life, and “obey” is the other! The old T&O railroad still runs on two rails: trust and obey, -for (yes) there’s no other Way!
One of the greatest mysteries in the Book God wrote is when Pilate, standing right in front of Him who is Truth Incarnate asked this question: ~ What is Truth? ~ Poor (blind) Pilate! Truth is a Person! Truth IS the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ!! Please..- don’t take my word for it!- Listen! Listen to HIm!!
For He has said: ~ I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life!! ~ (John 14.6) WoW!
Lost? and looking for the Way? It is the LORD. Searching for Truth? ~ It is our LORD ~ Oh!, and trying so hard to find and have “LIFE?” ~ It is the LORD! ~ For He IS ~ the Way ~ He IS ~ the Truth and He IS ~ the Life! ~
This is our blood-covenant union in the Messiah: When He has us,- we have Him! It is the blood-covenant union of the human and the divine! It is ~ Christ in YOU the hope (certainty!) of glory! ~
The Exodus AND the Eisodus- He brought us out, that He might bring us in! ~ This is the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes! ~
There is a (Canaan) rest that remains to the people of (those belonging to) God..~
And as we “enter into” this land flowing with milk and honey, there are thirty-one kings yet to be conquered! Who are these “thirty-one kings?” Victory! Victory, in Jesus!
~ No, despite all these things, overwhelming Victory is ours through Christ, who loved us! ~
(Romans 8.37)
Two questions for consideration: When did He STOP loving us?
(Hallelujah!) NEVER!!
~ In hope (glad certainty) of eternal life, which God, Who cannot lie, promised before the world began ~
(Titus 1.2)
Is “eternal life” a quantity? – or a quality?
(Yes, – it is!) Amen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRVHBv4rYCc
The outstretched arm is a reference to the rite of covenant. It is the means of taking another to your self (you give your hand in marriage). You go to the public square and you stretch out your strong right hand. You cut the palm and you raise it, high and lifted up. For all the world to see, you give your blood to another to be mingled in one life. The cut becomes a permanent scar, a covenant mark forever stating whose you are. You become the other persons surety, his guarantor, his redeemer. Isaiah is rife with these references. Isaiah 49:16 “See I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands”. Isaiah 49:22 “Behold I lift my hand in an oath to the nations”. Isaiah 51:5 “and on My arm they will trust”. Isaiah 52:19 “The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all nations;and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God”. Isaiah 53:”Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Jesus is not at the right hand of God. He IS the right hand of God! All of his wounds have covenant significance. His scarred hands testify that from the foundation of time, He is ours. He is the Yud that leaves Aleph and is joinded to Dalet to make Hey. I have seen the ezer kenedgo, and she is us. The whole purpose of this creation is to make a comparable helper, for the Father thought it not good that (the second) Adam should be alone. In this world, the ezer kenedgo was the last creation. In reality she is the first creation for the world to come. What is last shall be first. Her purpose is to be joined to Jesus and participate in creation. Here is one place I think the rabbis have it backwards, for they say that Hey created this world and Yud creates the world to come. It was Yud who created this world and Hey who creates the next. Paul McCartney had it wrong too; its Yud Hey, not Hey Yud.
WOW Brett,
Just this morning I was asking God to show me who Yashua is and what His purpose is because with this paradigm shift I struggle with that fact that He is God and yet He is a separate being. If God is one (and He is) than how can They be three? I will be thinking about the implications of what you have written for a long time. Thank you for sharing.
Take you?When Hashem took Isreal for his Bride,they did not let go of all there idol worship.This caused that generation to die in the wilderness.It is not enough to accept and to keep his shabbot and his feast days.We must leave behind the keeping of sunday as a set apart day along with Christmas and easter.We can only have one husband,to follow another is idolatry.How have we separated ourselves if we keep both?I wouldn’t want a bride like that.
One day,
“every eye will see Him” Rev 1:7
This day,
you and I have that overwhelming
distinction.
But how in the world did that happen?
“There are a few who find it.”
Jesus put it this way:
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you.” Jn 15:16
It’s the same message in Exodus: “I will take you.”
And here’s what God says He’ll do in us:
“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you
to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My
judgements and do them.” Ez 36:27
And us?
What are we to do?
“Follow Me.”
That’s it?
That’s it.
His Spirit in us has already given us
the cause to walk in His Way. The same
Spirit in us that raised Jesus from the dead!
Talk about a motivating force!!!
We’ve been pre-wired. “Old things have passed away.”
Every time I think about it,
it’s far more than I can think about!
“So what does it mean when we read, “I will take you”?”
It means the One I/we adore, our Beloved is saying-I will take you as my Wife, will you marry Me?
What honour, what joy, when all these while, I/we have been silently in our heart/s praying and making all diligence to be all without spot, without blemish, without wrinkle, perfumed, say-PLEASE chose me! My Beloved is mine, and I am HIS! HIS banner over me is Love!
“When God takes He includes all of His character, all of His concern, all of His comfort.”
YES! I/we desire no less of Him, I/we desire Him with all His chesed that has seen us through testing times that reveal our heart/s condition/s that we truly love Him, and I/we WILL walk in ALL of His wonderful ways under His directions as written in Torah.
Do you know the agony and the ecstasy of the Ancient of Days coming on the clouds?
Hopefully, YES!
The agony of knowing IF I/we have truly done well on our journey of seeking to know Him for Who He is, and what HE expects of us. That I/we have not be presumptuous, nor ignorant, nor slack that we are on the right path, His path, the only path that is pleasing to Him, not excusing myself/ourselves that the covenantal ways are too burdensome, when YHWH is our hope and strength!
OH!!! The ecstasy of the privilege of rising up to meet Him in the clouds, to see YAHSHUA, The Aleph and Tav, my/our Beloved, Face to Face, in all His kevod/magnificence, majesty and beauty! OH, happy Day!
When He comes to tabernacle, to rule, reign among us! All chaos will be GONE! Perfect shabbat will be ours! We need to rule and reign NOW over ourselves!
Ester,
I have read that the communion meal, that I believe is to be done on Friday evening, the taking and blessing of the bread and wine, is also a reminder of the betrothal meal. When the bride drinks of the cup she agrees to the betrothal.
Hi Jill,
Interesting question! Really I am not certain about ‘Communion’, as done in churches same as in ‘Messianic’ assemblies. Is there a mixture?
On Shabbats in my group we do break challah bread and have wine, but it is not ‘having communion’. Communion I believe is when we sit at meals to fellowship.
Traditionally, that is when we agree to the betrothal, when the groom offers the wine to the bride he desires to wed.
At Mt Sinai, that offer was extended to all who left Egypt, and they answered-they will, but they have gone through the waters of the Reed Sea, and ‘crossed over’ symbolizing immersion/mitveh.
When we agree to walk in YHWH’s ways, that I think is our accepting His betrothal?
Shalom!
Ester,
My understanding was that communion as practiced in churches comes from Paul’s statement to the Corinthians in 11:20-23 that as often as the take the bread and wine “in communion” they proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again. We are commanded in Luke to “do this in remembrance of me”
Sabbath is celebrated every week with bread and wine (and a meal) traditionally. It is this connection that makes me think that this is the bread and wine and meal that Paul and Yeshua speak of when they are referring to what the churches have construed into “communion” attaching all kinds of weirdness to it.
Back to the betrothal idea – once the woman agreed to the betrothal agreement by drinking from the cup set before her, she took a special cleansing bath (baptism) to signify she was set apart to be married.
There are a separate set of “rules” for a woman who is betrothed from the young maids who are not right? Just as there is a set of “rules” for those who would follow after the Lord that sets them apart. I think that walking in YHWH’s ways is the result of our accepting His betrothal?
Brett got me thinking about this whole think with his message at the top of this thread. Shalom
Hi Jill,
You are right, ‘Communion’ is not in the texts, it is a presumed interpretation to mean that.
Communion is having a beautiful meal together with YHWH’s people.
There is eating at YHWH’s Table, and eating at demon’s table of idolatry- 10: 21!
Yahshua is the Bread of life; symbolically when we break bread, we are to remember Yahshua, the Living Word as the daily Bread that we need spiritually to partake, this should not be at shabbats only-it is as often as we eat Bread, midrash, or Torah study together, my perspective. 🙂
It is wonderful to discuss Scriptures with like-minded brethren, appreciating the different individual aspects that widen our perspective, and confirm our paradigm shift as we are doing here in this blog.
Shalom to you!
A bit further on the daily bread theme, Yeshua is the bread of life, and we pray for our daily bread, revelation? with the Lord’s prayer.
I agree with you that it is wonderful to have a place where like minded people can look at what we have been taught and what we’ve discovered without being “blasted” for it, to not hold onto anyone position so tightly that we can see it from a different perspective.
May this be a week filled with much joy and peace for you Ester.