Va’era “And I appeared”
Exodus 6:2–9:35
Ezekiel 28:25–29:21
John 6-11
He Did, and He Will

In just a few short weeks we will celebrate the Feast of Passover. With this Feast we will once again see in our observances the redemptive plan of The Almighty in our lives. During Passover it is a tradition to drink four cups of the fruit of the vine. Each of these cups represents an "I will" that we have been promised in the Torah portion this week. These "I wills" are found in Exodus 6:6-8. Let's look at each one of these specifically.

In the first "I will" Elohim tells the people He will free them from forced labor and redeem them. These words must have seemed like a promise too good to be true. They had been slaves for many years. This generation had known only a life of slavery. They did not know what it was to be free. The words echoed deep into their spirits, but they just could not see how they would ever be able to leave their present life of slavery.

Next they were told that Elohim would take them as His possession. He would be their God and they would be His people. They understood being owned by another because in Egypt they were owned by Pharaoh. The Hebrews knew that at one time they had been the chosen people of this God. They knew the history of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but really had no concept of who this one called YH VH really was.
They did not understand how far different He was from the one who owned them now. Again, the words would echo in their souls, but they did not have a place for them in their whole being.

They were then told Elohim would bring them back to a land promised to them through their forefathers. This land had been talked about during their time in slavery, but it was always a distant thing. What was so special about that land anyway? Why could they not just be set free and allowed to live where they were? It must be a long walk, and for what? Egypt was a pretty nice place if they could just change their economic situation.

Lastly they were told the land would be given to them. Again, they thought about Egypt. Why could not this God just restore to them what they had lost and dwell with them in this land? Why go to all the trouble of packing, moving and then unpacking in a strange new place?

Truth is the four "I wills" probably make more sense and have more meaning to many of us today that they did to the Hebrews then. We have the benefit of history and scripture to help explain to us a more detailed picture. But maybe there is still a bit of this concept that is a bit fuzzy.

Most anyone who has grown up in a church setting understands much regarding the first two "I wills." We understand this as salvation. It is being set free from a past life of sin and leaving the forced labor of satan. We then are restored to right relationship with our Creator and the story ends, until sometime in the future we all fly away to a day of rejoicing, playing harps and floating on clouds. Now this may sound all well and good for the church bulletin, but it is only half of salvation as defined in scripture. Elohim defines salvation as not only setting us free from the past, but returning us to the past, that is our home, our inheritance, the land called Israel, which he swore not only to return Abraham to, but swore to return us to as well.

So what is so special about returning to Israel? Could He not just as well establish a relationship with us and leave us where we are? Many will ask that question because they read over one very big small word in Exodus 6:8. The word is "Bring".

In travel you can take someone where they are going, but you bring someone to where you are. Elohim is speaking TO Moses and the people in Egypt, but He is speaking to them FROM Israel. Do not miss this one huge point. Though He is everywhere, there is a level of His presence that can only be within the boundaries of the Land of Israel. Anyone who has been to Israel understands this, but only understands it in part. I know that it is a concept I understand in my own spirit, but do not fully understand with my mind, nor can I explain it.

The Hebrews were a people called by the name of the Most High, but in Egypt they were like fish out of water. Problem is they did not know they were drowning. They thought His presence in Egypt was the norm; it was all there was. They did not understand what His presence would be when they reached the place where He was.

This is why many of us are feeling a desire to return to the Land of Israel. It is not about the land though. I have been there seventeen times. It is a great place, but in my opinion it is not as beautiful as the mountains of Colorado or Washington State. Its sand beaches do not compare with the beauty of the coastline of the panhandle of Florida. Truth is, there are many places in the world that hold more beauty than Israel, but there is one thing only Israel has and that is a special fullness of His presence.

He did live up to His promise to the Hebrews and fulfilled the four I Wills" we read about this week. The great news for us is that not only did He do it in their lives, He is once again doing it in ours!