Beshalach “When He Sent” Exodus 13:17–17:16 Judges 4:4–5:31 Mark 6 Fully Armed Egypt is now in ruins. What had once been the most prosperous and beautiful country in the known world had been reduced to near nothing because of the hardness of one man’s heart. The ruin could have been averted if Pharaoh had only realized his sin against HaShem and let the Hebrews go. If he had, Egypt would have still been standing and no doubt would have continued to prosper. Why did Egypt and Pharaoh not repent? Why was Egypt destroyed? Of course it was because of the hardness of Pharaoh's heart, but there was something more. Pharaoh had put the people of God in bondage and slavery and this had to be and was judged accordingly. There is another reason though. The Hebrew’s past had to be destroyed so they could not return. We see them in the wilderness grumbling and complaining, looking back to what was. But what they remembered was no more. If they had tried to go back there would have been nothing to go back to. In our lives we should always look forward and be moving forward on our journey. Looking back at what was is always a hazard to our walk. Looking back while walking forward in the natural will cause one to stumble and fall. This is true in our spiritual walk also. On a different subject, look at Exodus 13:17-18. It states that HaShem took them on a roundabout route so they would not engage the Philistines in war. Now the scripture says they were fully armed so why were they not allowed to go to war? Though they may have been prepared on the outside for war, they were not prepared on the inside. They could strap swords to their waists and carry spears in their hands, but if they had been allowed to go into war their hearts would have fainted because they were not prepared in their spirits to wage war. It would take them going through many circumstances to build their faith and dependence on God and to prepare their spirits for the battles ahead. To me, this speaks very loud and very clear to us in our day. Anyone can go out and buy a sword (Bible), and feel they are prepared for the battles ahead. They can take a verse here and a verse there and begin to proclaim those words to the heavens, not having a clue of what they are talking about because they have not matured in their spirits. An example of this is the Charismatic Movement over the past forty years. Many have come to "faith" through the preaching of a verse here and a verse there. They have then gone out and bought a Bible only to highlight the few verses they have been taught, but never read and digested it for themselves. They stand proclaiming, confessing and shouting verse after verse with little or no effect and change in their situations. They have their sword, but they have not matured enough to know how to use it. One of the greatest points of the Hebrew Roots restoration in our day is it is getting us back to the whole of the word and not just selected verses. We are challenged on a weekly basis to study the foundation of Torah. We then see how the Prophets, Writings and the Renewed Covenant expound on the timeless principles of Torah. Over time we begin to see the whole counsel of God in our lives, not just bits and pieces. In the end we find that this approach has taught us not only how to wear our sword and other weapons. It has taught us how to use them for His glory and not just for our own. I have talked with countless people over the years who have said to me they grew up in a church with sermons and Sunday School lessons too numerous to mention. They say they thought they knew the word and how to use it. But when they came to the revelation of the importance of the foundation of Torah, they realized how little they once knew and how immature they truly were in how to use The Word to change their own life as well as help in changing those around them. Torah has taught many of us how much we did not know. The Hebrews were given Torah first in small doses as they made their way to the Mountain of God and the giving of the full Torah. I think today I, as well as many of you, could say we can relate to the Hebrews in this way. As I look back over my own journey I see how the "Great Revelations" of Torah years ago were really just baby steps. The staged revelations along the way coaxed me along, to see not only the immediate path ahead, but to keep me moving toward the mountain ahead. The taller mountain brings forth maturity and responsibility and teaches us all not only how to wear our sword, but when and how to use it. May we take from this week’s Torah portion many lessons from the Hebrews. May we remember to never look back, always keep our eyes on His path, learn lessons from every step we take, trust that He is leading us on the path that is best for us and maybe above all, keep our sword in its sheath until He teaches us how to use it.