Torah Portion - Bo

This Week's Portion

Torah: Exodus 10:1-13:16

Prophets: Jeremiah 46:13-28

Gospel: Mark 3:7-19

This week's Torah Portion is titled "Bo" - which means "come" or alternately "go", depending on your Bible version. This title stems from the text where we see God telling Moses to GO/COME to Pharaoh.

Last week, we saw the beginning of the plagues that were brought upon Egypt. This week we continue with plagues number 8-10.

It is interesting to note that when the plagues began, the first three affected everyone, including the Hebrews. Then beginning with the fourth plague, the Hebrews were protected. In fact, we see that they were miraculously kept from the remaining plagues in a place of refuge called Goshen. This should serve to remind us that God's people are not exempt from tribulation, but it should also comfort us that He has prepared us a place of refuge as well.

The most significant of the plagues is the final plague that brings the death of all of the firstborn of the Egyptians. Here is where we read of the institution of the Passover sacrifice. This was where a lamb was killed and the blood applied to the doorposts of the house so that the angel of death would PASS OVER. There are way too many truths and important things in the Passover ordinances to cover in one post, so for the sake of brevity, I want to focus in this post on - Who can partake of the Passover? using Exodus 12:43-49 as the main text:

"And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. No foreigner or hired servant may eat of it. It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”"And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. No foreigner or hired servant may eat of it." There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

The first thing to understand is that the Passover is not the feast or holiday itself, the passover is the SACRIFICE.

We see according to the scriptures that NO HIRED SERVANT OR FOREIGNER (Non-Israelite) shall eat of it. This is significant, because it implies that unless you are a part of Israel, i.e. either native-born or by willing subjection to the laws of God in Israel, you are excluded. Well that's a problem for most of us who are not, or have no idea if we are blood lineage Israelites. It also implies that we cannot partake of this peace offering by being a hired hand, one who works to receive their own wages, but does not become a part of the community.

However, there is something even more significant than that, and that is, no matter who you were, native-born, slave or stranger you still COULD NOT partake of the passover unless you were circumcised.

There is only one law, one way to be a part of God's people and partake of His covenant promises. It's not different depending on when you were born, where you were born, who you were born to or what you believe.

So here's how this shakes out for the rest of us.....

Jesus explains that "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." (John 8:34)

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)

This means not only are we strangers from the covenant of promise, but we are also slaves (to sin) just as the Hebrews were slaves and strangers in the land of Egypt. However, at the cross, freedom was purchased and redemption was made; that we might no longer be the servants of sin, but heirs according to the promise, adopted into the household of Israel by the blood of Christ, the Messiah. According to the Exodus text, we must be circumcised and willingly enter into that covenant of faith with God and partake of the peace offering of the Passover.

"Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Cor 5:7-8)

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

(1 Cor 6:20)

"Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked." (Deut 10:16)

"But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Romans 2:29)

These verses speak of repentance, a circumcised heart, turning back to God and His ways, serving Him rather than being a slave to sin and the death that it brings and trusting in His perfect peace offering, the Lamb of God.

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ......Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;"

(Ephesians 2:12-13,19)

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF ISRAEL!