Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Parashah#21: Ki Tissa (When you take) Sh’mot (Exodus) 30:11-34:35
Haftarah :M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings)18:20-39
B’rit Chadashah: Luke 11:14-20
The first thing I want to address in this parashah is Chapter 32 verse 14: “ Adonai then changed his mind about the disaster he had planned for his people.” This comment was in response to the people building a golden calf as a “substitute G-d” for the people even before Moshe had left the mountain… again to receive everything Adonai had said, including all the rulings (Exodus 24:3). There is much debate about how many times Moshe went up to the mountain and conversed with Adonai, receiving His commands, laws, rulings, and other instructions. The number of ascents range from three to eight with scripture supporting each perspective. However, I am not going to delve into this subject beyond this comment. I bring this to your attention with the hope that you will explore this subject further independently.
I chose to focus on Exodus 32:14 because there are many opinions on whether we can actually “change” G-d’s mind about anything. If that were possible, then there is no way to know “how” we might accomplish that feat if we feel G-d’s original plan is in some way “faulty.” So I began my research on this idea of G-d changing his mind with Benson’s commentary on Exodus 32:14:
“How ready G-d is to forgive! It must however, be well observed that such expressions as this, of the L-rd’s repenting, must be understood as spoken after the manner of men. For that no proper change or repentance can take place in the Divine Mind, plainly follows from the perfection of the divine knowledge, which comprehends at one view all things, past, present, and to come, and can never be surprised at their happening as they do, or change his mind on that account.”
If we refer back to Genesis 6:6 we see the concept of divine regret introduced which can pose a significant challenge to the Bible student. In the context of Genesis, this regret does not imply a mistake by G-d but rather a change in his relationship with humanity due to their sinfulness. The Hebrew word used here “ nacham,” can mean to be sorry, to console oneself, or to repent. It reflects G-d’s sorrow over human wickedness. This anthropomorphic expression helps humans to at least partially consider that G-d has “feelings” more accurately described as compassion. This attribute of G-d is reflected in the kabbalah as chesed or “loving, unmerited kindness” taught and demonstrated through the life of Yahshua. Yahshua’s entire ministry encapsulated what it means for man to live by G-d’s Commands with compassion or heart felt intent. We can see this compassion not only in the fact that G-d did not destroy the Israelites, but in some of the other translations of verse 14. In the Septuagint translation of Exodus 32:14 is as follows “ And the L-rd was prevailed upon to preserve his people.” We do not use this term often in the English language of today but it means “to persuade someone to do something that they did not want to do or simply convincing someone to do something. It implies that there was a reluctance on the part of the person being persuaded, but ultimately they were convinced by the other party’s argument or request (Crossidiomas.com). Indeed, the word “prevail” used in the Septuagint is consistent with this definition as we back up a few verses to chapter 32: 11-13 where Moshe pleads with G-d not to destroy the Israelites for the sin of the golden calf. Nevertheless, Benson in his commentary on the idea of changing G-d’s mind stating that “ expressions as this, of the L-rd’s repenting, must be understood after the manner of men” because G-d’s plan is perfect and He knows the beginning from the end. Although in executing His plan, man perceives it with an extremely limited understanding of G-d and his attributes or manifestations as they are referred to in the Kabbalah. It follows that expressing the perceived change in what G-d said He was going to do compared to what He said he was planning to do in anthropomorphic terms that do not accurately reflect such expressions of G-d’s unmerited kindness is somewhat understandable. Unfortunately, the problem with many who read the Bible including some who claim to be biblical scholars is that they do not take the time to research such profound statements that would seem illogical to the human mind. This is especially true in narratives such as this in which G-d is essentially described as One whose mind can be changed in the face of his omniscience,[knowing all things; infinitely knowing or wise], omnipotence[having unlimited or universal power], and especially the fact that He is unchanging. Numbers 23:19 tells us “ G-d is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has He spoken, and will not fulfill it?” 1 Samuel 15:29 reads: “And also the glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.”
In the last phrase of Numbers 23:19 we may believe there is contradiction between “Has He said and will he not do it? Or has He spoken, and will not fulfill it?” Did we not just learn that originally it would seem that G-d “spoke” when he told Moshe in 32: 10-11 “ Now leave me alone, so that my anger can blaze against them, and I can put an end to them! I will make a great nation out of you instead.” Now lets’ examine Exodus 32:25-29, 34-5, and Numbers 15:24 where we will see that there is no contradiction in scripture whatsoever.
Exodus 32:25-9 reads “ When Moshe saw the people had gotten out of control- because Aharon had allowed them to get out of control, to the derision of their enemies- Moshe stood at the entrance to the camp and shouted, ‘ Whoever is for Adonai, come to me! All the descendants of Levi rallied around him. He told them, ‘ Here is what Adonai, the G-d of Israel says: ‘each of you, put his sword on his side; and go up and down the camp, from gate to gate; ad every man is to kill his own kinsman, his own friend and his own neighbor!’ The sons of Levi did what Moshe said, and that day three thousand of the people died.”
Moving on to verses 30-34. In this scenario, Moshe told the people that they had committed a terrible sin but that he would go back up the mountain to Adonai and seek atonement for them. Moshe demonstrates his humility and compassion for the people by telling G-d that if he will not forgive their sin that he would rather have his name taken out of the book that G-d had written. But G-d made it clear that “ Those who have sinned against me are the one I will blot out of my book. Now go and lead the people to the place I told you about; my angel will go ahead of you. Nevertheless, the time for punishment will come; and then I will punish them for their sin.” One may think that the punishment of the plague that followed was the punishment of which Adonai was speaking. This is not the case as we look at Numbers 15:24 that includes not only the punishment for continued complaining and their lack of trust that G-d would give them victory over the Anakim who appeared as giants and were living in Canaan, but because “ none of the people who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, yet tested me these ten times and did not listen to my voice, will see the land I swore to their ancestors. None of those who treated me with contempt will see it.”
From these verses we learn that there is no such thing as “once saved always saved,” and that Gd means what he says; He is unchanging. When we refer back to Numbers 23:19 we see that what G-d says he will do and what he has spoken he will fulfill. For in Numbers 15:24 we read “ But my servant Kalev, because he had a different Spirit with him and has fully followed me-him I will bring into the land he entered and it will belong to his descendants.” The other man who lived as lone of only two was Y’hoshua who would also enter the land described in Numbers 14:26-35.
The Interlinear Hebrew/English Bible translates this verse as “ Then the L-rd relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.” The word relent implies becoming less rigid, becoming lenient, or forgiving. Again, this would imply that G-d changes and we have already seen through scripture that our G-d is unchanging. Praise Him!
Haftarah :M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings)18:20-39
In the Parashah B’nai Yisrael committed the first very grave sin out of impatience. Moshe was gone longer than they thought he should be, so they constructed and worshipped an idol, a golden calf no less and called it the “G-d of Israel.” The Sages in a half-hearted attempt to justify Israel’s sin say that it was only supposed to be representation of YHVH, but it cut into the Commandment not to bow down to idols.
During the reign of King Ahab, the ten northern tribes, Israel served Ba’al a false god. The prophet Eliyahu confronted them and proved there is only one true El. The Haftarah took place 600 years after the sin of the golden calf and B’nai Yisrael still has not repented and returned to the G-d of Israel. But as G-d is true to his Word, they will repent, return, and will be included as the Bride of Yahshua spoken of in Revelation 19:7.
B’rit Chadashah: Luke 11: 14-20
14 He[Yahshua] was expelling a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute spoke; and the people were astounded. 15 But some of them said, “It is by Ba‘al-zibbul, the ruler of the demons, that he expels the demons.” 16 And others, trying to trap him, demanded from him a sign from Heaven. 17 But he, knowing what they were thinking, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, with one house collapsing on another. 18 So if the Adversary too is divided against himself, how can his kingdom survive? I’m asking because you claim it is by Ba ‘al-zibbul that I drive out the demons. 19 If I drive out demons by Ba ‘al-zibbul, by whom do your people drive them out? So, they will be your judges!” 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of G-d, then the Kingdom of G-d has come upon you!
In this narrative Ba ‘al-zibbul draws an implied connection between Satan and Beelzebub (originally a Semitic deity called Baal , and referred to as Baal-zebul,(lord of the fly) … Ba´al, the supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanite nations, as Ashtoreth was their supreme female divinity. Some suppose Baal to correspond to the sun and Ashtoreth to the moon; others that Baal was Jupiter and Ashtoreth Venus. There can be no doubt of the high antiquity of the worship of Baal. It prevailed in the time of Moshe among the Moabites and Midianites, Num. 22:41, and through them spread to the Israelites (Num. 25:3-18; Deut. 4:3). In the times of the kings it became the religion of the court and people of the ten tribes, 1 Kings 16:31-33; 18:19, 22, and appears never to have been permanently abolished among them. 2 Kings 17:16. Unfortunately, these foreign gods and goddess has returned to America as she continues to denounce everything biblical including the Author of His Word.
What does the phrase “finger of G-d represent?
In Exodus we read at 31:18 “And he gave unto Moshe, when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of G-d. The Torah… Living and Written…
In Matthew 10:24 we also read Yahshua’s comment concerning the accusations in this verse:
24 “A talmid is not greater than his rabbi, a slave is not greater than his master. 25 It is enough for a talmid that he become like his rabbi, and a slave like his master. Now if people have called the head of the house Ba’al zibbul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! 26 So do not fear them; for there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.
The day when we must declare our loyalty/allegiance, and love t0 either the G-d of Avraham, Yitz’chak, and Ya’akov, or The Adversary/Satan is coming sooner than we may think. I qualify this statement with prophecy found in all of the books of the Prophets, Matthew 24, and Revelation, specifically chapter 22. There are many other references, but these that I have listed in this commentary are more than enough to provide reliable, valid material to those who are serious about repenting through faith and trust in Yahshua’s faithfulness even unto the execution stake and then embarking on a lifelong journey of lovingly following the Word of G-d. May we be counted among those faithful who will like Y’hoshua and Kalev, enter the Land.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart