Parashah Beshalach

Exodus 13:17—17:16

Notes by Chris O’Quin, January 19th, 2008

© 2008

I.                   Introduction

Our Parashah this morning tells of the parting of the Red Sea (Sea of Reeds) and Israel’s miraculous escape from Egypt. Yet the Apostle Paul declares to a mixed audience of Jews and Gentiles in I Corinthians 10:1—4 that our ancestors were all there. In other words, Paul seems to be including the Gentiles into greater Israel. Is this an isolated verse or can Paul truly be indicating that followers of Yeshua are now part of a greater Israel? If this is so, what are the implications for us as Messianics? How does this shape our sense of identity and our responsibilities regarding the Torah?

II.                Who is Israel?

A.     I Corinthians 10:1--4

B.     Joshua 8: 34 & 35

C.     Exodus 12:38

D.     Romans 11:11—24

III.             What then is our responsibility?

A.     How much do I have to follow?

B.     Is this the right question?

C.     Who is the Torah made for?

IV.              What does the Torah consist of?

A.     The Written Torah

B.     The Oral Torah (Exodus 17:14)

C.     Rabbinical Laws (Deuteronomy 16:18 & 19; 17:8—13)

1.      Fences

2.      Ordinances (Punishments)

3.      Canonizations (standardizations)

V.                 What are the Noahide Laws? (Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin 56a/b; 59a/b)

A.     There is no set number.

B.     There is disagreement as to which laws are to be included.

C.     Were the Noahide Laws intended to show Gentiles a path to salvation or merely to confirm their condemnation? Explain

D.     Paul indicates very clearly in his letters that his congregations were to fulfill mitzvoth in excess of what the Noahide Laws would demand.

E.      Wouldn’t Paul have explicitly mentioned the term?

VI.              What is the Torah for?

A.     The Torah is made to show mankind what is right and how to do what is right.

B.     Why are there so few ordinances?

C.     Yeshua told his disciples to go into all the earth making disciples of the nations and teaching them to keep his commandments. (Matt. 28:19 & 20)

D.     Isaiah 2

E.      Isaiah 56

F.      The constant mitzvah to Love G-d and what this means.

G.     Ecclesiastes 12:13 and the whole duty of mankind

 

VII.           Conclusion

A.     Whether Jew or Gentile, if we are "in Messiah" we are “in Israel ”.

B.     As regards to righteousness there is only one standard—that is the Torah.

C.     We are free to love G-d with all of our hearts, with all of our souls and with all of our strength.

D.     Next week, as we begin our study of the giving of the Torah, let us not ask ourselves how much we have to do to please G-d.  Rather, let us seek to show our love for G-d in as many mitzvoth as we can do.