Counting of the Omer ~ Day 2

Counting of the Omer ~ Day 2

Today is Wednesday, March 31, 2010, or Nissan 17, 5770.

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Tonight it would have been much easier to just throw up my hands and forget doing the Omer. But, then I realized the enemy would see that as a victory and that while my mind seems to be racing in a hundred different directions, this is that which is needful. (You no doubt remember the story of Martha and Mary. Martha was cumbered about with much serving while her sister, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. Martha complains, wanting Jesus to tell Mary to get herself busy and help. Instead, He answers Martha, “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

So, this is me, Martha, trying to learn from my sister, Mary…or something like that. At any rate, this is where I must be. This is where my life will once again find it’s center, hope will return and faith shall be restored.

I am not quite ready to leave Egypt (figuratively), as there are so many valuable lessons we can learn if we tarry here a little longer. It is the day after Passover. And God speaks to Moses, explaining the plan and their destination. They are to encamp in Etham, at the edge of the wilderness.
Okay, let’s look at this for a minute. Moses has already made this trip twice, once when he fled Egypt after killing the Egyptian task master and when he returned after his burning bush experience with God. It isn’t that far of a journey and Moses knows the way.

However, when we turn the page to Exodus 14, God tells Moses, “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Ballzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.”

This word Pihahiroth is “mouth of the gorges.” So rather than take the route Moses is accustom to, God is placing the people between the gorges and the sea. (Kind of like “the rock and the hard place.”) And then God tells them, “For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.” Exodus 14:3 Not only that, there was a tower at Migdol where Egyptian soldiers could watch for the enemy. The soldiers would see the children of God and report their position to Pharaoh.

But God had a plan. It was His plan to so completely deliver Israel, no one could ever doubt it.

Messianic Significance of the Crossing of the Red Sea

Here we are presented with one of those jewels of scripture that you will never see, unless you attempt to understand Hebrew!

Contained in verse 13 of Exodus 14, Moses says unto the people, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of YHVH (the Lord). The Hebrew word used here for salvation is “yeshuat.”
Does this word remind you of anything? Anyone? Did you say Yeshua? Yeshua! That’s right. It’s not many times that the Torah (Old Testament) outright tells you that you are about to see Yeshua, so this must be important.

This brings up a number of important points. For one, it is connecting the act of salvation with (spiritual) warfare.

It is this Torah picture of deliverance at the Red Sea that helps to teach us the Hebrew concept of salvation. The deliverance of the children of Israel from Pharaoh is a picture of our salvation experience being a deliverance from Satan. We have been delivered into the kingdom of God.

During the actual deliverance, Moses stretched out his arm with
the staff in his hand. In fact, Adonai states that He will "redeem
them with an outstretched arm." Knowing that the deliverance at
the Red Sea is a picture of the work of the Messiah, what is the
connection between the phrase "outstretched arm" to the work
of redemption of Yeshua (Jesus)? That's right! Just as Moses'
outstretched arm secured redemption for Israel, so too does
Yeshua's outstretched arms on the cross secure
redemption for us. The Torah gives us perfect pictures of the
work of the Messiah.

Father, the last few days have been hectic and we have
functioned with little or no sleep, but through it all we have seen
your outstretched arm. You continue to bring deliverance in each
situation, but often we fail to recognize deliverance and salvation
when we are in the midst of trials. So, Father, on this second
night of the Omer, I ask that You give us wisdom, not that we
would be wise in the ways of Egypt (or the world), but wise in that
we would be able to see You are always working for our good. I
ask this in the Name that is above all other names, Father. In
the Name of Yeshua, Amen.

BTW - Thank you for your kind comments. They are very encouraging. Can I ask you to pray for our cousin? She had cancer surgery today and the news is not what we wanted. Her name is Dot Shaw. Thank you!

Blessings,
Cheryl