Go, So That You May Know

There is always so much to learn. Were always going around

the mountain. God allows us to capture pieces of it, but in His
infinite wisdom He knows we cannot comprehend it all, or
appreciate it all, taken together, fully at once. So we are allowed
glimpses. We are hungry to understand. Some of us have been
studying Torah for decades, while others far less. The reality is
though that our Creator teaches each of us as we continue to
maintain a willingness to learn, which if received properly will
invoke real change, inwardly; and that change will manifest itself
outwardly in how we make choices like how we care for ourselves,
for our family members; how we work, how we enjoy the days and
nights YHVH has given each of us. But it all comes back to
maintaining that willingness. Were going to talk about that during
this brief study, a lot.
This Torah parsha is called Bo. It means to go. Change is the
result of obedience. Obedience is the fuel, the oil, the shemen;
and change is the fire, the flames that light the menorah that
enlighten the holy place in your own heart. We open this weeks
Torah parsha when we read beginning Then the Lord said to
Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the
heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine
among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son,
and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians
and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know
that I am the Lord" (Shemot/Exodus 10:1-2)
When we look at the word to know in Hebrew it comes from
the word yada. Among other things we learn that it carries the
meanings to observe and then to reflect, or think upon what
youve observed. Its so fundamental, almost like breathing, and
yet it is one of the single most important defining principle of our
lives. We observe, we think upon it and reflect upon it and the
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way we process that information has everything to do with how

we live our lives. The years carry on and perhaps, like most of us,
you become less sensitive to the daily occurrences that happen
around you that go on, on an almost subconscious level. But our
unwillingness to think rightly upon things doesnt change the fact
that its critical, to think rightly upon things that is. It is so
important, its important to understand the meaning of
maintaining a soft heart. It takes more strength to keep your heart
soft in an unloving world. But in order for anything to grow, like
the soil thats been tilled and aerated so too our hearts must be
workable in order for seed to take root. If the ground is too hard, if
any plant manages to sprout it will certainly be a dwarf. A seed
needs good soil in order to blossom (Matthew 13:1-23). Without
being able to fully tap into the rich minerals and nutrients the
earth can at best produce diminuitive fruit that will not endure
long enough to be of use. At worst you bury a seed that was
specifically designed by our Creator to produce the miracle of life,
but because the soil is unprepared its purpose and blessing
perishes covered under darkness.
The heart, like soil must be soft, workable, and in less poetic
terms, willing to receive. At times the seed used to eventually
bear a blessing can come at a price. Just like the pick axe and
plow gouge and till the earth, our hearts must be prepared. The
less willing we are to accept the initial cost of preparation, the
more we limit the miracle of life YHVH desires to produce in us.
This is not to say that God cant demonstrate his power in a
hardened heart, but it may result in consequences the unwilling
heart would never want. Pharaoh for example continued to
harden his heart. Did God use Pharaohs unwillingness to repent?
Absolutely.
The result however was the devastation of his family, his
people and his empire and the redemption of Israel. Could it have
been different? Imagine had Pharaoh softened his heart, been
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willing to receive the truth about the error of his ways. Can you
picture it? Moshe and Pharaoh, talking quietly discussing spiritual
matters and like two wise men walking, together? Moshe
counseling Pharaoh and Pharaoh is unashamedly repentant,
willing and transformed? Now imagine all of Egypt marching as a
mixed multitude to Mount Sinai to worship YHVH together, So
Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh and he said to
them, Go, worship the LORD your God! Who are the ones to go?
Moses replied, We will all go, young and old (Shemot/Exodus
10:8-9). The whole story is changed but the end result is so much
more desirable. YHVHs kingdom is increased, truth is received,
repentance and obedience testify of YHVH and Freedom is
manifested across the board. Could it have been possible? Yes.
Why didnt it come to fruition then? Because of an unwilling heart.
The second issue relevant in this situation, first cousin to
unwillingness, is lack of trust. Pharaoh tells Moshe The LORD be
with you the same as I mean to let your children go with you!
Clearly, you are bent on mischief! (Shemot/Exodus 10:10). A
third component to lacking fruit is much like the first. Very similar
to unwillingness, let us identify it as the double-minded man. On
the one hand he wants to walk in obedience to God. He wants to
be in step with Him, and enjoy the blessings that come from being
a servant of YHVH. But on the other hand there are things he
would personally prefer to do or not do that are strictly forbidden
according to the will of YHVH, also a.k.a. rebellion. Pharaoh said
during the course of the locust and the darkness, okay you can all
go! But you must leave your livestock here! (paraphrased Spires
translation). Moses in turn replies We have to take it all! We have
to provide the sacrifices from which will be used to worship YHVH
and we wont know which ones to select from until we arrive
there! There is no pick and choose. It all belongs to Him see.
Even our choices are ordained by YHVH which is to say if we are
YHVHs then our choices will fall in line with His will, not our own.
Its just not up for debate, it really isnt. If that rubs us the wrong
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way then we need to look inside and ask why? Have we grown
accustomed to getting our way? We are creatures of habit are
we not? We do a thing a certain way over and over and begin to
believe this is how its done. That in and of itself is not sinful;
choosing the path that glorifies self, pleasure, and rebellion
thats where we get into trouble. YHVH has a pattern outlined for
us in Torah. If we get into the habits that Hes established for us
then we dont have to concern ourselves with poor choices
anymore. We can choose YHVHs Way every time. This allows us
to get ourselves out of the way and allows the maximum impact
of His Holy Spirit to be demonstrated in our daily affairs (Just as
YHVH has commanded Exodus 7:10; 12:28, 50; 39:1,5, 7, 21 and
so forth). Give it all, because we shall not know with what we are
to worship the LORD until we arrive there. (Shemot/Exodus
10:26).
The Passover is introduced in this Torah portion and we read
of its prescribed time of observance and the food to be prepared,
eaten and in what manner. The part leading up to celebrating
Pesach is just as important because it speaks of the unblemished
sacrificial lamb and the blood to be placed on the doorposts and
lintels of each home observing the feast. The blood is symbolic so
when the destroyer comes, He will see the blood and Pass Over
those houses with blood. Towards the end of Shemot/Exodus
chapter 12 however we read of what some describe as
Exclusionary Regulations pertaining to who may observe the
Passover feast. At first reading this may smack of unfairness. Why
shouldnt everyone be able to go who wants to? After all, dont we
read in the book of Yochanan/John chapter 3 verse 17 "For God
did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that
the world might be saved through Him. God clearly wants
everyone to be saved and for none to perish (2 Peter 3:9).
The reality however, is that some will reject God. Even
though they have been squeezed into places to encourage them
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to cry out to Him, they still will not (much like Pharaoh). Others
will be blessed in abundance and see those that struggle without
the same measure of gifts that they have been given, yet they
will stubbornly hold to the lie that their wealth came only by the
sweat of their own brow (like the rich young ruler Luke 16:19-31
and 18:18-27). These old ideas that keep people out of the
kingdom of God can be broken, but it requires repentance.
Repentance admits we were wrong for what we were thinking
which results in rebellious actions. Repentance actually means a
returning; A returning to what? To the truth. Again, we think our
logic, our plans and agendas are well thought out, but if theyre
not rooted in Torah then theyre nothing more than rebellion.
I say all this because we may feel like God is slighting
people, excluding them. When in fact it is just the opposite and
this is better understood when we look at why God approves of
separation. Firstly, remove from your mind God doesnt want
mankind to celebrate Passover. Not true. Now, consider what were
reading in Shemot/Exodus 12:43-45.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of
the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; but every man's slave
purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he
may eat of it. A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it.
The fact that circumcision is relevant concerning eligibility to
observe Pesach is important also. Circumcision is an outward
symbol of an inner change that has taken place in our heart,
again with the heart. I feel like Im beating a heartbeat drum.
Seriously, circumcision has everything to do with covenant. We
first read of circumcision back in Beresheit/Genesis 17, verses 10
and 11, where we read "This is My covenant, which you shall
keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you:
every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be
circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign
of the covenant between Me and you (italics mine). This goes
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back again to our earlier discussion about the things that we do to

limit God from accomplishing His will in our life right? We say we
love God, but our behavior says we really dont love Him. We say
we will obey, but then our actions say different.
Now allow me to interject some personal blog-style
commentary for just a moment here. I dont want to get away
from the teaching but I feel it worthy for us to consider, especially
as it is a temptation to become more academically intolerantbut
remember, Yeshua desires compassion over sacrifice. Should this
give us justification to start pointing fingers at everyone who
dont walk Torah out to perfection? I think to an immature mind it
may, and we should be wary of doing so. I personally believe one,
you should have a good relationship with the person youre
concerned about, and two, if you address anything do it in love
and with an open mind. It may be that that friend who keeps
working on Shabbat is doing so because he cant pay his hospital
bills because his wife had to go to the Emergency Room four
times in the last month and the only opportunity he has to make
up the lost days out of work and to get a 40 hour paycheck is to
work on Shabbat. Now, some may interpret that still not as a
justification. The point Im making here is its one thing to speak
The Word when your world is comfortable, and its an entirely
different thing to live it out when you are suffering. We do the
best we can and YHVH is always looking at the heart. Are they
doing something out of ignorance, rebellion, or doing the best
they can with the measure of understanding they have? Proceed
in love with Godly counsel designed to encourage, bring
repentance and prayer.
Consider when Yeshua was in the Temple and there was a
man there with a withered hand. You can find it in the book of
Matthew chapter 12. Read verses 1 through 13. What we dont
want to do is condemn the innocent and bruise the already
battered. So, I think this is really a conversation for another
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teaching but the greater lesson I am attempting to clarify here is

that Abba wants people who are actively pursuing a set-apart
lifestyle. Thats what Holiness is. In the Hebrew language the
word Holy is Kadosh, and it means to be set-apart. It doesnt
mean for you to be unfriendly with the world, but it does mean
that things the world typically does are rebellious in nature, and
we as YHVHs set-apart people do not rebel against YHVH. Weve
been transformed and are now choosing YHVHs will, YHVHs way,
YHVHs heart and we are to put nothing and no one above Him.
The beginning of Chapter 13 discusses redeeming the
firstborn of both man and beast of YHVH, and then later in the
chapter we go into some detail about observing the feast of
Unleavened Bread and that these feasts are important because
they are to cause us to remember YHVH and what Hes done for
us. So that we may know, that is what the purpose of Moses
obedience was for. The fruit of his obedience was so that we could
know that YHVH is our creator, our Elohim, who has created us to
be in covenant with Him. Perhaps as youve read through this you
felt some kind of struggle. We all do, its not uncommon. All of us
are on the journey. All of us are still learning, and we all long for
that fruit to be born in our life. But maybe you feel like the soil of
your heart is too tough, too hard for anything to grow. Beloved, if
you desire God to do a work in you He can, and He will. The first
step to change is a willingness, and from there we must repent.
We must turn from what we were thinking and reflecting, receive
YHVHs truth and then reflect it in our lives.
So that they can hear with their ears, and understand with their
heart and return, and I will heal them (Matthew 13:15
paraphrase, mine).