Day of Passover

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

In his first descent from Mount Sinai, Moses carried the tablets of the Torah, which he broke when he saw the golden calf. His descent was purposeful. He knew of the sin of Israel merited the wrath of God. Moses came down to call them to repentance and to avert disaster. Like Messiah, he was on an urgent mission to save Israel and to restore the covenant. In his ascent, he carried new stone tablets that God instructed him to chisel out. When he descended the second time, he carried the new stone tablets of the Torah in glory. One might say the same of Messiah in His first coming, His ascension and return.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Chol HaMo'ed Pesach (חול המועד פסח | Intermediate Day of Passover)

Torah: Exodus 33:12-34:26

Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:1-14

The Word from Heaven was Broken

When Moses descended, he carried the Word of God—not the Word made flesh, but the word made stone upon the two tablets of the covenant. Like two copies of a contract agreement, these tablets were tokens of the covenant relationship between Israel and God. The tablets also teach us about Messiah.

The Torah tells us that these tablets were inscribed by the finger of God. Exodus 32:16 says, "The tablets were God's work, and the writing was God's writing engraved on the tablets." Similarly, Messiah is the impression, the stamp of God. He is the work of God. He is the Word of God. Like the commandments of the Torah, Messiah is the Word that descends from heaven. As Moses descends with the tablets, we are to see the Word of God, descending from the heavens and into this lower world.

One midrash compares the tablets to a human body. The breaking of the tablets is compared to the death of that body.

The letters of the tablet are likened to its soul, while the tablets themselves are its body. When the soul deserts the body, the body is ready for burial. When Moshe saw the letters fly off, he broke the tablets. Our Sages say that the tablets became very heavy in Moshe's hands after the letters flew off, just as a man becomes heavier after his death, when his soul departs. (Tz'enah Ur'enah on Ki Tisa)

Like the tablets, Messiah is the Living Word of God, who descended from heaven to the people. Like the tablets, He is the token of the covenant. Like the tablets, His blood was spilled, just as the letters of the tablets are said to have evacuated, for the soul is in the blood. Like the tablets, His body was broken for the sin of Israel.

Moses interceded in prayer and fasting on behalf of the people. He provoked them to repent, which was the essential message of Yeshua as He proclaimed the Gospel, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is near."

But it was not a call to repentance alone that Moses had in mind. He also set about to repair the covenant between God and Israel by providing some measure of atonement for the people. "Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin," (Exodus 32:30) he told the children of Israel.

The same is true of Messiah. The Gospel did not stop with the call to repentance. The Gospel resulted in the atoning work of Messiah, who through His death successfully wrought reconciliation.

-First Fruits of Zion