The Ten Campsites of Israel
Introduction to the Covenant of Vocation
Torah Parashah Beshalach – When (He) Let Go
Sh’mot
/ Exodus 13:17 – 17:61 RSTNE p 58
Moshe has just been given permission for Isra’el to leave Goshen/ Egypt.
Numbers
33:5
“And the children of Israel moved from Raamses and camped in Sukkot.”
Then
they stopped by and picked up Joseph’s bones.
They
went on to what we know as
The 1st campsite: Sukkot
Not much is said about this site.
Campsite #2 Etham
Ex.
13:20
“And
they took their journey from Sukkot, and encamped
in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.”
Before
we talk much about Etham,
Let’s read
Rev
18:1-4 p
924
Again verse
4:
4”And
I heard another voice from the heavens, saying, Come out of her, My people
-Ami, that you be not partakers of her sins, so that you receive not of her
plagues.”
Over
and over again throughout Scripture –
YHUH
calls us to “come out of her”.
To come out of IDOLATRY.
~~
Remember,
Brad Scott taught us that
Being Human was to do things of Yahuah.
Our
“main task is to be His image-bearer.
Reflecting
the Creator’s wise stewardship into the world
And
reflecting the praises of all creation back to its maker.”
Being
human isn’t just about keeping certain moral standards,
But to
take responsibility for the creation,
And to
worship the Creator!
-
This
was what those coming out of Egypt,
camping and Etham, were called to do …
BUT
this is what we are called to…
Not just
keep the Book of
the Covenant instructions,
But to take care of creation,
AND
To WORSHIP the Creator!!
When
we look at what is happening in the world today
We can
see the full-on intent of evil to destroy creation,
To
have all the ones called to live as image-bearers –
Live
distracted, not worshiping Yahuah,
But
giving our power to small g gods,
This
is Idolatry.
And in
idolatry – worshiping other gods, not Yahuah…
We
lose our freedom and become slaves and will finally die.
This
is humans not keeping what Wright calls
“The
Covenant of Vocation”
Campsite #2
Etham was
the place of re-evaluation of Israel…
…how they were going to live.
Etham means “flee from them” and “ploughshares”.
Egypt
represents the full darkness of not living how they were created to live
And
living in idolatry.
It was here they were supposed to learn total surrender and dependence upon Yahuah.
It was at Etham that many wanted to turn back to Egypt / Idolatry.
Here they had to decide what they were going to do.
It
seems to me Israel is confronted over and over again
To “come out of her my people.”
~
It is
interesting to note that Yahuah
Went
with them as a pillar of cloud by day
And at
night – a pillar of fire.
And
then they moved to
Campsite #3
Pi-Hahiroth -
between Migdol (Tower) and the sea.
Pi-Hahiroth
means
“to
subside, to calm: to be quiet
in the
face of wrath.”
Migdol
– Tower.
Israel
was invited to focus on the tower
Of
Yahuah and run into it.
Pharoah’s
army was bearing down on them…
And
Moshe said to the people
Ex
14:13
“Fear not, stand still, and see the
Yahusha
(salvation)
of Yahuah, which He will show to you today ….
And
goes on in
14:14 “YHUH shall fight for you, and you shall stay still.”
And
the waters parted and Israel walked across on dry land.
And Pharaoh’s army was swallowed up by the sea.
14: “And Israel saw that great
work
which
YHUH did upon the Mitzrim;
and
the people feared YHUH
and
believed YHUH and
His
eved (servant) Moshe.”
Chapter
15 is Moshe’s
song to Yahuah.
And
again, as people traveled…
Things
were wrong.
They
were thirsty and complaining.
Campsite # 4 Marah
Ex
15:23
The
camp of bitter water.
Israel
had doubted Yah’s love and care for them,
And
became bitter.
They
just walked between walls of water
And
watched their enemies drown…
And now they were thirsty and the water was bad.
Exodus
15:27
Campsite #5 – Elim – Palms by the water
Following
spiritual difficulties and
times
of trial, our loving Abba
promises
times of rest and spiritual strengthening.
Elim
had 12 wells and 70 palms
70 =
“the window to the soul” and
“revelation
of the Father’s care”.
Symbolic
of the eye of the sheep
being
fixed upon its shepherd.
Numbers
33:10
Campsite #6 – by the Red Sea
Yam Suph - confusion
This
was in the marshy region,
And it
was difficult to travel.
We
have to look beyond the struggle with
Eyes
of faith – holding on to Truth.
Exodus
16:1
Camp #7 In the Wilderness of Sin (the moon god)
Lack
of bread – so Yah gave them Mannah.
Israel
mixed worship of YHUH with
moon
god worship = idolatry.
The
first real instructions for keeping Shabbat
Israel didn’t do so well – they failed to offer worship of Yahuah and they focused on the mess.
Let’s
apply this to the end of days…
Where
is our focus?
Amos
8:11
“Behold,
the days come, says the M aster YHUH, that I will send a famine in the land,
not a famine of lechem (bread) nor a thirst for mayim (water) but of hearing
the Words of Yahuah.
Now
you will see that not every camp is listed in Exodus… but they are listed in
Numbers 33.
Num.
33:12
Camp #8 Dophkah – “knocking”
– a
copper mining prison.
Here
Israel was called to share Yahuah with other slaves.
The
message is – “the knock of grace must be headed soon”…
We
have not time to waste, before the opportunity will be gone.
*
Num
33:13
Campsite #9 – Alush - place of giants
= leavening or kneading (like dough)
If we
walk with Yah – then when hard times come
His
presence will totally permeate our struggles.
If we
don’t walk with Yah - bitterness and
rebellion
will come.
We
have to have the Word hidden in our hearts
And we
have to worship in order to survive the
hard
times and be overcomers!
*
Ex
17:1
Campsite #10 – Rephidim – “to be neglectful
of the Word of Yah.”
“the weakening” or “the strengthening”
Water
from the rock.
Interesting
that the water of life is
offered
to those who are worthy and
those
who are not worthy.
But
“the protection of Yahuah, against
the
gathering giants is
promised
only to the faithful believer.”
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