Discovering The Jewish Jesus

Rabbi K.A. Schneider: All things pass away and all things become new. So I want to encourage you today to stop accepting your past as a present reality.

I have a question that I want you to really take seriously and we're going to address it today. Here's the question: is your past holding you back? Sometimes we don't understand how what we've been through in the past is causing us to be ineffective today, causing us to be ineffective in relationships, perhaps in our career. We want to be free from the past.

And what we're going to learn today is that our God, who is a personal God, who has a name, Yahweh, pronounced from the four Hebrew letters, Yod Hey Vav Hey, He is in the ministry of delivering people from their past. We're going to be looking today at the story of the Exodus, how the Lord delivered Israel from their enemies through the blood of the Passover lamb.

And my friends, you and I today can learn so much from their redemption because the scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that you and I also have been delivered from the past, from our sin, from our yesterdays by the precious blood of the Lamb of Messiah Jesus. We're going to begin today to set the stage by reading from the text. We're going to go to the book of Exodus chapter number 14, and we're going to read how the Lord supernaturally delivered Israel from their past, from that which had tormented them to give them a brand new future.

And I want you to know today that wherever you're at right now or wherever you've been, God can cause old things to pass away. He can cause your yesterday to pass away into the sea and give you a brand new future just like He did for ancient Israel. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord abides forever. Hear the word of God, Exodus chapter 14. We're going to begin today in verse number 13.

But Moshe or Moses said to the people, do not fear. Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord. By the way, did you know that Jesus's Hebrew name actually means salvation? Yeshua actually means salvation. Yeshua is the Lord's salvation. Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.

Think about it. Israel had been tormented 430 years in Egypt by the Egyptians and the Lord steps in and says to His people, these ones that have been oppressing you for over 400 years, you'll never see them again after today. Can you and I believe that God can do something in our life that regardless of how long we've been oppressed by something, how long we've been living under something, whether it's because somebody has been tormenting us as was in the case with the children of Israel when they were in Egypt, or whether it's the devil that's just been accusing us and giving us all types of wrong self-images of who we are and just bringing torment on our life?

Can you believe with me today that God can set you free and even though for the whole time of your past days on earth you've been experiencing this negative thing, God can set you free from that thing in an instant just like He did the children of Israel? Let's continue on with the next verse. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent. What does this mean? It's that God is supernaturally working in the lives of His chosen ones.

It's not up to us to do everything. We cooperate with God. We have a role to play, just as we're going to see in a second that God told Moses to put his staff over the sea. Moses was involved, but God was the one that was going to do it. God is supernaturally at work in the lives, beloved, of His children. Continuing on. Then the Lord said to Moses, why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.

Now, this is interesting because sometimes people just sit and they forever are crying out to the Lord about their problems. And it's important to cast all our cares upon Him, but it's also important to believe God's going to do something and move forward and to step out believing that God has heard us and He's working on our behalf. Moses was crying out to the Lord, which was good, but he didn't stop. So finally God said, why do you keep crying out to me?

I told you, go forward. I'm your salvation. I'm going to fight for you. So you might be asking God for help with something, but there comes a time where you need to take a step forward in the right direction in a forward motion, believing He's going to do something as you go forward. Otherwise, if you just stay there crying out about the same old thing and praying about the same old things forever without making any changes in your action, you're not going to see the glory of God come.

So the Lord said to Moses, why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. As for me, the Lord speaking, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so they will go in after them and I'll be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.

Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I'm honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen. How was God going to be honored through Pharaoh? God was going to be honored through Pharaoh because Pharaoh was going to end up being drowned in the sea along with all the army of the Egyptians. God actually said here, interestingly enough, we just read it, that He was going to harden Pharaoh's heart. He said, I will harden Pharaoh's heart and I will get glory for my name.

So we have to let God be God. God says, I'll have mercy on whom I have mercy in the book of Romans and I'll harden whom I harden. We sometimes say, well, that doesn't seem fair, but Paul says, who are you, O man, that answers back to God in recounting this story about the Exodus in the book of Romans where God hardened Pharaoh's heart.

You see, God receives praise when He supernaturally saved Israel for the great display of His glory and His loving kindness on His people Israel. But God was also glorified when He destroyed His enemies. You see, God is both gracious and just and His graciousness was exalted when He delivered Israel even though they didn't deserve it. His justice was exalted when He destroyed the Egyptians. Beloved, God is God and He can take from the same lump and use from that same lump a part of it for honor and a part of it for dishonor. And this is what Paul addresses in regards to this story in Romans chapter nine.

Dustin Roberts: You're listening to Discovering the Jewish Jesus with Rabbi Schneider and he'll be right back, but first a quick announcement. Get ready for a life-changing 50-day journey. You'll experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in Cynthia Schneider's book, From Passover to Pentecost. Receive special treasures and riches from God that the Holy Spirit has downloaded into Cynthia throughout her life in this daily devotional that begins at Passover and ends at Pentecost.

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Rabbi K.A. Schneider: Let's continue with the story. Then Moshe or Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord swept the sea back by a strong wind all night and turned the sea into dry land so the waters were divided. So the water is pushed back off the land. The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left hand.

Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit and all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. So we all understand what's happening here. The Lord divides the sea so the dry land is showing. And then once Israel is in the sea and safe, Pharaoh begins to pursue them. But when Pharaoh and the chariots of Egypt begin to pursue, the Lord closes the sea on the Egyptians. We all know the story.

By the way, as you know, Jewish people all over the world celebrate this story and tell this story every year during this time at Passover. And we consider the greatest part of the Passover Seder or the Passover meal that Jews all over the world celebrate each year, we consider the greatest part of the Passover the retelling of this story right here, how God delivers His people and delivers us today through, beloved ones, the blood of the Lamb.

Let's continue on. Then the Lord said to Moses or Moses, stretch out your hand over the sea so the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh's entire army that had gone into the sea after them. Not even one of them. I like that. Not even one of them remained. God delivers and sets free completely.

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. So Israel had passed through the dry land, came to the other side, and when they got to the other side, they saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore there. When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

They were so, so filled with just the glory and the greatness of the power of God, they burst into a song. And so we come to the next chapter 15, verse one, and we read this: Then Moses or Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord and said, I will sing to the Lord for He is highly exalted. The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and song and He has become my salvation. He is my God and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him. And we have a little song that we sing and it's like this. I'm singing a paraphrase of this right now. The song of Moses, the song that the children of Israel sang when the Lord supernaturally delivered them from the Egyptians, transporting them, which is a symbol of baptism to the other side of the sea.

We read also, by the way, in the book of Revelation that the chosen ones will sing both the song of the Lamb and the song of Moses. Once again, we read about this in the book of Revelation. But the scripture that we just read, the song that Israel sang when they got to the other side of the sea having been supernaturally delivered, here's a paraphrase of it.

It goes: I will sing unto the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously. The horse and rider thrown into the sea. I will sing unto the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously. The horse and rider thrown into the sea. The Lord my God, my strength, my song has also become my victory. The Lord my God, my strength, my song has also become my salvation. The Lord is God and I will praise Him, my father's God and I will exalt Him.

Baruch HaShem. We started today's show by asking ourselves the question, do we need to be set free from our past? I think the truth is all of us need deliverance at some level from our past. Maybe something our parents said to us. Maybe something somebody said to us when we were at school growing up, an incident in our life perhaps when there was a failure.

All of us, I think, need to be set free from certain things that we've picked up through the years that we've already lived on earth. And some of us today are still suffering and being greatly hindered in making progress in our life because there are still things that are hanging onto us from our past. One of the lessons that we learn from the Exodus story that we just read today is that the Lord can separate us completely clean from our past. When Israel got to the other side of the sea, not one of their enemies remained. The Lord had eliminated every single one of them.

And Israel going through the Red Sea during this deliverance, it represents, beloved, Christian baptism. Even as Israel was supernaturally translated from Egypt to the other side of the sea with a brand new life, you and I also when we go into the water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit at our baptism, our past life is buried when we go down under that water and we're brought up from that water at Christian baptism, a brand new creation.

Our old life is completely passed away. It's completely buried. It's something old. This is why the scripture tells us that in Messiah old things pass away and all things become new. So I want to encourage you today to stop accepting your past as a present reality. I want to encourage you today to become self-aware so that you no longer are allowing your past to keep you buried and trapped in that thing because once again, in Christ Jesus, all things become new.

You know what's an incredible thought to think? Is that every day is a brand new beginning. No matter what happened yesterday, maybe you got in an argument with your husband or your wife or a family member. You know what? You don't have to let the argument that you got into yesterday define your relationship with that person today.

You forgive yourself, you forgive that person and because of the blood of Messiah, you start over as a brand new beginning and day. And I love that, that in Messiah Yeshua our sins are washed away. They're removed as far as the east from the west. We're white as snow now. It's brand new. Everything is new and we start again.

So to start again and truly make the most of the future, we have to be free from the past. We have to forgive ourselves. We have to forgive everybody else through the blood of Jesus and we have to look forward believing for a bright future because God says, I know the plans I have for you to give you a future and a hope.

If we're thinking about the negative things of the past, if we're thinking about the negative things that we've done that we're not proud of, if we're focusing on failures, mistakes, or negative things that family members or others might have said to us, that energy that could be used in creating a new and great future won't be there because your energy instead is going to be looking back, focusing on the grievances or the hurts or the wounds of the past.

God set Israel in a brand new place to have a brand new beginning. When He translated them through that sea, He cut off the enemy. And I want you to know, my beloved son and daughter in the Lord, the blood of Jesus has set you free. Yeshua's parents named Him Yeshua because the angel told them, you shall call His name Yeshua salvation, for He shall save His people from their sins. You and I have been delivered completely in His name.

Let's live like this. Let's lift up our head. Let's take our head out of the ground and believe that we've been set free. The scripture tells us that we've been released from our sin by His blood. So now let's look up where our treasure is and where we're seated at the right hand of God. Let's let go of the past. Let's not let it cling to us anymore.

Let's not let Satan's lies cling to us. You know, Satan's a liar. He's a liar from the beginning. He's going to tell you negative things about yourself. He's going to remind you of negative things about the past. Beloved, put a shield up around your heart. Don't receive it. Keep your eyes looking forward in the Lord. Your destiny is for glory.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other in the Lord. Build a brand new future, build a brand new day. Give yourself to the Lord. Believe in good things for yourself. David said, surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life.

In the name of Yeshua HaMashiach today, in the name of Yeshua of Nazareth, I speak freedom over your life today. By the blood of Jesus, my friend, you and I have been set free. Let's lift ourselves up. Let's take confidence and courage and live as those who have truly been set free. Passover is about freedom and deliverance.

Of course, Jewish people are remembering how they were delivered by the blood of the lamb at that ancient Passover about 3,500 years ago. But those of us today that are followers of Messiah Jesus, we're celebrating because the ultimate Lamb of God shed His blood on Passover to redeem us and set us free from our sins.

You may also know that Passover was one of the three times of year that God commanded all of Israel to come to Jerusalem and present a special offering to Him. Over the years I found that many of God's people like to present a special Passover offering during this time of year.

If Discovering the Jewish Jesus is helping you, blessing you and you believe in it, would you prayerfully consider presenting to the Lord a special Passover offering through this ministry at this time? Everything we do, beloved, costs money and we can't do it without you. Thank you.

Dustin Roberts: Thank you, Rabbi Schneider. And friends, to support Discovering the Jewish Jesus with a special Passover love offering of any amount, please give us a call today. You can reach us at 800-777-7835. That's 800-777-7835. Or you can also give online. Our web address is discoveringthejewishjesus.com.

And did you know that in a couple of weeks, we're going to celebrate Passover? It's called Pesach in Hebrew. And this holy day, it begins at sunset on Wednesday, April the 1st, and it concludes at nightfall on Thursday, April the 9th. And if you'd like to learn more about our Father's specially set apart appointments, then I want to encourage you visit us at discoveringthejewishjesus.com.

We have a treasure trove of Messianic content there and we explain all of God's holy days so you can celebrate and be a part of them. Now let's wrap up today's special Passover message with God's special and sacred blessing. This powerful priestly blessing, it provides the perfect conclusion to our Passover reflections today because the same God who delivered Israel, He continues to bless, protect, and shine His face upon our own lives. Rabbi.

Rabbi K.A. Schneider: Blessings trump curses. And in the book of Numbers chapter six, we find the Aaronic blessing that God commanded Moses's brother Aaron, the high priest, to speak over the children of Israel. There's power in blessing, beloved ones. So take part in receiving Father's blessing upon your life today.

[Sings Aaronic blessing in Hebrew].

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with His countenance and the Lord give you, beloved one, His peace. God bless you and Shalom.

Dustin Roberts: I'm your host, Dustin Roberts, and this program is produced and sponsored by Discovering the Jewish Jesus. Join us again next time when Rabbi Schneider shares another insightful message on Passover. That's coming up Tuesday on Discovering the Jewish Jesus.