Read Exodus 16:25-17:16 at Bible Gateway.
The teaching tools of scripture
Gen 1:1-2:3 and the teaching tools of scripture part one and part two
Gen 1:1-6:8 and finding the topic themes of scripture
Hebrew paragraph divisions
16:28-36 {p} The Sabbath rest is YHVH’s commandment / memorial of manna
17:1-7 {p} YHVH provides water from the rock at Massah and Meribah
17:8-13 {p} Amalek fought with Israel / Joshua defeated Amalek
17:14-16 {p} YHVH will have war with Amalek from generation to generation
Strong themes of the parashah
16:11-36 {s+p} YHVH teaches Sabbath rest with manna (bread from heaven)
17:8-16 {px2} Because Amalek sought to destroy Israel, YHVH will have war with Amalek from generation to generation
Exo 16:25-17:16 Chiastic structure
Download the fully expanded Exo 16:25-17:16 Triennial Hayom KiShabbat chiasm pdf (Coming …).
Theme of the parashah
While Israel was in the wilderness, YHVH provided rest, food, water, and victory over enemies.
Finding Messiah in Triennial Hayom KiShabbat
There are two amazing prophecies of Messiah Yeshua in this small section of Scripture.
“Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exo 17:6
First, YHVH says, that He “will stand before you there upon the rock.” YHVH’s presence was there on the rock when Moses struck it so that water would come forth for the people. Could this be why Paul singled out this incident to say,
Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Messiah. 1 Cor 10:1-4
The history that happened was the provision of natural drink, the application Paul makes is the provision of spiritual drink. The message of the miracle is that it is the presence of YHVH Himself which gives living water to His people, just as Yeshua also said,
Yeshua answered and said unto her, “Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” Joh 4:13-14
The second has to do with Israel’s war with Amalek.
Because YHVH has sworn, that YHVH will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Exo 17:16
Amalek’s territory was not close by the wilderness in which Israel was camping. They weren’t in any imminent threat of being attacked by Israel. They had to travel some distance to get to Israel to attack them.
Furthermore, we see from our passage that Amalek did not confront the men of war head on. Rather, he laid in wait to ambush the most vulnerable of the children of Israel, the young, old, or weak among them that were straggling at the rear.
This is always the tactic of God’s enemy Satan. He goes after the most vulnerable, the youngest or weakest in a family or community. He lies in wait to strike, and sets traps and snares. He does not confront the men of war head on. As we go through Scripture, we see that God cares for the weak, vulnerable, and oppressed. Amalek, on the other hand, lies in wait to kill the weak, vulnerable and oppressed.
Amalek shows up prominently in another place in the Scriptures. Haman, in the book of Esther, who worked to have the entire race of the Jews destroyed in Persia, is a descendant of Amalek!
We have seen from the beginning, that of the two brothers, Cain and Abel, Cain was counted as unrighteous and Abel as righteous. Of the two brothers, Ishmael and Isaac, Ishmael was not chosen heir to Abraham’s promise and covenant with God, while Isaac was. Of the two brothers, Esau and Jacob, Esau was hated, and Jacob loved—by election, Paul teaches us, for God favored Jacob over Esau from their mother’s womb.
And not only this; but when Rebekah also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him who calls;) it was said unto her, ‘The elder shall serve the younger.’ Rom 9:10-12
In fact, of Esau, YHVH said, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau I hated;” Mal 1:2-3.
What is it about Esau that YHVH hates? He is the continuation of the line of those who have refused YHVH as their God. He despised his birthright, which was the inheritance of Abraham, including his promise and covenant with God. His desire was to kill his favored and righteous brother Jacob, just as Cain killed his favored and righteous brother Abel. Now Amalek was the grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12).
Because God says He will have war with Amalek from generation to generation, we can conclude that Amalek is the spiritual heir of Cain, Ishmael, and Esau. All who do not fear God from generation to generation, all who, like God’s enemy, lie in wait to ambush the vulnerable and weak, are Amalek’s seed, upon whom YHVH will make war until his remembrance is utterly blotted out from under heaven.
Joshua, which is the Anglicized form of his Hebrew name, Yeshua, defeated Amalek—this is history that prophecies of Messiah.
Additional readings for this parashah
Psa 53 (my notes) | Isa 58 (my notes) | Joh 6 (my notes)
Studies in Triennial Hayom KiShabbat
Exodus 16, Bible for Beginners
Exodus 17, Bible for Beginners
Exodus 16:11-36, The seal of the Spirit on the Sabbath
Exodus 16:25-17:16, Explanation of the Structure
Exodus 16, Hebrew root words
Exodus 17:1-7, Massah and Meribah
Exodus 17 and 18, Learning contentment instead of complaints
Exodus 17:8-16, War with Amalek
Further Studies off site
The Tares Among the Wheat – Brad Scott
SCRIPTURE REVEALED SERIES by CHRISTINE MILLER:
THE LAW of LOVE | FINDING MESSIAH in TORAH | EXODUS in CHIASTIC STRUCTURE
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