Called to Carry God’s Mission
-- T O R A H P O R T I O N --
Introduction:
Have you ever experienced God calling you out of your struggles or ordinary life to serve Him in a greater mission?
When I was hooked on drugs for twelve years, it was hard. Even my ministry and relationship with God were affected. It came to a point that I volunteered myself to enter a rehabilitation center and undergo a six-month program. From there, I learned how to lead a Bible study and realized that God was calling me. By His grace, I finished my program, enrolled in a Bible school, and completed a four-year course. Now, God is using my life as a living testimony, and He keeps on sending me to share His Word with those who are lost.
Last week, Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. But the children of Israel multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty, which caused the new King of Egypt to fear. This King did not know Joseph or what he had done in Egypt. Because of the rapid growth of the Israelites, Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill every son who was born. But the midwives feared God and disobeyed Pharaoh’s command.
Moshe, from the tribe of Levi, was born, and his parents hid him for three months. When they could no longer hide him, his mother placed him inside a basket and laid it among the reeds by the riverbank. The daughter of Pharaoh, while bathing, found Moshe and had compassion on him. She treated him as her own. Later, when the King of Egypt died, the children of Israel groaned under their slavery, and their cry came up to God. He remembered His covenant with the patriarchs and acknowledged them.
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Our Torah portion starts with Moshe tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro. He led the flock to the back of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Here we can already see that God had a wonderful plan for Moshe as He would call him for a very important mission. The reason why God called him is because Moshe was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds (Acts 7:22). So, how did God call Moshe for a mission?
The Angel of God appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush (v.2).
Why must the Angel appear in a flame of fire? My understanding here is first to call the attention of Moshe. Since he was busy shepherding the flock of Jethro, God wanted Moshe to notice His calling immediately. If God is calling us, do not pretend or reason out because it is a privilege and honor to serve the only King and Creator of the heavens and the earth. Second, fire pictures refining and purification. Malachi 3:3 says, “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering of righteousness.” Step by step, God refines and purifies Moshe, for he will deliver the people of Israel from slavery.
He called Moshe by name (v.4).
In Genesis 22:11, God called Abraham’s name twice. Also, in Genesis 46:2, He called the name of Jacob twice. Here, God called Moshe’s name twice too. Why? Because God would promote him from being a shepherd of Jethro’s flock to the flock of God, the children of Israel.
He told Moshe to remove his sandals (v.5).
Why? I believe since God was calling Moshe for a very important mission, He was showing Moshe the difference between holy and unholy. Eventually, he would receive the two tablets (Torah) on Mount Sinai containing the holy and unholy things, forbidden and unforbidden, and he would teach them to the nation of Israel.
He introduced Himself to Moshe as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v.6).
This is how God introduced Himself to Moshe because He is a Covenant God and He has remembered His people. Upon introducing Himself, He meant He would begin to take action, to visit His people in Egypt, and to bring them out (Gen.50:24). God also told Moshe His name as “I AM WHO I AM” or Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh in Hebrew, which means “I will be what I will be” as He identifies Himself with being Himself. Moreover, He told Moshe to say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.” The phrase “I AM” means He always exists; He is always present for His people. Interestingly, Yeshua said in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” Baruch Hashem!
After God called Moshe for a mission, He then sent him to the land of Egypt. Verse 10 says, “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Upon sending Moshe, God assured him of the following:
He will certainly be with Moshe (v.12).
The Hebrew word for I will is “Haya” which means “to abide, to remain,” so God would not leave Moshe. What a wonderful encouragement!
He will perform miraculous signs through Moshe (4:1-9).
In verse 2, God asked Moshe, “What is that in your hand?” And Moshe said, “A rod.” The Hebrew word for rod is Mat-teh, which means “staff, branch, tribe.” To perform miraculous signs, God would use the rod of Moshe for Pharaoh to free the tribes of Israel.
He will be Moshe’s mouth (4:12).
We can see here that God would not only use Moshe to deliver His people from bondage but as a prophet as well. Deuteronomy 34:10-12: “But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moshe, whom the LORD knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moshe performed in the sight of all Israel.”
Our Torah portion is a reminder to us that God is calling and sending people according to His purpose.
God does not call the qualified; He refines the willing, equips the humble, and sends them with His presence to accomplish the impossible.
When God calls you into something beyond your ability, do you respond with excuses like Moshe, or with trust in His presence?
-- H A F T A R A H P O R T I O N --
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Our Haftarah portion is about the comfort of God to His people Israel. Verse 1 says, “Comfort, yes, comfort My people! Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”
Going to verse 11, which is the start of our Haftarah, it says, “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.” So, to comfort Israel, there will be a calling and gathering of the children of Israel from living in the galut (land of our exile). This is a tender image of God’s provision, protection, and love.
Ezekiel also reinforces this message, where Adonai rebukes the faithless shepherds of Israel and declares that He Himself will shepherd His people:
Ezekiel 34:11–16 (CJB):
“For here is what Adonai Elohim says: I am taking over! I will search for my sheep and look after them, myself… I will seek the lost, bring back the outcasts, bandage the broken, and strengthen the sick.”
This shows the heart of God: He is not a distant ruler, but a Shepherd who personally rescues, heals, and restores His flock.
King David, a shepherd himself, knew this reality from experience:
Psalm 23 (TPT):
“Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough… Even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have!”
David reminds us that God’s shepherding care is not abstract—it is daily, personal, and sustaining.
Micah prophesies that the Shepherd would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah:
“He shall stand and shepherd and guide His flock in the strength of Adonai… and He shall be great, extending His authority to the ends of the earth.” (AMP)
This is clearly a Messianic prophecy pointing to Yeshua, the Shepherd-Ruler of Israel.
Yeshua fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy by declaring Himself the Shepherd:
The Good Shepherd – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep in His care.” (John 10:11–15)
The Great Shepherd – “Now may the God who brought us peace… raise up our Lord Yeshua, the Great Shepherd of His flock…” (Hebrews 13:20–21)
The Chief Shepherd – “Then when Messiah, the Chief Shepherd, comes, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” (1 Peter 5:4)
Yeshua not only feeds and protects His sheep, but He also laid down His life to redeem them.
Isaiah then shifts from comfort to perspective. He asks rhetorical questions to remind Israel of God’s sovereignty:
“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand? Who has weighed the mountains on a scale?”
The point is clear: only Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, has this authority. Nothing is hidden from Him.
Proverbs 30:4–5 – “Who has wrapped up the vast oceans in His coat? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name?”
Job 28 & 38 – God declares His unmatched wisdom and power in creation.
Ephesians 4:4–6 – Paul affirms that there is “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Isaiah reminds Israel that no nation, no idol, no human effort can compare to Adonai.
Isaiah mocks the futility of idols: they are carved from wood, overlaid with gold or silver, but powerless. They cannot save or protect anyone.
This is why God commanded in Exodus 20: “You shall not make for yourself an idol… you shall not bow down to them or worship them.”
Yet Israel fell into idolatry, which led to their exile. Still, God’s message through Isaiah is hope: turn back to the Good Shepherd, for He alone saves.
Israel’s comfort lies not in her strength but in the faithfulness of the Shepherd. Though the nations rage and idols seem mighty (vv.18-19), they cannot compare to the Holy One of Israel who measures the heavens with His hand and rules the nations like dust on the scales. The Shepherd is also the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Restorer.
The same hands that stretched out the heavens now carry His people close to His heart; His strength is unmatched, yet His gentleness is unshakable.
How has Yeshua carried you close in weakness, and how is He now leading you to shepherd others?
-- APOSTOLIC P O R T I O N --
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Our Apostolic portion deals with the vision of Peter, which many use as an excuse to eat anything they want. In other words, it is one of the most misinterpreted verses in the Apostolic writings. For a better understanding and to avoid being out of context, let us go back to the following verses:
Matthew 10:5-6
“These twelve Yeshua sent out and commanded them, saying: ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” Here, the main focus of the disciples in preaching the Gospel should be their Jewish brothers.
Acts 1:8
“But you shall receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now here, not only the Jewish people should be reached by the Gospel, but also the Gentiles (end of the earth).
Matthew 16:19
“And I (Yeshua) will give you (Peter) the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
What is this key that Yeshua gave to Peter all about? Let’s now proceed to the vision of Peter in Acts 10. In his vision, it says that there were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air (v.12). Then Peter heard a voice saying, “Rise, Peter; Kill and eat,” but he replied, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” It shows that even in vision, Peter was not eating unclean food (see Leviticus 11)—so how much more in real life.
In verses 17-23, while Peter was wondering about the meaning of his vision, the men of Cornelius (a centurion of the Italian Regiment, in other words a Gentile) came to his house, but they only stood before the gate. These men invited Peter to go to the house of Cornelius, for he was instructed by a holy angel of God to meet Peter (vv.1-8).
But there was a problem here. Since part of the traditions of the Jews, also known as the Oral Law, was that Jews were forbidden to have fellowship with non-Jews because they were treated as unclean. The question is, how could Peter meet Cornelius? The answer is in verse 28 where Peter said, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Now Peter understood the meaning of his vision. Remember God told him to kill and eat. In my understanding, it means he must kill his pride of being a Jew, and eat means to accept Cornelius as a Gentile. Peter had been called by God, and God sent him to Cornelius. That’s why Yeshua gave him a key—to open a door and be an avenue of salvation for the Gentiles.
So the context of our Apostolic portion is not about food. It’s about the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, and that there should be no dividing wall. For both have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23), but through the blood of Messiah Yeshua, He reconciled them both to God and gave access by one Spirit to the Father (Eph.2:14-18). HalleluYAH!
The call of Messiah breaks our boundaries, because His mission is bigger than our vision.
What limits or barriers might God be asking you to move past so His mission can reach those still outside the flock?
The connection of our Parasha is about the calling of God and how He sends people for a mission.
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In Torah, God called Moshe and sent him to Egypt to deliver His people Israel from bondage.
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In Haftarah, to comfort His people, God will call and gather Israel from exile.
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In Apostolic, God called Peter through a vision and sent him to Cornelius as a key to open the door for the salvation of the Gentiles.
Returning to my introduction… from the slavery of drugs, God changed me and called me to serve Him. The task is not easy. But just like the promise of God to Moshe, He is with me. If God is calling you now, say “Here I am,” because serving Him is therefore an awesome privilege. Don’t take it for granted. It is given.
If God is still calling today, the real question is: are you still making excuses, or are you ready to say, “Here I am, send me”?
From the bush to the nations, the God who calls also sends. The question is—are you willing to go where His voice leads?
1 Samuel 12:24 ESV
“Only fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you.”
Shabbat Shalom,
Topher
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-- S O U R C E S --
reformjudaism.orgrts.edu
mindrenewers.com
bible.org
beliefnet.com
thetorah.com
dictionary.cambridge.com
theologyofwork.org
thelonghaulwithisaiah.wordpress.com
abideinchrist.com
seekingourgod.com
The MacArthur Study Bible
torahresource.com
scenichillsblvd.wordpress.com
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