Called to Carry God’s Mission
-- T O R A H P O R T I O N --
Introduction:
Have you ever tried to make excuses with your parents when they told you to do something—only to realize that you needed to obey them? How did it feel?
Last week, the angel of God appeared to Moshe in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. God called him by name and told him to remove his sandals, for the place was holy ground. He introduced Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God told Moshe that He had seen the oppression of His people Israel, and that was why He chose him to deliver them from Egypt. But Moshe gave excuses to God:
- He questioned who he was to face Pharaoh and lead Israel out of Egypt.
- He argued that he was not eloquent, slow of speech, and slow of tongue.
- He asked God to send someone else.
Our Torah portion starts with the anger of God to Moshe because of his reasonings. This time, God mentioned Aaron the brother of Moshe, as he will be the one to speak on his behalf. And look, God knows that Aaron was on his way to meet Moshe and he will be glad(v.14). Here, God still provided another way for Moshe and this is an early lesson for us.
When He calls us to serve Him, surely He will provide our needs.
Finally, Moshe was convinced and he obeyed God, so let’s take a look what happened to him after:
1. Jethro sent him in peace v.18 - This is the first thing that Moshe did upon obeying God. He returned to the place of Jethro and asked to let him go and return to Egypt. The only thing he told Jethro was to see if his brethren there are still alive. But the details of God’s calling him to deliver Israel from Egypt were left unsaid. Jethro released him and told him to go in peace.
2. Good news came to him v.19 - Notice, after Jethro told Moshe to go in peace, he received good news that could give him a peace of mind for all the men in Egypt who wanted to kill him were all dead and one of them is the king(2:23). For sure, a thorn was pulled out of Moshe’s throat upon hearing the news. There's no more danger for Moshe to go back to Egypt.
3. God’s rod was put in his hand v.20b-21 - Again, the Hebrew word for rod is Mat-teh which I discussed last week and has three meanings, “Staff, branch, and tribe.” Going back to verse 2, God asked Moshe what he was holding and he said a rod. So God told him to cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent. Moshe got frightened but when God told him to reach it by the tail, he just followed as a proof that his trust and obedience to God had been developed. After that incident, Moshe saw that his rod was no longer ordinary, but behind it is the power of God, that Moshe’s now holding to perform wonders in front of Pharaoh.
4. Aaron met him vv.27-31 - Since Moshe is not a good speaker, God provided someone for him and that’s his brother Aaron, but this is not just about Aaron being the spokesman of Moshe. In verse 15, Moshe must speak to Aaron and put the words in his mouth. In other words, Moshe will disciple Aaron because the instruction of God to him is to tell Aaron everything. He has nothing else to say except what only God had said. In Matthew 28:19-20, Yeshua said to His talmidim, “Go and make talmidim of all nations and teach them to obey everything I have commanded (Torah) you.”
5. He was tested 5:1-22 - Yes, Moshe responded to the calling of God and obeyed Him, but now his faith was tested. First, God told him to tell Pharaoh to let Israel go, but God says He will harden Pharaoh’s heart. That’s why when Moshe and Aaron confronted Pharaoh, he replied “Who is this God that I should obey when he says to let Israel go?” Second, the Israelites blamed Moshe and Aaron for making them utterly abhorrent in the eyes of Pharaoh, and that prompted him to return to God and expressed his frustration. This part is a reminder to us that even if we obey God, we are not exempted from facing trials and testing. For the more we are being tested, the more we have to obey. Pharaoh’s hardened heart shows us that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are both real. Obedience doesn’t prevent trials; it prepares us to endure them with faith.
Like Moses, we may think our limitations disqualify us, but there is “no polite way to rebuff the Almighty.” (Tim Hegg) Excuses may feel humble, but they are still disobedience.
These are the things that happened to Moshe the moment he obeyed God. Often God must bring us to the end of ourselves before we will acknowledge and trust His greatness. The exodus would not be effected by Moses or Aaron…The redemption from Egypt would be by the sovereign, omnipotent hand of God Himself. Our Torah portion ends with the assurance of God to Moshe that this time, He will do something to Pharaoh that will force him to let Israel go and drive them out of his land.
Excuses delay obedience, but obedience unleashes God’s power.
What “rod” has God placed in your hand that you’ve overlooked as ordinary?
Step forward in obedience with what God has given you and trust that He will transform it into a tool of His power.
-- H A F T A R A H P O R T I O N --
Isaiah delivers a message of hope both for Israel’s near future—their return from exile—and their far future, pointing ultimately to the reign of Messiah on earth. God had just assured His people that His Word always accomplishes what He sends it to do (Isa. 55:11). Now He promises that their exile would end in joy and peace:
“For you will leave your exile with joy and be led home wrapped in peace.” (Isa. 55:12)
Isaiah also paints a vivid picture of creation itself celebrating God’s redemption. The mountains and hills burst into song, and the trees clap their hands. Where thorns once grew, cypress and myrtle trees now flourish. This transformation shows God’s power to replace the curse with beauty and blessing, making His name great and everlasting (Isa. 55:13).
This return is not just about geography—it is about restoration. When God restores, He takes away barrenness and replaces it with fruitfulness. His work is secure, eternal, and done for His glory.
Israel learned, often the hard way, that obedience leads to blessing. From Sinai onward, God reminded them:
“If you obey Me and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:4–6).
“Walk in all the ways the Lord has commanded you, so that it may go well with you” (Deut. 5:32–33).
“Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people” (Jer. 7:22–23).
Obedience is not optional. It is the pathway to blessing. Yeshua said, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28).
You will notice that our Haftarah portion deals with the strong message of God about the importance of observing Shabbat. Isaiah 56 brings the reminder to honor Shabbat. The Sabbath was given as a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, rooted in creation (Gen. 2:2–3) and reaffirmed at Sinai (Ex. 20:8–11; 31:13–16). It was a day set apart for rest, worship, and reflection on God’s faithfulness.
Sadly, Israel had often neglected it. That is why Isaiah calls them back:
“Blessed is the one who keeps the Sabbath and keeps from doing what is evil.” (Isa. 56:2)
Shabbat identifies God’s people and reminds them they belong to Him. It is a time to cease striving and acknowledge God as Creator and Redeemer.
This is not only for the Jews which many religious groups are using as an excuse, but even for the Gentiles. These are the proofs:
Happy is the person who does this and anyone who grasps it firmly (v.2): This verse is very clear that Shabbat is for everybody. Yeshua said in Mark 2:27–28, “The Shabbat was made for man, and not man for the Shabbat.” For Yeshua, man has no authority to change Shabbat or to choose any day he wants because Shabbat is a Moed, which means “Appointed time.”
The word foreigners and eunuchs (vv.3–4): Here, God reminds Gentiles that they can be part of His people. God’s message through Isaiah extends beyond Israel to those considered outcasts: eunuchs and foreigners. In the past, eunuchs were excluded from full participation in worship (Lev. 21:17–23). Foreigners were often seen as second-class. But here God reverses this exclusion:
To eunuchs who keep Shabbat and hold fast to His covenant, He promises “an everlasting name better than sons and daughters” (Isa. 56:4–5).
To foreigners who join themselves to Adonai, love Him, and keep His covenant, He promises a place on His holy mountain and acceptance of their offerings. His house will be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Isa. 56:6–7).
Ephesians 3:4–6 says, “By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Yeshua, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Messiah Yeshua through the gospel.” Now for the case of the eunuchs, they were hopeless because they could not have children or family. But here, once they observe the Shabbat, there will be a miracle and blessing for them. God will give them power and a name greater than sons and daughters—an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
At the end of our Haftarah portion, we can see the blessings and privileges that Gentiles could have in joining themselves to God and for keeping the Shabbat. This was a radical message of inclusion: no one is second-rate in God’s kingdom. The covenant blessings are open to all who obey Him. Let us always remember that Yeshua entered the synagogue on the Shabbat (Luke 4:16), so if we are His true followers, we will observe it as well.
Shabbat is the covenant sign forever;
it proclaims God’s Word will not fail,
it calls His people to walk in obedience,
and it welcomes the nations to His house of prayer.
What excuse have you made for not honoring Shabbat as Adonai commanded?
Set apart Shabbat with joy this week. Make it a day to stop, rest, delight, and remember that you belong to God.
-- APOSTOLIC P O R T I O N --
In Apostolic portion, it is better to go back to Acts 6:9-15 for a better understanding of the situation of Stephen in Acts 7 where he made a long speech in front of his accusers. Some men from the Synagogue including Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up ,argued with him and accused him of blasphemy. But they can't win over him so these men decided to accuse Stephen of blasphemy against Moshe and God.
They influenced the elders and the scribes and brought Stephen before the council.
This time Stephen defended himself and he pointed out that God raised prophets and leaders for the people of Israel, but they refused to listen, including Moshe. For Stephen, it was the so-called leaders of their time who violated the Torah of Moshe and that’s the reason why he challenged them.
Stephen’s testimony was firmly rooted in the Torah. He showed that the Torah is not in contradiction to Messiah but is the very foundation that points us to Him. To truly understand Messiah, we must first understand the Torah, for it reveals how to identify, recognize, and obey Him. Stephen reminded the Sanhedrin that the Torah itself spoke of a prophet and redeemer who would come from Israel and to whom the people must listen. His message was clear: this Redeemer had come—Messiah Yeshua.
The bottom line of Stephen’s speech was this: Israel had repeatedly rejected God, His Torah, and ultimately Messiah Yeshua. Yeshua Himself said in John 5:46–47, “If you believed Moshe, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.”
To resist God’s messenger is rebellion; to obey His Word is life; for those who trust in Messiah, obedience becomes their testimony.
How do you respond when God confronts your heart—do you resist like Pharaoh, or submit like Moshe?
Build your testimony on the Torah and the Messiah it reveals. Let your obedience to God’s Word point others to Yeshua as the Redeemer promised from the beginning.
The connection of our Parasha is about obedience to God and avoiding making excuses. In the Torah, after Moshe gave excuses to Adonai when He was called to serve, finally he obeyed and good things followed him. In Haftarah, Gentiles can’t make any excuses in obeying the Shabbat because happy or blessed is the man (Not Jews only) who keeps it. In Apostolic, Stephen defended not only himself but even Moshe in front of the council, that Moshe was called and sent by God to be a ruler and deliverer of Israel and he obeyed after making an excuse.
Returning to my introduction…..Obedience to God is a sign that we love Him. We are not born to make excuses, but we were born to fear God and obey His commandments for this is our whole duty.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 NASB
“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person”
John 14:15 NASB
“If you love Me, you will keep/obey My commandments”
When excuses end, obedience begins and when obedience begins, God’s power is revealed, His covenant is honored, and Messiah is made known.
Stop hiding behind excuses. Surrender your fears, your pride, and your delay. Step into full obedience, for this is the sign of true love for God. Let your life prove that you belong to Him.
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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