This Sabbath is one of “four” new years mentioned in rabbinic sources.  The 15th of Shevat is called the New Year for trees.  I first came across a reference to these 4 new years in my studies of the Triennial Cycle of Torah readings.
 
As I recall, the scholar Buchler was the first to propose that these four New Years coincided with the dates on the Hebrew Calendar upon which each of the books of the Torah would begin in a three year reading cycle.  One of the dates can be shown to be the date for the beginning of two books of the Torah and on the other three New Years the other books of the Torah would begin.  I will write more on this later…just wanted to bring it up in case some of you wanted to study the subject for yourself.
 
This Sabbath is also known as the Sabbath of the Song. The Haphtarah contains Deborah’s song and in the Torah reading we find the song of Moses and Miriam.  In my studies this week I discovered that David Noel Freedman and Frank Moore Cross have proposed that Miriam’s song is one of the oldest, if not the oldest passage in the Bible.  Here is that “song”;
 
Sing to YHWH for He triumphed!
Horse and its rider He cast in the sea.
 
As far as the song itself goes - there are some key points to take away.  It begins as the children of Israel stand on lip of the sea…perhaps looking into the very spot that they had just crossed over on dry land, but that was now flowing and covered with water - parts of chariots and the bodies of their enemies floating.
 
I am sure that most were thinking of all that had just transpired, and of the wonder of it all…..They are free.
 
It is only at this point that the children of Israel suddenly feel like singing.  The Hebrew however does not say that they “sang”, but literally; “THEN Moses and the children of Israel WILL SING this song to YHWH”.
 
When???  And why the use of the incomplete “will sing”.  Various interpretations are recorded as to the reason for this.  The writer of Revelation picks up on this and mentions the redeemed standing at another sea having just gotten victory over the beast etc.  They sing the song of Moses the servant of the LORD and the song of the Lamb saying,
 
“Great and Marvelous are thy works LORD God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints. Who shall not fear thee O LORD and glorify they name? For thou only art Holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”
 
The similarity in theme is unmistakable.  Common words appear in Revelation 15 and Exodus 15 as well - for instance “Fear” and the mention of testimony - seen also in this week’s Torah lesson for the first time (16:34) in the Torah. See also the reference to Moses as the “Servant of YHWH” in Exodus 14:31 and Revelation 15.
 
I would like to point out that the song ends with a declaration of the Kingdom of God (see Exodus 15:18)!  I will preach again the subject of the Kingdom of God - the most common message of Yeshua and bring in the Universal Shema (Zechariah 14:9).  Revelation 15 also begins the song referring to God as “king of saints”.
 
We meet with the cloud and the fire (13:21-22) - a presence throughout the rest of the book of Exodus and we also encounter the Glory of the LORD for the first time in this week’s lesson (16:10).
 
In Exodus we find God referred to as YHWH the Healer (15:26) and YHWH the Banner (17:15).
 
We read of the bread from heaven - man hu (mannah) - what is it?  Well for one thing it is one of only three references that Yeshua makes of himself in the Torah, per the Gospels.
 
This week features two women of valor - prophetesses; Miriam and Deborah. 
 
This week we find that Pharaoh’s heart is changed.  The use of the Hebrew verb in the niphal indicates that the change is not voluntary, but that God changes his heart.
 
The Torah lesson ends with the statement that there is a hand against the throne of Yah (another reference to the Kingdom of God).  It is stated that there will be war with Amalek from generation to generation.  Indeed, there is a hand against the throne of God’s Kingdom, but ultimately Israel will triumph because God will intervene and deliver His son once again from the hand of the one who oppresses the weak and attacks the young and feeble.
 
Be of good heart brothers and sisters, for we serve a Mighty God!  A God that can and will see us through all of our troubles despite our quarreling and groaning. 
 
Now that’s something to sing about!  Remember, this Sabbath is the Sabbath of Song.  I am moved this evening by a most remarkable passage.  It is found in the prophecy of Zephaniah.  The context deals with the casting out of Israel’s enemy.  It too is a Kingdom passage - YHWH is referred to as the king of Israel.  But notice this!
 
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
 
Can you imagine the Creator of the universe singing over us!!!
 
You absolutely must read Zephaniah 3:14-20.  This is truly what it is all about.
 
Let your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

 
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