17 And it came to pass,
when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of
the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest
peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
18 But God led the people
about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of
Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 13:17-18)
Hashem "led them not through the way of the land of the
Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people
repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt". In the next verse we
read bnei Israel were harnessed.
Commentators write the short way from Egypt to Canaan was 10
days. But we see just the long way was the best way!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways My ways, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8)
Hashem can led us Messianic believers through the long way,
through the desert too FOR OUR GOOD! Herein is HIS HESED ( MERCY)!
"To Him which led His people through the wilderness:
for His mercy endureth for ever." (Psalms 136:16)
Hashem adressed to Israel as a groom to a bride when Israel
went after God to the desert:
"Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus
saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine
espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not
sown." (Jer. 2:2)
10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of
Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11 And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My
judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.
12 Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign
between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify
them. (Ezekiel 20:10-12)
"On eagles' wings" (Shemot 19:4)
"Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and
how I bare you , and brought you unto Myself." (Exodus 19:4)
Hashem says: "You have seen what I did unto the
Egyptians..." - just you are the
witnesses of the miracles.
What do these words - "on eagles' wings" - mean?
- The care of Hashem about
Israel:
11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young,
spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange
god with him. (Deut 32:11-12)
"Like an eagle, which carries its young on its wings, for all other birds place their young between their feet since they fear another bird flying above them. The eagle, however, fears only man, lest he shoot an arrow at it, because no other bird flies above it. Therefore, it places them [its young] on its wings. It says, “Rather the arrow pierce me and not my children.” (Rashi http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9880/showrashi/true)
“The Seforno, however, understands the use of the eagle in a
different way altogether. The eagle travels where no other bird travels; its
‘derech’ is entirely different. Similarly, when Hashem took Bnei Yisrael out of
Egypt, He, in effect, introduced us to a totally different way of life. Hashem
separated Bnei Yisrael from all other nations, made us His children and brought
Bnei Yisrael to Har Sinai for Mattan Torah.” (http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:ECH29XW6wC8J:www.shaalvim.org/sfw/shiurim/view.asp%3Fid%3D647+Shemot+19+eagles+wings&cd=9&hl=ru&ct=clnk)
- God exalts Israel:
Hashem said to Abraham: "And I will make of thee a
great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be
a blessing:" (Gen. 12:2)
As God cared about Israel as He
will be care about all believers in Messiah Yeshua.
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be
weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaih 40:31)
“… ye shall be a
peculiar treasure unto Me above all people…”
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine:
6
And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
(Exodus 19:5-6)
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;" (1 Peter 2:9)
"And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and
we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:10)
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Messiah (Christ), and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Rev. 20:6)