Author: Steven R. Bruck

Why Did God Enslave the Israelites in Egypt?

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The Torah readings this month are the story of Joseph, and as I am reading them, I am wondering why God decided, all the way back when he first spoke to Abraham, that he would enslave Abraham’s descendants for some 20 generations.

Has this question ever crossed your mind, as well?

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

I can’t answer this question, definitively, because God doesn’t tell us why. But, I can tell you why I think he doesn’t.

Anyone with any government (especially military) background should be familiar with the three different requirements you need to have to know confidential things:

  1. You have to have that level of clearance (such as Confidential or Top Secret);
  2. You have to have access to that information; and
  3. You have to have a need to know.

With regard to why God does things, when we have the indwelling Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit), we have a Top Secret Clearance. God gave us his word in the Bible, which gives us access to the information.

But as far as the need to know, well…God gives that out as he sees fit, on a case-by-case basis. That is why some people have such great insight into the word of God, and can interpret what is written in the Bible in a way that few others are able to do.

But, as far as why God enslaved the Jews, well…that’s seems to be a need to know thing, and we ain’t got the need to know.

However, I do have my own idea why, so let me share it with you and see what you think.

First off, we are talking about some 70 people at the time Jacob moved his household to Goshen. Not exactly as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore, so God knew he needed time to let them do the first thing he told all humans to do- be fruitful and multiply.

Next, because of the number of pagan and polytheistic religions surrounding the children of Israel when they were in Canaan, their influence would be a significant detriment to these young and impressionable Israelites. Just think about Solomon: here was the wisest king ever, truly a God-fearing man, but when he married women of other religions, for political reasons, the women he married influenced him so much that even he backslid and worshipped their gods.

So, I believe God sent the Israelites into Goshen to isolate them from the influences of the surrounding religions in order that they may grow into a spiritually strong nation. Goshen was not close to where the Pharaoh and the majority of the Egyptian people were, and as shepards, the Egyptians wouldn’t have wanted to interact with the Israelites, anyway. That is evident when we read about how Joseph told his brothers to tell Pharaoh that sheparding was their occupation (Genesis 46:34).

Another thing that God planned perfectly, as usual, was to have them move there when the time was right, what with Joey being the Numero Dos man in the country. This would ensure that, at least during the Pharaoh’s lifetime, they would be treated kindly.

Of course, all that changed in a relatively short time.

Up to now, God did not enslave his people, but with the new Pharaoh, God had the people enslaved so that as things got worse, God was ensuring they not only remained isolated from the Egyptians and their religion, but because they were now slaves they did not have the opportunity to leave Egypt and return to Canaan, where they would, again, be surrounded by pagans who might turn them aside from God.

Remember, there was no Torah then, no defined set of rules for worship, so these Israelites needed to remain true to what their fathers would be teaching them. The best way to do that was to keep them exactly where they were until they grew strong enough to remain unaffected by their neighbors.

When they had become a strong nation, numbering well over a million men, women, and children (not to mention their animals), God knew it was time for them to go back to the land he promised them.

Unfortunately, we learn later on that despite all God did to protect them from being spiritually polluted, it wasn’t completely effective.

But that, my friends, is another story.

Thank you for being here and please share these messages with everyone you know to help this ministry grow. Also subscribe to my website, YouTube channel, and join my Facebook group, “Just God’s Word.”

It wouldn’t hurt if you bought some or all of my books, as well.

That’s it for today, so l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!

How Exodus 19:6 is Confirmed by Acts 10

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Before we discuss these two passages, let’s make sure we all know what I am talking about.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

First, in Exodus God is talking to Moses just before giving him the 10 Commandments, and he states that if the Israelites will obey all God’s laws they will his treasure from among all the peoples, and more than that (Exodus 19:6 CJB):

“…and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.’ These
are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra’el.”

What we have here is God telling Moses that even though the Levites are the only tribe to be cohanim to the Israelites, all of Israel is to be God’s priests to the rest of the world.

This is why the Jews are God’s Chosen people- they are chosen to be his priests to the world.

How do I know they are to be priests to the world? Simple: what does a priest do? The priest leads the people in the proper worship of God and teaches them about God, which (of course) includes God’s instructions for worshiping him and treating each other. The priest serves as an example to the congregation of how God wants us to live.

Because the Levites are priests to the Jews, and all the Jews are God’s priests, the only ones the Jews can be priests to are the Goyim, the Nations…in other words, the rest of the world.

Now we come to Acts 10, which is the narrative about how Kefa (Peter) has a vision on the roof; in that vision, God has unclean animals dropped from the sky and tells Kefa to eat. Kefa refuses to eat, and God says to not call unclean that which he makes clean. This happens 3 times. After the third time, Kefa awakes and the Bible tells us he was wondering what that dream was all about.

Just at that moment, three visitors come to the door and ask to see Kefa. The men are Romans who work for Cornelius, a commander of the Roman army who is also (and most likely, secretly) a convert to Judaism. Cornelius also had a dream, a vision where he is told to seek out Kefa, and the three visitors tell Kefa about that vision. Kefa realizes that his vision is associated with the vision Cornelius had and thereby agrees to go with them.

Let’s stop for a moment to make sure we all understand one very important issue: a Roman was an unclean person, and their houses were not to be entered because they also were unclean, being furnished with many idols of the Roman gods. For Kefa to enter one of these homes was to become unclean, himself.

Where were we? Oh, yeah- Kefa is going to see Cornelius.

So, Kefa enters the home and tells them about Yeshua. The entire household believes, and they are all baptized then and there, and as they are baptized they receive the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit.

Kefa is amazed! He is seeing unclean people receive God’s spirit in the name of Yeshua, thereby making them clean in God’s eyes. Now Kefa understands what his vision was about: it had nothing to do with animals or the laws of Kashrut (Kosher), which is the traditional Christian teaching, i.e. that this vision means the kosher laws are no longer valid.

Absolutely not! It all has to do with God’s promise to Abraham way back in Genesis 22:18.

God promised Abraham that his descendants will be a blessing to the world, and through the descendants of Abraham, we received the Messiah, Yeshua, whose sacrifice became the only way for Jews to be forgiven of their sins, especially after the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.

God’s spirit had always been given exclusively to Jews, but now Kefa sees that the unclean Romans can also be forgiven through acceptance of Yeshua as their Messiah, cleansing them of their sins and allowing them to also receive the Holy Spirit!

What is happening here is the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation for the entire world! As Shaul (Paul) said in Romans 1:16, salvation is to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles.

God promised Abraham his descendants would be a blessing to the world, and after God made those descendants priests to the world, through their High Priest, the Cohen HaGadol of the Jews, Yeshua, the greatest blessing anyone could ever receive was made possible: the blessing of being forgiven of sin and to live in God’s presence for all eternity.

And that’s the 1-2-3 of Salvation:

  1. Abraham’s descendants (the Jewish people) will be a blessing to the world;
  2. The Jewish people will be God’s Chosen people, chosen to be his nation of priests to the world, bringing the Torah to them; and
  3. The High Priest of the Jewish people, Yeshua ha Maschiach, is the means for the Goyim to receive the ultimate blessing that had previously only been available to the Jews, which is forgiveness, receipt of the Holy Spirit, and to be in God’s presence throughout eternity!

That’s how it all fits together.

So, if you are Jewish but haven’t accepted that Yeshua is the Messiah God promised, then unless the third Temple is built before you die you are in trouble.

If you are Christian and believe Yeshua (or as you probably know him, Jesus) is the Messiah, but you go along with the traditional Christian teaching that Jesus did away with the laws God gave in the Torah, then you are rejecting what Yeshua taught, and I believe you will be in as much hot water as the Jewish person who rejects Yeshua.

The plan is simple, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the way it all fits together, so unless you accept Yeshua as the Messiah God promised to send AND obey God’s instructions in the Torah (as Yeshua taught us to do), you may think you are on the path to salvation, but I think you will be sorely disappointed when you come to the end of that road.

Thank you for being here and please subscribe to my website and YouTube channel, as well as “Like” my Facebook page and join my discussion group, Just God’s Word. I would greatly appreciate it if you would also share these messages with everyone you know, and please buy my books. If you like what you get here, you will love my books.

One last thing which I need to start mentioning more often: make sure that what I am telling you is biblically verified. If you just read what people write, or listen to what you are told without making the effort to check it out for yourself in the Bible, you are being very foolish.

That’s it for today, so l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!

Parashah Vayegash 2021 (And he approached) Genesis 44:18 – 47:27

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We last left Benjamin framed by Joseph as being a thief, and Joseph told the other brothers to return to Canaan, but Benjamin will be Joseph’s slave, forever.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

Now Joseph receives the answer to the question of whether or not his brothers had changed, for which he has been testing them from their first visit.

Judah, who you recall had guaranteed the safety of Benjamin, approaches Joseph and begs him to allow Judah to remain as his slave, in lieu of Benjamin, because if Benjamin doesn’t return to Jacob, Jacob will be so saddened, having already lost Joseph, the only other son of his beloved Rachel, that he will die.

Joseph is so moved by this act of self-sacrifice, realizing that his brothers have changed, that he dismisses all his house servants so he can finally reveal his true identity to his brothers.

Of course, they are shocked and can’t believe it at first, but upon closer examination, they realize this ruler over all of Egypt is, indeed, their brother, Joseph.

Joseph is quick to tell them they are not to be afraid of retribution because it was God who was behind sending Joseph to Egypt, in order to save many lives. He tells them to return to Cannan and bring his father, and their entire household, down to Egypt and he will attend to their every need from now on.

Pharaoh hears that Joseph’s brothers are there and orders Joseph to have the entire household move to Egypt, and they shall live in the best part of the land, Goshen. When the brothers return to Jacob they relate the story of how Joseph is not just still alive, but ruler over Egypt. After the initial shock of hearing this wonderful news, Jacob is quick to say “Let’s go!” The entire family, as well as their servants, move to Goshen, a total of about 70 people.

Before leaving, God speaks to Jacob in a dream and tells him that he should go down to Egypt because that is where God will make him into a mighty nation. I believe that God gave approval to Jacob because if you recall, God told Isaac, during a previous famine, not to go to Egypt (Genesis 26) and so maybe Jacob was a little leery about going. But, when God said to go and that he would be with Jacob while in Egypt, that sealed the deal.

After the family had made the trip, Joseph presented 5 of his brothers to Pharaoh, instructing them what to say so that Pharaoh would place them in Goshen. He also presented Jacob, who apparently impressed Pharaoh.

The rest of the parashah tells how after a few years, the people of Egypt had no money left to buy food, so Joseph had them trade their cattle for food, retaining the cattle in their possession to tend it for Pharaoh. Later, when the cattle all belonged to Pharaoh and the people had no more cattle to trade, Joseph had them trade their land, which they still worked, and eventually themselves as indentured servants. They would keep 4/5 of their harvest and give the other 5th to Pharaoh in return for his allowing them to farm the land. In this way, Joseph made Pharaoh not just ruler over all of Egypt, but the owner of the land and the cattle and the people, as well.

This is where the parashah ends.

Have you ever asked yourself, if God promised Abraham that his descendants would live in Canaan, why did God now send the descendants into Egypt? Why couldn’t God have grown them into a mighty nation while they were still in Canaan?

Well, first off, God could have grown them into a mighty nation any old place he wanted to; I mean, after all…he IS God, right?

I believe that God wanted them in the land of Egypt, specifically in Goshen because this would isolate them from the many bad influences that would have surrounded them on all sides if they remained in Canaan.

Even though God can protect us, he also lets us live as we choose. At that time there was no Torah for Jacob and his sons to follow, so by bringing them into a land that was (somewhat) isolated from the rest of the pagan world, God made it easier for the Israelites to multiply and remain true to God.

God knew that staying in Canaan had the potential of causing the worship and relationship with God that Jacob and his sons had to be polluted by outside influences. As the Israelites grew in numbers and power, the cultural standard of forming political alliances through intermarriage would probably have happened at some point, and that could have severely interfered with God’s plan for his chosen people.

We can see this happening later, with Solomon. Even though Solomon was the wisest of all the kings of Israel, a God-fearing man who had the example of his father David’s relationship with God to guide him, it wasn’t until after he formed political alliances through intermarriage that his worship became polluted and he committed terrible sins against Adonai.

This most likely would have happened to the Israelites as they grew in numbers, had they remained in Canaan. Relocating the entire clan to Goshen was a way to stop the problem before it started.

Unfortunately, there was still some level of pollution, which we can see when, after 400 years of being exposed to the Egyptian religious practices while slaves, the Israelites adopted some of them, which was evident at the sin of the Golden Calf.

This is one of the greatest challenges we, as God-fearing Believers who accept Yeshua as our Messiah, have to deal with during our lifetime: being surrounded by the world but not influenced by it.

It is as difficult as walking blindfolded through a field full of sheep and getting to the other side with clean shoes.

But do it, we must! We must obey the laws and we must not return hatred for hatred to those who disagree, argue, and even berate and persecute us for our beliefs.

To avoid the traps of other religions and practices, we must know what God wants from us, which is in the Torah. We must also know the entire Bible because when we read the other books of the Tanakh, we learn how God has both punished and saved his people throughout the past 6,000 or so years, which serves as a constant reminder of what happens when we reject God. It also serves as a comfort to know that over the millennia, despite how sinful we had been, when we repented and asked forgiveness, God was not just willing to forgive us, but he desired to do so.

We will all backslide occasionally, some more than others (that’s the group I am in), and much of it is because of the influences of the flesh-loving world that we cannot avoid. If we go into hermit mode, we can avoid the worldly influences but then we would not be doing what we are supposed to do, which is to be a light in the darkness (Ephesians 5:8). After all, how can we be a light in the darkness if we never enter the darkness, right?

It’s a tough battle, which is why I constantly try to remind everyone that although salvation is a free gift that can never be earned, it is also a very hard gift to keep because although no one can take it away, we can throw it away.

So hold tight to your salvation by faithfully obeying God’s commandments and celebrating his Holy Days, because the world wants you to throw it all away and join their party.

But one day, and it looks to be very soon, their party will be raided and if you are there with them, you end up in spiritual jail, forever.

Thank you for being here and please share these messages, subscribe to my website, YouTube channel, and join my Facebook discussion group called Just God’s Word (if you want to join our group, please make sure you read and agree to the rules.)

And check out my books, as well. Especially my latest book, “The Good News of the Messiah for Jews, Debunking the Traditional Lies About the Jewish Messiah.”

That’s it for this week, so l’hitraot and Shabbat Shalom!

Faith in God Can Lead to Faith in Yourself

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We all know we are to have faith in God.

Believers who have been “Born Again” know that we are to faithfully believe Yeshua is the Messiah sent by God.

The Bible tells us that through faith in God (and Yeshua) we can be found righteous in God’s eyes, as Abraham was.

But what about faith in ourselves?

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

Personally, I have much more faith in God than I do in people, and for good reason- God is God, proven over millennia to be 1000% trustworthy and dependable, and never changing.

People, on the other hand, are well…they’re people, born with iniquity, self-centered, and desiring only to do what is pleasing to the body.

And I am one of them, so how can I have any faith in myself, other than faith to know that I will probably screw up, sooner or later.

And much sooner than later, to be sure.

Yet, I do have faith in myself to do what is right, and that faith developed only because I have faith in God.

My faith and trust in God instill in me the unshakable and concrete knowledge that God will see to my needs, help me to be better (even when I backslide), and always be there for me. I also know that whatever talents I have, God gave me. Yes, I have developed them and I can use them wisely and efficiently (usually), and that helps me feel confident in my abilities. When I say this I am not bragging or being egocentric because whatever I do well, I know that it is not really me but instead, God working through me.

I screw up plenty of times, and when I do, that’s when I can take full credit.

My faith in God is what allows me to have faith in myself.

I know people who are shy, have no confidence in themselves and are self-deprecating. They constantly refuse to speak up, even when they know they are in the right, and won’t defend either themselves or even those they love when being wronged.

And their first reaction to trying anything new is to say they can’t do it, which is not the truth but ends up being the case.

Henry Ford is credited with saying “Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you can’t- you are right!”

I believe one reason for people to avoid speaking up for themselves or others is not that they are meek (meekness takes strength!) and not because they think they are wrong, but because they lack faith in themselves, which means that they don’t have enough faith in God!

The saddest part of this, at least, with the people I know who are like this, is that their lack of faith in themselves becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because they are afraid if they speak out that someone might shame them. Their lack of confidence is what keeps them from developing confidence, so naturally, they have little or no faith in themselves.

And because they are so lacking in faith in themselves, even if it comes down to speaking the truth about God, they will not speak out.

Yeshua said if we are ashamed of him, then he will be ashamed of us when we come before God (Luke 9:26). I interpret that as meaning if we don’t speak about God or Messiah Yeshua with confidence, then we are showing ourselves ashamed of him.

If lack of faith in yourself is what causes you to not speak to other people confidently and with conviction about God, that also represents a lack of faith in God. And, if you don’t have enough faith in God to trust him to help you by putting the proper words in your mouth, then you will never have any faith in yourself!

It’s a self-defeating cycle born from fear and distrust.

Didn’t Yeshua tell his Disciples in Mark 13:11 that they shouldn’t worry when they are arrested about what to say because the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) will inspire them and give them the words they need?

God is always here; he always knows what we need, and if we trust in him, faithfully believing he will take care of us, then we have nothing to fear. We can speak boldly and with confidence to anyone.

And that also means you can do things with confidence. Instead of immediately denying your ability to do anything, even if you have tried before and failed, you should never shirk from a challenge. Trust in God to be able to do anything will motivate you to try new things, to step out into the world confidently and unafraid because you know that no matter what you face, God is there, besides you.

And when speaking out to defend yourself or God’s truth against judgmental and cruel people, there will be no need for you to be that way; the Ruach can provide you with the kindest words possible for telling someone they are being a real jerk, and in such a way they might actually begin to see the light.

All you need to do is have faith that God will always be able to help you to walk boldly, or talk boldly, or act boldly when dealing with life’s adversities and challenges.

Remember that Yeshua also told us in Matthew 10:28 not to be afraid of what human beings can do to us because they can only affect our bodies. We are to be concerned, instead, with the one who can destroy our soul.

Strengthen your faith in God by stepping out into the world with confidence- not so much in yourself as being able to do anything, but in God being able to help you do anything. Speak with confidence, act with certainty, and do not teeter-totter your way through life.

Our God is not a God of sitting back and being worried about what you can or can’t do- he is a God of stepping out and doing as you think God wants you to do.

God will always guide your footsteps, but you have to get off your tuchas and start walking.

So get going, and your faith in God to guide you in both words and actions will give you confidence in yourself, and through that confidence, you will be giving glory to God.

Thank you for being here and please subscribe to my website and YouTube channel, share these messages with everyone you know, and if you like what you get here, you will love my books, which are available on Amazon or through my website.

That’s it for today, so l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!

Another Name for Comfort Zone is Stagnation

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Today I am going to present perhaps the most difficult to accept message I think I have ever preached.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

The title pretty much says it all: too many people, mostly Christians but Jews, as well, are taking the easy path to salvation, which is the wrong way to go.

The traditional Christian teaching is that so long as you “believe in Jesus” (whatever that is supposed to mean) and are a good person, you will go to heaven.

In Judaism, we are taught from the moment we start to interact with Gentiles that Jesus was a traitor to Judaism and created a new religion that kills Jews. Our path to salvation is to be Torah observant and, especially in the Orthodox and Chasidic sects, to accept the Talmud (called the Oral law) as scripture and do what the Rabbi says, whether or not it is in the Torah.

Practicing Judaism is a much more difficult road to salvation than the one that Christianity has mapped out, but neither can get you there if you do not accept that Yeshua is the Messiah (that is for Jews) and that Jesus never said you don’t have to follow the Torah (that is for Christians.)

The fact that Yeshua said he did and said only what God told him to do and say, which is what God has always told us to do (in the Torah) shows that modern Christianity has nothing to do, whatsoever, with the things Yeshua taught.

Our comfort zone is where we love to be-it is easy to do since we have always done it, there is nothing we have to change or relearn, and when all is said and done, it is quite…. comfortable.

Who wants to be uncomfortable when you can be comfortable, right?

Or, we could say who wants to learn something new when everyone you trust and love has always told you you don’t need to?

Or, bottom line? Who wants to know the truth when the truth means everything you think you know is wrong?

And that’s what this ministry of mine is all about- trying to get you to realize that what you have been taught all your life may not be right!

I won’t tell you what to believe, but if you listen to me AND (now this is the important part) are willing to re-examine and verify your comfort zone, then I have done what I set out to do.

Look- staying where you are with regards to your knowledge of the Bible is fine if you have spent years reading the Bible and are very familiar with it. But if you haven’t read the Bible at least 5 or 6 times, all the way through- even the really boring parts- then you are in a comfort zone that might just give you a comfortable ride all the way to Sheol (that’s Hell, for those of you who are comfortable not knowing the Bible.)

And for anyone who thinks that just going to services and hearing the Rabbi or Priest, Minister, Pastor…whatever…tell you what you need to know to be saved, you are in a comfort zone that will ruin your eternity. Believe me!

Being comfortable when it comes to knowing God and what he wants from you is dangerous, and can only lead you to a very dissatisfying tour of eternity. So don’t hurt yourself by remaining blissfully ignorant of what God wants from you.

Here are two adages that everyone knows and no one argues against:

1. Anything worth having is worth working for; and
2. When you get something for free, you get only what you paid for.

These are especially important to remember when we are talking about salvation. Yes, it is a free gift from God but it is not easy to keep; it is going to take work, and although no one can take it away from you, you can certainly throw it away.

How? By remaining in your comfort zone, which never takes you where you need to be.

PLEASE!! Listen to me, hear what I am saying- if you are comfortable in your spiritual life, you need to get off your tuchas and do more. Read the Bible more, especially the first 5 books and start to do what God wants you to do.

Christianity teaches to ignore God’s instructions in the Torah, and that is way more comfortable than obeying God, but think about this: since God never said to change how to worship him, and Yeshua never said to ignore his father’s commandments, then the teaching that you can reject the Torah must be from a human source. And when you meet God at Judgment Day and say you followed what a human being told you to do instead of what God told you to do, how do you think he will react to that?

And, for any Jewish readers who still want to reject hearing anything about Yeshua, I ask you to please consider that people who told you to reject Yeshua are just repeating what they have been told. Being raised Jewish, myself, I know that even listening to someone talk about Yeshua being the Messiah feels like betraying Judaism, but it isn’t. It requires you to leave a comfort zone that has prevented you from knowing the truth. Hey, look- if this guy Yeshua (Jesus) isn’t the Messiah, then what harm can it do to learn about him? And if he is, then you might just realize you have been missing the boat to salvation. And the best part is…you do NOT have to become a Christian to believe that Yeshua is the Messiah. I am more “Jewish” since I accepted Yeshua as my Messiah than I ever was growing up rejecting him.

Everyone– read my latest book, “The Good News About the Messiah for Jews:
Debunking the Traditional Lies About the Jewish Messiah” to learn how you
have been forced into a comfort zone that is killing you!

We can never be sinless, but we can always sin less. That is the constant challenge, and if you do so whole-heartedly, every day trying to be better than you were the previous day, you will never have to worry about being stuck in a comfort zone.

Thank you for being here and please subscribe to this ministry on my website and my YouTube channel, as well. And I always welcome your comments.

That’s it for now, so l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!