In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Shemot, we read that a new king raised up in Egypt and placed Israel into slavery being afraid because of Her large numbers. We also read how the Lord raised up a deliverer, one who will take Israel out of bondage and slavery. Based upon this week’s reading, and upon the deliverer / redeemer narratives, we are given the themes of sin and redemption coupled to God’s Torah as a way of life. The Lord God told His people in relation to the Mitzvot saying, Bamidbar / Numbers 32:23 וְאִם־לֹ֤א תַעֲשׂוּן֙ כֵּ֔ן הִנֵּ֥ה חֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַיהוָ֑ה וּדְעוּ֙ חַטַּאתְכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּמְצָ֖א אֶתְכֶֽם׃ But if you do not do so, you will have sinned against the LORD; and know that your sin will find you. (NASB) This phrase “and know that your sin will find you” (וּדְעוּ֙ חַטַּאתְכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּמְצָ֖א אֶתְכֶֽם) is one of the most important and misunderstood statements in all God’s Word. Here Moshe is speaking of one particular aspect of sin, that of having a stubborn heart coupled with a refusal to wholly follow the Lord! There are many sins that go unexposed here on earth and will be revealed only at the Judgment (Luke 12:3, Matthew 10:27). Rambam on Bereshit / Genesis 1:1 Part 1 sates the following, “the story of the whole topic of creation until the creation of Adam, and that He made him ruler over the work of His hands and all that was given over beneath his feet, and the Garden of Eden – which is the best of all the places created in this world – became established for his dwelling, until his sin drove him from there. And the people of the generation of the Deluge, by their sin were driven from the entire world, and the righteous one among them alone was spared, him and his sons. And their descendants, their sin caused them to be scattered in places and planted in lands, and they captured for themselves the places according to their families among their peoples, as the opportunities arose to them. If so, it is appropriate that when a people continues to sin, it will be destroyed from its place and another people will inherit his land, for this is the law of God in the world from always.” In relation to what Rambam is saying, the peoples were dispersed across the face of the earth due to their sin, unfaithfulness, and rebellion against wholly following in the ways of God. Those who do these things are condemned in the midst of a righteous, holy, and just God. This condemnation will be known by all peoples because these wicked men were known by the extent of their wickedness and sin. All will know the reasons why the sinner is eternally condemned. This is the source text for the Apostle Paul’s interpretation saying, “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε κρίνει ὁ θεὸς τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου διὰ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ.). The Greek word used here κρυπτὰ (krupta) for secrets is defined as, “that which is hidden, concealed, or covered up.” For example, the one who looks at pornography may hide his sin until caught, or as in the case for the adulterer, until judgment day. The thief may cover up his crimes and may not get caught in this life, and the wicked heart or evil thoughts may remain unexposed before men. Even hypocrisy may be hidden for years under a pretense of piety. But as it is described in Bamidbar / Numbers 32:23 the sin of halfheartedness will always find you out here and now because the Lord God of Israel is watching! This pretense of “halfheartedness” is found under the idea that one has not been found out yet. The important “Torah context” in relation to these things from Parashat Shemot, is that Moshe also had this pretense believing his sins had not found him out. When Moshe killed the Egyptian, he thought nobody was watching. The Lord God of Israel however was watching, He was present. We learn that his sin did find him out and someone was watching. When Moshe was tending his flock on the Mountain of the Lord, again he did not realize the Lord was present until the Lord revealed Himself. The point is regardless of whether someone else sees our sins, “be sure that your sins will find you out,” because the Lord is watching! This should lead us to live a repentant lifestyle coupled to our faith in Yeshua the Messiah! Let’s discuss this further in this week’s study.