The text opens with a verse from Isaiah (44:26): "[God] confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof.'" It seems almost repetitive, doesn't it? God confirms what God's messengers say? R. Berekiah, quoting R. Levi, picks up on this. Isn't it obvious that if God confirms the word of His servant and fulfills their counsel, then of course Jerusalem will be rebuilt as promised?
The text finds a deeper meaning in this repetition. It illustrates this with a story about Jacob. Remember when an angel wrestles with Jacob and changes his name to Israel (Genesis 32:28-29)? Later, the Kadosh Baruch Hu, the Holy Blessed One, appears to Jacob and reiterates the name change (Genesis 35:10). Why the repetition? Because, the Pesikta suggests, even though an angel initiated the name change, God Himself confirmed it. Similarly, if all the prophets prophesied the rebuilding of Jerusalem, surely it will come to pass!
But the Pesikta doesn't stop there. It offers another interpretation, focusing on Moses. "[God] confirmeth the word of His servant" refers to Moses, who is called God's servant in Numbers 12:7: "My servant Moses is not so." And "Performeth the counsel of His messengers" also refers to Moses, as Numbers 20:16 states: "[God] sent a messenger, and brought us forth out of Egypt."
This sets the stage for a fascinating midrashic reading of the Exodus story. God tells Moses to inform the Israelites that God will pass through Egypt at night and strike down the firstborn (Exodus 12:12). Moses, however, tells the people, "Thus saith the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt" (Exodus 11:4). "About midnight?" Why didn't Moses say exactly midnight?
The Kadosh Baruch Hu reflects, “I have already promised Moses, ‘My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house’ (Numbers 12:7). Should I make My servant Moses a liar?" The answer, of course, is no. Therefore, even though Moses said "about midnight," God would ensure that the event happened precisely at midnight. And so it came to pass: "it came to pass at midnight, [that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt."
What does this all mean? It speaks to the profound integrity of the Divine. God isn't just powerful; God is also bound by His word, by the promises made to His servants. It's a powerful message about the importance of truth, reliability, and the enduring strength of covenants. It reminds us that even in the face of uncertainty, the Divine keeps its promises, down to the very second. And that's something worth pondering.