PARASHA: “Yitro” (Jethro) EXODUS 18:1-20:26
We see in this parashah a lot of wisdom on the part of Moshe and Yitro, his father-in-law. First, we learn that Moshe had sent his wife and children back to stay with their father and grandfather. I believe that, for safekeeping, when one sees danger, it is wise to care for one's family, as Moshe did. His wife and children might have been in danger, the Egyptians might have retaliated, might have kidnapped his wife and children, or killed them, so Moshe took precaution, which is a good thing. This is what all fathers and husbands must do. Protect their families when they sense danger is near.
The second piece of wisdom comes from Yitro. He is a man of experience, so he says, “Moshe, what are you doing to these people?” Hey, you are only one man, and a few million of them? Come on, dude, get wiser, this isn't a one-man deal here, no such things as “lone-rangers” in ministry, even the “Lone-Ranger” was not alone, he had “Tonto”. Ministry is to be shared with other believers; that is why the Ruach Ha Kodesh has given the Spiritual gifts, to be shared, to minister to others, by many, not just one. The rabbi cannot do it alone, nor can the pastor. The rabbi needs his co-workers, and so does the pastor; if not, they are going to run themselves ragged. This is called “pastor/rabbi Burn-out”
Another thing to point out, and it directs us to a question. The scripture says that Moshe sat in judgment of the people and made known the ordinances of God. But…Moshe and the people had not received the Torah yet. That came afterward. So, if Moshe hadn’t received the commandments yet, how did he know the ordinances of God with which to judge the people?
Two possibilities. This event might have happened after receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Another possibility is that God gave Moses a preview of the Law and ordinances with which to judge the people before receiving the Law at Mt. Sinai. It might have been during the time that Moshe was sent back to Egypt that God revealed his laws and statutes to him personally through visions or dreams. Remember that God spoke to Moshe as one man speaks to another. These are just possibilities; then on Sinai, they were given on stone tablets and written down on parchment papers or on lamb skins. From the “Oral Torah to the Written Torah.”
This is the parashah of the “Ten Mitzvoth,” the “Ten Commandments,” but before the giving of these, YHVH presents the deal to the people, kind of like when the bridegroom presents himself to the bride. These are beautiful words;
” Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself, therefore IF you harken unto my voice and keep my covenant, THEN ye shall be my own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (19:4-6)
It is all conditional, like all contracts and covenants, we see the “IF” and “THEN”. He says that He bore Israel on eagles' wings. An eagle will carry her young on her wings to protect them from harm. So did YHVH. He brought Israel through the Sea on dry land, and brought them nigh unto Har Sinai. Now, they have to decide whether they will accept YHVH as their one and only God. And obey HIS words?
It is like asking the bride to accept the groom as her only husband, provider, and loving ruler, (not tyrant) BUT…even though Israel broke the covenant many times, YHVH has remained faithful and we are HIS HOLY PEOPLE, his ELECT, whether we were born and raised in Israel or from the nations, doesn't matter, we are HIS because we have accepted HIS sacrifice in YESHUA our “Goel” (Redeemer), and we choose the follow his Torah, his LIVING Torah.
The HE lays out the first 10 of the 613 commandments, which generalize, one can say “all” of the Torah: We need to realize that the first ten were given directly by Adonai to his people, HIS voice to HIS people, the other 603 were given to the people THROUGH Moshe, but still, they are all GOD’s commandments. Moshe simply did not make them up.
”ANOCHI YHVH ELOHEIHA” ( I AM ADONAI YOUR GOD) with the I AM emphasized, one can say “Ani” (I) or Anochi (I really AM) He is saying, I am who I have claimed to be, the God who took you out of Egypt and brought you here, I am ready to be your God, so if that is the case, there can only be ONE God in your life, that is ME, I don't want statues of me, that what the Egyptians did, so, don't do as they did, (It took one day to take Israel out of Egypt, but 40 years to take Egypt out of Israel, if you get the meaning). Don't bow down and worship other gods, that will NOT be accepted. It is interesting to see that the words “Egyptians” and “Egypt” is the same in Hebrew, it is the word “Mitzraim”.
Also, these words "Your God" and "took you out" (Eloheiha) and (Motziteha) are written in the singular, yet at the same time, plural. God is speaking to the "ONE Nation of Israel, the ONE people united as ONE (Echad), yet every individual is being spoken to. Yeshua died for each one of us, yet we are all part of one race, the Human race.
When Israel crossed the Red Sea, the “Egyptians” were drowned in the sea, yet “Egypt” followed Israel still, in the manner of “mindset” “philosophy”, “influence”. Today, when we reject the ways of the world and come to “Yeshua,” there are still “world-ways” one tends to follow, sometimes we do things even without thinking, which reminds us of the “ways of the world” (evil things).
We see in this parashah a lot of wisdom on the part of Moshe and Yitro, his father-in-law. First, we learn that Moshe had sent his wife and children back to stay with their father and grandfather. I believe that, for safekeeping, when one sees danger, it is wise to care for one's family, as Moshe did. His wife and children might have been in danger, the Egyptians might have retaliated, might have kidnapped his wife and children, or killed them, so Moshe took precaution, which is a good thing. This is what all fathers and husbands must do. Protect their families when they sense danger is near.
The second piece of wisdom comes from Yitro. He is a man of experience, so he says, “Moshe, what are you doing to these people?” Hey, you are only one man, and a few million of them? Come on, dude, get wiser, this isn't a one-man deal here, no such things as “lone-rangers” in ministry, even the “Lone-Ranger” was not alone, he had “Tonto”. Ministry is to be shared with other believers; that is why the Ruach Ha Kodesh has given the Spiritual gifts, to be shared, to minister to others, by many, not just one. The rabbi cannot do it alone, nor can the pastor. The rabbi needs his co-workers, and so does the pastor; if not, they are going to run themselves ragged. This is called “pastor/rabbi Burn-out”
Another thing to point out, and it directs us to a question. The scripture says that Moshe sat in judgment of the people and made known the ordinances of God. But…Moshe and the people had not received the Torah yet. That came afterward. So, if Moshe hadn’t received the commandments yet, how did he know the ordinances of God with which to judge the people?
Two possibilities. This event might have happened after receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Another possibility is that God gave Moses a preview of the Law and ordinances with which to judge the people before receiving the Law at Mt. Sinai. It might have been during the time that Moshe was sent back to Egypt that God revealed his laws and statutes to him personally through visions or dreams. Remember that God spoke to Moshe as one man speaks to another. These are just possibilities; then on Sinai, they were given on stone tablets and written down on parchment papers or on lamb skins. From the “Oral Torah to the Written Torah.”
This is the parashah of the “Ten Mitzvoth,” the “Ten Commandments,” but before the giving of these, YHVH presents the deal to the people, kind of like when the bridegroom presents himself to the bride. These are beautiful words;
” Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself, therefore IF you harken unto my voice and keep my covenant, THEN ye shall be my own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (19:4-6)
It is all conditional, like all contracts and covenants, we see the “IF” and “THEN”. He says that He bore Israel on eagles' wings. An eagle will carry her young on her wings to protect them from harm. So did YHVH. He brought Israel through the Sea on dry land, and brought them nigh unto Har Sinai. Now, they have to decide whether they will accept YHVH as their one and only God. And obey HIS words?
It is like asking the bride to accept the groom as her only husband, provider, and loving ruler, (not tyrant) BUT…even though Israel broke the covenant many times, YHVH has remained faithful and we are HIS HOLY PEOPLE, his ELECT, whether we were born and raised in Israel or from the nations, doesn't matter, we are HIS because we have accepted HIS sacrifice in YESHUA our “Goel” (Redeemer), and we choose the follow his Torah, his LIVING Torah.
The HE lays out the first 10 of the 613 commandments, which generalize, one can say “all” of the Torah: We need to realize that the first ten were given directly by Adonai to his people, HIS voice to HIS people, the other 603 were given to the people THROUGH Moshe, but still, they are all GOD’s commandments. Moshe simply did not make them up.
”ANOCHI YHVH ELOHEIHA” ( I AM ADONAI YOUR GOD) with the I AM emphasized, one can say “Ani” (I) or Anochi (I really AM) He is saying, I am who I have claimed to be, the God who took you out of Egypt and brought you here, I am ready to be your God, so if that is the case, there can only be ONE God in your life, that is ME, I don't want statues of me, that what the Egyptians did, so, don't do as they did, (It took one day to take Israel out of Egypt, but 40 years to take Egypt out of Israel, if you get the meaning). Don't bow down and worship other gods, that will NOT be accepted. It is interesting to see that the words “Egyptians” and “Egypt” is the same in Hebrew, it is the word “Mitzraim”.
Also, these words "Your God" and "took you out" (Eloheiha) and (Motziteha) are written in the singular, yet at the same time, plural. God is speaking to the "ONE Nation of Israel, the ONE people united as ONE (Echad), yet every individual is being spoken to. Yeshua died for each one of us, yet we are all part of one race, the Human race.
When Israel crossed the Red Sea, the “Egyptians” were drowned in the sea, yet “Egypt” followed Israel still, in the manner of “mindset” “philosophy”, “influence”. Today, when we reject the ways of the world and come to “Yeshua,” there are still “world-ways” one tends to follow, sometimes we do things even without thinking, which reminds us of the “ways of the world” (evil things).
