Welcome to Yitro (Jethro), this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion).

 

Please read with us the portion of Torah that will be read in synagogues around the world during this week’s Shabbat (Saturday) service.  We know you will be blessed!

 

 

 

 

In last week’s Torah study, God brought Israel out of Egypt and parted the Red Sea to save them from Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  God provided for the needs of His people in the wilderness by raining down manna from heaven and bringing forth water from a rock.

 

This week, in Parasha Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, Yitro (Jethro), comes from Midian along with Moses’ wife and two sons to meet him at the Israelites’ camp after hearing of all the great miracles that God had performed to deliver His people.

 

A 13-year-old Jewish boy carries the Torah scroll at the Western (Wailing)
Wall as the adults venerate the Torah by kissing the Torah tik (ornate box
protecting the Torah scroll).

 

 

 

 

 

Moses’ father-in-law wisely advised him to appoint other men to occupy positions of leadership to help carry the burden, lest Moses wear himself out.

 

 

We must find others to whom we can delegate some of our duties in order to give more balance to our lives.

 

 

The Word of God tells us which qualities to look for in choosing potential leaders:  capable, God-fearing, honest people.

 

 

 

 

Thankfully, Moses listened to his father-in-law, which reveals Moses’ beautiful character trait of humility.  We should be grateful, and not defensive, when God sends someone into our lives to give us necessary correction for our own good and the good of others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the mountain, the Lord instructs Moses to tell the “House of Jacob” and the “Children of Israel” that He is making a special promise to the people: they are to be His own special nation — a kingdom of priests (mamlechet cohanim) and a holy nation (v’goy kadosh).

 

If the people of Israel listen to God’s voice and keep covenant with Him, then God will embrace them as His special treasure.  In Hebrew, the word used is segulah, which comes from the word sagol, meaning purple — the color of royalty.

 

In the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), all Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) are sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; therefore, we are all royalty — kings and priests unto the Lord.

 

 

 

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The people of Israel agree to keep God’s commandments and to obey Him: 

 

 

 

This was the whole purpose of the exodus from Egypt, for Israel to receive God’s Torah (instruction).

 

 

 

 

 

Because verse three of Exodus 19 uses the two terms “House of Jacob” and the “Children of Israel,” Jewish sages believe that the first term refers to the women of Israel and the second term to the men.

 

It is believed that when God gave Israel the Torah, He told Moses to approach the women first.

 

The Midrash (stories) states that that Messianic redemption will come through the merit of righteous women of Israel:  “All generations are redeemed by virtue of the pious women of their generation”  (Yalkut Shimoni, Ruth: 606).

 

Perhaps, this points to Miryam's role as mother of Yeshua (Jesus), which is prophesied by Isaiah:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jewish sages also believed that women would first receive the teachings of the Messiah.

 

While Yeshua taught many women, we know from Scripture that another Miryam became the first eye-witness to Yeshua’s resurrection from the dead—the absolute sign of Yeshua’s Messiahship and victory over sin.

 

 

In a culture where women witnesses were not thought to possess credibility, this is an extraordinary event that the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) wanted us all to know.

 

 

 

 

Standing at the foot of the mountain on the third day, the people of Israel met with God, as He descended with thunder, lightning, thick clouds, and the loud sound of the shofar (ram’s horn).

 

The whole mountain was covered with smoke, since God came with fire, as it is written, “The Lord is a consuming fire.” (Deuteronomy 4:24)

 

 

 

Thankfully, we have not come to such a mountain of darkness, fire, and deafening, fearful noise, but to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and the angels — to Yeshua.

 

We are, therefore, entering a kingdom that cannot be shaken  We are entering “the city of the living God, heavenly Yerushalayim; to myriads of angels in festive assembly; to a community of the firstborn whose names have been recorded in Heaven; to a Judge who is God of everyone; to spirits of righteous people who have been brought to the goal; to the mediator of a new covenant, Yeshua; and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better things than [the blood of Abel].”  (Hebrews 12:22–24)

 

 

Even though we are under the grace of the New Covenant, in which the laws of God are written on our hearts, the commands of God, written with His very own finger on tablets of stone are eternal and true for all people in all covenants.

 

Keeping His commandments is how we show our love for God.  His commandments provide a guide for a healthy, happy, productive, and harmonious life in relationship with God and with other people.

 

 

 

 

The law of God guards our relationships.  

 

The first tablet containing the first five of the Ten Commandments deals with our relationship to God.  The second set of five commandments deals with our relations with our neighbor.  That is why Yeshua said that loving God and loving our neighbor sum up the commandments.  (Matthew 22:37–40)

 

The God of Israel is not an impersonal “force,” but a God of love who becomes intimately involved with the affairs of mankind to save, rescue, redeem, and deliver.  This is the God who is worthy of our love and devotion, and no one else.

 

 

 

 

We see from the second commandment that anything we place first in our lives other than God is idolatry.  God is, by His own admission, a jealous God.  The Hebrew root of kanna (jealous) means just indignation of one injured.

 

When we choose another over God, He is injured, as a husband or wife is injured by an unfaithful spouse.

 

Today the world is filled with idols:  wealth, fame, power, position, money, work, sexual relations, celebrities, sports, even relationships.  We so often make these desires our priority, tending to put our trust and confidence in other things or people to help us meet those desires.  

 

However, only God is absolutely trustworthy and His desires for us are pure and holy.

 

God’s prophetic word promises that one day His people will no longer tolerate any idolatry in their lives, but the day will come when the Lord shall say, “What have I to do with idols?  It is I who answer and look after you.”  (Hosea 14:8)

 

May this be the generation that seeks the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and may we become united in the love of Messiah, worshipping the One True God in Spirit and Truth.

 

 

Steve, please pray for the salvation of the Jewish People and help Bibles For Israel bring the Good News of Yeshua to the Holy Land and to the nations.