Joy in the Messiah

 יִתְרוֹ
Yitro / Jethro
Exodus 18:1-20:26
HafTorah portion Isaiah 6:1-7:6
Brit Chadasha Hebrews 12:18-24

      This parsha is described as the hinges of the Torah because of the events at Har Sinai. Israel is changing from delivered slave to a set apart people in covenant to Elohim. Exodus 18:1-20.
     Exodus 18:20 states: ‘And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.’ The Hebrew word is v’hitzharta   וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה which is actually read as ‘to warn, to instruct’. We see in the middle is zahar ‘to be light, bright shining, to warn, to take warning and receive instruction.’
    This is a warning of consequences. God is telling Moshe to teach the consequence of either behavior, as we read in Exodus 18:11, ‘Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.’ 
     There is a difference in opinion whether Pharaoh actually did in fact drown. Either way, the consequence was dire and the entire army indeed perished. As Pharaoh ordered the first born to be drowned, so too did his men drown.
     These instructions and warnings give us a place to go with our love for Elohim. James 1:25 has a mistranslation that might make one look towards a religion of Rome rather than the Torah. This would delete and deny any consequences, whether positive or negative. James 1:25: ‘But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.’  In the Hebrew it translates ‘he who looks into the perfect Torah of deliverance’.   So, it is the Torah of deliverance, versus the liberty of law – we are delivered rather than held in bondage. 
      We also see this in Yitro’s visit and instructions.  He is giving testimony to the perfect Torah of Elohim; it was more about being a second witness to the ways of God. Yitro was an expert in idol worship, and by God bringing Yitro into the picture, he was turning towards Elohim, which was an elevation for Yitro, as we read in Exodus 18:20.
      Exodus 19 is the precursor to the events of the people of Israel receiving the Ten Words.  In Exodus 19:3-6 God shares with Moshe His conditions for His people. ‘And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings (Deuteronomy 32:11, Isaiah 63:9, Revelation 12:14) and brought you to Myself. ⁵ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep (Psalm 78:10) My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure (Deuteronomy 4:20, 1 Kings 8:53, Psalm 135:4, 1 Peter 2:9) to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a kingdom (Deuteronomy 33:2-4, Revelation 1:6, 5:10) of priests and a holy nation. (Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:21, Isaiah 62:12, 1 Corinthians 3:17). These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
     In Exodus 20 Moshe receives the Ten Words for the people of God. The very first declaration, Exodus 20:2 ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage…’ is repeated by the prophet Hosea. ‘Yet I am the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but Me; for there is no savior besides Me.’ Hosea 13:4. The Hebrew wording translates it a bit differently: ‘But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt, you know no God but Me and besides Me there is no savior.’
      The Ten Words are sub titles for the entire 613 Commands.  The first five commandments are for man and God, the second half are for man and man. 
      Within the Torah lay the foundation of the Spirit of God.  They are His principles found in the Ten Words.  When we return to the ways of Elohim, when we return to God’s principles, we in fact return to The Source.  The Ten Words are really the first direct communication between God and His people. Prior, God spoke through Moshe, and His wonders. The Ten Words raise us above the chaos of the earthly realm that seems to absorb us in our daily tasks. The Ten Words sets us apart from merely human to a holy life. Each commandment points to a principle, and each principle is a moral focus for us to live by. 
     The first part of the Ten Words in the Hebrew mindset begins with: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.’  (Catholics changed it to merge Exodus 20:2 & 3).   This is the first commandment, which  isn’t a commandment at all but God laying down His authority. Without establishing His authority, the following commandments would be suggestions, or folklore.  

#1 Exodus 20:2  ‘I am the LORD God…’
#2 Exodus 20:3-6 ‘You shall have no other gods…you shall not make graven images…’
#3 Exodus 20:7 ‘You shall not misuse the Name of The LORD..’
#4 Exodus 20:8-11 ‘You shall remember the Shabbat…’
#5 Exodus 20:12-12 ‘You shall honor your father and mother…’
#6 Exodus 20:13 ‘You shall not murder’
#7 Exodus 20:14 ‘You shall not commit adultery’
#8 Exodus 20:15 ‘You shall not steal’
#9 Exodus 20:16 ‘You shall not give false testimony
#10 Exodus 20:17 ‘You shall not covet…’

Yitro / Jethro
Exodus 18:1-20:23
Isaiah 6:1-7:6
Hebrews 12:18-24

      In Exodus chapter eighteen Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, comes to meet Moses with Zipporah and their two sons. In this chapter, Yitro questions Moses regarding the judging of the people.  After he witnesses Moshe sitting alone, he gives his advice: ‘Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.  If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” Exodus 18:19-23. 
     In his advice is a very powerful statement: Exodus 18:20 ‘Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.’  Teach them how to behave. In the Chumash it says: ‘You shall caution them regarding the decrees and teachings and you shall make known to them the path in which they should go and the deeds that they should do.’ 
     In Exodus chapter 19, Moses is making his way to Mount Sinai. There is an interesting dialogue between Moshe and Adonai.  ‘The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up  and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish.  Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”  Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out against them.” So Moses went down to the people and told them.’ Exodus 19:20-25. 
     Adonai tells Moshe that even the priests must consecrate themselves. At that point Moshe reminds God that He put the limits around the mountain for it is holy, a holy site. 
      Exodus chapter 20 contains the giving of the Ten Words.  Prior to God giving His testimony to Moses, He declares in Exodus 19:3-6: ‘Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:  ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.  Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine,  you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.’
      This is another parsha that clearly draws a line in the sand between being a people to Him and not being a people to Him. 
     What makes us a special treasure?  In Exodus 19:5 He specifically states:  ‘…If you obey Me and fully keep My covenant…’
     One who is unlearned might ask, what is His covenant?  Isn’t it the New Testament?  
     The New Testament is not a new covenant but rather a manifestation of the Torah.  Within the New Testament there are letters from Rabbi Shaul, containing answers to question we are unaware of. There are words and advice from the apostles/ talmadim. There is prophecy and of course there are the Words of Messiah.  The words of Messiah echo The Father, The Torah, for Yeshua clearly states in the book of John that He is the Living Word. John 1:1-5 ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’  John 1:14 ‘The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.’ In John 7:16 ‘Yeshua states that the doctrine is not His, but He who sent Him.’
    What was/is the Word?  It is the Torah, which contains creation, the Exodus, the Passover, the Sabbath, the clean and unclean, the moadim/feasts of God, His judgments, statutes and right-rulings. If we follow Yeshua, then we follow the Torah. If we ignore or denounce the Torah, the ways of Elohim, then we denounce Yeshua. 
    The walk and way that man has made according to Jesus is not the walk and the way of Yeshua/ Elohim. That walk and the way is according to the creator of the universe – Elohim. 
     Malachi 3:16-17 ‘Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name.  “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be My treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.  And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.’  
   1 Peter 2:9-10 ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.’