Yitro (Jethro)
Parashah 17: Yitro (Jethro)
Learn more about what a parashah is here. The heart behind this Bible portion blog is to help you develop your own daily reading habit. We share what the portion is for the week, what we took note of, and what spoke to our heart. We hope that this will help you study the Word of God and hide it in your heart, and soon you can teach someone else to do the same.
Torah (first 5 books of the Old Testament): Exodus 18:1-20:23
Haftarah (section from the Prophets): Isaiah 6:1-7:6, Isaiah 9:5-6
B'rit Hadashah (New Testament): Matthew 5:21-30; 19:16-30; Mark 7:5-15; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30; Acts 6:1-7; Romans 2:17-29; 7:7-12; 13:8-10; Ephesians 6:1-3; 1 Timothy 3:1-14; 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 12:18-29; James 2:8-13; 1 Peter 2:9-10
What we took note of.
Moses told his father-in-law, Jethro, of all the hardships he just endured, and the deliverance from them all. This testimony made his father-in-law a believer in Adonai above all other gods. Jethro even went on to say it was arrogant for the Egyptians to treat the people so harshly.
In chapter 19, the Mosaic covenant is introduced. There are many covenants in the Bible. Others include the Noachide covenant, Abrahamic covenant, Davidic covenant, and the New Covenant. All of the covenants work with each other to set Israel apart and allow a way for gentiles to be grafted in, all in a secret plan that was revealed to Paul.
In earlier scripture, we learned that Moses told Pharaoh to let the people go worship their God on a mountain. It is clear now that a great act would take place during this worship on the mountain. A covenant would be given, and this mountain was Mt. Sinai. A covenant is a big deal. A wedding is a good example, though even a wedding covenant only lasts a life-time at best. This covenant would be much greater than that. But going back to a wedding example, their was a venue, specific sounds were played a shofar, God was particular about what the people were wearing, and vows, forever-binding vows, were made by Adonai to these people, that He called his "own treasure from among all the peoples". Then 10 commandments were given. This was a huge day. And we know words are so important to God. We are instructed to promise nothing, just say yes or no, don't bind ourselves. He takes His words seriously, and he bound Himself to Israel, and as time would tell, to gentiles too, through Yeshua Jesus.
What spoke to our heart in this reading.
Hardships, and specifically the Lord delivering us through them, create the testimony that may cause others to know the Lord. As in the case of Jethro.
Though one may have the opportunity to treat someone harshly, like the Egyptians had, it is arrogant to believe you can get away with it.
Imagine what it must have been like for the Israelites, having lived their whole lives in Egypt as slaves to people who worshiped false gods, to hear the 10 commandments for the first time. This was the first time it was becoming explicitly clear what was right and what was not. And it must have revealed the character of God, as overwhelmingly good, Holy, and righteous. The Egpyptians worshiped a sun god that required child sacrifice, and the place where the sacrifices took place were within ear distance, and the shouts and screams could literally be heard. This act became the metaphor of hell/sheol for the Israelites. But to be raised in a culture that did such heinous things like that, then to have God say that basically things are going to be drastically different from now on. Don't bring those detestable practices anywhere near yourselves, don't make gods of gold or silver, and the offerings will not be human (that is, until Yeshua gives himself as the ultimate sacrifice). What a relief it must have been to learn more about the God who saved them, to learn how Holy He is.
