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The parasha
for this Shabbat is entitled Yitro – Jethro
(the name of Moses’ father-in-law), and covers
Exodus chapters 18-20. This Torah portion includes
the awesome and history-changing encounter between
God and Israel at Sinai, and the giving of Aseret
HaD’varim – The Ten Commandments. It was very
interesting this past Thursday evening to be reading
the account of God descending on Mt. Sinai with
lightning and thunder, at the very time we were
having our own lightning and thunder here in Detroit.
A brief
review of events is in order here. The Lord had
delivered the sons of Israel from Egypt with unprecedented
miracles and wonders, leaving Egypt shattered
and her pride humbled. Our people walked through
the midst of the Sea of Reeds on dry ground, and
when Egypt’s mighty army pursued us, the
Sea closed back up over them, destroying them.
At this point in time - three months later, Jethro
(and everybody else) knew about these things.
As the sons of Israel came nearer to Midian, Jethro
comes to Moses, with Zipporah, Moses’ wife,
and his two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, in tow.
You may recall that Moses had sent Zipporah back
to her father before returning to Egypt. Scripture
doesn’t tell us why; perhaps it was for
her own safety; given the monumental task he faced
confronting Pharaoh. Now they are reunited. When
they arrive, Moses recounts to Jethro all that
the Lord had done, and Jethro gives praise to
Adonai. Aaron and the elders of the nation celebrated
a meal with Moses and Jethro in God’s presence.
Question:
do your in-laws meddle? Have you ever received
unsolicited advice from your father-in-law? Before
you simply dismiss it, consider the advice Yitro
gave Moses. Day by day Moses was arbitrating conflicts
people had with one another. It’s a sad commentary
on the sinful human condition that just three
months after one of the most monumental events
in the history of the world we were involved in
comparatively petty disputes. But it really was
not wise for Moses to sit there all day hearing
sometimes minor cases. That’s a prescription for
burnout! Jethro recommends instead that Moses
appoint other trustworthy men be in authority
over groups of 1000, 100, 50 or 10, to settle
the lesser disputes, and only the most difficult
cases be brought to him. This, he argued, would
allow Moses to focus on the more pressing task
of teaching the people the laws and the ways of
the Lord. We have a word for it: delegating. That’s
sound advice, if you ask me, and Moses took it,
and afterwards Jethro returned home.
What happens
when an infinite Being breaks into time and space?
Chapter 19 gives us a picture of it. Israel is
encamped at Horeb, and God summons Moses up the
mountain. He has a proposal. In a manner consistent
with the making of treaties in the Ancient Near
East, God sets forth an historical prologue –
a recounting of the events leading up to and forming
the basis of the covenant He is offering to Israel.
He gives Moses these words to tell the people:
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.
Moses
returns back down the mountain and tells the people
God’s words. And this was their response:
All that
the Lord has spoken we will do!
So Moses
goes back up the mountain to bring their answer
to God (not that God didn’t already know
their answer, but this was a formal covenant being
made, and Moses was the official mediator of that
covenant). It sure is a lot of schlepping up and
down a mountain for an 80-year old man!
God then
gives Moses explicit instructions that the people
are to consecrate themselves for the next two
days, and be ready on the third day for an encounter
with the Creator of the Cosmos. They are further
warned not to attempt on that day to go up the
mountain, nor even to touch it – God’s
presence will render it holy, and anyone whose
curiosity to see God would get the better of them
would pay for it with their life. For this reason
God directed that a perimeter be set up around
the mountain.
The dawn
of that third day brought lightning and the sound
of thunder and the earth shook. The sound of a
great shofar blast from Heaven was heard, and
a thick cloud settled over the mountain. The top
of the mountain was engulfed in fire as God descended
upon it, and the smoke ascended as from a furnace,
and our people were justifiably terrified! Then
God summoned Moses to come up the mountain, and
to bring Aaron with him. Boy, it’s at times
like that you’re really glad someone else
is chosen to go. This, by the way, should put
to silence the foolish claim that Jewish people
don’t need a middleman. “We can go
right to God.” Really? Go ahead, take a
little stroll up the mountain and see how long
you live! Such a claim betrays utter biblical
illiteracy.
God gives
Moses and Israel His Ten Words. These commandments
form the basis for what was intended to be a lawful,
peaceful, just society. You are to have no gods
but the Lord. You are not to make images of so-called
deities and offer them worship. You are not to
invoke the name of the Lord lightly or with false
intent. You are to remember and observe the Sabbath
day and rest in it, according to the pattern God
Himself set. You are to honor (obey and contribute
to the good reputation of) your father and mother.
You are not to commit murder, you are not to commit
adultery, you are not to steal, you are not to
lie or perjure yourself, and you are not to covet
the things that belong to others.
Simple,
straightforward, and beneficial - if we would
but obey them. But beyond the benefits and blessings
that might accrue to us for obedience, these were
the terms of God’s covenant. They were not
suggestions. They were not recommendations. They
were directives. Neither were they open for negotiation.
God, the Suzerain, the One who set us free and
conquered those who oppressed us, is the One who
sets the terms. God offered us this covenant,
and we accepted His offer, and it was with this
understanding.
The same
may be said of the New Covenant. God the Creator
sets the terms. Whether you like those terms or
not is immaterial. If you want to be in a relationship
with Him, and to enjoy the eternal, inestimable
benefits of that Covenant, you must come on His
terms. His terms are that you confess your sins,
acknowledge Yeshua as Messiah and Redeemer, and
ask that the blood of His Covenant be applied
to you, so that you may have forgiveness and everlasting
life. He is and always will be an all-consuming
fire!
Shalom,
Rabbi Glenn
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