Parasha Yitro 5783
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This week we read Parasha Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23), which begins with Moses’ reunion with his father-in-law Yitro or Jethro in English, as well as his wife Zipporah and sons Gershom and Eliezer. Exodus tells us that Yitro came to Moses because he heard all that Adonai had done for Israel. This is followed by Yitro proclaiming Adonai the true and only God of all creation, and this is what the rabbis call his conversion experience. Next, still in chapter 18, Moses is serving as judge for all of Israel, hearing every issue and problem that is brought before him from morning to evening and Yitro witnesses this and gives him leadership advice as how better to serve B’nei Yisrael.
In chapter 19 we see Adonai reveal to Moses his plan to reveal His Shechinah to all of Israel in a tangible way and through this encounter all B’nei Yisrael will hear His Bat Kol, His divine voice, along with the instructions to be followed for this encounter.
Lastly, and potentially most importantly, we read in chapter 20 the revelation of the Aseret HaDibrot, the Ten Words, which all of Israel heard spoken forth directly from the Bat Kol. This is then followed by Israel’s rejection of hearing HaShem directly again because they were overcome with fear of His Voice.
— (Talk about being called to a table and asked if I was Orthodox, then told they could tell there was something different about you.)
We
We
— Connect to the crowd’s testimony
God
God
I want to look at a specific part of Parasha Yitro that I hope is both encouraging and eye opening to us all this Shabbat. As we get ready to dive into the text I want to share a principle that we should keep in mind...
The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.
(Repeat)
So let’s dig into the word together…
(Setup Yitro)
Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, and how Adonai had brought Israel out of Egypt.
Parasha Yitro
Moses told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, as well as all the travail that had come upon them along the way, and how Adonai delivered them.
Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that Adonai had shown to Israel, since He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Jethro said, “Blessed be Adonai, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
Now I know that Adonai is greater than all gods, since they had acted arrogantly against them.”
Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, presented a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron also came along with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
Parasha Yitro
(Talk about how testimony of Moses and Israel’s experience by God’s power allowed a transformation of heart in Yitro.)
(Talk about Yitro’s being a pagan priest of Midian, hearing Israel’s testimony, then declaring HaShem the one and only true G-d. Object lesson for Israel to become a nation of priests leading to Aseret HaDibrot.)
Moses went up to God, and Adonai called to him from the mountain saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob, and tell Bnei-Yisrael,
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to Myself.
Now then, if you listen closely to My voice, and keep My covenant, then you will be My own treasure from among all people, for all the earth is Mine.
So as for you, you will be to Me a kingdom of kohanim and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you are to speak to Bnei-Yisrael.”
So Moses went, called for the elders of the people, and put before them all these words that Adonai had commanded him.
All the people answered together and said, “Everything that Adonai has spoken, we will do.” Then Moses reported the words of the people to Adonai.
Parasha Yitro
Then God spoke all these words saying,
“I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
Do not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth below or in the water under the earth.
Do not bow down to them, do not let anyone make you serve them. For I, Adonai your God, am a jealous God, bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
but showing lovingkindness to the thousands of generations of those who love Me and keep My mitzvot.
Parasha Yitro
The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.
Parasha Yitro
(Setup Daniel 6, Lion’s Den. Daniel’s testimony was strong and the other satraps were jealous of the influence God gave him. Despite law saying for 30 days citizens could only pray to Darius, Daniel still prayed to HaShem facing J’lem three times a day.)
(King Darius begrudgingly threw Daniel in Lion’s Den)
So the king gave the order and Daniel was brought and thrown into the lions’ den. Now the king spoke to Daniel saying, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
Parasha Yitro
Then the king was overjoyed, and ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted out of the pit. No injury of any kind was found on him because he had trusted in his God.
At the king’s command, those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives. They had not even reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages dwelling in all the earth: “May your peace be abundant!
I issue a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom people are to tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. “For He is the living God, enduring forever! His kingdom will never be destroyed, His dominion will never end.
He delivers and rescues. He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions!”
Parasha Yitro
The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.
Parasha Yitro
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Once you were “not a people,” but now you are “God’s people.” You were shown “no mercy,” but now you have been shown “mercy.”
Loved ones, I urge you as strangers and sojourners to keep away from the fleshly cravings that war against the soul.
Keep your conduct honorable among the Gentiles. Then while they speak against you as evildoers, they may—from noticing your good deeds—glorify God in the day of visitation.
Parasha Yitro
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Anointed One, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters—the one who accuses them before our God day and night—has been thrown out.
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even in the face of death.
Parasha Yitro
I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service.
Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Parasha Yitro
Let love be without hypocrisy—detesting what is evil, holding fast to the good.
Be tenderly devoted to one another in brotherly love; outdo one another in giving honor.
Do not be lagging in zeal; be fervent in spirit. Keep serving the Lord,
rejoicing in hope, enduring in distress, persisting in prayer,
contributing to the needs of the kedoshim, extending hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you—bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another; do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own eyes.
Repay no one evil for evil; give thought to what is good in the eyes of all people.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in shalom with all people.
Never take your own revenge, loved ones, but give room for God’s wrath—for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” says Adonai.
Rather, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For by doing so you will heap coals of fire upon his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Parasha Yitro
The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.
Parasha Yitro
You
You
(Call worship team back up to the stage.)
— What is your testimony saying about Yeshua?
We
We
— Close
