Sh’mot (Exodus) 18:1 – 20:23
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 6:1 – 13
Brit Chadasha: several
The Alef Tav
- In the Revelation of Yeshua HaMashiach to John we find 4 references to the Alef Tav, the first and last letters of the Hebrew Alef Bet; Rev. 1:8, 1:11, 21:6 and 22:13.
- The translation reads “I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.”
- Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet.
- Messiah Yeshua is a Hebrew man and not a Greek man therefore He would have said “I am the Alef and the Tav, the beginning and the ending.
- He is the entire Hebrew Alef Bet from A to Z so to speak therefore He is ALL the Hebrew letters, ALL the Hebrew words. Jn. 1:1 confirms this understanding. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. He was in the beginning with Elohim.”
- In its ancient form the Alef Tav would read “strength of the covenant.”
- Rom. 11:17 – 21 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. **Israel is the Olive Tree see Jer. 11:16.
Parasha Yitro
abundance his meaning יִ תְ רֹ ו
Parasha Highlights:
- Israel arrives at Mt. Sinai
- Yehovah proposes to Israel
- Israel prepares to receive the Torah
- The Ten Words are given
- The name Yitro comes from the root רַ תָי which means remnant or remaining. So as we examine Yitro we should see a connection to the remnant and even the gentile converts.
- Lets begin by determining the significance of the person Yitro. Who is he?
- He had seven names throughout scripture: The priest of Midian, Yeter, Yitro, Hobab, Reuel, Putiel and Keni. Ge. 36:10 tells us Yitro is a descendant of Esau; These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau.
- Yitro, together with Balaam and Yob, was consulted by Pharaoh as to the means for exterminating the children of Israel. (Encyclopedia of Biblical Personalities, pg. 308)
- Why did he wait until the Alef Tav Israel was encamped at Mt. Sinai to join them? After all Israel has been on the
- march for 40 plus days. Couldn’t he have joined them any time after they had crossed the sea?
- He “came to the mountain” of Yehovah where Israel is about to receive the Torah.
- 18:1 – 5 And Yitro, the priest of Midian, Moshes’ father-in- law, heard of all that Elohim had done for Moshe and for Israel ( לֵ אָ רְ שִׂת־יֶ א ( His people—that Yehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt. Then Yitro, Moshes’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moshes’ wife, after he had sent her back, with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”) and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”); and Yitro, Moshes’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moshe in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of Elohim.
- Yitro represents the gentile believer who has taken hold of the corners of a Hebrew prayer shawl, the Tzitzit. He is a spiritual sojourner or stranger to Israel. Therefore he is a “ger” hence the name of his eldest grandson, Gershom.
- The firstborn son of Moshe is Gershom whose name means “exile.” In essence, Yitro is returning the “exiled” to the mountain of Elohim and subsequently Torah.
- The numerical value of his name, Yitro, is 616; 6 + 1 + 6 = 13. Yitro, representing the gentile believer, one who is grafted onto one of the 12 tribes, PLUS Yeshua equals 13. They become ONE in Messiah. The phrase “father-in-law” is used 13 times in our sidra.
- They became Echad, one. The numerical value of Echad, דָֽ חֶ א ,is also 13. The ancient word would read “the strength of separation is found in the door.” The concept of being ONE, or דָֽ חֶ א , with Messiah is repeated in John 17:21, the prayer of Yeshua.
- “that they all may be ONE, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be ONE in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
- Being Echad means that we are likeminded. We are in Torah and Torah is in us.
- 18:9 – 12 Then Yitro rejoiced for all the good which Yehovah had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Yitro said, “Blessed be Yehovah, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people (םָ עָ ת־הֶ א ( from under the hand of the Egyptians. “Now I know that Yehovah is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.” Then Yitro, Moshes’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to Elohim. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moshes’ father-in-law before Elohim.
- Yitro, a gentile stranger, made a confession of faith in the one true Elohim of Israel. No biblical record can be found stating that he was circumcised so he cannot be a “righteous stranger,” the term of which is a ger tsaddik.
- I think we can look at the time period, the giving of Torah, to refer to him as a stranger at the gate, a “stranger at the gate,” a ger ha sharrar. The “gate” being the place where Torah was taught and the place where court cases were adjudicated. The Hebrew word for gate is שער ; the numerical value of which is 570; 5 + 7 = 12 PLUS Yeshua equals 13.
- One of the names of Yitro is Keni. Judges 1:16 Now the children of the Kenite, Moshes’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
- Keni has a word play with הָנָ ק , Cana, meaning Yehovah originating, creating or redeeming His people. Cana is a familiar word. The first miracle of Yeshua was at a wedding in Cana which is located in the Northern Kingdom.
- The numerical value of Cana, הָנָ ק , is 155; 1 + 5 + 5 = 11. We can see by the numerical connection that the one who was sent to “redeem” Israel is Yeshua.
- The root word for Yeshua is Y’sha, ישע , which has a numerical value of 380; 3 + 8 = 11. The spelling for Yeshua is ישוע . By adding the Vav the value changes…we now must add the Vav’s numerical value of 6 to Y’sha; 11 + 6 = 17. The Vav means to add or secure.
- Jn. 2:1 – 6 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Yeshua was there. Now both Yeshua and His disciples were invited to the wedding. (Yeshua the bridegroom and His disciples represent the bride) And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Yeshua said to Him, “They have no wine.” Yeshua said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.
- Why are there six stone jars?
- “…don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8) **The six stone jars represent the 6000 allotted to man.
- Considering this, what is the significance of the third day from a Jewish perspective? The “third day” is the length of time for a “marriage banquet.” This is what the prophet Hosea is telling us in 6:2: “After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him.”
- Yeshua and his disciples arrived at the wedding on the third day, when the wedding celebration was nearly concluded and the host had run out of wine.
- Yeshua says, “My time is not yet come” because the Messianic Kingdom is not yet here. The Messianic Kingdom will arrive on the third day which is also the seventh day.
את_______את______ •
4000 years 2000 years Messianic
- The third day equals the seventh day which is the 7th millennia, the Messianic Kingdom.
- We don’t see the marriage supper of the Lamb until Rev. 19:7 – 9 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife ( Covenant Israel) has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of Elohim.” **The marriage supper just precedes the second advent recorded in verse 11.
- V 7 – 8 Yeshua said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. (Can the waters filling to the brim be a reference to the times of the gentiles?) And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.
- The six stone jars contained the waters for purification. The waters were mixed with the ashes of the Red Heifer (Yeshua). Ez. 36:25 – 27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
- The six stone jars = 6000 years of not following Torah = having a heart of stone.
- The 6th letter is the Vav; we are to add or secure ourselves to the Vav, Yeshua.
- The 6th festival is Yom Kippurim, the Day of Atonements. At His first advent Yeshua was The Fathers own atoning sacrifice.
The proposal
- 19:1 – 6 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. And Moshe went up to Elohim, and Yehovah called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
- ‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant (יִ יתִ רְ ת־בֶּ א ,( then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
- Yeshua, the Alef Tav, is the facilitator of The Fathers covenant. The numerical value of “brit” (covenant) is 612. When we add the number 1, the Alef (representing The Father) we have 613 which equal the number of commandments in Torah.
- V 7 – 8 So Moshe came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which Yehovah commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, “All that Yehovah has spoken we will do.” So Moshe brought back the words (יֵ רְ בִ ת־דֶּ א ( of the people to Yehovah.
- This is the first of three vows of acceptance Israel makes. They have now entered into the first stage of marriage, the erusin. Covenant Israel remains in the first stage of marriage to this day. They are betrothed!
Preparation to receive Torah
- V10 – 13 “And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day Yehovah will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. “You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. ‘Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.”
The Ten Words
- The Ten Words of the Father of Yeshua express that Nature, the Essence of Spirit which is selflessness placing the needs of my familial brother ahead of my own which is how the world will know Yeshua is Who He says He Is. The Words of Yehovah are the only words Yeshua ever spoke.
- Yeshua makes it crystal clear in Matthew 5:17-19 that He did not come to abolish Torah and anyone who does so or teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Father’s Kingdom. (hethathasanear)
- For clarification, as I said there are 613 commandments. In our day and hour we cannot keep all 613.
- Out of the 613 there are some that only apply to men.
- Some that only apply to women.
- Some that only apply to the Levites and temple worship…we have no Temple at this time.
- The first four of the Ten Words apply to our relationship to Yehovah. Mk. 12:28 – 29 Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Yeshua had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Yeshua replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord…
- The remaining six apply to our relationship with others. Mk. 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
- The 4th commandment connects us to the 7th day.
- 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day ( וםֹת־יֶ א ,( to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh
- day is the Sabbath of Yehovah your Elohay. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days
- Yehovah made the heavens (םִיַ מָ שַּׁ ת־הֶ א (and the earth them in is that all and), אֶ ת־הַ יָּם) sea the) אֶ ת־הָ אָ רֶ ץ )
- .(אֶ ת־יֹום) day seventh the rested and ), אֶ ת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ ר־בָּ ם) Therefore Yehovah blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
- By virtue of the day of Shabbat, the 7th day, we should look at the 7th commandment.
- V 13 “You shall not commit adultery.” The Hebrew word for adultery is ףַ אָנ . ףַ אָנ can mean adultery (of women) (participle) or idolatrous worship. In the proposal to Israel from Yehovah obedience to His Alef Tav covenant was a requirement. If at any time Israel disobeys His covenant they have committed spiritual adultery and they break their vow to Him in which case they are no longer betrothed.
- Israel has broken her vows to Yehovah several times. Jer. 3:8 “Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding
- Israel (the Northern Kingdom) had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.
- The 10 tribes that comprise the Northern Kingdom must be “grafted” back on to the Olive tree don’t they? What must they do?
- They must repent and turn their face toward Torah. The numerical value of ףַ אָנ is 131; 1 + 3 + 1 = 5, the five books of Torah. The opposite of spiritual adultery is Torah study. Hence the five wise virgins.
- Israel’s regrafting process is seen in the book of Hosea. It is because we are still in the erusin stage of the betrothal, that is the marriage has not been consummated, that we can become betrothed again to our former bridegroom, Yeshua.
- In conclusion, the picture becomes clear when we study the person of Yitro. A proto type of the stranger at the gate.
- Yehovahs’ proposal was given to the mixed multitude; Israel and the gentile population. The caveat being obedience to the “rules of the kingdom.” With their acceptance they became the “bride.” Those that walk in obedience become the Covenant Israel.
- Covenant Israel, the “bride” is connected to the number 4 because Torah was given to the “bride” on the 4th festival. Yeshua, the Living Torah, is the “bridegroom.”
Haftarah
- Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 6:1 – 13
- Recall the name of Yitro means remnant. A remnant is the connection to our sidra.
- V 13 There will be ten more [kings] in it, then it shall regress and become barren—like an elm and an oak which, when shedding [their leaves], still have vitality in them, so will the holy seed be the vitality of [the land].
- From the time of Uzziah, when Isaiah received this prophecy and when the Ten tribes were exiled, there would be ten more kings of Judah, and then it too would be exiled and the Temple destroyed (Radak). Alternatively: a tenth will still be in the land; a remnant.
- When a tree loses its leaves it gives the appearance of being completely dead, but the truth is that in the spring its leaves
- sprout once again. Resurrection! (Artscroll commentary pg. 964)
Brit Chadasha
- There are 17 references to the Torah portion in the Brit Chadasha. Each scripture speaks to the 10 Words.
- If we have 17 references to the Torah in the Brit Chadasha doesn’t that confirm to us that the Torah has not been done away with?