Parasha Yitro
וַיִּשְמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן חֹתֵן מֹשֶה אֵת כׇּל-אֲשֶר עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לְמֹשֶה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ כִּי-הוֹצִיא יְהֹוָה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם׃
Last week, Parasha BeShalach began with the splitting and crossing of the Red Sea and concluded with the unprovoked attack of the Amalekites on the children of Israel. In both incidents, Moshe raised the rod God had given him with hands of faith. This week, in Parasha Yitro, the children of Israel are encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai, where they receive both a revelation of God and the Torah. The Torah portion begins with Moshe’s father-in-law, Yitro (Jethro), coming from Midian with Moshe’ wife and two sons after hearing of the great miracles that God performed for His people. When Moshe found himself in the desert, fleeing for his life after killing an Egyptian slave driver, Yitro was the first one to offer him hospitality, safety, and friendship. Moshe eventually married Yitro’s daughter, Tzipora (Zipporah). After Yitro, who was actually the priest of Midian, visits Moshe, he sees the burden Moshe carries in governing and administering justice to the people. Yitro advises him to appoint a hierarchy of magistrates and judges to assist him. “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.” (Exodus 18:17–19) Although Yitro was a heathen priest, he had good advice for Moshe, which he did well to heed. Trying to handle all the people’s complaints and issues was too much for Moshe to manage by himself. He needed to delegate—a skill that many of us also need to learn. Moshe respected his father-in-law’s counsel and found wisdom in it. Proverbs 12:15 tells us, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.”
As a Midianite, Yitro was in alliance with Amalek, a sworn enemy of Israel. So why would a Torah portion be named after this man? Hayyim Ben Alter, an 18th century Jewish rabbi, offered an interesting answer: naming this Parasha after a Gentile high priest reveals that we need to consider the wisdom of other people in our lives, even when those people are very different from ourselves. Although Moshe’s father-in-law Yitro was a heathen high priest, his advice to his son-in-law was sound. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should be listening to anyone who gives advice. The Bible makes it clear that we should not listen to the counsel of those who are wicked or those who are scorners and mockers of the truth. (Psalm 1:1) Ever since God forbade intermarriage with the Gentile nations, Judaism has been somewhat of a closed community. We see this edict in Deuteronomy 7:3-4 where it says, “Do not intermarry with them…. for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods.” Of course, God’s purpose in preventing intermarriage was clear: it was to keep His people from adopting pagan practices in their homes and lives. That is why many centuries later, Peter, who understood the prohibition against mixing with the Gentiles, was shocked when the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) instructed him to visit a God-fearing Gentile named Cornelius. He said to Cornelius and his guests, “You are well aware that for a man who is a Jew to have close association with someone who belongs to another people, or to come and visit him, is something that just isn’t done, and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.” (Acts 10:28) The Holy Spirit spoke to Peter through a vision in which he was shown animals that were unclean for food. (Acts 10:9–16) Yet Peter understood that the vision was not about food, but about people becoming clean through Yeshua HaMashiach. God had shown Peter something so radical that it would forever change the nature of the commonwealth of Israel—that is, Israel would now include the followers of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua. Peter said, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” (Acts 10:34–35) Yeshua also spoke of bringing others into the sheepfold: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) We are now a family—Jew and Gentile—one flock under One Shepherd—Yeshua HaMashiach. (Ephesians 2:14–18)
Exodus 19:5 tells us that, “…if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession (segulah).” In this Parasha, God gives Israel a promise that if she keeps His covenant, she will be His own special treasure from among all the nations. The Hebrew word used here is segulah (סגולה). It indicates a precious object, a special possession or instrument chosen for a peculiar purpose. This word is related to the Hebrew word for the color purple, sagol (סגול), which symbolizes royalty. Israel is also given the calling to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation: We read in Exodus 19:5-6, “Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Then in 1 Peter 2, this promise of the royal priesthood was extended to everyone who follows the Jewish Messiah: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people (segulah), that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) Each one of us is to function as a priest (Kohen), whose purpose is to live in God’s service. Aside from living a holy life in close relationship with God, our primary duty is to bring man closer to Him, showing those around us how to live a life of holiness. Exodus 19:16 says, “On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.” God did not leave the Jewish People wondering how to satisfy His requirement to live a holy life. They did not have to figure out what that entailed. God outlined it plainly at Mount Sinai.
In this Parasha, only seven weeks after leaving Egypt, the Israelites stand trembling below a thick cloud at Sinai, ready to receive the Ten Commandments. They trembled for good reason: amidst the loud sounds of thunder, lighting and the blasting of the shofar, God revealed Himself. He showed them how to live a holy life through a covenant, the terms of which were written by the finger of God on tablets of stone (luchot ha’brit). God’s giving of the covenant at Sinai can be compared to a Jewish wedding ceremony. The cloud covering can be seen to represent the chuppah, the Jewish wedding canopy under which stands the bride and groom while their vows are being recited. The terms of the covenant can be seen to represent the written marriage contract called a Ketubah, which outlines the rights and responsibilities of the bride and groom. The final response to the terms of the covenant can be likened to the bride agreeing to marry the bridegroom with the hoped for “I do.” And when the terms of the covenant were explained, Israel willingly entered into a covenant with the Almighty King of the Universe. Israel, the Bride, said, “I do.” “The people all responded together, ‘We will do everything Adonai has said.’” (Exodus 19:8; also, Exodus 24:3) In a marriage, after the exchange of vows, the bridegroom gives the bride a ring as a token. Likewise, Israel was given a sign of their special Covenant relationship: the seventh day Sabbath: It is written in Exodus 21:13, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.’” And just as the bridegroom gives the bride a lovely gift, Adonai gave to His Bride the Land of Israel. Woe to those who attempt to steal from Israel her wedding gift from the Almighty God!
Although society is rapidly becoming more and more lawless, the Ten Commandments, which are given in this Parasha, continue to be relevant as the foundation of moral conduct and justice for all of humanity. The first five commandments deal with our relationship with God. The second set of five commandments deals with our relations with our neighbor. When Yeshua was asked which of the commandments was the greatest, He summed up these two sets of five, indeed the entire law, into love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself: Yeshua answered, “The first is, ‘Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29–31) These laws have never ceased being relevant to the Jewish People, who are commanded to teach them daily to their children and to write them on the doorposts of their homes. When it comes to our attitude toward His commandments, we should regard them with delight. They provide a guide for a healthy, productive, and harmonious life in relationship with God and with other people.
I have always told each of you that you are no longer a gentile, to never say that. You are Israel… I want to continue this part of the teaching by giving you some terminology. I think this will help put things a bit more in perspective. Religiously, if one has joined Israel by being grafted in (which I will argue is a choice) they are Israel. Yet, not all Christians are truly ‘grafted in’, insofar as they have not all chosen to bind themselves to Torah in a covenantal relationship. So, here’s where it gets tricky: definitions. What and who are gentiles? Anyone who has willingly grafted themself to Israel is not in the strictest sense a gentile any longer, they are Israelite. During the period of the Second Temple, ger generally signified a proselyte (convert), which is an even more restricted meaning thus, ger is not even close to covering all gentiles (goyim). By the times of Yeshua’s ministry and the teachings of the Shaliachim, the word ger had come to mean proselyte. A proselyte is one who was not born a Jew and yet found the truth of the One True God and His ways, and wanted to join Israel, to convert. These people converted from paganism of whatever variety to Judaism, which was the only expression of faith in the God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob. Let’s go over some terms.
Ger (pl. gerim), a noun from the verb gur, “to dwell”; applies to converts or proselytes; they are really a ger she-nitgayyer—meaning, “the ger who has converted,” this refers to a gentile who undergoes circumcision (if male) and ritual immersion (both male and female) and thereby becomes a full Jew. This category is also referred to as גר צדק (ger tzedek), meaning “a righteous gentile.” The oral tradition accordingly identified two forms of the ger: the ger tzedek, or convert (Ruth is the classic example), and the ger toshav, a “resident alien” who has chosen to live in Israel without converting to Judaism but instead agreeing to keep the moral laws mandatory on all mankind. Next is Toshav a sojourner, a resident, and then we have a Nochri, a foreigner and somewhat synonymous with nochri, we have a Zar which is a stranger. The Zar seems to show no interest in becoming a proselyte, they just dwell for a time. To my mind this resembles much of those who say worship the God of Israel; they say it in the Churches but while they worship the same God, they are doing it their own way and with their own customs, traditions and interpretations. A Nochri is the only term on the list that refers to all non-Jews and only non-Jews. The term literally means "Gentile/Pagan." A nochri is one who is hostile to Israel and whose allegiance is toward another god. Nachri implies somebody from an entirely different nation, while zar implies somebody who is from the same nation as the speaker but does not live as an Israelite. Lastly, we have a mishumad. This is a Jew who has forsaken his Jewish roots and has adopted the ways of the gentiles. There is another term in these days (mumar) and this refers to a Jew who has rejected some or all parts of the Torah. They may be a Jew, but they have gone off the path. It is important to know which type of people a particular verse is referring to and to understand that the Torah’s applications are different for the differing classes of people.
It is from these classes of people that we begin to draw our identity. So, what about the non-Jews with the Messianic Jewish movement? As non-Jews who are grafted-in to the heritage of Avraham by our faith, where do you stand in this list? Or the question might be better phrased – who do you best represent, and who are you supposed to represent? So how does one change status from a Zar to a ger? It is my thought, that as a pagan hears of the God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob that he will have a natural progression toward the Light of the World. He will see that Israel has a Great God and will want to serve Him. As they turn from their pagan ways they will begin to walk more and more according to the Torah. This is the path from nochri and/or Zar and eventually ger toshav to Ger, fully accepting the Torah upon yourself.
So, let’s prove out that you are Israel by jumping to the Brit Chadasha in Ephesians 2:11, it says, “Therefore, keep in mind that once you—Gentiles in the flesh—were called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision” (which is performed on flesh by hand).” Rav Sha’ul says in a number of places that those who come to Yeshua are no longer Gentiles but are the children or seed (literally “sperm,” from the Greek word) of Avraham (Ephesians 2:11–19; Romans 4:16; 9:8–11; Galatians 3:7, 28–29). The word Gentiles as used in the Scriptures (both in the Hebrew and the Greek languages) simply means “ethnic groups or nations.” There are even many places in the Scriptures where Jews and Israelites are referred to as “Gentiles.” Despite this fact, there is no class of people called Gentiles in the spiritual body of Yeshua. Scripture uses the following terms for the redeemed of Adonai: the kedoshim (set apart ones), the body of Yeshua (1 Corinthians 10:16; 12:27; Ephesians 4:12) the one new man (Ephesians 2:15), sons of Elohim (Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1-2, Romans 8:14), children of Elohim (Romans 8:16, Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:10), or Avraham’s offspring (Galatians 3:29), the bride (Revelation 18:23; 21:2, 22:17) for example, but the Kedoshim, (Messianic Believers) are technically and spiritually no longer Gentiles. This is a biblical fact that many in the church overlook when they refer to non-Jewish believers as “Gentile-Christians”. This is an oxymoron: spiritually speaking, it’s impossible to be a Gentile and a disciple of Yeshua or kedoshim at the same time. Any attempt by anyone to keep the Jew—Gentile division alive within the body of Yeshua is in effect keeping up the middle wall of partition that the Rav Sha’ul gave his ministry life and eventually his physical life to tearing down (Ephesians 2:11–19). It is also going against the clear teaching of the Scriptures, which say that within the spiritual body of Yeshua, there is no longer Jew or Gentile/Greek (Romans 10:12; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). The Scriptures reveal that ultimately spiritually speaking there are only two classifications of people: Israelites and non-Israelites or Gentiles. The former has eternal life because of their relationship with the Elohim of Israel through the Messiah of Israel, while the latter group, unless they repent of their sin (i.e. lawlessness or Torahlessness, see 1 John 3:4), will burn in the lake of fire because their names weren’t written in the book of life (Revelation 20:11–15).
Whenever Rav Sha’ul uses the term Gentiles, he is either referring to ethnicity, and not using the term as a spiritual designation, or he is using the term Gentile to mean “worldly.” In the latter case, it is referring to those who are carnal in that they act like heathens who are “without God and without hope.” (Ephesians 2:12) Throughout the Epistle to the Ephesians (and elsewhere) Rav Sha’ul, when speaking to the believers in that congregation, uses terms like kedoshim, we, us, sons, the fellowship, his body, one new man, one body, fellow citizens, members of the household of Elohim, the whole building, a holy temple, body of Messiah, a perfect man, the whole body, children of light, her, she, and members of his [Yeshua’s] body. In Ephesians, Rav Sha’ul uses the term Gentiles only five times (Ephesians 23:11; 3:1, 6, 8; 4:17), and this not as the ultimate spiritual designation for redeemed believers who had come from a non-Jewish background. Rather, Rav Sha’ul uses the term Gentiles as he was either referring to their past spiritual history (Ephesians 2:11; 4:17), to his mission to evangelize non-Jewish people (Ephesians 3:1, 8), or in stating that the non-Jews or Gentiles should take their place as fellow spiritual heirs along with the Jews within the spiritual body of Yeshua.
The term Gentile is not a spiritual designation for a redeemed believer, for they have been called out of the Gentile world and have become a member of a special group that the Testimony of Yeshua labels as “the called out ones” or “qahal”. Scripture also calls called out ones or redeemed believers kedoshim meaning “set-apart” (Gr. hagios) from the Gentile world that is without Elohim and without hope. Scripture teaches that those who are redeemed or who are “in Messiah” are no longer Gentiles, for they have been grafted into and become spiritual citizens of the commonwealth of Israel (Romans 11:13–24 and Ephesians 2:11–19). They have become the one new man about which Rav Sha’ul speaks in Ephesians 2:15. Now that we know that we are really part of a people group called “Redeemed Israel” or “the one new man” (Ephesians 2:15), or the Israel of Elohim, as Rav Sha’ul terms it (Galatians 6:16), what does one do with this information? That is up to you. Pray and ask Adonai to help you to live out your new identity as a spiritual Israelite. Upon finding out that Scripture actually defines them as Israelites (through the blood of Yeshua, Ephesians 2:11–16) and not Gentiles, many people begin to sense a need to begin acting more like Israelites in their lifestyle and beliefs. As a result, they become interested in the biblical feasts and Sabbaths of Israel and their life takes on a more Hebraic and Jewish flavor as they see themselves more in the light of the Book of Acts believers. This is a spiritual path that many people believe that they need to begin to explore. Most of you are one of these people and you want to go down this path, yet, please keep in mind the words of Yeshua in Matthew 5:17–19; John 15:15 and the words of the apostles in 1 Corinthians 11:1 and 1 John 2:3–6 along with Romans 7:12, 14 and 3:31, where we are admonished to keep our eyes on Yeshua while, at the same time, learning about and then living out the Hebraic truths.
Finally, Elohim, the God of the Bible, never made any covenants with non-Israelite nations—only with the nation of Israel. To be in covenantal relationship with Adonai, one has to accept the Jewish Messiah and be grafted into the Israelite olive tree through the Messiah and become a spiritual Israelite—PERIOD! For example, Rav’ Sha’ul in his Epistle to the Hebrews clearly states that the New Covenant is made with the two houses of Israel — not the Gentile nations (Hebrews 8:8 and Jeremiah 31:31,33). This may come as a shock to some people, but this is the truth of Scripture. Rav Sha’ul the apostle makes a very interesting and often overlooked statement in Ephesians 2:11-13. For context we will quote the surrounding verses: “Therefore, keep in mind that once you—Gentiles in the flesh—were called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision” (which is performed on flesh by hand). 12 At that time you were separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth (citizenship) of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Messiah Yeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.” (emphasis added) Rav Sha’ul, talking to the redeemed believers in Ephesus, states that they had been (past tense) Gentiles (comprised of various ethnic or people groups) without Elohim and without hope, but now, through the work of Yeshua at the cross, provision had been made for these alienated people-groups to become citizens of the nation of Israel. Elsewhere Rav Sha’ul refers to these (former) Gentiles as now being Israelites and defines them as heirs to the promises Adonai made to Avraham and calls them “seed” or descendants of Avraham (Romans 4:15; 9:8, 11; Galatians 3:7, 14, 29). Rav Sha’ul further says that these same people had been aliens from Adonai’s “covenants of promise” and relates this to the “Gentile” believers at Ephesus. We know that the principles laid out in this teaching apply to all the redeemed believers down through the ages. So, what covenants of promise (plural) were these redeemed believers’, strangers to in times past prior to their conversion? Most in the church have been taught that the New Covenant is the only covenant that pertains to them, yet Rav Sha’ul spoke of covenants (plural) of promise. To what was he referring? The two main covenants of the Tanakh (Old Testament) affecting the nation of Israel were the Avrahamic Covenant and the Mosaic or Sinaitic Covenant. Additionally, Jeremiah prophetically speaks of a New (Renewed) Covenant that Adonai would make with the two houses of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31–33); that is, a refreshed version of a former (marital) covenantal agreement which Israel broke with Adonai (verse 32). These are the three principal covenants that the Scriptures reveals affect Adonai’s people.
Clearly, Rav Sha’ul is referencing these three covenants in Ephesians 2:12. Which of the three covenants forms the bedrock upon which the others are based, and upon which Elohim predicated his glorious plan of redemption for mankind? In Romans four, Rav Sha’ul references the Avrahamic Covenant in discussing how one can be saved. In his discussion of the Avrahamic Covenant, Rav Sha’ul gives us no indications that the provisions of the Avrahamic Covenant are invalid as pertaining to believers in Yeshua as relating to the New Covenant. He clearly shows us that this covenant forms the basis for man’s redemption and subsequent relationship with his Creator. There are three covenants to which Rav Sha’ul is referring here: they are the Avrahamic, Mosaic and Renewed Covenants. Rav Sha’ul mentions “covenants of promise” (plural) in Ephesians 2:12 of which the ex-Gentiles are now a part when they come to Messiah and become the one new man (v. 15), the seed or offspring of Avraham (Galatians 3:29), part of the olive tree of Israel (Romans 11:11–32) and the Israel of Elohim (Galatians 6:16). The mainstream church focuses only on “the New Covenant,” while omitting and rejecting the first two covenants. Obviously, the exclusion of the first two covenants wasn’t in Rav Sha’ul’s thinking or else he would have said “covenant” not “covenants.” This is because the Word of Elohim never changes; His laws and standards are immutable. Therefore, each succeeding covenant is built upon the foundational truth of the previous covenant and is an expansion of the previous one (e.g. Isaiah 42:21). Those who are walking in accordance with Elohim’s entire word including all three of His covenants are those that John describes as keeping the law and having the testimony or faith of Yeshua (i.e. they walk in accordance with all covenants; Revelation 12:17; 14:12). It follows, that these Believers are those who haven’t bent the knee to Baal; i.e. they’re not following the downward, gravitational pull of the carnal or evil inclination by following the world, the flesh and Satan as does the world around them, and, for the those in churchianity, this includes all forms of Torahlessness, following Christo-pagan traditions, and whitewashed church doctrines of men by which the word of Elohim has been made of none effect.
What God has joined together, let not man separate! Years of persecution at the hands of the church has made it difficult for Jewish believers to call themselves “Christian” or a Believer in Yeshua, but God does not see two different streams in His body. He sees one body. We might have different culture and terminology, but the essence of our beliefs and the basis of our salvation is exactly the same. Gentiles have been grafted in and are in the same tree. Not a different one. We are one in Messiah, Jew and Gentile… We are Messianic! It is God’s desire to reach out to all nations with salvation and it is through the people of Israel carrying the Scriptures, and the precious Seed of God the enable that. It is through the Jews that salvation has come, but this salvation brings us all into the one root, as Adonai purposed from the beginning of time.
b’Shem Yeshua, haMelech v’haMashiach Shelanu! Amein.
(“in the name of Yeshua, our King and the Messiah! Amein.”)