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Friday, 21 February 2020 10:49
Jethro
Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1-20:23
Yitro (‘Jethro’)
Jethro was a priest of Midian who made his contribution to the history of Israel by helping his son-in-law, Moses, fulfil his calling from the Lord at the right time and in the right way.
Moses, the Israelite, became part of Jethro’s family when he was a fugitive from Egypt after trying to intervene to help his own oppressed people. It was 40 years later, at the mountain of God, that the Lord told Moses to return to Egypt to bring the Israelites out in the way that the Lord would direct. We can only wonder what Jethro thought of this as Moses left with his family. It was Moses’ wife, Zipporah, who circumcised their son on the way to Egypt. Both Midianites and Israelites were descended from Abraham, who had received the covenant of circumcision, but Moses had not done this before.
Later, Moses sent his family back to Jethro. After the Exodus, Jethro heard of all that the Lord had done to bring about that great deliverance and he recognised it was time to reunite Moses with his wife and sons. Again, Moses was in the desert at the mountain of God - but this time with responsibility for a whole nation, rather than just his father-in-law’s sheep. Moses honoured his father-in-law and “Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians” (Ex 18:9). This seems to have been a significant time for Jethro as he realised that the LORD was greater than all other gods and that He had judged those who had treated Israel arrogantly. Jethro affirmed this understanding by offering sacrifices to the LORD and eating with the leaders of Israel in the presence of God.
Jethro then used his position to advise Moses when, the next day, he saw the load of responsibility Moses was carrying as judge for all the Israelites. Jethro proposed appointing capable, trustworthy men who feared God to decide simple cases so only harder ones were taken to Moses. That set Moses free to have more time to teach the people the decrees and laws of the Lord. It seems that delegating responsibility prepared Moses to receive the Torah, the teachings from the Lord that set out how His people were to live. Israel was to be God’s treasured possession out of all the nations on the earth, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
This was Israel’s calling, both a privilege and a responsibility. Now, all who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Yeshua HaMashiach, a lamb without blemish or defect, are grafted into Israel to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Then we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Pet 1:19; Rom 11:17,18; 1 Pet 2:9). Jethro played his part in making this possible for us by helping another, rather than by taking the lead himself.
Author: Catharine Pakington
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General
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Friday, 14 February 2020 02:02
News in Brief, 14 February 2020
Friday, 14 February 2020 07:24
Plagues and Judgment
The coronavirus outbreak in biblical perspective
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Editorial
Friday, 14 February 2020 06:26
Land of the Brave!
As we remember Rees Howells, we toast the courage of Welsh Christians
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Church Issues
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Friday, 14 February 2020 05:38
Kingdom Encounters in Kurdistan
Evangelist Mark van Niekerk reports on his latest trip to the war-torn region
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Israel & Middle East
Friday, 14 February 2020 04:10
From Beast to Beauty!
Holocaust refugees airlifted to Lakeland tranquillity
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Society & Politics
Friday, 14 February 2020 03:20
Comparing Greek and Hebrew Worldviews (6)
A Hebraic worldview must lead to a Hebraic lifestyle
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Teaching Articles
Friday, 14 February 2020 01:15
Review: Mount Sinai in Arabia
Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Mount Sinai in Arabia’ by Joel Richardson (Winepress, 2019)
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Resources
Friday, 14 February 2020 10:14
In the dark of night
Torah Portion: Exodus 13:17-17:16
B’shalach (‘When he let go…’)
Most of us probably feel ill-at-ease in the darkness of night-time. It brings with it a sense of vulnerability, aloneness, powerlessness, fear and an awareness of being out of control. Best to be snuggled under a duvet in a warm bed, giving a feeling of security!
However, in contrast to our own feelings and perceptions, the Bible presents us with a stark fact: God is not restricted by darkness. Indeed, some of His most amazing work has actually been undertaken in that environment.
God at work in the night
Genesis clearly sets the scene: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Gen 1:2).
The darkness of night was also integral to God’s working to liberate His people from Egyptian slavery. It was at midnight that He struck down the firstborn of the Egyptians. In this week’s Torah portion, we come to the parting of the Red Sea. It’s in that context that the element of darkness and night-time are, again, specifically recorded:
Then the angel of God, who had been travelling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other…Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. (Exodus 14:19-21; emphasis added)
Subsequent to this miraculous escape, it was at night that, thereafter, God made regular provision of manna during the desert wanderings: “Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed…” (Ex 16:21).
God unrestricted by darkness
We know that night-time is needed to restore our energy levels depleted by the demands of the day. We are also aware that we cannot work to our full potential without light and that, as mentioned above, darkness brings with it an added element of risk and danger.
But this account in Exodus is an emphatic reminder that God’s power and compassion are not limited to daytime. God speaks about being unrestricted by darkness:
- “He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps 121:3-4).
- “If I say ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (Ps 139:11-12).
- “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary…” (Isa 40:28)
The Psalmist was aware of the presence of God breaking through the darkness of his mind and spirit (Ps 27:1). This week may hold the dread of ‘darkness’ for some of us. But God who “drove the sea back” in the night sees us and intervenes even in that threatening environment. What constitutes that ‘sea’ for you?
Author: Stephen Bishop
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Friday, 07 February 2020 01:22
