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The Mountain Over Your Head
Yitro "Jethro"
Exodus 18:1-20:23
Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-9:6
Psalm 19
Galatians 6:1-18; Acts 2:1-11
Ask any observant Jew what the "Revelation" is, and he or she will point you here:
So
Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments.
He
said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman
."
So it came about on the third day,
when it was morning, that there were
thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled
.
And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the
foot of the mountain [literally "under the mountain"].
Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain
quaked
violently.
When
the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with
thunder
. (Ex 19:7-19)
It is no wonder, then, that what the Apostle John experienced in his ecstatic vision was something similar. There is a bookful of parallels (Creation Gospel Workbook Two, Revised will be released soon to prove it) between the Exodus and Sinai and the Revelation of John. For the portion Yitro, however, think of these shared sights and sounds and the Revelations:
*
Smoke like a furnace ascending
*
Earthquake
*
Thunders (voices)
*
Consuming fire
*
Trumpet blasts
*
Juxtaposition of man and beast
*
The judgment of the bow (arrows of white horse) and stones if a man or beast were to "break through" to touch the mountain ("Mountains and rocks, fall on us")
Even after the Divine Presence was gone, the Israelites' relationship of reverence for His Word was to remain in a state of "thunder." No one who was there could ever forget the thunder, the lightning, the fire, the smoke, the violent wind, and the earthquake. The text literally says the people were under the mountain. With a mountain of commandments hanging over their heads, everyone was 100% clear both in regard to the fear of Adonai and the love of their neighbor.
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order
that the fear of Him may
remain
with you, so that you may not sin
." (Ex 20:20
)
Standing under a mountain in a fiery earthquake would certainly be motivation not to sin. We tend to judge the golden calf sinners harshly, but how quickly have we forgotten the miracle of the Father's salvation and His Word and ceased to speak about Him with wonder and thunder?
Artscroll
translates, "In order to exalt you" instead of "test you" so that you may not sin.
Rashi
clarifies this translation: "This means to promote you throughout the world so that your reputation will go out among the nations, in that He in His glory revealed Himself to you."
This is exactly the mission of Israel, to reveal the thunder and lightning of the commandments to the world, to be so reverent and so lit up as we keep the commandments that His reputation for giving GOOD commandments draws the world to Him. Do we hide the real reason for our keeping the commandments? Are we apologetic? The commandments we carry are to be carried with the confidence of a people who have stood under the mountain and lived!
We must speak the Word with fire, smoke, thunder, lightning, and trembling at the glory of His power. If the Word is just not that exciting to us, then we cannot expect anyone else to feel the awe and excitement! Think of the joy with which you first found the commandments, the lightning that sparked in your heart at your first Shabbat or feast. Think of these things, and commandments should always remain fresh, glorious, and awe-inspiring. If someone asks you about Shabbat or the feasts, then imagine the mountain over your head and tell them!
Since I am in Israel this week, I'm attaching the link to Part 1 of this week's Torah portion Yitro from the Monday night online class. Click The Mountain Over Your Head to view.
Spotlight on Israel
Interested in celebrating Passover or Sukkot 2020 in Israel?
It's time to plan Passover. Join us in Israel for a Passover seder. To read about the adventure, click
Passover in Israel.
You can't beat the price for room and board!
Relax, hike, volunteer, explore the archaeological ruins, study, count the stars, or day tour, and choose the number of days you spend at Tamar. The sooner you register for Passover, the easier it is to book flights that fit your budget and schedule. The feasts are busy flight times in Israel.
If you're interested in a FULL-SERVICE tour, then please consider going at Sukkot 2020. Although we are still negotiating with hotels and working on the itinerary,
the registration page is up so that you can make a deposit. The price may drop once negotiations are concluded and the final itinerary set. Click on
Sukkot of Glory to view or reserve your place with a deposit.
Does Something About the "Rapture" Doctrine Bother You?
The deep Torah study in Section One restores the
original foundation of the resurrection. The resurrection is put in the context of the numerous prophecies of in the Torah portions. The Exodus and wilderness journey have illustrations of the event that were too numerous to fit into one book. Section One uncovers the Torah foundation to which the writers of the New Testament refer.
Section Two answers the question, "What happens when we die?" Matching Scriptural information with traditional Jewish sources on the topic, the reader finds more insight into the post-mortem experience of the dead and expressions such as "the souls under the altar." It's a great source of comfort to those who grieve and an encouragement that the Kingdom is very near, just as Yeshua said. The book is worth the price just for the footnotes! Click
50,000 Degrees to view on Amazon.
LaMalah Children's Centre
We appreciate your donations at any time, but especially in the "slow" months of winter. Three of the children will be starting high school, which requires some extra funds.
Thanks to your generosity, the congregations of Kenya and the children of LaMalah were able to enjoy Sukkot.
If you would like to donate to the Children's Centre through The Creation Gospel, click on the Donate link below. It will say The Olive Branch Messianic Congregation on your receipt. Our local congregation is the non-profit covering for our ministry. Checks or money orders may be sent to:
The Creation Gospel
PO Box 846
East Bernstadt, KY 40729
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