2.3.26 – When You Realize He Is There

Today's study begins with a little story that reintroduces us to an old character: Yitro (Jethro), Moses' father-in-law—a man who had seven different names (shem). Yitro has heard that Yahweh took Israel out of Egypt (big news travels fast; Ex. 18:1). So he brings Moses' wife and children to meet Moses in the desert and reunite the family (Ex. 18:2–6). When Yitro arrives, Moses tells Yitro everything that Yahweh did for Israel, and Yitro is really moved by it all—he praises Yahweh and brings sacrifices (Ex. 18:7–12).

It is a nice story, but why are we hearing about it now?

Last week, in Parshat Beshalach, we had the splitting of the sea (Ex. 14), and in this week's parsha, Parshat Yitro, we hear about the next major event: the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19–24)—the focused destination for the firstborn of God (Ex. 3:12).

In between the exodus and Sinai, we get a few vignettes that seem disconnected from the story. Not surprising at all. And this Yitro story is one of them. Why would these epic events in which Yahweh shows His power with Egypt and then reveals Himself to Israel be interrupted by this seemingly insignificant story about Yitro?

Yitro brings Moses' family and hears all about what Yahweh did for them. Yitro sees what he thinks is an ineffective judicial process and suggests a new process (Ex. 18:13–23). The people arrive at Sinai, prepare for three days, and are warned not to touch the mountain. Israel gets the Ten Devarim (Ten Commandments), but the direct contact with Yahweh is too much, and they ask Moses to continue talking to them instead. Then the people receive warnings against idolatry and instructions on how to properly build an altar.

So why do we hear about Yitro's journey, especially right before the epic moment of revelation? Let us take a look at the text itself and see what we can make of it. The story begins: "Yitro, Moses' father-in-law, heard everything that Yahweh did to Moses and to Israel, how He took Israel out of Egypt." So Yitro knows about what happened (Ex. 18:1). Yet, when he gets to Moses a few verses later, Moses tells him everything again (Ex. 18:8). Moses told his father-in-law everything that Yah had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt on account of Israel, about all the hardships that they faced on their journey... and Yahweh saved them. So Yitro hears it for a second time.

Which makes the next part of the story hard to believe. Put yourself in Yitro's shoes. Imagine Moses was retelling the story. How would you respond? "Moses, let me stop you there—I heard this already!" But that is not what happens. Instead, he is blown away: "Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all other powers" (Ex. 18:9). Only now he knows? He knew all this already! So what is going on? If Yitro had heard everything, what could Moses possibly have told him to make him react like this?

When we read it for the very first time with fresh eyes, what Yitro originally hears and what Moses tells him are not the same. Huh?

Originally, Yitro hears "all that Yahweh did to Moses and to Israel." But Moses says, "all that Yahweh did to Pharaoh and Egypt on account of Israel." And Moses adds another element: besides Yahweh taking them out of Egypt, God also saved them from "all the hardships they faced on their journey." Yitro may have originally heard everything about the exodus itself, but perhaps he did not know about Yahweh's continued protection in the desert. And look at the verb used in each account to describe His actions: delivered (natzal):

"And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them."
(Ex. 18:8)

Yitro first heard that Yahweh took them out of Egypt. But when Moses retells the story, he includes "and Yahweh saved them." So what are we to make of these differences between the first time Yitro hears and the second time?

The key to understanding this may lie in one final difference between the two—not in what Yitro hears, but in how he responds. Originally, Yitro responds by bringing Moses' family: "Yitro took Moses' wife and her two sons, and he brought them to Moses." But after hearing the story from Moses, he responds by celebrating: "Yitro rejoiced!... and he said, Blessed is Yahweh! Yitro offered sacrifices to Yahweh" (Ex. 18:9). In the first story, Yitro heard what Yahweh did for Israel and how He took them out of Egypt. He sees Yah's amazing power and realizes what He can do. And he wants to align himself with that. So he responds by rounding up his family and bringing them to meet up with Moses, to join Israel under this powerful Elohim.

But Yitro responds very differently when he hears the story from Moses. Moses not only provides new details; he offers a new perspective. Yes, Yahweh is all-powerful. But He did not just do all this to flex His muscles. Look at how He saved us! He destroyed the most powerful nation in the world all for our sake! And that is not all. He watched out for us in the desert too! And the verb Moses uses is "saved." It is not just that Yahweh took them out, like the first time. "Taking them out" focuses on the end—what He did. But "saved" adds purpose. It is the means to that end. It implies a carefully constructed intervention. He cares so deeply for His people. He is a very loving, personal Elohim, constantly looking out for His children.

And when Yitro understands that, he is blown away. He blesses Yahweh: "Blessed is He who saved you from Egypt." He adopts Moses' perspective. Yitro knew of Yahweh's might when he first heard about it, but he now understands that Israel's El is not just an all-powerful deity. He begins to see Yahweh as Creator, as a parent who wants a relationship with His children, as One who deeply loves and provides and sustains and cares for His children. It is a story of Yitro's personal transformation in his understanding of the Elohim of Israel.

It is actually the perfect continuation of last week's parsha, Beshalach. There, Israel struggled with the same thing that Yitro deals with here (Ex. 17:7):

"And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?"
(Ex. 17:7)

Throughout the exodus, all they had ever seen was a powerful force who focused on a big-picture agenda, showing His unrivaled strength to destroy a huge nation like Egypt. Maybe their freedom was only a byproduct of His dealings with Egypt. They were freed because Egypt was destroyed. They wondered if He cared about the small nation of Israel on a personal level. And Yahweh responded by providing for them in the desert—showing them that He really does care in an intimate way, just as Moses describes to his father-in-law here in Parshat Yitro.

And now we can finally pull back the zoom lens and understand why this story is here, after the exodus and before God's divine revelation. What is the purpose of divine revelation? Is it just so that Yahweh could convey the Ten Devarim (Ten Commandments)? Hardly. He conveyed plenty of things to the people through Moses.

Revelation was about something more. Believing or knowing that He is with you is one thing... but experiencing it—that is different. That is revelation. "You think Yahweh is only in the big picture? That He does not care on the micro level? He is right here… talking with you! No middle man." For the first time, the people interact directly with the personal, covenant-keeping Yah.

And you know why that was so significant? After the people left Egypt, they did not know if He was with them. And it was not just Israel… outsiders like Yitro struggled with the same thing. Before the seventh plague in Egypt, Yahweh said that the reason for the plagues was: "so that I can show you my strength, and so that my name will be spoken about throughout the world." Yitro is a testament to that—he did hear what Yahweh did! He heard about His strength (koach). But that is all he and the people knew. Is Yahweh just a powerful force who occasionally intervenes only when things get really bad?

The complaints last week, and Yitro's story this week, present the problem that revelation comes to solve. Revelation is a watershed moment in the history of mankind. It is the foundation for having a close, intimate relationship with Yahweh Elohim. Yes, Yahweh can try to convince the people, through Moses, that He is there. Moses can try to convince Yitro. But revelation is Yah's way of saying, "You do not have to believe anyone else to know that I am with you, that I care about you on a personal level… You will see it—you will feel it—for yourself."

And look at the verses that introduce the revelation itself:

"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and I lifted you onto the wings of eagles, and I brought you to me" (Ex. 19:4; fulfilling Ex. 3:12).

Look at that. Yahweh does not say that He brought them to the desert, or eventually to the land of Israel. He is not talking geographically. "I brought you close to me"—into a relationship! And He continues: "If you follow in my ways and keep the covenant, you will be my treasure among all the other nations" (Ex. 19:5–6).

Yahweh Himself says that the exodus was not just about a show of power; it was about forming an intimate relationship with the people. That is precisely what He wanted to show the people with revelation—by interacting with them face to face. But there is actually one more major thing that happens at Sinai.

Not only do the people experience Yahweh and realize the potential of a relationship with Him, but they are also charged with a mission. And the mission is the same today!

Shalom!
Alan