Yitro (His Advantage)
(Sefer Shemot) Exodus 18:1-20:23

19:3- “And Moshe went up unto Elohim, and YHVH called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus
shall thou say to the house of Yaakov, and tell the children of Yisrael;
4- Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought
you unto Myself.
5- Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine:
6- And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of kohanim, and an holy nation. These are the words, which
thou shall speak unto the children of Yisrael.
8- And all the people answered together, and said, All that YHVH has spoken we will do. And Moshe
returned the words of the people unto YHVH.
10- And YHVH said unto Moshe, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11- And be ready against the third day: for the third day YHVH will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
18- And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because YHVH descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19- And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moshe spoke, and Elohim answered him by a voice.
20- And YHVH came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and YHVH called Moshe up to
the top of the mount; and Moshe went up.
20:1- And Elohim spoke all these words, saying,
2- I am YHVH thy Elohim, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3- Thou shall have no other elohim before Me.
5- Thou shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I YHVH thy Elohim am a jealous Elohim, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6- And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.
7- Thou shall not take the name of YHVH thy Elohim in vain; for YHVH will not hold him guiltless
that takes His name in vain.
18- And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the
mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19- And they said unto Moshe, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.
20- And Moshe said unto the people, Fear not: for Elohim is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

“Thou, even thou, are to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still.”
(Psalms 76:7-8)

“And he said, I will be with thee, and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When
thou has brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve Elohim upon this mountain.”
(Exodus 3:12)
 

“Blow ye the trumpet in Tzion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the
inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of YHVH comes, for it is nigh at hand.”
(Joel 2:1)
 

“Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of
his throne…His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills
melted like wax at the presence of YHVH, at the presence of the adon of the whole earth. The
heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.”

(Psalms 97:2-6)
 

“And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of salvation:
the fear of YHVH is his treasure.”

(Isaiah 33:6)
 

Yitro Summary:
1. A Fearful Introduction to His Voice:
After performing those wonders surrounding the Great Deliverance from Egypt, the Majesty of HaShem would be further exposed at the giving of the Ten Commandments, setting a precedent, which was to remain among the people of Elohim, all their days, that they forever retain a deserved “fear of YHVH.” Though this may seem abrupt to those who have not experienced His Presence, the account in this week’s sedra, portrays nothing less than a fearful encounter, demonstrating that an emancipated people cannot understand true liberty until they discover true understanding. And, this wisdom for discerning the difference can only come when HaShem initiates the encounter with the accompaniment of some intimidating intimacy. Proverbs 9:10 describes the order as such:
“The fear of YHVH is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
With His voice, thundering in its decent upon a fiery and quaking mountain, HaShem who earlier had relayed to Moshe the instruction to sanctify the people and have them prepare to meet Him, now speaks directly with the nation, booming mightily in their hearing. Though the people did respond to ceremonial cleanness, so awesome was this phenomenon as the people cowered in dread, that their impure hearts became exposed, preferring no longer to hear the voice of Elohim. Without this foundation of Holy fear, Yisrael would soon illustrate the woes of them who would value their life above knowing YHVH; Exodus 20:19 tells of their ‘base’ choice as they distanced themselves, saying, “...but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.”
Knowing that it would always be the fear of Elohim, which would precede true wisdom and establish His people, Malachi 3 begins with the reminder in verse 6:
“For I am YHVH, I change not; therefore ye sons of Yaakov are not consumed.”
This is for a people, given this aspect of HaShem’s intensity as Deuteronomy 4:24 declares:
“For YHVH thy Elohim is a consuming fire, even a jealous Elohim.”
Thus would it be that Malachi 3 would then proclaim in verses 16 and 17
“Then they that feared YHVH spoke often one to another: and YHVH hearkened, and heard it,
and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared YHVH, and that
thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, says YHVH of hosts, in that day when I make
up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.”
 

2. Chosen to Be a People unto Him:
Left with the verdict that we have been chosen to approach the mountain of Elohim, let us do so. With the presentation of the Ten Commandments, Deuteronomy 14:2 echoes the invitation:
“For thou are an holy people unto YHVH thy Elohim, and YHVH has chosen thee to be a
peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”
The call has come from the mount. We have been commanded to serve only YHVH. We must not attempt to fashion anything in His place. He is jealous, and we must not take His name in vain. As we have evidenced throughout our days, from generation to the next, the same Elohim who rescued us from the arm of flesh, YHVH is His name, extends Himself to us, Isaiah 43:10-11 resounding:
“Ye are My witnesses, says YHVH, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know
and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no Elohim formed,
neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am YHVH; and beside Me there is no savior.”