Shalom 18
Shalom 18
Tim O’Connor - Center for the Preservation of Humanity - 2/3/2024
We live in a hyper-busy world. Stress creeps in and accumulates from virtually everything we do. Nothing seems to be as easy at is should be. Pharmaceutical prescriptions, recreational drug use, exercise, and alcohol all point at the benefits they offer towards relieving stress. They all promote ‘rest’. Through true rest, not the inebriated kind, the kind which truly offers peace – shalom for our bodies and minds by avoiding having to engage in stressful physical and mental activities and the situations which give rise to them – we are able to explore those matters which are truly important.
Nothing is more important than seeking the face of G-d. In order to seek the face of G-d, He gave us some ground rules to follow. The ground rules are the 10 Commandments. The details are in the rest of the Torah. Every seventh day, a day of rest is intended for us so that we may focus our thoughts upon the Torah. Part of this focus is directed to reading, contemplating, and expounding upon a portion of the Torah weekly while worshiping G-d as He commanded His nation of priests to do since the days of Moshe. (The reading of the Torah is known as a Parashah. Reading a portion from the Tanack, the rest of the books in the Old Testament, is called the Haftarah reading. Additionally, as a Messianic Jew, readings come from the New Testament, called the B’rit Hadashah).
This weeks Parashah (Yitro [Jethro] Exodus 18:1 – 20:23) is about G-d instructing us about the day of rest along with the rest of the 10 Commandments. In addition, this weeks Torah portion lays the framework and structure for a Biblically consistent judicial system. The portion starts with Moshe attempting to answer the questions of the entire nation of Israel by himself. They asked questions and Moshe would answer them according to what G-d had already laid down for the people of Israel.
Moshe’s father-in-law, Yitro, looked in wonder at the absurdity of the arrangement. He immediately noticed that Moshe would be completely stressed out by attempting to answer all of the questions from all of the people of Israel. The questions they asked were intended to have Moshe judge between them in matters which arose between the people. Yithro advised in Exodus 18:17-23:
17 Moshe’s father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing isn’t good. 18 You will certainly wear yourself out — and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well. It’s too much for you — you can’t do it alone, by yourself. 19 So listen now to what I have to say. I will give you some advice, and God will be with you. You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases to God. 20 You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do. 21 But you should choose from among all the people competent men who are God-fearing, honest and incorruptible to be their leaders, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Normally, they will settle the people’s disputes. They should bring you the difficult cases; but ordinary matters they should decide themselves. In this way, they will make it easier for you and share the load with you. 23 If you do this — and God is directing you to do it — you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully.”
Amen
This concept was intentionally applied to the United States when the framers of the nation wrote the US Constitution. This is where the judicial system of the United States came from. We have a Supreme Court which rules on the difficult and contentious matters which arise in the United States. We have lesser courts which address the more routine and settled cases. The difference between the judiciary of the United States and the judiciary of Moshe is that the ultimate source upon which to base decisions is the US Constitution while Moses appealed directly to the teachings of G-d. The US Constitution is a very sound framework to implement a republic but nothing is more sound than the teachings of G-d. The success of the United States is based on the fact that the Us Constitution is largely a reflection of the teachings of G-d in the Torah.
At the time Yithro approached Moshe, Adonai had yet to descend upon Mount Sinai. Nothing was yet written thus all of the judgments handed down by Moshe to the people of Israel needed to first be communicated through messengers from G-d to him, particularly in matters not yet addressed head-on. Moshe would give the ruling G-d told him to, instruct the people to keep to the ruling, and move to the next matter. The matters G-d judged for Moshe to relate to the people, in addition to what G-d had just done to the Egyptians in order to break the bondage of the children of Israel, showed the children of Israel that the ways of G-d were very different from the ways of the gods of the nations around them.
Moshe knew that what he was doing was overwhelming so he followed Yithro’s advice. Based on Yithro’s advice Moshe created the judicial system we are so familiar with today nearly 4,000 years ago. Moshe must have been relieved when he went up the mountain and Adonai spoke in Exodus 19:4 and found the arrangement acceptable:
4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.’ These are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra’el.”
Amen
But, G-d was not done yet. In order to have the full assembly of Hebrew judges rule by the same standards and to allow the people to know, expressly, what Adonai considered good and what He considered evil, G-d prepared them to receive instructions. Adonai told Moshe to seperate the people. Adonai told Moshe to have the people clean their garments and to avoid touching the mountain. As Adonai made the mountain holy for Himself, so, too, he commanded the people of Israel to prepare themselves so as to be holy as well. Moshe followed the commands he was given in Exodus 19:14-15
14 Moshe went down from the mountain to the people and separated the people for God, and they washed their clothing. 15 He said to the people, “Prepare for the third day; don’t approach a woman.”
The people did as Moshe instructed. On the third day the mountain was covered in thick cloud. The cloud concealed the fire of Adonai. From this cloud came a shofar blast so loud that the people trembled with fear. Only Moshe was invited to go up to Adonai on Mount Sinai. The first time Moshe went up the mountain Adonai instructed him to tell the people of Israel they are not to come up the mountain because many of them will perish.
Despite their outward cleanliness, internally, G-d saw their blemishes. The people’s holiness, setting themselves apart from the world to do as G-d instructed, was not sufficient in so many that G-d warned Moshe many of them would perish. Moshe went to the people and told them G-d had told them not to go up the mountain or Adonai would break out against them. When Moshe so instructed the people, Adonai spoke to the whole body (Exodus 20:1-17):
1 Then God said all these words:
א 2 [Alef] “I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery.
ב 3 [Beit] “You are to have no other gods before me. 4 You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline. 5 You are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, Adonai your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot.
ג 7 [Gimel] “You are not to use lightly the name of Adonai your God, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.
ד 8 [Dalet] “Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. 9 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work — not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why Adonai blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself.
ה 12 [Hei] “Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land which Adonai your God is giving you.
ו 13 [Vav] “Do not murder.
ז (14) [Zayin] “Do not commit adultery.
ח (15) [Cheit] “Do not steal.
ט (16) [Teit] “Do not give false evidence against your neighbor.
י 14 (17) [Yod] “Do not covet your neighbor’s house; do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Amen
After the people heard Adonai speak they were utterly filled with awe. They told Moshe that they feared for their lives should Adonai continue speaking to them. Moshe instructed the people that G-d spoke to them so they would keep these Commandments G-d gave them. With that, Moshe again climbed the mountain and Adonai instructed him about how to construct altars pleasing to Him.
As all of us know, trouble befalls us when we depart from the 10 Commandments. We can see it in ourthe institutions in the modern world which have abandoned them. These institutions walk in their own way, according to their own ideas of what is good and what is wrong. This is what Isaiah was speaking about in the Haftarah reading (Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6).
Isaiah experienced G-d in the same way Moshe and the children of Israel did when they received the Commandments. The house of G-d was full of smoke. Like the people of Israel who received the Commandments, Isaiah, too, recognized his blemishes, his transgressions. While those who received the Commandments trembled at G-d, a Seraph touched coals to Isaiah’s lips and took away the iniquity of his words. Then, and only then, did Isaiah volunteer to bring the message of G-d to the people of Israel. In this regard, Moshe and Isaiah were very similar. So, too, was the message G-d placed upon the two men.
Moshe related to Israel what they should do and what they should avoid doing. Isaiah was given a message to relate to Israel to remind the people what they were to do and what they were to avoid. G-d charged Isaiah with relating the judgment G-d had passed on Israel and ordered them to repent. In other words, G-d was judging Israel for walking outside of His instructions and warned the Judah that unless the people wholeheartedly came back to obeying Adonai’s instructions, they would be removed from the land, their cities destroyed, and the land laid waste.
But G-d told Isaiah that a seed was already planted which would not die. Despite the destruction their disobedience was bringing about, the seeds of Judah’s restoration were already sown. In Isaiah 6:11-13 Isaiah asked and Adonai answered:
11 I asked, “Adonai, how long?” and he answered, “Until cities become uninhabited ruins, houses without human presence, the land utterly wasted; 12 until Adonai drives the people far away, and the land is one vast desolation. 13 If even a tenth [of the people] remain, it will again be devoured. “But like a pistachio tree or an oak, whose trunk remains alive after its leaves fall off, the holy seed will be its trunk.”
Amen
Then in Isaiah 9:5-6 the manner through which the renewal will come about is expounded upon:
5 (6) For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz El Gibbor Avi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace], 6 (7) in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustain it through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot will accomplish this.
Amen
The B’rit Hadashah reading ties all of this together. A rich man approached Yeshua, the fruit of the seed prophesied in our readings in Isaiah, who wanted to know how to have eternal life. Yeshua instructed the man that only the Father in heaven is good. And then Yeshua told the man to follow the teachings of G-d and, in particular, the final 6 Commandments. Still not content, the rich man asked what else he needs to do for eternal life because he kept all of the final 6 Commandments:
“Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t give false testimony 19 honor father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Amen
Yeshua told the rich man to sell all of his belongings, give to the poor, and to follow Him. This upset the man because he was comfortable with the station he had in life – the station of a wealthy man. He was content with abiding by the ways of the world to store up riches in this world but neglected to address what station he would have in the next….
Now, you may have caught the part about Adonai having the children of Israel prepare to be holy in the presence of G-d before He visited Mount Sinai. For three days the children of Israel prepared themselves to be holy enough to approach G-d and all but Moshe found themselves lacking. We are all lacking the ability to stand face to face with G-d.
In Matthew 27:45 we are told there were three hours of darkness immediately prior to Yeshua perishing in the flesh:
45 From noon until three o’clock in the afternoon, all the Land was covered with darkness
Yeshua’s body spent 3 days in the tomb. Luke 24:3-8 recounts:
3 On entering, they discovered that the body of the Lord Yeshua was gone! 4 They were standing there, not knowing what to think about it, when suddenly two men in dazzlingly bright clothing stood next to them. 5 Terror-stricken, they bowed down with their faces to the ground. The two men said to them, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has been raised. Remember how he told you while he was still in the Galil, 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be executed on a stake as a criminal, but on the third day be raised again’?” 8 Then they remembered his words; 9 and, returning from the tomb, they told everything to the Eleven and to all the rest.
Amen
In 1 Peter 3:18-22 the full implications of this are explained clearly:
18 For the Messiah himself died for sins, once and for all, a righteous person on behalf of unrighteous people, so that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but brought to life by the Spirit; 19 and in this form he went and made a proclamation to the imprisoned spirits, 20 to those who were disobedient long ago, in the days of Noach, when God waited patiently during the building of the ark, in which a few people — to be specific, eight — were delivered by means of water. 21 This also prefigures what delivers us now, the water of immersion, which is not the removal of dirt from the body, but one’s pledge to keep a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah. 22 He has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities and powers subject to him.
Amen
For three days the people of Israel prepared themselves to encounter the holiness of G-d directly. For three hours G-d darkened the sky over His Son. For three days Yeshua gave salvation to those who sinned. Yeshua reaffirmed the importance of obedience to G-d’s instructions. Isaiah delivered G-d’s message about what disobedience will bring. Yeshua offered us salvation from our sins not so that we may sin but so that we may be able to repent of our sins and be holy before G-d – so that we may enter the Kingdom of G-d and reside in the palace Yeshua is building for us.
Adonai told the children of Israel to forget the ways of the wicked nations around them and to do as He instructed them to do. Yeshua offered the same advice to the rich man. We are to live our lives seeking the face of G-d through obedience to His ways so that things may go well with us. Less stress was built into G-d’s plans for us. It is why we have the Shabbat. It is so that we may rest. And while we rest we are to contemplate the face of G-d, the warnings the prophets delivered, and the sacrifice Yeshua made for our transgressions. This is how we battle the stressful situations – rest. And not just any rest, a celebratory rest for all that G-d has done for each and every one of us and all of us. It’s a weekly reaffirmation of the way G-d wants us to be even in the face of a world demanding we do otherwise. It’s a weekly restoration of our vows to obey G-d.
Bless G-d and G-d bless.
Amen.