Blessed are You YHVH our Elohim - Creator of the universe, whose blessings have come to rest upon us through Moshiach Ben David – The Tree of Life – who establishes the everlasting root and fruit of Your Torah in our lives and in this age and in the age to come and through which all the families of the earth are blessed forever and ever.
Please, YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in
our hearts and in the hearts of Your people, the family of Israel. May we and
our offspring and the offspring of Your people, the house of Jacob – and all
Jacob’s adopted family – know Your Name and study Your Torah, for the sake of
the Torah- empowering us to sincerely love one another and to love You above
all. Please uncover our eyes and open our hearts that we may carefully examine
and understand the marvels and mysteries of Your Torah- Amein.
Exo 6:2 And Elohim spoke to Mosheh and said to him,
“I am יהוה.
Exo 6:3 “And I appeared to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq,
and to Ya‛aqoḇ, as Ěl
Shaddai. And by My Name, יהוה,
was I not known to them?
In Hebrew, the root word Shad (שַׁד) literally means "breast’’ It signifies infinite nourishment, fertility, and protective care.
This Torah portion is about knowing YHVH at a deeper
level in the deepest way possible.
וארא אל־אברהם – ‘’and I appeared’’ - By starting the portion here, the scribe reminds the reader that YHVH is about to make a paradigm shift in the way He desires to relate and reveal Himself to man and the most intimate way man can get to know YHVH.
Va'era el-Avraham ("And I appeared...")
introduces this paradigm shift. By identifying His name ‘’YHVH’’ as something not
yet known by the Patriarchs (Exodus 6:3), YHVH will
now make His Name known to Israel.
YHVH (יהוה)
is His chosen covenant name. In fact, from a Hebraic and textual
perspective, it is the only true personal Name He chooses for Himself,
while terms like El Shaddai, Elohim, or Adonai function
primarily as descriptions, attributes, or titles of function.
In Ex 3:14 YHVH says to Moses His Name is ‘’eheyeh ’asher ’eheyeh’’ ‘’I will be what I will be’’ or
‘’I will become whatever I need to become in order to establish My everlasting
covenant with you’’
In Ex
3:15 YHVH says ‘’This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance to all
generations.’’
This is
the Name by which the Creator desires to be remembered by all nations.
We need
to shift away from the controversies that surround the pronunciations and insistence
of calling YHVH ‘’Ha Shem’’ His Name was never intended to be about linguistic
correctness – but always about Covenant reality.
The
verbal root of YHVH is ‘’havah’’ - to exist. ‘’Havah’ can also mean to destroy.
This is the paradox of His name – The Almighty will cause to exist or destroy –
in order to establish an everlasting covenant with all those who receive and
cultivate His calling.
This vebal root (Havah) has a Hiphil (causative)
stem in the imperfect (future/ongoing) aspect, it means “He will
cause to to exist" what needs to exist or "He will cause to be
destroyed" what needs to be destroyed to establish His eternal unbrekable covenant.
As marriage is the most intimate covenant that a husband and
wife can enter – so is entering into covenant with YHVH the most intimate way
of getting to know our Creator.
The one was meant to reflect the other.
Man was unable to initiate and sustain this covenant with
YHVH.
We learn in Gen 15 how YHVH initiates and sustains an
everlasting covenant connection with man and Himself when He enters into the
covenant with Abram.
The covenant is ratified in Genesis 15:18 – ‘’On the same day יהוה made a covenant with Aḇram.’’ It is called the
Abrahamic Covenant – and it is unique because it is a ‘’unilateral,
unconditional everlasting covenant where YHVH binds Himself alone to the terms,
protecting man from the risk of failure.’’
Every Covenant in the Bible Explained One Story Changes
Everything
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJxMMlhgoP4
For this reason, YHVH puts Abram into a deep sleep when He
makes this covenant – because YHVH knows that man on his own is unable to keep
the terms of His covenant. YHVH can only make this covenant universal and unbreakable
when He finds the perfect covenant partner – and YHVH finds only one man worthy
to enter into this covenant relationship – Yahshua the Messiah. Thus initiating
the covenant that opens the door for the rest of mankind to enter into the same
unbreakable covenant.
I realize there are many different views regarding how this
covenant works – this is my limited understanding but deep conviction of how covenant
life works. However, the day will come Jer 31:33 when man undergoes an inner
transformation that will enable him to preserve the eternal unbreakable
covenant YHVH made with mankind.
Jer
31:33 “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ěl
after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on
their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
Now Messiah is the only One who qualified to secure this
eternal covenant with YHVH his Creator on our behalf. Messiah is also the only
one who can bear the penalty when man violates that covenant.
‘’The Messiah did not break the covenant with YHVH – He
never has or never will. He was the perfect Passover lamb – the only One who
could take upon Himself the penalty of man’s inability to keep covenant
faithfulness – Yahshua kept covenant faithfulness with YHVH on our behalf.’’
Acknowledging this reality only by His Mercy opens the door for us to enter
into the same eternal unbreakable covenant with YHVH as did Messiah’’.
Acts 4:12: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for
there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be
saved.”
Colossians 1:14: “In whom we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
Acts 13:38: “Therefore let it be known to you,
brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of
sins.”
Instead of breaking the covenant, the Messiah was enduring
the covenant penalty on behalf of all mankind that were unable to honour
that covenant.
What
makes this Torah portion so amazing is that YHVH revealed this covenant promise
to a gentile before revealing it to His chosen first born son – Israel.
‘’The Kenite-Midianite Hypothesis is a highly
respected academic and historical theory. It suggests that YHVH was
worshiped by the Kenites/Midianites long before Moses arrived – Wikipedia
The name "Kenite" (Qeni) is etymologically
tied to Cain (Qayin). This means the bearers of the Name were
historically linked to the ultimate outcast wanderer. YHVH took the mark of
Cain and transformed it into a legacy priesthood that joined the ‘’outsiders’’
through the same covenant to become fellow citizens of the commonwealth of
Israel.
Isa
66:21 “And from them too I shall take for priests (‘’Kohanim’’) for
Lěwites,” declares יהוה.’’
‘’The Druze Connection: is a stunning historical reality. The Druze
community explicitly venerates Jethro as their chief prophet, whom
they call Nabi Shuaib. They trace their spiritual lineage directly to
him, and their practice of strict endogamy (not marrying outside the faith)
that has preserved a highly unique ethnic and spiritual capsule for thousands
of years.’’
"Elijah the Tishbite" (1 Kings 17:1), according to Jewish
traditions and scholars have often noted Elijah’s distinctively
"Kenite" characteristics:
He bypassed the established Levitical priesthood and temple
structures.
He dressed in rough garments, lived in the wilderness, and
fled directly back to Mount Horeb (1Kings 19) the exact place where Moses
first encountered YHVH alongside Jethro.
If Elijah carries that Kenite "outsider" spirit,
it makes perfect sense that he is the one chosen to break the institutionalized
religious stagnation of Israel and the Church and prepare the way for the return
of the Messiah bringing covenant restoration.
Mal 4:4 “Remember the Torah of Mosheh, My servant,
which I commanded him in Ḥorěḇ for all Yisra’ěl – laws and
right-rulings.
Mal 4:5 “See, I am sending you Ěliyah the prophet
before the coming of the great and awesome day of יהוה.
Mal 4:6 “And he shall turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest
I come and strike the earth with utter destruction.
Mar
9:12 And He said to them, "Ěliyahu indeed, having come first,
restores all matters.b And how has it been written concerning the Son of
Aḏam, that He
is to suffer much and be despised? Footnote: bSee Mat_17:11 and Act_3:21.
Mar
9:13 “But I say to you that even Ěliyahu has come, and they did to him
whatever they wished, as it has been written of him. (referring to John the
immerser)
Rashi's translation—"if anything should be hidden
from our eyes, you will enlighten us"—takes on an astonishing
prophetic reality under this framework. There are several scholars that believe
the descendants of Jethro hold a hidden key to the end-times restoration of
all things – Acts 3:21.
If the Kenites originally helped guide Israel into
the first covenant environment of the wilderness, it is profoundly poetic that
they would serve as the "eyes" to help guide the final, global
gathering of the exiles back to the land.
If an end-time generation is to witness the
realization of this dynamic during the final, global gathering of the exiles
back to the land (the "Second Exodus" prophesied in Isaiah 11:11–16
and Ezekiel 20), this "Kenite reality" can be expected to manifest in
three profound ways:
1.
The Survivalists of the "Wilderness of
the Peoples" - Ezekiel 20:35 states: “And I will bring you into the
wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face
to face”.
‘’The "Kenites" of the end-time
generation will be individuals, groups, or communities who—though they may not
be physical, biological Israel—possess the logistical, tactical, and
survivalist "eyes" to navigate collapsing infrastructure. They will
act as literal guides, protectors, and provisioners for the fleeing remnant’’
‘’The most
famous sub-clan of the Kenites in scripture is the Rechabites (descendants of
Jonadab, son of Rechab). In Jeremiah 35, YHVH praises them because they
completely rejected the luxury, wine, and permanent real estate of settled
society to live strictly as nomads in tents, keeping their father's vows intact
for centuries.
- The Realization: An end-time generation will
face an intensely seductive, highly centralized global economic system
(often referred to typologically as Babylon).
- The Kenite Role: The modern
"Kenite/Rechabite" framework represents believers who
deliberately choose a lifestyle of radical simplicity, detachment from
materialism, and spiritual sobriety. Because their "eyes" are
not blinded by the comforts of the world, they will possess the clear
prophetic vision needed to identify spiritual traps, helping the scattered
exiles sever ties with corrupt systems and transition into a mobile,
wilderness-ready posture.’’
‘’ Historically, the Kenites chose to tie their destiny to Israel out of
sheer covenant loyalty (Hesed), even though they were legally outsiders.
They provided crucial military intelligence (such as Jael the Kenite killing
Sisera in Judges 4) and tactical support.
·
The Realization: In Jewish commentary (such as the Talmudic links
explored regarding the Kenites and groups like the modern Druze who claim
Jethro as their prophet), there is an active recognition of non-Jewish
indigenous groups who serve in Israel's security and military frameworks as
literal "eyes" on the ground.
·
The Kenite Role: In the final gathering, this will manifest as a global
network of Righteous Gentiles. These are individuals placed strategically
within international governments, intelligence networks, and logistical sectors
who will use their positioning, resources, and "eyes" to orchestrate,
fund, protect, and legally pave the way for the exiles to safely cross borders
and return home against all geopolitical odds’’
Human boasting and pride is destroyed by showing that the most sacred name of God (YHVH) does not belong exclusively to any institutionalized group, this hypothesis completely levels the playing field of grace.’’
‘’The single most important, set apart event in the
entire Hebrew Bible is the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) in Exodus
19–20 and appears the portion named after Jethro (Parashat Yitro), a
gentile Midianite priest.’’ The 10 sayings describe and define the eternal unbreakable
covenant.
Exo 6:2 And Elohim spoke to Mosheh and said to him,
“I am יהוה.
Exo 6:3 “And I appeared וארא אל־אברהם to Aḇraham,
to Yitsḥaq, and to Ya‛aqoḇ, as Ěl Shaddai. And by My
Name, יהוה, was I not known to them?
Exo 6:4 “And I also (adverb -‘’ve gam’’)
established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Kena‛an, the land
of their sojournings, in which they have sojourned.
Jethro doesn't come to be converted; he comes as an equal
or superior spiritual authority.
He offers sacrifices to Elohim, and Moses, Aaron, and all
the elders of Israel sit down to eat bread with him "before YHVH"
(Exodus 18:12).
In the ancient Near East, eating a sacrificial meal
together is the formal, legal ratification of a covenant.
Exo
18:9 And Yithro rejoiced for all the good which יהוה had done for Yisra’ěl, whom He had
delivered out of the hand of the Mitsrites.
Exo
18:10 And Yithro said, “Blessed be יהוה, who has delivered you out of the hand of
the Mitsrites and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people
from under the hand of the Mitsrites.
Exo
18:11 “Now I know that יהוה is greater than all the mighty ones, indeed in the matter in
which they acted proudly, above them.”
Exo
18:12 Then Yithro, the father-in-law of Mosheh, brought an ascending
offering and other slaughterings unto Elohim. And Aharon came with all the
elders of Yisra’ěl to eat bread with the father-in-law of Mosheh before
Elohim. (Is 66:21)
Exo
18:13 And it came to be, on the next day, that Mosheh sat to rightly rule
the people. And the people stood before Mosheh from morning until
evening.
Exo
18:14 And when the father-in-law of Mosheh saw all that he did for the
people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you
sit by yourself, and all the people stand before you from morning until
evening?”
Exo
18:15 And Mosheh said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to
me to seek Elohim.
Exo
18:16 “When they have a matter, they come to me, and I rightly rule
between one and another, and make known the laws of Elohim and His Torot.”a
Footnote: aTorot - plural of Torah, teaching.
Exo
18:17 And the father-in-law of Mosheh said to him, “What you are doing is
not good.
Exo
18:18 “Both you and these people with you shall certainly wear yourselves
out. For the matter is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by
yourself.
Exo
18:19 “Now listen to my voice. Let me counsel you and Elohim be with you:
Stand before Elohim for the people, and you shall bring the matters to
Elohim.
Exo
18:20 “And you shall enlighten them concerning the laws and the Torot,
and show them the way in which they should walk and the work which they
do.
Exo
18:21 “But you yourself, seek out from all the people able men, who fear
Elohim, men of truth, hating unfair gain. And place these over them to
be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of
tens.
Exo
18:22 “And they shall rightly rule the people at all times. And it shall
be that they bring every great matter to you, but they themselves rightly rule
every small matter. So, make it lighter for yourself, for they shall bear with
you.
Exo
18:23 “If you do this word, and Elohim shall command you, then you shall
be able to stand and all this people also go to their place in peace.”
Exo
18:24 And Mosheh listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all
that he said.
Rom
3:2 Much in every way! Because firstly indeed, that they were entrusted
with the Words of Elohim.
Rom
9:5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Messiah according to the
flesh, who is over all, Elohim-blessed forever. Aměn.
Exo 6:6 “Say, therefore, to the children of Yisra’ěl, (including adopted gentiles who have taken the yoke of Torah upon themselves) ‘I am יהוה, and I shall bring you out from under the burdens of the Mitsrites,(evil world system) and shall deliver you from their enslaving, and shall redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments,
Exo 6:7 and shall take you as My people, and I
shall be your Elohim. And you shall know that I am יהוה
your Elohim who is bringing you out from under the burdens of the
Mitsrites.
Exo 6:8 ‘And I shall bring you into the land which
I swore to give to Aḇraham,
to Yitsḥaq, and to Ya‛aqoḇ, to give it to you as an
inheritance. I am יהוה.’”
The four cups are associated with four expressions of
redemption in God's promise to Israel:
1.
“I will bring you out” — Exodus 6:6
Hebrew: וְהוֹצֵאתִי
(v’hotzeiti)
Cup of Sanctification
2.
“I will deliver you” — Exodus 6:6
Hebrew: וְהִצַּלְתִּי
(v’hitzalti)
Cup of Deliverance
3.
“I will redeem you” — Exodus 6:6
Hebrew: וְגָאַלְתִּי
(v’ga'alti)
Cup of Redemption
4.
“I will take you as My people” — Exodus
6:7
Hebrew: וְלָקַחְתִּי
(v’lakachti)
Cup of Acceptance/Relationship
The passage continues with another promise:
“I will bring you into the land…” — Exodus 6:8
This is sometimes associated with a fifth cup, the
Cup of Elijah, because the promise concerning the land is not included
among the four cups.
YHVH's promise does not depend upon Israel having enough strength to believe it at any given moment – YHVH will powerfully intervene on Israels behalf despite their condition.
Exo 6:10 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Exo 6:11 “Go in, speak to Pharaoh sovereign of
Mitsrayim, to let the children of Yisra’ěl go out of his land.”
Exo 6:12 And Mosheh spoke before יהוה,
saying, “The children of Yisra’ěl have not listened to me, and why would
Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”
Isa 59:16 And He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no intercessor. So His own arm saved for Him, and His righteousness upheld him.
Exo 6:13 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, and gave them a command for the children of Yisra’ěl and for Pharaoh, sovereign of Mitsrayim, to bring the children of Yisra’ěl out of the land of Mitsrayim.
Exo 6:14 These are the heads of their fathers’
houses: The sons of Re’uḇěn,
the first-born of Yisra’ěl: Ḥanoḵ and Pallu, Ḥetsron and Karmi. These are
the clans of Re’uḇěn.
Exo 6:15 And the sons of Shim‛on: Yemu’ěl, and
Yamin, and Ohaḏ, and Yaḵin, and Tsoḥar, and Sha’ul the son of a
Kena‛anite woman. These are the clans of Shim‛on.
Exo 6:16 These are the names of the sons of Lěwi
according to their generations: Gěrshon, and Qehath, and Merari. And the years
of the life of Lěwi were one hundred and thirty-seven.
Exo 6:17 The sons of Gěrshon: Liḇni and Shim‛i according to
their clans.
Exo 6:18 And the sons of Qehath: Amram, and
Yitshar, and Ḥeḇron, and Uzzi’ěl. And the
years of the life of Qehath were one hundred and thirty-three.
Exo 6:19 And the sons of Merari: Maḥli and Mushi. These are the
clans of Lěwi according to their generations.
Exo 6:20 And Amram took for himself Yoḵeḇeḏ,
his father’s sister, as wife. And she bore him Aharon and Mosheh. And the years
of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven.
Exo 6:21 And the sons of Yitshar: Qoraḥ, and Nepheḡ, and Ziḵri.
Exo 6:22 And the sons of Uzzi’ěl: Misha’ěl, and
Eltsaphan, and Sithri.
Exo 6:23 Aharon took to himself Elisheḇa, daughter of Amminaḏaḇ, sister of Naḥshon,
as wife. And she bore him Naḏaḇ, and Aḇihu, El‛azar, and Ithamar.
Exo 6:24 And the sons of Qoraḥ: Assir, Elqanah, and Aḇiyasaph. These are the clans
of the Qorḥites.
Exo 6:25 And El‛azar, Aharon’s son, took for
himself one of the daughters of Puti’ěl as wife. And she bore him Pineḥas. These are the heads of the
fathers of the Lěwites according to their clans.
Exo 6:26 This is Aharon, and Mosheh, to whom יהוה
said, “Bring out the children of Yisra’ěl from the land of Mitsrayim according
to their divisions.”
Exo 6:27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh
sovereign of Mitsrayim, to bring out the children of Yisra’ěl from Mitsrayim.
This is Mosheh, and Aharon.
Exo 6:28 And it came to be, on the day when יהוה
spoke to Mosheh in the land of Mitsrayim,
Exo 6:29 that יהוה
spoke to Mosheh, saying, “I am יהוה. Speak to Pharaoh
sovereign of Mitsrayim all that I say to you.”
Exo 6:30 And Mosheh said before יהוה,
“See, I am of uncircumcised lips, and why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
Exo 7:1 So יהוה
said to Mosheh, “See, I have made you an elohima to Pharaoh, and Aharon your
brother is your prophet. Footnote: aOr mighty one – see footnote at Exo_4:16.
Exo 7:2 “You shall speak all that I command you,
and Aharon your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, to let the children of Yisra’ěl
go out of his land.
Exo 7:3 “But I am going to harden the heart of
Pharaoh, and shall increase My signs and My wonders in the land of
Mitsrayim.
Exo 7:4 “And Pharaoh is not going to listen to you,
and I shall lay My hand on Mitsrayim, and bring My divisions and My people, the
children of Yisra’ěl, out of the land of Mitsrayim by great judgments.
Exo 7:5 “And the Mitsrites shall know that I am יהוה,
when I stretch out My hand on Mitsrayim. And I shall bring the children of
Yisra’ěl out from among them.”
Exo 7:6 And Mosheh and Aharon did as יהוה
commanded them, so they did.
Exo 7:7 Now Mosheh was eighty years old and Aharon
eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Exo
20:2 “I (and I alone) am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you
out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery.
This
is the cornerstone of YHVH’s Covenant
There is a famous maxim in the Talmud (Lamentations
Rabbah 2:13) that states: "If someone tells you there is Torah (divine
law) among the gentiles, do not believe them; but if someone tells you there is
Chochmah (wisdom) among the gentiles, believe them."
Jethro represents the absolute peak of gentile Chochmah.
By placing Jethro’s wisdom immediately before Mount Sinai, the text shows that
divine revelation (Torah) requires a foundation of human wisdom and humility
(Chochmah) to function properly. Moses had to humble himself and submit to the
advice of his father-in-law. If the greatest prophet who ever lived had to bow
to a gentile’s organizational wisdom, no insider can ever claim absolute
superiority over an outsider.
The Mirroring of the End Times
Tying this right back into our prophetic framework about
Jethro's descendants serving as the "eyes" of Israel (Numbers 10:31),
the Hassidic masters point out that Jethro’s arrival in the camp represents the
ultimate harvest.
Jethro was not just any gentile; When he heard what YHVH
did to Egypt, he confessed: "Now I know that YHVH is greater than all
gods" (Exodus 18:11).
The sages say that the Torah could not be given until a
representative of the global nations arrived, recognized YHVH, and
brought peace to the environment.
Jethro’s confession was the "first fruits" of
the nations acknowledging the Creator.
Blessed
are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of
truth and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH
giver of the Torah – Amein.
In the
last days - Unless this reality is in you is greater than the chaos that
surrounds you – you will be overcome by the chaos.