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Yitro
Yitro
Yitro
I strongly recommend that when you study these lessons you have the following tools available. 1) A Bible [all references are based
on the NKJV], 2) a printed copy of this lesson, 3) pen and paper [notebook preferred] where you can either write extra notes or
complete answers to questions where the lines in this lesson are not enough space to write on, 4) an on-line version of the Bible. I
suggest BibleGateway (https://www.biblegateway.com/). There are many instances where I will ask you to make a connection to
some other passage. The BibleGateway app has an awesome SEARCH feature to find Bible passages. Also, once you find a passage
you can use Control-F or Command-F (MAC users) to find words, numbers or phrases in the text on display. Lastly, as often as possible
. . . have a partner studying with you!
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VII.
2. Remember that one of the ways the Torah tries to capture our attention is through repetition! Notice how it
seems that Moses has gone overboard in repeating that phrase! By repeating the phrase so many times what
relationship should we be thinking about?
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3. How is Exodus 18:1 (And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for
Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-
law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,) thematically connected to Joseph’s life? Also, what
is the prophetic significance of this connection between Joseph and Moses?
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4. Compare Exodus 18:1-3 with Genesis 41:45-52. What other connection can you make between Moses and
Joseph?
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5. Read Exodus 19:1-25. What action does Moses repeat many times?
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6. I’m not sure how many times Moses walked up and down the mountain, but it was a lot of walking! And I think
it’s significant that this is emphasized in this passage. See if you can count how many times Moses walked up
and down the mountain?
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7. We can see that Adonai wants to have a relationship with Am Yisrael (the people of Israel) yet He never speaks
directly to them! He only speaks to them through Moses. Considering that Adonai only speaks to the people
through Moses, and considering that the people can only speak to Adonai through Moses, what is the Torah trying
to teach us concerning the role Moses is fulfilling?
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8. Read Exodus 19:8-9. Explain how this verse proves (and demonstrates) that Adonai will only speak to Israel
through Moses and not directly!
9. As you can see, the people are limited in their ability to communicate or have contact with Adonai. Read Exodus
19:1-24. In what other ways does Adonai limit contact directly with the people (make a list)?
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10. Thus, it seems that Adonai is limiting access to Himself! Where else in the first few chapters of book of Exodus
do we see Adonai limiting access to Himself?
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11. What reason does Adonai give Moses pertaining to why he can’t come closer to the burning bush in Exodus 3:1-
5?
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12. Can you remember any other time before Exodus 3:1-5 that the subject of Adonai’s holiness came up? Now here’s
the big question. It’s apparent that Adonai is beginning to reveal a new aspect of His character to His people.
What is the classic verse in the early chapters of Exodus that tell us Adonai is about to reveal Himself in a manner
unknown by His people heretofore?
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As I’ve mentioned before, Adonai is revealing a new aspect of His character to His people . . . His holiness! This
will become a prominent theme in the remainder of the book of Exodus and we will need to understand it as it
relates to Messiah Yeshua and the reason for His work of redemption. Adonai never restricted the Patriarchs
from coming close to Him. They seemed to walk and talk without hindrance. However, as Adonai stated in
Exodus 6:2-3, He is about to reveal new facets of His being and His holiness if now front and center. Sinful man
cannot approach a holy God!
1. Earlier we saw how Adonai wanted us to focus on the father-son relationship between Jethro and Moses. At this
point we should immediately think that perhaps this story is Messianic. What is the Haftarah reading for the
yearly Torah portion called Yitro? Read Isaiah 9:6-7. Whoever chose the Haftarah reading saw a connection
between it and the Torah reading. Based on the Haftarah reading (Isaiah 9:6-7), what message/significance did
they see in Moses and Yitro’s relationship?
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3. With the help of our yearly Torah cycle reading Haftarah we can guess that Parashat Yitro is messianic. However,
there are other ways. For example, whenever you see The Sign of the Messiah you should know that the passage
you’re reading is messianic.
As we learned in the book of B'reishit (Genesis), anytime we see 1) pictures of resurrection, 2) pictures of
renewed life as a result of deliverance from impending death and 3) pictures of victory and life as a result of
death, we know the Torah is about to give us a teaching concerning the Messiah. I call these, themes of The
Resurrection and the Life, and they are especially strengthened when coupled in some manner with the number
three. The Resurrection and the Life in the Torah:
a. The first LIVING things (plants, grass, etc.) were created on day THREE!
b. The Torah's picture of the RESURRECTION of the Messiah is found in the Holy Days. The Holy Day that is
a shadow of Yeshua's RESURRECTION is the THIRD Holy Day, the Day of the Omer Wave Offering!
c. Jonah, who was in the belly of a great fish should have been dead. But on the THIRD day he came forth
ALIVE! Adonai has a great sense of humor because elsewhere He states, "death is swallowed up in
victory" (Isaiah 25:8 and I Corinthians 15:54).
d. The Akeida (binding of Isaac) found in Genesis 22—Abraham was supposed to offer Isaac as a whole burnt
offering. Although Adonai prevented him from actually sacrificing Isaac on the THIRD day, the manner in
which the Torah relates the story hints that Isaac died and was RESURRECTED. That's why Hebrews
11:17-19 says that Abraham received Isaac from the dead through RESURRECTION figuratively!
Do you see the Sign of the Messiah in today’s Torah portion? If so, please explain it in your own words. For
those of you who don’t see it, proceed to the next question and I’ll help you.
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4. Here’s some background information to help you see the Sign of the Messiah. How are Deuteronomy 4:33 (Did
any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?), Genesis
32:30 (So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”)
and Judges 13:22 (And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God!”) all thematically
connected? Now, explain how you can see the Sign of the Messiah in our Torah reading.
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5. We have established that our Torah portion is messianic in scope and we know that Moses’ life is a
foreshadowing of the work of the Messiah, so let’s see what Moses can teach us about Yeshua. Earlier we noted
that Moses is functioning as a mediator. What is he mediating and how does it teach us about Yeshua?
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6. How is I Timothy 2:5 (For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus)
thematically connected to the Torah portion and how does it teach us about Yeshua?
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7. Earlier we noted how often Moses ascended and descended the mountain in his role as covenant mediator. I
use those two words for a reason. How is John 6:38 (For I have come down [descended] from heaven, not to
do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.) thematically connected to the Torah portion and how does it
connect Yeshua and Moses?
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8. Explain how Yeshua will ascend and descend (in His mediatorial role) more than once even as Moses did.
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9. Quite often, messianic passages are lurking in the shadows in the form of cryptic sayings and/or stories in the
Tanakh. We read them and many times we are totally unaware of their messianic significance. For example,
Adonai poses a riddle to us in Proverbs 30:4 (Who has ascended to heaven and descended? Who has gathered
up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all
the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know.) Now that we have
learned about Yeshua’s role in ascending and descending from heaven in relation to Moses’ role in ascending and
descending Mount Sinai and the significance of that connection, when we read Proverbs 30:4 we should
immediately recognize it as a messianic passage pertaining to Yeshua! How many connections can you make
between Proverbs 30:4 and our Torah portion AND Yeshua?
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10. Do you know of a passage from the book of Psalms that mentions someone’s ascension on high?
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11. What verse in Psalm 68 identifies this psalm as a Messianic psalm? Hint - look for the Sign of the Messiah!
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12. What passage from the New Testament proves that Psalm 68:18 is messianic and pertains to Yeshua’s ascension
into heaven after His resurrection?
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1. How is Isaiah 61:5 (Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the foreigner) thematically
connected to the Torah portion?
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3. How is Isaiah 61:6 (But you shall be named the priests of the Lord, They shall call you the servants of our God.
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, And in their glory you shall boast.) thematically connected to the Torah
portion?
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4. How is Isaiah 61:1 (The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good
tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the
opening of the prison to those who are bound) thematically connected to the Torah portion?
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5. How is Isaiah 61:1 (The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good
tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the
opening of the prison to those who are bound) thematically connected to the Torah portion?
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6. How is Isaiah 61:1 (The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good
tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the
opening of the prison to those who are bound) thematically connected to the Torah portion?
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7. How is Isaiah 61:1 (The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good
tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the
opening of the prison to those who are bound) thematically connected to the Torah portion?
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1. How is Philippians 2:6-7 (who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but
made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.)
thematically connected to the Torah portion?
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2. How is Philippians 2:9 (Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above
every name) thematically connected to the Torah portion?
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VII) Some Basic Facts About Our Lesson
This crossword puzzle will cover basic facts about the Torah portion, Haftarah reading and Apostolic readings. The answers are
based on the text from the New King James Version of the Bible and may contain phrases as well as individual words.
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VIII) Practical Application
Let's get practical. The study of the Word is not complete until we are encouraged to think, speak and act differently. Our study
of the Word should always involve personal application of the text to our lives. As I've heard it said before, Adonai's Word needs
to go from our head to our hearts and then to our hands. Our lifelong journey is to become like our master, Yeshua, and this is
only accomplished as we faithfully apply His Word to every aspect of our lives.
ANSWER KEY
Outlining the Torah Portion
I. Exodus 18:1-12 – Moses Reunited with His Family
II. Exodus 18:13-27 – Moses Adopts His Father-in-law’s Leadership Advice
III. Exodus 19:1-9 – Adonai and Israel Agree to Covenant Together
IV. Exodus 19:16-25 – Adonai Descends Upon Mount Sinai
V. Exodus 20:1-17 – The Ten Commandments
VI. Exodus 20:18-21 – Israel Asks Moses to Speak to Adonai
VII. Exodus 20:22-26 – Instructions on Building Altars to Adonai