You Shall Not Murder
20: 13

You shall not murder REFLECT: Have I taken the life of another human being out of greed, malice, jealousy, or negligence? Is anger or rage a regular part of my life?

You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13).

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment”. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother, Raca (an Aramaic term of contempt) is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. You have heard it said: Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:21-22, 43-45a).

The sixth commandment elevates human life to the highest possible level, because it recognizes that life is sacred. Life is God’s gift, and we must not tamper with it. No person can restore life once it has ended. To kill is a wrong that, once done, cannot be undone. The finality of taking a human life has caused every civilization, no matter how seemingly primitive, to surround it with prohibitions and regulations. The basic principle is that God alone has sovereignty over physical life and death. After Hannah gave birth to her son Samuel, she praised God with this great truth: ADONAI brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up (First Samuel 2:6). Because God alone is the creator of life, He alone has the right to end it.

The Hebrew word here does not mean killing in general; the Hebrew word murder here, always stresses premeditation and deliberateness. It did not forbid the death penalty as some wish to make it today. In Genesis 9:5-6, God instituted the death penalty: And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too. I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made human beings in His image.” This was never repealed but stated another way in the Torah: If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death (Numbers 35:16-21).

Do not confuse this commandment with taking the life of an animal. Murder means the ending of a human life. No other book than the Bible calls for more mercy towards animals, and the commandments were given at a time when even the most “advanced” civilizations of the day abused animals terribly. So, this commandment has nothing to do with animal life as much as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) would like to have us think. It does not abolish the authority that man has over animals. As God Himself said: Everything that lives and moves upon the earth will be food for you (Genesis 9:3). As a result, humans and animals are not equals, because man was created in the image of God, and the animals, birds, fish, and insects were not.

As always, to understand this sixth commandment we must remember the first two commandments, which tell us that only ADONAI will be the God of our lives. History is full of examples, from ancient Rome to Adolph Hitler, only when ADONAI is truly God is mankind truly human. And only when God counts for everything, does man amount to anything. We must maintain this important hierarchy. With this in mind, let us see how this commandment guides us amid some of the complexities of modern life. It forbids killing a person directly, as when Cain murdered Abel; or indirectly, as when David killed Uriah by ordering someone else to do it.³⁸¹

First, what about suicide? You have no right to murder yourself. The omission of the object shows that the prohibition includes not only the killing of another person, but also the destruction of one’s own life.³⁸² Life is something that ADONAI does not treat lightly, and it is thus binding on His people to do likewise.³⁸³ The same principle applies, ADONAI gives life and He is the only One who has the right to take it. Suicide isn’t a basic human right. If it is not right to murder other human beings, it is not right to murder ourselves. Our life belongs to God, as the Scriptures clearly point out. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body (First Corinthians 6:19-20).

Nevertheless, we should not condemn those who commit suicide either. The Psalmist Asaph knew only two well the deep distress of human life when he cried out: My flesh and my heart may fail (Psalm 73:26a). And sometimes they do fail. But who is our judge, God alone? Sometimes the circumstances of life drive some people to despair and they are no longer capable of making responsible decisions. However, on a scriptural basis, suicide is murder and murder is not an option if we are accountable to God for our bodies.

Secondly, what about war? Is war wrong? Some believers say that Jesus addresses this when he tells us that we must love our enemies (Matthew 5:39-45), and all who draw the sword will die by the sword (Matthew 26:52). But others say that just as a judge has the right to condemn a murderer, the government has the right, indeed the responsibility, to protect its citizens from evil men and nations. In fact, the Hebrew word murder is never used in the Bible for executing someone who has been condemned to death or for killing an enemy in war. Jesus is described as Commander of the army of the LORD (Joshua 5:13-15). Who is the King of Glory? ADONAI, strong and mighty, ADONAI, mighty in battle (Psalm 24:8). This is not an easy question. This is something you must decide in your own heart, between you and God. No one else can make this decision for you.

Yet, one thing is certain – Christ never gives us, under any circumstances, the right to hate our enemies. If you opt for war, it must be done in agony of spirit and only as a last resort. It must be done regretfully, repentantly, and realizing that it is not a second best decision but a last choice. Those who love the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will not indulge in hatred, a revengeful spirit, bitterness or gloating over a fallen enemy. A believer will instead show love, forgiveness and mercy, even in the midst of war.³⁸⁴ But sometimes you find yourself staring into the face of evil, and you are the only person standing between a Charles Manson, an Adolph Hitler, or a terrorist and someone you love. That is the moment of truth.

What about abortion? Scripture says: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:13-16; also see Psalm 22:10; Isaiah 44:2 and 24; Jeremiah 1:5 and 20:17). So abortion should never be used to ease the emotional or financial pain of an unwanted pregnancy. In the case of rape, adoption should be an option if the mother cannot see her way clear to raise the child.

But the Scriptures do no cover every situation in our lives. In our Statement of Faith under Faith and Practice, we state that Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We recognize the local church cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible (First Corinthians 8:9; Romans 14). The case of saving the life of the mother because of a pregnancy, or during childbirth, is a difficult one because Scripture is silent. Therefore, the most important thing to do is to bring it before the Lord. Pray about it. Seek God.

Let’s look at a hypothetical situation. Say a young married believer has a five year old, a two year old, she’s pregnant, and she has cancer. The doctor comes in and tells her that she needs chemotherapy to live. But if she has chemotherapy it will kill the baby – abortion or not. She prays about it for several days. If she decides not to have the chemotherapy does that mean she is very godly woman? If she chooses to go ahead with the chemo does that mean she lacks faith? If she chooses not to have the radiation treatment does that mean God will save her life because she exhibited faith? If she says, Lord, “Your will be done,” does that mean that she will live?

Would you judge someone who went ahead and had an abortion under these circumstances? No. But there still are no easy answers. Some would say if she didn’t have the chemo that she is acting in a suicidal manner. Others would say she is displaying great faith. Is it right to make a decision to end someone’s life? No. Is it God who determines who should live and who should die? Of course it is. However, should a person choose to die to save another’s life? Are we commanded to do that? No! Taking your own life is wrong and taking another person’s life is wrong. No easy answers there! None of us really knows what we would do unless we were actually confronted with the situation. The bottom line is that when it comes down to making a difficult decision like this, it’s between you and God.

When Jesus came He restated the sixth commandment and raised it to a much higher level, penetrating deep into our hearts. The Torah only prohibited the outward violence that would kill; however, Christ expanded it to include the inward thoughts and feelings of anger that lead to physical violence. But there is a righteous anger, Jesus Himself got angry at the right time, at the right place, and about the right things. We should do likewise. However, God did condemn that personal, out-of-control type of feeling. The only difference between anger and murder is in degree. Isn’t that the order in which killing occurs? Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death (James 1:14-15). First comes the seething resentment, an insult, the hatred, and finally murder.³⁸⁵ But ADONAI said: You shall not murder.

Honor Your Father and Your Mother
20: 12

Honor your father and your mother REFLECT: Have I shown disrespect for my parents, or withheld my care for them? Have I been unable to appreciate them as gifts from God and refuse to consider their viewpoints as valid? Do I exasperate my children? Am I raising them in the training and instruction of the Lord?

Honor your father and your mother, so you may live long in the Land ADONAI your God is giving you (Exodus 20:12).

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise, “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-4).

As far as Isra’el was concerned, the fifth commandment had a promise of longevity that referred to the nation as a whole. Instead of meaning a long life for each individual Israelite, it meant that the nation itself would live long in the land of Canaan if they honored their fathers and mothers. On the other hand, cursing one’s parents, the same as to rejecting their authority, was a capital offense. ADONAI commanded: Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head (Leviticus 20:9 and Proverbs 20:20).

The Scriptures direct every child to honor his or her father and mother. But just what does it mean to honor your father and your mother? The Hebrew word honor literally means to be heavy, weighty, to honor. Today we would say that his or her words “Carry a lot of weight.” Someone whose words are weighty is someone worthy of honor and respect. However, we can learn even more about what it means to honor someone by looking at its opposite in the Scriptures. The literal meaning of the word curse is to make light of, of little weight, to dishonor. We would say their words “Carry very little weight.” Therefore, when Ha’Shem commands us to honor our parents, He is telling us that they are worthy of high value and respect.³⁷⁷

Our greatest example is Messiah Himself. Even though God the Father would wake God the Son, morning by morning and teach Him that He was destined to go to the cross (Isaiah 50:4-7), Jesus was still obedient to His earthly parents (Luke 2:51). Imagine that, the sinless God of the universe honoring His earthly parents! One of the ways that we are conformed into the likeness of Messiah (Romans 8:29) is by honoring our parents.

Without a doubt, there are some parents whose insensitivity and unloving actions have hurt their children deeply. What if you had a father or a mother was physically or psychologically abusive? What about the parent who has chosen to be a friend of the world and therefore become an enemy of God (James 4:4)? That parent loves everything that God hates. How can you honor that parent? I know that from a human perspective some mothers and fathers don’t appear to deserve honor. I am not saying their actions were not hurtful, nor am I rationalizing the negative effects they may have caused over the years. And if you are in physical danger, of course you need to get to a safe place away from them. You don’t have to subject yourself to abuse. However, I am saying that the only way to be free from the hurt is to honor them. Because every time we lower their value and cut them down, we’re dishonoring a part of ourselves. So if you are in that situation, what can you do? You can make an unconditional decision to treat them (or their memory) as a valuable treasure, and granting them a position of respect and honor in your life. I am not saying this is always easy, but the alternative isn’t very good either. In that way you can stop chasing past hurts and be at peace in the present.

Besides the fifth commandment, the book of Proverbs has much to say about honoring our parents. We honor our parents when we listen carefully to their godly counsel (Proverbs 1:8, 2:1, 4:1, 5:1, 9:8, 10:1, 13:1 and 15:5). We honor our parents when they see us acting wisely (Proverbs 27:11). Praising our parents brings light to our lives, but cursing them will snuff out our lamp (Proverbs 20:20). We dishonor our parents and bring grief to them when we act foolishly (Proverbs 17:25). Involvement in immoral relationships not only affects us, but also causes our parents to grieve (Proverbs 5:1-23, 31:3). Being prideful, critical and judgmental dishonor our parents (Proverbs 30:12-17).³⁷⁸

What happens if a parent has died and you cannot speak face to face? The memory of an absent father or mother can be just as vivid as real life. We carry those mental pictures around with us all our lives. Some people loved their parents deeply but never told them so. Others struggle with a painful past and have horrible feelings and memories of them. May I suggest that you write a letter to that person and share your feelings as if he or she were with you in person. Or if writing a letter is too difficult, make a recording that you can play back and listen to. Love the sinner, hate the sin. You can still be completely honest, and yet not sin with your words.³⁷⁹

Rabbi Sha’ul broadened the commandment to include both children and parents. This commandment deals with the consequences of family behavior. Families are a part of God’s plan. No one is an island and God makes a home for the lonely when He places us in families (Psalm 68:6 NASB). The nature of human life is that each generation begins where the previous generation places it. That’s not some ancient, religious code. That’s an indisputable fact of history. This means that both the blessings and the sins of the parents have an impact on the following generations. This is true genetically, physically, socially, psychologically and spiritually. Each generation starts where the previous generation leaves off. And because this is the nature of humanity, we need a commandment to guide us.³⁸⁰

Remember the Sabbath by Keeping It Holy
20: 8-11

Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy DIG: What is the difference between observing the Sabbath and worshiping on Sunday? Are there differences between the way Hebrew Christians and Messianic Jews observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy? Why is the Sabbath a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and the Israelites? What is replacement theology? What is the difference between the first four commandments and the last six?

REFLECT: Do I choose to observe the Sabbath or to worship on Sunday? Do I fail to take time off for rest, spiritual rejuvenation, and worship? Is my day of worship just like any other day of the week? Is a Christian Gentiles’ worship on Sunday any better, or worse, than a messianic Jew observing the Sabbath? Why or why not?

The TaNaKh pictures the wedding ceremony of ADONAI to the nation of Isra’el, just the B’rit Chadashah pictures the wedding ceremony of Yeshua to the Church (see the commentary on Revelation, to see link click Fg – Blessed Are Those Who are Invited to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb). After the engagement (6:7a), the separation of the bride (5:1), and the segulah (19:5), we now come to the actual wedding ceremony. First, we saw the people purify themselves in the mikveh (19:10 and 14), then we saw them standing under the chupah where the wedding takes place (19:16a). Now we come to the central part of the wedding called the ketubah. In traditional Jewish weddings the ketubah is the marriage contract or covenant. It is the legally binding agreement between the bride and groom which governs their marriage. It is always a written agreement, which is how the word ketubah derives its name, from the Hebrew “to write.” The ketubah is read and signed during the wedding ceremony.

In this wedding ceremony at Mount Sinai, what is the ketubah? What is it that is the legally binding marriage contract or covenant between YHVH and His bride, Isra’el? It is Torah! For here, in Chapter 20, ADONAI begins to give His Torah to Isra’el. The first part of the revelation of the Torah is what the Bible calls The Ten Words, otherwise known as the Ten Commandments (see Dj – The Ten Commandments). However,  the reality is that the entire Torah is the ketubah.

But what is a wedding without a ring? A wedding ring is an outward symbol of the marriage. It is given as a token or a pledge that the person who made the promises will, in fact, keep those promises. It also serves as an outward sign to others that a particular man or woman is married. The ring is Shabbat! We are told that the Sabbath is a sign (see Er – The Sabbath, the Sign of the Covenant ). Consequently,  just as the ring is an outward sign that the husband and wife belong to each other, so is Shabbat an outward sign that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Isra’el belong together.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath for ADONAI your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For six days God made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Thus, God blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20:8-11).

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and ADONAI your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, ADONAI your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Of the Ten Commandments, nine of them are fulfilled in the Torah’s true meaning, which Messiah upholds, and often made more stringent, so we are obligated to obey them. However, this particular commandment regarding the Sabbath day, or Shabbat as it is called in Hebrew, is not found in the New Covenant and as a result, while Gentile Christians may obey it for the blessing (Genesis 11:3a), most choose not to observe it. It is not for the Church. But while keeping the Sabbath saves neither Gentile believers nor Jewish believers; for the Jew, just as the rainbow was the sign of the Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:12-13) and circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17:11),³⁷³ Shabbat on Saturday is a special sign between God and the Israelites forever (Exodus 31:13-17; Ezeki’el 20:20). In other words, this passage explicitly states that the Israelites are to keep the Sabbath.

Christians worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Jews observe the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, for the blessing, and to be obedient to the Torah. Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote when speaking of the Day of Atonement: This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. It is a Sabbath rest (Leviticus 23:31b-32a). Israelites were to keep the book of the Torah on their lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that they would act according to everything written in it (Joshua 1:8). The Sabbath is the most important appointed feast day on the Jewish calendar, even greater than Yom Kippur (see the commentary on Leviticus – Yom Kippur). For messianic Jews, the messianic synagogue is a practical way to express the New Covenant faith within the Jewish cultural framework from where it originated.

An allegory. At the beginning of time was One, eternal. But time undivided, time eternal, would be unrelated to the world of space. So time was divided into seven days and entered into an intimate relationship with the world of space. With every single day, another realm of things came into being, except the seventh day.

The Sabbath was a lonely day. It may be compared to a king who had seven sons. To six of them he gave his wealth, but to the youngest he gave nobility, with the privilege of royalty. The six older sons, who were commoners, found their mates, but the noble one remained without a mate.

After the work of creation, the seventh day pleaded: Master of the universe, all that You have created is in couples; to every day of the week You have given a mate. Only I was left alone. And God answered: The community of Isra’el will be your mate. That promise was not forgotten. When the people of Isra’el stood before Mount Sinai, the Lord said to them: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Here is your mate.³⁷⁴

Are there differences between the way Hebrew Christians and Messianic Jews observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy? Yes, most certainly. Historically Hebrew Christians are those believers in Christ that are Jewish but are not affiliated with Messianic Judaism. As a result, they faithfully attend church but do not keep Shabbat. Messianic Jews, on the other hand, are those Jewish believers in Messiah who fully keep and retain their Jewishness in theology and practice. In this context, a “Messianic Jew” would never consider himself or herself either a “Christian” or “Hebrew Christian”. Paul defines the Christian for us in Acts 11:26 as being a person or congregation of Gentile believers. The Antioch church of Acts 11:26 was exclusively a Gentile congregation, while the Messianic Jews of the first century were commonly called followers of the Way (Acts 24:14), or simply The Way (Acts 9:2).

In the messianic Siddur, or prayer book, it states that, “The children of Isra’el shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Isra’el forever, that in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he ceased from work and rested”. For the Jew, it is not a question of salvation, but a question of blessing. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Gen 2:3; also see Exodus 20:11b and Isaiah 56:2-7). If a Jew is saved and chooses to worship in church on Sunday, it has no affect on his or her salvation, but he or she will lose the blessing of Sabbath worship. If a Gentile chooses to worship with a Messianic congregation on Saturday, he or she will also be blessed greatly. The blessing will be a result of the Abrahamic Covenant where ADONAI said: I will bless those who bless you (Genesis 11:3a). It is interesting to note that the Sabbath day rest will be reestablished during the messianic Kingdom (Ezeki’el 44:24, 45:17, 46:1-4, 46:18).

The fourth commandment was given to the Jews in the Torah to set apart the seventh day of the week, which would be Saturday, as a day of rest. God ceased His work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-3), and He wanted them to do the same. There was to be no gathering of manna (16:25-30), no traveling (16:29), no plowing or reaping (34:21), no lighting a fire for cooking (35:3), no gathering wood (Numbers 15:32-36), they were not to make wine or transport it (Nehemiah 13:15), no burden bearing (Jer 17:21-22), and no trading (Amos 8:5). In the Torah, the Sabbath was a day of individual or corporate worship.

In the gospels, there were three major areas of conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees and Sadducees: First, His claim that He was the Messiah; secondly, the authority of the Oral Law, or the traditions of the men (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law); and thirdly, the correct way of observing the Sabbath. In the day of Jesus, the Sabbath had become an end to itself. In fact, certain Jewish religious leaders had developed a theology that Isra’el had been created to observe the Sabbath. But by adding so many rules and regulations, the Pharisees made the Sabbath a burden instead of a blessing. By building ‘the fence around the Torah’ with the Oral Law, they detracted from its true meaning. It was supposed to help man, not enslave him. The Jewish religious leaders missed the human element, because the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). Furthermore, Jesus was, and continues to be, Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8).

There is no question that Jesus observed the Sabbath in the manner given by the Torah, though not always in the manner given by the rabbis. However, this is not sufficient ground to insist that Jewish or Gentile believers be obligated to keep the Sabbath today for salvation. Yeshua lived under the Torah and perfectly obeyed every one of the 613 commandments applicable to Him, be they moral, civil, or ceremonial. To insist that Jewish or Gentile believers keep the Sabbath today to be saved would also require them to perfectly keep all of the same commandments, down to the smallest letter, or tiniest part of a letter of Scripture (Matthew 5:18), including the civil and ceremonial laws.³⁷⁵

For the Gentile believer, Sunday, or the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), is not the same as Saturday, the seventh day. Although Sunday is the most common day of worship for the Christian today, no specific day is assigned. One man considers one day more sacred than another; but another man considers every day alike. Each one should be convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord (Romans 14:5-6a). We are commanded to come together in fellowship (Hebrews 10:25), but today the local church determines what day we choose to worship, and most churches have chosen Sunday. Messianic synagogues worship on Saturday. But there are Gentiles whose jobs require them to work both Saturday and Sunday. They should take a day of rest on some other day of the week. The point is that, for our own well being, we need to take a rest from our normal work every week.³⁷⁶

So, are Gentile believers obligated to rest and abstain from work on the Sabbath? No. If you take one day of the week to rest and do something other than your normal work, will you have a richer, fuller, and more rewarding life? But for the Jew, Shabbat can only be celebrated on Saturday.

Although the Christian should have their day of rest, whether Sunday or any other day, it should never be called a “Christian Sabbath”, in that, it does not exist. Certainly, they should all have a designated day or time to rest and be with the Lord in worship, ministry, and service – still that would never be the prescribed Sabbath of the Torah. To call Sunday worship at a church, the “Christian Sabbath”, is a subtle form of replacement theology, where Gentile believers take that which was given to Isra’el and claim it as their own in replacement of the covenant with Isra’el. Thus, because of its great importance, Sabbath worship and Sunday worship cannot be compared.

The first four commandments are more vertical and describe our relationship with God, but the last six are more horizontal and describe our relationship with each other.

You Shall Not Misuse the Name
of the LORD Your God
20: 7

You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God REFLECT: Do I use God’s name in contexts other than prayer, worship, teaching or evangelism? Has God’s name become separated from His person in my everyday life?

You shall not misuse the name of ADONAI your God, for ADONAI will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name (Exodus 20:7).

This, then, is how you should pray. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9).

What’s in a name? Plenty! God’s name is comprised of the four Hebrew letters that in English are YHWH. It was this name that was explained to Moses at the burning bush (3:13-22). The Jewish scribes would take extraordinary precautions when writing His name. They would never dip their pen in the ink in the middle of writing His name. If even the king spoke to them while writing the name of YHWH, the scribe would ignore him. In fact, the Jews took this commandment so seriously that they refused to pronounce God’s name so they wouldn’t accidentally misuse the name of YHWH. For that very reason, the exact pronunciation of God’s name has been lost. Even today, many Jews make no attempt to use or even pronounce the name, referring to God simply as Ha’Shem, Hebrew for the name.³⁶⁸

Some view this third commandment as merely a prohibition against using God’s name as a swear word. The Israelites themselves took it as such. Leviticus 19:12 says: Do not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am ADONAI. But there is a lot more to this commandment than that. The word profane comes from the Latin word pro, which means in front of, and fane, which means the temple. Those who profane the name of God have taken the holy out of the temple and permitted their hearts, minds and mouths to be put in the gutter out in front of it. Do you know anyone who loves God and is close to Him that thinks His last name is damn? Of course not. God will hold us responsible if we profanely use His name.

On another level, this third commandment is a ban against dishonesty of speech, perjury, false promises and the breaking of our word. Early in human history people came to lie so often that no one could trust a person’s common word. In order to be believed one had to call upon god to witness to the truth. We think the cover-ups and evasions going on today in the political arena and elsewhere are modern phenomena, but the problem is really as old as civilization. The idea also surfaced that if you didn’t swear by God, then you didn’t have to tell the truth. But slowly people became such liars that even that didn’t help. People felt that unless they took a certain elaborate oath they were not required to tell the truth.

By the time Jesus was born the situation was much worse. People used many different kinds of oaths but still lied. It became impossible to tell if they were telling the truth or not, even though they used God’s name in an oath. That’s why Jesus said: Do not swear at all, simply let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No” be “No” (Matthew 5:34 and 37). His point was that we shouldn’t have to use God’s name to be believed. As believers, our lives should be our witness. We are united in Christ (Ephesians Chapter 1), meaning we belong to Him. We take His name as our name and we should never profane it by breaking our word, or using His name for selfish or evil purposes (Psalm 139:20; Deuteronomy 5:11).³⁶⁹ Not that we are perfect, but honoring God all the time including all we say, should be the desire of our hearts.

This third commandment has an even deeper meaning. The third commandment also warns us against the misuse of God’s power. In both the TaNaKh and the B’rit Chadashah a person’s name was thought to be an extension of their character. Similarly, throughout the Bible ADONAI’s name represents the nature and character of God Himself. So to speak for ADONAI is to speak in His name (Deuteronomy 18:19-20). To praise God is to praise His name (Psalm 96:2, 100:4). To worship God is to call upon the name of ADONAI (Genesis 4:26; Isaiah 84:7). To serve God is to love His name (Psalm 5:11). The Temple of God was the place ADONAI chose . . . to put His Name (Deuteronomy 12:5). The Bible teaches that those who know ADONAI’S name will trust in Him (Psalm 9:10). Therefore, to know the name of ADONAI is in some way to know the power of God.

Acts 4:7 tells how the religious leaders questioned Peter and John about their healing of a lame man, asking: By what power or what name did you do this? And Peter answered: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth . . . (Acts 4:10). Eventually the high court angrily let them go, warning the apostles not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18). You see, God’s name includes His character, His will, and His power. That’s why we are to pray in the name of Christ and why God’s name has special power and meaning for us. It is as if the third commandment is saying, “Be very careful. Don’t use the name of God for your own selfish ends. Don’t attempt to use God’s power for your own will and your own ways. Don’t try to cosign God’s name to a lot of things in your life that are totally unworthy of His name.³⁷⁰

In this age of grace, the believer is encouraged not to swear by any oath. Echoing what Yeshua had said earlier, James said: Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No” be no, or you will be condemned (James 5:12). We need to exhibit truth on all occasions and should not need the name of God to verify our life style of telling the truth.³⁷¹

What’s in a name? Everything. Does you life profane His name or honor His name? Can God sign His name to your body? How about your money? Does ADONAI co-sign His holy name to your checkbook? What about your home, your habits, your mood, your manners, your work, your disposition? Can God sign His name to your life? If so, you are keeping the third commandment.³⁷²

You Shall Not Make for Yourselves an Idol
20: 4-6

You shall not make for yourselves an idol REFLECT: Has a picture or image of God replaced the real the LORD as the object of my worship? Have I changed my ultimate loyalty to an object, an activity, an organization or a person that has become the god I serve?

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in haven above or on the earth beneath or in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, ADONAI your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me. But I will show love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and obey My commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).

The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk (Revelation 9:20).

The First Commandment clearly teaches that ADONAI is the only God, and no others are to be tolerated, or even thought of. The Second Commandment declares the type of God that He is, and how He is to be worshipped. We must remember that God is not against making images. Later, God would command Moses to make a bronze snake in the wilderness. This commandment is against worshiping these idols.

No idols were to be worshiped. Deuteronomy 4:15-18 confirmed that command: You saw no form of any kind the day God spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. The people of other nations worshiped objects in heaven above (like the sun, moon and stars), or on the earth below (such as the crocodiles in Egypt or sea monsters among the Babylonians), but Isra’el was to worship the one true God.

The reason that idols are not to be worshiped is that ADONAI is a jealous or zealous God, and their idolatry is looked upon as spiritual adultery. The Hebrew term qanna’ combines the two concepts of jealousy and zeal (not envy or suspicion).³⁶⁶ So zeal, or zealousness, meaning a passionate devotion to, would be a better term to use than jealous, which has negative, even petty connotations. So idolatry would cause God’s zeal to burn like a husband’s zealousness would burn against an unfaithful wife (Hosea 2:2-5). Because God and Isra’el are viewed as married, Isra’el is viewed as the wife of ADONAI (Deuteronomy 5:1-3, 6:10-15, 7:6-11; Isaiah 54:1-8, 62:4-5; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezeki’el 16:8; Hosea 2:14-23). For that very reason, the Israelites should not have worshiped other gods. God has a right to be zealous over what is rightfully His. As a result, this was not a petty jealousy, but a righteous zealousness.

God will punish the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him (Exodus 20:5). When one member of the family commits a sin, spiritual adultery for example, the whole family suffers. They will not all be put to death for the father’s crime (Ezeki’el 18:4b), but if they continue to hate God, the penalty of the father’s act will surely be felt by future generations to come in different ways. On the other hand, obeying ADONAI’s commandments flows naturally from loving Him (John 14:15; First John 5:3).

An idol is anything or anyone who takes the place of God in our lives. Saint Augustine said, “Idolatry is worshiping anything that ought to be used, or using anything that ought to be worshiped.” Believers are not immune from this temptation. Even different aspects of our faith can become idolatrous. One of the greatest examples of this is the bronze snake in the wilderness. When the Israelites grumbled in the desert, God sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many of them died. ADONAI then commanded Moses to make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. So anyone who was bitten by a snake could look up at the bronze snake and live (Numbers 21:4-9). Than bronze snake is a type of Christ on the cross. Yeshua said: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life (John 3:14-15). That snake, like Yeshua, was a means of salvation, something to deliver the people from their sins. But the Israelites eventually worshiped it. Seven hundred years later when a godly man named Hezekiah became king, he began to cleanse Isra’el from her idolatry. As Second Kings 18:4 tells us, one of the first things he did was to break to pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. They took a good thing that God had given them, a means of salvation, and turned it into an idol to be worshiped. Thus, we must be careful not to do the same thing.

God will tolerate no rivals; not our service, not our concern, not our passionate devotion, not even our ability, though we live or die for the cause of Yeshua the Messiah. He wants every key to every door in your heart. He is zealous that there be no competition. He will not share the throne of our hearts. There is only one seat on the throne and it is His. He wants to look at us and say, “There go My children. They are all Mine. They belong to Me without exception. Every part of their personalities, every relationship, every ambition, and every desire belongs to Me.”

In the last days those that dwell upon the earth will choose to worship idols that cannot see (see the commentary on Revelation, to see link click Db – The Sixth Trumpet: Four Angles Who Had Been Kept Ready, Were Released to Kill a Third of Mankind). As a direct result of their rebellion, a third of mankind will be killed. Is there an idol in your heart? Can God look down into your heart and ask, “Do I have a rival here? Why aren’t you all mine?” Dear children, keep yourselves from idols (First John 5:21). ADONAI your God is a zealous God who will tolerate no rival.³⁶⁷

You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me
20: 3

You shall have no other gods before Me REFLECT: Has God’s reign in my life been replaced by another object or person I would rather serve? Do I love other things more than I love the LORD?

You shall have no other gods in addition to Me (Exodus 20:3).

For even if there are so called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom we have our being (First Corinthians 8:5-6).

God condemns polytheism, which is the worship of more than one god. In that day this was a very difficult teaching because it was popular to worship many gods. Indeed, Israel had just escaped from Egypt, where thousands of gods were worshiped. Surprisingly, we learn that even the Israelites had worshiped false gods while living in Egypt (Ezeki’el 20:5-8). Unfortunately, Isra’el often disobeyed this very first command by worshiping the idols of other nations.³⁶³ This resulted in the northern Kingdom being taken over by Assyria and the southern Kingdom taken exile in Babylon.

Today, the temptation is to worship no god at all. But the decision before us is not between atheism or God. It is not the issue of God or no God. That is not our choice. The question is which deity we will worship – the true and living God who came to us as Jesus Christ or a substitute god? Inevitably we must look to something beyond ourselves. This something helps us make choices in life. It gives us a set of values or priorities that serve as a reference point. It becomes the determining factor in our lives so that gradually and perhaps without knowing it, we become like the God or god we worship.

Every deity stamps his worshiper with his trademark (see the commentary on Revelation, to see link click Dp – The Mark is the Name of the Beast or the Number of His Name), and your god could be leaving his mark upon your life today. Martin Luther said it beautifully, “Whatever the heart clings to, whatever the heart relies on, that is your god.” We must let ADONAI be God, the true and living God. That’s why the Bible opposes every form of idolatry. The greatest sin described in the Bible is not breaking the commandments but rejecting God, or idolatry. Idolatry is misplaced allegiance, making a commitment, having a love, a priority, to a god that displeases and dethrones the true and living God.³⁶⁴ There is only room for one king on the throne of your heart.

But there are other gods besides idols of wood and stone. Money, pleasure, sex, drugs, science, fashion, fame, music, gluttony, sports and a score of other things can take the rightful place of God in our lives. We can even take good things and make gods out of them. For example, Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon did that very thing. For years he studied, earned a doctorate, worked hard, dreamt, and disciplined himself. Finally he was chosen to go with Neil Armstrong on the historic mission to the moon. But after the mission he had an emotional breakdown. It didn’t have anything to do with mission. He became very disillusioned after working hard and attained every goal along the way. But he found it all empty when it was over, He had taken a good thing and made a god out of it. And it did what all false gods do, it turned around and destroyed him. That’s what always happens when we turn God’s gifts into false gods.

So does it matter who the God of your life is? It certainly does! It is the difference between eternal life and eternal death. You shall have no other god’s before Me. Let ADONAI be God in your life. Jesus restated the first commandment when He said: No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24). We cannot love and serve more than one God. If we do, we become fragmented. Polytheism in one’s heart will produce polytheism in one’s personality and emotions. The Bible calls it idolatry. Psychiatry calls it neurosis. The point is that we were built for only one God.

So, who is your God? And where is your God? On the throne? Or do you have a divided loyalty? There is only room for only one person on the throne at a time. Who is on yours? The first commandment is basically saying: I am the Lord your God. I am your Savior. I am your Deliverer. You belong to Me. I am sovereign over you. I am yours and you are mine. This commandment will be the only commandment because I am the only God. Therefore, you shall have no other gods in addition to Me.³⁶⁵

The Ten Commandments
20: 3-17

Compared with Suzerainty Treaties, the Torah also had general conditions more commonly known as the Ten Commandments, or in Hebrew literally the Ten Words. They are also explained in Deuteronomy 4:44 to 11:32, and Joshua 24:14-15 and 23.

The Ten Commandments continue to stir controversy in both the community of believers and society. Some would question their relevance in public life today. Militant groups battle to remove them from schoolrooms, courtrooms and government offices, confining them instead to the area of private religion. More disturbing is the extent to which teaching the Ten Commandments in the Church has been replaced by the widespread heresy of antinomianism, or the idea that all one has to do is to try one’s best to be saved, and that the Ten Commandments should be ignored.³⁶²

Yeshua said to His disciples: Come, follow Me (Matthew 4:19). Following Jesus involves keeping the commandments of ADONAI. He said: Whoever has My commandments and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him (John 14:21). Not only that, but the coming of the Messiah, did not do away with the Ten Commandments. Jesus taught: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).

Therefore, for believers, what is the purpose of the Ten Commandments today? First of all, they are not a set of rules. Rules cannot bring freedom, they can only accuse. What they do accomplish is to reveal the heart of God, and thus are an indispensable part of the life of a believer. They have nothing to do with our justification, but they have everything to do with our sanctification. Justification is a one-time action by the LORD whereby, negatively, He forgives the sins of believers and, positively, He declares them righteous by imputing the obedience and righteousness of Christ to them through faith (Genesis 15:6; Psalm 32:2; Jeremiah 23:6; Romans 3:28 to 4:6; Gal 2:16, 3:8-9, 21, 24). Sanctification, however, is to be set apart, specifically, to the holy use and purpose of God. It takes work, and is a continuous lifetime struggle to be transformed into the likeness of Christ (Second Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:1-2). It is a goal, and in reality, is never accomplished during our lifetime (see Perfectionism by B.B. Warfield). The result of being transformed is inward peace (Isaiah 32:17), observable spiritual fruit (Second Corinthians 9:8; Second Peter 1:5-11), and a deep desire to honor ADONAI (Matthew 5-16; John 15:8).

The Ten Commandments reveal the heart of God in three ways. First, the Torah is still a moral guide by revealing sin (Romans 7:7). Secondly, we know that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (Second Timothy 3:16). Therefore, the Torah can be used as a teaching tool to show ADONAI’s standard of righteousness, so that we can know Him better and love Him more. And thirdly, it can also be used to point others to Yeshua (Galatians 3:24-25). Nine of these Ten Commandments are also found in the New Covenant with conditions of the heart added that make us even more accountable not only in our actions, but in our thoughts as well. You could say they are God’s blueprint for living.

I Am the LORD Your God,
Who Brought You Out of the Land of Slavery
20: 1-2

As the people stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, God spoke to them and provided the Torah for them. And God spoke all these words to angels (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2), who gave it to Moses (Exodus 20:1).

When compared with Suzerainty Treaties, the Torah would have a preamble and a historical introduction. The preamble of I am ADONAI your God (20:2a) is brief and to the point. And it is also recorded in Deuteronomy 1:1-4, and Joshua 24:1-2a. It was His Torah and it originated with Him. And since God is truth, His word is truth. The main thing about your Word is that it’s true; and all your just rulings last forever (Psalm 119:160 CJB). By employing the preamble in this way, God demonstrates His sovereignty and kingship over His people.

The phrase: Who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery (Exodus 20:2b), which is almost as brief as the preamble, is a condensed summary of God’s mighty acts in the past and serves as the historical introduction that follows. It is also detailed in Deuteronomy 1:5 and 4:43, and Joshua 24:2b-13. Thus, the Ten Commandments flow easily from both the preamble and the historical introduction. It was like God was saying to the Israelites, “On the basis of who I am, and what I have done for you, here is what you are to do for Me.”

Therefore, the Ten Commandments begin with the character of God. Before He tells us one commandment, He tells us: I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. For us today, when the LORD establishes His place in our lives that means He has the right to demand that we will worship and love Him alone because what He has done for us on the cross.

ADONAI and the Torah
20: 1-26

The TaNaKh pictures the wedding ceremony of ADONAI to the nation of Isra’el, just the B’rit Chadashah pictures the wedding ceremony of Yeshua to the Church (see the commentary on Revelation Fg – Blessed Are Those Who are Invited to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb). After the engagement (6:7a), the separation of the bride (5:1), and the segulah (19:5), we now come to the actual wedding ceremony. First, we saw the people purify themselves in the mikveh (19:10 and 14), then we saw them standing under the chupah where the wedding takes place (19:16a). Now we come to the central part of the wedding called the ketubah. In traditional Jewish weddings the ketubah is the marriage contract or covenant. It is the legally binding agreement between the bride and groom which governs their marriage. It is always a written agreement, which is how the word ketubah derives its name, from the Hebrew “to write.” The ketubah is read and signed during the wedding ceremony.

In this wedding ceremony at Mount Sinai, what is the ketubah? What is it that is the legally binding marriage contract or covenant between YHVH and His bride, Isra’el? It is Torah! For here, in Chapter 20, ADONAI begins to give His Torah to Isra’el. The first part of the revelation of the Torah is what the Bible calls The Ten Words, otherwise known as the Ten Commandments (to see link click Dj – The Ten Commandments). However,  the reality is that the entire Torah is the ketubah.

One of the great events in the history of Isra’el, and also in the history of mankind, was God giving the Torah to the children of Isra’el through Moses. It was not given so that the Israelites, by keeping it, could attain righteousness (Galatians 3:11). A righteous standing before God has always been by faith in God alone (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3 and 22, 5:1; Galatians 2:16, 3:6 and 21). The Torah functioned, and continues to function, to teach the Israelites about both righteousness and their sinfulness (Romans 3:19-20b). The Ten Commandments are a part of the Torah, but in total there were six hundred and thirteen commands, 365 negative and 248 positive commands, that Moses would eventually record.

We do not worship the Torah. But when we give reverence to it, we practice the reverence that we will give to the Christ when He comes again. In fact, the Torah means the teacher and the rabbis believe that the Torah is the light of the world.

The Torah was given by means of angels. There are many Jewish traditions that are passed down but are ignored in the B’rit Chadashah and therefore carry no validity. However, there are other traditions contained in Jewish writings that apparently do have weight because the New Covenant validates them. Nowhere in the TaNaKh are we told that when Moses received the Torah he received it from angels. Nevertheless, the fact that God gave the Torah by means of angels is validated three times in the B’rit Chadashah (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2).

What was the purpose the Torah? Well, one thing we know for sure, it was never intended to be a means of salvation. Because if that were true, it would mean that salvation was by works. The clear teaching of Scripture is that salvation is always by grace through faith, plus nothing. However, the content of faith changed from dispensation to dispensation. And what the content of faith was in different dispensations was determined by the amount of revelation that ADONAI had given up to that time. Progressive revelation teaches: God did not choose to give all of the Scriptures at one time, but they were recorded for over sixteen hundred years by about forty different authors. The more Scripture that was given, the more revelation was given and man had greater knowledge of what it meant to be saved.

So if the Torah was not meant to save anyone, what was its purpose? There were seven basic purposes. First, it revealed the holiness of God. It revealed the standard of righteousness that God demanded. One would not have to read many of the six hundred and thirteen commandments to realize that he or she had broken quite a few of them. One would conclude that it was hopeless to be saved by works.

Second, it was to provide a blueprint for living for the righteous of the TaNaKh (Romans 3:20 and 28). The way they demonstrated their faith was by striving, although never succeeding, to keep the Torah.

Third, it was to serve as a barrier, or a dividing wall of hostility separating Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14). As long as the Torah was in effect, Gentiles could not enjoy the spiritual blessings of the Jewish covenants. The only way they could was: to become converts to Judaism, put themselves under total subjection to the Torah, submit to it by means of circumcision and in all practical purposes, live as any Jew would live. So only Gentiles as converts to Judaism, but not Gentiles as Gentiles, could enjoy those Jewish spiritual blessings.

Fourth, the Torah was to reveal sin (Romans 3:19-20, 5:20, 7:7). After reading the Torah no one could claim to be without sin. The Torah was like a mirror being held up to each Israelite to reveal his or her own sin.

Fifth, interestingly enough, was to make people sin more (Romans 4:15, 7:8-13). Our sin nature actually uses the Torah as a basis of operation because where there is no commandment there is no transgression of it. For example, as soon as the Torah said: You shall not, the sin nature says, “Oh, yes I will.” Or if the Torah said you will do this or that, the sin nature says, “Oh, no I won’t.” Suddenly, the sin nature had a base of operation, the Torah. The Apostle Paul goes on to state that the problem was not with the Torah because it was holy, righteous and ordained by God. The problem was our sin nature. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Torah (First Corinthians 15:56). Plus, those who felt they were keeping the commandments of the Torah judged others that they felt were not keeping the commandments.

Sixth, it was to teach the way of righteousness. The Hebrew word Torah is derived from the Hebrew root yarah, which means to shoot an arrow or to teach. Torah means teaching or instruction that is true and straight as if the words of Torah are shot in a direct path like an arrow, with power and force for living life to the fullest.

Seventh, and most important purpose of the Torah, was to lead Jews to faith in the Messiah. Rabbi Sha’ul stated that the Torah was our tutor to lead us to the Messiah that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). If we really learned the lesson of the fourth purpose, that no one could claim to be without sin; and the lesson of the fifth purpose, that our sin nature causes us to sin more, that will lead to the sixth purpose, that is to lead us to faith in the Messiah because we would understand that it would be impossible to fulfill His perfect, righteous standard.

There was once a king who had an only daughter, and one of the kings came and married her. When her husband wished to return to his country, her father said to him, “My daughter, whose hand I have given you, is my only child. I cannot part with her. Neither can I say to you, “Do not take her,” for she is your wife. This one favor, however, I ask of you, wherever you go to live, prepare a chamber for me that I may dwell with you, for I cannot leave my daughter.”

In the same way, ADONAI said to Isra’el, “I have given you the Torah. I cannot part with her, and I also cannot tell you not to take her. But this I request of You, wherever you go, make for Me a house wherein I may dwell” (Midrash Rabbah).

Under the Chuppah
19: 16-25

Under the Chuppah DIG: In what sense are the Israelites standing under the chupah? As this covenant was with all the people, why do you think God wants only Moses on the mountain with Him (19:9, 19-20)? What role do the elders and Aaron play in this (19:7-8, 24)? Why did God allow only Moshe to speak for Him?

REFLECT: After all was said and done, who met with YHVH that day? Only Moses? Aaron and the priests? The people as well? Explain how each may have met God in his or her own way. The Bible teaches that the fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). In what ways do you fear God? Is this helpful or hurtful to you? Why? How?

The wedding itself: the chupah. After the engagement (6:7a), the separation of the bride (5:1), and the segulah (19:5), we now come to the actual wedding ceremony of ADONAI and the nation of Isra’el. First, we saw the people purify themselves in the mikveh (19:10 and 14), now we see them standing under the chuppah, or a canopy under which the wedding takes place. The word chuppah is also used in the Bible, both in Joel 2:16 where we read: Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride from her chuppah, and in Psalm 19:6, where it talks about the bridegroom coming out of his chuppah. In Jewish thinking, the chuppah is a symbolic house. It is a single domain into which the groom welcomes his bride. Indeed, the chuppah even looks like a little house with open sides. But where was the chuppah on Mount Sinai? On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightening, with a thick cloud (the chuppah, so to speak) covering the Groom (God) and the bride (Isra’el) on the mountain (19:16a). It was there that ADONAI welcomed Isra’el, as represented by Moshe. Their new “home” or place of dwelling was to be eternally with Him.³⁵⁵

And then the promised sign was given (19:13), a very loud trumpet blast announced the presence of God in the midst of His people. Everyone in the camp trembled (19:16b). In fact, as the writer to the Hebrews thought back on it (Hebrews 12:18-21) he said, that Mount Sinai became a place of utter terror. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain (19:17). Never was there such a sermon preached before or since.

The Sh’khinah glory became visible again when Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because ADONAI descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently but no life was lost (19:18). Amazing cosmic displays of this kind often accompanied God’s arrival (Second Thessalonians; Hebrews 12:18-19; Revelation 1, 5 and 11:19). A smoking fire pot with a blazing torch symbolized the presence of God at the institution of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15:17), and in a similar way fire along with smoke like from a furnace accompanied the appearance of God on Mount Sinai at the time of the institution of the Mosaic Covenant.³⁵⁶

And the sound of the sophar, or trumpet, grew louder and louder. Yet despite the chaos, there was an element of peace when Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him in front of the people of Isra’el. The Israelites heard God’s voice speaking to Moshe (19:19) out of the fire, but they did not see Him (Deuteronomy 4:15) because God is spirit (Isaiah 31:4; John 4:24).³⁵⁷ ADONAI descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moshe went up (19:19-20). A contrast is underscored in this passage by a pair of antonyms. Whereas the people were standing at the bottom of the mountain (19:17), God stood on top of the mountain. In addition, Moses went up Mount Sinai, but ADONAI descended upon it. The antithesis being represented by these word-contrasts is the separation that exists between a holy and pure God and an unholy people. Once again, Moshe was summoned to mediate between the two.³⁵⁸

And once Moses reached the top of Mount Sinai, ADONAI said to His servant: Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see YHVH because many of them would perish (19:21). Even the priests, who approach Him, must consecrate themselves, or they would die a sudden violent death (19:22). We must understand that the term priests here refers to the firstborn that God had set apart for Himself, they functioned as priests (13:2 and 24:5) before the tribe of Levi was set apart for that purpose and took their place (Exodus 28, 29; Numbers 8:14).³⁵⁹

Moshe responded to God’s repeated message by saying: The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because You Yourself warned us not to (19:23). Maybe Moses did not fully understand God’s reason for repeating what He had said earlier in 19:12-13, but God did not underestimate the people’s tendency to grumble and forget His decrees. Thus, because the penalty would be so severe, He had repeated it for emphasis lest they forget! So ADONAI commanded Moses His servant: Go! Go down and tell them anyway. And the next time you come to the top of the mountain bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up, or they will die. So Moshe went down to the people and told them all that God had said (19:24-25).

Like these people of Isra’el of old, we know what it is to fear the Lord (Second Corinthians 5:11). In this section we have read of the people’s fear in approaching God, and we also know that the fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10a). However, at the same time every believer has been given the grace of God. We know that God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Messiah died for us (Romans 5:8). Therefore, both of these positions are true; we are to fear Him and we are to love Him. Are these two mutually exclusive? No! But then how does it work?

First, for believers and unbelievers alike, we must have a healthy regard for God’s judgment. ADONAI is the God of power and justice. He is the sovereign God of righteousness, of creation and destruction. Jesus said it best Himself: I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has the power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him (Luke 12:4-5). However, if you believe, trust, and have faith in Christ you have been saved from this fate.

Secondly, as believers, our right standing before with God has been dealt with on the cross and empty tomb. In that sense, there is no fear on our part. The life of a believer is not about living in fear. For us, the fear of ADONAI means that we ought to have a reverence, awe and respect for Him resulting in worship, adoration and service (Job 28:28; Psalms 19:9, 22-23, 111:10; Proverbs 1:7, 8:13, 9:10).³⁶⁰ Yeshua is the Lord of redemption and mercy. This sense of awe should keep us from thinking that God is my pal. If we fall into that trap, we develop confidence without a sense of reverence.

Exodus 19 is a clear reminder that the God we meet with regularly is the Creator of everything. He is fearful, threatening, unsettling, all-powerful and all-knowing. He is, to use the well-known expression of the beaver in C. S. Lewis’ classic children’s book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, not safe – but good. Ha’Shem is both someone to be feared and the One who has traveled the universe to meet us where we are. He came in the form of a human being, born of a woman, who bore our sin in His own body and who desperately loves us. It is perhaps, in the end, a paradox well worth remembering: We fear Him because He is good, and we see His goodness because we fear Him.³⁶¹

Go to the People and Consecrate Them
19: 10-15

Go to the people and consecrate them DIG: How do God’s people become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (19:6, 10-15)? Why do you think so much emphasis is placed on barring people from the mountain? On washing their clothes? On abstaining from sexual relations?

REFLECT: How do believers today wash or abstain to get ready for an encounter with the living God? What do you to prepare to worship God? How else can you set yourself apart for Him?

To properly worship God both inward and outward preparations were necessary. My mother was raised in the Quaker Church. When she grew up, she said her parents called Saturday, “Preparation day,” because it was a day to prepare both physically, mentally and spiritually to meet with God on Sunday.

ADONAI said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow.” The verbal root of the word consecrate is qadash, which literally means to set apart, to make unique or to make distinct. The prophet was to prepare the people to be pure and sanctified because on the third day, ADONAI would descend on the mountain to meet with them. He commanded: Have them wash their clothes for two days and be ready by the third day, because on that day ADONAI will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people (19:10-11). The Bible often depicts God as dwelling in the heavens above (First Kings 8:30 and 49; John 8:23); therefore, any appearance on earth requires that He should come down (Genesis 11:5-7, 18:21; Exodus 3:8).

YHVH would come down on the third day. Three days is a significant time period in the Scriptures. For instance, in the story of the offering of Isaac and his father Abraham, the two of them traveled for three days after God’s command for Abraham to sacrifice him. On the third day they came to Moriah, the place of the sacrifice (Genesis 22:4). The reason for the three days’ delay was so that Abraham could not act spontaneously, or impulsively, in obeying God’s Word. He had to prepare and ponder. The same is true of the people of Isra’el at the foot of Mount Sinai. They could not act impulsively, but they had to wait and seriously consider the meaning of God’s meeting with them.³⁵¹ Today, many Jews observe three days of consecration in order to make themselves worthy of celebrating the Shavu’ot.

Just as Moshe was earlier commanded to remove his sandals on the holy ground where God met him (3:5), so now the people were to keep their distance from the holy mountain. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, “Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. The same result was echoed in the Garden of Eden if Adam or Eve failed to obey God’s similar warning (Genesis 2:17). He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows, not a hand is to he laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live. The mountain was off limits, and so would be the body of any transgressor. Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain (19:12-13). Because the mountain would be holy, a boundary was set. Mount Sinai became off limits for both man and beast.

The wedding itself: the mikveh. After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations” (19:14-15). After the engagement (6:7a), the separation of the bride (5:1), and the segulah (19:5), we now come to the actual wedding ceremony of ADONAI and the nation of Isra’el. Before a traditional Jewish wedding, it is customary for the bride to go into the mikveh.

In many ways, immersion in a mikveh is even more important than the wedding itself. A woman is required by Torah to immerse herself in a mikveh (a pool of gathered fresh waters) following her monthly menstrual cycle. During this cycle, the couple is to abstain from sexual relations until after seven days, and following her immersion. During this time the woman has the status called, niddah. The word niddah has no implication of dirtiness or uncleanness. Rather, it comes from the root meaning removed or separated.

Before the separation can end, she must be immersed. However, the mikveh is much more than the usual “purification.” It also carries with it the idea of rebirth. Thus, in many ways, the mikveh represents the womb. When a person immerses, it is as if he or she momentarily returned to the womb. When they emerge, it’s almost as if they were reborn . . . a completely new person. This is why new converts to Judaism are immersed.

So, here, Isra’el stood before YHVH at Mount Sinai. But before the Torah was given, all the Israelites had to immerse (19:10 and 14). We know this because how much more should ritual immersion be required where the mere washing of clothes is also required! When the Holy One instructed Isra’el to immerse in the mikveh, it was as if the bride had to end her period of separation before being intimate with the LORD. Speaking of His marriage to Isra’el at Sinai, God said: I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you – and you became Mine. Then I immersed you in water (Ezeki’el 16:8-9). The immersion refers to that of the Israelites before receiving the Torah. In the metaphor of the bride, however, it also refers to the immersion of a bride before marriage.³⁵²

Such careful preparation underscored the significance of the event that was about to transpire. The God of the heavens was about to make a covenant with His people. Unlike pagan deities who supposedly lived on the mountains, the God of Isra’el descended from heaven to the mountain to speak with His people (First Kings 8:30 and 49).³⁵³ This must have been a terrifying experience for the people of Isra’el. They were not permitted to go up the mountain, or even touch it, or they would die. Even their animals were not allowed to cross the boundary of the sacred area. They had agreed to a Covenant that they didn’t even know. They had to wash their clothes. They were afraid.

The writer to the Hebrews contrasts the anxious, frightening and apprehensive scene with the way the New Covenant believer comes before ADONAI. He says: You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that Moshe said, “I am trembling with fear.”

But you have come to Mount Zion – to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, a joyous gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are written in a scroll in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous ones made perfect, and to Yeshua, the Mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than the blood of Abel (see the commentary on Hebrews, to see link click Dc – The Earthy Mount Sinai and the Heavenly Mount Tziyon).

The fear of those on the verge of accepting Jesus, or Yeshua, should not be of persecution they might receive for believing in Him, but the judgment they will inevitably receive for rejecting Him. Their fear should not be of coming to Mount Zion but of turning back to Mount Sinai. The contrast is clear.³⁵⁴

What is your choice? Mount Zion or Mount Sinai? Or that of no choice? Some believe that they are not choosing. But in fact, by seemingly not choosing, they have turned their back on Yeshua. Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4). There are only two kinds of spiritual food, “devils food” or “angels food,” and if you aren’t eating one – you’re eating the other!

The Calling of Isra’el
19: 3-9

The calling of Isra’el DIG: What is the segulah and how does it relate to the wedding of Isra’el to ADONAI? What does God expect from the leadership of Isra’el? What does He promise will result? What right does the LORD have to dictate the terms of this Covenant?

REFLECT: What barriers has Yeshua set aside so that we can draw near to God with confidence (see Hebrews 10:19-23)? What does Peter urge us to do to become a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, belonging to God (First Peter 2:9)?

This territory was not new to Moses. He had lived nearby with his father-in-law for forty years and it was here that he had met ADONAI at the burning bush. Notice how Moses seemed eager to seek another interview with God on the same holy ground. He went up to the mountain, but did not yet climb it. Then Moshe went up to meet with God at Mount Sinai, and ADONAI called to him from the mountain. It is interesting that God instantly responded to Moshe and He is also eager to respond to us. When we come near to God, He will come near to us (James 4:8).³⁴⁶

God Himself was responsible for Isra’el’s redemption. And He wanted them to remember what He had done in destroying Egypt and bringing them to Himself. This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Isra’el, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (19:3-4). The expression, eagles’ wings, is a Hebrew idiom that means a successful escape after being pursued. You can find it in Deuteronomy 32:11 and Revelation 12:14, with the same meaning. So on the way from Egypt to Mount Sinai, ADONAI had carried them on eagles’ wings by grace. He sweetened the bitter waters of Marah, He gave them manna and quail when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty, and He delivered them from the Amalekites.

Not only were the Israelites to remember what the LORD had done for them, but also that memory was to motivate them to obey.³⁴⁷ He promised: If you obey Me fully and keep My Covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Even though all the earth is God’s, yet Isra’el was His private cherished treasure above all other peoples if they would obey. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (19:5-6). The whole concept of a chosen people arises from these statements. God did not merely give the Torah to save Isra’el. He gave the Torah so that they might know how to live for Him and be His treasured possession.³⁴⁸

There’s going to be a wedding! The engagement (Exodus 6:7a) and the separation of the bride (Exodus 5:1), have already taken place. Now we have the segulah. Exodus presents a very moving scene where the Groom (YHVH) took His would-be bride to a beautifully secluded spot and spoke kind and tender words to her, telling her how much He loved her. One of the words He calls her in English is treasured possession (19:5), but the Hebrew word is segulah. It is a very picturesque word. In ancient times it was used in Canaanite literature to describe what a king would think concerning the possessions he may have gained when he conquered another people. He would have many new valuable objects, but only a few choice ones would he classify as segulot (plural of segulah). These, he considered the most prized possessions which he treated with special care and kept under special protection. Thus, Exodus 19:5 states  the King of kings possesses all of the earth, but only Isra’el does He consider to be His special, loved and treasured possession – His segulah.³⁴⁹

Not only wold Isra’el be God’s treasured possession, but she would also be for Him a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, Ha’Shem’s representative, as it were, for and to other Gentile nations (19:6). Summarizing what the Eternal One was telling Isra’el, His bride, we see that not only would Isra’el enjoy the unique status of being God’s treasured possession, but she would also have both the privilege and responsibility to “show-and-tell” the Gentile nations of the world who ADONAI really was. In short, Isra’el was/is to be a nation among the other nations serving as a perpetual witness and testimony of the one true God. How much this would actually happen is the object of much debate. But the fact of her calling is certain.

Imagine how it would have been if, on the night of your wedding engagement, your potential spouse told you in lovingly enduring terms exactly what God’s plans for your marriage would be – glorious, meaningful, and praiseworthy plant! This is exactly what the LORD was telling Isra’el. He described, in most definite terms, what their marriage would be like. Since the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was the One who formulated this marriage, in one way or another, these plans would ultimately be carried out with Isar’el.

So Moses descended from the mountain. He went back to the camp of Isra’el and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words ADONAI had commanded him to speak (19:7). They were free to either accept or reject God’s offer, and although the specific terms of the covenant had not yet been spelled out to them, the people at Sinai agreed to obey them. The people all responded together, saying: We will do everything ADONAI has said. So Moses brought their answer back to God (19:8). How little Isra’el understood their own frailty and proneness to sin when they so readily and almost flippantly consented to the condition of obedience. Within a few weeks they had broken every one of commandment in the Torah, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (Jeremiah 17:9).³⁵⁰

They said, “Bring it on. We’ll keep the Torah,” even before they even knew what it was. Then they demonstrated for fifteen hundred years that they could not keep it. This is the attitude of a great many people today. They think the natural man, with his old nature can please God. But the natural man cannot keep the commandments of YHVH and he fails miserably in the attempt. You and I have that same old nature and it is at war with God. It can never be obedient to God and can never please Him. Have you discovered that in your own life? Have you found that you are a failure at meeting God’s standards? Well, there is good news. Therefore the Torah became our guardian to lead us to Messiah, so that we might be made right based on trusting (Galatians 3:24 TLV).

ADONAI said to Moshe His prophet: I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear Me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you. The physical manifestation of God’s presence was for the benefit of the weak Israelites. The people, since leaving Egypt, had been walking by sight and not by faith. They needed physical, visual assurances. As a result, then, of the Sh’khinah glory, the people will believe in, trust in, and have faith in Moshe. In other words, when the people heard ADONAI speaking to Moshe, there would be no doubt that Moses needed to be believed when He spoke. Then Moses told God what the people had said (19:9).

The Arrival at Sinai
19: 1-2

In the third month, late May or early June, after the Israelites left Egypt – on the very day – they came to the Desert of Sinai. Moses’ journey had come full circle. It was here that God’s promise to Moshe was fulfilled. The LORD had said to His servant: I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain (3:12). Moses met God on Mount Horeb at the burning bush (3:1-11), and he had returned to Him with the recently redeemed Israelites.³⁴¹

It took them three months to get there because they were not traveling every day. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Isra’el camped in front of the mountain. It would be their schoolhouse for the next year. The mountain they camped in front of was Mount Sinai, traditionally identified with modern Jebel Musa, or Mountain of Moses in Arabic. At Mount Sinai they received the Torah, ratified the Mosaic Covenant and prepared the Tabernacle.

The Revelation at Mount Sinai
19:1 to 40:38

We have now come to the fourth and last of the major sections of the book of Exodus. It contains twenty-two of the forty chapters in the book, and it is longer than the first three sections put together. Although some of it is repetitive (35:4 to 38:20, and 39:1-31, repeating earlier sections of the book sometimes almost word for word); it contains vital teaching about God’s blueprint for living as seen in the Ten Commandments and about Christ as seen in the Tabernacle.

The Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai where they remained throughout the rest of the events recorded in Exodus 19:1 to Numbers 10:10. They camped in front of Mount Sinai for eleven months and six days, from the fifteenth day of the third month of their first year of traveling, to the twentieth day of the second month of the second year of traveling (Numbers 10:11). There, Moshe received the Torah from ADONAI with its many instructions for worship for the people that YHVH had redeemed.³⁴⁰

The Dispensation of the Torah
Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26

The fifth dispensation is called the Dispensation of Torah. It was given through Moses and contained a total of 613 specific commandments in the Torah. This dispensation begins with Exodus 19:1 and continues through Acts 1:16. It covers the period of time from the Exodus through the life of Messiah to the day of Pentecost, or festival of Shavu’ot.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom (Genesis 1:28 to 3:5); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience or Self-Determination (Genesis 3:6 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise or Patriarchal Rule (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17, 60:1-22).

The key person in the fifth dispensation was Moses. He was God’s, chosen mediator between Himself and His people.

Man’s responsibility was to obey the Mosaic Covenant. This involved two major areas. First, they were responsible to obey the 613 commandments of the Torah. Secondly, they were to obey the prophets God would send that would further elaborate on the Torah, define the law, give meaning to the Torah and explain it. In other words, they were to obey the commandments of the Torah and the prophets.

The test during that dispensation involved two things. First, they were to obey the entire Torah. They were to obey all of its 613 commandments because to break only one of these meant that they were guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10). The second part of the test was to believe and accept that God would raise up for them a prophet like Moshe from among the sons of Isra’el (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). In other words, they were to accept Christ once He came, because He was going to be a prophet to the people like Moses.

But then came the failure. They failed in both aspects of the test. First, they failed to keep the Torah (Romans 10:1-3). In fact, not only did they fail to keep the commandments of the Torah, but they tried to get around them. They created their own kind of righteousness by establishing what came to be known as the Oral Law, or the traditions of men (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ei – The Oral Law). Because of this, they felt that they did not have to obey the 613 commandments of the Torah. Secondly, they also failed to accept Christ (Mark 3:22, Matthew 12:24, Luke 11:15-16). Jesus denounced the Scribes and Pharisees, the leadership of Isra’el of that day, because they first rejected His messianic claims, but worse, they were leading the nation to the rejection of Him (John 7:19-20).

As a result of the failure, came judgment in 70 AD, and it involved two things. First, the Temple and Jerusalem itself were destroyed. Secondly, the Jewish people were dispersed throughout the world and they were exiled from the Land until 1948.

Grace was seen throughout the Dispensation of Torah in two ways. First, the sacrificial system was provided because the Jew was not able to keep all 613 commandments. Whenever the individual Jew failed, his or her sin could be covered (not forgiven) by the sacrificial system. It was God’s system for restoring the sinner. However, these sacrifices during the Dispensation of the Torah, with the blood of bulls and goats, were like interest only payments. They could buy the individual Jew a little time, but not forgiveness. The animal sacrifices could not take away their sin. No Jew was ever saved because of any sacrifice brought to the Tabernacle or the Temple. The righteous of the TaNaKh were saved by grace through faith. But faith needs substance. So when individual Jews brought a sacrifice to the Tabernacle or Temple, faith was being demonstrated in the fact that he or she believed that by means of the shedding of blood his or her sins would be covered and fellowship with ADONAI would be restored. Secondly, grace was displayed during this dispensation by God’s provision of judges, kings and prophets. Judges were given to deliver the Jews from the conquest of various peoples. Righteous kings were sent to give them a kingdom of righteousness and justice. Prophets were provided for them to expound on the Torah, call the people back from sin, remind them of where they had failed, and call for repentance.³³⁹

Jethro Returned To His Own Country
18: 27

Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way with great honors, and he returned to his own country a very content new man. Because of his old age, Jethro did not accompany the Israelites to Canaan, but his children and their descendants did (Judges 1:16, 18:30; First Chronicles 23:15-17, 26:24-25).

Jethro and Moses parted company as they had done earlier in 4:19-20, but now for the last time. Presumably Moses’ family remained behind, although Zipporah is not mentioned again. It is interesting that in Numbers 12:1, Moses had married a Cushite woman. This may have been a second wife in addition to Zipporah, or a wife after her death. We just don’t know. But one thing we do know; Jethro returned to his own country alone.

Moses Chose Capable Men From All Isra’el
18: 13-26

Moses chose capable men from all Isra’el DIG: The judges were to decide the simple cases and bring the difficult cases to Moses. In doing so, the burden upon Moses was made light. How does this impact your understanding of Matthew 11:30?

REFLECT: How did you react the last time you were corrected or criticized ? Your spouse? Your in-laws? How do you wish you had reacted under those circumstances? Whose criticism do you receive the best?

The first scene that this Torah portion opens with is that of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moshe, a Midianite Priest, a pagan, and a Gentile, who was watching Moses and evaluating how he was carrying out his responsibilities with the people. Now that Moses had provided a ministry in the life of Jethro, it was his turn to return the favor.³³² Moshe was not only charged with the responsibility of caring for the spiritual and military needs of the nation, but also for the civil problems as well. Apparently a good deal of Moses’ time was devoted to civil problems of the nation. The number of Israelites was great, 600,00 men between the ages of 20 and 50. The next day Moshe took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening (18:13). This verse sets the tone for the entire passage.

As Jethro sized up the situation he realized that Moses could not be an effective leader if he were continually bogged down with civil matters.³³³ When his father-in-law saw all that Moshe was doing for the people, he asked two questions. The first one was rhetorical. What is this you are doing for the people? The second was an accusation. Why do you alone judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening (18:14)? Moses was not abusing his power; the problem was that he was doing too much alone. He was carrying too great a burden and had no assistance.³³⁴

Moshe answered him saying: Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. His response in Hebrew was very straightforward: to enquire of God. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and laws (18:15-16). The new body of the revealed law that would govern the newly formed nation had already begun (also see 15:25-26). No doubt Moshe had already established basic decrees and laws upon arriving in the desert. The movement of millions of people would not have been possible without such basic structure.

Wisely, Moses’ father-in-law warned him that he was overworked, saying very directly: What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. Literally, fading you will fade. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone (18:17-18). The word for heavy is kabed, which as was emphasized earlier, is a key term in the book of Exodus, having been used earlier of Pharaoh’s heart (8:15, 32, 9:34, 10:1), of the plagues (8:24, 9:3, 18-24, 10:14), and of Moses’ arms (17:12).³³⁵

Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. Here Jethro uses the first of three references to God. It is the type of language that an unbeliever would not use. He continued: You must be the people’s mediator, or representative before God and bring their disputes to Him. It didn’t take a prophet to decide disputes between neighbors. Moshe’s responsibility was to teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform (18:19-20). Thus, Moses’ teaching was not merely in religious instruction, but he was to teach the people how to function in all areas of life. He was to educate them with a worldview based on the Word of God.

But select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain or bribes. The rabbis teach that a man is not fit to act as a judge from whom payment can only be obtained by a lawsuit. There should be a chain of command, he said: Appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Those terms were used to organize the tribes into military and civil units. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you (18:21-22).

If you do this and God so commands, there will be several benefits. First, you will be able to stand the strain, and secondly, all these people will go home satisfied. So even at the age of eighty, Moshe listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said (18:23-24). This is just one example of why God says that Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3). He accepted the advice of Jethro at Rephidim, but the judges were not appointed until after the giving of the Torah (Numbers 11:16-17; Deuteronomy 1:9-18). Perhaps Moses wanted to wait for divine approval before proceeding.³³⁶ It was included here to complete the story about Jethro’s counsel. Occasionally writers from the TaNaKh treated subjects topically rather than in strict chronological order.³³⁷

He chose capable men from all Isra’el and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves (18:25-26). These two verses are the specifics of the instructions given by Jethro to Moshe. They are repeated almost word for word from 18:22-22.

This principle of a plurality of leadership, division of authority, and a chain of command is also woven into the community of believers today as well. The Bible does not ever suggest a one-man-show over any congregation. And assemblies that have gone astray on this issue have become hierarchical, where one man is a dictator, micro-managing every detail. The Bible teaches that there should be a plurality of elders who make decisions over the local assembly. So congregations of believers that expect their spiritual leaders to do all the work, actually force believers to act in an unbiblical manner. All should use their spiritual gifts.

In times of great crisis, God has always provided men to lead the way to deliverance. Moses is an eloquent example of this very fact. The hand of God prepared him for that very moment in history. He was well aware of Egyptian customs and was therefore able to articulate demands before Amenhotep II, the king of Egypt. He had been trained in military matters and was able to organize two to three million people to move across the desert. His education in Egypt had given him the ability to write, and therefore provided the means by which the history of the Jewish people could be recorded for eternity. Forty years of desert experience had given Moses the know-how to travel in the desert as well as the kind of preparation that would be needed to survive in the desert heat. This was no accident. God provided for His people. And those who belong to Him have every reason to be confident that He is a promise keeper.³³⁸

Now Jethro Heard Everything God Had Done
for Moses and for His People Isra’el
18: 1-12

Now Jethro heard everything God had done for Moses and for his people Isra’el DIG: What kind of relationship did Moses enjoy with his father-in-law? Was it relaxed or casual? Trusting or suspicious? Affirming or critical? Why?

REFLECT: The burnt offering was atonement for sin. It was an acknowledgement of sin and a desire to be cleansed. How do we do this today? When you feel the weight of your sin and you want to get rid of it, where do you go? What happens if we claim to be without sin? Read First John 1:5-10.

Parashah 17: Yitro (Jethro) 18:1-20:26
(See my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

The Key People are Jethro, Moses, Zipporah, Gershom, Eleazer, and Aaron.

The Scenes include the wilderness of Sinai and Mount Sinai.

The Main Events include Jethro hearing what God has done, rejoicing, and giving Moshe advice to delegate part of his duties as judge; ADONAI coming down from Mount Sinai and speaking the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bk – The Ten Words), the people trembling, and Moshe approaching YHVH alone.

The children of Isra’el hardly had enough time to catch their breath from crossing the Sea of Reeds when they were brought face-to-face with their Redeemer. In Parashah Yitro, Moshe learns some leadership principles from his father-in-law, Yitro (Jethro), then ascends Mount Sinai to meet YHVH alone and receive the Ten Words. This is not only one of the most important events in the history of Isra’el, but also in the history of the world. There is no code of laws that have influenced  the whole world as much as the Bible, and in the Bible the Torah that ADONAI gave to Isra’el through the hands of Moshe at the foot of Mount Sinai is one of the most significant events in God’s intervention in the affairs of mankind.

The word of the Lord’s victory at the Sea of Reeds reached Jethro’s ears. So the timing of his arrival at the Israelite camp was no accident. Having heard of their victory over the Amalekites at Rephidim, he decided to go visit his son-in-law and celebrate with him. Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moshe and for his people Isra’el, and how ADONAI had brought Isra’el out of Egypt (18:1). The Midianites did not have a king like other nations; therefore, their highest office was that of the priest and Jethro was not his real name, but his official name, like Abimelech in Genesis or Pharaoh in Exodus.

Jethro also took along his two grandsons and his daughter Zipporah. After Moshe had sent his wife Zipporah back to Midian, his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons (18:2-3a). In all likelihood, she was sent back to her homeland because of her negative attitude toward the covenant of Circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14; Exodus 4:24-26). As a result, she and her two sons missed all the miracles that God performed in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the cleansing of the bitter water at Marah, the provision of quail and manna in the Desert of Sin, the river of water miraculously gushing out from the rock at Meribah, and the wonderful victory over the Amalekites. It is interesting that Moses would later remarry (Numbers 12), and Zipporah’s name would never again appear in the Scriptures. Many commentators have assumed that Zipporah died before he married; but it may be that she remained with her father after he returned to his own country. Regardless of where she ended up, the reason that she and her two sons are mentioned is to remind the readers of where Moshe and the Israelites have been.

The name that Moses gave to his two sons reflected his spiritual experiences in Egypt. One son was named Gershom, which means an alien there or banishment, and refers to Moshe’s realization that he and the Israelites had become like aliens in a foreign land (18:3). His son’s name was a constant reminder of their banishment. Gershom was circumcised on the eighth day as God had commanded (Genesis 17:1-27), but it was his circumcision that soured Zipporah on its practice.

And we learn for the first time that the other son was named Eliezer, which means God is help. This name indicated something of the gratitude that Moshe had for God’s protection during his flight from Egypt. By naming his son Eliezer, Moses indicated that God was his helper. He remembered how God saved him from the sword of Pharaoh (18:4). Eliezer was not circumcised, which brought about the death threat against Moshe (Genesis 17:14). Therefore, to save her husband’s life, Zipporah circumcised Eliezer even though she evidently detested the practice (4:24-26). But she still didn’t believe in circumcision.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moshe’s sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of God (18:5). They camped at Rephidim, which was their last stop on their way to Mount Sinai. The slopes of Mount Sinai reached Rephidim, so they were near it, but they had not reached it yet. This points us forward in time because worshiping at Mount Sinai would be the sign and fulfillment of the promise the God had given to Moshe at the burning bush (3:12).

Jethro had sent word to him saying: I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons. The greeting of Jethro had all the characteristics of an oriental meeting. The formal courtesies that Moshe gave to Jethro emphasized the respect that he had for him, for he was one of great authority. Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him because he respected the office of priest that he held. They greeted each other and after the formalities, they went into the tent (18:6-7). This meeting took priority over the return of Moshe’s family because Jethro had the highest social position, even above Moses.

Moses told his father-in-law about everything ADONAI had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Isra’el’s sake and about the hardships they had met along the way and how ADONAI had saved them. The prophet took no honor for himself and Jethro showed great interest in everything that Moshe told him. Jethro was especially delighted to hear about all the good things ADONAI had done for Isra’el in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians (18:8-9)

The story of Jethro’s conversion is a beautiful one indeed.³²⁸ He said: Praise be to ADONAI, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians (18:10). Although neither the Egyptians nor the Amalekites got it, Jethro, the Midianite, had learned the lesson of the exodus by saying: Now I know that ADONAI is greater than all other gods (see the similar confession of Naaman the Aramean in Second Kings 5:15), for he did this to those who had treated Isra’el arrogantly (18:11).³²⁹ Jethro must be considered unique, for it is clear from Scripture that the Midianites were generally idolaters who worshiped many gods (Numbers 25:17-18, 31:16).³³⁰

At that time Jethro gave a practical expression to his praise. Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Isra’el to eat manna with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God (18:12). The phrase, brought a burnt offering, is key to understanding this verse. It always means to provide an animal for sacrifice (Exodus 25:2; Leviticus 12:8); it never means to officiate at a sacrifice. And the fact that it was a burnt offering was very significant. A burnt offering was a voluntary act of worship on Jethro’s part. Its purpose was atonement for sin and an expression of complete surrender to God. The burnt offering was completely consumed by fire but the fellowship offerings (other sacrifices) were part of a communal meal that Jethro shared with Aaron and all the elders of Isra’el. This was evidence that Jethro had come to a saving knowledge of God.

What a wonderful family conversation we are witnessing. Moses and Jethro were not talking about the weather, sheepherding, or the latest caravan gossip. No, they were talking about the wondrous works of God. Moshe was sharing his testimony, the good news, with his father-in-law. What a joy. Each one of us should consider the manner that we deal with our families. What do you talk about around the dinner table? In what do we rejoice when we hear of it? Not that we are perfect, but we need to think about these things.

Jethro’s response to the good news was also amazing. Whereas the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron (16:2), here was a Midianite who rejoiced over God’s goodness to Isra’el! The faith of a Gentile put to shame the faith of the people of Isra’el. What Jesus said about the Roman centurion could also be said of him: I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Isra’el with such great faith (Matthew 8:10).³³¹

Moses and Jethro
18: 1-27

Before we arrive at Mount Sinai and the culminating scene of the exodus, the author records a story of Jethro’s visit to Moshe. His visit contrasts with the Amalekite conflict. The Amalekites came to fight, while Jethro sought knowledge. With one there was war, with the other mediating for peace; with one, Moses’ hands grew tired, and with the other his work grew too heavy. There are three sections to this chapter: the arrival of Jethro (18:1-12), the appointment of judges (18:13-26), and the return of Jethro to Midian (18:27). As we come to the close of this chapter, we, like the Israelites, are prepared to approach God at Mount Sinai.³²⁷

The Amalekites Came
and Attacked the Israelites at Rephidim
17: 8-16

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim DIG: Read this section and compare it to First Samuel 15:32-33. God’s desire was to completely destroy the Amalekites. Explain Samuel’s words: As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women. Read Hebrews 10:5-9, 7:23-25 and First Samuel 14:20-26. King Sha’ul lost his throne and his dynasty because he feared annihilating Amalek’s throne. What throne will Messiah and His martyrs inherit, when God establishes His throne?

REFLECT: When and how have you needed your faith propped up? What battle has God won in your life lately? What would you name your altar? God is my ___________? How hard is it for you to relinquish every area of your life to God? What part(s) of your life do you think you are still in control of? What does He think about that (see Revelation 3:15)?

This section is very similar to the previous one. Both are based at Rephidim and both involve a great test. The staff of God played a significant role and He intervened to save His people in both instances. The major difference was that after leaving Egypt the adversity experienced by the Israelites had been against an inanimate foe, a lack of food and water. But then Isra’el discovered that perhaps there were worse enemies than even hunger and thirst; they were confronted with a human enemy. This was the first battle against a human enemy since their deliverance from bondage.

We learn that Amalek declared war on Isra’el. But who was Amalek? In Genesis 36:12 we are told that Amalek was the son of a man named Eliphaz, therefore Amalek was the grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12), and the great-grandson of Isaac. Yet in spite of this, his descendants, the Amalekites, came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim (17:8). They were a tribal group living in Sinai and southwest Canaan as early as the patriarchal period (Genesis 14:7). Moved by suspicion, jealousy and fear, they were determined to prevent the passage of the Israelites through what they perceived to be their territory. So they opposed the purpose and plan of God. Some believe that they were fighting over control of the Kadesh Oasis, a very important caravan center. However, the exact location of the battle is unknown. Probably the most that can be said is that the Amalekites attacked Isra’el because they felt threatened with regard to their control of oasis and caravan routes.³¹⁸ No doubt they felt they could easily defeat this newly freed slave rabble without supplies or knowledge of the country. For indeed the Israelites were an ill-equipped, ill-disciplined and inexperienced mob going out against a well-equipped and experienced foe. But the Amalekites did not know the power of God.³¹⁹

The manner of their attack was a sort of harassing, guerilla warfare against Isra’el. Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind. They had no fear of God (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). As a result of this sneak attack, Isra’el was to counterattack.

We see here for the first time a man named Joshua, whose original name was Hoshea (Numbers 13:6). Later, Moses would change his name from Hoshea, which means savior, to Joshua, which means The Lord is salvation. It is interesting to note that Joshua translated from the Greek into English means Jesus. Joshua became the personal aid to Moshe (Exodus 24:13, 33:11; Joshua 1:1), and would later bring Isra’el into the Promised Land of Canaan. One is immediately impressed with the faith and obedience of Joshua (17:10). He was about forty-five years old at the time. Without question or objection he organized the relatively untrained and unseasoned soldiers of Isra’el and fought the Amalekites.

Isra’el did not leave immediately as they had done when they left Egypt. At that time, the people merely watched as God crushed their enemy. But here they would defend themselves. Remarkably, there appeared to be no fear of confusion among the Israelites in such a crisis. Moses calmly ordered Joshua son of Nun: Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in both my hands and raise it up when I pray (17:9). The use of the word tomorrow reminds us of the plagues of Egypt (8:10, 8:23, 8:29, 9:5, 9:18, and 10:4).

The fact that God ordered His people to fight their enemies on the field of battle has often dismayed the readers of the Bible. Many have charged God with being cruel and bloodthirsty, while others have tried to dissociate what they believe to be the wrath of Ha’Shem in the TaNaKh from the love ADONAI in the B’rit Chadashah. But ADONAI’s love appears often in the TaNaKh (in Deuteronomy and Hosea, for example) and His wrath is found often in the B’rit Chadashah (in Revelation, for example). The same holy God always loves sinners at the same time that He always hates their sins. When people persist in rebelling against Him, He punishes them and if they eventually pass the point of no return, they bring about their own doom and destruction. Willful, unrepentant, sinful conduct – like that of Amenhotep II of Egypt, for example – always brings divine judgment, whether the agent of the judgment is impersonal (such as during Noah’s flood or against Sodom and Gomorrah) or personal (such as during the conquest of Canaan in the book of Joshua).

While God is gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness (34:6), He does not leave the guilty unpunished (34:7). He sometimes uses the battlefield as an arena of judgment against those who, like the Amalekites, were persistent in their refusal to fear Him (Deuteronomy 25:18).³²⁰

Moses was so old at this point, that he could not physically lead his people into battle. But that didn’t matter because prayer would win the battle. In his hands Moshe held the staff of God, through which His power had brought the plagues of Egypt and water from the rock at Rephidim. So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moshe, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill (17:10). As in the case of Joshua in verse 9, here the person of Hur is first introduced. He would later become an important judicial figure in early Isra’el (24:14). He was probably from the tribe of Judah and was the grandfather of Bezalel, the leader in the construction of the Tabernacle (31:2, 35:30, 38:22).³²¹ The rabbis teach that he was either the husband, or the son of Miriam, the sister of Moses.

The key to the battle lay in the hands of Moshe. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning (17:11). While Moshe’s hands were upheld in intercession, Isra’el gained the victory. As usual, their help came from above. When in bondage in Egypt they could have looked over the whole earth and there was not one nation to help them. But when they looked up and cried out to God, He delivered them. When they were trapped by Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea, help also came from above. It was the same at Marah, Elim, the Desert of Sin, and it would be the same here at Rephidim. God was evidently trying to teach them the lesson that He would have all His children learn. In this new life with Him we are to depend totally and completely upon Him for everything.

When a bitter experience comes to us in this life, go to God for comfort. As sweet as human sympathy may be, it is only God who can wipe away tears and heal broken hearts. When your soul is faint and hungry, do not seek the safety of anything this world has to offer, but feed upon the true Bread from heaven. And when you are thirsty, drink only of the Living Water.³²²

If Isra’el was to defeat the Amalekites, Moshe needed help. When Moses’ arms grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his arms up – one on one side, and one on the other side – so that his arms remained steady till sunset (17:12). The basic meaning for the Hebrew word steady is faithful, trustworthy or true. Normally, it is used in a moral sense and this is the only time in the Bible where it relates to something physical.

So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword (17:13); yet, this was not a victory of total destruction. The verb overcame means to weaken or disable. There is a play on words between the noun halas, and the noun used in Deuteronomy 25:18 to describe the stragglers who were weary and worn out, or hannehesalim, being picked off by the Amalekite army. Therefore, Joshua made weak and disabled those who prayed upon the weak and disabled.323

With the battle over, we have the remembrance of Amalek. Then ADONAI said to Moses His servant: Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (17:14). This is the first mention of writing as related to Scripture and official Hebrew records. Moshe evidently kept a diary of Isra’el’s journey through the desert as implied in Numbers 33:2. Moses’ major role in writing the first five books of the Bible is emphasized over and over (Exodus 24:4, 34:27-28; Numbers 33:2; Deuteronomy 28:58, 29:20-21 and 27, 30:10, 31:9, 19 and 22). Scrolls of the kind used by Moshe were long, narrow sheets of leather or papyrus on which scribes wrote with pen (Isaiah 8:1) and ink (Jeremiah 36:18), sometimes on both sides (Ezeki’el 2:10; Revelation 5:1). Because they were clumsy to read and difficult to store, soon after the time of Christ the scroll gave way to the book format still used today.³²⁴

Moshe built an altar and called it ADONAI Nissi, or ADONAI is my Banner (17:15). Other altars were built elsewhere in the TaNaKh. For example, Jacob built an altar at Shechem and he called it El Elohe Isra’el, literally meaning God, the God of Isra’el (Genesis 33:20). These altars were not built for sacrifice, but to remember some event that had happened there. The Hebrew word often translated banner is really a standard or signal-pole. In ancient times, it bore an emblem, symbol or banner on its top. It was used as a rallying point, and was often placed upon a high hill to be seen by all (Numbers 21:4-9). It was an object of hope for the people. Therefore, the appearance of Moses on top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand acted much like a banner.

Commenting on the reason for Isra’el’s victory, Moshe said: For my hands, with the power of God in my staff, were lifted up to the throne of the Lord, and ADONAI will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation (17:16). Therefore, the Amalekites would be a thorn in the side of Isra’el for generations to come. One year later, the Amalekites joined forces with the Canaanites at Kadesh-Barnea to defeat the Israelites (Numbers 14:45). Balaam would later prophesy: Amalek was the first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last (Numbers 24:20). The Amalekites were the first among the nations to attack Isra’el after the deliverance from Egypt, and they later subjugated the Israelites in the period of the judges (Judges 3:13, 6:3-6, 7:12).

Haftarah b’Shallach: Shof’tim (Judges) 4:4-5:31 (A), 5:1-31 (S)
(See the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

Sisra, captain of the army of Canaanite King Yavin, oppressed Isra’el for twenty years. Like Pharaoh, he had a huge force of 900 iron chariots (Judges 4:2-3). In both cases, the chariots bogged down while pursuing Isra’el and the armies panicked (Judges 4:15; Exodus 14:24-25). Once again, ADONAI gave the marching orders and the entire army was destroyed (Judges 4:7 and 16; Exodus 14:15 and 28). What has changed this time is that the Israelite army is fighting and the battle takes place in the Land of Promise. When the Canaanites were routed, it was Debrah and Barak who sang the song of rejoicing (Judges 5). Curiously, the song ends with a depiction of Sisra’s mother. She rationalizes, “Of course! They’re collecting and dividing the spoil” (Judges 5:28-30). She waits, wistfully confident and completely unaware that God has hardened Sisra, her Canaanite son, for final judgment (Judges 4:9).³²⁵

B’rit Chadashah suggested readings for Parashah B’shallach: Luke 2:22-24; Yochanan (John) 6:25-35, 19:31-37; First Corinthians 10:1-13; Second Corinthians 8:1-15 and Revelation 15:1-4

ADONAI, God of heaven’s angelic armies, has begun His reign (Revelation 19:6)! The huge crowd without number continues: For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb and His Bride (19:7). The angel of God tells the birds of the air to prepare to gorge themselves on the flesh of kings, generals, important men, horses and riders from all the nations (Revelation 19:18). Once more, ADONAI summons the forces of the deep to serve His purposes. The lake of fire that burns with sulfur engulfs the beast and the false prophet, while the birds gorge on the slain armies that foolishly tried to fight the God of the universe (19:20-21). The Adversary himself, along with all evil, is chained and thrown into the Abyss for a thousand years (Revelation 20:2-3). Martyrs and those who risked their lives will at that time triumph over death. They will rule with Messiah over the nations of the earth in a peaceful theocracy lasting a thousand years. We look forward to the return of King Messiah to establish His peace plan!³²⁶