Random Thoughts on Yitro

A few random thoughts on Yitro:

• There must be some kind of behind-the-scenes parallel between Yitro and Laban. Both were unbelievers and God arranged marriages between their daughters and patriarchs of Israel.
• Zipporah and the Ethiopian woman, Moses’ other wife, are prophetic images of God’s people. Zipporah is the Jews who were sent away under the tutelage of a priesthood (in the form of the rabbinate) gone astray. Like Zipporah, they will be united with the Messiah by that same priesthood after the Greater Exodus. The Ethiopian woman was a believing gentile grafted into Israel, just like those of us who have been united in faith with Yeshua. Like her, we are made citizens of Israel at our exodus, and given Torah in full afterwards.
• The Ten Commandments can be categorized in many ways. One interesting way is into groups of three, one, and six. The first three commandments deal directly with how we relate to God. Three is the number of divinity and the triune God. The last six commandments deal directly with how we relate to our fellow men. Six is the number of man. The middle command deals with how we relate to God, our fellow men, and ourselves. One is the number of unity. If counted with the first three, this command makes four, which is the number of the Messiah. If counted with the last six, this command makes seven, which is the number of completion. In Yeshua, our divine Sabbath Rest, we are made complete and united with God.
• Exodus 18:18 - Thou art not able to perform it thyself alone... Although the husband is meant to be the head of his house, the head cannot live or even command the body on its own. Effective command requires the trust and cooperation of the commanded as well as good communication and delegation. A husband’s and father’s authority may be freely delegated to servants, sons, and wives. When his children are young, he authorizes his executive officer, his wife. Later, that responsibility should gradually move to his lieutenants, his sons, as he teaches them to be men. Under most circumstances, the firstborn son should be placed ahead of his siblings, but that is not an inviolate law. Reuben was passed over for Judah, Ishmael for Isaac, et cetera, all for good reasons. The point is that a man cannot expect to effectively govern his house on his own. He must train his family to lead in his place, and he must trust them to do so.