5# Yitro (THE REVELATION AT SINAI IS A SCRIPT FOR A WEDDING'!) (2-6-21)

(AT MOUNT SINAI: ‘WE MEET ‘THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM’!)

At Mount Sinai, Godwas ‘THE BRIDEGROOM’. Israel was ‘THE BRIDE’. The Torah was their wedding contract (KETUBAH). Moses played the role of the “FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM” betweenGod and the people.

In Ancient Hebrew wedding customs, ‘THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM’ served as an intermediarybetween the man and the woman. In The Wedding Ceremony, (WITH THE SOUND OF THETRUMPET) he presented ‘THE BRIDE TO THE GROOM’. As ‘THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM’, Moses was responsible for negotiating the match. He (MOSES), brought‘THE BRIDEGROOM’S PROPOSAL’ to ‘THE CHOSEN BRIDE TO BE’, and he carried messages back and forth between the two parties. Finally, Moses led the people to the foot of ‘THE MOUNTAIN’ and presented them to God:

In the Gospels, John The Baptist played the same role. Once, his disciples came to him, warning him that Jesus of Nazareth was growing in popularity and that His disciples were baptizing people. John corrected them, pointing out that he only came as the forerunner of Christ. Just as ‘THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM’ gets out of the way, Delivering the girl under his charge to ‘THE GROOM’. John seems to have alluded back to the story of Moses at Mount Sinai by comparing the people of Israel to a ‘BRIDE’, ‘JESUS TO THE GROOM’, and himself to a ‘FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM’:

(John 3:27-30)

John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has ‘THE BRIDE’ is ‘THE BRIDEGROOM’; but ‘THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM’,who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of ‘THE BRIDEGROOM’S VOICE’.So this joy of mine has been made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

(Pirkei DeRabbiEliezer 41)-(Ethics 'Wisdom' of The Fathers)

At Mount Sinai, Moseswent forth and came to the camp of the sons of Israel, and he aroused the children of Israel from their sleep, saying to them, “Arise from your sleep, for behold, your God desires to give the Torah to you. Already the bridegroom wishes to lead the bride and to enter the bridal chamber.” … And the Holy One, blessed be He, also went forth to meet them like a bridegroom who goes forth to meet the bride. So the Holy One, blessed be He, went forth to meet them to give them the Torah.

(Exodus 20:5):

"I, The LORD your God, am a jealous God"

Does this mean thatGod is jealous in the sense of a petty, selfish jealousy that takes offense when attention and affection are directed anywhere else? Of course not. God is jealous in the sense that a loving Husband is jealous over his wife.

The Hebrew word for jealousy (KANA, קנא) is also translated as "ZEAL." The term "JEALOUS GOD" could be translated as "ZEALOUS GOD" or even "IMPASSIONED GOD." God is passionately in love with His people. He islike a ‘Faithful Husband’ who does not waver in his affection or commitment to ‘HIS BRIDE’. Because of that, He will not tolerate the worship of other gods, nor will He allow for the worship of idols. He feels the same way about idolatry and paganism that a ‘Faithful Husband’ would feel about his wife being unfaithful to Their Covenant!

Therefore, God's fidelity should encourage us to adopt the same standard of jealous devotion toHim. Just as a Faithful and Steadfast wife would shun the affections of a thief seeking to bring division, and refuse his gifts of temptation, we should be resolved to give no room to idolatry in our lives.

God is passionatelyin love with us. We should return that passion.