Yitro “Jethro" Exodus 18:1–20:23 Isaiah 6:1–7:6; 9:5–6 Mark 7–8 Shema Much has been said about the Ten Commandments through the years. Many books and many sermons have been devoted to these words. Signs containing these words have been placed in yards, and they have been etched on government buildings. Politicians, pastors, businessmen . . . the list goes on and on have taken bits and pieces from Exodus 20 to use in sermons, speeches and even business slogans. Few people in America and Europe have not at some time in their lives heard the words given to the Hebrews on Mount Sinai. If so many have heard the words, why is the world going down a greased slide? Because most have heard the words, but have not listened to them. A Hebrew word that most of us are familiar with is the word shema. Most of our English translations render it as "hear," but hear is only a small part of the full meaning of this word. In the Hebrew language the word shema means to hear, to hear intelligently, and then to act on what you are hearing. In Hebrew thought, as opposed to Greek thought, you do not hear something unless you act on what you have heard. In Greek thought, you can hear something, then write a book on the subject, preach a rip-roaring sermon, take a test on it, and continue on your way unchanged and without acting. Conventional understanding is that you have heard and know the subject. This is totally opposed to the Hebrew way of thinking that we desire to walk in. Hearing God speak without obeying is a human trait that goes back as far as Adam Himself. Adam and Eve heard what was right with their ears, but not with their hearts. The Hebrews in the wilderness were no different. In fact, people throughout the ages, and to this very moment, have for the most part continued in the example of Adam. With such a multitude of people not hearing, those who have gone before us and those who live around us today, we should ask ourselves if we are really any different than they are. Are we hearing with our ears, and making statements with our mouths, but not doing? If so, scripture calls us hypocrites. If we truly examine our day-to-day lives in light of just the Ten Commandments, are we hearing or do we truly shema? To answer the question let us allow Scripture to speak into our lives. Let us look first at the fourth commandment, the one about Shabbat. HaShem says through Moses that we are not to work on Shabbat. Do you? Now I realize that in our modern, western, Babylonian culture many are forced to work on Shabbat. If you are, have you prayed that God would release you into a job that would allow you to honor Shabbat? Or do you just figure that He understands? Do you cause someone else to work on Shabbat by going to the grocery or getting gas when you could have done so a different day? Maybe it is not convenient for you to shop on a different day, but since when was convenience the way we are called to live our lives? How about the last commandment? In America this is a tough one. We are constantly bombarded with the American dream of more, more, and more. A friend or family member buys a new car, a new house, a new dress, a new tool, and immediately we have to run out to "keep up with the Joneses." This is nothing more than coveting to the point of we must have everything they have, so we get it. We should each go very slowly commandment by commandment and ask very seriously for the Sprit of HaShem to search our hearts. Ask Him to reveal to us if we are simply hearing these words or if the word shema is truly the desire of our hearts. The Hebrews for the most part did not shema. The people in the days of Isaiah did not shema. Most of the people who looked right into the eyes of Yeshua Himself did not shema. Scripture states though that in the Last Days there will be a remnant of people who are not satisfied to simply hear, but their desire would be to shema. Simply put, their hearing would be backed up with action. They would have faith that would be demonstrated by the actions of Torah obedience. Are we part of that remnant? Consider that HaShem Himself did not just talk about the redemption of mankind, but He backed up His words with actions. So with all He has done for us, is He not deserving of our actions and not just our words?