Verses 1-5 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; 2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: 4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: 5 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
News traveled slowly in Moses’ day and yet the story about the plagues and the destruction of Egypt had spread abroad and reached Midian. This was by design of God because the pagan nations the children of Israel needed to pass through or needed to conquer needed to have a healthy fear of this people and their God.
The name “Gershom” means “foreigner”, and the name “Eliezer” means “God is help”. Remember that people used to name their children in remembrance of events or specific situations in their lives.
Verses 6-8 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. 7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. 8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.
To do “obeisance” means to bow down or prostrate oneself on the ground. It was an action to show respect. Moses must have been so very happy to have his family back with him.
Application: Notice that Moses shared with Jethro “all that the LORD had done…” and “how the LORD delivered them.” He was bragging about the goodness and greatness of God. Believers today experience the goodness and greatness of God, but often it goes unnoticed or unappreciated. Take time everyday to “count your blessings” and find someone with whom to share how the LORD blesses you every day. Brag about Him often and see if that doesn’t positively affect the people around you. It did Jethro, as recorded in the verses below. He rejoiced. He was converted because through Moses’ testimony of the goodness and greatness of God, He knew that the LORD was the one all powerful God.
Verses 9-11 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
Moses did not take any credit for the events that transpired in Egypt. He gave God all the credit.
Verse 12 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God.
Burnt offerings and sacrifices showed a thankful heart on the part of the person offering them. How this practice came into being is not known by this writer as these rituals were done long before the tabernacle and ritualistic sacrifices came into being as commanded by the LORD as part of the worship of God by the Hebrew people.
Verses 13-14 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 14 And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
Like all gatherings of people, disagreements arose in the camp and Moses was judging between the offended parties. This was an exhausting and time consuming effort, and Jethro recognized this.
Verses 15-16 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
Note that Moses had not yet received the 10 commandments from God nor had he received the statutes yet he was teaching the law and the statutes to the people as he judged between them. Moses was a type of Christ, and as God’s anointed, he had spiritual insight into the things of God and could reveal these insights to the people just as Jesus taught and revealed the insights of God to the people of Palestine during the Roman days.
Verses 17-20 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Verses 19-22 reveal how the church today should be structured. First, a church leader, like Moses, must be humble enough to listen to and consider counsel from others. The LORD sent Jethro to Moses at a time Moses needed advice, and Jethro was correct in his assessment of the situation and in his suggested solution. A pastor of a congregation cannot always be right, and the LORD will send people to him to help him stay on the right path and to help him become a more effective pastor. Jethro believed that Moses, as the leader of the congregation of Hebrews, should preach and teach the things of God and spend time in fellowship with God on behalf of the people. In this way, all the people could benefit from Moses and his leadership. Likewise, this is the job of a modern day pastor.
Verses 21-23 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
Jethro’s idea of Moses choosing men of upright character to act as judges for the people released Moses from the bondage of daily judging so that he could spend his time with the LORD and with the ministry of teaching. The people would get their grievances heard in a timely manner, and Moses would not burn out. Likewise, a modern day pastor should consider, if the church is large enough, assigning men of upright character and good judgment that are walking daily with the LORD as counselors to assist with any disagreements that might arise among the people of the church. Like Moses, any major problem can be presented to the pastor for his intervention according to the Word of God.
Verses 24-27 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
Moses was not too proud to listen to Jethro and to act upon his suggestions. Jethro’s contribution to the lives of the children of Israel was over and he felt free to return to his home.
Application: This writer has attempted to counsel pastors of two different churches because they were clearly twisting Scripture and therefore misrepresenting the Word of God and teaching error to their congregations. It was not clear if the pastors were deliberate in their error or if they were just teaching error that they themselves had been taught. Regardless, when discussing the problem, both of these pastors became defensive and refused to even listen to this writer’s Biblical evidence and merely suggested that if this writer was unhappy with what was being taught, leaving the church would be a good decision. So like Jethro, this writer’s contribution to the church and pastor was over and this writer left both churches. A proud pastor is not one that can be reasoned with out of the Scripture. As a believer, if you experience this type of situation, your only recourse is to leave. You can be a Jethro, but not all pastors are like Moses.