December 28, 2020
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in some Exodus? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 18 (NIV)
Jethro Visits Moses
1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt........Continue Reading
Exodus 18: God taught Moses how to better organize the judicial system. He leaves no stone unturned.
This chapter felt like the description of a Pastor to a church. Everyone knows and follows God first and foremost helping them know His ways. The most difficult situation falls to the pastor, however, smaller disputes can be handled amongst the people either themselves with the knowledge of God or with the assistance of an elder or deacon also under God’s direction.
Exodus 18
How important the principle of delegation is and how everyone is benefited by it. I am sure Moses was glad to see his family again and probably didn’t want to risk their safety as he confronted Pharaoh. But I am sure he was also glad for the wisdom of his father-in-law. Dividing the load is wise in many situations yet those who share in it need to be prepared, instructed and provided for. They also need to be coordinated and organized. There also needs to be accountability which is found in people being responsible for different numbers of people. This situation also shows how important it is to speak up if we have insight to share that will improve a situation as well as how important it is for us to be open to the advice of others. Just think if Jethro kept his mouth closed or Moses said, “Jethro, mind your own business”. We do better working together rather than working apart. And every organization needs people to chip in, especially the church that has the most important mission in the world!
Jethro encourages Moses to instruct the people, so they can judge for themselves, and has him choose wise men to judge between them, leaving the larger decisions to Moses.
This made me think of all the people in the world who seek counseling and guidance. I believe that the dissolution of morality and the lack of study of God’s word has resulted in a lack of wisdom. So many things that could be resolved with just a tiny bit of God’s wisdom become huge things. I also think of Moses’ humility in accepting and implementing Jethro’s advice. Even though Moses had a intercom to God, he didn’t consider himself as better, wiser, or greater than his father-in-law.
17Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22Have 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. 23If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
Exodus 18