Jethro's Good Advice

News travels. “And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people” (18:1). The news of the exodus had spread. Who Jethro was. Jethro was a priest in Midian. Moses had lived with him for many years and married his daughter Zipporah (2:21). A family reunion. Jethro brought Zipporah and Moses' two sons to the camp “at the mountain of God” (18:5). Two names. Moses named his first son Gershom, saying, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land” (18:3). He named the second Eliezer: “The God of my father was my help” (18:4). Each name told part of Moses' story. A warm welcome. “So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him” (18:7). Moses honored his father-in-law. Telling the story. Moses told “all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh… all the hardship… and how the Lord had delivered them” (18:8). What we learn. When God does great things for us, we should tell others. Our story of God's help can bring others to Him.

The report (18:1). Jethro heard “all that God had done.” Exodus 15:14 had predicted that “the people will hear.” Here a foreign priest hears and responds, not with fear, but with joy. Jethro's identity. Jethro (also called Reuel, 2:18) was a priest of Midian. The Midianites descended from Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:2), so Jethro was a distant relative of Israel. He had sheltered Moses as a fugitive for many years. The family (18:2-6). Moses had sent Zipporah back to her father earlier, and now the family is together again. The sons' names sum up Moses' life: Gershom (from ger, say: GAIR, a stranger) and Eliezer (“my God is help”). Exile and rescue are written into his family. Customs of honor (18:7). Moses goes out to meet Jethro, bows and kisses him. The leader of Israel shows deep respect to his elder. Testimony (18:8). Moses' account includes both God's acts and “all the hardship that had come upon them on the way.” Honest testimony includes difficulty as well as deliverance. Psalm 66:16 calls believers to the same practice: “Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.”

Jethro was Moses' father-in-law. Moses had lived with Jethro's family before. He married Jethro's daughter Zipporah. Now Jethro heard the news about Israel. He heard how God saved them from Egypt. So Jethro came to the desert to see Moses. He brought Zipporah and Moses' two sons. One son was named Gershom. The other was named Eliezer. Moses was so glad to see them. He bowed down and kissed Jethro. Then Moses told the whole story. He told about the hard times. He told how God helped them every time.

Jethro came to visit. He brought Moses' family. Moses told him what God had done. It is good to tell others about God. Then they can learn about Him too.

Joy. “Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel” (18:9). He was happy for others' blessings. Praise. “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh” (18:10). A confession. “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods” (18:11). Hearing what God did changed what Jethro knew about God. Why greater? “For in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them” (18:11). Egypt's pride was no match for the Lord. Worship together. Jethro offered “a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God,” and Aaron and the elders came “to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God” (18:12). An outsider welcomed. Jethro was not an Israelite, but he worshiped the Lord with Israel. God's plan was always to bless people from every nation. What we learn. God's work in our lives can help other people come to know Him.

Rejoicing (18:9). The verb chadah (say: khah-DAH), rejoice, is rare in the Old Testament. Jethro's joy is not envy or fear but delight in God's goodness to another people. Blessing the Lord (18:10). “Blessed be the Lord” uses the covenant name, YHWH. A Midianite priest blesses Israel's God by name, just as outsiders in Genesis recognized God's hand on Abraham's family. “Now I know” (18:11). Throughout the plagues God said His acts would make people “know that I am the Lord” (7:5; 14:4). Egypt learned through judgment; Jethro learns through testimony. Psalm 95:3 later sings the same confession: “the great King above all gods.” Above their pride. The NKJV reads, “in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.” God overturned Egypt's arrogance at the very place where Egypt felt strongest. Pride always falls before the Lord. A shared meal (18:12). Jethro offers sacrifices, and Aaron and the elders eat with him “before God.” A Gentile priest worships the Lord in fellowship with Israel's leaders. It is a preview of the day when the nations would join God's people (Isaiah 49:6).

Jethro listened to Moses' story. He was very happy to hear it. Jethro was not from Israel. He came from a different country. But he loved what God had done. “Praise the Lord,” Jethro said. “Now I know the Lord is greater than all gods.” Jethro had heard about many gods. Now he knew the Lord was the greatest of all. Then Jethro gave gifts to God. Aaron and the leaders came too. They all ate a special meal together. People from different places worshiped God together. God wants people from everywhere to know Him.

Jethro was happy. He said, “God is greater than all gods!” Jethro worshiped the true God. He was so glad!

A long day. “And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening” (18:13). Jethro's question. “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?” (18:14). Moses' answer. “Because the people come to me to inquire of God” (18:15). Moses helped them settle disagreements and taught them “the statutes of God and His laws” (18:16). Not good. “The thing that you do is not good” (18:17). Moses was doing good work, but the way he was doing it was not good. Wearing out. “Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out” (18:18). Moses was tired, and so were the people waiting all day. Too much. “This thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself” (18:18). What we learn. Even good work can be done the wrong way. No one is meant to carry everything alone.

Moses as judge (18:13-16). To “judge” here means to settle disputes and apply God's will to everyday situations. People came “to inquire of God,” seeking God's direction through Moses. Moses also taught “the statutes of God and His laws,” even before Sinai. An outsider's eyes (18:14). Jethro sees what Moses cannot. Leaders often lose perspective when they are busy. A wise observer can name a problem the leader has stopped noticing. “Not good” (18:17). The phrase echoes Genesis 2:18, “It is not good that man should be alone.” Isolation, even in service, is not God's design. The same word that described Adam's solitude now describes Moses' overwork. Burnout (18:18). The verb for “wear out,” naval (say: nah-VAHL), is used for leaves withering. Moses and the people are both fading. Overwork harms not only leaders but also those they serve. A pattern. Exodus 17 showed Moses' hands growing heavy; Exodus 18 shows his workload growing heavy. Moses himself later confessed, “I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:14).

The next day, Moses sat down to help the people. People had problems with each other. They came to Moses to ask God what to do. Moses listened to every single person. He told them God's laws. He did this from morning until night! A long line of people waited all day. Jethro watched it all. He was worried about Moses. “Why are you the only one doing this?” Jethro asked. Moses said the people came to him for God's help. Jethro said, “You are not doing this right.” “You will get too tired.” Moses was trying to do too much.

Many people came to Moses. Moses helped all day long. He got very tired. Jethro saw it. He wanted to help.

Counsel. “Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you” (18:19). Moses' job. “Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God” (18:19). Moses would also teach the people God's ways (18:20). Helpers. Moses was to choose “able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness” (18:21). Covetousness means greed. Sharing the load. “Every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge… for they will bear the burden with you” (18:22). Ask God. Jethro added, “If you do this thing, and God so commands you” (18:23). Good advice still needs God's approval. A humble leader. “So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said” (18:24). The great leader listened. What we learn. Wise people listen to good advice. “He who heeds counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15).

Jethro's plan (18:19-20). Moses keeps the tasks only he can do: standing “before God for the people,” bringing their difficulties to God, and teaching “the statutes and the laws.” The prophet's role as intercessor and teacher is protected. Character first (18:21). The qualifications are moral before they are practical: able, God-fearing, truthful and “hating covetousness,” that is, incorruptible. Leadership in God's people depends on character. Ordered sharing (18:21-22, 25-26). Leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens create layers of care. Small matters are settled close to home; hard cases go to Moses. Deuteronomy 1:9-13 recalls this arrangement. Under God (18:23). Jethro's counsel is conditional: “If you do this thing, and God so commands you.” Human wisdom is offered in submission to God's will. Humility (18:24). Moses, who has spoken with God at the bush, heeds a Midianite priest. Willingness to receive correction is a mark of wisdom (Proverbs 12:15; 19:20). The early church followed a similar pattern when the apostles appointed helpers so they could devote themselves “to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:3-4).

Jethro had an idea. He said, “Now listen to me. I will give you some advice.” Moses should keep talking to God for the people. He should keep teaching them God's laws. But he should choose good men to help him. The helpers had to respect God. They had to tell the truth. They could not take money to change their minds. The helpers could solve the easy problems. Moses could solve the hard ones. Moses was a great leader. But he was humble enough to listen. He did everything Jethro said. Then Jethro went back home.

Jethro gave good advice. Moses listened. He picked helpers. Now everyone shared the work.