As the most famous leader of God’s chosen people, Moses had a strong influence on the people he led. But he also had a strong influence on his father-in-law, Jethro. At the beginning of Exodus 18,, we see that Jethro had heard about all that God had done for Israel and that Moses had done for his people. Moses was gaining quite the reputation with Jethro and so was the God that Moses served. What kind of reputation does God have among the people you know?
The relationship between Jethro and Moses was obviously based on respect and personal care. We know that because Moses bowed down and kissed Jethro upon seeing him. then they spend some time asking each other how they were doing. It would appear from the details that they were more than just cordial with each other. They actually cared about one another. When they went into the tent, Moses spent a good deal of time telling Jethro of all the miraculous things God had done on behalf of Israel. I can imagine the enthusiasm with which Moses explained all of this to Jethro and Jethro’s facial expressions as he heard for the first time Moses’ firsthand accounts of what we have recorded for us in our Bibles today. What a great time it had to be for both of them. Jethro rejoiced because of all the goodness which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. “The Lord be blessed, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, for, in the matter in which they treated the people insolently, He was above them.” Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God. Jethro was a priest of Midian of the Kenite clan. The Kenites were coppersmiths and metalworkers. They played an important role in the history of ancient Israel. Jethro’s statement that now he knows that the Lord is greater than all gods shows the power one’s testimony can have on those around them. Don’t discount or doubt that you have something to say that can lead others to Christ. Moses doubted God on this subject for a time, but the life of Moses is also a testimony of what God can do through a willing vessel.
More evidence of the relationship between Moses and Jethro is Jethro’s concern for Moses when he saw how much Moses was working. Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning until the evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” Jethro was concerned that Moses was taking on too much. Although the Mosaic Law had yet to be given by God to Moses, God had already established the 6-to-1 day ratio of work to rest. On the seventh day, God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it He had rested from all His work which He had created and made (Genesis 2:2-3).
Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you, and these people who are with you, for this thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself. Now listen to me, I will advise you, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God so that you may bring their disputes to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and laws and shall show them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do. Moreover, you shall choose out of all the people capable men who fear God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and place these men over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Let them judge the people at all times, and let it be that every difficult matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge, so that it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you shall do this thing and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.” God commands us to choose leaders that fear him. When governments are corrupt in places where voters elect their public officials and anyone can run for office, it is because those governments are reflections of their people. For Americans reading this, an interesting side note is that Article IV, Section 4 of the United States Constitution says that the United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government. This is a reflection of Exodus 18:21 and Jethro’s idea to provide out of all the people leaders who were rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
So how can we apply this to our lives? I don’t know if I could improve on the note in the Life Application Study Bible for Exodus 18:13-26. They say that Moses was spending so much time and energy hearing the Hebrews’ complaints that he could not get to other important work. Jethro suggested that Moses delegate most of this work to others and focus his efforts on jobs only he could do. People in positions of responsibility sometimes feel like they are the only ones who can do necessary tasks, but in actuality, others are often capable of handling part of the load. Delegation relieved Moses’ stress and improved the quality of governance. It helped prepare the Israelites for the system of government that would later be set up in Canaan. Proper delegation can multiply your effectiveness while giving others a chance to grow.
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