Exodus 18
The Advice of Jethro
1 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
News travels fast. Jethro heard what happened in Egypt. Everyone did. It was common knowledge. The most powerful nation in the world was devastated, in poverty, without an army, and without a Pharaoh. Therefore, Jethro traveled to Rephadim to meet with Moses.
2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah after he had sent her back,
Zipporah’s negative attitude toward the Abrahamic Covenant circumcision requirements caused her to miss the ten plagues, the exodus, the Red Sea miracle, the manna, and the water from the rock miracles.
3 and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land”),
Gershom was circumcised, but Zipporah did not like the idea.
4 and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, “The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).
Zipporah was forced to circumcise Eliezer herself to save the life of Moses.
5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camping by the mountain of God.
The family came to visit Moses.
6 He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons with her.”
Jethro brought the wife and children.
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other’s welfare, and then they went into the tent.
Moses showed respect to Jethro, because as priest, he was the head of the Midianite tribe.
8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.
Moses revealed the exodus information to Jethro.
9 Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt.
Jethro rejoiced over the good news.
10 Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians’ control!
Jethro praised Jehovah. Was Jethro a believer?
11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them.”
Jethro is polytheistic, believing that Jehovah is just one of many gods.
12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God.
In Numbers 25, the Midianites were identified as polytheistic.
13 On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening.
Moses was spending all of his days as a judge for two million people.
14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
Jethro saw that Moses was being overworked, just as many pastors and Christian workers are overworked today.
15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
Two million people wanted to know God’s opinion on settling differences.
16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.”
Moses alone was settling all of the court cases of Israel.
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good!
Jethro saw that Moses could not handle all of these cases.
18 You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.
Moses will burn out from fatigue.
19 Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God;
The advice of Jethro was that Moses was to be a representative for the people to God.
20 warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.
Moses was to be a teacher of the Law, just as a pastor is to be a teacher of the church. The pastor is not to be a business leader, a building administrator, or a visiting nurse to sick Christians. The pastor's sole responsibility is to shepherd the sheep. He does this by studying and teaching the Word of God.
21 But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Moses was to choose able men to judge and rule the people. In this way, he would have more time to study and teach.
22 They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you.
Moses will only judge the larger cases.
23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”
This will keep Moses from burning out. It is important that churches do not expect their pastors to do everything. The pastor is to study and teach and little else. Multiple elders are to run the church. Deacons are to serve the church. Paul will establish the modern local church in a format similar to that of Jethro and Moses.
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said.
According to Deuteronomy 1:9-18, Moses did not make these appointments until after the giving of the Mosaic Law.
25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
The system is similar to the multiple-elder, multiple-deacon system of the New Testament church.
26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.
The system operated very well for centuries. The Holy Spirit allowed this system to be recorded in Scripture and to be repeated as Bible doctrine by the church.
The Sanhedrin did evolve out of this system. Their decision was to crucify their own Messiah. Therefore, it is imperative that strong elders with strong Bible doctrine from the entire Word of God be placed on elder boards. Otherwise, the modern church will get godless men who will fleece the sheep rather than shepherd the sheep. The evolution of seeker churches came from the decisions of elders who were good businessmen, but poor students of Scripture.
27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land.
The plurality of leadership is the divine pattern of the New Testament Church. Congregational rule is unbiblical. The sheep are not to choose their Shepherd. According to New Testament theology, multiple elders are to make all decisions, including the selection of the Shepherd. The congregation is full of immature believers. If the congregation chooses the Shepherd, then they will choose an immature Shepherd, like themselves.