In reading Exodus 18:13-23 I have often wondered at this scene of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, visiting Moses and the entire body of the Hebrew nation after they had escaped from Egypt. It is a seminal moment in the entire Exodus. Jethro said to Moses, “The work (of settling all disputes of the people ) is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. . . 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. . . But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, and fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people. . . but have them bring the difficult cases to you: the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter because they will share it with you. If you do this, and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” It may be one of the most thoroughly human moments in the Bible; and I have sometimes wondered why this simple solution was not commanded to Moses by God, but was advised to him by his father-in-law. Jethro arrived at the Hebrew’s camp, bringing Moses’ wife and two sons. It was a joyful reunion for the whole family.

By the time of this incident, Moses had experienced an extraordinarily close relationship with the Lord. God spoke openly and often with Moses concerning large and small matters, but in this important change, God was pleased to send Jethro with the message. It was a “common sense” message, that dramatically changed Moses’ relationship with his people and freed him to be more available to God. This incident showed Moses and all humanity that reasoning and understanding are qualities acceptable to God when they are in the context of faith in Him.

It was an important day, not only for Moses, but also for Jethro and the whole nation of Israel. Obedience to God is strongly stressed in both the Old and New Testaments, but here is an example where the judgment of a human being was honored by God to be a right form of action for one of His people. The implications are huge, freeing the believers in God to make decisions and take actions that they understand are acceptable to God. Their Creator was pleased to share their lives and to work through their own reasoning powers, powers that He Himself had designed for them. To share the lives of His people had been God’s goal from the start.

Love in Him,

Prue