Good morning. Our Thursday edition Bible character this week is Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. You will recall that Moses, after killing the Egyptian for mistreating a Hebrew man, ran away from Egypt in fear for his life. He got as far as Midian where he met his future wife, and therefore Jethro, his future father-in-law. Midian was the region southwest of the land God had promised to His people through Abraham. It was in the northwest part of the Arabian Peninsula, was mountainous and very arid. Jethro was a “priest of Midian” who also raised sheep.
When Moses first encounters Jethro (Exodus 3), Jethro seemed delighted that one of his seven daughters had caught the eye of a traveling Egyptian named Moses, for Moses at that time continued to be dressed as an Egyptian from the royal family. Jethro was a priest of Midian where they worshipped Baal, Ashteroth, and a false goddess known as “the Queen of Heaven.” In other words, Jethro worshipped false gods and led others in that idolatrous worship. We do not read that Moses was particularly offended by this activity.
When Moses accepts God’s call to go back to Egypt and rescue God’s people, Moses leaves his wife and children in the care of Jethro in Midian (Exodus 4). We don’t hear anything more about them until we come to the 18th chapter of Exodus. By that time, the word of the Israelites’ victories, and of the miraculous care that God was giving the Israelites to meet their needs while they were in the wilderness got back to Jethro in Midian. He gathered up Moses’ family and set out to find Moses and the Hebrew people. When they met it was with a warm and welcome greeting and Moses proceeded to tell Jethro more of the details of God’s care for His people. In Exodus 18:8-12 we read: Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
Jethro, the priest of false gods, became a believer in Jehovah. We do not hear of him returning to Midian, so perhaps he stayed with the Israelites during their time in the wilderness. We do know that Jethro soon gives Moses some excellent advice.
In Exodus 18:13-18 we read: The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. 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 do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.
God uses this man Jethro (a person who only hours before had come to recognize Him as the one, true God) to speak words of wisdom to Moses. Jethro speaks and Moses listens to him. His words direct Moses to understand that there are times when a person needs help, and this was one of those times for Moses. As we read more in this 18th chapter, Jethro tells Moses to find good, godly people who are honest and capable. Divide the people into groups and have these good people take charge of them. He says: Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
God gives us to one another. We are a daily gift to each other, bringing help whenever and wherever it is needed. As Jethro tells Moses, and God continues to tell us: it is foolish to try and do everything by yourself. If you try to do so you will soon be overwhelmed and burned out. Look for help when you need it. Turn down the pride and turn up the humility. When the time is right, you will have opportunity to return the favor, and in all things give thanks!