While Moses was in Egypt during the plagues, he sent his wife, Zipporah, to stay with her father, Jethro. Later, as Moses and the Israelites camped near Mount Sinai, Jethro visited him. Upon learning of all God had done for the Hebrews, Jethro celebrated God’s mighty acts.
Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.
Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them” (Exodus 18:10-11).
The plagues in Egypt were designed to reveal the utter worthlessness of Egypt’s idols. Jethro recognized this fact and praised God as supreme over all other gods.
From ancient times, humanity has grappled with the question of whether anything could be more powerful than God. There are moments when God seems distant, not acting as we might expect.
It takes faith to declare that God’s ways are always superior, regardless of circumstances. Ultimately, if we place our trust in Him, we will come to experience the truth that Jethro spoke of to Moses.
Jethro’s Counsel
While Moses frequently received direct communication from God, it’s an interesting twist that God didn’t directly instruct him on how to handle the many people who pressed in on him for their daily needs.
Instead, God employed Jethro’s advice to guide Moses toward a more effective solution. Jethro challenged Moses’ way of deciding issues of conflict.
- Verse 14 – “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
- Verses 17-18 – “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.”
For micromanagers and those who feel they must oversee every decision, Jethro’s advice is clear: your current approach, working in isolation, is simply exhausting everyone. The burden is too great, and you cannot handle it alone.
Jethro’s counsel involved two features. First, Moses was to teach the people the ways of God.
Teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do” (Genesis 18:20).
Moses went up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments from God shortly after meeting with Jethro. The Ten Commandments are mostly phrased as prohibitions, acting much like boundary markers.
By staying clear of the dangerous edges of these boundaries, individuals are empowered to live their lives joyfully within the designated safe space.
History teaches us that laws alone cannot protect us from dishonest, self-serving leaders. This is precisely why the integrity of Moses’ judges was so vital, both then and now.
You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you (Exodus 18:21-22).
The combination of a community where people generally know what is expected of them and judges possessing the right character and wisdom will lead to peace.
If you do this and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their homes in peace (Exodus 18:22).
Jethro’s words to Moses held true in their era and have remained valid throughout all of history, right up to today.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 