Dear Friends,
In the 18th chapter of the book of Exodus there is a nice “human” incident that shows us that we are not simply to look for good ideas, but for God’s ideas, when it comes to certain courses or procedures that we are to follow in the Christian life. The incident occurs during the time that Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, comes to visit Moses after the deliverance of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt. The first day of that visit is a model of how to fellowship in the works and ways of the Lord towards His people, and the whole evening closes with a sacrifice and offering being made under the very shadows of Sinai itself, and in a fellowship meal for Moses, and Jethro, and Aaron, and all the elders of Israel. It’s on the next day, however, that the incident in question takes place.
Jethro rises the next morning. No doubt, it would have been still fairly early in the morning; but, already, Moses was at his work of “judging” the various cases and problems that were constantly being brought to him. In all probability, Jethro didn’t think much of that; after all, Moses was the one whom God had appointed to lead that people and to guide that people in all ways, so he was simply doing his job. As the day wore on, however, the line of people waiting to see Moses didn’t seem to decrease any, so that by evening, Moses was still judging and still hearing the cases presented to him. Verse 13 – “And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.”
Now, Jethro had been around a long time. Moses himself was no stripling, of course, and had already celebrated his 80th birthday. But Jethro his father-in-law could still give him a few years, and by reason of that, could still have a word or two in his ear; which he did. Here is what he said – verse 14, “And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?” Moses tells him why, in the next verse, “Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: when they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.” There then follows Jethro’s good assessment of the situation, his good advice that he offers in the light of that assessment and his good qualifying word, which lifts his words beyond the place of mere good advice and good procedure.
This is how he assesses the situation; “The thing that thou doest,” he tells Moses, “is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to bear it thyself alone.” Classical statement; “Thou shalt surely wear away.” Moses had taken in hand to do absolutely everything within that nation of Israel, and the simple fact was that no one man could cope with all that growing concern, and its growing concerns. It was just beyond him, and Jethro saw that, and realised that if Moses did not take on some others to help him in the work, then he was bound to break, or bow down once too often in the work and never rise up again. So, he gives him his advice, and his words of counsel. They come in verse 19 and following “Hearken now unto my voice, and I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee; Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge so, shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.”
So runs Jethro’s advice, and what it is, of course, is one of those great foreshadowing’s of the Word of God of that “body” concept of the Church that would come into its fulness in the New Testament scriptures. There are “many members,” Jethro is telling Moses, and “all members have not the same office.” If he continues to endeavour to be a one-man body, then he will soon find that he will “wear out” and the body with him.
It’s very important to realise, of course, that in that advice that Jethro is giving to Moses he is not simply thinking about the welfare of his son-in-law, but about the welfare of that people of God of old. His first concern, in verse 18 – “Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee.” Jethro wasn’t simply concerned that Moses should be able to spend more time at home with his wife, Jethro’s daughter; although there would have been no harm in that! What Jethro was concerned about was the total good of the total people of God, whom God had now delivered to be a people to the praise of His name. So, his conclusion to the whole thing, in verse 23 of the chapter – “If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.” The sharing of that whole work of the Lord in the nation of Israel is for the good of the nation of Israel. Moses will have his peculiar tasks, as under the Lord, and as under his calling from the Lord; but there are to be “many members.” It was good advice, indeed, and wholesome advice, indeed, that Jethro offered to Moses on the evening of that day when he saw him in danger of killing himself and those who were with him. It was a “good idea;” an excellent idea, that Jethro set before his son-in-law in that outline of devolved administration for the people of God. But it wasn’t to commend itself to Moses, or the people, on the grounds of it being a good idea, but on entirely different grounds that were to be sought out and ascertained.
Those concluding words of Jethro provide the great “rider” for all of this advice now offered to Moses; “If thou shalt do this thing,” he says, “and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.” “If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so.” And with those words, Jethro tells Moses – “to look beyond that he here commends, to what God may be pleased to command!
In other words, Jethro is simply saying to Moses, “Look, Moses, this seems like a good idea to me; I’m sure it would work out all right for you and for this people who are with you; but you better confirm it from the lips of the Lord Himself! I offer the advice sincerely; I offer the advice as sensible – but he is sure to see what the Lord says, and what the Lord has to say on the whole affair.” “If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then. …!” Moses, as the Mediator of those people at that time in their life, had access to the will and to the mind of God for that people. It is to the will and mind of God that Jethro directs Moses to go. It is, indeed a “good” idea; is it God’s “idea” as far as His people and His nation at that time is concerned? That is what will determine the implementations, or otherwise, of that course proposed.
When it comes to our courses and procedures within the churches of Christ, or in our individual believing lives, let us not rest on how commendable a thing is, without taking time and effort to enquire from the word of God how commanded a thing is. By all means, let us explore all means that would seem to promote the good of the church and the glory of the Lord’s name amongst us, but let us always go further. The church, and our own lives, are not to be run on what appear to be simply good ways, but on God’s ways, and those ways are revealed, by way of precept or principle, in God’s Word. Jethro was telling Moses, not simply to adopt his way, but to ascertain God’s will. Let us endeavour always to do the same, through God’s grace granted to us.