Exodus 18:1-27 NKJV
18 And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3 with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”) 4 and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”); 5 and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. 6 Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. 8 And 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 on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. 9 Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And 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 who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
13 And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. 14 So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 18 Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. 19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. 20 And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. 21 Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.”
24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.
In the previous chapter, God taught Moses and Israel a valuable lesson: A prophet of God has certain God-given tasks, but he does not have to do everything alone; it is good to support him where support is appropriate and needed. In chapter 17, Moses held the rod, but he couldn’t hold it up on his own; his hands were literally supported by Aaron and Hur. In chapter 18, a similar lesson is learned.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law and the priest of Midian, does Moses two favors in this chapter. First, he brings Moses’ wife and children to him. Now that the people of Israel are safe from Pharaoh’s reach, it’s only proper for the family to be reunited. And when he hears how much the LORD has done for Israel, Jethro leads the Israelites in a sacrificial meal of thanksgiving.
Then Jethro shares some fatherly wisdom with his son-in-law. How can one man possibly judge every dispute among some two million people? He can’t. Moses has a unique call from God to be God’s voice to the people of Israel and to teach them God’s commandments, but there are other important tasks that can be shared among God-fearing men. So, Moses learns to delegate the tasks that can be delegated, and the godly men in Israel learn to assist God’s prophet in shepherding God’s people.
This principle applies broadly to every position of authority. A father is called by God to be the head of his family, but he needs the support of his wife and children to make the household work. An employer depends on the support of his employees, each with his or her given task. A secular ruler depends on the cooperation of the officers who serve under him.
Likewise, also in the Church, the pastor has a unique call from God to preach and teach His Word and to administer His Sacraments. But the larger the flock entrusted to his care, the more support he will need from the men and women of his congregation to assist him, according to their gifts and abilities, so that the body of Christ may be built up. God has designed His Church to function like a body, with many members working together to carry out different but much-needed tasks.
Let us pray: O Lord, we give You thanks for faithful pastors, and we ask You to give us opportunities to serve one another in love, that Your people may be well-served. Amen.