Exodus 18 decribes Jethro, the father in law of Moses, joining Israelite camp. He sees what God has done, and joins in temporarily and returned home.
While he was with Moses, he sees that Israelites waiting to see Moses with their disputes, and Jethro sees that this is wrong. He claims "What you are doing is not good,,,, now obey my voice, I will give you advice, and God be with you.... So Moses listened to the voice of his father in law and did all that he had said.
What Jethro commanded was that Moses to appoint representatives to deal with small issues that arises in their camp. This would relieve Moses of the heavy workload, and also people can have their grievance dealt with timely.
Many commentators describe this chapter as if Jethro was another wisdom of God to govern over the people of Israel. Jon Bloom, a staff writer on desiringGod.org says, God speaks with clarity and preciseness, but regarding the secondary or administrative things he leaves much to our figuring. In other words, God cares about 'What' but we are to figure out using God given resources including people, wisdom, technology etc to come up with 'how' .
On the one hand, I can understand where this is from. We have our freewill, and God has implanted in us many different talents to bring forth God's glory in our life settings.
Moses obeyed his father in law, and everyone seems to be happy in the end.
But everytime I read this passage, I am perplexed who Jethro is, and whether his advice was God given or a human understanding that caused the gap to develop. The gap between God's clear message and commands to have Israel remain pure before God's sight, particularly during this time of nation building, where common identity centred around God was key to bring together the unity.
Exodus 33:11 says the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.
What was the criteria for the appointment of judges? Would they have similar extent of focus on God as Moses?
Considering the timing of this, I believe that despite the long wait for the people to see Moses, he should have remained as the only judge.
1) Usefulness of the wait: People's waiting, would have been beneficial as it would have given people time to come to a conflict resolution.
"Matthew 5:25 - Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking to you court. Do it while you are still together on the way"
2) Purity of the message: the slave mentality is demonstrated time and time again, by the people. Judges and the tribe leaders were the same. How would the judges conduct this divine and essential role?
When Miriam and Aaron rebelled against Moses, God was clearly on Moses side, protecting Moses' sole leadership over the people. Why all of sudden would God change the stance?
3) God cares about 'how', not just 'what' : God did not just tell people to build a tabernacle but explained how to build it. This was demonstrated during this time of nation building, and identity (as God's chosen people) building period, God was intervening into the lives of Israel in the deepest and most delicate ways.
4) Jethro - He did not stay with the chosen people, but he returned to his land. At the end of the day he is a gentile, a Midianite. (ver 27 "Then Moses sent his father in law on his way, and Jethro returned or sent back to his own country - why was this so?)
5) People's sinning - After this, God gives the ten commandments and all other commands regarding the tabernacle, priesthood and many others. Despite the laws being issued, people sinned by making an image of God, golden calf, and resisting Moses and God. In retrospect, this would have been inevitable, but there may have been some correlation between this and the reduced interaction between Moses and the people
Jethro's advice is predominantly praised as a God given advice to Moses. I want to think again....
While he was with Moses, he sees that Israelites waiting to see Moses with their disputes, and Jethro sees that this is wrong. He claims "What you are doing is not good,,,, now obey my voice, I will give you advice, and God be with you.... So Moses listened to the voice of his father in law and did all that he had said.
What Jethro commanded was that Moses to appoint representatives to deal with small issues that arises in their camp. This would relieve Moses of the heavy workload, and also people can have their grievance dealt with timely.
Many commentators describe this chapter as if Jethro was another wisdom of God to govern over the people of Israel. Jon Bloom, a staff writer on desiringGod.org says, God speaks with clarity and preciseness, but regarding the secondary or administrative things he leaves much to our figuring. In other words, God cares about 'What' but we are to figure out using God given resources including people, wisdom, technology etc to come up with 'how' .
On the one hand, I can understand where this is from. We have our freewill, and God has implanted in us many different talents to bring forth God's glory in our life settings.
Moses obeyed his father in law, and everyone seems to be happy in the end.
But everytime I read this passage, I am perplexed who Jethro is, and whether his advice was God given or a human understanding that caused the gap to develop. The gap between God's clear message and commands to have Israel remain pure before God's sight, particularly during this time of nation building, where common identity centred around God was key to bring together the unity.
Exodus 33:11 says the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.
What was the criteria for the appointment of judges? Would they have similar extent of focus on God as Moses?
Considering the timing of this, I believe that despite the long wait for the people to see Moses, he should have remained as the only judge.
1) Usefulness of the wait: People's waiting, would have been beneficial as it would have given people time to come to a conflict resolution.
"Matthew 5:25 - Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking to you court. Do it while you are still together on the way"
2) Purity of the message: the slave mentality is demonstrated time and time again, by the people. Judges and the tribe leaders were the same. How would the judges conduct this divine and essential role?
When Miriam and Aaron rebelled against Moses, God was clearly on Moses side, protecting Moses' sole leadership over the people. Why all of sudden would God change the stance?
3) God cares about 'how', not just 'what' : God did not just tell people to build a tabernacle but explained how to build it. This was demonstrated during this time of nation building, and identity (as God's chosen people) building period, God was intervening into the lives of Israel in the deepest and most delicate ways.
4) Jethro - He did not stay with the chosen people, but he returned to his land. At the end of the day he is a gentile, a Midianite. (ver 27 "Then Moses sent his father in law on his way, and Jethro returned or sent back to his own country - why was this so?)
5) People's sinning - After this, God gives the ten commandments and all other commands regarding the tabernacle, priesthood and many others. Despite the laws being issued, people sinned by making an image of God, golden calf, and resisting Moses and God. In retrospect, this would have been inevitable, but there may have been some correlation between this and the reduced interaction between Moses and the people
Jethro's advice is predominantly praised as a God given advice to Moses. I want to think again....
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