Exodus 18: 1 – 27
Children Ministry
18And 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.
I know what you are thinking. You are saying right now to yourself is how on this earth did this guy come up with a title of ‘Children Ministry’ for this chapter. It has nothing to do with children. Oh contraire my friends. It has a lot to do with children.
Our country should be called the United States of suing. Every sinful human lives in suing city. It makes me sick to see all the lawsuits people file against one another. There is no longer discussion or negotiations. Everyone runs to the lawyers and they are happy that you do. I think what people do now days are quite childish.
There are two words which we confuse. They are being childish and childlike. When a person is childlike he or she is marked by innocence and trust. When someone acts childish on the other hand, it means that they are being immature.
We are going to read about childish acts of the Israelites that became so bad that a non-believer had to step in and correct the wrong that was being done by God’s people to each other.
Yet before we get into this chapter I want to add some addition insight into the topic ‘Children Ministry’ that I pretty much learned on the job. This information is freely given to all Pastors and church leaders. Hopefully, if you learn from my mistakes you will avoid the pitfalls that I dealt with and reap some basic information that will hopefully help your children ministry to grow and be properly managed so you can handle a great increase from our Holy Lord Jesus. After all it is His Church, right?
I grew up as a Roman Catholic. I was rebellious and stopped going to church in my teens. I didn’t go for the lies that Jesus Christ was kept in a little locked box on the church altar. However, after many years of being a non-church attendee something in my spirit drove me to want to know more about Jesus. I tried a whole bunch of church denominations and they did not sooth my empty feeling. Then by chance I went to a little store front church. I finally found my way. I loved the worship but I also really loved the teaching regarding God’s Awesome Word.
After about a year I asked if there was anything I could do to help out around the church on Sundays. They told me that they needed help in cleaning up and preparing for the service. I happily agreed to participate. That was fun. There were about 100 adults with around 20 kids altogether. Things ultimately changed when the couple who were taking care of the kids wanted to quit. No one would volunteer to take care of the children, that is, until I raised my hand and said I would do it.
To desire the Lord to bring a great increase and reach ability to teach children about the great Son of God I actually took some direction from today’s passages. I know that I could not properly manage a huge children ministry all by myself. Like we glean from the advice Moses’ father-in-law gave him I implemented this some formula for the management of the children ministry. For each age group I searched out those individuals who I noticed were the servant’s servant. By this I mean I picked out those people presently serving in the children ministry that would do anything to help out. These individuals I put in charge of each age group. I gave them the title ‘Coordinator’. They would be in charge of the particular children age overseeing all the teachers and helpers with that age group.
I was thankful to our Gracious God for giving me the insight to do this ahead of time for boy o boy did He give an increase. In just a few years the church grew to about 9,000 adults and around 8,000 children under the age of 12.
I think you can agree with me in thanksgiving for the Lord’s wonderful direction. His word guided me in spreading out the responsibility in overseeing the safety and teaching of the kids. Let’s now take a look at today’s scripture and see if you can glean for yourselves something you can use to serve His body, the church.
There is little doubt that under God Jethro’s visit saved Moses from being on the verge of nervous exhaustion. In return Moses will bring enlightenment to Jethro about the things of God. God often uses the most unexpected sources in order to help His servants. But there is an indication of how necessary Moses training and expertise was for Israel.
As the children of Israel approached Sinai they would come within the vicinity of the Midianite group to which Moses belonged, which would soon learn of their approach. Indeed it must be seen as very probable that Moses sent them notification.
18And 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.
The news about what God had done for Moses would have come from Moses himself, who would no doubt have sent a fast messenger with the news of the deliverance. It was incumbent on him to keep his tribal leader informed.
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”);
This summary brings us up to date on Moses’ family position. Moses had clearly sent his wife back to the family tribe while he was having his contest with Pharaoh. This was probably in order to ensure her safety and the safety of their two sons and to prevent them from being used by Pharaoh as a bargaining tool. It has ever been the policy of tyrants to get back at or control their enemies by attacking their families.
‘Gershom.’ ‘Ger’ means a foreigner, a sojourner, a stranger. Moses construed the name here as meaning ‘a stranger there’, the regular play on words common with both tribal and Egyptian names. Moses’ comment suggested how hardly he understandably had felt his exile.
‘Eliezer.’ ‘My God is help.’ Chapter 4.20 suggests that Eliezer was born in Midian before Moses left for Egypt. His name was basically a statement of faith, that God would be Moses’ helper. And Moses especially related this to his escape from execution when he fled from Egypt with God’s help. He now compares it in verse 8 with their recent deliverance.
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.
At this nearest point to the Midianite camp Jethro arrived bringing Moses’ wife and his two sons. Please note the constant emphasis on his ‘father-in-law’ As his patriarch, that he was in a position to give patriarchal advice to Moses. All would recognize his right to do so.
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.
Jethro took Moses’ wife and sons to Moses, and they greeted each other warmly and came back to Moses’ 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.
Moses had, of course, a responsibility to report events back to his tribal leader, from whom he had officially previously sought permission to go to Egypt (4.18), but the communication goes beyond that. Moses is concerned that his father-in-law should now see that he is tied to the children of Israel by Yahweh’s activities and demands. Jethro’s rejoicing in the goodness of Yahweh demonstrates that he is gladly willing to accept the situation and to release Moses from his tribal loyalty.
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.
Here it is the deliverance that Jethro concentrates on. He had not seen the wonders but he does understand fully the one outstanding fact of the wonderful deliverance out of Egyptian hands. What amazed him was that Yahweh had delivered Israel from the powerful Egyptians, and he could only rejoice in it.
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.”
Jethro praises Yahweh for what He has done in delivering Israel. The repetition of ‘who has delivered’ emphasizes his wonder at what has happened. With verse 9 the deliverance is emphasized three times. Egypt was notorious as the region’s super-power, ruled by a god and with powerful gods. But this has not prevented Yahweh from setting them at naught.
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.
This is in Jethro’s territory and he is Moses’ clan leader and priest of the area, ‘the priest of Midian’ (18.1). It was therefore natural that Jethro should offer the sacrifices, both of the whole burnt offerings which was presumably (as later) wholly burnt up and of other sacrifices, thank offerings, of which the flesh was available to eat.
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?”
Moses set aside days in which he would judge individual cases of complaint. It would seem that the people stood around while the cases came before him and then he would pass judgment on them. This amazed the experienced priest of Midian who recognized that it would finally prove too much for Moses. He asks why he does it. Is this the way he does things all the time?
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.”
Moses replies that it is to enable the people to settle disagreements in such a way that they are satisfied that they have obtained justice before God. (Moses courteously uses the term for God that Jethro will recognize and accept in his jurisdiction). And they gather round so that all may come to understand the requirements of God as Moses adds his comments to the decisions.
In chapter 15.25 Moses spent some time in making for the people ‘a statute and an ordinance.’ It is probable that those represented various laws, both legal and ritual, which were put down in writing and read out to the people. They were probably part of ‘the Testimony’ of 16.34. The people were then promised that obedience to them would prevent God’s judgment and ensure good health. And by these regular scenes of the dispensing of justice those laws were brought home to the people and expanded by the decisions made, possibly with amendment to the written record when necessary, when new decisions had been made about things that were not yet provided for. So was Moses preparing for his great work of writing the Torah (the foundation work of the Pentateuch).
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.
Jethro spots immediately the problem with Moses approach. Moses is dealing with even the smallest and simplest cases. This means that he is overloaded. It also means that the people have to listen to cases from which they can learn nothing. Thus both he and the people will eventually be worn down, and unable, or unwilling, to cope.
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.
So what he advises is that Moses only takes on the more complicated cases, especially the cases where God’s guidance is needed. For these the people will gather to hear the cases and the judgments. He will also deal with God on behalf of the people, and will be responsible for teaching God’s laws and statutes. He will be responsible for guiding their behavior. But the straightforward smaller cases will be dealt with by others using the guidelines laid down by Moses.
This guidance from Jethro, based on common sense and experience, is good advice but it is not a command that Moses must obey. Jethro is not exercising jurisdiction over Moses, he is simply trying to help him. While Moses may have been his clansman he knows that he himself has no authority over the children of Israel. To suggest otherwise is to avoid the clear meaning of the passage. But a deeper significance may lie behind it. This may well be the moment that Jethro finally recognizes that he must let Moses go. He is now ruler over his own people.
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.
This suggestion must not be distorted. These are not civil judges as such, they are delegates of Moses. They are as much involved in religious judgment as Moses is but not to the same level. Moses will still be the chief judge and will deal with all major or complicated cases where God’s specific judgment is required. What will differ is that minor cases will not be brought to him. They can be decided on the basis of God’s revelation as revealed in the statutes already laid down by Moses. These are already God’s judgments and His guidance does not need to be sought again. It is laid down in the statutes. If they cannot be so decided they will be brought to him.
The point is that Moses has been dealing with every single dispute, however small. Now it is suggested that these could be dealt with by someone who knows the parties better because they have closer connections with them.
We must remember that Moses is to some extent learning as he goes. A system does not just fall down from heaven. He had had experience in Egyptian administration but that was very different from here. As a prince he would not have been involved in judging a people. At first he was not aware of the capabilities of the elders of Israel. He has, however, by now become aware of what capabilities the elders of Israel had, and the judges will be made up mainly of these. They will already have had some experience in judging. Thus he has up to this point been feeling his way.
But now he knows more about the capabilities of the elders, and more, from experience, of what matters could be dealt with by others. Thus this suggestion came at a very timely moment. Later an even more developed system will be set up where more ‘senior’ judges will be appointed who themselves are guided by the Spirit of God (Numbers 11.16-17). But that is not yet.
The three requirements are important for a judge which are ‘Able men who fear God, are men of truth and hate unjust gain.’ Moses has to assess the possibilities and take character and ability into account. Judges even today need to fear the higher Judge of all, to be men of truth and not to be open to bribery. There could be no better recommendation.
Depending on the importance of the case and the likelihood of appeal would be who was responsible for judging. The breakdown would be ‘Rulers of thousands (or sub-clans), rulers of hundreds (or family units), rulers of fifties (smaller family units) and rulers of tens (individual families).’ The point is that there are to be layers of ‘judges’ at different levels so that appeals can be taken to higher levels, and more serious cases can be dealt with at a higher level. It is not only the judgment that will matter but the willingness of those being judged to accept the authority of the judge.
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.”
Jethro tactfully agreed that what Moses decided to do must be subject to the judgment and guidance of God. This was important for the people must know that the arrangement had the sanction of Yahweh. But he pointed out the advantages. Moses would not be worn out as he was being now (it was probably obvious to an experienced leader how much Moses was suffering from his efforts). And the people also would not be overburdened with watching petty judgments (he had probably detected their boredom). It is the outsider who often sees most when it comes to such things.
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.
Moses acted fully on the suggestions of his father-in-law. It did not, of course, mean that it was fully implemented the next day. It would take time to set up. But the beginnings could be put in place immediately. In a patriarchal society there would already be authoritative people in charge at different levels of tribal life, men to who the people looked up and whose authority they accepted. Some could be appointed immediately. Probably the most difficult were the middle levels, and the absorbing fully into the system of the mixed multitude. These undoubtedly would take more time. The methods he used are outlined in Deuteronomy 1.13-17. Wisely he left much of the choosing to the people. They would be more likely to honor men of their own choosing.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.
Having brought Moses his family, and having shared worship and hospitality with the children of Israel, Jethro returned home amicably, recognizing that Moses now has in front of him his own destiny. The Egyptian plucked from the desert and given a welcome has become the ruler and guide of Yahweh’s people.
The prime lesson from this passage is that of using wisdom in doing the work of God. Moses might have bristled with pride against his father-in-law and pointed out that he was only the leader of a small wandering tribe, while he had this great mass of people to deal with. But the only loser would have been Moses. It is also an indication of the importance of putting in a word at the right time, and of doing it gently and tactfully.
