CHAPTER 18 Lesson # 15
BEING JETHROED
How to be a wise leader
I. Greeting:
II. Introduction:
Q How many of you come from families that are religiously mixed? In other words, some in your family are Christians and others are not?
Q How many of you like your non-Christian relatives, and think that at least some of them are fine people?
Note: Moses had such a relative, a father-in-law. Jethro was indeed a good man, and he liked Moses, in fact, he even gave Moses one of his daughters to Moses as a wife. Remember, it was Jethro that “took Moses in” when Moses was running for his life to get away from Pharaoh in chapter 1.
Moses lived an entire generation with Jethro (40 years, says the Bible, which probably means a generation). Moses had worked for priestly Midianite father-in-law. Jethro was a priest, and he was not an Israelite, He was a Midianite.
In addition, Moses had left his family with Jethro, once he got into Egypt, no doubt because it was so dangerous. Moses had been wanted for murder and there was a good chance that Moses would be killed, so Moses left his family with Jethro. The Israelites are approaching Mt. Sinai where God had instructed to bring the people once they were out of Egypt. Near Mt. Sinai was also were Jethro lived and had kept Moses’ family.
III. Sharing Good News: Exodus 18:1-12.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:1-6.
Q How many sons did Moses have?
An = Two
Q What do their names, given by Moses, tell you about how Moses saw himself?
An = He was an exile (Gershom), not a Midianite, and he was delivered by God from Pharaoh when he escaped to live with Jethro and Moses’ God was not Jethro’s but the God of his fathers.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:7
Q How did Moses greet his father-in-law? Was it with respect and warm feelings?
An = He bowed down to his elder and exchanged greetings.
Q How should we greet our non-believing relatives if we followed Moses example?
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:8-9
Q How does Jethro respond?
An = He was overjoyed. Notice Moses does not claim anything for himself, but correctly tells how God did all. Jethro rejoiced in God’s action.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:10-12
Q What further response did Jethro have?
Q To whom did Jethro sacrifice and about whom did Jethro speak praises?
Note: The leaders of Israel also come and fellowship with this new believer.
IV. Sharing Wisdom: Exodus 18:13-27
Q Have your non-Christian relatives ever given you advice and non-spiritual issues?
Q What was some of that advice?
Q Where they right?
An = Moses will get some advice about a judicial procedure.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:13-18
Q What is Jethro’s concern?
An = Moses and the people will wear out since he is working alone (verse 18).
Q Why does Moses do this “judging” of the people’s disputes?
An = For one, it was expected of all ancient middle eastern leaders to bring justice to their people. Second, Moses is educating the people, since they were slaves and do not how to act according to the laws and statues of God as free people.
Q Is Moses being altruistic and serving others?
Q Is Moses doing this service at a great cost to himself?
RQ Would you appreciate a non-believing relative telling you “what you do is not right” (17) when you are working so hard and so unselfishly?
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:19-22.
Q What is Jethro’s advice?
Q Do you think it is good advice?
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:23.
Q Does Jethro thinks this is his own opinion?
An = No, Jethro thinks his advice is the very will of God. Jethro believes that God wants this.
Q What reasons does Jethro give for Moses taking his advice?
An = Moses will not wear out and the people will go home in peace (not standing in line all day).
Q Should we take good advice from pagan priests, even though they are recently converted?
An = If we want all the truth that God can give us then we must be willing to be “Jethroed”. Maybe the sign that we are truly great is that we are able to take good advice. Sometimes God has this advice make us dependent on others, and even those we think we might fell superior to. We must be willing to take good advice no matter what the source. George Mac Donald once reminded his readers that truth is truth whether on the lips of Balaam’s donkey or from the lips of a prophet.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:24-26.
Q Did Moses have true humility?
Q Was Moses better off to listen to good advice?
V. Sharing But Not Controlling: Exodus 18:27
Q Do some people give advice to help or to control? Can you tell the difference?
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 18:27.
Q Does Jethro stick around and try and get on Moses’ cabinet and work his way into power in this new nation?
An = No, he goes home. He wanted to help, not control.
Q What does this tell us about the proper way to give advice?
Q Why was it important that Jethro gave reasons for his advice?
An = If advice is good advice, it should be reasonable. If someone cannot give reasons for their counsel then maybe it is not good counsel or the advice-giver does not care enough about the person they are talking with to take time to through the reasons for following their guidance. If there are no reasons, maybe they just want control, not the good of the situation. Good advice come with good reasons and with a desire to help.