Godly Wisdom in Exodus 18

Introduction

You may remember that Moses is kind of an orphan. He was sent away down the Nile after being born, adopted into the family of Pharaoh, and then ran from Egypt and started his own family. We don’t know much about his dad, but we do know some about his father-in-law Jethro!

Today’s passage is seemingly pretty uneventful. I can boil what happens down to a few bullet points:

Jethro brings Moses’s family to Moses

Jethro gives Moses great advice

Moses listens to the advice

The main question we see answered in this text is How do Moses and Jethro display godly wisdom? As we examine their wisdom, I hope we all can gain some wisdom ourselves on how to live as godly people. But before answering these questions, I do want to give a rundown on everything that happens in this text.

Growth in Israel’s Structure

Moses Does A Lot

Moses has been leading God’s people for a long time now. They have made it to Mount Sinai where they will remain for some time. We learn a couple things we didn’t know about from this passage:

At some point, Moses sent his family back to Midian to stay with his father-in-law

Moses has been judging all the people everyday

This seems strange to us, but this is how God set up Israel to function before there were kings. There would be a judge to settle disputes and teach God’s people God’s law. What is crazy about this is that Moses was doing this for the entire nation. This is millions of people.

Exodus 18:13 CSB

The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening.

This was a job that would take up his entire day. This was a lot for one man to do. In fact, this was far too much. At this point in Moses’s leadership, I imagine he was quite tired and frustrated as he was without his family and surrounded, morning to evening, with grumbling Jews.

God Sends Jethro

What sets this passage’s story forth is that Moses’s father-in-law has come with Moses’s family. I don’t want to neglect to point out God’s sovereignty in this. It was clearly God who ordained Jethro and Zipporah to come at this time. The timing was perfect. This was exactly what Moses needed. We can see Moses is extremely grateful to see Jethro.

Exodus 18:7–8 CSB

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent. Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord rescued them.

They have a very sweet greeting and Moses can’t help but tell Jethro everything that has happened so far. And in response, we see Jethro overcome with worship for their God:

Exodus 18:9–12 CSB

Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. “Blessed be the Lord,” Jethro exclaimed, “who rescued you from the power of Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh. He has rescued the people from under the power of Egypt! Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.” Then Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’s father-in-law in God’s presence.

He praises God with his lips and then he praises God with his actions. And then they all share a meal together in the presence of God. It is very easy to see that this was all very honoring to the Lord. And this was likely very encouraging to Moses.

Jethro Sees a Problem

As Jethro is staying there with Moses at Sinai, he joins Moses as he does his daily job: judge all the people. Jethro cannot help but notice that there is a huge problem here.

Exodus 18:17–18 CSB

“What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’s father-in-law said to him. “You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.

Jethro doesn’t just point the problem out, but he suggests something else: delegation.

Exodus 18:19–23 CSB

Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to him. Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit. Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear it with you. If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”

His advice is simple but very impactful. These are the best ideas! Simply pick good, godly men from Israel to judge clusters of Israelites and let only the difficult cases come before Moses. This has great benefits to everyone.

And so how does Moses respond to this advice?

Moses Heeds Jethro’s Advice

Exodus 18:24–27 CSB

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves. Moses let his father-in-law go, and he journeyed to his own land.

Moses listens to him. Not just some but to everything. After this, Jethro goes back home. The end!

How do Moses and Jethro Display Godly Wisdom?

Now that you know what happens in this story, I just want to talk through how these men displayed godly wisdom and what wise principles we can pull from this text. Note this, when I say Godly Wisdom, I am not only referring to smart things they do logically, but also morally. I am going to point out how these men are worshiping the Lord in their obedience to his commands too.

Moses Honors His Father

The funny thing about this point is Jethro was only Moses’s father-in-law, but Moses clearly viewed him as a father. Remember, Moses lived with Jethro for 40 years before leaving. These men were likely very close. But think about this, Moses could have easily grown prideful. He was the most important man in all of Israel. Everyone everyday came to him to settle their disputes. God spoke to Moses directly. Mose could have very easily disregarded his father because he saw himself as a big shot. But instead, Moses very respectfully and humbly receives his father. Notice even their initial interaction:

Exodus 18:7 CSB

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent.

In this interaction we a display of love and respect. Even though Moses was in his 80’s and Jethro was likely in his 100’s, Moses was never too old to honor and love his father.

Honoring your parents is not just obeying what they say, it is truly loving them and respecting them. Your parents are all flawed humans, but they are your parents. It is your job to love and respect them regardless. It is your job to forgive them of their offenses against you. It is your job to show them Christ. Remember what we see Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe do in his dying moments:

John 19:25–27 CSB

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

In His dying moments, Jesus makes sure that His mother is taken care of. Be like Christ, honor your parents as much as you’re able.

Moses Recounts God’s Work

There is a moment when they first see one another where they ask how each is doing, as is normal in conversing with people. But after that, Moses goes straight into talking about what God has done.

Exodus 18:8 CSB

Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord rescued them.

How is this godly wisdom? Moses doesn’t just start talking about himself. He is still so overwhelmed by who God is and what God has done that all he can talk about is their salvation through the Red Sea. Moses isn’t self-obsessed, but God-obsessed.

As we will talk about this weekend, no one loves talking more about anything then themselves. Be the person who is asking questions about others lives and when they ask you about yours, you talk about God and His work in your life. Don’t just boast in yourself. Boast in the Lord in your conversations! Another way of saying this is EVANGELIZE. Share your faith with others. Talk about God to your friends. Look what DeYoung says about this that is helpful:

It is a personal testimony—“Here is what God has done in my life”—but it is not focused on your person, because other people may have stories of what Buddha meant to them, what yoga has done to give them inner peace, or any number of things. Moses wants to talk about what God has done in history. It’s both as simple and as difficult as this in our own lives…It is personal. “Here is what God has done for me, my family, and my life: forgiving me and turning things around.” But it doesn’t stop there: talk about what God has done in history—namely, in the person of Jesus Christ. He sent him to earth to die for sinners and to be raised on the third day, and he is coming again. That’s what you share.

Share the Gospel with others in a personal way that points to what God has done in history. Be sure people see you aren’t just a christian, but a christian who wants them to be a christian.

Jethro Exalts God

Exodus 18:9–12 CSB

Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. “Blessed be the Lord,” Jethro exclaimed, “who rescued you from the power of Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh. He has rescued the people from under the power of Egypt! Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.” Then Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’s father-in-law in God’s presence.

Jethro is overwhelmed by who God is and he cannot help but praise with his lips and praise with his actions. This is the most godly, wise thing you can do upon hearing about God’s works.

Our worship of God cannot just be one or the other, it must be our words and actions. I pray often that I would honor God in my thoughts, my words, and my actions. Not just in one. If I am doing good stuff for God and saying good stuff about God but in my mind I could be lusting and cursing and hating. You are wise to strive to be consistent in your faith. Be the same person in your thoughts, words, and actions and be the same person everywhere you go.

Jethro Advises Moses Respectfully

Exodus 18:19 CSB

Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you.

Do you see how Jethro prefaces his advice to Moses? He is gentle and respectful about it. He says and God be with you. He is saying “I am going to speak the truth to you about what I think but let God guide you to do what you think is right.” This is a great way for us to advise and critique one another.

There is also wisdom in what he advices

Delegation to Godly Men

This again is very practical but very helpful. A great leader will delegate. In delegating, you enable those around you and equip them to function without you.

At the same time we see wisdom in how they pick these men. Jethro gives four needed attributes:

Able

God-fearing

Trustworthy

Hating dishonest profit

If you are going to appoint someone to be a leader, you really should run them by these four attributes. Ask:

Can they do the job?

Do they love and fear God?

Can you trust them?

Are they honorable with money?

At the same time, check yourself by these four points.

Moses Takes the Advice

He isn’t prideful. He doesn’t seem himself as too important to be less used. He wisely accepts it. A wise man accepts good advice. Good leaders change when necessary. The worst leaders never change and stay the same. A wise leader is willing to make necessary changes for their growth.

Jesus Exhibits Godly Wisdom Perfectly

I just, in closing, want to challenge you to run these points of wisdom through Jesus’s life. Was Jesus one who had godly wisdom? What you’ll find is He exhibited the most godly wisdom.

Jesus honored His parents up to His death

Jesus only spoke that which His Father led Him to and only spoke to lead people to know God more deeply

Jesus would sing hymns and praise His father

Jesus managed to respectfully advise all His disciples in love and gentleness

If you want to learn godly wisdom, read through the life of Christ. He exhibited godly wisdom perfectly. But please understand this: if you don’t know Jesus and have not given Him your life, but intend to just following His moral teachings, you are going to be a pharisee; a white-washed tomb. Lively on the outside, but only dead on the inside. All this godly wisdom cannot save you, for you will still fall short. Only faith in Jesus Christ can save you. This godly wisdom what we as Christians are conforming to after we have already given Jesus our lives. So start with faith in Jesus, then start looking like Him.