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Text: Exodus 18
As the Israelites move into the wilderness and wander around, the problems arising among the people are all brought to Moses to sort out. Moses is wearing himself out judging the people. Jethro sees the problem and offers counsel. Verse 23 explains the situation much the same way Moses needed support in the last chapter when it came to lifting up holy hands to God. If Moses has no support, he will wear out. This is called burden-bearing in verse 22.
The right thing the wrong way (vss 13-18)
- Moses is doing the right thing, but he’s not going to be able to keep up this pace. Just like he wasn’t able to keep his hands up during the battle, Moses is going to need help.
- Sometimes it isn’t about what you’re trying to accomplish because what you’re trying to accomplish is good. No, it’s about how you’re going about it.
- Wise counsel can prolong the ministry by identifying inefficiencies.
Be open to counsel
- Typically we get defensive about our plans and activities, especially when we’re doing a good thing. Moses is a meek man, so he doesn’t get defensive when Jethro says you’re not going to be able to do this work very long. Not at this pace anyway.
- Learning is listening.
Many hands make light work
- Jethro’s advice is a three-part delegation.
- First of all, teach the people congregationally (vs 20)
- Well-trained people are equipped to problem-solve much of their own lives.
- Much counseling can be done from the pulpit, so have a good curriculum from the pulpit.
- Godly living needs to be taught. If every sermon is about salvation, then people will starve and become disinterested in trying to understand how to live Christian lives.
- Second, ordain spiritual men to judge matters (vss 21-22)
- Not everything will be sorted out from the pulpit. There are some complex matters that can’t be addressed in an hour or two on Sunday. There are lots of reasons you can’t figure out what judgment to make, but we won’t deal with those issues.
- Jethro says these officials need an objective, spiritual judge.
- Able men who fear God are necessary because absent a fear of God means no regard for who is higher than you. That makes your judgment poor.
- Able men who love the truth. This is obvious, but liars have a hard time spotting the truth. And even if the truth is understood they have a hard time loving the truth. So their judgment would be clouded. You need lovers of the truth.
- Able men who aren’t covetous. If you love money and possessions and those things possess you, you are incapable of making sound judgments. Furthermore, you’re prone to take bribes and gifts, so you aren’t ABLE to judge right.
- When the apostles in Jerusalem were delegating deacons, they were trying to free up time to labor in the words of God to teach the people.
- Third, you judge the matters that can’t be resolved (vss 22-23)
- Then, there are some matters that are Supreme Court matters. These are more complex and far-reaching than those involved.
