Daily Scripture Reading Exodus 18:5-23
There are many religions in the world. The dominant thought in our culture is that all religions are equally valid and that there are many ways to get to heaven.
There were also many religions during the lifetime of Moses. When Moses told his father-in-law about all that had happened in Egypt, his father-in-law came to a conclusion about all those religions that is different than the dominant thinking in our world today. His conclusion was also the correct view.
Moses grew up as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. When he was an adult, he saw an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew, so Moses killed the Egyptian, but then Moses had to flee Egypt. He went to Midian, married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro the priest, and had two sons. After many years, Yahweh appeared to Moses in a burning bush and commissioned him to go back to Egypt and lead Israel out of slavery.
Moses took his wife and sons along when he started out for Egypt, but at a lodging place on the way, Yahweh sought to kill Moses because he had not circumcised his son. Zipporah but off her son’s foreskin and Moses was left alone.
Moses continued on to Egypt and, with Aaron’s help, performed signs and wonders in Egypt which eventually led to Israel leaving Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and traveling through the wilderness. Moses’ family is not mentioned during those events. Eventually, Moses arrived at the mount of God.
Ex. 18:5 ¶ Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God.
Ex. 18:6 And he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”
Verses 5-6 indicate Zipporah and her two sons went back and lived with her father while Moses went to Egypt and led Israel out of slavery.
Ex. 18:7 Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.
Ex. 18:8 And Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how Yahweh had delivered them.
Ex. 18:9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, that He had delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians.
Ex. 18:10 So Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
Ex. 18:11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods; for in this matter they acted presumptuously against the people.”
Look at the phrase “greater than all the gods”. We know that Jethro was a priest (see Exodus 3:1), but there is no indication which religion or which god Jethro served. After hearing about everything Yahweh did for Moses, Jethro knew Yahweh is greater than all other gods.
Ex. 18:12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
Jethro’s natural reaction to understanding that Yahweh is greater than all gods was to offer a sacrifice to Yahweh.
Jethro’s progression and conclusion illustrate the choice people need to make today. There are many religions in the world. Some people claim all religions are equal and that there are many paths to heaven.
The truth is Yahweh, also known as Jesus Christ, the God of Christianity and the God of the Bible, is superior to all gods. The only path to heaven is through Jesus. Just as Jethro concluded Yahweh is superior to all other gods, so too any person alive today who wants to go to heaven needs to understand that Jesus is superior and that He is the only path to heaven.
Ex. 18:13 ¶ Now it happened the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening.
Ex. 18:14 And Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, so he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”
Ex. 18:15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
Ex. 18:16 When they have a matter, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
Ex. 18:17 And Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good.
Ex. 18:18 You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
Jethro’s warning to Moses is a wise warning that should be heeded by all people in leadership. The burden of leadership can wear leaders out if they do everything themselves.
Ex. 18:19 Now listen to my voice: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the matters to God;
Ex. 18:20 then warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they shall go and the work they shall do.
Ex. 18:21 But you shall select excellent men out of all the people, those who fear God, men of truth, those who hate greedy gain; and you shall place these men over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Ponder the qualifications for leader. They had to fear God, hate greedy gain, and be men of truth. Out of all the qualities that could have been mentioned, these are the ones that were deemed most important.
Many people today do not want to fear God, but that is the first requirement Jethro mentioned. Modern society elevates emotion over truth, but Jethro did not tell Moses to appoint emotional men, he told him to appoint men of truth. Greed is rampant in our world today, but Jethro recommended Moses appoint men who hated greed.
Ex. 18:22 And they will judge the people at all times. And it will be that every major matter they will bring to you, but every minor matter they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
Ex. 18:23 If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”
There are many religions in the world. Some people claim all religions are equal and that there are many paths to heaven. The truth is Yahweh, also known as Jesus Christ, the God of Christianity and the God of the Bible, is superior to all gods. The only path to heaven is through Jesus. Just as Jethro concluded Yahweh is superior to all other gods, so too any person alive today who wants to go to heaven needs to understand that Jesus is superior and that He is the only path to heaven.
Does your church teach that Jesus is the only way to heaven?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”