Êxodo 18
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Êxodo 18
Spurgeon comments "Whatever others may think or say, the redeemed have overwhelming reasons for declaring the goodness of the Lord. Theirs is a peculiar redemption, and for it they ought to render peculiar praise. The Redeemer is so glorious, the ransom price so immense, and the redemption so complete, that they are under sevenfold obligations to give thanks unto the Lord, and to exhort others to do so. Let them not only feel so but say so; let them both sing and bid their fellows sing. Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Snatched by superior power away from fierce oppressions, they are bound above all men to adore the Lord, their Liberator. Theirs is a divine redemption, "he hath redeemed" them, and no one else has done it. His own unaided arm has wrought out their deliverance. Should not emancipated slaves be grateful to the hand which set them free? What gratitude can suffice for a deliverance from the power of sin, death, and hell? In heaven itself there is no sweeter hymn than that whose burden is, "Thou hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood." All the hardship that had befallen them on the journey - Hardship describes the weariness from the difficulties, the condition of lacking necessities or comforts, circumstances that cause ongoing or persistent suffering or difficulty, in this case including Pharaoh's army coming on them giving them thoughts of impending destruction, of the trials of no water, then the bitter trial of bitter water at Marah, then the no food situation and finally a second no water situation. And of course this would include the personal hardship which Moses had experienced from the rebellious people (Ex 14:11, 12+, Ex 15:24+, Ex 16:2-3+. Ex 17:2-4+). Hardship (08513)(telaah from laah = to be weary - runner in Jer 12:5, Sodomites in Ge 19:11!) means that which makes one exhausted, that which produces weariness, whether physical and emotional. When Moses asked the king of Edom for safe passage through his land, Moses told of all the hardships Israel had endured in the wilderness (Num. 20:14), seeking the king's sympathy and help. Jeremiah lamented the hardship that had overtaken Israel when they were taken captive and their cities were destroyed (Lam. 3:5). Nehemiah prayed that God would view the hardships of Israel with mercy in face of the threats of their enemies (Neh. 9:32). Telaah is translated in the Septuagint with mochthos (from mógos = labor, toil) which means toil, painfulness, travail, afflicting and wearisome labor, hardship, struggle, strenuous toil. It refers to hard and difficult labor involving suffering and implying an unusual exertion of energy and effort. The word refers to the trouble and pain of arduous work and the leading notion is that of struggling to overcome difficulties. Telaah - 5x - Exod. 18:8; Nu 20:14; Neh. 9:32; Lam. 3:5; Mal. 1:13 And how the LORD had delivered them - Notice the pattern of Moses -- he began and ended with exaltation of the LORD! To God be the glory from beginning to end. Amen! Is this not a good pattern for all of us to emulate? Delivered (05337) see study of this key word in note on natsal (and the verb used in the Septuagint - exaireo) D L Moody - “There is a great deal more said in the Bible about praise than prayer, yet how few praise-meetings there are!” Exodus 18:9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. Isa 44:23 Isa 66:10 Ro 12:10,15 1Co 12:26 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE ECSTATIC EFFECT OF YAHWEH'S REDEMPTION Moses exaltation of Jehovah's redemption of Israel stimulated exultation in Jethro's heart which poured forth from his mouth in rejoicing! What filled his heart came forth from his mouth. Note the striking contrast of Moses' words all the hardship and Jethro's declaration of all the goodness. The goodness of God will always trump the hardship He allows. As Scott Grant says "Scripture affirms these two truths: 1) Life is hard. 2) God is good. To us, they seem contradictory. But in a way perhaps beyond our total comprehension, hardship in no way means that God is not good. The Lord is good, and remains good through the hardship. He never stops being good." Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel - NLT and NIV say "Jethro was delighted." The Septuagint (see below) says "Jethro was amazed." Rejoiced is the rare Hebrew verb chadah (2 other uses - Job 3:6, Ps 21:6) which is rendered in the Septuagint (Lxx) with the verb existemi (literally to stand outside oneself, to be beside oneself) which means Jethro was amazed and astonished beyond comprehension. In a word Jethro is ecstatic! You might be surprised to learn that this is the first use of the Hebrew word for goodness (tob) in the Old Testament. Jethro's joy was not like the world's sense of joy, which is based on circumstance but his joy was focused on the Person of Jehovah and His unchanging goodness. Jethro's joy emanated from his inner being as he came to appreciate the goodness of Jehovah. Matthew
Êxodo 18
Spurgeon comments - But let the righteous be glad. The presence of God on the throne of grace is an overflowing source of delight to the godly; and let them not fail to drink of the streams which are meant to make them glad. Let them rejoice before God. The courtiers of the happy God should wear the garments of gladness, for in his presence is fulness of joy. That presence, which is the dread and death of the wicked, is the desire and delight of the saints. Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Let them dance with all their might, as David did, for very joy. No bounds should be set to joy in the Lord. "Again, I say, rejoice, "says the apostle, as if he would have us add joy to joy without measure or pause. When God is seen to shine propitious from above the mercyseat in the person of our Immanuel, our hearts must needs leap within us with exultation, if we are indeed among those made righteous in his righteousness, and sanctified by his Spirit. Move on, O army of the living God, with shouts of abounding triumph, for Jesus leads the van. SHARING A MEAL IN GOD'S PRESENCE And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God - Sharing a meal was the highest form of fellowship. A meal in Moses' day was a symbol of the highest form of fellowship, intimate fellowship, and this meal was not just any meal but it had a "special Guest" for it was before God (See also covenant meal). Before (panim/paniym/paneh) means face in Hebrew and this word is translated in the Septuagint (Lxx) with enantion which means to be in front of, to be in the sight of, to be in the presence of, so in the present context indicates mortal men ate their meal as in the presence of God, as if God Himself were present and partaking of the meal with them. This is an incredible picture of fellowship of fallen men with the Faultless God. NET Note on eat a meal - The word לֶחֶם (lekhem) here means the sacrifice and all the foods that were offered with it. The eating before God was part of covenantal ritual, for it signified that they were in communion with the Deity, and with one another. The elders have been mentioned several times in previous passages - Ex 3:16; Ex 3:18; Ex 4:29; Ex 12:21; Ex 17:5; Ex 17:6; Ex 18:12; Ex 19:7; Ex 24:1; Ex 24:9; Ex 24:14; Before (06440)(panim/paniym/paneh) occurs over 2000x always in the plural, perhaps indicative of the fact that the face is a combination of a number of features. The face identifies the person and reflects the attitude and sentiments of the person. As such, pānîm can be a substitute for the self or the feelings of the self. Exodus 18:13 It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. Jdg 5:10 Job 29:7 Isa 16:5 Joe 3:12 Mt 23:2 Ro 12:8 13:6 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES ACTING AS ARBITER ALL DAY It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people - Hebrew literally = “and it was/happened on the morrow.” Note this time phrase the next day, which begs the question the next day after what? From the context it is clear that this is the day after his family reunion. Moses does not take week off to enjoy his family and fellowship with Jethro, but immediately is back dealing with disputes. He was a faithful shepherd of sheep in the wilderness for 40 years and this surely prepared him to be a faithful shepherd of the sons of Israel and he took his job seriously. It was a good thing Moses was seated as he was obviously making decisions for the people the entire day. NET Note - This is a simple summary of the function of Moses on this particular day. He did not necessarily do this every day, but it was time now to do it. The people would come to solve their difficulties or to hear instruction from Moses on decisions to be made. The tradition of “sitting in Moses’ seat” is drawn from this passage. And the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening - Picture the magnitude. This is a picture of fallen, sinful flesh on display! Two million sinners living together in a hot desert would generate many and variegated disagreements. So the line before Moses was longer than the line outside the Apple store when a new Iphone is about to be released! WILLING HEART, WISE HEAD "Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out" (Exodus 18:18). Over the years, social service jobs have drawn concerned young people into careers of helping others. In time, many of them become what some psychologists call "burned-out Samaritans." After listening to so many people's problems and trying to help, they get to the place where they can't take any more. This happens to doctors, ministers, social workers, psychiatrists, and policemen. To save themselves emotionally, they must either quit, stop caring, or readjust. As Christians, we too are subject to burnout because helping others is part of our calling. We may feel overwhelmed by the complexity, intensity, and sheer volume of human need. We discover that we can't keep burying ourselves in all the pain without paying the price. We too have to quit, stop caring, or readjust. If we stop trying to help others, we break our fellowship with Christ. If we become unfeeling, we fall far short of His example. But we can readjust by making changes that will ease our burden. Like Moses who heeded the good counsel of his father-in-law Jethro and began delegating responsibility, we must recognize our human limitations and learn to act wisely. A willing heart must always be kept under the control of a wise head. Exodus 18:13-27 Wearing Yourself Out You will surely wear yourselves out. —Exodus 18:18 My friend Jeff was asked by his daughter to officiate at her wedding. This would be a great joy as they traveled to an exotic and romantic location for the ceremony. But there was one major problem—because the wedding party was very small, Jeff would have to perform three separate roles that could be in conflict. He would be the officiating minister, the father of the bride, and the wedding photographer! Have you ever felt as if you were wearing too many hats? Jethro thought his son-in-law Moses was (Ex. 18). Leading the Israelites, arbitrating personal disputes, and handing down legal judgments for a great multitude was taking its toll. Finally, Jethro approached Moses, telling him: “This thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself” (Exodus 18:18). He wisely counseled Moses to delegate smaller disputes to other advisors and take the more challenging cases himself (Exodus 18:22). Father, we need help with our priorities. Teach us to understand what’s most important and needs to be accomplished, and to let go of what we can so that we are at our best for You. Amen. If we don’t come apart and rest awhile, we may just plain come apart! —Havner Exodus 18:13-24 Minister Mentor Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. —Exodus 18:24 In 1959, when Lee Kuan Yew assumed the position of Prime Minister of Singapore, his leadership began a long process of national transformation. Initially, disagreements between ethnic groups and a weak economic base made the future of this tiny nation uncertain. By 1990, when Lee stepped down from his position, Singapore had become a model country for ethnic harmony and a thriving economy. After serving as Senior Minister, Lee became Minister Mentor in 2004. Since then he has been an invaluable resource to Singapore’s cabinet and to other leaders around the world. Insights from the older generation can greatly benefit the younger generation. Although Moses had been used by God to perform miracles and deliver Israel out of bondage in Egypt, he still listened to the advice of his father-in-law Jethro (Ex. 18:24). Jethro had watched his son-in-law care for the concerns of the people and observed: “Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you” (Exodus 18:18). Moses followed Jethro’s advice to select, train, and delegate others to share the workload (Exodus 18:22-24). Following Through What are your weakest character traits? Do you know a fellow believer who is strong in these areas? Could that person become your spiritual mentor? Those who are mature in the faith can help others to mature in their faith. Exodus 18:13-24 A Time For Good Counsel So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. —Exodus 18:24 Because of the busy lives many of us lead, it’s not hard to recognize ourselves in the over-extended situation of Moses in Exodus 18. As the sole judge for the masses, he was surrounded “from morning until evening” (v.13) by people who needed his help. In fact, I’ve had people—particularly young parents—tell me that they identify with Moses. It seems that we need to learn two life skills for survival: an eagerness to listen (v.24) and the willingness to accept help (v.25). Sometimes we don’t accept help because of pride, but that’s not always the case. With Moses, and often with us, it’s simply that life is moving so quickly and making so many demands on us (Exodus 18:13-15) that we barely have time to react—let alone to contemplate or go to someone else for advice. Perhaps this is one reason the Scriptures remind us to surround ourselves with counselors who will offer their experience and wisdom even when we’re too busy to ask for it. We see this in the story of what Jethro did for Moses when he told his son-in-law to delegate some of his responsibilities (Exodus 18:17-23). Lord, give us ears to hear advice From loved ones wise and humble; So when life’s challenges appear, We will not have to stumble. —Sper He who will not be counseled will not be helped. Exodus 18:13-27 Exhausted? If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure. —Exodus 18:23 People who kill time and waste opportunities create problems for themselves. “They’re irresponsible!” we complain. On the other hand, some people encounter problems because they are over-responsible. They say to themselves, “If I don’t do it, no one will. Even if others would do it, they wouldn’t get it right.” This attitude has been called “the perfectionist’s myth,” and those who live it are labeled “exhausted martyrs.” Perhaps you know someone like this. Perhaps it’s you. Exodus 18 describes Moses as a dedicated, over-responsible person. Day after day he was the sole judge of the people and their countless questions. His father-in-law Jethro said, “This thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself” (v.18). He advised Moses to concentrate on teaching. He said he should judge only big problems and appoint reliable men to judge smaller matters (Exodus 18:19-22). “If you do this thing,” Jethro concluded, “and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure” (Exodus 18:23). Lord, help me know from day to day The work I cannot carry through; Then grant me wisdom to discern The tasks that You would have me do. —DJD Don't try to do everything—do only what God wants you to do. Exodus 18:13-27 Delegating Responsibility - Woodrow Kroll As I have studied the Word of God concerning leadership, I have come to certain conclusions about spiritual principles of good leadership. These principles can be applied not only by leaders of organizations but by Sunday school teachers or by anyone with responsibility. First, God uses people to do His work. When He has a job to do, He calls an individual to do it. Remember, however, that it took Moses a long time to become prepared for his task, and it sometimes takes leaders today a long time to be prepared for their tasks. Second, when the task becomes too much for the one person God originally called, He calls others to work with the first individual. Third, God holds the first individual responsible for the work done by the other individuals. This principle applies especially to the spiritual aspects of the work. This principle was particularly evident in Moses' leadership. Even though responsibility and authority could be delegated to others, he was still directly responsible before God. God knows what work He wants accomplished, and He gives individuals responsibilities in order to accomplish that work. The only way that God's work can be done effectively is for individual believers to know what God wants them to do. "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him" (1 Cor. 12:18). - Back to the Bible (Used with permission) Exodus 18:14 Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, 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?" Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries What kind of influence did Jethro have on Moses? Write how Jethro advised Moses. Why did he advise him this way? JETHRO OBSERVES MOSES Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people - Jethro sees the scene with eyes of wisdom. It is interesting that Jethro in the first section of Exodus 18 Jethro saw all that the LORD had done for Israel (Ex 18:1, 8, 9). and now he sees all that Moses is doing for the people. This is parallel to his observations about what the Lord had done for the people. Scott Grant observes that "This story also has Jethro in common with the previous story. Therefore, the author intends us to understand them as related. The previous story, in Ex 18:1-12, is therefore important in our understanding of this story. Jethro uses the same words in his observations of both the Lord and Moses. Both were "doing" something "for the people." Moses, then, is acting just like God, but not in a good way. He is putting himself in the position of God, trying to be God. Whereas Jethro was thrilled with what the Lord had done, he is not thrilled with what Moses is doing. He asks, in so many words, "What are you doing?" and "Why are you doing it?" 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? - Jethro begins by asking a question. When you are about to give advice it is probably good to engage your subject's mind before you give then the advice. Scott Grant - There are at least 600,000 men in the Israelite camp at this point (Ex 12:37+). But it apparently has never occurred to Moses to ask even one of them to help him with this burdensome task. Apparently it had never occurred to any of the Israelites to suggest that someone help Moses. Oftentimes, it would just never occur to us to do something another way, even if another way would be obviously better. We become culture-bound. We can't see. We do things simply because we've always done them this way.For us to change our tired old way of doing things, sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes. In this story, those eyes belong to Jethro. What Moses is doing immediately strikes Jethro as odd. NET Note - This question, “what are you doing for the people,” is qualified by the next question. Sitting alone all day and the people standing around all day showed that Moses was exhibiting too much care for the people—he could not do this. Exodus 18:14,17 The Test of a True Friend - Woodrow Kroll Antisthenes, the cynic philosopher, use to say, "There are only two people who will tell you the truth about yourself--an enemy who has lost his temper and a friend who loves you dearly." The true test of a friend is not how frequently he is with you but how honest he is with you. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, was a true friend. When he saw Moses wearing himself out doing something that others could do just as well, he plainly said, "The thing that you do is not good." His concern for his son-in-law's health would not allow him to stay quiet. Telling our friends the truth has its hazards because the truth often hurts. Their initial reaction may not be a positive one. Yet Scripture says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Prov. 27:6). The role of a faithful friend is not always an easy one. If you find it necessary to share a potentially hurtful truth with your friend, approach the situation only after much prayer. Pray that your attitude would be one of humility and servanthood. Ask God to provide the right situation in which to share the truth. Seek wisdom in how to best express yourself so that what you say will be viewed by your friend as constructive rather than destructive. Pray, prepare, then just do it. Faithfulness is not gauged by your intentions but by your actions. You never help your friend with good intentions alone, but with good intentions that result in good actions. A faithful friend is a truthful friend. - Back to the Bible (Used with permission) Exodus 18:15 Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. to inquire - Ex 18:19,20 Lev 24:12-14 Nu 15:34 27:5 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES' ANSWERS BECAUSE THEY COME Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God - Moses answers Jethro by saying essentially "I'm just doing what the people want me to do!" The Israelites know that Moses had the connection with God and thus was the one who could solve their disputes. Moses clearly recognized God had given him a leadership role. He had been trained for 40 years in the desert dealing with unruly, stubborn sheep and now he was putting his experience into practice. And he was doing so willingly. The fact that they came to Moses to inquire of God clearly indicates that now after a few grumbling episodes, the nation had come to esteem and respect Moses role as their leader and their representative before God. Some writers accuse Moses of doing it by himself because he wanted to be in control (so-called "control" idol). That could be, but I am not convinced. NET Note on inquire of God - The form is לִדְרֹשׁ (lidrosh), the Qal infinitive construct giving the purpose. To inquire of God would be to seek God’s will on a matter, to obtain a legal decision on a matter, or to settle a dispute. As a judge Moses is speaking for God, but as the servant of Yahweh Moses’ words will be God’s words. The psalms would later describe judges as “gods” because they made the right decisions based on God’s Law. Exodus 18:16 "When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws." they have a dispute - Ex 23:7 24:14 De 17:8-12 2Sa 15:3 Job 31:13 Ac 18:14,15 1Co 6:1 between a man and his neighbor - Ex 2:13 make - Lev 24:15 Nu 15:35 27:6-11 36:6-9 De 4:5 5:1 6:1 1Sa 12:23 Mt 28:20 1Th 4:1,2 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JUDGING DISPUTES BETWEEN NEIGHBORS Moses had some prior experience for some 40 years earlier in Ex 2:13+ he encountered two Hebrews "fighting with each other; and he said to the offender, “Why are you striking your companion (the same word rea/reya' translated here as neighbor)?” That experience resulted in him being forced to flee Egypt (cf Ex 2:14, 15+). When they have a dispute - In light of Moses' first experience as arbitrator, it is a bit ironic that after 40 years with the sheep, he is now given the role he had initially tried to fulfill in his own strength in Egypt. It comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor - This would be a heavy burden on Moses, making numerous decisions that affected the lives of the people. Notice the phrase between a man and his neighbor, indicating the dispute occurred with those who were in close proximity. It is notable that the Hebrew word translated neighbor is translated friend almost 50x (out of 173v). Judge (08199)(shaphat) means to judge. In the present context shaphat referred to the arbitration of civil, domestic, and religious disputes. The implication of course is that Moses had both the authority to punish and finality of the decision. The Septuagint uses the verb diakrino which in the NT was a legal technical term for arbitration of a dispute in order to settle difference. NET Note adds - The verb שָׁפַט (shafat) means “to judge”; more specifically, it means to make a decision as an arbiter or umpire. When people brought issues to him, Moses decided between them. In the section of laws in Exodus after the Ten Commandments come the decisions, the מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishppatim). Neighbor (friend, another) (07453)(rea/reya' from ra'ah = to associate with) means friend, neighbor, associate—close or occasional. Often it is used in the phrase, one to another. It refers in context to a person who has a personal and official attachment to another person. Uses of rea/reya' in Exodus - Ex 2:13; Ex 11:2; Ex 18:7; Ex 18:16; Ex 20:16; Ex 20:17; Ex 21:14; Ex 21:18; Ex 21:35; Ex 22:7; Ex 22:8; Ex 22:9; Ex 22:10; Ex 22:11; Ex 22:14; Ex 22:26; Ex 32:27; Ex 33:11 And make known the statutes of God and His laws - Clearly the statutes of God and His laws had been revealed in some manner to Moses, because these statutes and laws were the basis for his judgments. We recall that long before the Law was given at Mt Sinai, God had ordained commandments, statutes, and laws to Abraham and that he had obeyed them (Ge 26:5). NET Note - The “decrees” or “statutes” were definite rules, stereotyped and permanent; the “laws” were directives or pronouncements given when situations arose.