Êxodo 18
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Êxodo 18
Henry - God in his providence is pleased to advance us, we must make conscience of giving honour to whom honour is due, and never look with disdain upon our poor relations. Those that stand high in the favour of God are not thereby discharged from the duty they owe to men, nor will that justify them in a stately haughty carriage. Moses went out to meet Jethro, did homage to him, and kissed him. Religion does not destroy good manners. Even the kind How-do-you-do's that pass between them are taken notice of, as the expressions and improvements of mutual love and friendship. Bowed down (prostrated) (07812)(shachah) means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to crouch, to fall down, to humbly beseech, to do reverence, to worship. The idea is to assume a prostrate position as would in paying homage to royalty (Ge 43:28) or to God (Ge 24:26, Ps 95:6). The Septuagint uses the verb proskuneo (pros = before + kuneo = kiss or adore) means to prostrate oneself in homage before another and represents the most common Near Eastern act of adoration and reverence and also carries the idea of profound awe and respect. The English word prostrate is defined as being stretched out with one's face on the ground in adoration or submission. It is not just that the person has fallen down but pictures them lying at length or with their body extended on the ground and so lying in a posture which is reflective of genuine humility and/or adoration. And they asked each other of their welfare - They ask about the other's "shalom," which we normally translate as "peace" but which in the Hebrew culture had a far deeper meaning (see below). Welfare (07965)(shalom) refers to sense of well-being and harmony both within and without - Completeness, wholeness, peace, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, fullness, rest, harmony; the absence of agitation or discord, a state of calm without anxiety or stress. And went into the tent - This would have been a time of fellowship and reunion. In the Middle East hospitality is an important practice and so Jethro was invited into his tent Exodus 18:7-8 Respecting Your Elders - Woodrow Kroll Rodney Dangerfield is the original "I don't get no respect" man. No matter how hard he tries, to hear the comedian tell it, no one shows him any respect. Some of the elderly could voice the same complaint. As more people are living longer, they are becoming the victims of everything from physical abuse to con artists' scams. This differs significantly from the respect Moses showed his father-in-law. Even though Moses was the leader of a great host of people, he bowed before Jethro as a sign of humility and kissed him as a sign of affection. And in the midst of the many needs of a demanding people, he took time to share with Jethro all the events that had transpired since he had seen him last. As we deal with the elderly, we must do so with patience and compassion. Most of them have made significant sacrifices to raise their families, to defend their country and to make an honest living. In their golden years they deserve to be treated with respect. If you have elderly parents, take time to be involved in their lives. Listen to their stories (even if you've heard then a hundred times before); sympathize with their aches and pains; look for opportunities to make their lives a little easier. If your parents are no longer alive, perhaps there is an elderly neighbor or someone at church who could benefit from your attention. We are not judged by how we treat the strong and powerful but by how we respect the weak and helpless. Besides, having made an investment of time and interest in an elderly person, you may discover that the return on your investment was greater than the investment itself. Treat the elderly as a nonrenewable resource; they are! - Back to the Bible (Used with permission) Exodus 18:8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the LORD had delivered them. told - Ex 18:1 Ne 9:9-15 Ps 66:16 71:17-20 105:1,2 145:4-12 all the - Ex 15:22-24 16:3 that had befallen them Ge 44:34 Nu 20:14 Ne 9:32 *marg: how the Lord - Ps 78:42,43 81:7 106:10 107:2 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES EXTOLS THE GREAT THINGS GOD DID FOR ISRAEL To extol means to praise highly, to praise lavishly (I like that one! Holding nothing back!), to exalt, to laud, to glorify, to honor, to pay tribute or homage to. It wasn’t a report of what Moses had done but what the Lord had done! --Warren Wiersbe Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake - Told is saphar translated in the Septuagint (Lxx) with the Greek verb diegeomai which means to give a narrative from beginning to end, recounting it in full and with great detail, a nuance not easily seen with the verb "told." The point is that Moses went into considerable detail with Jethro regarding the manifold miraculous workings of Jehovah! Notice Moses' priority was first exalt the Person of Jehovah and to explain what He had accomplished for the sake of His chosen people, Israel. I love when someone says “let me tell you what the Lord did for me…” for I know I will likely hear something supernatural and that it will focus my attention on the Almighty God. Matthew Henry - Conversation concerning God's wondrous works is profitable conversation; it is good, and to the use of edifying, Ps. 105:2. Compare Ps. 145:11, 12. Asking and telling news, and discoursing of it, are not only an allowable entertainment of conversation, but are capable of being tuned to a very good account, by taking notice of God's providence, and the operations and tendencies of that providence, in all occurrences. These God honoring words by Moses recall the great exhortation of the psalmist... Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary. (Ps 107:2) Comment - Note repetition of the verb redeemed, the Hebrew word ga'al (both uses translated in the Lxx by the great verb lutroo) which means to buy back, to restore to an original state (in this case freedom experienced before Egyptian bondage). Adversary is translated in the Lxx by the echthros, the same word used to describe the Egyptian enemy of Israel in Exodus 15:9+ where "The enemy (echthros) said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake...." As an aside, how much more apropos is this exhortation to every blood bought, heaven bound believer in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer! May our Father's Spirit give us holy boldness to "say so" to speak of and even proclaim to others the truth about our great redemption and our even greater Redeemer Christ Jesus Who plucked us out of the hands and power of Sin, Satan and Death, to be His personal possession forever and ever. In Jesus' mighty Name. Amen (Play this modern worship song Let the Redeemed of the Lord or this old version I first heard when I was saved some 30+ years ago Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So)
Êxodo 18
Henry - While the Israelites were themselves murmuring, notwithstanding all God's goodness to them, here was a Midianite rejoicing. This was not the only time that the faith of the Gentiles shamed the unbelief of the Jews; see Mt. 8:10. Standers-by were more affected with the favours God had shown to Israel than those were that received them. Scott Grant - When someone is legitimately excited about something that is happening in our lives, it makes our hearts sing. It must have made Moses' heart sing to see Jethro rejoicing. Steven Cole on goodness of Jehovah - It is essential that you derive your understanding of God from the Bible. And at the root of who God is, you must affirm that He is good. This means that He “deals well and bountifully with His creatures” (Stephen Charnock). A W Tozer put it, “The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men.” The Bible attests to God’s goodness in His creation (Ge 1:31); in His salvation and deliverance of His people (Ex 18:9; Nu 10:29, 32); in His provision for His people (Neh 9:25); and, in His Word, which instructs us in how to live so as to be blessed (Ps 25:8; Dt. 30:15-16), even in affliction (Ge 50:20). (Sermon on Ps 100) Related Resource: Goodness of God In delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians - Hand signified power but Yahweh's hand was and is always able to deliver His people. What kind of influence did Moses' life have on his father-in-law, Jethro? Delivered (05337) see study of this key word in note on natsal (and the verb used in the Septuagint - exaireo) Exodus 18:10 So Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD 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. Ge 14:20 2Sa 18:28 1Ki 8:15 Ps 41:13 106:47,48 Lu 1:68 Eph 1:3 1Th 3:9 1Pe 1:3 Rev 5:11-13 19:1-6 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JETHRO BLESSED THE LORD Stop studying for a moment and worship Him as Jethro did 2500 years ago - Blessed be Your Name! So Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD - People do not have to be direct recipients of God's actions to praise Him. Jethro echoed the blessing Melchizedek spoke after Yahweh had given Abram victory over the four kings declaring "blessed be God Most High (El Elyon: Most High God - Sovereign Over All), Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” What is a bit ironic is that the first use of barak in the book of Exodus was from the mouth of the pagan Pharaoh, beseeching Moses to ask God to "bless" him! (Ex 12:32). Even the most foolish pagans are not so foolish that they would not desire a blessing from Jehovah! Barak is used next in Exodus when "the LORD blessed the sabbath and made it holy." (Ex 20:11). Noah was the first to bless Jehovah declaring "Blessed (barak)be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant." (Ge 9:26) Scott Grant - Jethro blesses the Lord. This is the same word that is used when it is said that the Lord blesses man. When God blesses man, he gives to him in some way. When man blesses God, he recognizes God as the source of blessing. So when Jethro "blesses" the Lord, he's praising the Lord. The Apostle Paul does the same thing in Ephesians 1:3+: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." Blessed (01288)(barak) is a verb which literally can mean to kneel (to go to one's knees - Camel in Ge 24:11, Solomon in 2Chr 6:13) as contrasted with standing position or even a bowing at the waist). And so barak can refer to an act of adoration sometimes on bended knee. To give divine blessings (Ge 1:22, Ge 9:1-7) To esteem greatly or adore God for His blessings (Ge 24:48, Ps 103:1). The Septuagint (Lxx) translates barak in Ex 18:10 with eulogetos (Eng - eulogy) which means to be well spoken of or inherently worthy of praise and all the uses of eulogetos refer to God as the One "well spoken of". Eulogetos, used of God indicates praise and adoration on the part of the creature, in recognition of the power and prerogatives of the Creator, and the privileges enjoyed at His hands. In Ps 103:1-2 when David says “Bless (barak; Lxx = related verb eulogeo) the Lord O my soul” he is praising God, speaking well of God.All the uses of eulogetos refer to God as the One "well spoken of". Eulogetos, used of God indicates praise and adoration on the part of the creature, in recognition of the power and prerogatives of the Creator, and the privileges enjoyed at His hands. In Psalm 103:1, 2 when David says “Bless (LXX = the related verb form eulogeo) the Lord O my s-oul” he is praising God, speaking well of God. Who delivered (natsal) you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh - Jethro acknowledges it was Jehovah Who Alone rescued Moses from danger. The hand is a frequent metaphor or figure of speech in the OT which stands for the power of the one mentioned, here the Egyptians and Pharaoh. If you are in someone's hand, you are in their "grasp," under their power to dispose of as they please. The verb natsal can mean snatch away, so in Exodus 18:10 we have the picture of the all powerful hand of Jehovah reaching down and "snatching" His people Israel out of the hand of the worldly powerful Pharaoh and the Egyptians! And who delivered (natsal) the people from under the hand of the Egyptians - Who but the omnipotent power of Jehovah's hand could deliver from the hands of the most powerful nation and ruler on earth? None but the mighty hand of Jehovah. Indeed, all who have been rescued from darkness and transferred to the Kingdom of His Beloved Son are now safe forever "in the hands of God." (play and praise Him today with the song below by the Newsboys!) Delivered...delivered (05337) see study of this key word in note on natsal (and the verb used in the Septuagint - exaireo). Sometimes we see a miracle, And faith in God revives; Yet eyes of faith can see God's hand At work throughout our lives. —Hess Related Resource: The Hand of God - Sometimes the good hand of the LORD, but sometimes the judgment hand of the LORD. There is an insurance ad which says "You're in good hands with Allstate!" An far better "insurance plan" is to be in the good hand of Jehovah. Indeed, every believer is in good (God's) hands! Listen to "In the Hands of God" by the Newsboys We have raised our hopes and our cities high We have followed fragile dreams But only One could take the measure of our goals And we've stumbled over the trials of life And we've wrestled the unseen But only One can calm the storm inside our souls In the hands of God we will fall Rest for the restless, and the weary Hope for the sinner In the hands of God we stand tall Hands that are mighty to deliver Giving us freedom When our strength gave way to the weight of guilt 'Til we strained for every breath Only One could lift our shame and make us well And when all is finished and we face The fearsome power of death Only One has overcome the gates of hell You're amazing You're amazing, You are And we praise You, Lord For what Your hands have done Exodus 18:10-11 Great is the Lord - Woodrow Kroll Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev once boasted that he would display the last Soviet Christian on television by 1965. Khrushchev is long dead; Christianity is more alive than ever in Russia. Karl Marx called a belief in God "the sign of the oppressed creature, the opium of the people." Marx also has gone to his eternal destiny, but the "opium" he spoke of continues to spread throughout the world. And so it has been. Leaders rise up, shake their fists at God, and then sink back into the oblivion from which they came. In the meantime, God continues to work out His plan for the world, undisturbed by their puny efforts against Him. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, observed the same truth about Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. Arrogantly they had shaken their fists at God, but "He was above them." Like an ant trying to stop a locomotive, they challenged the Almighty and lost. Once again God proved "that the Lord is greater than all the gods." Throughout history, God has demonstrated that He is greater than any person, any movement, or any situation. It is obvious why the psalmist could confidently boast, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills--from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Ps. 121:1). God Himself declares, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" (Jer. 32:27). If you are fearful about some godless person, some anti-Christian movement, or some threatening situation, remember where your help comes from. The God who is above all other gods will never be overwhelmed by your difficulties. The God who delivered Moses will deliver you as well. He's just that kind of God. Trouble never troubles God.- Back to the Bible (Used with permission) Exodus 18:11 "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people." Now I - Ex 9:16 1Ki 17:24 2Ki 5:15 the Lord - Ex 15:11 1Ch 16:25 2Ch 2:5 Ps 95:3 97:9 135:5 indeed, it was proven - Ex 1:10,16,22 5:2,7 14:8,18 proudly - Ex 9:17 10:3 1Sa 2:3 Ne 9:10,16,29 Job 40:11,12 Ps 31:23 Ps 119:21 Da 4:37 Lu 1:51 Jas 4:6 1Pe 5:5 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JETHRO EXPERIENCES JEHOVAH ABOVE ALL "GODS" As discussed below with verb know, the truth about Jehovah disclosed by Moses energized in Jethro a greater sense of the Person of Jehovah so that he now could relate to Him on a more personal, intimate level. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods -Jethro acknowledges the superiority of the Lord. We do well to keep in mind that GOD WANTS TO BE KNOWN! Now I know suggests that before this revelation by Moses, Jethro did not fully know the truth about the LORD. However, I do believe that prior to this revelation, Jethro was a believer in the one true God, but now Jehovah's presence and power and provision in the deliverance of Israel confirmed and/or strengthened Jethro's faith. This recalls Ro 10:17+ that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Keep the cultural context in mind regarding the phrase greater than all the gods, for Jethro's culture was a time of prolific pagan polytheism, wherein men worshipped many gods, with a little "g." Things have not changed that much, have they? The practice of Idolatry (any "g" god other than the God, Jehovah) was, as we say today, "in your face," (that is, an affront to the one true God) unlike the subtle idols of our age (money, prestige, power, sports figures and teams, etc)! Augustine was right when he said “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.” Take a moment to worship the One True God Who Alone is above all by singing Above All. I know (03045)(yada) means to know, to learn, to perceive, to experience, to confess, to know people relationally (used of Adam knowing Eve - Ge 4:1KJV). Septuagint translates yada in Ex 18:11 with the verb ginosko which conveys the sense of to know by experience and/or to know intimately, both senses being applicable in the case of Jethro. THOUGHT - We do well to keep in mind the basic (incredible) truth that God desires to be known by His creatures! In Exodus Jehovah desires not only the Israelites to know Him but even Pharaoh and the Egyptians (cf 2 Pe 3:9+). Study the uses of know in Exodus that relate to knowing the LORD which will give you a good sense of the heart of God for all fallen mankind - note who is to know and how they are to know? - Ex 6:7; Ex 7:5; Ex 7:17; Ex 8:10; Ex 8:22; Ex 9:14; Ex 9:29; Ex 10:2; Ex 14:4; Ex 14:18; Ex 16:6; Ex 16:12 Ex 18:11 Ex 29:46 Ex 31:13; Do you know Jehovah as the One Who is greater than all the gods? Jesus declared... "This is eternal life, that they may KNOW YOU, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (Jn 17:3) Scott Grant asks "What is it that has caught Jethro's attention? It is what the Lord has done to Egypt on behalf of the Israelites. This shows Jethro not only how powerful the Lord is but how loving he is as well. The Lord hasn't delivered us from bondage to Egypt, but he has delivered us from bondage to sin (Romans 6:6+), and he continues to deliver us (ED: DAILY SAVING US - SEE Three Tenses of Salvation). And so people will have the opportunity to view God's great work of deliverance in our lives, as we become less dominated by sin and more like Jesus. Often times we don't see it, because we live with ourselves day to day. But if the Spirit of the living God is dwelling inside you, amazing things are happening, even now (cf 2 Cor 3:18+). And once in a while the Lord will bring a Jethro into our lives to take notice, rejoice and praise the Lord (cf 1 Pe 3:15+). And that leads us to worship the Lord." Indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people - This is difficult to translate. NET Note - The end of this sentence seems not to have been finished, or it is very elliptical. In the present translation the phrase "he has destroyed them" is supplied. Others take the last prepositional phrase to be the completion and supply only a verb: "[he was] above them." U. Cassuto (Exodus, 216) takes the word "gods" to be the subject of the verb "act proudly," giving the sense of "precisely (yKi, ki) in respect of these things of which the gods of Egypt boasted – He is greater than they (~h,yle[], 'alehem)." He suggests rendering the clause, "excelling them in the very things to which they laid claim." Exodus 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. took - Ex 24:5 Ge 4:4 8:20 12:7 26:25 31:54 Job 1:5 42:8 Aaron - Ex 24:11 Lev 7:11-17 De 12:7 27:7 1Ch 29:21,22 2Ch 30:22 1Co 10:18,21,31 eat - Ex 2:20 Ge 43:25 2Sa 9:7 Job 42:11 Da 10:3 Lu 14:1,15 Exodus 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JETHRO STIRRED TO WORSHIP GOD Then - The word then is an expression of time which marks an advancement in the sequence of events. In this case Jethro's enhanced knowledge was not just head knowledge but evoked in Jethro a heart response of worship. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God - Knowledge led to rejoicing which led to blessing God which led to greater knowledge which led to worship of God in fellowship with other believers. Regarding the burnt offering, it is the one and only sacrifice that was totally consumed in the flames when described in Leviticus. THOUGHT - In the Septuagint the word translated burnt offering is holokautoma which refers to a wholly-consumed sacrifice, whole burnt offering, whole victim burned. Holokautoma gives us our English word "holocaust". It is a picture of one offering themselves wholly to the Holy LORD, and reminds us of Romans 12:1+ "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (THIS IS ALL OF OUR BODY - OUR MIND, HEART, STRENGTH) a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.' Scott Grant - A burnt offering was representative of full devotion to God. In making these sacrifices, then, Jethro is offering up his life to the Lord. Based on what he has seen the Lord do in the lives of the Israelites, he devotes himself to the Lord. This is the kind of thing that can happen when others get a good look at what the Lord is doing in our lives....This story also offers strong encouragement for us to be a Jethro in others' lives - to legitimately ask of another's welfare, to watch for the Lord's activity in the life of another, to rejoice over another, to praise the Lord in another's presence, to acknowledge the greatness of the Lord, to enter into intimate fellowship with another in the presence of God. So the Lord will send us Jethros, but we can also be Jethros.And what was it that Jethro did? He took notice of the greatness of God, as seen in the lives of Moses and the Israelites, and he extolled his greatness. He extolled the greatness of the Lord. He lifted up the Lord, and everyone was able to see his greatness more clearly. A few months ago, a Jethro wandered into my life to proclaim the greatness of God. He made no observations about God's activity in my life, because he didn't know me. I just heard him speak for two hours. His name is John Piper, who I had never heard of before. A pastor from Minnesota, he is the author of "Desiring God." He spoke to a group of pastors about "expository exultations," encouraging pastors to see the greatness of God in every biblical text and to preach the greatness of God in every sermon. Essentially, I listened to him extol the greatness of the Lord for two hours. He simply showed me who the Lord is. That's what Jethro did for Moses. NET Note - Jethro brought offerings as if he were the one who had been delivered. The “burnt offering” is singular, to honor God first. The other sacrifices were intended for the invited guests to eat (a forerunner of the peace offering). I am reminded of David's words in Psalm 68:3 But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.