Wisdom of a Father-in-Law

 

Wisdom of a Father-in-Law

Exodus 18: And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. ² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, ³ with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”) ⁴ and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”); ⁵ and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. ⁶ Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

 

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After being asked to lead the people out of Egypt, Moses reluctantly left his family. For months, Moses obeyed GOD through plagues, protection and provision. Word got back to Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, about all the things GOD had done. Jethro brought Moses’s family to him.

 

My Observations:

• Jethro was the first father-in-law mentioned in the Bible.
• Since there was no “law” regarding marriage and divorce at this time, Jethro may have meant the term to mean, “father by oath to my given daughter.”
• Zipporah had previously reacted in a peculiar fashion when she had to circumcise her son.

 

A lot happened in the few months Moses was gone. Egypt fell, the children of Israel rebelled and they were attacked. Jethro seemed to be led by the HOLY SPIRIT to bring Moses his family. He “heard of all that GOD had done” and responded by bringing Moses his family.

 

This shows me that Jethro believed in GOD and wanted Moses’s family to experience GOD. Jethro showed wisdom and went out to meet Moses at the same mountain GOD originally called Moses to be HIS leader.

 

Jethro had lived in the desert for years. He and his family were able to sustain themselves with little effort. BUT GOD did not bring the children of Israel out of Egypt to learn the ways of the Midianites. Moses felt like a stranger amongst them. GOD brought them out of Egypt to worship HIM as GOD. Jethro saw the value in doing so.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Jethro bringing his family to him?
• Do you recall when someone provided sage wisdom to you?
• Do you need to be reunited with people who may or may not believe in GOD’s power?

Everyone But You

Everyone But You

Exodos 4: ²⁴ And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. ²⁵ Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” ²⁶ So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.

 

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After leaving Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, they encountered the preincarnate JESUS. HE was about to kill Moses, whom HE called to bring the people out of Egypt. Zipporah performed a circumcision on Eliezer. JESUS let Moses go.

 

My Observations:

• GOD would not allow Moses to go to Egypt unless Gershom and Eliezer were circumcised.
• GOD told Abram, also known as Abraham, to be circumcised and from then on, every male was to be circumcised on the eight day.
• GOD would not allow Moses to be HIS leader unless he was serious about following what HE specified.

 

When everyone else could get away with ignoring what GOD said, Moses could not. When Moses said “yes” to GOD’s calling, he also said “Yes” to following GOD the way HE wanted. There were many men who grew up uncircumcised around Moses, but he had to follow what GOD told Abram to promise.

 

Zipporah may not have been privy to how serious GOD was about the covenant of circumcision. What seemed insignificant to her was extremely important to GOD. You would think that GOD would have simply told Moses to perform the circumcision like HE told Abram.

 

He must have circumcised Gershom, but for some reason Eliezer was not. This problem had to be rectified by Zipporah, who may have been against the circumcision. She reluctantly performed the delicate operation and protested. GOD did not harm Moses and it shows that HE is serious about HIS leaders. HE also intervenes.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about this circumcision incident?
• Has GOD said for you to do something that you may have mislabeled as insignificant?
• Do you say, “Everyone else can do stuff, why can’t I?” when GOD is trying to make you HIS leader?

Peaceful Acceptance of the Calling

Peaceful Acceptance of the Calling

Exodus 4: ¹⁸ So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.”

And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

 

¹⁹ Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” ²⁰ Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

 

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GOD appeared to Moses in the form of fire inside of a bush. GOD showed Moses HIS power by turning his rod into a snake. HE also turned Moses’s hand leprous and healed it. Moses declined the calling, BUT GOD gave him an alternative to his thinking. HE would send Aaron with him. Moses went to his father-in-law and told him about he was leaving.

 

My Observations:

• Moses accepted GOD’s calling on his life.
• Moses wanted peace with his father-in-law, so he asked for permission.
• GOD had to assure Moses that no one would be out to kill him because those who sought his life were all dead.

 

As comfortable and content as Moses was, he was being asked to go and free the Israelites from captivity in Egypt. GOD helped Moses overcome his comfort and contentment by sending him back into action. The reason Moses killed an Egyptian is because he saw unfair treatment. He took matters in his own hand, which caused the Egyptians to want to kill him and the Israelites to fear him. He was in a bad place.

 

BUT GOD gave him comfort that HE would be with him. Moses packed up his family, Zipporah, Gershom and Eliezer, and headed to Egypt. He also took with him the rod of GOD as a sign that he believed in what GOD said.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about his conversation with his father-in-law.
• Have you come to grips with GOD’s calling on your life even though it may be scary?
• Are you overwhelmed by GOD’s calling on your life and will you accept HIS peace?

Moses Finds a Family

 Moses Finds a Family

Exodus 2: ¹⁶ Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷ Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

 

¹⁸ When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”

 

¹⁹ And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”

 

²⁰ So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”

 

²¹ Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. ²² And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”

 

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Moses wanted to get away from the Egyptians because he killed one of them. He also wanted to get away from the Hebrews because they saw what he did and asked him “Who made you prince and judge over us?” Moses went to Midian.

 

My Observations:

• Moses was scared and confused when he left Egypt.
• Moses was a physically strong, brave fighter who could kill someone easily.
• Moses was actually a gentle servant.

 

Reuel, or Jethro would eventually become Moses’s father-in-law. Zipporah would become his wife. They were Midianites. This group of people would fight the Israelites later. But for now, Moses was accepted into the family.

 

Zipporah would bare a son named Gershom, meaning a stranger. Gershom would not inherit the leadership of the Hebrews because GOD chooses HIS leaders. Not much was said about Gershom. Midian was probably near the mountain where Moses would eventually meet GOD.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses to talk about his encounter with the Midianites?
• Have you ever felt like getting away from the problems you may have caused?
• Has GOD sent you to a strange place for you to start over?