Exo 18:3-4 | KingComments | STEP | Jethro heard what God had done for Moses and His people. This was the reason he went to Moses with his daughter, the wife of Moses, and their two sons. The meeting at the mountain of God was very warm. They ask each other how things are going. That is often the first question we ask, yet we may not even wait for an answer, or quickly answer that things are going ‘well’. When the question is answered with a longer, more substantial reply, we sometimes feel overwhelmed by it. It is important to show a genuine interest in each other and to take time to do so. This requires trust that behind the question of how things are going there is real interest and not just formality. After exchanging their mutual personal circumstances, they go ‘into the house’. There Moses testifies of all the dealings of the LORD for the benefit of His people. Jethro rejoices at this and praises the LORD. He acknowledges that the God of Israel is exalted above all gods. He offers a sacrifice and eats with the Israelites before God. It is wonderful to see that the subject of the conversation is the LORD’s goodness to Israel and that its effect is that He is honored. These are truly edifying conversations. That is how our conversations should be, with (also) that effect. Surely, we can also tell about the goodness of the Lord that we have experienced in our redemption and all His care for us afterwards, can’t we? This fellowship experienced will lead to expressions of joy and gratitude in which others also participate, and above all, God is honored. He is present and rejoicing. With this meeting the first part of this book ends. Many expositors see in this scene a prophetic reference to the joy of Christ (Moses) which He shares with the nations (Jethro) and the people of Israel (Aaron with all the elders of Israel) at the beginning of the realm of peace. The prophetic application we also see in the absence of the wife of Moses during the liberation of Israel. In the same way, the church will not be on earth in the time of the great tribulation that will come upon Israel. And just as the church will share in the joy of the deliverance of Israel, so Zipporah now appears again on stage. Both sons are mentioned and also the meaning of their names. Gershom means ‘sojourner‘. He reminds us by his name that Christ, like Moses, was a Sojourner on earth, just as the church is now. But in this difficult position Moses has been sure of the help of God, which is indicated in the name Eliezer – that is, ‘God is my help’. Besides the prophetic application there is also a practical application to make. If the Lord Jesus has shown His salvation in our lives, it will be noticed by others. How wonderful it is then when we can tell those others about this, so that they too would become worshipers of Him.

‏ Exodus 18:3-4

Jethro Visits Moses

Jethro heard what God had done for Moses and His people. This was the reason he went to Moses with his daughter, the wife of Moses, and their two sons. The meeting at the mountain of God was very warm. They ask each other how things are going. That is often the first question we ask, yet we may not even wait for an answer, or quickly answer that things are going ‘well’. When the question is answered with a longer, more substantial reply, we sometimes feel overwhelmed by it. It is important to show a genuine interest in each other and to take time to do so. This requires trust that behind the question of how things are going there is real interest and not just formality.

After exchanging their mutual personal circumstances, they go ‘into the house’. There Moses testifies of all the dealings of the LORD for the benefit of His people. Jethro rejoices at this and praises the LORD. He acknowledges that the God of Israel is exalted above all gods. He offers a sacrifice and eats with the Israelites before God. It is wonderful to see that the subject of the conversation is the LORD’s goodness to Israel and that its effect is that He is honored. These are truly edifying conversations.

That is how our conversations should be, with (also) that effect. Surely, we can also tell about the goodness of the Lord that we have experienced in our redemption and all His care for us afterwards, can’t we? This fellowship experienced will lead to expressions of joy and gratitude in which others also participate, and above all, God is honored. He is present and rejoicing.

With this meeting the first part of this book ends. Many expositors see in this scene a prophetic reference to the joy of Christ (Moses) which He shares with the nations (Jethro) and the people of Israel (Aaron with all the elders of Israel) at the beginning of the realm of peace.

The prophetic application we also see in the absence of the wife of Moses during the liberation of Israel. In the same way, the church will not be on earth in the time of the great tribulation that will come upon Israel. And just as the church will share in the joy of the deliverance of Israel, so Zipporah now appears again on stage.

Both sons are mentioned and also the meaning of their names. Gershom means ‘sojourner‘. He reminds us by his name that Christ, like Moses, was a Sojourner on earth, just as the church is now. But in this difficult position Moses has been sure of the help of God, which is indicated in the name Eliezer – that is, ‘God is my help’.

Besides the prophetic application there is also a practical application to make. If the Lord Jesus has shown His salvation in our lives, it will be noticed by others. How wonderful it is then when we can tell those others about this, so that they too would become worshipers of Him.