Exo 18:25 | KingComments | STEP | While Moses has his family visiting him, he continues his work. The people who need him stand before him. He is accessible to everyone. He is the servant of them all. But it is a long queue. On the second day of his visit Jethro sees Moses at work. The scope of the work leads Jethro to give Moses a suggestion to lighten his heavy load. He proposes that Moses should delegate tasks, while Moses himself is available for the difficult things and also represents the people before God. This proposal is accepted by Moses. He appoints men of ability as heads over the people. These men are always available when a problem arises about which justice needs to be administered. He himself continues to handle the difficult cases. The prophetic application is that the Lord Jesus in the reign of the realm of peace, involves others in His reign. According to their degree of faithfulness, the believers are given authority over a number of cities ( ). The question has been asked whether Moses had to accept Jethro’s proposal. According to Jethro, the task is too heavy for Moses. According to his judgment, Moses, if he continues like this, will become exhausted. Has God Himself not been able to make this clear to Moses? Jethro is not of the people. Nor does he go with the people ( ). Although Jethro says in that Moses should only respond to his proposal if “God [so] commands you”, the following verse speaks only of Moses doing according to what his father-in-law has recommended. We do not read about a commandment from God to act like this. But it is also possible that God has used Jethro to introduce an order in the government of Israel. In connection with the prophetic application that has been made above, this is also a possibility. Jethro also says what kind of men should assist Moses. They must 1. be able, men with sound and determined judgment. 2. be God-fearing, men who act out of respect for God, to whom they are ultimately accountable in their jurisdiction. 3. be reliable, men who speak the truth. 4. hate dishonest gain, men who are not bribable. The description of these qualities shows that Jethro has insight into who can assist Moses. He recommends that Moses discuss it with God and only do it if God commands him to do so. We can assume that Moses did the same. The fact that no mention is made of a commandment from God does not necessarily mean that God has not given His permission. Moses is a man who lives in communion with God. We can apply the qualities required by Jethro to the ministry of the shepherds in the church (cf. ). In a broader application we see that God Himself has given different tasks or gifts in the church. He “has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired” ( ). He did so in a way that “the members may have the same care for one another” ( ). It is important to point this out to each other, so that everything is not done by just a few.

‏ Exodus 18:25

Jethro Suggests Delegation of Tasks

While Moses has his family visiting him, he continues his work. The people who need him stand before him. He is accessible to everyone. He is the servant of them all. But it is a long queue. On the second day of his visit Jethro sees Moses at work. The scope of the work leads Jethro to give Moses a suggestion to lighten his heavy load. He proposes that Moses should delegate tasks, while Moses himself is available for the difficult things and also represents the people before God.

This proposal is accepted by Moses. He appoints men of ability as heads over the people. These men are always available when a problem arises about which justice needs to be administered. He himself continues to handle the difficult cases.

The prophetic application is that the Lord Jesus in the reign of the realm of peace, involves others in His reign. According to their degree of faithfulness, the believers are given authority over a number of cities (Lk 19:16-19).

The question has been asked whether Moses had to accept Jethro’s proposal. According to Jethro, the task is too heavy for Moses. According to his judgment, Moses, if he continues like this, will become exhausted. Has God Himself not been able to make this clear to Moses? Jethro is not of the people. Nor does he go with the people (Exo 18:27).

Although Jethro says in Exo 18:23 that Moses should only respond to his proposal if “God [so] commands you”, the following verse speaks only of Moses doing according to what his father-in-law has recommended. We do not read about a commandment from God to act like this.

But it is also possible that God has used Jethro to introduce an order in the government of Israel. In connection with the prophetic application that has been made above, this is also a possibility. Jethro also says what kind of men should assist Moses. They must

1. be able, men with sound and determined judgment.

2. be God-fearing, men who act out of respect for God, to whom they are ultimately accountable in their jurisdiction.

3. be reliable, men who speak the truth.

4. hate dishonest gain, men who are not bribable.

The description of these qualities shows that Jethro has insight into who can assist Moses. He recommends that Moses discuss it with God and only do it if God commands him to do so. We can assume that Moses did the same. The fact that no mention is made of a commandment from God does not necessarily mean that God has not given His permission. Moses is a man who lives in communion with God.

We can apply the qualities required by Jethro to the ministry of the shepherds in the church (cf. 1Pet 5:2-3). In a broader application we see that God Himself has given different tasks or gifts in the church. He “has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired” (1Cor 12:18). He did so in a way that “the members may have the same care for one another” (1Cor 12:25). It is important to point this out to each other, so that everything is not done by just a few.