Jethro - Moses' Father in Law
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
I began to name this the ‘Bible Person Study’, but chose to go with the ‘Bible Character Study’. I hesitated to name it that, as I don’t want to diminish the fact that these are real people we’ll be examining. But the reason that it’s named the Bible Character Study is because we’ll be focusing on the person’s character throughout. But don’t forget that these were real people, with real lives that made real choices that had real consequences.
I. Jethro’s Nature
I. Jethro’s Nature
((What is their History / Background?)
The Priest of Midian
Jethro (def) ‘his excellence’ (EX. 3:1)
Reuel (def) ‘Friend of God’ (Ex. 2:18)
Midian was a descendent from Abraham through Keturah: Genesis 25:1–2 “Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.”
So Jethro was from Abraham, which knew God. What he knew apparently made an impact because Jethro for all we know was a Godly man. The Bible declares him a priest, and he displays all the characteristics of a Godly man.
The Priest of Midian
Moses’ Father-in-Law
The later part of Ex. 2, we see that Moses helps the daughters of Jethro, and through circumstance, Jethro gives his daughter Zipporah to marry.
II. Jethro’s Notoriety
II. Jethro’s Notoriety
(What they are known for?)
His Relation to Moses
Simply for being the Father-in-Law to Moses. Moses of course being a principle person throughout the history of man, being that type relation and garnering the respect and honor of Moses will cause remembrance.
His Relation to Moses
His Counsel to Moses
The main story involving Jethro is found in Ex. 18 where Jethro comes after the deliverance, sees the workings of the COI and Moses, and offers good counsel to help Moses & the people.
Other than this, there is only mentions of him.
His Counsel to Moses
III. What Makes Him Noteworthy
III. What Makes Him Noteworthy
(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)
God was Known Outside of Egypt (Ex. 2:16-19)
Oftentimes, we get tunnel vision when it comes to God and mankind, in that we don’t consider that God moved and did beyond what is written in the Scripture.
Church I have bad news - If God and His History in relation to man is only found in Scripture, then I guess God isn’t working in our lives right now.
Don’t misunderstand: God worked in and through man outside of Scriptures accounting, but God didn’t operate outside or contrary to His Character or the Scriptures. In other words, God didn’t determine atonement was by the blood in Gen. 3 and not elsewhere.
But we know that God was known outside of mainline Scripture accounts for several reasons:
A Godly priest Jethro appears from Midian
A Godly priest named Melchizedek from Salem in Gen. 14.
God’s delay in the Judgment of the Amorites in Genesis 15:16 “But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
Again, God had not forsaken the world & only cared about the Jew. The Jew was the tool to reach the world, not to the exclusion thereof.
God was Known Outside of Egypt
Hospitality Invites Blessings (Ex. 2:20-22)
Moses did a pleasure for the daughters of Jethro. In turn, Jethro desired to be a blessing & show hospitality to Moses. Because he did so, Jethro ended up with a Godly son-in-law and grandchildren to boot.
It would have been easy for Jethro to say ‘Oh, that was nice of him’ and left it at that - but he demonstrated hospitality and blessings followed.
Church, whenever we are hospitable to others, we tend to enjoy the blessings of God because of it.
Hospitality Invites Blessings
Selflessness Drives the Work of God (Ex. 4:18)
After God calls Moses from the burning bush, Notice where Moses is at – he's keeping the flock of Jethro! So, in other words, he is serving his father-in-law. His father-in-law is benefiting from having Moses around.
But after God calls, Moses, from the midst of the burning bush, Moses first action is to go to Jethro and asked to be let go.
Take a moment and contrast this with Laban and Jacob in Gen. 30-31. Remember how Laban kept messing with Jacob & wouldn’t let them depart because he was getting wealthy by having Jacob around? Well, it’s in part at least the same situation with Jethro - only Jethro isn’t acting ungodly like Laban.
Because of this, Moses is allowed to leave and get on with the work of God!
Whenever we focus more on our desires and concerns, we hinder the work of God from moving forward. However, when we set our wants, Will, and wishes aside, then the work of God is free to move forward in a great and mighty way.
Selflessness Drives the Work of God
Faith Employed Makes the News (Ex. 18:1)
It's interesting to consider how Jethro heard about God's great victory in Egypt. And one might say that it was actually the great workings of God that made the news. In a sense that wouldn't be wrong. However, we need to look back and see what it was that caused God to work in the manner in which he did - it was FAITH!
The Faith of Moses took him to Egypt.
The Faith of Moses caused the Confrontation and Miracles
The Faith of the People spared the Cattle from Pestilence (Ex. 9:3) and the Firstborn from destruction (Ex. 12)
Church, Faith is the agent of change! Faith is the catalyst for the movement of God!
And church: Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
When we live by faith, we see God move - and when God moves, people notices!
Faith Employed Makes the News
Get all the Facts to Make an Informed Decision (Ex. 18:14-17)
Notice that Jethro didn’t just look at it and assume the facts of the matter at hand. He asked several questions in order to understand the situation fully before he did so.
This is important so that we don’t jump to conclusions and act / react to a situation in ignorance or foolishness.
This holds especially true for Christians spouting Christian doctrine!
(Ill.) I saw yesterday that the Boxcar has apparently opened and the new owner has hanging upon the wall a sodomite / trans flag declaring ‘All are welcome’. Now the fact that they have the flag hanging is not the heart of the problem. The problem was with the declaration by the owner and some of the commenters on the post.
The owner declared to be a Christian. Is this impossible? No. Is it improbable?
Then there was a guy who quoted Gen. 9:12-17 (NKJV) and then stated that ‘This was the true meaning of the rainbow. I have no issues with the sign, we need to help and love everyone’.
Then someone quoted Matthew 7:1–2 “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Which is not speaking against Judgment, but advocating righteous Judgment)
One said ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Ther eis no other commandment greater than these.
Then another told the owner to ‘Stand as a true Christian’
The problem is these people are spouting off with half the facts. They are speaking in ignorance and foolishness. They are running with at best half the truth and perversions of it!
Let me show you what an informed view looks like. The Bible is not contradictory.
The Bible does say: “We should love our neighbor as ourself” - but we should love God more (That’s the part he left out)
The Bible does say “Leviticus 18:22 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”
The Bible does say “John 7:24 “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
The Bible does say there’s a Judgment to come (Heb. 9:27)
The Bible has called us to be witnesses (Mar. 16:15)
So an informed view will say that we should love our neighbor enough to tell them that God hates sin, but He loves them and that they must turn to God because they’re under the Judgment of God!
Get all the Facts so that you can make an informed decision
Godly Counsel Helps the Brethren (Ex. 18:23)
Notice after he got all the information he was able to give Wise, Godly counsel. And that council was a help, not only unto Moses, but unto the rest of Israel as well.
The Bible says: Proverbs 11:14 “Where no counsel is, the people fall: But in the multitude of counsellers there is safety.”
Proverbs 24:6 “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: And in multitude of counsellers there is safety.”
Proverbs 20:5 “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.”
Godly Counsel Helps the Brethren
Conclusion
Conclusion