Humility and Teachability

 Jethro Hears of God’s Deliverance

But after the battles in the wilderness and the victories, there is a period of rest, leading up to Mt. Sinai and receiving of the Law. This is the introduction of the arrival of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. This is an occasion to meditate on the deliverance of God and make preparations for the life of the covenant community. Jethro is described as the priest of Midian, who learned of all that God had done for Moses and his people, including how He had rescued them from the Egyptians.

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 (Exodus 18:1).

This chapter underscores the fame of God which reached all the nations around.

 Zipporah and their sons, Gershom and Eliezer, are taken back to Moses. Their names are significant too, as they symbolize Moses’ life experience. While Gershom means “I have been a stranger,” Eliezer means “My God is help,” indicating Moses’ divine rescue from his estranged life.

… with her two sons, of whom the name of one was [a]Gershom (for he said, “I have been a [b]stranger in a foreign land”) 4 and the name of the other was [c]Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”) (Exodus 18:3 - 4).

This ties well with the instruction to proclaim God’s deeds among people, found in Psalm 105:1. It further shows how Joshua 2:10–11 reveals how surrounding nations heard of God’s miraculous actions regarding the Red Sea and feared God. These indicate that testimonies of divine acts of salvation are meant for more than just believers; rather, they serve to declare the glory of God among all people. Christians are encouraged to realize that their testimonies could have an impact on other people’s faith too.

 

Jethro Confesses the Greatness of the LORD

Moses welcomes Jethro with joy, bends his knee before him, and tells him about all the things that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The passage focuses on the themes of hospitality, reunion within the family, and the testimony. Jethro reacted with joy and confessed that the LORD was greater than all the gods. The declaration of faith is considered to be the strongest confession by a gentile concerning the superiority of Yahweh.

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.”  (Exodus 18:11).

Despite being a priest of Midianites, Jethro understood that deliverance of Israel was an indication of the uniqueness of the Lord compared to all the other gods. These verses can be correlated with [Exodus 15:11] in which Israel said, “Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?” In addition, there is another parallel in [1 Kings 8:41-43], where Solomon prayed that the foreign people that would hear about God’s glorious name should come and worship Him.

 

And now Jethro makes sacrifices to the Lord, and Aaron comes along with his elders for a meal of communion before the Lord. The meal is a symbol of union and harmony through the authority of God. And in the Bible, there will be much more said in terms of covenant communion and worship together. From the passage, we learn that testimony regarding what God has done can make people recognize His glory.

 

Moses’ Leadership Burden

Then the following day, Jethro sees Moses judging the Israelites from morning to night. Moses is mediator, teacher, and judge for the whole nation. Historically, Israel in this period is an enormous number of people transitioning from bondage into covenant. The amount of work that is required of Moses is too much. Indeed, Jethro’s observation is wise as he tells Moses.

And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you (Exodus 18:23).

This shows the practical wisdom in Israel’s covenant community. Leadership needs structure, delegation, and partnership. The above relates to [Numbers 11:10–17], where Moses will express his weariness from the burden of being responsible for guiding the Israelites. God answers him through delegating leadership responsibilities to seventy men.

 

Acts 6:1–7 describes how the apostles appointed deacons to manage mundane activities so that they could pray and minister the word. There is great resemblance between the two instances since both entail leadership in expanding communities that needed delegation to achieve ministry effectively. The implication here is that there is a general biblical principle that good leadership entails delegation of responsibilities. This lesson discourages burnout and bad leadership practices. The lesson here is that delegation is not a sign of weakness but a sign of good stewardship.

 

Jethro’s Counsel and the Principle of Delegation

Jethro urges Moses to represent the people before God and instruct them about His statutes, but to delegate leadership in groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens to able men who will resolve minor issues while Moses will deal with hard cases. In this case, we see wisdom and covenant order at work. Moses retains his leadership position; however, now he shares it with other leaders whose competence can be traced to their fear of God and honesty. In other words, biblical leadership is not pragmatic it is spiritual first and foremost. This idea is consistent with [Deuteronomy 1:9-18], when Moses describes the selection of leaders as a prerequisite for wise management of the people. It corresponds to [1 Timothy 3:1-13] and [Titus 1:5-9], which describe the appointment of leaders in the New Testament church. In all these passages, we see the consistency of God’s standards for His servants. True leadership is not just about skills but about fear of God and righteousness. We learn about mentorship, collaborative leadership, accountability, and the need for character when choosing leaders.

 

Moses Listens and the Community Benefits

The fact that Moses follows the counsel of Jethro and sets up a leadership hierarchy shows his humility and teachableness. Even though he is chosen by God and operates in supernatural power, he still listens to wise counsel offered by another individual who is not even an Israelite priest. This shows how wisdom can be obtained from surprising sources because it is God’s gift after all. This humble attitude on the part of Moses helps prevent him from being worn out, as well as fosters justice among his fellow community members. In Proverbs 11:14 it is said that “in the multitude of counselors there is safety,” while James 1:19 speaks about becoming “quick to hear, slow to speak.” Therefore, one can see humility as a crucial component of godly leadership.

 

Conclusion

Themes found in Exodus 18 are many, including: The glory of God being manifested in the nations because of the miracles done by God, Worship and witness, Leadership involving sharing the work amongst God’s people, and Humility and teachability even among the greatest leaders. This chapter also prepares the Israelites for Sinai. They have to set up structures which will enable them to uphold covenant living prior to God giving them His law. It therefore shows how spiritual formation and good organization go hand-in-hand. It shows us that leaders get tired when they do not delegate.

George G. Ruheni, PhD.