Exodus 18:13-27
“AND IT CAME to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening... And Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone... provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge:... So Hoses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.”
It would seem that Moses acted upon this advice of Jethro, his father-in-law, without consulting God. If so, then this was a failure on Moses’ part. Jethro was a remarkable man, and his counsel was wise and prudent, according to man; yet In reality, it left God out and made the health of Moses its chief aim, whereas, it was not Moses, but the Lord, through Moses, who bore the burden of the people. It was not a question of the strength of Moses, but of his resources in God. If the Lord gives us a work to do for Him, dear young Christian, there may be difficulties, but the difficulties should be measured, not by what we are, but by what He is. Has He not told us, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness,” 2 Corinthians 12:9? May we learn to bring everything to God in prayer, for He loves us, and knows our needs and limitations beer than anyone else, and will pride wisdom and strength for whatever He gives us to do for Him. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” Deuteronomy 33:25.
Whatever the failure of Moses may have been, God uses this arrangement for administering justice and judgment in Israel, to give us a picture of the government of the world under Christ in the reign of glory that is coming. For in that blest millennial day, “the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6. How much corruption there is in government today, how often a criminal gets off with a lighter sentence than he deserves, and often the innocent have to suffer. But when the Lord Jesus reigns, He will rule in righteousness — His government will be perfect. Then there will be a display of righteous judgment on earth before all the world. However, we as Christians, should remember that we cannot expect to see perfect justice in this unrighteous world. We should be thankful for the government we have, which permits us the liberties and privileges we have under God in these favored lands; but the world has rejected the only “just One,” they have murdered and cast Him out, and now we can expect to suffer if we walk in His ways.
It is part of our Christian heritage while our Lord is rejected, for “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Philippians 1:29. Nevertheless, when the Lord Jesus reigns in righteousness, as He will before very long, then we too shall reign with Him.
After seeing all the wonders that the Lord had wrought, Jethro turned and went back to his own land. Moses, on the other hand, “chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God.” Hebrews 11:25. God’s way to His land led through the wilderness; and so it is for us. We are pilgrims passing through this wilderness world, but it is the way to that heavenly land and to the rest of God above.
ML-12/14/1969