Exodus

Exodus 18: God provides faithful judges

Begin in prayer

Before Jethro sees the long line waiting for Moses, let us thank God for His care in the ordinary needs of His people. Ask Him for faithful leaders and for hearts that receive the word of Christ.

“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Psalm 82:3

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Teach us to value truth and the faithful people who serve under Your word. Lead us to Jesus, the righteous Judge and merciful Savior. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Jethro brings Zipporah and Moses' two sons to the wilderness camp at the mountain of God. After hearing Moses describe the LORD’s rescue, Jethro rejoices, praises God and shares a sacrificial meal with Aaron and the elders. The next day he sees people waiting from morning to evening while Moses judges their disputes. He tells Moses that this load will wear out both leader and people. He advises teaching God’s laws and appointing trustworthy men to judge smaller matters, with difficult cases brought to Moses. Moses listens and appoints the leaders, then sends Jethro home.

As you read Exodus 18, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God cares for His people through leaders who judge under His word.

Jethro comes after hearing what God has done, bringing Moses' wife and sons to the camp. Moses tells the hardships as well as the rescues, and the account leads Jethro to praise the LORD’s greatness. The shared meal before God joins him with Aaron and the elders in thanksgiving. The next day’s long queue reveals another need among the rescued people. Moses makes God’s statutes known while judging disputes, but neither he nor the waiting people can bear the load alone. Jethro’s counsel preserves Moses' teaching and his representation of the people before God. Able men must fear God, speak truth and hate unjust gain, so justice is governed by character rather than influence. Jethro makes the plan subject to God’s command, and Moses follows the counsel. God’s care for His people includes justice, wise limits and helpers who share the work.

How does Exodus 18 show us that God cares for His people through leaders who judge under His word?

The news of God’s rescue brings praise.

Moses tells Jethro both the hardships and how God delivered Israel. Jethro rejoices in the LORD’s goodness and confesses His greatness over all gods. God’s saving works deserve to be told, and the gospel of Christ calls the nations to worship.

God’s people need His word and faithful judgment.

Moses explains God’s statutes as he settles disputes. Jethro urges him to keep teaching and bringing the people’s causes to God. A leader’s work must serve God’s truth, under which Christ judges with perfect righteousness.

Faithful helpers share a load one man cannot carry.

The men must fear God, tell the truth and hate unjust gain. Smaller matters come to them, while hard cases reach Moses. Shared work protects both leader and people without moving judgment away from God’s word.

Memorise

If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

Exodus 18:23

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what unjust way of getting my own will must I bring to Jesus?

Jethro tells Moses, “You are not able to perform it yourself alone.” The man who led Israel out still needs help. God’s people need justice under His word and servants who can bear the load together.

Jesus is the righteous Judge whose wisdom never fails. Our falsehood and selfish judgments leave us guilty before Him. He also became the sacrifice for His people, suffering their sentence at the cross. He rose from the grave after doing all His people need for salvation. His completed offering is enough to reconcile guilty sinners to God.

Bring your crooked heart to the Savior who judges rightly. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. In Him the repentant find forgiveness and the grace to serve others. Learn His gentleness, and receive the help He gives through faithful people.

Parent's note

Tell your children that leaders need help and that Jesus alone is the perfect Judge who died and rose for His people. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for trustworthy leaders and wisdom that serves His people’s good, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:30

Father, thank You for the people who teach Your Word and care for others. Forgive our selfish and unfair judgments. Please bring us to repent and trust Jesus. Give wisdom to leaders, protect them from exhaustion, and teach us to share useful work with humility. Amen.