Chapter 18 starts with Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, bringing Moses’ daughter and two sons to visit Moses in the desert. Moses told Jethro all about their adventures. Jethro’s response is interesting.
11 “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”
12 Jethro brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
What a profound picture, but the Bible says God inhabits the praises of his people.
13-14 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When Jethro saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked what he was doing. “Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you?”
15-16 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and laws.”
Jethro told Moses that what he was doing was not good and would wear out everyone. He advised Moses to teach the people the decrees and laws and to show them the way to live. He told Moses to select capable men from all the people, men who feared God, were trustworthy and hated dishonest gain, and to have them as officials over increments of people from tens to thousands.
22-23 “Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you. That will make your load lighter. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
Moses did as he was advised and Jethro went back to his own country.
Wow. What a blessing to have a wise father-in-law. It also says a lot about Moses that he stood before God himself, yet knew when to listen to another man for counsel.
Chapter 19 begins by telling of the people camping in front of Mount Sinai three months to the day after leaving Egypt. Moses went up to God, and God gave him instructions to tell the people. If they obeyed, He would make them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Moses told the elders of Israel, and they said they would do everything the Lord said.
Moses returned to God, telling him the elders’ response.
9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”
God told Moses to consecrate the people, have them wash their clothes, and have them ready by the third day. He also told Moses to put boundaries around the mountain because if any man or animal touched it before the long ram’s horn sound, they would be put to death.
19:16-19 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
How cool.
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.
God told Moses to remind the people that they couldn’t touch the mountain. He also told him to go get Aaron and bring him up the mountain as well.
20:1-17 And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
You shall have no other gods besides me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Lord, thank you for your directions. You are a God of order, and you love us to live in unity. Help us to be unified as your people and help us to obey your laws and live in a way that is pleasing to you.
A Walk Through The Bible 