March 16, 2025
Exodus 18
“Divine Delegation”
Service Overview: In Exodus 18, Moses receives wise counsel from Jethro: delegate responsibilities to capable leaders. This challenges us to consider the importance of shared leadership, the humility to accept advice, and the strength of a well-supported community. God’s work flourishes when leaders release control and empower others for kingdom impact.
Memory Verse for the Week:
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
Background & Technical Insights:
- [Exodus 18] is like a quiet zone between the noisy stories of plagued and drowned Egyptians and grumbling and battling Israelites, on one side, and the thunder, fire, smoke, and trumpets of Mt. Sinai on the other side. We see a very human Moses and some very sensible arrangements. We celebrate the story past, and we organize for the story ahead. And we do both through the eyes of Jethro, the dominating figure in the whole chapter. (Wright, Exodus, 323)
- Jethro is called (kōhēn midyān, “the priest of Midian”; see also 2: 16). In this regard he was much like “Melchizedek king of Salem” and “priest of God Most High” (Ge 14: 18). (Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Exodus, Location 5456)
- Like Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17–24), Jethro was a Gentile priest (Ex. 2:16) whose testimony indicates that he knew the true and living God. He also knew the importance of Israel in the plan of God, because he said that the Lord had punished the Egyptians because they had “treated Israel arrogantly” (Ex. 18:11 NIV). (Warren Wiersbe, Be Delivered: Exodus, 111)
- Moses welcomes his father-in-law warmly, recalling how years earlier Jethro extended hospitality to Moses. Previously, the Lord commissioned Moses while he was shepherding Jethro’s flock near the mountain of God in Horeb (3:1). Now, “near the mountain of God” Jethro learns how God has used Moses to shepherd the Israelites out of Egypt. (T. Desmond Alexander, Exodus, 153)
- (v.2) Moses may have prearranged for Jethro upon leaving Midian (4:18) to take Zipporah and their two sons into his home for safety after they had gone part of the way to Egypt with Moses (4:20-26) while he went about the dangerous business of confronting Pharaoh in Egypt, with the understanding that once the Israelites had left Egypt according to God’s promise, they would reunite at Mount Sinai (3:12). If so, Jethro and Zipporah probably had been following Israelite progress and calculating when they should plan to leave for the prearranged rendezvous at the mountain of God. (Douglas Stuart, Exodus, 404)
- Moses had been attempting to settle multiple disputes. He was like the police, the law, the counselor, the department of motor vehicles, the judge, the theologian, and the pastor all in one. This task was too heavy. (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Exodus, 114)
What does godly leadership require for the good of God’s people?
- Teaching God’s truth.
(v. 20 | Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Psalm 32:8; 119:105; Isaiah 48:17; Matthew 28:19-20; John 8:31-32; Acts 5:42; 18:11; Romans 15:4; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:2; 3:16-17; Titus 2:1)
The work Moses was doing needed to be done. The prophet was helping the Israelites solve their problems. Like most people, they wanted to know God’s will. They also wanted help resolving their disputes. So they brought all their troubles to Moses, looking to him for guidance. And Moses did two things to help them: He taught God’s word, and he discerned God’s will. The prophet served as both their counselor and their judge. Part of his work was educational. He taught the people God’s word so they would know what God required. But he also helped them apply the truth of God’s word in practical situations. (Ryken, Exodus, 482)
The law is given to shape Israel’s life so that they display the character of God. It is missional in intent. (Tim Chester, Exodus for You, 140)
- Modeling the walk.
(v. 20 | Prov. 20:7; Mat. 5:16; Luke 6:46; John 13:15; Rom. 12:2; 1 Cor. 10:31; 11:1; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:1-2; Phil. 2:14-15; Colossians 1:10; 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:7-8; James 1:22)
Leaders of character produce organizations of character because character, like conviction, is infectious. Followers are drawn to those whose character attracts them as something they want for themselves. (Albert Mohler, The Conviction to Lead, 81)
Jethro tells Moses to take his advice and do two things: “Teach them [God’s] decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave” (v 20); and then he tells him to appoint representatives of the people to share the load of judging (v 21-22). Then only the difficult cases need to come to Moses (v 22). (Tim Chester, Exodus for You, 140)
- Equipping others to serve.
(vv. 21-23 | Num. 11:17; Deut. 1:13; Ecc. 4:9-10; Mat. 9:37-38; Luke 10:1-2; Acts 6:3; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; Ephesians 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 2:2; Hebrews 13:21; 1 Peter 4:10)
For all his willingness to serve, it was clear that Moses had taken on a burden that was too great for him to bear alone. Jethro had the wisdom to see that there was no way Moses could sustain this kind of pace. The workload was so overwhelming that soon Moses would be exhausted. He was headed for burnout. So Jethro was emphatic: What Moses was doing was “not good.” In Hebrew these words express strong disapproval. Moses was taking on more work than he could handle, and it was a big mistake. (Ryken, Exodus, 482)
The solution for Moses is the same solution for us: share the ministry. (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Exodus, 114)
Conclusion… How might our lives—and the lives of those around us—change if we embraced God’s design for shared leadership and mutual responsibility?
- Our community would flourish as we share the work.
(Prov. 27:17; Ecc. 4:9-10; Acts 2:44-45; 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:7; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Peter 4:10)
It wasn’t a matter of taking leadership from Moses; it was a matter of reordering and dispensing leadership in such a way that other people would share the load. (Maxie D. Dunnam, Exodus, The Communicator’s Commentary, 229)
- God’s wisdom would be witnessed through our mutual dependence.
(Prov. 11:14; Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:21; 2 Cor. 1:3-4; Gal. 6:2; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 John 4:12)
Autonomous Christianity never works, because our spiritual life was designed by God to be a community project. (Paul David Tripp, Dangerous Calling, 39)
Churches don’t need programs so much as they need cultures of discipling, cultures where each member prioritizes the spiritual health of others. (Mark Dever, Discipling, 68)
People never run out of needs; so when we take on the responsibility to help meet those needs, we will have as much work as we can handle. The problem comes when we try to carry burdens that are bigger than the ones that God has actually called us to bear. God never intends for us to do all the work ourselves. This is why he has placed us in the body of Christ, in which we are dependent on the help of others. (Ryken, Exodus, 482)
- Our witness to the world would strengthen as we model the unity the world longs for.
(Ps. 133:1; John 13:35; 17:21; Acts 2:46-47; Rom. 15:5-6; Phil. 2:2; Hebrews 10:24-25)
Divisions in the church always breed atheism in the world. (Thomas Manton)
As a community of faith, we need power; we need to speak the good news; and we need a shared ministry. As a community of faith, we—like Jethro and Moses and the elders—gather around one table. We also rally around the cross, our banner, and we enjoy fellowship with one another because of the work of our great mediator, Jesus Christ. (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Exodus, 116)
The local church enables the world to look upon the canvas of God’s people and see an authentic painting of Christ’s love and holiness, not a forgery. (Jonathan Leeman, Church Membership, 30)
Self-defeating organizations embalm their structure and refuse to change. The ministries that God blesses are open to change, so long as the principles of God’s Word are obeyed. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Delivered: Exodus, 114)
Gospel Connection…
What Moses could not carry alone, Jesus carried fully—teaching us truth, showing us the way, and bearing the ultimate burden of our sin so that we might walk in freedom and serve together in His kingdom.
(Mat. 11:28-30; John 8:36; 13:15; 18:37; Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 8:3-4; 1 Peter 2:21)
We no longer have a prophet like Moses. We no longer need one because God has sent his Son to be our Savior. First Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross. Then God raised him from the dead. Now he is our Prophet, the one who reveals to us God’s will. As God the Father said to the first disciples, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7). This is a great advantage for us, because unlike Moses, Jesus never gets tired out. He has already carried the full weight of our sin, and now he is more than able to bear the daily burden of our spiritual needs. (Ryken, Exodus, 487)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- Why must godly leaders prioritize teaching God’s truth? How can we cultivate a hunger for learning and sharing biblical truth in our own lives?
- Why is it vital for leaders to live out what they teach? What happens when they don’t? Who has been a godly example in your life?
- Why do people hesitate to share leadership? How can we overcome those barriers in church, family, and work?
- What gifts and abilities has God given you that could be used to serve others? How can you be more intentional about equipping and empowering others in their calling?
- How does Christian unity impact our witness to the world? What are some practical ways we can display unity in our churches and communities?
Quotes to note…
Sometimes what turns people away from Christ is not his gospel but our failure to live by its love. (Ryken, Exodus, 473)
Whenever ministry and structure collide, and ministry is being hindered, God’s people must adjust the structure so ministry can grow. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Delivered: Exodus, 114)
At one level, this is a simple example of the wisdom of delegating responsibility. And it is striking that Moses, the man of God, is happy to adopt this wisdom from the Gentile world. But the book of Exodus is not a book on management practice! This story is here because it paves the way for the giving of the law. Israel needs a system for resolving legal disputes because Israel is about to become a nation governed by the rule of law, the rule of God’s law. (Tim Chester, Exodus, 140)
But the greater [a person] appears to be; the more humble he ought to be, and the more ready to seek the common good in preference to his own. (Clement’s First Letter, 48:6-49:1)
This passage is a reminder that God does not expect one individual to do all the work but readily approves when tasks are allocated to those appropriately qualified to undertake them. (T. Desmond Alexander, Exodus, 156)
Older commentators sometimes questioned why it was that Moses, who was in such direct contact with the God of all wisdom, needed to be given instructions by a non-Israelite outsider like Jethro. By contrast, our text seems to delight in presenting Moses as a man who was wise enough to be humble, and humble enough to recognize wisdom when he heard it—whatever the source. (Christopher J.H. Wright, The Story of God Bible Commentary: Exodus, 329)
Israel had a representative form of spiritual government, but it was not a democracy. We can only imagine how disastrous it would have been for the Israelites to be governed by the will of the people! Imagine what would have happened when they reached the Red Sea, or when they ran out of water, or when the Amalekites attacked them. In each case it would have been a complete disaster, and the Israelites never would have reached the Promised Land. This is because God’s people are not capable of governing themselves. We have always needed divinely-appointed spiritual leadership — representatives called by God. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Exodus, 485)
While the judicial process involves delegation, the ultimate authority in settling disagreements and quarrels is God. As verses 16 and 19 reveal, Moses consults the Lord in order to know how best to resolve every dispute. In comprehending God’s nature it is important never to lose sight of his roles as Savior and Judge. Both aspects should inform our understanding of who God is; we should not emphasize one at the expense of the other. (T. Desmond Alexander, Exodus, 155)