Exodus 18

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Jethro Counsels Moses

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. God provides His people with proof to remove doubt.

  2. God provides His people with help to avoid burnout.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Share the good news of what God is doing with your relatives.

QUESTIONS

  1. What is “the mountain of God”?

  2. Who was Jethro? Whom did he serve as a priest?

  3. Why was Jethro afraid his son-in-law would burn out?

  4. What did Jethro suggest Moses do?

  5. Is it wrong to feel you are stretched to the limit and at risk of burning out?

ANSWERS

  1. This is another name for Mount Sinai, also known as Mount Horeb.

  2. Jethro, a Midianite, was the father-in-law of Moses. He was a priest of the one true God.

  3. Because Moses was handling all the disputes among the people, great and small

  4. He should delegate some of his authority to good men who could help him govern the people.

  5. No, feeling this way does not mean you are refusing to depend on the Lord. It may mean you are truly over-burdened, and need to learn to delegate some of your responsibilities to others

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. When Moses shared the miraculous events of the Lord in bringing the Children of Israel out of Egypt, this confirmed his father-in-law Jethro’s faith in the one true God. As a believer, what sort of doubts have you had about the Christian faith? What has God used to remove this doubt?

  2. Jethro encouraged Moses to delegate some of his responsibility so he would not burnout. Is this a lesson you need to learn? Evaluate the demands on your time and ask whether these are responsibilities you truly need to handle or things that can be delegated to others.

CHALLENGE

  1. Want some advice on how to get along better with your relatives? Follow Moses’ example – share with them the good news about what God is doing in your life.

KEY VERSES

  • “And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had… Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel.” Exodus 18:8-9

  • “Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.” Exodus 18:18

  • “And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people.” Exodus 18:25

Exodus, Old Testament, TalksRon ReidEXODUS 18