Jethro | Bob's boy's Christianity blog

Moses begins objecting to his mission first by telling the Lord that nobody will believe that He has spoken to him. God answers this one by showing him signs, and telling him of more that He will show him (verses 2-9). He continues to object in verse 10 that he is not eloquent in speech, to which the Lord replies that He will be his mouth and teach him what to say (verse 12). Then, Moses just tells God what is on his mind – he doesn’t want to do it! He angers the Lord when he asks God to send someone else (verse 13), and He tells Moses that his brother Aaron, the Levite, will speak for him, and that Moses “shall be as God to him” (verse 16).

With those seeking his life dead now (verse 19), God tells him he can return to Egypt; and Moses goes back to let his father-in-law, Jethro, know that he will no longer be tending his sheep. God sends Aaron “into the wilderness” to meet him, in order to hear what the lord has said. Aaron and Moses go back and gather the elders, and tell the people all that had happened – showing them the signs. They believed, and “they bowed their heads and worshiped” (verses 29-31).

Much time can (and has) been spent, and even wasted, puzzling over verses 24-26. Both the text and its timing can be confusing. Whenever we come across one of the few passages in scripture that are just that way for us, we always want to ask ourselves the same question. What about the passage is important as it relates to serving the Lord, and therefore, salvation? That criteria will usually help us move on. In this case, all we know for certain is that for whatever reason, Moses had not (at the time that verse 25 refers to) circumcised at least one of his sons. The important point is that Moses’ house was fully following the Lord’s commandments before he went to Egypt to carry out God’s will.

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/Robert

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image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com. For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it.

After he is born, Moses’ mother is unable to hide him after three months, and places him in a basket in the reeds by the riverbank (verse 3). After Pharaoh’s daughter “draws” him out, Moses’ own sister summons the courage to ask her if she should get a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for her (verse 7). So of course, she fetches Moses’ own mother for the task!

Stephen tells us in Acts 7:23, that Moses was 40 years old when verses 11-15 take place; and Moses flees for his life to Midian (where he will stay for another 40 years, as we are told in Acts 7:30). The father of the woman who will become his wife is referred to as Reuel in verse 18, but we will come to know him as Jethro.

God Hears Israel’s Groaning – As the people cry out because of their slavery, verse 24 says that “God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob”. God never forgets. When the scripture says “God remembered,” it means He has decided the time has come for what He wants to happen next concerning that person or event (as in Gen 8:1).

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.