Exodus day 21

Transcript

00:00The People of the Book We have reached a great dividing line in Exodus.

00:07The events of both chapters 18 and 19 take place at Sinai.

00:12The difference between them is that chapter 19 prepares for what follows, while chapter

00:1718 looks back to what has gone before.

00:20Jethro listened to all the Lord had done for his people and was converted.

00:25Faith comes by hearing, and the priest of Midian becomes a priest of Israel.

00:30Yet the two halves of chapter 18 balance each other.

00:34In verses 1-12 Moses speaks and Jethro listens and learns.

00:38In verses 13-27 Jethro speaks and Moses learns.

00:43It is wholly understandable that people come to Moses to settle their disputes and to solve

00:48their problems and difficulties.

00:51It is equally natural for Moses to see this as part of his leadership role.

00:57But the result of such a one-man band was that people stood all day waiting for their

01:01turn with Moses, and at the day's end he was worn out.

01:06Jethro's solution is simple and practical.

01:09Set up a system whereby each group of ten would have a referee, but with higher courts

01:14dealing with fifties, hundreds and thousands of them, and with Moses as the ultimate court

01:19of appeal.

01:21Jethro insists on two things, first, that the scheme must have the Lord's approval it

01:25is not to be judged by common sense or practicality, but only by divine authorization.

01:32And secondly, that the purpose of all the courts is to apply the Lord's statutes and

01:36laws, and his ways, truth and life to the Lord's people.

01:40The selected able men are to be men of the word of God.

01:44The Lord's redeemed people are to be people of the book.

01:49Reflection.

01:51The word statute is related to the verb to engrave, that is, what is cut into the rock

01:56for permanency.

01:58Law means teachings.

02:00Way and walk remind us that the Lord speaks so that we can mold our lives by his truth.