05/25/2026
In the adult Sunday School yesterday we read Exodus 18-20 and I got a new insight into Moses (and to my own father)...! Jethro (Moses's father in law and himself a priest) visited the wanderers near Sinai and noted that Moses was spending all his time answering questions and judging disputes between his people. Jethro wisely suggested to Moses that he appoint deputies, over groups of 10s, 50s, 100s and thousands, to settle the small disputes so Moses only would have to judge "the hard cases" (18:26). He also suggested that Moses "teach them (the people) the ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way where the must walk and work the must do" (18:10). and "Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law and did all that he had said" (18:24). And guess what, the next two chapters God reminds his people that he had "borne them up on Eagle's wings" (20:4) (one of my favorite verses that is in a hymn), and tells Moses to get the people together, wash their clothes (not easy in a desert) and refrain from sexual relations (20:14-15) but not to climb the mountain while Moses went up to talk to God as the mountain erupted into earthquakes and steam. And God gave the Ten Commandments to the people.
So, listen to your father-in-law... something big might just come out of it..!
And why did this bring to my mind a joke that my father always used to say? "In our family," he said, "your Mom makes all the small decisions and I make all the big decisions. So far no big things have come up". I had no idea he was referring to Exodus! (But yes, he studied the Bible extensively so I'm sure it was deliberate.) He also would say "keep smiling" in a sad tone, touching the back of his hand to his forehead. Only later when I started listening to Radio Classics (Ch 148 on Sirius), I realized he was quoting the Postman (Mel Blanc) on the Jack Benny show.