Portion 40

I- From inspiration to action.

Jethro heard^[1] of Israel’s victory against Amalek, was filled with inspiration, and went out to visit Moses. How many things can inspire someone, even if they don’t make them take action. There is so much today that inspires, through social networks and the media that we have become accustomed to hearing good challenges, but we do not take any action. That inspirational siege, many times is something only emotional or light, which most of the time does not produce favorable actions gradually makes man insensitive to healthy actions that can make him grow. Jethro’s story should be inspiring to us, he not only felt motivated, but he stood up and did an action.

II- Heirs of monotheism.

The Hebrew word kohen does not always mean ‘priest’. Despite what many think, this is not its exact meaning, but rather that of ‘important person’, ‘minister’ or ‘important official’. Not everyone at that time belonged to a defined priestly caste in a nation, however, many of those who were important performed a priestly function; For this reason, the word acquired the priority priestly connotation later. Jethro’s charge, then, refers to both a “ruler” of Midian and a “priest” of the Creator^[2]; from reactions like this and his support for Moses we can infer that Jethro is rather an heir to monotheistic teaching as others had been.

III- Honor to whom honor is due.

Moses receives his father-in-law on his knees, not as when someone does idolatry, but as a symbol of love, respect and joy, perhaps giving honor to his name Jethro, which comes from the root “yetre”, which means “abundant.” This man was abundant in qualities that made him cheerful and refreshing to those who associated with him.

Moses tells his father-in-law the good things, the bad things and how the hand of God had been manifested in everything. How good it is to see life like this with the lens that “everything works for good” (Rom 8:28).

Jethro saw, through the testimony that Moses is giving him, how God had done to the enemies of Israel the same thing that they had tried to do. 

Questions:

1.- Share with your group some of the ministry challenges you have for this year and what you are doing to take them forward.
2.- Share with your group if you have ever had the opportunity to give a large recognition to an elder and what you would recommend.
3.- Why do you think God has control of bad things, if He is a God of love?

[1] The Hebrew word yishma (יִּשְׁמַע) means not only ‘to listen’, but also to imply ‘to understand’ and ‘to obey’. In other words, Jethro not only heard something like the story of what happened, but he processed it in his mind and that is why we see that he obeyed. That is why the phrase “ears to hear” is found on several occasions in the Bible.

[2] It should be borne in mind that, in a mostly monotheistic world, although at the same time idolizing, Jethro stands as a worshiper of God. Even that Elohim and Shadai who was worshipped on Mount Sinai, the same place where Moses saw Him through the burning sarza. This is why Jethro’s first reaction is always to worship God.