Wednesday: Jethro
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 13th of August 2025
Moses was visited by Jethro, his father-in-law, who is also called Reuel (Exodus 2:18). Jethro brought with him Moses’ wife, Zipporah, and two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. When Moses heard that they were coming, he went out to welcome them.
Read Exodus 18:1-27. What major steps in the history of the nation took place here?
Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com
Jethro came because he had heard about the astonishing deliverance God had done for Israel. Moses narrated to Jethro in detail “everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them” (Exodus 18:8, NIV).
Jethro praised God’s kindness and extraordinary interventions on behalf of His people, declaring,
“ ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people’ ” (Exodus 18:10-11, ESV).
What we see here is an example of how God’s work among His people was to be a witness to the world of who the true God is and of what He can do for His people.
At the same time that Jethro learned about the true God, he himself had something to offer God’s people: wise and beneficial advice. Moses needed to organize the legal system with just and fair principles. He also needed dedicated and faithful judges, men of integrity. Jethro wisely enumerated the following qualifications: (1) men who fear God; (2) men who are trustworthy; and (3) men who hate dishonest gain. Capable people of good character had to be appointed over different units of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. In this way, Moses’ administrative load would be reduced, and he could focus on significant problems. Thus, the people would be well served.
Moses accepted Jethro’s wise counsel (Exodus 18:24) and appointed leaders to different administrative roles (see also Deuteronomy 1:9-18).
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Moses could have just brushed off the old man and told him to mind his own business. He didn’t. What important lessons can we learn from his willingness to listen to this person who wasn’t even a Hebrew? |
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Jethro comes in as a true and worthwhile friend for Moses. From the first time the old man Reuel heard from his daughters about the "kind" Egyptian at the well, he was drawn to Moses. His kindness and open door policy, bringing a foreigner into his house, introduced not only a son-in-law but a trusted friend. The priest of Midian, Jethro, was first a free man, away from the captivity of Egypt, but to Moses, he mentored him as a shepherd and understood Moses in a way nobody else could.
Moses, in return, developed love towards the old man. He was closer to him than his brother; he worried about the state of health of Moses, and not only because Moses was a son-in-law but Jethro valued Moses a lot. God had placed Jethro in the wilderness to build a character of humility in Moses. Jethro became a trusted but very caring adviser to Moses.
"Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out....." (Exodus 18:18) - these are words of love and concern, so rarely coming from a father-in-law.
Jethro welcomes Moses; Jethro blesses Moses on his way to Egypt; Jethro checks in on Moses; and Jethro advises. In life, we need a Jethro too - one who cares for and walks side by side with us, encouraging us spiritually.
Make it your prayer today that God might gift you a Jethro as a friend and counselor.
It is profoundly interesting to note how a non-Hebrew (Jethro) gave wise counsel to a proud people who considered themselves as the only people of God. Jethro was a Midianite, a descendant of Abraham through one of his sons by Keturah (Genesis 25:1–2). Midianites, though descendants of Abraham, were not Children of the promise through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were distant relatives of the Hebrew people; however, later they became very hostile.
Why did Moses accept counsel from a non-Hebrew?
1. Jethro had a spiritual alignment with Moses. He acknowledged the God of Israel as supreme (Exod. 18:10–11).
2. There was trust and respect between Jethro and Moses. Jethro had given Moses shelter when he fled Egypt. He also cared for Moses’ family while he was in Egypt.
3. Jethro’s counsel was practical, which was later reflected in Israel’s system of elders (Numbers 11:16–17).
4. Moses was a humble man who considered helpful counsel even though it came from outside the Hebrew community.
What lessons can we learn from this episode?
1.Wisdom is not only confined to our own community or people.
2. Spiritual alignment is more important than ethnicity.
3. Humility is essential in leadership. Great leaders like Moses are willing to listen, learn, and adapt.
4. Great leaders delegate. Monopolizing power is counterproductive.
“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice” – Proverbs 27:9 (NIV).
In a world driven by feelings and self-interest, his quiet departure after serving reminds us that wisdom does not cling to power or recognition. He lived out the truth that wisdom, when exalted, brings honor and grace. Such wisdom is rare today, yet it remains the “principal thing,” more valuable than status, influence, or wealth.
Jethro is a living demonstration of Proverbs that urges us to seek—a wisdom that is humble, pure, and rooted in reverence for God. He appears when needed, speaks with clarity, and offers counsel that blesses not only Moses but the entire nation, asking for nothing in return. Like the wisdom in Proverbs 4:5–9, his guidance preserves, protects, and promotes those who embrace it. Jethro shows that wisdom is not loud or self-seeking, but steady, thoughtful, and motivated by love for God and His people. Jethro’s life whispers the enduring truth: wisdom is best measured not by how much we speak, but by the blessing left behind when we are gone.
I mentioned Jethro yesterday but his appearance on the scene is easily worth a couple of extra comments. Of all the signs and wonders of the Exodus, perhaps the most profound was the reuniting of Moses with his father-in-law. Moses was wise enough to listen to his advice and act on it. This wasn't the revelation of some deep spiritual truth. It was about being practical.
I believe that God speaks to us in three ways:
God used Jethro, one of Moses' community of believers, to deliver a message to Moses about practical living. Moses, a man who had heard the voice of God, first hand, was humble enough to listen to the voice of a man about being practical.
An Illustration: I have a degree in physics from the University of London. I learned a lot about electricity in working towards that degree. But, when it comes to fixing a problem with the house wiring, I hire an electrician and listen to his advice. It pays to listen to the voice of experience and not gloat about our theoretical understanding.
We are never too old or experienced to ignore the sound advice of other people.
That is what I love about this site, and our local church Sabbath school class. We learn from each other and share our own knowledge with others, and we all grow and broaden our perspective in the process of sharing.
In 2 Kings 5:3,13. The counsel of the little girl brought about the journeys to Namaan's healing and the cousel of one of Namaan's boy brought about Namaan's decisions to wash himself in Jordan's river. The counsel of Jethro to Moses brough relive, calmness in the administrative aspect of Israel's nation. How often do we neglect people's counsel because we're more educated, spiritual and privileged to be in an honourable position. How often do we neglect the counsel of our spouse, children and people from other religions, beliefs and backgrounds. Every good leader give a listening ear to others.
Love this.
Jethro wasn’t an Israelite, yet his counsel was sound and God-honoring. Moses didn’t dismiss him because of his background. We learn to value truth and insight no matter who delivers it, as long as it aligns with God’s principles.
Moses shows us that great leaders are teachable, open to counsel, and willing to act when truth is spoken — no matter the source.
The visit of Jethro in Exodus 18 is a powerful reminder that God’s work has never been limited to one nation. Jethro was a Midianite priest, not an Israelite, yet he knew and honored the LORD. When he heard of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, he rejoiced, blessed God, and offered sacrifices of thanksgiving.
Jethro’s wisdom helped Moses lead more effectively, showing that God can use people outside our immediate faith community to guide and bless us. His story reminds us that God is drawing people from every nation to Himself. We must be ready to recognize, affirm, and work alongside those who love and serve Him, even if they are not part of our “group.”
As Jesus said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold” (John 10:16). The Kingdom of God is bigger than we think.
Amen , Brother’s and Sister’s. All your comments are very helpful, Jethro didn’t not counsel Moses on doctrines , but he talks about organizing the system. It is a learning experience for us , something the way we do things in our Church or community. We can learn even from someone who has experience in this field.
A few comments on today's lesson and Bible passage:
The lesson makes it sound like Jethro knew nothing about Yahweh, but I think that's unlikely both given his heritage as a descendant of Abraham and the fact Moses had spent 40 years with him. If Moses did write Genesis during those years, I feel it's likely that he may have learned some of the stories from Jethro (this does not take away from the inspriration of the Holy Spirt). I also would be shocked if they did not have spiritual conversations. I don't imagine God took Moses out of Egypt to put him in another pagan environment.
Jethro does say that he now knows that Yahweh is greater than all other gods (Exodus 18:11) but this isn't so different than the wording of Exodus 15:11. He certainly learned about God, but I don't think he was starting from nothing.
As far as the final question about Moses listening to him, we Westerners might contemplate writing off an old man, but in Middle East society that would be highly unlikely as elders were highly respected. Jethro was also Moses' father in law and probably highly appreciated by him. I don't think it was so hard for him to listen to him.
There is, however, a message for us about how God's truth is not limited. Other Christians and even non-Christians can have useful guidance for Seventh-day Adventists and we shouldn't think that we have all we need within.
God can use people of good character to give good advice to anyone. If we fear God, He can also use us to deliver good news. Let us be instruments of God’s will.