THE LORD SPOKE (January 29)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 17-19

Happy is the man who has a good father-in-law. Not every man can give thanks but Moses surely could. Jethro was a help to him on more than one occasion, but none so much as that recorded in Exodus 18. When he observed how Moses was spread so thinly, Jehro laid out a plan which eventually set the pattern for the Sanhedrin and is still practiced as a valid principle of modern management.

What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people - men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain - and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied. (Ex. 18:17-23)

By dividing the responsibilities, Moses multiplied his effectiveness. Take good note of the elements that make this plan workable:

1. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. Make sure that the people are properly instructed in the first place. Make sure they understand their duties.
2. Select capable men from all the people...and appoint them as officials. By careful selection, godly leaders should be chosen to shoulder the task. They must be “men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain”.
3. Have them serve. The load is lightened by dividing the task. Moses still had to deal with the tough decisions but he could delegate the lesser ones and ease some of his own burden.

That came from an apparently recently-converted father-in-law. As a Midianite priest (Ex. 18:1), Jethro no doubt worshiped the Midianite gods but he had come to understand that Yahweh was the one true God. His use of this name in Exodus 18:10-11 is significant since Moses had explained to him all that Yahweh had done in Egypt (see Ex. 18:8).

Are you listening to the wise voices around you? Do you seek out good advice? Learn this lesson from what Moses experienced just before he was put to the task for 40 years in the wilderness.


New Testament: Mark 1

Mark likes to keep it short. His Gospel is the shortest and he often demonstrates a great economy of words. Not a quality that most people have! Look, for example, at how much he crowds into one brief paragraph of two verses about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (Mark 1:12-13). Matthew and Luke have eleven and thirteen verses respectively to cover this material and we’re still left longing for more information.

Mark is also characterized by action and quick movement - “immediately” He did this or that, or went here or there. Mark is the most geographical of the Gospels in terms of identifying where things happened. Though he emphasizes Jesus’ humanity, his favorite name for Him is “Son of God”. Another favorite is “teacher” or “Rabbi”. (This and other references to Jesus’ teaching occur 39x.)

Another very useful characteristic of Mark’s Gospel is that he identifies two major turning points in Jesus’ ministry. After referring to “the beginning of the gospel” (1:1), he indicates that John’s imprisonment was a turning point that served to trigger Jesus’ ministry in Galilee to “proclaim the good news of God” (1:14). The second hinge point comes in 8:31 (“He then began to teach them...”) when Jesus begins to prepare His disciples for His suffering and death. Matthew is even more emphatic about this moment, adding “from that time on” (Mat. 16:21).

What’s instructive about Mark’s Gospel are the events that he does choose to elaborate on. For example, here in chapter one Mark tells the story of the man with leprosy who came to Jesus. Both Matthew and Luke include the story but Mark informs us that he came and “begged him on his knees” (1"40). Though all three tell how Jesus physically touched the leper, Mark is the only one who specifically says that Jesus was “filled with compassion” when He did so. Mark also informs us that this miracle brought the result of Jesus “no longer [being able] to enter a town openly” (1:45). That’s why He had previously avoided an emphasis on healing only - it often served just to draw a superficial crowd. Now, even though he “stayed outside in lonely places” the people “still came to him from everywhere”.

What a Man! Wouldn’t you have been one of those who tried to get close to Him too? How about right now?