Hearing the Voice of God Through People
Exodus 18:1 ESV
Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
Exodus 18:8-9 ESV
Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Exodus 18:13-18 ESV
The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.
Exodus 18:21-23 ESV
Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
Exodus 18:24 ESV
So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
1. God Speaks to us Through Godly People in our World
Exodus 18:12 ESV
And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
2. God Speaks to us Through People When We Are Open to Listen
3. God Speaks to us Through People to Give Us Perspective and Wisdom
Exodus 18:14 ESV
When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?”
4. God Speaks to us Through People In Combination With What He is Already Doing In Us And Speaking To Us
Exodus 18:23 ESV
If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
Exodus 18:23 NLT
If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”
