1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: Life Audio The Bible Study Podcast, Episode nine seventy seven. Today, 2 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: The Bible Study Podcast continues the study of the book 3 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: of Exodus with chapter seventeen. Welcome to the Bible Study Podcast. 4 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Chris Kristensen. We're going to continue on 5 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: with the study of Exodus with chapter seventeen, Water from 6 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: the Rock. But first a word from this sponsor. Exodus seventeen, 7 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 1: the whole Israelite community set out from the desert of sin, 8 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 1: traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They 9 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: camped at Refidim, but there was no water for the 10 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: people to drink, so they quarreled with Moses and said, 11 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: give us water to drink. Moses replied, why do you 12 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to 13 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: the test. But the people were thirsty for water there, 14 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: and they grumbled against Moses. They said, why did you 15 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: bring us out of each to make us and our 16 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: children and livestock die of thirst. Then Moses cried out 17 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: to the Lord, what am I to do with these people? 18 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: They are almost ready to stone me. The Lord answered, Moses, 19 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: go out in front of the people. Take with you 20 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: some of the elders of Israel and take in your 21 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go, 22 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: I will stand there before you by the rock of Horeb. 23 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: Strike the rock, and water will come out of it 24 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: for the people to drink. So Moses did this in 25 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: the sight of the elders of Israel, and he called 26 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: the place Masa and Marabah, because the Israelites quarreled and 27 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: because they tested the Lord, saying is the Lord among 28 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: us or not? And the two words there, Masa means 29 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: testing and Marabah means quarreling. This is not an isolated instance. 30 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,559 Speaker 1: We will have Moses standing in front of a rock 31 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: again and the people thirsty again. We're going through a desert. 32 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: So this is a theme that will keep coming up, 33 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: and each time it's like it never happened before. Each 34 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: time it's like God did not bring him through the 35 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: Red Sea. God did not the destroy the Egyptians. Their 36 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: faith is still pretty darn shallow. But Moses strikes a rock, 37 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: water comes out, and they are no longer thirsty. Continuing on, 38 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: the Amellekites defeated the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites 39 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: at Refidem. Moses said to Joshua choose some of our 40 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I 41 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: will stand on top of the hill with the staff 42 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: of God in my hands. So Joshua fought the Amelekites 43 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Her went 44 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: to the top of the hill. As long as Moses 45 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever 46 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: he lowered his hands, the Amellekites were winning. When Moses' 47 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it 48 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Her 49 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: held his hands up, one on one side, one on 50 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: the other, so his hands remained steady till sunset. So 51 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: Joshua over came the a Meleekite army with the sword. 52 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: Then the Lord said to Moses, write this on a 53 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: scroll as something to be remembered, and make sure that 54 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the 55 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: name of Amelek from under heaven. Moses built an altar 56 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: and called it. The Lord is my banner, he said, 57 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: because hands were lifted up against me the throne of 58 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the 59 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: Amalekites from generation to generation. A couple of interesting things 60 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: to note here. First of all, the role of Joshua 61 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: is starting to get defined here. Joshua is Moses's assistant. 62 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: He's going to be very key in the story going forward, 63 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: as we sort of get that little hint of when 64 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: the Lord tells Moses write this to remembered that the 65 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: Amalekites will be destroyed, and I'm going to and give 66 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: it to Joshua. And why Joshua doesn't make sense as 67 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: much now as it will later on in the Book 68 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: of Numbers, which is two books from now. But this 69 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: is interesting thing where they're fighting the Melachites and Moses 70 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: is holding up and now remember this used to be Moses' staff, 71 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: but this staff is from now on really going to 72 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: be called the staff of the Lord, the staff here 73 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: that Moses used to part the water, or that the 74 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: Lord used to part the water with Moses holding it 75 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: hit in his hand. And as long as they're holding 76 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: that up, they have victory. Their victory therefore, is because 77 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: God was giving them victory. We're going to continue on. 78 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: We're going to go a little faster this week and 79 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: go on to chapter eighteen. Also, Jethro visits Moses. Now Jethro, 80 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 1: the priest of Midian and father in law of Moses, 81 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: heard of everything God had done for Moses and for 82 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel 83 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, 84 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: his father in law Jethro, received her and her two sons. 85 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: One son was named Jersham, for Moses said, I have 86 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: become a foreigner and a foreign land. The other was 87 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: named Elizar. My father's God was my helper. He saved 88 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: me from the sword of Pharaoh. Jethro, moses father in law, 89 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: together with moses sons and wife, came to him in 90 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: the wilderness where he was camped near the Mountain of God. 91 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: Jethro had sent word to him, I, your father in law, Jethro, 92 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: am coming to you with your wife and her two sons. 93 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: So Moses went out to meet his father in law 94 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other, 95 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: and then went into the tent. Moses told his father 96 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: in law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh 97 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and about all the 98 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: hardships they had met along the way. And how the 99 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: Lord had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about 100 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: all the good things the Lord had done for Israel 101 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, 102 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 1: praise be to the Lord who rescued you from the 103 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued 104 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I 105 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, 106 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly. 107 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: Then Jethro, moses father in law, brought a burnt offering 108 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all 109 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' 110 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: father in law in the presence of God. The next day, 111 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, 112 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: and they stood around him from morning till evening. When 113 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: his father in law saw all that Moses was doing 114 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: for the people, he said, what is this that you're 115 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: doing for the people. Why do you alone sit as 116 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: judge while all the people stand around you from morning 117 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: till evening. Moses answered him, because the people come to 118 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, 119 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: it is brought to me, and I decide between the 120 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions. Moses 121 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: father in law replied, what you're doing is not good. 122 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: You and these people who come to you will only 123 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you. 124 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: You cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me, and 125 00:06:57,880 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: I will give you some advice, and may God be 126 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: with you. You must be the peoples representative before God 127 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: and bring their disputes to him. Teach them His decrees 128 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: and instructions, and show them the way that they are 129 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: to live and how they are to behave. But select 130 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: capable men from all the people, men who fear God, 131 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and appoint them as 132 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve 133 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: as judges for the people at all times. But have 134 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: them bring every difficult case to you. The simple cases 135 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter 136 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: because they will share it with you. If you do this, 137 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: and God so commands, you will be able to stand 138 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: the strain, and these people will go home. Satisfied, Moses 139 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: listened to his father in law and did everything he said. 140 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: He chose capable men from all Israel and made them 141 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: leaders of the people, officials. Over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 142 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: They served as judges for the people at all times. 143 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: Dificult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones 144 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: they decided themselves. Then Moses said his father in law 145 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country. 146 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: So one of the things that I missed in the 147 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: beginning of this book was that Jethro was a priest 148 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: of Midian, And I'm not sure if it said that 149 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: way back in chapter two when we first met Jethro. 150 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: But Jethro comes, he brings the kids, he brings his 151 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: daughter who's Moses's wife, and he brings some really good advice. 152 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: He watches what they're doing where Moses is having to 153 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: answer all the questions and says, this doesn't make any sense. Now. 154 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: I remember a time that my company was growing rapidly 155 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: and I wasn't yet putting in a layer of management 156 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: below me, and I ended up at one point managing 157 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: over twenty people personally, and the people below me said 158 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: that that doesn't make sense. You're working too hard, divide 159 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: up the effort. Well, Moses is doing that, but with 160 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: hundreds of thousands of people coming to him for answers. 161 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: And Jethro says, first, make sure people know what the 162 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: rules are, make sure they know the law, make sure 163 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: they understand what God wants. And then if you tell them, 164 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 1: for instance, things like well, let's say don't kill and 165 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 1: don't steal, then somebody else can decide if in that 166 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: particular case they think the person killed or stole. Right. 167 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: You just have to be there for the big decisions. 168 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: It's more like in our country, we don't have the 169 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: Supreme Court answer all court cases, but they interpret the law. 170 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: They deal with when is the law need to be 171 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: changed or when is there a problem with the law, 172 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: And then everybody else, all the other judges below them, 173 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 1: deal with in this case, who is guilty and who 174 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: is innocent? And that's the same sort of thing that 175 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: Jethro is suggesting. The other interesting thing about this, as 176 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: they're putting in this layer of management here is how 177 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: do you choose capable men? Men? In this case, no 178 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: women chosen to do this sort of thing. Who do 179 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: you want in this sort of position of authority. You 180 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: want men who fear God, one trustworthy men two who 181 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: hate dishonest gain. Now why is that? Because you're giving 182 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: them power. And if somebody doesn't fear God and isn't 183 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: trustworthy and likes dishonest gain, they're going to be someone 184 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: who if you slip them a few denarii, then you 185 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: can have whatever justice you want, and all the prophets 186 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 1: will be talking about those kind of judges. It's still 187 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 1: the case today. If we want people to represent us, 188 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: if we want people to be our leaders, we ought 189 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: to look for these kind of characteristics. People who are 190 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: trustworthy and hate dishonest gain, because if you don't, it's 191 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: not going to turn out good. That's a great thing 192 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: to know about choosing leaders. And with that, we're going 193 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 1: to end us upisode of the Bible Study Podcast. If 194 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: you have any questions, send an email to Chris two 195 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: x at gmail dot com, or, better yet, leave a 196 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: comment on this episode at the biblestudypodcast dot com. And 197 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: as always, thanks so much for listening. I want to 198 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: take just a second to thank the team at Life 199 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: Audio for their partnership with us on this podcast. If 200 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: you go to lifeaudio dot com. You'll find dozens of 201 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got shows 202 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.