Dining with God: (3.) Jethro and the Elders of Israel (this post is in process and incomplete at this time)
Dining with God: (3.) Jethro and the Elders of Israel.
“Jethro was delighted when he heard from Moses about all the good things Yahweh had done for Israel as He rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians. ‘Praise Yahweh!’ Jethro said. ‘For He has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh! Yes, He has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt! I know now that the Lord Yahweh is greater than all other gods, because He rescued His people from the oppression of the arrogant Egyptians!’ Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came out and joined him in a sacrificial meal in God’s presence, before the face of God.” (Exodus 18:9-12).
Jethro. He was the father-in-law of Moses whose name means “preeminence” or “his excellence.” He was called the priest of Midian in Scripture, and the Hebrew word for priest could also mean prince, chieftain or high ruler. Jethro was known by another name as well, Reuel, which means “friend of God.” Jethro was from the family line of Abraham and Keturah (Abraham’s second wife after Sarah died; Gen. 25). So Jethro was semitic but not a Hebrew. His historical legacy is as a person of great wisdom, kindness, and leadership. His sage advice to Moses about setting up a more efficient judicial system evolved into the much-admired Israeli court system of justice later on.
Midian. This is a territory in the wilderness found in the northwest boundary of Saudi Arabia. When Moses fled from Egypt, he found himself in the land of Midian where Jethro was the political and religious leader. Moses rescued Jethro’s daughters from bullies at a well and then graciously watered Jethro’s flocks. Jethro gave Moses sanctuary, his daughter’s hand in marriage to Moses, and they remained very close for the next forty years while Moses remained there as a shepherd.
A Convert! It’s clear in this passage that Jethro converted from his polytheistic belief to a faith in Yahweh as the one true God. One scholar claimed that Jethro was the first convert to Judaism in the Bible! And if that’s true, then, of course, Moses was the first evangelist! It was Moses who invited Jethro into his tent and gave his testimony, his account of all that transpired in Egypt, from the plagues to the Passover to the Red Sea miracle. Jethro saw the light after Moses’ testimony, and the rest his history. Rabbinic tradition is that Jethro remained with the Israelites and became a great Torah scholar. Also, the descendants of Jethro settled in Israel and rose to prominence, eventually becoming members of the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of Israel.
The Fellowship Meal. After acknowledging Yahweh as the one true God of all gods, Jethro did was traditional… He gathered everyone he could find and celebrated with a communal meal in the presence of the Lord. He first offered a “burnt offering,” which was fully consumed in fire and given up in tribute to the Lord in His honor. Then Jethro gave a “sacrifice,” which included offering the blood and fat of a sacrificed animal to the Lord, while keeping the roasted meat to be enjoyed in a fellowship feast of thanksgiving. This fellowship meal was enjoyed in the knowledge that they were celebrating His goodness in His presence. The Hebrew word for ‘presence’ literally means ‘face.’ So to be eating a meal in front of the very face of God implies this whole crew of seventy or more people were encountering the Lord in an up-close and personal way. And isn’t it wonderful to know that our Lord God wnts us to celebrate His goodness with a party, to worship Him with fun and food!