Jethro and the Grace of God to Gentiles

I think most Christians who might be familiar with Jethro in Exodus 18 often hear about the passage as application of leadership where there’s the lesson of delegating tasks to others (see Exodus 18:13-27).

But I think there’s more to the passage than about leadership; especially in considering deeper what Exodus 18:1-12 is about.

Here’s the passage:

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took in Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” 4 And the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” 5 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mountain of God. 6 And he sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” 7 Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law everything that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had confronted them on the journey, and how the Lord had rescued them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done for Israel, in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 So Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they acted insolently against the people.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Here’s my thoughts:

1. Exodus as a book focuses a lot on God’s grace in saving Israel.  But this deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery is larger than a political story.  The ultimate goal is theological.  In the beginning Pharaoh with condescension said to Moses “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2).  Two chapters later God said “Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I extend My hand over Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst” (Exodus 7:5).   This theme of knowing God is stated throughout Exodus in Exodus 7:17, 8:10, 8:22, 9:14, 9:29-30, 10:2, 10:26, 14:4, etc.
2. Apparently this theme of knowing God with the acts of God in the book of Exodus is not only limited to those who were Hebrews and Egyptians.  Observe how in our passage Exodus 18:11 it states “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they acted insolently against the people.”  These are the words of Jethro.  Jethro was neither a Hebrew nor an Egyptian.
3. According to Exodus 18:1 Jethro was a Midianite.  He was also the father in law of Moses and also a priest of the Midianites according to the same verse.  He went to Moses because of what He has heard about God bringing Israel out of Egypt.  So we see here the acts of God in Egypt, with the Plague and other stories, drew people to learn about God outside of Egypt as well.
4. We must not forget the bigger picture of God’s Story at this point.  God has promise to Abraham the forefather of the Hebrews that “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3b).  With this promise we should  have in our hermeneutical expectations to see this fulfilled or glimpses of this being fulfilled in part as we read the Old Testament.  Exodus 18 with Jethro the Midianite is one of those glimpses of God’s grace!
5. Jethro’s knowledge of God seems to be meaningful and genuine since Exodus 18:12 records that he gave sacrifices and offerings to God.  Even Aaron joined in and the elders of Israel!
6. This is astounding that Aaron who later is made priest is one who differs to the priesthood of Jethro in Exodus 18:12, and Jethro is a Gentile.  I think this is telling that God’s plan never was a single nation of the Hebrews having an exclusive ethno-centric nationalism, even as God uses Israel in unique roles throughout redemptive History.
7. To further appreciate Jethro the Midianite with him knowing God as a Midianite and a priest of God keep in mind how Midianites are described in the rest of the Bible. It is largely negative.  Before Exodus Midianites were involved with the slavery of Joseph in Genesis 37:28-36.  Later after Exodus 18 the Midianites would join forces with Moab in warring against Israel in Numbers 22.  After the Exodus narrative in Judges 6:33 they fought Gideon.  We gather from this that yes many Midianites throughout history have been an enemy of Israel.  But that does not mean every Midianite is beyond the grace of God of God working in them to come to the knowledge and worship of God.  Exodus 18 is proof of that.  In the economy of God’s grace in our time we see Gentiles of all background coming to Christ.  Praise God for that.

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