Schoolmaster to Christ
EXODUS CHAPTER 18
Schoolmaster to Christ
EXODUS CHAPTER 18
Scripture Reading: Exodus 18 (KJV)
We here arrive at the close of an important division of the book of Exodus. We have seen God in the exercise of His perfect grace, visiting and redeeming His people; bringing them out of the land of Egypt; delivering them from the hand of Pharaoh and then from the hand of Amalek. Also, we have seen in the manna a type of Christ come down from heaven; in the rock, a type of Christ smitten for His people; and in the gushing stream, a type of the Spirit given. Then, in striking and beautiful order, follows a picture of future glory, divided into its three grand departments: the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of our Lord.
At the opening of this book, we were led to see the character of Moses' relationship with this bride. He was "a husband by blood" to her. This is precisely what Christ is to His Church. Her connection with Him is founded on death and resurrection; and she is called to fellowship with His sufferings. As we know, it is during the period of Israel's unbelief, and of Christ's rejection, that the Church is called out.
Thus it was with Zipporah and Israel of old. Moses had sent her back, during the period of his mission to Israel; and when the latter were brought forth as a fully delivered people, we read that "Jethro, Moses' father in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, and her two sons, of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land; and the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my fathers, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh. And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God. And he said unto Moses, I thy father-in-law, Jethro, am come unto thee, and thy wife and her two sons with her. And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. And Moses told his father- in-law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh, and the Egyptians, for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods; for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. And Jethro Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God" (Ex. 18:2-12.
This is an interesting scene. The whole congregation assembled, in triumph before the Lord; the Gentile presenting sacrifice; and in addition, to complete the picture, the bride of the deliverer together with the children whom God had given him are all introduced. In short, it is a singularly striking foreshadowing of the coming kingdom. "The Lord will give grace and glory." Traveling this book, we have already seen the actions of "grace;" and here, from the pencil of the Holy Spirit, we have a picture of "glory" – a picture that must be regarded as peculiarly important, as exhibiting the varied fields in which that glory shall be manifested.
"The Jew, the Gentile, and the Church" are Scriptural distinctions which can never be overlooked without marring that perfect range of truth revealed by God in His Holy Word. They have existed ever since the mystery of the Church was fully developed by the ministry of the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Therefore, every spiritual student of Scripture should give them their due place in serious thought and study.
In his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul teaches us that the mystery of the Church had not been made known, in other ages, to the sons of men, as it was revealed to him. But, though not directly revealed, it had been shadowed in one way or another; as, for example, in Joseph's marriage with an Egyptian, and in Moses' marriage with an Ethiopian. The type or shadow of a truth is different from a direct and positive revelation of it. The great mystery of the Church was not revealed until Christ revealed it to Saul of Tarsus. Hence, all who look for the full unfolding of this mystery in the law, the prophets, or the psalms will find themselves engaged in unintelligent labor. However, when they find it distinctly revealed in the Epistle to the Ephesians, they will be able to trace its foreshadowing in Old Testament Scripture.
Thus, in the opening of this chapter, we have a scene of all the fields of glory lying open in vision before us. "The Jew" forever stands as the great earthly witness of Jehovah's faithfulness, mercy, and power. In the book of God's dealings with the Jew, "the Gentile" reads his deepest lessons; by tracing the marvelous history of that peculiar and elect people – "a people terrible from their beginning hitherto." The Gentile sees thrones and empires overturned; nations shaken to their center, compelled to give way in order to establish the supremacy of that people on whom Jehovah has set His love. "Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them" (v 11). This is the confession of "the Gentile," when the wondrous page of Jewish history lies open before him.
Lastly, "The Church,"1 as prefigured by Zipporah and the individual members, as seen in Zipporah's sons, are presented as occupying the most intimate relationship with the Deliverer. We may be asked for our proofs. The answer is, "I speak as unto wise men; judge ye what I say." One should never build a doctrine on a type; but when a doctrine is revealed, then a type may be discerned with accuracy and studied with profit. In every case, a spiritual mind is essentially necessary, either to understand the doctrine or discern the type. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14).
From verse 13 to the end of this chapter we have the appointment of rulers who were to assist Moses in the management of the affairs of the congregation. This was the suggestion of Jethro, who feared that Moses would "wear away" because of his labors. In connection with this, it may be profitable to look at the appointment of the seventy elders in Numbers 11. Here we find the spirit of Moses crushed beneath the ponderous responsibility laid on him, and he utters to the anguish of his heart in the following accents.
"And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? And wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them that thou shouldst say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers . . . I am not able to bear all this people alone because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness" (Num. 11:11-15).
In all this we see Moses evidently retiring from a post of honor. In other words, God making him the sole instrument in managing the assembly, only added more dignity and privilege on him. True, the responsibility was immense; but faith would understand that God was amply sufficient for that. However, the heart of Moses failed him (blessed servant as he was), and he says, "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me." But he was not asked to bear them alone; for God was with him. They were not too heavy for God – He that was bearing them; Moses was only the instrument. Moses might just as well have spoken of his rod as bearing the people; for he was but a mere instrument in God's hand, as the rod was in his. It is here the servants of Christ constantly fail; and the failure is all the more dangerous because it wears the appearance of humility. It seems like distrust of ones self and deep lowliness of spirit to shrink from heavy responsibility; but our only inquiry should be whether God has imposed the responsibility or not. If so, He will certainly be with us in sustaining it; and having Him with us, we can sustain anything. With Him, the weight of a mountain is nothing; without Him, the weight of a feather is overwhelming. It is a totally different thing if, in vanity, we thrust ourselves forward, taking a burden on our shoulders that God never intended us to bear, and, therefore, never fitted us to bear it; we may expect to be crushed beneath the weight; but if God lays it on us, He will qualify and strengthen us to carry it.
It is never the fruit of humility to depart from a divinely-appointed post. On the contrary, the deepest humility will express itself by remaining there in simple dependence on God. It is a sure evidence of being occupied with self when we shrink from service on the ground of inability. God does not call us into service on the ground of our ability, but on the ground of His. Therefore, unless we are filled with thoughts about self, or with distrust of Him, we need not relinquish any position of service or testimony because of heavy responsibilities. All power belongs to God, and it is the same whether that power acts through one agent or through seventy; the power is still the same. God will not force people to abide in a place of honor, if there is no trust that He can sustain them. The way is always open for us to step down from our dignity, and sink into the place where unbelief is sure to put us.
Thus it was with Moses. He complained of the burden, and the burden was speedily removed; but with it the high honor of being allowed to carry it.
"So the Lord said to Moses; 'Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.'" (Num. 11:16, 17; NKJV).
The Joy of Service: In the after part of Numbers 112 we find Moses giving utterance to accents of unbelief, and from the Lord a sharp rebuke. "Has the Lord's arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not" (v 23; NKJV). The man who shrinks from responsibility on the ground of feebleness is in danger of calling into question the fullness and sufficiency of God's resources. This entire scene teaches a valuable lesson to every servant of Christ who feels alone or overburdened – that where the Holy Spirit is working, one instrument is as efficient as seventy; and where He is not working seventy are of no more value than one. With the Holy Spirit3 one man can do all, endure all, sustain all. Without Him, seventy men can do nothing. For the comfort and encouragement of sinking hearts, let the lonely servant remember that as long as we have the Holy Spirit's presence and power, we need not complain about our burden. If God honors us by providing much work, let us rejoice and not murmur; for if we murmur, we can lose our honor. God is at no loss for instruments. From the stones, He could raise up children unto Abraham; and from the same He can raise up agents to carry on His work.
There is no more value or virtue in the flesh of seventy than in the flesh of one. "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing" (Jn. 6:63; NKJV). In the way of power, there was nothing gained; but in the way of dignity, a great deal lost by this action of Moses.
So let us pray for a patient, humble, self-emptied, devoted heart to serve Him – in company or alone; a heart so filled with love for Christ that it finds its chief joy in serving Him no matter the sphere or character of that service. May the Holy Spirit stir up in each of us a deeper sense of the precious name of Jesus, so that we may yield a fuller, clearer, more unequivocal response to the changeless love of His heart.
Footnotes:
1
For more information on the Church see ‘God’s Church’ in Contents section of StudyJesus.com.
2 Compare Numbers 11-15 with 21, 22. Lord willing, we will later consider Numbers in our ‘Schoolmaster to Christ’ study.
3 For more information on the Holy Spirit see ‘God the Spirit’ in Contents section of StudyJesus.com.
