Essentials for a Healthy Community of Faith

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In this section of Exodus, we see God using the wilderness experience to form His people. He shaped them to display His glory among the nations. Previously, we began exploring the challenges that Israel faced in the wilderness, which included a lack of food and water. God was humbling His people and teaching them to trust Him and His word. Later He would give them His law and teach them how to live, and then He had them construct the tabernacle for worship.

We can learn several lessons from this portion of Exodus related to the idea of a healthy community of faith. I would like to point out three essentials for believers.

Essential 1: God’s Power

Exodus 17:8-16

A healthy community of faith relies on God’s power. Here we see Israel’s first outside enemy after the exodus. They represent the seed of the serpent rising up against the seed of Eve. As we examine this, let us consider five questions.

Who Were They? (17:8)

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The Amalekites traced their lineage back to Esau. Amalek was the grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12). They inhabited the northern Sinai Peninsula (Gen 14:7; Num 13:29). Stuart says,

[The Amalekites] organized themselves into a very early national nomadic group (“first among the nations,” in the words of Balaam, Num 24:20) that lived partly by attacking other population groups and plundering their wealth (cf. Judg 3:13). The Amalekites had domesticated the camel and used its swiftness effectively in surprise attacks. Not only did the Amalekites attack Israel at Rephidim, but a year later they attacked them again at Hormah, when the Israelites had been driven out of southern Canaan and were on the run after their foolish attempt to enter the promised land in spite of God’s command through Moses that they could not (Num 14:43-45). (Exodus, 393)

The struggles with the Amalekites continued after Israel crossed the Jordan (Num 14:43; 1 Sam 15; 30).

Israel’s first enemy came from within. The difficulties at Marah, the Desert of Sin, and Massah and Meribah were caused by their own disbelief and discontentment. It led to grumbling against their leaders and against God. As a result, they were divided and discouraged. Here in Exodus 17:8-13, they have an outside enemy.

Healthy communities of faith must be aware of both threats. In the book of Acts, the people encountered opposition from the outside, like threats and persecution (Acts 4:29; 11:19). They also had problems on the inside, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).

Why Were They Fighting?

We cannot be sure why they were fighting. They might have felt threatened by Israel’s sudden arrival, or they might have been trying to protect their resources. They could have just seen Israel as vulnerable and attacked them. When Moses looked back on the battle in Deuteronomy 25:17-18, he said they had attacked Israel when they were weary. They attacked men, women, and children, even from behind. They had no fear of God. Clearly the Amalekites were not in God’s army, so they were taking orders from the enemy.

How Did They Engage the Enemy? (17:9-13)

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Moses told Joshua, “Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand” (v. 9). I am not sure if Joshua thought, “Yeah, right. I will fight while you hold up a stick!” However, we know that he obeyed, and we actually see a powerful picture here.

Israel used physical weapons led by Joshua (17:9-10, 13). Joshua was a warrior who would eventually become a dominant figure in Israel. Here he was introduced. He would be among the few who were faithful in the wilderness (see Num 14:6-9, 30) and would succeed Moses, leading Israel into Canaan (Deut 34:9; Josh 1:1-9). Later, Joshua would be known for his courage and bravery.

Throughout Exodus God was showing little flashes of things to come. There would be a prophet, like Moses, and a warrior who will fight for you, like Joshua, all together in one person: Jesus Christ.

Moses told Joshua to choose some men and go fight. So Joshua selected his team and went. Moses used spiritual weapons. He went to the hillside and raised his shepherd’s staff, a symbol of God’s presence, His promises, and His power (vv. 9-12). Moses’ actions demonstrated that he was dependent on God for victory. The battle was the Lord’s.

Notice that it was not by physical force alone that the battle was won or lost. Though some might argue that this was not really “prayer” (the text never says Moses was praying), there are two reasons we can indeed call this “intercession.”

Moses lifted up his hand(s), appealing to God to show His power. When Moses lowered his hands, they began to lose the battle (v. 11). Aaron and Hur helped Moses by giving him a seat and holding up his hands (v. 12). The result was that they overwhelmed the enemy (v. 13). This action reminds me of a roller coaster ride. Why do people raise their hands? (Well, some of them. Others of us close our eyes and hold our breath!) They are saying in a sense, “It is out of my control, and I’m OK with that.”

Raising one’s arms is a sign of dependent prayer elsewhere in the Bible. Remember Pharaoh asking Moses to pray for him?

Likewise, the psalmist spoke of uplifted hands, seeking God:

In the New Testament, Paul commanded,

The text might not say “prayer,” but Moses was clearly depending on God for victory. We may fight like Joshua, but we must also cry out to God in prayer like Moses.

The idea of prayer seems to be confirmed by the last verse: “Indeed, my hand is lifted up toward the Lord’s throne” (Exod 17:16). This phrase is hard to translate, but I like the ESV’s translation: “A hand upon the throne of the Lord!” Elsewhere, the Bible describes prayer as coming to the throne. We can come to the throne because of Jesus’ work, and we are now invited to the “throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time” (Heb 4:16).

In our battles we must fight like Joshua, but we also must hold up our hands to God’s throne and say, “It is out of my control.” We must go to the throne of grace and say, “Help me!” We need courageous, Joshualike warriors who will take the gospel to hard places, fight injustice, and serve the needy—but all of it must be done in a spirit of dependent prayer.

What Happened After the Victory? (17:14-16)

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The Lord said to Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua” (v. 14). Here we see that Joshua was to be the successor. Notice also that God said, “Write this down.” Why write it down? If anyone would remember this event, it would have been Joshua, right? We have all known those guys who used to play high school basketball who can recount specific games and how well they played back in the glory days! Why write it down? They needed to write it down because God knew that the people were going to be dealing with the Amalekites again, as well as other enemies of God. So God made them write it down so everyone might know that God fights for His people.

This is the first time we have this idea of “write this down.” God has given us the Scriptures, showing us who He is, what He has done, and who we are. The Bible is a memorial of what God has done for us. He defeated the Amalekites for us, and conquered all the other enemies, bringing forth the Messiah. The New Testament authors wrote down for us the words and deeds of Jesus, and the good news has been passed down for generations to us. The Bible is the grand story of redemptive history.

God then predicted, “I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven” (v. 14). This would happen later.

Moses went on to build an altar (vv. 15-16). He did this in order to praise God and remind His people of His power. Altars were built to express gratitude. The patriarchs sometimes named altars, as Jacob did (Gen 33:20; 35:7). Moses does the same here, calling it “The Lord is My Banner” (Yahweh-nissi). This word was used “in military contexts, where the nēs is a signal pole around which an army or army unit can rally, regroup, or return for instructions” (Stuart, Exodus, 400). The Lord is where we regroup, rally, and get instructions.

How Should We Apply This?

Consider your need for God’s power. There is a battle between the children of light and the powers of darkness. The church’s spiritual warfare with the powers of darkness is noted in the New Testament in several places (e.g., Eph 5:8-14; 6:12). Jesus conquered our greatest enemies, but because a “mop up operation” still exists, we need God’s power. 111From reading Ephesians 6:10-12 we know that our enemy is deceptive. He uses all kinds of tactics. He is aggressive. Do not be naïve. Do not forget that you are in a battle. Israel’s story is our story. They had been redeemed and were on their way to the promised land (like us), but on the way they faced enemies (so will we). Moses discovered that prayer is more powerful than the problem (cf. Eph 3:20-21; 6:18-20).

Also, consider how they got the power: a mediator. Moses interceded for them. On one hand, we can learn about seeking God from Moses, and on another, Moses points us to the ultimate intercessor, Jesus Christ. We have a greater mediator interceding for us. Many great intercessors stand out in the Old Testament—David, Solomon, Nehemiah—but none are like Jesus. How is Jesus a greater intercessor? Jesus is fully God and Man! He is the ultimate mediator. Jesus is the greater warrior than Joshua, defeating our ultimate enemies and making it possible for us to know God and commune with Him; and He is the greater Moses, praying for His people. But Jesus does not have to have His arms raised by anyone. He does not get tired of interceding! “Moses’ hands grew heavy” (Exod 17:12), but Jesus “always lives to intercede for [us]” (Heb 7:25). Jesus does exactly what Moses did. While we fight the good fight, He intercedes for us. Oh, the wonder of the interceding Son of God (Rom 8:34)!

The Lord is our banner also, but in a way even Moses could hardly have imagined. Consider Isaiah 11:10:

Jesus Christ is the banner for God’s people, who rally to Him from every nation! Around His cross we are unified, encouraged, and instructed. It is through Jesus that we experience spiritual victories. Apart from His work and His intercession, we have no hope.

Essential 2: Gospel Witness

Exodus 18:1-12

This section highlights Jethro’s relationship with Moses (vv. 1-6) and new faith in the God of Israel. The Amalekites and Midianities were closely related. Jethro was a Midianite priest who came to rejoice in Yahweh’s salvation.

A Family Reunion (18:1-6)

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The news about Israel spread through the lands (v. 1). You could imagine Jethro and Zipporah asking travelers about the state of the Israelites. Stuart says,

Moses may have prearranged for Jethro upon leaving Midian (4:18) to take Zipporah and their two sons into his home for safety after they had gone part of the way to Egypt with Moses (4:20-26) while he went about the dangerous business of confronting Pharaoh in Egypt, with the understanding that once the Israelites had left Egypt according to God’s promise, they would reunite at Mount Sinai (3:12). If so, Jethro and Zipporah probably had been following Israelite progress and calculating when they should plan to leave for the prearranged rendezvous at the mountain of God. (Exodus, 404)

In verses 2-5 the two sons are with them and their names are mentioned: Gershom (“foreigner”) and Eliezer (“God is my help”). Their names summarize Moses, the Israelites, and us!

Displaying Love and Respect (18:5-7)

Notice the love and respect in these verses. Moses went out to Jethro, bowed down, and kissed him. Except for the genealogies, there are no other mentions of Moses’ wife and kids. The focus of the story is more on the conversion of his father-in-law, this Midianite priest. It is understandable that Moses’ wife and kids would become believers, but it is an amazing thing to consider the faith of Jethro. Perhaps the story focuses on his confession because he was a public figure and a religious leader of another faith. His conversion would have been big news! Today this story should encourage believers. Keep spreading the good news to everyone, including your family members! Not only did Jethro receive the good news, but later in the passage, he also gave wonderfully helpful advice to Moses (and us).

Testifying to the Good News (18:8-9)

Was Moses trying to convert his father-in-law? Yes! Some want to argue that you cannot really call this a conversion here. Okay. Maybe it is a stretch to say that in verse 11 his conversion took place, but at some113 point Jethro got converted. That seems clear to me. And what also is clear is that Moses was telling him the good news. He wanted to see his father-in-law converted.

Notice the summary of the good news (v. 8). Before, there was hardship; after, there was deliverance. Moses probably spent several hours recounting this whole story. God has brought us from death to life, and we should testify to this good news as well.

Jethro rejoiced in all that God had done (v. 9). It seems that Jethro had been skeptical of Moses’ initial call and had questions, but now his questions were answered by the facts of what had happened.

Believing in the Real Savior (18:10-12)

In verse 10 Jethro said, “Praise the Lord ... who rescued you.” What moved Jethro was this personal knowledge of Moses’ story. He knew Moses before the exodus and now after the exodus. He repeated the phrase “from the power of the Egyptians” because this is what amazed him! The defeat of Pharaoh and this superpower nation by Moses and the Israelites could only be explained by the miraculous salvation of Yahweh. So he said, “Praise be to Yahweh.” Based on this truth, Jethro made this awesome confession in verse 11:

That is another way of saying a New Testament phrase “I know the One I have believed in” (2 Tim 1:12) or “I was blind, and now I can see!” (John 9:25). Jethro said, “Now I know who the real God is.” Jesus said, “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).

Jethro demonstrated that he had converted to faith in Yahweh (v. 12): he worshiped Yahweh according to the Israelite custom. He offered a “burnt offering,” which was understood to atone for past sins and to appeal for forgiveness and acceptance before God. He also offered “sacrifices to God” to be sure to cover for any inadequacies in approaching Yahweh. All of this was to ensure that he was accepted in genuine fellowship with God. He ate a covenant meal with other worshipers of Yahweh in the presence of Yahweh. This signified Jethro’s formal admission into Israel. Notice that the leaders had a meal with him “in God’s presence.”

Let us spread the gospel! How? Be ready to testify of God’s grace in salvation as Moses was here (cf. Acts 20:24). Let us also spread the114 gospel lovingly. Look at the respect and warmth Moses had (cf. 1 Pet 3:15). And let us spread the gospel to the nations. God’s plan for the nations was displayed in Jethro’s conversion. He was outside the people of Israel, yet he was converted. God promised to bless all the nations through Israel. Israel was to be a “light to the nations.” This story shows how their witness began reaching surrounding nations. This is consistent with Exodus 9:16. We all, from every tribe and tongue, are able to sit down with the bread and wine together and celebrate the grace of our Lord Jesus who has delivered us from sin and death.

Essential 3: Shared Ministry

Exodus 18:13-26

As the story continues, Jethro gave some counsel to Moses telling him that he was trying to do too much. Moses had been attempting to settle multiple disputes. He was like the police, the law, the counselor, the department of motor vehicles, the judge, the theologian, and the pastor all in one. This task was too heavy. Get this picture:

The people stand around all day waiting for an appointment (v. 13). Jethro says, “What are you doing?” (v. 14). Moses basically says, “They need me. I have to tell them what to do” (vv. 15-16). I love Jethro’s response: “What you’re doing is not good” (v. 17). Why? Jethro tells him: “You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you” (v. 18).

In regard to the church, our situation is not exactly the same, but part of what Moses was trying to do is shepherd the people. He was trying to take care of them and instruct them in the ways that please God. Shepherding is hard work. One person cannot do it all. This is similar to Acts 6. There were not enough apostles to take care of the widows, so the church appointed some qualified men to do that, and the apostles would focus on prayer and the ministry of the word.

As a pastor, I can sympathize with Moses. Sometimes people ask, “A ‘Pastor’—is that a full-time job?” I almost laugh when I hear that! It is sort of like the question, “Does your wife work?” I actually tried to think about what I do. Here are a few things:

Sermons to prepare, worship services to prepare, vision to cast, mission to execute, meetings with elders to attend, people to counsel (some 115outside our church), bills to pay, phone calls to make, books to write, websites to monitor, funds to raise, outside speaking engagements to prepare for, groups to meet, classes to prepare for and teach, conflicts to resolve, reference letters to write, blogs to write, questions to answer, leaders to disciple, ministries to oversee, a building to work on, missionaries to send and support, people to pray for, visits to make, fellowships with other pastors to attend, social events to attend, weddings to officiate, funerals to lead—and more!

Before you are tempted to feel sorry for me, remember that my flock is nowhere near as large as Moses’! Imagine, six hundred thousand men, plus women and children! So, what solution gets put forward? The solution for Moses is the same solution for us: share the ministry.

Notice how Jethro counsels Moses. Jethro told Moses to fulfill his ministry (vv. 19-20). Moses was a mediator. He was taking the people to God in prayer and God to people in teaching. Jethro did not tell him to stop doing these tasks. He simply told him that he should develop some organizational structure and get some help.

Jethro told Moses to find capable leaders to help care for the people (vv. 21-23). He was to find “able men,” from among the people, who would be capable of serving in this capacity. They were to be “Godfearing” men. God-fearing men realize that serving God is serious business, regardless of how big or small the job is. They were also to be “trustworthy” men. These are men you can count on. You do not have to question the motives of trustworthy men. They were to “hate bribes.” They would be impartial, honest, and not in it for money. So these were leaders who would be capable and full of integrity. They were going to do the work with Moses.

Moses became the court of last resort or “supreme court” of Israel (v. 22). He remained as judge but delegated most situations to the other men. They “will bear [the burden] with you” Jethro said (v. 22). Notice the result: (1) God will direct you; (2) you will be able to endure; and (1) the people will go in peace (v. 23). In other words, this is best for everyone.

How do we apply this? What can we learn about shared ministry? As mentioned, our situation is different, but there is still the general connection to shared ministry and pastoral care. Let me point out two principles. The New Testament shows us how we should understand shared ministry. A healthy community practices shared ministry by having a plurality of qualified elders who care for the flock (Acts 20:17; 1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet 5:1-4). But the elders do not do everything. They116 oversee the ministry of the church. They equip God’s people to do the work of the ministry (Eph 4:11-16). Every member is to serve. Of course, Jesus Christ is the head, the chief Shepherd, and everyone must submit to Him. Under Him, He has appointed elders/pastors as undershepherds to equip God’s people to do ministry together.

Therefore, healthy communities of faith practice shared ministry by having an “every-member ministry.” While some are appointed to leadership, every Christian has a part to play in the body of Christ. Every Christian is a “priest” (Exod 19:6; 1 Pet 2:5-10). You can pray for people. You can care for people. You can teach others. Every Christian has spiritual gifts to use for the good of the body (1 Pet 4:10). Healthy communities of faith have active members serving, loving, and praying. Generally, those who serve best do not care about being known or having a title. We should do this in the spirit of “[carrying] one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2).

In verses 24-26 we see that Moses listens. He demonstrates humility. He receives counsel—even from his father-in-law! Will you follow his example and follow the counsel of the wise?

As a community of faith, we need power; we need to speak the good news; and we need a shared ministry. As a community of faith, we—like Jethro and Moses and the elders—gather around one table. We also rally around the cross, our banner, and we enjoy fellowship with one another because of the work of our great mediator, Jesus Christ.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Which enemies are more dangerous, those from inside or from outside? Why? What effects can an outside enemy have on a group? Can there be a benefit?
2. When Moses raised his hands and held up his staff, was he practicing magic? What is the difference between magic and intercessory prayer? Where does the power and control lie in each case?
3. When praying, what is the significance of kneeling, folding hands, and bowing, or standing, raising hands, and looking toward heaven? When would each be appropriate?
4. Compare Moses interceding for Israel, a Christian interceding for a friend, and Christ interceding for a Christian. What is the definition of intercession, and what is the ideal procedure and outcome?
5. 117How does Christ serve as a military banner? How can He help us avoid political infighting and succeed in spiritual warfare?
6. Why do you think Moses named his children “Foreigner” and “God Is My Help”? What were the reasons for the names of people in your family?
7. Moses told Jethro what God had done for him and his people. Is evangelism this simple, or is more involved?
8. When Jethro joined Israel, he praised God, acknowledged God’s superiority, brought valid offerings, and had fellowship with Israelites. What evidence would you expect to see when someone becomes a Christian?
9. Jethro said overwork would wear out Moses and the people. In what ways does a leader’s workload affect the followers?
10. Why do some leaders resist delegating? How do the qualities of “able,” “God-fearing,” “trustworthy,” and “hating bribes” still apply to good managers today?