Knowable Word

Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

Copyright © 2012–2017 DiscipleMakers, except guest articles (copyright author). Used by permission.

The Summer of the Bible

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Paolo Rosa (2015), public domain

Today marks the unofficial start of summer in the U.S. The next three months promise sunshine and thunderstorms, lightning bugs and mosquitoes, picnics and sunburn. Summer is here, whether you’ve gathered your frisbees and watermelon or not.

Summer has a rhythm of its own. The children are out of school, we’re anxious to travel, and the longer hours of daylight call us outside for yard work and play.

Though it seems we should have more time in the summer for spiritual pursuits, for many the opposite is true. We float into the fall like a dry leaf, wondering why we feel so distant from the Lord.

Let’s make this summer different. Let’s fill this summer with the Bible.

Seven Reasons to Read the Bible

As I urge you to pick up your Bible this summer, I realize some will consider this a stuffy burden. But if you think the Bible is boring, you’ve got the wrong book.

The Bible is the word of God! It is our light in the dark, it is our way back to our Father, it is the food we need for life. There are millions of reasons to read and study the Bible. Consider these seven.

  1. We read the Bible to know Christ.
  2. We study the Bible because knowing Jesus is eternal life.
  3. The Bible gives us wisdom (Proverbs 1:1–7).
  4. The Bible makes us fruitful (Psalm 1:1–3).
  5. The Bible warns us about sin and folly (Psalm 19:11).
  6. The Bible gives us hope (Romans 15:4).
  7. The Bible gives us the truth, and there is freedom in knowing the truth (John 8:31–32).

Five Suggestions for a Bible-filled Summer

There’s no need to wait until January 1 to make a life change. If you’ve been neglecting God’s word or if you’d just like to make the most of the summer, here are five ways to get started.

Read and study the Bible yourself. You’ll never regret focusing on the Bible. If you’ve never studied the Bible before, don’t be intimidated! We’ve got you covered. If you need the refreshment of simply reading the Bible, three months is plenty of time to read the whole thing. Really!

Join a Bible study group. A small group study can be just the thing to get you out of the house and into God’s word. Ask around at church to see what’s available this summer, and if you don’t find anything that works, start your own group!

Read the Bible with a friend or spouse. Groups can be great, but the simple practice of reading the Bible with one other person is powerful too. This really is as easy as it sounds: find a friend, find a time, and dive into the Bible together.

Read the Bible with your family. Pick a book in the Bible and start reading out loud. Once you finish, start again with a different book. Keep going. A family reading time will be fruitful for everyone (especially if the children ask questions).

Point your children to the Bible. School-age children invariably have more free time in the summer, and they can’t spend the whole time blowing bubbles. Whether your children can read or not, the summer is a great time to help them develop a daily devotional habit. Follow up and show them how the whole Bible fits together.

Three months of summer stretch out before us; let’s use them to immerse ourselves in the Bible!

How a Veteran Preacher Finally Learns to Read a New Testament Epistle

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This is a guest post by Talbot Davis, pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Charlotte, NC, and author of five books with Abingdon Press. You can follow his blog or find him on Facebook.

Editor’s Note: We are delighted to publish guest writers who come from different sectors of Christianity—and who reach different conclusions—than we do, as long as they share our assumptions and wrestle directly with the biblical text. Talbot’s arguments are worth considering, even though we differ with some of his conclusions.

I have been reading the New Testament for a long time, but I realize that I am only now learning how to read its epistles correctly. And to read the New Testament well, you need to read the epistles (Romans, I & II Corinthians, Galatians, et al) accurately.

Here’s what I’ve recently discovered: For years, I have read those documents as if they are examples of modern American letter writing. But that’s not what they are. They are instead examples of ancient Greek speech-making. And there is a world of difference between those two genres.

One of the best texts to observe what I’m talking about is the beginning of letter to the Ephesians. Check out the opening twelve verses, keeping in mind that Paul is himself Jewish, while Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey, is populated primarily by Gentiles.

And keep in mind that Ephesians was dictated before it was written, and that, when delivered to Ephesus, it was read out loud before ever being studied in silence.

Notice in particular all the references to “us” and “we” in this section.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of OUR Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed US in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose US in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined US for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given US in the One he loves. 7 In him WE have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on US. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to US the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him WE were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that WE, who were the first to put OUR hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:3-12, NIV)

If you read this according to the rules of modern American letter writing, all the “us” and “we” references are a way of including you, the reader, into what the author is saying. So those who are modern American Christians assume from the beginning that Paul is including the original Ephesians as well as the current readers into these opening words.

Except that’s not what he is doing. Remember: Ephesians is not an example of modern American letter writing. Instead, it is ancient Greek speech-making.

And in the argument Paul builds for Ephesians, WE and US refers to Paul and his kin: the Jews. You get the gist of what he is doing if you imagine that he is standing on a platform with two fellow Jews addressing a room full of Gentiles. And with each “we” and “us” he points to his Hebrew colleagues on the stage.

Verse 12 is especially critical to this understanding: “We, who were the first to put our hope in Christ . . . ” Who were the first to hope in Christ? Not the Ephesians! Meaning this section can’t be inclusive. Instead, Romans 1:16 tells us who were the first to hope in Christ: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

A-ha!

(By the way, understanding that “we” are the Jews and not the broader, fledgling Christian community goes a long way to explaining all the references to predestination and to being “chosen.” Well, yes. That’s how we understand God’s relationship with Israel.)

Back to Ephesians. After that lengthy opening section with all its focus on “we” and “us,” everything changes at 1:13:

13 And YOU also were included in Christ when YOU heard the message of truth, the gospel of YOUR salvation. When YOU believed, YOU were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing OUR inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:13-14, NIV)

The transition from “we” to “you” is instantaneous, dramatic, and purposeful. Imagine that Paul suddenly points to his audience: AND YOU (Gentiles!) WERE INCLUDED IN CHRIST JUST LIKE WE WERE!

It’s a compelling example of ancient Greek speech-making, not modern American letter writing.

From the beginning, then, Ephesians is about this divine fusion of “we” and “you”; the creation of something brand new out of “us” and “them.”

If you naively assume that “you” are included in the “we” of the first twelve verses, you miss the entire point of the book.

You Can Read the Bible to Your Kids

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When my oldest daughter was about to turn 6, she endured a season of feeling great burdens for people who don’t know Jesus. She prayed for them often. She wept. She brought Jesus into conversations. On occasion, she would wake in the night from sadness for unbelieving friends and family members. She spoke of becoming a missionary when she grew up so she could tell more people about Jesus.

My wife and I did all we could to foster such missionary zeal. We’d be delighted to see one or more of our children dedicate their lives to full-time Christian service, whether at home or abroad. So we spoke about this calling with our daughter. We gave her missionary biographies. We prayed fervently with her. Our church even invited her to join the Missions Committee.

And one day, out of the blue, she asks me an innocent question that cuts me deeply. “Papa, how can I tell people about Jesus when I grow up, unless you first read the whole Bible to me?”

The Quandary

I’m embarrassed to say it, but it’s true: It had never occurred to me to simply read the Bible to my kids. We fill our home with things to read. We fill our home with things read. We read fiction and non-fiction. We listen to audiobooks during rest time and in the car. We read at the dinner table. We read independently and together, silently and out loud. We read and read and read. But, before my daughter’s question, our reading rarely included the Bible.

To be sure, we tried our hand at family devotions. I wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be, but we still did it a few times each week. Such devotions involved a few short Bible verses, a passage from a wonderful children’s devotional, a few good questions, and prayer.

But if we were going to sit and just read something, it wouldn’t be the Bible. It couldn’t be the Bible, right? Children aren’t ready for that. Instead, we’d read The Chronicles of Narnia, or The Penderwicks, or the latest wonder from N.D. Wilson. Maybe The Jesus Storybook Bible. But not actually The Holy Bible. No way.

Yet my daughter’s question cut me to the quick. The shocking realization rocked my world: You can read the Bible to your kids. I can read the Bible to my kids.

So, on her 6th birthday, my daughter received my solemn promise, with the Lord’s help, to read her the entire Bible by her 18th birthday. She just turned 8 a few weeks ago, and so far we’re on track to fulfill that promise.

Jan Rowley, Creative Commons

How We Do It

I have more than one child, so as family patriarch, I made the call to include all the children in our Bible reading time. To help you picture the context, my children are now 10, 10, 8, 6, 2, and 10 months. Sometimes we exempt the baby from Bible reading time if she needs to be fed. And sometimes the toddler is still finishing her nap. Beyond that, however, nobody gets an excused absence.

To make time for family Bible reading, we actually had to drop out of a church Bible club, where four of my children attended and I taught a class. The club was great, and everybody was learning and growing in Christ. But we decided to place higher priority, this one night a week, on our own family Bible reading.

So we gather Sunday evenings for an hour. The children get notified 60 and 30 minutes prior to Bible reading time, so they have enough warning to finish up whatever they may be doing. At 10 minutes before, we ask them to begin the transition by using the bathroom and bringing to the living room whatever they want to have with them during Bible reading time.

The children can have books, toys, games, legos, coloring books, painting supplies, dolls, matchbox cars, chess sets. Whatever. Just nothing electronic. They can do anything they want during Bible reading time, as long as 1) it is silent, and 2) it can be done without leaving the living room.

Then they sit, play, and listen while I read for about an hour.

We began with Genesis 1 and have gone straight through. Occasionally, I’ll stop to clarify something or to take a question. This way, we’ve discussed covenants, circumcision, uncleanness, prostitution, dreams, altars, ancient dating customs, the best ways to kill Philistines, and what it means for a woman to be violated. We’ve befriended Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Deborah, Barak, Gideon, Samson, and David. We’ve read long lists of names. We’ve jeered Saul. We’ve mourned for Absalom, our son, our son; if only we had died instead of him. We’ve climbed on the coffee table to picture Goliath’s scornful mocking and his brutal fall. And we’ve joined the tribes of Israel in shouting “Amen” after each covenantal curse (Deut 27:14-26).

Of course, the Pentateuch was a challenge. But the children are used to enough rituals, rules, and procedures that it was probably harder for me than it was for them. We’re just about to finish 2 Samuel. And yes, we’ve hit some dark content. But, as we allow the Scripture to drive our spiritual discussions, the children have been more than mature enough to handle the subject matter. I can’t yet comment on how we got through the Psalms or Prophets.

Before we start a new book, we always watch The Bible Project’s overview video of that book, and this proves to be a highlight for the children. They refer to the videos as we then work our way through the book.

Conclusion

Of course, you don’t have to do it the same way I do. But I hope to encourage you with a simple proposition: You can read the Bible to your kids. You don’t need a perfect schedule, or a perfect set of devotions from an expert. Your children can handle it, as long as you are enthusiastic about it. Who knows how God might use his knowable word in your family?

The Hottest Thing at Church Today

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Tim Challies refers to a new trend:

According to a new study by Gallup, the hottest thing at church today is not the worship and not the pastor. It’s not the smoke and lights and it’s not the hip and relevant youth programs. It’s not even the organic, fair trade coffee at the cafe. The hottest thing at church today is the preaching. Not only is it the preaching, but a very specific form of it—preaching based on the Bible. And just like that, decades of church growth bunkum is thrown under the bus. As Christianity Today says, “Despite a new wave of contemporary church buzzwords like relational, relevant, and intentional, people who show up on Sundays are looking for the same thing that has long anchored most services: preaching centered on the Bible.” Praise God.

Challies goes on to commend this trend, delighting in the reality that God’s children do, in fact, desire the pure milk of the word. However, he also wisely cautions:

I’m glad to read these results. I’m glad that God’s people are choosing God’s Word. But I don’t want pastors and their churches to jump on the biblical exposition bandwagon. Instead, I want them to search the Scriptures, to see what God says about the relationship of his people to his Word, to understand the purpose of the weekly gatherings of the local church, and then to commit from this day forward to preach God’s Word to God’s people.

Here’s the thing: Eventually Gallup or Barna or someone else will come up with a new poll that will display new results and mere bandwagoners will veer to this new course. Their deep-rooted pragmatism will drive them to the next big thing. But people who are convinced from the Bible that there is nothing better than to preach the Bible will stay the course. Even when Bible-based preaching is the very last thing people want, these pastors will know it is the very first thing they need.

His reflections are well worth considering. Check it out!

The Obvious Diagnosis (A Parable)

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Shanice Garcia (2015), public domain

The light went on for Tyler one day in his mid-twenties. He stepped on the scale and was shocked.

Tyler had always been active, playing sports as a kid and intramurals in college. But now he had a desk job. He tried to run or work out a few times a week, but he often didn’t have the energy.

He never considered himself a glutton, but he ate whatever he wanted in college. He thought nothing of cereal for dinner or a second burger at lunch. Days could pass before he ate a green vegetable.

But the slower pace of life and the gradual accumulation of the years had the effect so many have felt. Tyler was 15 pounds heavier than when he graduated college, and he finally had enough.

Tyler plunged into the world of health and nutrition. He read dozens of books from his library. He investigated the latest fad diets and held them up to the closest scrutiny. Early on, he saw the change he had to make: he needed to eat better.

More vegetables. Fewer sweets. Better choices at the grocery store.

Tyler noticed a difference right away. He slept better. He had tremendous energy. He felt sharper and more focused at work. His weight was down, but that was almost irrelevant—every aspect of his physical and mental well-being was soaring to heights he’d never known.

He soon met others in his city who shared his new passion. As a result of this new friend network, Tyler’s social life exploded. There was the softball team, the weekend triathlon training, and the shared cooking nights. Tyler and one of the women in his group started dating. His calendar was bursting.

Looking back, Tyler would see this social uptick as the turning point.

Eating healthy food takes time. Imperceptibly, Tyler’s food preparation time got squeezed. It started with walking to pick up a sandwich at lunch instead of packing his own. As he stayed out later at night he found less time for breakfast in his apartment, so he’d hit the bagel shop. Pretty soon he was eating carry-out food as often as he was making dinner from scratch.

The transformation continued for several months until Tyler caught a cold. When he couldn’t shake it after two weeks, he went to his doctor.

This doctor had been impressed with Tyler’s health in recent years, so he was surprised to see the vital signs when he walked into the room. Tyler’s weight, pulse rate, and blood pressure were all up, much higher than at his most recent annual physical.

The doctor asked questions about Tyler’s sickness and current lifestyle. He gently probed at Tyler’s exercise and diet, and Tyler confessed to feeling lethargic even before catching this cold.

The doctor finished writing in the chart and leaned back in his chair with a smile. “Tyler, I’ve seen dozens of people with this cold in recent weeks. I’m not worried about it for you. You’ll bounce back within the next two or three days.”

“That’s great,” Tyler said.

“But a healthy young man shouldn’t get knocked so low by a simple cold,” the doctor said. “There’s something else going on.”

Tyler looked worried. “What is it?”

The doctor couldn’t suppress a small laugh. “After the health journey I’ve seen you take over the last several years, I didn’t think I’d say this. But Tyler, you’re not eating well.”

“What?”

“Well, you have healthy friends. You read a lot about nutrition and even hang out in healthy places. Your influences haven’t changed.”

“OK…”

“But you haven’t noticed the slide. You might not talk or think any differently, but your diet right now is miles away from what it was a year ago. In order to be healthy, you actually have to put the healthy food in your body.”

And that’s when the light went on for Tyler a second time.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Exodus 15:22-18:27: You Need God’s Law

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Step Back

When our Bible study focuses intently on each passage, one after another, we may find it difficult to step back and see how they fit together. But we must remember the Bible is a work of literature. It was not written to be scrutinized in bites; it was written to be devoured in gobbles. We should remember to read the Bible as we’d read any other book: moving through it at a reasonable pace and recognizing ongoing themes, climax, resolution, and character development. When we hit milestones in the text, we should take the opportunity to survey where we’ve been and how it fits together.

So, now that we’ve hit the end of Exodus’s short second act with the appearance and blessing of Jethro, priest of Midian, it’s a good time to catch our breath. From this point in Exodus, we’ll see God building his own house to dwell with his people in paradise. But where have we been so far?

Review

Let me list the main points I’ve proposed for each passage in this section:

  • Exodus 15:22-17:7: Yahweh must give his law to expose how completely distrustful, disobedient—and thereby undeserving—his people are of his fatherly care.
  • Exodus 17:8-16: Your highest and most public loyalty must be to Yahweh your God.
  • Exodus 18:1-27: Being God’s people means we constantly remember our deliverance and look to his instruction for our new life.

In addition, my overview of the whole book led me to this overall main point:

Who is Yahweh, and why should you obey him? He is the God who 1) demolishes the house of slavery (Ex 1-15), 2) prepares to rebuild (Ex 16-18), and 3) builds his house in the midst of his people (Ex 19-40).

And the main idea of Act I (Ex 1:1-15:21) was that Yahweh demolishes the house of slavery. He does this in two parts:

  1. He trains up a qualified mediator to deliver (Ex 1:1-7:7).
  2. He delivers his people from their enemies into a frightful joy (Ex 7:8-15:21).

Pull It Together

Now what do these things show us about the flow of thought in chapters 16-18? We are in between the mighty deliverance and the making of the covenant. How does God prepare to rebuild his people into his house?

  • Act I describes God’s deliverance of his people. Act II shows how God prepares them for a covenant relationship with him.
  • Exodus 15:22-17:7 exposes their rebellious hearts with clear instruction.
  • Exodus 17:8-16 highlights and memorializes in writing their greatest need: to trust Yahweh above all gods.
  • Exodus 18:1-27 draws together the twin themes of deliverance and instruction. We never stop looking back to the former, even while we heed, hope for, and honor the latter.

These chapters all center on how much these fallen, rebellious people need God’s instruction to survive, and yet they can’t obey it. But that won’t hinder them as long as they maintain their highest allegiance to Yahweh. These chapters foreshadow the tension and confusion God’s people have felt toward God’s law through the ages. If he gave us laws, he must expect us to obey them. But if we can’t obey them, and they expose our failure and condemn us to death, are they bad for us? Yet if they truly reveal God’s will, we have reason to love them, and strive to obey them, and forever guard their place in our community.

If we take each episode out of context, on its own, we’ll miss the clear thread of God’s law. And we’ll forever feel the tension and confusion, not seeing how God prepares his people for it even before he hands them the stone tablets. But reading these chapters as a unit, we get a foundation for God’s law:

  • You need God’s law/instruction to have life.
  • You can’t and won’t obey it.
  • So your only remaining hope of life is to fall upon the mercy of your God and maintain to him your highest allegiance.

When we get these three points, we can’t help but love God’s law. It shows us our need, it reveals God’s mercy, and it drives us to hope not in ourselves but him.

Paige (2008), Creative Commons

We can flesh out our outline of the book a little further:

Act I: Yahweh demolishes the house of slavery (Ex 1-15).

Introduction: Nobody can prevent Yahweh from keeping his promises, but we’re not sure how he’ll do it (Ex 1).

Part 1: Yahweh appoints a mediator and ensures he is fully qualified and trained for the task of deliverance (Ex 2:1-7:7).

Part 2: Yahweh delivers a deserved destruction to his enemies and a frightful joy to his people (Ex 7:8-15:21).

Act II: Yahweh prepares to rebuild (Ex 16-18)—by exposing how deeply his people need his law to know him.

Act III: Yahweh builds his house in the midst of his people (Ex 19-40).

Gaze Upon Jesus

Jesus is “the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4). Those who rely on the law are under a curse, for, without perfect obedience, it cannot give life (Gal 3:10). So all it does to sinners is hold them captive to their sin (Gal 3:23). Yet such captivity leads us like a guardian to Christ so we might be justified by faith (Gal 3:24). By showing us our need for God’s law, Exodus 16-18 ends up showing us our need for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Apply

Head: Do you love God’s law (Ps 119:97) or resent it (Prov 13:13)?

Heart: The new covenant in Christ is by no means a lawless religion (Rom 8:12-14). While the law cannot empower your obedience to God, the Spirit of Christ within you can.

Hands: Walk by the Spirit, and don’t gratify the desires of your flesh. Let the law show you how to keep in step with the Spirit, not being conceited, neither envying nor provoking (Gal 5:16-26). And keeping in step with the Spirit means most of all that your allegiance is to none but Christ (1 John 5:11-12).

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

I’ve Consumed Commentaries But Can’t Study My Bible

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David Murray recently posted a sobering question from a reader of his blog:

I have an M.Div and have read hundreds of books and still feel that I don’t know my Bible. My knowledge has been all second hand as I have consumed commentaries during my devotional times. And yet my faith feels hollow and lifeless. I don’t know how to read the Bible and study it for myself. I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown…I try and start and I get so frustrated that I turn back to commentaries and the lifelessness continues…I can’t do this anymore.

Please help me…I know you don’t know me…but please help me…..

Murray begins his response addressing the immediate mental health needs for rest and recovery to this burnt out soul. And then he moves on to address “what got you into this situation”:

What’s really important is that you do not rely on yourself or on your commentaries but that you rely on God to give you light. Ask God for his Holy Spirit to enlighten your eyes and to shine light on His Word. He has promised to give wisdom and his Holy Spirit to those who ask for it (James 1:5-8; Luke 11:13). And remember, that knowing the Bible is not the end either. The ultimate end is knowing Christ personally, and the Bible is a means to that end. So is going to church; so make sure you are doing that also.

If you do these things and there is still no life in your soul or love for the Scriptures, then you will have to consider the possibility that you still need to be converted. If that is the case, there is still hope for you to repent and put your faith in Christ. There are many M.Div. students who have been converted after graduation and even in the ministry!

Please avoid allowing commentaries to do your Bible study for you. And by all means, don’t miss Christ. The end of that road is not a pleasant one.

Check it out!

Exodus 18: How to Be the People of God

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Yahweh has tested the people whom he delivered, to see what they’re made of, and the results were pretty ugly. Yet Moses has shown them that persevering allegiance—and not impossibly perfect obedience—is what will carry the day. How will he shepherd these disobedient people toward greater allegiance?

Observation of Exodus 18

Most repeated words: Moses (20 times), people (17x), all (14), father-in-law (13), God (12), Jethro (7), out (7), said (7), Israel (6), Lord (6), delivered (5).

  • The narrator shows deep concern for Moses and the people. How will this man lead this nation toward the Lord God?
  • Deliverance is most prominent in the first half of the chapter. All five occurrences of the word sit within Ex 18:4-10.

“Jethro” shows up only in this chapter, and right before (Ex 3:1) and after the burning bush (Ex 4:18)—which makes sense, since both events take place on the mountain of God, near Jethro’s home (Ex 3:1, 18:5).

  • When Moses flees Egypt (Ex 2:16, 18), and when Moses departs Sinai (Num 10:29), the same man is named Reuel.
  • When we first hear of him (Ex 2:16), and when he suddenly re-enters the narrative (Ex 18:1), he is labeled “priest of Midian.”
    • This character plays a significant role in the narrative’s organization. He shows up; then God calls Moses from Sinai to deliver the people. He shows up again; then God gives Moses the law on Sinai. His final mention comes when Moses departs Mount Sinai for good. This guy is closely associated with this mountain and with God’s glorious revelation that takes place there.

When Moses and Jethro meet up, Jethro takes the lead in the narrative. He is the subject of most of the actions.

  • Jethro hears, takes, comes, and sends (Ex 18:1-6).
  • Moses goes out to meet him, bows down, and kisses. They ask each other of their welfare and go into the tent. Moses tells (Ex 18:7-8).
  • Then Jethro rejoices, speaks, and brings lunch. Aaron and the elders join (Ex 18:9-12).

The rest of the chapter consists mostly of dialogue between Moses and Jethro, with Jethro’s closing speech being the longest by far (Ex 18:17-23).

  • The resolution: Moses does everything his father-in-law said (Ex 18:24), and his father-in-law goes back home (Ex 18:27).

This chapter has two clear sections:

  1. Jethro reunites with Moses – Ex 18:1-12
  2. Jethro advises Moses – Ex 18:13-27

Interpretation of Exodus 18

Some possible questions:

  1. Why do we get so much detail just to describe the reunion between Moses and his father-in-law?
  2. Why does this chapter focus on Jethro as the chief actor?
  3. What is the point of Jethro’s advice?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. With Jethro’s character, the narrator invites us to pause once more and reflect on what’s taken place so far. This slow-mo montage signals the end of Act II. We reflect on Moses’ life experience through the names of his sons (Ex 18:3-4). As we meet Moses’ wife and sons again (Ex 18:5-6), we’re reminded of Moses’ personal Passover (Ex 4:24-26). As Moses recounts the Lord’s deliverance from the hand of Egypt (Ex 18:8), we relive the amazing stories and rejoice with Jethro (Ex 18:9-10) that Yahweh is greater than all gods (Ex 18:11). We, too, would love to sit together to share a meal before God (Ex 18:12). The details all drive us to remember the Lord’s deliverance and to sing unto him, for he has triumphed gloriously.
  2. Jethro is a priest (Ex 18:1), one who bridges the gap between men and God. He does this by directing their attention to Yahweh, causing them to rejoice in Yahweh, exposing their own insufficiency, and making them hungry for Yahweh’s laws. Perhaps the narrator wishes to move us to action through the figure of Jethro.
  3. If we focus on the need for delegation—an important point—we may actually miss the main point. Moses: “I decide…and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws” (Ex 18:16). Jethro: “You shall warn them about the statutes and the laws…Moreover, look for able men…and let them judge the people at all times” (Ex 18:20-22). In other words: “You, Moses, can teach. But you need others to decide.” (Yes, I understand this is all about delegation. But to what end?) “You are not enough for this people. You need God’s laws to be codified and written down so that others can continue the work you have begun.” The point: These people need able leaders, acquainted with God’s laws and able to apply them to everyday situations. Moses is a great leader. There must also be thousands of able leaders among the people, since they all hop right in place very quickly (Ex 18:25-26). Jethro’s advice exposes what is truly the missing ingredient: a codified body of instruction. The Law.

Train of thought:

  • Remember where you came from; Yahweh has delivered you.
  • Realize you are not enough; you need God’s words to direct your people from here.

Main point: Being God’s people means we constantly remember our deliverance and look to his instruction for our new life.

Connection to Christ: Jesus is our exodus, our deliverance (Gal 1:3-5, Luke 9:30-31, “departure”=”exodus”). Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe (Rom 10:4). Jesus is our life (Col 3:4).

My Application of Exodus 18

I have been struggling with treating the good news of Christ’s kingdom in a rote way, and this passage refreshes my joy in the Lord. I must not merely recite; I must remember and rejoice in his mighty deliverance.

And as I disciple and train others, I must resist the temptation to be the focus of their hope and trust. I will never be enough. My decisions, counsel, and insight will never be enough. They need Jesus, the Word made flesh, to guide them. They need to understand the Scriptures so they can apply its truths to their own lives and lead others.

One simple way I’d like to grow in this last point: Don’t answer questions for my advice. Instead, ask people what the Scripture says, and what they think the Lord would have them do. Then, if they still need help, I can direct them to some more passages or truths to consider.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

More Reflections on Rapid Bible Reading

By

Adam Rodriguez undertook my challenge to read the whole Bible quickly at the start of 2017, and he lived to tell about it on his blog. He wasn’t sure about setting aside all the other books he wanted, but found it to be worth the effort. On his blog, he reflects on the experience, with the following reactions:

  1. I Gained a Deeper Appreciation of the Bible as a Work of Literary Art.
  2. I See More How Scripture Alludes To Itself.
  3. I See How the Bible’s Theology Develops Over Time.
  4. My Love for the Bible was Restored.

I especially appreciated Rodriguez’s third point, which arose from using a historical reading plan—reading the Old Testament books according to the Hebrew order, and the New Testament books in the order they were written. Reading in this way, in a short time, highlight the unfolding revelation of God through human history.

I’m grateful to Adam and the many others who took up the challenge and shared their thoughts on it. May the Lord bless our efforts to better understand him through his word!

Check it out!