Who was Jethro?

• After Sarah died
  • Abraham takes Keturah as wife
  • Keturah bears him sons
  • One son was Midian
• Midianites settled “to the east” (Genesis 25:6)
• Joseph’s brothers sold him to Midianites (Genesis 47)
• Joined Moabites in hiring Balaam (Numbers 22)
• Fell into idolatry with Moabites (Numbers 25)

Names attributed to Jethro

• Jethro – Exodus 3:1; 4:18; 18:1-12
• Reuel – Exodus 2:18; Numbers 10:29
• Hobab – Numbers 10:29; Judges 4:11
• Putiel – Exodus 6:25
• Heber – Judges 4, 5 (Jael’s husband)

Jethro the priest

• Exodus 2:16 – “… the priest of Midian …”
  • No mention of idols
  • No mention of what kind of priest
  • On the other hand, Melchizedek is identified with God (Genesis 14:18)
• What kind of priest?
  • Tradition
    • Idolatrous priest, won over to God through the miracles done for Israel in the Exodus (Talmud)
    • Priest of God (secular historians)
      • First to teach Moses of God
      • The originator of monotheism among Israelites via Moses
    • Depends on who traditions you choose
    • Brings us to the problems with following traditions
  • Scriptural indications
    • Simple and straightforward
    • Called a priest of Midian with no mention of idolatry
      • Midianites were into idolatry – Numbers 25
      • So were Israelites – Exodus 32
    • His words praise only God – Exodus 18

Jethro (and his aliases) in scripture

• First found in Exodus 2:15-22
  • Moses about age 40
  • Flees Egypt, winds up at Midianite wel
  • The Jethro family encounter
• In Exodus 3, first called Jethro
  • Identified a father-in-law to Moses, priest of Midian (Exodus 3:1)
  • Again in next chapter, as Moses asks his leave (Exodus 4:18)
• Not seen again until chapter 18
  • Sends word that he is visiting

Jethro’s visit to the encampment (Exodus 18:1-12)

• Greeted outside the camp
• Taken into the camp
  • Hears recount of the Exodus from Egypt
  • Rejoices over God’s lovingkindness over Israel
  • Blesses God
  • Makes sacrifices to God
  • Dines with Aaron and elders of Israel

Jethro organizes Moses (Exodus 18:13-27)

• Jethro observes a day in the life of Moses
  • Sunup to sundown
  • Counsels Moses
    • Too much for one man
    • Set priorities
    • Delegated actions
    • Gives qualifications
    • Stipulates God’s approval
  • Moses follows through
• Jethro takes his leave

Other possible encounters

• Numbers 10:29 – Hobab
  • Same as Jethro?
  • Judges 4:11 – same Hobab? Same lineage?

Introduction

• Matthew 22:37
• Proverbs 23:7
• Matthew 12:34
• Romans 12:2
• I Corinthians 2:14-3:4 – They were not spiritually minded and that was the root of their issues.
• Galatians 5:16
• Matthew 16:23 – Peter had a mind problem.
• Acts 8:21
• When things are going wrong, we need to look on the inside.

Let God’s word does its work.

• Acts 28:24
• We must have an attitude that will let God’s word filter into our hearts.
• Acts 2:37
• Hebrews 3:7-8, 10, 12, 15; 4:6-7, 11

Trust in the God of Heaven.

• God is in control, even though bad things happen on earth.
• Hebrews 12:3
• Hebrews 13:5-6
• Do we trust in our health, finances, or something else?
• Philippians 4:6-7

Store of treasures in Heaven.

• Matthew 6:19
• Building up treasure in Heaven puts my heart in the right place.
• Philippians 3:18-20
• Colossians 3:5, 1-4
• Example: Bark beetle killing pine trees from the inside.

Deuteronomy 25

• Deuteronomy 25:1-19 – Miscellaneous laws
  • Deuteronomy 25:4 – See I Corinthians 9:9; I Timothy 5:17-18. This law has a broader application.
  • Deuteronomy 25:3 – The Pharisees were “making fences inside God’s fences” and being stricter than this law required. This was also wrong.

Deuteronomy 26

• Deuteronomy 26:1-11 – Praising God with the first produce from the land.
• Deuteronomy 26:12-15 – Tithe and prayer.
• Deuteronomy 26:16-19 – Obey God and be His people.
  • Moses is completing his second speech to the people.

Deuteronomy 27

• Deuteronomy 27:1-8 – Write the Law and build an altar on Mount Ebal.
  • Deuteronomy 27:4 – See Joshua 8:30-35. What might be an altar was found near Mt. Ebal, along with a small, folded lead tablet containing a curse written in Paleo-Hebrew (see Deuteronomy 27:14-26). Sound tests were done at the location prescribed by God in the 1800s and it was found that if the Israelites were arranged on the hills as God specified, they would be able to easily hear Joshua reading the law.
• Deuteronomy 27:9-10 – “This day you have become a people for the Lord your God.”
• Deuteronomy 27:11-26 – Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal

Deuteronomy 28

• Deuteronomy 28:1-14 – “All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you.”
• Deuteronomy 28:15-68 – “All these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”
  • Deuteronomy 28:47-48 – They would be cursed if they did not serve with joy.

Introduction

• II John 1:9
• We want to simply look at the Bible and do what it says.

Local churches are authorized to provide for the preaching of the gospel.

• Acts 11:21-23 – “they sent Barnabas”
• Acts 13:1-3 – “teachers … they sent them”
• Acts 14:26-28 – “commended … they began to report”
• Acts 15:1-3 – “sent on their way by the church”
• I Corinthians 9:1-18 – “get their living from the gospel”
• I Corinthians 14 – “for edification”
• II Corinthians 11:7-9 – “I robbed other churches”
• Philippians 1:3-5; 4:14-18 – “participation in the gospel”
• I Thessalonians 1:6-10 – “sounded forth from you”
• In the New Testament, churches sent money directly to the preacher. There was no “sponsoring church” arrangement.
• In the early days of the church, the pattern from the New Testament was followed. Over time, a hierarchy developed in some local churches, which eventually led to the Catholic organization, with one Pope over all Catholic churches.

Local churches are authorized to provide for needy Christians.

• Acts 2:44-45
• Acts 4:32-35
• Acts 6:1-3
• Acts 11:27-30
• Romans 15:25-27
• I Corinthians 16:1-3
• II Corinthians 8:3-4, 14
• II Corinthians 9:1
• I Timothy 5:16, 5 – “widows indeed”

Local churches are authorized to provide for worship and edification.

• The local church is a group designed for mutual encouragement as we serve God together.
• I Corinthians 14:3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 17, 26, 31
• Lord’s Supper – I Corinthians 11:26
• Studying / preaching – I Corinthians 14:26
• Giving – I Corinthians 16:1-2
• Praying – Acts 12:5
• Singing – I Corinthians 14:26
• Assembling – Hebrews 10:24-25

Significance

• Descriptive?
  • “From Dan to Beersheba”
    • Meaning the entire length of Israel
    • Judges 20:1; I Samuel 3:20; II Samuel 24:2, 15
  • Reference from united kingdom
• Relevance to northern kingdom?
  • Dan on northern frontier
  • Bethel on southern frontier
  • Same idea
• Opposites of Dan and Bethel
  • Topographically opposite
  • Geographically opposite
  • Spiritually opposite

Bethel

• First excavated in 1927
• Continuous digs to 1960
• One find posited to be Abram’s altar
• Canaanite tombs, houses, olive presses
• Canaanite temple
• Fortified around 1750 BC – Luz
• City gates were found in pieces
• Destroyed early 12th century BC
• New settlement built after destruction
• Skip to later – captured by Vespasian in 69 AD
• Crusades
  • Crusaders took it in 12th century AD and built churches there
• The name means, “House of God”
• Today it is the village of Beitin
• First seen in scripture in Genesis 12
• Lies in the very rocky terrain of Israel’s central ridge
  • Jacob’s vision – Genesis 28:10-22
    • He used a stone as a pillow for his sleep.
    • After the vision, he consecrated the stone – poured oil on its top
    • Named it “God’s House” or Bethel
  • “Mansion over the hilltop”
• Jacob flees to Bethel – Genesis 34-35
• Canaanites had a king there
  • Defeated by Joshua and sons of Israel
  • Ceded to Benjamin
• Border town
  • Between Ephraim and Benjamin
  • Between Israel and Judah after split
• During conquest, Benjamites failure
  • Didn’t drive out Jebusites
  • House of Joseph went up against Bethel
  • The Lord was with them – Judges 1:21-22
• Later (Judges 20-21)
  • Bethel center of ops – Israel versus Benjamin
  • Place of council in aftermath
• Deborah judged Israel (Judges 4:5)
  • From under a palm tree
  • Between Ramah and Bethel
• Samuel – circuit judge (I Samuel 7:15-17)
  • Four-town circuit
  • Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpah, Ramah
• Saul’s encounter after being anointed by Samuel

Dan

• Near headwaters of Jordan
• Occupied more than 6,000 years ago
  • Abandoned about that time
  • Rebuilt 1,000 years later
• Free-standing mud brick arches
  • Oldest ever found
  • Called Abraham’s gate
• Conquered by Tuthmosis III in 15th century BC
• Tel Dan Stele – 9th century BC
  • Stele heralded initial conquest
    • Assyrian Tiglath-Pileser III
    • Included “David King of Israel”
    • Other Historical info confirming scripture
  • Digs confirm idolatrous practices
• Little mention prior to Jeroboam’s rule
  • Abram defeated forces of Sodom and Gomorrah there
  • Descriptive “north-to-south” statements
  • Center of northern migration of tribe of Dan
• Danites impatience – spies go north (Judges 18)
  • Find Laish
  • Take small force
  • Seize Levite and the idols of Micha
  • Capture Laish, named it Dan

Jeroboam

• Jeroboam’s concern
  • Life, power – I Kings 12:26-33
  • Made two golden calves
  • Places them in Bethel and Dan
  • Designated a feast
  • Posted priests
  • Made sacrifice
  • Prophecy of Josiah’s reforms – I Kings 13

The abominable calves

• Major subject of idolatrous worship
• Multiple regional cultures used calves, bulls
  • Egypt – where Israel spent 400 years
  • Crete – where Philistines frequented
  • Persia – to the east
  • Anatolea – to the north
  • India – farther east

Some lessons

• Don’t hang our hat on a town’s reputation
• Don’t compromise faith for life or power
• Don’t have a “when in Rome” attitude