Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-14
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON
JETHRO'S WISE COUNSEL.
Exodus, Xviii.1-27.
Golden TeXt-To each one his
work.-Mark, Xiii34


are brought face to face with Jethro,
who made not only deep mark upon
Jewish history, but to whom we are
indebted for our free institutions. We
know very little of the father-in-laW
of Moses, whose visit to the Hebrew
camp was made shortly after the
Israelites had reached Horeb. He visit
ed Moses at a crucial hour. It was the
morrow of victory, which is always a
dangerous period, because all the
forces of selfishness and passion have
a tendency to assert themselves at
that hour. Immediately following the
battle of Rephidim, the hosts of Israel
left the narrow and rugged defiles,
where they had fought their first battle
and had conquered the AmalekiteS.
They came to the land where Moses
had cared for the f1ocks Of the priest Of
INDIAN for 40 years.
When Jethro learned of the arrival
of his sonin-law at the mouptain Of
| God he went to meet Moses, who had
| left him in response to Gods call to
| liberate the Hebrews. The great
emancipation had departed with his APP
prevail, blessing and encouragement.
He had taken his wife, Zipporah, and
their two sons with him, but after the
incident which led to the circumcision
of their youngest son, Moses had sent
Zipporah and their two sons back to
Jethro Evidently she did not approve
of the work, that Moses knew God
was calling him to undertake for the
liberation of his cOuntrymen. Iler
presence under such circumstances
| would have a tendency to hinder his
efficiency and imperil her life. He
, sent her back to her fathers home.
where Moses knew that they would
be welcome and be protected. Jethro
knew the love Moses had for his Wlfe
and sons, so he took them along with
him when he went to visit his sonin-
law at the camp, where he was the
leader and lawgiver.
Family Reunion.
.Jethro recognized the position OF
Moses by sending him the courteous
message announcing his arrival. " nen
the word reached the great emancl-
pator Moses was busy seeking to set
tie the numerous petty problems OF
the multitude after the manner OF
sheik, or head of a tribe, among the
Bedouins of the desert. Doughty
tells us of the administration of JUS
tice in an Arab community, as fol
lows: "It is near two hours after
sunrise, when the emir comes forth
publicly to hold his morning meJells
laudience). The princes mejelis
is the public tribunal, he sitting as
president and Judge among them. The
emir is seated on high Settee, MD
way on a long bench of clay. At
either side of him sit men OF shelks
rank, the chiefs of the public service
and their companies, and any visiting
l. Bedouins after their rank. The princes
men at arms, executors of his orders.
form an armed circle about the seat
of Justice Into that armed circuit
suitors enter, with the accused ana
suppliants, and, insa word, all who
have any question mot OF statel or
appear to answer in public audience
before the emir, and he hears their
causes, to every one shortly defining
Justice. and what judgments issue
| from the princes mouth are instantly
executed. From the morning to the
! evening There are so many cases
| for a hearing that the whole day was
| thus occupied
Moses Immediately left his work as
| a Judge and went to welcome his fam
lily and Jethro. He greeted the latter
with true Oriental usage, doing ohelS-
| ance and kissing him. The Scrip
| lures are silent about the reception
he gave Zipporah, yet knowing of his
! love and devotion to her, we know
| that the separation had served to
!
| other. The silence of the record may
| be due to the Oriental custom of ig-
noring women, or to the fact that
| their reunion contained no message
| to be transmitted to the coming gen
| erationS. We can we'll imagine the
| conversation that was carried on be-
tween them. Jethro, Zipporah and
! the two sons telling all about their
| experiences and the exploits of the
sons in caring for their grandfather S
focks. Moses, recording his expert
ences in Egypt and pointing 10 the
fire ard cloud symbols of Gods lead
| ership, informed them of all that had
taken place from the night of the
passover up to the battle of Joshua
! and the AmalekiteS at Rephidim
! which wdS won not on the field OF
blood, but upon the mountain, Israel
| having won just as long as the arms
| of Moses were extended seeking power
from Jehovah upon the army of the