at this halfway point come two stories which, at first glance, seem to have very little to do either with the exodus from Egypt that occupies the first half of the book, or with the information about building the tabernacle that occupies the second half of the book. What does this visit from Jethro, and the appointment of judges over Israel, have to do with the rest of Exodus? Why on earth is it important enough to be stuck at the hinge point of the book? (Yes, the Ten Commandments are at the literal center; we don't have to wonder why they are there.) Here is the answer: The two stories involving Jethro here at the center of Exodus present in summary form the major themes of each half of the book. Remember, Exodus as a whole is the book of the knowledge of God. The part of the book that deals with leaving Egypt is specifically about the knowledge of God through deliverance. And the second part is about the knowledge of God through dwelling. In the first part, God brings His people out of Egypt. In the second part, He comes to dwell among them in the tabernacle that they build for Him. Do you see how those exact two themes show up in this chapter? The first part of it is about how Jethro came to know Yahweh through His deliverance of Israel from Egypt. The second part of it is about how Jethro helped Israel become a place where God could dwell by giving advice about the correct way to set up the judicial system. Thus, the two stories here represent smaller versions of the larger story of Exodus. One is amazing, filled with God's mighty deeds. The other seems tedious. But both are facets of knowing God.
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Caleb Nelson grew up in Ft. Collins, CO. Born into a Christian home, where he eventually became the eldest of 11 children, he has been a lifelong Presbyterian. He professed faith at the age of six, and was homeschooled through high school. He then attended Patrick Henry College...
