In Exodus 17 Moses is praying and fighting an external, physical enemy and prayer is the remedy. However, in Exodus 18 it is an internal, spiritual enemy that he is battling, his ego and he takes his father-in-laws advice for a remedy, ‘share the load.’ Jethro the priest of Midian which was in north/west Arabia, brought Zipporah Moses’ wife and his two sons Gershom and Eliezer to him, since she turned back at the Inn in Exodus 4:24-26. Jethro watched Moses judging the people alone in Ex. 18:13-16 and said, “The thing that you do is not good. You will surely wear away. Both you and the people that are with you, for this thing is too heavy for you, you are not able to perform it, yourself alone.”

Then he gives him some good advice for a heathen or was he? “Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God.” Exodus 18:18 tells us how to avoid ‘Burn-Out’ in God’s service, ‘share the load!’ As under-shepherds we are to stand before God for the people, His flock, we are to stand in the gap, we are to be intercessors for God, counselors for His sheep, and in order to do that we can’t be over loaded, because as Jethro said, “you will surely wear yourselves out and the people that are with you. So, let’s stand before God for the people and let’s not burn out, bail out, rust out or run out of gas! Amen? (That was weak!)

Jethro goes on to say; If we do the first thing, Pray; Then we can do the next thing v.20, Teach them the Word; Then we can Show them the Way; Then we can Lead them in the Work. Good advice from a non-believer, especially your father-in-law. We need to learn from this principle of ‘Burn-Out,’ share-the-load. Then in v.21 he gives Moses some qualifications for choosing leaders to help him find, able men, who fear/reverence God, men of truth, who hate evil and make them rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. You will find this principle laid out in Num. 11:16-25 when Moses is ready to give up and God tells him to choose 70 elders to serve with him, the principle for building a Sanhedrin. It is also in Deut. 1:15 where Moses is repeating the law for the younger generation about to go into the promised land. Interesting, because in the Newer Testament when they appointed deacons in Acts 6 it was so the apostles could give themselves to two things continually, “to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” So, our pastors and spiritual leaders are to give themselves to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word, then they are to Show us the Way in which we are to Walk by example and then Lead us in the Work of the ministry, by equipping us for the work, Eph. 4:11-12. As leaders we must have the mindset to stand before God for the people; to Pray first, to Pray foremost, to Pray always, to Pray unceasingly, to Pray fervently, and to Pray steadfastly!

This was preparing Moses for the next event which was his ascent up the mountain to meet God face to face. Exodus 19:3-8, “Moses went up unto God (Elohim) and the LORD (Yehovah) called unto him out of the mountain…” God has led them out on eagle’s wings and they are camped out in the Sinai desert, about 2.5 to 3 million of them, and Moses goes up on the mountain of God, it’s “Communion Time!” Moses’ greatest attribute was his intercessory power with God, v.8. The people said, “All that the LORD has said we will do.” And Moses goes back up the mountain to bring God their words again, v.9. The law was not imposed until it was proposed and voluntarily accepted first.

The LORD came to Moses in a thick cloud in Exodus 24:15-18, “And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount… and Moses went into the midst of the cloud.” Here, I believe the same thing is happening, Moses enters into the Cloud, where the presence of God is abiding, the ‘Shekinah Glory’ of God’s presence. In Hebrew the word Shekinah means, to settle, inhabit or dwell, however in Exodus 40:35, Moses could not enter into the Tabernacle because the ‘Shekinah Glory’ abode in it, “And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” So there were times when Moses could enter the cloud and times when he could not enter it, that was entirely up to the LORD, not Moses. What made that criteria different, I don’t know, I’ll ask Moses when I see him. According to ancient Jewish tradition the ‘Shekinah Glory’ appears in the midst of a (minyan of ten) worshipers when they pray in a congregation, when two or more Jewish people engage in Torah study, when a man recites the Shema, on a husband and wife who live in peace and harmony, and it rests on the chaste, the benevolent and the hospitable. The ancient sages said it was like a brilliant light and radiance and before it approached it was preceded by the tinkling sound of an ethereal bell. One interesting ancient Jewish legend even described the dying of Moses as being lovingly enfolded in the “wings” of the Shekinah Glory. It is said that, “Wherever the Jewish people go, the ‘Shekinah Glory’ follows.”

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Then in Hebrews 10:19 it says, “Having therefore, brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” Therefore, based on the blood atonement of Jesus The Christ, we have the same privilege to enter into the Holy of Holies and intercede for His people, the ‘Bride of Christ’ because of the ‘Blood of Christ’ so we can enjoy the same intimacy Moses enjoyed.   “…Between The Lines…”

“Lord, may we enter into that sweet communion, into that cloud as Moses did and enter into intercessory prayer for Your people. May we too stand before You and for Your people and bring their petitions, their problems big and small before Your throne. In Jesus name. Amen!”

“Instruction for Prevention of Burn-Out”  8/12/12

Don’t Forget To Visit Our New Blog  –  diggingintoprophecy.com