Exodus 21:12 says, He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.  The penalty for smiting, or murdering, a man, was death.  All life is important to God, and we cannot to murder someone without there being a severe penalty.  Verse thirteen states, And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.  God made a provision for those who did not deliberately kill a person, for those who had not laid in wait, or planned to kill that person.  God would appoint a place for the man who did this to flee.  We don't have such a place today, but we do have different designations for what someone is guilty of if they kill another person.  Verse fourteen declares, But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.  God said this was because the one who killed his neighbor was to be taken from His altar.  We cannot really serve God and hate, much less kill, our neighbor.  The person who deliberately killed his neighbor was to be put to death himself.  Verse fifteen states, And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.  This refers to hitting a parent and not to killing them.  A child should never hit his or her parent out of anger or disrespect.  The penalty for this in the Old Testament was death.  Verse sixteen says, And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.  The penalty for stealing and selling a man was death.  God has always taken relationships between people serious.  Verse seventeen declares, And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.  This takes the treatment of parents a step farther, declaring that simply cursing them brings a death penalty.  I believe that this means when parents are living up to their responsibility as parents and even when they aren't, unless we are in physical danger, we are to show them respect.  Verse eighteen states, And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:  Then verse nineteen adds, If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.  If a man was injured in a fight, and was confined to his bed for a time but recovered, the one who injured him was to be responsible for paying for the time the injured person lost at work.  Verse twenty proclaims, And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.  People were not free to kill their servants.  Just because we are in a superior position to someone else in the eyes of the world does not give us the right to kill or mistreat them.  Verse twenty-one adds, Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. If the servant was beaten and recovered in a day or two, the master was to be considered to have lost enough because the servant couldn't work during that time.  Verse twenty-two declares, If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.  God said that if a man caused a woman who was pregnant to lose a child, that he should certainly be punished.  It was up to the husband and the judges to determine the penalty.  I don't believe that God has changed His mind about the loss of an unborn due to the actions of others, and I believe that the father still has a right in determining the fate of that child.  Verse twenty-three adds, And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,  Then verse twenty-four adds, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,  Then verse twenty-five concludes, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.  We could say that the punishment was to fit the crime.  God holds all life sacred, and if we abuse or kill someone, then we should be willing to pay the penalty for it.  If we have accepted salvation through Christ, then the most that can be happen is to die physically, and if we haven't accepted Christ, then there will be time to do so.  Of course, as Christians, we shouldn't be guilty of these things to start with, but since we are told that even our thoughts of such things make us guilty, we may be guilty more often than we wish to admit.

Exodus 21:1 says, Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.  God began to establish some of His laws that went beyond the Ten Commandments, which are the framework from which God's overall laws are based.  Verse two states, If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing  Buying a slave was permitted, but there was a limit to their servitude.  They were to be freed the seventh year.  I really don't believe that this was an endorsement of slavery though, but a limit on its use. Verse three adds, If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.  If the man was single when he came into slavery, then he would leave alone, but if he was married, his wife was to leave with him.  Then verse four continues, If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.  If the man was single and when he was bought, then was given a wife by his master, the wife and children would stay with the master when the man left.  I don't believe that we can really relate to this today this today.  Verse five says, And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:  The man was not forced to leave, but could chose to stay with his family and serve his master.  We can say that we are bought with a price when we come to accept Christ, and we are free to stop serving Him at any time, though I believe that if we are truly His through accepting Christ as our Savior and Lord that we are His forever, that our actions should not pull our family away from God.  Verse six declares, Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.  If the man chose to stay, he was to be brought before the judges and marked as being the master's servant for the rest of his life.  As followers of Christ, we are brought before the Judge, God, and proclaimed to be his forever because we are marked by the blood of Jesus.  Verse seven adds, And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.  Women sold into slavery were treated differently.  They were not to be freed after seven years.  I believe this was more for their protection.  They had no rights if they were freed.  Verse eight continues, If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.  The master could not get rid of the female servant just because he was dissatisfied with her, but she was to be treated much as a wife would.  Verse nine states, And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.  If the master had married the slave to his son, then she was to be treated as a daughter would be treated.  Again, I believe these laws were more for the protection of the female slaves than for making things worse for them.  Verse ten adds, If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.  This is not an endorsement of plural marriages, but an acknowledgement that they did happen.  If the man chose to take another wife, he could not diminish the role of the slave who had become his wife.  We know from Abraham's life that taking a servant to fulfill the role of a wife creates problems, but the servant or slave was not to be turned out of the household as Hagar was.  Verse eleven concludes, And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.  If the man would not fulfill his obligations to the slave woman, then she would be free to leave without anyone paying anything for her.  Once more, I don't believe that we can truly understand the culture of that day, but I do believe that these laws were put in place to protect those who were sold into slavery.

Exodus 20:18

Exodus 20:18 says, And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.  When the people of Israel saw and heard what was going on up on the mountain, they stood far away.  When we see God at work in the world today, we should not stand far off, but should come close to be a part of what He is doing.  Of course, the lost of the world are going to stand far off and attempt to discredit or explain away what God is doing.  

Verse nineteen adds, And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.  The people of Israel, God's chosen people, told Moses to speak to them and they would hear him, but if God spoke to them they would die.  We can never think that we need some other person to stand between us and God, except Jesus Christ, Who took our place before God.  We must go directly to God with our cares and concerns.  

Verse twenty continues, And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.  Moses told the people that they were not to be afraid of God, because He had come to cause them to respect Him and to not be guided by sin.  We as followers of Christ should never be afraid of God simply because He is the all powerful God, but we should respect Him enough to not give in to sin.  

Verse twenty-one states, And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.  The people of Israel still stood afar off, but Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.  For those who do not believe in God, and specifically in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, God will always be hidden in the great darkness of sin, and they will be far off from Him.  When someone comes to God through faith in Christ, the darkness will begin to be lifted, though we will never know everything about God in this lifetime.  

Verse twenty-two adds, And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.  God began to tell Moses what to say to the people.  The first thing was that they knew that God had spoken to Moses.  When we share the gospel today, we must make sure that people know that it is God's word that we share.  

Verse twenty-three continues, Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.  God once again told Moses to tell the people not to make gods of silver or gold.  When we put anything on earth ahead of God, we are making a god of whatever it may be.  We must let nothing come between God and us, and if we do, then we are worshipping a false god.  

Verse twenty-four says, An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.  It is not enough to just not worship false God's, but we must worship God.  I don't believe that we should ever become complacent about God, but must worship Him always.  

Verse twenty-five adds, And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.  God said that they were not to hew out altars of stone, and if they did they would pollute it.  I believe this was so that the people would not begin to make altars so ornate that the altar itself became more important than God.  We should never allow church buildings to become more important than God.  

Verse twenty-six concludes, Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.  I believe this refers to spiritual nakedness more than physical nakedness.  If we attempt to come to God on our own terms, we come before Him spiritually naked.

Exodus 20:1

Exodus 20:1 says, And God spake all these words, saying,  

Verse two adds, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  God first establishes once again Who He is.  God will always make Himself known to people, then He will call them to accept that fact if His deliverance is to be of any effect.  For us, that deliverance is from the penalty of sin through faith in Christ and not from some physical location  

Verse three continues, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  This was a requirement for Israel, and it has not changed.  Though all these commandments were given to Israel, they apply to us  today, and I will discuss them as such.  We must first allow nothing else to be more important to us than God, and if we do, then that has become our god.  There really is only one God, so we should not allow some false god to come before Him.  

Verse four states, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  We are not to make or worship idols.  Anything that we make to worship is made from a part of God's creation.  

Verse five adds, Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;  This tells us that not only are we not to make graven images, but that we are not to worship any that are made.  God, Who created and sustains us, expects us to be loyal to Him.  This also speaks of God bringing iniquity on the third and fourth generation of those who do worship idols, but we know that every person is responsible for their own sins and theirs alone.  The effects of sin may have a lasting impact if not forgiven through faith in Christ though.  

Verse six continues, And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.  God does show mercy on the thousands who love Him, but He actually shows mercy on everyone.  It is only those who accept His mercy shown through Christ coming as our redeemer who benefit from it.  

Verse seven says, Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  We often confuse this with using profanity, but it is so much deeper than just words.  Anytime we call on God without any belief that He is going to hear us or if we call out to Him simply expecting Him to grant our wants, we are using His name in vain.  Anytime we attempt to use His name to endorse what we are doing without consulting Him and asking His guidance, we are using His name in vain.  

Verse eight adds, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  

Verse nine continues, Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  

Verse ten says, But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  

Verse eleven concludes, For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.  We are told to keep the Sabbath, which we now celebrate as Sunday, the Lord's Day, holy.  This is to be a day set aside to worship God, and we are given the reason.  God created everything in six days and rested on the Sabbath, and we should likewise rest and worship Him on a day set aside for Him.  These first four commandments have to do with the relationship between God and people.  If we do not keep these commandments, then we cannot hope to keep the other six, and even if we do it will do us no good if we don't keep the first four.  

Verse twelve declares, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD God giveth thee.  The first commandment about relationships between people has to do with children and their parents and comes with a promise.  We are to honor our father and mother, not just part of the time or to a certain age, but as long as they are alive.  When we do, we are promised that our days may be long.  I don't believe that everyone who obeys their parents is guaranteed a long life, but when we obey our parents who are obeying God, then we will tend to enjoy a longer life since they will be looking out for our best interests.  

Verse thirteen adds, Thou shalt not kill.  I believe this means commit murder, but it also includes our thoughts as well as our actions.  

Verse fourteen continues,Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Again, Christ expanded this to include our thoughts about other people.  We are not to lust after someone else.  

Verse fifteen says, Thou shalt not steal.  Seems simple enough, but we can steal by not given our employer a full days worth of work, for instance.  

Verse sixteen adds, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.  We live in a time where it is easy to bear false witness against our neighbor, so we need to ensure if we do say something about them that it is the truth and that it is necessary to say it.  

Verse seventeen concludes, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.  We are not o covet anything that belongs to our neighbor.  I don't believe that we can justify it by sayin that we want what they have and for them to have something better.

Exodus 19:16

Exodus 19:16  says, And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.  On the third day, when God had said He would appear to the people of Israel, there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain, which could have been explained as just a weather phenomenon, until the trumpet sounded exceedingly loud,  When God does appear to us, as followers of Christ, we cannot explain it away as just some natural occurrence, even if we don't hear a trumpet sound.  Even if God speaks to us in a still, small voice, we will still know that it is Him if we are only listening.  The people were afraid, but we do not need to be afraid when God speaks to us today if we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord.  

Verse seventeen adds,  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.  Moses brought the people of Israel out to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.  We today bring people to meet Christ, and they stand at the foot of the cross.  Until this point, even though they were God's chosen people, God was only speaking to them through Moses, who relayed God's words to them.  Until a person encounters God in a personal relationship, they may need someone else to share His word with them, though He will be calling them to come.  

Verse eighteen continues, And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.  The whole mountain was covered with smoke and quaked at the presence of God.  I believe that when God really makes Himself known that He cannot be ignored and we will know beyond a doubt that it is God.  God told Moses in advance that He was going to appear, just as He has told us in advance that one day Christ is going to reappear.  We sometimes want to claim that natural disasters are God's punishment, especially if they don't happen to us, but I believe that if God sends His punishment that there will be no other possible explanation for what happens.  

Verse nineteen states, And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.  As the trumpet ot louder and sounded longer, Moses spoke out loud to God,  Once God gets our attention today, we need to respond to Him, though we might not need to speak out loud.  

Verse twenty adds, And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.  God came down to the top of the mountain and called Moses up.  Just as God was above Moses then and called Moses up to Him, so He is above us today and comes down and calls us up to Him.  We cannot reach God by our own abilities, but can only respond when He comes down to us and calls us to Him.  

Verse twenty-one continues, And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.  God told Moses to go down and tell the people not to come up simply because of curiosity.  Some people today want to try to come to God on their own terms, but it will not work.  

Verse twenty-two states, And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.  The priests who were to come near to God were to sanctify themselves, just as we as a priesthood of believers should do today.  

Verse twenty-three adds, And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.  Moses told God that the people could not come up because God had set bounds.  We today cannot come to God except through faith in Christ, which is the bounds that God has set for salvation.  Until we accept Christ, we will remain at the foot of the mountain and never know God in a personal relationship.  

Verse twenty-four continues, And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.  Only Moses and Aaron were allowed to go up the mountain to meet with God.  Thankfully, anyone today who will respond to Christ in faith is able to enter into a personal relationship with God.  

Verse twenty-five concludes, So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.  Moses did what God told him to do, and so must we today as Christians,

Exodus 19:1 says, In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.  The people of Israel were on the move once more, going into the wilderness of Sinai.  Verse two states, For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.  They camped again in the desert of Sinai, which is also referred to as the wilderness, near a mountain.  It was not the Promised Land in any aspect.  We today will never find our promised land, Heaven, here on the earth.  We are always going to be camping in the wilderness until we leave this world.  Verse three says, And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;  Moses went up the mountain and God called out to him.  We may go looking for God, but it is always God Who will find us.  God began to tell Moses what he was to say to the people of Israel, God's chosen people.  Wen we witness to those around us, we must make sure that it is God's word that we are sharing.  Verse four states, Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.  Moses was to remind the people that it was God Who had delivered them from Pharaoh and Egypt.  We today, as followers of Christ, must always remember that God delivered us from the slavery of sin.  Verse five proclaims, Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:  God made a promise with a provision.  If the people of Israel would obey His voice and keep His covenant, then they would be a peculiar treasure to God.  If they were special simply because of who they were, then there would have been no provision added.  We, as followers of Christ, are not special because of who we are or where we were born, but because we enter into a covenant relationship with God through our faith in Christ.  Verse six adds, And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.  When the people of Israel entered into a covenant relationship with God, then they would be  kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  We as Christians believe in the priesthood of the believer and are part of a holy nation.  This is not some geographical kingdom, but a spiritual one.  Verse seven says, And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.  Moses came down the mountain and first called the elders and shared with them what God had said.  We do not have to share the gospel through anyone else, but can witness individually to everyone we that God sends us to.  Verse eight adds, And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.  We are told that all the people said that hey would do what God had said.  Today, if we are truly to be God's people, then we must do what He says, individually and collectively.  Moses went back to tell God what the people had said.  We are so blessed that we can go directly to God with our cares and concerns and never have to go through anyone else nor to a particular place to talk to God.  Verse nine declares, And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.  God said that He was going to speak directly to the people of Israel through a thick cloud so that they would know that it was God Who was telling Moses what to say.  When God first calls us to Him, we do not clearly see Who He is, and we never will fully understand in this life, but we see enough to know that He is God.  Verse ten adds, And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,  God told Moses to go to the people and sanctify them to encounter God the third day.  We do not have to go through any purifying ritual to meet Christ today, but I believe that once we do encounter Him and accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, that God expects us to purify ourselves daily through obedience to His word.  Verse eleven continues, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.  The people then were to be ready too meet God on the third day, just as we meet Christ today because of what He did on the third day after the crucifixion.  Verse twelve proclaims, And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:  The people were not to touch the mountain.  I believe this is because if they did so they would have been trying to force God to meet them on their terms.  We can only meet God on His terms, which is through the blood of Christ.  Verse thirteen concludes, There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.  Once more, we are told that God would come to the people, just as He comes to us today to call us to salvation.  Verse fourteen states, And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.  Moses went and told the people what to do, and they did it.  We today can tell the people what they must do to be saved, but it is up to them to respond,   Verse fifteen adds, And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.  Moses wanted the people to be dedicated to coming before God as pure as they could be.  Of course, we know that spiritual purity is what we should strive for before God.

Exodus 18:13

Exodus 18;13 says, And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.  Moses was the judge in all matters concerning the people of Israel, and he sat from morning until evening to settle disputes among them.  We would think that they would have had little to argue about, but this was not the case.  We would think that followers of Christ would have little to argue about among themselves today, but this is often not the case.  

Verse fourteen adds, And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?  Jethro questioned Moses as why he alone was spending all his time judging the people.  Today, we should not expect the pastor to do everything in the church.  The job of the pastor is really to preach and teach, not to handle every detail related to the church.  

Verse fifteen continues, And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:  I believe that Moses was saying that the people of Israel saw him as the only one who represented God.  We need to be careful that we don't get that same attitude.  Every believer has just as much access to God as every other believer, and we are called for a specific purpose to help God's kingdom function properly.  

Verse sixteen states, When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. Moses said they came to him and he made God's laws known to them.  Though we should make God's laws known to other believers and the world, those who are Christians should already know what God's law teaches and should rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance.  

Verse seventeen adds, And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.  

Verse eighteen continues,  Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.  Jethro told Moses that what he was doing was not good for him or the people.  Moses and those who needed a judgment were all spending most of their time waiting, and Jethro said that Moses would wear out trying to do this.  As Christians, we must not put our pastors in the same situation today.  

Verse nineteen says, Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:  Jethro asked Moses to listen to his advice.  Moses was God's representative to the people of Israel, but he was not the only one who God was working through.  Jethro advised Moses to represent God with questions concerning God.  We must always remember that we are not alone in knowing what God would have us do, nor is a pastor.  

Verse twenty adds, And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.  Like Moses, pastors today are to teach others the laws of God and what they mean.  

Verse twenty-one continues,  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:  Jethro told Moses that he was to select good men who feared God to be rulers over the others.  They were to be divided into rulers of thousands, hundreds, and tens.  Even those chosen were not to be rulers over large groups alone.  Of course, today one Christian does not rule over another, but we do have different purposes so that the whole burden does not fall on one individual.  

Verse twenty-two states, And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.  Jethro advised Moses to do as he asked.  Moses could have said that he was the one God had chosen to deliver the people of Israel and that he didn't need advice from Jethro.  We cannot have the attitude that only we can know what God wants.  

Verse twenty-three adds, If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.  Though this advice came from Jethro, he told Moses to make sure that it came from God.  When people give us advice today, even fellow believers, we must make sure that the advice comes from God.  Verse twenty-four declares, So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.  Moses listened to Jethro.  We should always be willing to listen to other Christians when we have a problem, but we must make sure that their advise is consistent with God's word.  

Verse twenty-five continues, And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  Verse twenty-six says, And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.  Moses appointed the rulers as Jethro had advised, and then he let them do what they had been appointed to do.  If we are in a position that could be viewed as being over someone else, we must allow them to do their job without attempting to do it our self.  Verse twenty-seven concludes, And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.  After this, Jethro went back to his own land.  We all have different areas of the world in which to serve, and like Moses we must be willing to let others go to serve where they have been called.