“So Moses went back home to Jethro, his father-in-law. “Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt,” Moses said. “I don’t even know if they are still alive.” “Go in peace,” Jethro replied.” Exodus 4:18 NLT
A lot had transpired in a chapter and a half of Exodus, God won as well Moses won in many ways. Moses had no idea what the next 40 years would look like for him! Who really does know what will happen when you say “yes” to God’s will?
Remember what Moses’ day started like in Exodus 3? “Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian.” Jethro, or Reuel, was a well known, well established non-Israelite priest, a descendant of Abraham through Keturah. Jethro had taken in a fugitive, allowed him to marry his daughter and trusted Moses to care for his flock, becoming a vital part of the family business. Moses at forty, had found a new family. And, it’s likely that Moses brought God’s blessing for Jethro taking him in and helping rebuild his identity.
After negotiating with God for likely the whole day, Moses returns with the decision that he will obey God and must leave Midian and go back to Egypt. But before he does so, he meets with his father-in-law. Moses asks Jethro for permission to leave. He honored Jethro in his ask! Moses had not only become an integral part of family, giving Jethro two grandsons, Gershom and Eliezer, he had also become invaluable to the family business. Letting Moses go must have been difficult on the whole tribe. It must have been a difficult plea of reality, because he had become such a big part of family. Moses tells Jethro, I must go back to see my relatives (not knowing if they were even alive anymore).
Moses does not tell Jethro at this point, at least, “God spoke to me and I must obey!” Wouldn’t that sound like a better reason for leaving? Jethro, being a highly wise and religious man, would have understood Moses’ dilemma. But Moses chooses to tell him he had to return to his birth family. I just think it is significant that Moses records what had happened before he met with God and what happened after. Moses left Jethro one day and came back a much different man. Jethro releases Moses with a blessing, “Go in peace.”
The Bible is open and honest about the family dynamics throughout God’s grand story. Moses’ story is key in showing us the tragedy of a forced abandonment as a baby. Also a view into being raised by a foster family. Then, being received and accepted into a kind of adopted family – even as a grown man. And finally, Moses recognizing how to honor both his father-in-law and willingness to go back to reconnect with his birth family. God even reassures Moses on the trip back home, “the Lord said to him, “Return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you have died.” Studying Moses’ family struggles and structure is fascinating and becomes very much a big part of the leader that God called him to be!
Prayer
Dad,
I think about all that Moses went through to become the man you would use to lead Your people out of 400 years of slavery and head towards the land of promise that would be theirs. The land of Israel today is just as contested and controversial as it was in ancient history. And, the Jewish people, are still prominently involved in Your story. I am so thankful that you have included the raw truth of family struggles and redemption. It gives me hope for all those, like me, who have been adopted twice. Once as a child and again as your son!
