The Bible does not record God approving Jethro's advice; God remains silent in the Exodus 18 account.
Exodus 18 says Moses hearkened to his father-in-law and did all he said, but no verse says God commanded or endorsed the plan. In the available clip, Les Feldick simply introduces Jethro as 'Moses' father-in-law, a Midianite' without giving a divine verdict. The broader clip context shows Les emphasizing that Moses needed God to enable and teach him, not merely human practicality.
Exodus 18:24 — Records that Moses followed Jethro's advice without any mention of God commenting on it.
Exodus 18:17-18 records Jethro's counsel: 'And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 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 proposed that Moses appoint able men who feared God and hated covetousness to judge the smaller matters (Exodus 18:21). Then verse 24 says, 'So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.' What the chapter never does is record God saying 'I approve this plan' or 'I have sent Jethro to you.' The silence of God on this matter is the key biblical fact when asking whether God approved.
In the one clip that directly mentions this event, Les introduces the account by saying, 'Here comes Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, a Midianite.' He places it within his repeated pattern of 'first the natural, then the spiritual,' but the clip does not contain a detailed statement that God approved Jethro's plan. In surrounding clips, Les emphasizes that Moses was not usable while he was self-prepared by Egypt; God had to be the one enabling him. For example, Les points to God's promise to Moses: 'I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.' Taken together, the evidence shows Les treating Moses' leadership as dependent on divine direction, not on merely practical human counsel.
No. Exodus 18 never says 'and God approved it.' It narrates Jethro's suggestion, Moses listening, and Moses implementing the plan, but the text is conspicuously silent about any divine word either for or against it. The absence of explicit divine approval is the most striking feature of the account.
In the available clip, Les merely identifies Jethro as 'Moses' father-in-law, a Midianite.' He connects the passage to his theme of 'first the natural, then the spiritual,' but he does not call Jethro a believer, nor does he say God instructed Jethro to give this counsel. The clip leaves the event as a natural, human interaction within Israel's history.
The clips repeatedly show Moses doubting his own ability. Les explains that Moses had Egypt's wisdom and polish, but 'God couldn't use him that way' because he was self-prepared. Les also highlights God's promise in Exodus 4:11-12: 'I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.' This context points to Les's broader teaching that true leadership for Israel came from God's direct enablement, not from human pragmatism alone.
Jethro Introduced as Midianite
Les introduces the Exodus 18 account by calling Jethro 'Moses' father-in-law, a Midianite' and fits it into his 'first the natural, then the spiritual' pattern, without claiming God approved the advice.
Moses' Self-Preparedness
Les explains that God could not use Moses when Moses was prepared by Egypt and self-confident, showing that divine leadership does not rest on human ability or even practical human planning.
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God's Promise to Enable Moses
Les quotes God's promise, 'I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say,' showing that God's direct teaching is what equips a leader.
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And so anyway, things keep getting worse, and finally the children of Israel are beginning to wonder whether Moses and Pharaoh really know what it's all about. And they come unto them, and oh, where is it? Verse 22, And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this thy people? Why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy n…
Exodus 18:1: When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;
Reveals that Jethro was a Midianite priest, which the nearby clips indicate was significant to Les.
Exodus 18:17-18: And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 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.
Shows the human reasoning behind Jethro's advice, which the Bible records without any divine approval.
Exodus 18:21: 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:
Gives the specific criteria Jethro proposed for the judges, again with no mention of God sanctioning it.
Exodus 18:24: So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
Confirms that Moses followed Jethro's advice, while the text remains silent about God approving it.
No. Exodus 18 records Jethro's counsel and Moses doing all he said, but no verse states that God commanded or endorsed the plan. God is silent in that chapter.
In the provided clip, Les only identifies Jethro as a Midianite; he does not state that Jethro was a believer. The Bible calls him 'the priest of Midian,' but the clip evidence does not go further.
The transcript evidence does not address whether listening was sinful. It simply records that Moses listened to his father-in-law, while God's silence leaves the matter without a divine verdict.
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