Exodus 18:1-12, The Legacy of Jethro (2)

The Druze hold Jethro in high esteem, as a revered prophet.  Every year they hold a feast in the area of Hattim, near Tiberias and Mt. Arbel, at the tomb of Jethro.  Their religion, while somewhat mysterious (only “religious” Druze are allowed to study the doctrine) is monotheistic, related to Islam (although they are rejected and persecuted by Muslims), and includes belief in reincarnation.  It is not Christian, but they do have a belief in a coming Messianic type of individual. 

Let’s work through some of the OT passages on Jethro and his descendants.  There are questions we can consider (more than just the issue of his “names” we considered in the previous post).

·       Exodus 2:16-22:  Reuel (so called in connection with his daughters, 2:18)/Jethro (so called in connection with Moses, 3:1) was the priest of Midian (2:16), had seven daughters, and was a man of hospitality (2:20).  It is interesting that the Druze are considered to be very hospitable people. 

o   Midian was a son of Abraham by his wife Keturah, and Midian had several sons (Ge n. 25:1-6).  Abraham’s chief heir was Isaac, but to the sons through Keturah he gave gifts, and then he sent them away to the east (v6).  When Moses fled to Midian (Ex. 2:15) it was in the area of Horeb, the mountain of God (i.e. Mt. Sinai, Ex. 3:1).  Midian is generally considered to be an area of northwestern Arabia, along the east side of the Gulf of Aqaba (the Red Sea; see the map).  So the first thing we see about Jethro is that he was not of the people of Israel.

 o   Priest of Midian.  In my view I don’t know that we can say much about the nature of the Midianite religion.  Again, Midian was a descendant of Abraham.  We know that Abraham led his household, including his servants, in the truth.  It would seem likely he trained his later family in the truths of God’s choice of him and his descendants through Isaac.  Thus, could the religion of Midian, at this point, have some elements of the truth?  Yes.  Did Jethro seem to have some knowledge of the God of Abraham?  It seems quite likely.  Remember also how Abraham worshiped under the ministry of the priest of Salem, Melchizedek.

o   There are certainly several positives about Jethro after his conference with Moses, hearing the works of God.  His confession in Ex. 18:11 indicates his knowledge of many gods, including YAHWEH whom he comes to recognize as the Most High God, which is the name of God in the OT that was used by and in the context of the non-Israelite nations.  Again, Melchizedek was priest of God Most High (Gen. 14:18).

o   Jethro also accurately understood what was going on in Egypt, when God honored Himself over and against the gods of Egypt.  And then, as a priest, he blessed YAHWEH and offered sacrifices to YAHWEH.  It is interesting that the record specifies that Aaron, along with the elders of Israel, ate the sacrificial meal connected with Jethro’s offering.  It helps us to remember that all this happened before Aaron’s consecration,

Thus, we can say that if the Druze are descendants of Jethro, they had a good beginning.  And if they just honor Jethro, that’s a good thing, because they will be led to the true God.  But it is rather doubtful that their religion, as little as we might know of the specifics, is the product of Jethro.