Jethro: A Testimony that Speaks to the Nations

 

A Testimony that Speaks to the Nations

Text: Exodus 18:8–10

When Moses met with his father-in-law Jethro in the wilderness, the conversation quickly turned to the mighty acts of God. Exodus 18:8–10 tells us that Moses “told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.” And when Jethro heard this testimony, he blessed the Lord, saying, “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods.”

Here is a beautiful truth: Jethro, a Midianite priest, did not learn about the true God from philosophical debate or clever argument. He learned about Him through the evidence of what God had done for His people. That was the witness that won his heart.

The Witness that Changed Jethro

Jethro had his own religious background and gods, but what Moses shared was different—it was personal and powerful.

1. It was personal – Moses didn’t speak of God in abstract terms. He recounted real events: the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the provision in the wilderness. These were not myths; they were lived experiences.

2. It was purposeful – The stories were not random acts of power. They showed that God acts for His people—to save, protect, and provide for them.

3. It was persuasive – Jethro saw the superiority of Israel’s God because the testimony was undeniable. It matched what he saw in the people’s lives.

Why This Principle Holds True Today

The same way Jethro came to know the true God is how many still come to know Him today—not through theory first, but through the witness of God’s people.

1. God’s work is still visible – Every conversion, every answered prayer, every life transformed is a visible act of God that speaks louder than words.

2. Testimony builds faith – Revelation 12:11 says that God’s people overcome “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Personal testimony has a God-given power to move hearts.

3. The world is hungry for evidence – In a skeptical age, people still respond to authenticity. When they see lives changed, marriages restored, addictions broken, joy in the midst of suffering—they see the living God at work.

The Witness of the Church to the World

If someone today were to “visit” our church like Jethro visited Moses, what testimony would they hear?

1. Do we speak of God’s mighty acts?

   • Not only from the Bible, but from our own lives: How He saved us, healed us, provided for us.

2. Do our actions match our words?

   • The early church in Acts 2 was known for love, generosity, and unity. The way we treat each other preaches a louder sermon than the one from the pulpit.

3. Do we reflect God’s character?

   • Our worship, fellowship, and outreach should tell the world that God is holy, loving, merciful, and just.

What We Say to the World About God

Whether we intend to or not, our church is always saying something to the world about who God is.

• If we are cold and divided, the world may think God is distant and uncaring.

• If we are loving and sacrificial, the world will see God’s love in action.

• If we stand for truth with grace, the world will see God’s justice and mercy together.

We are “living letters” (2 Corinthians 3:2–3), written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. Every action, every word, every choice tells others something about Him.

For Us Today

Jethro came to believe in the true God because he heard and saw what God had done for His people. The same principle holds today: the world will believe when they see God’s reality in our lives.

So let us ask ourselves:

• What story is my life telling about God?

• What story is our church telling about God?

May we, like Moses, be ready to share what God has done, so that others—like Jethro—can say with confidence: “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods.”

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