We are in chapter eighteen of Exodus with our word for today which is one of the two benefits of setting up qualified reliable men to help Moses lead. עָמַד go up before, stand in position, stand respectfully before, take one’s stand, stand, remain standing, to persist, to continue to exist, endure. It is used 523 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used most of the time in the basic sense to stand. Genesis 41:1 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: עֹמֵ֥ד He was standing by the Nile. Exodus 26:15 Make עֹמְדִֽים upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Leviticus 9:5 They took the things Moses commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the entire assembly came near וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ and stood before the Lord.
Our word is then used to describe continuing to stand or exist in the sense of persistence. God’s eternal existing is contrasted against everything and everyone else. Job 14:1-2 Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble. They spring up like flowers and wither away; like fleeting shadows, they do not יַעֲמֽוֹד endure. Psalm 102:26 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you תַ֫עֲמֹ֥ד remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. This is the sense of how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 18:23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to עֲמֹ֑ד endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace. This first benefit is that Moses would be able to continue to lead because he would not wear himself out and be able to endure the challenges of leadership. As we saw a few days ago this only happens because of developing some of the people around you to lead with you. Exodus 18:22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. Leadership is a long term sort of thing. It takes a long time for people to trust you so you have to be in it for the long game. And we will not be able to exist in any long term effective way if we try to do it without developing and sharing the heavy load of leadership. We see this in the New Testament with the idea of a plurality of Elders so that no one person is leading the church. This reminds me of Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. We have to remember that church leaders are also sheep. Yes, they are shepherds whose primary role is to shepherd but they are also sheep themselves who need the encouragement and accountability of the other Shepherds around them. Paul understood this as he shares with the church in Rome. Romans 1:11-12 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. And we all need God’s love and forgiveness. I’ll close with this reminder of God’s grace in that without Jesus death in our place for our sin none of us would be able to be accepted by God. I like how the writer of the Psalm says it. Psalm 130:1-4 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could יַעֲמֹֽד stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
