"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to his beloved sheep."
God is telling us that we cannot do it all by ourselves just like how Jethro once told Moses that he cannot do everything by himself. After Moses took Jethro's advice, he found some capable men to delegate his leadership for 1,000, 100, 50, or 10 men so that his load may be lightened. Those capable men will judge the people of Israel's cases, but when the certain issue is tough they shall bring it up to Moses so that Moses shall not worn himself out. "Even youths shall faint or grow weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles." -Isaiah 40:31
If Moses needed to share some of his burdens with his people to lighten his load, then how much would we need to share our burdens with God and His people. Actually our burdens shall be in vain if they come from us only. In Exodus 18, God removed the burdens from Moses so that he may come unto Him at the top of the mountain. God also instructed Moses in Exodus 19 to remind the people of Israel to come unto Him.
"Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wing and brought you to Myself."
God saw that Israel didn't have time to go to God when Egyptians forced them into hard labors, so God brought Moses to deliver them out of hard labors in vain so that they may receive the partnership with God in their labors. "For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." -1 Cor 3:9
The people of Israel also consecrate themselves to meet the Lord at the foot of the mountain. Although they didn't come closer to the Lord like Moses had, but they went closer because Moses told them what the Lord had said to them through him! The partnership with God didn't only allow Moses delegate his responsibilies among the capable leaders, but enabled him to bring them closer to God! Moses was willingly to step aside a bit to allow His children to come unto Him!
It's just like how Jesus rebuked the disciples for not allowing the little children to come unto him. God nudged Moses to allow the people of Israel to come into the partnership with God.
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