GO IN PEACE TO EGYPT
Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him,
“Please let me return to my brothers in Egypt to see if they are still alive.”
“Go in peaceH7965,” Jethro replied.
Exodus 4:18
A little history to preface this exchange between Moses, and his father-in-law, Jethro: God had appeared to Moses in the burning bush and commissioned him to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. God had given Moses several proofs or “signs” to convince Moses that He was God, and Moses was the one God wanted to send on this mission. Once Moses was certain that God would speak through him and allow him the help of his brother, Aaron, he left the place of his encounter with God and went to Midian to talk to Jethro. Jethro was not only his father-in-law but was also his employer. Even though He was certain of his calling from God, he still extended the courtesy of giving his boss notice that he was leaving and asking his father-in-law for permission.
John MacArthur shed some light on this:
4:18 Please let me go. Courtesy toward the father-in-law for which he worked was not overlooked because of the divine call to service as national leader. Exactly how much was explained of the encounter at the burning bush remains unknown, but the purpose for the return, “and see whether they are still alive,” suggests that specific details of the call for him to be leader/deliverer were left unsaid, in contrast to the full explanation given to Aaron (v. 28). (8)
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary also had a note about Moses’ respect for his father-in-law:
18 Moses left the region of Sinai and went to Midian to ask Jethro’s permission to return to Egypt. Even the call of God did not erase the need for human courtesy and respect. (9)
By saying “Go in peace,” Jethro was giving his blessing on Moses’ journey. To go in “shalom” indicated that there would be no ill feelings between them as well as his hope that the journey would be peaceful—that God would protect and provide for Moses.
What can we apply to our lives from this story? We want to be at peace with others, including those for whom we work. We should strive not to “burn bridges” if we choose to leave a job for other employment, i.e. give required notice and try to part with good relationships intact. We should show proper respect to our elders as Moses did with his father-in-law. We are able to do this because we are at peace with God and enjoy the peace of God. Having peace within makes it easier to live in peace with others.
Father, help us to live in peace with others, to leave a situation peacefully, to show respect to whom it is due in order to be at peace.