Just a few days ago I ran upon a few verses that have always
left me highly confused and quite disturbed. The past times I read these verses
I always desired to learn more about them in order to obtain understanding of
why God responded the way He did. But after dwelling on the topic for some
minutes I would then continue reading my Bible, later forgetting the matter
altogether. This time, after rencountering these verses, I made it a point to
copy and paste Exodus 4:24-26 upon a Word page and leave the page open on my
computer screen. I was able to the view the verses again at a later date when I
had the time.
24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses[b] and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint
knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it.[c] “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to
me,” she said. 26 So
the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,”
referring to circumcision.) Exodus 4:24-26.And was about to kill him, why would the Lord want to kill Moses, Moses, the man chosen to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt? When I first read the passage I assumed that the writer may have made an error, for surely God would never think of harming Moses? But the Lord does not make the mistakes and the Bible has no errors. So there must have been something that occurred that simply flew over me. Something prompted God to respond in a way that is surprising.
In Exodus 4:21-23 we see the Lord instructing Moses to go to Pharoah and perform miracles in front of him in order to prompt him to let the Israelites go. God wanted His people to perform miracles to Him. 21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’” Exodus 4:21-23.
Earlier in the Word the Lord commanded Moses to circumcise his descendants. Moses failed to circumcise his own son, finding himself negligent and in disobedience to the very commands and Word that he was preaching to Pharaoh as well as the fellow Israelites he was leading. Moses was shown to not be above the law. God was going to respond to Moses the same as He would respond to Pharaoh and his men for not respecting His status as Lord by refusing to allow the Israelites to worship Him. Fortunately for Moses Zipporah his wife was wide alert. She quickly rescued Moses by circumcising his sons and at the same time gave him a nasty rebuke, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
If Moses the man, along with his brother Aaron, responsible for confronting Pharaoh was not above obeying God then what do we believe regarding ourselves? Do we make every attempt to obey the Lord or are we boldly walking around going about our business while making light of our disobedience? Here is an opportunity for each and every single one of us to carefully discern our every day habits while in our walk with the Lord. Let’s make sure that we are walking in obedience.
