Bible Study Online Article

In the last article we took a look how just self-defeated Moses had become after spending the past forty years of his in the desert of Midian.

God had shown him more than enough physical evidence in order to convince not only the elders that Moses was representing the one true God, but this physical evidence should have been enough to convince Moses as well.

But we would soon learn that although Moses believed that the God of his forefathers really did exist, this discovery couldn't convince him that he should be the one to carry out the very important task that God had placed before him.

Understand that with the mindset that Moses had now adopted about himself, he would begin to come up with excuses on why he wasn't the right man for the job.

Needless to say God would become frustrated, or as the Sacred Record reveals, angry with Moses: "So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses..." -- (Exodus 4:14)

But understand that this wasn't a kind of anger that involved some type of punishment or judgment, this anger was more of a frustration. I mean after all, God had just proved to Moses that he was the one to carry out the mission. The Lord showed him all kinds of signs, to prove that he was called by the Almighty and yet, Moses still doubted. Honestly, could we blame God for being frustrated?

And although we find that the "slaves of the world" insists on trying their best to label the Lord as being angry and mean. We find that God although frustrated, begins to somewhat debate Moses' objections and in the process continues to reassure Him that all will be well.

I mean after all, if God was mean as the "slaves of the world" would lay claim to, then why would God try to convince Moses of anything? You would think, that since He's so mean, the Lord would simply demand this of Moses... right? And if Mosses didn't do as he was told, then God would have killed Moses immediately... right? But upon further reading we find that this isn't the case:

"...and He [God] said: 'Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.'" -- (Exodus 4:14-17)

After hearing this, Moses had no choice but to come to the conclusion that God wasn't going to back down. So eventually he left from the divine burning bush and headed back home to his father-in-law house: "So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, 'Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.' And Jethro said to Moses, 'Go in peace.'" -- (Exodus 4:18)

Here we go again... Understand that Moses didn't need Jethro's permission to leave. Now some would say that Moses was just being courteous and respectful to his father-in-law. And this may have been the case being that Moses was a man of great character and on top of that, he was married to his daughter Zipporah. And of course she would be leaving with him, so it only makes sense to let her father know when it came to his plans.

But it would have been different if Moses would have simply told Jethro that he would be leaving. But this wasn't the case for he asked Jethro for his permission, which is a big difference. You see, Moses was trying to be, as we like to say in the west "slick."

I personally believe that Moses was hoping that Jethro would have said no, therefore giving him another excuse that he could have used when it came to trying to turn God's calling down. However this wouldn't have worked, being what was recorded next: "And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, 'Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.'" -- (Exodus 4:19)

Here we have God contacting Moses and telling him to leave now for Egypt. So you see it would not have mattered what Jethro had said; being that Jethro can't override God. And also in the process, God decides to shutdown another possible excuse that Moses could have tried to use by telling him basically, and I'm paraphrasing here: "Oh and by the way, all the men who sought your life for the murder of the Egyptian are now dead."

Moses would have to accept the fact that he wouldn't have been able to out maneuver God, now matter how hard he tried. He was now faced with this reality and because of this Moses was now on his way to Egypt to carry out his calling. God would give him a short reminder when it came to how things would unfold:

"Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And the Lord said to Moses, 'When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, "Thus says the Lord: 'Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.'" -- (Exodus 4:20-23)

But something very interesting happens along the way: "And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him." -- (Exodus 4:24)

Did we just read that right? Did God sought to kill Moses? And if so why? I mean after all the time that God used to get Moses convinced that he was the one, why the sudden drastic change in attitude when it comes to the Lord? What could Moses have done, that would bring on the wrath of the Almighty in such a way? Well let's go a little further, while the "slaves of the world" continue to pat themselves on the back, while they say amongst themselves, smiling: "See I told you God was a mean God."

So let's see what happens next: "Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses' feet, and said, 'Surely you are a husband of blood to me!' So He let him go. Then she said, 'You are a husband of blood!' because of the circumcision.'" -- (Exodus 4:25,26)

Obviously there were some things in regards to this entire event, that didn't make it into the Sacred Record. The reason why I'm making such a claim, is for Zipporah's immediate reaction and the attitude she displayed after she had seen God (most likely an angel of the Lord) coming to kill Moses.

Notice how there weren't any questions on why God was taking such severe actions against Moses? Also notice how Zipporah immediately did the deed that should have been done in the first place when it came to their child: "Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses' feet..."

The child is not named, but this child in reference is Gershom their first born. Be that as it may, what we are finding out, is that Moses and Zipporah was learning quickly that the God of their forefathers was indeed real and He should be taken very seriously at all times. Also while we are here, the Most High was also the God of Zipporah's forefathers as well, for we must understand that Zipporah was a Midianite who was a direct descendant of Midian the son of Abraham and Keturah.

Make no mistake that the Abrahamic Covenant would be applied solely through Abraham's son Isaac and his seed. So therefore, Midian wasn't included in this divine covenant and although he was excluded from such a privilege, Midian still belonged to Abraham's household. I point this out to show how Zipporah was connected to Abraham and how he was her forefather as well.

In the next article we will take a much closer look at this event when it comes to Moses facing a divine judgment that could have involved fatal implications. We will also explore the viewpoint that deals with Moses and Zipporah having an unrecorded major disagreement on the circumcision of their child and how Moses perhaps backed down in order to keep marital strife at bay.

Was Moses being punished for backing down, or for not following God's instructions? What about the Abrahamic Covenant? How does it tie in with what's happening now between Moses and Zipporah? This should make us appreciate more, when it comes to the tremendous blood sacrifice that Jesus (Yeshua) Christ spilled for us at the place called "Golgotha."

Joseph the Overseer of Egypt

Jacob Becomes Ill

The Prophecies of Jacob

Moses the Son of Levi

**YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE**

145) The Call of Moses

146) The True Purpose of Moses

147) Identifying with Moses

148) The Systematic God

149) Moses the Self-Defeated

150) <-CURRENT PAGE->

151) Reality Check for Zipporah

152) Moses' Losing & Costly Position of Compromising

153) Moses Meets Aaron At The Mountain of God

154) Moses Gathers the Elders of Israel

155) Moses Confronts Pharaoh

156) Pharaoh Moves Against God