Daily Devotions
Exodus
"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." Matthew 10:38
Text: Exodus 4 : 24-26
A FRIGHTENING DEVELOPMENT
The great adventure had begun. Moses began to make his way to Egypt to fulfil God’s call to liberate the children of Israel from bondage to the Pharaoh. But a strange phenomenon took place before he went too far.
“And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment,
that the Lord met him and sought to kill him.”
EXODUS 4:24
How should we understand this puzzling text? Why would the Lord seek Moses’ life? The answer is both intriguing and important!
THE COVENANT OF ABRAHAM
When God gave to Abraham a Covenant, He included an important ritual.
“And God said to Abraham:
‘As for you, you shall keep My Covenant,
you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you
and your descendants after you: Every male child among you
shall be circumcised… It shall be a sign of the covenant
between Me and you…
And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised…
That person shall be cut off from his people;
he has broken My covenant.”
GENESIS 17:9-14
Moses had two sons from his marriage to Zipporah. However, his sons had not undergone the circumcision rite! Moses needed to learn another vital lesson about leadership! He must lead by example!
STRONG DIFFERENCES
Moses was most likely quite ill, and his life probably hung in the balance. Zipporah had no choice but to do the necessary!
“Then Zipporah took a sharp stone (knife)
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
Zipporah and Moses were divided on this issue. She was compelled to have her sons circumcised, an unacceptable custom to the Midianites! But she did not feel compelled to go with Moses to Egypt. Moses allowed her to return to her father’s house with her children until he completed his task in Egypt. Jethro, brought Zipporah back to Moses (Cf. Exodus 18:1-6) after the children of Israel left Egypt triumphantly!