Exodus 4: 24-26
24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses 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. “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.)
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I probably haven’t read that story since I first read the Bible, which was a number of years ago now. I’m guessing that the first time around, as a young Christian, I just read through it quickly, because I had no recollection of it. When I read it this morning, not only was I kind of grossed out, but I was also a little confused.
Why is the Lord trying to kill Moses? More specifically, why is the Lord trying to kill Moses right after he called him to set the Israelites free? (Exodus 3:7-10). He literally JUST asked him to do that, rejecting Moses’ pleas for Him to send somebody else instead of him (Exodus 4:13-17). He also instructed Moses in regards to the timing “Go back to Egypt for all the people who wanted to kill you are dead” (Exodus 4:19). Why tell Moses to avoid people that want him dead if He Himself wants him dead?
So, I looked up some commentaries to help me understand.
The problem was that Moses’ son was not circumcised. God had called Moses to be a leader, and to do great things in His name, and yet, here Moses had not followed one of the basic rules that he was supposed to follow. Some commentaries said this may have been out of deference to Zipporah, who was not a Hebrew and would not have approved of the ritual. Yet, seeing the severity of the situation, Zipporah circumcised her son, and put the skin at Moses’ feet, as if in sacrifice, to save Moses’ life.
God has called me to the World Race. But I should not expect that just because I have been called, that I am free from any consequence that my actions may bring about. I must still have integrity, and live in a godly way. I am not an expert on circumcision, but I am pretty sure that your child’s circumcision status would be a fairly easy thing to hide from most people, at least until he gets older. But God sees everything and could not allow for hypocrisy even in this one thing. In the same way, He sees my life and calls me out. Thankfully not through a near death experience, like Moses, but through the gentle yet firm words of a friend.
This week I had a very difficult conversation with my mentor and friend, which in turn prompted me to take an even more difficult action. She helped me to see that I have been mincing words and deceiving myself. But I don’t want to do that anymore. If I follow God’s call, let it be with integrity. What man cannot see, God still sees. If Moses is not exempt, certainly neither am I. But the good news is that Moses’ life was saved! And everything he had been stressing out about went very smoothly once he had his spiritual affairs in order. As for me, I also feel more confident now, less stressed, less fearful. I am as ready for Training Camp as I’ll ever be.
“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” Psalm 51: 6
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Please pray for me and my squad and Training Camp on October 18-28. If you feel led to donate, please do! I still have a long way to go and any amount helps!
