May the mumbling commence!
Perseverance pays off. While there are not many people that I can count on, I know that I can count on the Word of God. In Exodus 4:21-23, as Moses returns to Egypt to lead his people, the Lord foreshadows the final plague that will befall the obstinate Pharaoh and the Egyptian people. God would tell Pharaoh through Moses that “You would not let my son go, so I will kill your firstborn son.” Hearing this promise, Moses probably thought this call on his life would be soon realized.
But Moses almost did not make it back to Egypt. If it wasn’t for his wife, Zipporah, he wouldn’t have. Moses had neglected to circumcise his son, Gershom. It appears that Moses had not embraced all the faith of the Hebrew people, who he had chosen to identify with. It took Zipporah’s action to save Moses and probably Gershom’s life as well. (In fact, the Hebrew pronoun is uncertain who it refers to Moses or Gershom. And why would the Lord kill the man he has chosen to lead his people from out of Egypt?) She circumcised Gershom and touched the foreskin to Moses’ feet and averted the Lord’s destruction of Moses.
I wonder what inspired Zipporah to do such a thing. It seems ironic that Zipporah would realize before Moses the mistake of not circumcising Gershom. Did Moses realize the importance of circumcision? Was he not told about it? Did he miss this basic instruction because he was raised in Pharaoh’s home? How did Zipporah learn of the importance of circumcision? She even used a flint knife! She obviously could see that her husband was circumcised. And what about Gershom? How old was he at this time? I cannot imagine my mother approaching me and wanting to do surgery on me in that tender area. Was Gershom asleep at the time? If he was, talk about a rude awakening!
What attention to the Lord! What faith this family had in one another! (Yes, there are times that I need saved by my wife…)
After Moses and Aaron brought the message to Pharaoh from the Lord, Pharaoh thought the Hebrews lazy and deceptive. Pharaoh did not know the Lord, so why should he obey his command? In the eyes of the people of Egypt, Pharaoh was a god. Pharaoh was ordering the Hebrews to work. Much work was to be done; there was no time for worship. Yes, Pharaoh thought the Hebrew people were lazy, and they were concocting an excuse to get away from work.
So Pharaoh decided to make the Hebrews’ work harder. Make bricks without straw, and the quota will not be reduced. It was an unfair and impossible task. Talk about adversity! They would find a way to overcome, right? Well, not exactly. Instead, the Hebrew people turned on Moses and Aaron for making them a stench in the nostrils of Pharaoh. At this point, Moses probably wondered when the Lord would strike Pharaoh’s firstborn down. It was time to leave before things got worse. So Moses approached the Lord and asked why he had brought this upon his people. God replied by reminding the people about his promise and telling Moses and Aaron to return to Pharaoh with the same request. Persevere!
God was being patient with Pharaoh even as he was hardening his heart. As it is written in Exodus 6:5, the Lord also wished for the Egyptians to know that the Lord is God – not Pharaoh. God is patient with all people, so persevere and we will see the Word of God come to pass. In a world that seems like it is going to “hell in a hand basket”, these are comforting words to hear.
Then, at the beginning of Exodus 7, the first miracle of the Lord was shown to Pharaoh. The staff was turned into a snake. The power of God was shown clearly. But, Pharaoh put his sorcerers and magicians to the same task, and they duplicated the staff to snake show of strength. They duplicate the show of strength only to have their snakes devoured by the snake of Aaron. God’s power greatly exceeds the power of this world. And Aaron got his staff back! Even so, the heart of Pharaoh was hardened – he would not listen.
Our God is patient – not wanting anyone to perish. So let’s persevere in our faith that the Lord will do exactly what He has promised. I give thanks for a patient God, who has often been forced to be patient with me. Help me to persevere in my daily walk with Christ Jesus.
Enough mumbling for today…
Peace Out
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