In Exodus 4:1-13, Moses debated with God over his
suitability for the appointed task of leading Israel out of Egypt. Even after
all the wonderful signs God gave him, Moses asked God to send someone else
(v13).
The book of Exodus reveals the Lord as a compassionate
God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy,
yet not to be taken advantage of for He
is also a consuming fire. The anger of the
Lord was kindled against Moses, yet God did not strike him dead. Instead He
assigned Aaron, Moses’ brother to be a helper to him and a spokesman to the
nation of Israel (v14-17).
From the time Moses was attracted to the burning bush,
God spoke directly to him in a very personal way. It seems confusing then, that
the very God who had so mightily commissioned him a little while before would
seek to take his life as he made the arduous journey to Egypt with his family (Ex 4:20-24).
Ex 4:25-26 reveals that it was Zipporah’s quick
thinking in circumcising her son that saved Moses, and appeased the Lord’s anger against
him. Moses had been appointed to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt. As a
young boy born to Hebrew parents, he had no doubt been circumcised on the
eighth day as was customary. However, being raised in the palace as Pharoah’s
adopted son had caused him to be estranged to his own people and he had
neglected to circumcise his own son.
Genesis 17:9-14 reveals the significance of the rite of
circumcision. It was a sign of the everlasting covenant which God had made with
Abraham. Verse 14 reveals that the uncircumcised man-child would be cut off from his people for not carrying the sign of
the covenant. God knew that the nation
of Israel would not accept a leader who would not circumcise his own son, so He
made provision for Moses’ son to be circumcised. Moses would have no doubt in
his mind regarding his place among the nation of Israel after the circumcision
of his son. He no longer had a double identity; he could no longer play “double-agent.” He had a singular purpose to surrender to God’s
Will and, by the power of the Almighty,
to lead the nation of Israel out of Egyptian slavery.
Circumcision was just the sign of the covenant, a means
to an end and not the end in itself. It was an important sign to the nation of
Israel, indicating their position as the people of God. It was not circumcision
that made them God’s people, but rather
they were circumcised because God had chosen them for His very own. In the same
way, God’s people in this age must have
their hearts “circumcised”, always pliable to His commands. Although salvation is
not obtained by obedience, but by acceptance of Christ’s atoning sacrifice,
obedience to God’s commands reflects our love for the God who first loved us. Jesus
said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Satan is against
the people of God who keep God’s commandments and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ.
Scripture refs: Ex 4:1-26, Rev 12:17, John 14:15, 1 John 5:1-3, James 2:17-26
