Exodus 4 – May 8

To this day, the ancient Egyptians are viewed by most people as an intriguing, mysterious culture. They receive more attention than any other ancient civilization of that time period in academia and entertainment alike. Part of the reason is due to their mythological and supernatural beliefs that are etched into practically every surface that they left behind. They were a people that believed in all sorts of metaphysical activity that they claimed originated from their many deities. However, as far as we know from the biblical record, there had never been a single miracle performed in the entire history of the world at this point. The Egyptian beliefs were nothing more than superstition and mythology.

In light of this truth, it is fascinating that the Lord chose to empower Moses with the exact types of powers that the gods of Egypt and the priests that spoke for them would claim to have. The staff of Moses would transmute into a snake. Moses hand would catch the world’s deadliest incurable disease, then be immediately cured. And Moses was even told that he would be able to turn water into blood. As we will see throughout the course of Exodus, God knew exactly how to get the attention of the Egyptian people and their Pharaoh.

Even so, even when the Lord had armed Moses with all of these miraculous powers, Moses still felt weak and incapable. He said, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” God’s answer is really important. Once again, God is going to remind Moses that the battle belongs to the Lord. God is sending Moses into a deathtrap. He is telling Moses to walk headlong into a situation that he cannot possible manage on his own. He is not a capable leader or deliverer in his own strength. God knows that. God does not expect Moses to do this in his own strength. God replied, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 

How often have you felt like Moses in his weakness? I have often. In ministry, in marriage, in parenting, in decision making, in disciple making, and in many other arenas, I can see that I am weak. That is good. If you feel as though you can’t do it on your own, you are right. God doesn’t ever just send you. He goes with you. In your weakness, He proves His strength. Because this is true, Moses had no reason to fear. But, he continued to doubt and question God. In this case, the Lord was abundantly gracious and provided Moses’ own brother to be a helper and a speaker alongside. Don’t wait for God to provide a helper in your calling. He has already sent one. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He promised His disciples that when He left, He would send help. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) We can boldly carry out our calling because God is with us and the Spirit is our Helper who is greater than Aaron.

I know that I am going to likely receive a number of questions regarding God threatening to kill Moses and the quick thinking of Zipporah to circumcise him and throw the foreskin at Moses’ feet. Yes, it does seem like a bizarre encounter. However, there is a very simple explanation for what the Lord was doing. By not circumcising his children, Moses was basically saying, “My offspring are not Jewish.” God was requiring that Moses was fully bought into the Abrahamic covenant and its regulations of circumcision before going to Egypt to act as a leader of God’s people.