Exodus 4:18-31
18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
19 Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 20 Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone 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!” 26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision. 27 And the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. 28 So Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
19 Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 20 Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone 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!” 26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision. 27 And the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. 28 So Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
After God called Moses and his stubbornness and doubts were answered by God, he obeyed by first asking permission from his father-in-law because he would be taking his daughter and grandsons away to Egypt. God moved Jethro to see God’s hand in this, and allowed it with a blessing of peace. God first assured Moses that there was no longer a death threat against him, for the old Pharaoh had died, and we can assume that any who were charged with finding Moses were no longer in a position to pursue him or were no longer there either. God also told him up front that the wonders He gave him to convince Pharaoh would not budge that hardened heart of stone (1 Samuel 6:6, Romans 9:17-18) and let God’s people go to worship Him. Israel as a chosen people were God’s firstborn, and refusing to let them go would mean He would kill the firstborn of Pharaoh (and his people, Egypt). Moses heard and knew these things before witnessing them later unfold. We often miss this. There is a cryptic scene where the Lord apparently was against Moses along the way until his wife circumcised her son, then God sent Aaron to meet Moses at the mountain of God. Moses conveyed all God spoke and commanded him to do, and they met together with Israel’s elders to tell them all together. The signs Moses demonstrated to them helped convince them to faith in God’s promises of coming deliverance. They worshipped God. We also should be ever moved to worship the Deliverer of our souls from God’s wrath and judgement on our sin by the grace of Christ and His work for us which we could never contribute anything to. We heard and trusted (Romans 10:17) God’s gospel in Christ Jesus and were so forgiven and justified by that grace of His work alone for us. We worship by the trust of God-given faith and rejoice in being His chosen people!
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