Returning To Egypt

Exodus 4:18-31

After forty years herding sheep, Moses had lost the arrogance he‘d once had, developing a realistic understanding of his own abilities and limitations. He had never lost his concern for his people, but was no longer willing to take foolish or unproductive actions such as killing a minor bully. With God’s assurance and support, he had the possibility of success.

“And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.” (Exodus 4:18)

After his encounter with the angel of God, Moses’ desire to meet with his family and relatives was renewed. Unlike Jacob, he had a good relationship with his father-in-law, and there was no sense of need for deceit, because he had developed a strong relationship with God, resulting in an openness Jacob never had.

“And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.” (Exodus 4:19-20)

Not only the old pharaoh, but all the officers who remembered Moses’ crime had died in the intervening years, and God assured him he would face no threat on that account. With that assurance, Moses took his family and returned to Egypt. He did not take a large herd of cattle or numerous servants with him. He did carry the walking stick God had transformed into a snake.

“And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.” (Exodus 4:21-23)

God had shown the three miracles to Moses to persuade the Hebrews that God had sent Moses. Now God instructed him to show the same three miracles to Pharaoh, but warned him he would not listen and would refuse to grant their initial request. Because he refused to listen, God would harden his heart, enabling him to ignore the plight of other people in his own self will. It is that hardened heart that enables our own politicians to ignore the effects of their policies on the people.

If Pharaoh stubbornly continued to refuse to allow God’s people to go, killing them to prevent their escape, even at the risk of destroying his own people, God would kill Pharaoh’s own son and heir.

“And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.” (Exodus 4:24-26)

God had specified that male circumcision was the one requirement to participate in God’s blessings in Genesis 17:10-14. “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”

Any person who refused circumcision, whether of Jewish descent or not, was to be counted as not Jewish and forbidden to participate in the Jewish rituals. It was the indication they took god’s promises seriously. Moses had not fulfilled the covenant by having his children circumcised, and God threatened him with death for his failure. His wife circumcised their son with a sharp stone to save his life, feeling the action was unnecessarily cruel.

Baptism serves much the same purpose in Christian life. Like the circumcision being baptized indicates how seriously we take God’s promises and commands. If we don’t take them seriously enough to be baptized we ought not participate in the communion or be considered part of the church.

“And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.” (Exodus 4:27-28)

Though there had been no communication between them, God sent Aaron to meet Moses, where Moses described his mission and God’s directions, enlisting his help as spokesperson.

“And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.” (Exodus 4:29-31)

Together they went to the tribal leaders, where Aaron shared what Moses had told him and they performed the signs god had given Moses. Convinced that it was of God, in humility the people worshipped God for caring about them.