Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Exodus 4

So, that the people would believe that God sent Moses, the Lord gave him a miracle to preform with his staff. When he throw it to the ground the staff became a serpent but when he took it up in his hand again, it returned to the form of a staff. (vv.1-5)

The Lord gave him two other miracles to preform. If they did not believe the first miracle then they should believe the second. The second sign was that Moses could make his hand turn white and restore it to its natural color by taking it in and of his clothing at his breast, as if his hand dies and is restored to life. If they do not believe the second sign then Moses had a third sign to preform, which the Lord gave Moses, pouring water, on the ground from the Nile. When Moses did this, the water became blood on the dry ground. (vv.6-9)

Moses either had a speech impediment or was afraid to speak. However, the Lord told Moses that he could give him speech but Moses remained fearful of speaking in front of the people. This angered God but he loved Moses; therefore, he raised up Aaron. Moses brother to speak to the people, on behalf of Moses. God would speak to Moses, Moses would speak to Aaron and Aaron would speak to the people but Moses alone was to preform the miraculous signs. (vv.10-17)

Moses asked Jethro, his father in-law, permission to depart from him and return to his people in Egypt. Moses honored Jethro in this and Jethro told Moses, “Go in peace.” Moses had fled Egypt because he feared death but God told Moses that those who sought to kill him are dead. Moses, took his wife, his son and the staff of God and departed Jethro for Egypt. (vv.18-20)

The Lord told Moses that after he had preformed the signs before Moses, God would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the people go. The Lord called Israel his first born son and since they would not let God’s son go, God would kill the firstborn son of Pharaoh. (vv.21-23)

Moses had been disobedient regarding the command given to Abraham and circumcision; therefore, the Lord sought to put him to death. Zipphorah, Moses’ wife, circumcised their son to save the life of Moses, so she called Moses a bridegroom of blood. (vv.24-26)

Aaron compelled by the Lord to seek out his brother Moses, meet Moses at the mountain of God before Moses departed to Egypt with his wife and son. The brothers were happy to reunite. Moses told Aaron all that the Lord spoke to him. Once they entered Egypt, the elders of the sons of Israel were assembled to hear what Moses and Aaron had to say. Aaron relayed to them the message that Moses spoke to him. Moses then preformed the three signs that the Lord had given him. In the gospel of John, Jesus spoke seven absolute I am statements and preformed seven miraculous signs; therefore, all that the father had given him believed and followed him.(cf. Jn.10:25-28) The people believed and worshiped the Lord when they heard that the Lord had concern for their plight in Egypt. (vv.27-31)