7/29/25

Exodus 4:23-26 NASB95 “So I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’” Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood”—because of the circumcision.

God had been speaking to Moses about the sin of Pharaoh, but what we notice in our text is that He now changes to the sin of Moses.

He said Pharaoh would not let His Son (Israel) go to worship the Lord. Then He reveals to Moses you have refused to let your son (Gershom) worship me correctly. We can surmise from the text that although his wife (Zipporah) believed in the Lord she didn't understand the covenant of circumcision and therefore didn't want her son to be circumcised. Moses was attempting to please her more than God and was going along with this even though he knew it was wrong. So, on the way to Egypt, our text says the Lord sought to put him to death. There is some debate about whether it is the Son or Moses whom God sought to kill.

Moses had failed to follow the Lord and had been led astray by his wife. Matthew Henry said of this text, "Zipporah was too indulgent of her child, while Moses was too indulgent of her." However, when she realized death was coming because of this lack of obedience, she did the circumcision herself whether to save her son or because her husband wasn't able because of illness. From the text, we can see she was angry and did not want to do this, and she blamed her husband. She called him her bridegroom of blood.

Leadership is not easy and often God will punish those leaders who refuse to completely follow Him. He also punishes those who refuse to follow His leaders. In the end, everyone will realize that complete obedience is always best. Moses was obedient in taking his family to Egypt but he was guilty of being disobedient to God and instead being obedient to his wife. What it all comes down to is, it is better to please God, no matter who you might displease, than it is to please everyone else and displease God.

God might have been focused on the release of Israel but that didn't take away from the disobedience of one man.

If we desire to lead well then make sure we follow God well also. A great leader is a great follower of God!

Oftentimes God's judgment on others is a sign for us to repent before our judgment comes.

Love Bro. Scott