I'm feeling like a slacker for my lack o' posts lately. Rather than leave my large fan base (hello to all 3 of you) hungry for more while I craft a more recently inspired post, I am copying an email I sent to the aforementioned 3 fans way back on June 26th. Sorry to the 3 of you who have already read this stuff. I thought I'd open up this discussion to any hapless internet surfers who float this way. ;-) Also, apologies to those of you not familiar with the Old Testament of the Bible...this is written from the assumption that the reader already knows the whole story of Moses, etc.
Exodus Chapter 4
Exodus Chapter 4
24-26 On the journey back, as they camped for the night, God met Moses and would have killed him but Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off her son's foreskin, and touched Moses' member with it. She said, "Oh! You're a bridegroom of blood to me!" Then God let him go. She used the phrase "bridegroom of blood" because of the circumcision. -The Message
I don't remember ever hearing about this verse in a sermon or bible study. I'm sure I've read over it before, but this morning it grabbed my attention. To put this verse in context read the rest of Exodus Chapter 4 (it's a short one). Basically, the short paragraph above comes right after God has revealed his entire vision to Moses for HOW Moses will free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Moses has already protested fiercely why he was not qualified to lead the slaves out of Egypt. God had already reassured Moses in every way that there was nothing to worry about...God would be with him and in control of EVERYTHING, including Pharoah's stubborn streak. And the very next paragraph, is THAT one. THAT paragraph that mentions (oh so casually) that God was about to KILL Moses! After God had JUST finished reassuring Moses that He knew what he was doing and Moses was indeed the ONE to free the slaves, etc. The paragraph does not explain WHY God was about to kill Moses. The paragraph does not reveal any lack of faith on Moses' part at this point...they had already worked through all that in the preceding verses. In fact, it is said so matter of factly and briefly that it seems clear that God attempting to kill Moses is NOT the point.
So, what IS the point? The faith and loyalty of Zipporah. I think this was God's way of testing Zipporah's courage, faith, and loyalty. She loved her husband so much that she stood up to GOD himself on Moses' behalf. And she stood up to God in a way that honored God and showed reverence. BTW, I like the Message translation best cuz it says she touched his member (tee hee). All the others say she touched his feet, but doesn't member make more sense? Like, she couldn't actually circumcize Moses...he had already been there done that!
Well, this got me thinking about the importance of the wife in God's eyes. God knew that Moses would need the absolute support and loyalty of Zipporah in the challenge he faced. God knew that Zipporah's faith and devotion to God would be supremely mandatory in the years to come. So this little paragraph establishes that.
I was also thinking about how that applies to us modern wives. (I am speaking it so for the future in my case) Like, when our husbands are facing the biggest challenge of their lives, what are we willing to do? Just stand by and watch? I am NOT suggesting we draw blood or anything that literal...but I think it does call us to put our loyalty to our husband first and defend him to whatever is threatening to destroy him. In other words, the fierceness of our faith on behalf of our husbands DOES matter greatly to God. Our iron clad loyalty and willingness to fight for our husbands matters to God. At least this is what I'm thinking after pondering that bizarre little paragraph for a few hours.
I have not done any research to see what the top theologians think on this subject. But it would be interesting to find out if anyone has ever given a sermon or bible study on this verse before. Also it is an example of how we should have a healthy fear of God's Truth, even though we live in the era of the New Covenant which fully demonstrates God's Grace. Do any of you have insights to add? Or do you know of a sermon or bible study that references this verse?
5 comments:
OH MY. This is probably one of the most insightful posts I've ever seen. You seriously have extracted some serious spiritual depth out of a section of scripture that I've read, but never even paid attention to. I have actually heard a lecture on this scripture before, and it was nowhere near as meaningful as what you wrote.
I want to pass this along to others, with your permission. This is incredible!
Permission granted! Let me know what the others think of it, too!
Certainly a new fan! God's using you. I love what I've read so far. Kudos to you!
Thanks Darkoa! Have you ever heard any messages or read any studies on Zipporah before?
And feel free to comment on any other posts you find interesting and let me know what you like or don't like about them. I often feel like my blog is like the tree that falls in the forest! If nobody comments I have no clue who's reading it or why. Most of my friends have me on RSS feed so it isn't tracked by sitemeter.
Thanks again for your encouragement. -Emily Adele
This seems to be what most scholars agree on, Em. "On the journey, the eighth day from the birth of the child arrived, and his circumcision ought to have taken place; but Zipporah had a repugnance to the rite, and deferred it, Moses weakly consenting to the illegality. At the close of the eighth day, when Moses went to rest for the night, he was seized with a sudden and dangerous illness, which he regarded, and rightly regarded, as a God-inflicted punishment, sent to chastise his sin in breaking the Divine command (Genesis 17:10-12). Zipporah understood the matter in the same way; and, as her husband was too ill to perform the rite, she herself with her own hand cut off her boy's foreskin, and, still indignant at what she had been forced to do, cast it at her husband's feet, with the reproach - "Surely a bloody husband art thou to me." The rite once performed, however reluctantly, God remitted his anger, and. allowed Moses to recover his health, and pursue his journey."
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