Exodus 4

Exodus 4

At the start of Exodus 4, Moses is still making excuses as to why he cannot accomplish this task that God has given him. We saw in Exodus 3 that God had already promised him that these things would definitely happen, and although Moses heard those words, it does not appear as if he has taken them to heart yet. So God has to grab his attention, and He does so by showing him a series of miracles, which actually scared Moses. I also stated in discussing Exodus 3 that we are like Moses many times, running from God’s will for our lives. God has not changed over the last several thousand years, and He uses some of these same methods today. Now I have never seen him turn a stick into a snake or water into blood, but God does use instances in our lives to grab our attention. When God has a plan, He WILL see it come to fruition.

Once Moses is convinced of God’s presence and God’s power, he comes up with yet another excuse. Now you might question how Moses could possibly be unsure about God’s calling, but think about your own life. I know there have been times when I have been continuously stubborn before God. It is easy to say that we would follow God immediately and trust His plans, but when that reality hits us dead on, our actions do not always back up our words.

One example from Moses’ life is that he believed he was not a good speaker, but to prove that He would be with Moses, God promised that He would speak through him. Moses did not have to worry about it for God would take care of it. Yet Moses still could not trust God enough to follow through. Is this not true of us as well? Even when we know that God will be with us and that He will protect us, we still worry with the minor details. We sometimes trust God with the big problems in life, but many times we struggle with letting go of control over the small details. As for Moses, God sends his brother Aaron to be with him, speaking through both Moses and Aaron.

When Moses finally decides to trust God and head back to Egypt, he sees more of God’s provision. Now the text does not say that Moses feared for his life, for he knew that the Egyptians would be after him for the murder he had committed, but God tells him that that situation has been taken care of. God knew Moses’ heart and knew that he had to be concerned about those who wished to kill him. So God assured Moses that they were already dead and no harm would come to him from them. Again, we see God’s provision, this time, God taking care of situations that we have not even mentioned or thought of.

The remainder of the chapter shows the preparations that Moses and Aaron make for their return to Egypt. This is a picture of obedience. Now it is never alright to wander about and argue with God. We should never question God’s plans or wonder if He will take care of us. But many times, these are the questions we deal with. Our lives should be lived out in full obedience to God without question. Moses finally arrived at that point in his life, and at least for the time being, was dedicated to doing whatever God asked of him. However, there was one more detail he had forgotten. Back in Genesis, God’s covenant with Abraham was sealed through the practice of circumcision. By circumcising their children, God’s people expressed their desire to trust and follow Him and uphold their end of the covenant. Moses had neglected to circumcise his son, and Exodus 4:24 states that this was punishable by death. Moses had made great strides, but partial obedience is still disobedience. Thankfully, his wife took care of that procedure, protecting Moses from a sure death.

Finally, I think it is interesting how this chapter ends. When Moses and Aaron first meet the people of Israel, the Israelites cannot help but praise God. This is such a beautiful picture of what our life should be like. Many times we make requests to God, expecting him to follow through. But if and when He does, we neglect to praise Him. Our prayer life should reflect both praise and requests, but I would say that if we need to make sure that we continue to praise God. How can we not praise God after all He has done for us?

Matt