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Reading Ex.4:18-31

All of Moses excuses have been dealt with by the LORD. He hadn't wanted to serve the LORD by returning to Egypt and standing up as a representative for God's people. Initially his excuses seemed legitimate but as these were progressively countered by the LORD it became more and more apparent that Moses simply had no stomach for the task to which he was called. But the LORD was not about to take no for an answer.

Now Moses has come to an end of his excuses – he's seen that even pleading with the LORD to send someone else instead of him has had no success in altering the LORD's call upon his life. Moses now just has to get on with it.

How gracious God was to Moses in persevering with him! What honours belong to Moses the reluctant leader because God refused to give up on him – honours that Moses would have missed but which the LORD almost had to force upon him!

As we work our way through these verses looking at how Moses began to set about doing that to which the LORD had called him, we will learn some interesting lessons.

The interview came to an end and Moses was left alone once more with his flocks a long way from home. His first task is to take them back to his father-in-law and respectfully ask for permission to leave. He tells Jethro that he wants to go and see whether his brothers are still alive. This was a Hebrew way of saying he wanted to see how they getting along.

The first useful thing for us to note is that obedience to the LORD does not excuse us from acquitting ourselves properly of the responsibilities that are already ours.

Moses doesn't now in a sudden rush of enthusiasm abandon his flocks. He takes them back to Jethro his father-in-law even though that means heading away from Egypt which has now become his primary destination.

Secondly, the call to a new sphere of labour as the LORD's servant does not mean that Moses rides roughshod over others. Do you see how respectfully he asks Jethro for permission to leave? He doesn't cause bad-feeling or bad blood by bludgeoning away about his need to obey God but goes about things politely and carefully respecting the culture of his day.

How many times enthusiastic yet immature young Christians have caused pain and hurt to a parent or other close family member by a brash rudeness! How important it is for us to learn how to relate well to others:

Rom.12:18 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."

Moses obeyed God but in a way that did not unnecessarily antagonize his father-in-law who not only granted Moses' request but sent him on his way with a blessing: "Shalom!"

Having taken his flocks back to Jethro and spoken of his desire to return to Egypt Moses then seems to prevaricate. His departure for Egypt is delayed. It would appear that he is concerned for his safety – after all the last time he was there men were seeking to kill him!

The LORD speaks again to Moses repeating the instruction to go to Egypt. The command is accompanied by the reassuring and encouraging word that those men who had sought his life were now themselves dead.

How gracious God is in this! The task to which He has called Moses will be difficult enough as it is without Moses being further handicapped by needless, groundless anxieties.

How important it is to listen to the LORD as He speaks to us in His Word that we too may not give way to needless anxieties as though we had no loving Heavenly Father watching over us and providing for us every step of the way!

With the renewed command and encouragement Moses is finally on his way.

He sets off with his wife and family and, importantly, he takes his staff with him just as he has been told to (v.17). This staff is Moses' staff but far more than that it is described in v.20 as "the staff of God". This staff will figure prominently in the events to follow. Moses will use it on several occasions to demonstrate God's power. As Moses makes his way towards Egypt he must remember that anything he will achieve will be by means of God's power not by any power of his own!

And once more the LORD speaks to Moses preparing him for what awaits him in Egypt.

Moses must go and perform before Pharaoh all the miraculous signs that God has given him. However Moses is told that this will not produce the change that Moses would like to see. Pharaoh won't be overly impressed by these signs and certainly will not be moved by them to release God's people. This will not be due to a failure on Moses part but rather will be directly due to the LORD hardening Pharaoh's heart!

How helpful this information will prove for Moses. He won't need to worry that he's done something wrong or left something undone as Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to comply with the Word of the LORD. Moses won't have to beat himself up for a failure to secure the desired results – he can leave all in the LORD's hands.

Now what are we to make of the LORD hardening Pharaoh's heart? We can in our day and age find this somewhat embarrassing as though God needs defending for what He has done.

To the Hebrew mind this was not an embarrassment at all because the LORD is always seen as the first cause of what takes place. God is sovereign and He rules. But to the Hebrew mind that poses no problems to secondary causes – Pharaoh's responsibility for his moral choices and his determined stubbornness is fully intact. We are not to read the story as though Pharaoh is a sad victim who desperately wants to do the right thing but is prevented by the LORD. Pharaoh himself wants to do what Pharaoh wants to do and is morally responsible for his choices. God is not however thwarted in His plans but remains in sovereign charge doing what He wills.

Thus as Moses sets out to return to Egypt he is made very aware of a showdown that is coming between the LORD and Pharaoh. This conflict will dominate the following chapters of the Book of Exodus right up until the end of ch.14.

If we are to understand this conflict aright we must not see it in purely personal terms as though the contest was between one man, Pharaoh, and the LORD God. It is but part of a much grander spiritual battle that is being waged. There are spiritual forces at work behind Pharaoh!

The Egyptians regarded Pharaoh as an incarnation of two different Egyptian gods who together were believed to be sovereign over all things. Thus Pharaoh's heart, viewed as the centre and essence of his being, was thought to be the controlling factor in history and society.

The whole point of the Exodus deliverance from Egypt is that it is not Pharaoh but the LORD who is the only sovereign of the universe. Pharaoh might like to think of himself as important but his very heart is under the LORD's control.

This question of sovereignty is also in view as Moses is told what to do when Pharaoh does resist. Moses is given further instructions as to what to say to Pharaoh and that in highly undiplomatic terms! Explanations are to be given and stern warnings announced – one might be tempted to say an ultimatum must be issued.

And God views His people as His first born son! Pharaoh is mistreating that which is precious in God's sight.

Now Pharaoh's first born son would be the one groomed to take over from him as his natural heir. All would be done to ensure that this son would rule in his place. But the LORD declares that Pharaoh will not be able to determine who sits even on his own throne if he goes on stubbornly mistreating God's people! The all-powerful Pharaoh will not be able to secure even his own succession – it is the LORD who determines what will take place!

 (As the head/god of his people Pharaoh's first born son may well signify both his own individual son and the first born of every family – the Tenth Plague in fact when it breaks upon Egypt will deal with both.)

The scene for this contest is set. The unfolding of the subsequent Plagues of Egypt can be read as a series of demonstrative victories wrought by the LORD over the various gods of the Egyptians, victories that culminate in the death of the first born in all the land!

What follows next catches us by surprise. The passage is not easy and has given rise to some different interpretations.

This is what I think we may learn from this section.

Moses as the appointed leader of God's people has been guilty of serious disobedience over a covenant matter. He has failed to have his son circumcised and this excluded his son from covenant membership.

It would appear that Moses on the journey has fallen seriously ill and Zipporah understands that it is due to this circumcision matter. Perhaps she had opposed the idea when the boy was born and Moses had not insisted. Whatever she now acts and carries out the circumcision and the blood is applied to Moses. (We are reminded that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.)

And Moses is enabled to continue his journey on to Egypt. Though it is not at all clear whether Zipporah continued on with him or whether this was the event that caused her to return to her father with their sons as the next time we come across her is in Ex.18 when we learn that Moses had sent her home to Jethro.

There are lessons for us to learn from this incident if our understanding is in accordance with the truth. We learn one more time that sin is serious and must be dealt with, it leaves consequences and as far as is possible efforts must be made to put matters right. How could Moses call upon Pharaoh to obey the Word of the LORD when he himself was living in flagrant denial of it?

For us too then we must be careful that we are doers of the word and not hearers only (Jas.1:22)! James would later in his letter add:

Jas.4:17 "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

We learn from this that sin does not involve only wrong things that are done but include omissions too. We sin when we know what is required of us and yet fail to do it!

And of course Jesus taught His disciples:

Mt.7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

With the problems of his sins of omission dealt with Moses is able to continue his journey back to Egypt. The LORD has already gone ahead of him and has made some important arrangements.

He speaks to Aaron who goes out to meet Moses upon his arrival and the reunion is a glad one.

It is interesting isn't it that although the LORD has told Aaron to go to meet Moses it is up to Moses to bring Aaron up to speed on what the LORD's plans actually are. How kind and gracious the LORD is to use men and women to carry out His work which He could easily do Himself – do we realize our privileges I wonder? Called to be co-labourers with God! As Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

1Cor.3:9 "For we are God’s fellow workers."

Or again:

2Cor.6:1 "Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain."

Aaron seems to have no difficulty in believing all that Moses shares with him and we don't read of any delay intervening before he and Moses gather the leaders of the people of Israel together. Aaron does as he's been instructed – he speaks as Moses mouthpiece and then the miraculous signs are performed.

It would appear that the elders of Israel were not ready to believe quickly. The Words shared don't seem to have been enough. One miraculous sign, two miraculous signs don't seem to have been sufficient. And it is not until all the miraculous signs have been shown that we read of the people believing.

But believe they do!!

The earlier fears that Moses had expressed have been confounded. What is more when the people do believe it is with a deep sense of gratitude to the LORD. This attitude will not be untried in the future and they will waver in their convictions – faith will prove weak at times – but for the moment what encouragements there are as the people realize that God has heard their prayers and is now beginning to act in there favour.

And the chapter comes to an end with the people bowing their heads and worshipping. Let us do the same.

Amen.