Exodus 4

Exodus 4:1

B. The Reluctance of Moses (4:1-17)4:1-9 Moses continued to doubt that the people would accept him as a spokesman of God. Maybe the disillusionment of Exo_2:11-15 had eaten deep into his soul. Therefore God gave him three signs, or miracles, to confirm his divine commission. (1) His rod, thrown on the ground, became a serpent. Taken by the tail, the serpent became a rod again. (2) His hand, placed in his bosom, became leprous. The same hand, placed in his bosom again, became free of leprosy. (3) Water of the Nile, poured out on the land, became blood. These signs were designed to convince the people of Israel that Moses was sent by God. They spoke of God’s power over Satan (i.e., the serpent), and sin (pictured by the leprosy) and of the fact that Israel would be redeemed from both of these through blood. 4:10-17 Moses was still reluctant to obey the LORD, excusing himself because he was not eloquent. After reminding Moses that the Lord made man’s mouth, and therefore could make him eloquent, God appointed Aaron, Moses’ brother, to speak for him. Moses should have obeyed the Lord in simple dependence, knowing that His commands are His enablements. God never asks us to do anything without giving us the power to do it. Because Moses was not satisfied with God’s best, he had to take God’s second bestthat is, having Aaron as his spokesman. Moses thought that Aaron would be a help, but he later proved to be a hindrance in leading the people to worship the golden calf (chap. 32).

Exodus 4:18

C. The Return of Moses to Egypt (4:18-31)4:18-23 Forty years after fleeing to Midian, Moses returned to Egypt at God’s command and with Jethro’s blessing. His wife and sons were Zipporah, Gershom, and Eliezer (Exo_18:2-4). The staff in verse 2 becomes the rod of God in verse 20. The Lord uses ordinary objects to do extraordinary things so that it can be plainly seen that the power is from God. The wonders which God commanded Moses to perform before Pharaoh were the plagues that followed.

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, but only after that despotic ruler had first hardened his own heart. “Firstborn” sometimes refers to the order in physical birth, but here it means a position of honor normally held by the firstborn son, the inheritor of the birthright. Pharaoh was forewarned that if he did not obey, God would slay his son. 4:24-26 But before Moses could deliver the message, he had to learn obedience himself. He had failed to circumcise his own son (Gershom or Eliezer), possibly because of Zipporah’s opposition. When God threatened to kill Moses, perhaps by serious illness, Zipporah angrily circumcised the son and secured her husband’s release. She called him a “husband (or “bridegroom,” NASB) of blood.” This incident, plus Zipporah’s apparent lack of faith in the Lord, may have been the reason why Moses sent Zipporah home to her father with her two sons (Exo_18:2-3). 4:27-31 Aaron came out to meet Moses as he returned to Egypt. They both stood before the people of Israel, delivered the Lord’s message, and confirmed it with the three signs which the Lord had given. So the people believed and worshiped the Lord.