“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 circumcisions.” – Exodus 4:24-26

A while back I heard a great sermon preached that was partly based upon this passage in Scripture. It prompted me to do a little digging because this particular passage in Exodus is both intriguing and puzzling at the same time. Intriguing because it is so short, yet lays out the plan of salvation so elegantly. It’s puzzling because of its placement in the book of the Exodus.

God had just finished speaking to Moses and instructed him to go to Egypt and lead His people out. So Moses and his family appear they’re doing the right thing and begin their journey. Then all of a sudden this passage, like out of nowhere, is placed in the narrative. At first glance, it seems like it’s out of place, but closer inspection reveals it’s exactly where it needs to be. 

Why, for heaven’s sake, did God suddenly want to kill Moses? It’s simple – Moses agreed to be God’s mouthpiece to the Pharaoh but had deliberately neglected to obey God in his personal life. He had sinned by disobeying God. Moses had at least two sons at the time and one that must have been born just recently. He purposefully, for whatever reason, did not circumcise his latest son. The eight days must have passed and Zipporah knew exactly what the problem was and proceeded to do the task for him. How embarrassed Moses must have been! Remember, God desires obedience rather than sacrifice.

Reviewing the scene in detail, Moses was, in essence, dead to God for his disobedience. Zipporah sacrificed blood from her son to redeem Moses back to favor with God. For only by blood can sins be forgiven and mankind restored to favor with God. Zipporah calls Moses a bridegroom because she had been compelled to acquire and purchase him anew as a husband by shedding the blood of her son. She received Moses back from the dead, as it were, and remarried him again. 

I haven’t even mentioned anything about the cutting away of the flesh and how the fleshly part of our being must die in order for Christ to live! That would take several more pages!

Note the phrase, “… because of the circumcisions” and the plural tense of circumcisions. This is interesting because she only performed this one. Zipporah is hinting to future generations that sin can only be covered by blood. 

I don’t know about you, but that sure sounds like the plan of salvation in two short, simple verses! Mankind sins and is dead to God. God provides redemption through a blood sacrifice and redeems mankind back to Himself. The bride (the church) is restored to her bridegroom (Jesus) by the shedding of blood. Hmmm? Coincidental? I don’t think so.

In Christ,

Dave

Questions to Ponder:

1.  There’s a big churchy phrase called “progressive revelation” used by theologians. It simply means that God reveals parts of Himself and His plan of salvation as the Scriptures pan out. Can you think of other stories in the Old Testament that lay out the plan of salvation?

2.  Sin separates man from God. Do you have any sin that is hindering your walk with God? Confess it and ask forgiveness, for God surely desires to commune with you on a daily basis. He loves you.