Spring 1995

PREFACE

By: Michael Tao

In Exodus 4:24 - 26, God commanded Moses to go and see Pharaoh to negotiate the lead of the Israelites out of Egypt. When they were on their way to do so; Moses and his wife Zipporah, an Ethiopian woman; with their two sons(Gershom and Eliezer) rested in an inn. Suddenly, the Lord sought to kill Moses for he did not circumcise Eliezer. We may ask how can God spent 80 years in preparing Moses to rescue the Israelites, yet God wanted to kill Moses just because he did not, or forgot to circumcise his son?

However, God purposed to teach Moses that when God chooses a person to accomplish whatever he desires, this does not mean that he can be slothful, compromise, and lower the standard. God did not instruct Moses to polish his linguistic skill, or to take some leadership training, he put one thing which Moses desperately needed for this great commission; which is the fear of God. We are to do exactly what we are commanded to do by God.

Zipporah saved Moses' ¡¦ life by operating an immediate circumcision and cast the skin on the ground to remove the wrath of God. God, by grace, accepted this incomplete circumcision. It was incomplete in the sense that it was a delayed one, and done by a woman. Usually it was the family priest, which was the father, to do the circumcision, but Moses was about to die at that moment.

Moses was called "bloody husband" by his wife. We are all "bloody husbands" in a sense. Moses was saved by the blood which was not his, and we are also saved by the blood which is not ours. Zipporah used this term in an ironical manner, but today when God has covered us with the blood of his Son Jesus Christ; saved us from eternal damnation. given us eternal life, and called us his children.