READ: Ex. 4:18–26: … And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him …
Moses has received his mission from the LORD to go to Pharaoh. He has been strengthened and given divine guarantees for the task.
It’s been 40 years since that first disappointing encounter with his fellow Israelites. Meanwhile, Israel has cried out in distress, and God is now beginning His plan of redemption — with Moses playing a major role, alongside Aaron.
After returning to his father-in-law Jethro in Midian to announce his departure for Egypt, God calls him to go immediately. Was Moses still hesitating? Was he afraid?
The LORD says: Go, because all the men who sought your life are dead. Moses takes his wife and children and departs. He receives further instructions on how to speak to Pharaoh, including use of the signs previously shown to him. Yet God tells him in advance: Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened.
And God adds: If you do not let Israel, My son, My firstborn, go, I will kill your firstborn son. God asserts His rights. He will punish Pharaoh’s wickedness accordingly.
But what about Moses? Is he standing rightly before God? God claims Israel as His people — and that includes their children. But Moses’ youngest son is still uncircumcised. It seems that his wife, Zipporah, was opposed to circumcision. But shouldn’t Moses, as head of the family, have insisted?
He must not be negligent in serving the LORD — especially not when it concerns the covenant requirement God gave Abraham (Gen. 17:10–14). Neglecting this carries the death penalty (Gen. 17:10). How can Moses lead if God were to let this pass?
What does this say about rejecting infant baptism?
Sing: Ps. 6:1,2