The Peril of the Firstborns

The Revelation of the True God in Exodus  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  44:51
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Zipporah narrowly averts the death of Moses' and her first son.

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I. Introduction

As we continue through the book of Exodus seeing God’s dealings with Moses and now with his brother Aaron today, we encounter a very strange passage in the narrative where it appears that God wants to kill either Moses or his son.

Let’s see how this plays out before Moses meets up with his brother and then with the elders of Israel in Egypt.

II. Firstborns are in view.

Exodus 4:21–23 ESV
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”

III. Zipporah averts the death of their firstborn.

Exodus 4:24 ESV
24 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.
Exodus 4:25 ESV
25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!”
Exodus 2:22 ESV
22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

Moses is about to loose his firstborn son because he has not conformed to God’s Word in Genesis 17:10-14

Genesis 17:10–14 ESV
10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

The NET Bible says the phrase should be translated as:

“the blood of the circumcision of my son stood.”

Exodus 4:26 ESV
26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

IV. Moses meets with Aaron and the Elders

Exodus 4:27–30 ESV
27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people.

V. What do you see about God?

A. God’s word is binding–He does not forget His covenants.

B. God is in complete control over every life.

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