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Exodus 4:24–26
“At a lodging place on the way the Lord met [Moses] and sought to put him to death. 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!’ So he let him alone. It was then that she said, ‘A bridegroom of blood,’ because of the circumcision.”
Certainly, God’s rescue of the Israelites from Egypt involved their liberation from harsh bondage. However, God was about bigger things as well. Note that the Lord referred to Israel as His firstborn son (Ex. 4:22). In Scripture, the very first human son of God is Adam, who disobeyed and plunged into death all humanity descended from him by ordinary generation (Luke 3:38; see Gen. 3). By adopting Israel as His firstborn son, the Lord was establishing the nation as a new Adam commissioned to carry out God’s original purposes for mankind. However, this next son of God also failed, for Israel was cast out of its land for impenitent idolatry (2 Kings 17:7–23; 24). So, the Lord then sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, calling Him out of Egypt as He called out Israel, establishing Him as the true Israel and final Adam who fulfills humanity’s vocation and purchases our salvation (Matt. 2:13–15). God’s salvation of Israel from Egypt foreshadowed the greater exodus of Jesus, the true Israel, whose obedience rescues His people from slavery to sin and death.
Since elements of the story of the exodus, such as Israel’s sonship, typify later realities, we should be alert to other places where the text foreshadows things to come. One place where that is the case is in today’s passage, though the reality typified is the first Passover.
Exodus 4:24–26 records a story that can seem quite strange at first but whose meaning is clearer when we pay attention to the context. As Moses’ family traveled back to Egypt, the Lord sought to put “him” to death (v. 24). The ESV interprets the “him” here as Moses (vv. 25–26), but the Hebrew text does not actually name Moses as the object of God’s wrath. It is more probable that the text is referring to Gershom, the firstborn son of Moses (2:21–22), whom Zipporah circumcises. When this occurs, God’s wrath is turned away (4:25–26).
We take the view that the “him” of Exodus 4:24–26 is Gershom because verse 23 refers to the firstborn son of Pharaoh. God was about to distinguish Israel from Egypt by means of blood (see ch. 12), passing over Israel and killing only the firstborn of Egypt, not the firstborn Israelites. But Israel would have to be obedient and apply the blood to escape divine judgment on their firstborn. Moses’ firstborn, Gershom, was almost killed by the Lord, but the obedient application of blood in circumcision saved him, just as the obedient application of blood would save the other firstborn Israelites.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
God’s threat to kill someone for not having received the old covenant sacrament of circumcision (Col. 2:11–12) is a warning to us. John Calvin comments, “Let us then learn from hence to use reverently the sacraments, which are the seals of God’s grace, lest he should severely avenge our despisal of them.” To not give the sacraments to those who are supposed to receive them is a serious matter.
For Further Study
- Genesis 17
- Joshua 5:1–9
- Romans 4:1–12
- Philippians 3:3