Can someone PLEASE explain these verses for me?

[DaBronx]

EXODUS 4:18-26

Moses Returns to Egypt

18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive."
Jethro said, "Go, and I wish you well."

19 Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead." 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' "
24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met {Moses} [b] and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched {Moses'} feet with it. [c] "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. 26 So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
Thanks!!

 

[HypnoToad]

If you're asking why God was about to kill Moses, it's likely because Moses had not obeyed the covenant of circumcision.

 

[ArnautDaniel]

I'm a little unclear as well, but when I look at it I see something of a foreshadowing of the Passover, where God is going to kill the firstborn in all the homes not marked with blood.

 

[calluna]

I'm a little unclear as well, but when I look at it I see something of a foreshadowing of the Passover, where God is going to kill the firstborn in all the homes not marked with blood.

I think one needs both the ideas of necessity of circumcision and shedding of blood. This passage is apparently obscure and ambiguous, and that is often when the Bible gets really interesting, imv. Who was God going to kill, Moses, or his son? Both, we may say. The son was uncircumcised in body, and was subject to physical death. But his father was uncircumcised in heart, perhaps because he took too much notice of his wife, who may have been disgusted at the idea of circumcision. So his own physical circumcision availed nothing- and his death would have been eternal, due to disobedience.

But Moses and his son were both saved by shedding of blood. We are not told which of Moses' two sons was uncircumcised, and we may suppose that it was the younger, not the elder. It was a distant descendant of Abraham, Jesus, who justified Moses, the Law-giver, the law-breaker, and we have a pre-figurement of divine expiation in this incident. Imv, of course.

Some see a measure of disgust in the Midianite Zipporah's attitude, throwing the foreskin at Moses' feet. This is analogous with the attitude of the unelect, who spurn repentance, circumcision of the heart. And yet Zipporah's action made them all into a family, a family of the Chosen People, with inheritance rights, moreover. This has resonances with Eden and with Paul's instructions about marriage in the NT.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

This has resonances with Eden and with Paul's instructions about marriage in the NT.

It is clear that Zipporah 'put upon' Moses to forgo the circumcision of their younger son. Moses, like Adam who was also 'convinced against his will' by Eve to sin, was held responsible by God.

owg

 

[Chickapee]

Good question DaBronx , I have wondered this also , some good answers too ! Thanks all for adding

seeing it better now , for me though i can see it here ..I think Paul answers this in 1corint 7 , with Zipporah( Exd 2:21). being a wife also of Moses ,and Moses being a servant of God as the division it caused of their union /marriage over circumcision /uncircumcision mother, father sister brother etc , over Gods commandment and the ..

covenant keeping .........

Sign of the cutting of the excess flesh / or heart ?
Blue Letter Bible Circumcision
what makes a bloody man/ bridegroom to the wife ?
and to whom are the children cursed or holy to God ?

The kingdom come by force /violence namely bloody men till Jesus come /sent By the Father
We know Jesus IS the Bridegroom
parable Matt 25
and to John Baptist /law prophets luke 5 *33-39 new Spirit within them new heart ..

here Paul also speaks of the same things /mysteries made known ..


1COR7 10and to the married I announce -- not I, but the Lord -- let not a wife separate from a husband:



11but and if she may separate, let her remain unmarried, or to the husband let her be reconciled, and let not a husband send away a wife.


12And to the rest I speak -- not the Lord -- if any brother hath a wife unbelieving, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not send her away;
13and a woman who hath a husband unbelieving, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not send him away;
14for the unbelieving husband hath been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified in the husband; otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.


15And, if the unbelieving doth separate himself -- let him separate himself: the brother or the sister is not under servitude in such [cases], and in peace hath God called us;
16for what, hast thou known, O wife, whether the husband thou shalt save? or what, hast thou known, O husband, whether the wife thou shalt save?
17if not, as God did distribute to each, as the Lord hath called each -- so let him walk; and thus in all the assemblies do I direct:
18being circumcised -- was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;
19the circumcision is nothing, and the uncircumcision is nothing -- but a keeping of the commands of God.
20Each in the calling in which he was called -- in this let him remain;
21a servant -- wast thou called? be not anxious; but if also thou art able to become free -- use [it] rather;
22for he who [is] in the Lord -- having been called a servant -- is the Lord's freedman: in like manner also he the freeman, having been called, is servant of Christ:
23with a price ye were bought, become not servants of men; 24each, in that in which he was called, brethren, in this let him remain with God.

this may help you to understand ,as it has me
I dont get all of it , but for the most part see them connect......from the past examples to a present Word from God

God bless your search peace in Jesus c

 

[DaBronx]

Thanks guys... as always you were all a great help!

 

[Chickapee]

Thanks guys... as always you were all a great help!

Hi DaBronx ,
Seeing these things is Hard sometimes , for me anyways ..lol
I would like to just simplify , something , I should have when posting last time hee hee and forgot to mention ... sorry about that .. hope it helps some how to see it more clearly , I struggle with clarity ...

the comparing ''both covenants '' Old and New
we can see that Moses [symbolically ] representing the law & prophets [old covenant ] and His wife and that union also compared to the soul & spirit and Children spared though '' circumcision'' = obedience to the Law of God

yet in this scripture Exodus 4 : 16-24 seeing the division of soul & spirit or husband and wife and the body+ being offspring or children = life through the union
and in Pauls Voice in 1corinth 7 :10-23 showing the same union and this mystery of Christ/ Lamb and His soul = Church /bride wife and Body= children offspring New Life being Spiritual Growth and Increase through the Law of Christ

Jhn 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
which was from the begining that we love one another
Iam not sure if this helps at all , but thought it may and wanted to share the similarities
Peace and GODS Grace C