Exodus 4: Chapter Overview

March 9, 2022 in Today's Reading by TGV

2-BSG-4C: TODAY’S CHAPTER.
Bible Reading Plan/ The Book of Exodus 4/ Theme: The Call and Commission of Moses, Part 2/2 – (Exodus 4:1-31).


Exodus 4 (NKJV) — 1 Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ” 2 So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” 3 And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), 5 “that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Furthermore the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. 7 And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. 8 “Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign. 9 And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.” 10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” 13 But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” 14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. 17 And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” 18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 20 Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. 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 son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ” 24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision. 27 And the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. 28 So Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.


 

2-BSG-4D: CHAPTER AT A GLANCE.
Bible Study Guide/ Chapter Overview/ Exodus 4, (2-BSG-4D)/ Theme: The Call and Commission of Moses, Part 2/2 – (Exodus 4:1-31).

In a Nutshell: Moses’s call and response to God’s call is the subject of Exodus 3-4. This chapter highlights Moses’ further objections and the LORD’s response to each. Eventually, Moses agrees and goes back to Egypt to begin this divine commission.

Characters: God, Moses, Aaron, Jethro, Zipporah, Israel’s elders.

Key Text: “So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now, therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” (Exodus 4:11–12, NKJV)

Key Word: Belief vs. Unbelief — (Exodus 4:1, 5, 8, 8, 9).

Selected Phrases —They will not believe me or listen to my voice; Put your hand in your bosom; I am not eloquent; Who has made man’s mouth? The anger of the Lord was kindled; Aaron the Levite; I will harden his heart; Cut off the foreskin of her son; A husband of blood; The people believed; the Lord had visited the children of Israel; They bowed their heads and worshiped!

 Striking Verses: Exodus 4:1, 11, 12, 31.

 Division of Main Points — God gives Moses signs to confirm his ministry (Ex. 4:1–17)

  1. Moses asks, “how will they believe me?” (1)
  2. First sign: Moses’s rod turns to a snake and back again (2–5)
  3. Second sign: Moses is made leprous and whole again! (6-7)
  4. Third sign: water will turn to blood and back again (9)
  5. Moses makes an excuse: I can’t speak well, “I am not eloquent” (10)
  6. God’s response to Moses’ excuse (11–12)
  7. Moses’ unwillingness and God’s reply (13–17)

Moses leaves Midian goes to Egypt (Ex. 4:18–31)

  1. Moses asks permission from his father-in-law, Jethro, to go to Egypt (18)
  2. God tells Moses how events will unfold in Egypt (19–23)
  3. Moses’s life is spared on the way (24–26)
  4. Moses and Aaron present themselves to the people of Israel (27–31)

Biblical Events: [Events Occurring]—

  1. Slavery in Egypt • Ex 1:8–12:32
  2. The Exodus from Egypt • Ex 1:8–Dt 34:8
  3. God appears to Moses in a burning bush • Ex 3:1–4:17
  4. God calls Moses • Ex 3:1–4:17
  5. God prepares to lead the Israelites out of Egypt • Ex 3:1–7:13
  6. Moses leaves Midian • Ex 4:18–23
  7. Moses returns to Egypt • Ex 4:18–28
  8. Zipporah circumcises her son • Ex 4:24–26
  9. Aaron and Moses meet • Ex 4:27–28
  10. Moses and Aaron speak with the elders of Israel • Ex 4:29–31

 Issues At a Glance — (Review)

  1. God calls Moses (Ex 3:1–6)
  2. God orders Moses back to Egypt (Ex 3:7–12)
  3. God reveals a New Name to Moses (Ex 3:13–15)
  4. God sends “the Name” to Israel (Ex 3:16–18a)
  5. God sends “the Name” to Pharaoh (Ex 3:18b–22).

 Background Studies — Mt Horeb/ Mt Sinai/ The Mountain of God.

 Issues for Further Study —Theophany in the Old Testament; Names of God in the Old Testament; Fire as a Motif of Divine Presence; Prophetic Commissioning and the Divine Presence.

 Critical Thought:But suppose they will not believe me” (Ex. 4:1): It was not wrong for Moses to initially ask, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11); this was a logical question considering how great the task was. Yet God answered this question more than adequately in Exodus 3:12: I will certainly be with you. After that point, and in this passage, Moses’ questions show unbelief more than sincere seeking.” – [David Guzik, Exodus, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible, (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2013), Ex 4:1]. It was OK when Moses had no confidence “in the flesh,” but it was very bad when he “lacked confidence in God.” Given the burning bush, the voice of God, and the divine encounter, there was no place for Moses to say, “But.” (Ex. 4:1) Secondly, the rod of Moses became the rod of God. What do you have in your hand today? Beloved, when we surrender all that we are and all that we have to the LORD, He will work in us and through us in miraculous ways!

Benediction: “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20–21, NKJV)

 

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