Thursday: The Circumcision
Daily Lesson for Thursday 10th of July 2025
Read Exodus 4:18-31. How do we understand this strange story, and what lesson can we take from it?
Bible students are shocked when they read that, after Moses obeyed the Lord and started his journey back to Egypt, the Lord “was about to kill him” (Exodus 4:24, NIV). From the context of the story, it is evident that the issue was circumcision. His youngest son was not circumcised, as the Abrahamic covenant demanded (Genesis 17:10-11).
Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com
Moses, as the leader of God’s people, needed to show his perfect submission and obedience to God, in order to be qualified to lead other people to be obedient. He had to be a model of that total surrender to God. His wife, Zipporah, was a woman of action and circumcised her son in order to save the life of her husband. She touched Moses with the “bloody foreskin,” and this blood represents atonement, life, and the sealing of the covenant. The fact that it was done so quickly added to the drama of the situation.
An important lesson can be learned from this episode: never fail to do what we know is right.
“On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and terrible warning of the Lord’s displeasure. An angel appeared to him in a threatening manner, as if he would immediately destroy him. No explanation was given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God’s requirements . . . he had neglected to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest son. He had failed to comply with the condition by which his child could be entitled to the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel; and such a neglect on the part of their chosen leader could not but lessen the force of the divine precepts upon the people. Zipporah, fearing that her husband would be slain, performed the rite herself, and the angel then permitted Moses to pursue his journey. In his mission to Pharaoh, Moses was to be placed in a position of great peril; his life could be preserved only through the protection of holy angels. But while living in neglect of a known duty, he would not be secure; for he could not be shielded by the angels of God.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, Pages 255, 256.
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What should this story say to you if you are indeed guilty of neglecting what you know you should be doing? What changes do you need to make, even right now? |
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In Exodus 4:24–26, we encounter the strange and sobering moment when God sought to kill Moses besince he had failed to circumcise his son. Though Moses was God’s chosen leader, his personal disobedience nearly cost him everything. As Keil and Delitzsch observe, before Moses could carry out God's mission, he had to prove faithful in his own household. This passage reminds us that obedience is a serious prerequisite for effective leadership.
In the New Testament, Paul outlines the qualifications for church elders, writes, “He must manage his own household well… for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:4–5). Leadership in God’s kingdom begins at home. You cannot rightly lead God's people if your own household is out of step with His covenant. As leaders of God’s people, we must first lead our own families in faith and obedience. The strange circumcision account demonstrates that God does not overlook private disobedience for the sake of public ministry. We must align with God, bring our households into covenant faithfulness, and only then shall we be fit to lead in the Lord’s house.
Amen Amen ...Be blessed
The Bible has some passages which seemingly looks “bizarre”! How could God try to kill His own messenger while on his mission? God “seeking to kill Moses” (Exodus 4:24-26) is one of those passages which sound indeed mysterious. God had just commissioned Moses to embark on one of the greatest migration journeys in human history, leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. This was a sacred mission. Unfortunately, Moses had neglected to fulfil God’s instruction to circumcise one of his sons. This was a direct violation of God’s direct instruction.
"Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." (Genesis 17:14)
Moses missing to uphold this cardinal sign of obedience and covenant was serious spiritual omission. A man who was going to represent God before the heathen people, ought to have exercised the highest form of spiritual integrity.
From this episode, we can learn some fundamental spiritual lessons:
1.God requires full obedience. Regardless of Moses being on God’s mission, he had neglected some instructions from God.
2. God demands higher accountability from leaders. Leaders are expected to set good examples
3. God requires His people to exercise spiritual consistence. It was spiritual hypocrisy for Moses to expect the Pharaoh to obey when he was disobedient.
4. God’s grace demand obedience.
I hope you will forgive me for ignoring the deep issues of obedience and circumcision to highlight the quick wittedness of Zipporah, who understood the situation and took action immediately. Moses married a good one. Reading between the lines, it appears that Moses had procrastinated on the issue, but when faced with the challenge, Zipporah realised the gravity of the situation and told Moses after she had done it. Zipporah came from a family where wisdom and action were combined. This is born out in Exodus 18, which we will probably study later.
In our household, I tend to be the one who thinks problems out, considering the alternatives, and weighing up the consequences. Carmel, on the other hand, wants things done yesterday, and if I don't do them, she will act. While such differences in personality has the potential for conflict, on the whole, it has worked well for over fifty years, and I look back with both appreciation and thankfulness for her actions.
This situation is a reminder that our spiritual experience does not exist in a vacuum, and we interact with others. It is a reminder that God speaks to us through the words and actions of others, and conversely, we may also work on behalf of God in our actions with others.
The question at the end of the lesson for today is, "What should this story say to you if you are indeed guilty of neglecting what you know you should be doing? What changes do you need to make, even right now?"
I thank the author of the lesson for asking this question. This tells me that the intent of the author is that the readers of today's lesson should apply this encounter of Moses to ourselves. Thus, my Godly duty is to ensure that in all my ways I am acknowledging God (Prov 3:5,6). But, how do I get to this state in my daily living? Is the bible serious when it says that whatsoever we do must be done to bring honor to God? In today's lesson we read that Moses failed to do what was right, even though he was on God's mission. So the personalized question is, "am I not doing certain things that God expects me to be doing, even though I am a good church going Christian?"
Total conformity to God's will can only happen if my life is controlled by the Holy Spirit. So, my prayer today is,"Holy Spirit, I give you permission to take full control of my life and I beg you to bring it into conformity with your will."
Today, many people hold a lax view of obedience, often seeing God’s commands as optional or outdated rather than essential. In a culture that emphasizes personal freedom and self-expression, obedience is sometimes mistaken for legalism or loss of autonomy. This attitude can lead to a shallow faith, where feelings and convenience take precedence over truth and surrender. Yet, Scripture consistently teaches that love for God is demonstrated through obedience (John 14:15). True obedience is not about rigid rule-keeping, but about trusting God's wisdom and honoring His holiness in every area of life.
The Lord is long suffering, yet even his patience has a limit. It is by the mercies of God that sinners aren't destroyed the moment they sin. Lam. 3:22-23
This planet would be rapidly depopulated. In society today there is little fear (reverence) for God. Every man does what is right in their own eyes. Man has made himself the arbiter of truth. This is wrong on so many levels, yet this is the reason that both society and the church are in the condition they are.
We need to act and do what God asks us to do, because it is the just, righteous, and holy thing to do. The first thing though, is to enter into a relationship with God through Christ. We need to realize how patient and merciful God has been with us. God doesn't want us to follow a code of conduct out of fear. How often do we do that? Truth be told, probably frequently. God wants our heart because then he gets our entire being. There is no limit to our obedience and service when it is founded on a loving relationship. "Rules without a relationship, lead to rebellion." We need to do right not just because God said so, but because it is the right thing to do. Remember Psalm 145:17. We need the indwelling Christ to empower us to obey out of a heart appreciation for all that he has done. It is the goodness of God that leads us into repentance. Romans 2:4
It isn't always easy to obey, but it is always worth it to do so. "Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me."
Like Moses' example points out, we neglect to walk in God’s Way to our own peril. What struck me most when I came to know God through Jesus Christ was the clarity with which He revealed the importance of walking in His Way — Deut. 5:33; Prov.3:5–6.
The command to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” cuts through confusion. Sometimes, a decision can be made in an instant, subconsciously. Other times — when the matter carries more weight — we find that sincere prayer brings clarity and direction. On the other hand, every decision matters, no matter how small, because it reveals/reflects the Spirit's work within us. Who's spirit do we listen to?
By loving God with all my heart and walking in His Way, what I have discovered is this: cultivating a genuine, loving relationship with our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior as well as our Lord Jesus Christ, is the foundation of a blessed life - it removes guilt and shame.
The Holy Spirit speaks God’s will directly and clearly to the heart and mind, always guiding those who truly love Him. Therefore, loving our heavenly Father becomes the believer’s way of life because in this His Will is revealed.
He places His Spirit within those who love Him, and by Him draws us toward righteousness in all circumstances. We recognize His voice; our conscience is stirred to follow Him — not out of obligation, but because He first loved us and gave us His Love so that we might love Him in return.
To ignore His voice and rely instead on our own understanding is to reveal that we do not yet truly love Him - 1 John 4:20-21.
So many men think being kind is hard. When we find out how much love he has for us it comes easy to return that love to him. Answered prayer help us to know his love for us.
There are a lot of things the text doesn't actually say: it doesn't say it was the youngest son and it actually doesn't say that God was going to kill Moses (the Hebrew is just "him", so it could be the son that was in danger of being killed, though the fact that Zipporah touched Moses feet would suggest it was Moses who was in danger). Patriarchs and Prophets does fill in some of the gaps, though I am a little leery of using it as the final answer on what the Bible says.
I have always had the impression that it was because of Zipporah that the son was not circumcised, especially given her words to Moses. Then again, Midian being one of Abraham's sons, should have been familar with the custom. But maybe it had lapsed over hundreds of years.
One thing to keep in mind - the son was not a little boy. Moses had been in Midian for 40 years so he was almost certainly a man and perhaps in his 30s. Moses had had many years to take care of the situation. This is not a case of God lashing out at him at the smallest failing. But it's clear that he needed to address the situation to be an authentic leader. Something us leaders need to keep in mind.
At the point of Moses' reluctance to obedience, God was ready and about to cut him off mission.
Jesus' intercessions brought life and completion of God's mission. Christ intercedes before God our fallen nature. With the covering righteousness of Jesus Christ our sinfulness is changed. He then rebuilds our lives into His likeness and places us in his vineyard ready for service.
What should I do if I am indeed guilty of neglecting what I know I should be doing? What changes do I need to make, even right now?
According to your question JCZielak,once you realize that you're not doing what you know it right doing, don't wait to learn in a hard way like that of Moses, begin to act accordingly and God mercies will cover that which you've earlier neglected.
"On the way from Midian"...on His way to do God's work which God Himself had just magnificently called him to do...he directly would encounter God's displeasure if he did not repent. Moses had sin in his life - disobedience and disregard for God laws. Sin will always be subject to God's wrath...sooner or later
I tremble to think that I can be doing God's bidding and not finding God's favor because I have unconfess sins. Lord have mercy. Search me o God and know my heart today . Try me o Saviour know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be any wicked way in me . Cleanse me from every sin and set me free because if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not hear me Psalm 66.18. This responsibility is even greater for a leader because he's standing in the gap for God's people and leadership demands being a model, modeling Christ like behavior and being perfect to God's will, submission and obedience. The admonition is clear..
never fail to do what we know is right. I will add never venture to go where angels fear to tread.... because God's protection, the angels protection cannot shield you while living in neglect of any known duty.
My prayer today- Lord I pray that I would do the things I should do and I ask the Holy Spirit to quicker my mind to be receptive of the voice of the Holy Spirit as He reveals the things I yet do not know or yet have not accepted in my conscious mind that I have to change to be in alignment with God's will and way
Amen