A daily, 32-day Lenten Devotional Series by Rev. Dave Brown
Moses told Jethro that he was “going back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they were still alive.” What he failed to say is that God had met him at the burning bush and had commissioned him to return with the plan to deliver them. He also left out the signs of authority that he would carry with him, and the fact that God considered Israel his firstborn son. It was not simply a story of emancipation – the release of a slave - it was also of repatriation, the return of an only son to his father’s loving care.” (Levenson as quoted in Ryken:130).
Jethro said “Go in peace,” and the LORD said Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” It would seem that the way was entirely clear. However, there was one thing that prevented success.
Moses was going to Egypt as a child of the covenant to meet God’s covenant children, but he had not yet made his own son a child of the covenant. Because of that, he experienced the sentence of death, which was only lifted when his wife circumcised their son, Gershom, and presented the blood from this ceremony as evidence of obedience. While this was a strange episode and hard to explain, it points to a huge truth which Moses had to learn: Moses was saved, and Israel after him was saved by the blood of a substitute lamb. In the fullness of time, John the Baptist introduced Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God, whose blood takes away the sin of the world.
Moses and Aaron met in the wilderness on the outskirts of Egypt. At this happy reunion Moses and Aaron shared all that God had said, and all the signs that God had given to him. Together they went to the camp of the Hebrews and gathered them. As Moses performed the three signs granted to him, the people believed and bowed down their heads and worshipped.
Moses’ initial fear was unfounded. Many of his people were still alive and they received the good news with a rousing expression of praise. The exodus was at hand. God would claim his people as his firstborn.
Reflections: God treats his people as sons, not slaves. His children can be sure of repatriation with the Heavenly Father. The first deliverance was at hand when Moses spoke to the elders of Israel. At a later date, the Prophet Habakkuk urged God’s people to wait for a greater fulfillment.
“For still the vision waits its appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay (Habakkuk 2:3)
Are you patiently waiting for deliverance and meanwhile worshipping the LORD of covenant promises?