Exodus 4: Moses Is Sent to Deliver Israel

Exodus 4: Moses Is Sent to Deliver Israel

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Moses Given Powerful Signs

4 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

Moses Returns to Egypt

18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. 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 firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

24 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. 25 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!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Chapter Analysis

Exodus 4: God Equipped Moses and Prepared Him for Egypt

Overview

Exodus 4 continues God's commissioning of Moses. Although God had called Moses to deliver Israel, Moses repeatedly expressed doubts about his ability. In response, God gave him miraculous signs, promised to help him speak, and appointed Aaron to assist him.

As Moses returned to Egypt, God reminded him that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened and that Israel was God's firstborn son. During the journey, God confronted Moses for neglecting the covenant sign of circumcision, emphasizing the importance of obedience before service.

The chapter concludes with Moses and Aaron gathering the elders of Israel. After seeing the miraculous signs and hearing God's promises, the people believed and worshiped the Lord.

I. Verses 1–9: God Gave Moses Three Miraculous Signs

Moses questioned whether the Israelites would believe that God had appeared to him.

In response, God gave him three miraculous signs.

The First Sign: The Staff Became a Serpent

God instructed Moses to throw his shepherd's staff on the ground.

It became a serpent.

When Moses obeyed God's command to pick it up by the tail, it became a staff again.

This sign demonstrated God's authority over creation and His power to authenticate His messenger.

The Second Sign: The Leprous Hand

God told Moses to place his hand inside his cloak.

When he removed it, it was covered with leprosy.

After placing it inside his cloak again, it was completely restored.

This sign showed God's authority over disease and healing.

The Third Sign: Water Became Blood

If the people still refused to believe, Moses was to pour water from the Nile onto dry ground.

The water would become blood.

This sign pointed ahead to the judgments God would bring upon Egypt.

II. Verses 10–17: God Answered Moses' Excuses

Moses protested once again.

"I am not eloquent... I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."

God reminded Moses that He is the Creator of the mouth.

"Who has made man's mouth?"

God promised:

  • "I will be with your mouth."
  • "I will teach you what you shall say."

Even after these assurances, Moses asked God to send someone else.

The Lord became angry, yet graciously appointed Aaron, Moses' brother, to speak on his behalf.

Moses would receive God's words, instruct Aaron, and together they would confront Pharaoh.

God also instructed Moses to take the staff with him because it would be used to perform the miraculous signs.

III. Verses 18–23: Moses Began His Return to Egypt

Moses received permission from his father-in-law Jethro to return to Egypt.

God assured him that those who had wanted to kill him were now dead.

As Moses traveled with his family, God revealed what would happen.

Moses would perform the miracles before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh would harden his heart and refuse to release Israel.

God declared:

"Israel is My son, My firstborn."

If Pharaoh refused to let God's son go, God would eventually strike Pharaoh's own firstborn son.

This statement introduced the final and greatest plague that would come upon Egypt.

IV. Verses 24–26: Moses Obeyed God's Covenant

Along the journey, the Lord confronted Moses because his son had not been circumcised according to God's covenant with Abraham.

Zipporah circumcised their son and touched Moses' feet with the foreskin.

After this act of obedience, the Lord allowed Moses to continue.

This brief but serious event demonstrates that those who lead God's people must first obey God's commands themselves.

God's servants cannot neglect His covenant while expecting to represent Him faithfully.

V. Verses 27–31: Israel Believed God's Message

God instructed Aaron to meet Moses in the wilderness.

The two brothers met at the mountain of God.

Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had said and showed him the miraculous signs.

Together they gathered the elders of Israel.

Aaron spoke God's words, and Moses performed the signs before the people.

The Israelites believed.

When they heard that God had seen their suffering and was concerned for them, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

After centuries of waiting, Israel now knew that God had come to deliver them.

Major Lessons in Exodus 4

God Equips Those He Calls

Moses focused on his weaknesses, but God focused on His own power. God does not call people because they are sufficient; He makes them sufficient for His purposes.

God's Presence Is Greater Than Human Ability

God promised to be with Moses' mouth and teach him what to say. Success depended upon God's presence rather than Moses' natural abilities.

Obedience Comes Before Service

The incident involving circumcision reminds us that those who serve God must first walk in obedience to Him.

God's Plans Cannot Be Stopped

Although Pharaoh would resist, God had already declared the outcome. Human opposition cannot prevent God from accomplishing His purposes.

Faith Produces Worship

When Israel believed God's promises and saw His power, they responded by worshiping the Lord.

Overall Summary

Exodus 4 records God's patient response to Moses' doubts by providing miraculous signs, promising His presence, and appointing Aaron to assist him. As Moses returned to Egypt, God revealed His coming judgments upon Pharaoh and emphasized the importance of covenant obedience. The chapter concludes with Moses and Aaron presenting God's message to Israel, where the people believed, recognized that God had seen their suffering, and worshiped Him in anticipation of the deliverance that was about to begin.