Zipporah
I have never heard a message preached about Zipporah. She was the wife of Moses, who saved his life with obedience to God. She was the daughter of a Midian Priest. The meaning of her name is “little bird“ or “”sparrow“. Of course, I would find this most amusing. I love birds and recognize that often important messages come from Little birds.
- Zipporah was not familiar to all the Hebrew covenant. Remember that the covenant with Abraham and Israel had to do with circumsion and worship. She was a descendant of Esau and the Midianites, which bought Joseph from his brothers as a slave. Jacob had the covenant promise. Though Esau was promised a blessing it was not the same as the covenant promise from Abraham.
Exodus 4:23-30 KJV
[23] And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. [24] And it came to pass by the way in the inn, 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 his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. [26] So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. [27] And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. [28] And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. [29] And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: [30] And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
- Zipporah knew what God was requiring of Moses. He was reluctant to obey, even as it would cost him their son. James 4:17 KJV “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” She stepped forward in fear and obedience because she didn’t want to lose her husband or her son. Have you ever hesitated to do what God asked? Up to this point God had tolerated, even accommodated Moses’ unbelief. She knew that this was not her part and basically called Moses unclean to her because he forced her hand to save life. I would argue that she considered herself and her sons, now covered by the covenant. She did not hesitate when she knew what must be done. It is clear that the Midianites still practiced circumcision. For whatever reason Moses had not followed through with his youngest son.
- This is the example that God uses the least likely people to carry out His plans. Moses was eighty years old. He was a murderer, a deserter, he had basically absconded to a nomadic life of shame. He was a man without a country. All of a sudden God calls him to a perfect life of service. Once Zipporah sets things right Moses sends her and the three sons back to Midian. He continues alone to meet Aaron. Why was it important, if they were not going with Moses? God was claiming all of Moses for His service and He would take nothing less. Zipporah was quick to recognize the seriousness of the matter. Do you have anything hanging onto you? Is there any part of your life that you have refused or neglected to surrender to God? What expense will you bear because of your hesitation?
Though Zipporah is a name we don’t hear much and little time is spent on her importance in the life and service of Moses, I submit that history would be much different without her.
No person is insignificant to God. Each one of us has a purpose and our obedience toward or away from God influences everyone we touch. Our free will affects those around us and our decisions have monumental impacts. Having this knowledge should force us to pray and search the scriptures that our decisions, our actions and our words will influence others to, also, seek wisdom.
James 1:5 KJV “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
Each one of us is in a position to affect one life. As the rule of Nail 32, you could easily change the lives of millions, one life at a time.
Mickey Kyler
