Why God "Sought to Kill" Moses
Yesterday we went through Exodus 4 and the lessons we learned from Moses on confidence and flipping our insecurities with the God given truth. I want to continue in chapter 4 to I think the “weirdest” passage in the entire book of Exodus (Exodus 4:24–26). It feels like a fever dream: God calls Moses to a massive mission, and then suddenly "meets him and seeks to kill him" at a lodging place on the way? Then Zipporah—who isn't even an Israelite (she’s Midianite)—randomly performs a surgery on their son, touches Moses with the evidence, and says, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” It’s confusing, but it reveals a vital truth: Leadership begins at home.
Private Integrity vs. Public Mission
God "sought to kill" Moses (likely a sudden, life-threatening illness) because Moses was about to lead a nation into a covenant he hadn't honored in his own house. God told Abraham that any male not circumcised would be "cut off" (Genesis 17:14). Moses was going to tell Pharaoh "Let my people go" because they belong to God, yet his own son lacked the physical mark of belonging.
The Hard Truth: You cannot lead others where you aren't willing to go yourself. You cannot ask God to bless your "Public Mission" if you are compromising your "Private Integrity."
Moses had spent 40 years as a Midianite shepherd. He was trying to serve the God of Israel while keeping his comfortable "Midianite" lifestyle. Whether he neglected the rite to avoid an argument with Zipporah or just thought "it’s not a big deal," he was trying to skip a step of obedience while pursuing a calling. When Moses was incapacitated, Zipporah realized the weight of the situation. She performed the rite herself because Moses couldn't. When she says "Bridegroom of Blood," she is acknowledging a shift: “I realized today that I am married to a man who belongs to a God who demands everything.”
From Physical Cut to Spiritual Change
This seems to contradict the New Testament, where Paul spends pages (Galatians 5:2-6, 1 Cor 7:18-19, Galatians 6:15) saying circumcision doesn't matter. But it’s actually the evolution of the same lesson:
Old Testament (Physical): A "shadow"—the physical cutting of the flesh to show you are set apart.
New Testament (Spiritual): The "circumcision of the heart" (Romans 2:29).
In Moses’ time, the outward mark was everything. Today, we still judge ourselves by "outward appearance"—our mistakes, trauma, or bank accounts.
1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us: “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Faith as "Permission"
I recently read somewhere a different way of defining faith as “our permission.” God will not force anything onto us whether that is healing or miracle because we have free will. By defining faith as "our permission," you move from a passive observer of your life to an active partner with God. It takes the pressure off of "having enough faith" (as if it’s a muscle you have to flex) and turns it into a simple "green light" you give to the One who actually has the power.
In Romans 2:14-16, Paul writes that the law is written on our hearts, with our thoughts either "accusing" or "defending" us. Before we give God permission, we stay in Accuser Mode, letting trauma say, "You aren't good enough." But when we align with God, we move to Defender Mode, letting His truth protect our identity.
The New Birth (John 3:1-21)
This is where the "Old Ritual" meets "New Rebirth." In John 3, Nicodemus—a leader like Moses—comes to Jesus in the dark, clinging to his "Midianite" comfort of status.
Jesus tells him: "No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again" (John 3:3).
Just as Moses’ son couldn't enter the covenant without the "cut," our ego and trauma-responses cannot inherit new life.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirt (John 3:6).
Interestingly, Jesus mentions Moses in this same talk, referencing the bronze snake (John 3:14-16). He explains that "believing" is the permission. God won't force the "cut" or the healing; He waits for the "whoever believes." We often stay in the shadows because we are afraid of being exposed (John 3:20). Moses was "exposed" in that lodging place; his neglect was laid bare. But John 3:21 says, "Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light."
The "new birth" is the ultimate cut. It’s the hard work of saying, "God, I give You permission to take the ego and the trauma-responses I’ve used as a shield for 40 years." Like Zipporah, we must realize our future is tied to this sacrifice. We trade the "comfort" of our old labels for a confidence that depends entirely on the Spirit.