The Importance of Obedience
- Shawna Jones
- Mar 19, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 8, 2023
( 3-21-23 )
"( 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."
The story of God calling Moses to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt is always exciting to read. However, it can be easy to forget the part in Exodus 4:24-26 where God tried to kill Moses as he was on the way to Egypt. Why was it that God wanted to kill Moses?
The answer can be found as we look back to God's covenant of circumcision with Abraham in Gen. 17:1-14. Through it, God commanded Abraham to be circumcised and commanded that all his future descendants be circumcised when they are 8 days old ( Gen. 17:9-13 ). Despite this commandment, we can see in the Exodus passage that Moses' son was not circumcised prior to Zipporah's action ( v.25 ). Therefore, we can conclude that the reason God wanted to kill Moses spanned from Moses' disobedience in not honoring the Abrahamic covenant.
Through this encounter, we are reminded of the importance of obedience. God expects His followers to obey His commands and to remember that He does not take sin lightly ( 1 Samuel 15:22; Luke 6:46; Lev. 26:14-39 ). We need to take care to repent and choose to walk in obedience to what God wants us to do in every area of our life. It is only through confession, repentance, and obedience that we will experience the true peace and prosperity that comes from doing God's will ( Luke 11:28; John 15:10 ).
Q: What commands of God do you need to be more careful of obeying in your daily life?
Q: What steps can you take to ensure that you stay obedient to the Lord?
God, please forgive me for the times when I am disobedient. Thank You for Your grace and mercy in forgiving me when I fail. Please help me to obey You even when it's hard. Help me to please You in all I do. Reveal to me any unrepentant sins in my life and help me to repent of them also.
In Jesus' Name, I pray, amen.
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