This article is part of a series on Old Testament Christophanies. For important background information, see An Introduction to Old Testament Christophanies–with Justin Martyr.
As Moses and his family were traveling to Egypt, the Lord visited him again. The tenor of their meeting this time, however, was quite different.
Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood”—because of the circumcision (Exod 4:24–26).
Instead of using the Lord’s name, the Septuagint reads that it was “the Angel of the Lord” who met Moses, as do the Targums.[1] The Son, the same member of the Godhead who spoke to Moses from the bush, now sought Moses’ life. Moses had neglected to circumcise his son, forcing his wife to act quickly. Once the rite was performed, the Lord departed without harming Moses. Zipporah saved her husband’s life; their marriage was now sealed in blood.
It would seem that the
Lord appeared in threatening manner, not unlike when the Angel of the Lord
appeared before Balaam as an adversary (Num 22:22, 32) or when the Angel of the
Lord appeared before David with a sword in hand (1 Chr 21:16, 30; cf. 2 Sam
24:17). Some commentators believe that the Lord meeting Moses here only means
that he was made ill and that after the circumcision, he was restored to health.
No doubt some are uncomfortable with the idea of the Lord personally appearing
to judge Moses so harshly. Nevertheless, the normal reading is preferred. Moses’
role as the deliverer of the Israelites was rooted in God’s faithfulness to His
covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exod 2:24). Yet Moses had broken God’s
covenant (Gen 17:10–14). The Lord’s threat, no doubt, left an impression on
Moses as to the importance of his role and the example he needed to set.
[1] Targum Onkelos and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Exodus 4:24.
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