God’s Saving Word: Mercy and Forgiveness

Introduction

Exodus 4:18-31: Moses returns to Egypt, taking with him his wife and sons. Aaron meets Moses in the desert and together they return to Egypt to confront the king. Aaron gathers the Israelite leaders and tells them everything the LORD had said to Moses.

Scripture Reading

Moses Returns to Egypt

18 Then Moses went back to Jethro, his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go back to my relatives in Egypt to see if they are still alive.” Jethro agreed and told him good-bye.

19 While Moses was still in Midian, the Lord said to him, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and set out with them for Egypt, carrying the walking stick that God had told him to take.

21 Again the Lord said to Moses, “Now that you are going back to Egypt, be sure to perform before the king all the miracles which I have given you the power to do. But I will make the king stubborn, and he will not let the people go. 22 Then you must tell him that I, the Lord, say, ‘Israel is my first-born son. 23 I told you to let my son go, so that he might worship me, but you refused. Now I am going to kill your first-born son.’”

24 At a camping place on the way to Egypt, the Lord met Moses and tried to kill him. 25-26 Then Zipporah, his wife, took a sharp stone, cut off the foreskin of her son, and touched Moses’ feet[a] with it. Because of the rite of circumcision she said to Moses, “You are a husband of blood to me.” And so the Lord spared Moses’ life.

27 Meanwhile the Lord had said to Aaron, “Go into the desert to meet Moses.” So he went to meet him at the holy mountain; and when he met him, he kissed him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything that the Lord had said when he told him to return to Egypt; he also told him about the miracles which the Lord had ordered him to perform. 29 So Moses and Aaron went to Egypt and gathered all the Israelite leaders together. 30 Aaron told them everything that the Lord had said to Moses, and then Moses performed all the miracles in front of the people. 31 They believed, and when they heard that the Lord had come to them and had seen how they were being treated cruelly, they bowed down and worshiped.

Today’s Key Verse: Exodus 4:21a

The LORD said to Moses, “Now that you are going back to Egypt, be sure to perform before the king all the miracles which I have given you the power to do.”

Reflect

Why do you think the LORD tells Moses that he will make the king of Egypt stubborn (verse 21)? What is Moses told to say in response to the king’s stubbornness (verses 22 and 23)? As God’s “first-born,” the people of Israel had the special privileges and inheritance reserved for the first-born (see Deuteronomy 21:15-17). Why is this significant in relation to the situation involving Egypt and the Israelites at this time?

Pray

Sovereign God, you are supreme over all creation. Your steadfast presence and faithfulness revive my spirit each day. I praise you for all your mighty deeds. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Exodus 5:1-21:  Moses and Aaron go before the king of Egypt.