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July 28, 2021Who Was Zipporah and What Can We Learn from Her Life?
Zipporah may be one of the most intriguing figures in the early books of the Bible. Daughter to a priest, wife of the emancipator of the Israelites from captivity and bondage in Egypt, her unique status invites many questions.
Who was she? How did she fit in with Moses’ life after God called him to lead the Hebrew people? What can her life and her decisions tell believers today about the human condition?
There are many lessons to learn from the marriage of Moses and Zipporah about leadership, communication, and how there can be unintended consequences to zealous obedience.
Who Was Zipporah in the Bible?
Zipporah first appeared in the Book of Exodus after Moses fled Egypt. After being taken in by the family of the Pharaoh, Moses grew up among the upper class in the culture, but he did become aware of his Hebrew lineage. Pharaoh’s daughter, who raised him, was aware of his heritage when she found him the basket, but raised him anyway.
At the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian he saw abusing a Hebrew. Moses fled to Midian, which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia. There, Moses stood up for seven young women who were drawing water who were being driven away from the well by shepherds.
In thanks, Jethro--known as the Priest of Midian--invited him to stay in his camp, and gave him Zipporah to marry. The Bible records, “She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, ‘I have been a sojourner in a foreign land’” (Exodus 2:22).
The details of the quality of their marriage over time are difficult to discern, as she spent time with Moses in Egypt, came into conflict with him and his family, and did eventually take their son back to Midian.
What Did Zipporah Do?
There are several interesting passages about interactions between Zipporah, her husband, and her in-laws. In each one, she seems to come into conflict with the culture of her husband, as well as being stuck between Moses the man, and Moses the prophet.
Much of the tension in their marriage is documented only after Moses began to step into his role as the liberator of the Hebrews.
The first sign of trouble came when Moses set off to Egypt after forty years of exile.
And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’” At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. 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!” So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision. Exodus 4:21-26
This passage can be difficult to understand, and different thinkers and theologians have various interpretations of what happened here. What can be understood is that Moses had not had his son circumcised eight days after his birth, neglecting his covenant responsibility as a descendent of Abraham. He knew God wanted his son circumcised, and Zipporah felt forced to take action.
The next documented moment in Zipporah’s life came after the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it... When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have d15one foolishly and have sinned. Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother's womb.” And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.” But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. Exodus 12:1-3, Exodus 12:10-15
Moses’ siblings, Aaron and Miriam turned against their brother because he married someone who was not from the race or culture. They believed Zipporah’s ethnicity disqualified him from being God’s sole mouthpiece. God did not agree, punishing Miriam with leprosy to make an example of their bigotry and pride.
The last mention of Zipporah came while the Hebrews were camped in the wilderness near Mount Sinai.
Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. Exodus 18:2-5
This passage reveals that sometime after the exit from Egypt, Zipporah gave birth to another son named Eliezer, and was either sent back, or returned to Midian to be with her father.
Once the Israelites were closer to his own land, he came to visit and brought Zipporah and the two boys with him. This passage mostly focuses on Jethro aiding Moses in getting help judging the conflicts among the tribes. It is unclear whether she remained with Moses or returned to Midian.
What Can We Learn from Zipporah's Life?
Zipporah lived a fascinating life, getting to travel great distances, and being in an inter-cultural relationship. Because of the lack of context surrounding her actions, it can be easy to ignore the lessons her life provides, but there is quite a bit to be gleaned.
Marriage takes hard work and clear communication from both sides: Zipporah and Moses did not always understand one another, and sometimes Moses got so caught up dealing with his responsibilities to the Hebrew people he forgot about his duties at home. Zipporah did not seem to always let Moses know what she needed. God hates divorce, and wants strong marriages, and communication is part of that.
Parents share responsibility for raising their children: The incident at the inn where Zipporah circumcised their son is difficult to understand, especially in a modern context. It does show that both parents bore responsibility for raising their child up in alignment with God’s ordinances. Regardless of which parent failed to have their son circumcised, both had to confront this choice later in life, and Gershom paid a price for that.
In-laws have an impact in a relationship: Moses’ siblings did not like Zipporah and spoke badly about their brother because of it. Jethro helped his son-in-law by encouraging him to delegate some of his responsibilities. In a marriage, spouses should support one another and help navigate the relationship with their respective relations. Part of why God cursed Miriam with leprosy was because Moses would not stand up to her.
Intercultural/interracial marriages can work and are Biblical: Zipporah and Moses came from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Zipporah was called a Cushite, meaning at least part if not all of her heritage was from Africa. Despite the difficulties in their relationship, Moses and Zipporah did have two children and were married for decades before he went back to Egypt. God blessed them with children.
Being married to a person with a passion or calling can be hard: Zipporah’s husband confronted the most powerful ruler in the world at the time, saw God so much he was physically changed, and led people through the wilderness for forty years. They had several rough patches in their marriage in part because of Moses’ devotion to his responsibilities. While this devotion is not a bad thing, it requires extra work to make the relationship work.
There are some people in the Bible whose lives we only see in bits and pieces, and Zipporah is one of those figures. Her mysterious life leaves us with more questions than answers, but it does not mean her life was not worth studying. God used her to be a mother, a partner, and preserved her memory in His Word.
Sources
Lockyer, Herbert. All the Women of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Corporation, 1967.
Lutzer, Erwin. Getting Closer to God Lessons from the Life of Moses. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2011.
Patterson, Dorothy. Touched by Greatness Women in the Life of Moses. Fearn: Christian Focus Publications, 2011.
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July 27, 20217 Powerful Lessons from the Fall of the Walls of Jericho
The story of Joshua leading the Israelites to bring down the walls of Jericho is a powerful account that demonstrates the faithfulness and might of the Lord. This narrative is part of the fulfillment of the greater promise that God made to the Israelites that they indeed would enter the Promised Land.
Before Moses died, he declared that Joshua would be his successor and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Upon crossing the Jordan, Jericho is the first city the Israelites conquer with Joshua as their leader. This ancient biblical passage is full of relevance for believers today. Here are seven significant lessons from the story of the walls of Jericho for believers today.
What Are the Walls of Jericho?
The account of the walls of Jericho falling is found in the Book of Joshua, which is one of the historical books in the Old Testament. It is named after Joshua, the worthy successor of Moses, who led the Israelites. This book contains action-filled conquests of the Israelites defeating the Canaan cities and obtaining the Promised Land. It also tells of the obedience and faithfulness of the Israelites, and their enjoyment of the Promised Land. The Book of Joshua ends with Joshua’s farewell speech as an old man nearing his death.
Jericho was the gateway city to Canaan that the Israelites came to when they entered the Promised Land. The city of Jericho was surrounded by walls so that no one was able to get in, and the walls served as solid protection against attacks. The gates had been locked to keep the Israelites out (see Joshua 6:1). This moment is incredibly important because the Israelites have finally entered the land promised to them by God and they go on to successfully conquer the first city along their journey. The fallen walls of Jericho became a key affirmation that God was fulfilling His promise to them, and that God would be with them as they took possession of the Promised Land.
How Did the Walls of Jericho Fall?
God had given Joshua very specific instructions on what to do to cause the walls of Jericho to collapse, so that the Israelites would defeat Jericho and claim the city.
“On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in” (Joshua 6:4-5).
Joshua gathered the army and priests just as God instructed. For the first six days, the armed men marched around the city once while the priests had trumpets and carried the ark of the covenant. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, as God instructed, they marched around the city seven times, the priests blew their trumpets, and the army gave a loud shout.
“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city” (Joshua 6:20).
To Joshua, the army, and the priests, this may have seemed like a very different approach to overthrowing the city of Jericho. However, Joshua led the Israelites to do what God had instructed. According to the Lord’s promise, and the Israelites being obedient to what God instructed, on the seventh day the walls of Jericho fell in an amazing victory for the Israelites by the power of God.
7 Lessons from the Fall of the Walls of Jericho
1. Follow God, even if the journey seems impossible or unexpected.
The walls of Jericho should have been impenetrable. What Joshua and the Israelites were up against may have seemed impossible to overcome. But they followed God anyway with full trust and hope in His promise, and faithfulness that He would indeed fight for them to claim the land that was promised to them. All believers can rest assure that even if the path seems impossible, or is not what we expected, when we prayerfully follow God’s good plans for us, it will be worth every step of the way. This biblical story reminds us how crucial it is to lean on God and put our trust in Him, because that is when the impossible can happen.
2. When we listen, we can hear God speaking to us.
A radical component to this biblical narrative is that God spoke to Joshua. And Joshua listened. Because Joshua took the time to listen to God and seek His direction, he heard clearly from the Lord what steps to take. Christians today learn a valuable lesson about the importance of making the space to hear from God. When we stop and take the time to listen – reading Scripture, spending time in prayer, being still, worshipping, and journaling – we may hear from God and discern how the Spirit is guiding our steps.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Mototortion
3. God is purposeful, not random.
God did not instruct Joshua and his army to storm the city upon arrival. He had meticulous steps for them to take to achieve the desired outcome of victory. God was very specific and purposeful in how He orchestrated the walls of Jericho falling. If God is that purposeful about helping the Israelites claim the city, we can be confident that God is also that purposeful in each of our lives. The ups and downs of life may feel unexpected and catch us off guard, but God knows what is coming and will make good out of all circumstances for those who love Him (see Romans 8:28). Our lives are meaningful and significant because God is writing each of our stories purposefully.
4. The outcome may not be instant, so keep waiting on the Lord.
The Israelites were not given permission by God to simply storm the city when they were ready. They had to wait seven days. They marched, they camped, and they waited on God to move. Perhaps some of the armed men wondered as they were marching around the walls if this was really the way to claim victory over Jericho. Maybe others thought it would be best to win the city with a proven military strategy. We may find ourselves thinking similar thoughts when it comes to waiting on the Lord. The answer is to keep waiting on the Lord. Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). Waiting on the Lord deepens our faith, increases our trust in Him, and while we wait with faith, God will certainly transform and renew us.
5. We are not sufficient in and of ourselves. We need God.
The Israelites could have marched around the walls of Jericho a million times, they could have blown a thousand horns, and shouted until they lost their voices, but without God’s power, the walls of Jericho never would have fallen. We are not entirely self-sufficient; we truly need God. We need God to win our battles, to empower us to love others, to overcome obstacles, and to make a lasting impact in the world. We need God in our friendships, our careers, our marriages, and our families. We need God. When we are tempted to think otherwise, let us find wisdom from this biblical story that we do indeed need God in all areas of our lives.
6. Obedience in God matters.
If the Israelites had resisted the instructions given by God to Joshua, the walls of Jericho would not have come down. The Israelites would have lost and been forced out of the Promised Land. Their obedience to God mattered. This is still true for believers today. Living righteously according to God’s ways, rather than our own ways, makes a difference. We find encouragement from this narrative to be obedient to God and the assurance that obedience will result in blessing (see Luke 11:28).
7. What God promises, He will fulfill.
God promised the Israelites this land. The fall of the walls of Jericho is a grand reminder that God fulfills what He promises. A huge amount of time passed between when God initially promised the land to the Israelites, and when they actually came to enter and claim that land. Regardless of how much time passes, God will always make good on His promises. We can trust that God is faithful to His promises and be at peace while we wait for a promise to come to pass.
A Reminder of God’s Power
The account of the walls of Jericho coming down is a significant part of God’s promise coming to pass that the Israelites would indeed enter into and possess the Promised Land. This incredible passage in the Book of Joshua holds many valuable lessons that we as Christians can learn from and apply to our lives and understanding of God. Perhaps you are waiting on God, or maybe you are wondering if He’ll come through. Whatever your situation, the fallen walls of Jericho remind us of God’s power and faithfulness that we can believe in and put our hope in.
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July 26, 2021Why We Should Heed the Warning of 'Woe to Those Who Call Evil Good'?
