Mrs Zipporah Moses (Part One) by Dr Nathaniel Omilani

The marriage of Moses to Zipporah has not gained the attention of Bible scholars. This woman was very key in the life of Moses. Zipporah was the daughter of Jethro. Jethro was a mentor to Moses. He housed him for the whole four decades which Moses spent in Midian.

Zipporah met Moses as a stranger who helped them at the well and later as her father employee. Finally, as a husband and the father of her two children (Ex 2:21). Her marriage with Moses had no issue until Moses returned from the burning bush experience at the desert’s backside.

The major crisis was the circumcision of their first son Gershom recorded in the Exodus 4.20. God wanted to kill Moses a mystery which we will look at some other time.

Moses was already dying before his wife circumcised Gershom. There are important questions to raise at this point. Leading among them IS what/who directed Zipporah to the circumcision when she saw her husband dying?
My take his that the conversation concerning the circumcision of Gershom is not a new topic in the family. In the past, Mrs. Zipporah’s position was that what type of tradition/culture/practice makes bloodshed compulsory for a young, innocent boy. She insisted that it will not happen to her son. And she stood by her decision. This tradition is strange to her culture and world view.

On the other hand, Moses knew it was the right thing to do. However, he did not force his position on the mother and the young boy. God came to enforce the position of Moses that night concerning Gershom’s circumcision. It was either Zipporah becomes a widow, or his son was circumcised. After the circumcision, she placed the foreskin at Moses’ feet, saying you are a husband of blood. My reflections on Mrs. Zipporah by the help of the Holy Spirit is vital for relationships in the body of Christ
1. Marriage is a good institution. The parties require patience and understanding for a happily ever after. No Hebrew woman will oppose the circumcision of her son like Zipporah the Midianite woman did. For instance, a sister fully immersed in material theology (believing that objects like clothes, water and anointing oil can carry Gods power when prayed upon) married to a brother from the word of faith background (giving the word of God a better space than material) will have many issues to resolve in patience.

2. Zipporah’s disagreement over circumcision with Moses does not make her woman that is not submissive. Women and their children’s issue is an emotional one, and no one with such understanding, will judge Zipporah as a bad woman. She was scared of the bleeding and nothing more. If she had other intentions, she could have watched her husband die without doing anything. Husbands should also learn to separate the issues not related to submission and love. Zipporah’s disagreed out of concern and not arrogance.

3. The label she gave her husband the bridegroom of blood is an expression of pain and not a verbal assault on her husband. She bore the circumcision pain her son was going through as though she was the one. Moses did not respond to her words. He faced the assignment the Lord gave him. In the same way, men ought not to dwell upon the verbal expression of spouses. Do not analyse it to draw inferences because your conclusion and inferences will be wrong.

Action Point
Father we pray that you will cause your face to shine on our hearts to live with one another in understanding and love in the name of Jesus Christ.