1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Then Zupporah took a sharp stone and cut off the 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: foreskin of her son and cast it at his feet, 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: and said, surely, a bloody husband, art thou to me? 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: Exodus four twenty five. Dear Heavenly Father, as you bring 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: me into my new season of alignment and destiny, I 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: thank you that, even though I may battle fear in 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: my heart, like Moses, I know that you are with me. 8 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: Thank you for using my abilities to change the lives 9 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: of those around me and to help set them free 10 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: from the chains that stopped them from living in their purpose. 11 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: As Aaron was with Moses, I thank you God that 12 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: you are sending the right people to surround me to 13 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 1: support the calling that you have for my life. From 14 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: this moment on, I choose to take action and move 15 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: in the direction that you've called me to move into 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: without hesitation. I will not wait for others to act 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: like a Zuppora in my life to do what you've 18 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: called me to do. On the contrary, I will move 19 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: with intentional obedience and with the urgency to fulfill my 20 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: role in your glorious plan for my future. Thank you, 21 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: God for choosing me to be a beacon of hope 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: and a light in the lives of those in need 23 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: of encouragement and love. I decree and declare that I 24 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: am a vessel ready to be used by you. God. 25 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: Thank you for creating me to be a lifeline for 26 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:38,479 Speaker 1: the destinies of others. In Jesus name. Amen, thank you 27 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 1: for praying with me to day. Continue listening for an 28 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in a 29 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: Year dot. 30 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:58,279 Speaker 2: Com, Zipporah and Erin. In our last story, we learned 31 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: about how Moses encountered God through a flame emanating from 32 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: a bush. The voice of God spoke to Moses in 33 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 2: a wonderfully beautiful way. God called him to lead his 34 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: people out of Egypt, for he had heard their cries. 35 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: Moses also asked God for his name, and God said, 36 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: I am who I am. In this story, we will 37 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,799 Speaker 2: learn how Moses was protected by Zipporah and how Moses's 38 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 2: brother Aaron is called by God to meet and lead 39 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 2: with his brother as inspired by the Book of Exodus. 40 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible 41 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. But before we began, I want 42 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique ebook that's yours 43 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 3: to download absolutely free Today is called Breaking Free from Stress, 44 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 3: and my prayer is that it will help you conquer 45 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 3: the daily task and pressures and burdens that bring stress 46 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 3: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free 47 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 3: from Stress Today by visiting Jack Graham dot org slash stress. 48 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 3: That's Jack Graham dot org slash stress. In our previous episode, 49 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 3: we learned that the exile of Moses was interrupted after 50 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 3: forty years by God speaking through a burning bush. God's 51 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 3: presence appeared and told him that he was needed called 52 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 3: to go back to Egypt and to deliver the people. 53 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 3: And despite moses many protests and excuses, God did not 54 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 3: give up on him. He empowered and reassured the man 55 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 3: that he, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the 56 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 3: Great i Am, would go with him. Today we'll hear 57 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 3: how Moses returns to Egypt and how God called his 58 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 3: brother Aaron to join Moses and lead the people alongside 59 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 3: of him. We will also hear how Moses' wife Zipporah 60 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 3: will act swiftly to demonstrate obedience and commitment to God. 61 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 3: This is a story about how God goes before his 62 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 3: children and always fulfills his purpose for their lives. Let's 63 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 3: listen now to the reading from Exodus. 64 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 2: Moses had heard the call of God. Excited, scared, and anxious, 65 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: he went to tell his family of what had taken place. 66 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: He told them of his encounter with the burning bush, 67 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: the signs God had given him, and his call to 68 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 2: go set free the slaves of Egypt. He turned to 69 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: his father in law Jethro, and said, please, let me 70 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 2: go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether 71 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 2: they still live. Jethro allowed him to leave in peace. 72 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 2: God beckoned Moses to leave, for all those who once 73 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 2: sought his life were dead. So Moses took his wife, sons, 74 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: and staff. Moses ventured back to the land he once fled, 75 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 2: and he battled fear within his heart, yet he knew 76 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 2: God was with him. They journeyed through scorching heat and 77 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: freezing knights. Doomes, hills, and wildernes surrounded them. When Moses 78 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: was alone and his family resting at a short distance, 79 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 2: God spoke to him once again. When you return to Egypt, 80 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 2: see that you show Pharaoh every miracle I have given you. 81 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 2: Yet do not be dismayed if he rejects you, for 82 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 2: I have hardened his heart. He will not let my 83 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: people go Moses listened intently, breathing deeply so that he 84 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: could tune into and understand what God was telling him. 85 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 2: He continued saying, tell Pharaoh that Israel is my firstborn son, 86 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 2: and if he refuses to allow my first born son 87 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 2: to come home to me, he will lose his For 88 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 2: God had already seen the hideous crimes Egypt had performed 89 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 2: against the Hebrew children. One evening, a cloud of uneasiness 90 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 2: crept upon Moses and his family. The anger of God 91 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 2: was thick in the air, and you could cut the 92 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 2: tension with a knife. The Lord met Moses there and 93 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: confronted him as if in a nightmare. The Lord sought 94 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 2: to put Moses to death. Moses's wife, Zipporah, wasted no time. 95 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 2: She rushed to her sons with a flint in her 96 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 2: hand and cut off their foreskins. There they were circumcised, 97 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 2: for Moses and Zipperah both knew that they had not 98 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 2: fully committed to God unless their family also was Hebrew. Zipporah, 99 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 2: with her son's bloody foreskins in her hand, threw them 100 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 2: at Moses's feet and said, surely you are a groom 101 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 2: of blood to me, and she left him alone. Now 102 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 2: the family that was going to set the Hebrews free, 103 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 2: had fully committed themselves to be Hebrew, and Moses's sons 104 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 2: were given. 105 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: To the Lord. 106 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 2: Miles away in the alleys of Egypt, God spoke to Aaron, 107 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 2: Moses's brother. He said, go into the wilderness to meet 108 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 2: with your brother Moses. Aaron arose and looked towards the 109 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 2: mountains beyond the city. There he met with Moses, the 110 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 2: two having not seen each other in over forty years. 111 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 2: Moses told Erin of his mission and how they were 112 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 2: both sent by God to free the Israelite people. Erin, 113 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: having connections with all the elders, gathered them into one place. 114 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: Erin acted as Moses's mouthpiece, just as God had said. 115 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: The people were enamored by his words, captivated by the 116 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 2: idea of being set free. All their prayers, all their 117 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: cries to the Lord, had been heard. God had bent 118 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 2: his ear to them and seen their affliction. They worshiped 119 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: God that night and fell on their faces before him. 120 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 2: These prayers were the rumblings of true deliverance. 121 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 3: After much questioning, doubting, and pleading with God to let 122 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 3: him off the hook, Moses finally accepts God's call to 123 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 3: return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery. 124 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 3: He's still afraid, but the Almighty God is with him. 125 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 3: And throughout this story we're going to see how God 126 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 3: goes before Moses, preparing the way, and how he journeys 127 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 3: with Moses, guiding him to the place that he has 128 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 3: called him. Moses gathers his family and they say they're 129 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 3: goodbyes to the porous father Jethro. Jethro blesses them and 130 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 3: sends them away in peace, knowing that God has called 131 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 3: his son in law Moses for something very special. On 132 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 3: the way to Egypt, God tells Moses of his plan 133 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 3: to deal with Pharaoh. Moses will show him the signs 134 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 3: and wonders that God has given him the power to perform. 135 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 3: But God says these will prove ineffective, as he will 136 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 3: harden the heart of Pharaoh. Pharaoh's unwillingness to release Israel 137 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 3: will ultimately cost him dearly. Listen to what God says 138 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 3: in Exodus four twenty two to twenty four. Then you 139 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 3: will say to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord Israel is 140 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 3: my son, my firstborn. So I said to you let 141 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 3: my son go, that he may serve me, but you 142 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 3: have refused to let him go. I will kill your son. 143 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 3: You are first born. God shows his heart as a 144 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 3: father to the nation of Israel and his wrath against 145 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 3: those who resist him. He is a father who will 146 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 3: stop it nothing to rescue and redeem his beloved children. 147 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 3: One day, God will show us just how far he 148 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 3: would go, just how loving his great heart. His loving 149 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 3: heart is in that he would send his own son 150 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 3: Jesus to die so that we could have eternal life. 151 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 3: But before he hardens Pharaoh's heart, God must first deal 152 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 3: with Moses' own heart. So God confronts Moses with his 153 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 3: failure to circumcise his son as a sign of God's 154 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 3: covenant with the Hebrew people, and in a truly dramatic, 155 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 3: stunning scene, Zipporah performs the operation herself. Zippora knew that 156 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 3: if Moses was to lead the children of Israel out 157 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 3: of captivity, his own heart needed to be one hundred 158 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 3: percent committed to God and obedient to God, and circumcising 159 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 3: his son was a sign of this obedience. When God 160 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 3: calls us to himself, he does not accept half hearted surrender. 161 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 3: We must fully commit ourselves to follow the Lord But 162 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 3: then he speaks to moses brother Aaron, sending him into 163 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 3: the wilderness to meet Moses and to return with him 164 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 3: to their people, and together they bring words of great 165 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 3: hope to the enslaved Hebrew people. The Great I Am, 166 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 3: the One True God, has heard the cries of his 167 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 3: people and have come to rescue them. But the Pharaoh 168 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 3: won't let them go easily. And the next time, we're 169 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 3: going to go with Moses to the very palace of 170 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 3: the most powerful man on earth and see what Pharaoh says. 171 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 3: Dear God, thank you for always going before us and 172 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 3: beside us, and that you live within us through Jesus Christ. 173 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 3: Just as you prepared the way through Moses, we can 174 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 3: trust that you will prepare the way for us. Lord, 175 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 3: search our hearts, and may we always be fully, incompletely 176 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 3: obedient to you. May we surrender quickly to know and 177 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 3: to do your will, and to always do it with 178 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 3: a grateful heart. Thank you for your long suffering patience 179 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 3: with us in Christ's name. Amen. Thank you for listening 180 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 3: to today's Bible into Year podcast. Before we go, I 181 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 3: want to let you know about a unique ebook that's 182 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 3: yours to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free 183 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 3: from Stress, and my prayer is that it will help 184 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 3: you conquer the daily task and pressures and burdens that 185 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 3: bring stress into your life. Download your free copy of 186 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 3: Breaking Free from Stress today by visiting Jack Graham dot 187 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 3: org slash stress. That's Jagraham dot org slash stress.