Exodus 4 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes

Exodus 4 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Moses was born around 1591 B.C. and left Egypt at 40 years old (Acts 7:23).

• According to Exodus 7:7, Moses was 80 years old when he stood before Pharaoh as the representative of God.

CHARACTERS:

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The terms “Israelites” and “Hebrews” are used synonymously. They refer to the descendants of Jacob’s family that grew into a large nation. During this period of history, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians.

• Moses – A Hebrew who grew up in the house of Pharaoh. He fled Egypt in Exodus 2 and went to live in Midian. God used him to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

• Aaron – Moses’ brother. He was a descendant of Jacob’s son Levi.

WHERE:

• Moses lived in Midian with his father-in-law’s family.

• Moses met Aaron at the mountain of God (Mt. Sinai).

• The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt.

OUTLINE:

• GOD GIVES MOSES POWERFUL SIGNS (4:1-9):

  • In the last chapter, God told Moses He was going to use him to free the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery, but Moses was hesitant to accept the responsibility.

  • Moses thought the Israelites wouldn’t believe him when he told them God appeared to him, so God gave him miraculous signs as proof.

  • Moses’ rod transformed into a snake when he threw it on the ground.

  • His hand became diseased with leprosy when he put it into his cloak but was then healed when he withdrew it a second time.

  • As a third sign, God gave Moses the ability to take water from the Nile River and transform it into blood.

• MOSES MAKES EXCUSES AND GOD GETS ANGRY (4:10-17):

  • After God told Moses He would guide him and give him miraculous signs, Moses tried to excuse himself on the grounds he was not an eloquent man.

  • God asked him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

  • He assured Moses he would help him with his lack of eloquence.

  • But Moses protested again and asked God to find another man.

  • God became angry with Moses, but told him he would get his brother, Aaron, to help him when he appeared before Pharaoh.

• MOSES BEGINS HIS JOURNEY BACK TO EGYPT (4:18-23):

  • Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law gave Moses permission to return to Egypt.

  • God informed Moses that all the men who wanted to kill him for striking down the Egyptian (2:11-12) had died and it was safe for him to return.

  • Moses took his wife and his sons and began the journey to Egypt.

  • He was instructed to threaten Pharaoh, saying, ‘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.’”

• MOSES’ SON IS CIRCUMCISED (4:24-26):

  • God met Moses on the way to Egypt and wanted to kill him.

  • Evidently, He was angry at Moses for not circumcising his son, as God had instructed all the Hebrews to do with their male children.

  • Zipporah, Moses’ wife, circumcised the boy and appeased God’s anger.

• MOSES AND AARON MEET WITH THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL (4:27-31):

  • God spoke to Aaron in Egypt and told him to meet Moses in the wilderness.

  • The brothers met at the “mountain of God” and Moses recounted to Aaron all that the Lord had said regarding freeing Israel from slavery.

  • Moses and Aaron gathered the elders of Israel together, showed them the miraculous signs from the Lord, and all the people believed and worshipped God.

APPLICATION:

• What excuses are you making to avoid doing the work of God that scares you?

• We know Moses wanted his people freed from Egypt (Acts 7:25), but when God gave him the opportunity, He resisted and made excuses.

• You will always be able to think up excuses and dream up “what if” scenarios for things that could potentially go wrong.

• The question is whether we are going to live in fear and do nothing or take on the challenge of God’s work with trust that He will bless our circumstances and work through our weaknesses.