Exodus Chapter 4: When Calling Meets Resistance
As we move deeper into Exodus, chapter 4 feels raw, uncomfortable, and deeply human. God has revealed Himself in fire, spoken His covenant name, and clearly commissioned Moses. Yet instead of bold obedience, we encounter hesitation, excuses, fear—and even divine anger. This chapter teaches us that calling does not eliminate weakness, and faith does not always arrive fully formed.
Moses and the Endless “What Ifs” (Exodus 4:1–9)
Moses begins with a familiar line:
“What if they do not believe me?”
This question is not about God’s power—it’s about Moses’ insecurity. God responds patiently, not by debating Moses, but by revealing what He can do:
- A staff becomes a serpent
- A healthy hand becomes leprous, then restored
- Water from the Nile becomes blood
These signs are not for God’s sake, but for Moses’. God is meeting Moses where he is—fearful, doubtful, and hesitant.
Why so much patience?
Because God is not merely sending a messenger; He is shaping a servant. God’s character here is striking: patient, explanatory, accommodating—yet purposeful. Moses, meanwhile, reflects us: knowing God can act, but still struggling to trust that He will act through us.
“I Am Not Eloquent” – When Weakness Becomes the Excuse (Exodus 4:10–12)
Moses now shifts from external concerns to personal limitations:
“I have never been eloquent… I am slow of speech and tongue.”
This is deeply revealing. Moses is essentially saying, “God, You’ve chosen the wrong person.”
God’s response is one of the most profound statements of divine sovereignty:
“Who gave human beings their mouths?”
God does not deny Moses’ weakness. He doesn’t suddenly “fix” Moses. Instead, He reframes the issue: ability has never been the requirement—obedience is.
God’s Anger—and His Grace (Exodus 4:13–17)
When Moses pleads, “Please send someone else,” Scripture says the Lord’s anger burned against Moses. This is a turning point.
Yet notice what God does not do:
- He does not withdraw the calling
- He does not destroy Moses
- He does not shame him
Instead, God provides Aaron.
This is crucial: God recognizes that eloquence is not Moses’ core problem—fear is. Aaron becomes a companion, a support, a shared burden. God’s solution is relational, not miraculous.
What this shows us:
God does not always remove our weakness. Sometimes He surrounds us with help.
The Journey Interrupted: The Lodging Place (Exodus 4:19–26)
This is one of the most mysterious passages in the Bible—and one of the most important.
Why does God repeat the command to go to Egypt? (v. 21)
Though Moses has begun the journey (v. 19), this repetition suggests hesitation. Moses may be physically moving forward, but spiritually unresolved. Calling requires more than direction—it requires consecration.
Why does the Lord confront Moses violently?
At the lodging place, the Lord seeks to kill him. This shocking moment likely targets Moses himself, not his son.
Why? Because Moses—the covenant deliverer—has failed to uphold the covenant sign: circumcision.
Living in Midian, surrounded by non-Israelite customs, Moses appears to have compromised what was holy for what was convenient. Leadership cannot coexist with selective obedience.
Zipporah’s Urgent Act and the “Bridegroom of Blood”
Zipporah acts swiftly, circumcising their son and touching Moses with the blood. Her words—“Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me”—are complex, emotional, and layered.
This blood anticipates what is coming:
- Blood on doorposts in Exodus 12
- Blood as a sign of protection
- Blood as the cost of covenant
Before Moses can confront Pharaoh, God confronts Moses.
Lesson: God will not send a compromised deliverer to confront an uncompromising oppressor.
Why Moses Leaves His Family Behind
After this encounter, Moses reunites with Aaron and proceeds without his family. Something has shifted. Moses is no longer merely responding to a call—he has been consecrated by it.
This chapter marks the death of Moses the fugitive and the birth of Moses the servant of Yahweh.
What This Chapter Teaches Us
- God’s patience does not negate His holiness
- Weakness does not disqualify us—resistance delays us
- Partial obedience is still disobedience
- God often prepares His servants privately before using them publicly
Questions to Reflect On
- What excuses do I bring before God when He calls me to step forward?
- Am I trusting God’s ability but doubting His choice of me?
- Are there areas where convenience has replaced obedience in my life?
- What “Aaron” has God placed beside me that I may be overlooking?
Closing Prayer
Faithful God,
You know our fears before we speak them,
and our excuses before they form on our lips.
Thank You for Your patience, Your holiness, and Your mercy.
Where we resist, soften us.
Where we compromise, correct us.
Where we feel weak, remind us that You are strong.
Prepare us, O Lord, not just to go where You send us,
but to walk rightly before You.
May our obedience flow not from confidence in ourselves,
but from trust in who You are—
the great I AM.
Amen.
