God-Ordained Marriage

Exodus 2:21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
 
EXODUS 2 is about the first 40 years of Moses’ life. He was born under the threat of Pharaoh’s decree to kill all Hebrew baby boys. God protected Moses from the Nile’s water when Pharaoh’s daughter took him as her own. His mother became his nursemaid. And Moses became a man in Pharaoh’s household. At about age 40, Moses killed an Egyptian, who was abusing a Hebrew slave. He escaped to the desert. Now his “desert life” is beginning. This will prepare him for God’s ultimate plan for his life. In that plan, God brings to Moses the strong, gracious woman Zipporah.
      Zipporah was the daughter of a wealthy man who lived in the Sinai desert region. Zipporah likely had no particular plans for life. Obviously, there had been no arranged marriage as was common. Then God began to move in her life. There she was, tending to her father’s sheep when her life took a dramatic change. God sent Moses, his ordained Deliverer, his people’s savior, into her care. God has a way of announcing his Deliverer to unsuspecting shepherds – maybe even to you?
      Of course, neither Zipporah nor Moses knew what would happen about 40 years later. But, of course, God knew the plans he had for this couple. He knew Moses would need a wife strong in will and duty. The LORD God Almighty formed Zipporah to be a woman who witnessed strong leadership in her family. She understood how to respond to authority, too, as she obeyed her father to marry this stranger.
      Some may see this as a male-dominated women. But God prepared her for critical moments to take control and advance his plan. Exodus 4:24-27 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met (Moses) and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched (Moses’) feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone.
       Translated, Moses had not circumcised his two sons to mark their relationship as the LORD’s own. Moses and his family were going to Egypt at the Lord’s command. But God met them on the way to kill Moses’ sons to keep these uncircumcised men from entering Egypt. The just God commanded full obedience from his appointed leader. But Zipporah took charge to circumcise her sons and appease the LORD.
      This act also formed Zipporah, born a pagan, into a covenant child of God. Zipporah understood the LORD’s authority, and now Moses’ family is complete. It’s impossible to imagine the trauma and fear this woman would face alongside her husband in the years ahead. But certainly God had formed her to be a God-fearing, faithful woman to encourage and guide her husband to become the Deliverer – the Law Giver – who would lead his people to freedom.  
 
LIFE Link: A God-centered marriage is God’s way to advance his kingdom.