I.

Introduction
Are you ready for our last woman of influence? I don’t think you’ll forget her.

“Zipporah May be Obscure, but the Wife of Moses Mattered” is the title given to an article by
Beth Brophy in the Jan. 25, 2008 edition of US News and World Report magazine.1
I couldn’t have said it better. Our last influential woman, named Zipporah, has a lot of mystery
surrounding her story. In fact, quoting the article:

“Bizarre is typical of how biblical scholars describe the tale of Zipporah and her husband,
Moses, especially the section in which God attacks Moses, and Zipporah uses a blood ritual to
successfully defend her husband and son. ‘For mystery, mayhem, and sheer baffling weirdness,
nothing else in the Bible quite compares with the story of Zipporah and the “bridegroom of
blood.”’”2 (that last part is a quote of Jonathan Kirsch by Beth).
Difficult to understand, challenging to figure out, not many details to help and yet, Zipporah is
a woman who mattered, her life was influential in many ways as the wife of Moses and the
mother of his sons. We’re going do a quick overview of her life and zero in on the most
compelling part of her story, the part that teaches us how to be an influential woman for good.

II. Zipporah Biography (Exodus 2:16-22)

Exodus 2:16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and began to draw
water and fill the troughs in order to water their father’s flock. (NET)
1. Priest of Midian= name is Reuel (Jethro) If you were to look at 10 different maps, you might
find 5 different locations for Midian because they were nomadic people who lived in different
locals at different times, much like Abraham did. Midianites originated from Abraham through
his second wife Keturah3 who he married after Sarah died (Gen 25:1-2). God chose to have the
Covenantal promises given through Sarah’s son Isaac. So Moses and this family were distantly
related, very distant cousins, yet, both coming from Abraham. Zipporah’s father, Jethro, was a
priest and it’s possible he was God-fearing. However we don’t know for sure. We do know he
was a wise man and Moses respected his opinions and they had a close relationship.
2. Seven daughters, one is Zipporah, care for their father’s flocks.
3. One day she and her sisters have an encounter with a stranger at a well where they were
trying to water the flock. It’s such a good story. It is very much like Jacob and Rachel, who met
in a similar way, at a well. The girls are getting water and some other shepherds push them
away, and Moses just happens to be there and “rose to their defense.” He not only drove them
away but also watered the animals. So the girls go home and tell dad who says “where is he, go
invite him for dinner.” Zippporah’s name = “little bird.” Hebrew tradition is that when her dad
said go, get him, she flew fast like a little bird to find him.
Moses accepted the invitation and then stayed for about 40 more years.

Exodus 2:20-21 He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why in the world did you leave the
man? Call him, so that he may eat a meal with us.” Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he
gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. (NET)
4. Zipporah became his wife and the mother of his sons= Gershom and Eliezer (Ex 18:2-6).
So far the story is clear, concise, we can understand, they met, they married, they had children.
But as we read further into her story, we enter the “extraordinarily puzzling”4 part. But, this is
also the part of her story that is the reason this obscure woman matters, the reason why she is
such an influential part of this story and teaches us for all times what matters to God.
Approximately 40 years Moses and Zipporah and their family have been living with dad in the
Sinai mountains area(also called Mt Horeb) Moses has been tending the flocks too. One day he
saw an amazing site, a bush that continued to burn without being consumed. Right there, God
called to him and said that He had seen and heard the misery of the Hebrews. (Ex 3:10) So now,
go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt. (NIV)
After many objections, Moses agrees to go back as God’s Deliverer of the Hebrews. He gets
permission from his father-in-law and the family prepares to pack up and leave. One day they
depart.

III. Her Bold Act (Exodus 4:24-26)

Exodus 4:24-26 Now on the way, at a place where they stopped for the night, the LORD met
Moses and sought to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off the foreskin of her son
and touched it to Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” So the
LORD let him alone. (At that time she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” referring to the
circumcision.) (NET)
On the way from Midian to Egypt, at a lodging place for the night, the Lord met Moses and
tried to kill him. How did God try to kill him? Some have thought that Moses got deathly ill,
very sick. Others have said he might have been injured severely. The text is not clear. We are
told that Zipporah takes a flint knife, a sharp knife, and circumcises her son. She takes the skin
and touches Moses’ feet, and what does that mean? Then she says “You are a bridegroom of
blood”.

The Jewish Study Bible says this is “extraordinarily puzzling” because there are so many
unanswered questions in these 3 verses. How did God attack Moses? Why did she perform the
circumcision? Which son was involved? What do her words mean?

Even though we have many unanswered questions that have plagued commentators for
centuries, there is ONE THING we do know for sure…
What Zipporah did stopped God’s hand against Moses and she saved his life.

Truth: Somehow she knew what to do and she did it.

What did she do? She circumcised her son. Why? I think we have an answer.

IV. Circumcision
Circumcision was the “‘covenant sign’ given by God to Abraham and his
descendants”5 in Genesis 17. God had commanded Abraham to circumcise every male baby on
the eighth day as a sign that they belonged to the people of God; any uncircumcised male was
to be cut off from his people, for he had broken God’s covenant.6 As we think of our story we
have to ask Why was this child notcircumcised? We don’t know. It’s possible that Zipporah didn’t
want to have her child go through this rite, or that Moses was negligent and just ignored doing
it. We don’t know, but how could the Deliverer, the leader of the Exodus, representative of the
nation, not have his son carry the covenantal sign? For Moses to have ignored this requirement
was unacceptable, open disobedience.
F. B. Meyer states

“How insignificant this omission may have appeared in itself, it could not be tolerated in one
who was to stand out as God’s chosen and honoured servant. If God remembered the
Covenant, it was surely necessary that His servant should…”7
Let’s go back to our article and read:

Despite the many ambiguities, the main message of the story is clear, (according to Kirsch):
“The lesson the Bible intends is that God insists on circumcision as the essential symbol of the
covenant of his chosen people.8
At just the right time, Zipporah did just the right thing: She did what God required,God required
circumcision and she did it, and that is why she matters, why she has influence.
She knew what God desired and she did it.

V. Application Do You Know What God Desires For

You? And Do You Do It? Or Is There Something You
Really Need To Do But Have “Put Off”?
It may seem small, or maybe it’s huge, but there it is, right in front of you.

My seemingly small “stone of remembrance” of obeying God in a small way …I’m not saying
this is an example for everyone, it was an act of obedience for me.
 Illustration: my baptism: God wanted to take away my fear of dying.
Know what God wants and do it….How do we know what God wants?
1. Word of God. Moses was the first to record God’s Word when he wrote the Torah, the first
five books. Until that time, God’s Word was handed down orally. Today we have the written
Word of God to guide us, to let us know what God desires for his people. My pastor says
“Reading the Scripture is not a spectator sport, in it we find ourselves, God’s love and grace
drawing us to Him, showing us His Ways, bringing us to the fullness of our redeemed
humanity.”9 Have you been a spectator or a participant in learning God’s Word?
2. We have the gift of prayer too. Do you love to talk to God? Do you listen to Him speak to
you? The Lord’s Prayer is a beautiful way to direct our desires to what God desires for us. It
reminds us the priority of worship, seeking Him to meet our needs and how important
forgiveness is to maintaining all our relationships.
3. Are you part of a community of faith where you can find godly good counsel to help know the
will of God? Wise friends, spiritual direction It’s in Christian community, in the church, that we
find a place to form our thoughts & actions together, to see what God desires of His people.
Truth: Knowing what God desires and doing it is key to our influence. God is honored and can use
us when we are obedient. Maybe God desires you to put away some behavior, stop doing it, cut
it out of your life. Maybe he wants you to start doing something that glorifies him. It may have
seemed a small thing to Moses and Zipporah, but God showed how much it meant to Him to be
faithful to His covenant. God desires the same for us.
VI. Conclusion And Review
A Woman of Influence: a woman that affects her world for good for God. I want to be that
person, don’t you?
These 5 significant women of influence each one had an essential role of saving the life of
Moses so God could mightily use him. Each woman had influence for good in her world. Each
one can teach us what that means today.

1. The Midwives Truth: Know the difference between right and wrong and choose right.
2. Jochebed Truth: Let it go and trust God
3. Miriam Truth: Live in your Forgiveness
4. Zipporah Truth: Know what God desires and do it
When it comes to a woman’s influence in the world the sky is the limit. However, such an
influence will never abandon who she is by God’s design and what pleases the Lord. The level
of value of her influence in society is not defined by positions of prominence (though it may
include that), but by her faithfulness. She may influence society by faithful prayer, excellent
work, training up faithful children and/or serving overseas as a faithful missionary (eg. Amy
Carmichael and Mary Slessor). Her actions may be private or prominent and yet can still have
great influence (cf. Rahab and Esther).
The importance and influence of a godly woman is priceless.10

MOSES & ZIPPORAH

Introduction:

Moses is the greatest character in the Old Testament. David is the greatest king. Joseph is the
greatest personal type of Jesus in the Bible. Moses was a statesman, lawgiver, poet,
songwriter, deliverer and a type of Christ. When God appeared to Moses in Chapter
3:1-6 of the Book of Exodus, we see him at the burning bush. That burning bush has a
threefold significance:

1. It was a picture of God in that it revealed His glory and power. (Deuteronomy
33:16)

2. It was symbolic of the national of Israel going through the fires of affliction, yet not
being consumed.

3. It was a picture of Moses himself.

I. Moses as a Type of Christ.

A. Moses was extraordinary in infancy. (Exodus 2:2; Luke 2:40)

B. While in infancy, attempts were made on his life. (Exodus 1:22; Matthew 2:13)
C. Moses was a chosen deliverer. (Exodus 3:10; Acts 7:34-35; Luke 4:18; I
Thessalonians 1:10; II Corinthians 1:10)

D. Moses was a prophet. (Deuteronomy 18:15; John 6:14)

E. Moses was a priest. (Psalm 99:6; Hebrews 7:23-2 7)

F. Moses, like Jesus, was a king. (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22-26; Deuteronomy
33:4-5; Matthew 2:2 and 2 7:29; Acts 1 7

G. Moses, like Jesus, was a shepherd. (Exodus 3:1; John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20; I
Peter 5:4)

H. Moses and Jesus were mediators. (Exodus 33:8; I Timothy 2:5)

I. Both were intercessors. (Numbers 21:7; Romans 8:34)

J. Jesus and Moses refused the glory of the Kingdoms. (Hebrews 11:24-27; Matthew 4:8-10)

K. Both were rich, but became poor for the sake of others. (Hebrews 11:26; II
Corinthians 8:9)

L. Both were called out of Egypt. (Hebrews 11:27; Matthew 2:15)

M. Moses and Jesus were rejected by men, but exalted by God. (Acts 7:35; Matthew
8:26-27)

N. Moses and Jesus provided water to the thirsty. (Exodus 17:6; John 7:37)

0. Moses and Jesus became advocates for their people. (Numbers 27:5; I John 2:1)

P. Both Moses and Jesus had transfigured faces. (Exodus 34:29; Matthew 17:1-2)

Q. Both called 70 men for special services. (Numbers 11:16-17; Luke 10:1)

R. Both are connected with the blood covenant. (Exodus 24:8; Luke 22:20)

S. Both are connected with a midnight cry. (Exodus 11:6; Matthew 25:6)

T. Both received a Gentile Bride. (Exodus 2:21; Ephesians 4:29-32)

U. Both obtained pardon for others. (Numbers 14:17; Ephesians 4:32)

II. Zipporah

A. Meaning of her name.

1. The root word is an Arabic verb.

2. Means to chirp; bird; sparrow.

B. Zipporah, the Midianite was one of seven daughters.

1. Her father's name was Jethro, who is also called Reuel and Raguel (Exodus 2:18; 4:18;
18:1-6; Numbers 10:29)

a. Eldest of the Seven.

C. Midianites: Descendants of the eldest son of Abraham and Keturah.

D. Moses came to her father, the shepherd priest in Midian, when he was 40 years
of age.

1. Moses saw seven girls drawing water and he helped them.

E. She had Two Sons.

1. Gershom: Alien in a strange land; or stranger.

2. Eliezer: God the helper; the Lord was my help.

a. The name Eliezer is first mentioned in Exodus 18:4.

F. Zipporah did not share the spiritual values of Moses.

1. Moses acted against the sacred tradition of Israel.

2. Moses was stricken with a mortal disease.

3. He compromised with an unbelieving wife.

G. Circumcision was a covenant symbol between God and His people.

H. Zipporah was a rebellious and prejudiced wife.

I. In the seven words she spoke, we detect she was a woman of violent temper.

J. Her name is mentioned the last time in Exodus 18:5.

K. She leaves no spiritual legacy.

1. She disappears without comment.

L. Moses marries a Cushite, an Ethiopian. (Numbers 12:1)

1. Cush or Cushites; son of Ham; father of Nimrod. (Genesis 10:8)

III. Zipporah was a Type of Israel, not the Church.

A. Zipporah is separated from Moses for a time.

1. She is a picture of the wife of Jehovah; Israel. (Isaiah 54:6; Jeremiah 31:32;
Hosea 2:2)

2. Yet to be restored to his favor. (Isaiah 54:4-8)

B. The cause and the occasion for this separation. (Exodus 4:25; I Corinthians 1:23)

C. Gershom: Stranger.

1. Pictures the separation of Israel away from their land. (Exodus 2:22)

D. Eliezer: Although scattered and persecuted, Israel has been marvelously "helped
by God."

E. Eliezer is not mentioned until Zipporah is restored to Moses.

1. The millennium is in view, then they recognize how God has helped them.

F. Zipporah is brought back to Moses by a Gentile.

1. She is espoused, divorced and restored.

2. Jethro is a Gentile Midianite.

IV. Unnamed Cushite. (Numbers 12:1)

A. Second wife of Moses.

1. Descendant of Cush. (Genesis 10:8)

2. Son of Ham, Father of Nimrod.

3. Ethiopian, in Hebrew, is Cushite.

a. This means she was a Negress.

B. Zipporah may have died, or even if not, polygamy was customary among the
Israelites.

C. This woman was a type of the Bride of Christ, the Church.

1. She was a slave.

a. She was freed by Moses.

b. She could have been a slave brought out of Egypt.

c. Some writers believe she was captured by Moses when he was in charge of the
Egyptian army.

2. She was black by nature. (Song of Solomon 1:5)

3. Moses had to condescend to marry the Ethiopian. (Philippians 2:5-8)

4. Moses married a Gentile. (Romans 11:1 7-24)

5. Moses was spoken against for this union.

a. We know from the teachings of the New Testament that the extension of grace to the
Gentiles brought about the fiercest and most terrible hatred of the Jews.

(1) They would not have it.

(2) They would not believe in it. (Romans 11:30-31)

6. While Zipporah is set aside or dead, Moses marries the Gentile Midianite. (Acts
15:1 3-1 8)

7. Moses breathes the spirit of his master.

a. He prays for those who had spoken so bitterly against him. (Exodus 32:11-1 2)
Family treeEdit

Jacob Leah

Levi

Gershon Kohath Merari

Libni Shimei Izhar Hebron Uzziel Mahli Mushi

Jochebed Amram Mishael Elzaphan Zithri

Miriam Aaron Moses Zipporah

Gershom Eliezer