Circumcision of the Heart

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Circumcision of the Heart

Date: Jan. 9, 2026

Passage

Exodus 4:18-31 (ESV)

18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 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.’”

24 At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

27 The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 4:25

Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!”

Although the Lord is “slow to anger” (34:6), he does not withhold his anger or punishment from his disobedient children forever (v.14; 34:7). Seeing God’s anger, Moses finally accepted God’s holy mission when He provided a coworker: Aaron, his own older brother.

Before launching to carry out God’s mission, Moses went and received his father-in-law Jethro’s blessing. Jethro had been his supporter during his wilderness life. He had provided him a home and given him his daughter as his wife. There is no one-man show in God’s work. God provides co-workers as we carry out his mission. We must learn to work together with those whom God provides as our co-workers. Humility is the key to co-working.

There was another thing that Moses had to do before going back to the land of his mission. He had his son circumcised. It represented the circumcision of his heart and removal of old customs and habits he might have unwittingly picked up during his life in Midian (vv. 24-26; see Rom. 2:29b).

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving me your holy mission. My life has no meaning if I don’t carry out your mission for me. Thank you also for granting me coworkers. Please give me a humble heart to co-work with them (Phil. 2:3). Amen.

One Word: Circumcise my heart to be humble and co-work with God’s servants

“i Will Be Your God”

Exodus 5:22-6:30

Key Verse: 5:6:7

Today's Question

What does the first commandment forbid?

See answer and references