At a night encampment on the way, the Lord encountered him and sought to kill him. So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin, and touched his legs with it saying, "You are truly a bridegroom of blood to me!" And when He had let him alone, she added, "A bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision." -- Exodus 4: 24-26
Let's get this out of the way first. Was Zipporah and her flint responsible for the naming of the Zippo lighter? I leave that an open question to be debated at zenbaptist training camps.
Though I was hurled by the universe into a Baptist family and my head held under the fountain of blood until I came up sputtering, attended church four times on Sunday, once on Wednesday, and every night of the summer revival meetings, I never heard a preacher preach on this section of the Book.
God, for no reason given, sought to murder Moses. While I'm not up for murder, I like that old testament god, Yahweh. He reminds me of us. Which among us has not had murder in our eyes?
Moses, as far as I can tell, had not done anything more than whine and complain to God about being sent to talk with people because he was so shy, but for heaven's sake! he was on the way to do what God said.
So here is God roaming through the night looking to kill Moses. And I guess he would have done so, being God and all, except that Moses' wife, Zipporah, said no way!
She knew that Yahweh had a thing about blood and blood sacrifices. So she sacrificed her son (sound familiar?) or at least the foreskin of his penis and daubed Moses' legs with its fresh blood. In other words, she claimed Moses. She put the sign of the blood on him and said, Back off, Yahweh, he's mine!
If I were a Baptist preacher, I could use this as a segue to the Passover and to the blood of Jesus and salvation, expound vigorously upon the theme, and then we would stand and sing "Are you washed in the blood?" And that would be fine. Then we would go home and eat fried chicken and drink sweet iced tea.
But I'm not a Baptist preacher. So I stick with admiration of Zipporah, her quick thinking, her ruthless yet skillful action, and her willingness to claim her own even to the point of standing up against God.
Hey George! I keep pondering this, it hits me on so many levels, I am not sure what to say.
ReplyDeleteThe transition away from blood sacrifice in the the Old Testament to the Last Supper has long long held significance for me. Jesus provides the final blood offering to satisfy and honor the old agreement, but before he goes, he tells his apostles, "from now on, bread and wine will do..."
That marks the beginning of a totally new relationship with the Source. One where we are not required to kill to show devotion, but rather partake of nurishment instead. We take another step toward learning that sustanence is a two way street. The Source gives us life, and we give it back again through what we have created -- in this case, food and drink. We show the Source what we have learned to do with the gifts we have been given.
I'm not saying this very well, I realize, but what you wrote really clicked deep inside. As always, I am very thankful for all you bring to us.
Hey Patrick!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteright on!!!!!!!
Very well stated...thanks for the seque from killing to nourishment.........
thanks