So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
On his journey to Egypt by God's express command, Moses was met by the angel of the Lord in a threatening posture as though to slay him, so that he feared for his life. Circumcision was one of God's positive commands and a requirement of His covenant with Israel. Moses had neglected the circumcision of his youngest son, yielding to his wife's refusal and wish to postpone the ordinance, and he knew without being told that this disobedience was the cause of his danger, remembering it even though his journey itself was right.
His wife Zipporah, fearful that her husband would be slain, overcame her undue affection for her son and performed the circumcision herself. After the circumcision the angel let Moses go and permitted him to continue his journey and mission. The neglect had put Moses' life in danger and left him insecure, because God's angels could not protect him while living in disobedience; removing the disobedience cleared the hindrance to the ministration of angels in connection with his work.
That divine protection through angels was essential because his mission to Pharaoh would place him in a perilous position with his life exposed to the king's will unless God by His power through the presence of His angels preserved him, and after he obeyed he was free to go before Pharaoh with nothing in the way. His neglect also mattered for his influence, because it could have weakened the people's regard for God's commands.
On his journey to Egypt by God's express command, Moses was met by the angel of the Lord in a threatening posture as though to slay him, so that he feared for his life. Circumcision was one of God's positive commands and a requirement of His covenant with Israel. Moses had neglected the circumcision of his youngest son, yielding to his wife's refusal and wish to postpone the ordinance, and he knew without being told that this disobedience was the cause of his danger, remembering it even though his journey itself was right.
His wife Zipporah, fearful that her husband would be slain, overcame her undue affection for her son and performed the circumcision herself. After the circumcision the angel let Moses go and permitted him to continue his journey and mission. The neglect had put Moses' life in danger and left him insecure, because God's angels could not protect him while living in disobedience; removing the disobedience cleared the hindrance to the ministration of angels in connection with his work.
That divine protection through angels was essential because his mission to Pharaoh would place him in a perilous position with his life exposed to the king's will unless God by His power through the presence of His angels preserved him, and after he obeyed he was free to go before Pharaoh with nothing in the way. His neglect also mattered for his influence, because it could have weakened the people's regard for God's commands.