Exodus 4 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes — 2BeLikeChrist (2024)

Exodus 4 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Moses was born around 1591 B.C. and left Egypt at 40 years old (Acts 7:23).

• According to Exodus 7:7, Moses was 80 years old when he stood before Pharaoh as the representative of God.

CHARACTERS:

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The terms “Israelites” and “Hebrews” are used synonymously. They refer to the descendants of Jacob’s family that grew into a large nation. During this period of history, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians.

• Moses – A Hebrew who grew up in the house of Pharaoh. He fled Egypt in Exodus 2 and went to live in Midian. God used him to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

• Aaron – Moses’ brother. He was a descendant of Jacob’s son Levi.

WHERE:

• Moses lived in Midian with his father-in-law’s family.

• Moses met Aaron at the mountain of God (Mt. Sinai).

• The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt.

OUTLINE:

• GOD GIVES MOSES POWERFUL SIGNS (4:1-9):

  • In the last chapter, God told Moses He was going to use him to free the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery, but Moses was hesitant to accept the responsibility.

  • Moses thought the Israelites wouldn’t believe him when he told them God appeared to him, so God gave him miraculous signs as proof.

  • Moses’ rod transformed into a snake when he threw it on the ground.

  • His hand became diseased with leprosy when he put it into his cloak but was then healed when he withdrew it a second time.

  • As a third sign, God gave Moses the ability to take water from the Nile River and transform it into blood.

• MOSES MAKES EXCUSES AND GOD GETS ANGRY (4:10-17):

  • After God told Moses He would guide him and give him miraculous signs, Moses tried to excuse himself on the grounds he was not an eloquent man.

  • God asked him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

  • He assured Moses he would help him with his lack of eloquence.

  • But Moses protested again and asked God to find another man.

  • God became angry with Moses, but told him he would get his brother, Aaron, to help him when he appeared before Pharaoh.

• MOSES BEGINS HIS JOURNEY BACK TO EGYPT (4:18-23):

  • Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law gave Moses permission to return to Egypt.

  • God informed Moses that all the men who wanted to kill him for striking down the Egyptian (2:11-12) had died and it was safe for him to return.

  • Moses took his wife and his sons and began the journey to Egypt.

  • He was instructed to threaten Pharaoh, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 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.’”

• MOSES’ SON IS CIRCUMCISED (4:24-26):

  • God met Moses on the way to Egypt and wanted to kill him.

  • Evidently, He was angry at Moses for not circumcising his son, as God had instructed all the Hebrews to do with their male children.

  • Zipporah, Moses’ wife, circumcised the boy and appeased God’s anger.

• MOSES AND AARON MEET WITH THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL (4:27-31):

  • God spoke to Aaron in Egypt and told him to meet Moses in the wilderness.

  • The brothers met at the “mountain of God” and Moses recounted to Aaron all that the Lord had said regarding freeing Israel from slavery.

  • Moses and Aaron gathered the elders of Israel together, showed them the miraculous signs from the Lord, and all the people believed and worshipped God.

APPLICATION:

• What excuses are you making to avoid doing the work of God that scares you?

• We know Moses wanted his people freed from Egypt (Acts 7:25), but when God gave him the opportunity, He resisted and made excuses.

• You will always be able to think up excuses and dream up “what if” scenarios for things that could potentially go wrong.

• The question is whether we are going to live in fear and do nothing or take on the challenge of God’s work with trust that He will bless our circ*mstances and work through our weaknesses.