Zipporah: trials of a wife to a Prophet

Dear friend

What would it be like to be married to a prophet? Perhaps we imagine a life of diligent faithfulness, of unstinting service, of miracles and of blessed happiness. This may be so in some cases, but the example of Zipporah the wife of Moses provides a salutary lesson about the assumed domestic bliss of a man of God.

It all started well. An immigrant, Moses, stepped in to help some young women who appeared to be victims of bullying, if not worse than that. The women's father wanted to meet the man who had been so helpful to his daughters in their time of need, and the rest as they say is history. The culmination of this otherwise chance situation is recorded in the Old Testament, Exodus 2:21.

21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

How romantic; a chivalrous foreigner impresses your father and you end up married to him. Then, after a few years living with your family, he takes you back to his homeland, as described in Exodus 4:19, 20.

19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt ...

So far this is not very out of the ordinary for the times. But the scriptures also record a particular issue related to Moses' seemingly strange religious practices. It caused Zipporah to do something drastic out of desperation. The motivations for her actions are disputed by theologians but Exodus 4:25 graphically describes the scene.

25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

This incident certainly does not paint a picture of demure domesticity. Zipporah felt she had to do something. It was drastic but it did resolve a very difficult family situation (in a typically Old Testament way).

Moses had a full and eventful life, that's for sure. Zipporah would be at his side, but rarely even mentioned. Eventually, after a period back with her father in Midian while Moses led the wandering Israelites, the family was happily reunited. I wonder how Zipporah looked back on her life with Moses? They went through a lot together, much of it no doubt pleasing, but not all.

I hope we take time occasionally to appreciate the sacrifices of the families of God's chosen servants; Church leaders and others who are called on to dedicate their lives to doing God's work. These families often have to endure more than we know to allow their spouse to serve. I pray for God to bless and support them as they allow and help their beloved partners to support us.

Samuel.