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.

God's servants' love for God's children

Dear friend

There are special people who have been called by God to represent Him; to lead, teach and serve His children. Down the years they have been known as prophets, patriarchs, presidents, pastors, priests, and many other titles (that don't all start with the letter p), not least of these other callings being simply that of teacher. They are all imperfect men and women sent out by a perfect God to do His will and His work. In performing their duties they strive to pattern their lives after the Saviour Jesus Christ. This includes learning to have the same type of pure love Jesus has for all people. The Lord called this ultimate love charity.

There are several examples in the scriptures of the Lord's servants exhibiting the pure love of Christ in the way they serve and lead. For example in the Book of Mormon, Alma 13:27.

27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;

Notice the truly heartfelt emotion of pure love the Prophet Alma expresses as he desires the people to repent. There is no obvious personal gain for Alma that would cause him to be so concerned for others' salvation. Indeed he and his companion Amulek would end up imprisoned, maltreated and worse. Alma uses language that emphasises the intensity of feeling and selflessness, with words like anxiety and pain.

This is surely an inkling into the kind of love Jesus Christ has for us. It was His pure charitable caring for our spiritual wellbeing and eternal future that motivated the acceded agony of the Atonement. I believe that true servants of Jesus Christ have a testimonial understanding of Christ's sacrificial suffering and the feeling behind it. They want to help us attain to a glorious eternal future. Like the Lord, they too find it intensely saddening to imagine anyone being assigned or resigned to a place that is not with the Father. They also have come to understand the familial connection between every living soul as children of God, even loving us as literal brothers and sisters.

I hope we appreciate the sincerity of God's chosen teachers and leaders. We should pray for them as they serve us. And we too should seek to have that same pure Christlike love for others.

Samuel.