Exodus 4:18-23 "And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn."
Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush had ended. God’s instruction to Moses was already bearing fruit (Isaiah 55:11). Moses heart had been set toward Egypt and the children of Israel who dwelled there. He returned unto Jethro, his father-in-law, and out of respect for him and his kindness, Moses asked him to allow him to return to Egypt. Jethro not only let him go, but wished him well on his journey (“go in peace”).
While Moses was certainly concerned with the welfare of the children of Israel as a whole, I find it likely that his thoughts had turned also toward his parents and his siblings. There is no indication that Moses had had any word from Aaron (his older brother) or Miriam (his sister) in the forty years he was in Midian, and perhaps even before that, seeing that Moses was raised in the court of Pharaoh. However, Moses knew from God’s promise to send Aaron to speak for him that he at least was still alive.
God further comforted and encouraged Moses by telling him that the men who wanted to kill him when he originally fled from Egypt were dead. That threat had been dealt with so that Moses could have his attention fully focused on the thing that God had sent him to do. Further, he could feel at peace to bring his wife and his sons into the land. So, with his family and the rod of God, Moses set out to return to Egypt.
Moses left Midian and returned to Egypt with two things clearly established. First, by God’s command, he was to perform all the miracles that God had placed in his hand before Pharaoh. Secondly, he knew Pharaoh was not going to let the children of Israel go because of those things. God was going to show these wonders to Pharaoh. And according to His own counsel, God was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart against them.
God never does anything without a reason. God did this to give Moses the opportunity to declare to all of Egypt that Israel belonged to God. God called Israel His firstborn son that Pharaoh might have a point of reference in his own life for what God was going to do. God told Pharaoh to let Israel go that they might serve Him (and not Pharaoh). The He promised Pharaoh if he failed to let Israel (as God’s firstborn) go, then He would surely take Pharaoh’s firstborn son from him.
Dear ones, God still today gives us comfort and assurance when He sends us out to do His will. He gives us the testimony we need to go before His people. He makes a way for us to take our families into situations that would otherwise seem too difficult to consider. There may be times that we will go into situations feeling like they are already set to fail, but never doubt God’s purpose. He will always set the stage to openly display His righteousness and His love for those He has called to serve Him.