What Happens in Exodus 4–5? Moses’ Signs, Pharaoh’s Resistance, and Israel’s Growing Burden
Exodus Four and Five are where God and Moses start to interact. God performs miracles to convince Moses to believe. God also commands that Moses travel to Egypt.
The miracles in Exodus chapters Four are that Moses’s walking stick is turned into a snake, Moses’s hand is turned white like snow, and God promises to turn the water of the Nile River to blood. God performed these miracles both to convince the doubting Moses and for the elders of Israel. Did you know that Moses had doubts?
Exodus Chapters Four and Five Summary
In these two chapters of Exodus, God and Moses begin to interact a lot. God attempts to assuage Moses’s doubts by telling him to put his hand into his cloak. His hand is turned as white as snow. God then tells Moses that he will turn the water from the Nile River into blood.
Finally, God commands Moses to go to Egypt, which he does. Moses first goes to Pharaoh and tells him that God sent him to free the Jewish people from bondage.
Pharaoh questions God and commands that the Jewish slaves will no longer be given straw to make bricks. He further says the quotas of the Jewish slaves for bricks will not be reduced. The Jewish people believe, but in a scene that repeats itself multiple times, they grow angry with Moses. The passage ends with the Jewish Elders questioning Moses, and him turning to question God.
Devotionals and Expressions of Faith
It is important to note that Moses has doubts about his mission from God. However, he does what God says by going to Egypt and talking with the Pharaoh to try to free the Jewish people. This is an expression of his faith.
It is also important to note that God performs miracles to convince Moses that He is God. He turns Moses’s walking stick into a snake. He turns Moses’s hand white, like snow. And he tells Moses that he will turn the Nile River’s water into blood. Also, Moses and Zeperiah (his wife) decide to circumcise their son. The boy bleeds during the procedure, performed by his mother.
Modern Relevance
This passage of Exodus is also relevant now. The purpose of God freeing the Jewish slaves was that they could worship him. Pharaoh’s response? To give them more work to do. So, they would have less free time and be less likely to worship God. We have to be careful that we do not get so busy that we do not have time to worship God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the topic of these chapters? The topic of these chapters of Exodus is God working miracles for Moses to convince him that he is real and the Jewish slaves should be freed.
Where do these chapters come from? This chapter is found in the book of Exodus. Exodus is the second book of the Bible.
Why does this lesson matter today? This chapter matters today because you do not want to fail to worship God because you are too busy.
Parting Thoughts
These chapters of the book of Exodus tell of miracles God performed to Moses; these miracles include God turning Moses’s hand white and God promising to turn the Water of the Nile River to blood. God performed these miracles both to convince the doubting Moses of his veracity and to convince the Pharaoh to free the Jewish People.
Disclaimer: This article contains a summary of Exodus as well as interpretive insights from the author. Interpretations of biblical texts can differ, and this piece represents one approach to understanding the passage.
