Drawing Living Water: Zipporah, A Fugitive and a Well

Drawing Living Water: Zipporah, A Fugitive and a Well can teach inspiring truths for today’s women.

 

 

Drawing From the Well:

Exodus 2 : 15 – 22
Exodus 4 : 18 – 26
and Exodus 18 : 15

 

 

Boy Meets Girl at a Well

In the Bible, wells seem significant in bringing couples together. Rebekah came to a well, and met the servant looking for Isaac’s future wife.

Zipporah was at a well with her six sisters and their father’s sheep when Moses came along and played the hero. The sisters told their father and Jethro sent them back to invite Moses to their home. Moses came, stayed to work for Jethro, and married Zipporah. This was God’s will. Zipporah, the daughter of a Midianite, was meant to become the wife of the man God chose to lead His people out of captivity.

When Zipporah, Moses and their two boys were on their way to Egypt, God attacked Moses. (Was God tired of Moses’ whining and insecurity?) Just as Jacob fought God’s angels all night, Moses fought valiantly but it seemed he was losing. Zipporah knew she had to save him. How she knew what to do was a miracle, since she knew so little about God’s ways. She dedicated their son to God, saving Moses’ skin with the skin of an Israelite ritual, and immediately God forgave Moses. Although she did what no other woman in the Bible was allowed to do, God accepted her act as a desire to please Him.

Personal draw from the Well:

• God accepts anyone from any background into His family.
• Willingly doing what we know to do is enough to please God.
• Wives can play important roles in their husband’s salvation.

 

 

 

Back To Egypt and the Exodus

Moses’ wasn’t voted Most Popular Man in Egypt when he went back, and probably sent Zipporah and their sons back to Jethro because he was afraid for their safety. They didn’t see each other again until the Israelites were safely extracted. Jethro escorted them back to meet Moses at Mt. Sinai.

Now it was the Israelites whining and Moses interceding for them. His father-in-law could see Moses was multi-tasking, and advised him to delegate more of the work. Moses seemingly went from insecurity to overconfidence. Zipporah isn’t mentioned at this point. Was she encouraging Moses from the background? Did she soothe his ruffled feathers and support his decisions?

Aaron and Miriam pulled their brother aside at one point and questioned his motives. Was Moses neglecting his family for his mission, or why did Miriam ask about “the Cushite” whom he married? Cushite means beautiful woman in Hebrew. Apparently Miriam was looking out for Zipporah. Unfortunately, Miriam’s motives weren’t altogether pure, so the message likely fell on deaf ears. But maybe later Moses thought of her reminder and got his priorities into better alignment.

 

 

Personal draw from the Well: 

• Even the most dedicated of God’s workers needs to get a realignment at times.
• God can use strangers to help us see the light (Jethro was Moses’ father-in-law but he was not an Israelite).
• When I get to Heaven, I want to meet Zipporah, and ask her biography. Was she collecting manna along with the rest of the women? Did she whine about the menu, too, or was she thankful? Did she feel neglected while Moses did the Lord’s work, or did she understand and support him?
• When I get to Heaven, I want to ask the men who wrote the Bible why they didn’t finish Zipporah’s story. Surely there was much we could have learned from her.