Zipporah

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.—Romans 12:12

Tom Machacek

How often have we referred to prominent women of the Old Testament as beautiful pictures of faith and devotion? Imagine Rebecca dismounting her camel and running with joy to meet Isaac. A picture of love and service is shown in the character of Ruth. Examples of faith include Sarah and Rahab. Rachel is a picture of patience and tragedy. Often their joyful as well as their trying experiences illustrate the relationship between our Lord, the Bridegroom, and his Church, the Bride. However, there are less prominent women of the Old Testament who prefigure some experiences similar to those of the Church. One such person is Zipporah.

First introduced in Exodus Chapter 2, Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Reuel,and the only one mentioned by name. Her trials are recounted in three incidents. The first was at the well while watering her father’s sheep (Exodus 2:16-22). The second occurred at the beginning of Moses’ journey to Egypt (Exodus 4:18-26). The third happened after Moses returned with the nation of Israel (Numbers 12:1-16).

The Scriptures reveal nothing about Zipporah before she met Moses. However, her father Reuel—also known by his honorary name, Jethro—was probably familiar with the example of faith of his forefather Abraham, being a descendant through the line of Keturah. It is likely that Reuel related to his family the promises of God to his ancestors. In his community, Reuel occupied a distinguished role; he was a Midianite priest and the head of a household. Considering her heritage and her family’s position in the land of Midian, Zipporah could have been predisposed to honor God.

Zipporah at the Well

The first event occurred while Zipporah and her sisters were tending sheep. Typically, the father assigned shepherding to the youngest able-bodied son of the family. Reuel, having no sons, required all seven daughters to care for his flock. As the eldest, it was Zipporah’s responsibility to attentively care for each sheep under her charge. As the midday sun baked the land, the welfare of the sheep was her constant concern. Especially important was providing water for the flock.

On this occasion, as Zipporah’s sheep drank, other shepherds came to the same well and forced her flock from the troughs. Moses, fleeing Pharaoh via Sinai, arrived at the same well. He came to aid her, driving away the other shepherds. What a peculiar sight—an Egyptian prince alone in the desert! Moreover, this prince, accustomed to being served, drew water for Zipporah’s flock. The rescue must have seemed like a miracle! After the excitement of the encounter, the sisters took the flock home early, eager to relate the events to their father. Reuel, hearing the news, extended hospitality to Moses. Moses was content to dwell with Reuel. And Reuel gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses to be his wife.

How could this first event relate to God’s great plan? It could depict the days of the faithful ones who preceded the Lord’s first advent. These were pictured by Zipporah and her six sisters patiently living in the Sinai Desert—in a wilderness condition. They typified the meek and obedient ones known by the Heavenly Father, who was represented by Reuel. If they were familiar at all with the covenants made with Abraham by God, they knew that a blesser was promised.

The "other shepherds" picture many of the professing religious leaders throughout the Jewish Harvest and Gospel Age. These are the ones hoarding the water of life, God’s Truth. Misusing their privileges and responsibilities, they have placed hardships and heavy burdens on the children of God. Jesus said to these religious leaders, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in" (Matthew 23:13).

For his first forty years, Moses benefited from the privileged life as Prince of Egypt. These years might picture the Logos dwelling with the Father in the spiritual realm. During this time, the Logos increasingly appreciated the Father’s great plan of salvation. Moses spent the next forty years tending the sheep of his father-in-law, becoming familiar with the wilderness and developing qualities necessary to become a great leader. These second forty years in the wilderness could depict our Lord’s condition as a man, no longer by his Father’s side. "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38) How valuable were the experiences of our Lord who came to shepherd the lost sheep of Israel. He nurtured his little flock, giving freely of the water of life.

The Journey to Egypt

The second event occurred after Moses lived for forty years in the wilderness. God called him to return to Egypt to set Israel free. As Moses was traveling back across the Sinai with Zipporah and their two sons, he became seriously ill. To save his life, Zipporah circumcised her son and threw the foreskin at the feet of Moses, saying: "Surely, a bridegroom by rites of blood art thou to me!" (Exodus 4:25, Rotherham) By this act Moses was restored to health. Alone he continued his journey to Egypt; Zipporah and her sons returned to her father’s home to await Moses’ return.

This second event could picture the requirement for the church to enter into a covenant of sacrifice (Psalm 50:5). Part of the vow is to cut off, to cast away, to separate from the flesh its hopes, aims, desires, all self-will that God’s good will may be learned. Our consecration must cost us something: our consecration is unto death. Colossians 2:11 states, "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." This is pictured by Zipporah—in this case representing the Bride—performing the circumcision: this act portrayed the willingness of the Church to be circumcised in their hearts. God has a part in the covenant relationship as well. It is his acceptance of the consecration. This could be pictured by Moses’ restoration to health. The healing of Moses subsequent to the circumcision could demonstrate God’s acceptance of Zipporah’s act of sacrifice.

After the circumcision, Zipporah spoke of the "blood of rite." Consider the Atonement Day sacrifices of the bullock and of the Lord’s goat, both of whose blood was sprinkled in the Most Holy. Both imply that earthly life-rights are sacrificed with the hope of a spiritual birth. Just as Zipporah—who was determined to do that which was necessary to assist Moses—demonstrated faithfulness and commitment to her husband, so the Church, by means of the rite of blood, manifests her faithfulness to the Lord—unto death. "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him" (2 Timothy 2:12).

Moses and Zipporah separated that he alone might accomplish the work which God set before him. Applying the picture to our Lord, Jesus had a work which only he could perform—provide the ransom for Adam and all mankind. "Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:6) Neither our Lord nor Moses had the company of a helpmate as he journeyed solitarily to serve God. However, the Bridegroom and his Bride would eventually be united. "Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards." (John 13:36)

Zipporah remained in her father’s home, awaiting Moses’ return. During his long absence, Reuel probably encouraged his daughter, reminding her that God is greater than Pharaoh, and that God is faithful to his promises. Throughout the long night of the Gospel Age, the Church has waited for the Bridegroom. Hope has been kept alive by the guidance of the holy spirit (John 14:26-28), and by encouragement and warnings from the seven messengers to the Church throughout the various stages of her development. Perhaps the seven daughters of Reuel pictured the seven churches, willing to do the bidding of the Father. These gifts have aided the Church to faithfully wait and to drink from the well of living water. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3)

Jealousy of Zipporah

The third event took place after Moses returned with the nation of Israel. Upon greeting his son-in-law, Jethro recognized Moses as a victorious leader and rejoiced in his accomplishment. Similarly, there was probably joy in Zipporah’s heart.

Yet the trials of Zipporah were to continue. Numbers chapter 12 reports that Miriam and Aaron despised the "Ethiopian woman"—a mistranslation for a "woman of Cush." (Cushan is the area of the Sinai where Jethro lived, see Habakkuk 3:7.) Zipporah, as Moses’ wife, was now in a position of prominence. Probably their concern was that Zipporah’s sons eventually would replace Moses as Israel’s leader and then God would speak to Moses’ sons. Their jealousy prompted Aaron and Miriam to ask, "Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us?" (Numbers 12:2) The contentious spirit angered God. He commanded Moses, Aaron and Miriam to stand before him. God made it clear that he entrusted Moses with all his household, with the care of his people. God plainly expressed his choice of Moses as his chief spokesperson, his chief prophet. Then God executed judgment upon Miriam, apparently the instigator of the matter. She was stricken with leprosy and she was shut up for seven days outside the camp.

This event shows that the saints remaining on this side of the veil are still being tested. Throughout the Gospel Age, many of the religious leaders, presuming to possess wisdom—as depicted by Aaron and Miriam—have held prominent positions and claim to speak for God. Yet personal ambition has led them to hate those whom they esteem "unwise" for their faithfulness to the high calling and their position of favor with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:17-31) Since our Lord’s return, God’s judgment has been executed against the professing Christians, the nominal church—Babylon. "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." (Revelation 18:2). Babylon fell from favor. The leprosy of destruction slowly consumes the Babylonish institutions. God has called his people to come out of her that they should not be recognized with her nor take part of her plagues. (Revelation 18:4)

Zipporah is not mentioned again. Having been joined with Moses, once again they were a family, representing the unity of the body. Zipporah’s examples of patience through hardship and final testing are valuable lessons for the remaining saints. Nothing recorded in the Scriptures suggests that Zipporah murmured or complained. The true Church still experiences trials to test her faithfulness because she is not of the world but still in it. The abiding lesson of patient endurance is that it continues to develop character: "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life" (Romans 2:7). The Bride, having learned her lessons through her trials and experiences, will joyfully sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. (Revelation 15:3)