Gershom_13C

Contents:

Introduction
Circumcision - the Law
At a night encampment
Looking ahead

Introduction

Gershom)

Gershom_13C.
Hebrew origin of the name: Exiled (David Mandel.
Moses and Zipporah's first son, born in Midian:
21 Moses consented to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah as wife. 22 She bore a son whom he named Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” (Exodus 2:21-22 (Tanakh))

and her two sons—of whom one was named Gershom, that is to say, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land” (Exodus 18:3 (Tanakh))

Zipporah's father: Jethro.

Circumcision - the Law

Mosaic Contract

Pre-Jesus, the context was the Mosaic Covenant Contract as it had been understood by Moses.

[9] Then God said to Abraham,
"As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. [10] This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. [11] You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.
[12] For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner---those who are not your offspring. [13] Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. [14] Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." (Genesis 17:9-14 NIV)

The Penalty

Under the terms of the Covenant Contract, the penalty for failing to comply with Genesis 17:12a (Tanakh), is Death, exclusion from God's presence:

14 And if any male who is uncircumcised fails to circumcise the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his kin; he has broken My covenant. (Genesis 17:14 (Tanakh))

Wrongdoing such as this falls into the category of Defiant Sin. We can see the importance of the command since non-compliance will affect the child in later life. Not only will the developing child be put at risk, but there will be a division within the community^‡

[^‡ Such a division could well be the first iteration in an exponential growth of evil.]

[Note: to be cut off from one's kin is to be bannished from the Flock and the Lord's presence. Any entry in the Book of Life will be deleted.]

Messianically Amended Contract

Post-Jesus, the context is:

the Messianically Amended Covenant Contract;
the Covenant is not enforceable at the Physical Level; and
worship was shifted to the Spiritual Level by Jesus (John 4: 23-24).

Family Unity

The unity demanded by Jesus starts with the family, the basic unit of society, and extends to the whole community:

12 And throughout the generations, every male among you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days. As for the homeborn slave and the one bought from an outsider who is not of your offspring, 13 they must be circumcised, homeborn, and purchased alike. Thus shall My covenant be marked in your flesh as an everlasting pact. (Genesis 17:12-13 (Tanakh))

Abraham's obedience:

23 Then Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all his homeborn slaves and all those he had bought, every male in Abraham's household, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins on that very day, as God had spoken to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 Thus Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on that very day; 27 and all his household, his homeborn slaves and those that had been bought from outsiders, were circumcised with him. (Genesis 17:23-27 (Tanakh))

At the Global Level, Jesus requires true unity within the Flock:

[20] "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: [23] I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:20-23 NIV)

[Essay: 'At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other' (Matthew 24:10 NIV)]

The Spiritual Level

The insufficiency of circumcision at the Physical Level:

[25] "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh--- [26] Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart." (Jeremiah 9:25-26 NIV)

Even before Jesus, circumcision at the Spiritual Level took precedence over circumcision at the Physical Level:

[14] To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. [15] Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. [16] Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. (Deuteronomy 10:14-16 NIV)

Note that the Covenant [Contract] is no longer enforceable at the Physical Level.

At a night encampment...

24 At a night encampment on the way [to Egypt], the LORD encountered him [Moses] and sought to kill him.
25 So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin, and touched his legs with it, saying, “You are truly a bridegroom of blood to me!"
26 And when He [the Lord] let him [Moses] alone, she added, “A bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision.” (Exodus 4:24-26 (Tanakh))

Why did the Lord confront Moses with such bloodthirsty intent?

The Lord sought to kill Moses because he'd broken the Covenant by failing to circumcise his son, Gershom, in accordance with the Law.

Then again, Moses had been given important work (Exodus 3). And in view of Moses' lapse with regard to the circumcision of Gershom, the Lord wanted to shake him up and sharpen him up.

Moses must have discussed the topic of circumcision with Zipporah, as evidenced by her swift reaction in circumcising Gershom.

Zipporah saves her husband's life. Note that this is in the spirit of Covenant Marriage (Covenant Marriage; the guilt of Adam)

Looking ahead

Circumcision of the heart

[1] When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, [2] and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, [3] then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. [4] Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. [5] He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. [6] The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. (Deuteronomy 30:1-6 NIV)

In order to benefit from the Covenant, one must first have signed the contract. As for Gentile converts, they no longer need to be physically circumcised. However, they are required to sign the Covenant Contract and become integrated into the community (eg, Ruth).