Moses and Zipporah -- a Type of Christ and His Bride
Ex. 2:11-21 "And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, thathe went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied anEgyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way andthat way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hidhim in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of theHebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Whereforesmitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge overus? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared,and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, hesought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian hadseven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to watertheir father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stoodup and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came to Reuel theirfather, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? And they said, AnEgyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew waterenough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, Andwhere is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eatbread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporahhis daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for hesaid, I have been a stranger in a strange land."
Moses, a prominent and outstanding Bible character, is atype of Christ. He was birthed under the sentence and penalty of death. Theking's command was that all male babies were to be killed. However, Godprotected Moses as He did the Christ--child . At his birth he was seen to be a"goodly child." (Ex. 2: 2) He was "exceeding fair." (Acts 7: 20)
Moses was hid for three months in his father's house, fromthe king's command of death. Likewise, Christ was hid from the king's commandthat "…all the children that were in Bethlehem, …from two years old andunder…" were to be slain. (Matt. 2: 16)
Like Christ, Moses chose to suffer affliction.
Heb. 11: 25 "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God…"
They did not have to suffer, but it was their choice tosuffer.
Like Christ, Moses refused the riches of this world, "…forhe had respect unto the recompense of the reward." (Heb. 11: 26)
Like Christ, Moses, when rejected by his own people went tothe Gentiles. There in the land of Midian, Moses was received and accepted. In the Gospel of John, the first chapter, it is said of Christ that "He cameunto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, tothem gave He power to become the sons of God…" (Jn. 1: 11, 12)
There in the land of Midian, Moses was given a bride. Hername was Zipporah, which means "a little bird -- that soars high." Zipporah was birthed, raised and instructed under the priestly ministry of Reuel, her father. In fulfillment of this type the Bride of Christ will be birthed,raised and instructed under the priestly ministry of the Church.
Moses went to his own.
Ex. 2: 11 "And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren…"
Acts 7: 23 "…It came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel."
Jn. 1: 11 "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."
Moses saw the burdens of his people.
Ex. 2: 11 "…And looked on their burdens…"
Christ saw the burdens of His people.
Matt. 8: 17 "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
Moses slew the Egyptian which was the enemy of the Hebrews,God's people.
Ex. 2: 11, 12 "…And he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand."
Christ slew our Egyptian, the devil.
Heb. 2: 14 "For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh andblood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;"
Moses was rejected by his own brethren.
Ex. 2: 14 "…Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?…"
Christ was rejected by His own brethren.
Jn. 1: 11 "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."
Both Moses and Christ were rejected as a deliverer. They rejected both Moses' and Christ's word. They rejected both Moses' and Christ's person.
Moses rejected by his own turns to the Gentiles.
Ex. 2: 15 "…Moses… dwelt in the land of Midian…"
Christ rejected by His own turns to the Gentiles.
Jn. 1: 11, 12 "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:"
Supplied Water in His Rejection
Moses supplied water to the Gentiles in his rejection.
Ex. 2: 15 "…And he sat down by a well."
Ex. 2: 17 "…Moses… watered their flock."
Christ supplied water for the Gentiles in His rejection.
Jn. 7: 37 "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood andcried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink."
Delivered from False and Evil Shepherds
Moses delivered them from false and evil shepherds.
Ex. 2: 17 "And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood upand helped them…"
Christ delivered them from false and evil shepherds.
Matt. 7: 15, 16 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Domen gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
Lk. 9: 1 "…Gave them power and authority over all devils…"
Moses gets a Gentile Bride in his rejection by his brethren.
Ex. 2: 21 "And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave MosesZipporah his daughter."
Christ gets a Gentile Bride in His rejection by Hisbrethren.
Acts 15: 14 "…God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name."
Acts 15: 16 "After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down…"
The man had seven daughters, which is a type of the Church.
Ex. 2: 21 "And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave MosesZipporah his daughter."
"Zipporah" -- a "bird" -- one who soars above the crowd
Out of the seven Church ages, like Zipporah, one of theseven, the Bride will be chosen.
Rev. 3: 10 "Because thou hast kept the Word of My patience, I also willkeep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, totry them that dwell upon the earth."
All experienced deliverance
All drank of the water that he gave
All ate bread with him
All dwelt in the same house
Only one was chosen