MOSES’ MOTHER
Today is Mother’s Day! I have a couple of stories to read to you.
A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this question: My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I? When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word Mother.
A teacher asked a boy this question: Suppose your mother baked a pie and there were seven of you--your parents and five children. What part of the pie would you get? A sixth, replied the boy. I’m afraid you don’t know your fractions, said the teacher, Remember, there are seven of you. Yes, teacher, said the boy, but you don’t know my mother. Mother would say she didn’t want any pie.
A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday school presentation. His mother was in the front row to prompt him. She gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it did not help. Her son’s memory was blank. Finally, she leaned forward and whispered the cue, I am the light of the world. The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud clear voice said, My mother is the light of the world.
A four-year-old and a six-year-old presented their Mom with a house plant. They had used their own money and she was thrilled. The older of them said with a sad face, There was a bouquet that we wanted to give you at the flower shop. It was real pretty, but it was too expensive. It had a ribbon on it that said, ’Rest In Peace’, and we thought it would be just perfect since you are always asking for a little peace so that you can rest.
Exodus 1:22-2:4
By all human standards, Moses never had a chance. Not only was he born to a slave, but there was already a death sentence upon him.
Had he been born a girl he would have been allowed to live, but as a boy he had no life expectancy.
Moses was a Hebrew, born in the cruel culture of ancient Egypt where Pharaoh had declared that all the Hebrew boys that were born were to be exterminated. Throw them into the river (to the crocodiles).
Thus Pharaoh became one of a long line of lunatics who have attempted to exterminate the Jews.
What caused this attempt to eradicate an entire race?
It has always been Satan’s passion to exterminate the Jewish race. He knew that through them would come the savior of the world. So, he has used men and women through out human history to reach his goal.
It is the old, old story of hatred, murder, persecution, of unreasonable men and women.
Into this situation Moses was born!
One road block stymied Pharaohs plan, a young, determined lady named Jochebed. While everyone bowed to this new order, one person would not submit. No one, not even mighty Pharaoh would lay his hands on her God-given child.
Her courage saved a nation, for her child was Moses, the great deliverer of Israel. Only eternity will show the greatness of this mother.
Moses was her third child. Her first born was Aaron. He later became the High Priest and from his family would come all the priests.
Her second child was Miriam, she looked after Moses. She is intimately associated with her brothers in Israel’s history. She was a gifted poet and musician as well.
Has any mother in history ever raised three more note worthy children? And remember, she raised them in slavery!
She determined in her heart to stand firm against the forces of evil in her world, forces that wanted to destroy her son and nation!
I like the way the author of Hebrews speaks about Jochebed, she was not afraid of the King’s edict. Hebrews 11:23 She would find a way to foil Pharaoh’s plan.
(Tell the story)
* Amram and Jochebed.... couldn’t pick a worse
moment to be pregnant!
* I’m sure she did all she could to hide the
pregnancy
* When the baby is born she sees how beautiful
he is
* What mother doesn’t think here baby is beatiful
* For days she wonders how to hide him and save
his life
* She builds a little basket and water proofs it
* Miriam watches him down in the river
* Note, the same river intended to kill Moses is
the means of salvation
Now not only is Moses’ life saved, the egyptian government will pay Jochebed to nurse and raise her own child.
Jochebed had two qualities every woman of God possesses.
First, great respect for human life
She had an overpowering love to preserve the lives of her children. What a contrast with today were we kill over a million babies a year through abortion.
No one can ever escape the embrace of a loving mother. Even after she’s gone, her teaching and training serve to guide us on the path we must follow.
How powerful are the memories of a blessed mother!
I have been blessed with such a mother!
Second, great respect for spiritual life!
Pharaoh’s daughter raised Moses as her own son. She gave him her name, his education, and all the wealth and grandeur of ancient Egypt.
Yet Moses refused to be an Egyptian prince. A testimony of the spiritual truths he learned from his mother.
Scripture tells us that Moses was not willing to put aside the spiritual base built by his real mother!
Years later Paul wrote to Timothy these words, I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline.
2 Timothy 1:5-7
i.e. my mother and grandmother
On this Mother’s Day may I suggest to you that this is a heritage you owe your children and family. Never underestimate the power God has given you Moms.
Never shrink from your responsibility in letting God shine through your life into the hearts of your children and husband.
You may be thinking, But you don’t know my situation! That’s true! But I know what Jachebed’s situation was.
Unless you are living in slavery, your son under a death threat and you are penniless with no hope for the future, you’re not as bad off as Jochebed was.
She overcame all the obstacles with God’s help, you can too!
She served a great God, who’s the same yesterday, today and tomorrow
