God spared Joseph’s life and miraculously made him the governor of Egypt. He was a hero in every sense of the word. He literally saved Egypt from starvation. Pharaoh was grateful for his wisdom and talents, and blessed Joseph with many blessings and privileges.
Once they were settled into Goshen, the twelve sons began to multiply into thousands in years to come. When Joseph died and this good Pharaoh died, the blessings and special privileges also died for Israel.
Approximately a hundred years later another man became Pharaoh of Egypt. It is believed that he gained this position through power, and when he saw that the children of Israel were blessed by God with child birth, he concluded they may join hands with their enemies and outnumber the Egyptians and overthrow him from his lofty position.
He decided to do something about it before this could happen to him. WHAT DID HE DO? He set out to make sure this did not happen to the Egyptians by having all the Hebrew boy babies thrown into the Nile River.
In Exodus 2, we see God preserving the life of Moses who becomes Israel’s deliverer from Egypt. We want to look at three things in the life of Moses in Exodus 2.
We see . . .
I. HIS BIRTH
We must not forget that Moses is the writer of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible.
In Exodus 2, he is telling us of HIS BIRTH. But notice, Moses does not even give us the names of his parents. We have to turn to other scriptures to find out some of the details of his parents. It could be the reason was because his parents were slaves and so there is not much to boast and brag about. He was raised up in the palace of Pharaoh which was a source of pride.
In verses 1-10, we see what he has to say about his birth. We read, “And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.”
Often, when Sunday school teachers and some preachers preach from this passage in verses 1-10, they make it sound like a bed time story you tell your children before they go to sleep. It should be preached as Ancient Bible History. What we read here in the scriptures happened just the way God’s Word tells us it happened.
Many times we connect bravery with manhood, but history and the Bible reveals the bravery of many women also. Moses’ mother was a very courageous woman. Because of her bravery and love, many pastors choose to use her as an example to preach on Mother’s day.
HOW WAS SHE COURAGEOUS? Remember that Pharaoh had decreed that all boy children were to be killed, but this brave mother was not going to allow her baby to be killed. Exodus 2:1-10, tells us how this mother saved Moses from being killed by Pharaoh, and how she trusted God to take care of her baby boy.
WHO IS THIS BRAVE MOTHER?
• Her name was Jochebed. She was the wife of Amram. No details are given concerning her life. According to Jewish legend, Jochebed is buried in the tomb of the matriarchs, in Tiberius.
• She is praised for her faith, in the Epistle to the Hebrews. She had three children, Miriam, Aaron and Moses
• She was a Hebrew, of Levi’s tribe
• She was a slave of the lowest social rank and position imaginable
• She was a woman of great wisdom: she planned ahead and trusted God completely (vs. 3-4)
• She witnessed the sovereign, guiding hand of God (vs. 5-8)
• She had her faith rewarded (vs. 9-10)
Israel had probably been enslaved for a century or more when Moses was born. So from Joseph’s death and the good Pharaoh that he served, many Pharaohs had come and gone.
The Pharaoh that ruled when Moses was born was a very wicked Pharaoh.
The parents of Moses were slaves when they married. This meant that...
• Both mother and father worked as slave-laborers, as beasts of burden
• Both were abused and yelled at; probably cursed and beaten at times
• Moses’ parents were poor, even poverty-stricken; lived in a small, poorly furnished house or shanty and had few, if any, possessions to call their own.
• Jochebed had no opportunity to better herself.
• Jochebed had no social standing within society, no decent clothes, no possessions, no rank, and no position.
• Jochebed WAS A SLAVE. She worked in the brickyards or in the ?elds or as the servant of some wealthy Egyptian.
Yet God was to use this humble mother, this enslaved woman, beyond imagination. She was to give birth to one of the greatest men who have ever lived.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the ?esh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.”
I cannot say it enough; Moses’ mother was a courageous and a righteous woman. At some point, she became pregnant and this presented this loving mother some serious problems.
Note that Pharaoh’s law to drown all newborn boys was not in effect at Aaron’s birth. He was a three-year old boy when Moses was born. The law was obviously passed right before the birth of Moses, so it did not apply to Arron who was three years old.
Picture for a moment the uneasiness of Moses’ parents when his mother discovered that she was pregnant. Just imagine their concern, anxiety, fear, uncertainty: wondering what would happen if the child was a boy. WHAT WOULD THEY DO?
Finally, the day came and their worst fears became a reality: a baby boy, Moses, was born. Notice what his mother did: she did the courageous, righteous thing. She hid the child FOR THREE MONTHS.
WHAT WOULD MAKE HER RISK HER OWN LIFE TO SAVE HER CHILD’S LIFE? The same thing that has driven many mothers to save their child’s life when the child was threatened: love and the sanctity of life prevailed.
She wanted to save the child, not only because she loved him, but also because he was a special gift from God. She hid the child for three months. Day after day and week after week, for three long months, she hid the child from the authorities and neighbors; from everyone who might be a threat, lest someone report the child’s existence.
WHAT ARE WE TO DO WHEN THE LAW OF THE STATE STANDS OPPOSED TO THE LAW OF GOD? We do not have to guess, the Bible makes it clear. Remember when those early disciples were forbidden to speak the name of Christ? We read, in Acts 5:29, “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Wouldn’t it be great to have parents like Moses had?
• Parents that saw their children as gifts from God
• Parents that protected their children, protected them even at the risk of their own lives
• Parents That taught their children the Word of God and prayed with them
When baby Moses could no longer be hidden in the house, WHAT DID JOCHEBED DO?
• There were bound to have been periodic patrols down the streets to keep the slaves under control
• There also must have been periodic house-to-house searches, just to make sure no newborn children were being hidden
• Also, babies cry; thus there was great danger that Moses’ crying might be heard by a patrolling guard or that he might be discovered by some guard searching their family’s house
• There was even the possibility that some neighbor, hoping to receive a reward or to be favored by the Egyptians, could snitch on the child.
The day came when Moses could no longer be hidden. His mother had to do something. WHAT COULD SHE DO TO SAVE HER CHILD? She had to be wise, work out the wisest plan she could, and she had to trust God, completely trust Him to use her plan and save her child.
This she did. She made a watertight ark-like basket (v.3). She put Moses in the basket and placed the basket among the reeds of the Nile River.
No doubt, this wise woman knew right where Pharaoh’s daughter (and probably other Egyptian of?cials) bathed and swam. She knew that Moses could be saved from the king’s death threat only if some Egyptian of?cial could ?nd him, have compassion, and keep the child as his or her own. Thus when she placed the ark-like basket in the Nile River, she was trusting in God to cause some Egyptian authority to ?nd the baby and save him (v.3).
In verse 4, she then had the oldest child, Miriam, stand some distance away, keeping watch over the child. She did all she could do and she trusted God for what she could not do.
HOW DID THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH, WHO FOUND THE CHILD AND ADOPTED HIM AS HER OWN, PULL THIS OFF?
Most likely, when Pharaoh discovered she had found the baby in the Nile where she bathed, he probably told his daughter to throw the child in the river. After all, this is what he has decreed was to take place. But perhaps, copious amounts of tears began to well up and flow from the big brown Egyptian eyes of his daughter. “But, Daddy,” she pleaded, “Can’t I keep him?” In fatherly fashion, the Pharaoh melts at the sight of his daughter’s tears.
It could be Moses was a good looking baby, and that made him decide to keep the child. Look at these words in verse 2, “Goodly child.” Some believe that Moses was a beautiful baby and when Pharaoh saw Moses, he said, “Alright, you can keep the baby.” We really do not know how she pulled this off. It is one of those things we can find out when we arrive in heaven.
God is sovereign; God possesses all power. Matthew 19:26, “…With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible”.
Moses’ mother had her faith rewarded. The most that she could have hoped for now happened. She was employed by Pharaoh’s daughter to nurse Moses (v. 9). When Miriam brought her mother to Pharaoh’s daughter, the princess hired her to look after Moses. Moses’ mother was even paid wages to care for her child. It was during the early years of Moses’ life, sitting at the knees of his mother, that he was most likely taught to trust God and to believe the great promises of God to Israel.
No doubt, having been his nurse, she was allowed to maintain a relationship with him throughout his years in the palace of Pharaoh.
• She also would have continued to instruct Moses when they were visiting one another
• There is a possibility that she was kept in the palace, serving Pharaoh’s daughter throughout Moses’ years in Egypt
• When Moses reached a certain age, his mother took him to the princess, and Moses became the son of Pharaoh’s daughter
• It was Pharaoh’s daughter who named the child Moses. The name Moses (Moseh) means, “I drew him out of the water.”
God took the evil plan of Pharaoh, twisted it, and worked it out for good.
We see HIS BIRTH and . . .
II. HIS COMPASSION
We looked at Moses’ birth, but now let us look at Moses as a young man. Look at verses 11:15, we read, “And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: 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. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.”
He was visiting with the people of Israel when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew brother. “And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian,”
WHAT DID HE DO? He killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day, he saw two Hebrews going at it and he tried to break it up. They let him know they saw what he did the day before. What he had done was wrong and now his sins were catching up with him. But even if they did not see him, God saw him. Moses had to flee for his life by going to Midian.
Look at verse 15, “Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought 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.” Evidently Moses was raised in royalty, but he and Pharaoh did not have a close relationship. He ?ed to Midian and sat down by a well. This leads us to the next thing in the life of Moses.
We see HIS BIRTH, HIS COMPASSION and . . .
III. HIS MARRIAGE
Look at verses 16-25, we read, “Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”
When he sat down at the well, seven daughters of a local priest came to get water for their flocks. Now when I read this incident, I interpret it this way: I believe these were seven ugly young ladies, and let me tell you why I believe they were seven ugly girls.
Look at Verses 16-17, we read, “The priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and ?lled the troughs to water their father’s ?ock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.”
They were there before the shepherds came to the well. And the reason I believe they were seven ugly girls is because the Shepherds ran them away. Now there is no way these girls could have been pretty girls, because men do not run pretty girls away.
If they had been pretty, they would have grabbed those buckets and said, “Let me carry that for you.” Now I believe every fellow here understands what I am talking about.
But there is another reason I think they were ugly girls; Because of their father.
WHY DO I SAY THAT? Look at verse l8, we read, “And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?” Their father wanted to know why they were back so soon. Evidently it took a long time to water the flock.
Verse l9, “And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.”
As soon as their father heard that a man helped them, and didn’t chase them off, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHERE HE WAS; WHY DIDN’T THEY BRING HIM HOME FOR SUPPER?
Look at verse 20, it sure sound like he wants to unload one of these girls. We read, “And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.”
It looks like Moses is being set up and did not know it. Look at verse 21, we read, “And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.”
We do not know how long Moses lived with Reuel the priest, but we can rest assured that the next time he went to church he thanked the Lord he had got rid one of these daughters.
Verse 22-23, “And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.”
All these things were happening in the life of Moses for a reason.
He was raised in royalty but now he is living with the poor.
God’s people were still under the rule of the evil Pharaoh that feared they might out number them and overthrow him. They were treated like animals and he worked them from morning until night.
Verse 24-25, “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”
God had been working in the life of Moses for forty years, and now He has created a man who was about to be one of the world’s greatest leaders.
Conclusion:
As we come to the close, I want you to see what Exodus chapter two is showing us. Nothing is known about Moses from birth to age forty. In fact, there is only one verse of scripture that even mentions those years of his life. Acts 7:23, “And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.”
He went through much preparation before God could use him and make him the great leader he became. And I want say something here I hope will not be taken wrong. Too much of God’s work today is done by people who have not been prepared for the job they are undertaking.
• Sunday school teachers
• Preachers
• Deacons
The work of God suffers greatly, not because they are not good Christians, but they are not qualified to do the job they are doing.
It took Moses forty years before God could make him one of the greatest leaders this world has ever known.
• When a young man goes into the ministry, if he can, he should go to a good Bible college and learn everything he can learn.
• If he cannot go to a Bible college, he should find a Pastor that loves the Lord and His Word, and sit under his ministry and learn everything he can learn from him.
But let me also say that I know men with many degrees behind their names, and they have made a mess of the Lord’s work financially and spiritually.
We see . . .
I. HIS BIRTH
II. HIS COMPASSION
III. HIS MARRIAGE
