Meditations in Exodus
This meditation is a companion to a previous meditation:
The Fear of the King verses the Fear of God - Exodus 1:15-21
Exodus 2:1-4 reads, “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.”
Furthermore, Hebrews 11:23 declares, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.”
Certainly, Hebrews 11:24-29 speaks much concerning the faith of Moses as a man of God. Yet although Moses is presented in Hebrews 11:23 as the subject of the sentence, this verse does not speak concerning the faith of Moses himself, but concerning the faith of Moses’ parents. Indeed, Moses began to learn the walk of faith in the Lord through the example of his godly parents. In addition, although Exodus 2:1-4 focuses our attention only upon Moses’ mother, Hebrews 11:23 reveals that all those things were done through a unity of faith in the Lord by both Moses’ parents, by both his father and his mother.
This meditation is a companion to a previous meditation:
The Fear of the King verses the Fear of God - Exodus 1:15-21
Exodus 2:1-4 reads, “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.”
Furthermore, Hebrews 11:23 declares, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.”
Certainly, Hebrews 11:24-29 speaks much concerning the faith of Moses as a man of God. Yet although Moses is presented in Hebrews 11:23 as the subject of the sentence, this verse does not speak concerning the faith of Moses himself, but concerning the faith of Moses’ parents. Indeed, Moses began to learn the walk of faith in the Lord through the example of his godly parents. In addition, although Exodus 2:1-4 focuses our attention only upon Moses’ mother, Hebrews 11:23 reveals that all those things were done through a unity of faith in the Lord by both Moses’ parents, by both his father and his mother.
The Full Faith of Moses’ Parents
In the first place, Moses’ parents demonstrated their full faith in the Lord by hiding their son away from the king’s authorities for the first three months of their son’s life. From Exodus 1:22 we learn that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had “charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born [unto the Hebrews] ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.” Yet when this son was born unto this Levite couple, they saw that he was “a goodly child.” In Acts 7:20 this “goodliness” of this son is described with the phrase “exceeding fair,” and in Hebrews 11:23 this “goodliness” is described with the phrase “a proper child.” Indeed, these parents were moved to great parental love for their newborn son. Yet they did not hide him away from the king’s authorities for three months simply because of their parental love. Rather, they hid him because of their faith in the Lord. The closing portion of Hebrews 11:23 proclaims, “And they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” So then, why were they not afraid of the king’s commandment? The opening two words of Hebrews 11:23 reveals the answer – “By faith.” They were not afraid of the king because of their full faith in the Lord. Thus they hid their newborn son away from the king’s authorities, fully placing their trust in the Lord their God to help them in their endeavor.
In the second place, Moses’ parents demonstrated their full faith in the Lord by putting their son in an ark of bulrushes “by the river’s brink.” To the Hebrews this river had become a river of death. It was into this very river that their newborn sons were to be drowned by the king’s authorities. In fact, many of the Hebrew families had already lost their newborn sons to this river of death. Yet the parents of this son did not fear this river of death; for their faith was in the Lord their God, the Lord God of heaven and earth, the Lord God of this river also. Although this river represented the power of death over their son, in full faith they recognized that the power of death could not touch their son unless the Lord permitted it to do so. Yet they possessed full faith that their son was a special child, specially chosen by the Lord their God for a special purpose.
In the third place, Moses’ parents demonstrated their full faith in the Lord by expecting the Lord to work on their behalf in the protection of their son. Exodus 2:4 indicates that when the parents of this son placed him in the ark of bulrushes “by the river’s brink,” they instructed their daughter to stand afar off, “to wit what would be done to him.” The parents of this son did not instruct their daughter to stand afar off in order to protect their son if trouble came along. Rather, their instructed their daughter to stand afar off in order to observe what the Lord would do to meet their need. Although they did not know what it would be, In full faith they expected the Lord to do something; and they waited with patient expectation for the Lord to work.
The Faithfulness of the Lord God
How then did the Lord work?
1. In His faithfulness the Lord prepared a way of deliverance. Exodus 2:5-6 gives the report, saying, “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.” The Lord moved the very daughter of Pharaoh himself to come unto the river at that very time for washing. The Lord moved the maidens of Pharaoh’s daughter walk along by the river’s side at that very spot. Indeed, the Lord prepared and moved Pharaoh’s daughter to have compassion upon this boy baby, even though she recognized that he was one of the Hebrews’ children.
2. In His faithfulness the Lord presented Moses back to his mother. Exodus 2:7-9 gives the report, saying, “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.”
3. In His faithfulness the Lord provided for Moses and his parents. Again the opening portion of Exodus 2:9 gives the report, saying, “And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.” In a two-fold manner, the Lord provided. First, the Lord provided protection from the Pharaoh’s authorities; for this child was now guarded as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s own daughter. Second, the Lord provided blessing in that Pharaoh’s daughter paid wages to Moses’ mother to nurse her own son.
4. In His faithfulness the Lord permitted Moses’ parents to train him in his early years. The opening line of Exodus 2:10 gives the report, saying, “And the child grew.” Where did he grow during these early years, until he was weaned from nursing? He grew in his own parents’ home, wherein he could be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord at least for those earliest years, and wherein a foundation of love for his Lord God and for his own people could be planted into his heart.
5. In His faithfulness the Lord promoted Moses their son to an exalted place. Exodus 2:10 gives the report, saying, “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.” Indeed, it is worthy of note that Pharaoh’s daughter named him Moses, a name which means “one who is drawn out, or one who is delivered from some trouble.” Even so, through his very name, Moses ever carried with him a reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness toward the full faith of his parents.
In the first place, Moses’ parents demonstrated their full faith in the Lord by hiding their son away from the king’s authorities for the first three months of their son’s life. From Exodus 1:22 we learn that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had “charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born [unto the Hebrews] ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.” Yet when this son was born unto this Levite couple, they saw that he was “a goodly child.” In Acts 7:20 this “goodliness” of this son is described with the phrase “exceeding fair,” and in Hebrews 11:23 this “goodliness” is described with the phrase “a proper child.” Indeed, these parents were moved to great parental love for their newborn son. Yet they did not hide him away from the king’s authorities for three months simply because of their parental love. Rather, they hid him because of their faith in the Lord. The closing portion of Hebrews 11:23 proclaims, “And they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” So then, why were they not afraid of the king’s commandment? The opening two words of Hebrews 11:23 reveals the answer – “By faith.” They were not afraid of the king because of their full faith in the Lord. Thus they hid their newborn son away from the king’s authorities, fully placing their trust in the Lord their God to help them in their endeavor.
In the second place, Moses’ parents demonstrated their full faith in the Lord by putting their son in an ark of bulrushes “by the river’s brink.” To the Hebrews this river had become a river of death. It was into this very river that their newborn sons were to be drowned by the king’s authorities. In fact, many of the Hebrew families had already lost their newborn sons to this river of death. Yet the parents of this son did not fear this river of death; for their faith was in the Lord their God, the Lord God of heaven and earth, the Lord God of this river also. Although this river represented the power of death over their son, in full faith they recognized that the power of death could not touch their son unless the Lord permitted it to do so. Yet they possessed full faith that their son was a special child, specially chosen by the Lord their God for a special purpose.
In the third place, Moses’ parents demonstrated their full faith in the Lord by expecting the Lord to work on their behalf in the protection of their son. Exodus 2:4 indicates that when the parents of this son placed him in the ark of bulrushes “by the river’s brink,” they instructed their daughter to stand afar off, “to wit what would be done to him.” The parents of this son did not instruct their daughter to stand afar off in order to protect their son if trouble came along. Rather, their instructed their daughter to stand afar off in order to observe what the Lord would do to meet their need. Although they did not know what it would be, In full faith they expected the Lord to do something; and they waited with patient expectation for the Lord to work.
The Faithfulness of the Lord God
How then did the Lord work?
1. In His faithfulness the Lord prepared a way of deliverance. Exodus 2:5-6 gives the report, saying, “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.” The Lord moved the very daughter of Pharaoh himself to come unto the river at that very time for washing. The Lord moved the maidens of Pharaoh’s daughter walk along by the river’s side at that very spot. Indeed, the Lord prepared and moved Pharaoh’s daughter to have compassion upon this boy baby, even though she recognized that he was one of the Hebrews’ children.
2. In His faithfulness the Lord presented Moses back to his mother. Exodus 2:7-9 gives the report, saying, “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.”
3. In His faithfulness the Lord provided for Moses and his parents. Again the opening portion of Exodus 2:9 gives the report, saying, “And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.” In a two-fold manner, the Lord provided. First, the Lord provided protection from the Pharaoh’s authorities; for this child was now guarded as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s own daughter. Second, the Lord provided blessing in that Pharaoh’s daughter paid wages to Moses’ mother to nurse her own son.
4. In His faithfulness the Lord permitted Moses’ parents to train him in his early years. The opening line of Exodus 2:10 gives the report, saying, “And the child grew.” Where did he grow during these early years, until he was weaned from nursing? He grew in his own parents’ home, wherein he could be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord at least for those earliest years, and wherein a foundation of love for his Lord God and for his own people could be planted into his heart.
5. In His faithfulness the Lord promoted Moses their son to an exalted place. Exodus 2:10 gives the report, saying, “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.” Indeed, it is worthy of note that Pharaoh’s daughter named him Moses, a name which means “one who is drawn out, or one who is delivered from some trouble.” Even so, through his very name, Moses ever carried with him a reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness toward the full faith of his parents.
Posted in Meditations in Exodus, Trust in God, Faithfulness of Our Lord, Deliverance of Our Lord, Blessing of the Lord
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