Sermon Central
-
A Providential Birth Lesson 1: Series
Contributed by Elmer Towns on Mar 27, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Moses acquired faith from his mother, had the caring influences of brother and sister, experienced educational excellence by his adopted mother; yet divinely prepared by God.
A. INTRODUCTION
1. What was Moses’ relationship to God? Note the “signature” identification of the following three great Old Testament leaders. “Moses my servant” (Num. 12:7), Abraham my friend, David my king.
2. What does a servant do? Obey. We could possess Moses’ faith, if we had his obedience.
3. What was Moses’ great failure? Disobedience? We usually fail at our strengths, not our weaknesses.
4. What was Moses’ first observed act? “By faith Moses . . . refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” (Heb. 11:24). A daring act to forsake your own plans for God’s, to seek out and do God’s will absolutely, to absolutely surrender to God, to be fully persuaded God would do all He has promised.
B. MOSES’ BACKGROUND
“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child” (Heb. 11:23).
1. Moses was born among greatness. Egypt was the most powerful nation on earth; it had the pyramids, center of world trade, art, religion, and military might. One small child against the world.
2. Moses was from an alien race. 300 years earlier Pharaoh had invited Israel to Egypt and let them live in Goshen. Now God’s people are slaves.
3. Moses belonged to an oppressed people. “Lives bitter with hard bondage” (Ex. 1:14).
4. Moses was born into danger. “If it is a son, then you shall kill him” (Ex. 1:16). “In the darkest night, God shines His great light.”
5. Moses was way above average. “A beautiful child (Ex. 2:2). “A proper child” (Heb. 11:23). “Exceeding fair” (Acts 7:20, KJV). “Well pleasing to God” (Acts 7:20, NKJV) “Divinely fair” Companion Bible.
C. MOSES PREPARATION
1. Parents were from the “praying and sacrificing” tribe. “Amram the father was of “the house of Levi” (2:1) so was Jochebed. Moses could be a priest, but called to be a prophet (Deut. 18:15) and a leader – king.
2. Moses’ older brother Aaron the first priest. Sister Miriam (Mary) the singer (Ex. 15:20-21).
3. Israel was “saved” in Egypt by Joseph, but over time worshipped Egypt’s idols. “Served other gods in Egypt” (Joshua 24:14). “Neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt” (Ez. 20:6-8).
4. God predicted Israel would suffer 400 years but would be delivered. “Shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs . . . afflict them four hundred years . . . but in the fourth generation they shall come hither again” (Gen. 15:13, 16).
5. Moses divinely prepared to be Israel’s deliverer. “This Moses . . . God sent to be a . . . . deliverer” (Acts 7:35).
6. Jochebed’s act of faith.
a. Faith’s vision. “She saw” (2:2).
b. Faith’s protection. “She had him three months” (2:2).
c. Faith’s preparation. “She took an ark” (2:2).
Why Hide the Baby Among Bulrushes?
• Didn’t want to see soldiers take him.
• Didn’t want to see baby die.
• Knew Pharaoh’s daughter came there.
• Ultimate trust in God.
7. The Nile River was Egypt’s life and God.
a. Sacrifice, “Every (Jewish) son . . . cast into the river” (1:22).
b. Princess (Hatshepsut) came to bathe, i.e., spiritual cleansing, not just physical cleansing.
c. Where sin abounded (Nile River), grace did much more abound; Moses delivered to be the deliverer) (Rom. 5:20).
d. Given name Moses, i.e., “to draw up from the river.”
8. God divinely prepares Moses.
a. Emotional tug. “The baby wept” (2:6).
b. The sister’s intercession (Miriam). “Shall I go and call a nurse for you?” (2:7).
c. The birth mother is hired. “Called the child’s mother” (2:8).
d. Godly influence of Jochebed.
9. Moses was adopted by Hatshepsut. “He (Moses) becomes her son.” With royal privileges and expectations.
10. Moses was given the best education. “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deed” (Acts 7:22).
What Moses Learned
• Wisdom = paideno, i.e., Egyptian culture
• Words = Literature and language
• Deeds = Leadership training
11. Summary: Moses acquired faith from his mother, had the caring influences of brother and sister, experienced educational excellence by his adopted mother; yet divinely prepared by God.
