Finding The Faith Of Our Heroes - Part 7: Great Lessons From Moses' Godly Parents Series

Finding the Faith of Our Heroes

Part 7: Great Lessons from Moses' Godly Parents

Hebrews 11:23; Exodus 1:6-22; Exodus 2:1-11

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared October 2, 2023)

BACKGROUND:

*We have been studying Old Testament heroes of our faith, and today we will focus on some great lessons from Moses' godly parents. Our launching point is Hebrews 11:23 where God's Word says, "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command."

*The original report was written by Moses himself in Exodus 2. There the Holy Spirit did not lead Moses to mention his father. But dad, mom, and Moses' older sister Miriam all helped protect baby Moses. Older brother Aaron probably helped too. Let's get started by reading Exodus 2:1-11. And as we read, please think about the difference we can make in our world today.

MESSAGE:

*Godly people matter. Godly parents matter, and that includes the parents in today's Scripture. Exodus 6:20 tells us that their names were "Amram" and "Jochebed." Those names may sound strange to us. But Amram sometimes means "Kindred of the High," "Friend of Jehovah," and "Exalted people." Jochebed also had a great name, because her name means "Jehovah is glory" or "The glory of Jehovah."

*Both of these parents brought great glory to God. They were parents who made a difference 3,500 years ago. And they still matter, because Moses' parents can help us make a difference today. In fact, they can help us make a difference for all eternity. Glory to God!

1. FIRST, THEY TEACH US TO FOLLOW GOD OVER GOVERNMENT.

*We see this essential truth in Exodus 2:1-2, where:

1. . . A man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.

2. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.

*Amram and Jochebed hid their new baby for 3 months. That seems like a strange thing to do, especially today, when most people spread the news as far as we can. But these parents were lowly Hebrew slaves under the cruel tyranny of Egypt.

*Exodus 1:6-22 helps us understand how bad it was for the Jews to live as slaves in Egypt. There God's Word says:

6. And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation.

7. But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

9. And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we;

10. come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.''

11. Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.

*That word "afflict" means treating them in a hard way, threatening them, forcing God's people to bow down, making them depressed and downcast. (2)

12. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.

13. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor.

*That word "rigor" means treating the Children of Israel with harshness and cruelty. The idea of this word was to fracture something or break it apart. The Egyptians were trying to shatter God's people. (2)

14. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

15. Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah;

16. and he said, "When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.''

17. But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.

18. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?''

19. And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.''