Moses Drawn Out

MOSES DRAWN OUT.

Exodus 2:1-10.

We all know, used to know, or should have known, the story of baby Moses drifting in an ark of bulrushes, placed by his mother in amongst the reeds by the banks of the River Nile (Exodus 2:3). In ancient maps, uncharted waters used to be indicated with an artistic flourish which stated, ‘Beyond here there be dragons’. Be that as it may, we can certainly say of the River Nile, ‘Here there be crocodiles’!

As adults, perhaps, we might pronounce our considered opinion that this was a foolish, rash, and dangerous thing to do. Or perhaps that it was a calculated risk since the wicked Pharaoh was murdering all the Hebrew baby boys anyway? However, the Bible’s own judgment (which is the one that counts) is that this was done “by faith” (cf. Hebrews 11:23).

It certainly did pay off, because the child was discovered by none other than Pharaoh’s daughter, who, having a compassion unknown to her father, brought the child home to the palace and raised him as her own. In an ironic twist typical of the true and living God, the child’s mother was employed to nurse him, and was paid for the privilege! Pharaoh’s daughter called the boy “Moses” (which means ‘drawn out’) because, she said, “I drew him out of the water” (Exodus 2:10).

Ultimately, though, it was God who was doing the drawing. It may not have seemed so when the young ‘Prince’ fled Egypt as a fugitive to the land of Midian and took refuge as a member of a shepherd’s household. However, in due course of time God showed his hand, and revealed His Name, and sent Moses back to Egypt to ‘draw out’ the children of Israel.

Interestingly - unlike in His dealings with Abram/ Abraham, and Jacob/ Israel - the LORD saw no reason to change the name of Moses from that which Pharaoh’s daughter had given him. ‘Drawn out’ he was, and ‘drawing out’ he was doing.

Referring to Israel, God said, “Out of Egypt have I called my son” (Hosea 11:1). This is quoted in Matthew 2:15 with reference to Jesus’ childhood sojourn in Egypt, after another massacre of infants by a capricious king, this time in Bethlehem.

This concept of being ‘drawn out’ is also seen in the Christian faith. Jesus says, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).

This fact is full of consolations for the believer: we are given, we come to Him, we are not cast out (John 6:37). We have eternal life (John 6:40; John 6:47). Jesus re-emphasises, “No-one can come to Me, except it was given to him by my Father” (John 6:65).