Preparing To Lead (Exodus 2)

Can godly leaders sometimes make great mistakes early in life? When preparing us for service, does God often first give us unique training along with years of humbling? What lessons about caring for people can a shepherd learn in tending animals? Let’s look at Exodus 2.

Was Moses born as one of those children in danger of Pharaoh’s murderous decree?

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and covered it with tar and pitch. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. And his sister stood at a distance to find out what would happen to him. (Exodus 2:1-4 NASB)

How was Moses miraculously rescued? Did Pharaoh’s daughter play a role in this?

Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. (Exodus 2:5-8 NIV)

Did Pharaoh’s daughter make arrangements for Moses to be breastfed? Did Moses then grow up in Pharaoh’s household? Was this part of his training that would come in handy much later?

Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses [drawn], saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:9-10 NKJV)

Did Moses make a huge mistake after he saw how badly his people were being treated?

Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand. (Exodus 2:11-12 NLT)

What drastic change in Moses’ life did this murder lead to?

He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?” He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses was afraid, and said, “Surely this thing is known.” Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well. (Exodus 2:13-15 WEB)

How did Moses begin the next phase of his unique training for leadership?

Now there was a Midianite priest who had seven daughters. The daughters came to draw water and fill the troughs so that their father’s flock could drink. But some shepherds came along and rudely chased them away. Moses got up, rescued the women, and gave their flock water to drink. When they went back home to their father Reuel, he asked, “How were you able to come back home so soon today?” They replied, “An Egyptian man rescued us from a bunch of shepherds. Afterward, he even helped us draw water to let the flock drink.” (Exodus 2:16-19 CEB)

What did Jethro ask his daughters? Did Moses eventually marry one of them?

He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom [foreigner], for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.” (Exodus 2:20-22 ESV)

Was God beginning to prepare Moses for the third and greatest stage of his life?

After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor, and they cried out; and their cry for help ascended to God because of the difficult labor. So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the Israelites, and He took notice. (Exodus 2:23-25 HCSB)