Pastor Kevin W. Burden
Buena Vista Baptist Church
For Sunday, May 10, 2009
Jochebed - Attributes of A Good Mother
Exodus 2:1-10 “And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 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. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 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. 6 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. 7 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? 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. 9 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. 10 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.
God has entrusted to Mothers the most precious treasurer’s of His creation. Motherhood is the highest & noblest of callings. The little lives within the sphere of your influence will reflect your virtue and your character – or lack thereof!
Children need to be Nurtured, Protected, Guided, and Pointed to Christ RIGHT NOW!
God knows and cares about the great calling and ministry mothers have. The mothers of the Bible show by their lives that God makes special provision for special needs.
Let’s look at what God has done for one mother in the Bible; the mother of Moses – Jochebed (God is glorified). She became a mother during a time of create trouble. We can see in her story that God has a purpose and plan for every child.
In Exodus 1:16 Pharaoh said to the midwifes, When ye do the office of a mid-wife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But Jochebed trusted and feared God.
Insight into the heart of Jochebed may be gleaned from Hebrews 11:23 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.
• She believed that God would be able to overrule circumstances.
• Her reverence for God was greater than her fear of man.
How God overruled:
• Jochebed was able to see her son live.
• Her son received the best education available.
• Jochebed’s influence remained strong throughout his life.
• The fear of Pharaoh (that he would be overthrown) was raised in his own palace.
From Jochebed’s story we learn several things that are typical of good mother’s.
#1. WHAT A GOOD MOTHER DOES.
• A good mother marries right. Ex 2:1 There went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. Being a good mother starts long before becoming a mother.
Beware of the unequal yoke. 2 Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
Dr. Carl Henry – “One child lost to the faith usually becomes a family lost to the faith, and not many generations later a whole community of unbelievers is set in motion because of some earlier neglect of parental duties."
• A good mother chooses life. Ex 2:2 The woman conceived, and bare a son. Abortion was not an option.
• A good mother has faith in God. Ex 2:2 And she saw him that he was a goodly child…
Hebrews 11:23 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.
• A good mother protects her child. Ex 2:2 She hid him three months.
Hebrews 11:23 They were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
• A good mother does the best she can. Ex 2:3 She took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein.
• A good mother plans ahead. Ex 2:3-4 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. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
#1. What a good mother does.
#2. HOW A MIGHTY GOD HELPS. We should do all we know to do, and trust God with the rest. Exodus 2:5 aThe daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; band her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, cshe sent her maid to fetch it.
Providence = The intervention and care which God exercises over his creation. A belief in divine providence is a source of great consolation to the believer.
• God brought her to the right place (v 5a)…
• God made sure she saw what needed to be seen (v 5b)…
• God made sure she did what needed to be done (v 5c-6). She sent her maid to fetch it. 6 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.
• God made sure she responded in the right way. Exodus 2:7-8 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? 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
• God made sure that Moses was provided the best care. Exodus 2:9 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.
CONCLUSION: There is a beautiful portrait of womanly compassion seen in the action of Pharaoh’s daughter. Her name is handed down by one tradition as Merris. It is known that the name Meri has been found as the designation of a princess of that period.
One rabbinical authority calls her Bithiah, which means Daughter of God; which seems to imply that she became in a believer and left Egypt in the Exodus.
There is a remarkable and interesting passage in 1 Chronicles 4:18, relating the genealogy of a certain Mered, who married a woman named Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh. We know nothing more about them, but it is very likely that this daughter of Pharaoh, is our princess, and that she actually became a child of God.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
