A. INTRODUCTION: EXODUS 2:1-15
“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).
B. THE DIFFICULTIES WHEN MOSES WAS BORN
1. Parents were slaves. “So the Egyptians made slaves of them” (1:11, LB).
2. Parents worked in slave labor. “The Egyptians . . . put brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down under heavy burdens” (1:11,12, LB).
3. Ungodly culture, i.e., Egyptian idol worship.
4. Racial prejudice, “But the more the Egyptians oppressed them the more quickly the Israelites multiplied . . . decided to make slavery more bitter” (1:12, 13, LB).
5. Given away by biological parents. “And when he was cast out” (Acts 7:21).
6. Raised by an adoptive parent. “The princess adopted him as her son” (2:10, LB).
7. Raised with a different value system from parents. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:22).
C. OTHER DIFFICULTIES FACING CHILDREN
1. War.
2. One parent missing.
3. Financial poverty.
4. Child abuse.
5. Withholding of necessities and/or normal requirement.
D. WHAT DID MOSES HAVE GOING FOR HIM?
1. Right background. “A man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi” (2:1)
2. Godly influence. “Moses was born . . . and was nourished up in his father’s house three months” (Acts 7:20).
3. God-chosen. “A goodly child” (2:2). “They saw he was a proper child” (Heb. 11:23). Asteios to theo, “Beautiful to God.” He (God) sent Moses . . . whom he had chosen” (Psa. 105:26).
The Call of God
1. Sovereign.
2. For God’s purpose.
3. Set aside to God.
4. To bring glory to God
4. Parents obeyed God’s Word. “By faith . . . Moses was hid three months” (Heb. 11:23). Remember “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). So Moses’ mother must have heard something from God that made her want to protect this child.
5. Good older brothers and sister. Miriam was oldest (verse 4; Numbers 26:59). Aaron was three years older (7:7).
6. Why did Jochebed do something after three months?
a. Crying louder and needed more care.
b. Other adults who knew might be spies.
c. Other children might slip and tell.
d. Three months good age for adoption.
7. Ingenuous mothers. “She got a little basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. And put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile River” (2:3, LB).
8. What can you say about the spot on the river?
a. Coincidental. “She laid it in the flags by the river bank”
b. Mother’s plan. “The daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash” (2:5).
c. Divine sovereignty. “His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen” (2:4, LB). Sounds like Miriam was watching to see what the princess would do.
9. Why was Miriam and not Jochebed watching? Slaves worked.
10. Abandoned to God. What was the parent’s attitude?
11. What caused Hatshepsut (1504-1484 BC) to be partial to the baby?
Hatshepsut was daughter of Thutmosis II, (1518-1504) who did not have a male heir. She ruled (1504-1582). She was co-pharaoh with Thutmosis III who ruled (1504-1450). He was Pharaoh of the oppression.
a. Her knowledge. She said, “This is one of the Hebrew children” (2:6).
b. Natural love. “When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the babe wept” (2:6, NKJV).
12. Godly influence. Miriam said, “Should I go call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women” (2:7). “Called the child’s mother” (2:8).
a. Released from slave labor.
b. Paid. “I will give you your wages” (2:9).
c. Best home. “Took the child” (2:9), “Brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter” (2:10).
13. Providential name.
a. Reflected his salvation. “Because I drew him out of the water”
b. Egyptian leadership. Identified with adoptive grandfather, Thutmosis II.
14. Equipped to write the Pentateuch. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22).
E. PRINCIPLES FOR CHILDREN IN DIFFICULTIES
1. The internal is more important than the external.
2. Hardship by itself will not nurture a child. It takes love and guidance from parents to overcome hardship.
3. Physical hardship will not hurt inner character, when God protects a child.
4. The attitude of parents can transfer to the child.
5. God allows a child to go through difficulties for a purpose.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
