The birth of Moses. Exodus 2:1-10 In this journey through ancient times when God revealed Himself to us, it is easy to see how God uses people in extraordinary ways during times of crisis to fulfill His will. The Spirit of God has recorded these significant events so we can learn to rely on God regardless of what happens around us. Moses was born during a time of oppression when Israel was enslaved in Egypt. His early life almost foreshadows what was to come for the children of Israel. He was born under the threat of death but was allowed to live and grow into manhood in the king’s court.
Amram and Jochebed had genuine faith during times of doubt. Her faith motivated her to take action by making a watertight basket to place Moses in. Amram's faith strongly supported his wife's efforts as she worked to save their son, Moses. These people showed courage in moments of fear. They were "not afraid of the king's commandment." God honors faith when His people trust Him and use common sense. God cares not only for all His people but also for individuals. We receive life from Him, and it was important to Him to preserve us when we were helpless infants.
Being raised in a Christian home is a great privilege. Many children of Christians want to leave that lifestyle and often realize too late that they have made a serious mistake by abandoning the faith that was taught in their home. Ignoring or rejecting the guidance of godly parents means rejecting what God intended for them. To turn away from their teaching and influence is to turn away from God. Many will come to see too late what they could have enjoyed, but now they live in the bondage of sin. They may live and die without faith, hope, and love.
The pressure of the Egyptian world around them and the hardships and difficulties of their life did not hinder the vital faith of Moses’ parents. Love triumphs even when all around is hate. A mother cannot stop loving her child even though the laws of the land try to override the laws of God. Love and faith are close companions in life. Love sees value, and faith acts on what love perceives. If we live in fellowship with God, we will learn many times over the importance of the proverb - "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
God designed the family structure primarily for education and training to understand what is truly important in life. This chapter highlights three distinct periods in Moses' life for our learning. The first relates to his birth and how he was saved from death by God's sovereign plan, which connects to family life. The second occurs during his adulthood when he faced a personal choice: whether to indulge in "the pleasures of sin for a season” or to establish a relationship with God's people. This relates to faith. The third episode happens when he was a stranger in a foreign land, which pertains to living as a foreigner in this world with confidence in God.
Having our children leave before they've had enough time to learn everything they should from us is difficult. Moses' mother and father had only a short period in their child's life to teach him about who he truly was, who God is, and why he must remember God's promises to His people. Some children seem to learn about faith early, while others never grasp its importance. When a son or daughter leaves for further study or a job in a distant place, we realize our part in their upbringing is complete. When they leave the quiet security of rural life for the city, we must trust God with our children. When missionary parents have to be apart from their children for long times, or when we have to leave our child in a hospital bed in the care of others, we rest in God, who often works in ways very different from ours.
Being part of a family, having faith, and living as a foreigner in this ungodly world are the main challenges of life for us today. It is wonderful to have Christian parents, but many young people do not, yet they are members of the family of God and need the fellowship and spiritual friendship that comes with new life in Christ. We must regularly meet in the “house of God,” where we gather with brothers and sisters in Christ.
Moses' parents didn't let the bondage of Egypt affect their higher commitment to God and their children. Spiritual initiative in times of bondage and pressure to conform to worldly ways can be one of the best things we do for our family. God may choose to work in ways quite different from ours. We need to see the opportunities that arise unexpectedly as blessings from God. Faith and works complement and depend on each other. No doubt, joy, and relief overcame the sorrow Amram and Jochebed felt when Moses was placed in the ark on the Nile River among the bulrushes. What delight they had when Moses returned to their home until he was called to go to the house of Pharaoh's daughter. There are times when we must commit to an action in the moment of choice and then trust God to do what He knows best.
Moses learned about God's ways during his youth, and he also received training in Egypt as he matured. By God's grace, he never forgot what he learned early on. "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." His spiritual training helped him understand that sometimes faith in God requires waiting patiently for His guidance. His education in Egyptian culture and practices might have led him to believe he could get away with anything if no one was watching. When God's people face long-term pressure from the world, they can become more concerned with human laws than with God's will. Prolonged hardship caused the Hebrew slaves to accept their situation without hope for change, and some even began worshipping the Egyptian gods. God brought a turning point in Moses’ life when he had to choose between the pleasures of Egypt and the people of God.
Ideals and practicality need to be balanced in our lives so our Lord Jesus can use us in His way - not necessarily what we are inclined to do. God, in His unmatched grace, has made us “members one of another” so that what we may be lacking in our own natural family is fully supplied in our spiritual family. Spiritual ties in the family of God connect us to His people around the world who gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The acceptance we find because we know and love the Lord and His word amazes those who have never experienced such family fellowship.
Faith opens the door to such a meaningful and vast life that includes hundreds of believers. Similar beliefs about the word of God unite us. Salvation by grace alone and the testimony of personal faith in Jesus Christ open our hearts to those who understand what we are talking about. They have experienced the same thing, and even if we do not speak the same language, the language of faith in our hearts connects us with joy in the Lord.
Christians who follow the word of God know they are strangers and pilgrims in this world. We are in the world but not of it. We can be friendly to non-Christians around us, but we simply don’t fit into a society that loves sin. Loyalty to our Lord, along with discernment and the courage to be different because we belong to the kingdom of God, defines those who have placed their faith in Christ. When we face persecution and opposition, we do not retaliate. Our place is not within the worldly system that rejects our Lord. What we seek cannot be found here—it is ahead, in a secure and joyful future.