EXODUS 2– by Albert Lopez, for the Facebook video, go here.
INTRODUCTION: A story of a nameless baby for 10 verses, before he is revealed. This baby is protected in dangerous, uncertain times; we read about how important this child would be in the future. And we know that he would eventually flee from Egypt.
Jesus would also be protected and would flee to Egypt as a baby. Yet when Jesus was older, he became exposed and not protected, but vulnerable – to the point of being crucified!
God exposed Jesus to such a degree, that on the cross He cried out:
MATTHEW 27:47Moses, which would be the name of this child, would be born of slave parents and the adopted child of Princes. (Royal lineage). This points to how we before Christ are sons and daughters born into slavery (of the world and of sin) but when we come to Christ we are brought out of slavery and into our King Jesus’s Holy and Royal lineage!
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”
We read in 1 PETER 2:9-10.So, with all that said, let’s get into Chapter Two of Exodus!
“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”
EXODUS 2:1
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
Moses would be of the tribe of Levi and it’s appropriate because he would take God’s people and lead them into worship of YHWH!
This tribe was separated for the services of Priesthood:
NUMBERS 1:47-50, 53. We read in Hebrews that Jesus is our great High Priest (HEB 4:14), one of the Offices he holds along with King (MATT 2:2; REV 19:16) and Prophet (MATT 21:11; LUKE 24:19).
47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48 For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, 49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.
For it is attested of Him, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” (HEB 7:17)
HEBREWS 7:23-28EXODUS 2:2
“The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.”
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.
The mother hides the baby, but why does she do this?
We look in EXODUS 1:22
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”
This is also what King Herod had ordered in Jesus’s time because he felt his reign was threatened MATT 2:16. These are pictures of a threat to kingdoms. When the LORD Jesus came to this world under Satan’s rule, it was no mere nativity, it was a Holy Invasion into his kingdom of darkness!
Church, I want you to know that we Christians are a threat to the kingdom of darkness; that’s why we speak and ask you to prepare for persecution. We might face persecution, to what degree I don’t know, but we can see the signs all around us.
As we are going over the Beatitudes, we will see in:
MATTHEW 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
EXODUS 2:3
3 And when she could no 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.
The materials: reeds, tar and pitch made this small basket; this ‘little ark’ in a sense. They made it water-proof. This little ark preserved Moses’s life against the river. Noah’s ark preserved the lives against an entire world under water!
Consider this: the very instrument of death, drowning Hebrew male babies in the river Nile, was exactly where the LORD instructed Moses’s mother to place her son, and this river no doubt was full of hungry crocodiles! Yet just as God protected Daniel from the ravenous lions that his enemies intended to eat him, He proved Himself as LORD over these crocodiles as well!
In all of these cases God was at work preserving lives and He continues to preserve your life and mine. And Church, even if we die physically, if we die in Christ, our lives our hidden in Christ and He will not lose any that the Father has given Him (John 17:12).
Jesus is the only door for salvation:
4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
A sister of his (Moses), Miriam was watching over and keeping an eye on Moses while in the little ark in the river. She was the one that had a part in making it possible for Moses’s own mother take care of her own son by order of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Even in this, God returned Moses to his mom and showed that He is in control of everything. Remember church, we serve a God who holds you up by His powerful right hand and nothing is out of control for Him!
EXODUS 2:5-6
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.
God had chosen Pharaohs’ daughter and Egyptian to take care of the Hebrew boy.
What irony!! Because Pharaoh wanted to kill every Hebrew boy, God put Moses where He knew the enemy would not be looking: in the enemies ‘own house’. God used Pharaoh’s own household, the enemy of Israel, to take care and protect his servant or chosen one, the deliverer of Israel, Moses!
Likewise, God used our enemy, death (1 COR 15:26); and Jesus’ death (HEB 2:14) will protect His church from the Second Death. We can read about this in:
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 women took the child, and nursed it.
Let us remember what we read in:
3 And when she could no 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.
The materials: reeds, tar and pitch made this small basket; this ‘little ark’ in a sense. They made it water-proof. This little ark preserved Moses’s life against the river. Noah’s ark preserved the lives against an entire world under water!
Consider this: the very instrument of death, drowning Hebrew male babies in the river Nile, was exactly where the LORD instructed Moses’s mother to place her son, and this river no doubt was full of hungry crocodiles! Yet just as God protected Daniel from the ravenous lions that his enemies intended to eat him, He proved Himself as LORD over these crocodiles as well!
In all of these cases God was at work preserving lives and He continues to preserve your life and mine. And Church, even if we die physically, if we die in Christ, our lives our hidden in Christ and He will not lose any that the Father has given Him (John 17:12).
Jesus is the only door for salvation:
JOHN 10:9EXODUS 2:4
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
A sister of his (Moses), Miriam was watching over and keeping an eye on Moses while in the little ark in the river. She was the one that had a part in making it possible for Moses’s own mother take care of her own son by order of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Even in this, God returned Moses to his mom and showed that He is in control of everything. Remember church, we serve a God who holds you up by His powerful right hand and nothing is out of control for Him!
EXODUS 2:5-6
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.
God had chosen Pharaohs’ daughter and Egyptian to take care of the Hebrew boy.
What irony!! Because Pharaoh wanted to kill every Hebrew boy, God put Moses where He knew the enemy would not be looking: in the enemies ‘own house’. God used Pharaoh’s own household, the enemy of Israel, to take care and protect his servant or chosen one, the deliverer of Israel, Moses!
Likewise, God used our enemy, death (1 COR 15:26); and Jesus’ death (HEB 2:14) will protect His church from the Second Death. We can read about this in:
REVELATION 20:6Death will have no power over you saint just like death was not over to keep our Lord in the tomb.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:54-57EXODUS 2:7-9
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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 women took the child, and nursed it.
Let us remember what we read in:
GENESIS 50:20
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
With this in mind, we recognize that He can use evil for His good. We read about this in the first 6 verses of EXODUS 2 and we found:
1. God used Pharaoh’s daughter
2. He returned Moses to his mom
3. Pharaoh’s daughter (the enemy) paid the Mom to care for her own child.
This is truly NOT a coincidence, but a ‘God-incidence’! His holy fingerprints are all over this! This Pharaoh’s intent is to wipe out these Hebrews by infanticide, but that failed, then by abduction of these male babies and drowning them in the Nile, but that failed to catch the very one God will use for His purposes!
Instead, this babe becomes an adopted son into the Egyptian royalty and ruling power; he then gets returned back to his Mom to love and care for, but even more – she receives government wages for doing so! Egypt pays for the care of this babe who will grow up, become God’s vessel in ruining Egypt, delivering the Hebrews, and leaving this pagan nation vulnerable to her neighbors who eventually take Egypt down as a world power!
Another act of God’s goodness and faithfulness is this: The children for the most part were nursed for about 3 to 4 years. This means that Moses’s Mom was gifted by God to have Moses these precious years with her, instead of giving him up and thinking she’s lost her baby!
EXODUS 2:10
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.
For the first time we find out what the name of this mysterious baby is: his name is Moses or Mosheh – “To bring out or take out”. It’s based on the Hebrew word Mashah - drawn out (of water)
His name suits him and its appropriate because he would take out God’s people from the bondage of Egypt!
Jesus or Yeshua – (a contraction of Yahweh Shuah, that means “GOD is salvation”) to deliver or rescue; this is significant as we read:
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
With this in mind, we recognize that He can use evil for His good. We read about this in the first 6 verses of EXODUS 2 and we found:
1. God used Pharaoh’s daughter
2. He returned Moses to his mom
3. Pharaoh’s daughter (the enemy) paid the Mom to care for her own child.
This is truly NOT a coincidence, but a ‘God-incidence’! His holy fingerprints are all over this! This Pharaoh’s intent is to wipe out these Hebrews by infanticide, but that failed, then by abduction of these male babies and drowning them in the Nile, but that failed to catch the very one God will use for His purposes!
Instead, this babe becomes an adopted son into the Egyptian royalty and ruling power; he then gets returned back to his Mom to love and care for, but even more – she receives government wages for doing so! Egypt pays for the care of this babe who will grow up, become God’s vessel in ruining Egypt, delivering the Hebrews, and leaving this pagan nation vulnerable to her neighbors who eventually take Egypt down as a world power!
Another act of God’s goodness and faithfulness is this: The children for the most part were nursed for about 3 to 4 years. This means that Moses’s Mom was gifted by God to have Moses these precious years with her, instead of giving him up and thinking she’s lost her baby!
EXODUS 2:10
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.
For the first time we find out what the name of this mysterious baby is: his name is Moses or Mosheh – “To bring out or take out”. It’s based on the Hebrew word Mashah - drawn out (of water)
His name suits him and its appropriate because he would take out God’s people from the bondage of Egypt!
Jesus or Yeshua – (a contraction of Yahweh Shuah, that means “GOD is salvation”) to deliver or rescue; this is significant as we read:
MATTHEW 1:21
“And you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Moses was the instrument God used to deliver His people from bondage in Egypt. Jesus would be and is our ultimate Deliverer and rescue us from the power of sin (ROM 6:6-9,12-14) and eternal judgment (ROM 8:1; GAL 3:13; COL 1:13-14; 1 JOHN 4:17) and grant us salvation (ROM 6:23b).
He will save the sinner from the punishment we all deserve which is eternity in hell. He also took God’s wrath upon Him and save us from His wrath against us as well as the wrath to come (1 THESS 5:9).
EXODUS 2:11-12
11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
Even though Moses lived and took pleasure in the privileges in the palace of Pharaoh, he didn’t identify with Egypt. He eventually came to reject Egypt’s worldly pleasures and rather, took on ‘the reproaches of Christ’ which are “the greater treasures” (HEB 11:24-26).
Like we, as children of God are told that this world is not our home.
But in reality, Someone did see Him: The eyes of the Lord look to and fro throughout the earth... (2 CHRON 16:9a). There is the Lord’s omnipresence. So, who saw what Moses did?
1. First God saw Him because God is Omniscient and Omnipresent
2. A Hebrew also saw Him, as we will find out in a bit . . .
God calls us to confess our sins and not hide them
13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
The fact that two Hebrews could have fought one another (or not) like this, shows us that they had the freedom (even as slaves of Egypt!) to do so, because the grace and faithfulness of God; not because they deserved not the least of God’s mercies. God by His forbearance and longsuffering allows so much strife, injustice, fighting, violence – though these things are an offense to Him, yet He doesn’t vaporize us when we get out of line of His will. He extends mercies and displays His lovingkindness to the just and the unjust as well (MATT 5:45).
Our Salvation is also because of grace; God’s grace and remember grace is undeserving.
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Moses flees from Pharaoh to Midian which means “unknown land”. What made him flee? His sin in committing murder and being found out!
When we sin and if we become comfortable in our sin, then we flee from God when He convicts us, and we lose fellowship with Him.
If you’re an unbeliever you don’t want to come to Him so that your evil works are exposed by the Light of GOD:
EXODUS 2:17-19
17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
Once more Moses defends someone. Even though He is far from Egypt the daughters of the priest of Midian identify him as an Egypt.
How do people Identify us? As belonging to the world or the Lord?
Remember the beatitudes (MATT 5:3-16) and ask yourself, Do these identify who I am? Can people see this in me?
The identity of Moses continues, who he is, continues to be revealed:
EXODUS 3:20-22
20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
This man Jethro has seven daughters – seven! Just think of his dilemma: how is he going to find husbands for all his girls in this wilderness? And then they come home and talk about this valiant man that came to their defense and defeated a bunch of unruly shepherds. Jethro no doubt was anxiously looking around for this man: “So where is he!? Why didn’t you bring him here?!” You can almost see him thinking of wedding plans!
Moses gets married and has a son that he names Gershom which means, “A stranger there” (and here, Moses was the stranger in Midian).
Just as we read that we’re strangers or pilgrims passing through this world. No roots allowed. If you find yourself establishing roots in this fallen world under GOD’s judgment, it’s time to start weeding your life!
23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
God heard, God remembered, God saw (This shows the sovereignty of God; His omnipresence – He exists in all places at once; His omniscience – God knows all things).
“God remembered”, it’s more than to ‘recall to mind’; like when you remember something, some piece of information or a memory from your past. His remembering implies action, in this case loving action!
Remembering his covenant promise with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all of His people. GEN 8:1; 19:24; 30:22. We read that Rachael gave birth to Joseph who would have not been born, if God had not been faithful. Yet God used Joseph to faithfully care for His own people and ensure their survival. Likewise God demonstrates His faithfulness now, in sending Moses to deliver the same people that Joseph kept alive in Egypt, from Egypt!
“And God saw the sons of Israel”
This is more than being aware of someone’s presence; this is to have regard for someone and show personal concern.
God recognized the circumstances of the Hebrew people and He took action; the Jews and the Gentiles would get to know God in a new way, that would bring about a saving faith and would make them God’s people forever. We will see that God not only saved Israel, but even some Egyptians who came to faith in the LORD and left Egypt along with God’s people!
God took action, sending Jesus because He sees the condition of man!
JOHN 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
“And you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Moses was the instrument God used to deliver His people from bondage in Egypt. Jesus would be and is our ultimate Deliverer and rescue us from the power of sin (ROM 6:6-9,12-14) and eternal judgment (ROM 8:1; GAL 3:13; COL 1:13-14; 1 JOHN 4:17) and grant us salvation (ROM 6:23b).
He will save the sinner from the punishment we all deserve which is eternity in hell. He also took God’s wrath upon Him and save us from His wrath against us as well as the wrath to come (1 THESS 5:9).
EXODUS 2:11-12
11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
Even though Moses lived and took pleasure in the privileges in the palace of Pharaoh, he didn’t identify with Egypt. He eventually came to reject Egypt’s worldly pleasures and rather, took on ‘the reproaches of Christ’ which are “the greater treasures” (HEB 11:24-26).
Like we, as children of God are told that this world is not our home.
PHILIPPIANS 3:20
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
HEBREWS 13:14This doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy or be thankful for the things that God gives us here:
For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
JAMES 1:17a tells usMoses identified with the Hebrews, God’s people, so much so that he ended up killing an Egyptian to defend a Hebrew man! Remember in verse 12? “He looked this way and that…” Did he really look every which way? When he saw no one was around: Moses wanted to hide his sin and he thought no one had seen him.
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above.
Also, in PHILIPPIANS 4:19
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
But in reality, Someone did see Him: The eyes of the Lord look to and fro throughout the earth... (2 CHRON 16:9a). There is the Lord’s omnipresence. So, who saw what Moses did?
1. First God saw Him because God is Omniscient and Omnipresent
2. A Hebrew also saw Him, as we will find out in a bit . . .
God calls us to confess our sins and not hide them
PROVERBS 28:13
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
1 JOHN 1:9EXODUS 2:13-14
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
The fact that two Hebrews could have fought one another (or not) like this, shows us that they had the freedom (even as slaves of Egypt!) to do so, because the grace and faithfulness of God; not because they deserved not the least of God’s mercies. God by His forbearance and longsuffering allows so much strife, injustice, fighting, violence – though these things are an offense to Him, yet He doesn’t vaporize us when we get out of line of His will. He extends mercies and displays His lovingkindness to the just and the unjust as well (MATT 5:45).
Our Salvation is also because of grace; God’s grace and remember grace is undeserving.
ROMANS 5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
EPHESIANS 2:8EXODUS 2:15-16
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Moses flees from Pharaoh to Midian which means “unknown land”. What made him flee? His sin in committing murder and being found out!
When we sin and if we become comfortable in our sin, then we flee from God when He convicts us, and we lose fellowship with Him.
If you’re an unbeliever you don’t want to come to Him so that your evil works are exposed by the Light of GOD:
JOHN 3:19-21We are to repent and confess our sins to find mercy (1 JOHN 1:9) and in the case of unbelievers to find salvation and eternal life (MARK 1:14-15).
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
EXODUS 2:17-19
17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
Once more Moses defends someone. Even though He is far from Egypt the daughters of the priest of Midian identify him as an Egypt.
How do people Identify us? As belonging to the world or the Lord?
Remember the beatitudes (MATT 5:3-16) and ask yourself, Do these identify who I am? Can people see this in me?
The identity of Moses continues, who he is, continues to be revealed:
EXODUS 3:20-22
20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
This man Jethro has seven daughters – seven! Just think of his dilemma: how is he going to find husbands for all his girls in this wilderness? And then they come home and talk about this valiant man that came to their defense and defeated a bunch of unruly shepherds. Jethro no doubt was anxiously looking around for this man: “So where is he!? Why didn’t you bring him here?!” You can almost see him thinking of wedding plans!
Moses gets married and has a son that he names Gershom which means, “A stranger there” (and here, Moses was the stranger in Midian).
Just as we read that we’re strangers or pilgrims passing through this world. No roots allowed. If you find yourself establishing roots in this fallen world under GOD’s judgment, it’s time to start weeding your life!
1 JOHN 2:11EXODUS 2:23-25
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. (See also PHIL 3:20)
23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
God heard, God remembered, God saw (This shows the sovereignty of God; His omnipresence – He exists in all places at once; His omniscience – God knows all things).
“God remembered”, it’s more than to ‘recall to mind’; like when you remember something, some piece of information or a memory from your past. His remembering implies action, in this case loving action!
Remembering his covenant promise with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all of His people. GEN 8:1; 19:24; 30:22. We read that Rachael gave birth to Joseph who would have not been born, if God had not been faithful. Yet God used Joseph to faithfully care for His own people and ensure their survival. Likewise God demonstrates His faithfulness now, in sending Moses to deliver the same people that Joseph kept alive in Egypt, from Egypt!
“And God saw the sons of Israel”
This is more than being aware of someone’s presence; this is to have regard for someone and show personal concern.
God recognized the circumstances of the Hebrew people and He took action; the Jews and the Gentiles would get to know God in a new way, that would bring about a saving faith and would make them God’s people forever. We will see that God not only saved Israel, but even some Egyptians who came to faith in the LORD and left Egypt along with God’s people!
God took action, sending Jesus because He sees the condition of man!
JOHN 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
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