The Birth of Moses

If you have your Bible, I would invite you to turn with me to the book of Exodus, Exodus chapter 2. And today we're going to talk about the birth. Moses. And as you're turning, I want to read to you from the book of Ecclesiastes. The third chapter, first verse, says this: There is an appointed time for everything.

And there is a time for every event under heaven. Solomon tells us that everything that happens in life happens by divine appointment. Nothing ever happens by acc. And Solomon goes on to say, as a very first illustration.

A time to give birth and a time to die. He tells us at the outset that even the birth of a baby is by divine appointment. God is in charge of everything. And we get that when we read the first ten verses of the book of Exodus, chapter 2.

With the birth of Moses. It goes as follows. Now, a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket, and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into 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. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile.

And she saw the basket among the reeds, and sent her maid, and she brought it to her. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go ahead. So the girl went and called the child's mother. Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I shall 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. And she named him Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the water. Three things we want you to see this morning about the birth of Moses. The first is the period of his birth.

The second are the parents who bore him. And thirdly, we want you to see the princess. Who raised him? The first thing I want you to notice is the period in which Moses was born.

And two things you need to note: first, it was a dangerous time, and number two, it was in due time. First of all, it was a dangerous time.

You will note that the first chapter paints for us a picture. A picture of what Pharaoh would do. To try to squelch the spirit of the Hebrew people. And how at the end of chapter 1, we left off last week, where he designed that all the baby boys were to be thrown into the Nile River. and drowned. This was a very dangerous time for anybody to be born. And yet God was going to do something miraculous. The Bible tells us in Acts chapter 7 Verse number 19, it was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.

And it was at this time that Moses was born. What time is that? It was at the most dangerous time in the history of Israel. That's when it was. It was at a most crucial time in the history of Israel. That's when Moses would be born. The Holy Spirit paints for us a very dark picture of what was happening with the Hebrew children. It was a very difficult time for anybody to be born, let alone a Hebrew boy to be born, and even more difficult to survive at that time. But the timing of Moses' birth helps us understand the almighty power of God.

That God can defy the devil's deeds at any time. That he is the one that's the conqueror. He's the one that's in control. And he's the one that will do just as he pleases because he rules over all. Remember the birth of our Lord. He too was born at a very dangerous time. For Herod the Great would make a decree that all the children two years and under would all be slaughtered. And yet, our Lord was born. And our Lord survived because our great God had a plan. And Satan can never thwart that plan.

I want you to notice something. That God did something very unique here. He let evil become great before. He would birth the baby. He would let things run so bad and get to the point where people would Would be distraught. What would they do next before he would bring this baby on the scene? It shows us that God lets evil run its course. And lets it get to the point where Satan would even think that somehow he's going to become the victor, but he never, ever wins. And God emphasizes the fact that He never wants us to lose faith.

He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to belie in him because he is in complete control of all that's happening. And so the next time you find yourself in a very difficult predicament and you find things getting worse, not better, realize that God is allowing them to get that way because He's going to do something great. He's going to do something powerful. He wants you to know that he's in charge, and something supernatural is going to take place in your life through all the negative events that are taking place.

And nobody said anything. Because you're not sure you believe what I'm saying yet. But not only was it a dangerous time, it was in due time. It was at the exact time. It was at the most precise time. You see, God made a promise. Remember the promise He made? Four generations, back in Genesis 15, 13, four generations are going to slavery. If you read Exodus chapter 12, verse number 41, what does it say? It says, on the 4 year. There was deliverance out of Egypt. Say, well, wait a minute. I thought there was going to be 400 years.

Why does Exodus 12, verse number 41 say 430 years? Well, because when they first went to Egypt, They weren't enslaved, were they?

They weren't enslaved till later. And so the Bible is very accurate, it's very true, but it was in due time because God had a plan. God didn't fall asleep. God didn't think, you, what did I say way back in Genesis to Abraham about getting these guys out of problems? You know, he didn't have to question what he said, he knew. And so it was in due time, the proper time, the sovereign time, that Moses was born. The exact time. Remember what it says in Galatians 4, verse number 4, about the birth of Christ?

When the fullness of time had come. God sent forth a Son born of a woman, born under the law. Christ came on the scene at the exact time that God the Father wanted him to be born. Moses came on the scene at the exact time that God wanted him to be born. And you want to hear the good news? You too came on the scene at the exact time God wanted you. To be born. Why? Because God is in charge. The second thing I want you to notice.

Are the parents Am and Jac are their names We know that Exodus chapter 2 speaks only of the mother, but Hebrews 11 V number 23 speaks of them both when it says, By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child. And they were not afraid of the king's edict. Three things I want you to see. Number one.

Is the courage of the parents. Number two is the commend given to the parents. And number three, some consideration for those of you who are parents.

Okay? Number one is the courage. The courage. These parents, listen, had no fear. No fear of the king's edict. We just read it in Hebrews chapter 11, right? And it took faith for these two to li in this time and to have child and they were an example think about this they were an example to Miriam and to Aaron on how they were not afraid of the king and his edict And they would now become an example to Moses on how they did not fear the king's edict. Now listen, back to Hebrews 11, verse 27. By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the wr of the king.

Why didn't Moses fear the king? Because his parents didn't fear the king. The faith that his parents had was the same faith that Moses had. Listen, parents, don't you want to raise children with deep convictions? Don't you want to raise children that aren't afraid of anybody? I do. I want my children not to fear no man ever. Ever. Fear no law ever. Only fear God. That's it. If you teach your children nothing, teach them this: to fear God. If you teach them that, Everything else will fall in line.

But if you don't teach them that, you're going to be in big trouble. Teach them to fear God. And that's the way Aram, Ram, and Jacob were. They only feared their God. That 's the way it was for the Hebrew midwives. We talked about them last week. They, what? Twice it says, feared God. They had an awesome respect for their God, so much so that they would tremble under his authority. And what did God do? God honored them. And what did God do with Moses' parents? He honored them. Repeat it with me. 1 Samuel 2.

3. He who honors me, I will honor. You ready? 1 Samuel 2. He who honors me, I will honor. I'm going to say that verse to you every week to the day I die, if I have to, to get you to understand that. I mean, here he is. Listen, he is going to honor. Listen, he's not going to only honor them. Jac is going to get paid to nurse her own kid. I wish somebody would pay my wife to nurse my kids. I mean, can you imagine how rich I'd be today with all my kids? I mean, that's great. I mean, can you imagine that?

Not only did God give Moses back to Jac for her to nurse him, but she got paid to do it. Talk about being honored by God. I mean, that's amazing. And these two parents had tremendous cou. And Jac, she would obey the letter of the law because she would put her son. In the Nile. Right? Everybody was commanded: throw your kid in the Nile, drown him. She put him in the Nile, she's having to put him in a basket in the Nile. But he was there. But I want you to notice something.

By faith, they did it. Now, you're going to learn something this morning that maybe you didn't know. And that's going to be under point number two: their commendation.

Their comm, Hebrews 11, 23, where it says, and we've already read that earlier, but let me read it to you again.

It says, by faith, excuse me. By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king's edict. Now listen, the phrase beautiful child is not what you think it means. Listen, every parent believes their child's beautiful, right? I've never yet met a parent and said, oh, my child is just so ugly. You know? Now we might think that, but the parent doesn't think that. And when we think that, and they come up to us and show us the baby, what do we say?

Oh, that's the baby. Right? That's the baby. That's right. You got yourself a baby right there. We don't say if it's beautiful or ugly. We just say that's the baby. But the parents, boy, they think the baby's gorgeous. It's beautiful. To be a beautiful child. Okay means more than just being handsome. In fact, over in Acts 7 It says this way. And it was at this time that Moses was born, and he was lovely in the sight of God. He was lovely in the sight of God. He was exceedingly fair in the King James Version.

God had special affection. For Moses. So Abraham and Jacob hid Moses. You know why? Because God said so. By faith, they hid Moses. Faith Is what? Believing in what God Himself has already said. God told them to hide him. God told them to protect him. They knew God had a special plan for Moses. How would they know that the boy that they bore was going to be the deliverer of Israel unless God told them? Right? How would they know? They wouldn't know. God had to somehow explain it to them. And there, by faith, they would hide that child for three months until they could hide him no longer when he was crying.

And then they would place him out there in that basket, trusting. That when the princess came by to take her bath that day, she would recognize the child or hear the child, see the child, and have a heart of compassion for the child. And spare the child. That's why Miriam was hidden. That's why Miriam, his daughter, the daughter of Jac, the brother of the sister of Moses, was hidden around. So when the princess came, she saw him, she jumps out of the bushes and says, Hey, I know a Hebrew woman. Woman who can nurse a child, my mom!

His mom, and that's how it worked. But God was involved in all of that, you see? Because God is in charge of everything. And God God gave Moses back to Jac. She nursed him for those few short years. Maybe it was two, maybe it was three, maybe it was four. We don't know. Some commentators say it's up to six years of age. We don't know. How long it was, but one thing we do know is that Moses knew who he was. And by faith, he wouldn't fear the king's edict. The princess didn't tell him about the great God Jehovah.

Somebody had to tell him, and that was his mother. And every chance she got when she held him and she nursed him and she took care of him, she would talk about Father Abraham. She would talk the promise of God to the people of Israel and how God would ar and deliver and he was it. You're it. Can you imagine holding your baby, telling him that you're the deliverer? Telling him about the Abrahamic covenant, telling him about the promises of God in the land of Canaan, and inst that truth in your boy.

Can you imagine that? And Jac had the wonderful joy of raising her son, nurturing him, caring for him, and even getting paid to do it. And then she would have to release him back to the arms of the princess. But she knew that she believed in what God said. Now, here come some considerations for those of you who are parents. Let me ask you a question.

Question number one is this: What kind of faith do you have? What kind of courage do you have? Do you fear your God and serve Him only? Or do you fear man? Abraham and Jacob, they feared no man at the most dangerous time. They just feared only their God. Second question is: What risks are you willing to take based on the revelation of God's word?

What risk will you take based on the revelation of God's Word? Abraham and Jacob took a risk. Because they believed what God said was true. What risk are you willing to take? Because you believe that God's word is absolutely accurate and truthful. Proverbs chapter 14, verse number 26. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence. You want confidence this morning? You want to back down to no man? You fear God, and there will be strong confidence. If you are easily intimidated, you need to have fear in God.

Because every believer should live a life that's unable to ever be intimidated by man and his laws. Every believer. Why? Because God has not given us a spirit of fear, 2 Timothy 1:7, but of power, of love, and of self-discipline. And so Paul would tell Timothy, hey, Timothy, because God has given us this great spirit of power and of love. And a self-discipline, don't be ashamed of the testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, nor me as prisoner, but suffer with me for the sake of the gospel, Timothy.

You don't have to be afraid, Timothy. Because God has given you His Spirit, Timothy. God said the same thing to you and me. Don't be afraid. These parents, godly parents, who stood strong when the truth of God. Who never backed down in the face of disaster at the most dangerous time in the history of Israel. Don't you want to be like that? Boy, I do. That's the way I want to be. I don want to back down to the king's edict. I want to stand strong in the faith of God and what He says in His Word. That's what I want to do.

And they did. And God blessed them. They're in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11. Their commendation is great. God commended them. Oh, by faith, the parents of Moses hid him for three months because they didn't fear the king's edict. Oh, praise be to God that we would have more parents. Like that. And lastly, the princess. Ah, the princess. Sweet daughter Pharaoh. Three things I want you to notice about the princess.

One is her compassion. She saw the baby and she had compassion for the baby. It's amazing over in verse number 18 of excuse me, verse number 20 of Acts chapter 7. And after he had been exposed, Pharaoh's daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son. When Pharaoh's daughter saw this little Hebrew child, something happened in her heart. What's Proverbs 21:1 say? That the king's heart is in the hand of our God. It's like a channel of water, and the Lord turns it wherever he wishes. Not only the king's heart, but the king's daughter as well.

Everybody's heart is in the hand of God. And He caused this woman to have a sense of compassion for this baby. And maybe she couldn't have any children. I don know. But she had compassion for this baby. And Miriam would come out and, hey, you know what? I know a Hebrew woman. Who could nurse a child for you? Oh, great idea. Bring her to me. Bring her to me. And I'll pay her to nurse this little boy. The king's daughter will pay money from the king's treasury to defy the king's command. Amazing. Pharaoh's plan to destroy Israel boomeranged through his own family, his own daughter.

They didn't even know it. God is in charge. Second, her care. We read Acts 7, verse number 20. How she nurtured him as her own. Let me tell you something.

God's going to take care of you, folks. God took care of Moses. God had a plan for Moses. God's got a plan for your life, and God's going to take care of you. I don't care who your parents are. I don't care who raised you. I don't care what city or state you were born in. God is going to take care of his own. And God, in his providential care, is going to provide for his own. Just like he did for Moses. He was raised by a pagan woman in a pagan culture, and yet, by faith, He would defy the king's command.

By faith, he would leave Egypt. By faith, he would live in line with the word of God. By faith, he would endure affliction with the people of God. Because God had a plan for him, and God provided for him just as he said he would. She nurtured him, she cared for him, she gave him a new home, and she gave him a new name. Moses was not named by Jacob. Moses was named by the princess. His name means to draw out. She drew him out of the water. And the one who was drawn out of the water would draw the people of God out of Egypt.

That's just a little humor that God plays every now and then. He took the one condemned to die. And turned him into the deliverer of the people of Israel. What's the conclusion? The conclusion is simply this. God needs you to get back. Let me rephrase that.

God wants you to trust him. He wants you to believe in him. He wants you to have confidence in him. That's God's challenge to you today.