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Exodus 2:1-10

Let me invite you to take your copy of God’s Word and turn with me to Exodus 2. When we first started our study of Exodus, we were introduced to the people, the prosperity, and the problem. But you could also say that Exodus 1 opens and closes with death. Verse 6 says, “Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.” And by the time you get to verse 22 you have pharaoh authorizing infanticide among the entire Hebrew population. And between those two bookends you have harsh slavery. So, there are a couple of ways to see this opening chapter.

Today, we come to chapter 2 and a narrative story that many of you are familiar with. If you grew up in church, then there’s no doubt that you remember the story of Moses’ birth. In fact, you might have grown up going to Sunday School or Vacation Bible School (VBS) or some type of kid’s discipleship program where you made your own little baskets as a part of this story. So, this won’t be completely foreign material for many of us, but there’s more to this story than just floating a baby down the Nile River in a basket – as fun as that might sound to 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds.

So, follow along with me as I read Exodus 2:1-10:

1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So, the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So, the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

“Almighty God, in You are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Open our eyes that we may see the wonders of Your Word; and give us grace that we may clearly understand and freely choose the way of Your wisdom; through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

The passage that we just read tends to focus on Moses but let me point out that it’s also the story of how God used three women in His providential and sovereign plan to save a baby from death, and by extension save His people from slavery. And I find that fascinating.

Last week, we noticed that pharaoh’s name was never mentioned, but God preserved the names of two Hebrew midwives: Shiphrah and Puah – because of their faithfulness and obedience and fear of Him. And in these opening verses of chapter 2, besides the mention of “a man from the house of Levi,” all the activity being carried out is by three (3) women: Moses’ mother (who we find out later, is named Jochebed), Moses’ sister (who we find out is named Miriam), and pharaoh’s daughter (who, depending on your interpretation of 1 Chronicles 4:18, could have been Bithiah).

So, what I’m trying to say is that in the drama of Old Testament redemption, as painted for us in Exodus 1-2, the heroes are four (4) women and a young girl. Now, how about them apples? Ladies don’t ever feel second rate when it comes to being used by God.

This morning, like last week, I want to quickly walk through these verses and help us see God at work. Again, I’m deviating from the usual three points; today I have six. For those of you keeping track, that’s one less than last week. And I think I did a fair job of getting you to lunch on time. So, the first thing I want us to see is…

The Pregnancy (vss. 1-2)

Verses 1-2, “Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.” Now, it might seem that these verses only provide incidental and minor information, but there’s more. This text explicitly says that both the man and the woman were Levites. They were descendants of Levi. He was a priest and famous blue jean maker. No, Levi was one of the sons of Jacob and Leah.

Moses was unquestionably of the tribe that would soon be specifically designated by God to provide the religious and spiritual leadership for the people of Israel – the tribe that showed itself loyal to God, the tribe that would supply the priests to bridge the holiness gap that existed between God and Israel, and the tribe selected to provide most of Israel’s regular court judges.

Bottom line – Moses was a chosen child. He was prequalified for the service that God would later give him. And God has prequalified each of us. If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then you’ve been qualified to serve Him.

1 Peter 4:10-11 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” The Apostle Paul, when he’s talking about the church as one body with many members, writes, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-8).

Even if you aren’t a believer. Even if you haven’t accepted God’s gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, Psalm 139:13-14 say that “God formed our inward parts; that He knit us together in our mothers’ wombs” (adapted). And verse 14 says, “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” That word, “made,” in the original Hebrew, literally means “set apart.” Like Moses, God has prequalified each of us for His good will and pleasure.

The question isn’t: am I qualified? The question is: have we acknowledged God’s calling on our lives? Have we accepted His gift of salvation in Christ Jesus? And if so, then how are we using the gifts and talents and resources and qualifications that He’s given to us?

Before we move on, I have to make two comments about verse 2. First, it’s interesting that Moses is the author of this book. And he wants you to know that he was a good-looking kid. Of course, every parent thinks their kids are the cutest, but Moses’ mom isn’t writing this. Moses is. And second, Hebrews 11:23 parallels our text. It says, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” That’s what I want you to see. His parents feared God in heaven more than any earthly king and they hid him for three months. It’s not easy to hide a baby. Why? (They cry.) And if you’re living in a tent down by the Nile River or a little shack, who hears the baby? (Everybody.) So, to keep a baby quiet for three months is quite a commitment and a step of faith. That’s the pregnancy. Next is the package.

The Package (v. 3)

Verse 3 says, “When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the riverbank.” From time to time, you know that I like to point out where I think Bible translations miss the mark, and this is one of them. Most Bibles use the word “basket” here. In fact, the English Standard Version (ESV), which is the translation that I use and what we read from on the screens, translates it that way. But that’s not the best translation. The Hebrew is tebah (tay-baw), and it’s literally the same word that Moses used when he wrote the book of Genesis and gave us the story of Noah’s ark. It’s the word “ark.” Why most of our Bibles translate it as “basket” is unknown to me, but I think this distinction is important.

Follow me here. There’s no doubt in my mind – when Moses is writing this book later in his life – that he’s drawing our attention to the fact that God protected him in a little ark, just like God protected Noah, his family, and all the animals.

But, let me take it a step further. When Jochebed made this little ark, this little box, this little chest of papyrus, the Bible says she “daubed it with bitumen and pitch.” The Hebrew word there is chamar (khaw-mar), and in this instance, and only here, it means “to smear, to cover.” Jochebed smeared tar or bitumen or asphalt on the inside and outside of that little vessel to keep water from seeping in and to safely transporting Moses (just like Noah and his family). And when you study the other uses of the word chamar, one of the meanings is “red.” Do you see a picture that’s beginning to form here?

Well, just hang on. Because the irony of it all is that at the end of chapter 1, we have pharaoh authorizing every Egyptian that finds a baby boy to throw him into the Nile River for what purpose? (To kill him.) And I got to thinking: why not just use knives or strangle them? Right? Why this specific way of killing? And I think the answer has something to do with the fact that the Nile was seen by the Egyptians as a god, and if the Nile was taking the children, then some of the shame and guilt and responsibility could be shifted to the river god – the one they saw as giving and taking life.

But now, suddenly, you have Jochebed who takes her beautiful son and places him inside this wooden vessel that’s been smeared with a reddish tar and places him in the Nile River – not to extinguish life, but to save a life. And folks there’s another piece of wood that stands on a hill called Calvary and it’s smeared with that which is red, and every single person that runs to it will be saved and delivered, and it’s called the cross.

The Princess (vss. 5-6)

That brings us to the pharaoh’s daughter – the princess. She’s not specifically referred to as a princess, but I was looking for another word that begins with “P.” Pharaoh’s daughter comes down to bathe and seeing the little ark she instructs one of her assistants to fetch it. And when she opens the box and sees the child crying, rather than instantly silencing him in a watery grave the Bible says she “took pity on him, she felt sorry for him, she had compassion on him.” Surely, she knew of her father’s command. How is it that one of pharaoh’s own daughters (and he may have had dozens) defied the royal decree? This is nothing short of God’s hand at work.

Listen to how Dr. Douglas Stuart, Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary describes this scene in his commentary on Exodus. He writes, “Here was not a woman inclined toward her father’s cold-blooded population control program. She simply felt concern for a little boy who was crying. One imagines, in fact, Moses’ adoptive mother – the princess – telling him the story of his rescue many times, and how precious he seemed to her the first moment she set eyes on him. And for those that have adopted children, we can testify to the almost instantaneous love that wells up inside us upon seeing a child who needs care, when we know that we’re able to give it.”

Pharaoh’s daughter responds exactly the way that God created women – with a heart of compassion for children. And that’s exactly the way that God the Father looks upon us. Satan is set on destroying our lives with his cold-blooded plan of evil and sin, but the Apostle Paul says that “in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting [our] trespasses against [us]” (2 Corinthians 5:19). He pitied us. He looked upon us with compassion. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so, we are” (1 John 3:1).

The Proposal (vss. 7-8)

That brings us to verses 7-8, and the proposal, “Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Go.’ So, the girl went and called the child’s mother.” The turning point of this entire story is captured in that single-word command, and it’s issued by none other than the daughter of their worst nightmare. Think about it for a moment; with one word, uttered by the right person, Moses’ protection was assured. As soon as pharaoh’s daughter spoke the word “GO,” Moses’ life was spared. The decision had been made in an instant, and Moses was saved.

Now, I know there’s a lot more to being a genuine believer, being a true disciple of the Lord, but at the root, at the very foundation, at the beginning there’s a simple confession and belief. The Bible says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). The moment that someone genuinely confesses their faith in Jesus they’re redeemed, they’re spared, they’re saved.

One of the best pictures of this is found in Luke 23 – the thief on the cross. “And [the thief] said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And [Jesus] said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise’” (Luke 23:42-43). TODAY. DONE. “Satan, he’s mine. She’s mine.” Eternal life is granted in an instant, by the only One who has the ultimate authority in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Have you received your pardon? Have you placed your faith and trust in Jesus? Have you been saved?

Before we leave these verses and move to our next point, you just gotta love Miriam. Verse 4 tells us that she was standing at a distance waiting to see what would happen. I imagine that Miriam was about 8-9 years old. I have no way of proving this. It’s simply a guess. But it definitely seems that she wasn’t old enough, yet to be expected to work in the field and at home like the other younger ladies, which is why she was able to linger at the water’s edge long enough without raising eyebrows. I imagine her overhearing the princess’s expressions of concern – “He’s crying! He must be hungry! I can’t leave him like this!” And in Miriam’s young, innocent mind she immediately volunteered a nurse that she knew all too well. And that leads us to the payoff.

The Payoff (v. 9)

“And Pharaoh’s daughter said to [Jochebed], ‘Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So, the woman took the child and nursed him.” I have no way of knowing for certain, but I believe that this arrangement was God’s way of rewarding Amram and Jochebed for their courage and faith, as Hebrews 11 says. Now, I’m not going to stand here and promise you that if you’re faithful and courageous that God will give you everything that you want. But I’m also not going to say that He won’t. After all, Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

At the end of the day, it’s God’s prerogative to bless us however and whenever He so chooses. But it seems to me that God was pleased to offer Jochebed and Amram a few years of rejoicing as they raised their son. And what a blessing it was. First, he was alive. Second, she was getting paid to raise her own child. Third, he would’ve likely nursed until 4-5 years of age, at which point Jochebed and Amram were probably ready to pass him off anyway. And fourth, while it would’ve been heart-wrenching to finally turn him over to the princess, we shouldn’t assume that he never saw them again. In fact, the description that we have of Moses and Aaron reuniting in chapter 4 suggests that they knew each other all along. And the important role that Miriam plays during the exodus suggests that she and Moses were hardly strangers.

And while I don’t have the biblical support to “promise skies always blue with flower-strewn pathways all our lives through; and while the bible never promises sun without rain, joy without sorrow, or peace without pain. God hasn’t promised that we won’t know – toil and temptation, trouble, and woe. He hasn’t told us we won’t bear – many a burden, or many a care. In fact, God hasn’t promised smooth roads and wide, swift, easy travel, needing no guide; never a mountain rocky and steep, never a river turbid and deep. But God has promised strength for the day, rest for the labor, and light for the way. The payoff in being obedient and faith to Christ Jesus is grace for the trials, help from above; unfailing sympathy, undying love” (What God Hath Promised, by Annie Johnson Flint – adapted). And that leads us to the final point…

The Privilege (v. 10)

“When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, ‘Because,’ she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’” The emphasis of this final verse rests on the adoption. I told you that Hebrews 11 is one of those parallel chapters that gives us some confirmation of Moses’ life, and Acts 7 – Stephen’s speech to the high priest – is another one. Acts 7:22 says, “And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.” God blessed Moses. God gave Moses the very best that Egypt had to offer.

Still, to this day, there are things that the Egyptians did that we can’t quite figure out. Their method of embalming is unmatched. Their mathematical and astronomical computations were extremely accurate. The Great Pyramid and Great Sphinx of Giza are still standing, folks. Moses had access to the best education, the best teachers. He probably had his own boat to cruise the Nile, his own personal chariot, and his own personal license plate. He grew up in the royal palace, eating the best food, wearing the best clothes. The world was at his feet. But listen to me; God didn’t bless him that way for his own personal enjoyment. All of this blessing was preparing him for service to others.

If you know the Lord, Jesus Christ, then you, too, have been adopted into a royal family. John’s gospel begins with that affirmation, “to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). The Apostle Paul writes extensively about adoption, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:4-7).

We’ve been given blessing upon blessing. John says, “from Christ’s fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Like Moses, most of us have received the very best that American education and society has to offer. Many of us have had the opportunity to travel and experience so many things – both good and bad. Are we using those blessings for our own enjoyment, or are we using them to encourage others, build up the next generation, and serve our community? There’s no denying that we’ve received the greatest and most treasured gift of all – the gift of our salvation and the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What are we doing with our privileged adoption, as sons and daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords?

“Our Father and our God, we thank You for Your Word; we thank You for the story and the life of Moses. God, we know this isn’t just some bedtime story. This is Your story. This is part of the story of You redeeming a people unto Yourself. And for all of the amazing things that Moses did and the person that he was – he was just a foreshadowing of Jesus; he was just a pointer to Jesus, ‘who has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses’ (Hebrews 3:3).

Lord, I pray for anyone here this morning that doesn’t know You in a personal way. They’ve heard Your Name, but they’ve not experienced adoption into Your family because they’ve not confessed their sins and trusted in Your only Son, Jesus. Father, would You soften their hearts to receive Your free gift of grace in Christ today.

For the rest of us, O God, I pray that You would awaken within us the joy of our salvation. In the words of the hymnwriter, ‘Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love. May each soul be rekindled with fire from above.’ May we leave this place reminded of the countless blessings we’ve received from Your hand, and may we use those blessings to serve others, to teach others, to encourage others, to bring glory and honor to You, O Lord.

In these closing moments, would You have Your own way with us, Lord. For we pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”