The Early Days of Moses

Exodus 2:1–15
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Moses is born (vv. 1-2). His parents kept him inside for three months but when they could no longer keep him hidden they placed him in a basket and placed him in the tall grass along the edge of the Nile river (v. 3). The baby’s older sister stood at a distance and watched to see what would happen to her baby brother (v. 4). Soon one of the king’s daughters came to take a bath in the river (v. 5). She spotted the basket in the tall grass and sent one of the young women to pull it out of the water. When the king’s daughter looked in the basket she saw the baby and felt sorry for him because he was crying (v. 6). She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.”

When the babies older sister saw what was happening she asked if she could get a Hebrew woman to take care of the baby for her (v. 7). The king’s daughter said yes so she brought the baby’s mother (v. 8). Immediately the King’s daughter told the mother she would pay her if she would take care of the child (v. 9). The babies mother agreed to take him to her home and take care of him (v. 10). When he was old enough she took him to the king’s daughter who adopted him. The Lord delights in taking the evil of men and using it for good. Here God took an edict meant to kill Hebrew boys and used it to rear a Hebrew deliverer in Pharoah’s own house.

After Moses had grown up he went out to where his people were working and saw an Egyptian beating one of them (v. 11). He made sure no one was watching and then killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand (v. 12). Moses looked this way and that way, but he failed to look up. If he had brought God into his deliberations, he would not have become a murderer. The next day Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and he questioned why they were fighting (v. 13). One man asked if he was planning to kill him like he did the Egyptian (v. 14). Moses was afraid realizing this is known and he fled to Midian where he becomes a shepherd (v. 15).

Application

Just as God had a future planned for Moses and protected him in the bull rushes he has a future planned for me and protects me.