(Exodus 2:1-10) The Compass of our Lives (v. 2)

INTRODUCTION

We live in a day where compasses are almost becoming EXTINCT.

With Google maps,

and GPS devices,

and phones with GPS devices

... Compass are becoming more and more a rare items.

If this was not a military Chapel,

it would be completely possible that none of us had ever touched a compass.

Yet,

for many generations the Compass was an essential tool for navigating the world.

A Good Compass

and

the know how to use a good compass

- have allowed many travelers to safely cross continents and the oceans of the world.

AND -

A compass’s essential purpose is to tell us the direction we need to go.

It is a guide to the right path.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a compass that guides our lives?

ILLUSTRATION:

I mean - life is not for the faint of heart.

And even more so -

The Military life - is not for the faint of heart.

To be a Marine or Sailor,

- We willing accept the reality of moving every 2 or 3 years.

A move whose location, and timing, are entirely in the hands of someone else.

That move most often means I will spend long days away from friends and family.

And can be a nice cushy job … or a job full dirt, grit, and exhaustion.

And sometimes that move … may mean I face imminent and mortal danger.

Combat always brings fear about the unknown, suffering, and death.

One of the greatest challenges of combat - is that we enter a world where there are no guarantees or protections from defeat, suffering, and death.

It becomes a place where the fragility of life becomes painfully obvious.

So let me ask you -

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a compass that could navigate us through the trials and chaos and setbacks and choices of our lives?

Perhaps you are in some situation - and you are saying

I don’t know what to do

I don’t know what’s the right choice.

>>> That is ok.

Because God is guiding and directing our lives in powerful ways.

Open your Bibles to Exodus 2:1–10

and consider how God powerfully directed the life of MOSES

and ultimately the lives of his people – ISRAEL.

***** LETS PRAY *******************

Exodus 2:1–10 ESV

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.”

Based on this passage - I remind us

God powerfully directs our lives.

(REPEAT x2)

If we were to Pre-Read Exodus 1, we would read of God’s providential care and promise keeping .

In chapter 1, It is clear that God is blessing Israel and making them a mighty nation.

But it doesn't seem very personal.

God is blessing them as a nation… But is he personally directing each of their lives?

But our text stops focusing on the distant Israel,

and in Exodus 2 zooms right in to a mother and her baby.

As we understand this story - we first observe

1) God’s blessing of a Hebrew mother.

Our text starts out with telling us about -

a) A mother’s desperate attempt to save her baby. (Ex 2:1-3)

Exodus 2:1–3 ESV

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.

You can feel the flow this classic story here.

Boy meets girl.

Boy and girl get married.

Boy and girl have their first baby.

But remember what Israel is facing at this time!

Exodus 1 introduces us to an Israel who is being oppressed by slavery,

but most importantly male genocide.

Exodus 1:15–16 ESV

15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”

And so this text pictures a mom who is desperate to save her baby.

- She holds on to this baby as long as she dares - three months.

- But at three months she realizes she can't hide this baby anymore.

>>> The babies own crying is going to get him killed.

- And so out of desperation she does the only thing she can think to do.

>>> She places this baby into a basket and let it float down the Nile river.

Oh, What agony this mom must have felt!

… To give up your own baby out of fear he will be killed if he stays.

And her agony probably was similar to many of the Hebrew families

- who are facing the horrendous oppression of Egypt

– male baby genocide.

But this distant God suddenly appears with perfect timing.

Next we read of –

b) God’s perfect timing. (Ex 2:5-9)

CAVEAT:

As we read this section,

I must emphasize that God's name is nowhere found.

It reminds me of the book of Esther, where God's name is not named.

And yet through

irony,

wordplay,

and foreshadowing

>>>>it becomes very clear that God is the one in control.

And that's the case with Exodus chapter 2.

On one hand – God is not mentioned.

Yet the

irony,

wordplay,

foreshadowing,

and too perfect of timing

>>>> makes it clear this is God powerfully directing their lives.

Let’s examine the Perfect timing of God.

First, we observe -

(1) Pharaoh's daughter discovered the baby, and not some other officer of the court.

Exodus 2:5 ESV

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.

Consider why it is important the Pharaoh's daughter - a princess of Egypt- found him?

At first glance,

we should have been shocked that anybody found this baby.

Nothing in this text teaches us

that the baby's mother intentionally tried to put her baby where it could be found by the royal family.

In reality,

the mother probably put her baby in a place where she hoped it would not be found.

Because what if any other Egyptian had found it?

If it had been a common Egyptian - they would've gone to the authorities.

If it been a prince or any of the court officials - this baby would've been executed.

>>>>> Any other scenario likely would have meant the death of this baby.

- And yet in all of Egypt

- and in all the Egyptian court

- who was the one person who might have both the power and compassion to save this child?

A daughter of the Pharaoh.

It was perfect timing that this Hebrew mom placed her baby in the Nile River.

It was perfect timing for the daughter of the Pharaoh to come down.

And what happened when she found it?

She had pity or what we could also translate as compassion.

[[[[[[[[[She had enough compassion to ignore the pharaohs decree,

and save this little crying baby in a floating basket. ]]]]]]]]]

This timing is too perfect

and the irony of the story suggests God was powerfully directing the life of this baby.

Then we observe

(2) Right time and place of a worried sister.

Our text starts out with giving us a clue about something important.

Exodus 2:4 ESV

4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him.

ILLUSTRATION:

Older sisters are notorious for being second Mom’s.

I consider my oldest daughter … and how she was fascinated with her baby brother and now her baby sister.

She wanted to

feed her,

hold her,

play with er.

And she would worry about her.

EXPLANATION/CAVEAT:

With a little bit of sanctified imagination,

we can almost picture that here.

The text doesn't tell us why she's watching .

But we know how little girls often become second mothers to their little brothers.

- So she's out there watching.

The words literally describe her standing there to see what is going to happen.

- She is a sister worried about her little brother.

But that becomes important a few verses later.

Because as she is watching to see what might happen ... Pretending she doesn't know this baby.

>>>> Perhaps because her mom told her not to ... for the baby safety.

And look at what happens.

Exodus 2:7–8 ESV

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.

She's at the right place at the right time.

And acting like she is doing the Pharaoh's daughter a favor - she offers to find a friend to nurse the baby for her.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

It was common in that day for women of wealth

to find someone else to nurse their baby.

And As the daughter to the Pharaoh,

it was probably socially unacceptable for her to nurse this baby herself.

So this sister is able to watch

and make sure her brother is safe.

And even to be able to help provide for him.

Again, the timing is too perfect.

The protection and provision to perfect.

The text is pointing us to the reality - God is powerfully directing the life of this baby..

And Thirdly -

(3) The blessed mother: Legal protection and financial provision for her banned baby.

Why is this mother trying to hide her baby for three months?

And when fearing for the baby's life... why does she put it in a basket to go down the river?

Because the Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew male babies to be killed.

She legally could not keep her baby.

A despicable law,

but nevertheless the law of the land.

And so when an act of desperation she places her baby in a basket down the Nile.

This story is in the Hall of Fame of faith - Hebrews 11:23

Hebrews 11:23 ESV

23 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.

What's amazing about this text is that the mother who gives up her child because he is banned by the government,

Is given legal protection to care for her child and to nurse him.

Historical Background:

Egyptian custom would've allowed her to keep her child until age 3 or 4.

Not only is she allowed to legally keep her baby,

but the daughter of the Pharaoh who banded the child is going to pay her to be his mom.

Again – the situation just a little too perfect.

And the reason all of this seems a little too perfect,

is because our text is teaching us that God is powerfully directing the life of this baby.

The Hebrew in this passage uses a marker that tells us the focus of this passage is on God's provision and protection of this baby.

God is powerfully directing the lives of this mother and her newborn baby.

But I cannot in good conscience stop here.

Because I believe there is more going on in this passage then just got protection and provision for this baby.

As we continue the story of Exodus we will realize that this baby has huge significance.

But what is interesting is that this passage foreshadows the rest of Exodus.

We also observe -

2) God’s love for an undeserving nation. (1, 10)

This passage not always speaks of God powerfully directing the life of this baby,

but he is powerfully directing the lives of his people.

This passage foreshadows this baby as the spiritual leader of Israel,

and ultimately the man God uses to deliver Israel out of Egypt.

He Is the man who God will use to fulfill his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

What's in this text that purposely foreshadows this baby as the spiritual leader of Israel?.

a) A child of Levite heritage.

Exodus 2:1 ESV

1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman.

Our text introduces this baby as being 100% from the tribe of Levi.

Not only is his father a Levite.

Of all the Israelites who could be as mother - his mother also happens to be a Levite.

He is 100% from the tribe of Levi.

Later God will designate the tribe of Levi as the spiritual leaders of Israel.

Deuteronomy 10:8–9 ESV

8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day. 9 Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord your God said to him.)

>>>>>>>>>>>> In other words,

God in advance is preparing this baby to be qualified to be the leader of Israel.

This detail foreshadows this baby as the leader of Israel.

Not only does it point us to the Levite Heritage,

but the text foreshadows this baby to be the deliverer of Israel.

b) A child named and destined to deliver his people: Moses means one who draw out.

Exodus 2:10 ESV

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.”

CAVEAT:

Now the play on words

and the significance may not be obvious in English.

The very form of Moses name should draw our interest.

We would've expected her to name him as a passive participle

- which would be translated - one pulled out

However instead the daughter of Pharaoh uses the active form

- which means one who draws out.

Passive Participle - one pulled out. (expected name)

Active Participle - one who draws out (Moses actual name)

In other words – the daughter unwittingly names him the deliverer.

Again… too perfect.

God is not only powerfully directing the life of this baby.

But God is powerfully directing the lives of Israel.

CONCLUSION:

Therefore,

consider what this passage teaches us about God!

This passage teaches us -

God is powerfully directing our lives.

Life is often difficult.

Like the Hebrew mother, sometimes we find ourselves in impossible situations.

And we wonder what to do.

Like Baby Moses, we find ourselves in the midst of horrendous atrocities.

It does not take long for us to realize … life is hard, and not fair.

In many ways we might wish we had a compass.

A compass that can direct our path.

A compass that will tell us the right way to go.

But I submit to you this passage teaches us that God is our compass.

We are always on the right path because God is powerfully directing our path.

Certainly we should strive to be wise,

and to do what's right.

But ultimately,

- none of us have perfect knowledge about what is wise.

- None of us can anticipate the twists and turns that life might give us.

And every one of us ... Will eventually find ourselves in a situation where we are not sure what to do.

And yet this can passage should comfort us today.

Our world might be in chaos,

we may have reasons to be afraid,

life might give us turns we never expected.

But we can be confident that we already have a compass and his name is Jesus Christ.

We should trust God to powerfully direct our lives.

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Our text this morning has been primarily directed to those who already have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

He is the Lord and Savior of our lives

and is powerfully directing our lives.

But if you don't know Christ as your Savior,

I would like to invite you to come and know the God who powerfully directs the lives of his people.

If you do not know Jesus - I would love to talk to you about how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

For all those who are believers this morning,

I challenge us to remember that God powerfully directs our lives.

There is nothing that happens in our lives that God does not know

>> and there is nothing happening our lives .... that is not by the direction of our merciful and all-wise savior.

I challenge us - in times of uncertainty - to look to God - the compass of our lives.