Jochebed

Today we finish our series on women in the Bible. We’re in the second book of the Bible. These are interesting chapters because we see God using women in an amazing way. You’re going to see that God uses a lot of different women in these passages.

The midwives in chapter 1

Jochebed in chapter 2.

A young girl named Miriam in chapter 2.

An Egyptian princess in chapter 2.

God uses at least five different ladies as the book of Exodus opens to accomplish His will.

Jochebed is Moses’ mother.

Moses will be the deliverer of God’s people.

God uses women to put Moses in place to deliver the nation.

We could easily preach an entire sermon on any of the women in these chapters. Our focus will be Moses’ mother.

1. She survived difficult times (1).

A. The Hebrews were enduring serious persecution.

1. God was multiplying the Hebrew people in Egypt.

Look at 1:7.

They were many

They were strong

When book of Genesis ends the sons of Jacob have moved to Egypt. Joseph was second in power beneath the Pharaoh.

They enjoyed prosperity and blessing.

By the time Israel left Egypt their numbers were extremely high.

Numbers 1:36 says the men who were twenty years old and older numbered 603, 550 people in the census. This would put the population easily at 2 million people at the exodus.

God had promised Abraham He would make a nation from him, and He was keeping that promise.

2. A new King arose.

Joseph was dead and this man had no regard for him or his people.

A worried man.

Too many

Too mighty

He feared if they had the chance to rebel they would join an enemy of Egypt and overthrow them.

Illustration: Slavery can backfire on you.

The French brought many slaves to the Island of Hispaniola. By 1789 there were about 500,000 African slaves and 32,000 white people. In 1791 the slaves revolted and ultimately killed every white person on the island. The nation of Haiti was born. The slaves overtook the island.

Pharaoh thought this may happen to him.

A wicked man.

What could he have done? He could have released them. What did he choose to do?

Look at verse 11.

He had them beaten “afflict”

He gave them difficult jobs to do “heavy burdens”

He got richer off of them “built”

3. The more they were oppressed the more they grew (12-14).

This frightened the Egyptians. Their response was to make the Hebrews life more miserable.

“Ruthlessly made the people work as slaves” (13)

“made their lives bitter” (14)

Work with mortar and brick

In the fields

B. God used the midwives to protect the children (1:15-21).

They were told to kill all Hebrew all male children born.

Probably head midwives- represented the many midwives of the Hebrews.

God struck these women with fear and they refused to obey.

Excuse - “We can’t keep up!” (1: 18-19)

God blessed them for fearing Him more than they feared Pharaoh (20-21).

God gave them children and husbands. He blessed them.

Notice something with me:

The midwives are the only people named from chapter 1-2:10 when Moses was named.

Pharaoh isn’t named.

Moses mother isn’t named.

Miriam isn’t named.

The Egyptian Princess isn’t named.

These ladies are recognized by name and they should be! They are saving the Jewish children.

C. The persecution increased (1:22).

1. An edict for all Egypt.

Throw every male child born to the Hebrews in the Nile.

Pharaoh wanted to see proof. He wanted to see the Nile littered with corpses of babies.

Was this some gross act of worship?

Was he offering these babies as a sacrifice to the Nile River which they worshipped as a god?

2. Jochebed would not obey the edict.

Hebrews 11:23 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.

Endangered herself, her husband, her other children.

What gave her the strength? She knew her God. Her own name meant “Jehovah is my glory”.

What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee.

Ps. 56:3

When a man’s ways please the Lord He

maketh even his enemies to be at peace with

Him. Prov. 16:7

The Lord is my light & my salvation whom

Shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my

Life of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked

Even mine enemies & my foes came upon me

To eat my flesh they stumbled and fell. Though a host

Should encamp against me my heart shall not fear

Though war should rise against me in this will I

be confident. Psalm 27:1-3

If you asked her why she didn’t throw her child in the Nile she would have probably said:

I’d rather be a martyr than a murderer!

She lived during difficult times and chose to trust God!

2. She was filled with the wisdom of God.

A. She married a godly man.

1. They were both from the tribe of Levi (2:1).

The priestly tribe.

The husband was “Amram” means an exalted people (6:20).

Not unequally yoked. This matters folks!

2. They were both involved in Moses’ life.

Hebrews 11:23 says Moses “parents” hid him.

Dad was there!

3. All three of their children went into the ministry.

Moses (youngest) became the great Lawgiver.

Aaron (three years older than Moses) became the High Priest

Miriam (around 10-12 years older probably) was a prophetess.

Consistency in these parents.

If you marry an ungodly person you are setting your children up for spiritual failure.

B. She devised a plan to save her child (2:3-5).

She knew she couldn’t keep him. If she did it would almost guarantee he would be discovered and killed.

For three months she hid the child. He was a secret!

When she could hide him no longer, she made her move.

She chose the person she wanted to raise her child.

She chose Pharaoh’s daughter. She knew the safest place for him was in the palace.

She knew if anyone could convince the Pharaoh not to kill a Hebrew child it would be his daughter.

She chose the plan.

She would build a small basket from the bulrushes.

Imagine her weaving that basket. Made sure it was done right, praying for that child as she wove.

She would seal it so it would float safely. That thing would be bone dry on the inside.

She would place the baby in the basket and cover him up.

She would place the basket in the Nile.

She would have her young daughter watch the basket so nothing happened to the baby.

She chose the place.

She knew where Pharaoh’s daughter went to bathe in the Nile.

The finest and safest area of the Nile. Where royalty washed.

She made sure the little ark got caught in the reeds, so it was just sitting there in the open for anyone to see.

All of this was strategic.

She chose to sacrifice for her child.

Imagine that last day. She had no idea the Lord would give her more time with the child.

I’m sure she:

Cried

Prayed

Kissed

Held

This wasn’t easy folks! She was saying goodbye to this three-month-old baby.

His future was mor important than her feelings!

C. She gives us principles for raising godly children.

1. If you follow the world’s way you will bring great harm to your children.

Do what the world says, and your children will suffer.

The world says:

Let them be what they want to be.

Let them watch what they want to watch.

If you raise your kids the worlds way you’re spiritually throwing them in the Nile River.

Pray with them and for them!

Teach them the Word of God!

Discipline them Biblically.

Keep them in church.

2. Make sure your kids are safe in the Ark.

That little raft reminds us of Noah’s Ark.

Your children need to be saved. Get them to Christ!

3. If you don’t watch your kids they will be swept away.

She watched Moses. She would have wrestled a crocodile had it come along.

She would have jumped in after him if the current swept him away.

Don’t let social media raise your kids.

Don’t let them get caught up in the swift current of this world’s godless ideologies.

Watch them closely!

Jochebed was a woman who was filled with the wisdom of God.

3. She trusted the Word of God (2:2).

A. She knew Moses was a special child.

3 times in Bible it says Moses was beautiful - Acts 7:20, Heb. 11:23.

More to being just a cute baby. There was a countenance about this child I believe. He looked special. His countenance was impressive.

This is probably why Pharaoh’s daughter could not resist him.

About 350 years earlier God had given a promise to His people:

Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a

stranger in a land that is not theirs & shall

serve them & they shall afflict them 400 yrs.

And also that nation whom they shall serve

Will I judge & afterward shall they come out

With great substance. Gen. 15:13-14

If she knew that promise and could do basic math, she would know that it was about time for the Lord to send a deliverer.

Perhaps she believed her son may be that deliverer.

God didn’t give her a revelation like He did Mary.

But maybe she knew His Word.

Her faith was great. Maybe she thought “God could use my child!”

Shouldn’t that be the prayer of every parent?

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Ps. 127:3-4

Folks, God can use our children and grandchildren. Pray for them!

B. She knew God was faithful.

She could trust Him with this child.

God kept the baby safe during the pregnancy.

God kept the baby safely hidden for three months.

God kept the baby safe on the water.

God caused that baby to cry at just the right time.

Look at 2:6.

When the basket was opened and the princess looked, she saw a crying baby.

Who can resist that?

She took pity on him.

She probably picked him up.

I believe Moses had been peaceful until that very moment.

By the Providence of God those tears flowed from Moses and that spoiled princess’s heart was broken.

God gave that Egyptian woman compassion. She even knew it was a Hebrew (2:6).

Skin tone?

He was in the river?

Circumcised?

She knew somehow. It didn’t matter. It was too late. She was in love with that little baby.

Every step of the way God was faithful.

C. God blessed her.

1. She was hired by Pharaoh’s daughter (7-8).

The wisdom of that little girl!

I don’t think this part was planned.

What a blessing when God gives us more than we ask for!

Jochebed nursed her child for at least a few years.

She raised him for the first few years of his life and was paid to do it.

I’m sure she prayed for him.

I’m sure she told him who he was.

I’m sure she told him about their God.

2. The child had a home in the palace.

And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds (Acts 7:22).

He lived in the finest of homes.

He ate the finest food.

He was given the finest education.

He had the finest security the world could offer.

He was born to a slave woman but look at him now!

3. Her child was used by God greatly.

A leader

The Lawgiver

Compassionate- most humble man on earth

Is there a better compliment to a parent than “God used your child greatly”?

Jochebed is only mentioned by name two times in the Bible.

But all throughout the Bible we see the names:

Moses

Miriam

Aaron

She left a mark on this world by raising godly children.

Was Moses proud of his mother?

Listen to what the Bible says:

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter (Hebrews 11:24)

Pharaoh’s daughter raised him.

Pharaoh’s daughter named him.

He knew who his mother was.

Let me tell you about another deliverer.

When He was born His mother had to hide Him as well.

An evil King tried to kill Him along with the other Hebrew children.

His name is Jesus. He is the One Moses pointed to.

His sacrifice and His resurrection are the only hope of salvation.

Every good woman and man will make sure they come to Christ and bring others with them.