“The God Who Knows” Exodus 2:1-25

Introduction

I invite you to join me in God’s word this morning in Exodus 2.

We are continuing in our series through selected chapters in the book of Exodus

Back ground and recap

Now in order to continue through chapter two I want to take a moment and look back at the previous chapter.

Pastor Ross took us through chapter 1 where he set the scene for the opening of the book. timeline wise, Exodus, which we believe to be written by Moses, follows the end of Genesis, uninterrupted.

Joseph dies and as he dies, he tells his descendants and all the people of Israel, that one day, they’re going to leave Egypt. and when they do? make sure to take his bones back with them.

But then things take a drastic turn as Exodus opens up with a Pharaoh that doesn’t know anything about Joseph and what HE did for Egypt.

through practicality and sheer evil, Pharaoh attempts population control first through the Hebrew midwives, but later an official decree of infanticide. all Male Hebrew babies would be thrown into the Nile.

Pastor Ross also encouraged us in the backdrop of this heartbreaking text that the purposes of God cannot be thwarted no matter how dark our surroundings may be.

He also pointed us to Jesus and the amazing continuity of God’s story in this world. How all of History, but especially God’s word echos His name.

and the further we go into the Bible chronologically, the more information about Him is revealed to us.

and this morning we’re going to see a big leap into the identity of God’s redeemer. And It’s a big leap by what we call “Typology”

Typology refers to historical people, places, objects, or events which foreshadow Christ and his work in the Old Testament.

And this foreshadowing of Christ that we are introduced to Today is none other than Moses himself.

In chapter 2 with the backdrop of the murder of the firstborn we’ll see the birth of Moses, and then cover span of about 40 years and see his maturity, his flight from Egypt, and we’ll end almost on a cliff hanger as the Israelites cry out still in their slavery.

So in light of chapter one’s message of God working to fulfill his promises, and looking ahead at the end of the Chapter 2, I’ve titled this sermon ‘The God who knows”.

and as we go through this section of the narrative, our main point is this: our comfort is in a God knows his people, and accomplishes his purposes.

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A Beautiful Baby

We’ve mentioned it before, but it’s worth mentioning again. It is a rough time to be a Hebrew.

at first, everything is going great, you’re on a little vacation in Egypt, your family is doing well, and then all of a sudden: you have a task master…and then you’re a slave. but despite that fact, you’re family is still doing well and it’s obvious that God is blessing your family growth.

and then the unthinkable happens. soldier’s start grabbing your babies and tossing them into the Nile River. You likely hear the wailing: which is the only word I can use to describe the sound that mothers make at the loss of their children, deep into the night.

But: God has a habit of moving when things seem at their darkest.

and into this reality: a baby is born to a Levite couple.

He doesn’t have a name. or at least if he did have a Hebrew name prior, it is not recorded. But the bible says he was a fine child:

the word translated into fine is interesting. it could could also be used as beautiful, or good - which could be a reference back to creation when God declared things to be very good. we’re not sure. but there was something about this Baby that made His mother believe that God had a special purpose for this baby.

Most mother’s can sympathize with this feeling. after the miracle of birth you have a flood of endorphins and when you look at your baby you’re overwhelmed with how cute they are. But then over time you look back at pictures and think wow, you didn't really look like me or your dad you really just looked like a squishy alien.

And I’m guilty of this too. When my son was born i thought - “there has never been a baby as cute as this” and then I look back at those early pics and I’m like wow.

As relatable as that is, thats not what the texts says so it leads us to believe that there was something notably different in his appearance that prompted His mother, as well as her love for him, to hide him for as long as she could. which was 3 months.

I want you to keep that tie period in mind. it should stand out to you. because there are patterns of 3 all throughout the Bible. The ark of the covenant would contain 3 sacred objects, Paul would stay in Ephesus for three months preaching the Gospel, Jonah would be swallowed by a fish and spend three days in its belly, The Israelites spent 3 days in the desert before getting water from the rock, and most notably: When Jesus dies for our sins, He rises on the third day.

When we see a timed pattern of three it usually is because that’s the time frame where God accomplishes his purposes.

This baby is a part of His purpose.

She doesn’t technically disobey the law because the Law said He had to be put in the Nile. It wasn’t specified how. So she makes an ark out of papyrus reeds and sets him out to float in the River.

Can you hear the heart of his mother breaking? As God blesses her with a son, He is beautiful and clearly destined for greatness, but because of the law you have to hide him away to keep him safe. but you fail. and there comes a time where you can’t hide him anymore and so the only thing you can think to do, is to set him out with some kind of protection.

Application:

There is so much trust in God and his providence we should pause and reflect on it: When was the last time you trusted God’s plan this deeply?

When was the last time you were in what seemed to be a dire situation that the only thing you could think to do is just trust in God’s plan?

we also see that God rewards those who trust and obey his promises: because where does the baby end up?

immediently back in his mother’s arms. and not only that, but with the permission of the Pharaoh’s daughter, and with a salary. until 3 years had passed: and it was time for God to accomplish his purposes again. He’s given to Pharaoh’s daughter and named Moses. Which is a play on word in both Hebrew and Egyptian. In Egyptian is made up of the words for “son from water” but in Hebrew it means to draw out.

So now we know what purpose God is accomplishing through Moses. and with verses like Hosea 11:1 in mind, the reader can’t help but ask: is this moses, the son who was drawn from the water be the one who would draw us out of sin? Is moses the promised redeemer of Genesis 3:15?

And the answer we see very quickly is no.

Because now Moses has moved from a beautiful baby to

A Brash & Bold Man

Exodus 2:11–12 ESV

One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

Moses grows up with all the wisdom, affluence, and teaching available from the Royal household. at the same time, he also knows about his heritage.

so as much as you love the movie, the prince of Egypt: there’s not a big dramatic reveal of Moses’ ethnicity.

in fact there’s a deep sense of kin: the word people is also brethren. He’s looking out at his brothers and he’s grieved. He sees one Egyptian beating a Hebrew: presumably to death. and he decides to do something about it.

unfortunately that thing is premeditated murder.

In the book of Acts Stephen gives us a look into the thought process of Moses in this incident

Acts 7:24–25 ESV

And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.

And Moses’ attempt at being a redeemer in his own power and purposes backfires.

His crime is found out, and he flees to Midian. where he gains favor with the priest of Midian, Jethro but defending his daughters from attack and then watering their flocks

So Moses IS living up to his name sake, but notice the only time it’s helpful is when he’s humble.

Second Application:

so many times we think of ourselves as God’s lone ranger. when we’re actually more like God’s silliest goose.

We think that God’s work solely depends on us and we act like it. and sometimes unknowingly leave a trail of bodies behind us because of our pride.

Could it be that God is so much bigger and stronger than you that he doesn't need you to accomplish his purposes. But he wants to use you. but only in an attitude of humility and submission to him.

Moses then spends the next 40 years in quiet obscurity being a shepherd, and a father, and a husband.

meanwhile….back in Egypt the children of Israel are still in Egypt. and are still in slavery and it says they cry out to God for help.

They need a leader. They need a shepherd. they need someone to draw them out of their slavery. Chapter 2 doesn’t tell us.

and instead it gives us this 4 fold description of God’s activity

Exodus 2:24–25 ESV

And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

God sees:

God hears:

God Remembers:

God Knows:

This is exactly the same way that God relates to us.

God sees the state that we are in. as slaves to our sin. looking down our own wicked taskmaster and we can’t do anything about it ourselves.

God hears our cries for help. our groanings and our pains and it moves his heart

it moves his heart to act on a covenant with us. Not a covenant of works but like the covenant of Abraham. a covenant of faith. that if we have placed our faith in the true Moses. the true redeemer. the one who took the death from our task master of sin in our place proving that he is the only one who can draw us out of sin

if that’s your relationship with him it says that

God knows. God knows you.

we don’t have to wait to know who the redeemer of Israel is going to be. we know who your true redeemer is: Jesus Christ. in all his power and authority. He knows his people. and he accomplishes his purposes.

Missional Application

to think about this missionaly,

What would it look like for the people outside our church if they knew we trusted that our redeemer will accomplish his purpose in our lives

even if we have to give something up. if we have to surrender something precious to us what would that say about our trust in the Gospel

maybe that looks like not being the person who’s in charge. but rather, submitting to one another in the church and working together in the purposes of God.

I don’t know what you’re going through but maybe that means if you’re suffering, you suffer well. and let that drive you into a deeper dependance upon Jesus. because you know that He knows you. and he will accomplish his purposes.