Obedience to God: The Example of Moses’ Parents

Introduction:

We know the bulk of Hebrews 11 has focused on the example of Abraham.

All of the examples cited have had relevance for the Hebrews to use to think biblically about their situation.

This has not be a relativist exercise.

This has also included Bible interpretation on the part of the writer of Hebrews.

What have been the core lessons?

Faith acts, it obeys God.

Joseph provides a nature segue to think about the Exodus, and it is difficult to consider the event apart from Moses.

Believers live as a people who respect government so long as government does not put us in a position to choose between obeying God and obeying the state.

Moses’ Parents Acted by Faith

Faith is more than a set of beliefs we hold.

Our trust in God compels us to act in the world because we value Him above all.

At times, that could be easy because of the circumstances we live under.

At other times, however, that could be difficult.

God’s people are not guaranteed to live under a friendly, moral government.

Having moral government, or liberty is not a precondition to living by faith.

The writer attributes faith to Moses’ parents.

When he was born, they concealed/hid him for three months.

Exodus: Interlude

We should examine the context of Moses’ birth and initial living conditions closely.

Ex. 1-2.

Ex. 2:1-3 specifically record the events in question.

Ex. 1, however, provides the fuller context.

The writer of Hebrews used, as usual, the LXX for his reading and interpretation of these early events involving Moses’ parents.

It confirms the three months.

It provides the important terminology (see below).

Moses’ Parents: Why They Hid Their Child

The writer of Hebrews gives two reasons to explain why Moses’ parents hid their son.

“They saw a beautiful child”: uses Exodus 2 to provide the first explanation.

This phrase, however, may mean something more than Moses was healthy, cute, or some other word conveying physical beauty.

Stephen made reference to this in a different way (Acts 7:20).

Did Moses’ parents think Moses might be the future deliverer based on something God either told them, or based on their conclusions by looking at his physical appearance.

It would make sense, in light of Joseph, that Israelites expected God to send a deliverer.

“They did not fear the decree of the king.”

The writer of Hebrews offers an interpretation, but it is not one without foundation.

The decree referred to here must have been the directive for Hebrew male children to be exposed or thrown into the river.

Moses’ parents did not do that because they trusted God.

This raises larger questions for God’s people.

What do we do if the state has evil leadership who issues dictates that directly oppose the command of God?

Moses parents did not fear the decrees. Rather they trusted God.

The implication may be, although this is hard to prove, that the writer of Hebrews means to imply that Moses’ parents knew of the role Moses would play, so they preserved their child in accordance with the information they received about their son.

Sometimes God’s people may have to live in obedience to Him even if it means disobeying the state.

We are not free to make that choice arbitrarily.

There must be some direct attempt by the state to put in a situation where we have to make a choice.

Introduction (Part 2):

We have much to work through about Moses.

The writer of Hebrews offers interpretation, and we will spend time looking at Stephen in Acts 7 to see how there is some consistency of NT interpretation of Moses.

Moses is a difficult individual to work with because there are positive things about him, and there are negative things about him (Paul in 2 Cor. for example, or Jesus in John).

Also, how Moses was explained to many of us in childhood most likely was, at best, partially accurate.

Few events in the Bible are so misunderstood as the Exodus account of Moses’ early years in Egypt.

In this message, we will do three things:

Examine what “proper child means.”

Investigate the circumstances around Heb. 11:24-26 (the latter if we have time.).

Moses is an interesting name because it has meaning in both Egyptian and Hebrew.

It is common for throne names: Thutmose, Ramses (where is means “born of” in Egyptian).

We can see how the writer of Hebrews wants to use Moses to think about the issues affecting his audience.

Moses: Rejected Being Called: Son of Daughter of Pharaoh.

We know that Moses, after being placed in a basket, was discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh who decided, for whatever reason, to raise him as her own son.

Now, the writer interprets Moses’ decision to venture out to his Hebrew brethren as a deliberate renunciation of his right to status and rank as Egyptian royalty.

There is a contrast presented here.

He would suffer with God’s people rather than live in the luxuries of the royal palace.

Perhaps giving up social rank is a matter of concern for the audience as well.

There must be an obvious lesson here for the audience: people who trust God demonstrate that trust of God by being loyal with God’s people, even if means suffering, rather than engaging in alternative pleasures.

What must be in view is Moses’ awareness of being the chosen deliverer.

See Stephen’s account in Acts 7:23-25.

Let’s also consider Exodus 2:10-15.

Moses Looked Forth Unto the Reward

This explanation becomes another way the writer of Hebrews teaches the audience.

What has greater value:

Loyalty to Christ?

Temporary pleasures, social rank?

In this way, Moses sounds like he had the same priorities that Abraham had when he looked for a city.