Shaping A Servant's Heart

Exodus 2 KJV 1900

1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. 11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. 20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. 23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

Exodus 2:11-25

1) A passionate mistake (vv1-14)

There was never a doubt in Moses’ mind regarding who he was.

(Acts 7:23) Here is an act of the one who is sovereign over the hearts of men; “it came into his heart”

This all stems back to the godly raising from his parents.

This truly is the purpose of every parent; teaching their children about the “full” person of God.

Really, why else would he bless you with such a blessing?

The place where parents fail the most is not providing a genuine picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ for the children.

A lot of identity problems and issues of self purpose would be solved if God’s proper place was exemplified in the life of children.

When your heart belongs to the Lord, He never lets you forget who you are in Him!

“he saw there was no man”

Same words in Isa. 59:16; 63:5

This was not Moses trying to be sneaky.

Moses saw there was no other there to intervene.

This does not however mean that he should have been impetuous and do what he did.

On the other hand, the Bible uses words that carries the sense that this Egyptian was putting forth effort to kill this jewish slave.

Many times God will allow us to follow our passions right into failure.

A passion un-surrendered creates a man who will live with regrets!

“Who made thee” (Acts 7:25-28)

It is very clear, these were God’s choses people, not because they deserved it.

They were fighting among themselves.

Their address to Moses speaks to how much the flesh desires no form of lordship.

Gen. 37:8

Luke 19:14

2) A place of Divine purposes (vv15-22)

A. The ministry of waiting (vv15-20)

Waiting in the lives of God’s children has served God as much as action.

Waiting may not be a body in motion, but most certainly a time when mind, heart and soul is!!!

Moses most certainly knew who he was, but there can be no doubt he had some Egypt woven into his character.

Waiting often has much to do with developing you to be a proper tool for the deliverance of people and the glory of God.

( v21) Moses was content to dwell where God had placed him.

In his contentment, Moses did not get lazy, but got busy.

Moses served Jethro’s daughters, became a father, became a shepherd...

Working for God where you are is much more than the task at hand.

Laboring shapes your life!!!

Illustration: When do you learn the biggest lessons that advance your skills in what you do? CONTINUING BEING ACTIVE IN WHAT YOU DO!

B. Moses becomes better equipped.

While in Egypt, Moses uses the sword in his hand and the energy in his arm.

On the back side of the desert, he exchanged the sword for a rod.

He would go from trusting the power of his arm to trusting the power of God’s hand (6:1)

Moses had to learn that the weapons of the believer are not fleshly, but spiritual (2 Cor. 10:3-6)

C. Moses learns a better method (vv21-22)

When God blesses a leader with a family, he does a great deal for molding his style of leadership.

Moses spent 40 years raising a family and “shepherding” sheep. (it took a while to get Egypt out of him)

Moses is described as the “meekest” man in Biblical history. Even the meek need breaking!

Every small detail was a part of Moses’ training to one day be a great deliverer.

Through the birth of his son you can see his maturity and sense of where he belongs.

3) An unforgotten people (vv23-25)

It may seem that God was doing nothing.

God remembered.

Does not mean it slipped His mind and it took a finite people to job His ministry.

“remembered” = recall; (sense) understood their situation.

This speaks beyond God’s mental awareness; God heard, God remembered, God saw and God knew (His superiority & sovereignty)

Because of this, Israelites would come to know God in a new way! (One they can depend on; a great deliverer; great provider; the way maker; their only strength; a dependable guide…)

When God’s children seek God, He not only hears you, but He understands you and answers you.

Psalm 31:7

Conclusion: