Jochebed & Miriam: Women on Mission!

Exodus 2:1–10 CSB

1 Now a man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 Then his sister stood at a distance in order to see what would happen to him. 5 Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe at the Nile while her servant girls walked along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds, sent her slave girl, took it, 6 opened it, and saw him, the child—and there he was, a little boy, crying. She felt sorry for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew boys.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a Hebrew woman who is nursing to nurse the boy for you?” 8 “Go,” Pharaoh’s daughter told her. So the girl went and called the boy’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the boy 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.”

Intro:

I. Women on Mission: Fear God

Exodus 2:1–2 CSB

1 Now a man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months.

(v.1-Exe) “Now a man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman” Moses the narrator talking about his own parents as an older man lets us know two people got married who both are descendants of the tribe of Levi. At this time that did not mean a whole lot, but at the point Moses is writing years later he wants us to know both of his parents are a part of the Levitical Tribe of Priest.

Another interesting note all of the characters of this narrative are unnamed except Moses at the end: His Father(a man) His Mother(a Levite Woman), His Sister, Pharaohs Daughter. In the previous chapter Exodus 1. He named the Hebrew mid-wives Shiprah and Puah who were responsible for the salvation of many first-born.

Why didn’t he give us names of his family in this narrative?

(v.2-Exe) “The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months”

Moses’s mother became pregnant I want you to notice the grammar. “When she saw that he was beautiful” This grammar is very interesting. On the surface it looks like its saying she had a cute son, but that is not what’s being conveyed in this clause.

“When she saw”-This carries the idea of Moses mother noticing something special about her son. More than just he was cute. She could see something in him that went beyond the normal.

“When she saw that he was beautiful” Our minds immediately go towards external only. The word for beautiful in this text is the same word used in the creation chapters of Genesis. After God finished each day of creation “He said and it was good” that word “good”is the same Hebrew word Moses used when his Mother saw him.

What did “Good” describe in the creation?

External Beauty

Moral purity

NT helps us out:

Acts 7:20–22 NIV

20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family. 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

(v.20)”he was no ordinary child”

I took this from the NIV they do the best job of communicating the nuance of this “adjective”

Hebrews 11:23 NIV

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

(v.23) “He was no ordinary child”

We can see that this Hebrew word is more robust than just external beauty.

sidenote: The writer of Hebrews includes the father in the plan to hid Moses. But Moses says in Exodus his Mother hid him. This could simply mean Moses mother came up with the idea and Moses’s Father fully supported it. Moses choose to Honor the faith of his mother and to communicate the powerful truth that if it had not have been for the faithfulness of Shiprah & Puah who refuse to kill the male babies and then Moses’s mother Egypt would have been succesful in exterminating the Jewish Nation.

Exodus 2:2 CSB

2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months.

(v.2) “She hid him for three months” After seeing what I believe to be a special call on the life of her son she made a decision. I am not going to put my son on the front porch and let the Egyptians Kill him. This was her saying I am willing for my whole family to be slaughter in the protection is this baby boy. When you think of their living situation please don’t think neighborhoods like we live in. This would have been more like government housing. Large amounts of people sharing small living spaces. Remember they are slaves. And guess what newborn babies do a lot of “Crying” Moses mother took a great risk for even three months to hide him.

Application:

Only a woman who feared God could make this kind of decision. Moses mother had a higher view of God than she did of all others. Her fear of the Lord immediately move to a deep abiding Trust of the Lord

II. Women on Mission: Trust God

Exodus 2:3–6 CSB

3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 Then his sister stood at a distance in order to see what would happen to him. 5 Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe at the Nile while her servant girls walked along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds, sent her slave girl, took it, 6 opened it, and saw him, the child—and there he was, a little boy, crying. She felt sorry for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew boys.”

(EXE-v.3) “But when she could no longer hid him”

Baby Moses is starting to get bigger and his cry is getting louder, So Moses Mother & Father had to think of something quick...

(EXE-v.3) “she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch”

From the way Moses narrate’s this story who does it sound like took the lead in this narrative. Moses is honoring his Mother in the way he is telling this story. Her diligence and faith is leaping off the page.

Moses mother went and got a papyrus basket, which is the material they used to make larger ships that traveled down the Nile. This was probably a basket used in the field to carry the crops around. Notice what she did to the basket sealed it with asphalt and pitch. Let’s go back and see if Momma Moses knows something about a God who saves during a time of great disaster:

Genesis 6:14 CSB

14 “Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside.

Notice what Moses used to seal the ark to keep water from coming in. God told him to use “Pitch” a sealing agent.

Exodus 2:3 CSB

3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.

Moses Mother would have been aware of the story of Noah’s ark as that story would have been passed down as oral tradition throughout the nation of Israel. Their culture was keep together by the telling of stories.

Moses then narrating the story later after having fulfilled his role as the Savior/Deliver of Israel like Noah who was the savior/deliver of his family. Both of them protected in the water. One more nugget to drive this home:

Basket-Tebah-This word is only used once previously and it is used to describe the Noah’s Ark.

Can you see Moses Momma Faith? She said if you can take care of Noah in an ark when you destroyed all of mankind certainly you can take care of my Baby in this miniature ark.

Pass stories of Faith should provide us with the motivation to trust God for future victories.

Exodus 2:3–6 CSB

3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 Then his sister stood at a distance in order to see what would happen to him. 5 Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe at the Nile while her servant girls walked along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds, sent her slave girl, took it, 6 opened it, and saw him, the child—and there he was, a little boy, crying. She felt sorry for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew boys.”

(EXE-v.3-4) “3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 Then his sisters stood at a distance in order to see what would happen to him”

(v.3) Moses’ Mother put Moses in the thick reeds close to the banks of the Nile. This water is shallow and would have avoided the current of the Nile. Also the noise of the water would drown out the cries of her young son. (v.4) She sent out Moses older sister to keep watch over the baby and alert her when he was crying so he could feed.

Saints I did some commentary work and it never dawned on me that she did just let him go hoping someone would find him. I think she put him in the water so she could watch over him and take care of him. The reeds along the side of the Nile River are large branches sticking out of the water which have provided cover for the baby.

Sidenote: Jewish settlements where keep separate from the Egyptians for religious reason on both sides. Both Ethnic would have had access to the Nile River.

(EXE-v.5) “Pharaohs daughter went down to bathe at the Nile while her servant girls walked along the riverbank. She saw the ark among the reeds, sent her slave girl, took it, opened it, and saw him, the child and there he was, a little boy crying. She felt sorry for him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews Boys”

(v.5) Pharaohs daughter went down to take a Bath in the Nile. The Egyptian believed the Nile had supernatural powers, so even the Royal Court would bathe. It seems from the grammar the Princess and her servants walked down the river banks looking for a private place to bathe during that stroll The Princess spotted the basket she opened it up and found a crying baby. This leads me to deduce she was attracted to the basket by the cries of a baby.

“She felt sorry for him” The Princess felt deep pity for this little baby boy. Although he wasn’t her’s she was deeply affected by his needs.

“This is one of the Hebrew Boys”

How did she know he was a Hebrew Boy?

Phenotype-The Egyptians looked different from the Hebrews

Clothing-Moses mother being a slave probably had him in the best she had but nothing compared to the people of Egypt Even the poor of Egypt lived better than the Hebrews.

Common Sense-Why would an Egyptian be hiding their newborn baby in an Ark? Only the Hebrews would need to do something like this to preserve the life of their children.

Transition Statement: What great faith Moses mother showed in this instant. Often in our moments of great faith our greatest blessing come.

III. Women on Mission: Exercise Supernatural Wisdom

Exodus 2:7–10 CSB

7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a Hebrew woman who is nursing to nurse the boy for you?” 8 “Go,” Pharaoh’s daughter told her. So the girl went and called the boy’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the boy 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.”

(v.7) “Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a Hebrew woman who is nursing to nurse the boy for you?”

Moses sister who we believe was anywhere between 6-12 probably closer to the 12 step right in and could see the providence of God.

She tells the Princess “I know someone who could nurse that baby right now!” Let me go get her!!

(v.8-9) Go, Pharaoh’s daughter told her. So the girl went and called the boys’ mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages”

Moses’s Sister went and got his Mother to nurse the baby.

Pharaoh’s Daughter sent Moses back home with his Mother until he was weaned which was about 4 years old

Pharaoh’s Daughter paid her Mother a wage to nurse her own son.

Moses Mother was able to tell her Son the situation of his people in Egypt and the story of his rescue at birth

Now tell me trusting in the Lord does not have great benefit.

Women on Mission Exercise Great Wisdom, because after fully trusting him they are attuned to this movement.

Moses sister could see as a little girl God’s movement and she immediately moved in obedience.

Conclusion:

Exodus 2:10 CSB

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.”

(v.10) “After Moses mother weaned him she returned him to Pharaoh’s daughter and she adopted him. She named him Moses, because she said, I drew him out of the water”

Finally a name is given. His name is Moses. the meaning of his name “taken from out the water” Pharaoh’s daughter did not realize the significants of this name.

Moses would one day be “drawn out of the water again only this time he would have the whole nation of Israel walking behind him as he leads them through the Red Sea.

This is why I believe everyone went nameless for the whole narrative because Moses in this narrative wanted to climax with his Name not because he was arrogant, but because he wanted to give honor to those who by faith trust God so that he could live and one-day deliver the whole nation through the Red Sea and on to the Promise Land!!!

Open the Doors of the Church

Giving

Illustration Mother giving him Finances to finish school. Mothers are God’s gift to us. Honor them today

1 Timothy 3:16 CSB

16 And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.