Out of the Water

Victory from the jaws of defeat. Atlanta being up 28-3 in the 3rd quarter against New England with 2:17 left in the Superbowl. My Texas Rangers were up in the ninth two runs in Game 6 with two outs and two strikes, and the Cardinals tied it up. We were up 2 runs again in the 10th, two outs and two strikes. They lost. I think we all have some personal memories or things that you have seen that make you go…NO WAY. Unbelievable. Again, we come back to what seems like an impossibly bad situation for God’s people, yet we see God come through with his promises, yet again, and will bring about his deliverer.

CTS: Out of seemingly impossible and discouraging circumstances, God brings deliverance!

I. The Deliverer’s Birth (1-10)

The answer to the final threat of Pharaoh to the Israelites is now addressed. Chapter 2 gives us how God would again ironically use the very means of the death to bring out life. The birth of Moses is incredibly important, because it is here that we are going to see God bring a deliverer, to put his continued plan in motion by raising up a man to lead His people out of slavery and bondage.

God would use three different women and their actions to bring about this incredible story of the birth of a Savior for Israel. But not only Israel, but for the whole world.

A. The faith of a mother (Ex 2:1-3) (Heb 11:23)

First, we see in these first three verses some information about a family. The setup is crucial to our understanding of what is to come. We have a Levite and his wife mentioned. This child would come from the Levite line, and that would become important later. Moses, this child, would lead God’s people as a prophet, a leader (though not king, he was man in charge), and also with this information, came from a priestly line.

The man is later identified as Amram and his wife is Jochabed. They have a child. Remember, males are supposed to die in the Nile river. Though we don’t hear about if Amram does anything in this text, that doesn’t mean he has no idea what is going on. Most likely, he approved of this plan, but was out all morning and all day as a slave, unable to be there when this happens.

Motherly compassion, instilled by God himself. She saw that Moses was a “fine child.” Another way to say that is he was a “good child.” That purposely will point us back to Genesis, and that God’s creation is good, especially his creation of humanity. It is here a child will lead to the new creation of God’s people, Israel, as they are birthed in to a separate nation out of Egypt.

In that compassion, she knows she must do what she can to save him. With great heartache, she can’t hide him any longer, and carefully places the child into what many translations call a “basket.” The Hebrew word here is the same as in Genesis 7-9 in the account with Noah and the ark. That word is “ark.” Remember, this is by no accident. The Bible is a literary masterpiece. It is in this basket that the child is saved from waters of death. Instead of being cast into the waters, Moses will be on the water, just as Noah was, and would be the beginning of a new nation. Out of the waters of death, life comes!

Hebrews 11:23 ESV

23 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.

Faith is the driving force of a godly life. Faith that God will do what He says He will. It emboldens. It makes us strong. The object of our faith is what is important, and there is nothing greater to put our faith in than God himself.

B. The care of a sister (Ex 2:4) (1 John 3:16-18)

We also see that the sister of Moses would be instrumental. She is probably around 6-12, hence why she would be freely able to keep an eye on the “ark” that Moses was in. She probably had good relationships with the Egyptians at that time, since she is able to walk up to Pharaoh’s daughter without any hesitation and talk to her. Again, we are reminded of God’s providence that everything is put in place for a reason.

And because of this care of his sister, he is watched over, which would lead to his eventual landing place. The watchful eye of a sister or brother over us is the act of compassion that God often uses to bring about his plan. Are we ensuring that we keep watch over one another as His people, ensuring the safety and help that they need in times of trouble?

C. The compassion of a foreigner (Ex 2:5-10) (Luke 10:29-37)

And in great irony, a showing of God’s power against Pharaoh himself, Pharaoh’s own daughter shows compassion to the Hebrew boy. Isn’t that amazing? Pharaoh’s daughter of all people find the boy, and she of all people is the one who shows compassion. She obviously finds the act of killing an innocent baby as wicked. She saves the child herself. She knows what she is doing. Pharaoh’s daughter is an image-bearer of God, so though she is a sinner, she still has the conscience that God gives her. And it is by this means of compassion that Moses will be raised right under the nose of Pharaoh, the very person who will challenge and deliver God’s people from his hand!

We are reminded that even the most religious people are not necessarily living in love, loving neighbors as we should. The example is shown by Jesus in Luke 19:29-37 of the Good Samaritan. We don’t know what ultimately happens to Pharaoh’s daughter, but she exhibited what true love looked like in the face of her father who had no love at all.

One commentator says this:

God does not remove Moses from the situation, nor does he strike down Pharaoh who dares to oppose him, both of which he certainly could have done. Instead, God places Moses in the same Nile that Pharaoh intends for the boy’s harm, brings the boy right to Pharaoh’s doorstep, and has him raised in Pharaoh’s house. Why? To defeat the enemy decisively at his own game, at the very heart of his strength. Now the savior of Israel can grow up safe and secure, free not only from Pharaoh’s wrath but from the debilitating effects of slavery. - Peter Enns (NIV Application Commentary, pg 73)

And now, we see God’s clear hand to show his power against Pharaoh. A deliverer he has raised up. Right in his own house. And he would prepare him for that end. And we are reminded that God uses even the most unlikely people, even the nations themselves to remind us of what kind of love we should show!

APPLICATION: This is the faith and love of a mother, instilled by God himself into her. She wanted to save her child, and God used this very love to be instrumental in his deliverance of God’s people. The caring compassionate sister who watched over her brother. The kind foreigner. All of these things point us to the great work of God to save His people.

In the ark, Moses was saved so that he could be the deliverer of God’s people. The ark is a symbol of God’s grace and mercy to us, in His great love with he loved us, he saved us. Jesus himself is our ark, our salvation from the waters of death. Moses would point to Jesus, who is the great prophet, priest, and king. The great love of God is bound up in the work of the deliverer, and it is out of the waters of his own death that he is resurrected and saved. He bore the judgment, yet gives life through his own resurrection to those that repent of their sins and believe in Jesus by faith as Lord and Savior. We are to be instruments of faith and love, going at great cost to ourselves, sacrificially. It could not have been easy for Moses’s mother to do this. But it was the only way to save him. Faith is difficult, but God often uses it to bring about His glory. We are not to be afraid of what man can do to us, just as we have seen already in clear form with Shiphrah and Puah, and now Jochabed, Moses’s mother.

II. The Deliverer’s Preparation (11-22)

We now about a 40 year jump in time. Moses when he wrote is on the fast track to show the work of God and his deliverance. He is not going to give a biographical sketch of his childhood and what happened when he grew up in Pharaoh’s palace, no matter what Hollywood tries to do to fill up its own run time. Moses has a theological purpose in mind, to remind God’s people, and to show those who do not know God, the work He did in order to save God’s people from slavery and make them his own.

What we see here in these 12 verses is how God prepared Moses for his deliverance work, what he would experience now would be crucial to His work to save His own people.

A. The faith of the deliverer (Ex 2:11-12) (Heb 11:24-26)

Moses exhibited faith here. Though he grew up in the house of Pharaoh, raised by his daughter, he still was rooted in identity as a Hebrew, one of God’s people. This was an act of faith, for he knew that his own identity was in direct contrast to the people of Egypt, who at this time are still oppressing and killing the nation of Israel. His identity, his choosing to be aligned with God’s people rather than the world, was an act of faith. Where the pleasures of Egypt were right at his fingertips, he chose instead to remember who he was, no doubt what his own mother and sister taught him over the years.

We are also reminded of the faith of Jesus, identified as the light of the world. He would become like flesh like us, but he would live differently, or more appropriately, he would live as we should have…by faith. Jesus trusted the will of the Father, even when we wouldn’t. He, Jesus, did what the first Adam did not. Jesus, the second Adam, is perfectly obedient. Sinless.

John 8:34–40 ESV

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.

He trusted the will of the Father, no matter what the cost might be, which would be his eventual crucifixion. This is the act of faith, perfect faith, in the Father’s will.

Luke 22:42 ESV

42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

APPLICATION: The righteousness and the faith of Jesus is the means by which we are delivered. Because of that, we are then made righteous and we then live by faith. The Hebrews text that I am referring to here often in this sermon is preceded by the description of faith, and really, the command of faith that we find earlier in that chapter.

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

B. The rejection of the deliverer (Ex 2:13-15) (John 1:9-11)

Moses would identify with his people in the next few verses by standing up for them. Moses, who was no doubt dressed like an Egyptian (as is indicated later in this text), and yet he saw the abuse that his own people were taking. The beating seemed to be severe enough to where that if Moses didn’t intervene, the man would be severely injured or even death was coming. Remember, the Egyptians are looking to stop the spread of the growth of the Israelites. Moses goes to kill the man because he is killing one of his own.

The question of many will be, was Moses wrong in doing this? Some commentators believe he went too far. But we don’t have all the details of the story. I can’t say with certainty whether Moses was wrong or not. He was defending the life of a man. The Egyptian who was beating the man may have turned on him and began to try to kill Moses. It could have been self-defense. It could have been crossing the line. But the main point is that Moses was acting as judge, bringing judgment upon the enemies of God and ensuring life. But the point of the text was to show that Moses sided with God’s people, and experienced rejection from both sides. He eschewed the pleasures of Egypt to face the reproach of Egypt.

Yet he was rejected. Moses was trying to save his own people, and yet he was rejected by them. This would be part of his preparation for what was to come. Moses would go through significant rejection throughout his time as leader. He was already experiencing it.

This reminds us that Jesus our great deliverer, who was obedient to the Father’s will, showed great care and compassion to his own people and foreigner alike, was rejected.

John 1:9–11 ESV

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

APPLICATION: The rejection of Moses points us to the rejection of Jesus. That should cause us to be thankful and remember the high cost of our salvation. God himself was rejected by his own creation. Yet it wasn’t just these Israelites, or the Jewish people of Jesus day. All of humanity has rejected God as Creator and Lord with their sin. Yet Jesus endured it, was despised and rejected. It should cause us as God’s people to remember that as Jesus was rejected, we will experience it as well. But it should also cause us to run the race, to endure it. As the saints of old showed faith and experienced rejection, as Jesus showed perfect faith and obedience, and was rejected, we must do the same.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

C. The compassion of the deliverer (Ex 2:16-22) (John 4:7-15)

But God would place Moses in the wilderness through these actions. I imagine Moses was pretty down. He tried to do the right thing, but he now has to run. We went to Midian, but it was there that God would place him so that he would be protected, yet also prepare him. We see the character of the deliverer here. Moses would show compassion as a shepherd, like his forefathers before him: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Other biblical figures would be shepherds as well. And it is this shepherding work that would lead to his compassion. He protected daughters and ensured that their flocks would be watered and cared for.

Moses went to Midian, and this is the land from where Abraham came. He may have known that, knowing he might find some type of refuge there. But he treated these foreign women with compassion. Moses would then stay with this family. Jethro, son of Reul, would give him food, a place to stay, and a daughter to marry. He would begin to have a family, a foreign one at that. This should remind us that the deliverer would not be just a savior to Israel, but to the nations as a whole.

Jesus the deliverer would also show compassion to the foreigner, the outcast: Jesus has saved not only the Jewish people, but would also fulfill the promise made that in him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Jesus showed this in a number of ways throughout his entire ministry. One shining example of this was with the Samaritan woman at the well. Hear the heart of Jesus for the foreigner:

John 4:7–15 ESV

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

APPLICATION: As Moses would show compassion, it would point to the greater compassion of our deliverer Jesus. Do we show compassion to the foreigner, the outcast, the exile, the hurt and the broken? Are we loving people that don’t look like us, that don’t have our same skin color, that are from another country? Are we blessing and loving all people, regardless of who they are, what they look like, or what they have done? Because if Jesus didn’t love the foreigner and just the Jews, we would be in trouble, lost ourselves. God has always intended to save the nations, every people group. Thank God he saved us!

CONCLUSION: The events of verses 1-22 ensures the deliverance that is God is going to bring about because of his covenant love in verses 23-24.

The application of this sermon is mostly to recognize again God’s working, his sovereignty. But it also should drive us to understand that the circumstances that we find ourselves in are the means by which God brings about His plan.

You have gone what you have gone through, whether good, bad, or ugly, because God is going to take it and use it. That doesn’t mean we should say that God made me sin if we have brought it upon ourselves, but it should remind us that God wasn’t surprised and He has made a way of deliverance from it. It should remind us that God takes weak and broken people and uses them. He takes faith of his people and brings about his plan, no matter how weak it may seem. But all of these people, Moses’ mother Jochabed, his sister Miriam, the Pharaoh’s daughter, and Moses himself, point us to the greater work of the perfect deliverer, Jesus Christ.

When we rest in His work, trust Him by faith, and let Him change hearts, that is where we rest and find meaning and purpose. It causes me to think “this has purpose. This struggle. This heartache. This evil that I am experiencing.” We live in a fallen world, a world full of sin and suffering. Yet God in that sinful world still brought about His great work of deliverance.

So as he heard the groaning of God’s people, their cries for help, we know that God hears us. We know God is working to save us, and to save the nations. You are instrumental in God’s plan of salvation. That doesn’t mean I am saying you save people, but God so chooses to use us, as His people, the church, and each of us individually to bring about his covenant purposes, His kingdom work, in a broken world. It reminds us that whatever we go through, that God is working. That frees us to truly have biblical faith.

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

That doesn’t necessary mean an earthly good for us. It may mean we suffer, but suffer so that other’s might see the grace and mercy of Jesus. It may mean we go through constant trial and tribulations, so that they may see what faith in God looks like. Because we also know that this slight momentary affliction is nothing in comparison to the weight of glory we will experience in eternal life.

It means ultimately that people are shown who the great deliverer is Himself, Jesus. Do you see the depths of love that God has for you that He was willing to suffer as He did to save you? Do you see that God brings deliverance to people such as us? Can you not be confident in this loving, merciful, and gracious God who came down and suffered so that we would have life? So live by faith. Love as Christ loved us. Show compassion as Jesus showed compassion. Love the foreigner, the outcast, the exile, the enemies of God, for God can take the enemy and save their wretched soul, for were once enemies of God ourselves.