A profound surprise

 

 

 

   This baby that wasn't supposed to live, 

but God...

During the early 18^th Egyptian dynasty (c.1500.B.C.), Pharaoh had enslaved the Israelites in Egypt, forcing them to build Pithom and Rameses, his store cities, hoping without success that the harsh conditions would reduce the Israelite population.  

 He fumed with uncontrolled rage. “The Israelites are breeding at an outrageous rate! If they join with our enemies, they will fight against us and leave the country.” 

And so he called for the Hebrew midwives. “You must kill every Hebrew newborn baby boy as soon as it is born.” But they feared God and refused to obey Pharaoh. Jochebed, from the Levite tribe of Israel, gave birth to Moses, and by three months, he had grown into a beautiful, bouncing baby. She needed to protect her precious son, and God gave her a brilliant idea.

 Tall reeds grew along the Nile riverbank, the perfect camouflage for a baby boat. She wove a papyrus basket, waterproofed it with pitch and tar, and placed Moses inside it among the bulrushes while Miriam, her daughter, kept guard.

Pharaoh’s daughter came with her maidens to bathe in the cool river. She discovered the basket floating among the reeds, and when she opened the lid, Moses cried.

 “Oh, he’s a Hebrew baby, poor little fellow!”

 Miriam, seeing her little brother in danger, approached the princess.

“Shall I fetch a nurse?”

“Yes, go at once!”

 Miriam ran home to her mother, and together, they hurried back to the princess.

 “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.”

When he grew older, Moses’ mother took him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son. He learned the ways of the Egyptian court and enjoyed the privileges of a prince.

 Moses never forgot his roots or God, because the seeds of his parents’ faith had been planted deep in his soul. Like many adoptees, he felt different from anyone in Pharaoh’s family. At forty, he possessed great strength in his deeds and words, and even as an Egyptian prince, he recognized Pharaoh’s contempt and mistreatment of his people, the Hebrews. He visited his fellow countrymen in the desert while they slaved for Pharaoh under the heat of the Egyptian sun. An Egyptian slave driver beat one of the Hebrew workers. Moses was filled with indignation, and as no one was watching, he overpowered the Egyptian, killed him and hid the corpse in the sand.

On the following day, he discovered two Hebrews fighting, and he asked the troublemaker why he was attacking his fellow Hebrew. Moses thought his own people would realize God was using him to rescue them from slavery, but the attacker turned on Moses.

“Who made you ruler over us? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

 When Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he tried to murder Moses. He fled to Egypt and lived in Midian.

 Why does the Bible record extensive details regarding Moses?

He wrote the first five books of the Bible, which include the Ten Commandments, and under God’s instructions, he instituted the cultural and spiritual foundations of the Israelite people. The New Testament also refers to him over seventy times. Christians honor the Ten Commandments, and the laws of many nations are based on these principles.

 The circumstances of Moses’ birth seemed dismal. If Pharaoh’s hatred had prevailed, Moses would never have survived beyond the day of his birth. His parents’ faith and courage were gifts from God that protected them and their baby. After the king’s daughter adopted Moses, he was safe, and the education he received gave him a solid insight into the culture of the Egyptian court. This education was vital to God's plans for his people.

 Many of us have held a newborn in our arms and wondered what the future held for them. Would this tiny person live a happy life or understand how much God loves them? Did you breathe a prayer over them?

Do you wonder why you were born into a specific family or why you were adopted?

Why was I born in the 20^th century in Australia? I ponder over the childhood experiences thar shaped me and I'm grateful for my parents, and for all the blessings God has poured into my life. I trust I have passed his love onto my contemporaries. 

Consider this quote: “God reached into my life when I was merely a tiny embryo… He put me together while I was still in the soft silence of my mother’s womb.” Charles Swindoll, Living Insights Bible, p625.

 David, the Psalmist, marvelled at the wonder of God’s intricate care and creativity. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14. He also wrote in Psalm 31:15: “My times are in your hands.”

 Paul, in the letter to the Romans, points out that God created each one of us to fulfil his eternal purposes. We are one small link in the chain of world events, whether for fame or for less obvious influence. Whether you’re a prime minister, a nurse, a teacher or a parent, God loves you and has his hand on you. He placed you where you are now to be his servant and bless someone you meet or someone in your family. We can either resent his calling or accept it. 

When Moses left Egypt at 40 years of age, he may have thought his attempts to rescue his fellow Hebrews were behind him. Had he mistaken God's call? God was not finished with him yet. He had not preserved his life from Pharaoh or had him educated in an Egyptian court for nothing. 

And God needed to educate him further. Midian would prepare him for God’s calling to a grander mission, built on all his life journey to this point.

 In the following episodes, we will explore how God has blessed thousands through Moses’ life.

Forty is often the number used in the Bible to illustrate deep experiences. Moses lived until he was 120. He had two more epochs to serve the Lord God.

 Like Moses when he left Egypt, are you afraid or disappointed, wondering why your plans have been derailed? God has a better plan for you, and this new journey will lead you deeper into his presence, provided you’re prepared to listen and learn as Moses did.