As a parent, there is truly little that I would not do for my children. I would die for them in a heartbeat, I would go hungry so they could eat, and I would do anything that was not sinful to preserve the lives of my children. I chose to train my children instead of entrusting them to a daycare, to do with fewer things because I believed they were a gift from God, and He gave this mandate to parents. Being a parent who would do anything to preserve the lives of my children includes making hard choices sometimes. It includes discipline that is painful both to them and to me. I never delighted in spanking my children, but my job was not to spare them any discomfort in life, my job was to train them to be godly kids. In teaching them that there are painful consequences to sin would help them to learn to listen to authority. This principle would make it easier for them to yield to God one day. Doing what is best for our children can be the most difficult thing for a parent but in the big picture of life, we are saving their lives. That’s what Amram and Jochebed did for their child Moses. They had faith that found a way to preserve his life.
Moses was born while the Israelites were in slavery to the Egyptians. In Exodus 1:8, a new king comes on the scene. He is terrified the Israelites would grow in number and overthrow his rule. He first instructed his taskmasters to make life harder for them. His goal was to work them so hard that they had no energy left for anything but rest. However, the more he afflicted them the more they multiplied.
Exodus 1:9-12 “And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it comes to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore, they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.”
Nothing Pharaoh did stopped the growth of God’s people. His next command was to murder all the male babies. He was paranoid of a ruler rising up to dethrone him. His instructions to the midwives were to save the girl babies and murder the boy babies at birth. One thing the King did not count on was the heart of the midwives. In Exodus 1:17, we find them fearing God more than they feared the king. They would not commit murder.
Exodus 1:17 “But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.”
When Pharaoh’s plan did not work, he commanded all his people to kill every male child and throw them into the Nile River.
Exodus 1:22 “And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.”
Now, parents would be forced to do whatever they could to save their sons. Two such parents were Amram and Jochebed. They were the parents of Moses. Moses would become the leader of God’s people and lead them out of Egypt. While God had a plan for Moses’ life, his parents still had a choice to make. Would they obey the Pharaoh and murder their baby, or would they seek to save his life and take a chance with their lives also?
First, they chose to obey God rather than man. God’s laws always supersede man’s laws. However, unless man’s laws violate God’s laws, we are to obey them. They were not to murder.
Act 5:29 “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men”
Second, they had to have a plan to save the life of Moses. Hebrews 11:23 tells us they hid him for three months, because they saw he was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s law. The midwives had even refused to obey. (Sidenote, if every doctor and nurse would refuse to participate in abortions many babies would be saved!) It is never right to do wrong no matter what the law allows. God’s law is first!
Their plan culminated in Jochebed placing Moses in a basket that she placed in the bullrushes, which were water plants, in the area where Pharaoh’s daughter would come to bathe. Her plan worked! When the princess saw the baby, she fell in love with the baby. Moses’ sister was standing by when Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby and in Exodus 2:7 we see her stepping into action. She asks if she could call a nurse from the Hebrew women to take care of the child. Pharaoh’s daughter agreed and his sister went and called his mother to take care of him. I love how God provides everything needed for this family. In the palace, they had protection and provision, and they were together. Only God can orchestrate a story such as this. Their faith in God to take care of their son had played out in a beautiful way. God had honored their faith greater than they expected. God provided a way for their son to grow up, but they first had to put their faith in Him and obey.
Hebrews 11:23 “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.”
Exodus 2:4-9 “And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 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. 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. 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? And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. 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.”
When our faith in God is paramount in our lives the choices to do the right thing will be easier. Our faith is placed in the one who can control everything. He may choose to do things differently than what we desire, but He will always work it out for what is ultimately best for us. Our job is to trust and obey.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
