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Lessons from the Early Life of Moses
March 20, 2021

The spring Holy Days will be with us very soon, a time when we consider the Christian connection to the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread and recall the story of the exodus from Egypt and how Moses was the person who God called to lead the children of Israel from Egypt. The story of Moses is worthy of a very deep study, and for us it is very useful to compare the life of Moses to our life today and the faith that we have.

The story of Moses begins prior to his birth with the children of Israel facing a pharaoh who did not know Joseph, who sought to oppress and enslave the Israelites because he feared their strength and size. His plan, which did not work, was to oppress them so hard that it would drive down their numbers. Instead the children of Israel grew stronger defying the Egyptians.

It didn’t take long for Pharaoh to see that the plan to oppress and enslave the children of Israel was a failure. The children of Israel continued to grow stronger and the thoughts of Pharaoh became focused on eliminating what he perceived to be a threat to his throne. He developed a plan to kill off the men of Israel by having the midwives kill all the male babies who were born. The midwives ignored what they were commanded to do instead fearing God. They let the male babies live and then lied to Pharaoh when he asked them about it. The midwives told him the women of Israel were more robust than Egyptian women and delivered their babies before the midwives were able to enter the house. Pharaoh then told the Egyptians that they were now responsible to kill the male children.

Exodus 1:8-22
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 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 come 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. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. 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.

The children of Israel confounded the Egyptians. Instead of dying off because of the harsh conditions, they became a larger nation and a larger threat to the Egyptians. Similarly today, God continues to confound the mighty of this world through the ordinary people whom He calls. In the story of Egypt and Israel, it was not the Egyptians who were called by God, it was the children of Israel. Even though the Egyptians feared the children of Israel, they were much stronger and able to enslave the nation. Through the story of the New Testament and the life of Jesus into the time of the early church, and up to the modern era, God continues to confound the mighty through deliberate choice in whom God calls.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Today, we spiritually face Satan, who as Pharaoh sought the death of the male children, today seeks our spiritual death. Like the midwives who withstood Pharaoh, it is through faith we withstand Satan. In Peter we are warned to be sober and vigilant because Satan seeks to destroy us and like animals of prey, Satan will go after those who are spiritually weak because the weakest are the easiest to kill.

1 Peter 5:8-11
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul warned the Ephesians that whatever situation we may face on earth is not just a situation with other people, it is a situation where unseen to the human eye is a spiritual battle. We wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high places, Satan the devil. It makes no difference what that life situation might be. Satan will use any and all situations to attack each of us. Satan’s goal in engaging us has nothing to with what may physically befall us. Satan’s object remains unchanged and is solely focused on our spiritual death. To fight against Satan we are told to put on the whole armor of God fighting a spiritual war using our weapons of truth, righteousness, a good knowledge of scripture, the protection of faith knowing God’s intent for us is eternal life having the ability to fight the battles we face with what is written in the Bible.

Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Whatever situations we might have in life, can and will be used against us by Satan if he thinks these can bring about our spiritual death. In the balance between what we need physically and what we need spiritually, we are taught by Jesus to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteous, and all these things will be added to us. Jesus also encourages us and tells us that God already knows what we need and will provide for us. When Jesus was tempted and told by Satan to turn the stones into bread, he was in effect telling Jesus that God would not provide for Him and that Jesus needed to take matters into his own life without regard to God the Father. Jesus knew to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, knowing that all would be added to Him and we must do the same.

Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Whatever situation we face in life whether it be incredibly bad, incredibly good, or somewhere in between, we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness knowing that our needs will be provided. Any situation that gets between us and our ability to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is a situation that Satan will exploit in his effort to bring about our spiritual death. I wish it would be easy to clearly state what types of situations can get between us and our ability to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and because each of us is unique and because the number of unique people on earth is like the sand of the beach and the stars we see at night, the types of situations that could be used by Satan to exploit us to bring about our spiritual death are equally varied. The standard we are given is to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Even though we are told to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, we are not transported to that Kingdom of God. While we remain in this world, Jesus did pray that we be kept from evil and be made holy, or sanctified, by the truth of what is written in the Bible.

John 17:13-19
And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Moses remained in his world also living as Egyptian royalty before fleeing when he murdered a guard who had attacked an Israelite, and God kept evil from coming to Moses when Moses by law should have died when his basket was first discovered. Fleeing Egypt was a situation that God would use to fulfill His purpose for the children of Israel. By seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteous in what we do, we acknowledge that we want God’s purpose fulfilled in our life. Moses stayed out of Egypt and when the Pharaoh died, God heard the cries of the children of Israel.

Exodus 2:1-25
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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? 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. 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. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 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. 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. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. 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. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that as God looks at our hearts, He also considers our spiritual fortitude. As we live our life with all of life’s situations, we will never be faced with a situation that of and by itself will take our spiritual life. Each situation we face has a way out so that we may tolerate it. As we face life’s situation, we cannot permit Satan to gain the upper hand against us in his effort to snuff out our spiritual life.

1 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

God allowed the situation to develop that would result in Moses fleeing from Egypt because God knew that Moses would be able to withstand any and all temptations that would arise from this. The Greek word for temptation is peirasmos, and can mean temptation, and adversity. God remains faithful to those who love God who are called according to His purpose. It was during this time of adversity for Moses that God spoke to Moses at the burning bush on Mount Horeb. Moses saw that the bush was not only burning, but it was also never consumed by the fire. He was curious and wanted to learn more. God can use any situation to attract attention to Himself. This burning bush required Moses to divert from what he had intended to do. He turned aside to better understand the why behind this bush that while burning was not consumed by the flames. It was when God knew that He had Moses’ attention, that he called out to Moses, and Moses responded to the voice of God. Immediately, God told Moses to stop approaching and to take off his shoes because the place where he was standing was Holy ground. It was Holy because God was there. God then explained to Moses that he was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God added that he was aware of the suffering the children of Israel had endured in Egypt and how it was now God’s plan to deliver them from the Egyptians and to bring them to a land of plenty, described as flowing with milk and honey, where the Canaanites and other tribes currently lived.

God then told Moses that he would be sent by God to Pharaoh to bring the children of Israel out from Egypt. Moses understood the difficulties he would face in returning to Egypt. He knew he would be one man standing before Pharaoh without any military backing. He knew he would be returning as a member of the royal family who had previously departed very hastily to avoid problems related to his killing of the Egyptian. God then had to remind Moses that He would be with Moses during this entire process.

Exodus 3:1-12
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

When we face challenges and difficulties in life, like Moses, it is common for our first thoughts to be about what we as an individual can do, because through the lens of our life experiences, we have a good understanding of what is likely and probable. What we do not always consider in our life situations is how God may be using our life situations so that will further our focus and commitment to the Kingdom of God and His righteousness knowing that when God is for us who can be against us. It makes no difference what adversity we have in life, because we know God will not set us up for failure. No burden will be in our life that we cannot endure. There will always be a pathway to our spiritual success, a way of escape.

David would write about the staying power of God in his life and how he sought to dwell in the house of the LORD. He shared how throughout his life, God remained loyal to David, had mercy on David, and delivered him from his enemies.

Psalm 27:1-14
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

When Moses questioned his ability to approach Pharaoh to release the children of Israel, God told Moses He would be there with him. Jesus taught that we are first to seek God’s righteousness and the Kingdom of God and then prayed that his followers be kept from evil. We know that God will keep us from adversity and temptations that would overtake us. God will always be there for us. While understanding Satan’s desire to snuff out each of our lives, Paul was able to confidently write to the Romans that nothing can separate us from the love of God. As long as we remain faithful, nothing will separate us from the love of God.

Romans 8:31-39
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God was there for Moses and we can take great comfort from the presence in our life of God the Father and Jesus Christ. As we face adversity in life, as we face persecution in our life, knowing that Satan desperately seeks to snuff out our spiritual life, we can take great comfort knowing there will never be a situation in our life that God the Father through Jesus Christ knows we cannot endure. We can take great comfort that when we sense evil is seeking to destroy our faith, God the Father through Jesus Christ will turn that evil against itself. Nothing will separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ, as long as we remain faithful.

This next week there is the observance of the Christian Passover observed on Friday night, March 26th at Sunset for listeners who are baptized, the weekly Sabbath, and the First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread on Sunday, March 28th.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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