Exodus 2 – July 15th, 2009
The story resumes with the birth of Moses. Moses is born in the usual way, but to an unusual time. It is a time of persecution for the Hebrew people. The existing Pharaoh in Egypt has put an edict out to kill all male Hebrew babies. Moses is a male Hebrew baby in danger of death by virtue of his birth.
Instead of dying as many Hebrew baby boys did, Moses is taken in by Pharaoh’s daughter to be raised in the palace with her. He grows up somehow knowing he is of Hebrew origin, and though he lives as an Egyptian prince, he identifies with the Hebrew people. That tension culminates in a decision Moses makes to defend a Hebrew against an Egyptian who is abusing him. Again, the Hebrew people are under persecution.
In the next scene we see the people of Israel quarreling. It is in this setting that Moses finds out that his crime against the Egyptian is not a secret. Moses is a criminal and runs for his life. While hiding in the desert Moses meets who will become his wife and in-laws. He gets married, has children, and begins living the life he believes he will live. Moses goes so far as to identify himself as a foreigner destined to live in a foreign land in the name of his first child.
All of this about Moses: what about the people of Israel? Moses’ life is seems to come together well. He may be a foreigner and stranger in the land in which he dwells, but he was never punished for murder, neither does he live the life of oppression his people live in. Has God chosen this one to excel while others suffer? Of course not! The final words of the passage end with God hearing the cries of the people. God remembers the covenant He made with their ancestor Abraham, and is “concerned about them”. God is ever mindful of His people.
Let’s admit it: we often feel as if God has forgotten about us, or about things we desire. As the pastor of a church I am often able to hear the thoughts and feelings of people. God is often perceived as far away. But, is He? Is God truly far away?
If we take the picture of the Hebrew people in Egypt as a way that God may be working, we see that there are many things going that we don’t know about. Moses will become the deliverer of Israel from the slavery in Egypt. Does Israel know it? Does Egypt know it? No, in fact, Moses doesn’t even know it. The only “person” in the know is God Himself. However, that is enough.
God is making a godly man out of a hotheaded and violent man. Moses results to physical confrontation against an Egyptian, and again against the shepherds in Midian. He has a habit of acting in un-godly ways. God cannot use a man like that, but God has His hand on Moses.
The Hebrews will be set free. Moses will lead them out. Egypt will relent to the power of God. It just won’t be in this chapter. When you feel alone and that God is far away – remember. God is at work doing things that you cannot see, many of which are His plan to work in the lives of His people. In the mean time: keep the faith.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff.
"God cannot use a man like that, but God has His hand on Moses". This sentence is so full of hope. Sometimes I wonder how can God use me? and why would He? It brings hope to me to know that God has His hand on me too and will use me for His glory when the time comes.
ReplyDelete