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| | Moses in a Basket |
Exodus 2:1-10
Our story begins with the exciting birth of a baby boy, but in the background lurks an angry Egyptian king, also known as a pharaoh. At one time the Hewbrew people (Israelites) had been welcomed guests in Egypt , but as their numbers grew, the mood in Egypt changed. The new pharaoh felt threatened by the Hewbrews, so he ordered the death of all their male children, saying "Every boy that is born. . .you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live." (Exodus 1:22)
Moses' mother faced Pharaoh's order with the strength of God and with a carefully thought out plan, she used the waters of the Nile as a means of salvation, rather than a means of death.
Moses' mother carefully waterproofed a basket with tar-like substances called bitumen and pitch. She then placed her son inside and set the basket in the water among the reeds along the river bank. She also asked her daughter ( Moses' sister) to stand at a distance and watch as Pharaoh's daughter approached the river. When Pharaoh's daughter discovered the basket, Moses' sister was anxious about what would happen. Forutnately, Pharaoh's daughter took pity on the crying baby. Even though the baby was Hebrew, she wanted the boy to live. Immediately Moses' sister offered a plan; she just happened to know of a woman who could serve as the child's nurse. With a twist of what can only be called God's providence, Pharaoh's daughter hired Moses' mother to nurse him for her. Pharaoh's daughter stood ready to claim him as her child. Taking him to Pharaoh's household, she named him Moses, which means "one who was drawn from". The name was true enough, he was not only drawn from the waters of the Nile, but also away from his family.
Next Week:
God Calls Moses |
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