The Birth and Early Life of Moses

Exodus 2 narrates the early years of Moses, from his birth to his flight from Egypt. This chapter introduces Moses as a key figure in God’s plan for the Israelites and sets the foundation for his role as a deliverer.

Moses’ Birth and Preservation

• Moses’ Protection: Born to a Levite family during a time when Pharaoh had decreed the death of all Hebrew male infants, Moses is hidden by his mother for three months. When she can no longer hide him, she places him in a papyrus basket and sets it among the reeds of the Nile River (Exodus 2:1-3).
• Rescue by Pharaoh’s Daughter: Pharaoh’s daughter discovers the baby while bathing in the river. Moved with compassion, she decides to adopt him after Moses’ sister, Miriam, who had been watching, offers their mother as a nurse to care for the infant. Thus, Moses grows up in Pharaoh’s household, educated as an Egyptian prince (Exodus 2:4-10).

Moses Flees to Midian

Moses’ Act of Defiance

• Moses and the Egyptian: As an adult, Moses sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. In a fit of anger and a sense of justice for his people, he kills the Egyptian and hides the body. The next day, he realizes his act is known, and fearing for his life, he flees to Midian (Exodus 2:11-15).

Moses in Midian

• Life in Midian: In Midian, Moses sits by a well, where he helps the seven daughters of Reuel (Jethro), a priest of Midian, water their flock. Grateful, Reuel invites him into his home and eventually gives Moses his daughter Zipporah in marriage. They have a son named Gershom, signifying Moses’ sense of being a foreigner in a strange land (Exodus 2:16-22).

God Hears Israel’s Cry

Divine Response

• God’s Awareness and Compassion: The chapter concludes with the Israelites groaning in slavery, crying out for help. God hears their groaning, remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and looks upon the Israelites with concern, setting the stage for their deliverance (Exodus 2:23-25).

Theological Significance and Connection to Jesus Christ

Typology of Christ

• Moses as a Deliverer: Moses’ life parallels that of Jesus in several ways. Both are preserved from infanticide by rulers fearing loss of power, both act as deliverers, and both mediate between God and their people. Moses’ role foreshadows Christ’s work as the ultimate Deliverer and Mediator.
• Salvation Themes: The story of Moses’ preservation and rise to a position where he can affect change mirrors the Christian understanding of Jesus’ providential preservation and mission to save humanity from spiritual bondage.

Divine Love and Its Implications

• God’s Providential Care: God’s intervention in Moses’ early life, from his birth to his adult years in Midian, illustrates His meticulous providence and love, ensuring that His plans for deliverance are set in motion.
• God’s Faithfulness to His Promises: The reminder of God hearing the Israelites’ cries and remembering His covenant underscores His faithfulness and commitment to His promises.

Contemporary Relevance

Why Exodus 2 Still Matters Today

• Calling and Purpose: Moses’ journey from a baby in the bulrushes to a prince and then a fugitive, before becoming a deliverer, speaks to the mysterious ways God prepares individuals for their calling.
• Justice and Compassion: Moses’ reaction to the injustice he witnesses encourages reflection on the appropriate responses to oppression and injustice in society today.
• Hope in Despair: The final verses affirm that in times of despair, God hears the cries of the suffering, offering hope and the promise of deliverance, which is a vital message for all who face oppression or hardship.

Exodus 2 not only sets the stage for the dramatic deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt but also offers profound insights into the nature of God’s care, the development of key biblical themes of deliverance, and the importance of remaining faithful to God’s calling.