Preface: This is a very long post. I tried to condense it as much as possible while still getting the points across — I wanted to share this with all of you because it was so tremendous and touched my heart so much!!
I want to be that kind of Mom!! ❤️
On Mother's Day, a few weeks ago, our pastor taught an amazing message on "It all started with Mom". It has been churning inside my heart ever since!! He was teaching about the importance of a Godly mother. It was tremendous! He took his text over in Exodus 2:1-10 about the birth of Moses. Exodus 2:2 (talking about Moses' mom, Jochebed)--And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
He was talking about how Egypt (representing the world/the Devil) is out to kill our children. Pharaoh had decreed that all the baby boys be thrown into the Nile River. He wanted to kill all the Hebrew male infants. He had soldiers looking among the Hebrew dwellings for their children, "to steal, to kill, and destroy"... Sound familiar?
1 Peter 5:8 --Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
So first off, he said --this Hebrew mama realized there was an enemy seeking to destroy her baby! She knew that God had given her that baby and He has a plan for his life. She refused to "just give him to die!" Scripture says that she saw that he was a goodly child... She recognized that it was her responsibility to shelter and protect her child from the force of evil that were seeking to destroy him before he even got a chance in life.
So she hid him at home as long as she could. She protected him from outside influence, sheltered him from evil and kept him protected in her arms. Her home was a safe place...There was nothing inside to harm her baby... Danger was on the outside!
He brought out how this world is seeking to destroy our own children. They call for our children to be thrown to them. They seek to mold their young minds with their propaganda They are seeking to mar and tear down everything of God we are trying to instill in our children. He said we have to be like Moses' mother and:
Hide our children at home--we must protect them and keep them from this world as long as we can. It is not wrong to shelter our children for as long as we can. We have the obligation from God to make our home a safe place “to hide” our children from this world. We must be cautious that we don't bring things in to our homes that will allow evil to take up residence in that safe place! We MUST be able to HIDE our children safely AT HOME!!
But there came a time when Moses' mother saw her child could no longer be hid. She had done her best to make home a safe place for her baby but now she had to trust God with her son. So next, she made an ark out of bulrushes to hide her baby in.
Our pastor really brought something right here that I never have seen before...
Dictionary definition:
bulrushes
NOUN
a tall rushlike water plant of the sedge family. Native to temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, it has been widely used for weaving, early manuscript and is grown as an aid to water purification in some areas.
(in biblical use) a papyrus plant.
papyrus
NOUN
a material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of a water plant, used in sheets throughout the ancient Mediterranean world for writing or painting on and also for making rope, sandals, and boats.
a document written on papyrus.
The original Scripture manuscripts were indeed written on papyrus scrolls!! So in essence, Moses’ mama building an ark out of bulrushes/papyrus was representative of her building an ark of safety for her son out of The Word!!
We too must hide our children in the Word of God!!
The Word will save us! We must hide our children in the Word and the Word will save them as well!!
Mamas, we must build an ark!! We have got to build something that is going to save our children!
Exodus 2:3...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.
She knew her son's life depended on the kind of ark she built. The Bible says she daubed it with slime and with pitch. She knew she had to make sure that it was secure...
She wanted to do whatever it took to make sure both the inside and the outside was protected.
We, too, must make sure that we are building our arks secure! What we put down on the inside matters and what we put on the outside matters as well! We must make certain there is no place that isn’t protected!!
She hid him in the Will of GOD!
Moses' mother must have tremendous faith in God... I can't imagine as a mother how her heart must have been breaking as she placed her son in that ark and placed it at the river's edge in the bulrushes. Jochebed must have been holding back the tears as she placed Moses into the providential care of God. She knew that it was truly out of her hands now! She had to trust God to protect her boy. She was confident that God could protect her son far better than she was capable of.
The safest place for our children in right in the center of God's Will. He loves them even more than we do! He can take care of them way better than we can! He can protect them and shelter them when Mama is nowhere around! We must give our kids to God!! He can be trusted !!
Moses' mom gave him to God. She trusted God to somehow, some way, move on her behalf... It is incredible to read the rest of the story... She gave her son to God, knowing that was the only way she could possibly save him --then God gave him back to her for a time to train further.
God gives us our children but for a time. We must do our best to train them in the ways of God... We know the story—Jochebed was given her son back by pharaoh's daughter to care for but for a time. When Moses was old enough, his mother knew she had to surrender him back to Pharaoh's daughter. She knew one day, Pharaoh’s daughter would send for Moses and she would have to let him go once again. We, too, like Jochebed, must realize one day, the world is going to summon our children as well...
Jochebed knew her time was limited with her son and she knew she had to instill a love for God, His people, and His Word. Although there were no recorded written manuscript of Scripture at that time, the older generation didn't want the younger ones to forget about their ancestors. They made sure to verbally recount their entire history, going all the way back to creation, to the Fall of man, to Cain & Abel, to Noah and the Flood, to the pilgrimage of Abraham and his promise of a son, to Isaac, and to Jacob....it was a verbal heritage that was passed on by the telling of stories...
But something our pastor brought out so tremendously right here-- Moses himself was credited with writng the first 5 books of the Bible-- Although we know he wrote under Divine inspiration of God, his account of their history was remarkably detailed...Where did he learn it? ......his mother.
She crammed as much as she could into those few precious years she had him in her care.
Another amazing part that our pastor brought was that if you look at the book of Genesis, (although there is much detail in many different people's stories) 1/3 of the entire book of Genesis is the story of Joseph!! Why is there so much told of Joseph?? Could it be that Jochebed wanted him to intimately know the story of Joseph inside and out? Could it be that she wanted Moses to relate to Joseph’s life? Why?? Because Joseph, too, walked the same halls of the palaces and the places that Moses himself would walk once he was given back to Pharaoh’s daughter. Jochebed wanted Joseph’s story to resonate with Moses. Joseph loved God and even when it cost him his freedom in Potiphar’s house, he stayed true to God no matter what! God was with Joseph through it all and we know the story, how in due time, God turned the tide and raised Joseph up out of the prison and used him mightily to save a nation! Jochebed wanted Moses to understand that staying true to God no matter the cost was so worth it!! Jochebed believed that Joseph was an excellent example and role model for Moses to look to... (from being a dreamer at home, being sold into slavery by his brothers, to being a young man in Potiphar’s house to the prison to being raised up to being second in command of all of Egypt)
In the Bible, it often says “when they were weaned or when they were come of age” —when we hear that, we usually think of a very young toddler. (Maybe 2-3 years old)
Our pastor said that these phrases in that day actually meant “when the child was independent enough that it didn’t need its mother for its care and every need” He said there is some debate at the exact age this was but most will agree that it was around 7-8 years of age.
So, if Jochebed did have Moses in her care for perhaps the first 7-8 years of his life, she did her best to instill everything she could in her son. I couldn’t imagine only having that short of time with my son (my son is 8 years old himself!) I couldn’t imagine him leaving my care and having to send him out to “Egypt” at this point — This especially smote my heart! I realized I’m not doing nearly enough to prepare my children for “Egypt” (aka the world) My cry is “ God, help this Mama to train my children more fervently in Your Word! Let me hide them in our home! Let me hide them in the Word! Let me hide them in Your Will!”
In my mind, I can envision Jochebed walking little Moses down the path to Pharoah’s palace. Can you imagine what thoughts must have been running through her mind? I’m sure her heart was crushed as she knew her time with her son was swiftly approaching its end. As they made their way up that path, perhaps she was reminding him of some last minute instructions or a quick rundown of important precepts of Jehovah. Or Maybe she was just once again reminding him that no matter he did or attained in life, always remember he was not an Egyptian! He was of a greater heritage. Although it may not have appear to be so, with their people being slaves in Egypt, they were still the chosen ones! Chosen by God! There was coming a Deliverer! God hadn’t forsaken His people! One day, He would lead them to a land He had promised them!
As Moses’ mama handed over her son to Pharoah’s daughter, and walked that long, lonely road home alone, I can imagine once again, her faith was tested. I’m sure she was wondering if she had done enough- if she had trained him properly, if he would even remember what she had told him in the years to come. Poor Jochebed! She once again placed her son into the hands of a Big God! I’m sure she prayed for him daily. I’m sure she watched him peripherally as he grew in power and in might. When she saw him out with the Pharoah and his royal family, perhaps she may have looked closely to see if she could see any “Hebrew” remaining in Moses underneath all that Egyptian royal garb he was arrayed in. She kept faith in God that one day, Moses would remember! He was not an Egyptian!!
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:24-27:
[24] By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; [25] Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; [26] Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. [27] By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
We all know the story—that day did happen! While Moses may have acted rashly in anger, when he came upon an EgyptIan taskmaster hurting a Hebrew man, something reared up inside of him—that’s one of my people!! He knew he couldn’t sit idly by and let one of his people suffer. Jochebed’s voice may have been a constant echo in his heart— “Always remember, Moses, you are not a Egyptian! You are one of God’s chosen people! There are no amount of riches or gods in Egypt that can compare to the God of our Fathers!! One day, He will send us a Deliverer!! All Jochebed’s training and all of her prayers paid off in the end. Those few crucial years that she was able to train him proved enough to plant the seed in his heart and when he was old enough to decide for himself, he chose the right!
Wow! All of Moses’ training and instruction from his mama made a lasting impression... Egypt, with all its wealth, prosperity, advancement, treasures, (and even the promise of possibly eventually inheriting the throne of Pharaoh himself) was no match for the God of His fathers !! Egypt had 10,000+ gods that they worshipped but all those many gods of wood and stone was no match for the one true God!!
Moses saw Him that was invisible !! Somewhere along the line, Moses experienced the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for himself— He became the God of Moses too!!
The story goes on and on... how he flees Egypt, ends up in Midian, finds a wife, then God speaks to him out a burning bush telling him to return to Egypt, how he returns and God uses him mightily in the plagues to make Pharaoh eventually let the Hebrews go, how Moses became a great leader and Deliverer of God’s people and much more.
But think about it, the story narrative could read oh so different, if not for a praying, God fearing mama who refused to give in and just allow her child to be destroyed!! She fought for her baby and in turn, God honored her sacrifices and used her son to save a nation!! Wow! Mamas, our actions really do matters. We must follow Jochebed’s example to do our best to get our children in a place to where God will preserve them and keep them from evil. One day, it may be our children that God will want to use to help others and it might all depend on how fervently we train and invest in our children...
My prayer is “Lord, help this mama to do better!! 😭” I have to have His help to make a lasting impact on my children’s lives!!
Jochebed wasn’t competing with Egypt for her son. Egypt was competing with her God!! Egypt soon discovered they were no match for her God!! Egypt in all of its grandeur and with its temporal pleasures couldn’t compare to riches that God had laid up in Glory!! Moses knew that bearing the reproach of Christ was far greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt! Wow! 🤩
-Tiphanie ❤️
Disclaimer: full credit for this thought goes to my pastor - his teaching was tremendous! I could never do it justice! But I was so struck with this teaching myself, I knew I had to share it with you guys! I hope my feeble efforts to convey the message is enough to get his main points across!! I have been trying to take it to heart myself and allow the Lord to make me a “Jochebed”.
Full Bible text (Devotional reading)
Exodus 2:2-10 KJV
[2] And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. [3] 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. [4] And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. [5] 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. [6] 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. [7] 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? [8] And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. [9] 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. [10] 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.