Life Of Moses Part 1

Part 1: The Birth of Moses – God’s Hand in His Preservation

Main Scripture: Exodus 1:1–22; Exodus 2:1–10

Theme: God’s divine purpose, protection and preparation in the life of Moses.

Key Verse:

“And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.” — Exodus 2:2 (KJV)

1. Introduction

The story of Moses is one of the most remarkable accounts of God’s power, faithfulness and divine purpose in the Bible. Moses became one of the greatest leaders in biblical history, the man whom God chose to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and lead them towards the Promised Land.

However, before Moses became a deliverer, prophet and leader, he was a helpless baby born into a nation experiencing oppression, fear and suffering.

His birth took place during a difficult period in Israel’s history. The Israelites had grown exceedingly numerous in Egypt, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their increasing population, however, frightened Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He viewed them as a potential threat to his kingdom and began to subject them to harsh slavery.

In an attempt to weaken the Israelites, Pharaoh issued a terrible command that every newborn Hebrew boy should be killed. It was against this background of cruelty and oppression that Moses was born.

Yet, even in the midst of Pharaoh’s evil plans, God’s purpose could not be destroyed. The birth and preservation of Moses demonstrate that God is sovereign over human affairs and is able to preserve the people He has chosen for His purposes.

This study examines the circumstances surrounding Moses’ birth, the faith of his parents, the courage of his mother and the providence of God in preparing a deliverer for Israel.

2. Historical Background: Israel in Egypt

Read: Exodus 1:1–14

The Israelites originally entered Egypt during the time of Joseph, when famine affected the surrounding nations. Joseph, who had risen to become a powerful ruler in Egypt under Pharaoh, provided a place for his family to settle in the land of Goshen.

After many years, Joseph died, and a new king arose who did not know Joseph.

This new Pharaoh became concerned about the growing population of the Israelites. He feared that they might become powerful enough to join Egypt’s enemies during a war.

Consequently, Pharaoh introduced a system of oppression designed to control and weaken the Israelites.

The Egyptians:

1. Appointed taskmasters over the Israelites.
2. Forced them into hard labour.
3. Made their lives bitter through difficult service.
4. Used them to build storage cities such as Pithom and Raamses.

Despite this suffering, the Israelites continued to multiply.

Important spiritual lesson:

The oppression of Israel did not mean that God had abandoned His people. Even when their circumstances appeared hopeless, God remained faithful to His covenant with Abraham.

Sometimes, difficult circumstances make us question God’s presence. However, the story of Israel reminds us that God’s silence does not mean His absence, and difficult seasons do not cancel His promises.

3. Pharaoh’s Evil Decree and the Attempt to Destroy God’s Purpose

Read: Exodus 1:15–22

When Pharaoh realised that forced labour had not stopped the growth of the Israelites, he introduced an even more wicked plan.

He instructed the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill every Hebrew boy at birth while allowing the girls to live.

However, these women feared God more than they feared Pharaoh. They refused to obey the king’s command and allowed the Hebrew children to live. When Pharaoh questioned them, they explained that the Hebrew women gave birth before the midwives arrived. God rewarded the midwives because of their reverence for Him, and the Israelites continued to increase.

Pharaoh then issued a public decree commanding that every newborn Hebrew boy should be cast into the River Nile. This decree reveals the cruelty of Pharaoh and the extent to which he was prepared to go to maintain his power. However, it also introduces an important biblical principle: human authority has limits, and obedience to God must take priority when human commands directly contradict His will.

Spiritual lessons:

1. We must fear God more than human beings.
2. Doing what is right may require courage, especially when powerful people oppose us.
3. God sees and honours those who remain faithful to Him.
4. Evil plans cannot overthrow God’s ultimate purposes.
5. The courage of the midwives teaches us that ordinary people can play extraordinary roles in God’s plans.

4. The Birth of Moses: A Child Born with a Divine Purpose

Read: Exodus 2:1–2

Moses was born into the family of a Levite man and woman. His father was Amram, and his mother was Jochebed, according to Exodus 6:20.

Moses had an older sister, Miriam, and an older brother, Aaron. When Jochebed gave birth to Moses, she saw that he was a beautiful child and decided to hide him for three months.

The writer of Hebrews later tells us that Moses’ parents acted by faith.

Hebrews 11:23 states:

“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.”

The decision to hide Moses was not merely an act of maternal affection. It was an expression of faith in God and a refusal to surrender their child to Pharaoh’s murderous decree.

Moses’ parents recognised that his life was precious and chose to protect him despite the danger.

Spiritual lessons:

1. Every human life is precious in God’s sight.
2. Faith often requires courage and decisive action.
3. God’s purpose for a person’s life may begin long before that person understands it.
4. Parents and guardians have a responsibility to protect and nurture the children entrusted to them.

Moses was not yet aware of his future calling, but God’s hand was already at work in his life.

5. Jochebed’s Faith: Trusting God in a Dangerous Situation

Read: Exodus 2:3–4

After hiding Moses for three months, Jochebed could no longer conceal him.

She therefore prepared a basket made of bulrushes, covered it with tar and pitch to make it waterproof, placed Moses inside it and laid it among the reeds beside the River Nile.

She then arranged for his sister to watch from a distance to see what would happen to him.

This was an extraordinary act of faith.

Jochebed had done everything within her power to protect her child. Now she had to entrust his future to God’s providence.

Notice that her faith did not make her passive. She took practical steps to preserve Moses’ life while trusting God with what she could not control.

Lessons from Jochebed’s faith:

1. Faith does not mean doing nothing; it means acting responsibly while trusting God.
2. We must learn to surrender to God what is beyond our control.
3. A mother’s prayers, sacrifices and faith can have a lasting impact on future generations.
4. God can work through seemingly small decisions to accomplish extraordinary purposes.

Jochebed’s actions remind us that God often uses the courage and faithfulness of ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary plans.

6. God’s Divine Providence: Moses Is Rescued by Pharaoh’s Daughter

Read: Exodus 2:5–6

An unexpected event took place when Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the River Nile to bathe.

She noticed the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to retrieve it.

When she opened the basket, she discovered a crying Hebrew baby.

Although she recognised that he was one of the Hebrew children, she felt compassion for him.This is one of the most remarkable demonstrations of God’s providence in the story of Moses.

The very household that had issued the decree to destroy Hebrew boys became the place where Moses would be protected and raised.

Pharaoh intended to destroy Israel’s future, but God arranged for the future deliverer of Israel to grow up within Pharaoh’s own household.

What Pharaoh meant for destruction became an opportunity for God’s purpose to unfold.

Important spiritual principles:

1. God can use unexpected people to accomplish His plans.
2. God is not limited by political power, social status or human opposition.
3. Sometimes, the answer to a difficult situation comes from an unexpected direction.
4. God’s providence can be at work even when we cannot recognise it.

7. Miriam’s Wisdom and Moses’ Return to His Mother

Read: Exodus 2:7–9

When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered Moses, his sister Miriam approached her courageously.

She asked whether she should find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child.

Pharaoh’s daughter agreed, and Miriam went to bring the baby’s own mother.

Consequently, Jochebed was given the responsibility of nursing and caring for her own child.

Pharaoh’s daughter even offered to pay her for doing so. This was a remarkable reversal of Pharaoh’s original plan.

Not only was Moses rescued from death, but his own mother was given the opportunity to care for him during his early years.

We also see the wisdom and courage of Miriam. Although she was young, she acted with great understanding and played an important role in preserving her brother’s life.

Lessons from this event:

2. God can turn a dangerous situation into an opportunity for blessing.
3. Age does not prevent someone from being useful in God’s work.
4. Wisdom and courage must accompany faith.
5. God can use family relationships and unexpected circumstances to fulfil His purposes.

8. Moses Receives His Name and Grows Up in Pharaoh’s Palace

Read: Exodus 2:10

When the child grew older, Jochebed brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son.

She named him Moses, saying:

“Because I drew him out of the water.” — Exodus 2:10 (KJV)

The name Moses is associated in the biblical account with being drawn out of water.

Moses was therefore raised in the Egyptian royal household, receiving opportunities and education that would later become relevant to his leadership.

Acts 7:22 tells us:

“And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”

Consider the contrast:

1. He was born a Hebrew but raised in Pharaoh’s palace.
2. He belonged to an oppressed nation but received an education in the royal household.
3. He was destined to deliver the Israelites but initially grew up among their oppressors.
4. God was preparing Moses for a future assignment that he could not yet understand.

His early experiences would eventually become part of the preparation for his calling.

Spiritual lesson:

God can use different seasons and experiences in our lives to prepare us for future responsibilities. What appears ordinary today may become useful in fulfilling a purpose tomorrow.

9. Major Spiritual Lessons from the Birth of Moses

The birth of Moses provides several important lessons for Christians today.

1. God’s purpose cannot be destroyed by human opposition.

Pharaoh attempted to eliminate the Hebrew boys, but God preserved the very person who would eventually confront him.

2. Faith requires courage.

The Hebrew midwives, Moses’ parents and Miriam demonstrated courage in the face of danger.

3. God works through ordinary people.

Moses’ preservation involved his parents, his sister, the Hebrew midwives and Pharaoh’s daughter.

4. God is sovereign over difficult circumstances.

Even in a period of slavery and oppression, God was preparing a deliverer for His people.

5. Preparation often begins before we recognise our calling.

Moses’ early life was part of God’s preparation for his future ministry.

6. Parents have an important spiritual responsibility.

Jochebed’s faith and determination demonstrate the importance of raising children with love, courage and reverence for God.

7. God can turn situations around.

Pharaoh’s palace, which represented the power of oppression, became the place where Israel’s future deliverer was preserved and educated.

10. Personal Reflection and Application

The story of Moses challenges us to examine our own faith and relationship with God.

There may be times when we face situations that appear impossible, when the future seems uncertain and when the actions of others threaten our peace and progress.

The story of Moses reminds us that God is still sovereign, even when circumstances seem to be beyond our control.

We should learn to trust Him, remain faithful and continue doing what is right.

Like Jochebed, we must learn to combine faith with responsible action. Like the Hebrew midwives, we must have the courage to stand for what is right. Like Miriam, we must be willing to take initiative when opportunities arise.

Above all, we must recognise that God’s purposes are greater than the challenges we face.

11. Bible Study Discussion Questions

1. What circumstances surrounded the birth of Moses?
2. Why was Pharaoh afraid of the growing population of the Israelites?
3. What motivated the Hebrew midwives to disobey Pharaoh’s command?
4. What does Hebrews 11:23 teach us about the faith of Moses’ parents?
5. Why did Jochebed hide Moses for three months?
6. What can Christians learn from Jochebed’s decision to place Moses in the basket?
7. What role did Miriam play in the preservation of Moses?
8. How did God use Pharaoh’s daughter to protect Moses?
9. What does the preservation of Moses teach us about God’s providence?
10. In what ways can our present experiences prepare us for God’s future assignments?

12. Practical Exercises for the Week

During this week, consider the following activities:

1. Read: Exodus 1:1–22 and Exodus 2:1–10 carefully.
2. Memorise: Hebrews 11:23.
3. Reflect: Identify one difficult situation in which you need to trust God’s guidance.
4.  Practise: Demonstrate courage by standing for what is right.
5. Pray: Ask God to help you recognise His purpose and remain faithful during difficult seasons.

13. Prayer Points

1. Father, thank You because Your purposes for my life cannot be destroyed by the plans of the enemy.
2. Lord, give me the faith and courage to stand for what is right, even when I face opposition.
3. Father, help me to trust You in situations that are beyond my control.
4. Lord, give me wisdom to recognise and use the opportunities You bring into my life.
5. Father, use my life, family and experiences to accomplish Your divine purposes.
6. Lord, help me to remain faithful during seasons of uncertainty and difficulty.
7. Father, prepare me for every responsibility and assignment You have ordained for my life.

14. Conclusion

The birth of Moses demonstrates that God’s plans cannot be frustrated by human wickedness or political power. At a time when Pharaoh was determined to destroy the Hebrew boys, God was already preparing a deliverer for Israel.

Through the faith of Moses’ parents, the courage of Miriam, the compassion of Pharaoh’s daughter and His divine providence, God preserved the life of the child who would eventually confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

Moses’ story teaches us that God is always at work, even when we cannot see what He is doing. His preparation may begin in unexpected places, and His purposes may unfold through circumstances that initially appear difficult or impossible.

The central message of this study is that God’s purpose for a person’s life is greater than the obstacles that may stand in the way.