Moses: through him, God rescued His people from captivity in Egypt, split the Red Sea and led them into freedom and prosperity. But there would be no Moses without the faithful work of the people who protected him immediately after his birth. Moses was sentenced to death before he was born and orphaned before he could walk. If not for the righteous effort of his mother, sister, midwife, adoptive mother and brother, his life would have been over before he took his first breath; he would have been nameless and powerless before he could talk.
God accomplishes profound work among humanity through humanity. Plural. The Book of Corinthians states that God's family is a many-member body (the heart needs the brain; the brain needs the heart; the heart and brain need the blood; the blood needs the lungs, etc). The efficiency of its operation is due to the work of different but equally important parts and skills. The account of Moses' first days teaches us that we have been intricately placed in skills and positions to make instrumental tweaks and opportunities in the grand scheme. The story of Moses' birth is a prime example of how those who star leading roles in scripture, and in life, are only able to do so because of the good, brave, observation and compassionate work of the people around them: God's children working faithfully behind the scenes.
- GOD NEEDS PEOPLE WHO PUT GOOD THINGS INTO THE WORLD
In the Old Testament, God's people were named "The Children of Israel." They were a large group of tribes born from the twelve sons of Jacob (who was renamed Israel by God). Jacob's sons, turned into generations and tribes of people, were counted as God's people because they descended from Abraham. Abraham was the first to make a covenant with God. Part of that covenant between God and Abraham was for Abraham's posterity (the Children of Israel) to inherit both land and freedom through God's divine leadership of them. And that's where we come to Moses.
The Children of Israel were on the brink of change; to escape famine, they had been living in Egypt and more importantly... they had been growing in Egypt. Their population became so big and prosperous that the Egyptians started to resent them and fear the growing strength. The children of Israel had once been guests in Egypt but had increased so much that the Egyptians feared they would take over. Several generations back, Egypt had happily hosted the tribes on behalf of Joseph, one of Jacob's sons who had saved Egypt from destruction. But Joseph was long gone and forgotten by the current king. Thus, the Children of Israel became unwelcome.
To suppress the children of Israel, the king decided to turn them into slaves. He made sure their day's work was hard and long and cruel. But these were people God had made a covenant with, therefore they were strong and resilient. Since harsh slavery did not seem to be thwarting them, the king of Egypt decided to try another route: he decided to kill their male newborns.
Yet Moses' soon-to-be mother and father, Amram and Jochebad, decided to start a family. They married and Jochebad conceived and birthed Moses. The parents understood that they could not persevere by keeping from producing good things, righteous things. As God's people, it was important that they had a propensity for creation and production. You see, Moses' mother represents more than the women who grow and push precious children into the world. She represents every person, male or female, parent or not, who put, produce and create good things into the world.
Humanity can only ever progress and excel if we, as individuals, are willing to continue to produce and create in the midst of uncertainty and fear. In the face of opposition, we must multiply our efforts not reduce them. Just as Amram and Jochebad ended up producing a prophet who would deliver their people from the very oppression they were living under, so too can we each end up changing the landscape of the world with what we create. God needs people who are willing to put good things into the world because there are many people who are willing to put bad ones. Every good thing, and person, is an agent of righteousness, and one sorely needed by the world.
- GOD NEEDS PEOPLE WHO ARE BRAVE
Jochebad decided to have a child, but that child was still sentenced to death by the government. If the baby were to live, someone would have to intervene. Someone who have to be brave enough to oppose the law in order to uphold justice. That someone was a midwife, in fact, many of them, who chose not to kill the Israelite newborns despite a direct order from their king. This is not a promotion of anarchy but an encouragement to uphold justice by confronting injustice.
Shiphrah and Puah, the midwives charged by the Pharaoh to kill the children were called back to the king; he was enraged that they had defied his order. In explanation of their disobedience to him (but not to God) they told the pharaoh the the Israelite women were so strong and healthy that they gave birth before the midwives could get to them. In response, God supported the midwives brave and righteous efforts; He provided households for them, to support them and their work.
God is grateful for brave work; He supports it. He supports you, when you decide to be a proponent for justice, especially in the face of fear. Moses and his mother would have been thwarted without them. Think of how many people, ideas, causes, and institutions in the world would fold or be reduced to rubble without the brave, protective work of children of God. You may not be the figurehead, as Moses was; you may not be the creator/producer, as Jochebad was, but you just may be the person with courage enough to protect those people. You might be the person with the gumption enough to disallow law, fear and enemy from thwarting what is meant to be in the world to promote and establish justice.
God is grateful for brave work; He supports it. He supports you, when you decide to be a proponent for justice, especially in the face of fear. Moses and his mother would have been thwarted without them. Think of how many people, ideas, causes, and institutions in the world would fold or be reduced to rubble without the brave, protective work of children of God. You may not be the figurehead, as Moses was; you may not be the creator/producer, as Jochebad was, but you just may be the person with courage enough to protect those people. You might be the person with the gumption enough to disallow law, fear and enemy from thwarting what is meant to be in the world to promote and establish justice.
- GOD NEEDS PEOPLE WHO OBSERVE IN THE WORLD
So Moses was born and kept alive, but he was not yet safe. Jochebad hid Moses for three months before he became too difficult to hide. She decided to build a basket that would float on the river, place Moses inside, and gently push him off into chance. With her, he had no chance at survival; the children of Israel's babies were targeted and sentenced to death. In the river, his mother hoped he would have a chance to survive.
Moses' elder sister, Miriam, watched her baby brother's basket in the river. She observed his course. Because of her keen observation, she was able to if not ensure, than at least steer his course. Moses' baby basket was discovered by Pharaoh's daughter; she sent her maid to retrieve the baby. Miriam's observation provided her with a chance: she came from her watch-place and offered to find a nurse for the baby. Pharaoh's daughter seemed to have the intention of keeping the infant, but would need a woman to nurse him. Miriam knew just the woman: Moses' mother. Moses would no longer behold to her, but his life would be saved and Jochebad would have the chance to nurse her own child.
Miriam was not simply in the right place at the right time; she made sure to be in the right place in case a time came where she could make a crucial change and impact. We should all be so concerned with what is "coming down the river" so to speak. We should care about the course of our world and of the people around us. We should observe and listen; analyze and position ourselves in places where we can restore and change and steer the direction of our families, relationships and societies.
- GOD NEEDS PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPASSIONATE
Pharaoh's daughter promptly fell in love with baby Moses. More specifically, Exodus 2 states that she had compassion on him. She found an infant and her wholehearted instinct was to nourish, protect and save him. She used her resources to ensure his survival and success. She adopted the baby as her own, even though she had no responsibility to do so. She made him her moral responsibility, and one she took on with willingness and joy.
We each have a role to fill. We each have some resource that some need requires: money or friendship, time or support, love or laughter; wisdom or direction. Likely you will not find an infant in a basket but at some point in your life you will stumble upon a person or cause or idea or institution that could greatly benefit from your compassion. What if the pharaoh's daughter kept walking? What if you do? It would be a detriment to humanity for you to withhold your compassion.
Perhaps you are not about to rescue the next great prophet, but to God, each person is irreplaceable, highly valued and deeply loved. You do a great service to the Kingdom of God when you have compassion on its members. Luke 15:7 states that there is more joy in heaven over one saved sinner than one hundred righteous persons; and Matthew 18:12-14 tells us that even God chases after the one, the individual, who is lost. Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses and changed the course of history; unwittingly, she provided the children of Israel the leader they needed to be rescued and directed. Your compassionate intervention changes the course of your generation as well.
- GOD NEEDS PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT AND PROJECT THE MEEK AND HUMBLE
Moses was chosen by God to lead the children of Israel into freedom. He balked at the prospect; he felt wholly inadequate. He the opposite of an orator. He needed help. He requested help, and help came in the form of his brother, Aaron. Moses was chosen for great purpose but still, even as an adult, he could not do it alone. Aaron supported Moses; he received delegation from Moses as Moses received delegation from God.
No matter who you are, you have a strength and you have a weakness. Supplement others' weaknesses and God will ensure that others supplement yours. As mentioned in scripture (Corinthians 12), God supplies each individual with a spiritual gifts. They differ from person to person. Used together, they make a whole, functioning piece. Someone else might have the idea, but you might have the means or the knowledge to bring it into fruition. You might have the vision but not the courage or eloquence to present it.
Project people toward fulfillment. Support. Nourish. Encourage. Moses and Aaron worked as a team, united under God's direction. People are not meant to be steps, they are meant to be pillars. They are not meant to be stepped on but supported, supporters. The faithful work of so many people before Aaron put Moses into a position of leadership; yet without Aaron, it all might have come to nothing.
Take courage from the story of Moses' birth. You have important behind the scenes work... but also, God is ensuring that the people around you have behind the scenes work in your life as well. God is actively bringing your fulfillment into fruition. The Kingdom of God is operating for you, for your eternal establishment in life and justice and love.