“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,” Hebrews 11:23.
Girls and boys, here we begin the study of a number of verses which tell us of the place faith had in the life of one of the greatest of men — Moses.
I. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE DEVIL HAS OPPORTUNITY TO THREATEN THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN OF BELIEVERS.
It is only by the grace and mercy of God that such an attitude is not constantly operating within society as it did back in the days of Moses. The one who governed the actions of ‘the king’ back then was the devil. John 8:44. Both of the features of the devil were obvious in the life of Pharaoh, ‘lies and murder’!
II. THE FEAR OF MAN WORKS MUCH EVIL.
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe,” Proverbs 29:25. The disciples experienced this.“Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled,” Matthew 26:56. Happened to Paul also. “All they which are in Asia be turned away from me,” 2 Timothy 1:15.
III. THE FAITH OF THE PARENTS OF MOSES OVERCAME THEIR FEAR OF THE KING.
1. This fear was very common amongst the Israelites and many gave in to it. “Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live,” Acts 7:18-19. Some parents submitted to the murderous command and sacrificed their children for the sake of ‘peace’! “And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive,” Exodus 1:22.
2. Not so the parents of Moses. They hid him, concealed him, in their home for three months. They had the same courage as David! “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” Psalm 118:6.
3. When they could no longer do that Moses mother acted in faith and placed him in the ark of bullrushes. “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,” Exodus 2:3. This entailed great faith indeed. She trusted the Lord to preserve her child from crocodiles, drowning and many other dangers. Even parting with him must have caused her great pain!
4. But her faith was greatly rewarded. Moses was given his name by Pharaoh’s daughter because she said “I drew him out of the water,” Exodus 2:10.
We know that his sister Miriam was set to watch over the ark and she was sent to bring his mother to look after him when he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter.
Moses’ mother was even paid to look after him. “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,” Exodus 2:9.
We must note that, Jochebed, the mother of Moses, did all she could to care for him but AFTER that she acted in faith and committed his wellbeing into the hands of the Lord. That is the way of faith, boys and girls. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure,” Philippians 2:12-13. There are matters we must do for ourselves HOWEVER, even that is but the LORD working out His purpose through us!
NOW, have you done what you SHOULD and believed the gospel?