Exodus 1:22 – 2:10

1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

2:1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

Amram and Jochebed may not be household names today, but they should be! They are, of course, the parents of Moses. Not much is known about them other than being his parents – and his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam. Together, they are mentioned in the Bible less than a dozen times.

But, even though we don’t know a lot about them; what we do know about them is vitally important… especially, Jochebed’s faithfulness in sparing the life of Moses and then raising him for the daughter of Pharaoh.

I thought about titling this sermon, “Jochebed, the Mother of Moses” but, instead I have titled it “Setting Up Your Children to be Used by God.” Why? Because what we do is more important than who we are! No one else but Jochebed will be the Mother of Moses; but, any Christian mother can do what she did! Any godly Christian Mother can set her children up to be used of God!

As we look through these eleven verses, I want to examine and explain the answers to five vitally important questions that she faced; and, that we still face today:

What are the implications for our children when the National Government becomes the enemy of God and His Kingdom people?

How should a godly mother respond to cataclysmic threats to the welfare of her child?

What can a godly mother do when there is absolutely nothing she can do?

Is it possible in such dire circumstances to have our prayers answered and to have our fondest dreams for our children come true?

How does a godly person respond when the will of God for our children is not the same as our will for our children?

Beloved Ones, while Jochebed’s situation was unique, Christians face these same kinds of situations both today and in the future.

On this Mother’s Day, I want to honor Jochebed and her faithfulness to God… but, more than that, I want to instruct and encourage God’s Kingdom people that God is still sovereign and He is still in charge of His creation.

We can still be faithful to HIM and HE will always be faithful to us!

I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side!