[Study through the life of Moses]

1. The birth of Moses

Exodus 2:1-4 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 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. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

In the land of Egypt the children of Israelites grew in number that posed a threat to the king of Egypt, who had already forgotten, who Joseph was. The birth of children in large numbers, from the Patriarchs, in the land of Egypt, caused fear in the minds of Pharaoh, who, therefore, ordered that every male child born to Israelites be killed. The king appointed two Hebrew midwives, namely, ‘Shiphrah’, and ‘Puah’. (Exodus 1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah). These midwives are ordered to kill every male baby that takes birth to Israelites, and concede female babies to live. This was the strategy of the king of Egypt, who hoped that such plan would eventually pave the way for diminishing number of male children in the houses of Israel, while the number of Egyptians would increase. However, the midwives did not obey the king of Egypt, because they feared God. When the king of Egypt came to know about this, he called for these two Hebrew midwives and asked them why they did so. The midwives replied that the children were born even before they attempted to kill them, and thus, they escaped from the wrath of the king. In the meanwhile, a man from the tribe of ‘Levi’ married a woman from the same tribe and had a son. When the woman saw that the child was exceedingly good, she hid him three months. (Acts 7:20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months). Earlier Pharaoh had charged all the people of Israel that from among the children born to them, only female children be retained live, but all the male children be cast in to the river. When the woman could no longer hide the baby, “…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. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him”. Exodus 2:3-4

Amram and Jochebed were the parents of Moses. (Exodus 6:20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years). He was younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. The life span of Moses could be divided in to three equal parts of forty years each. The first period of forty years was from his birth to his escapement from the house of Pharaoh. The second period was from his escapement from the house of Pharaoh, to his return to Egypt. (Acts 7:30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush), and the third period was from his leadership over Israelites in their deliverance from the bondage under Egyptian king, Pharaoh, until his death upon the mount Nebo.

The life of Moses contributes to an interesting study as it stands out unique in comparison with the life of Lord Jesus Christ. Moses had three major roles to perform, the first of which was to be the leader of Israelites, the second of which was to give law to the children of God, the third of which was to mediate between them and God. Jesus came in to this world as the way, the truth and the life, to redeem mankind from their sinful nature, to give them beatitudes as found in Matthew Chapter 5,6 and 7 besides giving them, two great commandments, as found in Mark 12:30-31 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these", which contain the essence of all the Ten Commandments, and finally to become a mediator between the Father in heaven, and we on the earth. Moses was the deliverer of God’s children physically, while Jesus was the deliverer spiritually of His people Jews, first and the Gentiles next. Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Over and above any commandment that God man with man in the Old Testament, the New Testament covenant was the best of all that we could receive from Jesus. The Old covenants included in them the shadows of new things to come, which paved the way for the Old Testament saints also to be saved under the grace just as we are saved. Old Testament law was stringent in nature, which demanded unconditional obedience without sinning, where as the New Testament covenant included in it obedience sincerely, which is done through the grace. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Repentance of sins to Jesus and accepting him as Lord, is sufficient to be saved and that is achieved through the grace bestowed upon us by Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only mediator between man and the Father in heaven. Jesus said, in John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive", and in John 14:13 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son". Jesus also said, in John 10:30 "I and my Father are one".

The way the sins are forgiven of those in Old Testament period differs a great deal from the way the sins are forgiven of the ones in the New Testament period. Old Testament looked toward the coming Messiah, while we look to Jesus, who had already come, died for our sins and ascended to be seated at the right hand of the Majesty. Although, Aaron was priest, yet he and his children had to purify themselves first, before they could minister to others (Exodus 29:1) where as Jesus was sinless and without any blemish. (1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot). The righteousness is imputed on all, who believe in Jesus and it is free through grace. Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Moses was called by God to deliver His people physically from the bondage of slavery under Pharaoh. Even though his first reaction was to reject the call of God, he finally yielded to the call of God and obeyed His call. Moses was known for his genuine and reasonable anger certain times, common to any man, especially in breaking the first set of tablets containing Ten Commandments, arguing with God, when Israelites sinned, and striking the rock, when he was supposed to speak to the rock, to fetch the water for Israelites. Similar type of genuine and reasonable anger was seen in the Son of Man, Jesus , when the temple, where the Father in heaven was to be honored, was used by merchants, to sell their merchandise. Moses was humble in all respects, and was respected as more humble than any body on the earth. Moses was the only one who could have a glimpse of God from the back side, as God passed by Moses, when he prayed to show Himself.

Pharaoh's Daughter finding the child

Quite elegantly as God purposed it, Moses life span could be divided in to three equal parts of forty years of each. In the first part of forty years, Moses birth and his raising was in the highest place in the land of Egypt, where the knowledge and wisdom and the deeds of Egyptians could be learnt. In the midst of prevailing threat that his life could be taken as the king ordered for Moses was a Hebrew, his Levite mother took care to protect his life, by laying the child in an ark of bulrushes, daubed with slime and with pitch and leaving it in the flags by the river banks (Exodus 2:3). Miriam was Moses sister, who kept a close watch on what would happen to the babe left in the flags by the river banks. Truly, God was watching the child Moses, who would become one day the deliverer of God's people from the bondage of slavery under the king of Egypt, in whose very house the child would grow up learning all the deeds of Egyptians. As God's providence worked Pharaoh's daughter went in to the stream of water to have a bath and finds this ark bulrushes, daubed with slime and with pitch left to the care of God in the river. She sees to her surprise a babe in that ark, and fetches the boy to her home. As Pharaoh's daughter washed herself in the river her maiden walked along the river. Pharaoh's sister finds compassion on the baby boy found in the ark, and takes care of it. Miriam, who was watching as to what would happen, comes down to Pharaoh's daughter and talks to her, if she wanted a nurse to look after the baby. Pharaoh's daughter agrees to the novel idea proposed by the girl and tells her to provide a nurse for the baby boy. Clever enough the girl, who was baby boy's own sister, rushes to her mother and calls her mother, who is also the baby boy's mother. The mother gladly goes to Pharaoh's house and talks to Pharaoh's daughter, who tells her that she would pay a remuneration to her for looking after the boy. Now, not only the Hebrew boy was saved from the danger of being killed, but he was also provided with his own mother to look after him in the highest house of the land, where great knowledge was available. The child thus grows under the care of his own mother and was brought to the Pharaoh's daughter, who calls his name, "MOSES", because she drew out the child from the water.

Similar type of events surrounding the birth of Jesus could be seen, when King Herod ordered the killing of male children of two years of age and under, fearing that that one of the children would one become the King and overthrow him. Herod was very deceitful man, who conspired to kill Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem. Three magi went out from the east to Jerusalem, inquiring about Jesus, in order to worship him offer gifts to him. Herod heard about these wise men, whom he told to go and come back after worshipping him, and give him clue as to his whereabouts. Herod's plan was indeed to know the location where Jesus was, and to kill him, because he feared that Jesus would become the king of Jews. Herod was a new convert Jewish religion, and was king over the land, and therefore, he did not like any body say that Jesus would be the King of Jews. Joseph and his espoused wife went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) (Luke 2:1)in compliance to the decree issued by Caesar Augustus that all world should be taxed, which necessitated every one to move to one's own city to be enumerated. Mary was virgin yet she was with a child through the works of Holy Spirit. Joseph knew about it, and initially he was about to put her away in privacy, but an angel appeared to him and said she is innocent. Luke 1:34-35 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Mary brought forth her first born child, who was called, Jesus. There was no place for them in the inn, which resulted in the baby being born in a manger. Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him a manger. (Luke 2:7). An angel of the Lord, appeared to Joseph, and told him to take the child and Mary and flee in to Egypt, because otherwise, Herod would kill the child. This was in accordance with the Old Testament prophecy, which says, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt". Hosea 11:1. When Herod understood that the three wise men did not return to give information about Jesus to him, he felt that he was insulted, and therefore, his anger raged exceedingly high and slew all the children from two years old and under in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof. This was in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy, which reads, "Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not". Jeremiah 31:15. Just as Moses, who was to deliver the children of Israel physically from the bondage of slavery under Pharaoh, Jesus was to deliver the children of Israel spiritually from the bondage of sin. Moses was a man, born of Levite parents, and died just any man would, but Jesus shed his precious blood for the remission of not only Jews, but every one in the world, that whoso every confesses his/her sins and accept him as personal savior, will be saved and will receive eternal life.

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