January 18: Exodus 2:1 – 5:9
Today’s
text covers more than 80 years of time and I have tons of questions about it.
Most
likely you have heard many sermons about these verses. From the birth and
adoption of Moses to his experiences with the burning bush, these are some of
the most famous stories told to adults and children, both Christian and Jewish.
I long to know about Moses’ childhood. How often did he get to meet with his
mother after he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter? After having decreed that
the Jewish boys should be killed at birth, how well did Pharaoh accept Moses?
Did his daughter continue to hide the child, or did they all just pretend he
wasn’t really Jewish? For how many years did they continue to try to kill the
Jewish boys? And why the boys? It would have reduced the population much faster
if they had killed the girls.
As
an adult, Moses knew his heritage and was aware of the enslavement of his
people. Was the Pharaoh who wanted to kill him after he killed an Egyptian
slave driver the same Pharaoh he considered his grandfather? Was his adoptive
mother still alive? If so, did she ensure he had provisions for his trip?
Once
again the community well is the location of meetings that result in romance.
This time Moses does the watering for the residents (in contrast to Rebekah
providing water for a stranger). The next forty years are covered in just a
couple of verses. Don’t you want to know how Moses and Zipporah got along in
the early years and how Moses adjusted to being a shepherd (a job that was looked
down upon by the Egyptians)?
Instead
Moses, as the author of Exodus, jumps ahead to one of the pivotal moments of
his life. I so appreciate how he takes the time to show us his hesitance,
disbelief, and insecurities in the face of God. Many in this situation might
have a tendency to portray themselves as more brave. I wonder why God allowed
him to ask so many questions and beg off the task when He wasn’t so patient
with others in the Bible.
Then
there are just a few verses, 4:24-26, God seems to change his mind about the
whole thing and is about to kill Moses because he hasn’t circumcised his sons!
We don’t know if God had reminded Moses about this before or how Zipporah knew
what needed to be done, but it seems like a hard text in the midst of a salvation
story. How old was the ‘boy’? Moses had been married for up to 40 years. Was
it just
one son, or was it both?
How
well did Moses know his brother Aaron? Had they been able to grow up together
after Moses was weaned? Was Aaron jealous of the wealthy upbringing of his
brother? Can you imagine being an elder of the Israelites who met with the
brothers to learn that the Lord had finally responded to years of prayers? They
might have been looking forward to this day in the same way we look forward to
Jesus’ return!
TOMORROW’S
TEXT: Exodus 5:10 – 8:15
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