Exodus 2

From Theologica

Moses (2:1 - 2:22) Drawn from the water (2:1 - 2:10) Observation - - 2:1 Does this have any bearing on anything or does it only serve to show that Moses was 100% Livite? - 2:2 The woman bore a son. This child was not the eldest; as seen in v2:4. Aaron may even be older than Moses.

   - "beautiful" may be translated good.  Why would that have any bearing on whether she chose to hide him?

- 2:3 After three months, when he could no longer be hidden (why?) she put him into an 'ark'.

   - the ark was placed in the reeds, not sent down the river.  She put him in a place where he could be found.  She hoped that someone from Pharaoh's household would find him.
   - Was this just a mad hope? What drove her to think this would even be possible.  What kind of strength would she need to walk away while her baby was crying out for her?
   - Did God lead her to this decision through a vision or a command?
   - Surely his mother had great faith

- 2:4 Even then, though, she had her daughter watch him to see what would happen. - 2:5-6 Moses is drawn from the water by Pharaoh's daughter.

   - Interesting irony.  Pharaoh threw all the other boys into the Nile.  His daughter drew the one out who would destroy Pharaoh.
   - Why would the daughter have pity on him?  What would she have thought about his mother?

- 2:7 Moses' sister asks to find a nurse for the child

   - What would possess her to do so?  Was it part of the mother's plan?  Was it part of a plan given to her?  Or was it just hope?

- 2:8-9 the daughter of pharaoh agrees; Moses' sister goes to get her mother.

   - "He gives and takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord"
   - Moses' mother trusted God enough so much she gave her son to Him.  He gave her back her son.  Echos of Abraham.
      - God does not ask us for our child, but we must ask for His

- 2:10 How old was Moses when he was "returned" to Pharaoh's daughter?

   - Again, his mother had to give him up, but this time she had a history which told her God would give him back again.
   - Moses had to have become old enough to know about his heritage, but young enough to learn from the Egyptians

Interpretation - This is a narrative, I'm not sure there is much to interpret.

Application - - God can be trusted with what we value most. Whether our valuables are returned to us or destroyed, we are immeasurably compensated for them. (2 Tim 1:12 ???) - God's history of faithfulness should give us hope for his future of faithfulness - Investing in God? You'll receive a better ROI

Moses' flight from Egypt (2:11 - 2:15) Observation - - 2:11 "Now it came about in those days..." What days? The days when Moses had grown up.

   - This must have been at a time in his life where he was allowed a more free reign; to go where he desired to go.
      - Was this at the end of his education?
      - Stephen says Moses was 40
   - Clearly he had not been persuaded by his teachers

- 2:12 Moses the murderer. Why?

   - Why not work within the system he was brought up in?
   - He was willing to kill for his people.  He must have had a unique passion for them.  Like Worf in STtNG, he may have been more Hebrew than Hebrew.
   - Clearly his love for his people outweighed his reason at the time.
   - Did he think he was the deliverer?
       - Stephen, in the book of Acts, says that Moses defended the Hebrew and "took vengeance for the oppressed" (Acts 7:24).  Furthermore, v25 states that Moses believed Israel's deliverance would come through him.

- 2:13-14 Moses is found out. He desired his people to be united and questioned two who were quarreling, but in doing so they revealed that they knew that he had murdered the Egyptian.

   - Your sin will find you out.
   - Israel did not see Moses as their deliverer, they saw him as a murderer.
   - Worldly means never achieve Godly ends.

- 2:15 Pharaoh tries to kill Moses when he finds out. Moses flees to Midian (The west coast of Saudi Arabia).

Interpretation - - Why did it happen this way? It seems stupid. Why would someone of rank choose such a base way of bringing about redemption? - Moses was forty years old. He was old enough not to have the passions of youth, why? - He didn't think this one act would spark a revolution, or did he? Stephen said that Moses supposed his brethren would understand. Did he hope to ignite a rebellion against Egypt? - That's it! Moses thought his act of insurrection would embolden the people to lift up their hand against Egypt. He thought that was how God would achieve the redemption of his people. He was wrong and would spend forty years learning the truth. - It may be that the people were not ready to be freed. Ex 2:23 says Israel's cry went up to God while Moses was in Midian.

Application - 1. Seeking to further God's kingdom by the use of sin gets you put on a shelf. 2. Man's means are not God's means. We have an understanding of how things work in our world, but God knows the truth. God had no intention of freeing his people through insurrection, he planned to reveal his glory to an empire and show them their impotence. 3. God is not subject to man's timing. Although Moses wanted to be used, God may have wanted him to wait until Israel cried out to Him. What does that mean for me, where I am at?

Moses' new life (2:16 - 2:22) Observation - - 2:16 The priest of Midian (Reuel or Jethro) had seven daughters all of which were shepherdesses.

   - They had come to some well in order to water their flocks (sheep?)

- 2:17 The Shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses intervened.

   - Why? Was Moses so just that he just could not stand to see anyone oppressed?  (He did the same, sort of, for the Hebrew)
   - Is Moses driven by a sense of justice?  Or did he have some sort of hero-complex?
   - If Moses is driven by justice, how does that affect the rest of Exodus?

- 2:18-20 Moses is invited in by Jethro because of his good deed.

   - Why did the daughters leave Moses behind?

- 2:21 Moses chooses to dwell with Jethro. Jethro gives Moses a daughter - 2:22 Zipporah gives birth to a son, Gershom, which means "a stranger there"

Interpretation - - In the preceding seciton, Moses basically ruined his life for interfering between the Egyptian and the Hebrew. Here, Moses saves his life by interfering. What is the difference?

   - Could it be the heart behind it?
   - Is there even a connection?

Application - - Righteous acts lead to being taken care of (2:18-20). Moses' actions led to him being brought in to Jethro's household. Similar to the midwives in Ch 1.

The Call of Moses (2:23 - 4:26) The Burning Bush (2:23 - 4:23) The cries of Israel (2:23 - 2:25)

Observations -

- 2:23 Israel cries out to God because of their bondage

   - The king/pharaoh died.

   - Why begin to cry out now?  Is the new king more harsh?

   - Is it only now that they begin to seek God?

   - Did the new pharaoh seek to establish himself as ruler by inflicting greater suffering?

   - Maybe it was seeing another pharaoh die, like the ticks of a clock marking off the years of their enslavement

      - How many kings had passed before and how many more kings would pass before Israel was freed?

- 2:24 God heard their groanings -> God "remembered" His covenant

   - This makes me wonder if Israel had not truly called out to God before this

- 2:25 God takes notice of Israel

   - "took notice of them" may also be translated "knew them"

Interpretation -

Application -

- God does not hear the cry until it is truly directed at Him