Context:
Moses according to Acts 7 is now about 40
Acts 7:23 ““When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.”
-Last week we left off with the birth of Moses and his adoption into the house of Pharaoh
The people of Israel have been oppressed the Pharaoh has begun a mass genocide of the male children and yet in the midst of these tragedies the Lord spares this child through the ingenuity of his mother and the kindness of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Moses in retelling his birth leads us with many questions but few immediate answers as he pulls us deeper into the work that God did in his life to use him to lead the people out of Egypt.
And so from his birth we quickly jump forward 40ish years, and now find our prince of Egypt striving to be a would be savior to his people:
I. The Life of a Would-Be -Savior (11-22)
A. Moses Avenges his own (11-12)
Exodus 2:11–12 “One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.”
When we time jump we now find Moses no identifying with his place in the royal palace but with his own people.
-We don’t have a exact reason for the change in him, We don’t know what spurs him on that here he is 40 years of watching the Hebrews be oppressed, but now he cares.
-What we know is this is all part of God’s timing and for whatever reason Moses now will no longer identify with the house of Pharaoh but will now align with the nation of his birth.
-But the first thing we see with this adult Moses is that he has a sense that Justice is being distorted int he the Land of Egypt.
-He sees their burden and seems to be amazed that these things are transpiring.
-He sees an Egyptian Beating (Same word that we will see later for what Moses does, but this context seems to be a normal occurrence not killing him ) a Hebrew
-The phrase that he looked this way and that has 2 debated meanings (Either he was looking to make sure no one saw him or he was looking to see if anyone would stand up for the injustice being perpetrated against the Hebrew being beaten)
-Both carry with them the fact that Moses is concerned with what is transpiring against his own people
-Maybe a bit of a There but by the grace of God go I moments
But either way Moses does take justice into his own hands and kills the Egyptian hiding his body and seeming to be proud of himself.
The book of Acts will highlight that Moses in this moment did see himself as a type of savior to his people. Maybe he could free them from their bondage, maybe he was the right man at the right time to rise up and ends Pharaoh oppression of his people
-He has a sense that he has accomplished something, unfortunately we will see he has done nothing of true consequence but seal his own fate and future and in this moment it is not as a leader of his people, for what he attempted to do of his own strength will be of no use
for he is quickly dismissed by “his Own”
As we continue:
B. Moses Rejected by His own (13-15a)
Exodus 2:13–15 “When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.”
-The very next day he goes out again to his own, but now no longer seeing them oppressed by Egypt but rather oppressing each other.
-Its an amazing fact of life that the oppressed and abused historically become oppressors and abuser, In their weakness they seek to beatdown those weaker than themselves.
- Our text doesn’t sugar coat the people of Israel here. They too are not innocent of violence (No one comes out clean and worthy of God’s mercy on their own)
-MOSES the seeker of Justice now turns to the one in the wrong and question his actions and is quickly rebuffed and rejected.
-These are the first words of Moses in the text and they give us a picture of his heart. He is seeking the good of his people and justice, unfortunately the people are not as concerned as he is
Ill. The Students Revolution in France (Les Miserable)
-The man asks a very pointed question that will take 40 years in the wildness of Midian to materialize but it was relevant in the moment: what gave Moses the right to judge them
-In that moment the only position he had was as a son of Egypt they did not recognize him as their own
-His killing of the Egyptian didn’t change his place in their eyes
-If anything this could be used rather as a way to boost this mans place by turning Moses over to Pharaoh
-Our would be saviors time has run out and he is not going to save the people, rather he is the one in needing of salvation and so with Pharaoh’s anger kindled against him he flees
-He has no home in Egypt and no home with the Hebrews and so to the land o Midian he will go.
-and there we will begin a new life at a well. (Sound familiar)
-We say many wells in Genesis and many new family formed there.
-Both Rachael and Rebecca are found at wells.
C. Moses Saves Reuel’s Daughters (15b-21)
Exodus 2:15–21 “When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah.”
Moses’ quick transitions in the storm help to feel the intensity and quickness of how the Lord moved him out of Egypt and into the wilderness.
-Midian is general associated with the region from the red sea to the northern Sinai peninsula, but that is often debated. They are generally considered a nomadic people from the son of Abrahams second wife (Genesis 25:1–2 “Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.” )
Moses Highlights here his third attempt at seeking justice (this time involving 7 daughters of the priest of Midian)
-Here he is successful and not only does he save them but he then gives water to their sheep.
-Moses really putting the moves on here (No indication that that is happening)
-The daughters when returning home tell their father everything
-His name here is probably more often associated with his position (Rue El means Friend of El)
-He will later be called Jethro throughout the book of Exodus
-The refer to him as an Egyptian which probably highlights that his appearance was in keeping with his royal place
_ He calls Moses to join them (A proper right of hospitality)
D. Moses Accepted in Midian
Exodus 2:21–22 “And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.””
-While Moses was cast off from Egypt and Israel in Midian he finds a new home
-He is given a wife
-He has a son
-His name has been interpreted in two ways
-Moses is a sojourner in Midian
Moses was a sojourner in Egypt
-Based on the context it seems best to see him highlighting the fact that he has now found his home having been cast out of his old life
-This also parallels the fact God will continually refer to his people as sojourners in Egypt awaiting their new home
-just as we are sojourners
-For Moses though at the end of our text His life is good
He is settled in a new land with a new family, but life back in Egypt has not gotten any better
II. The Covenant Faithfulness of the True God (23-25)
Exodus 2:23–25 “During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.”
-While Moses is living it up in Midian the Pharoah has died but the trials have not gone away
-New King same problems
-But into the seen we now have a glimpse into heaven
-The time has come
The final 3 verse of chapter 2 are the catalyst for all that is top come and a bridge to all that has been
For through it all there is the question where is God
-He blessed the midwives (but death continued)
-He spared Moses (Oppression didn’t end)
-Where is God
It’s a serious question but also one the harkens back to genesis 15
- Genesis 15:13–16 “Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.””
-God will now act
-4 Words describe this moment with God
A. God Hears
-The people actively Cry out for help
-They seek salvation from their oppression
-They acknowledge their inability to save themselves (Even Moses failed at this)
-He was not deaf to their sorrow (This theme of crying and hearing will carry on throughout the OT)
-His timing was active even in their suffering
App: God Hears our suffering cries (Even if it doesn’t feel like it)
B. God Remembers
-From their cries the text says he remembers
-It is not that he forgot
-Uses human language to convey a deeper meaning
-IN remembering it highlights God is now going to bring about the covenant promise form Gen 15. It is a call back
-It is also a reminder that the work he is going to do in Israel is not a new work, but a continuation of what he began in Abraham (We see this even in the parallels of Moses as a new Patriarch figure)
App: God will never forget his promises to his children. Our salvation is secure even if it looks bleak
C. God Saw
-He saw his people
-He saw them let that sink in, There is an intimacy in the text.
-He sees his own (His people)
D. God Knew
He knew
-The ESV gets this translation right, but leaving it objectless.
-The final phrase her captures the sense of God at work.
-He knew, we has about to act, he was at work, the time has come
Two Cathedrals (2.22)
Mrs. Landingham: Look at you, you're a boy king. You're a foot smarter than the smartest kid in the class. You're blessed with inspiration. You must know this by now, you must have sensed it. Look, if you think we're wrong, if you think Mr. Hopkins should honestly get paid more than Mrs. Chadwick, then I respect that. But if you think we're right, and won't speak up because you can't be bothered, well, god, Jed, I don't even want to know you.
Jed: Mrs. Mueller gets half as much to teach band as Mr. Ryan does to coach crew?
Mrs. Landingham: You're going to do it.
Jed: Well, I didn't say that.
Mrs. Landingham: Yes, you did.
Jed: When?
Mrs. Landingham: Just then. You stuck your hands in your pockets. You looked away and smiled. That means you made up your mind.
God’s Mind is made up, His sovereign plan from the beginning told to Abraham is now about to begin, but he will need to call a man to lead his people out of bondage, and what better choice is there, then their failed would be savior living it up as a shepherd in Midian…….
God will succeed in enacting justice where Moses failed
So what do we do with all this:
- We learn that our plans are not the same as God’s plan
- We learn that suffering is not the same as being left alone by God
- We see Christ suffer for us to bring us salvation
- We learn that we have a God who will not forsake us
- And it is not because we are so Great it is because he is so merciful
- If we are in Christ his promise are for us
- If you are a believer then He is a God who Hears, remembers, sees and knows
- Even if you don’t you can trust he does
- He works all things according to his timing
- In the full ness of time Christ came bringing salvation (many generations removed from
