The Birth of Moses
The Birth of Moses
Episode: 501
Season: 5
Just as Joy is heading out to the waterpark, she learns that her parents are helping at the community outreach drive today. As Joy grapples with what to do, Superbook appears and whisks the kids back to ancient Egypt. The kids meet Miriam who is helping her family hide her baby brother from the Egyptians. Pharaoh has decreed that all Hebrew baby boys be thrown into the Nile River! When the family can no longer hide the baby, he is placed in a basket and sent down the Nile River. Pharaoh's daughter discovers him and decides to adopt Miriam's baby brother as her son and names him Moses. After returning home Joy realizes that God had a plan for Moses and maybe for her too! She decides to seek God to reveal that plan and chooses to help out at the community drive by beginning a more mission driven focus. Exodus 1:1-22
Lesson:
God has a plan for your life.
Extras
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Character Profiles
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Young Miriam
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Young Miriam is used to the cruelty of the Egyptian soldier's stealing her family's food. Yet, she cannot believe that anyone would choose to harm her baby brother, Moses! She takes the basket to the river and prays for God to keep her brother safe. She then follows the basket as it glides down the Nile and then bravely approaches the princess who discovers it. Miriam then suggests that a Hebrew woman is needed to nurse Moses. That woman is Jochebed! No doubt Miriam cherished every moment she had with her brother during the extra time that God provided. No matter what happened, Miriam trusted that God had a plan.
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Bible References
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Baby Moses
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Baby Moses was a special boy who was destined to do great things for God. Moses was probably the only baby to ever float alone down the river in a basket and be plucked to safety by a real princess! Moses' name was given to him by Pharaoh's daughter; it means "I have lifted him out of the water." By God's hand, Moses returned home to be nursed by his mother for 3-4 years before returning to Pharaoh's palace where he was adopted and raised by the princess.
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Bible References
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Pharaoh (Birth of Moses)
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Pharaoh was troubled by the Israelite's exploding population and strength. He feared that they would align with Egypt's enemies to defeat them. He came up with an evil plan to cruely enslave them and then throw all of the newborn Israelite baby boys into the Nile River! Little did Pharaoh know that his own daughter would defy his plan when she decided to save, adopt, and raise Moses; the very one that God would use to deliver His people from Egypt!
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Bible References
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Jochebed
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Jochebed, Moses' mother, recognized that baby Moses was a special child unto God. She creatively managed to hide her baby for three years from Pharaoh's soldiers. When she could no longer do this, she placed him in a basket in the Nile River. By God's plan, Pharaoh's daughter rescued Moses and paid Jochebed to nurse the baby until he was old enough to live with the princess in the palace. With this gift of additional time, Jochebed instilled the ways of God and the Hebrew people in Moses that could never be taken from him!
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Bible References
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Pharaoh's Daughter
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The princess is bathing in the Nile River when she sees a strange object floating in the water. When she opens the basket, she has sympathy for the crying baby inside. Instead of turning the Hebrew baby over to her father, she chooses to protect him and adopt him as her own! She hires Jochebed, the baby's mother, to nurse him until he is old enough to live in the palace with her. The princess names the baby Moses, which means "I lifted him out of the water."
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Bible References
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Amram
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An Israelite slave, struggles with a large stone to be used for the Egyptian temple. He stumbles and drops the stone as the Egyptian taskmaster watches. This is Amram, who is married to Jochebed. He is the father of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. A fellow Israelite named Ehud helps Amram to his feet and pleads with the Egyptian to have mercy on Amram.
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Bible References
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Adventure Guide
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Q & A
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What did God create me to do in this world?
So, why am I here – what’s the plan; what’s my purpose? Can I even know? Does God just have a plan for a select few people? The awesome truth is that God has a plan for everyone. First and foremost, He wants us to be saved! That’s why Jesus came into the world - to save us from sin and death. (John:3:16-17, Luke:19:10). All we need to do is confess our sin; and trust in Jesus as our Savior! Then, we need to live in obedience to His Word in the Bible.
Now, doing this unlocks the rest of God’s plan for our lives!
Ephesians:2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” He has good things planned for all of us to do. Jeremiah:29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Notice that the word “GOOD” appears in both verses. God doesn’t just have a plan for you; He has a good plan.
The next part of God’s plan for all of us is to share the Good News; the Gospel of Jesus with everyone.
That is everyone’s purpose on Earth; if you have been saved, tell others so they can know Jesus too! (Mark:16:15, 1 Peter:3:15).
Now, God also has a specific plan for each of us too; and remember, it’s all good! In Exodus:2:2, Moses’ mother recognized that God had a special plan for her son. Exodus 2:2 says, “The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months.” Now, she didn’t know what God's plan was for Moses at the time, she just knew it was special. Many years later, that God's plan was revealed to Moses.
The little baby in the basket would lead God’s people out of Egypt! (Exodus:3:7-10).
Without a doubt, God has a good plan for all of us. It is never too early to begin to seek God for His plan for you.
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What does it take to do God's work?
In the story of Moses, we see several instances of courage, faith, and trust In God. It took courage for Moses’ family to hide the baby from Pharaoh’s soldiers for three whole months; especially when you consider that this was a small slave’s house and there certainly wasn’t a basement! (Exodus:2:2-3). As the video showed, it is likely that there were informants ready to trade information with the Egyptians for personal gain. It was a miracle they were able to hide him for three months. By faith in God, they did all they could do for as long as they could. Once they placed Moses in a waterproof basket, Miriam, Moses’ sister, displayed amazing courage.
A slave would not dare to walk up to and address a princess without an invitation to do so. Miriam trusted God and was willing to risk her life to save her brother’s life. (Exodus:2:7). Because Miriam did her part, Moses was brought up by his mother, Jochebed. During those early years of Moses’ life, he learned of the Hebrew people and Jehovah God, who had called him to do great things!
The book of Hebrews tells us of his courage and trust in the Lord. Hebrews 11:24-27 says, “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible." This was only possible because of the foundation he was given as a child.
We too can do the work that God calls us today when we act with courage as we trust completely in Him. “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you." (Deuteronomy:31:6).
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How do we recognize God's calling in others?
Jochebed recognized God’s calling on Moses. She did all she could do to protect her baby boy so he could fulfill God’s plan. (Exodus:2:2). God calls people to do specific things and anoints them. In other words, by His Spirit He empowers and enables them to perform a specific work or task. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” (Philippians:2:13).
It is important for us to not overlook or ignore someone’s calling in the Lord because of age or outward appearance. David stepped up to fight Goliath, the giant, when no one else would. King Saul originally only saw him as a boy who could not possibly defeat the great warrior. But David was empowered by God to win. (1 Samuel:17:33).
Jesus had many doubters who refused to recognize that He was sent by God. “They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can He say, 'I came down from heaven'?" (John:6:42; Matthew:13:55).
When God called Moses to go to Pharaoh, he was worried that the people would not believe God sent him. “But Moses protested again, “What if they won't believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” (Exodus:4:1).
After the Israelites left Egypt, God spoke to Moses and told him that He had specifically anointed or enabled craftsman to create special things for His Tabernacle. Exodus:31:3-5 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!” It is God who gives common people special abilities and talents to do His work!
1 Peter:4:10 says, “God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” We all have gifts and abilities God has given us to serve one another. We must never dismiss or overlook what God has equipped someone to do.
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Why teach a child God's Word?
Jochebed knew that God had plans for her baby—he was special. By God’s hand, the princess agreed to hire Moses’ mother (unknown to the princess) to nurse the baby until he was old enough to live in the palace as her adopted son. Scholars believe that this time lasted between 3-4 years. Think of what a blessing this was to Moses and his family! Jochebed was able to lay a strong foundation for her son in the rich heritage of the Hebrew people and of Jehovah God, whom they worshiped and served.
This foundation would serve Moses well in Pharaoh’s palace, as he was taught in the wisdom and of the Egyptians and became a very powerful man. Surrounded by power, riches, and temptation, he remained faithful to God. (Exodus:2:1-10 ; Acts:7:22).
Hebrews:11:27 says, “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.” How could Moses have remained true to God without that priceless foundation his mother had given him as a child? Deuteronomy:6:4-9 tells us the charge that is given to parents to lay that foundation of God’s Word for their children as they grow. “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.
And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Jochebed equipped and prepared Moses to resist temptation and fulfill his calling in the Lord. This was a perfect example of Proverbs:22:6: “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.“
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What does Moses' basket represent?
Moses’ mother could no longer hide her baby from the Egyptian soldiers. She waterproofed a papyrus reed basket with tar and pitch. Then, she placed the baby in the basket and floated it in the Nile River. Moses was saved from harm when the basket was plucked from the water by Pharaoh’s daughter. The Bible tells us that she had sympathy for the Hebrew baby because he was crying. She decided to adopt the baby and raise him as her own son. (Exodus:2:1-10).
God told Noah to build a huge boat which is called an ark to save his family in the water from the flood. The ark was also waterproofed with tar just like Moses’ basket. (Genesis:6:14). Genesis 7:8 says, “As the waters rose higher and higher above the ground, the boat floated safely on the surface.
The interesting thing is that “Tevah” the Hebrew word for the basket, is the same word used for “ark!” These two instances are the only times this word appears in the Bible!
The basket and the ark both pointed to Jesus and the cross. The cross is our ark today that rescues us and keeps us safe.
Moses had to be placed in the basket to be safe from Pharaoh’s decree to drown all the baby boys in the river. Noah and his family had to enter the boat to avoid God’s judgment. Everyone else who did not enter the ark drowned in the flood. We must believe in Jesus to be saved from sin and death. If we do not enter into a relationship with Jesus – we will perish. (John:10:9).
Moses’ basket was sealed. God sealed Noah and his family inside the ark and or saved them from harm. When we believe in Jesus we are sealed and protected by God’s Spirit. (Ephesians:1:13).
God loved Moses so much that He provided a means to save him. God loved Noah so much that He designed an ark to save him and his family. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to Earth to die for us, to forgive our sins, and save us! (John:3:16).
Discover God's love and plan for you
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