Exodus 2:1-4 – A Mother for God – Bible study

Ex 2:1-4 A Mother for God \#Ex 6:20\ Moses parents were Amram and Jochebed. Notice that Amram, Jochebed, and Moses lived in an hostile world. Because there were so many Hebrews, the Egyptians decided to: \#Ex 1:11\ Enslave them \#Ex 1:13-14\ Exploit them \#Ex 1:15-22\ Execute them Mothers, some do will not understand what I am about to say, but the truth is that you and your children live in a hostile world too. 1. We are not OF this world: John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 2. We are not to LOVE this world: 1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 3. We are not to be LIKE this world: Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 4. If we do, we are not OF God: James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. The reason for that is that the world is not your friend. It belongs to the devil and what the devil wants to do to you is what the world wants to do to youand even more, to your children. How, the world uses seven evil philosphies to attack your children. It does so with the lie of abortion which kills children before birth. It does so with the lie of humanism which teaches children to live like animals. It does so with the lie of atheism which teaches children that they can deny their accountability before the Creator. It does so with the lie of materialism which teaches children to wastes their lives in the accumulation of things. It does so with the lie of pleasure which teaches children life is selfish. It does so with the lie of violence which teaches children that life is cheap. It does so with the lie of perversion which teaches children that Gods righteous values are wrong. Mothers, you are the mainline of defense! You must be like Jochebed. I. \#2\ Jochebed had the courage to CONCIEVE. A. At the time, Amram and Jochebed knew that there was a great risk to bring a child into the world. 1. It is always a fearful thing to bring children into the world but especially when the lines are so clearly drawn. 2. Yet into their fearful world, Jochebed and Amram wanted to bring children. 3. This couple was newlyweds. They had two older children. \#Ex 7:7\ Aaron was three years older than Moses and tradition says Miriam seven years older or more! 4. Why? B. Because God told us to do so. Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. Psalms 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. 1. Our children are not ours. They are the arrows in the Lords quiver. 2. Perhaps we shape and mode them, but they are the Lords tools. C. Reasons not to have children. 1. Because you can afford them. 2. Because you want them. 3. Because you think you are prepared for them. D. Sadly today, Christianity is dying. 1. It will NOT die for God will not let it, but it is greatly diminished. 2. Because Christians are not having children and rearing them to be arrows in the quiver of the Lord! II. \#2-3\ Jochebed had the courage to CARE. A. When Jochebed saw that she had borne a male, she could have given up, both in body and soulbut she did not. 1. Some mothers have allowed their love for other things to push to the back their love for their children. 2. Coldness and callousness mark these last days. Mt 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. B. I see a mother who loved her son! 1. She kept him in her home for three months. a. Understand, there had to be penalty greater than the death of the child if the boy babies were not killed. b. If all that would happen is that the baby would be killed, all the Hebrews would have hid their children and tried to keep them alive. c. Most likely the threat was ALL in the home would be killed. d. And so all were risking their lives for Moses. 2. She sought a way to keep her child alive. a. No doubt, many of the Jews had lost their way before God during that time. b. The Bible does not tell us of this familys walk with God. c. I think she sought God for wisdom. 3. She build a basket that would float. 4. She sent her daughter to follow the basket. Have you ever considered how that might turn out? a. The basket could sink and the sister would have to watch. b. An alligator could devour it. c. The child might never be found and die of exposure. d. Or maybe maybe somebody might find the basket. III. \#3\ Jochebed had the courage to commit. A. Every parent rears their child for the day to let them go. 1. Jochebeds day came earlier than most. 2. Jochebeds day included the threat of immediate and cruel death (alligators, drowning, dehydration) 3. What a horrible day that must have been! B. Yet, this lady had not committed her child to the river, to fate, or to chance. She had committed him to the Lord. 1. I would like to tell you that she had an iron-clad guarantee that her child was going to be all right, but I dont think she did. 2. I think she had to do what every parent has to dogive him to God and let God do what He will. a. Dont get me wrong. We do have a promise from God. Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. b. But dont you know that there were other mothers who wanted to see their children spared too? (1) godly women. (2) maybe they prepared baskets too. (3) But as far as we know, Moses was the only one who was spared during that time period. C. There is a difficult thing that all who will serve God must learn. 1. We must do our part. 2. But the results are in Gods hands. D. Have the courage to commit your childs life, abilities, education, ministry, and even death into the hands of God! E. In this case, Jochebed gave her child to God and God gave the child back into her care. IV. Jochebed had the courage to cultivate and control. A. Creating a child is the easy part. Cultivating that child is the hard part! B. Three Bible truths about child rearing. 1. Behavior tells of characternot just the childs but the parents, too. (A child is a mirror of his or her parents.) Proverbs 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. 2. Discipline still works! (Instruction, correction, rewarding, scolding, time-outs, grounding, spanking) Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 3. A whipping is not child abuse. Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. V. Jochebed had the courage to communicate. A. She made Moses understand some things that caused him to exchange the scepter for suffering. Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 1. This kind of character was not put into Moses by the Egyptian culture! 2. Jochebed did this! B. What should a mother communicate to the children? 1. Communicate Jesus! a. There are a lot of people who think that being a stay- at-home mother is a wasted life. b. There is no task more important than getting your children to Christ. c. Forget the dishes and the laundry. Tell them about Jesus! 2. Communicate godliness and character – Courage, honesty, commitment to Christ, loyalty, purity. C. Jochebed taught Moses who God was even though: 1. Even though, if Moses truly believed it, he would act differently. 2. It could have cost her life. 3. It could have cost Moses his life. 4. Why would she do that? a. Because she understood that she and her family were tools in Gods hands! b. Like Esther, she said in her heart, "We are born for such a time as this!"