Moses is a type of Christ in many ways. Exodus 2.1-10
Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Exodus (1)
Pray Psalm 33.1-5.
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
Sing Psalm 33.1-5.
(Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns)
Sing with rejoicing in the LORD, for praise becomes His righteous ones!
With harps and songs raise grateful words, and let new songs of praise be sung!
Joyfully shout! His Word is true; He does His work in faithfulness.
His love prevails the whole world through; the LORD loves truth and righteousness.
Read Exodus 1.15, 16; and Exodus 2.1-10; meditate on Exodus 2.10.
Preparation
1. What did Pharaoh command the midwives to do?
2. What became of Moses?
Meditation
God is not hindered in working out His plan of redemption by even the most unlikely and improbable of conditions. Moses experienced an unlikely birth and an even more unlikely adoption. He left his own world, entered the world of the Egyptians, and became heir to their kingdom.
Inheriting the kingdom of Egypt, of course, was not to be, because God had greater plans in mind for Moses. Moses is a type of Christ in many ways, as we shall see. He also prophesies about the coming of Christ, though he could only see the barest outlines of what Jesus would be and do.
Moses was sent to the household of Pharaoh. He arrived there as an infant in a homemade ark, thus recalling God’s act of deliverance through Noah. Moses should have died at birth, according to the mandate of Pharaoh. Yet by becoming incarnate into the world of Pharaoh he would grow to the place of being judge of the wicked and deliverer of the chosen people of God.
Jesus’ birth was even more unlikely. How could the eternal come into time and space? The Creator become the created? Why should the Heir of God’s Kingdom leave His glory to come among a people who would despise and kill Him? Because God intended to save His chosen people. And Jesus would do so in a manner prefigured by Moses, by becoming one of us to judge the world and deliver us from our captivity to sin.
Moses was “drawn out” and sent to deliver God’s people; Jesus was sent down to “save” His people from their sins. Both took shelter in Egypt.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
And God continues to woo those who are not His people to become His people.
Joseph was sent to Egypt by the conniving of his brothers.
And Moses was sent to Egypt by the evil dictates of its leader.
Both godly men, were sent into the midst of non-believers to:
Bring a great deliverance to their own people; but also, to bring the grace of God amongst those not yet His people. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5.44, 45).
In these stories of Abraham and Isaac and Jochebed and Moses God wants us to see His heart.
Could there be any more heart-rending stories than these?
A father called to kill his only son, and a mother having to give her child away?
God sent His only begotten Son into the world to save His enemies.
“Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1.29).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3.16).
We dare never minimize the extraordinary, underserved love God exhibited toward us—what He gave of Himself and what the Son suffered on our behalf. It was immeasurable. Drastic. Gracious and merciful.
“But God demonstrates His Own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5.8).
God and Jesus. There They are! Working Their heart-wrenching redemption for us.
Unlikely Love manifested toward us; yet, thankfully, God kept reaching out to the Egyptians…to us, “that you may proclaim the praises of Him wo called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2.9, 10).
“Moses was drawn out and sent to deliver God’s people; Jesus was sent down to save His people from their sins.”
“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command” (Heb. 11.23).
May we have the same courage of conviction and faith as Amram and Jochebed; and the same appreciation for our own salvation, as they had for the safety of their son.
Jesus is our Ark, daubed over with asphalt and pitch (Ex. 2.3), to save us from drowning in our guilt and sin. Through His work, we too, were drawn out of the water (Ex. 2.10; Is. 43.2) to proceed with our lives, to work in our Personal Mission Field. As Moses, the one drawn out, said:
“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90.12).
Reflection
1. Where do you flee when trials and troubles come? Why do you flee there?
2. Whom will you tell about the mighty love of Jesus today?
3. Moses denied his inheritance. Jesus emptied Himself to become incarnate among us. How do these examples encourage you in your walk with and work for the Lord today?
Thus Moses in a former age
Escaped proud Pharaoh’s foolish law,
And as the savior of his race
Prefigured Christ who was to come. Prudentius (348-410), Hymns for Every Day 12.141-152
Pray Psalm 33.18-22.
Give thanks to the Lord for watching over you, just as He watched over Moses. Commit your day to Him and His Kingdom and call on Him to help and shield you. Be specific concerning your needs.
Sing Psalm 33.18-22.
(Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns)
God watches those who fear His Name, who hope upon His grace and love:
He keeps their souls from death and shame who trust in Him Who reigns above.
God is our Helper and our Shield; upon us let Your grace descend!
We hope in You; to You we yield; we trust in Jesus to the end.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
