The Story of Moses
Before Moses was born, the children of Israel were living in slavery in Egypt. The Pharaoh was afraid the Israelites might get so strong that they could take over, so he ordered the killing of all male children born to the Israelites. Moses’ mother was a “Hebrew” – an Israelite. When Moses was born, she hid him for three months, then laid him in a basket made of bulrushes and placed him in the river, hoping someone would find him and raise him safely. The daughter of the Pharaoh discovered him and raised him as her own.
Moses saw how horribly his people were being treated. He saw Egyptian men beating the Israelites. In one case when he witnessed one of his Israelite brothers being beaten, he killed the Egyptian guard. Then Moses escaped, living in the desert for 40 years until God called him to deliver His people from slavery. God contacted Moses through a burning bush. God told Moses He had heard the cries of His captive people and wanted Moses to lead His people to a land flowing with milk and honey.
God told Moses to go and tell Pharaoh to let His people go. God knew that the Pharaoh was not going to free the Israelites, so God prepared to strike Egypt with all of His wonders. The first miracle was the rod that turned into a snake and turned back into a rod when Moses picked it up. The second miracle was when God told Moses to put his hand into his bosom. When Moses pulled out his hand, it was white as snow. Then, when he put it back again, it was normal. God told Moses if Pharaoh still didn’t believe to take water from the river and pour it on dry land where the water will become blood. God sent Aaron to go with Moses because Moses said he did not have the gift of speaking to the people.
When they went to Egypt to rescue their people, the Bible says Moses was 80 years old and his brother Aaron was 83. God sent 10 plagues so Aaron and Moses could convince the Pharaoh to let His people go. The tenth plague was the death to all the first-born in the land of Pharaoh. The Israelites put blood from a blemish-free lamb on their door posts to protect them from death, but Pharaoh’s first-born, his servants, all his people and all the Egyptian livestock were killed. This is what breaks the Pharaoh, so he finally agrees to let the Israelites go. The last miracle was the parting of the Red Sea, enabling the Israelites to cross on dry land and then drowning all of Pharaoh’s soldiers.
God has always rescued His people. The story of Moses tells us what God can accomplish and how God can use us to carry out His wishes. God still promises us the land of milk and honey when we listen to Him and obey His commands. Won’t you listen and obey God’s words today!
Prayer – Heavenly Father – you brought your people out of Egypt into the land of milk and honey. Help us hear your words today and obey each and every one. Amen.
Exodus 2:5-6 – “She saw the basket among the reeds and…she opened it and saw the baby.”
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Image: Eric Froehling, Johannes Plenio & Shifaaz Shamoon, courtesy of Unsplash
