01 Nov 2015
Exodus 2-3
10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son.
She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
And she called his name - mosheh . We don’t know what name his parents gave him. (tradition
says Joachim ?) After Moses was 3 mo. old, he moved into the palace full-time. “He became her son” =
with all the privileges and perks of a prince. We don’t know a lot from the Bible about what went on
during these yrs. But we do know for sure that he was educated in the palace school because Stephen
mentions it in Acts chptr 7. I hope you read Acts chptr 7. Here’s a bit of that chptr.
Acts 7:20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful (good-Heb) in God's sight. And he
was brought up for 3 months in his father's house, 21 and when he was exposed (placed outsideNIV), Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was
instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
About 1500 BC, the Egyptians were the best educated people in the world. A neat quote from the
Jewish Kabbalah said, "that, of the 10 portions of wisdom which came into the world, the Egyptians had
9… This "wisdom" included spelling, grammar, medicine, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and
engineering. I was interested to read that Egyptian Elem. Ed., as in most countries, began with spelling
and grammar.
I’d like to defend myself a bit here, if I may. Not that anyone’s come down hard on me, but
never-the-less. Some of you may have wondered why I tell you each week about things from the
Midrash, or the Talmud, or from Josephus or from some other non- Biblical scholar. There are some
denominations where the mention of a non-Biblical source in SS would be tantamount to heresy. Here’s
my point and why I do what I do.
Turn back at Stephen’s speech in Acts chptr 7, with me for a moment. Where did Stephen find
this bit of history about Moses’ education ? We’ve read the all there is about Moses’ early life in Exodus
now. All we know about Moses life from age 1 day – age 40, we have been told from the few vs. in
Exodus. It’s the same in the Jewish Torah too. Porky the Pig would say- “That’s all there is folks, there
ain’t no more”. So where did Stephen get his info ? It was handed down, generation to generation, by
word of mouth until it was written down by some scribe. Oral history became written history at some
point.
Now ask yourself, is it true ? Did Moses receive an education in the palace of the Pharaoh and
was he mighty in word & deed ? (whistle a few bars of “Jesus Love me”) “…for the Bible tells me
so…” There it is, in B &W right there in my Bible and yours, so yes, it’s true. The inspired, Godbreathed Word, right ? We learned something about Moses that was true from Jewish oral tradition.
Without facts from Stephen’s speech we’d have almost nothing written down for us about Moses life w/
Pharaoh’s daughter, the Princess.
Now I realize all of the non-Biblical history and traditions about these Biblical hero’s (and
villains) are not true. Some are so fanciful and impossible, they’re funny. I like those most of all,
because learn something from them. It gives me the feelings and opinions of those ancients about their
own history/people. I find out how the people of that day & time, remembered their history. And why
they gave them reverence & honor, rightly or wrongly. I don’t share these facts from non-Biblical
sources to impress you, but because they help me, form a better, more complete picture of the places and
people we’re studying. I apologize if I include too much of this, OK ? Comments ?
OK, let’s move on. Turn w/ me if you will to 2 Tim chptr 3. One Arab scholar says that Moses’
education in the palace school, was supervised by “wise men” named Jannes and Jambres. Oops, there
I go again. Why would that be important ? Well in 2 Tim we’re told something about Moses that might
just make more sense since, knowing this.
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2 Tim 3:8-9 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth…
Jewish tradition says that Jannes and Jambres were the 2 chief magicians who “battled” w/
Moses and Aaron in Exodus 7. That’s the throwing down of rods, turning into snakes incident.
Remember that one ? We’ll study it later on. It’s a good `un. That’s what Paul was talking about. Here’s
another good example (I think) for including some info from non-Biblical sources into our SS lessons.
Where did Paul get that info ? He didn’t get it from Exodus. He didn’t read it in scripture. Is it true ?
Yes, indeed. So here we have yet another example of Jewish oral tradition, preserved for at least 1400
yrs, winding up in the mouth of a NT preacher and now recorded in our Bible, for our information. Neat
huh ?
One more thing. Back in Acts 7:22. Stephen says Moses was mighty in words and in deeds.
What’d ya’ suppose that’s all about ? Somebody say “Jim, I bet you have an idea”. Well I do. Josephus
gives an account of Moses & at one point says he was heir to the throne of Egypt. He also says as a
young man Moses was general of an Egyptian army, defeating the Ethiopians, driving them back into
their own country, and even taking Saba their capital. Unsubstantiated but interesting when you think
about all Moses does in the next 80 yrs. And while we’re talking about school & Moses’ education, let
me insert this. Moses is in the school of the palace for a reason. He is being prepared & doesn’t even
know it. Here’s the (NT) importance about that for us, today.
Those who God designs for service, He prepares & qualifies beforehand. IF God wants you to do
it, He’ll equip you for it. You know that expression, “where there’s a will there’s a way”. How about his
? “When it is God’s will, there will be a way.”
Well, we’ve made it thru’ vs 10. Vs 11 marks an important point in Moses’ life. It’s a major
division point. Most scholars agree that the life of Moses was divide up into 3 parts, each 40 yrs. long.
He was 40 yrs in the palace of the Pharaoh, 40 yrs in the “outback” desert of Midian, and 40 yrs as
leader of the Jews. Vs. 11 begins part number 2 of Moses life.
11 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. 12 He looked this way and that, and
seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next
day, behold, 2 Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do
you strike your companion?” 14 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.” 15 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.
Whew, some story huh ? Murder in the Sands. So much to talk about. I hope you’ll find this
thought provoking as I did. How old was Moses when this happened ? Some of the Jewish writers say he
was 18, others 20 yoa. Stephen told us in his speech in Acts chapter 7, vs. 23. "When Moses was 40
years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites.” Where’d Stephen find this out ? Not in
Exodus ? Oh no,… oh yes, another oral tradition handed down that Stephen repeats for our information,
and for inclusion in our Bible. Neat huh? There is a very interesting study of the importance of the
number “40” in the Bible. I won’t make you suffer thru’ it this morning, but (give the BSA sign) “be
prepared”.
Moses was 40 and he went out to see “his people” working” Why do you suppose he did this ?
Did Moses know they were “his people” or did the author mean he went to see the Jews at work and that
they, the Jews, were “his people” ? My question is when do you think Moses found out “the rest of the
story” ? As you read over this (before class), did you wonder who told him and how old he was, when
Moses when he found out he wasn’t actually an Egyptian ? Let’s read Acts 7:23.
Acts 7:23 “When he was 40 years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of
Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged
him by striking down the Egyptian.
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Many sources have different versions of how Moses found out he wasn’t Jewish. Even the Koran
has a version. The Movie “The Ten Commandments” has another version. Christian scholars are
divided. Some said the princess had become Queen after father died, and she proposed to make Moses
Co-regent. The prospect of this “pushed” Moses into declaring his real heritage. Some maintain he was
not aware that he was an Israelite until the burning bush incident. I intentionally stopped before reading
Acts 7:25. Let’s read it.
Acts 7:25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by
his hand, but they did not understand.
If we believe Stephen to be the most trustworthy source of info about this time in Moses life, we
must read more into the story than Exodus tells us. From this, it appears (to me) that Moses knew he
wasn’t Egyptian at the time of this incident. This could be Stephen’s conclusion that he drew from oral
tradition, or what Stephen knew by revelation. It doesn’t have to mean Moses thought this at exactly this
time, but it reads that way to me. But how he knew and who told him, I don’t know. You decide. And
here’s one more vs from Hebrews on the Moses incident we’re studying.
Hebrews 11: 24-26 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of
Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater
value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
As the events unfold in Exodus, it doesn’t seem to me that Moses “chose” anything exactly, but
that too could be semantics or the author’s conclusions. Moses’ murder did come out into the open,
didn’t it? Even if you’re God’s man, you can still mess up and it will be discovered. Nothing is hidden,
for long. Nothing tells us that God wanted Moses to kill this taskmaster or that He wants us to do the
same. Exo 2:14 “he was afraid”. Moses knew & everyone I read agree, this was a mistake.
The Egyptian taskmasters are depicted on the Egyptian monuments armed with long rods, said
to be "made of a tough pliant wood imported from Syria" (Chabas, 'Voyage d'un Egyptien,' p. 119). Obviously
there was abuse occurring and Moses reacted to it. Not pre-planned, at any rate. Pharaoh hears about it
and puts out a warrant on Moses head. (prolly a different Pharaoh that the one on the throne at the time
of his basket ride on the Nile) What does Moses do ? Moses high tails it outa’ town, headed to parts
unknown.
Exodus 2:15… But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down
by a well. Well, that’s a deep subject huh ? Where is Midian ? If you have maps in the back of your
Bible, turn to them pls. The Midianites are not mentioned in any Egyptian inscriptions but are
mentioned in the Bible, the Torah and in the Koran. The land of Midian is a somewhat vague
expression, because the Midianites were nomads, and over time moved their flocks in & out of
different, remote places. If you’ll look at the Red Sea you’ll see that at its northern most end, it splits
into 2 “arms”, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. Just like Cook Inlet divides into the Knik and the
Turnagain “arms”. The one on the right (east) is the Gulf of Aqaba. Most scholars agree that Midian
principal settlements were on the E side of the Gulf of Aqaba; but at times they extended N into the
upper Sinai peninsula, directly across from Egypt. Aqaba. Don’t ya’ just love that name? I love to say
it. “Aqaba” . Sounds so “Lawrence of Arabia”.
Some scholars have claimed Midian was not a geographical area but a league of tribes.
According to Genesis, Midian was a son of Abraham by his wife Keturah. (Gen 25:1–2). The
Midianites are also thought to be related to or the same people as the Kenites, since they are used
interchangeably in the Hebrew Bible. Moses' brother-in-law or father-in-law was a Kenite. (relatives of
Cain) (Judges 1) And just to make this a little more confusing, this same desert country in and around
the Sinai peninsula was sometimes called Cush or Ethiopia. That’s why Moses's wife is later called an
Ethiopian woman in Num 12:1.
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No bachelor should be allowed to stay free and happy for long. Let’s marry off ole’ Moses, shall
we ?
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, (sounds like the beginning to a salesman joke
doesn’t it ? “This ole farmer had 7 daughters”. sorry) …and they came and drew water and filled the
troughs to water their father's flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses
stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.
Funny quote from MH. [There is not much "natural politeness" among primitive peoples. The
right of the stronger prevails, and women go to the wall. Even the daughters of their priest were not
respected by these rude sons of the desert, who would not wait their turn, but used the water which
daughters had drawn.] End quote. MH = Matthew Henry
18 When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so
soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even
drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why
have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with
the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his
name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”
The girls’ father Reuel is called "Raguel" in Num 10 but the Hebrew spelling is the same in both
places. The word means "friend of God," and implies monotheisim. He is later called Jethro 3x in Exo 3
& 18. Jethro means “nephew of Jed”. (extra credit next week for this one) To further complicate issues,
another source names Hobab as the father-in-law of Moses (Judg 4:11), and Num 10:29 refers to
Hobab as Reuel’s son, implying that Reuel was Moses’ grandfather-in-law!
We have already talked about the possible reasons for this. These differences most likely
represent varying oral traditions. Many scholars caution us against using modern ideas to understand
how texts were written in the ancient world. They didn’t have “fact check” or “vetting” mechanisms
back then. A scribe just copied down handed-down history & oral traditions.
Jethor’s hospitality was the “norm”. It was the expected and natural way to treat strangers back
in thise days. Best thing we inherited from these Bedouins. Remember Dale’s vs from Hebrews 13:2,
please. “Be not neglectful to entertain strangers…” (now-a-days you must be be careful, but be
hospitable)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Take away from today’s lesson. Moses spent 40 yrs as Egyptian royalty, preparing for his life in
the Midian desert as a shepherd. All of Moses life up to that point was preparing him for the next part.
He would spend 40 yrs in Midian, preparing him for his next role as Israel’s deliver.
This might be the best part or the scariest part, depending on your viewpoint. It was just
Halloween after all. What if everything in your life up to now, was preparing you for the very thing that
God has next for you ? What if you’re preparing for a big life change and don’t even realize God’s
preparing you as well ? Or maybe you embarked on a major life change. Would thinking about it in this
light help you at all. Was God preparing me for what comes next ? While you consier this- remember
last week’s take –away.
Those who God designs for service, He prepares & qualifies beforehand. IF God wants you to do
it, He’ll equip you for it.
Next week pls read chptr 3. We’ll met back downstairs at 9:45.
Time permitting begin page 5
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God Hears Israel's Groaning
23 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. 24 And
God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and
with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
Why did God redeem/deliver Israel ? 1. God heard their groaning. He saw their desperate
condition. This appealed to God’s character & nature. 2. He remembered His covenant w/ Abraham.
Why did God redeem you & I ? same reasons. There was nothing to recommend me to Him.
There’s nothing good in me but He saw my condition & had pity on me and by grace saved me. God
knew my desperate situation and remembered His covenant w/ these patriarchs of old.
Some fav “remembered” vs of mine from Genesis. Remember these ?
Gen 8:1- God remembered Noah
19:29 - God remembered Abraham
30:22 - God remembered Rachel
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