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Volume 33   Number 20 May 17, 2009

        Exodus 2:1-10: A man (Amram) of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. Her name is Jochebed, which means "Jehovah Is Honor" or "Glory of Jehovah." She is the first person in the Bible to have a name compounded with Jehovah. Her name literally means God presence is with her. So Jochebed conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child (or child of nobility, a child of destiny), she hid him three months.
        Remember the setting. The children of Israel were in Egypt. Joseph and all of his generation had died, and a new king arose over Egypt. In the meantime, the children of Israel had greatly increased, multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty, and the land was filled with them. In fear, Pharaoh commanded that every son be cast into the river. In the midst of this, Moses was born.
        But when Jochebed could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank. And his sister (Mariam) stood afar off to know what would be done to him.
        Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river. And her maidens walked along the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
        Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?" And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the maiden went and called the child's mother. Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water."
        It is interesting to realize that the circumstances at that time were not so different from what they are in this day and time. (1) It was hard times POLITICALLY; they were in bondage to Egypt. (2) It was hard times ECONOMICALLY; they were slaves doing hard labor. (3) It was hard times SPIRITUALLY; there was no vision or hope. The demon Egyptian gods ruled the land and people. (4) The worldly philosophy of HUMANISM was predominant.
        However, God had Jochebed, a mother with vision and a mother with God's presence. Numbers 26:59 tells us that she had three children. The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Mariam.
        The first child was Mariam, who is a type of the Holy Spirit. She was the sister who watched over her brother in the ark to comfort, protect, guide, and provide for Moses. She was a worshiper, a dancer, musician, and prophetess. At the age of 92 (perhaps even older), Mariam led Israel in praise and worship as they marched through the wilderness.
        The second child was Aaron, who is a type of Christ, the Son. He was a prophet and spokesman for Moses and Israel. Most important, Aaron was the first high priest and a type of Christ our High Priest, because he went into God's presence.
        The third child was Moses, who is a type of the Father and a type of the Law. He was taken out of the water, and he was the man who was God's friend. He was a prince of Egypt who became the prophet of God, the deliverer of a nation, and a man of destiny. When Moses was three months old, by faith his mother prepared an ark for him not knowing that over ninety years later his elder brother, Aaron, would prepare and be in charge of the ark of God, the Ark of the Covenant. Moses would be a leader and legislator. He would bring the Law of God and the Word of God to Israel. Moses would lead his people out of Egypt, out of bondage.
        Let's look again at Jochebed—the woman with the presence of God. Like Mary, the mother of Jesus, whom she delivered would deliver her.
        (1) She released her child to God, and her only recourse was to put Moses in the Nile River, which was full of crocodiles at that time. She was willing to release her child in the midst of great danger into the hands of God. If she kept him, she would lose him, but if she gave him to the Lord, she would gain him back. Jesus said in Luke 9:24: "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
        (2) She trusted God with an eye open for opportunity.
        (3) She seized the opportunity. It is time to take the Kingdom.
        (4) She entered into the king's palace to minister to her child.
        (5) She fed him with milk (the milk of the Word of God)
        (6) She released him again into the purpose and destiny of God.
        Jochebed is named in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews, a woman to be remembered. Hebrews 11:23: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child (a child of nobility and a child of destiny); and they were not afraid of the king's command.
        Jochebed was a woman of faith and a mother with a vision. She produced a little prophet. Pharaoh's daughter went to the Bank of the Nile and drew out a little Prophet. Egypt shared a little Prophet, and Israel profited from the Prophet.
        Remember that the task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us. Pharaoh tried to abort God's purpose with Moses (child of destiny). Two thousand years later, Herod tried to abort God's purpose at Jesus' birth (man of destiny). Two thousand years later, Satan is trying to abort God's purpose in our lives today (people of destiny), because God is raising up sons of God and a glorious church.
        Galatians 4:26: ...but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. This speaks of Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all. This also speaks of the children of promise or children of the Spirit. The heart of Jerusalem is Zion, and Zion is calling us to a higher place of praise. There is vision in Zion.