Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. She opened it and saw [a] baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:5-6, 10, NIV 1984).
My Musings – Why in the world would a baby be floating alone on the river in a basket? Pharaoh’s daughter knew. She knew it was a Hebrew baby. Her father was so fearful of the Hebrews growing in number that he ordered the Hebrew midwives “if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” (Exodus 1:16. NIV 1984). When this plan failed “Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: ‘Every boy that is born you must throw into the Nile but let every girl live.'” (Exodus 1:22, NIV 1984).
Pharaoh was not the only one fearful. The devil was aware of God’s plan to bless all nations through the Hebrew people. He wanted nothing more than to keep this from happening. And Pharoah was an unwitting pawn in the devil’s scheme. He was not the last king to fall prey to the devil’s plans. Centuries later, Herod “gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.” (Matthew 2:16, NIV 1984). He had heard that the prophesied king of the Jews had been born in Bethlehem, and he wanted no one else claiming his throne. In each case, Pharaoh and Herod, God had other plans.
My Advice – When “the Lord Almighty has purposed…who can thwart him? [When] His hand is stretched out…who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27, NIV 1984). He purposed to deliver the Hebrews from their oppressors through Moses. And He purposed to deliver (draw out) all who are willing, from the penalty of their sins, through Jesus. Not just any king. King of kings. When His hand is outstretched, it is wise to take hold of it. It cannot be turned back by the devil’s schemes. But all too often people turn away. Don’t turn away.
The Brew Is A Musing 