Encore Post: After Joseph died, the descendents of Israel remained in Egypt and prospered. They eventually grew into a small nation — large enough to seem to threaten Pharaoh. The Egyptian king enslaved them, hoping hard work would reduce their numbers. It did not. So he tried to get midwives to kill any male child born. They did not. So he commanded everyone to kill them anyway. This was especially cruel given the way both Jews and Egyptians felt about children.
Family and children were important to both the Egyptians and the Hebrews. Egyptians were especially fond of their children. If a couple couldn’t have a baby, they would often adopt children — frequently from among their slaves. The adopted child was treated exactly the same as if he or she had been born into the family. The upper classes of Egypt often used nurses, who would move in with the adoptive family. The custom of leaving unwanted children in places where someone would find them was common everywhere but in Egypt.
Moses’ mother very cleverly left Moses where the princess bathed, counting on her horror and pity to give Moses a chance. It worked. Through these events, God Prepared Moses to be at home both with both Egyptians and Hebrews, making him, his brother and sister prepared to lead God’s people.
The Scriptures see in the rescue of Moses from the reeds a theme that began with the flood. God had Noah build an ark in which he saved Noah, his family and the animal species in creation. Moses’ mother put him in an ark of reeds, which kept him safe until delivered by Pharaoh’s daughter. Later God would use Moses to part the Red Sea through which he saved the people of Israel through the sea.
St. Paul points out that we are God’s adopted children, treated the same way as if we had been born into His family. So we own everything in the universe with Jesus. (Ephesians. 1:3-6, Romans 8:15-17) In Holy Baptism, God also carries us to safety, through death to life eternal.
Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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