God's Providence

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Prayer

Opening hymn

Announcements: Game Night, July 1, Changed due to rodeo schedule.

1 Samuel 1:21–28 NIV

21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” 23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

3 songs

Stephen’s account of Moses’ birth as he stood before the Sanhedrin pointing to God’s providence for their nation.

Acts 7:17–22 NIV

17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased. 18 Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’ 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. 20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family. 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

Prayer chorus

Prayer

The Exodus Decoded Video clip (5 min)

Sermon Intro:

The Birth of a Deliverer

10,000 Sermon Illustrations Late to Choir Practice

Late to Choir Practice

Believers in Christ have God as a shield between them and the world’s threatening dangers. No harm can come to them unless the Lord permits it for their own good or the good of others. Many Christians testify that they have been providentially protected in unusual ways.

Paul Tan, in his Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, says that on the evening of March 1, 1950, choir practice was scheduled in a local church in Beatrice, Nebraska. When the pastor and his wife and daughter were ready to leave for the 7:30 meeting, they discovered that the little girl had soiled her dress and needed to be changed. So they had to come late. A high school sophomore named Ladona had trouble with her geometry problems and stayed to finish her work, even though she usually got there early. Two sisters were delayed because their car wouldn’t start. Mrs. Schuster normally arrived at 7:20, but that night her mother needed her, so she had to stop there first. One man took a nap and overslept. And so, one after another, the members were detained for various reasons. At 7:25, due to leaking gas, the church blew up! When everyone arrived a short time later, they were amazed to see how their lives had been spared. The fact that all of them failed to come on time—something that had never happened before—had to be more than coincidence. As far as they were concerned, the Lord had been their shield and protector.

Admittedly, this was an unusual occurrence. But it does comfort us to know that whatever happens, we are secure in the protective arms of God’s providence. -H.G.B.

Our Daily Bread, Sunday, February 3.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives this definition of providence.

Providence:

• 1aoften capitalized : divine guidance or care bcapitalized : God conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny

The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary gives a more thorough definition stating that “God’s action in providence is the continuation of his role as creator. He maintains and preserves the order that is fundamental to the heavens and earth as he created them, and he is bringing to completion his purposes for mankind and the rest of creation. There are, therefore, two aspects of providence, one oriented toward the continuation of life and order in the present and the other oriented toward the eschaton, the completion of what God intended when he created.”

We see God’s providential action in Beatrice, Nebraska but it is also very evident throughout the account of Moses and the Exodus of God’s people from Egypt.

Today we will see this act of God’s providence very clearly in the lives of Moses and his family. Please stand for the reading of our text today.

Exodus 2:1–10NIV

1 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. 5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. 7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” 8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

Pray

I. The Birth of a Deliverer Exodus 2:1-10

As we look at the details of the birth of Moses. We see more than the birth of a baby, for Moses was, “the birth of a deliverer.” What makes his life especially unique are the details that set a pattern we see later with Jesus.

At the end of last week’s sermon, I gave a list of prejudicial escalation. I want us to look at that list once again.

Prejudicial Escalation

1. Public denunciation

2. Denial of privileges

3. Wanton destruction of shops and property

4. Marked publicly as enemies

Last week, we saw that the Hebrews experienced all these first four. The Pharaoh and others began to publicly complain about the Hebrews. They then began to take their privileges away and began to press them into slavery. We are told they were treated ruthlessly which indicates they were probably abused physically, and their belongings treated with disrespect. Then Pharaoh suggests they would join Egyptian enemies and fight against them marking the Hebrews as enemies as well even though they have not done anything to warrant the accusation.

However, today we find them facing the last step of prejudicial escalation.

5. Attempts to annihilate

Annihilation plays right into Satan’s desire to destroy all God’s people. It is a desperate act when all else fails. So, look with me at...

A. Satan’s Act of Desperation; Annihilation

Last week I stated that this often begins discreetly but then moves to public methods. We see this in Moses’ case, but not Moses alone as we will soon see.

To begin, let us look at...

1. Infant Moses Threatened Exodus 1:15-22

The first thing we see is that Pharaoh starts with...

a. Discreet infanticide Exodus 1:16

Pharaoh calls in two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who were the overseers of the midwives for the Hebrews.

Pharaoh then gives them this instruction.

Exodus 1:16NIV

16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”

Most commentators believe that what Pharaoh is suggesting is that these deaths look accidental. They are to make it appear that the child was stillborn or died during delivery.

To Shiphrah and Puah’s credit, they fear God more than Pharaoh. So, they do not follow Pharaoh’s instructions. Before long, Pharaoh realizes that the number of Hebrews is continuing to grow, and he makes inquiry of these ladies why they have not fulfilled his wish.

These ladies were in great jeopardy in this moment. They have not obeyed Pharaoh and can be accused of treason. To save their skins, they lie saying that the Hebrews are too vigorous.

Exodus 1:19NIV

19 …“Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

Pharaoh accepts this account, perhaps because the Hebrews have proven to be so hearty despite tribulation. However, now he becomes more desperate to contain their growth. (It is kind of interesting to note that Pharaoh treats them like they are a plague. Well, he will soon find out what a real plague is.)

Now Pharaoh moves discreet infanticide to...

b. Public Genocide Exodus 1:22

Exodus 1:22NIV

22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

It was common in those times to kill the boys/men and allow the girls/women to live. The women were no threat. They were considered property for service or pleasure. However, the men were considered threats as they could revolt or take up arms against another. Also, by destroying the boys/men, they cut off the bloodline and the women were just absorbed into the culture they served.

It has always been a historic miracle that the Hebrew line still exists today as the others of that day all died out or were absorbed into other cultures over time. Of course, this truly is a miracle, and we know why. God was preserving His people as we observe in the book of Exodus as well as other books of the Bible.

Last week, I mentioned that there are patterns to the events in history that also point to future events. This account from Moses’ infancy is one of those.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 speaks to this foreshadowing of later events.

Ecclesiastes 1:9–10 NIV

9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.

Man’s sin nature being what it is and God’s interceding on our behalf are a cycle that continue to spiral round and round. I believe this cyclical pattern points to a divine design. God is always working to point us to His existence and purpose. If it were not for God’s intervention, I am not sure humankind would not have destroyed each other by now.

So, let us move forward to the history of...

2. Infant Jesus Threatened Matthew 2:1-18

Here again we find a discreet attempt on Herod’s part to kill the infant child Jesus.

Matthew 2:7–8NIV

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

If you know the event, it is obvious that Herod had no desire to go and worship the child. His true design becomes obvious once he realizes that the Wisemen left secretly without disclosing the child’s whereabouts. His actions then move from discreet to public genocide as well.

Matthew 2:16NIV

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

There is no coincidence with these two events. These events are evidence of the providence of God. Satan is trying desperately to stop God by cutting off and annihilating God’s people, but God always wins. God’s plans are never deterred or disrupted.

So, let us move from Satan’s attempts to destroy to...

B. God’s Provident Actions; Salvation Exodus 2:1-10

I would have liked this sermon to fall on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day as it would have fit well because God delights to work through Godly parents. God still manages to intervene when parents aren’t Godly, but it is amazing what can happen in the lives of those who have that Godly parental foundation. For the rest of this sermon, I wish to zero in on this subject. This is a few weeks late for mothers and one week late for fathers, but I find sermon subjects are always on God’s schedule and just perfect.

I wish to look first at...

1. The Faith of Godly Parents Exodus 2; 1 Samuel 1; Matthew 1:18-25

There are many such parents mentioned in scripture, though they are often mentioned somewhat briefly. But isn’t that always the case? Often those with the greatest influence are quietly in the background. The ones I am referencing today are those of Amram and Jochebed, Moses’ parents. Elkanah and Hannah, Samuel’s parents. And Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ parents.

One of the interesting details in these events is that so much emphasis is placed on the mother when the culture was very male oriented. But this shows how important mothers are in the life of young children. However, in each of these cases you find husbands who love their wives and wives who exhibit great influence in the lives of their husbands and children.

Just because God gave the first place of authority to men, does not mean that women are not important or influential. It is also the mark of a great man who takes time to listen and give consideration to the advice of their wives.

In each of these events, the story begins with the mother. For Moses, we find Jochebed who looks upon her child who is slated for death and she sees something special. The various translations use words like, fine, goodly, beautiful. However, most believe that it went beyond looks. Every parent believes their children are beautiful, but there was something special about this baby and Jochebed determined to save this child.

Now the account from Exodus only mentions Jochebed, though she is not named until later, but Hebrews recounts his father’s part in it.

Hebrews 11:23NIV

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

In both Stephen’s account recorded in Acts and this account in Hebrews, we find that what was special about Moses went beyond looks as both accounts declare Moses as “no ordinary child.”

Their lack of fear of Pharaoh points to their faith in God. It has always been the history of Israel that no matter how far their nation is from God, there are always a remnant of those who are devout to God and Amram and Jochebed seem to fit that bill.

So, they act and devise a plan to save their child. Even though this action may seem random, I do not believe it was so. Jochebed created that ark (translation of our basket) to carry her child to safety and I believe when she placed it among those reeds (not an easy task as she had to wade out to do so), she had a specific place in mind. I believe she was targeting Pharaoh’s daughter knowing she alone had the power to spare the child. I also believe that this plan was inspired by God and that Amram and Jochebed knew it as they were literally putting the lives of their entire family on the line to do so.

Their faith in God was not misplaced (nor has it ever been). God worked it out to perfection. It is difficult to know if Miriam was inspired to offer a wet nurse or if she had been schooled to do so upon the babe’s discovery, but no matter how it went down, it was most certainly a continuation of God’s plan.

I used to wonder why the daughter of Pharaoh was not suspicious of this girl’s perfect timing however I have come to believe two things regarding that matter.

First, this woman evidently loved children and she was focused and amazed by the discovery of the child in that moment.

Second, there have been many accounts of God blinding the minds of people to the obvious to suit His purposes, such as people who have carried Bible’s into enemy territory and been stopped by guards who looked right at the Bible’s with no real comprehension they were there. God has many ways of dealing with such situations which we may believe are obvious.

God’s ways are always perfect, and that perfection is in every detail. How else under such a situation could a mom have her child returned to her to care for and even get paid for it! God really does bless even in our sacrifices.

The second thing I want you to notice about Godly parents is this.

2. The Influence of Godly Parents Exodus 2; I Samuel 2 & 3

I suspect Joseph and Mary had some influence on Jesus though we often read more of his influence upon them, like when he was found as a boy in the temple. Yet, in John 2 we do hear Mary ask Jesus to take care of the wine for a wedding. Jesus says it is not his time yet, but he still obeys his mother.

But the influence I am speaking of here is the important influence that shapes children in their very earliest years. It is not usually school that shapes children, it is the influences upon them in their preschool years. These years are critically important. We see this kind of influence in both Moses and Samuel. We know that Jochebed was hired to be wet nurse to Moses. That probably means she had him until he was weaned. After that, he would be turned over to Egyptians for educational purposes as a prince of Egypt.

We know that Hannah kept Samuel until he was weaned and then she turned him over to Eli. Eli’s family, though they were priests, were very corrupt. Eli had not been a good influence upon his own sons, yet Samuel became a great priest and prophet of God under his tutelage. Chances are the true influence that made greatest difference for Samuel was that of his mother as she cared for him during those formative years.

Jochebed would not be able to disclose to Moses she was his true mother until he was older. At his young age, he would have most certainly accidently identified them as such and put their lives in danger. However, it was already well-known he was a child of Hebrews. Can you just see her as she nursed him and spent time with him, sharing with him the history of his people and his God? Her influence was so great in those few short years that as a man, he chose to be identified with his people who were slaves over being a mighty son of Pharaoh and perhaps have a chance to rule in Egypt.

Never discount those preschool years in a child’s life. Do not be afraid to teach and talk to them about God and His purpose for their lives, as God can use it to bring them to spiritual victory.

There is one more aspect of Godly parenting that we need to look at and it is...

3. The Sacrifices of Godly Parents

This one is not easy and yet it still has its blessings. Godly parents must release their children to God. As Godly parents, we do not have the say in what our children become or do for ultimately, our children belong to God. We need to bravely release them to follow God.

Amram and Jochebed only had Moses until he was probably 4 or 5 at the latest. It may have been a little younger because I seem to recall reading once that the Egyptians did not hold to as long a weaning age as the Hebrews. Since she had been a nurse to him during this young age, he would have grown attached and he may have been allowed to visit her from time-to-time, but for the most part, they probably saw him very little except from a distance.

For Hannah, we know she came and visited once a year and brought him new clothing when she did so.

These are extreme cases as most get to have their children until they are 18 years or so, but we must be careful of the pressures we wish to exert to see them become something to fulfill our dreams and not their own call from God. There are some people who have family businesses they hope their children will carry on. Others hope to see their children excel as doctors or in other professional positions that can establish them financially.

Anything other than what God is calling them to is a lesser position and will only bring you all heartache.

The best thing you can do for your children is to raise them to know God and to help them develop of love for God’s word and prayer from a young age.

Conclusion:

As we come to the end of this service, I just want to make some final conclusions.

First, the providence of God is always most evident in difficult days. God has a plan of salvation for all occasions. He never acts too early or too late. His timing is always just on time.

Second, the best way to serve your children is to be a Godly parent who points them to God at an early age and encourages them along their journey in knowing God. That includes finding and serving His call and purpose not ours. It is not about what they become in this world, but that they are with us in eternity.

I would also add that it is never too late. If your child is an adult and not serving God, never give up praying for them. I can recount case after case of parents who have spent years praying for their children and eventually their prayers were answered, sometimes well into their twilight years.

Third, history is cyclical. There are many prophesies that appear to have been fulfilled but upon closer examination, you find not all the details are met. I often hear newer theological philosophies that say that various end time prophecies are behind us and occurred when the Israelites went into captivity or with their collapse in AD 70. However, when you study God’s words you find details that have not yet been fulfilled. It is because the true final event has not yet occurred. When the time comes that they are fulfilled, there will be no more doubt. No matter the state of events, we need not fear. When we study the Bible, we find that in the worst of times, God’s people always excel. People like Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, and many more. They always come out heroes in the worst of times.

History is cyclical because God is revealing Himself throughout time. He is also using the past to prepare us for the future. God’s providence is at work in each of our lives.

God will see you through also. Just place your trust in him no matter what the circumstances.

What difficult circumstances are you facing today? It may be a family issue or perhaps it is the national crises we are currently facing. Perhaps it is an inner personal crisis. You may not have had Godly parents and yet you want God’s blessing. God can provide you a blessing and help you overcome a past or present situation to use you in incredible ways. Just place those concerns in His hands today.

Pray

The Potter’s Hand

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