“And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.” At the end of three months Jochebed, Moses’ mother, realized she could no longer hide her son, as the vigilance of the enemy increased. But she did not despair nor yield to natural fears. No, as faith had led her to hide the child safely away at the first, she now found faith equal to a greater testing.
Dear Christian parent, have you too cherished that early period of your child’s life when you shielded him from this world’s evil, but filly reached the time when you realized you could shield him no longer? Has the Lord guided you in faith to that point where you can commit your child to Himself as the sure Refuge from the world and Satan? Moses’ mother displayed this kind of faith.
Taking an ark of bulrushes, she daubed it with slime and pitch, and sealed it against the water (type of death). In it she lovingly placed her child, and set the little vessel with its precious cargo on the river’s surface among the flags. In doing so these godly parents, typically put their child in the place of death, for death must be known, in figure, before God can use him in His service. The word for pitch is used elsewhere in the Scriptures for ransom, setting forth in type the truth that a ransom must be found to deliver from the waters of death. Thus the ark is a wonderful picture of Christ, the Refuge of all who seek Him as a sanctuary from the power of the evil one. God gives eternal life to all who are secure within that Ark and delights to answer the faith of parents who lead their children to such a place of safety.
Though dearer to her than life itself, the mother left her babe in the security of the ark, and returned. Trusting in God, she could rest in peace. What a bright example of faith!
The story thus far contains many profitable lessons. We have seen Pharaoh, the King, picture of Satan, powerful and evil, confident in his strength and schemes to crush all who would oppose his will. Opposed to this power of the enemy is faith that trusts in God, and rises above all fear of the king’s commandment. Here in type Christ is seen, “a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm.” Isaiah 25:44For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. (Isaiah 25:4). Finally we are reminded of those blest purposes of the love of God, who is mightier than all the forces of evil arraigned against His people in this world, of which Egypt is a type. Eternal salvation and deliverance from Satan’s power is the portion of those who in faith call upon God through Jesus Christ, His Son. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: and I will deliver thee.” Psalms 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15).
ML 04/28/1968