Exodus 2:16-25; 3-416Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 19And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. 20And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 21And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. 23And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them. (Exodus 2:16‑25).
MOSES was grieved to leave the poor children of Israel groaning in Egypt; but he was forced to hide himself from Pharaoh.
He took nothing with him on his journey; no servant, no ass! But God was with him. Though he could not see Him, Moses knew He was near him, and this was his comfort.
At last Moses came to a place where there was much grass, and a great many sheep. Here also there was a well, and Moses sat down by the side of it; for he had taken a long journey.
He had no house, no bed, and no friend. He was like Jesus, Who had nowhere to lay His head. But you will see that God will take care of him.
Soon there came seven girls to the well. They were sisters, and they took care of their father's sheep. They brought their sheep with them to give them water. First they let down some pails; or buckets, into the well, and then poured the water into some great troughs that stood near, and the sheep drank out of the troughs. While they were doing this, some shepherds came to the well, and tried to drive them away, that their own sheep might drink water out of the troughs; but the poor girls had filled the troughs with water, and it would have been very unfair to have taken the water from their sheep. But the men were stronger than they were, and often behaved in this way to them.
Moses did not like to see weak people ill-treated; and he was very strong; so he stood up, and would not let the shepherds send the girls away, but helped them to draw water for their sheep.
The poor girls thought that Moses was very kind, because he was only a stranger, and yet he had helped them.
When they came home to their father, he said, "How is it that you are come home so soon today?" And they said, "A stranger was by the well, and he would not let the shepherds drive us away, and he drew water for our sheep.”
Then the father answered, "Where is the -man? Call him, and ask him to come and eat bread with us." So the girls called Moses, and asked him to come to their house.
It was God Who put it into the man's heart to be kind to Moses.
The old father asked Moses to live with him and his daughters; and Moses said he would. Moses took care of the old father's sheep, and he married one of the seven girls. Then the old father was called Moses' father-in-law; because he was the father of his wife.
Moses had once been a fine prince, and had ridden in a. chariot; but now he led his sheep to eat grass among the green hills.
There was one thing that must have made Moses sad. What was that? He knew that the children of Israel were still groaning at their hard work. Could he be happy while they were so miserable? You know that he could not, because Moses loved those poor people: The, children of Israel were indeed working hard. King Pharaoh had died; but there was another king Pharaoh as wicked as he had been.
At last the children of Israel cried to God to help them, and God heard their prayers; and He remembered the promise made to Abraham, and He determined to save them. Now you shall hear what God did to help them. One day Moses was with the old father's sheep, among the high hills. He was quite alone. He looked up, and saw a bush on fire. He went on looking, and the bush was still burning, but was not more burnt away than at first. This surprised him very much, and he said, "I will go and look at the bush, and see why it is not burnt up.”
He was just going up to it, when he heard someone speaking to him. The voice came out of the bush. Whose voice could it be? It was the voice of God, Who said to him, "Moses, Moses!”
He answered, "Here am I.”
Then God said, "Come not near this place, for I am here. I have heard the children of Israel crying to Me in their trouble, and I remember that I promised Abraham that his children should live in Canaan, and I am going to send them to Canaan. Moses, you must go to Pharaoh, and tell him to let them go.”
Was not this a hard thing for Moses to do? But God said, "I will be with you and help you.”
Then Moses said, "But perhaps the children of Israel will not choose to come out of Egypt. They will say, ' We will not go with you, Moses; you are not speaking the truth; God has not really spoken to you.' What shall I do then?" said Moses.
Then God said that He would teach him to do wonderful things. God said, "What do you hold in your hand?”
Now Moses had a long stick in his hand, called a rod. He used to help his sheep to get out of holes with his rod, and when he climbed high hills, he leaned upon his rod. So when God said, "What 'do you hold in your hand?" Moses answered, "A rod.”
“Throw it upon the ground," said the Lord. And Moses did so, and it was turned into a serpent. Moses was afraid of the serpent, and began to run away from it.
Then God said. "Take hold of it by the tail." So Moses took hold of it, and it was turned again into a rod.
God said to Moses, "When you go to Egypt, do this wonderful thing before the children of Israel, to show them that I have sent you; but if they will not believe you, do this thing, too, that I will show you. Put your hand into your bosom.”
So Moses put m his hand, and then he drew it out, and it was leprous, that is, it was all covered over with white spots. What a frightful sight this was!
Then God said, "Put your hand in again"; and he put it in, and pulled it out again, and then it was as well as it was before.
Then God said to, Moses, "If the children of Israel will not believe that I have really spoken to you, let them see you do this wonder.”
“But,' said Moses," I cannot speak well; I do not know the words to say.”
Then God told Moses that Aaron, his brother, should go with him, and speak for him. You have not heard of Aaron before. He could speak well, and he was a good man, and loved God.
Moses went back to his father-in-law, and told him that he must go back to Egypt, and he took his wife, and his two little sons with him upon an ass.
As Moses was going to Egypt, he met his brother Aaron, and Aaron was glad to see him, and kissed him. Then Moses and Aaron went together to the land of Egypt.
They found the poor Israelites at their hard work, crying and groaning. Aaron said to them, "God has sent us to tell Pharaoh to let you go to the land of Canaan." Then Aaron did the wonders that God had shown Moses when He spoke to him from the bush. You know what wonders I mean.
Did the people of Israel believe what Aaron said? Did they wish to go to the land of Canaan? Yes, they did; and they thanked God for having heard their prayers.
I have often told you, my dear child, that. God hears people's prayers. I hope that you, my dear child, will always pray to Him when you are unhappy.
The children of Israel did believe, and they said, "We will go"; and they bowed their heads, and thanked the Lord for His goodness.
But Moses could not take them out of Egypt till Pharaoh had given him leave.
Hymn 20
Moses no more in courts abides,
'Midst noisy mirth and strife;
Within a stranger's tent he hides
From those that seek his life;
The stranger's daughter for a wife obtains,
And in that distant land he long remains.
Unable Israel to redeem,
Now patiently he waits;
Watching his flock beside the stream,
On God he meditates;
On his great love to Abraham of old,
And on the glorious things to him foretold.
Lo! in the desert God appears,
Clothed in a robe of flame—
Bids Moses dry his brethren's tears,
And liberty proclaim.
A court he once forsook to serve his God,
Soon Egypt's king shall tremble at his rod.