Moses Flees to Midian

  

Exodus 2: 11-22

 

August 6, 2024

 

Moses Flees to Midian

One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.  He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.  When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?”  He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “Surely the thing is known.”  When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.  The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.  When they came home to their father, Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?”  They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.”  He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”  And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah.  She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

 

In no way can anyone justify Moses's actions of killing this man.  But this thought came to my small mind: the death of one man brought life to all men.  Jesus, death gave life to all who will receive the gift of salvation.  

Moses ' heart was to protect his people, but his actions were not directed by God’s Spirit but by his flesh.  But God, I love those two words, yes, but God used this act to get Moses to a burning bush.  Now, when he helped Reuel's daughters, it was Moses who dressed like an Egyptian, in his dress and actions, but his heart was that of a man in search of God.  His kindness to the daughters of Reuel not only gave Moses a place to stay but also a wife and son.  Now I want you to give thought to this, God used the killing of an Egyptian to get Moses to a testing ground, to become a shepherd, a low place in the eyes of the Egyptian who had raised him.  God had a different flock in mind for Moses, one that would require Moses to walk closely with the Lord.  It is going to take a long time before he is ready to return to Egypt.

 

What is the application to this writer, to keep my eyes on Jesus and seek Him?  In this evil culture we live in, you will be called names, weird, and many that are worse, but look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith.

Note: Never forget the high price that God paid for you to have life in its full.

 

From our Back Porch, 

 

Bob Rice