Word of the Day: Remarkable;
Notably or conspicuously unusual; extraordinary: a remarkable change. 2. worthy of notice or attention.
Exodus 2:1-10
This lady serves us as an example of faith in how to raise children for the Lord. Jochebed is the mother of Aaron, Miriam, and Moses. She was from the Levi tribe and was married to Amram, who also was from the same tribe.
In chapter 1, the Bible tells us that Pharaoh commanded his people to throw every male child that was born from the Jews into the river. Moses was born around this time, and his parents hid him for three months. The time came when Jochebed was not able to hide her son anymore; she took a basket (ark) and placed him in the Nile river. Keep in mind that this river is the longest one in the world. It must have been so hard for a mother to do this act, but in chapter 2, verse 3, it says that he was a beautiful child. There was something special about this child, and she noticed it right away; this does not mean that her other two children were not unique.
She used the ark as a way to protect her son. Remember back in Genesis 6:14; God had commanded Noah to build an ark: Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. God used the ark to save Noah's descendants because he had found grace in His eyes. This mother put her faith into action and remembered the events from the past. The ark not only meant protection, but it also gave hope for the future. The ark was designed with one door; Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. The ark and the cross were both made of wood. The bottom line here is to obey. Noah obeyed the Lord by building this ark, and Jochebed put her faith in the Lord. There was nothing else she could do. There was a decree by Pharaoh, and she had to respect it.
After placing her child in the river, his little sister Miriam stood from afar to see him. The daughter of Pharaoh, his only daughter, came to the river to bathe herself with her maidens when she noticed the little ark. She asked her girls to get it, she grabbed the baby, and the baby wept. The Bible says that she had compassion for this child and that she knew he was Jewish. She was also aware of her father's decree but decided to keep the baby regardless of his order. The Bible does not give us her name, but according to history, her name might have been Hatshepsut since her father reigned during the time Moses was born.
Miriam saw that she had taken the baby, so she asked her if she could get one of the Jewish ladies to nurse him, and Pharaoh's daughter agreed. Jochebed was the Jewish lady who breastfed her baby, and she even got paid for doing it. The good thing is that she was able to take her son and nurture him at the same time, but she also had to return him once she was no longer nursing him. During those days, babies were weaned up until five years old, which meant that Jochebed got to train her son during those crucial years. The state of California provides this program called Head Start; this is a program promoted by our government, and it provides child care for a child up to 5 years old. Just like mentioned above, those first five years are very crucial for a child's development, so we parents should not entrust the government to prepare their children unless it is vital. Pharaoh's daughter loved this child to the point that he became her son and called him Moses because she drew him out of the waters. Although she loved him, Moses was taught by his biological mother to love God.
Moses received spiritual guidance from his mother and later on received the worldly wisdom of the Egyptians. Moses later refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Jochebed did not get to see what her children became in life. Moses became a national leader, Aaron became the first high priest for the Israelites, and Miriam became a gifted poetess and musician. Jochebed's name is in the Bible for us to know that once upon a time, there was a lady who had a trial but decided to focus on God, not on her circumstances.
Conclusion: It's not for us to know the future of our children, but to do the little things that will impact their future: Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
For all of you mothers, never stop praying for your children. God has a promise for us, Revelations 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Ladies who are still raising little ones, be careful of those who are the mentors of your children: family, friends, teachers, and coaches. Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
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