Topical Bible: Parents: Parental Affection Exemplified by Moses' Mother

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The account of Moses' mother, Jochebed, is a profound example of parental affection and sacrifice, as recorded in the Book of Exodus. Her actions demonstrate the lengths to which a parent will go to protect and nurture their child, even in the face of grave danger.

Biblical Context

The narrative of Moses' early life is set against the backdrop of Egyptian oppression of the Israelites. Pharaoh, fearing the growing population of the Hebrews, decreed that every newborn Hebrew boy was to be thrown into the Nile River (Exodus 1:22). It is within this perilous environment that Jochebed's maternal instincts and faith shine brightly.

Jochebed's Courage and Faith

Jochebed, a Levite woman, gave birth to a son during this time of persecution. Recognizing the beauty and potential of her child, she was determined to save him. Exodus 2:2 states, "When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months." Her decision to hide Moses was an act of defiance against Pharaoh's edict and a testament to her courage and love.

The Ark of Bulrushes

When it became impossible to conceal him any longer, Jochebed crafted a plan to ensure her son's survival. She made a small ark of bulrushes, coated it with tar and pitch to make it watertight, and placed Moses inside. She then set the ark among the reeds along the bank of the Nile (Exodus 2:3). This act of placing her child in the river, while seemingly an act of surrender, was in fact a strategic move of faith, trusting in God's providence.

Divine Providence and Maternal Wisdom

Jochebed's faith was rewarded when Pharaoh's daughter discovered the ark and took pity on the crying infant. In a divinely orchestrated turn of events, Moses' sister, Miriam, who had been watching from a distance, approached Pharaoh's daughter and offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. Consequently, Jochebed was able to nurse and care for her own son during his early years (Exodus 2:7-9).

Legacy of Parental Affection

Jochebed's actions exemplify the profound love and protective instincts inherent in parental affection. Her willingness to risk her own safety for the sake of her child, coupled with her faith in God's plan, underscores the vital role of parents in the spiritual and physical nurturing of their children. Her account serves as an enduring example of how parental love, guided by faith, can influence the course of history, as Moses would later become the deliverer of Israel.

Through Jochebed's example, the Bible highlights the importance of parental dedication and the impact of a mother's love and faith in shaping the destiny of her children.

Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 2:1
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Home as a Stewardship.
... This is a powerful incentive to parental integrity, and ... child,"yea, if you are Christian
parents,"for yourselves ... Will not even natural affection, as well as ...
//christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter vi home as a.htm

Match-Making.
... leads to prevarication; as the reluctant party promises an affection, which neither
exists ... to growth in grace, to the discharge of parental duty, and ... Parents! ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xxiii match-making.htm

The Pilgrim's Progress
... to us, by the sight and consideration of these, but an endeared affection begot
in us ... O Mercy, that thy father and mother were here; yea, and Mrs. Timorous also ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the pilgrims progress.htm

part ii
... we pray for others"His children; and as parents, at the ... murmuring Hebrew people in
the desert at Moses' prayer. ... Christ and that of Our Lady, the Mother of God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm