Hebrews 11:23 "By faith Moses, when he
was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper
child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment."
We will begin with a short review of the time in which Moses was born.
After the days of Joseph and the Pharaoh who had elevated him, "there
arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph." (Exodus 1:8) This
Pharaoh saw how the people of Israel had grown and multiplied and became
concerned they would overrun the Egyptians. He began to increase their work
load trying to run them down. When that did not work, he made another decree
based upon his own fear and his own desire to remain in control. He
commanded the midwives to kill all male babies as they were being born. The
midwives would not do that, so he made another decree to the people that every
male baby born should be thrown into the river. He was a calloused man,
wasn't he? Who could possibly kill little babies?
Every mother thinks her baby is a "proper child". What was it about
Moses that his mother could not throw him into the river? What was it about
Moses that she went against the decree of the king? "They saw he was a
proper child." There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord impressed upon
the parents that He had a great work for their son to accomplish. So she
kept him for three months until she could no longer hide him in their house.
You remember the account, she made an ark (a basket) of the bulrushes and made
sure it would not sink. There can be no doubt that not only did she daub it
with "slime and with pitch", I have to believe she also lined it with
soft blankets to keep the baby warm and comfortable. Pharaoh's daughter
came along and found the baby. His sister was watching and when Moses was drawn
from the water, she volunteered her mother to raise the baby for Pharaoh's
daughter. *Sidenote* Remember the devotion concerning Abraham and Isaac?
Abraham had to let go of that which was of most value to him. God gave him back
with the blessing of grace and mercy. Moses' mother, by faith, placed him
in the river. God gave him back to her to be able to raise without any fear of
Pharaoh coming along to kill the baby. Isn't God good?
So here we go with the thought of the day. God's Word teaches us to honor the king. The king made a decree, but Moses' mother went against that decree. Did she go against the will of God? The answer is an emphatic NO! When the king's decree goes against the decrees of God, you do not follow the earthly king; rather, you follow the KING of all kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our allegiance does not stop at an earthly king, or leader. We honor that individual as long as he honors the Lord Jesus. When the man's decrees goes against the decree of God, his honor has ended. Our full devotion belongs unto our blessed Lord and Saviour.