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It is one of life’s greatest
comforts to know that God is on the
throne of the universe. He is
gloriously
sovereign,
caring with a deep immeasurable love
for His own (Dan. 4:17, 25, 32; 7:9;
Jn. 13:1). We can
live in the awareness that
the Almighty in perpetuity is
seeking to bless us (Eph. 1:3).
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He is the Workman for, notice the
words,
“created”
(Gen. 1:1, 21, 27; 2:3) and
“made”
(Gen. 1:7,
16, 25; 2:3). When I look at
a shirt or suit, I sometimes see the
label,
“A
Yves St Laurent creation” but that
is not accurate, for that which was
done was to take material already in
existence and make it into
something. God created! That is
beginning with nothing. He created
not only the things we see but also
the myriad of unseen things. We
cannot see electricity, magnetism or
gravity, but these are laws God
created which are not mentioned in
Genesis, for that is not the focus
of His attention. Genesis chapter
one is the manifestation of the
abilities of God, and in that
display of His abilities we read:
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a) |
God
"created"
(Gen. 1:1). He alone has the power,
wisdom and understanding to create
from nothing. |
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b) |
God
"said"
(Gen. 1:3). He has the power to
speak His will and it is fulfilled. |
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c) |
God "saw" (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21,
25, 31). He has the power to
observe and evaluate. |
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d) |
God
"divided"
(Gen. 1:4). He has the power to
distinguish and separate. |
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e) |
God
"called"
(Gen. 1:5). He has the power to
describe and name. |
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f) |
God
"set"
(Gen. 1:17). He has the power to
place, keep and at His will remove
(Heb.
1:11-12). |
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g) |
God
"blessed"
(Gen. 1:28; 2:3). He has the
ability to enrich and sanctify. |
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h) |
God
"ended"
(Gen. 2:2). He has the power to
complete in perfection. |
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With this consideration the words of
Paul are very precious, “For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should
walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). |
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He is the God who moved
providentially the life of Moses his
friend (Ex. 33:11). The first 22
verses of Exodus chapter two cover
the first 80 years of Moses life,
although he lived for 120 years
(Deut. 34:7). |
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a) |
Forty years as a scholar
in Egypt
where his loyalties nationally and
spiritually were tested (Acts 7:23). |
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b) |
Forty years as
a Shepherd in Midian,
where his self sufficiency was
removed as he learnt to care for
animals. God was training him for
the greater work (Acts 7:30). |
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c) |
He was being trained to be the
Shepherd to Israel, a prophet (Acts
7:37); a
king and functioning as a
priest (Psa. 99:6; Deut. 33:5),
although not a priest officially
(Acts 7:36). |
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The providence of God manifested in
the
“babyhood”
of Moses. |
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a) |
Before the birth of Aaron who was 3
years older than Moses (Ex. 7:7),
the Israelis had suffered
exceedingly. This afflicting of the
Israelis made the Egyptian court
concerned for if there was a war
they would not help the Egyptians.
To prevent this development, the
decision was to reduce the
population by killing every boy
child (Ex. 1:22). |
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b) |
Since there would be 400 years of
affliction (Gen. 15:13), and because
the birth of Moses was 80 years
before the exodus took place, the
children of Israel had been under
afflictions for 320 years when Moses
was born. |
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Note the providential activity of
God: |
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a) |
He was born at a specific time so
that the exodus would come in the
time God appointed. (Gen. 15:13) |
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b) |
He was born of godly parents. (Ex.
2:1-2) |
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c) |
He was hidden for three months and
then exposed. (Ex. 2:2-3) |
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d) |
He was hidden on a particular day in
a particular place. (Ex. 2:3) |
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e) |
On that day the king’s daughter came
to that particular place to bathe.
(Ex. 2:5) |
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f) |
She saw the ark and sent for it.
(Ex. 2:8) |
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g) |
When she opened it, the baby cried.
(Ex. 2:5-6) |
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h) |
Miriam went and offered the services
of a Hebrew. (Ex. 2:7) |
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i) |
The baby was brought to its home.
(Ex. 2:9) |
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j) |
Why all these precise happenings?
Not just for holding the family
together, but for to be taught: |
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i) |
The truth of God (Ex.
3:15). |
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ii) |
The distinctiveness of Israel and
that they were His people (Ex.
2:11). |
Knowing we have a God who genuinely
cares and with His foreknowledge and
wisdom seeks to guide every step of
our lives, breathes comfort to the
heart of the believer. Well may we
shout with comforting joy, “Casting
all your care upon him; for he
careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). |
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. . . .Rowan Jennings |
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