The birth of Moses

THE BIRTH OF MOSES

After the death of Joseph, there arose a Pharaoh in Egypt who did not know Joseph. Under this new Pharaoh, the Hebrews continued to multiply in number and Pharaoh felt threatened. He feared that if a foreign force should attack Egypt, the Hebrews could join the invading force against Egypt. The Egyptians began to take steps to reduce the population of the Hebrews.

Their first step was to use the Hebrews to construct the cities of Pithom and Rameses. The motive was to get the men tired so that when they get home they would not be able to touch their wives. It is expected that this would reduce the population of the Hebrews. However, the more they were oppressed, the more they increased in number.

The next step was that, Pharaoh approached the midwives, Puah and Shiphrah, the ones who delivered the Hebrew babies, to kill any baby who was a boy and leave the girls to live. The midwives were god fearing people so they refused to do what the Pharaoh told them to do.

Pharaoh, now instructed his own people to drown every male child in the Nile.

It was around this time that Moses was born. His parents were Amram and Jochebeb of the tribe of Levi. The child was beautiful. The mother did not want him to be killed so she hid him for three months. When she could not hide him anymore, he devised a plan to save his life.

Moses’ mother wove a basket and sealed the holes with bitumen. She placed the child in the basket and took it to where Pharaoh’s daughter always took her bath. She told the daughter, Miriam, Moses’ sister to hang around to see what was going to happen.

When Pharaoh’s daughter came to take her bath, she saw the baby and took it. Miriam run and ask whether she should find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. Pharaoh’s daughter agreed so Miriam fetched her mother. The child was given to her to wean. When Moses became of age, the mother brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter. The daughter named him Moses, meaning “drawn out of water”.

 MORAL LESSONS

1.            It shows that God has a purpose for everybody, no matter his/her circumstances.

2.            We learn that God can change our misfortunes into blessings.

3.            There is the need for people to have the courage to resist temptation.

4.          No matter how greatly we are wronged, we must take steps to reconcile with the people who wrong us.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

1.            Give a detailed account of the birth of Moses.

2.            Narrate the story of the birth of Moses.

3.            How did Moses become the son of Pharaoh’s daughter?

4.            How did Moses come to live in Pharaoh’s palace?

5.            Narrate the story of how Moses was saved from death.

6.            How did Moses escape the plans of Pharaoh to kill all Hebrew boys?

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS ON MOSES

Test One

1. Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law on Mount

A. Gilboa.

B. Horeb.

C. Nebo.

D. Carmel.

2. The Hebrew midwives refused to kill male children because

A. the Hebrew women prevented them from doing so.

B. they feared God.

C. they were of the same blood with the Hebrew women.

D. they had pity on them.

3. “Who made you a prince and a judge over us?” This statement by the two Hebrews to Moses signifies the

A. recognition of Moses’ divine authority by the Hebrews.

B. recognition of Pharaoh’s authority by the Hebrews.

C. rejection of Moses’ leadership by his people.

D. rejection of Moses’ as an Egyptian.

4. When Pharaoh’s daughter saw Moses in the basket she immediately

A. sent for a nurse for him.

B. called him Moses.

C. had pity on him.

D. called her maids.

5. Which of the following officials were charged by Pharaoh to kill the Hebrew male children?

A. Egyptian physicians.

B. Egyptian task masters.

C. Hebrew midwives.

D. Hebrew physicians.

6. Moses run away from Egypt because he

A. did not want to be brought up in Egyptian circles.

B. could no longer the famine in the land.

C. heard a divine call.

D. feared that the news of his act of murder would reach the king

7. Aaron accompanied Moses to Pharaoh because

A. Aaron was a Levite.

B. Aaron was bolder than Moses.

C. Moses was deficient in speech.

D. Moses wanted Aaron to be him witness before Pharaoh.

8. Moses experienced the burning bush that was not consumed at

A. Horeb.

B. Bethel.

C. Nebo.

D. Meriba.

9. When Moses brought the people of Israel out to meet God on Mount Sinai, the Mount was wrapped in smoke because

A. God kindled a fire on it.

B. the Israelites set up fire round about the Mount.

C. the Lord descended upon it with fire.

D. there was an earthquake on the Mount.

10. Who among the following did God direct Moses to appoint as his successor?

A. Caleb.

B. Aaron.

C. Eleazar.

D. Joshua.

Answers to the objective questions above>> 

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