Lesson 1: Oppression – The Background and the Birth of Moses

1.3 Moses Is Born
A Child of Hope: God’s Plan Begins in Secret

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Introduction

Some lives begin in the greatest distress—and yet God uses them in marvelous ways. Such was the life of Moses. When he was born, every Hebrew boy in Egypt faced death. And yet he survived. Why? Because God’s hand was visibly upon him. Exodus 2:1–10 powerfully shows us how God’s providence works amid threat, fear, and chaos—and what it means for us today.

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Bible Study: Exodus 2:1–10 

Moses is born into a time of overwhelming oppression. The Pharaoh has ordered every Hebrew boy to be killed (Exodus 1:22). Yet a Levite couple defies the decree and gives birth to a son—Moses. They recognize that this child is “good” (Hebrew tov), a hint of divine purpose.

For three months they hide him. Finally, they place him in a reed basket on the Nile, trusting that God Himself will take control. And indeed: Pharaoh’s daughter finds him, is moved with compassion, and adopts him as her own son. Moses grows up in the palace—kept safe, protected, and prepared.

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Answers to the Questions

Question 1: Read Exodus 2:1–10. What role did God’s providence and protection play at Moses’ birth?

• Birth in Danger: Although all Hebrew boys are to be killed, God gives the parents courage to keep Moses alive.

• Called “Good” (tov): This term echoes the creation story. God sees in Moses more than a baby—He sees a future calling.

• Rescue on the River: The basket is set adrift at exactly the right time and place—straight into the hands of Pharaoh’s daughter.

• Return to His Mother: Moses is not only saved but also spends time with his birth mother, receiving vital spiritual grounding.

All these elements show that God acts decisively even when humanly all seems lost. His ways are often hidden, but never random.

Question 2: How much do you learn that ultimately proves useless for what really matters?

Moses received an extraordinary education in Pharaoh’s house—language, leadership, warfare, diplomacy: all the makings of a great ruler. But when God calls him, most of those skills prove irrelevant. God leads Moses into the wilderness for forty years, where he learns what truly counts: humility, obedience, and dependence on God.

This question challenges us today: How much time, energy, and effort do we invest in things of no everlasting value? Knowledge, abilities, status, control—they are good when used for God, but worthless if they draw us away from Him.

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Spiritual Principles

• God’s plan often starts in secret. Great callings arise from humble beginnings.

• God’s protection works through simple means. A mother, a basket, a child—these suffice for Him.

• True training happens in God’s school. Worldly wisdom alone cannot equip one for spiritual mission.

• God fulfills His promises even when all odds are against them.

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Application for Daily Life

• Trust that God sees your life—even if no one else notices.

• Offer Him your “today” even when you don’t understand your “tomorrow.”

• Examine your learning—does it draw you closer to God or farther away?

• Embrace apparent setbacks (like Moses’ wilderness years) as God’s preparation.

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Conclusion

Moses’ story begins in utmost danger and culminates in divine calling. His life proves: God rescues those whom others discard—and then uses them. His story shows that no child, no person, and no life is accidental. God’s eyes are fixed on what He Himself has deemed “good.”

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Thought of the Day

Your journey may not start in a palace but in a simple basket. Yet if God’s hand rests upon you, He will lead you right where you are needed.

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Illustration – “The Baby in the Box”

Hamburg, 2023
Garbage collectors first thought it was an animal: a cardboard box, drenched, shivering under a bridge on a winter’s night. When they opened it, they found an infant wrapped in an old coat—with a note pinned to his chest: “Please save him. His name is Samuel.”

He was taken to the hospital and stabilized. No mother or father came forward. After a few media reports, the story quietly slipped from the public eye. But a pediatric nurse named Miriam never forgot him. She contacted child services and prayed continually. Weeks later, she was granted custody.

“I don’t know why,” she often said, “but I believe God has a plan for him.”

Samuel was different—quiet, observant, thoughtful. In school he stood out not for grades but for helping others unseen. At seventeen he began mentoring other foster youth. At twenty-one he studied social work. By thirty he led an international children’s charity—quietly, effectively, in deep faith.

His colleagues sometimes ask why he fights so passionately for life. He smiles and says,
“Because I was meant to die—but God had other plans.”

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/lesson-1-oppression-the-background-and-the-birth-of-moses-1-4-moses-is-born-exodus-living-faith/

July 2, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Exodus 27 – A Holy Place – A Holy Commission

The altar, the courtyard, and the lampstand – God’s order for His presence

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Bible Text – Exodus 27 (KJV)

1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.

5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.

7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.

8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:

10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

13 And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.

14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

16 And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.

17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.

18 The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.

19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

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Introduction

In Exodus 27 God gives detailed instructions for building the altar, the courtyard, and for preparing the holy oil that keeps the lamp in the sanctuary burning. At first glance these chapters are full of dimensions, materials, and construction details—but they tell a deeper spiritual story: God desires to dwell among His people, and He prepares a place marked by holiness, order, and light.

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Commentary

1. The Burnt-Offering Altar (verses 1–8)

   • The altar stands at the center of the courtyard—made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, with “horns” at each corner. It symbolizes the means of atonement between God and humanity.

   • The sacrifices offered there point prophetically to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.

   • The carrying poles show that God’s presence goes with His people, even on the journey.

2. The Courtyard (verses 9–19)

   • A fenced enclosure of linen curtains and pillars defines the holy space. It is the place where people approach God.

   • Every detail—clean white linen, precise measurements, beautiful colors—speaks of purity, structure, and beauty.

   • The entrance curtain of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen points to Christ, who is our access to the Father.

3. The Holy Oil and the Light (verses 20–21)

   • Only the purest pressed olive oil may be used so that lamps burn continually, morning and evening.

   • Light represents God’s presence and truth.

   • Aaron and his sons—the priests—are tasked with maintaining this light. It is an ongoing, faithful service.

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Summary

Exodus 27 may seem technical, but its words carry profound spiritual depth: God prepares an environment of holiness, purity, and order. The altar signifies reconciliation, the courtyard signifies our coming near to Him, and the lampstand signifies His enduring presence. Nothing is left to chance; God cares deeply how He is worshiped and reveals to us how to meet Him.

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Message for Us Today

• Even though we no longer build a physical courtyard or altar, God calls us to the same spiritual posture.

• Jesus is our sacrifice, our altar, and our light.

• God seeks a pure heart that daily has fresh “oil”—spiritual nourishment and connection with Him.

• Like the priests of old, we are called to keep the flame of faith alive in a world often shrouded in darkness.

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Reflection Questions

• Is your “altar” still active? Do you have daily times when you draw near to God?

• Does your light still burn brightly, or has it grown dim from fatigue, distraction, or sin?

• What “materials” shape your life? Is your foundation built on God’s Word or on things that will pass away?

Perhaps today is the day to begin rebuilding your “sanctuary”—in your heart.

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June 28 – July 05, 2025

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING

Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 14

Destruction of Sodom

Read online here

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Introduction

Sodom was beautiful, wealthy, and cultured—yet it was lost in guilt, sin, and ultimately in God’s judgment.
The story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom is more than a historical event.
It is a warning, an invitation, and a mirror for our own time.
Amid prosperity, pleasure, and religious indifference, we still hear God’s voice today:

“Flee for your life! Don’t look back.” (Genesis 19:17)

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Commentary

1. The Allure of Sodom – Outward Wealth, Inward Decay

Sodom was “like the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10)—fertile, beautiful, and convenient. But:

• Abundance led to pride.

• Idleness corrupted character.

• Wealth fueled selfishness and moral decay.

Sodom was prosperous—but spiritually dead.

2. God’s Warning – Grace Before Judgment

God sent angels to rescue Lot.
Lot was righteous, but hesitant.
His family was attached to comfort and possessions.

God’s grace is real—but it has a window of opportunity.

3. Lot’s Wife – A Heart in Sodom

She was on the path of rescue, but her heart looked back.
One last glance cost her life.

It’s not about where your feet are—but where your heart is.

4. The Consequences of Wrong Choices

Lot’s descendants (the Moabites and Ammonites) became enemies of God.
One wrong step led generations into ruin.

Personal decisions can have consequences that span generations.

5. The Contrast: Abraham and Lot

Abraham lived by faith as a stranger and pilgrim.
Lot sought comfort—and nearly lost everything.

Faith chooses what is eternal, even when it is hard today.

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Summary

The downfall of Sodom is:

• a testimony to God’s patience—but also His justice,

• a mirror of today’s moral condition,

• a call to repentance,

• a reminder: wealth without God is dangerous,

• a warning: do not delay when God calls!

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Message for Us Today

We live in a world like Sodom—marked by prosperity, selfishness, and moral relativism.
God’s grace still calls today—not to condemn, but to save.
Don’t delay when God calls—the time of grace is limited.
Your choices affect your family, your descendants, and your eternity.
Seek the better homeland—the city whose builder and maker is God.

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Reflection Question

Where is my “Sodom”? Where do I choose comfort over obedience?
Do I hesitate like Lot—even though I know God’s voice?
Is my heart more attached to possessions, career, and security—or to God’s will?
Do I live like Abraham—a guest in this world, waiting for the heavenly?

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/02-07-2025-exodus-chapter-27-believe-his-prophets/