Today we would be looking at the Miriam in Egypt : Exodus 2: 1-10
In this study, the tools we would use for this study are
- Who, What, When, Where, and How tool
- What does it mean?
- How does it apply to me today?
So let’s dig in and turn the bible to Exodus 2: 1-10
Who, What, When, Where, and How tool
Miriam’s mum and dad were both from the tribe of Levi
Miriam had a baby brother.
Miriam sees how her parents tried to protect her baby brother from being executed by Pharaoh. By hiding him for 3 months.
Miriam watched over her baby brother in the basket on the nile river
When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered Miriam’s baby brother, Miriam proffered a solution of who should look after the baby to Pharaoh’s daughter
Mimriam fetches her mother to care for her discovered baby brother
Using the – What does it mean tool?
What did all this mean to Miriam and us. Well, Miriam knew the slavery her family was under. She knew Pharaoh was killing all the baby boys. She lived under the fear of the unknown. Will Pharoadh get her baby brother too?
She sees how parents tried their best to keep her baby brother safe with all the means they had at their disposal.
It was her turn to watch over her baby brother when he was placed in the tared basket on the Nile river. She was diligent to watch over him. Then Pharaoh’s daughter, the daughter of the man who wanted her baby brother dead discovered the basket Mriam was watching over. Let read Miriam’s actions;
Exodus 2: 8-9 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.
When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered her baby brother, Miriam acted boldly and suggested to Pharaoh’s daughter to get a caretaker for the baby. She swiftly fetched her mother thereby saving her baby brother Mosoes from death (drowning)
Let’s take a step back;
Pharaoh’s daughter was looking at the baby in the basket, but it was Miriam who suggested the baby needed a nurse. She also suggested the solution of her Miriam be the person to find a nurse.
See the picture: Pharaoh’s daughter to Miriam the daughter of a slave whose brother was in a basket on the river Nile. She didn’t cry out against Pharaoh to his daughter or look at Pharaoh’s daughter with condemnation but rather made a decision for Pharaoh’s daughter to adopt her brother and save his life. And she suggested the plan to her.
Miriam in fulfilling her mundane duty of looking after her baby brother rescued the deliverer- Moses.
How does it apply to me today?
Duty
Let me quote Matthew Henry : ” Duty is ours, events are God’s.”
Miriam stood fulfilling her duty to watch but when God’s providence brought Pharaoh daughter she saw a way of deliverance for her brother.
Her duty met God’s providence.
Use what you have
Miriam did not look at her circumstances. If she did, seeing Pharaoh’s daughter would have meant death for her brother. Pharaoh’s daughter was the daughter of her enemy, the man who wanted her brother dead. What could Miriam do? What tools did she have at her disposal? – Her courage, tongue, witt and good thinking
Sometimes we look around and see our challenges, issues, difficulties. We should change our focus to see God’s providence in the situation and look at the tools at our disposal..
Miriam played her part well in God’s plan to deliver the Jews from Egypt. She played it well and what she did in a way was a life or death situation for Baby Moses. In Ex 1:8-14 we read about the beginning of maltreatment of Isrealites which lead to their bitter groaning in the latter verses of Chapter 2 and guess what, when God started planning the answer to their prayers for deliverance, Miriam had a part to play. This reminds me that when I pray regarding things in my life, just maybe I have a part to play in bringing about the answer to prayers. What if Miriam decided to do something else that day and not obeyed her mother? Her mother did not know how things would pan out , and there was no record of her telling Miriam what to say to anybody. Miriam in obedience to her mother aligned herself to God’s plan. God granted her wisdom to save the day, save her baby brother, save her family and consequently her Nation.
Miriam displayed boldness, “thinking outside the box”, and wisdom. Some tasks may seem mundane, but God works wonders even in the mundane things.
The lessons that shout out to me are courage, duty, and wisdom proffering solutions outside the box.
Not to be timid, and work with God has been made available.
Miriam could speak, so she spoke to Pharaoh’s daughter.
Diligent and focused little girl did not run off to play or break down into tears helplessly. Bt quicking thinking and looking for a solution rather than complaining about the situation.
She saved her baby brother’s life and God’s deliverer.