Welcome to week 9 of Women in the Bible: Beautiful and Brave the series! Each week for 10 weeks on Whimsical Wednesday, we are studying the most beautiful and brave women in the Bible. At the end of this post, you will find the prior articles in the series. Join us for another study adventure of women in the Bible!
This week our featured guest is “Jochebed Who Risked Creatively.”
As an Israelite woman, it was a terrible season to be pregnant. Blessed by God, the children of Israel had multiplied greatly in Egypt, even under the bondage of Pharaoh. Pharaoh realized the risk involved with the Israelite’s rapid population growth. His resolution to the problem? Have the midwives kill the baby boys born to all Israelite women. Faithful to God, the midwives did not follow through on Pharaoh’s command. As the story unfolds, Pharaoh then declares for all baby boys under age 2 to be cast into the river.
I can’t imagine the sorrow associated with such a command. But we do know that one woman’s story didn’t end in the river.
Jochebed carefully concealed her baby boy for three months.
And when she could no longer keep him quiet, she creatively took a risk. She threw him in the river- but just not according to Pharaoh’s instructions. Crafting a small boat unlike anything Etsy can boast, Jochebed gingerly placed her precious baby boy in it. The Bible doesn’t tell us this, but I believe she purposely chose a place in the bulrushes close to the bathing spot of Pharaoh’s daughter. Maybe not. Maybe God led the steps of Pharaoh’s daughter exactly to the “random” place where baby Moses (recognize that name?) cried from his baby bed boat.
Either way, Jochebed left a guard over little Moses, his older sister, Miriam. And when Miriam saw the interest of the Pharaoh’s daughter, she graciously offered to find a nurse for the baby. Just so happens that the nurse was her mama. And the baby’s mama.
And 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. Exodus 2:9
I wonder what it was like to get paid for caring for your own baby.
Do you think Jochebed just soaked up every minute with her sweet boy since she knew that ultimately, she would one day take him to the princess of Egypt, possibly never to see him again?
It’s easy to see the bravery of the mother of God’s chosen leader of the Israelites. But her beauty? I believe her beauty was her ability to think outside the box. God used her creative ingenuity to not only think of the plan to save her baby boy, but also, her very own hands to fashion a baby boat that would survive the water of the Nile.
God specifically chose Jochebed as the mother of Moses.
When God gives an assignment, he always provides the tools to follow the plan.
Or another way to say it?
Where God guides, he provides.
Check out this profile of Jochebed, beautiful and brave.
- Name: Jochebed
- Occupation: full-time caregiver and mama
- Family background: Wife to Amram, Mom to Miriam, Aaron and Moses
- Daily life: we can only guess
- Emotional baggage: unknown
- Weaknesses: unknown
- Beauty secrets: used the skills and talents God provided to follow through on his plan
- Acts of bravery: boldly hid her baby boy in the bulrushes in order to save his life and ultimately, the entire nation of Israel
For Jochebed, the hand that rocked the boat is the one that ruled the world.
See you tomorrow!
Rachel
Original Post: Women in the Bible: 5 of the most beautiful and brave
Introductory Post: Women in the Bible: Beautiful and Brave series
Week 1: Sarah Who Remembered God’s Promise
Week 2: Deborah Who Declared God’s Truth
Week 3: Hannah Who Poured Out Her Soul
Week 4: Ruth Who Dedicated Herself
Week 5: Mary Who Anointed the Lord
Week 6: Esther Who Stepped Up
Week 7: Miriam Who Sang Victoriously
Week 8: Rahab Who Believed Courageously
Thanks, girl! I am glad you liked the post about the power of blessing other women, and I am especially glad you got blessed. Thank you for your ministry. This is a great series, by the way!
~gina
Where God guides, He provides! That is one big truth! I love how you are digging into these women of the Bible. I find that even though I have read through the Bible more than once, I am missing nuggets of information. I did not know that Jocebed nursed her own child, Moses, and the image of that is so sweet. What a blessing for all that God did provide in this case so that our heritage would remain intact.
Thank you Rachel! Have a blessed day!
I love to do this–think of what the Bible character was feeling and thinking at crucial points in the account. I can only imagine that every time she nursed her son, she must have cried tears of joy and heartbreak. I also wonder how long the Israelites typically nursed back then. I’m sure they were probably as old as 4 or 5. That would make it all the harder–having had so many years to bond with your son. Thanks for hosting and I’ll have to check Gina’s post out too, Rachel.