Life Lessons from Jochebed (Moses’ Mother in the Bible)
Who was Moses’ mother in the Bible? Her name is Jochebed. She was a hero. Aspiring to be a hero is not all it’s cracked up to be. Once you reach that rank, it’s honorable and praiseworthy. On the front lines, the battle is raw, messy and often unpredictable.
As a mother, we not only fight our own battles but we carry the weight of the battles our children face.
What if we were asked to be brave, make sacrifices, give up our freedoms in exchange for no promise of prestige, recognition, or praise? Yes, welcome to motherhood.
During my almost 40 years on earth and 11 years as a parent, motherhood has proven to be the hardest battle I’ve ever faced. The best way I know how to learn how to be a godly mother is to study godly mothers.
Jochebed’s Faith Amid Pharaoh’s Edict
Although our world today is not lacking in insurmountable struggle, it is certainly not the first or last generation that requires courage to guide and protect our children.
One mother in the Bible, Jochebed, was faced with an unimaginable decision.
The Pharaoh had decreed that all midwives throw newborn Israelite baby boys into the Nile river. The Pharaoh feared that they were becoming too powerful. Wiping out an entire generation was his cowardly solution.
The words “It’s a boy,” now carried weight no mother should ever have to bear. Can you imagine the horror these Israelite mothers faced knowing that at any moment an Egyptian might snatch their baby boy from their arms and cast him into the Nile River?(Exodus 1:15-17).
Each pregnancy, a time that should have been filled with joy and anticipation, was overshadowed by the dread of Pharaoh’s orders.
It was within this crucible of fear that Jochebed’s faith was refined and her legend was born. With the Nile River’s waters as a potential grave for her fine child, she devised a plan that was nothing short of divine inspiration.
Crafting a papyrus basket, she placed her baby Moses—her own son, a fine child destined for greatness—among the reeds on the bank of the Nile, entrusting his fragile life to the providence of God’s plan.
This act of faith was not lost on Pharaoh’s daughter, who, by divine appointment, found baby Moses and, moved by compassion, decided to raise him as her own.
The narrative intricately weaves together the lives of two women from vastly different worlds: a Jewish woman, mother of Moses, and the daughter of Pharaoh.
Their stories converge by the river bank, where the destiny of one of God’s greatest leaders—Moses, a man pivotal to the children of Israel and the unfolding of God’s plan—hung in balance.
Jochebed’s unwavering belief in the promises of God, even in the face of Pharaoh’s decree, stands as a testament to her great faith and the power of a mother’s love.
She, a Jewish woman, not only ensured her son’s life but also secured his place as a leader and liberator of the Hebrew people.
Moses’ early childhood, spent hidden from the murderous decree of the new king, and his formative years within the wisdom of the Egyptians, were all part of God’s intricate design—a design that Jochebed, though perhaps not fully understanding, trusted wholeheartedly.
This story, more than just an account of a mother’s love, is a narrative of God’s sovereignty, of His ability to turn the plans of man on their head for the sake of His people.
Jochebed’s name, her life, and her actions offer enduring lessons about trusting in God’s plan, even when it leads us into the most terrifying of waters. Her story is a clarion call to all of us navigating the difficult times and uncertain waters of our lives, reminding us that faith in God’s promises can transform fear into fortitude and trials into triumphs.
The Nile River as a Vessel of Hope
To save her son’s life, after three months of hiding him, Jochebed (mother of Moses) waterproofed a basket and placed him inside. Jochebed put Moses in a basket and released him in the flow of the Nile River.
She didn’t know the outcome. She didn’t know if the basket would hold together. She didn’t know if someone was watching. She didn’t know if this was her last goodbye. She didn’t know if she’d ever recover from this trauma.
But she knew the God of her people promised a hope and redeemer. She had the courage to place her child in a basket and trust God for the rest.
How often do we want to cling to the picture perfect roadmap we’ve created for our children? If it deviates, we wonder if that shift could alter the plans we’ve laid out for them.
God gave Jochebed the supernatural strength to lay her son down and let go of control.
As mothers, we may not be asked to send our child down an active current, but we are asked by God to trust He has them protected and accounted for, with or without our micromanagement.
The Daughter of Pharaoh and the Hebrew Midwives
While the Bible doesn’t specifically outline Jochebed’s character qualities, we can certainly see them lived out in how she responded to this difficult situation.
It wasn’t her choice or fault that she was born an Israelite, lived in Egypt, or fell under the rule of a power hungry Pharaoh. Also, there was a 50/50 chance of having a son.
Couldn’t God have given her a girl and this would all have been resolved? Like we so often do, Jochebed could have looked at her surroundings and had a pity party.
She didn’t choose this life. She had different expectations. Was God really a good God? Why didn’t God prevent this pain?
You may know how this story ends.
The basket fell in the hands of the Pharaoh’s daughter who was bathing in the river. Moved with compassion when she discovered the child, she decided to adopt him.
Doing only what God can do, He creatively set the stage for Moses’ mother to be able to continue nursing and caring for Moses until he was of old enough. God blessed Jochebed by providing for her needs (paying her to nurse her son, what she wanted to do and would do for free anyways).
She was willing to relinquish her son to be adopted and raised by someone else. This is the love of a mother, making great sacrifices and being willing to do the difficult things that parenting requires.
Jochebed’s Legacy Through Moses’ Life
Reflect on how Jochebed’s faith and actions set the stage for Moses’ future as a leader of the Hebrew people.
Moses’ upbringing in the house of Pharaoh meant he learned the wisdom of the Egyptians, yet never forgetting the faith of his true family (thanks to the early childhood years spent with Jochebed).
Let’s pause and address the magnitude of the Pharaoh’s daughter to adopt Moses.
She bent down to rescue and care for this vulnerable baby in the basket. Knowing her own father made it illegal to keep a Hebrew baby boy alive, she went against him to adopt this innocent child.
Adoption is not easy. Adoption can be messy. Adoption takes courage, love, compassion and a special calling. Can you imagine the friction this caused between her and her father?
She chose to do the right thing and it quite possibly could have cost her her inheritance. How incredible that God hand picked the Pharaoh’s daughter to raise up the leader of their enslaved people?
Both Jochebed and Pharaoh’s daughter play a major role in this redemptive story.
What would have happened if Jochebed would have held onto Moses? What if she wasn’t brave enough to give him his best chance of survival? Her courage was the springboard for Israel being rescued and prophecy being fulfilled.
Her diligent care and dangerous move resulted in great reward.
Lessons from Moses’ Mother in the Bible for Today
Expanding on the lessons from Jochebed for today, we dive deeper into the silent, yet profound impact of her faith and actions on the course of biblical history and the timeless lessons we can draw from her story.
Jochebed’s life, though sparingly documented beyond the early chapters of Exodus, leaves an indelible mark on the fabric of faith.
Jochebed’s Surrender
Her decision to place Moses into the Nile, hidden within a papyrus basket, was a pivotal moment not only in her life but in the destiny of the Hebrew people. This act of surrender was not born out of despair but was a profound declaration of trust in God’s providence.
Imagine Jochebed’s daily life under the oppressive edict of Pharaoh, the constant fear for the safety of her children, and the unyielding hope that God would deliver them.
Her faith was not passive; it was an active, courageous engagement with God’s promises, even when those promises seemed distant and improbable.
Jochebed’s Trust
Jochebed’s story teaches us that faith often requires us to take steps that seem counterintuitive. Like Jochebed, we should trust that God’s plan for our lives and the lives of those we love encompasses far greater horizons than we can see.
Jochebed’s Godly Parenting
In the years Jochebed had with Moses, she instilled in him the faith and identity that would later define his leadership and his mission.
This underscores the profound influence parents have in shaping the faith and destiny of their children. Jochebed’s legacy is a testament to the power of godly parenting—of sowing seeds of faith that might not fully bloom until long after our direct influence has waned.
Jochebed’s Blind Faith
Furthermore, Jochebed’s story is a powerful reminder of God’s attention to the details of our lives. Just as He orchestrated the rescue of Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter, God is intimately involved in the intricacies of our circumstances.
Her story encourages us to look beyond our current struggles, to trust in God’s overarching plan for our lives, and to believe in the silent workings of His will, even when evidence of His intervention is not immediately apparent.
The life of Jochebed, though marked by moments of great uncertainty and peril, is ultimately a story of hope and redemption.
It challenges us to live a life of faith that transcends the boundaries of our understanding and to trust in God’s greater plan, knowing that our acts of faith today can echo through generations to come.
As we reflect on the lessons from Jochebed’s life, let her faith inspire us to face our own trials with courage and to nurture the seeds of faith in those God has placed in our care.
We can rest in the assurance that, like Jochebed, we are part of a much larger story God is writing—one that we may not fully comprehend but can fully trust to be good.
Final Thoughts: Life Lessons from Jochebed, Moses’ Mom
As we close this chapter on Jochebed’s remarkable journey, let’s take a moment to soak in the profound courage, wisdom, and faith she embodied.
We do not know everything there is to know about their story, their journey to motherhood, their parenting style or their secret to endurance. But what we do know is that each of these women were chosen and equipped by God to be the springboard for their child’s destiny.
Her life wasn’t just about navigating the terrifying waters of the Nile with her baby tucked in a basket; it was a testament to the power of standing firm in faith, even when the future seemed as uncertain as the river’s current.
Jochebed’s example teaches us about the strength that comes from trusting in God’s plan, especially during times when our own strength seems to falter.
Her story, from the anxious moments of her pregnancy to the strategic placing of Moses on the riverbank and beyond, unfolds as a blueprint for facing our battles.
It reminds us that sometimes, our greatest acts of faith involve letting go and entrusting our deepest fears and highest hopes into God’s hands.
Imagine the impact of embodying Jochebed’s faith in our lives. Whether it’s in the challenges of parenting, navigating personal trials, or standing up for what’s right in difficult times, her legacy invites us to trust in the promises of God with the same unwavering confidence she did.
Jochebed’s life teaches us that true heroism doesn’t always come with grand recognition; often, it’s found in the quiet moments of choosing faith over fear.
Let her faith remind you that you’re never alone in your struggles, and that the same God who guided Jochebed and Moses is guiding you.
Stand firm, keep faith, and trust in God’s plan, for it’s in these moments that we, too, can become unsung heroes in our own right.
xoxo
