Moses the Deliverer. Chapters 2 and 4 tell the wonderful story of the
birth of Moses, of his loyalty to his people, of his sojourn in Midian
and of his final call to the task of the deliverance of Israel. His
wonderful life-a life to which all the centuries are indebted-is
naturally divided into three parts. (1) _His early life of forty years
at the court of Pharaoh_. By faith his parents trusted him to the care
of Providence and he was brought to the house of Pharoah and was
taught in all the learning of the Egyptians, who conducted great
universities and were highly cultured in the arts and sciences (Acts
7:22). Finally feeling it to be his duty to renounce his worldly glory
and identify himself with his Hebrew brethren, he made the choice by
faith (Heb. 11:24-27). He no doubt felt then the call to be their
deliverer but did not find his countrymen ready to accept him as such
(Acts 7:25-28). Whereupon he fled to the wilderness of Midian. (2)
_Forty years in the desert_ where he gained an intimate knowledge of
all the wilderness through which for forty years he was to lead the
Hebrews in their wanderings. Here he had opportunity to learn patience
and meditate and gain the ability to wait on God. Here God finally
appeared to him and gave him definite and ample instructions for his
task of delivering out of bondage this crushed and ignorant slave race
and for making of them a nation of the purest spiritual and moral
ideals the world has ever known. (3) _Forty years as leader and
lawgiver for Israel_ while they tabernacled in the wilderness.

Perhaps three reasons led Moses to undertake the task of leaving
Midian and championing the cause of Israel. (1) He had a vision of God
the holy one of all power who would be with him. (2) The conviction
that the time was ripe, because of the death of the king of Egypt and
the years of weak government that followed. (3) By over-ruling all