Pharaoh, shortly before Moses' birth, decreed the death of all Hebrew male children.
And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah.
And he said, "When you midwife the Hebrew women, and look on the birth stools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him. But if it is a daughter, then she shall live." (Exodus 1:15 - 16, HBFV).
Unable to conceal her baby for very long, Moses' mother Jochebed carried out a plan to save her child. She put him in a small ark and placed it in the reeds along the river hoping would find and let him live. Pharaoh's daughter finds the baby and immediately adopts him. Miriam, who serves the princess, suggests and arranges for her mother to nurse the child.
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along by the riverside. And when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her slavegirl to bring it to her.
And she opened it, and she saw the child. And behold, a boy wept. And she had pity on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' sons." (Exodus 2:5 - 6, HBFV).
From Twenty to Forty
Moses grows up taught and trained in Pharaoh's court. From the age of twenty to forty he was "mighty in words and deeds" (Acts 7:22). He, according to historian Josephus, becomes general of the Egyptian army and leads a successful campaign against the Ethiopians (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 2, Chapter 10).
Fleeing Egypt
Around the age of forty Moses flees Egypt to escape punishment for killing an Egyptian taskmaster who wrongly beat and killed a Hebrew slave. His journey takes him to Midian where he ends up working for a man named Jethro. He soon marries Jethro's daughter. After spending forty years as a herdsman, God commissions him, through a burning bush, to free the children of Israel from their Egyptian bondage.
Returning Home
Moses journeys back to Egypt with his brother Aaron, who acts as his spokesman. Their confrontations with Pharaoh Thutmose III (ruled Egypt from 1479 to 1425 B.C.) lead to ten plagues brought on Egypt and the killing of their firstborn. The Exodus occurs when the Israelites leave Egypt. He then spends the last forty years of his life serving God and governing the people. He leads the people to Mount Sinai where God gives them his laws and commandments.
After the children of Israel show a lack of faith to enter their inheritance, God judges them unfit to receive this blessing and has them wander the wilderness for forty years. Moses dies at the age of 120. Joshua, his second in command, leads the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Important events in his life of Moses include being saved from an early death by Pharaoh's daughter. He is called to serve God through a burning bush. Pharaoh's continuing refusal to release God's people brings plagues on Egypt and the death of each Egyptian family's firstborn. He leads the Israelites miraculously cross the Red Sea then receives God's laws and commandments at Mount Sinai.
Israel's lack of faith leads to the people wandering the wilderness for 40 years. During this period of his life, Moses writes the first five books listed in the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). His own sin keep him from entering the promised land. In our next lesson, we will start with the life of the greatest human king over Israel. His name is King David.
Important Moses Dates
1526 B.C. - Moses is born (Exodus 2).
1486 - At the age of 40 (Acts 7:23) Moses flees Egypt after killing an Egyptian man (Exodus 2). He ends up in the land of Midian where he takes a Midianite woman named Zipporah.
1486 to 1446 - Moses spends forty years in Midian as a shepherd. His life drastically changes, however, when God calls him to save the Israelites (Exodus 3).
1446 to 1445 - Moses, at the age of 80, demands Pharaoh free the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage (Exodus 7:1 - 7). It takes ten plagues, however, for God's people to be set free (Exodus 7 - 12).
1445 to 1405 - Moses writes the first five books listed in modern Bibles.
1405 - Moses, after leading Israel to victory over the Midianites (Numbers 31), dies on Mount Nebo. He is personally buried by God (Deuteronomy 34).