49_And he was beautiful to God

Ex 2:1-10 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 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. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

Acts 7:17 “But as the time of the promise which God had assured to Abraham was approaching, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until another king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 19 It was he who shrewdly took advantage of our nation and mistreated our fathers in order that they would abandon their infants in the Nile, so that they would not survive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful to God. He was nurtured for three months in his father’s home. 21 And after he had been put outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was proficient in speaking and action.

Heb 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

An American tourist browsing in a trinket shop in Paris found an amber necklace and bought it as a souvenir. On returning to New York, he was surprised at the unusually high customs duty on it. Intrigued, he had the necklace appraised. To his astonishment, the jeweler offered $25,000 for it. When he sought a second opinion, the second jeweler offered $10,000 more. “What makes this old necklace so special?” he asked. The jeweler replied, “Look closely.” Through the magnifying glass, he saw an inscription: “From Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine.” Its value lay not in its substance, but in its association with the great.

This story reflects the truth that our worth comes not from ourselves, but from our relationship with God. Moses’ story, found in Exodus 2:1-10, vividly illustrates this principle. Born during a time of oppression and under a death sentence at birth, Moses was “beautiful to God” (Acts 7:20). He wasn’t merely physically attractive. God had bestowed value on him by his appointed role in the divine plan for his people.

When Moses was born, the Israelites had been in Egypt for over 300 years. Towards the latter part, they endured increasing oppression. Pharaoh’s edict to kill every newborn Hebrew boy cast a shadow of terror over the land. Amram and Jochebed, Moses’ parents, already had two children—Miriam and Aaron. They were now faced with the devastating command to cast their newborn son into the Nile. Instead of succumbing to fear, they chose faith and the fear of God.

They saw their child not merely as their son but as someone precious in God’s sight. The Hebrew word used for “beautiful” in Exodus can also mean “precious.” They recognized that Moses was set apart by God for a divine calling.

Their perspective reflects the truth that each human life is a gift from God. Each life is precious simply because we are made in the image of God. As Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Yet, this understanding is not universal.

In later years, Israel abandoned this viewpoint. They began to sacrifice their children to idols. God rebuked them, declaring, “You slaughtered my children.” (Ezekiel 16:21). The contrast is stark: Moses’ parents preserved their son in faith, for God’s purpose, while others slaughtered the precious children given by God to false gods.

Faithful parenting begins with recognizing that every child is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and entrusted to us by God. Amram and Jochebed lived out this truth. They defied Pharaoh’s decree and hid Moses for three months. But as he grew, they faced the reality that they could no longer keep him safe. In an act of mingled faith and surrender, Jochebed crafted a basket, waterproofed it, and placed her son among the reeds of the Nile. She refused to send him to his death, but instead let him go into the unknown future, entrusting him to God’s care.

This act of faith reminds us of Mary of Bethany, who anointed Jesus with the best that she had. The costly perfume that she poured out on him led to the Lord’s commendation that “she has done what she could” (Mark 14:8). Similarly, Jochebed did everything in her power to protect her son and trusted God to do the rest. This is a lesson for all of us: faith doesn’t mean passivity. It calls us to do what we can, when we can do it, and rest in God for what we cannot.

God honored Jochebed’s faith. Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe in the river, and found Moses at just the right moment. Moved with compassion, despite recognizing him as a Hebrew child, she chose to adopt him. Moses would grow up safely under her royal protection. In a beautiful twist of divine providence, Jochebed was hired as nurse to her own son. It appears that she used these few years with the utmost wisdom and discretion, ensuring Moses grew up with a foundation of faith and identity.

This underlines the truth that when we faithfully do what we can, and entrust what we cannot control to God, He works in ways beyond our understanding. Jochebed’s act of surrender led to her raising Israel’s deliverer.

Moses, raised in Pharaoh’s palace, received the finest education and training, becoming skilled in speech and action. But when God called him to deliver Israel, Moses hesitated, claiming he was slow of speech (Exodus 4:10). His eloquence or lack thereof wasn’t the determining factor in God’s plan. It was God’s choice and power that qualified him for his mission.

Too often, we rely on our perceived abilities, education, or resources in matters of faith. But spiritual victories are not won through human effort. As Zechariah 4:6 reminds us, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.” True success in God’s plan comes not from our strength but from our dependence on Him.

Paul echoes this in 2 Corinthians 10:4, saying, “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” Our greatest tools in life and ministry are not human skills but God’s spiritual weapons. He calls us to live by his salvation, his righteousness, his truth, His Word, his gospel, the leading of the Spirit, and in constant prayer. With these weapons, God works through us beyond our limitations.

Moses’ story is a testimony to the grace and sovereignty of God. From the moment he was born, he was “beautiful to God,” because God had set him apart for His purposes. His parents’ faith played a critical role in preserving his life and preparing him to fulfil his calling, though they did not know it.

Let us remember that every child—and indeed, every person—is “beautiful to God,” created with purpose and value. Our role is to nurture, protect, and guide them, trusting in God’s providence.

Let us recognize that our value comes from our association with our Creator and Savior. When we live in obedience, trust, and faith, we reflect the beauty and worth that God created us to have. Let us be faithful caretakers of all that God entrusts to us. Then we know that His power, not ours, will accomplish His purposes, and like Moses, we will fulfil our divine calling.