Adopted into Pharoah’s family, Moses was educated in the best schools. He learned Egyptian literature, arts, culture, and history. He studied geography, science, mathematics, architecture and engineering, military tactics, and leadership and management strategy. Egypt, the most advanced society on earth at the time, provided Moses its very finest training and education.
As a young child, before moving into the Egyptian palace, Moses had spent time on his daddy’s knee and in his momma lap. He’d been taught about the Hebrew people and their God. He never forgot! Even as his instructors and advisors fervently preached Egyptian superiority, Moses’ never forgot his Hebrew roots. He always remembered.
When Moses was forty years old (Exodus 7:7; Acts 7:30), “he went out to his own people and observed their forced labor” (Exodus 2:11). I wonder, did Moses drive his glistening chariot through the ghetto to see where his parents lived? Were Amram and Jochebed still living? Did he crane his neck this way and that, hoping to catch a glimpse of his siblings, Aaron and Miriam?
The Hebrew slaves, thousands of them, were dressed in drab clothing, nothing like his own fine coats and capes. Taskmasters hollered, demanding more… more bricks… more work… more sweat! As if driving a team of stubborn oxen, the Egyptians cracked their whips to drive the slaves harder, harder, harder!
As Moses meandered about, “He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his people. Looking all around and seeing no one, he struck the Egyptian dead and hid him in the sand” (Exodus 2:11-12). He hadn’t intended to kill him. His temper had flared as the taskmaster brutalized the helpless Hebrew slave. After concealing his evil deed, he drove back to the palace.
“The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, ‘Why are you attacking your neighbor?’ ‘Who made you a commander and judge over us?’ the man replied. ‘Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’ ” (Exodus 2:13-14).
Surely, if word of this got back to Pharoah, he would be seen as a traitor. He would no longer be welcome in Pharoah’s house and certainly would never climb the ladder in Pharoah’s court. He had murdered an Egyptian.
As fear washed over him, Moses ran for his life! As he left Egypt in his rear-view mirror, surely, he thought, “I’ll never return! I’ll never see Egypt again! I’ll never see my adopted Egyptian family, and I’ll never see my Hebrew family either… never again.”
God had a different plan. He still has a plan … and it is good. I promise.
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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