Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/171

 When the  mother  came,  the  princess  said  to  her:  “Take  this child and  nurse  him  for  me,  and  I will  give  thee  wages.”  The woman then  took  the  child  and  nursed  him. And when  he  was grown up,  he  was  brought  to  Pharao’s  daughter,  who  adopted him as  her  own,  and  called  him  Moses,  which  means  rescued from the  waters.

The Wisdom  of  Divine  Providence. God  destined  Moses  to  be  the deliverer of  His  chosen  people. Pharao’s cruel  command  to  drown  all the male  children  of  the  Israelites  could  not  nullify  what  He  had  decreed. On the  contrary,  it  served,  under  His  guidance,  for  the  accomplishment of His  designs;  for  Moses,  being  brought  up  in  the  king’s  court,  was educated in  the  knowledge  of  the  Egyptians,  and  was  thus  prepared for his  high  vocation  of  leader  and  deliverer  of  God’s  people.

The uses  of  tribulation.  God  permitted  the  Israelites  to  be  oppressed, in  order  that  they  might  begin  to  yearn  for  the  Promised Land and  the  future  Saviour,  and  might  keep  aloof  from  the  Egyptians. All our  various  troubles  in  this  life  ought  to  detach  our  hearts  from earthly things,  and  turn  them  towards  heaven  and  eternity. If earth were a paradise,  who  would  long  for  heaven?

The love  of  parents  for  their  children.  If  it  had  been  discovered that Moses’  parents  had  hidden  away  a son,  they  would  have  been severely punished,  and  most  likely  put  to  death. Parents are  willing to expose  themselves  to  a great  deal  of  danger  for  the  sake  of  their children.

The confidence  in  God  shown  by  Moses'  parents.  They  did  what they could  to  save  the  child,  and  prayed,  full  of  confidence,  to  God to help  them. Their confidence  was  not  misplaced. He who  trusts in God,  builds  on  a sure  foundation.

Compassion. The king’s  daughter  was  a pagan,  and  yet  she  had a kind, compassionate  heart. How much  more  compassion  ought  we Christians  to  show! “Blessed are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain mercy.” The  Society  of  the  Holy  Childhood  is  an  example  of  what can be  done. By means  of  it,  heathen  children  are  saved  from  death, baptized and  brought  up  as  Christians.

Moses saved  in  his  infancy  from  the  cruel  edict  of  Pharao  is  a type  of  Christ  saved  in  His  infancy  from  the  slaughter  ordered  by  Herod.

God has  preserved  you,  too,  from  many  a danger. In order  to  save  your  soul,  God  has,  so  to  speak,  made you pass  through  the  waters  of  Baptism,  and  has  adopted  you  to