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The word means "brought forth" or "drawn out," "because," asshe said in giving the
name, "I drew him out of the water."
But for the present Moses would probably not reside in the royal palace at Avails. St.
Stephen tellsus (Acts 7:22) that he "was instructed in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians." In no country was suchvalue attached to education, nor was it begun so
early as in Egypt. No sooner was a child weanedthan it was sent to school, and
instructed by regularly appointed scribes. As writing was not byletters, but by
hieroglyphics, which might be either pictorial representations, or symbols (a
scepterfor a king, etc.), or a kind of phonetic signs, and as there seem to have been
hieroglyphics for singleletters, for syllables, and for words, that art alone must, from
its complication, have taken almost alifetime to master it perfectly. But beyond this,
education was carried to a very great length, and, inthe case of those destined for the
higher professions, embraced not only the various sciences, asmathematics,
astronomy, chemistry, medicine, etc., but theology, philosophy, and a knowledge
ofthe laws. There can be no doubt that, as the adopted son of the princess, Moses
would receive thehighest training. Scripture tells us that, in consequence, he was
"mighty in his words and deeds," andwe may take the statement in its simplicity,
without entering upon the many Jewish and Egyptianlegends which extol his wisdom,
and his military and other achievements.
Thus the first forty years of Moses' life passed. Undoubtedly, had he been so minded,
a careerhigher even than that of Joseph might have been open to him. But, before
entering it, he had todecide that one great preliminary question, with whom he would
cast in his lot - with Egypt or withIsrael, with the world or the promises. As so often
happens, the providence of God here helped himto a clear, as the grace of God to a
right, decision. In the actual circumstances of Hebrewpersecution it was impossible at
the same time "to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter" and tohave part, as one of
them, "with the people of God." The one meant "the pleasures of sin" and
"thetreasures of Egypt" - enjoyment and honors, the other implied "affliction" and "the
reproach ofChrist" -or suffering and that obloquy which has always attached to Christ
and to His people, and atthat time especially, to those who clung to the covenant of
which Christ was the substance.
But "faith," which is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen," enabledMoses not only to "refuse" what Egypt held out, but to "choose rather
the affliction," and, more thanthat, to "esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches
than the treasures of Egypt," because "he hadrespect unto the recompense of the
reward." (Hebrews 11:24-26) In this spirit "he went out unto hisbrethren, and looked
on their burdens." (Exodus 2:11)
(^)