Isn’t it great to work with God? He can change circumstances, or override them, or use them!
Realizing that his own version of Planned Barrenhood wasn’t working, telling the midwives to abort the boys at birth, Pharaoh instead issues an order to the whole populace: “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive” (Ex 1:22). At this point, the narrative zooms in on one man, and his marriage to a woman from his own tribe, both from Levi. Then we read words that should have brought great joy to the family, but now are filled with ominous dread: “So the woman conceived and bore a son” (2:2). Can you see who is lurking in the shadows at Pharaoh’s elbow, inciting him to have the Hebrew boys killed? Of course, the one whom Jesus called “the devil…a murderer from the beginning” (Jn 8:44). Throughout history he has attempted again and again to annihilate the Jewish people. His intention? To thwart God’s salvation plan and make Him a liar. But on this occasion, he came up against stiff opposition. The woman was a very creative thinker. Throw him in the river, she thought—I’ll do just that! But before I do, I think I’ll do something crafty. Let’s see, weave a little basket of bulrushes from the river’s edge. That will camouflage things nicely. And some of that pitch will waterproof it. There, a little “ark” for one, like Noah’s, to keep my boy safe from the water’s destructive force. See, Mr. Pharaoh, I did what you said! Now let’s see what God will do. The baby boy’s big sister stood nearby, watching when, lo and behold, Pharaoh’s daughter and her attendants arrived “to bathe at the river” (Ex 2:5). There she saw the ark, discovered the baby, and big sister, wise like her mother, offered to find a Hebrew nursemaid to care for the child. Enter, Mother dearest!