Good Big Sister (It's A Kingdom Thing)

About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River. The baby’s sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him. [Exodus 2.1-4]

Have you ever looked in the distance at a couple of mountains that appear to be close together only to find they are in fact far apart when you get nearer? It is a matter of perception. So it is when the first sentence of the passage above is made. In fact, Moses was not Amram's first child. Moses was child three.

From the narrative of the story, it would appear Miriam was at least old enough to be down by the river alone. She would have been old enough not only to walk, but also to communicate effectively enough to convince Pharaoh's daughter about finding a wet nurse for the baby.

We also know from Exodus 7.7 that Aaron was three years Moses' senior. This would explain why Aaron even existed because he was old enough not to have been thrown in the Nile River when that edict was issued by Pharaoh.

The point of this is really insignificant except that it is important that we understand that our perception about things in the Bible could deceive us. I suppose, for face value, it would be easy enough for a critic of the Bible to use this information to claim the Bible is not accurate. But if a person will at least be willing to think outside their box, he or she might find great treasure in the knowledge that perception and reality often do not coincide.

So, in the first sentence above, "About this time..." would certainly be referring to multiple years.

Having said all this, I am intrigued about the relationship between Miriam and Moses. I look forward to continuing to read about this relationship as it unfolds in the history of Israel. The role Miriam played in Moses' life cannot be ignored. She was a savior in her own right to Moses (not to mention a good big sister). I think it not necessary here to explain how important Moses was to the history of Israel!

To me, this only further confirms our need for Kingdom thinking even in our own families. I bring up Kingdom thinking because that is what Miriam did in making a priority to watch over her three-month-old baby brother down by the river. How might our lives play a role in the lives of our own siblings or family as a whole if we genuinely make them a priority?

Father, help me to take this literal and to heart today.