March 16, 2025 - God's Providence and Training in the Midian (Exodus 2:16-25)

God's Providence and Training in the Midian (Exodus 2:16-25)

Rev. Myung-Sin Choi

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?” 19 And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.” 20 So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” 23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.

Introduction

Couple weeks ago I shared with you that I was able to gain the opportunity to share the gospel to a few church officers and pastors from other churches. These pastors and church officers reached out to me where I can share the gospel to them, and I was so thankful to God for that. I was thankful to God because they asked me to give more messages to them. I shared with them the message concerning the main scripture of Matthew 16:16 “Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' ”. This week, I was able to meet with them again and I shared the basic salvation message. I shared the gospel basic salvation message and it took me an hour to share this message, and the people who gathered there all applauded me after I shared the message with them. This one pastor came to me and asked me to meet with them again, and share this message with them again. I told them of course I will. When I experienced this, I realized that when I shared the gospel, it is so important for us to share the genuine and pure gospel message. All we are doing is sharing the basic gospel message but I made sure to prepare with prayer, and I could see their attitude and posture changing when I pray earnestly to God before I do this. I am so thankful to God that I am able to share the gospel to them and I am so thankful for the positive feedback that I received from them. When I saw and experienced that, I prayed that God would open doors for all of our church members and remnants. For the past 30 years the message that we have prepared, I think that God is finally allowing people to hear the gospel message from us. Other church officers were able to hear the gospel message but I pray that through our church members and remnants, we are able to share the gospel to other people. Today’s main scripture seems very basic but it is very important. We know very well that Moses was in Midian for 40 years but the Bible does not explain what Moses did for those 40 years. But during those 40 years, God allowed Moses’ past to be changed and to truly be prepared to be used by God. If that is so, this basic Biblical passage is a very important passage for us.  

1. God's Providence in the Midian

1) God's guidance

Verses 16-20 - How did God prepare and guide Moses? Last week we spoke about how Moses fled to Midian and he was sitting next to a well. But it was all God who guided Moses to that well. But at that perfect time, there were daughters of the priest who showed up at that same well with Moses. Those daughters came to the well to draw water but a few shepherds came and tried to cast away the daughters from the well. Moses who witnessed this, stood up to the shepherds since he used to be the prince of Egypt. After he drove the shepherds away, he allowed the daughters to draw water for their livestock from the well first. The daughters were bullied every time at the well but the father of the daughters saw how early they were able to draw water so the daughters told their father about what Moses did for them. So the father of the daughters told the daughters to go get Moses and welcome him to their home. 

This was the first meeting of Moses with Jethro, and he stayed with Jethro and his house for 40 years. We have to see that among the daughters of Jethro, one of the daughters married Moses. Her name was Zipporah. Where was their first meeting? It was at the well. But if you look at the Bible, the Bible only speaks about the event at the well. If you look in the Old Testament in the book of Genesis, Abraham commanded his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant went to a well, waited and prayed to God to find a wife for Isaac. The servant prayed to God that whoever gives him water first, he will recognize to be the wife of Isaac. But a woman appeared before the servant, Rebecca, and offered water to the servant first. This happened exactly as the servant prayed to God. The same thing happened for Moses. But it also appeared to Jacob. He also met Rachel at a well. All of God’s meetings started at a well. Then, what is the meaning of a well in the Bible? 

John 4:14 “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” - This was what Jesus said. The reason why God allowed meetings at a well was to symbolize Jesus Christ. The life that comes for Jesus Christ is eternal and He is life. Only through Jesus Christ, we can gain true life and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You cannot receive eternal life without Jesus Christ. This is explaining John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' ”. We cannot live without life, we cannot live without Jesus Christ who is true life. 

2) Meeting with Jethro

Verses 18-21 - It speaks of Jethro not with the name of Jethro here but his other name was Reuel. The meaning of his name is the friend of God. He was a priest. Before the Levites were formed, there were two priests recorded before. The first priest was the priest Melchizedek and the second priest was Reuel. Reuel meant friend of God and Reuel accepted Moses into his home. We can see God’s great and hidden plan here. We can think that this meeting between them was a mere coincidence but it was all part of God’s plan. We can see a great change that took place in Moses through Jethro as seen in verse 21. Moses was happy to live with Jethro and his family. Pleased means that there was great spiritual peace within Moses and the household. He found a friend of God and a wife. God allowed Moses to form a family and granted Moses the blessing of forming a family. Reuel was a great spiritual mentor to Moses. 

After Moses crossed the wilderness, Reuel met with Moses and Zipporah as seen in Exodus 18:7, 17 “So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. 17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘The thing that you do is not good.’ ” - Moses didn’t greet his wife first but he greeted his father in law, Reuel first. He told and reported everything to his father in law that had happened in the wilderness for 40 years. We can see that when Moses was in Midian, we can see that they had great spiritual connection and relationship with each other. Whatever happened, they shared the word of God with each other and had a great spiritual connection. Moses reported everything to his father. Reuel saw that many Egyptians came to Moses to complain and grumble with every problem that they had. Reuel gave advice to Moses in Exodus 18:17. We can see that many people came to grumble and complain to Moses but we have to remember what Moses was able to do. Moses was the one who split the Red Sea and led them out of Egypt. Reuel told Moses that he should not let the Israelite treat him that way and do not let these kinds of things go this way. So, Reuel gave Moses advice on what to do and when Reuel did this, Moses obeyed him immediately. If you look at this, we can see that God used Jethro to train and guide Moses spiritually and in many areas. God granted Moses a family. 

2. Training in the Midian

1) Training through family

Verse 22 - God granted Moses a son and they named their son, Gershom. The meaning of the name was a stranger in a strange land. This was a foreign land. Moses was born in Egypt but it was not his homeland. Moses’ homeland was Canaan. Because all of his forefathers and ancestors were from Canaan. But this was not really his homeland. Then, what does all of this mean? Moses realized that finding out his homeland was not important. Where is our homeland? It is not our homeland on this earth but it is heaven. There is another meaning of Gershom. It also means to cast out. The Israelites and Moses were driven out of Egypt by Pharaoh. His name also means to pay for the price of sin. The fact that they were driven out of Egypt, they were casted out after the blood sacrifice. This was the work of salvation. After they came out of Egypt, they were able to receive forgiveness of their sins. They were able to start a new life. The life of 40 years in Midian, this was a time of God’s grace for Moses. 

Moses had a second son, Eliezer, which means God’s help. This shows that Moses was able to always experience God’s help. Exodus 2:23 “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.” - If you look in history, Thutmose rose to power after Moses’ Egyptian mother died. But Thutmose died suddenly and he died when Moses was in Midian for 39 years. This was all part of God’s great plan. When it was time for Moses to return back to Egypt, God took the life of Thutmose and raised a new pharaoh. We can see that it is God who is in control of life and death. Everything is within the plan of God. Right before Moses returned to Egypt, God raised a new pharaoh. If you look in history, this new pharaoh was a stronger and more powerful pharaoh than the previous pharaoh. This new pharaoh was raised with the mindset that he is the son of god. Imagine how much ego and pride this new pharaoh had to the point where God’s judgment came upon Egypt but this pharaoh didn’t budge. 

2) God's time schedule

Verses 23-25 - That is why the Israelites suffered more under this new pharaoh. But God heard the cries of the Israelites and remembered the covenant that He made with Abraham. What God wanted was for the Israelites to cry out and pray to God. Since it was for God’s plan to be manifested, God allowed Moses to return back to Egypt. 

Verse 25 - The Israelites were suffering but we can see that God had looked upon the Israelites. It looked like God was not doing anything but God heard their cries and prayers. God was waiting to fulfill His answer at the perfect time. With God’s perfect time schedule, He moved and allowed the 10 miracles and the event of Passover to occur. It may look like nothing is happening but God is preparing to execute His perfect plan and answers for you. You must hold onto this. You must hold onto God’s covenant as you go out to the world. That is why we must receive God’s perfect guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

3. Confirmation of Biblical Answers

(1) Save yourself

1) What is the gospel?

The gospel is freeing us from Genesis 3, 6, and 11 and we have become a new creation. We also have a new master and Lord. From this, we can experience great works. 

2) What is prayer?

We must enjoy the covenant of 7-7-7. The 7 bartizans, 7 guideposts, and 7 journeys, we must hold onto these. You must pray and receive answers. 

3) What is the method of the three concentrated prayers?

Enter into deep breathing prayer and receive answers in the morning. With all events and incidents that occur during the day, change and connect them all into prayer. During the nighttime, you meditate and organize your day. 

4) Three settings? 

The land and region that God has granted you, you must make that into a platform. Through you, God will make you a platform. I told you in the introduction that as you continue to pray, then God will open doors for you.

5) Three answers? 

You are building a watchtower on the platform. Through the antenna, you share the gospel to the entire world. 

6) 24, 25, 00? 

We must always hold onto three answers. All Problems have answers. That answer comes from God. Do you have a conflict? It is an opportunity and blessing from God. Conflicts will open new opportunities from God. With this, enter into 24, 25, and 00 prayer. 

7) Imprint, root, and nature?  

When you enter into prayer, you change your imprints, roots, and nature. Enjoy the gospel and see the changes that God allows in your life. With this, challenge. 

(2) How can you begin?

1) The first step (complete guidance of the Holy Spirit)

In order for Paul to receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, he fasted. He prayed to God and received the answer of Macedonia.

2) The second step (experiencing the working of the Holy Spirit)

When we hold onto the gospel and covenant, and pray, then God will allow the work of healing to take place. 

3) The third step (the fruit of the Holy Spirit)

After Paul received God’s answer and guidance of the Holy Spirit, he was able to experience great works and blessing of meetings with Lydia. 

(3) 237 nations and 5,000 tribes

1) Three courtyards

Pray for this. This is God’s covenant for us. This is the message and answer that God will fulfill in our lives. The courtyards for children, healing, and Gentiles. I believe that these three courtyards will be fulfilled in our church. 

2) The age of the three-day weekend 3) The healing field

Wherever you go, the works of healing will take place in your field. We have the prayer and evangelism teams within our church. God will grant us answers and meetings that will take place. 

Conclusion  

Romans 14:8 “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” - This needs to be your life motto and lifelong covenant. When this becomes your confession, then God will use you greatly.