Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Exodus Chapter 2
Metaphysically Interpreting Exodus 2:1-10
2:1And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2:2And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 2:3And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 2:4And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
2:5And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. 2:6And she opened it, and saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 2:7Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 2:8And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maiden went and called the child's mother. 2:9And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 2:10And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the water.
July 11, 1926: Exodus 2:1-10
Under the regenerative law, what does Moses represent in the development of the soul? The meaning of the name "Moses" is "drawn out." This meaning of the name is usually identified with the incident in which, as an infant, Moses was drawn out of the water by Pharaoh's daughter. Metaphysically, Moses represents the progressive law of evolution working in the soul -- drawing out and restoring to their rightful place the spiritual energies (Israel) that have been enslaved by sense.
As previously stated, Pharaoh's daughter drew Moses out of the water. What does the water represent? Water represents negative mentality, in which are all possibilities. When Jesus' mighty works began to claim the attention of the people, they questioned, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Out of seemingly negative, uncultivated states of consciousness comes new unfoldment. In the first chapter of Genesis it is stated that "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," and whatever God said, that came to pass. Biology teaches that life on this planet was first manifest in the waters. Thus the Mind that created the earth sowed its thoughts in a universal element, that they might be made manifest.
In the chapter preceding this lesson it is stated that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, ordered that every male child born to the Hebrew women should be killed. What is the metaphysical interpretation of this command? When one is in darkness (Egypt) the thoughts that rule in this state of consciousness are always bent upon putting out all the children of light, or the enlightened spiritual thoughts and ideals.
Is there always a way of escape from the darkness of ignorance? Yes. No matter how darkened one's soul may be, how bound by the fetters of sense consciousness, there is a spark of divinity in the soul that always works its way into manifestation. Moses' parents were of the house of faith; therefore the desire to bring forth the higher consciousness found means for expressing itself.
Moses' mother hid him during the first three months of his life. From a metaphysical viewpoint, why was this concealment necessary? In individual unfoldment one finds it necessary to protect infant thoughts of Truth in order that they may have the opportunity of becoming rooted and grounded in consciousness.
Moses' mother built a little ark and placed Moses in it. She then placed the ark among the flags on the bank of the River Nile, where it fell into the hands of Pharaoh's daughter. Under her protection Moses found loving shelter and care. Explain. The ark in which Moses was placed was placed was symbolical of the ark of love and trust. Love and trust always find a way out of difficulty. Pharaoh's daughter was an instrument of God. Through her, Moses (representing the progressive law of evolution working in the soul) was "instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works." God is the one and only power in the universe.
November 22, 1942: Exodus 2:1-4
What ideals strengthen both the individual and the family? Fair play, discipline, individual responsibility, and love not only strengthen but exalt both the individual life and that of the family.
In what way does the birth and infancy of Moses represent the first steps in our work of disciplining the self? The parents of Moses were moved by the ideal of responsibility and by love for their son, and these considerations outweighed with them their supposed duty to obey the decree of Pharaoh and destroy the child. They obeyed the law of God rather than that of man. We, too, have a responsibility to nurture and protect our better nature and disregard the claims of the lower or sense nature through self-discipline.
Moses was placed in an ark and left on the river instead of on the river bank. What was this? A river symbolizes the current of life in the organism. The child was placed in this current by his parents.
What do Moses and Pharaoh represent, respectively? Moses represents the evolutionary force of new ideas that have grown in the subconscious mind until they are beginning to undermine the old states of limitation and material ignorance and are trying to rise into a higher expression of life. Pharaoh represents the force that rules the body under the material regime.
Why is Moses represented as an infant and Pharaoh as a mature man? The material consciousness is deeply entrenched in the nature of man as the result of having been developed unknowingly from birth. New ideas are not always given credence and have little weight as a rule with the average person. They are as the infant to the full-grown man.
What significance is seen in the fact that Moses was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter and reared as an Egyptian? That the subconsciousness is subject to the material consciousness and is dependent on the latter for its development until such time as mind and soul reach awareness of their responsibility in the life of the individual and assert it.
Metaphysically Interpreting Exodus 2:11-24
2:11And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 2:12And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 2:13And he went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 2:14And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the thing is known. 2:15Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 2:17And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 2:18And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to-day? 2:19And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock. 2:20And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? Why is it that ye have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread. 2:21And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 2:22And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.
2:23And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 2:24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 2:25And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge of them.
October 5, 1913: Exodus 2:1-15
The birth of Moses represents the development on consciousness of the law of man's being from the negative side. The meaning of the word Moses is "drawn out of the water." Water represents universal negation. But water represents the Great Possibility. Out of the seeming negative conditions comes the new growth. "The spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters." "Let the waters be gathered together." Geology says that life on this planet was first manifest in the waters. Thus the mind that created the earth had to sow its thoughts in a universal solvent, that they might be increased.
All of God's creations are under laws whose foundation is mind. That is, we can resolve every so-called fact of nature into a mental statement and thereby find the law of its being and its object. This is spiritual science in its highest aspect.
When we are in what seems Egyptian darkness, and "weak as water," we are ripe for the higher understanding. The thoughts that rule in the darkness are bent upon putting out all the children of light, but if we are "of the house of faith," which was said of Moses' parents, then our desire to bring forth the higher consciousness will find a protector.
We must care for the infant thought of Truth and surround it with the ark of love and trust, right in the midst of its seeming enemies. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee."
When we have arrived at a certain understanding of Truth, represented by "when Moses was grown," we are zealous for our principles to the point of destroying anything that interferes with their freedom. The thought that seeks to destroy those that oppose us reacts and we find our own people in contention. This leads to self-examination and the revelation that we have been in great error and tried to hide our sin in the deceptions of matter. This calls down upon us the wrath of the mortal law and our Truth is obscured for a season. But, "he sat down by a well." The All Possibility is about to manifest from another view-point -- the well of living water within the soul.
--UNITY magazine
February 10, 1918: Exodus 2:1-15
What is the symbolical meaning of the word "Moses"? The word "Moses means "drawn out of the water."
What does water represent? Water represents the negative element in Being, which is filled with unexpressed capacities and possibilities.
What does the birth of Moses represent in consciousness? The birth of Moses represents the birth and growth of the laws of man's being.
What, in consciousness, does the "Egyptian smiting a Hebrew" symbolize? The "Egyptian" represents the unillumined subconscious in man, while the "Hebrew" is the light of Truth. The thoughts that rule in darkness are bent upon putting out the children of Light.
What, in consciousness, is symbolized by Moses smiting the Egyptian? Moses, the consciousness of Truth as law, is zealous of its principles to the point of destroying that which opposes it.
Is this the right way to develop the subconscious under Divine Law? No. Through the cooperation of Wisdom and Love in the consciousness, opposing thoughts will not be destroyed, but both soul and body will be regenerated and the inherent forces and powers of man redeemed. This is the Christ way of regeneration and spiritual unfoldment.
July 4, 1937: Exodus 2:23-25
"The children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage." What does this mean? Those who wish to develop their spiritual nature but have not been able to do so have their longing intensified by failure to realize their dreams and desires. This intense longing represents the cry that goes up unto God.
What is implied in the statement that "God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob"? This shows that God is principle, the same yesterday, today, and for ever. Principle always "remembers," but the sense man forgets.
What do we learn from the last verse of this lesson? We realize that we make contact with Divine Mind through the religious [insti]ncts or spiritual thoughts, when these are quickened by concentration and prayer.
July 4, 1943: Exodus 2:23-25
In their long bondage the Children of Israel had forgotten God. Why then did their cry come "up unto God by reason of the bondage"? Testings wring from the soul an intense desire for freedom. This desire touches the springs of reality in the depths of the subconsciousness, and life (God) responds.
How does God take knowledge of the higher ideals that have been deflected to selfish ends? High ideals can be restored to their true place in mind through the power of aspiration and either conscious or subconscious desire for what is true and lasting.
January 6, 1946: Exodus 2:23-25
The Children of Israel cried out for help for many years before help finally came. Why? So long as the Children of Israel (the spiritual consciousness) did not claim their freedom from their bondage to the Egyptians (the sense consciousness) their "sighs" (routine prayers) were unavailing. Not until the "cried" (added intense feeling to their prayers) did they stir up the spiritual power that brought them relief.
"And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge of them." What does this statement reveal? It reveals that through intensity of feeling we can lay hold of spiritual power, and by the aid of this power overcome our difficulties.
Transcribed by Jennifer Keating on 11-10-2013
