We are in Exodus chapter two with our word for today used for the first time in the Bible in our chapter. יָשַׁע help, save, deliver, save from ruin destruction or harm, set free, preserve, be victorious. It is used 178 times in the Old Testament. God himself is identified as the one who saves his people. Exodus 14:30 That day the Lord וַיּ֨וֹשַׁע saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. Deuteronomy 20:4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ give you victory. 1 Samuel 14:23 So on that day the Lord וַיּ֧וֹשַׁע saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven. God would save his people by sending leaders who he would use to accomplish this deliverance. Judges 2:16-18 Then the Lord raised up judges, who וַיּ֣וֹשִׁיע֔וּם saved them out of the hands of these raiders. Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and וְהֽוֹשִׁיעָם֙ saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. Judges 3:9 But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who וַיּֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ם saved them. 2 Samuel 3:18 Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will הוֹשִׁ֜יעַ rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’ This is same way our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 2:16-17 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן saved them, and watered their flock. Moses just can’t stop being Moses the one who extracts or draws out others from danger. Even though he had to flee from Egypt for his life when his attempt to free his people in his own power failed. He still couldn’t stop the passion God put inside of him to help others in danger. Because this is what God created Moses to do. And God himself can’t stop being God who at his heart is a rescuer a savior. John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Did you catch that. God’s motive is not to condemn and keep us separated from him but rather move heaven and earth to save us so we can be connected back to him. He saves because he loves us. I’ll close with our word used in this beautiful picture of God saving us because he loves us. Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who יוֹשִׁ֑יעַ saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
