How God Worked In The Lives Of Children Raised By Someone Other Than Their Parents

Feature 2 – December 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

How God Worked In The Lives Of Children Raised By Someone Other Than Their Biological Parents

A great characteristic of the Lord Jesus is His care for children. One of the few times we read about the Lord Jesus being displeased was when people did not want little children to come close to Him (Mk. 10:13-16). He rebuked the disciples for trying to chase children away, telling His followers to let the little ones come to Him without stopping them. Another example of God’s love for children is found in James 1:27. There we are told that “pure religion” ( KJV ) is to care for the fatherless. We are encouraged to take up their cause (see Isa. 1:17). When we think about God as our Father, we are reminded that all of us have been adopted (Rom. 8:15; Eph. 1:5).

There are several examples in the Bible of children whom the Lord took care of when they were not raised by their natural parents. These children were separated from their parents for different reasons: orphaned, taken captive or sent to live somewhere else. We will look at the lives of a few children who were raised by someone other than their birth parent, specifically: Moses, Samuel, the little maid and Esther.

However, before we consider their lives we should mention that the Lord Jesus was also raised by an earthly father who was not his biological father. God provided Joseph to be a father to the Lord Jesus when the Lord was a young Child. Joseph provided, protected and cared for the Lord Jesus and His mother Mary, and took Him to the temple “every year” (Lk. 2:41). Jesus was known as “Joseph’s son,” (4:22) and “the carpenter’s son” (Mt. 13:55).

Moses
Moses’ life had a very unusual beginning, for his mother gave birth to him at a time when all boys born to the Israelites were supposed to be “cast into the river” and drowned (Ex. 1:22). His parents had faith that they should keep him and that the Lord would protect him (Heb. 11:23).

The parents of Moses hid him in a little “ark” (Ex. 2:5) on the river, but Pharaoh’s daughter found their baby boy and wanted to raise him as her own son. God, however, ordained that before this little boy would be taken to live with Pharaoh’s daughter, she would give him back to his natural mother. Moses’ mother was then able to care for him until he was old enough to leave her (v.9). During the time with his mother, Moses learned much. His parents had the opportunity to train him and to teach him about the God to whom he belonged (Dt. 6:7).

Much later, Moses, moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote Genesis, which is filled with stories of young men and choices they had to make. For example, many chapters in Genesis tell the story of Joseph, a young man who had to learn to avoid the many temptations of Egypt. These were lessons Moses learned at a very young age from his parents, during the time the LORD gave to them opportunity to raise their son for Him. God then protected Moses from the corruption of Egypt.

Later, when Moses was older, he had the same faith as his parents (Heb. 11:24-27). As an adult he decided that he would not live according to the world’s principles; he would focus on his brethren, the Hebrews, instead (Acts 7:23). The Lord uses the spiritual training we have at a young age to keep us from the world, which is against Him.

Samuel
Samuel’s upbringing had some similarities to Moses, including that they both lived with their natural parents for the first few years of their lives. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, was unable to have children (1 Sam. 1:5). During a visit to the house of the LORD, she prayed for a son and promised that she would give the boy to the LORD to serve Him (v.11). In time, Hannah gave birth to Samuel, who lived with his parents until he was old enough to go and live with Eli the priest in the house of the LORD. From then on, it was Eli who brought him up.

Samuel was serving the LORD in the temple, but he was surrounded by people who were unfaithful to the LORD. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, did not know the LORD (2:12), and yet they were still involved in the work of the temple. They were evil, and Eli did nothing to restrain them. Instead, he honored them more than he honored God. The LORD called Samuel at this time, when he was still a child, and told him what He was going to do (1 Sam. 3).

God had already revealed that Eli’s two sons would both die in one day (see 1 Sam. 2:27-36). In the same passage we read that God promised that He would raise up a faithful priest who would do what was in His heart, and God would build this priest “a sure house” (1 Sam 2:35). Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with the boy. God was able to keep Samuel and use him even when Samuel was growing up in an evil environment. Much later, God used Samuel to anoint Saul and then David as kings of Israel (1 Sam. 10:1, 16:13). Samuel was devoted to the Lord and faithful to Him his whole life.

The Little Maid
In 2 Kings 5 we read the story of a young girl whose name we are not told. She is referred to as “a little maid” (v.2) because she was young and served the wife of a man named Naaman. This man was “great” and “honorable,” the captain of the army of Syria (v.1).

The little maid had been taken as a captive from the country of Israel and made a servant in Naaman’s house in Syria. The LORD watched over her, protecting her from a situation which could have been much worse. He had a plan for her life in taking her away from her parents, and He provided for her to be in a place where she could be a help to a man – Naaman – who had leprosy.

When the girl heard that Naaman was sick she right away thought about the God of Israel, about whom her parents had taught her. The little maid told Naaman’s wife that if Naaman could go to the prophet of God in Israel, he would recover of his leprosy (2 Ki. 5:3). This young girl had not forgotten God in this heathen land, and the LORD used her to give a solid testimony of Him. Naaman heard about what she had said to his wife and took action.

Likewise now the Lord can keep us in the world of unbelief in which we live, and He can use our words even when they are said in a very quiet way. Her words had a huge impact on Naaman; he acted on what was said and was healed in a very miraculous way. The country of Syria continued to plague God’s people, but we never hear that Naaman was involved with that. His life had changed because God used a little maid who, in spite of difficult circumstances in her life, gave words of testimony of what God can do.

Esther
Esther was similar to the other three people we have considered in that she was not raised by her biological parents. Yet, her situation was different, for she was raised by a believing family member, Mordecai. We can learn from this that the Lord often provides someone who can be a strong spiritual influence to children who are not living with their parents.

The events we read about Esther took place in the capital of a heathen nation. It seems that when Mordecai was taken from Jerusalem to live in Shushan he already had custody of Esther, and he was permitted to bring her with him. This was a special grace of the LORD. It shows the active work of God in making sure she was cared for, and it is a reminder that as to the “fatherless” and “widows,” “God setteth the solitary in families” (Ps. 68:5-6).

Esther was growing up into a young lady in Shushan at the time when King Ahasuerus was looking for a new queen. He had banished Vashti for not doing what he had asked her to do and had decided to find a different queen (Est. 1:16-22). Eventually Esther was chosen to be the new queen (2:17). During this time, and even after she had become queen, Esther did not tell the king about her history or that she was a Jew. Mordecai had told her to keep it a secret, and she honored him in her older years just as she had obeyed when she was younger (v.20).

It is remarkable that a young orphan girl from a foreign country had now become the queen of the king of the Medes and Persians. He was the most powerful man on earth at that time with over 127 provinces (1:1-3). Yet, the LORD had a special plan for her life, and this story is not just about her.

In the rest of the book of Esther we see how the Jewish people were about to be eliminated by the king’s second in command, Haman (Est. 3). The reason for Haman’s plot to kill all the Jews was because Mordecai had refused to bow down to him. In the end, Esther went in to the king to plead for the lives of her people. Haman was killed, and the Jewish people were saved. Esther had been fearful to go in to see the king, but she did so at the instruction of Mordecai. He told her, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (4:14). She had been preserved by God, not just for her own benefit, but also for the benefit of her people. God’s plan for her life was a blessing to others, even now as we learn from her story.

Conclusion
The stories of these children point to one great fact: God had greater plans for their lives than just taking care of their immediate needs. The LORD used them in tremendous ways for the benefit of others. In preserving them and keeping them for His work, He also blessed them. This is a reminder of what we read in Romans 8:28, that God is working things out for good. His plans or ways are higher and greater than ours (Isa. 55:8-9).

The Lord’s love for children is demonstrated in these stories, even though they went through difficult experiences. He provided for them and used them for great service – His service. We should never discount the way that we started in life. There are many who start in difficult circumstances, but the Lord can use these situations for good and for His honor and glory.

By David Pickering

One winter, a little orphan boy begged a lady to allow him to clear the snow from her steps. “Do you get much to do that, my little boy?” she asked. “Sometimes I do,” said the boy, “but often I get very little.” “And are you never afraid that you will not get enough to live on?” The child looked perplexed, and said, “Don’t you think God will take care of a boy if he trusts in Him and does all the work he is able?”—Messages Of God’s Love, November 23, 1902