Encounter at the well

Exodus 2

Moses at the well

15 Now 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.  
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing – see verses 11-14
But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh – Moses was in a lot of trouble, his photo was in every post office in Egypt!
and he sat down by a well – this must have been a common thing, but from what we’ve seen so far this is a signal: there’s about to be an encounter at the well!

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.  
had seven daughters – and I thought having four was a blessing!
they came...to water their father's flock – we’ve seen this before, unmarried women were often the shepherdesses of their family’s flock.
they came and drew water, and filled the troughs – this is hard work, and time consuming.

17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.  
And the shepherds came and drove them away – it would appear that abusive jerks have always been around.
but Moses stood up – I like this, he stood up, he’d been sitting and resting but when he saw what was happening, he stood up. He's about to intervene on their behalf.
and helped them - he defended them and drove the shepherds off; one man against several; they who were so tough against women, melted like butter before a man
and watered their flock – it seems like he not only helped them, he himself watered the flock. I don’t think Moses had some secret agenda, as in, I could get something out of this, I believe he was a good man, ready to help the oppressed whenever possible. That’s what had gotten him into trouble back in Egypt.

18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?  
They must have been frequently so abused by the shepherds because Reuel is surprised at how soon they have returned, “Y’all back already?”

19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.  
Boy do they have news today! How did they know Moses was an Egyptian? He clearly still had on his Egypt clothes. He left Egypt with only the clothes on his back.

20 And 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.  
“Why did you leave him at the well?” He wanted to offer him thanks and hospitality.
Sometimes I wonder what Reuel did, because it looks like he just sat on the porch all day while everyone around him worked. Surely he was busy with other stuff...

21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man… 
Reuel must have offered him this opportunity, I don’t think Moses just up and decided to stay without being asked. But when it was offered, Moses accepted. After all, it’s not like he had several options!

21 ...and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.  
22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.  
We have seen this several times. They didn’t have farmersonly.com so when their daughter found a young man at the well they offered him a job and, well, you know the rest of the story! So Moses joins the ranks of those who sat by a well and found a wife.

23 And it came to pass in process of time, 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.  
24 And 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 had respect unto them.
And it came to pass in process of time – like 40 years.
The first 40 years of his life Moses was raised to be a somebody. He was also a man aware of a call from God to help the oppressed people of God, but when his first attempt in Egypt failed, he had to flee. He spent the next 40 years being a nobody, being emptied of all his Egyptian self-importance. I wrote about this a few years ago, I called it The Backside of the Desert. You can read it here.
This encounter at the well is not just another woman goes to well for water and finds a husband story. No, this is the fall of Moses, How to go from the house of Pharaoh to the backside of the desert. This is the beginning of the refining of Moses. He will spend the next 40 years in the middle of nowhere, being a nobody. But God is in this, even though Moses doesn’t know it. Truth is, this thing is bigger than Moses.
Since I'm not looking for a wife, I can avoid wells, but how would this apply to me? I believe that is addressed in The Backside of the Desert.