Jochebed: The Mother of Priests

One morning I was waking from a night’s sleep, and I heard the name “Jochebed” in my spirit. I knew it was the Lord calling me Jochebed. I got up and looked up the name in the Strong’s Concordance and found that Jochebed was the mother of two sons and a daughter.

Both of her sons were priests. She was the mother of Moses, Aaron and Miriam. The name Jochebed in Hebrew means “the Lord glorified.”

For over a year I pondered about why God would call me Jochebed. One night coming home from church I was listening to Chuck Swindoll on my car radio as he shared the Hebrew meaning for priests. He said that the word priests in Hebrew means “bridge builder.” When my boys were very young I asked the Lord to show me their call in life. He was faithful to do this and spoke to me the following:

• Your oldest son, Russ, will be a bridge between races.

• Your middle son, Ron, will be a bridge between nations.

• Your youngest son, Ray, will be a bridge between families. He is a peacemaker.

This prophetic word has been fulfilled in all three of my son’s lives. Russ has had many opportunities to bridge the races, and Ron and his wife and two children left for China in 2001 to teach English as a second language to Chinese college students. Ray and his wife, Teri, are reaching out to Jewish people in Budapest, Hungary. Through their witness to the Jewish people, they are joining the two families of God—Jew and Gentile—together as one.

The Lord called me Jochebed because I too am a mother of priests—bridge builders in the kingdom of God. If you have children or grandchildren, why don’t you spend some time seeking the Lord about their call in life? I know God will be faithful to reveal this to you.

Lord, Your Word tells me that there are works You have prepared for me to do even before I was born. The same is true of my children and grandchildren. I desire to know what these works are so that my whole family can walk in every work You have prepared. Show me clearly the call You have on each of my loved ones. Thank You.

READ: Numbers 26:52-28:14; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17

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