Did someone have an identity crisis?

Exodus hidden layers part 2

Living in between two different cultures or two different states. Have you ever had this moment happen to you?

You go back home for the holidays and people who knew you say that your accent is not as strong as it used to be. And you return to your city and people there can tell that you grew up somewhere else.

It’s not a bad thing. And the whole idea is not even about accents because accents are beautiful. But what I’m really trying to say is that, to a certain degree, many of us have hyphenated cultural identities, shaped in multiple places.

If you moved states when you were younger, or maybe countries, you don’t neatly fit into any boxes.

And just like you and me, Moses is no exception.

Moses was Egyptian by upbringing, but an Israelite by birth. So there’s already this tension in his story, this feeling of living in between worlds.

And when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, he stepped in—and he didn’t just beat the Egyptian. He killed him. Later, he saw two Hebrews fighting and asked, “Why are you striking your companion?”

And the offender replied, “Are you going to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?”  

But the thing is... why wouldn't they see him as one of them?

And that’s where the story takes an interesting turn.

Pharaoh finds out. Moses gets afraid and goes on the run, becoming a fugitive. And Moses end up at a well.

I read about the well and immediately thought wait... where have we heard about this before? Someone being at a well?
in John.

and who was that person too?
Jesus.

You know how parallel lines mirror each other. Something like that is happening here.

Not exact repetition—but parallelism.
And when you look forward to Jesus as the new and better Moses, that’s where the parallel becomes even more beautiful. And the story keeps echoing forward.

The moment I saw it... I was like wow wowww. 

Moses is at the well → he gets water for the flocks (physical water) → identity is being formed → and he gets married (bride/covenant).

Jesus is at the well → He offers living water → identity is revealed → and a spiritual covenant family is being formed.

And there’s something so beautiful happening there.

In Scripture, wells often become places of transition. Places where people step into a new season, a new identity, or covenant relationship.

Moses had to go through this journey, and the well became that in-between place where transformation started.

The biblical stories echo each other in really intentional ways. So when something in Scripture feels familiar, sometimes that familiarity is the invitation itself... to pause and {dig} deeper. 

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Heart Call:

Part one was really about seeing the role that women play in the story—I learned that a couple years ago. But this right here, this is something I learned this year.

And honestly, this echo is just so exciting… because it reveals that the entire biblical story is already pointing to Jesus.

And when you start to notice that, everything changes.

When we go back to the Old Testament, there’s so much beauty waiting for us there. So I hope you enjoyed this part and get excited to read soon.

1. Moses’ Identity + Early Conflict

   Exodus 2:11–12

   → Moses sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and kills him.

   Exodus 2:13–14

   → Two Hebrews are fighting; one says, “Are you going to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?”

   Exodus 2:15

   → Pharaoh finds out; Moses runs away and becomes a fugitive.

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2. Moses at the Well + Marriage

   Exodus 2:16–21
   → Moses helps at the well, waters the flock, is welcomed into Jethro’s house, and later marries Zipporah.

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3. Moses’ “Personal Exodus” + Encounter with God

   Exodus 3:1–6
   → God appears to Moses and identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

   Exodus 3:14
   → God reveals His name; this is the identity moment tying to Moses.

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4. Jesus (The “New Moses” Thread)

   John 4:5–26
   → Jesus meets the woman at the well, offers “living water,” reveals aspects of His identity, and invites her into the larger story.

   Matthew 5:17 (I didn’t come to abolish the law…)
   → Jesus is a “new Moses” (fulfilling and completing what Moses pointed to).

• How [did] God form your identity through seasons of displacement /seasons of change and encounter?

• How [is] God form your identity through seasons of displacement /seasons of change and encounter?

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Photo Credits: Tony Lewis MANZI.