2.5.12- Exodus 1-3

Exodus 1


The Israelites become strong in numerous in Egypt just as God promised Jacob, which the new King found as a serious threat. He feared what may happen if he went to war and the Israelites joined the enemies. He commanded midwives to kill Hebrew baby boys, then made a command to all people the Hebrew baby boys must be thrown into the Nile River. The Israelites were made slaves of the Egyptians, and were heavily oppressed. The harder they were oppressed, the more their numbers seemed to grow. The Egyptians feared the Israelites. The Egyptians made the lives of the Israelites miserable.


What I noticed about this passage is the oppression that the Israelites must have gone through. Even as God's chosen people, they experienced great difficulty. Their trials must have been hard, but it must have increased their faith. The text stated that the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites---the more great in numbers the Israelites became.


Exodus 2


As a result of the King's law, Moses were put in a basket at 3 months old in the Nile River to be found by the King's daughter. He was able to stay with his biological mother for a while long, until given over to the King's daughter. As an adult, Moses went to saw how badly the Hebrews were treated and killed an Egyptian for treating the Hebrews cruelly. The King (his adoptive grandfather) sought to have him killed. He ran and married one of Jethro's daughters after saving them and their animals. Years later even after the King died, the Israelites were still being oppressed by the Egyptians. God heard their cries for relief. He remembered the covenant he had made with their forefathers. God saw what the Israelites were going through, and had concern for them.


What changed things is they sought God. God had compassion and concern for them. As we face various trials, God has concern for us. But, we need to turn to Him! God can help us in our time of need. God can find a way out of our trial or help the situations become less oppressive.


Exodus 3


God is taking action. God appears to Moses as the burning bush. He radically gets Moses' attention and he (Moses) is too fearful to look at God. God is sending him to get his people from the King. Moses says: I am nobody. How can I? God says: I will go with you! You will praise me after all is said and done. This is how God works. He goes with us even when we are convinced we are nobody and do not have the confidence to go. Still, God sends Moses. God is acting justly ready to free His people of oppression. He is ready to give them the land that was promised. God tells Moses up front that some scary things will have to happen before they will be freed, but it is by God's power and they will leave with Egypt's wealth!


Even on days when we feel like we are nothing, we need to remember who our Maker is. Even though we may feel like nothing, we are not nothings, but God cares deeply for us. He has concern for us. He goes with us wherever we go! God is sending Moses to use to accomplish His purposes for a great task, which is also a difficult task. God is going to free His people. He is going to give them the land He has promised.