BOOK OF EXODUS
Chapter 1
There have been a few times in my life and career when it was an absolute joy to get up and go to work. In fact, I can say that most of the jobs I’ve had started out that way. Some were more enjoyable than others, of course.
One job, in particular, was truly great. I really loved my work. I honestly thought I would stay with this job and organization until I retired. I was well respected and had a good relationship with the organization’s leadership. I felt certain this was my long-term place! But as time passed, life happened, and the leadership changed. Nothing major happened at first, but I began to notice small changes. The close bond I had with the leadership seemed to weaken, and one day, I realized I had fallen out of favor with them.
Suddenly, the joy I once felt and the strong relationship I had built began to fade. Getting up for work became increasingly difficult. The daily commute was exhausting, knowing I was walking into a stressful atmosphere. I tried to figure out what I had done to cause this. Sure, I made mistakes—who doesn’t? But nothing specific stood out as the cause. Maybe it was a mix of my mistakes and their own issues? Who knows? Well, as I later learned, God knows.
I went from a job I had almost idolized to a job that felt nearly unbearable. Each day brought new challenges to my faith as I tried to find peace. Eventually, God opened a door elsewhere, and I moved on to my next job. That job was also with a great company, and I found real value in being there.
Now, we come to the Book of Exodus. It continues the story from Genesis. The first word, “now,” could also be translated as “and,” picking up right where Genesis left off.
The first chapter of Exodus briefly describes the time when Israel arrived in Egypt, leading up to their servitude and bondage. They, too, as a people, fell out of favor. Just like we sometimes wonder, “What did we do wrong?” I’m sure they had the same thoughts. But they couldn’t pinpoint the reason. It’s only when we look back from a distance that we can see how God’s plan was unfolding in their lives.
Exodus is an exciting book because it reveals God’s plan for mankind and our redemption. Jesus is woven throughout this story. And it’s amazing to see him in a book that was written about 1,200 to 1,400 years before his birth. This is going to be a fun journey!
The Israelites Oppressed
1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob): 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt already.
6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will multiply, and it will come to pass, that, when there comes any war, they will also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and leave our land.”
11 Therefore they did set over them slave masters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. [Nowhere else could the growth of a nation take place in this way. As we will see after the Exodus, Israel struggled with intermarrying other races and cultures. However, in Egypt, the entrenched system of racial bias and separation was so strong that Israel could grow for centuries without any assimilation. At this time, it was important for Israel to remain a separate nation. Remember, this is a shadow of the point God will make regarding sin and holiness: living in the world but not being of the world.] And the Egyptians were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, they made them serve with rigor.
15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 and he said, “When you do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them while sitting upon the birth-stool; if it be a son, then you shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.” [Remember, Satan also knew about the Promised Redeemer mentioned in the book of Genesis. So, his plan to eliminate the promise made to Abraham continues here. This will not be the last time the enemy of God attempts to kill the man-child—he did the same with Jesus.]
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children alive. [We are to obey our civil law and government. But when that law is expressly contrary to God and His Word, then we should follow God first and foremost.] 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, “Why have you done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?”
19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered before the midwife comes to them.”
20 And God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.
21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he provided them with households. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”
