Introduction
Memory Text: “The children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them” (Exodus 2:23‒25, NKJV).
The book of
Exodus resonates with accounts of the oppressed, the marginalized, the
persecuted, the exploited, and the degraded. God was touched by the sufferings
of His people, and we can be encouraged by the fact that God is touched by the
sufferings of His people, those who trust and fear Him.
What does the book of Exodus begin with?
The book of Moses begins with a reminder of God’s blessings.
The Israelites “were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew
exceedingly mighty, and the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7, NKJV).
What was the situation of the Israelites in the time of the Exodus?
In the time of the Exodus, the Israelites were enslaved by
their Egyptian taskmasters and the oppressive labor that they inflicted upon
the Hebrews. However, the book of Exodus ends with God’s peaceful and
comforting presence in the tabernacle.
How does God’s blessings upon Israel serve as an encouragement to us?
The Israelites were oppressed by the Egyptians, but the more
the oppressors “afflicted them [the Israelites], the more they multiplied and
grew” (Exod. 1:12, NKJV). No matter our situation, God is able to reach out to
us and bless us. He can bless us even in situations that seem hopeless, at
least from a human perspective.
Why was Joseph so successful in the
land of Egypt?
Joseph was so successful in the land of Egypt because the
“LORD was with Joseph” (Gen. 39:2, NKJV).
What hope is there for us from the book of Exodus?
No matter the situation we find ourselves, God is always
there and we can trust in whatever situation we find ourselves. Even as He was
with the Israelites.
Why is the action of the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who disobeyed
Pharaoh’s command essential to us today?
Although Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives, Shiprah and
Puah, to kill every Hebrew male child on the birthstools, they disobeyed the
king, choosing rather to obey God than an earthly king. They not only knew what
was right, they did what was right. For this reason, God blessed Shiprah and
Puah. We as believers are to fear God, and do what is right, no matter the
circumstance, there is always reward that comes with obedience.
How is God’s providence seen in the birth of Moses?
Moses is born in a time when all Hebrew males were killed,
but in God’s providence, Moses was saved. Moses became the adopted son of
Pharaoh’s daughter, Hatshepsut, his mother became his nurse, and he was given
Education that was to prepare him to be pharaoh.
What lesson can we draw from Moses’ early life in Egypt?
Moses received the best Egyptian education, all in order to
prepare him to be the next pharaoh of Egypt, but all this education, becomes
useless or even work against what really mattered: the knowledge of God and of
His truth. We should be careful of the kind of knowledge we seek to acquire,
because not all knowledge is beneficial to our Christian life.
How does the entire direction of Moses’ life change quickly?
Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a fellow Hebrew,
and the matter became known—even to Pharaoh. As a result, any plan
for Moses to become Pharaoh was thwarted, and it became clear that Moses
identified with the Hebrews rather than the Egyptians. In fact, Pharaoh sought
to kill Moses, but Moses fled to Midian.
In Conclusion,
Even in Israel’s oppression, God was with them, He was moved by their affliction and He raised up Moses to save them. We too can be assured that God is there for us in every situation, we only have to accept His offer to save us. May God help us to trust Him, even when situations may look discouraging to man, in Jesus’ name.
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