Good morning,
The shedding of blood has been essential to the atonement for man’s sin. The shedding of blood is directly tied to our salvation. Jesus shed His perfect, precious blood to pay our sin debt.
The Passover, instituted by God, is a picture of salvation for Israel. When they applied the blood, God passed over their house. Right after that they were freed from their Egyptian enslavement.
This week we look at the progressive mistreatment of the Hebrew slaves and preparation for deliverance of the Hebrew slaves.
A. Progressive mistreatment of the Hebrew slaves (1:1-22)
1. The tribes of Israel identified (1:1-7)
“ And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.”
2. Pharaoh (King of Egypt) who knew not Joseph (1:8) (READ)
“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.”
3. Growth of Hebrew population (1:9-10) (READ)
“And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.”
4. Harsh treatment of Hebrew slaves in Egypt (1:11-14) (READ)
“Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they 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 bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.”
5. Plan to destroy the Hebrews (1:15-22) (READ)
“And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye 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 ere the midwives come in unto them.20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.”
Joseph has died. Israel is growing in numbers and in strength. A new king comes to power who did not know Joseph or his legacy. The Egyptians were afraid of Israel. The new king commanded that the midwives kill all the males at birth. That did not work.
The new king makes them his slaves. Forced labor. He will work them to death. They just become stronger.
Man’s plan never overrides the plan of God. God’s plan was to judge Egypt for their cruelty to Israel. In the eyes of the Israelites of that time, it seemed God had forgotten them. He had not.
This happens to us. We expect instant results from God. We are looking for our concept of what God’s plan for our lives should be. Not His plan. This causes us to think God has forgotten us. He has not forgotten us. He sees everything, knows everything, and is powerful enough to change anything He desires.
He sees the big picture.
The question is, Will we trust Him? Think about that question this week?
B. Preparation for deliverance of Hebrew slaves (2:1-4:31)
1. Moses born and saved from destruction (2:1-10) (READ)
“And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.”
2. Moses kills an Egyptian and forsakes Egypt (2:11-14)
3. Moses in the land of Midian (2:15-22)
4. God takes knowledge of Israel’s sad plight (2:23-25)
“And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”
5. God calls Moses at a burning bush (3:1-4:17) (READ 3:1-10)
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”
6. Moses agrees to go back to Egypt (4:18-20)
“And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.”
7. The Hebrews believe Moses and accept his leadership (4:27-31)
“And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:30 And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.”
God’s plan was Moses.
When he was born, he should have been killed. God spared him. His mother puts him in an ark and allows it to float past Pharaoh’s daughter. She retrieves the ark, sees it is one of the Hebrew children, has compassion on him, and raises him as her own child.
Then Moses realizes his true heritage and tries to help his brethren. He kills an Egyptian and flees to Midian. He was forty years old. He spends the next forty years as a sheep herder on the back side of the desert. One day he sees a burning bush and goes to investigate. There he meets with God who sends him back to Egypt to be His spokesman. Moses fights with God, but eventually he relents and goes. He goes back and after some convincing, the people believe him.
Who would ever think up a plan like this?
Only God! God was in charge of every aspect of the plan. Moses executed the plan in accordance with God’s desire.
Will Pharaoh let the children of Israel go? No!
God has a plan for each of our lives. Whether we follow God’s plan is up to us. We have been given a free will to obey God’s word or reject it. Obedience leads us to the plan God has for us. Disobedience leads us away from God’s plan.
Choose wisely.
C. The Israelites delivered from Egyptian bondage (5:1-15:21)
1. Moses demands the release of the Israelites (5:1-4) (READ)
“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.”
“Let my people go…” used 8 times
2. Pharaoh’s answer: Hebrews denied straw with which to make bricks (5:5-23)
3. God confirms His promise to Moses (5:23-6:30) (READ 6:1-8)
Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.”
Notice that 13 times I am or I will is used to make sure Moses understands that it is GOD that is going to make this deliverance happen.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com