Skip to main content

Exodus 1

 






Happy new month everyone!!!

I hope it’s not late. Well last month we talked about all the chapters of the book of Genesis, and this month it’s Exodus. 




A New King and Growing Fear

In the vibrant land of Egypt, years after Joseph and his brothers had passed away, a new king ascended to the throne—a king who knew nothing of Joseph or the immense good he had done for Egypt. The descendants of Jacob, now known as the Israelites, had flourished. They were "fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them." (Exodus 1:7)

This rapid growth, however, became a source of deep concern for the new Pharaoh. He observed their ever-increasing numbers and worried, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and and so go up out of the land." (Exodus 1:9-10)

The Weight of Oppression

Driven by this fear, Pharaoh and his officials devised a cruel plan. "Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses." (Exodus 1:11) Day after day, they toiled under the scorching sun, their backs aching, their spirits weary. The whips of the taskmasters cracked, urging them to work faster, harder, despite their exhaustion.

Yet, a miraculous thing happened. "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel." (Exodus 1:12) This unexpected resilience only intensified Pharaoh’s dread. He became even more ruthless, "So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor." (Exodus 1:13-14)

A Desperate Decree

Still, the Israelites continued to thrive, and Pharaoh's fear escalated to a terrifying degree. He called for the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, and commanded them, "When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live." (Exodus 1:16)

However, Shiphrah and Puah were God-fearing women. "But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live." (Exodus 1:17)

Pharaoh, enraged by their defiance, summoned them again. "Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?" (Exodus 1:18)

The midwives, with quick wit and divine courage, answered Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them." (Exodus 1:19)

Because the midwives feared God, "Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them." (Exodus 1:20-21)

The River's Embrace

But Pharaoh's determination to crush the Israelites remained unwavering. In a final, desperate act of cruelty, he issued a command to all his people: "Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive." (Exodus 1:22) The mighty Nile, the very lifeline of Egypt, was now intended to be a watery grave for the sons of Israel. The cries of mothers echoed through the land as they watched their infant sons being taken from them, many destined for the unforgiving currents of the river. Yet, even in this darkest hour, a seed of hope remained, waiting to be nurtured and eventually bloom into the deliverance of a nation.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Story of Genesis 37: Joseph’s Dreams and Betrayal

  Genesis 37 marks the beginning of one of the most compelling and dramatic narratives in the Bible—the story of Joseph.  This chapter introduces Joseph as the favored son of Jacob and sets the stage for a series of events that highlight themes of jealousy, betrayal, divine providence, and resilience.Joseph’s Favoritism and DreamsThe chapter opens by noting that Joseph was seventeen years old and that he was favored by his father Jacob above all his other sons because he was born to Jacob in his old age (Genesis 37:2-3). Jacob’s favoritism was symbolized by a richly ornamented robe, often referred to as the "coat of many colors" (Genesis 37:3).  This special treatment caused resentment among Joseph’s brothers, sowing seeds of jealousy and discord.Joseph further exacerbated tensions by sharing his dreams with his family. In his first dream, he described sheaves of grain in the field, where his brothers’ sheaves bowed down to his (Genesis 37:5-7). In the second dream, the s...
Post a Comment
Read more

The story in exodus 18

  The journey through the wilderness was a test of faith, a series of miraculous provisions and challenging trials. Yet, even as the nation of Israel solidified its identity under God's direct guidance, the practicalities of governance for such a vast multitude became increasingly apparent. Exodus 18 introduces a crucial figure from Moses' personal life and highlights the vital lesson of delegated authority and wise counsel. News of God's mighty acts in Egypt and at the Red Sea had spread far and wide. Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, had heard of everything the Lord had done for Moses and for Israel His people, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. He took Zipporah, Moses' wife, whom Moses had sent back to him, and her two sons, Gershom ("a sojourner there") and Eliezer ("My God is my help"), and came to Moses in the wilderness, at the mountain of God (Mount Sinai) (Exodus 18:1-5). This reunion was a poignant momen...
Post a Comment
Read more

The story in exodus 13

  The air still thrummed with the echoes of weeping from Egyptian homes, a stark contrast to the triumphant, albeit weary, footsteps of hundreds of thousands of Israelites marching out of bondage. The blood-marked doorposts of their homes had served as a shield, and the death of the firstborn had finally broken Pharaoh's will. Now, under the vast expanse of the desert sky, the truly monumental journey of a liberated people began. Exodus 13 chronicles the immediate aftermath of the exodus, focusing on God's commands for remembrance and His constant, visible guidance of His people. As the Israelites embarked on their freedom, the Lord spoke to Moses, establishing a perpetual reminder of their deliverance: "Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine" (Exodus 13:2). This was a direct consequence of the tenth plague. God had claimed the firstborn of Egypt, and now, He claimed the firstborn of Is...
Post a Comment
Read more