Exit: God Does not forget His promises

Focus: God visits his people to to fulfill the promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: multiply their descendants making them a great nation and give them the promised land.

Central Theme: Exodus 1 Shows us that God fulfill his promises and that he carries them on miraculously and despite opposition.

I. The promise is renewed v.1-6

A. Connecting and continuing

Gen. 46:8
Gen. 47:6-12, 27-28
There is a continuation of the story of Jacob and his family
The naming of the twelve descendants is a connection between the past, the present and the future
It was promised to the patriarchs and it will be fulfilled in their descendants

B. The name of the promise

Ruben - “see” - Gen. 29:32
Simeon - “listen” - Gen. 29:33
Levi - “attach,” as in husband and wife - Gen. 29:34
Judah - “praise,” - Gen. 29:35, 49:8
Issachar “reward,” - Gen. 30:18
Zebulun - “Honor” - Gen. 30:20
Benjamin - "son of my right hand” Gen 35:18
Dan - “he has vindicated” - Gen, 30:6
Nephtali - “my struggle” - Gen 30:8
Gad - “good fortune” - Gen. 30:11
Asher - “happy” - Gen. 30:13
José— “add” - Gen. 30:24
Joseph and his generations die v.6

This is not the end of the promise
It is the beginning of the end of the fulfillment
God does not want to only multiply them, but also give them the land

Aplication: God does not forget his people, He remembers them by name. He knows what he promises and to who and in His time he delivers.

II. The promise in action v.7

A. Fulfillment in multiplication

Miraculous multiplication

They were fruitful
Increased
Became numerous
Became stron
From 70 to thousands

B. God promised and he did it

Gen. 17:1-8, 26:1-5, 28:13-15

Aplication: God accomplishes his promises in a supernatural way so that there is no doubt that He did it and not a coinsidence.

III. The promise threatened v.8-14

A. New dinasty v.8

New kings that brought inevitable changes
Maybe the first king of a new dynasty
The new monarch has no obligation towards Joseph's people
He does have a big problem:

A very prolific colony of foreigners lives in their country
They feel threatened by this
This justifies their measures
A change in dynasties could be a very vulnerable time

B. New threat v.9-10

The fulfillment of the promise intimidates them v.9

The Israelites are stronger and numerous

The Egyptians have to be wise v.10

They do not want the people of God to multiply
They fear God's people's alliance with their enemies
They do not want them to leave the land

Pharaoh's fear is the reason this policy existed

C. New measures v.11

Taskmasters were assigned to afflict them

Imposed burdens and hard labors

Edified cities

Pithom and Raamses
Both in the Delta region
Both associated with 19 Egyptian Dynasties

D. The same faithfulness of God v.12

The more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied
Their multiplication became the dread of the enemy
The Israelites were Hated by the Egyptians
God was in the mist of it all
Nothing can stop or hinder God's growth
God does not go back in his promises

Aplicación: Hay momentos en los que la promesa de Dios sufrirá amenazas, pero no importa que medidas u oposición la promesa enfrente, Dios siempre mostrará fidelidad a su palabra y a nosotros. Recuerda, nada va a desviar a Dios de ejecutar lo que prometio.

IV. The Bitterness of the promise v.13-14

A. Worked without mercy v.13

The Egyptians made their lives bitter

Mix mortar and make bricks
Do all the work in the field
They were ruthless in their demands
Egyptian oppression reduced them to willing servants

B. God's promise in you can strike fear in others

Aplication: The process of fulfilment of a promise could bring bitter moments in your life, but many times they are necessary to test our faith and the trust we put in God. Without such moments there may be delays in the fulfillments. Difficult moments may prepare us for to receive the promises of God.

V. The Faith of the Promise v.15-21

A. A faith that does not get intimidated v.15-16

Intimidation and termination was Pharo's game
His plan did not work, he implemented plan B: death
Sifra(justa)
Puá(fragante)

Aplicación: You can part of God's plan to fulfill his promises or be part of the enemy's plan to hinder it. The quality of faith you have will determine this.

B. A courageous and defiant faith v.17-21

They feared the Lord
They did not do what Pharaoh asked them

God's will was more important than Pharaoh's orders

They knew what to answer
Their families where prospered v.21
Pharaoh's most deperate measure gave way to God's marvelous provision. v.22

/Aplicación: We have to keep on obeying and doing God's will when we are waiting on the Lord. We must not let ourselves be intimidated and do what the enemy of our souls suggests or offers us. If we exercise a courageous and bold faith we will see God's hand. The oposition was part of God's plan, the beginning of the fulfillment of the second phase of God's plan.