Exodus 1:8-22 - God’s Faithfulness During Oppression and Genocide
Notes
Transcript
The Word Read
The Word Read
Please remain standing for the reading of the Holy Scripture. Hear the Word of the Lord from Exodus 1:12-14:
12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
Behold, brothers and sisters, this is the Word of the Lord. Please be seated.
Exordium
Exordium
Dear Church,
I invite you to open Holy Scripture to Exodus 1:8. This morning, we will look at an interesting passage of Scripture. I never wanted to stop studying this passage. The more I studied, the more I wanted to know about God, His covenant faithfulness, and how He remains faithful to His children during severe oppression and even genocide. Our Father is the God who always fulfills His covenants and promises.
However, before we begin, I want to put a stake in the ground for us to consider. First, Genesis 50:24:
24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
The promise of leaving Egypt is given to Joseph. Second, Genesis 15:13-14:
13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
The afflictions and the exodus were promised to Abraham approximately 600-800 years before it occurred. Yahweh is not surprised by Pharaoh’s oppression nor Pharaoh’s horrific decree to kill all the male children who were born. God is still very much faithful to His children despite the atrocities that were going to be committed against them. God is always faithful to His children. For those who belong to Christ, we receive the promises of the New Covenant. There is never a fear that we could lose our standing before God. There is never a fear that we could become children of wrath again. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us, and we now experience God’s love, which has been poured into our hearts. Across the globe, millions of Christians experience what the Israelites experienced before the Exodus. Ungodly rulers oppress them, and some of those rulers are attempting to eradicate Christians from their countries. Despite the external circumstances, God is faithful to them every single moment.
The sermon title is “God’s Faithfulness During Oppression and Genocide.’ The sermon will have two sections: 1) Exodus 1:8-14 - God’s Faithfulness During Oppression, and 2) Exodus 1:15-22 - God’s Faithfulness During Genocide.
Exodus 1:8-14 - God’s Faithfulness During Oppression
Exodus 1:8-14 - God’s Faithfulness During Oppression
8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
The first verse of our passage presents a significant problem. A new dynasty entered power in Egypt, and this king did not know about Joseph. This means the new Pharaoh has no allegiance to Joseph or the Israelites. A quick note about this new king. The Scriptures do not provide us with his name. As Joseph Hoffmeier wrote:
Exodus—Saved for God's Glory The House of Bondage
The absence of the pharaoh’s name may ultimately be for theological reasons, because the Bible is not trying to answer the question ‘who is the pharaoh of the exodus’ to satisfy the curiosity of modern historians; rather, it was seeking to clarify for Israel who was the God of the exodus.
So, our modern minds may want to determine who this new king is, but that is not ultimately Moses’s point. The Bible is considered with the theological implications of the deliverance of the Israelites by Yahweh.
The wording “arose a new king” carries the sense of a new king coming into power. Here, we come to the crux of the issue in this text: a power struggle at hand. Pharaoh’s struggle is not going to be primarily against the Israelites. Though he oppresses them and kills their children, his fight for power will be against the God of Creation. His battle will be against the very God who has given him life.
Pharaoh makes himself a sovereign ruler over the people of Israel, revealing His true war is with the Lord. He has made the Israelites his slaves and fully expects them to obey his every word and give him their entire devotion. In short, Pharaoh expects the Israelites to worship him. It is a dangerous game that Pharaoh is playing with God. 1 Peter 2:9 is clear: the Church is a holy nation to the Lord. We are called to worship Christ and Christ alone. Who do you trust in today? Is it a political leader, a business leader, or a famous pastor? Humans should not be given Messianic-like attributes as if they can save people from trials and tribulations. Our hope is in Christ alone!
This new Pharaoh realizes the people of Israel are multiplying. To him, they pose a threat to his power and the strength of Egypt. He plans to outsmart or deal shrewdly with the Israelites. Why? Well, just in case, they continue to multiply and join Egypt’s enemies in war and then leave the land. In an ironic twist, the people of Israel never joined any other nation in a war against Egypt. However, they do eventually leave the land.
Pharaoh puts taskmasters over the Israelites to “afflict them with heavy burdens.” Throughout the book of Exodus, we will see that Moses is a literary genius. Moses makes connections with words throughout the entire Pentateuch. The word for “afflict” is used elsewhere by Moses. One place he uses it is in Genesis 16:6. Sarai gives Hagar to Abram. Sarai tells Abram to sleep with Hagar so Sarai might have an offspring. Now, this is entirely against what God had already promised. God promised a child to Abram and Sarai. Abram listens to his wife, and Hagar becomes pregnant. Sarai becomes full of contempt. Abram tells Sarai that Hagar is under her power, so do whatever you please. This leads to Genesis 16:6:
6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.
Hagar, an Egyptian woman, is afflicted by Sarai. Now the tables have turned, and the Egyptians afflict Abram’s descendants. The taskmasters’ goal was to crush the people of Israel by forcing them into barbaric state-sponsored slavery to build up the cities of Pithom and Raamses. The Egyptian taskmasters were tyrants. They were known for their barbaric behavior. In one instance, a slave did not listen to an Egyptian taskmaster. The taskmaster beat him mercilessly in front of his wife and children.
Despite all this, the people of Israel continue to multiply! Here is God’s faithfulness to His people despite oppression. This is not logical. One would expect the people to dwindle in size as they are forced into barbaric labor. However, God provides a miracle and uses, shall we say, covenant logic. God remains faithful to the covenant and the promises He made to the patriarchs. God will not fail in fulfilling what He has promised.
God can and does strengthen His people amid oppression. The people of Isreal continued to multiply despite the brutal state-sponsored slavery of Pharaoh and the taskmasters. Throughout the book of Acts, God strengthens His church and causes them to grow despite their oppression. We see this today as well. There are Christians that sit under the heavy hand of ungodly rulers. These rulers have no problems bringing persecution to those who claim Christ, yet the Church is multiplying. Also, the Church can be strengthened spiritually as she sits under oppression. The Church goes through a refining process where it appears there is loss numerically, but there truly is growth because the Spirit is bringing spiritual revival.
The Egyptians become fearful as they watch all this unfold. What is their response?
13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
The people of Israel sit under the total and complete bondage and slave slavery of Egypt. The people of Israel worked ruthlessly as slaves under what would appear to be a sovereign ruler, Pharaoh. At this point, it seems there is no hope for the people of Israel.
As we look at this first passage, we can see a slew of applicational points. First, the big overarching theme of this paragraph, God’s covenant children will be oppressed by the world. We saw this in the book of Daniel. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were oppressed by the worldly rulers placed over them. We saw this in the book of 1 Peter. Jesus states this in John 15:20:
20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
The pages of Acts is filled with the disciples being persecuted and oppressed for their faith. The oppression that comes from the hands of ungodly leaders should never come as a surprise to us who love Christ. We should strive with all our ability to follow Christ all our days so that if persecution ever comes, we will be able to stand firm in the faith that He has given us.
Exodus 1:15-22 - God’s Faithfulness During Genocide
Exodus 1:15-22 - God’s Faithfulness During Genocide
15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
We come to the worst part of the first chapter - a genocide against the people of Israel. As one reads the text, it becomes clear that Pharaoh is indeed fighting against the Lord. However, this is also a war on a cosmic level. Satan is attacking God. He is attempting to eliminate the Messianic seed in Genesis 3. The story of the book of Exodus is the story of redemption. Satan tried to kill off the Messianic seed, but he couldn't. He tried to stop the redemptive plan, but he could not. This is why we can read and study the Exodus with hearts full of joy. The Exodus is not just a story for ethnic Jews. The Exodus is the grand story of God triumphing over His enemies, which ultimately leads to the Messiah saving us from the bondage and slavery of sin.
When we read Exodus, we should move beyond the book simply a historical event. We should see our own story of redemption. We should see how Christ saved us from the power and bondage of sin. The Exodus is our story. Hear the words of Romans 6:19:
19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
Just as the Israelites were under bondage with no hope of freedom, so we were under bondage with no hope of freedom. They desperately needed the Lord to intercede, and so did we. Again, the Exodus is our story!
In this paragraph, the story takes a morbid turn. Pharaoh desires to commit genocide by selectively killing male children during the birth process. He gives the command to two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill the Hebrew sons but let the Hebrew daughters live. Pharaoh effectively issued death sentences for every Hebrew boy that would be born. The question must be asked, “Why did Pharaoh issue a decree to kill the sons, but not the daughters?”
I believe there are two answers. First, this is a very selective genocide where Pharaoh is going to strip the people of Israel of their military power. Without strong young men, there will be zero military power. This is going to be a monumental moment for the Israelites. They will learn not to trust in their military power.
Later, David writes in Psalm 20:7:
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Chariots and horses were the most powerful military weapons. The Lord’s people do not need to trust in the military powers of the nations. We do not need to trust nuclear weapons. Our confidence and trust are in Christ alone. He alone wins the spiritual battle and will one day win the final war.
The people of Israel will learn to trust in the Lord as Pharaoh’s horrific plan is put in place. Each Hebrew son’s neck is literally on the line. The 9 months of joy waiting for a child is now taken away. The parents now sit in fear, wondering if their child will survive or be killed.
Second, this would force the Hebrews to assimilate into Egypt. Without men to marry, the women would begin to marry Egyptian men. This would effectively kill off the people of Israel because the children born would be half-Egyptian and half-Hebrew. Pharaoh’s plan is strategically genius – eventually, the people of Israel would be eradicated through the selective genocide of the baby boys.
However, Shiphrah and Puah fear God and do not kill the Hebrew baby boys. These midwives show they fear God much more than the most powerful man on earth. Pharaoh becomes irate as he learns the Hebrews’ sons have not been killed. You can feel the tension of the whole situation. What will happen to these two brave women who fear God more than they fear Pharaoh? Will they be put to death for acting as protectors of the unborn?
During the birthing process, the baby boy would be killed. However, it appears that the boys were able to live if they were not destroyed during the birthing process. The midwives tell Pharaoh that the Hebrew women had already given birth before they arrived. Therefore, they arrived too late to kill the child. What was the result of the midwife's faith in the Lord? The Lord caused the Hebrews to multiply and grow even stronger. Furthermore, the Lord gave midwives their own families.
Just look at the Lord’s faithfulness to His people in this moment. Pharaoh sought to commit genocide, eradicating the entire people, but the Lord remained faithful to the covenant and promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by providing Shiphrah and Puah.
The story might be finally finished. Great, there are midwives in place who fear God. Maybe, just maybe, the plan of genocide is over. Pharaoh appeals to all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” The Nile River was a source of life and was believed to be a god. This would be like the Ganges River in India. I recently spoke with a man who took a mission trip to India and saw the Ganges River. He told me he witnessed one person using the Ganges as a toilet. Next to that person was another washing their clothes. Next to that person was another person brushing their teeth. Furthermore, dead cows could be seen floating down the Ganges. Finally, he observed a Hindu priest cremating a dead body on the bank of the river and spreading the ashes into the river.
The Nile River becomes a place of death instead of life. The Egyptians would be able to see a newborn boy and toss the child into the river without feeling any sense of guilt. The Egyptians were not committing genocide; the god of the Nile was taking the child’s life. How could they feel guilt when it was the god’s decision whether the child would survive? Furthermore, the boys that died would be swept down the Nile. I do not believe it is a coincidence that the Nile was turned blood red and that the Egyptian army was swept away by water in the Red Sea, just as innocent Israelite children were swept away in the Nile river.
As we look at this passage, we see a few application points. First, as I’ve already mentioned, this is a war between God and Satan. The battle between the Pharaoh and the Israelites was not political; it was not a military war but a spiritual war. We cannot forget that there has been a spiritual battle that has constantly raged throughout history. Satan is seeking to kill off the people of Israel in this passage because, through them, the Messiah will come. Thus, we read Exodus with redemptive eyes.
Secondly, Pharaoh is entirely set against God. He has no desire to bow the knee to Yahweh. In one sense, Pharaoh represents everyone who rebels against the Lord. Rebellion against God is not recognizing Jesus as Lord and living as God has called humans to live. Thus, all people who do not repent in Christ's name are in rebellion. At one time, we were all rebels against God going our way. We lived Romans 1:21:
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Pharaoh represents each person who currently lives in Romans 1:21 or at one point did live in Romans 1:21. We see our own story in the book of Exodus. We were the rebels who needed to be saved out of the bondage of sin and rebellion. We were the enemies of God who sat under His wrath. We needed God to save us from God’s wrath. Thanks be to God for sending a great deliverer to rescue us out of our Pharaoh-like rebellion. We must remember that the bondage of sin is not a cute little puppy that we can get out of in our own power. The bondage of sin is so great there is no way one can get out unless Christ steps in and saves them. We are dealing with a puppy but a murderous dragon much more powerful than we are. Only because of the goodness of Christ are we made slaves of righteousness.
Third, this is the same environment we see in the birth of Christ. Matthew 2:16-18:
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Herod, filled with rage, makes a decree to kill all the male children in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was not a large city at this time, but the loss would have been catastrophic for the small community. The loud weeping would have been heard as fathers and mothers mourned the loss of their sons. Satan attempts to kill off the Messianic seed through Pharaoh, and he again tries to kill Jesus as a baby through Herod.
Fourth, in times of oppression and genocide against the Church, we can trust God’s faithfulness to us. God was faithful to the Israelites when Pharaoh oppressed them. They continued to multiply and grow strong despite barbaric state-sponsored labor. Then, God provided midwives who feared Him more than they feared Pharoah. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We should keep them in our prayers as they face the same realities the Israelites faced in these paragraphs. Yet, despite the external persecution, God is still very much faithful to them. He remains faithful to them as His love pours into their hearts. He remains faithful as He provides for their daily needs. He remains faithful to them as He causes them to grow in holiness. He remains faithful to them as He leads and keeps them for all eternity.
Likewise, God is faithful to us here in Eden, NC. Eden may not be the Garden of Eden, but God displays His faithfulness to us daily. He provides for our daily needs and never forsakes us. He offers compassionate care for a bruised heart. He provides discipline when we need to be disciplined. Our God is a covenant-keeping God who is always faithful to us. Even if we woke up tomorrow in a country that oppressed, persecuted, and murdered Christians, we could say with confidence:
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father,
There is no shadow of turning with thee:
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been thou for ever wilt be.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
"Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!"
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
"Great is thy faithfulness," Lord unto me!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Despite unspeakable situations, God remained faithful to the people of Israel. We know that all the promises of God find their Yes in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). All the promises of the covenants to the patriarchs find their truthfulness and confirmation in the servant Christ Jesus (Romans 15:8). How can we be so sure that God will remain faithful to us in times of oppression? Because He has a track record of always being loyal to His children. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). Let us be obedient to Psalm 20:7 - do not find our confidence in the military power of the world, but instead let us find our confidence in the One who gave His life to save us from the oppressive bondage and genocidal power of sin, and who saved our Pharaoh-like rebellious hearts.
