When God Fights: Trusting His Plan in Times of Trouble

Introduction

We live in a world where evil feels louder than ever. Yet through every age, God has remained sovereign, carrying out His divine will in the midst of hostility toward Him and His people.

No story captures this more vividly than the Exodus—the miraculous deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, where God not only rescues but also reveals His character. In this series, we will trace Israel’s journey and, more importantly, fix our eyes on the God who liberates, provides, protects, cares for, and gives His people their identity. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, still doing what He has always done.

Historically, Exodus is “Genesis the sequel.” Moses, the book’s author, picks up where Genesis leaves off: “These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob.” Exodus continues God’s redemptive story.

But the Exodus is more than Israel’s story—it is a shadow of a greater deliverance. God raised up Moses to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt, but centuries later, God sent His Son to lead us out of the deeper slavery of sin and death. Just as Israel was redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the true Lamb of God. And just as Israel was brought out to know Him as their God, we too are brought near through Christ to be His people forever. When we study Exodus, we aren’t just reading history—we are seeing God’s character revealed in ways that point forward to the cross and ultimately to Jesus Himself.

Today we will examine this first chapter of Exodus and life often feels like Exodus 1. Trials catch us off guard. Evil seems to have the upper hand. Yet this chapter teaches us three crucial lessons:

I. God’s Sovereignty Is Greater Than Our Seasons (vv. 1-7)

II. Evil Cannot Outmaneuver God’s Plan (vv. 8-14)

III. God Raises Up the Courageous to Resist Injustice (vv. 15-22) pray

God’s Sovereignty Is Greater Than Our Seasons (vv. 1-7)

We have already read the entire chapter in context so let us zero in on the crux of the problem. Lets look at verse 7

Exodus 1:7 LSB

7 But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased and multiplied and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.

This sounds like the unfolding of God’s covenant of blessings offered centuries earlier:

Genesis 12:2 LSB

2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;

Genesis 15:5 LSB

5 And He brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your seed be.”

So, some 430 years earlier (Gal 3:16), God had promised Abraham what look right now as the fulfilling of that promise of increase. What the Israelites where experiencing in Egypt can be absolutely categorized as prosperity.

But the very blessings of God set the stage for opposition. The text makes it clear that Israel’s growth was visible, undeniable, and unsettling to the Egyptians. They grew from 70 men to 603,550 men 20 years and older according to Num. 1:46 which would absolutely account for a total population of about 2 million people departing Egypt. The seed of Abraham was no longer an extended family but a nation. This blessing caused those outside God’s covenant to feel threatened.

Theological Reflection:

Sometimes blessing lead to earthly challenges. Favor is not always met with applause; living under the shadow of the Almighty often stirs envy, suspicion, or outright hostility.

In Genesis 26:12–14 we see that Isaac becomes wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds and many, many servants and the Philistines hated him. It was prosperity not peace that brought opposition. But it is like God to bless His people. As a child of God I can expect that He will indeed bless me, where?

“In the presence of my enemies.” (Psalm 23:5)

Even among your own. If the favor of the Lord falls on you, which by the way has nothing to do with you, because God has mercy and compassion on whom He wishes, he does not owe me or anyone else anything, but many around you will not like it, will not accept it. John said this much about Jesus,

John 1:11 LSB

11 He came to what was His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

The one who healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, the very embodiment of God’s blessing was met with resistance. Why because light exposes darkness.

John 3:19–20 LSB

19 “And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light lest his deeds be exposed.

So it should not surprise us when walking in God’s favor draws negative attention and resistance for the world around us

When others oppose or fear us because of God’s blessing in our lives, our call is not to retreat or to resent it but to trust God’s sovereign plan. Just as Israel’s multiplication was not a mistake but a fulfillment of God’s promise, your season — whether it brings applause or opposition — is still under His hand.

Israel was living in Egypt but they did not live like Egypt, they did not worship like Egypt, they had a different value system than Egypt, and God blessed them differently than Egypt and in so doing they incur the wrath of Egypt. This is what happened to Abel, this is what happen to Israel, why be surprise when it happens to you?

II. Evil Cannot Outmaneuver God’s Plan (vv.8-14)

But even if people are envious of you because of God’s favor on your life, even if people scheme against you for whatever reasons rest in the fact that evil cannot outmaneuver God’s plan. In this case of the story before us the scheming begins in verse 8.

Exodus 1:8 LSB

8 And a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

Please understand that this is not a not knowing in the sense of being ignorant as to how the Israelites got to Egypt, or how the great Pharaoh of old, probably Sesostris II, saved all of Egypt by his wise and discerning eye in finding the man Joseph through whom he saved all of Egypt.

So there is no way Thutmose, who some biblical scholars suggest is in power at this time in our narrative would have no knowledge of the history of his own country. Especially since it is human nature that monarchs would to try and outdo or outshine an earlier monarchy, it is always about fame and legacy with these self deified rulers of old.

So this is not about him not knowing. It is about him not acknowledging what Joseph, and more importantly, what the God of Joseph had done. He deliberately chose to ignore the facts. This guy falls squarely in the category of the ungodly and unrighteous spoken of by Paul:

Romans 1:18–19 LSB

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

Joseph was the only one who was able to interpret Sesostris II dream that would make any logical sense. This man chose not to suppress the truth that was staring him in the face. Upon not only the interpretation of the dream which meant that there would be a 7 year of great abundance followed by seven years of great famine, he was also given a solution as to how to save his country.

How many people are so good at pointing out problems and offer no solution. God not only disclosed the problem which He would bring upon the land but he also provided the plan of escape. Look at how this Pharaoh reacted to logic, truth, soundness of mind:

Genesis 41:38–40 LSB

38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made you know all of this, there is no one so understanding and wise as you are. 40 “You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.”

“This was wisdom, from a pagan king, but wisdom nonetheless. Pharaoh in Joseph’s day recognized God’s hand and Egypt prospered. But this new fool chose to ignore the very source of his nation’s blessing. He looked at Israel as a threat instead of as the reason Egypt had survived famine in the first place.

Doesn’t that sound familiar? For generations, America has prospered because our society was built on principles rooted in God’s Word — liberty, justice, the dignity of every person, freedom to worship. That’s why this nation has been called ‘the great experiment.’ And it has prospered greatly. That’s why so many risk everything to come here. I did. I left Panama under Noriega’s dictatorship because I saw opportunities here that simply didn’t exist back home.

But now, lawmakers treat those very biblical principles as threats to their individuality or rights. Just as Pharaoh rejected Joseph’s God, modern leaders are rejecting the truths that built this society. And just like in Egypt, rejecting God’s truth never ends well.”

Exodus 1:10–11 LSB

10 “Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply and it be in the event of war, that they also join themselves to those who hate us and fight against us and go up from the land.” 11 So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labors. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Israel was no threat at all to Egypt. But the ungodly are always paranoid.

“The wicked flee when there is no one pursuing…” (Proverbs 28.1)

So what does this wicked ruler along with his people decide to do:

Exodus 1:13 LSB

13 So the Egyptians brutally compelled the sons of Israel to slave labor;

But like I told you before, evil cannot and will not outmaneuver God’s plan. The Egyptians wanted to severely cripple Israel from growing in numbers and strength so they devised a wonderful, masterful, crafty plan.

Exodus 1:12 LSB

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel.

God used Egypt’s oppression even their cruelty to orchestrate the stage for the deliverance. The Scripture says,

Psalm 105:24 LSB

24 And He caused His people to be very fruitful, And He caused them to be stronger than their adversaries.

Psalm 105:25 LSB

25 He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal craftily with His slaves.

What does a few generations of men and women forced in to hard construction work day in and day out produce. When they were ready to leave for a 40 year journey through the desert,

Psalm 105:37 LSB

37 Then He brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none among His tribes who stumbled.

Meaning all of them had vitality, not one in about 2 million people was weak or unable to walk, not even the elderly. They would not have been like this had they been sitting on the couch eating bonbons all day. They would have been like me huffing an puffing by just running out to my car.

All pharaoh did was provide conditioning and training for a long arduous road ahead. That of course is not what he set out to do. But in the words of Joseph centuries earlier,

“You meant evil… but God meant it for good. (Genesis 50:20)

We see the same mindset within the religious leaders in Jesus’s day. Who refused because of self-imposed ignorance, a desire to suppress the truth to reject their own blessing and utterly rejected it. Jesus said,

John 5:39–40 LSB

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that bear witness about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

There rejection ultimately resulted in their dealing craftily with Jesus culminating in the cross. But the result was not their triumph for they did not dwarf the plan of God, they became part of it. Peter, beautifully declared,

Acts 2:23 LSB

23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put Him to death.

Acts 4:27–28 LSB

27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.

Theological Reflection:

Christians today may face unjust treatment from those in power, just as Israel did. Systems, leaders, or even members of your community may refuse to acknowledge God, and at times His people are caught in the crossfire. Yet the lesson of Exodus 1 is clear:

Oppression may be evident; but God is not absent.

People may try to silence you, marginalize you, wear you down but remember. God’s purposes cannot be be diverted, annulled, thwarted, nor derailed in any way. His sovereignty bends even evil schemes into tools for His glory.

So remain faithful. Pharaoh will rise, opposition will intensify, but when it does trust that your God still sits on the throne, and no one tells Him what to do.

III. God Raises Up the Courageous to Resist Injustice (vv. 15-22)

Unable to get what he wanted, Pharaoh schemes escalated: if slavery could not stop Israels growth, then perhaps genocide will. But God raised up two women, who feared Him more than Pharaoh

Exodus 1:15–16 LSB

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah; 16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

We already talked about how large the Hebrew population was, so it is very likely that the Shiphrah and Puah are representative. Most likely the leaders of a much larger group of women whose job was to deliver babies. But can you imagine what the meeting sounded like.

We have no idea how that went down but in my sanctified imagination I picture our own women’s group that meet on Wednesday. Based on how I know most of you I can see necks rolling, “What did he said? Child, I’m a tell you what we are not going to do. We won’t be killing no babies. I know we crazy but we are not that crazy, that man has lost his mind.” Think of,

Proverbs 29:25 LSB

25 Trembling before man brings a snare, But he who trusts in Yahweh will be set securely on high.

And like the apostles centuries after them they concluded

“We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

However, all of that neck rolling defiance was severely toned down when they appeared before the king and had to explain why his orders were not carried out.

Exodus 1:19 LSB

19 Then the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can come to them.”

These women were not educated in the art of debate and rhetoric or apologetics, but they represented with everything they had even if the excuse given was comical. Can you imagine. “you see your majesty, Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women, no offense. They are gangster. They give birth all on their own before we even get there, they dont’ even use a birthing stool they just breathout that the kid falls out and lands on its feet and they both walk out while waiving at us. So there is nothing we could do.”

I don’t believe for a second that pharaoh bought not even half of that caricature of a lie. I do not even know if those women were able to give such an absurd excuse with a straight face. And had the king be allowed to follow the the natural path of his heart he would have executed them immediately but,

Proverbs 21:1 LSB

1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh; He turns it wherever He pleases.

God stayed the hand of Pharaoh. God honored Shiphrah and Puah — He “dealt well with them” (Exod 1:20) and blessed them with families of their own. Their obedience not only saved lives but also became a testimony of God’s sovereignty working through ordinary faithfulness.

These women confronted the culture when the culture would have them behave in a way that opposed the God they serve. They were courageous in their own lane with whatever faculties they had.

It takes courage, a courage that sometimes may cost your your life. Sampson for all of his faults was a deliver who confronted his culture and so the Philistines sought to kill him. Yet in his capture, he destroyed more than 3000 of the oppressors of Israel, fulfilling in his death more of his calling than he had ever done in his life.

Jesus Himself modeled this courage. He confronted injustice in the temple

Matthew 21:12–13 LSB

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”

He protected the vulnerable woman caught in adultery (John 8:7), and declared His mission was to “bring liberty to the oppressed” (Luke 4:18). His entire ministry was marked by protecting life, resisting evil, and exposing hypocrisy — even though it put Him on a collision course with the cross. All He did was talk, all they had to do is disagree and go away but no they wanted to shut him up, “lets kill him,” they said.

The funny thing is that evil rulers thought they had silenced Him, but in reality, His courageous obedience that took Him to the cross brought salvation to the world.

Theological Reflection

We’re often shocked when courage costs someone their life. Recently, Charlie Kirk was assassinated while using his platform to speak for the cause of Christ. Whatever our personal opinions about his politics, the fact remains: he was boldly speaking biblical truth, and it cost him everything.

But did you see that funeral. It was a worship service in the most unlikely place. You had the ruling class unashamedly proclaiming Christ in public, something they had never done before. It is reported that many people as a result have returned to church, have opened their Bibles for the first time since they were children. The work God started through his life, continues with more intensity in his death as Christianity keeps multiplying.

We’re surprised by that in America, because we’ve lived in comfort. But this has always been the pattern: Shiphrah and Puah risked their lives in Egypt, the apostles risked theirs in Acts, and Christians around the world risk theirs today. Courageous faith often comes at a high price.

God calls us to the same courage. We may not face Pharaoh’s command or martyrdom tomorrow, but we are called to resist injustice, defend the vulnerable, and obey God rather than man. That may mean standing alone at work, in your neighborhood, in your family, or even in the public square.

The assurance is this: God sees, God honors, and God uses courageous faith to advance His purposes. The midwives saved lives. Jesus saved souls. And you, by standing courageously, may save someone’s future by pointing them to the One who never leaves or forsakes His people.

So what if it costs you your life here. To live is Christ and to die is great gain, because we do not truly die.