We now come to a time in Israel's history that things will change greatly. The one's who were known are now gone and a new ruler has come on the scene who does not know the former genration and who does not care about the Israelites. We to will look at the fact that people are not the only ones who are persecuting the Israelites. Eph. 6:12 tells us that our enemy is more that flesh and blood. May this portion of our study bring us a better understanding of our situations in life, enemies we face, strength we gain, and most of all of the Lord we serve and Who protects and provides for us in any and all situations we are in. Most of all that He knows exactly what is going on around us and before it happens so we can trust Him with all of our lives and all it entales.

Exodus 1:8-22

The Old is Gone, New things begin

The Pharaoh that knew Joseph died, and a new king (Pharaoh) began to rule who did not know Joseph or what he had done during the old Pharaoh's rule.

• Physical (fleshly) point of veiw to see from a human stand point of events occuring
1. A new king (pharaoh) enter the scene and not only does not know Joseph and his family but has not respect for them. v.8
2. The king seemed to have fear of Isreal for how mighty (great in number, physically stronger, seemed very prosperous) they were. v. 9
3. The new king puts Israel in bondage so he can controll them and keep them under his rule so they will not be a threat to him as he thinks they might become if he doesn't. v. 10
4. The new king put master's over them and in-slaved them to build his storehouses. v. 11
5. The kings plan didn't work the way he intended it to. Instead of Israel breaking and decreasing under bondage, they strengthened and multiplied in number. Not only Pharaoh but the people of Egypt as well feared the children of Israel. v. 12
6. The king then made the bondage and slavery more severe because of the increase in strength and multitude of Israel. The king increased the amount of work that Israel had to do. v. 13-14
7. Pharaoh attempted more drastic means to destroy or absorb them into the nation of Egypt.He now attempts to kill all male new born babies by having the midwives kill the babies as they are born. Notice here it says Hebrew midwives. Wether they were Hebrew are not is uncertain. Only the males are to be killed not the females. This would wipe out Israel's nationality and the girls when they became adults would have to marry Egyptian men, therefore be absorbed into the Egyptian nation and Israel would be no more. v. 15-16
8. Pharoah's plan foiled again. The midwives feared God more than pharoah. They did not kill the male children as pharoah told them to do. v. 17 help
9. Pharoah calls the midwives to question them. I would think pharoah is in distress by now because all he has tried in controlling the Israelites has failed. He now questions the midwives on why they would not obey his orders to them. Their only answer is the babies were born before they got there so they were not able to do as he ordered. Notice the statement, "the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively". God has a way to protect His people. He made a promise and He will and is able to keep it. Some say that the midwives lied. The Scripture says we are to obey the laws of the land but not when it violates God ultimate law. My question is did they lie or was it the truth. We serve a God Who can do all things. Our Lord and Savior was born of a virgin!! v. 18-19
10. God blesses those who fear Him. The question is not, did the widwives lie, but who they feared more. God continued to bless His people for they continues to multiply and grow very mighty. God provided the midwives households. Midwives were usually women who were barren and had no children. Here it seems God worked a miracle in their lives.Households here can signify house with families in it. Therefore the midwives were blessed with their own children because they did not kill the Hebrew children. Or should we say, God's children. v. 20-21
11. Pharoah gets more drastic and final in his attempt to destroy the Hebrews. Notice it says "all his people". He commands them to throw all male Hebrew children into the river to kill them. Notice all girls are to be saved. It seems obvious that pharoah wants to absorb the Hebrews into the nation of Egypt so he can wipe out God's people that way. Because the Israelites were so mighty pharoah probably asumes his people would become mighty as well by having the Hebrew's become Egyptian. Then he would have a mighty nation. I assume at the time Egypt was weak in a way beacause of their tactics and ways of doing things. v. 22

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