Exodus Chapter1 Racism

Racism = prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior:

BLACK WALL STREET ANNIVERSARY MAY 31, 1921

99 years ago, one of America’s worst acts of racial violence took place in Tulsa

EXODUS CHAPTER 1

VERSES 1-7 We are to live our lives with the full confidence that God will ultimately fulfill His promises. When God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans, He promised him not only a land but that his offspring would become “a great nation” (Gn 12:2; 15:5; 17:4). In the opening paragraphs of Exodus, we see this promise beginning to be fulfilled (Ex 1:7). The redundancy Moses used to describe this multiplication indicates that this was miraculous. (See Gn #15: God’s Mercy, p. 15.) The most miraculous promise to Abraham was, of course, to be fulfilled far into the future. It involved the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One through whom “all the peoples on earth will be blessed” (Gn 12:3). The apostle Paul made this promise abundantly clear: Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ. (Gl 3:16) Because of this unconditional promise to Abraham, in Christ all true believers—both Jews and Gentiles—also have a wonderful, unconditional promise

VERSES 8-14 When we live among people who are threatened by our presence, we should expect various forms of persecution.

When God promised Abraham a land, he also informed him that his offspring would be “enslaved and oppressed 400 years” (Gn 15:13). Initially, Jacob’s family had favor with the Pharaoh and their Egyptian neighbors (Gn 50:6-7), but as this company of God’s people miraculously multiplied, they threatened the Egyptians. As believers today, various kinds of persecution shouldn’t surprise us. Because the church grew so rapidly in first-century Jerusalem, the early Christians became a threat to other religious leaders and were beaten, imprisoned, and even killed (Ac 7:54—8:3). (See Ac #13: Loving Our Enemies, p. 1493.) Later the Roman Emperor Nero openly attacked Christians and was probably responsible for the death of the apostles Paul and Peter. Just prior to his martyrdom, Paul wrote, “In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tm 3:12; see also 1Pt 4:12-14).

Why do people and nations persecute and enslave others?

There are primarily three reasons and all three can be seen in Egypt's enslavement of Israel.

Exodus 1:8 HCSB

8 A new king, who had not known Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

1. There was ignorance: the new king knew nothing about Joseph, and he knew nothing about God, not the only true and living God. No nation (or person) who enslaves others knows God, not in a personal way (Exodus 1:8). Pharaoh was ignorant of history or else he paid little or no attention to history. He was ignorant of the great contribution Joseph had made to Egypt.

Joseph had literally saved Egypt and the surrounding world from starvation and helped establish Egypt as one of the greatest nations upon earth .

The king was also ignorant of Joseph's people, Israel...

• ignorant of who they were.

• ignorant of why and how they had migrated to Egypt.

• ignorant of the great contribution they had made to Egypt's labor force and to the growth and economy of Egypt down through the years—all as a free people living in the Egyptian district of Goshen.

• ignorant of the great value and dignity of human life.

• ignorant of God, ignorant of the only true and living God. Simply stated, the new king was ignorant of people, that they are basically spiritual beings with the fundamental need to be free. He failed to see that people need to use their own personal initiative in providing for themselves and their families and in building their own lives and society. He was ignorant of one of the most basic facts of human nature: that people produce far more when they are free and allowed to use their own personal initiative.

People, both believers and unbelievers, often find themselves in situations like the Israelites were in.

A new king who does not "know Joseph" takes over and we suffer because of his power.

The new king may be...

• a supervisor or company owner who holds authority over us and mistreats us or jeopardizes our jobs.

• a spouse who misuses his or her authority and becomes unsupporting, distant, dominating, or threatening.

• a king or government official who abuses his power and restricts our freedom and, in some cases, enslaves us. Millions of lives are tragically affected every day because of situations like these. The answer to oppression and persecution is God, believing and trusting God. God delivers all who truly believe and trust Him—all true believers.

2. There was the fear of people (Israel) (Exodus 1:9).

Exodus 1:9 HCSB

9 He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and powerful than we are.

The new king feared that the people were a threat to his nation and their way of life.

The king feared their numbers and strength:

⇒ Israel's population was exploding, growing by leaps and bounds.

⇒ They were becoming a mighty force of people just by their sheer numbers.

⇒ The king feared their joining forces with some enemy and attacking Egypt.

⇒ The Israelites were different from the Egyptians, different in appearance, life-style, and religion. The point is this: it is the fear of people—feeling that they are a threat or different in some way—that causes people to persecute other people. This was one of the reasons why Egypt persecuted Israel. Life Application:

People often persecute believers because they fear believers. They feel that believers are a threat to their way of life; therefore they must stop believers and shut them up.

Think for a moment...

• Believers preach and teach love, but most people want the right to dislike others when they wish. They want the right to reject love and to shun, ignore, get upset and be angry with others they do not like. They want the right to even hate and retaliate against others when others mistreat them.

• Believers preach and teach righteousness, that God demands righteousness from us all. God demands purity, modest dress, sexual morality, clean speech, no cursing, controlled thoughts, a disciplined life, and honesty. But many people in the world want to live, look, speak, and do exactly what they want when they want. Most people want the right to do their own thing. Therefore, they stand against true believers, those who live and teach true righteousness. Righteousness is a threat to their way of life.

• Believers preach and teach unselfishness and sacrificial giving. Believers stress the desperate needs of people, their need to be loved, befriended, cared for, looked after, fed, clothed, housed, ministered to, and above all, their need to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This demands our time, talents, and money—the sacrificial giving of all that we are and have. Most people do not want to hear the message of unselfish, sacrificial giving. They want the possessions of this world, as much as they can get. Therefore, they stand against true believers, those who teach unselfishness and sacrificial giving. Sacrificial giving is a threat to their way of life.

On and on the list could go, but the application to us is clear. The people of the world fear true believers because they are a threat to their way of life. Therefore, some people will always shun, neglect, ignore, ridicule, and threaten believers. People will even try to silence and take away the rights of believers; and sometimes, if needed, even abuse, enslave, and kill them.

3. There was the fear of loss, the loss of position and power, of possessions and wealth.

The king feared that Israel might leave the land of Egypt. If they did, then Israel's labor and economic power would be lost to Egypt. The loss of Israel's wealth and trade would be a devastating blow to Egypt. The population of Israel was about two million at this time. The loss of two million people—of their labor and trade—would wreck the economy of any small nation. Pharaoh had to make absolutely sure that Israel's labor and trade was not lost to Egypt.

Life Application: The world, both men and women, seek...

• position and power

• possessions and wealth

The position and power sought after may be one's standing in the family, business community, town, city, state, or nation. The possessions and wealth sought after can be the simple comforts of home, a good job, just enough to live comfortably, a successful business or farm, or millions and billions of dollars. There is nothing wrong with position and power. The positions of responsibility within all organizations have to be held and looked after by someone. And there is nothing wrong with possessions and wealth. Some of us have to be wealthy enough to venture out and build the businesses that provide the jobs for the rest of us. However, when greed, covetousness, and lusting for more kick in and we begin to hoard wealth while others suffer, this is wrong. To allow hunger, starvation, homelessness, disease, ignorance, and worst of all, death without Christ to continue—this is wrong. Pharaoh went so far as to persecute and enslave Israel in order to protect his wealth and the wealth of his people. Persecution, enslavement, and hoarding wealth are all wrong. Scripture declares that all greed and covetousness will be judged, condemned severely. Moreover, Jesus Christ Himself declared that a covetous and greedy person shall not inherit eternal life.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - Exodus I.

Life Essentials Study Bible.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - Exodus I.