Dark Dark Days

EXODUS 002: DARK DARK DAYS SUNDAY, AUGUST 29TH, 2021 PASTOR JOSH MINGS; M.DIV.

TEXT

EXODUS 1:8-22; ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV) 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.

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.” [1]

SERMON BRIEF

CENTRAL IDEA OF THE TEXT The people of God endured ruthless abuse and suffering at the hands of the Pharoah of Egypt; but the Pharoah’s best attempts to destroy God’s people was met by two women who fear God more than Pharoah.

CENTRAL IDEA OF THE SERMON Persecution is an unfortunate reality for the people of God; yet, suffering and persecution does not mean that God is not working all things out. In these seasons when we cannot see His hand, we can trust His heart by remaining in awe of Him.

STICKY STATEMENT In the darkest of days, God’s blessings can be found in on place… with those who fear Him.

Him

INTRODUCTION

001 / THE SLOPE DOWN TO DARKNESS A. Political Strategy Based on Fear (verse 9-10) 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.”

See there are back door conversations in the halls of the palace with the political brass. “If we don’t do something about the Hebrew problem they may turn on us and start a war or side with one of our enemies!”

· “The Hebrews are taking all the good jobs.”

· Do you notice how they don’t just start with killing the babies?

· This is Nazi Germany; we got a Jew problem.

· This is Mow’s China; we’ve got a Christian problem.

· We have to create a narrative where our way of life is challenged and fear is used to call people to action.

· Now don’t worry, its 2021 we have evolved past political strategy based on fear to control people!

B. Oppression and Dread (verse 11-14)

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.

· Do you see how it moves from we have a potential Hebrew problem, to we need to put them under our thumb and oppress them?

· Then it says that the Egyptians dreaded the people of Israel.

· Dr. Martin Luther King; burden of bringing oppression to the light.

C. Public Manipulation and Pressure (verse 15-16) 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.”

D. New Law: Kill All The Boys (verse 22) 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.”

002 / GOD’S UNSEEN HAND IS ALWAYS WORKING

A. Pharoah’s Objective – Kill all the Hebrews so they do not multiply! (verse 9-10) 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.”

This is a counterfeit kingdom ruled by a counterfeit king.

Bondage and slavery are an image of the rule of the counterfeit king.

B. The true King, the King of Glory was working and the Hebrews multiplied! (verse 12 and 20b) 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. …And the people multiplied and grew very strong.

C. Two women who fear God and stood against the Pharoah. (verse 15-20) 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.

· I know what you are thinking – and you are one hundred percent right – these ladies lied!

· God was not dependent on anyone lying to carry out His will.

· Might is Not Right & Let Scripture Interpret Scripture

o Just because the Bible records sin without condemnation doesn't mean that God condones the sin.

o These ladies were blessed not because they lied, but because they Feared the Lord

· These ladies could not see the hand of the Lord. But they trusted His heart.

In the darkest of days, God’s blessings can be found in on place… with those who fear Him.

003 / FEAR OF THE LORD

Deuteronomy 10:12–13 begins with the statement, “So now, O Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you?” The answer is five commands: to fear Yahweh, to walk in His ways, to love Yahweh, to serve Yahweh, and to keep His commandments. All of these are expressions of reverence to God. Fearing the Lord occurs first and summarizes the act of carrying out the other four expressions of obedience (Christensen, Deuteronomy 1:1–21:9, 201–06).[2]

By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away

from evil. [3]

4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honorand life. [4]

Persecution is an unfortunate reality for the people of God; yet, suffering and persecution does not mean that God is not working all things out. In these seasons when we cannot see His hand, we can trust His heart by remaining in awe of Him.

CONCLUSION

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ex 1:8–22). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. [2] Knox, J. W. (2016). Fear of the Lord. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. [3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Pr 16:6). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. [4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Pr 22:4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.