Daily Bread

God Blessed the People to Increase

Date: Jan. 3, 2021

Passage

Exodus 1:1-22

Exodus

Israel Increases Greatly in Egypt

1:1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.

Pharaoh Oppresses Israel

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.”

Key Verse: Exodus 1:20

So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong.

Exodus Introduction

Exodus continues the story of Genesis, telling how God fulfilled his promises to Abraham (Ge 12:2; 15:13-14). To do so God calls Moses (1-3), redeems his people from slavery through plagues on the Egyptians and the Passover (4-13), leads his people to cross the Red Sea and journey in the wilderness to Mt. Sinai (14-18), where he establishes with them the covenant of the Law (19-24) and gives them plans to build the Tabernacle, so they may be a God-centered community to worship (25-40).

Exodus 19:4-6 reveals God's purpose in delivering these people and calling them to himself: to be his people, his treasured possession â€“ a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. How are they to live as his people? By obeying and keeping his Covenant of Law, such as the well-known Ten Commandments. He shows them how to live in community with God at the center, through the Tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrificial system, as well as festivals and Sabbaths. Taken alongside the book of Hebrews, all these point us to Jesus.

In this way Exodus echoes the salvation we have in Jesus, our Passover lamb (1Co 5:7). Although our context is different, God's grace of redemption, his love and hope, continue to inspire us and call us to live out his desire for justice, mercy, and worship in our day. We learn how to live as his chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, declaring the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light (1Pe 2:9).

1. Pharaoh feared the Israelites increasing (1-14). Seventy immigrant descendants of Jacob became exceedingly numerous, increasing for hundreds of years. They lived separately, but at peace with Egypt, until a new king appeared. He no longer saw Joseph as a national hero, but rather began to fear how fast the Hebrews multiplied. He used his political power to enact systemic policies of abuse against God's people, enslaving them as laborers. The lives of God's people became bitter and harsh under ruthless masters. Yet the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied.

2. Midwives feared God (15-22).

How was it possible for them to keep increasing? One reason was two midwives who defied the Pharaoh's order to kill baby boys. They did this because they feared God more than people (Pr 29:25), and God blessed them with families of their own. This story shows God was with his people, faithfully fulfilling his promise to Abraham (Ge 22:17). But fear of people drove Pharaoh to genocide: throw all the baby boys into the Nile.

Prayer: Father, you were with your people and caused them to increase even in hardship and oppression. Help me to fear you as the midwives, and be blessed and a blessing to your people.

One Word: God blesses his people to increase

Remember Who God is

Psalm 77:1-20

Key Verse: 77:11

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

Today's Question

See answer and references

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT