Exodus, Part 2
Exodus 1:8-22
Introduction
- Exodus is an incredible study of God's faithfulness to man
-- It is also a great encouragement to see man's ability to be faithful to God
- The series title is "Redeemed to Worship"
-- From this day forward, it is my prayer that title would stick to you
-- We, in 2018, have been redeemed for one purpose: to worship
- Let me ask … do you like action movies?
-- The remainder of Ch.1 couldn't have been better scripted for an action movie
-- We have deceit, oppression, murder, rebellion … the Bible tells it like no other
-- Prayerfully, we will see this story in a different light today
- Read Exodus 1:8-22 / Pray
- FACT #1: The world will always reject God and persecute believers
- FACT #2: Persecution is inevitable … we might as well get over it now
- Persecution ranges from:
" Mildly shunned (i.e., getting defriended on Facebook)
" Publicly/Privately ridiculed by family/friends
" To the extreme: Murdered for your faith
- Persecution is the subject of this particular passage of scripture
-- In particular, there are three persecutions we will see
1. Enslavement
2. Deception, and,
3. Murder
- First, we have to examine the reason for persecution … why did it happen?
Point 1 - Why was there persecution?
- IMP: The new king, Pharaoh, suffered from common ailments (v8-10)
- First, he was ignorant … about Joseph, God, or any of God's promises to Israel
" He knew nothing about why these people were in Egypt
" He knew nothing about who they were or why they existed
" He was ignorant about the great value of life (people = property to him)
" He was totally ignorant about God being the ONLY true God
- He failed to understand how a free people are more prosperous
-- People who are enslaved work less, slower, and with less inspiration
-- People who are free will have initiative, drive, and motivation to do well
- FACT: Persecution is overcome by God - He is the answer
-- APP: God delivers those who truly believe and trust in Him for deliverance
-- OT: Psalm 34:19, "The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all"
-- NT: John 14:1-2 (Jesus said), "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?"
- Second, Pharaoh was also afraid of the people of Israel
" Their population was exploding (2,000,000)
" They were becoming a mighty force which could rebel
" He feared their rising up (ex: joining with an opposing army)
- Third, He was desperate to hold onto power, position, possessions, and wealth
" This labor force meant one thing to Pharaoh: free labor for his use
" If two million people rebelled - it would be devastating to his way of life
- Bottom line: Pharaoh feared what he could not control
-- Therefore, persecuting these people would allow him to have control over them
-- His reasoning: If I own them, then they will not disobey me, and I'll be #1
- TRANS: He persecuted Israel in three separate ways …
Point 2 - Pharaoh persecutes through enslavement
- The Egyptians were pretty clear in what they wanted (v11-14)
" To stop Israel's growth
" To break their spirits and keep them from reproducing
" To cause many to die through hard labor and harsh treatment
- Israel's people were forced to build two cities for Pharaoh: Pithom & Rameses
-- Both were used for storage of military weapons and supplies
-- APP: He ordered the people enslaved / forced to work for the government
- Imagine: A life where your very next breath was dependent on government rule
- Yet, the people overcame this oppression by multiplying and bearing children
-- Consider: Egyptians were trying to wear them out - yet they grew in number
-- How is this possible? Considering all that is against them, how could they?
- God gave them the strength to do this - overcoming was His
-- Pharaoh was willing to do whatever it took to wear them down
-- But even in the face of exhaustion and despair; the people continued to grow
-- Exodus 33:14, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
- Pharaoh could not enslave the promise of God
Point 3 - Pharaoh persecutes through deception (v15-21)
- Pharaoh ordered two supervising midwives to kill all infant boys
-- Even worse, to kill them why they were still delivering them - live abortion
-- The excuse? "Some sort of complication caused this" (v15-16)
- The bible gives us the two names of these women
" Shiphrah, which means beauty
" Puah, which means splendor
- However, look at what we see in v17 … they feared God more!
-- APP: Imagine, in the face of absolute power they chose God first
- Yet, when questioned about it they avoided confrontation
-- They gave an answer … a true answer … but not what Pharaoh wanted
-- V19: The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."
Pharaoh bought it, and these women were not punished … (imagine this)
- And because of God's protection and their obedience
" He blessed them (v20)
" He gave them families of their own (v21)
- Very IMP: Overcome by believers who feared God more than they feared man
- Pharaoh could not enslave the protection of God!
- TRANS: So finally, Pharaoh issues an ultimate decree
Point 4 - Pharaoh persecutes through murder
- This has to be one of the most gruesome tales of the bible (v22)
- He instituted a law, making it mandatory, to kill every Hebrew boy
-- Each boy was to be thrown into the Nile river and drowned
-- And further … look who this law applied to …
- Don't miss this: "ALL HIS PEOPLE"
- This means that EVERY Egyptian was now charged with murdering
-- No matter where they were, who they knew, how they lived, what they did
-- If they found a Hebrew male child - it was to be murdered immediately
- Entire nation of Israel is only 2,000,000 people and this is shocking
-- Consider: 60,169,618 babies have been aborted since 1973
-- It appears that murdering children to establish control is not new …
- Yet, God overcame this persecution as well
-- He touched the heart of a believer who refused to obey Pharaoh
-- This woman refused to kill her baby … against I'm sure advice of everyone
-- Taking a stand, her son would become the great deliverer of Israel: Moses
- TRANS: So, what do we see from this study today?
Big Idea: Persecution is a fact - but your response is yours to choose!
- What is it that you fear the most?
" Being ridiculed for your faith in Christ?
" Being mocked and persecuted for loving God?
" Being made an outcast from your family because of your faith?
- We have a choice to make, just as these did in this story
- Ask yourself: Who do you fear most? God or man?
-- Scripture is loaded with warnings about this - here is on in particular:
- Matt 10:28, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell,"
- We need to hear truth like this, and share it with others
- God called this people to be obedient and serve Him only
-- He called them to be fruitful and multiply, for His purposes
- Who will we obey … who's report will we believe?
-- I will believe the word of the Lord!
- Pray
** Special thanks to "The Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible" for notes **
