Exodus means "exit, or departure." Exodus is a book of rescues, reintroductions, intercession, and second chances. In it we see God rescue Israel from the evil rulers of Egypt after they intercede - but we also see him rescue Moses from death - multiple times. And we see that despite our own weaknesses - God continues to express His mercy and grace to us. The people He rescues might be classified as "the reluctant victims."
You may know that sometimes a kidnap victim survives by identifying with their captor. Perhaps the most famous example of this is Patty Hearst, who was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army in the 1974. Patty ended up participating in bank robberies with the SLA until she was "rescued" (arrested, really). Patty claimed that she only went along under duress - but was sentenced to 7 years in prison - a sentence later commuted by President Jimmy Carter.
The children of Israel complain loudly about their captivity and slavery in Egypt - but when released they clung to the ways and memories of their days in Egypt. They misbehaved so much that God intended to wipe them out. Only through the intercession of Moses are they spared.
For us, Exodus is a picture of slavery to sin, the intercession of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who was sent down to our Egypt to lead us out into salvation and the Promised Land. It’s a fun book - like an action movie - where we see God beat the tar out of the evil rulers and the good guys ride off into the sunset. It is also a book where a nation is birthed and God introduces His character through the Law, and worship through the Tabernacle.
The events of the book probably occurred somewhere between 1580 and 1321 B.C.
Chapter 1
Verses 1 - 7
The names here are grouped here by their mothers - in Genesis 46 we see a listing of the families as they went down to Egypt - more of a charter than a passenger manifest. Now they are listed just as tribal leaders. 70 people went down - millions came back up
Just as God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the sand of the sea - the 70 people who went down had many many babies and they were everywhere in Egypt. You couldn’t turn a street corner without running into one.
We see a somewhat analogous situation in the United States - where large numbers of Hispanics are moving in to communities - especially in the southwest and northwest U.S. The large numbers of Hebrews became a great concern to Pharaoh - even though it wasn’t a democracy - large groups could hold large power. It was a threat, no doubt - a threat that had to be neutralized. But the king of Joseph’s day would not have done anything - he had welcomed Israel into his land - but kings don’t last forever.
Verses 8 - 10
There is a two part problem here - political and economic. Politically, Pharaoh worries that if a power more friendly to the Hebrews were to invade, they could have a huge revolt on their hands. Economically, the Hebrews no doubt contributed extensively to the gross domestic product of Egypt. So Pharaoh must keep them in the country and out of power - the best way to do that is to make them slaves.
It says that they acted "shrewdly." The Egyptians I doubt had the power to simply show up with chains and say - "you are now a slave." That in itself would cause a revolt. It is possible that because the Hebrews were not actually citizens, but guests in Egypt that some sort of economic arrangement was made - the Hebrews’ labor in exchange for continued privileges of living in Goshen - or something like that. Then as time went on they morphed into slaves and masters.
Verse 11
The words "Slave masters" is actually a technical term for supervisors of forced labor gangs. It is a different word used later in the book - so it supports the idea that the actual "slavery" was a gradual thing.
Just a word here - when it comes to slavery to sin - the enemy doesn’t come at us and say "you are going to be a slave to this sin." No - it actually starts pleasurably - but the more we subject ourselves to sin, the more it becomes a cruel task master. We think we can stop anytime - but you are only fooling yourself. Before we came to Jesus sin ruled us - it is only through the death of Christ that the chains of slavery to sin are broken. More on that as we progress through the book.
These forced labor gangs built Pithom and Rameses. These were cities located in the region of Goshen and were store-cities - big warehouses used to store things for the government. I guess the idea was that the men would be so tired from working hard all day that they wouldn’t have the energy to make babies. It didn’t work.
Verses 12 - 14
The more they were "treated violently" (oppressed) the more they multiplied. So the Egyptians came to "dread" the Israelites - it means both to fear and to hate. They hated them racially but also feared that they would take over - a dangerous combination.
Five times in verse 13 the Hebrew word "to serve" is used. In order to build the cities mentioned in verse 11 they would have had to build irrigation systems to bring in water to make bricks and mortar - plus they probably had to do farming chores as well.
The purpose was no longer to contribute to the economy - it was to break their backs and their will. But Pharaoh knew that hard labor alone wasn’t enough - so he hatched a companion strategy. In the end the pleasures of sin give way to absolute obedience.
Verses 15 - 16
Shiphra and Puah were Hebrew women who oversaw the midwife professionals - kind of like a chief of surgery sort of thing. They were to communicate to their subordinates the new plan - murder any babies that came out that where boys.
There is some debate about the "delivery stool" - that it wasn’t a stool at all, but referred to the babies coming out of the mother and twisting as a potter twists the clay on a potter’s wheel (same word used in that way in Jeremiah 18:3)
Midwives were apparently women who themselves could not have children - but obviously loved kids- so it seems rather short sided to think that they would carry out such an order - but such is the mind of a man whose mind is filled with evil.
Verses 17 - 21
Was this true or a subterfuge? We don’t really know - but it’s a plausible answer that Pharaoh believes. And God honors the women who saved the lives of the Hebrew babies and opens their wombs.
God will always honor someone who fears Him above human authority. In our society many babies are killed each year in abortions - and refusing to go along with that honors God when His character clearly says "thou shalt not murder." Now that doesn’t mean you murder someone else to accomplish this - but it’s like those that hid Jews during the reign of Adolph Hitler - God is honored by the sparing of life, even if it means hiding the truth from His enemies.
Verse 22
But Pharaoh is evil to the core - and realizing that his plan is failing - he allows a mass genocide against Israel. This will be repeated over and over as the years go by - and it will always fail ultimately. Notice that this also fits in with the mass hysteria over the presence of the Hebrews in Egypt.
So now we focus down on one family and one baby that comes under this curse:
Chapter 2
Verses 1 - 4
The man’s name (found in Ex 6:20) is Amram and the woman is Jochebed. Levi, by the way, was Moses great grandfather.
The child was "fine" which means simply that he was a healthy baby boy. You can practically hide a very tiny baby simply because their cries are really pretty soft during those first few months - and they sleep a lot of the time and are small. But later on it would be impossible.
They set the basket at a place where they thought Pharaoh’s daughter would bathe - perhaps something about her was already known - her character being different from her father.
Verses 5 - 6
It would not have been unusual for a woman of rank to bathe in the Nile like this - the Egyptians considered it a sacred waterway. Just imagine the tension as Miriam, Moses’ sister, watches to see what will happen. Did she have a backup plan? No - but she clearly has a plan to help protect Moses.
Verses 7 - 10
What a deal - get paid to care for your own baby! But it was a deal with a price - that this baby would have to be given up in order to live.
Now we don’t have much information about the years that come between when Moses went to Pharaoh’s daughter and the scene in verses 11 - 14.
But we do get this small snippet from Stephen’s testimony in:
Acts 7:22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
Moses was brought up as a prince - and thoroughly indoctrinated into the religious, cultural, and political ways of Egypt. And yet when the first test of the character is recorded for us - he doesn’t act like the son of Pharaoh, but a child of God.
Verses 11 - 14
You wonder - Moses must have known that he was different than his family - did he go out of curiosity or because he missed his own kind? You know - as a Christian you can live around worldly people, but you will miss the fellowship of other believers - if you don’t, then something is wrong.
Moses was acting in the character that God had created in him but I wonder if he really meant to kill him, or perhaps the frustration of being able to do nothing had finally boiled over. I’ll say this - Moses must have been pretty powerful.
The fact that he hides the body may indicate that what he did was not actually a good thing - and later when two of his fellow Hebrews are fighting they use Moses as an example - his bad behavior. Even people we look up to can blow it.
It’s interesting, though - that what they said about Moses leading them was actually true - even though Moses didn’t know it then. And God used this possible mistake of Moses to get him out of Egypt so He could call him as the leader of Israel.
Verse 15
Pharaoh apparently didn’t hold the same feeling towards Moses as his daughter. Perhaps there was some prejudice there - perhaps Pharaoh knew all along that Moses was a Hebrew - a race that Pharaoh despised. Pharaoh couldn’t get rid of Moses earlier because his daughter was so enamored with him - but when Moses stepped out of line - boom - that was it.
Verses 16 - 17
We’re not really sure where Midian was - perhaps in the southern Arabian peninsula - which by the way, is near Mt Horeb - Mt. Sinai.
It seems Moses is a "come to the rescue" kind of guy. Also reminds me of when Abraham sent his servant to Padan Aram to find Rebekah for Isaac (Gen 24) and she watered the camels - and then when Jacob came back and rolled the stone out of the way for Rachel (Gen 29).
Anyway- these girls are impressed.
Verses 18 - 22
Moses probably stayed a while with Reuel who gave him his daughter. Their son: Gershom means "banishment."
Verses 23 - 25
Notice that the king who tried to kill Moses died - perhaps it was his son who took over - who would have been considered a brother to Moses. No wonder Moses had such an audience with Pharaoh - but also why there was so much anger and perhaps jealousy from Pharaoh to Moses.
Conclusions
Faith involves taking risks
Notice the mid-wives, and Moses’ mom - the mid-wives could have been killed by Pharaoh for disobeying - but they feared and trusted God more than Pharaoh. And Moses’ Mom didn’t know what was going to happen but she trusted.
Sometimes we have to go against the grain to live for God - do we fear the embarrassment or ridicule of those around us more than God? And sometimes we have to really put ourselves out there to trust God when circumstances say not to. Are you willing to let go and let Him really have your situation?
Sometimes bad situations are really God’s will
Moses got himself into a jam. Now I’m not saying that God approved of the murder - I don’t think He did. But when Moses did it, he suffered consequences and had to leave everything. But it put him in just the place God wanted to use him.
Sometimes you will do stupid things - or perhaps find yourself in a jam through no fault of your own. Instead of trying to go back, move forward instead. The place of banishment also became the place of calling.
Next time we witness God’s calling and Moses reluctance to obey.
