EXODUS (REDEMPTION)

Ex. 1:7-14

The book of Exodus is the record of Israel leaving Egypt. In order for us to get the whole picture we need to go back to the book of Genesis and meet the founding fathers of Israel. Abraham, known as the father of the faithful, had a son Isaac, and Isaac had a son Jacob, and Jacob had twelve sons that we know as the twelve tribes of Israel.

One of the sons was named Joseph. Joseph was a favored son of Jacob and this caused jealousy to raise up in the other brothers. As the brothers were in the fields working they decided to do away with their brother Joseph. At first they were planning to kill him but due to one of the brother's advice they sold Joseph to some slave traders that were traveling through the country. In order to deceive their father they took Joseph's coat that his dad had made for him and soaked it in animal blood to make it appear as if Joseph had been killed by some animal. For years Jacob grieved for his son while at the same time his sons knew what had happened. God took what was intended to be evil and made something good of it. Gen. 50:20.

One of the most beautiful stories of reunion in a family is found in Genesis 45. Joseph and his brothers united and then his father coming to Egypt to be with his long-lost son. Joseph, even though he is sold into slavery never forgot who he was. He was wrongly put into prison but later on redeemed. He finally was raised to be the Prime Minister of Egypt. The family lived in Goshen and was blessed in many ways. They were treated well because of Joseph. Finally a day come that a new Pharaoh  rose up that knew not Joseph. Ex. 1 :8.

In the first chapter of Exodus we find the family and each one of the first family members had died. All of that generation that had come to Egypt from Israel had now died and the children were left in a land where they were not welcome. Verse 7 tells that the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, and had multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty, and the land was filled with them.

The new king of Egypt was disturbed over the size of the Israelites and decided to make slaves of them because of his mistrust. Here was the beginning of heartache. No child of God is to be a slave to any man or any thing. Verse 11 tells us they set taskmasters over Israel and they built two cities Pithom and Raamses. These were treasurer cities of Egypt. Raamses was the name of the Pharaoh that was in power when Moses delivered Israel from Egypt. These were known as hixsaus people. God has chosen a people for himself and no one is to interfere with his people.

Have you been set aside for service of God? If so don't get involved with the affairs of Egypt for some where one will rise up that knows you not and you will suffer for it. God's people are different from the world in many ways.