Exodus opens 400 years after Joseph moved his family to Egypt. The descendents of Abraham have multipled into a nation of about 2 million people there (from some sources I have read). The Pharoah of Egypt has become afraid of their increasing numbers and decides to make them slaves. Slavery was common among captured nations, but the Hebrews were not captives. He wants to break their spirit, keep them from growing, and in general weaken their strength. He is cruel to them. He is so afraid of them he orders the death of any baby boys born to the Hebrew slaves. In spite of the cruel and heartless pharoah, the Hebrews thrive and grow stronger. The Hebrew midwives fear God more than Pharoah though and they know it is wrong to kill babies. When they are called out for not killing the baby boys that are born, they lie to the authorities and claim that Hebrew women give birth 'differently' than Egyptian wives. They claim they just cannot get there in time (lol). Even though they lie, God blesses them for letting the baby boys live, while Pharoah's problem grows.
Sometimes I feel burdened and mistreated, not unlike those Hebrew slaves. And I'm sure I don't have half the problem they did. I am not a well person and live with chronic illness every day. I'm sick, I hurt, I can't do things I used to be able to do, I'm lonely and isolated. Even so, God is teaching me things through this I would never have learned otherwise. I survive by keeping that in mind these days! (lol) I've heard we cannot be overcomers if there is nothing to overcome. It took the character and the courage of those Hebrew midwives and those Hebrew slaves to overcome their burdens. Little did they know at the time, but the Children of Israel were about to embark on the journey of their lives. They would need their survival skills on their journey. We need OUR survival skills on OUR journey, too.
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