The Bible Course Muestra

Egypt and Slavery – God’s people in trouble 

Reflect 

Aron Ralston, a canyoneer, fell and found himself trapped by a boulder in an isolated slot canyon. Worse than being stuck and helpless was that no one knew he was out there (watch the film 127 Hours!) It's one thing to be in trouble. It's another thing to be in trouble alone. Israel knew the feeling.  

What made Israel feel in trouble alone?  

God is hardly mentioned at the beginning of Exodus. Are they in trouble alone? 

See the timeline below for the back story of how the people of Israel came to be living down in Egypt.  

The fruitfulness of Israel was now a threat in the eyes of a new Pharaoh. He forced Israel into becoming slaves and set up labor camps for them. Today, we still see the devastating outcome of oppressive rule. 

To limit their population growth, Pharaoh orders a mass infanticide, but God raises up midwives of faith to protect Israel’s babies. God honors their courage. And he still does so today. He sees the heroic acts that no one else sees. So, keep choosing to have faith even in the fear.  

The story then zooms in on a desperate act from a desperate mother. Placing her baby in the treacherous waters, she did not know whether he would make it out the other end. But God had plans for the child. He brought the ‘ark’ – the Hebrew word for the basket – to Pharaoh’s daughter, who ‘drew’ Moses out of the water. God worked through the impossible and led the child to safety – and even fixed up Moses’ mother as his nurse. What a turnaround! This won’t be the last time Moses experiences God drawing him out of trouble.  

Now what?  

God is rarely mentioned, but his hidden hand directs the events that protect Moses' and Israel’s future. Israel is not in trouble alone. 

In life we can feel as if we’re in the waters, desperate and alone, wondering whether we’ll make it out the other side. But God is near. And he’s working out a plan for good even when it feels like life is threatening and out of our control. If you’re in the water today, trust him! You’re not in trouble alone …  

Respond  

Make sure to Zoom or grab a coffee this week to encourage and be encouraged by a friend. God often uses people to lift us up out of the waters.