Day 30: Exodus 1-3

Four hundred years have gone by since the end of Genesis. Joseph and his brothers have passed away, and the people of Israel have multiplied and grown strong. They filled the land with 600,000 men alone.

Pharaoh (possibly Thutmose III) did not know Joseph or what he had done years ago. He was afraid that the people of Israel would multiply, join their enemies, and fight against him. To prevent this, he oppressed the people of Israel and forced labor upon them (Genesis 15:13-14). He made their lives bitter and made them work as slaves.

He instructed the midwives, with Shiphrah and Puah among them, to kill the baby boys as the Hebrew women gave birth on the birthstool. The midwives feared God, and they didn’t murder these children. They were instructed be fruitful and multiply. Instead, they lied to Pharaoh, and God blessed them. They were faced with only two sinful options, so they chose lying over murder for God’s glory. This allowed them to still do as God commanded them to do. Essentially, they chose obedience to God over obedience to Pharaoh.

So Pharaoh commanded the Egyptians to throw all the Hebrew boys into the Nile. ONly the daughters were allowed to live.

But a Levite woman conceived and bore a son and hid him for three months. Then when she couldn’t hide him any longer, she put him in a basket and put it in the reeds by the river bank. Her daughter went to watch from a distance to see what happened to the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter found the child and the Levite woman’s daughter went to get his mother for Pharaoh’s daughter. Pharaoh’s daughter paid the baby’s mother to nurse and raise him. Then she returned to boy to Pharaoh’s daughter and she named him Moses.

Moses was raised in a royal household with the Egyptians, but he identified with the Hebrews. He appears to be a bit impulsive. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and he killed him and hid him in the sand. The next day, he tried to be the peacemaker between two Hebrews fighting and they told him they knew what he did. Moses was afraid. Pharaoh heard of it and sought to kill Moses, so he ran for his life to modern-day Saudi Arabia.

In Midian, he defended a priest’s seven daughters from some shepherds. When the priest heard of it, he welcomed Moses and gave him his daughter, Zipporah, as a wife. Moses and Zipporah had a son named Gershom.  Moses worked for his father-in-law at 80 years old and was a shepherd.

There in a life of normalcy, God shows up, reveals His purpose to and for Moses, and turns Moses’ world upside down. Moses was a bit insecure and didn’t want to do what the Lord told him he would do for the people of Israel. God explains His grand plan to Moses, and it is evident that through everything that is about to happen, God desires His people to worship Him. He desires to be glorified. God tells Moses that He will display divine power and ensure that the people of Israel leave Egypt with plunder and the goods of the Egyptians.

Sometimes, God’s plans for our lives are much too big for our comprehension. However, we must remember that nothing is too hard for God, and if He leads us to it, He will lead us through it. Our job is to trust Him and obey and let Him work out the details.

This is a grace-filled space—come as you are. If you’d like, comment below to share what stood out to you; your words may bless another sister. You can also connect with us in our GroupMe Bible Study chat (link in your email).

Resources Used:

ESV Single Column Journaling Bible (Original, Black): Holy Bible, English Standard Version

The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda

The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible

Bible Hub: https://biblehub.com/

Crayola Silly Scents Twistables Colored Pencils, 12 count

BIC Xtra Strong Mechanical Pencils with Erasers, Thick Point (0.9mm), 24-Count

Mr. Pen- Sticky Index Tabs, 480 Pcs, Colorful Sticky Tabs for Notebooks

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Note: I'm sharing my personal study notes, which means they may contain doctrinal or technical errors. Extend grace as we learn together, and be sure to study the Word for yourself.

By: LaRissa J

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