Exouds 1:6-14 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
1. Oppression Exodus 1:1-2:10
Jacob settled in Cannan and had sons who became the fathers of Israel. As time went on the famine drove Jacob to send his sons to find food in Egypt. Of course, we know the story from there. Interestingly, only a remnant is called out and saved by God (using Joseph) the “seventy” of Jacob’s line. Joseph and these few were raised up by God to save all the Egyptians and begin a new people separate from Esau and that whole side of this family. This new people grew to be 600,000 men, not including women and children and those “many other people” who went up with them Exodus 12:37-39. God knows how to build up people of his own from a remnant!
Each generation is called to a purpose by God. As a generation dies out one must ask what the purpose was of those who came before them. Why were they here, what were they asked to do and why in fact did they live in this world for a short generation? What will be said of you? What is the purpose of your generation? In the same way, we have to ask, “What is our generation enslaved to”? The Israelites were enslaved to bricks, mortar, work and hard labor under the ruthless Egyptian slave masters. The amazing thing is- they built two cities! Pithom and Ramses. Under duress and oppression, these people built something astounding. How are you doing with your career? Is your boss a slave driver or at least you may feel that way! The real test is- are you bitter about your labor? Remember, we have taught from the beginning of the Portland movement, “Bitterness is understandable but NEVER acceptable”. It is sin and it is a sin that destroys.
Hebrews 12:14-17 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
Sadly, even the Hebrew writer refers to Esau- who got bitter and ruined his life.
Possibly your struggle is not enslavement to money or a job, but to sin. Has immorality, impurity, anxiety, laziness, anger or other sins enslaved you? And now you are bitterly reaping the consequences… This is Satan’s plan to “use you ruthlessly”. Sadly, when I am bitter, sin is easier to indulge in and almost seems an escape- but rather, it is a trap! Satan and sin are the most ruthless slave masters of all. Have you become enslaved all over again? Sin is like Pharaoh- even willing to kill your children! No conscience just consequences.
Excitingly, God’s people get themselves enslaved, they cry out, he raises up a deliverer and the people are set free. Over and over in the scriptures, this is the pattern. Moses is raised up in Egypt from clan of Levi (a very cool foreshadowing of the coming priesthood that would mediate between God and man from the Levites) and becomes their “savior”. All God asks in return is total surrender and gratefulness. Sadly, most become bitter and never see God’s plan for their lives and so miss the grace that could have been. What will you do?
2. Flee the consequences but God will find you Exodus 2:11-3:1
Moses runs away from a major sin- murder. After trying to bury his sin in the sand, he is still found out (isn’t that just like our God). God then finds him in the desert after 40 years! How often we sin, bury it in the sand- hoping no one will find out and then God exposes us anyway. Why? Because he cannot heal half a heart. Why does our God always ask for “all of our hearts”? Because a true sold out disciple has to in fact “sell-out” or they cannot be healed of the stuff buried in the sand! Expose your sin so you can be healed. God is not looking for you to kill you- but to heal you. Remember just how relentless He is!
3. God’s burning desire Exodus 3:2-22
Here God finds Moses hanging out with sheep in the desert- a shepherd with a stinky job and no real purpose. Forty years of training for the prophet-to-be! Moses is truly born of adversity and grace- born in a time where all the males were to be thrown in the river, to being raised by Pharaoh’s daughter and now- God finds this man again! Grace has come to define the life of this deliverer and will now be able to lead millions with these lessons learned. Interesting note that Moses hid his face from God once he realized who was talking. He knew who his fathers’ had believed in and who he was, but had run away. Because God has and always will have a burning desire to save as many as possible- Moses is picked because he is uniquely qualified to lead God’s people!
God says, “I have seen their misery, I am concerned about their suffering, SO I have come down. God is passionate for his people! Then His solution is scary- “I have come down to save my people- so I am sending YOU”!! In verse 12 he tells Moses, “I will be with you”. God rescues Moses, twice, and then sends the “saved” to save others! Recently I have been so fired up about Chris and Sonja Chloupek. Chris’s father Neil became a disciple about 2 years ago and recently God used him to baptize one of his best friends Bill Secor. Now Bill’s wife is coming to church and totally seeking God. Chris’s mom has now started coming to church with us and it was amazing to see the entire Chloupek clan in the same row last Sunday! The Scottsdale ministry (North House Church) has really grown spiritually and now many are studying the Bible! We are looking forward to an awesome harvest in the weeks to come as God continues to raise up this family to indeed save others.
4. Exodus by Passover Exodus 11:1-12:42
After 9 plagues, God is really going to make a statement. The death of all the firstborn is about to take place, but God allows for a remnant once again. ONLY those with the blood of the lamb on their doorframes will be allowed to live. Only those who obey the way to salvation- blood on the wall, ceiling, welcome mat or any place besides where the “destroyer” would look would not have worked. The command was- blood on the doorframe top and sides. Here God once again makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel! Just like today- God is always making a distinction in his people and the world as well as false religion. Only those who follow until the end will be saved.
The pattern is vivid and clear- salvation takes slaughter. It is costly to find salvation and requires great faith and great appreciation. Even as the Israelites hear the solution- their response is to simply “worship” Exodus 12:27! They are so grateful. Daily- each and every disciple is called to remember the cross- in gratefulness. Weekly we are called to partake in communion to remember the cross and examine our hearts. Exodus from sin and sin’s consequences takes passover- the very grace of God, to be saved.
Exodus 12:41-42 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions left Egypt. Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.
Amazingly, the Lord kept vigil that night- to save them. In the same way, our Father keeps vigil day and night in order to save us. He sends deliverers to bring us out- will you go from Oppression to Passover and live out His purpose for your life in your generation? Let’s fulfill our destiny in our short generation and see the world evangelized in our day!
He stoops down to make us great,
Matt Sullivan
