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| Volume 28 Number 4 April 2026 |
Page 7 |
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| Volume 28 Number 4 April 2026 |
Page 7 |
Gary Hampton
Exodus begins with Joseph’s generation dead and a Pharaoh on the throne who did not know him (Exodus 1:1–5). That ruler feared the rapidly multiplying Hebrews and determined to deal craftily with them, placing them in slavery. Taskmasters were placed over them, and they were used to build the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses. Pharaoh apparently hoped the hard work would decrease their numbers, but they increased with God’s blessing (Exodus 1:6–14).
The king next told the two women in charge of the Hebrew midwives to kill all the boy babies at birth. The midwives feared God more than any human authority and refused to be a part of such cruelty. When the numbers continued to grow, they explained to Pharaoh that Hebrew women were sturdier than the Egyptian women and gave birth before they arrived. God blessed these women with homes and families because they feared Him more than man (Exodus 1:15–21).
Pharaoh then told the Israelites to cast all male children into the river. A husband and wife of the tribe of Levi, Amram and Jochebed, had a boy baby. The beauty of this male child caused his parents to believe he was specially favored by God. Their faith in God caused them to hide him for three months (1:22; 2:2; Acts 7:19–20; Hebrews 11:23).
Hiding the growing boy became impossible, so Jochebed waterproofed an ark of bulrushes and placed the baby in it on the river in the reeds by the bank with his sister set as a watch. Pharaoh’s daughter saw the ark as she came to wash and sent a maid to fetch it. The child’s sister asked if they would be needing a wet nurse. The child was returned to the care of his own mother. Pharaoh’s daughter adopted the child and named him Moses, which means “drawn out” (Exodus 2:3–10). Moses thus came to know all about God and His people while being educated by the Egyptians (Acts 7:21–22).
The lesson for God’s people is clear. The Almighty can use people who do not even recognize Him as existing to achieve His purposes. It may appear that the forces of evil have finally overwhelmed God’s people and all goodness. The day is coming when His work will be fully revealed and victory will be in the hands of His people. Paul knew nothing could separate God’s people from His love (Romans 8:38–39).
