The More Oppressed, The More Blessed?

<Exodus 1> 6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 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.”

11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

“The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied” <v12>

• Israel’s growth in numbers: Blessing or Trouble?
• Same situation, different interpretation.
• The very thing the Pharaoh tried to prevent still happened.
• Nothing can hinder God’s will.
• Not a battle merely between Egypt and Israel, but battle against God.
• God catches the wise in their craftiness <Job 5:13>.
• God can even make His enemies unknowingly serve His purpose, contrary to their will.
• Without such harsh oppression, Israelites would not want to leave Egypt.
• As our trials increase, so may our strength be.
• Do not give in to the evil one (Satan), get back at him.
• If the devil realizes that the more he tempts or oppresses you, the more you multiply (in faith, trust, closeness with God), then he will soon leave you alone.

<Exodus 1> 15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

Small fry, great faith.

1) The midwives feared God more than the Pharaoh <v17>.

2) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom <Prov 9:10>

• If we do not fear God, we will be afraid of many other things, and lose wisdom.
• <Ex 20:20> Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to testyou, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

3) God can use insignificant people to fulfil His grand plans.

• We have no reason to look down on ourselves.
• Do not look down on the great things our simple faith can bring about.
• “Mighty” Pharaoh unnamed but humble midwives named (remembered).
• More than our earthly conditions, God values how much we fear and obey Him.
• Do not look down on God’s truth and promises.

4) God was kind to the midwives <v20>.

• When we do right in the eyes of God, He will reward us.