1HIS LOVE ENDURES Exodus 1:8-22 EXPLORATION Exodus 1:8-22 Central TRUTH God is faithful and rewards the faithful obedience of those who fear Him. Prepare for your group meeting by reading the passage two times. 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. 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. 4 // Explore the Bible: Students
Talk it Out.01 SHARE YOUR FAVORITE RESCUE STORY WITH THE GROUP (THIS COULD BE A STORY OF PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL RESCUE)..02 WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A MEMORABLE OR POWERFUL STORY? This week s FOCUS Exodus is a story of rescue. In fact, it is one of the greatest rescue stories in history. God looked upon the oppression of His people with compassion. He remembered His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and when His people found themselves in slavery in Egypt, He intervened. Through our study of Exodus, we will see that just as God did not abandon His people when they faced severe suffering, He will not abandon us when we trust in Him. Explore OPTIONS.01 What Would You Do? Before your meeting this week, text two students to ask them what their favorite candy bar is. Bring one of each of the two candy bars to your meeting. Play What Would You Do for Your Favorite Candy? Start by asking them to do simple things like stand on one foot, but gradually increase the difficulty until you find something they are not willing to do (i.e. you could ask them to eat a jar of jalapeño peppers or a bowl of cereal with ketchup instead of milk). Make sure you choose scenarios that are appropriate for your group. If one of your students is actually willing to do something gross or painful like eat a jar of jalapeños, stop them before they try. Give both students their favorite candy bar for their willingness to participate in the demonstration. Say, Today we are going to look at a story where God s people were asked to do something terrible at the threat of their lives. Trusting God means obeying Him even when it is difficult when doing so could cost you. As we do so, we will be reminded that God is faithful and He rewards the faithful obedience of those who fear Him..02 The Moravians Do a Google search for the story of the Moravian missionaries. Share this story with the students in your group. These men sold themselves into slavery in order to share the gospel with people in the Caribbean. Ask, What did they have to believe in order to do something so drastic as sell themselves into slavery? Say, They had to believe that God would reward their obedience. They had to believe that God is faithful and rewards the faithful obedience of those who fear Him. As we begin our study in the Book of Exodus, we will look at a story of some women who obeyed God at the threat of their own lives. Session 1 // 5
1 CONVERSATION Read Exodus 1:8-14..03 HOW HAD GOD BEEN FAITHFUL TO THE ISRAELITES UP TO THIS POINT (SEE VV. 6-7)? HOW MIGHT REMEMBERING THIS HAVE HELPED THE ISRAELITES ENDURE THE DIFFICULTIES THEY WERE ABOUT TO FACE (SEE GEN. 15:12-14)? God had promised to make Abraham into a great nation, to bless him, and make him a blessing to all nations (Gen. 12:1-3). Despite the fact that the Israelites did not yet have a land of their own, God was blessing and multiplying them to the extent that they began to fill Egypt. In other words, God was fulfilling His promises to Abraham He was guiding, protecting, and growing His people despite the fact that they were living in a foreign land. Discipleship Moment: Share about a time when you personally felt or experienced God s faithfulness. Describe how that faithfulness helped prepare you for a difficult time or trial. However, things were about to take a turn for the worse as a new king arose in Egypt who did not remember Joseph who God had given favor with the Egyptians and even used to rescue them from a devastating famine. God s people were about to be severely oppressed. This should not have surprised the Israelites as God had told Abraham that they would be oppressed and sold into slavery (Gen. 15:13). By acknowledging God s faithfulness to all His promises up to this point, God s people would be able to endure. The same is true for students as they face opposition to their faith in their schools and neighborhoods. Remind them of God s perfect faithfulness both to the Israelites and to us today..04 HOW DOES VERSE 8 DESCRIBE THE NEW KING OF EGYPT? WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THIS?.05 WHY DID THE NEW PHARAOH BEGIN OPPRESSING THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL (VV. 9-10)? WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT HIM? The new king of Egypt s oppression of the Israelites was driven by insecurity. He saw how the Israelites were growing in number and feared that they might overthrow him, so he took decisive action and made them his slaves and afflicted them with heavy burdens. Leader Pack / ITEM 1: To set the stage for your study of Exodus, show students the Map of Exodus (Pack Item 1) charting the route the Israelites took as Moses led them out of slavery. 6 // Explore the Bible: Students
COMMENTARY Exodus 1:8-14 These unsuccessful attempts to deal shrewdly with the Israelites seem to escalate in desperation and decline in shrewdness. The king of Egypt never reexamined his assumptions; he only tried new methods. 1:8. One plausible explanation of Egyptian and Israelite connections contends that Joseph came to Egypt when the native Egyptian 12th Dynasty ruled in the Middle Kingdom era. Years later, Semitic foreigners known as Hyksos took over much of Egypt until the time of Kamose, who reasserted Egyptian rule. The new king is not named in Exodus, nor is any other Egyptian king, but perhaps he was a Hyksos ruler without concern for the rights granted to the Israelites by an earlier regime. Another suggestion is that the new king was Ahmose, who followed his brother Kamose as ruler, reigned about 25 years, completed the restoration of Egyptian rule, and founded Dynasty 18 and the New Kingdom era, a period when Egypt exerted a powerful presence in the ancient Near East. Any 18th Dynasty king might have been wary of the Israelites if he associated them with foreigners such as the ousted Hyksos. 1:9-10. This is the first time the Israelite people are called a people. They came to Egypt as an extended family, but now Pharaoh compared their numbers with his own. This exaggeration indicates Pharaoh s eagerness to convince his courtiers that they must take decisive action. Pharaoh s concerns are ironic in view of the Lord s later statement that if the Israelites faced war on the way to Canaan, they would flee back to Egypt for safety (13:17). 1:11-12. Supply cities held agricultural produce and other useful items as part of the king s strategic oversight of the country (Gen. 41:35; 1 Kings 9:15-19). The Moabites shared with the Egyptians this dread of the Israelites when they saw how numerous they were (Num. 22:3). Pharaoh s scheme resulted in more Israelites and more fear among the Egyptians, not less of both as he had intended. 1:13-14. Five forms of the same Hebrew word are translated here with forms of work or labor. (A different word for labor is in v. 11.) The repetition drives home what the Egyptians were doing, and also prepares for making a comparison, since the same word can refer to service in worship. The Lord would give the Israelites new work of a different sort (3:12; 4:23; 7:16,26; 8:1). Elsewhere forms of the word translated bitter describe situations of severe hardship and loss (Ruth 1:13,20; 1 Sam. 30:6; 2 Kings 4:27; Isa. 22:4). Session 1 // 7
1 CONVERSATION continued.06 WHAT EFFECT DID THE KING OF EGYPT S EFFORTS HAVE ON THE ISRAELITES? WHY WASN T HE SUCCESSFUL IN HINDERING ISRAEL S GROWTH? The brutal labor Pharaoh inflicted the Israelites with, however, did not have the desired effect of weakening the Israelites. In fact, the more Pharaoh unjustly oppressed the Israelites, the more they grew as a people (v. 12). As a result, the king s fears spread into the hearts of the people of Egypt, leading Pharaoh to ramp up his efforts to persecute God s people. Pharaoh was about to do something unthinkable to the people of Israel because of his own insecurities. Out of fear of the king, the people of Egypt would overlook the king s wicked actions and stand by while the Israelites were brutally persecuted. It is important for students to recognize that the more we fear our neighbors, the more likely we will be to turn a blind eye to their oppression. We must not allow fear to dictate our actions as God calls us to love even our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matt. 5:44). Cultural Context: What is a midwife? Why did Pharaoh target the midwives in his efforts to keep Israel from growing? Check out the Cultural Context in the Commentary. Read Exodus 1:15-22..07 COMPARE THE ATTITUDE OF THE NEW KING OF EGYPT WITH THAT OF THE HEBREW MIDWIVES. HOW DOES EACH REACT TO THE SITUATION THEY ARE FACED WITH? Both the king and the Hebrew midwives felt threatened the king by the growth of the Israelites, and the midwives by the threats and oppression of the king. The king and the midwives, however, responded in radically different ways. The king responded to a perceived threat by ordering the midwives to commit gender-selective murder by killing every male child of the Israelites. The midwives responded by fearing God. The midwives chose to obey God rather than save their own skin and join in the wicked act of terrorism the king demanded of them..08 WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF THE HEBREW MIDWIVES ACTIONS (VV. 20-21)? WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT GOD? 8 // Explore the Bible: Students
COMMENTARY Exodus 1:15-17 1:15. In this book that takes a profound interest in identities, ironically the king is nameless, but the midwives who honored God are named. Verse 15 begins with the introduction to the king s speech, but then it is as if the king could not speak until the midwives were identified. The delay is more obvious in Hebrew since verse 16 starts over with the same statement the king said that starts verse 15. 1:16. The orders are clear; the midwives must kill Israelite sons and let the daughters live. CULTURAL CONTEXT Midwives were women who assisted other women in the process of giving birth they were experts in childbirth and gave crucial emotional and physical support, as well as medical care. Pharaoh wickedly sought to abuse their position to hinder the growth of the Jewish population. Shiphrah and Puah were likely the two head midwives of many among the Israelites. Their courageous faithfulness to God likely led the other midwives to follow their example, and as a result, saved the lives of countless Hebrew babies. 1:17. By letting the boys live, the midwives showed that they feared God rather than Pharaoh (Ps. 96; 112; Prov. 1:7; 3:7; Acts 4:19; 5:29). The great heroism of the midwives is lauded. They sided with God over Pharaoh and flatly refused to carry out their foul assignment. They did not kill any boys. Feared God does not imply believed in the true God, the God of Israel. It also does not carry the connotation of the New Testament language in which feared God had come to mean was a Gentile convert to Judaism. In the Pentateuch fear God tends to mean to be honest, faithful, trustworthy, upright, and, above all, religious. The midwives may not have had great knowledge of the traditions of the Patriarchs (limited in their ethical content as those traditions necessarily were at any rate) and like all their contemporary Israelites, certainly did not yet have what we would call scriptural knowledge, but they did understand that right and wrong are not human inventions, but part of a divinely created order. This is the perspective of many proverbs from all over the ancient world, not merely those of the Old Testament, which reflect the idea that the fear of God is the most important orienting truth available in the world. To fear God does not mean being afraid of Him in general, but being afraid of the consequences of disobeying Him. Since death was the presumed consequence of disobeying the pharaoh, this verse is one of many in the Bible that implicitly witnesses to a belief in life after death and a final judgment. These women clearly feared what God could do to them after death more than the death the pharaoh could put them to. Session 1 // 9
1 CONVERSATION continued Their faith in and fear of God empowered them to act courageously to save the lives of God s people. God blessed the obedience of the Hebrew midwives, He gave them families, and through their obedience, He continued to grow and strengthen His people the Israelites. This tells us two important things about God. First, that He is faithful to His promises. He had promised to make Abraham into a great nation and would not allow the king of Egypt to hinder His plan. Second, we learn that God blesses those who fear Him as He gave the midwives families and used their obedience to preserve and strengthen His people. True faith involves trusting that God will reward the obedient (Heb. 11:6), even if our reward may not come in this life. Theological Context: Want to know more about what it means to fear God like the Hebrew midwives? Check out the Theological Context content in the Commentary section..09 AREN T WE SUPPOSED TO SUBMIT TO PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY (SEE ROM. 13:1-7)? WHY DID GOD BLESS THE MIDWIVES DISOBEDIENCE TO THE KING? All governing authorities are ultimately in place because of God. However, Paul wrote Romans 13:1-7 under the assumption that the governing authorities were promoting justice upholding laws that coincide with the moral law in our conscience. While God does call us to fear the authorities in our lives, including government leaders, our ultimate fear and allegiance is due to God (1 Pet. 2:17). When it comes to obeying God or obeying other authorities in our lives, there should be no question as to our first obedience. The midwives acted shrewdly and even lied, but they did so out of reverence for God and in order to protect the innocent. The Book of Exodus does not give us the answer to whether the midwives should have lied to Pharaoh, but it simply tells us that God dealt well with them because they acted on their fear of Him..10 HOW DID PHARAOH RESPOND TO THE ACTIONS OF THE MIDWIVES (V. 22)? WHY WOULD GOD ALLOW THE ISRAELITES TO UNDERGO SUCH DIFFICULTY AND PAIN? The ultimate answer to this second question comes in the Lord Jesus Christ, who the Book of Exodus points forward to. God allowed the Israelites to go into slavery in Egypt so that He might redeem them out of it so that in saving them they might open their eyes to see that He is God their shield and their very great reward (Gen. 15:1). God sovereignly allows us to endure difficulty and suffering so that we might look to Him for rescue. We could say the same of ourselves why has God allowed us to experience difficulties? So that we might look to Him for the rescue from sin He has provided in Christ. 10 // Explore the Bible: Students
COMMENTARY THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT In the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament), to fear God tends to mean to be honest, faithful, trustworthy, upright, and fully devoted to God. It does not mean being afraid of Him in general, but being afraid of the consequences of disobeying Him. Since death was the presumed consequence of disobeying Pharaoh, this verse is one of many in the Bible that implicitly witnesses to a belief in life after death and a final judgment. These women clearly feared what God could do to them after death more than the physical death Pharaoh could inact. Exodus 1:18-22 1:18-19. True or not, the midwives excuse about the superior ability of Hebrew women must have been believable, since Pharaoh did not pursue the matter further. 1:20-21. These verses complete the story of the midwives; and, more importantly for the overall story, they contain once again the report that nothing could stop the divinely ordained growth of the people of Israel. In the particular way it translates verse 20, the NIV gives the impression of a causal connection between God s kindness to the midwives and the people s growth, but this is unintended. It might better be rendered: So God was kind to the midwives; moreover, the people increased. Verse 21 actually specifies how God was kind to, that is, rewarded, the midwives: implicitly He protected them from Pharaoh s potential wrath by allowing their explanation about not killing the Hebrew boys to prevail; explicitly, He allowed them to conceive and bear children ( gave them families of their own ). 1:22. When Pharaoh commanded all his people, his desperate desire to kill Israelites came out into the open. All Egyptians were expected to join in killing all Israelite newborn boys. The process of persecution that had begun modestly and had escalated in steps had reached its pinnacle, a full-blown, open, national policy of large- scale genocide against a particular ethnic group. Session 1 // 11
1CENTRAL TRUTH God is faithful and rewards the faithful obedience of those who fear Him. NOW WHAT?.11 HOW HAS GOD BEEN FAITHFUL TO YOU? TO YOUR FAMILY? YOUR CHURCH?.12 HOW MIGHT A GREATER AWARENESS OF GOD S FAITHFULNESS HELP US TO OBEY HIM?.13 ON A SCALE OF 1-10, HOW DEEPLY DO YOU FEAR GOD? HOW MIGHT YOU GROW TO HONOR AND RESPECT GOD MORE?.14 IN WHAT SITUATIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES IS IT MOST DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO OBEY GOD? HOW MIGHT WE PREPARE TO OBEY GOD WHEN DOING SO COULD COST US? For an expository verse-by-verse sermon outline/discussion guide that complements this session by diving into the Gospel of Mark, see LifeWay.com/etbfal17exodus. For free training, go to MinistryGrid.com/web/ExploreTheBible. 12 // Explore the Bible: Students
Personal CHALLENGE Dwell What can you learn from the Hebrew midwives in terms of treasuring Christ and putting your relationship with Him first in your life? What might their example teach you about your relationships with your friends at school or in your extracurricular activities? How can you put Christ first in your relationship with your parents? What is one step you will take this week to put Christ first in these areas? Memorize Proverbs 14:26-27 Reflect and dwell on this. Pray Thank God for His faithfulness to you and to your family. Ask Him to help you fear Him to love and honor Him above everything else in your life. Pray that He would deepen your love for Him so that when you face difficulty or suffering you will be able to endure because you trust that He loves and takes care of you. Read Exodus 2:1-10. How did God sovereignly move in these verses to provide for and protect Moses? Take some time to consider God s sovereignty how He is always at work in your life, even when you don t see it. Pray that God would help you trust that He is always at work and that He is always working for your good, even when it might not feel like it. Ask Him to help you live in light of His goodness and love as you go to school and practice, and as you interact with your family and friends. Session 1 // 13