Hope in Times of Despair

Moses wrote Exodus for the Israelites to remind them of how God supernaturally intervened in human history in order to deliver their ancestors from bondage in Egypt and to bring them into the Promised Land. These events fulfilled the covenant promises God made to Abraham in Genesis chapters 12, 15 and 17. As we study the Books of Exodus together, we need to understand that they function in the same way for us, because we still worship the same God today. The God of the Hebrew people (Yahweh) is the same God who has revealed Himself to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

In chapters 1 and 2, the Hebrew people find themselves enslaved to the mighty nation of Egypt. Despite the harsh treatment they receive, their numbers continue to grow. Fearful that they might rebel against their Egyptian masters, Pharaoh orders the murder of all male-born Hebrew children.   

It is into this time of persecution and suffering that Moses is born. With the help of some very brave women of faith, Moses’ life is spared and he even ends up being raised in the household of the Pharaoh himself. It is through this story that we learn an important lesson: To trust in God means to trust him to keep His promises, even in difficult circumstances.