A New Pharaoh

O.T. #120  "A New Pharaoh"
Sept. 3, 2013
Exodus 1-Part 2
Now there arose up a new king, over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.  Exodus 1:8

LET IT GLOW

When you have a new boss take over at work, changes are usually made. Some people adjust to them and others don't. There was a new Pharaoh, king in Egypt at this time. Thus, changes came; unpleasant changes.

Here's a little history that I didn't know: Jacob and his family entered Egypt under the Twelfth dynasty. The Egyptian government grew weaker and more unstable and was ruled by foreigners called the Hyksos, from about 1725-1546 B.C. When they were expelled, there was a strong reaction against foreigners, including the rapidly growing Israelites. Moses was born about 20 years after this changeover, and in the midst of the new "get-tough-with-the-slave" policy.
Liberty Bible Commentary

The presence of so many Jews was a threat to any king's rule. The new king was an outsider. the luxury of living in the best of the land later was turned into a trial and suffering. Did you notice that this new king did not know about Joseph? This was a new generation.
What will happen to our churches when we are gone and the next generation takes over? Will they be led by the Holy Spirit? Will they know how to live by faith and not by sight? Will God's Word be the text book?

How like the path of the lost sinner today; sin promises pleasure and freedom, but it brings sorrow and bondage. (Wiersbe)

LET IT GROW

Between verses 12 and 13, a major change in Egyptian history took place-the Hyksos were driven out. (MacArthur)

So the new king was concerned about the children of Israel being more in number and mightier in strength than they were. He feared that the Israelites might side with their invaders in war and he would loose his country.
Here's what happened:

• Pharaoh set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. Israel was under forced labor.
• They built store cities for the king. (I wonder if the Pyramids were built by them.)
• The more the Israelites were afflicted, oppressed, the more they multiplied and grew or spread out.
• They were made to sere with rigour, which means to break apart; fracture; severity, cruelty.
• Israel was ruthlessly oppressed with a bitter and hard bondage. God was preparing them to look to Him, because they had no other choice. (Falwell)
• Their lives were bitter with hard labor with brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields.

Have you heard the saying, "Hard work ain't never killed nobody." (Excuse my improper English.)
Well, God saw to it that the Israelites didn't die, but were strengthened for the journey that lay ahead of them.

I have been fortunate in that my type of work did not require physical, hard labor. Only a few times, mostly by choice, did I work in the hot field picking tomatoes, walk the dirty chicken houses gathering eggs, cleaning house, for money. Before our industrial age spread to the farm, work was not done by machinery as it is now. People did back-breaking work in the hot summer sun. My husband picked cotton, beans, and apples when he grew up.

LET IT GO

Accept changes.

Work for Jesus.

Don't complain about work; do it joyfully.