Moses: Day 1

Monday, August 30

Introduction to Moses: Called, Challenged, Changed

Welcome to our new six-week study of Moses! All you will need is your Bible, a journal, and a heart that is eager to learn from God’s living and active word.

Let’s begin.

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. Then a new king came to power in Egypt. Exodus 1:6-8

Suggested reading: Exodus 1:1-12.

Today is going to be more of a brief history lesson. Let’s remember from our study Woven where Moses enters into history’s timeline. We learned that God lovingly and personally claimed to be the Father of Abraham, the Father of Isaac, and the Father of Jacob. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, had 12 sons. Joseph was one of these sons. Sadly, yet sovereignly, he was sold into slavery by his brothers, and eventually landed in the house of Pharaoh in Egypt. After many years, Joseph rose to 2nd in command in Egypt; and again, by God’s design, Joseph ended up saving his father and all his brothers from a severe world-wide famine. All seventy members of Jacob’s (Israel’s) household moved from Canaan to Egypt.

Over time, this family, the Israelites, grew and grew. Joseph’s generation had died, as well as the Pharaoh who showed kindness to them. Actually, 400 years had passed by. The new king was shrewd and powerful. In order to keep the now approximately 2,000,000 Israelites under control, he put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses’ as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly (Exodus 1:11-13).

The Israelite nation was greatly afflicted, and they cried out to their God.

Thoughts:

Today, simply ponder the setting. As you most likely know, a great story of rescue is about to unfold, but try not to go there yet.

Consider these afflicted Israelites.

Consider the personal AND generational God who is writing His story through people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob...Moses...you and me.

Consider the setting of our day-- the similarities and differences. Ask God to speak to you through his word.

My personal thought is that the Israelites had MULTIPLIED, just as God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were becoming as numerous as the stars in the heavens (Gen. 26:4).

Even in affliction, God’s plan cannot be thwarted.

Going deeper and sweeter: Genesis 15:5-7; Genesis 15:12-14; Genesis 35:10-12

Dear Lord,

Please enter in. Use your word and the study of Moses to teach us about who you are and what you have for us to do in furthering your kingdom today. Call us, challenge us, and change us. Bless us with a deep and a sweet understanding of your word. In your powerful name, Amen.