Exodus

Exodus 1: God preserves His people

Begin in prayer

Before we meet the king who wants Israel destroyed, let us ask God to teach us whose power rules. Ask Him to free our hearts from fear of people and to fix our hope on Christ.

You who love Yahweh, hate evil. He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 97:10

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us Your power to preserve Your people. Lead us to the Savior no enemy can defeat. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Joseph and his generation have died, but the family of Israel grows until the land is filled with them. A new king fears their strength and makes their lives bitter with forced labor. When they keep multiplying, he tells two midwives to kill the newborn boys. Shiphrah and Puah fear God and keep the boys alive, and God gives the women families. Pharaoh then orders all his people to throw every newborn son into the river.

As you read Exodus 1, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God preserves His people when a cruel king tries to destroy them.

Exodus begins with the family that Genesis left in Egypt. The seventy descendants of Jacob have become a people, as God promised their fathers. A new king treats their growth as a danger and makes them build storage cities. Yet harder work cannot stop them multiplying. His next weapon is an order to kill the newborn boys. The midwives fear God, so they preserve the lives the king wants taken. God deals well with them, while Pharaoh spreads his killing order to all his people. The chapter leaves Israel in danger, with God's promise still standing. Christ will come from this people, so the king cannot overthrow God's saving purpose.

How does Exodus 1 show us that God preserves His people when a cruel king tries to destroy them?

God keeps His people growing under cruel burdens.

The Egyptians make Israel serve in brick, mortar and field work. Yet their harsh treatment cannot stop the people multiplying. God is keeping the family through which His promised Christ will come.

The midwives fear God more than the king.

Shiphrah and Puah refuse the command to kill the boys. God gives rulers authority, yet their commands must answer to Him. Jesus teaches that God must be feared above those who kill the body (Matthew 10 verse 28).

God does good while Pharaoh plans more harm.

God deals well with the midwives and gives them families because they fear Him. The passage commends their fear of God. It gives no general permission to deceive and no promise that obedience always brings safety.

Memorise

God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.

Exodus 1:20

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what fear of people keeps me from trusting Jesus?

Pharaoh orders death, yet the midwives “saved the baby boys alive.” Their courage cannot remove Egypt's power, and the chapter ends with the river threatening more children. God's promise has survived every command of the king.

That promise leads to Jesus, who saves His people from their sins (Matthew 1 verse 21). Our sin has made us guilty before God. At the cross Jesus bore the punishment for His people, accomplishing their rescue once for all. He rose victorious over death, and His sacrifice is enough to bring sinners to God.

Do not make a ruler, a strong family or your own courage your refuge. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. In Him there is forgiveness for all who believe. The Savior who conquered death can keep His people when the powerful threaten them.

Parent's note

Tell your children that Pharaoh's cruelty was wrong, and that God sees children whom powerful people harm. Jesus died and rose to save sinners who trust Him. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that His saving purpose outlasts the cruelty of kings, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

Lord God, thank You that no king can overthrow Your promise. Please forgive our fear of people and bring us to trust Jesus. Protect children who are in danger. Teach us to do what You say, even when someone stronger tells us otherwise. Amen.