Bible Chapter: Exodus 1

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Having read the story of the beginning of the nation of Israel in Genesis, from Abraham to Joseph, there is now a gap of over two hundred years to the beginning of Exodus.  It starts out with the statement that the family that moved to the land of Goshen multiplied greatly.  This was just as God had promised.  We then hear that there was a king in Egypt who didn’t know anything about Joseph.  He feared this strange people and was afraid they would turn on him. So, he did what evil, insecure and self-centered people do, he took brutal control of them.  He made them slaves.  He oppressed them.  When that wasn’t working, he tried to kill all the baby boys.  When the midwives wouldn’t go along with this evil scheme, God blessed them.
    One thought that jumps out to me in reading this chapter is that the enemy of God is all about death.  Jesus said that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.  He is quick to find ways to kill people.  He is quick to find ways to kill children.  His greatest goal is to make people miserable.  Nothing has changed, for we see the same things today.  Millions of children are being killed or enslaved or abused.  We see the heart of Jesus when He encouraged the children to come to Him.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    What is valuable to God?  I see a battle raging in this chapter.  It is a battle to make God a liar and destroy His plans.  It is a battle to kill people.  God’s highest creation is people.  The people He blessed are very valuable to God.  All people are valuable to God.  The way that the evil pharaoh of Egypt treated the children of Israel shows that he was God’s enemy.  I want to seek God’s ways, I want to seek God’s plans and follow them.  The enemy is a bully who runs roughshod over those who live by God’s ways.  He lives a life of intimidation to make followers of God’s way feel ashamed for their narrow way of thinking.  He pushes for compromise to make the way of evil the accepted way.  Nothing has changed, as we see the same things today.  I want to apply God’s ways in my life and recognize the deception that is destroying our modern civilization.  I don’t have to be ashamed for living God’s ways.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I get frustrated by the deception prevalent in our world today as it is ruining people’s lives.  I see people following like blind sheep the popular thoughts.  They don’t see how destructive these ways are.  They are always blaming the wrong reasons why there are so many problems.  I want to help people see that God’s way is the best way.