Far From the Garden

Far From the Garden

Exodus 1: ⁸ Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹ And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; ¹⁰ come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” ¹¹ Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. ¹² But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. ¹³ So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. ¹⁴ And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

 

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Remember the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve were placed in a perfect habitat where they could be fruitful and multiply without any hatred or bitterness. But now the Egyptians were hateful and bitter towards the children of Israel. The new Pharaoh had not heard of endearing stories of Joseph. All he cared about was pacifying his fear.

 

My Observations:

• The new Pharaoh wanted slaves and he expressed his insecurities with other Egyptians.
• The new Pharaoh came up with a plan that would put the children of Israel into bondage.
• The new Pharoah made the lives of the children of Israel bitter with hard bondage.

 

When the new leader of the nation was put in place, even the Egyptians felt the problem. When Joseph was alive, the Egyptians and the Israelites got along well. They lived in harmony and prospered. The peace experienced during the Joseph years was as close to peace felt by Adam and Eve.

 

But the new national leader came in with words of fear, hatred and bondage. Humanity was falling further and further from GOD. The longer humans spent out of the Garden of Eden, the more evil they became. GOD saw the new leader’s heart and had a plan to deliver HIS people.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about the supernatural child fertility even when the children of Israel were afflicted?
• Have you ever experienced a new leader who has afflicted many people?
• Do you believe that what was meant for evil by the leader who afflicted many, GOD will use for good?