Where is God when his people are suffering?
Exodus 1:1-14
Part of Exodus—The Unusual Way Out
May 14, 2023

Exodus 1:1-14

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah;

3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin;

4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt.

6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,

7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly,

8 increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

9 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.

10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”

11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites

13 and worked them ruthlessly.

14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.


People in good situations.

Staying and is a good situation (vv. 1-5).

in a good situation gives people a chance for growth (vv. 6-7).

But situations can and cause people to .

Situations change when changes (v. 8).

Situations change when powerful people become (vv. 9-10).

Powerful people who are afraid cause and (vv. 11-14).

BIG IDEA: God his people in suffering while he a way out.

God may not be obvious, but he’s blessing in ways.

God causes the efforts of his enemies to be (v. 12).