Not knowing God’s plan, God’s people TRUST God

For hundreds of years after Joseph died, the Israelite population grew so large in Egypt, the Pharaoh (possibly Amenhotep II) decreed infanticide for all males. Because Shiphrah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives charged with the delivery and recording of slave children, refused to obey and murder them, God blessed them. God honored their life-threatening decision and put the women in families gaining them safety and financial security or possibly children of their own. Faith in God must be tested, and God will honor those who honor Him (1 Sam. 2:30). Believers are called to follow the laws of the land, however, when the laws of the land contradict clear revelation of God, obedience to God is required (Acts 5:29; 1 Pet. 2:13). Believers will give temporary account to temporary governments but give eternal account to an eternal God—God’s Law trumps all other laws. Though the future is a mystery, believers must honor God in the present!

At the right time, God’s plan is BIRTHED

A man named Amram was of the poor, slave-class in Egypt, but came from the priestly tribe of Levi and wanted to obey God. After marrying Jochebed, she became pregnant and gave birth to a boy. Even in oppression, there is no excuse for dishonoring God’s design for sexuality! Regardless of socio-economic status or situation, anyone anywhere can love and please God. Technically, she didn’t disobey the order to ‘cast her son into the river’, she just put him in a basket first! After putting him in a known royal bathing spot with her daughter watching, once the princess found him, the daughter volunteered the boy’s mother to wean him. So not only did her son stay alive but she got paid to nurse him as well! God often bridges the gap of human effort with miraculous interaction. Ironically, the Israelite who would one day ‘draw out’ Israel and save them from slavery in Egypt is named ‘Mosheh’ (Heb. mawshaw ‘to draw out’) by an Egyptian princess who drew him out of the Nile and saved him from death! Just like his ancient ancestor Noah, Moses is saved by a pitch-covered ark/box (Heb. taybaw, Gen. 6:14) floating in the water. And, just like his forefathers Jacob and Joseph, Moses is kept alive by the kindness of an Egyptian. The sovereignty of God may be mysterious but it is not mistaken.