The book of Exodus starts with a problem: a new king rose over Egypt who didn’t know Joseph. This led to the people of Israel being disenfranchised and made into slaves.
Interesting, isn’t it, that political change greatly affects the landscape for God’s people? It’s also interesting that the story of God’s redemption for his people is not only theological, but also political.
Anyway, as the narrative in Exodus progresses through chapter 2, the problems that Israel faces exponentially increase to the point that it seems as if their deliverance is inconceivable. Even their continued existence is threatened. Not only are they slaves, but slaves with accentuated oppression because of their threatening number.
What I love about this is that looming over all the problems of Israel in the story are verses 1–7 which details the multiplication of the people of Israel.
What am I saying?
The very existence of Israel is the result of God’s intervention in impossible circumstances: Abraham and Sarah. This is nothing new for Him.
Our problems are nothing new to him.
The problems of the world are nothing new to him.
If God can gift Abraham and Sarah with a child in the midst of their sterility, then he overcome the strong political powers that be in Egypt.
God’s sovereignty hangs heavy in the background of the problems of Israel. The God of the book of Exodus is the God of the book of Genesis, the Creator of the universe, the one who created all out of nothing, the one who brought a family out of nothing, the one who turned a liar (Jacob) into the one through whom the hope of the world would come (Jesus).
This is a call to remember that as God’s people we should back into the future. We must face our problems and the obstacles, challenges, and brokenness of life in light of God’s enduring faithfulness and sovereignty of the past.
He has proven to be faithful will remain faithful.