Exodus 1–3

Welcome to The Safe Space! Where we last left off in the Bible, Jacob’s family had settled in Egypt, and now generations have passed. The Israelites have multiplied greatly, becoming so numerous and powerful that a new Pharaoh sees them as a threat. Forgetting Joseph and everything he once did for Egypt, Pharaoh decides to oppress the Israelites with forced labor, making their lives bitter with hard work. But the more the Egyptians mistreat them, the more the Israelites multiply. Pharaoh then orders the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill every newborn Hebrew boy. Yet the midwives fear God and refuse to obey. Their courage allows the children to live, and God blesses them for their faithfulness. Furious, Pharaoh gives an even more terrifying command: every Hebrew baby boy is to be thrown into the Nile. Amid this danger, a Levite woman gives birth to a son. For three months she manages to hide him, but when she can no longer keep him concealed, she places him in a carefully prepared basket and sets him among the reeds along the Nile. His sister watches from a distance as Pharaoh’s daughter discovers the crying baby and takes pity on him. Through a remarkable turn of events, the child’s own mother is brought in to nurse him. When he is older, Pharaoh’s daughter adopts him and names him Moses, because she has drawn him out of the water. Years later, Moses witnesses the suffering of his Hebrew people. After seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, Moses kills the Egyptian and hides his body. When his actions become known, Pharaoh seeks to kill him, forcing Moses to flee Egypt and settle in the land of Midian. There he helps the daughters of a priest named Reuel, marries Zipporah, and begins a new life as a shepherd. But Egypt has not forgotten the Israelites. Years pass, and their cries rise to God beneath the weight of slavery. God hears their groaning and remembers his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He sees their suffering—and knows it is time to act. Then, in the wilderness, Moses encounters something impossible: a bush blazing with fire, yet not consumed by the flames. As he approaches, God calls his name from the fire. Moses is told to remove his sandals, for he is standing on holy ground. God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He tells Moses that He has seen the misery of His people, heard their cries, and knows their suffering. Now He has come to rescue them from Egypt and bring them into a good and spacious land. And Moses is the man God has chosen to lead them out. But Moses is filled with questions. Who is he to approach Pharaoh? What will he tell the Israelites when they ask who sent him? God answers with a name that carries the weight of eternity: “I AM WHO I AM.” With that revelation, Moses is given a mission—and the story of Israel’s deliverance is set in motion. Verse of the Day: Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Question of the Day: Do you need courage today?