WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:20.140
 Found on page 45 of your Pew Bibles.

00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:24.580
 Last week, Pastor Nick gave us an overview of the entire book of Exodus.

00:00:24.580 --> 00:00:29.620
 So if you weren't here last Sunday, I encourage you to go to the website and listen to his

00:00:29.620 --> 00:00:29.859
 sermon.

00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:35.520
 We're looking at the book of Exodus over the next few months because it really is foundational

00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:36.799
 to the entire Bible.

00:00:37.480 --> 00:00:46.540
 It sets up the story, the rest of the Old Testament, and it also prepares us for what Jesus will

00:00:46.540 --> 00:00:47.719
 come to do in the New Testament.

00:00:48.480 --> 00:00:55.359
 Above all, Exodus shows us the character of God, the God who intervenes and instructs and

00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:57.200
 indwells His people.

00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:01.680
 So I encourage you as we journey through Exodus to read along.

00:01:02.380 --> 00:01:08.280
 Maybe take one day a week in your private prayer time with the Lord to read and meditate on

00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:12.320
 the passage that we'll be looking at the following Sunday or the previous Sunday.

00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:14.820
 There's a sermon card in the pews you can take home with you.

00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:18.240
 If that helps you, you can put it as a bookmark in your Bible.

00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:22.000
 Now some of you may want to dig a little deeper in Exodus.

00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:27.659
 You might have questions about the literary structure or the historical background of the

00:01:27.659 --> 00:01:32.799
 book, or maybe you're wondering about the themes and interpretation.

00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:37.319
 Let me recommend this book called How to Read Exodus by Tremper Longman.

00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:39.920
 There's a couple copies on the bookstall downstairs.

00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:47.340
 If you want to go a step deeper and delve into some of those more complicated questions, let

00:01:47.340 --> 00:01:48.120
 me recommend that book.

00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:53.420
 It's a great book to go along with reading through the book together.

00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:57.180
 So this morning we're going to read…I'm going to start at chapter 1, verse 7.

00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:02.920
 We read the first seven verses last week, and then our passage this morning is chapter 1,

00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:05.060
 verse 8 to chapter 2, verse 10.

00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:07.579
 So here we go.

00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.580
 Verse 7, but the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly.

00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:20.259
 They multiplied and grew exceedingly strong so that the land was filled with them.

00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.719
 Now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

00:02:26.460 --> 00:02:32.780
 And he said to his people, behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.

00:02:32.780 --> 00:02:35.819
 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply.

00:02:36.640 --> 00:02:41.240
 And if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.

00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:46.860
 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens.

00:02:47.659 --> 00:02:51.000
 They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Ramses.

00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:57.099
 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied, and the more they spread abroad.

00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:00.939
 And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.

00:03:00.939 --> 00:03:05.579
 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter

00:03:05.579 --> 00:03:11.740
 with hard service in mortar and brick and in all kinds of work in the field.

00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:16.639
 In all their work, they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.

00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:24.020
 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,

00:03:24.020 --> 00:03:29.640
 when you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool,

00:03:30.460 --> 00:03:32.660
 if it is a son, you shall kill him.

00:03:33.420 --> 00:03:35.800
 But if it is a daughter, she shall live.

00:03:37.140 --> 00:03:42.439
 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them,

00:03:42.480 --> 00:03:43.900
 but let the male children live.

00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:47.740
 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them,

00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:50.740
 why have you done this and let the male children live?

00:03:51.740 --> 00:03:56.700
 The midwives said to Pharaoh, because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women,

00:03:56.939 --> 00:04:00.860
 for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.

00:04:02.300 --> 00:04:05.160
 So God dealt well with the midwives.

00:04:05.980 --> 00:04:08.719
 And the people multiplied and grew very strong.

00:04:08.860 --> 00:04:12.140
 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

00:04:12.139 --> 00:04:16.099
 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people,

00:04:17.300 --> 00:04:21.419
 every son that is born to the Hebrews, you shall cast into the Nile,

00:04:22.159 --> 00:04:24.180
 but you shall let every daughter live.

00:04:25.779 --> 00:04:29.199
 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman.

00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:33.419
 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child,

00:04:33.500 --> 00:04:34.579
 she hid him three months.

00:04:35.159 --> 00:04:38.819
 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes

00:04:38.819 --> 00:04:41.019
 and daubed it with bitumen and pitch.

00:04:41.019 --> 00:04:47.039
 She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank.

00:04:47.899 --> 00:04:51.359
 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him.

00:04:52.779 --> 00:04:55.680
 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river

00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:57.939
 while her young women walked beside the river.

00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:03.019
 She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it.

00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:06.359
 When she opened it, she saw the child.

00:05:07.159 --> 00:05:08.680
 And behold, the baby was crying.

00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:12.040
 She took pity on him and said,

00:05:12.340 --> 00:05:14.120
 This is one of the Hebrews' children.

00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:17.120
 Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter,

00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:22.220
 Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?

00:05:23.400 --> 00:05:25.460
 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go.

00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:28.899
 So the girl went and called the child's mother.

00:05:28.899 --> 00:05:35.339
 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take this child away and nurse him for me,

00:05:35.739 --> 00:05:37.139
 and I will give you your wages.

00:05:38.179 --> 00:05:40.479
 So the woman took the child and nursed him.

00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:46.000
 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son.

00:05:46.939 --> 00:05:52.239
 She named him Moses because, she said, I drew him out of the water.

00:05:52.240 --> 00:06:00.660
 Have you ever found yourself in a situation where everything just seems to be getting worse and worse?

00:06:02.400 --> 00:06:07.699
 You feel taken advantage of, beaten down, left alone to fend for yourself.

00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:12.620
 Perhaps you're exhausted by ruthless demands at work.

00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:16.460
 Your reputation is slandered for no apparent reason.

00:06:16.459 --> 00:06:18.620
 Your health is threatened.

00:06:18.979 --> 00:06:21.060
 Your children's safety is threatened.

00:06:22.620 --> 00:06:28.740
 Maybe you keep waiting and praying and hoping for circumstances to turn around,

00:06:28.979 --> 00:06:31.240
 but very little seems to change for the better.

00:06:32.359 --> 00:06:37.060
 Maybe you look around and wonder, Where is God in this chaotic mess?

00:06:38.539 --> 00:06:41.319
 Now, even if that's not your situation right now,

00:06:41.419 --> 00:06:44.339
 many of our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world

00:06:44.339 --> 00:06:48.919
 face this kind of seemingly unrelenting oppression regularly.

00:06:49.919 --> 00:06:53.359
 About a month ago, I got an email update from Syed and Jenya.

00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:54.799
 They were part of our church last year.

00:06:55.399 --> 00:06:56.479
 They live in Central Asia.

00:06:57.839 --> 00:06:59.079
 Here's some of their update.

00:06:59.899 --> 00:07:03.839
 Their own church was recently raided on a Sunday morning by the police.

00:07:04.559 --> 00:07:08.839
 The pastor had to pay a fine because they teach children in the church.

00:07:09.339 --> 00:07:13.299
 It's illegal to teach any religion to children in their country.

00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:17.600
 He also had to pay a fine for storing some Christian books that were not permitted

00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:18.840
 by the government.

00:07:19.740 --> 00:07:22.319
 There's a very short list of Christian books that are permitted.

00:07:23.620 --> 00:07:26.900
 Another pastor in their country has been in jail for several months already

00:07:26.900 --> 00:07:28.939
 and still awaiting trial.

00:07:30.400 --> 00:07:33.600
 Most of the other leaders and pastors in the country, they said,

00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:38.160
 are exhausted physically and tired spiritually and always under serious pressure.

00:07:39.620 --> 00:07:41.819
 Understandably, many of them just want to leave the country.

00:07:41.819 --> 00:07:44.899
 Some of them have done so when they have had a chance.

00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:52.620
 And many Christians throughout history, not just today, have felt the same way.

00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:58.159
 About 180 years ago, on a Sunday morning, an 18-year-old boy named Frederick Douglass

00:07:58.159 --> 00:08:05.399
 stood on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and he watched the ship sailing unhindered in the distance.

00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:10.279
 He had never enjoyed such freedom, for he had been born a slave.

00:08:11.419 --> 00:08:15.479
 He had witnessed and endured bloody beatings, physical and psychological torture,

00:08:15.799 --> 00:08:17.839
 at the hands of professing Christian masters.

00:08:18.699 --> 00:08:23.759
 In fact, his most outwardly religious masters had been by far the cruelest.

00:08:25.060 --> 00:08:27.759
 He had recently found faith in Christ as a teenager.

00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:38.039
 After reading the book of Job, he actually overheard the godly wife of one of his masters reading the book of Job out loud one evening

00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:43.059
 and wondered, who is this man who could say, blessed be the name of the Lord after all that happened to him?

00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:50.679
 And then he found some free black Methodists, and they taught him the way of salvation in Christ.

00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:57.339
 But on that Sunday morning, he cried out to the god whom he had come to trust and believe in,

00:08:57.839 --> 00:09:02.000
 Oh, why was I born a man of whom to make a brute?

00:09:02.679 --> 00:09:04.359
 The glad ship is gone.

00:09:05.199 --> 00:09:06.719
 She hides in the dim distance.

00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:10.179
 I am left in the hottest hell of unending slavery.

00:09:10.859 --> 00:09:12.659
 Oh, God, save me.

00:09:13.319 --> 00:09:14.319
 God, deliver me.

00:09:14.419 --> 00:09:15.419
 Let me be free.

00:09:15.620 --> 00:09:16.719
 Is there any god?

00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:18.939
 Why am I a slave?

00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:19.160
 Why am I a slave?

00:09:21.820 --> 00:09:25.940
 That's a question you might be asking when you read this section of Exodus.

00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:31.600
 Is there a god, and if so, where is he?

00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:38.360
 Because the first thing we see in this passage is Pharaoh's designs for evil.

00:09:39.180 --> 00:09:44.420
 We see three successive and increasingly vicious attacks against the people of God.

00:09:44.419 --> 00:09:51.120
 First, verse 8 to 14, Pharaoh appoints taskmasters to afflict them with heavy burdens.

00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:53.919
 He enslaves them and works them ruthlessly.

00:09:55.299 --> 00:09:59.360
 Then, in verses 15 to 21, Pharaoh launches a secret campaign,

00:10:00.219 --> 00:10:06.159
 quietly instructing the Hebrew midwives to terminate the life of every Hebrew son.

00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:14.759
 Third, in verse 22, Pharaoh openly commands all his people to throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile River.

00:10:16.219 --> 00:10:21.620
 We go from ruthless enslavement to secret infanticide to public genocide.

00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:25.459
 It's terrible, and it only seems to get worse.

00:10:25.460 --> 00:10:33.680
 Now, let's look in more detail at Pharaoh's designs for evil, his three evil designs.

00:10:33.800 --> 00:10:35.200
 First, verse 8,

00:10:35.280 --> 00:10:38.280
 Now, there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:43.860
 Now, the story of Joseph, for those if you're not familiar with it,

00:10:43.900 --> 00:10:48.660
 it's found at the end of the book of Genesis in chapters 37 to 50 of Genesis.

00:10:49.300 --> 00:10:51.160
 Joseph was one of Jacob's 12 sons.

00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:54.299
 Once, he became a high official in the Egyptian government,

00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:58.259
 and he brought his whole family down to Egypt in a time of famine.

00:10:59.139 --> 00:11:03.279
 With the Pharaoh's permission, Joseph settled his family in the land of Goshen.

00:11:03.379 --> 00:11:06.779
 They were given property of their own in that district.

00:11:07.319 --> 00:11:12.699
 So, for many years, the children of Israel were protected by the agreement that Pharaoh had made with Joseph.

00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:16.539
 They made their living as farmers and keepers of livestock.

00:11:16.539 --> 00:11:23.259
 But this new Pharaoh had forgotten, intentionally or not, that agreement.

00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:31.779
 See, the promises of Pharaoh, unlike the promises of God, were subject to change from one generation to the next.

00:11:32.959 --> 00:11:38.419
 And so, this Pharaoh had no loyalty to Joseph and the children of Israel.

00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:41.879
 On the contrary, he perceived and portrayed them as a threat.

00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:47.559
 But, verses 9 to 10, this is sort of a speech to his cabinet.

00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:49.379
 And Pharaoh says,

00:11:49.820 --> 00:11:51.100
 These are outsiders.

00:11:51.860 --> 00:11:55.100
 They are prone to ally with our enemies and either run away,

00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:59.399
 or possibly that word escape could be translated take over our land.

00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:02.519
 Now, some of you might be wondering,

00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:04.939
 who was this new king of Egypt?

00:12:05.620 --> 00:12:08.779
 Scholars have spent a lot of time researching and debating this question

00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:12.759
 because Exodus doesn't name any of the pharaohs it describes.

00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:19.959
 Some scholars think this pharaoh was a man named Thutmose III in the 15th century BC.

00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:24.519
 Others think this pharaoh was Ramses II in the 13th century BC.

00:12:24.699 --> 00:12:26.879
 One of the cities in verse 11 is named after him.

00:12:27.319 --> 00:12:29.299
 Those are sort of the two main theories out there.

00:12:29.379 --> 00:12:32.539
 I don't have time to go into all the details, but I'm happy to discuss that.

00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:36.679
 Tremper Longin's book goes into some detail about that historical background.

00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:41.199
 But some skeptical scholars have said instead,

00:12:42.199 --> 00:12:45.939
 Exodus doesn't name the pharaoh because it's just a fairy tale.

00:12:46.719 --> 00:12:50.079
 It's a nice story, but it probably never happened.

00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:54.539
 After all, we don't have any evidence outside of the Bible

00:12:54.539 --> 00:12:58.559
 for the Israelites and their exodus from Egypt.

00:13:00.219 --> 00:13:02.339
 But there's actually a very good reason

00:13:02.339 --> 00:13:05.359
 why the pharaohs are never named in the book of Exodus.

00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:10.039
 Not because they never existed, but because in the ancient Near East,

00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:13.639
 referring to someone by name, especially in a written document,

00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:17.600
 was a way of honoring them and preserving their memory in high regard.

00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:20.180
 In the first five chapters of Exodus,

00:13:20.340 --> 00:13:22.419
 there are three groups of people who are mentioned by name.

00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:24.419
 Jacob and his family,

00:13:25.560 --> 00:13:26.860
 at the beginning of chapter 1.

00:13:27.700 --> 00:13:30.300
 Moses and his family, throughout chapters 2 to 4.

00:13:30.299 --> 00:13:34.519
 And the Hebrew midwives in verse 15 of this chapter.

00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:35.740
 We'll get to them in a bit.

00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:40.259
 And then most prominently, the Lord reveals his name in chapter 3.

00:13:41.219 --> 00:13:42.659
 That's sort of the biggest deal of all.

00:13:43.839 --> 00:13:45.299
 Exodus doesn't name the pharaoh,

00:13:45.439 --> 00:13:47.159
 not because he never really existed,

00:13:47.339 --> 00:13:50.539
 but because Exodus isn't written to give honor to the pharaoh.

00:13:50.539 --> 00:13:53.219
 There's also a very good reason

00:13:53.219 --> 00:13:55.299
 why we don't have any other historical records

00:13:55.299 --> 00:13:57.179
 that tell the story of the Exodus.

00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:57.959
 For one thing,

00:13:59.019 --> 00:14:02.139
 even today, 90% of the population of Egypt

00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:03.659
 lives very close to the Nile River.

00:14:04.599 --> 00:14:05.759
 It's a wet region.

00:14:06.579 --> 00:14:09.679
 We have very few ancient documents from that area

00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:10.799
 because they don't preserve well.

00:14:11.699 --> 00:14:12.519
 And furthermore,

00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:14.059
 ancient Egyptian historians,

00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:16.339
 like most other ancient historians,

00:14:16.459 --> 00:14:17.719
 were notorious for recording

00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:19.580
 the high points and the victories

00:14:19.580 --> 00:14:21.220
 and the glories of their nation.

00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.180
 They tended to ignore and overlook

00:14:24.180 --> 00:14:25.860
 and never write about

00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:28.399
 the defeats and embarrassing moments.

00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:31.420
 Why would they write about this people

00:14:31.420 --> 00:14:33.120
 who grew up within their land

00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:34.379
 and then successfully left?

00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:36.120
 And Pharaoh tried to pursue them

00:14:36.120 --> 00:14:37.660
 and a bunch of Pharaoh's army

00:14:37.660 --> 00:14:38.779
 was drowned in the Red Sea.

00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:41.580
 That's about the most embarrassing story

00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:42.340
 you can come up with.

00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:45.320
 You see, among ancient literature,

00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:46.540
 the Bible's unusual

00:14:46.539 --> 00:14:48.599
 because it tells the story of a people,

00:14:48.599 --> 00:14:50.559
 but it doesn't hide their flaws.

00:14:51.319 --> 00:14:53.339
 It doesn't overlook their failures.

00:14:53.539 --> 00:14:56.559
 It doesn't deny their embarrassing moments.

00:14:57.899 --> 00:14:59.779
 In fact, we'll see one of those failures

00:14:59.779 --> 00:15:01.959
 of Moses himself next week,

00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:03.199
 later in chapter 2.

00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:06.240
 So there's no need to be intimidated

00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:08.899
 when skeptical scholars claim

00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:10.639
 that Exodus has no historical basis.

00:15:10.779 --> 00:15:12.399
 It's entirely reasonable to affirm,

00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:15.159
 as traditional Jews and Christians always have,

00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.059
 that Exodus describes real events

00:15:17.059 --> 00:15:18.600
 that happened in history.

00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:20.539
 Now, that's a bit of an aside.

00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:21.539
 Getting back to the story,

00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:22.939
 the people of Israel find themselves

00:15:22.939 --> 00:15:23.959
 in a bad situation.

00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:26.959
 Instead of being under Pharaoh's protection,

00:15:27.219 --> 00:15:28.980
 as they were during the time of Joseph,

00:15:29.079 --> 00:15:31.600
 they are now under his suspicion.

00:15:32.699 --> 00:15:34.399
 Instead of making a living independently

00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.219
 as keepers of livestock,

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:38.819
 they are now slave laborers

00:15:38.819 --> 00:15:41.039
 building Pharaoh's military empire.

00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:43.939
 That word store cities in verse 11

00:15:43.939 --> 00:15:47.240
 could also mean fortified military settlements.

00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:50.740
 Some of these cities had large temples

00:15:50.740 --> 00:15:52.439
 and palaces and government buildings,

00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:55.259
 and these are the ones that they were building.

00:15:56.679 --> 00:15:58.139
 And Pharaoh's strategy here

00:15:58.139 --> 00:16:01.500
 is not only to use the Israelites

00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:04.439
 to move forward his building projects,

00:16:04.539 --> 00:16:06.439
 but oppress them as a means

00:16:06.439 --> 00:16:07.879
 of population control.

00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:10.879
 All right, practically how might this work?

00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:13.519
 Well, you take the men away from their families,

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:15.820
 send them away to build these store cities.

00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:18.639
 That at least hinders the reproductive abilities.

00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:21.740
 The farming and livestock back home

00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:24.240
 might suffer because fewer people would be around.

00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:25.939
 There'd be a lot of work

00:16:25.939 --> 00:16:27.700
 and fewer people around to take care of the animals

00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:28.899
 and cultivate the land.

00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:31.639
 Then you work the men ruthlessly,

00:16:32.139 --> 00:16:35.539
 and they'll eventually get weak and sick

00:16:35.539 --> 00:16:37.240
 and gradually die off.

00:16:38.939 --> 00:16:40.240
 That's what Pharaoh's up to.

00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:44.120
 Verse 13 and 14, the word work

00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:46.519
 is repeated five times.

00:16:46.740 --> 00:16:47.679
 One commentator said,

00:16:48.059 --> 00:16:51.000
 each word in verse 13 and 14

00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:54.779
 is like another blow from a slave driver's whip.

00:16:56.179 --> 00:16:58.120
 They ruthlessly made the people work.

00:16:58.980 --> 00:17:01.240
 They made their lives bitter with hard work.

00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:03.220
 In all kinds of work.

00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:04.539
 In all their work.

00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:07.579
 They ruthlessly made them work as slaves.

00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:10.859
 And these verses are not an exaggeration.

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:12.599
 We do have an ancient Egyptian document

00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:16.099
 that describes the cruelty of Pharaoh's officials

00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:18.700
 when they came to inspect

00:17:18.700 --> 00:17:21.839
 those who were seen as Pharaoh's slaves.

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:23.059
 Here's an excerpt from it.

00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:25.859
 The scribe, that is the Pharaoh's official,

00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:26.920
 surveys the harvest.

00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:30.200
 He's coming to inspect a farmer

00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:31.480
 who owes him some grain.

00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.880
 Attendants are behind him with staffs,

00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:34.900
 Nubians with clubs.

00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.700
 Give grain.

00:17:37.560 --> 00:17:38.279
 There is none.

00:17:39.080 --> 00:17:40.960
 The farmer is beaten savagely.

00:17:41.560 --> 00:17:43.940
 He is bound, thrown in the well,

00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:45.580
 submerged head down.

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:47.980
 His wife is bound in his presence.

00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:49.900
 His children are in fetters.

00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:54.820
 This is the kind of ruthless cruelty,

00:17:56.019 --> 00:17:57.040
 senseless discrimination

00:17:57.040 --> 00:17:58.780
 that the Israelites were experiencing.

00:18:00.540 --> 00:18:01.860
 And that was only the beginning.

00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.200
 Verse 15, it gets worse.

00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:06.500
 Pharaoh summons the Hebrew midwives.

00:18:07.880 --> 00:18:09.820
 Most likely these weren't the only midwives,

00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:11.360
 but rather the head ones.

00:18:13.120 --> 00:18:14.120
 He says to them,

00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:16.379
 when you serve as midwife

00:18:16.379 --> 00:18:17.279
 to the Hebrew children,

00:18:17.659 --> 00:18:18.379
 to the Hebrew women,

00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:21.019
 see the child being born.

00:18:21.379 --> 00:18:22.939
 If it's a son, kill him.

00:18:23.439 --> 00:18:25.139
 If it's a daughter, let her live.

00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:26.879
 Now notice,

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:28.659
 this was not a public campaign.

00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:33.119
 It was a private directive.

00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:36.339
 Pharaoh says,

00:18:36.399 --> 00:18:37.839
 nobody else needs to know about this.

00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:41.739
 You could probably just strangle

00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:44.220
 the baby boy as he comes out of the womb.

00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:47.259
 The mother might not even know the difference.

00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:48.599
 Besides,

00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:51.079
 perhaps he phrases it this way,

00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:52.599
 what hope did a Hebrew boy have

00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:53.400
 for a good life?

00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:55.539
 He would just grow up to be a slave

00:18:55.539 --> 00:18:56.839
 and be worked to death.

00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:58.920
 Perhaps it would be merciful

00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:00.940
 not to bring such a child into the world.

00:19:03.579 --> 00:19:05.500
 Of course, if Pharaoh lived in the modern world,

00:19:06.420 --> 00:19:07.299
 he could have done it all

00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:08.620
 even before the babies were born.

00:19:08.619 --> 00:19:12.439
 require a blood test

00:19:12.439 --> 00:19:13.799
 toward the end of the first trimester

00:19:13.799 --> 00:19:15.939
 and based on the results,

00:19:16.099 --> 00:19:17.139
 counsel the mother to abort.

00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:22.259
 In Iceland and Denmark,

00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:25.919
 98% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome

00:19:25.919 --> 00:19:27.239
 never see the light of day.

00:19:28.899 --> 00:19:30.659
 The United States is probably closer

00:19:30.659 --> 00:19:33.059
 to 70 or 75%.

00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:37.240
 Evil comes in many forms,

00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:41.179
 whether it's racism and slavery

00:19:41.179 --> 00:19:44.359
 or hostility toward immigrants

00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:46.379
 and separating them from their families

00:19:46.379 --> 00:19:49.019
 or killing off the weakest

00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:50.480
 and least noticed ones

00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:52.460
 through abortion

00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:54.819
 or physician-assisted suicide.

00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:59.740
 Most of us here would readily recognize

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:01.839
 slavery, infanticide,

00:20:01.980 --> 00:20:03.559
 and ethnic cleansing as evils.

00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:07.379
 But evil always presents itself deceptively

00:20:07.379 --> 00:20:09.059
 as something good,

00:20:10.379 --> 00:20:10.819
 rational,

00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:12.559
 acceptable,

00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:14.939
 perhaps necessary.

00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:17.339
 Verse 22,

00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:18.899
 Pharaoh makes a public proclamation.

00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:22.860
 Every son born to the Hebrews

00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:24.460
 throw into the Nile.

00:20:25.600 --> 00:20:26.680
 We hear that,

00:20:26.740 --> 00:20:27.380
 and that sounds,

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:28.120
 rightly,

00:20:28.620 --> 00:20:29.500
 horrendously evil.

00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:31.500
 But in Egypt,

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:33.120
 the Nile River

00:20:33.120 --> 00:20:34.560
 was worshipped as a god.

00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:37.600
 The giver and taker of life

00:20:37.600 --> 00:20:39.440
 it was recognized as.

00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:41.360
 And so Pharaoh's decree

00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:42.660
 might well have been presented

00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:44.560
 with a religious justification.

00:20:45.100 --> 00:20:47.220
 The Nile is summoning Hebrew boys.

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:49.600
 If she does not receive them,

00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.600
 our whole nation

00:20:50.600 --> 00:20:52.039
 will be under her wrath.

00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:58.160
 Might have sounded a lot more plausible

00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.200
 than it would to us.

00:21:00.299 --> 00:21:02.220
 What makes evil seem good

00:21:02.220 --> 00:21:03.460
 or acceptable,

00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:04.720
 then or now?

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:07.779
 It's the idols that we worship

00:21:07.779 --> 00:21:08.680
 and cherish.

00:21:09.860 --> 00:21:11.019
 In the ancient world,

00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:12.299
 the nation and the tribe

00:21:12.299 --> 00:21:14.180
 were the prevalent idols.

00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:16.839
 That's what Pharaoh appealed to

00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:17.899
 in verses 9 and 10.

00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:21.599
 Those idols haven't gone away.

00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.039
 In the modern world,

00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:25.899
 we have another idol.

00:21:26.639 --> 00:21:28.419
 It's called personal autonomy.

00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:30.779
 The freedom to do

00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:31.879
 whatever I want

00:21:31.879 --> 00:21:33.000
 with my own body.

00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:36.119
 And that idol,

00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:37.459
 like every other idol,

00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:38.980
 distorts our perspective.

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:40.640
 And it makes us think

00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:42.680
 that all kinds of dehumanizing

00:21:42.680 --> 00:21:44.319
 and destructive behaviors

00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:46.140
 are not that bad after all.

00:21:46.140 --> 00:21:48.319
 Or even pretty good.

00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:52.460
 You know, education alone

00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:53.660
 doesn't rescue us

00:21:53.660 --> 00:21:54.940
 from this danger.

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.839
 Adolf Hitler came to power

00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:59.240
 in one of the best educated

00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:02.140
 and most technologically advanced

00:22:02.140 --> 00:22:04.279
 and culturally sophisticated

00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:05.720
 nations of his time.

00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:08.099
 And he followed the same

00:22:08.099 --> 00:22:08.920
 general pattern

00:22:08.920 --> 00:22:09.819
 as this Pharaoh.

00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:12.940
 From anti-Semitic rhetoric

00:22:12.940 --> 00:22:15.940
 to increasingly restrictive policies

00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:17.359
 around work

00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:18.640
 to secret plots

00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:20.220
 to open violence.

00:22:20.220 --> 00:22:24.100
 Pharaoh's evil designs

00:22:24.100 --> 00:22:24.839
 have been repeated

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:26.079
 over and over

00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:27.240
 in the course of history

00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:29.440
 on small and large scales.

00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:32.400
 Because they're not just

00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:33.500
 Pharaoh's designs.

00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:37.059
 Behind Pharaoh's designs

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:38.440
 were the designs

00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:39.579
 of Satan himself.

00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:41.900
 Whom the Bible calls

00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:43.079
 the father of lies.

00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:45.640
 The enemy who seeks to steal

00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:47.559
 and kill and destroy.

00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:50.619
 You might say,

00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:51.619
 where do I get that idea

00:22:51.619 --> 00:22:53.079
 that Satan's behind this?

00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:55.519
 Revelation chapter 12.

00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:57.559
 Revelation gives us a glimpse

00:22:57.559 --> 00:22:58.519
 into some of the heavenly

00:22:58.519 --> 00:22:59.879
 and spiritual realities

00:22:59.879 --> 00:23:01.419
 behind earthly events.

00:23:02.379 --> 00:23:03.659
 And in Revelation 12,

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:04.919
 there's a vision of a dragon

00:23:04.919 --> 00:23:07.359
 who is identified as Satan,

00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.940
 who is seeking to devour

00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:11.679
 the male offspring

00:23:11.679 --> 00:23:13.480
 of a pregnant woman.

00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:15.319
 The woman represents

00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:16.179
 the people of God.

00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:19.779
 The point is,

00:23:19.859 --> 00:23:21.359
 behind Pharaoh and Herod,

00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:22.619
 Hitler and Stalin,

00:23:23.419 --> 00:23:24.899
 all of the tyrants

00:23:24.899 --> 00:23:27.099
 who dehumanize

00:23:27.099 --> 00:23:28.619
 and persecute God's people

00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:30.359
 and all of the people

00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:31.480
 with a lot less power,

00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:33.319
 but who still try

00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:34.500
 to do the same things,

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:36.379
 is Satan himself.

00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:39.179
 The Apostle Paul says,

00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:39.899
 we are not unaware

00:23:39.899 --> 00:23:41.759
 of Satan's designs.

00:23:42.919 --> 00:23:44.139
 We should not be unaware

00:23:44.139 --> 00:23:44.539
 of them.

00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:46.980
 That's the first thing

00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:47.779
 we see this morning,

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:49.240
 and it's quite sobering.

00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:50.599
 Pharaoh's and Satan's

00:23:50.599 --> 00:23:51.559
 designs for evil.

00:23:52.659 --> 00:23:53.779
 But we also see

00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:54.359
 a second thing

00:23:54.359 --> 00:23:54.980
 in this passage.

00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:58.119
 We see God's intervention

00:23:58.119 --> 00:23:58.759
 for good.

00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:01.119
 Now, God's intervention

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:02.420
 for good is not evident

00:24:02.420 --> 00:24:03.559
 at first glance.

00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:05.019
 You read through

00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:05.819
 this whole passage,

00:24:05.940 --> 00:24:06.960
 there are no words

00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:08.059
 spoken by God,

00:24:08.159 --> 00:24:10.339
 no prophetic encouragements,

00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:11.879
 no wise explanations

00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:13.600
 for why things are happening

00:24:13.600 --> 00:24:14.500
 the way they are.

00:24:15.300 --> 00:24:15.980
 Now, if you go back

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:16.460
 to Genesis,

00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:17.500
 in Genesis 15,

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:18.700
 God spoke to Abraham

00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:20.200
 and said his descendants

00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:21.000
 would be enslaved

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:21.700
 and mistreated

00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:22.940
 in a country not their own,

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:23.640
 but then he would

00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:24.960
 be faithful to them

00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.560
 and bring them up

00:24:25.560 --> 00:24:26.020
 out of it.

00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:27.760
 And in Genesis 46,

00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:28.940
 God had spoken to Jacob

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:30.580
 and said,

00:24:30.660 --> 00:24:31.220
 don't be afraid

00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:32.040
 to go down to Egypt,

00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.300
 for there I will make you

00:24:33.300 --> 00:24:34.200
 into a great nation.

00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:35.700
 I myself will go down

00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:36.360
 with you there,

00:24:36.700 --> 00:24:38.620
 and I will also

00:24:38.620 --> 00:24:39.380
 bring you up again.

00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:41.060
 But that was hundreds

00:24:41.060 --> 00:24:41.700
 of years ago.

00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:44.180
 Most likely,

00:24:44.280 --> 00:24:45.020
 at least some of the

00:24:45.020 --> 00:24:45.640
 children of Israel

00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:46.640
 had passed down

00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:47.360
 these promises

00:24:47.360 --> 00:24:48.360
 from one generation

00:24:48.360 --> 00:24:48.900
 to another,

00:24:49.020 --> 00:24:51.020
 but for so very long,

00:24:51.260 --> 00:24:53.140
 God was apparently silent.

00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:57.740
 And it might have seemed

00:24:57.740 --> 00:25:00.020
 that he was nearly absent.

00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:03.780
 There's only one action

00:25:03.780 --> 00:25:05.740
 explicitly ascribed to God

00:25:05.740 --> 00:25:06.580
 in this narrative

00:25:06.580 --> 00:25:08.540
 in verse 20 and 21.

00:25:09.380 --> 00:25:10.680
 God dealt well

00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:11.640
 with the midwives.

00:25:12.320 --> 00:25:13.180
 Verse 21,

00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:14.520
 and because the midwives

00:25:14.520 --> 00:25:15.220
 feared God,

00:25:15.340 --> 00:25:16.680
 God gave them families.

00:25:17.820 --> 00:25:19.320
 God allowed two midwives,

00:25:19.520 --> 00:25:20.400
 presumably older

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.440
 and previously infertile,

00:25:22.620 --> 00:25:23.280
 to have children

00:25:23.280 --> 00:25:23.920
 of their own.

00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:26.460
 You might say,

00:25:26.520 --> 00:25:27.580
 well, that's nice for them,

00:25:28.320 --> 00:25:30.000
 but it doesn't do much good

00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:31.800
 when a people are enslaved

00:25:31.800 --> 00:25:32.480
 and on the brink

00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.380
 of being slaughtered.

00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:36.740
 But here's what I want to say.

00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:38.200
 Even though it doesn't

00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:40.200
 seem like it at first glance,

00:25:40.600 --> 00:25:42.080
 when God is present

00:25:42.080 --> 00:25:42.700
 and active

00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:43.460
 and working out

00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.480
 His plans for good

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:47.100
 in every part of this story.

00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:48.620
 When we take a closer look,

00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:49.319
 we see that God

00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:50.559
 is intervening for good

00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.779
 and undermining

00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:54.120
 each of Pharaoh's evil designs.

00:25:57.220 --> 00:25:58.120
 So let me show you

00:25:58.120 --> 00:25:59.519
 how God is intervening for good

00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:01.000
 in each of these three situations.

00:26:01.600 --> 00:26:02.539
 First, in the midst

00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:04.100
 of oppression and slavery,

00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:06.000
 God causes supernatural growth.

00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:06.740
 Verse 12,

00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:09.400
 the more they were oppressed,

00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:11.720
 the more they multiplied,

00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:13.539
 and the more they spread abroad.

00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:15.140
 Now that sentence

00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:16.920
 is not what you would expect

00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:18.940
 in the rest of this paragraph.

00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:21.259
 What you would expect

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:22.119
 this sentence to say

00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:23.599
 is the more they multiplied,

00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:24.880
 the more they were oppressed.

00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:27.279
 That would be very natural.

00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:29.599
 It's happened over and over

00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:31.059
 in all kinds of places in history.

00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:32.180
 An immigrant population

00:26:32.180 --> 00:26:33.539
 grows more rapidly

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:34.740
 than the majority culture.

00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.159
 Majority culture

00:26:36.159 --> 00:26:37.399
 feels afraid and threatened.

00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:38.899
 Those people are trying

00:26:38.899 --> 00:26:40.220
 to take over our country.

00:26:40.619 --> 00:26:41.079
 They're moving

00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:42.119
 into our neighborhood.

00:26:42.659 --> 00:26:43.240
 Verse 12,

00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:44.639
 the Egyptians were in dread

00:26:44.639 --> 00:26:45.819
 in fear of the Israelites.

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.799
 That is all totally natural

00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:48.779
 in a fallen world

00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:49.740
 where human pride

00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:51.019
 and fear rule the day.

00:26:53.139 --> 00:26:54.240
 But the first half

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:54.940
 of verse 12

00:26:54.940 --> 00:26:57.399
 is not natural.

00:26:58.599 --> 00:26:59.539
 It's describing

00:26:59.539 --> 00:27:00.240
 a supernatural

00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:02.200
 intervention of God.

00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:04.920
 God, the Creator

00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:05.920
 and Redeemer,

00:27:06.100 --> 00:27:07.140
 is blessing His people

00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:08.259
 with overflowing

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:09.779
 and abundant life

00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:11.360
 even in the most humanly

00:27:11.360 --> 00:27:13.700
 unlikely circumstances.

00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:16.660
 And you know,

00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:17.200
 this pattern

00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:18.299
 has often been repeated

00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:19.240
 in the history

00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:19.880
 of the church.

00:27:20.940 --> 00:27:21.660
 Through periods

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:22.400
 of affliction

00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:23.319
 and persecution

00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:24.279
 and opposition,

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:26.160
 Jesus in supernatural

00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:27.640
 and unexplainable ways

00:27:27.640 --> 00:27:29.000
 grows His church.

00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:30.660
 You can see it

00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:31.360
 in the New Testament.

00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:32.379
 One example,

00:27:32.539 --> 00:27:33.899
 1 Corinthians 16, 9,

00:27:34.359 --> 00:27:35.439
 the Apostle Paul wrote,

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.159
 I'm staying here

00:27:36.159 --> 00:27:36.619
 in Ephesus

00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:38.419
 because a wide open door

00:27:38.419 --> 00:27:39.619
 for effective work

00:27:39.619 --> 00:27:40.599
 has opened to me

00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:43.939
 and there are many adversaries.

00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:46.740
 In the early church,

00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:47.359
 Tertullian,

00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:48.799
 I think it was Tertullian,

00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:49.259
 said,

00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:50.479
 the blood of the martyrs

00:27:50.479 --> 00:27:51.179
 is the seed

00:27:51.179 --> 00:27:52.000
 of the church.

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:53.479
 The Roman emperors

00:27:53.479 --> 00:27:54.740
 put Christians to death,

00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:55.659
 but the church

00:27:55.659 --> 00:27:56.599
 kept on multiplying

00:27:56.599 --> 00:27:57.419
 and spreading.

00:27:57.420 --> 00:27:59.860
 We can see it

00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:00.860
 in the modern world too.

00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:02.300
 Just one example,

00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:03.960
 China became a communist nation

00:28:03.960 --> 00:28:04.800
 in 1949

00:28:04.800 --> 00:28:06.940
 and all the Western missionaries

00:28:06.940 --> 00:28:07.560
 were expelled.

00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:08.539
 At that time,

00:28:08.600 --> 00:28:08.940
 there were about

00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:10.539
 four million Chinese Christians.

00:28:11.360 --> 00:28:13.120
 But despite intense persecution

00:28:13.120 --> 00:28:13.960
 at times

00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:15.920
 and ongoing legal restrictions,

00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:17.420
 there are by some estimates

00:28:17.420 --> 00:28:18.820
 50 to 100 million

00:28:18.820 --> 00:28:19.960
 Chinese Christians today.

00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:22.880
 The church has grown

00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:24.960
 and flourished

00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:26.900
 in the midst of oppression

00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:27.740
 and persecution.

00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:30.880
 Let me say to you,

00:28:31.340 --> 00:28:33.480
 if you are experiencing

00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:35.059
 spiritual attack

00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:35.700
 and oppression,

00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:38.440
 it usually means

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:39.380
 one of two things.

00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.460
 One possibility

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.759
 is that you are engaged

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.880
 in a pattern of sin

00:28:43.880 --> 00:28:45.340
 that is giving the devil

00:28:45.340 --> 00:28:46.140
 a foothold,

00:28:46.259 --> 00:28:47.360
 an ongoing foothold

00:28:47.360 --> 00:28:48.059
 in your life,

00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:49.940
 and you're not repenting of it.

00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:51.420
 And if that's you,

00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:52.860
 you need to repent now,

00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:54.200
 today.

00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:55.840
 Don't delay.

00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:58.420
 But the second possibility

00:28:58.420 --> 00:29:00.920
 is that you're experiencing

00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:02.000
 spiritual attack

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:03.480
 because you're doing

00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:04.220
 something right.

00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.960
 You're seeking first

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:07.799
 the kingdom of God

00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:08.299
 and the devil

00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:09.519
 is not happy with that.

00:29:10.840 --> 00:29:11.900
 And in that case,

00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:12.420
 you need to know

00:29:12.420 --> 00:29:13.079
 that in the midst

00:29:13.079 --> 00:29:13.779
 of affliction,

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:16.500
 God causes supernatural growth

00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.180
 in ways that

00:29:17.180 --> 00:29:18.779
 you will not even

00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:19.759
 be able to explain.

00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:22.039
 In the kingdom of God,

00:29:22.140 --> 00:29:23.240
 suffering and joy,

00:29:23.779 --> 00:29:24.880
 oppression and growth

00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:26.039
 are not opposites.

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.600
 They often come

00:29:27.600 --> 00:29:28.519
 as a package deal.

00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:31.759
 One of the reasons

00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.720
 God brings affliction

00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:33.960
 into our lives

00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:34.660
 is so we don't get

00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:35.279
 too comfortable

00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:36.259
 here in this world.

00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:38.420
 It makes us look up

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:40.259
 and call out

00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:40.980
 for our Savior.

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:43.500
 And when we call out

00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:43.920
 to Him

00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:44.799
 in the midst

00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:45.839
 of being oppressed

00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:47.380
 or opposed

00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:49.059
 or attacked,

00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:51.680
 His grace

00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:52.980
 is sufficient.

00:29:56.259 --> 00:29:57.299
 Christians throughout history

00:29:57.299 --> 00:29:58.180
 can testify to it.

00:29:58.519 --> 00:29:59.460
 People here in this room

00:29:59.460 --> 00:30:00.240
 can testify to it.

00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:01.480
 His grace

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.660
 is sufficient

00:30:02.660 --> 00:30:04.319
 for you

00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:06.579
 in your weakness

00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:07.639
 when you feel

00:30:07.639 --> 00:30:08.099
 attacked

00:30:08.099 --> 00:30:08.720
 and opposed

00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:09.259
 and oppressed.

00:30:09.259 --> 00:30:10.519
 Don't be afraid

00:30:10.519 --> 00:30:11.759
 and don't be discouraged.

00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:13.159
 God brings

00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:14.519
 supernatural growth

00:30:14.519 --> 00:30:16.179
 even in the most

00:30:16.179 --> 00:30:17.039
 unlikely

00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:18.399
 and hard

00:30:18.399 --> 00:30:19.359
 circumstances.

00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:21.500
 That's the first way

00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:22.519
 we see God intervening.

00:30:23.879 --> 00:30:25.039
 The second way

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:26.079
 we see God intervening

00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:26.639
 for good

00:30:26.639 --> 00:30:28.639
 is through courageous

00:30:28.639 --> 00:30:29.099
 women

00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:31.139
 who fear God

00:30:31.139 --> 00:30:32.439
 more than man.

00:30:32.440 --> 00:30:34.500
 Now notice

00:30:34.500 --> 00:30:36.799
 throughout this passage

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:39.039
 the primary focus

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:39.980
 of Pharaoh's attacks

00:30:39.980 --> 00:30:40.559
 is on

00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.900
 the Hebrew men

00:30:41.900 --> 00:30:44.259
 and on the boys

00:30:44.259 --> 00:30:45.360
 who would one day

00:30:45.360 --> 00:30:46.200
 grow up to become

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:47.039
 men.

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:50.180
 Satan seems to try

00:30:50.180 --> 00:30:50.900
 different tactics

00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.620
 in this regard.

00:30:52.100 --> 00:30:52.980
 In the Garden of Eden

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:54.080
 he focused his attack

00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:54.680
 on Eve

00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:56.420
 and successfully

00:30:56.420 --> 00:30:57.360
 undermined Adam

00:30:57.360 --> 00:30:58.460
 and their marriage

00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:59.240
 in the process.

00:31:00.900 --> 00:31:02.000
 But here Satan

00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:02.599
 takes aim

00:31:02.599 --> 00:31:03.099
 at the men.

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:06.359
 Practically speaking

00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:06.980
 Pharaoh knew

00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:07.799
 that if he could get

00:31:07.799 --> 00:31:08.640
 the men of Israel

00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:09.339
 out of the picture

00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:09.880
 then the women

00:31:09.880 --> 00:31:10.359
 and children

00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:11.460
 would be more vulnerable.

00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:15.019
 And spiritually speaking

00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:15.960
 Satan knows

00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:17.200
 that if he can get

00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:17.920
 the men of God

00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:19.019
 spiritually off track

00:31:19.019 --> 00:31:20.039
 that the church

00:31:20.039 --> 00:31:20.539
 as a whole

00:31:20.539 --> 00:31:22.140
 will be more vulnerable.

00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:24.859
 And Satan

00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:26.180
 has often been successful

00:31:26.180 --> 00:31:28.019
 in his attempts

00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:29.319
 to spiritually

00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.079
 enslave

00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:30.779
 and oppress

00:31:30.779 --> 00:31:32.119
 Christian men.

00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:33.919
 Men

00:31:33.919 --> 00:31:37.399
 just as Pharaoh

00:31:37.399 --> 00:31:38.039
 enslaved

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:38.679
 the Israelites

00:31:38.679 --> 00:31:39.279
 physically

00:31:39.279 --> 00:31:40.240
 Satan wants

00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:40.980
 to enslave

00:31:40.980 --> 00:31:41.879
 you spiritually.

00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:43.639
 He wants

00:31:43.639 --> 00:31:44.099
 to make you

00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:44.599
 a slave

00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:45.319
 to lust

00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:47.659
 and pornography

00:31:47.659 --> 00:31:49.379
 and self-gratification.

00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:51.819
 He wants

00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.179
 to make you

00:31:52.179 --> 00:31:52.539
 a slave

00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:53.419
 to your ambition

00:31:53.419 --> 00:31:54.579
 and your work

00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:55.220
 so that you have

00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:56.259
 no time

00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:56.839
 or energy

00:31:56.839 --> 00:31:57.459
 for the worship

00:31:57.459 --> 00:31:57.959
 of God.

00:31:59.639 --> 00:32:00.339
 He wants

00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:00.720
 to make you

00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:01.159
 a captive

00:32:01.159 --> 00:32:01.839
 to anger

00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:02.699
 and rage.

00:32:05.139 --> 00:32:05.819
 He wants

00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:06.419
 to isolate

00:32:06.419 --> 00:32:06.919
 you from

00:32:06.919 --> 00:32:07.759
 intimate friendship

00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:08.579
 with your wife

00:32:08.579 --> 00:32:10.480
 and from

00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.319
 genuine fellowship

00:32:11.319 --> 00:32:11.980
 with your brothers

00:32:11.980 --> 00:32:12.519
 in Christ.

00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:15.419
 He wants

00:32:15.419 --> 00:32:15.819
 to keep you

00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:16.859
 perpetually immature

00:32:16.859 --> 00:32:18.079
 and noncommittal.

00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:18.980
 A boy

00:32:18.980 --> 00:32:19.720
 who can shave

00:32:19.720 --> 00:32:20.279
 and drive

00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:21.019
 but who can't

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:22.039
 make and keep

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.720
 promises.

00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:24.799
 Men

00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.819
 we are

00:32:25.819 --> 00:32:26.500
 under attack.

00:32:29.419 --> 00:32:30.039
 Let us

00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:30.740
 not be

00:32:30.740 --> 00:32:31.200
 unaware

00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:32.059
 of Satan's

00:32:32.059 --> 00:32:32.480
 schemes.

00:32:35.259 --> 00:32:35.740
 If

00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:36.019
 Satan

00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:36.639
 can disable

00:32:36.639 --> 00:32:36.980
 us

00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:37.519
 spiritually

00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:39.180
 the women

00:32:39.180 --> 00:32:39.639
 and children

00:32:39.639 --> 00:32:40.180
 in the church

00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:40.720
 will suffer

00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:42.159
 and bear

00:32:42.159 --> 00:32:42.539
 the burden.

00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:44.419
 But there's

00:32:44.419 --> 00:32:45.059
 good news

00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:45.639
 because we

00:32:45.639 --> 00:32:46.180
 have something

00:32:46.180 --> 00:32:46.659
 that the men

00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:47.059
 of Israel

00:32:47.059 --> 00:32:47.559
 didn't

00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:48.039
 yet.

00:32:49.259 --> 00:32:49.899
 The men

00:32:49.899 --> 00:32:50.279
 of Israel

00:32:50.279 --> 00:32:50.859
 could not

00:32:50.859 --> 00:32:51.519
 protect

00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:52.259
 or save

00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:52.799
 themselves

00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:54.180
 from Pharaoh's

00:32:54.180 --> 00:32:54.619
 oppression.

00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:55.339
 They could

00:32:55.339 --> 00:32:56.019
 only wait

00:32:56.019 --> 00:32:56.720
 for God

00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:57.079
 to raise

00:32:57.079 --> 00:32:57.359
 up a

00:32:57.359 --> 00:32:57.639
 Savior

00:32:57.639 --> 00:32:58.259
 which he

00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:58.599
 would.

00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:00.039
 But our

00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:00.379
 Savior

00:33:00.379 --> 00:33:01.299
 has come.

00:33:03.139 --> 00:33:04.039
 Our elder

00:33:04.039 --> 00:33:04.379
 brother

00:33:04.379 --> 00:33:05.200
 Jesus Christ

00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:06.519
 has conquered

00:33:06.519 --> 00:33:07.480
 sin and

00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:08.039
 death for

00:33:08.039 --> 00:33:08.460
 us.

00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:10.220
 We do

00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:10.659
 not need

00:33:10.659 --> 00:33:10.919
 to be

00:33:10.919 --> 00:33:11.599
 enslaved

00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:12.599
 and oppressed

00:33:12.599 --> 00:33:13.339
 by Satan

00:33:13.339 --> 00:33:14.019
 anymore.

00:33:15.500 --> 00:33:16.299
 So brothers

00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:17.359
 live in the

00:33:17.359 --> 00:33:17.740
 freedom

00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:18.519
 for which

00:33:18.519 --> 00:33:19.079
 Christ has

00:33:19.079 --> 00:33:19.579
 set you

00:33:19.579 --> 00:33:19.919
 free.

00:33:21.059 --> 00:33:21.440
 Resist

00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:21.879
 the devil

00:33:21.879 --> 00:33:22.399
 and stand

00:33:22.399 --> 00:33:22.899
 firm in

00:33:22.899 --> 00:33:23.440
 your faith.

00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:23.480
 faith.

00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:27.480
 But what

00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:27.759
 we see

00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:28.019
 in this

00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:28.380
 section

00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:31.480
 is that

00:33:31.480 --> 00:33:31.740
 when the

00:33:31.740 --> 00:33:32.019
 men of

00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:32.320
 God are

00:33:32.320 --> 00:33:32.779
 oppressed

00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:34.360
 and when

00:33:34.360 --> 00:33:34.680
 the boys

00:33:34.680 --> 00:33:35.180
 are threatened

00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:36.680
 God

00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:37.220
 raises up

00:33:37.220 --> 00:33:37.559
 women

00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:38.840
 of courage

00:33:38.840 --> 00:33:39.700
 and faith

00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:41.340
 who fear

00:33:41.340 --> 00:33:41.720
 God

00:33:41.720 --> 00:33:42.779
 and don't

00:33:42.779 --> 00:33:43.039
 give in

00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:43.259
 to the

00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.500
 pressures

00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:43.779
 of the

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.100
 world.

00:33:45.420 --> 00:33:45.539
 Verse

00:33:45.539 --> 00:33:46.880
 17

00:33:46.880 --> 00:33:47.580
 the midwives

00:33:47.580 --> 00:33:48.020
 feared

00:33:48.020 --> 00:33:48.740
 God.

00:33:49.760 --> 00:33:50.220
 They did

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:50.680
 not do

00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:51.000
 as the

00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:51.260
 king of

00:33:51.260 --> 00:33:51.460
 Egypt

00:33:51.460 --> 00:33:51.900
 commanded

00:33:51.900 --> 00:33:52.160
 them

00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:52.580
 but let

00:33:52.580 --> 00:33:53.000
 the male

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:53.360
 children

00:33:53.360 --> 00:33:53.820
 live.

00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:54.740
 Now the

00:33:54.740 --> 00:33:55.100
 midwives

00:33:55.100 --> 00:33:55.760
 had every

00:33:55.760 --> 00:33:56.240
 reason to

00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:56.660
 be afraid

00:33:56.660 --> 00:33:57.100
 of Pharaoh.

00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:57.880
 He had

00:33:57.880 --> 00:33:58.500
 absolute

00:33:58.500 --> 00:33:59.540
 power over

00:33:59.540 --> 00:33:59.820
 them.

00:34:00.360 --> 00:34:00.780
 They had

00:34:00.780 --> 00:34:01.580
 no legal

00:34:01.580 --> 00:34:02.160
 protections,

00:34:02.520 --> 00:34:03.400
 no court

00:34:03.400 --> 00:34:03.960
 of appeal,

00:34:04.100 --> 00:34:04.520
 but they

00:34:04.520 --> 00:34:05.260
 recognized that

00:34:05.260 --> 00:34:05.660
 there was a

00:34:05.660 --> 00:34:06.420
 higher authority

00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:07.060
 than Pharaoh.

00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:10.960
 They feared

00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:11.460
 God

00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:13.200
 more than

00:34:13.200 --> 00:34:13.619
 they feared

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.079
 the king.

00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:15.739
 They were

00:34:15.739 --> 00:34:16.099
 like the

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.699
 apostles in

00:34:16.699 --> 00:34:16.960
 the book

00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:17.360
 of Acts

00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:17.659
 who said

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:18.119
 we must

00:34:18.119 --> 00:34:18.980
 obey God

00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:19.739
 rather than

00:34:19.739 --> 00:34:20.599
 men and

00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:21.139
 God blessed

00:34:21.139 --> 00:34:21.739
 the obedience

00:34:21.739 --> 00:34:22.099
 of these

00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:22.900
 faithful women.

00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:24.259
 Pharaoh

00:34:24.259 --> 00:34:24.619
 summoned

00:34:24.619 --> 00:34:24.840
 them,

00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:25.500
 verse 19,

00:34:25.579 --> 00:34:25.900
 to ask

00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:26.500
 why aren't

00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:26.980
 you following

00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:27.420
 through with

00:34:27.420 --> 00:34:28.000
 my decree

00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:29.019
 and they

00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:29.279
 had a

00:34:29.279 --> 00:34:29.920
 ready answer.

00:34:30.819 --> 00:34:31.279
 Now people

00:34:31.279 --> 00:34:31.860
 have debated

00:34:31.860 --> 00:34:33.539
 were they

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:33.960
 telling a

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:34.279
 lie?

00:34:35.059 --> 00:34:35.739
 If so,

00:34:35.779 --> 00:34:36.039
 was that

00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:37.119
 okay because

00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:37.819
 Pharaoh was

00:34:37.819 --> 00:34:39.219
 because innocent

00:34:39.219 --> 00:34:39.880
 lies were at

00:34:39.880 --> 00:34:40.840
 stake or

00:34:40.840 --> 00:34:41.340
 did God do

00:34:41.340 --> 00:34:41.779
 good to them

00:34:41.779 --> 00:34:42.319
 in spite of

00:34:42.319 --> 00:34:42.980
 their lie or

00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:43.279
 was there

00:34:43.279 --> 00:34:43.719
 some truth

00:34:43.719 --> 00:34:44.019
 to what

00:34:44.019 --> 00:34:44.579
 they said

00:34:44.579 --> 00:34:44.960
 even if

00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:45.320
 it wasn't

00:34:45.320 --> 00:34:45.659
 the whole

00:34:45.659 --> 00:34:46.119
 story.

00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:47.860
 Maybe the

00:34:47.860 --> 00:34:48.340
 Hebrew women

00:34:48.340 --> 00:34:48.940
 really were

00:34:48.940 --> 00:34:49.699
 more active

00:34:49.699 --> 00:34:50.340
 and involved

00:34:50.340 --> 00:34:50.699
 in their

00:34:50.699 --> 00:34:52.139
 labor while

00:34:52.139 --> 00:34:52.739
 most Egyptian

00:34:52.739 --> 00:34:53.500
 women just

00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:54.480
 laid back

00:34:54.480 --> 00:34:54.800
 and waited

00:34:54.800 --> 00:34:55.079
 for the

00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:55.519
 midwife to

00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:55.759
 tell them

00:34:55.759 --> 00:34:55.980
 what to

00:34:55.980 --> 00:34:56.239
 do.

00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:57.400
 Who knows?

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:57.759
 We don't

00:34:57.759 --> 00:34:58.219
 really know.

00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:58.699
 Perhaps the

00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.019
 midwives

00:34:59.019 --> 00:34:59.519
 conveniently

00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:00.280
 arrived late

00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:01.280
 after having

00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:01.880
 given prior

00:35:01.880 --> 00:35:02.840
 instructions to

00:35:02.840 --> 00:35:03.500
 the expectant

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.440
 mother and

00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:05.259
 another woman

00:35:05.259 --> 00:35:06.159
 nearby beforehand.

00:35:06.940 --> 00:35:07.199
 Right?

00:35:07.300 --> 00:35:07.719
 Perhaps it's

00:35:07.719 --> 00:35:08.639
 a clever answer

00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:09.320
 but not

00:35:09.320 --> 00:35:09.840
 necessarily

00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:10.440
 false.

00:35:12.280 --> 00:35:12.960
 We may

00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:13.300
 not know

00:35:13.300 --> 00:35:13.559
 with

00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:13.980
 certainty

00:35:13.980 --> 00:35:14.300
 how to

00:35:14.300 --> 00:35:14.599
 interpret

00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:14.820
 their

00:35:14.820 --> 00:35:15.219
 answer

00:35:15.219 --> 00:35:16.460
 but

00:35:16.460 --> 00:35:16.820
 Pharaoh

00:35:16.820 --> 00:35:17.219
 seems

00:35:17.219 --> 00:35:17.679
 stymied

00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.159
 by it.

00:35:18.900 --> 00:35:19.539
 He doesn't

00:35:19.539 --> 00:35:20.360
 punish them

00:35:20.360 --> 00:35:22.099
 and verse

00:35:22.099 --> 00:35:22.679
 20 seems

00:35:22.679 --> 00:35:23.099
 to indicate

00:35:23.099 --> 00:35:23.659
 that God

00:35:23.659 --> 00:35:24.119
 was pleased

00:35:24.119 --> 00:35:24.420
 with their

00:35:24.420 --> 00:35:24.980
 answer too.

00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:26.940
 So God

00:35:26.940 --> 00:35:27.559
 dealt well

00:35:27.559 --> 00:35:27.940
 with the

00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:28.460
 midwives

00:35:28.460 --> 00:35:29.840
 and because

00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:30.340
 they feared

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:30.619
 God

00:35:30.619 --> 00:35:31.019
 he gave

00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:31.599
 them families

00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:32.039
 of their

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:32.400
 own.

00:35:33.159 --> 00:35:33.559
 At the

00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:34.240
 macro level

00:35:34.240 --> 00:35:34.780
 that may

00:35:34.780 --> 00:35:35.360
 seem like

00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:36.079
 an insignificant

00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:36.579
 thing

00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:37.780
 but God

00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:38.139
 is not

00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:38.760
 just concerned

00:35:38.760 --> 00:35:39.920
 about macroeconomic

00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:40.519
 trends.

00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:42.119
 He's

00:35:42.119 --> 00:35:42.759
 also concerned

00:35:42.759 --> 00:35:43.739
 about the

00:35:43.739 --> 00:35:44.500
 small people.

00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:46.139
 He's

00:35:46.139 --> 00:35:46.619
 concerned about

00:35:46.619 --> 00:35:47.340
 your individual

00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:47.980
 life.

00:35:48.759 --> 00:35:49.119
 If you've

00:35:49.119 --> 00:35:49.579
 been trusting

00:35:49.579 --> 00:35:50.119
 God through

00:35:50.119 --> 00:35:51.019
 infertility or

00:35:51.019 --> 00:35:51.460
 unwanted

00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:51.960
 singleness

00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:52.759
 it's no

00:35:52.759 --> 00:35:53.440
 small thing

00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:53.780
 if God

00:35:53.780 --> 00:35:54.519
 provides you

00:35:54.519 --> 00:35:55.179
 with a

00:35:55.179 --> 00:35:55.619
 spouse

00:35:55.619 --> 00:35:56.300
 or with a

00:35:56.300 --> 00:35:56.739
 family

00:35:56.739 --> 00:35:58.639
 through childbirth

00:35:58.639 --> 00:35:59.000
 or through

00:35:59.000 --> 00:35:59.460
 adoption.

00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:01.480
 God is

00:36:01.480 --> 00:36:02.039
 faithful and

00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:02.940
 merciful to

00:36:02.940 --> 00:36:03.619
 women like the

00:36:03.619 --> 00:36:04.159
 midwives who

00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:04.900
 find themselves

00:36:04.900 --> 00:36:06.039
 hard pressed

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:07.039
 with no one

00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:07.539
 to protect

00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:08.119
 them and

00:36:08.119 --> 00:36:08.699
 they stand

00:36:08.699 --> 00:36:09.639
 firm and

00:36:09.639 --> 00:36:10.759
 fear God

00:36:10.759 --> 00:36:11.199
 more than

00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:11.619
 they fear

00:36:11.619 --> 00:36:11.980
 men.

00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:13.119
 God honors

00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:13.820
 these midwives

00:36:13.820 --> 00:36:14.559
 obedience not

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.320
 only by giving

00:36:15.320 --> 00:36:16.219
 them a family

00:36:16.219 --> 00:36:16.800
 of their own

00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:17.599
 but he bestows

00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:18.239
 upon them the

00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:19.019
 honor of being

00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:21.000
 named and

00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:21.400
 having their

00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:22.239
 names preserved

00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:22.800
 in God's

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:23.480
 very own

00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:23.900
 word.

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:24.960
 Shiphrah

00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:25.920
 and Puah

00:36:25.920 --> 00:36:27.259
 verse 15

00:36:27.259 --> 00:36:28.360
 we know

00:36:28.360 --> 00:36:29.000
 their names.

00:36:29.099 --> 00:36:29.579
 We don't know

00:36:29.579 --> 00:36:30.119
 the pharaoh's

00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:30.400
 name.

00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:30.900
 Scholars will

00:36:30.900 --> 00:36:31.360
 debate that

00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:32.460
 forever but

00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:33.099
 we know their

00:36:33.099 --> 00:36:34.079
 names and

00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:34.539
 we know that

00:36:34.539 --> 00:36:35.139
 God named

00:36:35.139 --> 00:36:35.860
 them because

00:36:35.860 --> 00:36:36.380
 God is

00:36:36.380 --> 00:36:37.079
 honoring their

00:36:37.079 --> 00:36:38.039
 faithful obedience.

00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:40.120
 Like Mary who

00:36:40.120 --> 00:36:40.620
 poured ointment

00:36:40.620 --> 00:36:41.079
 on Jesus'

00:36:41.220 --> 00:36:41.559
 feet and

00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:42.019
 Jesus said

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:43.380
 wherever the

00:36:43.380 --> 00:36:43.920
 gospel is

00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:44.420
 preached what

00:36:44.420 --> 00:36:44.940
 she has

00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:46.160
 done her

00:36:46.160 --> 00:36:46.940
 sacrifice will

00:36:46.940 --> 00:36:47.660
 be recognized.

00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:49.579
 Her story will

00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:50.200
 be told in

00:36:50.200 --> 00:36:50.640
 memory of

00:36:50.640 --> 00:36:50.860
 her.

00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:52.380
 So women

00:36:52.380 --> 00:36:53.180
 stand firm

00:36:53.180 --> 00:36:53.840
 in Christ

00:36:53.840 --> 00:36:54.760
 even if you

00:36:54.760 --> 00:36:55.500
 have nobody

00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:56.140
 else beside

00:36:56.140 --> 00:36:56.400
 you.

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.620
 You have

00:36:57.620 --> 00:36:59.460
 Jesus and

00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:00.000
 he will make

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:00.539
 you strong.

00:37:03.360 --> 00:37:04.039
 So in the

00:37:04.039 --> 00:37:04.300
 midst of

00:37:04.300 --> 00:37:04.960
 oppression God

00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:05.680
 brings supernatural

00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:06.199
 growth.

00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:06.859
 When the men

00:37:06.859 --> 00:37:07.319
 and boys are

00:37:07.319 --> 00:37:07.859
 threatened God

00:37:07.859 --> 00:37:08.539
 raises up women

00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:09.099
 of faith.

00:37:09.719 --> 00:37:10.179
 And third,

00:37:10.899 --> 00:37:11.559
 the third way we

00:37:11.559 --> 00:37:11.940
 see God

00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:12.559
 intervening for

00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:12.960
 good is

00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:14.019
 delivering the

00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:14.940
 baby who

00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:15.539
 would one day

00:37:15.539 --> 00:37:16.619
 deliver his

00:37:16.619 --> 00:37:16.960
 people.

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:19.079
 Chapter two,

00:37:19.159 --> 00:37:19.719
 the focus of the

00:37:19.719 --> 00:37:20.559
 story narrows.

00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:21.379
 We've gone from

00:37:21.379 --> 00:37:22.119
 all the people of

00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:23.019
 Israel to the

00:37:23.019 --> 00:37:23.699
 midwives of the

00:37:23.699 --> 00:37:24.699
 Hebrews to a

00:37:24.699 --> 00:37:25.519
 three-month-old

00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:26.139
 baby.

00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:28.319
 His parents had

00:37:28.319 --> 00:37:29.179
 hidden him as

00:37:29.179 --> 00:37:29.659
 long as they

00:37:29.659 --> 00:37:30.000
 could.

00:37:30.519 --> 00:37:31.159
 His cries had

00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:31.899
 become too loud

00:37:31.899 --> 00:37:32.539
 most likely.

00:37:32.539 --> 00:37:33.880
 If he was

00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:34.460
 found in their

00:37:34.460 --> 00:37:35.940
 house, that

00:37:35.940 --> 00:37:36.659
 would be it.

00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:37.739
 And so his

00:37:37.739 --> 00:37:38.880
 mom made a

00:37:38.880 --> 00:37:39.800
 covered basket.

00:37:39.980 --> 00:37:40.619
 The word basket

00:37:40.619 --> 00:37:41.279
 is actually the

00:37:41.279 --> 00:37:41.779
 same word

00:37:41.779 --> 00:37:42.719
 translated ark

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:43.500
 in Genesis

00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:44.400
 chapter six in

00:37:44.400 --> 00:37:44.880
 the story of

00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:45.119
 Noah.

00:37:46.900 --> 00:37:47.840
 She placed the

00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:48.480
 ark by the

00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:50.659
 reeds on the

00:37:50.659 --> 00:37:51.039
 side of the

00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:51.259
 river.

00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:54.139
 She wasn't

00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:54.840
 abandoning him.

00:37:56.500 --> 00:37:57.179
 She wasn't

00:37:57.179 --> 00:37:57.779
 turning her back

00:37:57.779 --> 00:37:58.179
 on him.

00:37:58.179 --> 00:38:01.039
 The basket was

00:38:01.039 --> 00:38:01.579
 in the reeds.

00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:01.980
 It's not going

00:38:01.980 --> 00:38:02.519
 to float away.

00:38:03.980 --> 00:38:04.579
 And Moses'

00:38:04.759 --> 00:38:05.500
 sister was

00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:06.119
 stationed there

00:38:06.119 --> 00:38:06.919
 to watch

00:38:06.919 --> 00:38:07.419
 carefully.

00:38:10.659 --> 00:38:11.460
 It's probably

00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:11.879
 a common

00:38:11.879 --> 00:38:12.539
 place where

00:38:12.539 --> 00:38:13.659
 women came to

00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:14.019
 wash their

00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:15.359
 clothing and

00:38:15.359 --> 00:38:15.819
 bathe in the

00:38:15.819 --> 00:38:16.019
 river.

00:38:18.399 --> 00:38:19.099
 Some people

00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:19.440
 have even

00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:20.119
 compared it to

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:20.699
 leaving a baby

00:38:20.699 --> 00:38:21.419
 on the doorsteps

00:38:21.419 --> 00:38:22.000
 of a hospital.

00:38:23.039 --> 00:38:23.839
 Somebody will

00:38:23.839 --> 00:38:24.960
 likely take care

00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:27.259
 of it if you

00:38:27.259 --> 00:38:27.960
 are unable to.

00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:29.980
 Perhaps she

00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:30.539
 planned when the

00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.179
 coast was clear

00:38:31.179 --> 00:38:31.759
 to come back

00:38:31.759 --> 00:38:32.219
 and nurse him.

00:38:32.279 --> 00:38:32.719
 We have no

00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:33.039
 idea.

00:38:33.679 --> 00:38:33.980
 Furthermore,

00:38:34.199 --> 00:38:34.419
 she had

00:38:34.419 --> 00:38:34.739
 technically

00:38:34.739 --> 00:38:35.339
 complied with

00:38:35.339 --> 00:38:35.679
 the king's

00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:36.039
 edict.

00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:42.599
 The letter

00:38:42.599 --> 00:38:43.039
 but not the

00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:43.279
 spirit.

00:38:45.859 --> 00:38:46.259
 Now,

00:38:46.299 --> 00:38:46.679
 nobody knew

00:38:46.679 --> 00:38:47.039
 it then,

00:38:47.879 --> 00:38:48.579
 but God's

00:38:48.579 --> 00:38:49.519
 redemptive plans,

00:38:49.919 --> 00:38:50.480
 not just for

00:38:50.480 --> 00:38:50.940
 the people of

00:38:50.940 --> 00:38:51.460
 Israel but for

00:38:51.460 --> 00:38:52.319
 the entire world,

00:38:52.639 --> 00:38:53.299
 were hanging on

00:38:53.299 --> 00:38:54.079
 a helpless baby

00:38:54.079 --> 00:38:54.919
 in a homemade

00:38:54.919 --> 00:38:55.279
 ark.

00:38:55.280 --> 00:38:58.300
 God's plan of

00:38:58.300 --> 00:38:59.120
 redemption starts

00:38:59.120 --> 00:38:59.700
 in unexpected

00:38:59.700 --> 00:39:00.380
 places.

00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:02.460
 A baby lying

00:39:02.460 --> 00:39:03.019
 in an ark.

00:39:04.519 --> 00:39:05.460
 A baby lying

00:39:05.460 --> 00:39:05.940
 in a manger.

00:39:07.920 --> 00:39:08.680
 Sometimes God's

00:39:08.680 --> 00:39:09.400
 redemptive plans

00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:10.100
 seem to hang on

00:39:10.100 --> 00:39:11.180
 a very thin and

00:39:11.180 --> 00:39:11.940
 fragile thread,

00:39:12.080 --> 00:39:12.920
 but the hand that

00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:13.740
 holds that thread

00:39:13.740 --> 00:39:14.620
 is a strong and

00:39:14.620 --> 00:39:15.140
 steady hand,

00:39:15.180 --> 00:39:15.660
 and if you have

00:39:15.660 --> 00:39:16.380
 turned in faith

00:39:16.380 --> 00:39:17.500
 to Jesus Christ,

00:39:17.900 --> 00:39:18.720
 if you have cast

00:39:18.720 --> 00:39:19.460
 yourself and your

00:39:19.460 --> 00:39:20.320
 future on him

00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:21.000
 in your weakness

00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:21.880
 and your fragility,

00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:23.000
 the same hand

00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:23.720
 that was holding

00:39:23.720 --> 00:39:24.440
 on to Moses

00:39:24.440 --> 00:39:24.960
 is holding

00:39:24.960 --> 00:39:25.579
 on to you,

00:39:26.140 --> 00:39:28.099
 and he won't

00:39:28.099 --> 00:39:28.660
 let you go.

00:39:30.180 --> 00:39:30.780
 How does God

00:39:30.780 --> 00:39:31.340
 deliver Moses

00:39:31.340 --> 00:39:31.920
 from the water

00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:32.380
 again?

00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:33.760
 In an unexpected

00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:34.360
 way,

00:39:34.640 --> 00:39:35.800
 by the hand

00:39:35.800 --> 00:39:36.300
 of Pharaoh's

00:39:36.300 --> 00:39:36.940
 own daughter.

00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:38.940
 She wasn't

00:39:38.940 --> 00:39:39.599
 a fellow Hebrew.

00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:41.099
 She couldn't

00:39:41.099 --> 00:39:42.200
 personally sympathize

00:39:42.200 --> 00:39:42.579
 with their

00:39:42.579 --> 00:39:43.280
 precarious

00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:44.880
 social situation.

00:39:45.220 --> 00:39:45.740
 She had little

00:39:45.740 --> 00:39:46.300
 to gain and

00:39:46.300 --> 00:39:47.119
 everything to lose,

00:39:47.200 --> 00:39:47.740
 but she had

00:39:47.740 --> 00:39:48.280
 compassion.

00:39:48.680 --> 00:39:49.180
 She didn't

00:39:49.180 --> 00:39:50.000
 abandon the baby

00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:50.860
 but adopted him

00:39:50.860 --> 00:39:51.380
 as her own.

00:39:51.380 --> 00:39:51.840
 She even

00:39:51.840 --> 00:39:52.260
 paid his

00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:52.660
 mother to

00:39:52.660 --> 00:39:53.119
 nurse him.

00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:54.360
 You see,

00:39:54.420 --> 00:39:54.900
 she doesn't

00:39:54.900 --> 00:39:55.280
 treat the

00:39:55.280 --> 00:39:55.720
 Hebrews as

00:39:55.720 --> 00:39:56.320
 slaves.

00:39:57.579 --> 00:39:58.320
 She paid

00:39:58.320 --> 00:39:58.820
 for child

00:39:58.820 --> 00:40:01.700
 care out

00:40:01.700 --> 00:40:02.059
 of her own

00:40:02.059 --> 00:40:02.420
 pocket.

00:40:03.980 --> 00:40:04.599
 She put

00:40:04.599 --> 00:40:05.220
 herself at

00:40:05.220 --> 00:40:08.640
 risk to

00:40:08.640 --> 00:40:09.700
 raise this

00:40:09.700 --> 00:40:10.099
 child.

00:40:12.820 --> 00:40:13.260
 Now,

00:40:13.300 --> 00:40:13.519
 you might

00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:13.840
 ask,

00:40:13.920 --> 00:40:14.099
 wouldn't

00:40:14.099 --> 00:40:14.500
 Pharaoh have

00:40:14.500 --> 00:40:14.940
 gotten word

00:40:14.940 --> 00:40:15.280
 of this?

00:40:15.400 --> 00:40:15.599
 Well,

00:40:16.059 --> 00:40:16.559
 one Pharaoh

00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:17.099
 was reported

00:40:17.099 --> 00:40:17.840
 to have 200

00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:18.280
 children,

00:40:19.400 --> 00:40:20.559
 including 111

00:40:20.559 --> 00:40:20.920
 sons,

00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:21.420
 and 59

00:40:21.420 --> 00:40:21.780
 daughters

00:40:21.780 --> 00:40:22.260
 whose names

00:40:22.260 --> 00:40:22.780
 are recorded.

00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:23.119
 So,

00:40:23.240 --> 00:40:23.539
 the vast

00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:24.019
 majority of

00:40:24.019 --> 00:40:24.260
 Pharaoh's

00:40:24.260 --> 00:40:24.920
 children probably

00:40:24.920 --> 00:40:25.280
 would not

00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:25.720
 have seen him

00:40:25.720 --> 00:40:26.240
 very often,

00:40:26.980 --> 00:40:27.599
 but still,

00:40:27.940 --> 00:40:28.940
 it was a

00:40:28.940 --> 00:40:29.320
 risk.

00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:31.680
 What we see

00:40:31.680 --> 00:40:32.099
 in Pharaoh's

00:40:32.099 --> 00:40:32.519
 daughter is

00:40:32.519 --> 00:40:32.900
 this.

00:40:33.500 --> 00:40:34.260
 God's salvation

00:40:34.260 --> 00:40:35.019
 is for people

00:40:35.019 --> 00:40:35.820
 from every

00:40:35.820 --> 00:40:36.700
 nation of the

00:40:36.700 --> 00:40:37.000
 world.

00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:38.800
 No ethnic

00:40:38.800 --> 00:40:39.420
 group is

00:40:39.420 --> 00:40:39.920
 excluded.

00:40:40.300 --> 00:40:41.200
 Maybe you,

00:40:41.559 --> 00:40:42.079
 like Pharaoh's

00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:42.380
 daughter,

00:40:42.539 --> 00:40:43.139
 come from a

00:40:43.139 --> 00:40:44.220
 family that is

00:40:44.220 --> 00:40:45.780
 completely opposed,

00:40:45.780 --> 00:40:45.880
 most,

00:40:46.220 --> 00:40:46.880
 as Pharaoh

00:40:46.880 --> 00:40:47.440
 was,

00:40:47.680 --> 00:40:49.400
 to Christianity,

00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:50.820
 to God's

00:40:50.820 --> 00:40:51.320
 people.

00:40:52.100 --> 00:40:52.920
 But there's a

00:40:52.920 --> 00:40:53.940
 place in God's

00:40:53.940 --> 00:40:54.620
 kingdom in His

00:40:54.620 --> 00:40:55.440
 family for you,

00:40:56.080 --> 00:40:57.640
 as there was for

00:40:57.640 --> 00:40:58.280
 Pharaoh's daughter.

00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:00.860
 She named the

00:41:00.860 --> 00:41:01.700
 child Moses.

00:41:03.140 --> 00:41:03.980
 Moses was a

00:41:03.980 --> 00:41:04.540
 common Egyptian

00:41:04.540 --> 00:41:05.000
 name.

00:41:05.220 --> 00:41:05.820
 It simply means

00:41:05.820 --> 00:41:06.200
 son.

00:41:06.580 --> 00:41:07.100
 But verse 10

00:41:07.100 --> 00:41:07.880
 points out that

00:41:07.880 --> 00:41:09.380
 Moshe also sounds

00:41:09.380 --> 00:41:09.940
 like the Hebrew

00:41:09.940 --> 00:41:10.640
 mashah,

00:41:10.960 --> 00:41:12.200
 to draw out.

00:41:12.199 --> 00:41:12.939
 The one who

00:41:12.939 --> 00:41:14.019
 was drawn out,

00:41:14.259 --> 00:41:14.939
 delivered from

00:41:14.939 --> 00:41:15.619
 the waters of

00:41:15.619 --> 00:41:16.079
 the Nile,

00:41:16.239 --> 00:41:16.819
 would one day

00:41:16.819 --> 00:41:17.279
 grow up to

00:41:17.279 --> 00:41:18.000
 deliver God's

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:18.779
 people through

00:41:18.779 --> 00:41:19.500
 the waters of

00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:20.119
 the Red Sea.

00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:22.039
 One commentator

00:41:22.039 --> 00:41:22.659
 put it this way,

00:41:22.739 --> 00:41:23.279
 this child,

00:41:23.419 --> 00:41:24.119
 once doomed to

00:41:24.119 --> 00:41:24.599
 death by

00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:25.399
 Pharaoh's decree,

00:41:25.859 --> 00:41:26.339
 would become

00:41:26.339 --> 00:41:27.299
 the very instrument

00:41:27.299 --> 00:41:27.939
 of Pharaoh's

00:41:27.939 --> 00:41:28.779
 destruction and

00:41:28.779 --> 00:41:29.460
 the means through

00:41:29.460 --> 00:41:30.359
 which all Israel

00:41:30.359 --> 00:41:31.000
 would escape,

00:41:31.279 --> 00:41:32.179
 not only Pharaoh's

00:41:32.179 --> 00:41:33.039
 decree, but Egypt

00:41:33.039 --> 00:41:33.559
 itself.

00:41:34.379 --> 00:41:34.919
 Do you see?

00:41:35.799 --> 00:41:36.919
 Every evil

00:41:36.919 --> 00:41:37.839
 design of

00:41:37.839 --> 00:41:38.179
 Pharaoh,

00:41:39.339 --> 00:41:40.399
 God intervened

00:41:40.399 --> 00:41:41.099
 for good.

00:41:42.199 --> 00:41:43.899
 When the people

00:41:43.899 --> 00:41:44.699
 were oppressed

00:41:44.699 --> 00:41:45.419
 and enslaved,

00:41:45.579 --> 00:41:46.759
 God supernaturally

00:41:46.759 --> 00:41:47.339
 grew them.

00:41:47.539 --> 00:41:48.019
 When the men

00:41:48.019 --> 00:41:48.539
 and boys were

00:41:48.539 --> 00:41:49.099
 under attack,

00:41:49.179 --> 00:41:49.799
 God raised up

00:41:49.799 --> 00:41:50.519
 women of faith.

00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:51.359
 And when the

00:41:51.359 --> 00:41:51.960
 Pharaoh summoned

00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:52.879
 every Egyptian

00:41:52.879 --> 00:41:54.079
 to throw every

00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:54.980
 Hebrew son into

00:41:54.980 --> 00:41:55.439
 the Nile,

00:41:55.539 --> 00:41:56.219
 God in his

00:41:56.219 --> 00:41:56.879
 providence

00:41:56.879 --> 00:41:58.559
 delivered the

00:41:58.559 --> 00:41:59.039
 one who would

00:41:59.039 --> 00:41:59.699
 one day deliver

00:41:59.699 --> 00:42:00.399
 his people by

00:42:00.399 --> 00:42:01.019
 the hand of

00:42:01.019 --> 00:42:01.599
 Pharaoh's own

00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:01.899
 daughter.

00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:07.359
 Everything that

00:42:07.359 --> 00:42:08.059
 Pharaoh intended

00:42:08.059 --> 00:42:08.579
 for evil,

00:42:08.699 --> 00:42:09.519
 God turned for

00:42:09.519 --> 00:42:09.839
 good.

00:42:11.419 --> 00:42:12.019
 That's the

00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:12.420
 message of

00:42:12.420 --> 00:42:12.940
 this passage.

00:42:14.719 --> 00:42:15.440
 We see it

00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:16.360
 right here,

00:42:16.480 --> 00:42:17.119
 and we see it

00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:17.500
 in the life

00:42:17.500 --> 00:42:18.239
 of Jesus even

00:42:18.239 --> 00:42:18.659
 more.

00:42:19.739 --> 00:42:20.500
 As a baby,

00:42:21.219 --> 00:42:21.860
 he was threatened

00:42:21.860 --> 00:42:22.719
 by King Herod

00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:23.179
 who wanted to

00:42:23.179 --> 00:42:23.619
 kill him.

00:42:23.679 --> 00:42:24.199
 In the desert,

00:42:24.320 --> 00:42:25.019
 the devil tempted

00:42:25.019 --> 00:42:25.360
 him.

00:42:25.579 --> 00:42:26.239
 In the garden,

00:42:26.340 --> 00:42:27.019
 he was betrayed

00:42:27.019 --> 00:42:27.639
 by one of his

00:42:27.639 --> 00:42:27.980
 friends,

00:42:28.019 --> 00:42:28.380
 and on the

00:42:28.380 --> 00:42:29.039
 darkest day of

00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:29.199
 all,

00:42:29.280 --> 00:42:29.780
 he was nailed

00:42:29.780 --> 00:42:30.300
 to a tree,

00:42:30.360 --> 00:42:30.739
 and he hung

00:42:30.739 --> 00:42:31.300
 on that tree,

00:42:31.340 --> 00:42:31.860
 and he cried

00:42:31.860 --> 00:42:32.119
 out,

00:42:32.280 --> 00:42:32.800
 and there was

00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:34.079
 no answer.

00:42:36.719 --> 00:42:37.480
 But every one

00:42:37.480 --> 00:42:37.960
 of Satan's

00:42:37.960 --> 00:42:38.519
 designs for

00:42:38.519 --> 00:42:38.739
 evil,

00:42:38.860 --> 00:42:39.360
 God turned

00:42:39.360 --> 00:42:39.800
 for good.

00:42:39.800 --> 00:42:41.160
 Jesus was

00:42:41.160 --> 00:42:41.740
 delivered from

00:42:41.740 --> 00:42:42.260
 the wrath of

00:42:42.260 --> 00:42:42.539
 Herod.

00:42:42.600 --> 00:42:43.240
 He resisted

00:42:43.240 --> 00:42:43.720
 the devil's

00:42:43.720 --> 00:42:44.140
 temptation,

00:42:44.420 --> 00:42:44.900
 and therefore

00:42:44.900 --> 00:42:45.820
 overcame him.

00:42:46.180 --> 00:42:46.840
 He remained

00:42:46.840 --> 00:42:47.539
 loyal to his

00:42:47.539 --> 00:42:47.960
 followers,

00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:48.600
 even when his

00:42:48.600 --> 00:42:49.240
 followers weren't

00:42:49.240 --> 00:42:49.840
 loyal to him,

00:42:49.860 --> 00:42:50.220
 and on the

00:42:50.220 --> 00:42:50.600
 cross,

00:42:50.760 --> 00:42:51.740
 he took our

00:42:51.740 --> 00:42:52.320
 sins away,

00:42:52.880 --> 00:42:53.460
 as far as the

00:42:53.460 --> 00:42:54.000
 east is from

00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:54.480
 the west.

00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:55.500
 And on the

00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:56.039
 third day,

00:42:56.160 --> 00:42:57.260
 he triumphed

00:42:57.260 --> 00:42:57.820
 over sin and

00:42:57.820 --> 00:42:58.900
 death in his

00:42:58.900 --> 00:42:59.400
 resurrection.

00:43:00.380 --> 00:43:01.000
 Brothers and

00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:01.220
 sisters,

00:43:01.400 --> 00:43:02.440
 that's why we

00:43:02.440 --> 00:43:03.140
 can be confident

00:43:03.140 --> 00:43:04.380
 that God is

00:43:04.380 --> 00:43:05.180
 present and active

00:43:05.180 --> 00:43:06.060
 in our lives,

00:43:06.059 --> 00:43:07.860
 and in this

00:43:07.860 --> 00:43:08.259
 world,

00:43:08.380 --> 00:43:08.980
 even when it

00:43:08.980 --> 00:43:09.579
 doesn't seem

00:43:09.579 --> 00:43:10.299
 like it,

00:43:10.900 --> 00:43:11.480
 even when he

00:43:11.480 --> 00:43:12.079
 seems to be

00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:12.820
 silent for a

00:43:12.820 --> 00:43:13.420
 really long

00:43:13.420 --> 00:43:14.219
 time and only

00:43:14.219 --> 00:43:14.860
 active in the

00:43:14.860 --> 00:43:15.559
 smallest ways,

00:43:15.619 --> 00:43:16.259
 we serve a God

00:43:16.259 --> 00:43:16.900
 who takes what

00:43:16.900 --> 00:43:17.559
 was intended for

00:43:17.559 --> 00:43:18.559
 evil and turns

00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:19.219
 it to accomplish

00:43:19.219 --> 00:43:20.159
 his good and

00:43:20.159 --> 00:43:20.860
 glorious and

00:43:20.860 --> 00:43:21.599
 saving purposes

00:43:21.599 --> 00:43:22.279
 in the world.

00:43:27.279 --> 00:43:28.019
 We're about to

00:43:28.019 --> 00:43:28.420
 come to the

00:43:28.420 --> 00:43:29.019
 Lord's table,

00:43:29.440 --> 00:43:30.360
 where we remember

00:43:30.360 --> 00:43:31.679
 the death of

00:43:31.679 --> 00:43:32.659
 Christ on our

00:43:32.659 --> 00:43:33.099
 behalf.

00:43:33.099 --> 00:43:34.880
 And we can

00:43:34.880 --> 00:43:35.440
 remember that

00:43:35.440 --> 00:43:36.259
 there, what

00:43:36.259 --> 00:43:36.880
 God, what

00:43:36.880 --> 00:43:37.480
 Satan intended

00:43:37.480 --> 00:43:39.239
 for evil, God

00:43:39.239 --> 00:43:39.759
 intended for

00:43:39.759 --> 00:43:40.039
 good.

00:43:40.739 --> 00:43:41.599
 And as we take

00:43:41.599 --> 00:43:42.019
 the bread and

00:43:42.019 --> 00:43:42.980
 the cup, we

00:43:42.980 --> 00:43:43.480
 take them in

00:43:43.480 --> 00:43:43.799
 faith.

00:43:44.440 --> 00:43:45.279
 We offer to

00:43:45.279 --> 00:43:47.079
 him our lives,

00:43:47.440 --> 00:43:48.699
 that he might

00:43:48.699 --> 00:43:49.279
 use them for his

00:43:49.279 --> 00:43:49.799
 good purposes.

00:43:51.139 --> 00:43:51.839
 Let's pray.

00:43:53.460 --> 00:43:54.339
 Father, we thank

00:43:54.339 --> 00:43:54.880
 you that what

00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:56.179
 Satan intends

00:43:56.179 --> 00:43:56.960
 for evil, that

00:43:56.960 --> 00:43:59.039
 you turn for

00:43:59.039 --> 00:43:59.339
 good.

00:44:00.219 --> 00:44:00.759
 We pray that

00:44:00.759 --> 00:44:01.079
 you would give

00:44:01.079 --> 00:44:02.819
 us faith, hope,

00:44:03.099 --> 00:44:04.019
 and love.

00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:05.819
 Pray that you'd

00:44:05.819 --> 00:44:06.599
 nourish us as we

00:44:06.599 --> 00:44:07.579
 receive the Lord's

00:44:07.579 --> 00:44:08.000
 Supper this

00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:08.259
 morning.

00:44:08.360 --> 00:44:09.019
 In Jesus' name,

00:44:09.420 --> 00:44:09.679
 amen.