Exodus: A Group StudySample

WEEK 2 INTRODUCTION: DARKNESS

Moving deeper into Exodus this week, the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants does not end in blessing and abundance. Instead, bondage and affliction befall God’s people. Out of fear, Pharaoh enslaves Israel, subjecting them to bitter servitude and ultimately genocide. Amid their darkness, however, heroism and hope arise from the most unlikely of places, foreshadowing the great deliverance to come.

What is this passage saying?

As God fulfills His promise to multiply the Israelites, Pharaoh seeks to suppress their growth through enslavement and eventually infanticide. The Hebrew midwives heroically stand against Pharaoh, saving a generation of Israelite boys from death and demonstrating God’s faithfulness to those who obey Him.

What is this passage teaching?

Darkness quickly descends on the story of Exodus. Despite the fulfillment of God’s promises through the Israelites’ miraculous multiplication, Pharaoh and the Egyptians enact a program of harsh slavery and genocide against the Israelites. However, God’s plans cannot be thwarted. Although commanded to kill the Israelite boys upon their birth, the Hebrew midwives “feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live” (1:17). Despite the incredible darkness around them, the midwives saw God as a greater authority than Pharaoh.

How do I respond?

Following God in dark seasons requires boldness and courage. Despite the pressure on them, the midwives feared God and trusted in his power and authority to deliver them. In a culture that is progressively opposed to God’s people and a world that seems to be descending deeper and deeper into darkness, following Jesus will grow increasingly costly. Like the midwives, God sometimes calls His people to give up their vocations, livelihoods, reputations, families, and even their very lives to accomplish His purposes. Jesus tells us that He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18) – are you willing to stake all that you are and all that you have on that truth? Pray that God would enable you to trust Him and His authority over all things.