In
Genesis 15:13-14, God made a promise to Abram that his seed would be a
stranger in
a land that was not their own and they would
serve those people four hundred years. God also
promised that He would bring them out of that
land with great substance. In the book of Exodus
we find this promise being kept. God brought
Abram's seed out of the land of Egypt with great
substance. Before God brought them out
He proved Himself to His people and the Egyptians
by the plagues. Finally He destroyed Pharaoh's
army in the Red Sea before the sight of al Israel.
God
brought the people out with all their children, cattle and possessions.
A great nation
did God lead out of Egypt in the book of Exodus.
Only about seventy people went into Egypt
during the famine of Joseph's day, but 600,000
men came out, besides women and children.
The children of Israel could have easily numbered
a million to a million and a half people who
came out of the land of Egypt, a great nation
through which the promise made that all the nations
of the earth would be blessed. We know
that blessing was the Messiah, Jesus the Son of God.
God made promises throughout history and He has
always kept His promises. This gives us
confidence that the promises God made to Christians
will be fulfilled just as He has promised!
EFFECTS OF CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT
by Paul D. Fisher
On
January 20, 2001, we had a change in the government of this country.
Unlike many countries
this change was peaceful, but it could have far
reaching effects. As we read in Exodus 1:8-14, there
was a change in the government of Egypt and the
new king did not know Joseph. Before this king,
the children of Israel were living in the land
of Goshen and they were multiplying into a large group of
people. They had plenty to eat, they and
their cattle and flocks, and things were good for them.
This
all changed with the new king for we read in chapter one, verse eleven,
"Therefore they did
set over them taskmasters to afflict them with
their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities,
Pithom and Raamses." Then in verse fourteen,
"And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage,
in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of
service in the field: all their service, wherein they made
them serve, was with rigour." If this was
not enough, Pharaoh added this burden to the people in verse
sixteen, "And he said, When ye do the office
of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon
the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill
him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live."
Quite
a change took place in the lives of the children of Israel, or Hebrews,
with this change in
government. From the quiet life of herdsmen
to forced laborers building treasure cities for Pharaoh.
From a growing population to one in which all
the male babies were to be destroyed. No wonder in
Exodus 3:7 we find God saying to Moses, "And
the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my
people which are in Egypt, and have heard their
cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their
sorrows;" God had seen the affliction of His
people by this new government and He was about to
make a change in their status. God would
send Moses to Egypt to lead His people out, but before
the people were led out, all the land of Egypt
would know that He was God!
I pray
that nothing like this happens in this country. We have a change
in government and let
us all pray that God would give these leaders
wisdom to deal wisely with all people. May the leaders
of this new government turn their hearts to God
and not harden their hearts through pride. At the end
of four years may we be able to look back and
say, "January 20, 2001 was the beginning of a new government which turned
back to God and did not turn their backs on God."
© Copyright 2001. Paul D. Fisher. All rights reserved.