We’re beginning an exciting new study on the book of Exodus. This journey will likely take us some time to complete, but the lessons we uncover will be worth every moment. Personally, I’m looking forward to exploring the depth and beauty of this book with you.

The book of Exodus is a profound testament to God’s character and His relationship with His people. As I’ve been reading and preparing, I’ve gained an even greater appreciation for the richness of its themes and stories.

At its core, Exodus conveys a central, resounding truth: God is faithful to His promises. This faithfulness is revealed most powerfully through His personal presence with His people. Whether through the burning bush or the pillar of cloud and fire, God’s nearness is a constant reminder of His unwavering love and commitment.

As students of Scripture and theology, many of us are familiar with one of God’s great attributes: His omnipresence. We know that God is everywhere, a truth that brings comfort and awe. However, there’s another aspect of God’s presence that is unique and deeply personal—His special presence with His people. This presence is distinct from His omnipresence, and it is one of the greatest blessings we can experience.

Think about the Christmas season we recently celebrated. One of its great proclamations is found in the name Emmanuel—God with us. This truth reflects the beauty of God’s presence among His people, a theme we see echoed powerfully in the book of Exodus. Through its pages, we are reminded of the nature of God’s faithfulness, revealed most profoundly in His nearness to His people.

My prayer as we journey through Exodus is that we’ll grow in our understanding of this faithfulness. As we begin in chapter 1, we’ll see God’s faithfulness revealed in three specific ways. Here’s a road-map of what we’ll unpack together:

1. God’s Faithfulness in Promise-Keeping
   (Exodus 1:1–7)
2. God’s Faithfulness in Providing Endurance
   (Exodus 1:8–14)
3. God’s Faithfulness in Providing Protection
   (Exodus 1:15–22)

These three elements provide a lens through which we can clearly see God’s steadfast love and commitment to His people. Let’s explore each of these together.

---

1. God’s Faithfulness in Promise-Keeping

(Exodus 1:1–7)

The book of Exodus opens with a profound declaration of God’s faithfulness. The first seven verses establish the historical and theological context for what’s to come:

“Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one with his household: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt. Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.”
Exodus 1:1–7

This passage connects the narrative of Exodus to the promises God made in Genesis, reminding us that this is not the start of a new story but the continuation of God’s redemptive plan.

The Continuation of God’s Plan

To understand Exodus, we must see it as part of the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Bible. These books, delivered as one unit to God’s people, are deeply interconnected. The language in Exodus 1 mirrors that of Genesis 46, emphasizing continuity:

“Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt…” (Genesis 46:8).

This repetition signals that Exodus is the next chapter in God’s unfolding plan, moving from a family-centered narrative in Genesis to a nation-focused story in Exodus.

The Fulfillment of God’s Covenant with Abraham

In Genesis 12:1–3, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him three things:

1. Land: A specific place for his descendants.
2. Seed: Numerous offspring.
3. Blessing: A promise to bless all nations through his lineage.

Though these promises may have seemed impossible—Abraham was in his nineties with no children when God spoke—Abraham believed. His faith was credited to him as righteousness, as Paul later explains in Romans and Galatians.

Now, in Exodus 1, we see God fulfilling His promise of “seed.” While Genesis recounts the growth of Abraham’s family to seventy people, Exodus declares:

“The sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly and multiplied and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.” (Exodus 1:7)

What began as seventy individuals has now grown into a multitude. God’s promise to Abraham is being realized on a grand scale.

A Return to Humanity’s Purpose

This multiplication isn’t just about numbers—it’s deeply connected to humanity’s original purpose. In Genesis 1:28, God instructed Adam and Eve:

“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it…”

While humanity repeatedly failed to fulfill this purpose in the primeval history of Genesis (e.g., the fall, the flood, the Tower of Babel), God is now accomplishing His plan through the descendants of Abraham. They are being fruitful, multiplying, and filling the land—not by their own strength but through God’s faithfulness.

God’s Hand in the Details

It’s tempting to view this growth as a natural outcome of biology and time. However, this multiplication is not mere chance; it is the sovereign work of God. The Egyptians shared the same biology and time, yet it was the Israelites who became “exceedingly mighty.”

God is at work, keeping His promises and accomplishing His purposes. His faithfulness is unmistakable, even in the simplest details of life.

2. God’s Faithfulness in Providing Endurance

(Exodus 1:8–14)

After the hopeful opening of Exodus in verse 7, where the sons of Israel are flourishing and filling the land, the story takes an unexpected and harsh turn:

“Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, ‘Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply, and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us and fight against us and depart from the land.’ So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Ramses.” (Exodus 1:8–11)

The Rise of Opposition

This “new king” introduces a significant shift in Israel’s circumstances. History suggests this could refer to the rise of an indigenous Egyptian ruler who overthrew the foreign Hyksos kings. Unlike the Hyksos, who might have been more favorable to Joseph’s influence, this Pharaoh viewed the Israelites with suspicion. Their numbers and strength posed a potential threat, and he resolved to suppress them through slavery and oppression.

The Israelites, once honored and privileged due to Joseph’s leadership, were now treated as threats and enslaved to build monumental cities like Pithom and Ramses. These cities, constructed to store provisions and munitions, symbolized Pharaoh’s power and wealth—a stark contrast to the Israelites’ harsh and bitter reality.

Endurance Through Affliction

Despite the heavy burdens placed on them, God’s faithfulness shines through. The narrative records an extraordinary outcome:

“But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied, and the more they spread out, so that they [the Egyptians] were in dread of the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 1:12)

Pharaoh’s oppression backfired. The harder he tried to crush the Israelites, the more they grew, a testament to God’s sustaining power. This divine endurance demonstrates that even in trials, God is actively at work, preserving His people and keeping His promises.

God’s Training Through Hardship

Interestingly, the labor imposed on the Israelites also had an unintended consequence: it equipped them with skills that would later play a crucial role in their journey. Building and working with mortar and bricks prepared them for the tasks God would call them to after their deliverance. Even in suffering, God was laying the groundwork for His greater plans.

Faithfulness in the Midst of Doubt

For the Israelites, it must have been tempting to believe that God had abandoned them. They had experienced the blessings of Joseph’s generation, but now they were slaves in a foreign land. Yet, God was still with them, providing endurance and multiplying their numbers despite the Pharaoh’s efforts.

This passage reminds us that God’s faithfulness doesn’t waver, even when circumstances are bleak. His promises endure, and His presence sustains. The more the world seeks to oppress His people, the more He displays His power and provision.

3. God’s Faithfulness in Providing Protection 

(Exodus 1:15–22) 

The final section of Exodus 1 demonstrates God’s faithfulness in protecting His people, even in the face of evil schemes. This well-known passage highlights the courage of two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who defy Pharaoh’s command to kill Hebrew baby boys at birth: 

 “Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah; and he said, ‘When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.” Exodus 1:15–17

A Sinister Plot 

Pharaoh’s plan was calculated and sinister. He sought to prevent the Israelites from multiplying by ordering the death of every Hebrew son. The method he proposed was particularly cruel: the midwives were to carry out this act during one of the most tender moments—when the newborn was being cleaned after birth. This betrayal, at a time of trust and vulnerability, reveals the depth of Pharaoh’s evil. 

When the midwives defied his orders, Pharaoh summoned them and demanded an explanation. Their response was simple yet bold: 

“The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.’” Exodus 1:19 

The Fear of God 

The central theme of this passage is not the midwives’ strategic deception but their fear of God. Twice the text emphasizes this: 

– “But the midwives feared God…” Exodus 1:17 

– “Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.” Exodus 1:21

Their fear of God—not Pharaoh—motivated their actions. This reverence for the Almighty empowered them to stand firm against the most powerful man in the land, protecting the lives of countless Hebrew boys. 

God’s Protection 

Through the courage of these women, God’s hand of protection is evident. The people of Israel continued to multiply, despite Pharaoh’s attempts to destroy them: 

 “So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very mighty.” Exodus 1:20 

Pharaoh’s response to this failure was to escalate his cruelty, commanding all Egyptians to throw Hebrew baby boys into the Nile. Yet, even in this, God was preparing for deliverance. As the chapter concludes ominously, it sets the stage for the miraculous events to come. 

God’s Faithfulness Unfolding 

This story is part of a much larger narrative of God’s faithfulness: 

–          In chapter 2, God raises up Moses—a deliverer who will lead His people to freedom. 

–          In later chapters, God demonstrates His power by dismantling Egypt’s gods and Pharaoh’s authority through the plagues. 

–          At the Red Sea, God delivers a decisive victory, wiping out Pharaoh’s army in a single act. 

–          Through the giving of the law and the building of the tabernacle, God declares His intent to dwell among His people. 

Even in the darkest moments, God is at work, fulfilling His promises and protecting His people. The courage of Shiphrah and Puah reminds us that God often uses the most unexpected individuals to accomplish His plans. 

---

Conclusion

As we close this introduction to the book of Exodus, I’d like to leave you with a simple homework assignment: read John chapter 17. In this chapter, you’ll see the same God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who faithfully dwelled with His people in Exodus, now dwelling with His people through Jesus Christ.

Have you trusted in this God? Do you know Him? Do you trust in His promises? Perhaps there are areas in your life where you’ve grown weary in waiting for His provision.

If that’s you, I invite you to reflect on what we’ve studied. Look again at the ways God’s faithfulness was demonstrated:

–          In keeping His promises (Exodus 1:1–7),

–          In providing endurance (Exodus 1:8–14), and

–          In offering protection (Exodus 1:15–22).

Let these truths remind you of His unchanging character and steadfast love.

As we continue this journey through Exodus, my prayer is that our appreciation for God’s faithfulness will deepen, and our trust in Him will grow. Come back each day as we explore this incredible story of redemption, presence, and promise.

---

Credits

Sermon by Eric Dodson

Editing for Blog by Stephen Frick