Affliction in Egypt

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” (Exodus 1:8)

   Jacob, his sons, and their families lived in Egypt. Eventually “…Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.” (Exodus 1:6) As years went on, “…the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” (Exodus 1:7) The Hebrews were many and they were strong.

   As our Scripture says, a new Pharaoh came to power who “knew not Joseph.” It seems unlikely that he had not heard of Joseph. Joseph had been a hero in Egypt. Joseph, by God’s grace, kept Egypt from being destroyed by famine and made her the food supplier for the world. Egyptian history books could not possibly have neglected to mention Joseph and what he did for Egypt. More likely, the new king “knew not Joseph” in that he did not respect him or what he had done.

  The word “know” has several meanings in English: “I know how you feel,” “I know the answer,” “I know that person.” The word “know” in the Bible does, too. One is the idea of respect. For example, Egypt’s next Pharaoh said, “I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:2) People know there is a God. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.” Pharaoh knew that there is a God, but he did not respect Him.

   Back to the story. The Hebrews were so many and so mighty that Pharaoh feared that if Egypt got into a war, the Hebrews would turn against them, although we have no record that the Hebrews made any threatening overtures. Yet Pharaoh, in his fear, made them slaves: “Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.” (Exodus 1:1)

   Yet if Pharaoh was trying to destroy them by affliction, it didn’t work: “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.” (Exodus 1:12) Pharaoh then tried another tactic. He told the Hebrew midwives, “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.” (Exodus 1:16)

   A dead baby boy would not grow up to be a soldier. Yet there was a far more sinister reason for what Pharaoh did. God had said in the garden of Eden that the Saviour would destroy the serpent: “…it shall bruise thy head,” (Genesis 3:15) As the devil went “…to and fro in the earth,” as Job 1:7 says he does, he saw that the Saviour would come from the nation of Israel. So the way to destroy the Saviour and ensure mankind’s eternal destruction would be to convince the wicked Pharaoh to kill the baby boys.

   America has a divided government and an electoral college so no one person or group becomes too powerful. Still, our leaders face temptations from the devil that most of us don’t, especially in regard to power: getting it, keeping it, and exercising it. That’s why it’s so desperately important for leaders to spend time in God’s word for guidance, and why citizens need to pray for “…all that are in authority;” (1 Timothy 2:2) for them to follow God’s guidance and resist the devil’s temptation.

   The midwives refused to obey Pharaoh’s order, saying, “…they [Hebrew newborns] are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.” (Exodus 1:19) God blessed them for obeying Him: “Therefore God dealt well with the midwives:” (Exodus 1:20) God blesses obedience.