Journey Through the Bible in a Year
Reading God's Word and learning more about His plan for my life each day!
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Introduction to Journey Through the Bible
A note about online study
My Prayer Today
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for a new day to live and serve You! Thank You for the abundant grace You show me through Your Son, Jesus. As I start to read about Moses and the people of Israel’s escape from Egypt, help me to remember that sometimes in life things that seem good lead to difficulty, and difficult things often lead to a new demonstration of your goodness and power. When the Israelites went to Egypt, it was literally their salvation. They would have starved without Joseph’s intervention and provision. In today’s Scripture they are slaves of the same people who had once treated them so well. May I remember to call on You in times of difficulty, and praise You when You bring me blessing. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that all that I am and do may honor You. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
My Journey Verses for Today
Exodus 1:1-10
1 These are the sons of Jacob who went with their father to Egypt, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, 4 Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 Joseph was already down in Egypt. In all, Jacob had seventy direct descendants. 6 In time, Joseph and each of his brothers died, ending that generation. 7 But their descendants had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so quickly that they soon filled the land. 8 Then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. 9 He told his people, "These Israelites are becoming a threat to us because there are so many of them. 10 We must find a way to put an end to this. If we don't and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country."
Reflecting on God's Word for My Journey
Have you ever gone to visit someone you knew from long ago and they didn’t recognize or remember you? How did you feel?
Have you ever been afraid of a certain person or group of people, even though you didn’t really know them? If so, what caused that fear?
A Deeper Exploration of God's Word for My Journey
What was the result of Jacob’s family going into Egypt from the standpoint of the growth of family into a nation as God had promised? (1:1-7)
What happened in Egypt that changed the Egyptian’s outlook toward the Israelites? (1:8)
What did the new Egyptian king think the Israelites would do, since there were so many of them?
Understanding God's Will for My Journey
Does the new king of Egypt’s conclusions about the Israelites possibly turning against the Egyptians in time of war make sense based on the prior experience of the Israelites in Egypt? Why or why not?
How do you suppose Joseph’s memory could have been forgotten in Egypt after all he did for that nation?
Applying What God's Word Tells Me to My Journey
What one, specific action does today’s Scripture reading lead you to do?
My Personal Journey Thought for the Day—“A New King...”
After all we have read about Joseph and what he did to save not only the Egyptians, but also his own family, it’s hard to believe that a king could have come along in Egypt who “knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done,” but that’s exactly what we’re told in Exodus 1:8. Those words tell us something important about fame—it truly is fleeting. Perhaps it took many generations for this new king to come along, since we’re told that the Israelites had multiplied rapidly and that they had many children and grandchildren. In any case, even the deeds of a man who had saved the entire nation had been forgotten, and the new king saw the Israelites as a threat rather than an asset. This was going to mean a great deal of trouble for Israel. What had been a great blessing, was about to become hardship and trial. The whole nation would experience what Joseph experienced when he first entered Egypt—slavery. Thankfully, we know the rest of the story. Moses is going to come along, and ultimately the Israelites will be freed. They will return to the “promised land.” God’s promise to Abraham will be fulfilled, but this promise took 400 years to come to pass. God’s timing isn’t ours, and whether things are going great or terrible in our lives right now, one thing we need to remember is this: even if others forget us, God never leaves us or forsakes us! That is GOOD news!
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