Day 25

Genesis 50:1 —Exodus 2:10; Matthew 16:13–17:9; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 5:1-6

TODAY WE CONCLUDED the first book of the Bible with a farewell to someone we know well —Joseph. At 110 years of age, Joseph spoke his final words to his brothers:

Soon I will die . . . but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

. . . When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.

The second book of the Bible, Exodus, picks up the same story centuries later. The original children of Israel had all died, but their progeny flourished. The people of God had become as numerous as the stars in the heavens, precisely as God promised Abraham. Unfortunately, this flourishing caused the Egyptians to fear their numbers and their loyalty. And by this time, Egypt had also forgotten about Joseph and how he had saved them from devastation so long ago. The Egyptians enslaved Israel’s children, and the new Pharaoh instituted a barbaric form of population control: “Throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River. But you may let the girls live” (Exodus 1:22).

We can see the meticulous long view of God’s plans as this story unfolds. And we can also see the formidable opposition to the promise of a people set apart.

In our world of instant gratification, we can barely comprehend the idea of a promise from God that will not be accomplished in our lifetimes —much less centuries later. But as we look back on the story of Scripture thus far, we see God’s foresight and intentionality with the children of Israel.

First, God promised to Abraham a land and descendants without number. God revealed Himself to Abraham’s son of promise, Isaac, who passed the promise to Jacob. God then revealed Himself to Jacob, who passed this promise to his twelve sons. And although it had been centuries and the people were enslaved far away from this Promised Land, the promise remained.

When the children of Israel began to cry out, God heard. A baby boy was put into the Nile as commanded, but he was placed in the river within a wicker basket. This wicker basket was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter, and the boy was given the name Moses. We’ll get to know him very well in the coming weeks.

PRAYER:

Rise up, O LORD, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.