Ep. 2 | When “You Gotta Serve Somebody”
Text: Exodus 1:7-14
7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
1. There is a STORM of SUFFERING
Charles Spurgeon: [I]n all probability, if they had been left to themselves, they would have been melted and absorbed into the Egyptian race, and lost their identity as God’s special people. They were content to be in Egypt, and they were quite willing to be Egyptianized.
2. There is a STATEGY of SATAN
[a] To DEVALUE lives (foreigners, the outsider, the threat) - CLASSIFY
Do we allow earthly geography, external differences, educational opportunities to DETERMINE our perspective of life?
[b] To DOMINATE lives (the last word, control, etc.) - CONTROL
In any way, am I seeking to control the lives of others through manipulation, guilt or strength?
[c] To DESTROY lives (eliminate future potential of problems) - CRUSH
Do I seek to rid myself of those who threaten my way of life? How does this look in my life?
3. There is a SECRET of SERVICE
God’s deliverance from Pharoah and Egypt was not about whether they would be slaves (avodah) but rather, “Who would be their Master—Pharoah or the Lord God?” –Joshua 24:15
Bob Dylan’s 1979 song, “You Gotta Serve Somebody.”
Recognize you are serving someone or something. Is the LORD God your Master? (Matthew 6:24)
