Moses (Exodus chapters 1-2)
The Israelites became exceedingly numerous to the point that a new Pharaoh
feared that the Israelites may overtake the Egyptians.
So the Pharaoh gave this order, “Every boy that
is born (to the Israelites) you must throw into
the river, but let every girl live.” (1:22)
When a boy was born to a Levite family, the mother placed him in a basket
in the Nile river. Pharaoh’s
daughter saw the basket, commissioned the baby’s mother to take care of the
baby for a while, then raised the boy as her son.
When he was older, Moses killed an Egyptian because he was beating a
Hebrew. “When
Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and
went to live in Midian…” (2:15)
The Exodus out of Egypt-The Israelites
leave about 400 years after they came (Exodus chapters 3-15)
The Lord said to Moses, “…the cry of the Israelites
has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.
So now, go. I am sending you
to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (3:9) In chapters 3 & 4 Moses really questions God whether he
is the right man for the job and gives several excuses! In chapters 5 through 12 Moses and Moses’ brother Aaron
have a really difficult time convincing Pharaoh to let his people go; even with
the help of the Lord in providing signs, numerous plagues and a Passover (all
the first-born in Egypt died including livestock, but the Israelites who obeyed
God’s command were spared—passed over).
As the Israelites exited Egypt, the Egyptians pursued them.
When they were blocked by the Red Sea, the Lord delivered them.
The Lord told Moses, “Raise your staff and
stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites
can go
through the sea on dry ground.” (14:16)