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| Exodus 1:6-7 |
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Lesson # Exodus 1:6-7 Study Material - Exodus 1:6-7 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Ex. 1:6-7 6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them. Joseph died at the age of 110 years. This is a continued decline in life spans since the flood. Shem had lived 600 years. Abraham lived some 175 years. Jacob's life will last 147 years. We can only assume that life spans continued to decline through the 430 year period in which the Israelites will live in Egypt. Be that as it may there are a number of events occurring during this transition. Looking at the time line on the Index page, you'll see that Shem died about 40 years after the birth of Jacob. Shem was the last link to the flood era and the age of the Patriarch's. This new era will begin with the Israelites moving into Egypt. There was a land of prosperity in the land of Canaan, but now the land of Canaan was under famine. They could have elected to move back to Canaan, having faith the God would care for them. But Joseph had a very good job. He was high in power in Egypt It would be difficult to walk away from that position of influence and power and wealth. In contrast Moses some 400 years hence will be in a similar position. He will be the crown prince. Heir to Pharaoh. Moses would have, could have been the subject of many of our Discovery channel 'Studies of Ancient Egypt' shows. But Moses saw the prosperity of Egypt, he saw the desert that lie beyond, he saw the land of Canaan filled with a very degenerate people, and through faith, Moses elected to turn his back on Egypt and the crown of Pharaoh. In these two verses not much is said but a lot of meaning can de derived. In chapter 12 we will see that over 600,000 men of fighting age will leave in the exodus. With families, wives, children, etc. This could amount to 2 or 3 million people. Most commentaries place the number of the Israelites at around two million. Assuming that the population of seventy men at the beginning (plus do not forget to add the wives and children of these seventy men) will double every 30 years, then arriving at a population of two million is easily attainable in the 430 years that they lived there. The first generation died. 'But', there was prosperity and increases. This sets up a contrast. Despite their not returning back to Canaan as Abraham did, despite their slipping away from Bible study more and more, with the deaths of Joseph and his brothers and all of that generation, God looked down the tunnel of time and saw positive volition in that future generation. Which generation? The one which would cross the Jordan under the command of Joshua. That is the positive generation which will grow up out of the desert wanderings under Moses. The generation that left Egypt will be a negative and whining one. There are two places to live in this world. Canaan, the land of promise, and Egypt, the land of carnality. Canaan represents the palace of God, life in fellowship, life in doctrine, and long term and real prosperity. Egypt represents life in the jungle where there is prosperity of short duration, where there is uncertainty around every turn. There have been two transitions as well. Shem, the link to the older generations and Joseph, the link to the doctrinal generation of the twelve brothers, the sons of the third son in the patriarchal line (Jacob). Both are now gone. So now the defense of doctrine is going to be replaced with the defense of numbers. In the jungle herds in great numbers are generally safe. The large numbers intimidate the predators to some degree, but not entirely. A strong herd becomes a herd of warriors. A weak herd becomes a herd of slaves. The herd survives because the predators have their uncertainties. And so it goes in the jungle. The Israelites grew in the jungle sense, not in the spiritual sense. The transition from free people to slaves did not occur overnight. It happened over a period of several decades, and even perhaps a century. No time frame is given. The time implied is one of a lengthy period, not a short one producing a quick change in their lives. The Israelites increased in their wealth and in their numbers. The temptations of remaining here in Egypt were great. Why would they wish to pack up their things and move back to Canaan, where there were far fewer riches than in Egypt? That is our test in life. We can become so busy with life's activities, that we forget the overall picture of life - which includes God and why we are even here in the first place. It is easy to be distracted and forget our daily Bile study. After all, in our Bible study we do not get fast food service (quick results) from our Bible study. It is more of a plodding along from day to day as our faith builds slowly in preparation for something that God may be preparing us for in life. Doesn't seem as exciting as the many things that the world offers. Moses had a much higher degree of testing. He had the empire at his feet, yet he turned away from it all. Egypt then would have been the United States of today with all its wealth and power. Imagine being Pharaoh of the USA, with all the powers of Pharaoh and all the wealth and resources that we have today at your finger tips. How many of us could turn away from that? Yet Moses did. But 400 years earlier the Israelites too could have turned their backs on Egypt and went home. Back to Canaan. But they did not. The first generation died and things were just too good in Egypt. Joseph's bones were safely stored away, and there they remained. The only reminder of God, save whatever other scripture documentation, that they had. Who was Pharaoh? The Bible never gives his name. But the twelfth dynasty of Egypt was about this time, with Amenemhet II, or about 1900 BC. The Exodus occurred during the 18th dynasty, or about 1500 BC with queen Hatshupsut's son Thutmose III. At least these are the generally accepted time periods and Pharaoh's that probably were in the picture at these times. It might be noted that there were over 100 Pharaoh's that ruled during these 430 years. Many ruling for just a year or so. So there was plenty of transition in Egypt to give Egyptian Pharaoh's reason to not trust foreigners, and so to place them in slavery in order to control them. So under these circumstances, the Israelites lived, as their quality of life deteriorated slowly, just as Lot's life and wealth slowly vanished, yet he did not leave Sodom until the angels pulled him out. Likewise the Israelites did not leave Egypt until God pulled them out. Often times we get caught up in out life's activities not realizing that our prosperity wastes away, until God does something to get our attention. Usually that something is a significant event that will hurt. But then it has too hurt in order to get our attention. Most of us do not pay attention to the signs all around us, so God gives us a big sign as it were. 
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
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