Session
1
Jun 2, 2019

The Cry of the People

And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. — Exodus 2:24-25
Bible Passage—
Exodus 1:7–14, Exodus 2:11–25

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.

Pharaoh Oppresses Israel

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.

Exodus 2:11-25

Moses Flees to Midian

11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

God Hears Israel's Groaning

23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Begin Session

In Retrospect

  • What did God promise Abraham in Genesis 15:12-14? What do we learn about God from this?  
  • In the final verses of Genesis, Joseph says to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Joseph speaks of a future exodus, a departure from a place. Where do you want God to lead you?  

Community Reading

Exodus 1:7–14, Exodus 2:11–25

Introduction

From which places are you trying to leave…or escape? To where will you go? From which places does God want to free you? To where does God want to lead? In Israel’s case, that place was “slavery, pain, and oppression.” Ruthless pain. Sometimes ruthless pain lasts for a long time. For God, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day, but to those of us confined to the rising and the setting of the sun, unrelenting, ruthless oppression can twist and contort the fabric of our being. Exodus can teach us. God hears. God remembers. God sees. And God knows.

Review Questions

  1. What covenant promise did God remember between Himself and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Recall Bible stories that back this up. What do you learn about God’s people from this? How do these promises apply to you and your current situation?
  2. Which key characters are named in Exodus 1:8-22? Who remains nameless? Why might this be important?
  3. Why did Pharaoh order the murdering of Israelite boys? Do you recall another story like this from the New Testament?
  4. As Egypt oppressed the Israelites, what happened to them? What happened to the early church when they were persecuted?  
  5. It says in Exodus 2:11 that Moses saw his people’s burdens. What did he do about it? Why was it right? Why was it wrong?
  6. Moses finds himself in Exodus 2:15 at a well. Why is he there? What happens to him? Where are other instances of God doing specific things at wells in Scripture?
  7. Sometimes there is a tension between God knowing but not stopping our suffering. Why would God not stop our suffering if he can? What are some reasons God might allow suffering? Do we always know why? What are you suffering through right now that causes confusion?
  8. Knowing God’s ultimate good for us can help us to be encouraged in the “big picture,” but how can that help us in our day-to-day lives? Is it possible? How can we support one another through suffering?

Application

Our lives are like the water that runs through riverbanks. At some point the water meets the sea. The race we run will have a finish line. Sometimes the water is peaceful, quiet and calm. We may be tempted to stay and camp in those areas and be content not to move on. Sometimes the river rushes fiercely or we go through dark ravines with little hope. We are tempted to despair. But the water moves on and on until reaching its end. What are you holding on to? What do you fear will never end? Remind yourself this week that all of this is temporary scenery on our way home. How can you use your painful experiences or current contentment to bless someone else?

Think of one small and measurable way you can help someone else experience the truth this week that God hears. God remembers. God sees. And God knows.  
Bible Passage—
Exodus 1:7–14, Exodus 2:11–25

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.

Pharaoh Oppresses Israel

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.

Exodus 2:11-25

Moses Flees to Midian

11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

God Hears Israel's Groaning

23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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