How does Exodus 1:8-14 connect with the events in Psalm 105:25? The Historical Setting • At the close of Genesis, Joseph and his generation passed away, yet Israel’s family grew (Genesis 50:26; Exodus 1:6–7). • Egypt’s new dynasty “did not know Joseph,” so the political favor gained by Joseph vanished (Exodus 1:8). Parallel Passages: Exodus 1:8-14 and Psalm 105:25 • Exodus 1:9-10—Pharaoh’s fear of Israel’s growth. • Exodus 1:11-14—Forced labor, bitter bondage, and ruthless oppression. • Psalm 105:25—“He turned their hearts to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.” – Psalm 105 is a divine commentary on Exodus. What Exodus records historically, the psalm explains theologically: God Himself “turned” Egyptian hearts. – Verse 24 of the psalm bridges the thoughts: “The LORD made His people very fruitful…”—matching Exodus 1:7, then verse 25 matches Exodus 1:8-14. God’s Sovereign Hand Behind the Scene • Scripture affirms God’s direct action: – “He turned their hearts” (Psalm 105:25). – This fulfills God’s earlier word: “Know for certain that your offspring will be strangers in a land that is not theirs and will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13). • Pharaoh’s cruelty was real and self-willed, yet under God’s sovereign plan to display His power (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17). Purpose of the Oppression • Multiplication amid misery—“the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied” (Exodus 1:12). • Preparation for redemption—bondage made Israel long for deliverance, setting the stage for the Exodus (Exodus 3:7-8). • Preservation of covenant promise—God would bring Israel out “with great possessions” (Genesis 15:14) and into the land sworn to Abraham (Exodus 6:8). Lessons for Today • God governs even hostile rulers; nothing thwarts His covenant purposes (Proverbs 21:1). • Seasons of affliction may be instruments for spiritual growth and eventual deliverance (2 Corinthians 4:17). • Remembering God’s faithfulness in history fuels trust for present trials—what He began in Genesis, He carried through Exodus, and He still completes in Christ (Philippians 1:6). |
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