WAITING: The Story of Israel in Egypt

Exodus 2:23-25 & 6:1-13

Song: Seasons by Hillsong Worship

In the first half of Exodus, we find God’s chosen people, the people of Israel, captive and enslaved by Egypt as a direct result of a new King who feels threatened by their growth and strength. God had directed Jacob and his descendants to Egypt years prior in order to escape famine. One of Jacob’s sons, Joseph, was second in command to the Pharaoh of the time, who promised to look after Joseph and his extended family. Unfortunately, when that king and generation passed, those who came after did not share the same sentiment. They were instead threatened by the growth of the Israelites, concerned that they may join with Egypt’s enemies in a coup to overtake them if left to their own devices and allowed to continue growing. Thus Israel had escaped famine and walked into oppression and slavery. 

We often believe that if we are suffering, God must not be around. How could he possibly have led us into our own seeming destruction? If He knows everything, He certainly knew that Israel was going to find themselves enslaved by Egypt and yet, that is exactly where He led them. But we also have the privilege of knowing the end of the story of the people of Israel. They were not stuck in slavery forever. God rescued them. So where was God in the midst of that suffering? 

In Exodus 2:23-25 we see clearly that God was with them. Their “groaning” and “[cries] for help” did not fall on deaf ears, but instead the bible tells us that “God saw the people of Israel -- and God knew.” As they worked under oppression and endured abuse for 400 years, it doesn’t seem implausible to think they may have felt their waiting was for nothing. That the God who had brought them to Egypt had forgotten about them. Just a few verses later when God comes to Moses in a burning bush, he again makes clear that He does not sit unaware of or indifferent to what His people are enduring. In fact, his timing is absolutely perfect. Being the all-knowing creator of the Universe affords him the ability to time things in a way that will bring Him utmost glory. He tells Moses He has “seen the affliction of [His] people who are in Egypt and [has] heard their cry because of their taskmasters” (Exodus 3:7). His very coming to Moses is an active move toward the people of Israel. God lets Moses know that he has “come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land” (Exodus 3:8). God never left His people, He did exactly what He needed to, kept His promises, and did it all in His perfect timing. The waiting that likely felt useless to the Israelites was ultimately full of purpose – bringing utmost glory to God.  

Though they could not see what God was doing, the Israelites continued to express their distress. Throughout Exodus God expresses his deep awareness of the groanings and sufferings of the people of Israel, always followed closely by the fact that He remembers His covenant with them. 

Perhaps the waiting we feel is simply God moving somewhere we can’t yet see. While we may not know what He is doing in the midst of the waiting, or even in this lifetime, we can walk confidently day to day knowing He is near, He is aware, and His promises are remembered. Even when we cannot see God moving, we can be confident our groaning is not for nothing and it does not fall on deaf ears.