The Birth Of A Deliverer Series

The Story of Moses

Exodus 1, 2:10

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

2-23-2025

This morning, we begin the study of one of the most epic stories in the Bible - the story of Moses.

On the lists of the greatest people to ever live, Moses is always near the top.

Who do you think of when you hear the name Moses?

Moses, the “servant of God,” the law-giver, the emancipator of Israel.

He was educated in one of the greatest empires on earth. He delivered the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and then led them to the boundary of the Promised Land.

He is the author of the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah, and is mentioned over 700 times in the Scriptures.

In our study, we will see that Moses was a great man of faith. He wasn’t perfect, but he kept his eyes on God.

He was a man dedicated to prayer.

He was described as the meekest / most humble man on earth. (Numbers 12:3)

And he was a man of tremendous courage who stood up to the most powerful man on earth and said, “Let my people go!”

The person that finished Deuteronomy after Moses died wrote,

“Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.” (Duet 34:10-12)

D.L. Moody divides his life into three stages:

“Moses spent 40 years thinking he was somebody; 40 years learning he was nobody, and 40 years discovering what God can do with a nobody”. 

Turn with me to Exodus chapter 1.

Prayer.

Background

The book of Genesis ends with the story of Joseph. Because of his father’s favoritism, Joseph was hated by his brothers. They decided to kill him but changed their minds and sold him into slavery.

He served in an Egyptian official’s house until he was unfairly accused of sexual misdeeds and thrown into prison.

Joseph is able to interpret dreams and is brought before the Pharaoh after he had nightmares that he couldn’t understand.

Joseph realized the dreams were about a famine and was made second in command of all Egypt. He set about to save grain for seven years to prepare for the famine and when it came, the Egyptians were the only with food.

Jacob sent his sons to Egypt where they encountered Joseph, although they don’t recognize him.

Joseph finally revealed himself to them and asked Pharaoh if his family can settle in the land of Goshen.

This particular Pharaoh was a shepherd himself so he was predisposed to welcome this group of Jewish shepherds to his land.

The Setting

Egypt is a long country that grew up on both sides of the Nile. They had an abundance of fish and papyrus, with which they made paper.

They had clay to make bricks and mined for copper and gold.

They were well protected with deserts on both the eastern and western borders.

They were a sophisticated society. They kept historical records, excelled at music and art, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and engineering. What do think of most when you think of Egypt? The pyramids. [Ancient Aliens didn’t build those]

They were wealthy but spiritually poor and very pagan. They worshiped a multitude of idols - bulls, cows, birds, snakes and crocodiles.

The People

That brings us to Exodus, which is a continuation of the story of Genesis and covers about 40 years. How do we know this?

Because in the Hebrew, the book actually starts with the word “and.”

"These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt.” (Exodus 1:1-5)

Their Prosperity

A tribe of 70 in a nation of millions, living out in the middle of nowhere. Not that big a deal, right?

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. (Exodus 1:6-7)

At the end of Genesis, there are 70. Now 400 years later, there are somewhere between 2-3 million!

The Problem

This is a problem according to the new Pharaoh.

“Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.  “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us.  Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” (Exodus 1:8-10)