the way out, part 1

Scripture: Exodus 1
⁶Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and that whole generation. ⁷But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹He said to his people, ‘Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. ¹⁰Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.’ ¹¹Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. ¹²But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. ¹³The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, ¹⁴and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.

Observation:

Exodus is a word that literally means "The Way Out".  The first chapter begins where the book of Genesis left off. Joseph was the great-grandson of Abraham and Sarah--the one's to whom God promised descendants as numerous as the stars and a land flowing with milk and honey as their home.  God promised to be with them in times of trouble and to bless all nations on earth through their faithful obedience to God.  (See Genesis 12-39).  Joseph's story (Genesis 39-50) is a powerful story of sibling jealousy.  His own brothers, envious of Joseph's special relationship with their father, sell Joseph into slavery and tell their father he was killed.  Joseph becomes a servant in Egypt, but because God is with Joseph and gives him the gift of dream interpretation, Joseph rises to the rank of Pharaoh's assistant in charge of the whole agricultural economy of Egypt.  He later reconciles with his brothers, who come to Egypt for food during a time of famine.  Joseph rises from slavery to power, using his power to serve the nations--including both Egypt and Israel.
Now, the story continues several generations later.  And the numerous people of Israel, now immigrant workers in Egypt, are enslaved for purposes of political control.  Their status as respected foreigners is denied and they are forced to make bricks and build Egyptian walls.  In spite of the ruthless Egyptians harsh treatment of the Israelites, they continue to multiply and spread.  The population growth was alarming to the Pharaoh, who feared that they might become an opposing army and a threat to his rule.

Application:  The fear politics of Pharaoh persist today in our own country.  As we hear Presidential candidates talk about deporting hard-working immigrants from this country;  as we hear Donald Trump say that as president he would force Mexicans to build a border wall; As we realize that the mass incarceration of people of color in the U.S. is a new form of white power and control over them; As we hear anti-Muslim rhetoric and the suggestion that a proper use of power would be to round up, identify, or even ban Muslims from the U.S., we hear this Exodus story and don't have to wonder whose side God will be on.  Empire will protect itself at its own destruction.  (As we will witness in the Exodus story).  God provides a way out for those who are oppressed, enslaved, and abused.  We see the growth in the Hispanic population in the U.S. over the last few decades right alongside the fear politics.  Reading the bible alongside current events can reveal God's mind and intentions in the present day, as in the past.  The bible is not a self-help book on personal growth, contrary to what many evangelical leaders might suggest (Joel Osteen, in particular).  It has political stories in it that reveal divine justice.  It tells these stories from the perspective of the marginalized, the oppressed, the bottom of the human pyramid.  We see a God who lifts up those who are pushed down by the powerful and privileged.  For us, the sign of God's grace is found in the multiplication of his people.  Even in times of suffering, God's plan to spread his promised blessings persist and overcome.  No ruler on earth can deny God's power.  All we can do is surrender to it.  So, do not be afraid.  God will establish justice, sometimes with us and through us and sometimes in spite of us.  May it come to us and through us and for us all. 

Prayer:  Lord, we pray for immigrants and their families; we pray for Mexicans and Muslims.  We pray that you would raise up faithful leaders in this nation, who will treat all people with dignity and respect.  Amen.