Exodus 1:8-14: a reflection

8Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. 9He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. 10Come, let’s deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against us, and escape out of the land.” 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses. 12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They started to dread the children of Israel. 13The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve, 14and they made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.

A new king arises in Egypt who does not know Joseph, and, fearing the growing numbers of the Israelites, he sets out to crush them with harsh slavery, bitter labor, and ruthless oppression. But the plan backfires in a way that reveals God's hand: the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and spread abroad. The very oppression meant to diminish Israel could not stop their growth; under the weight of affliction, God's people flourished all the more.

Notice what the affliction could not do. Pharaoh threw the full force of the empire against the Israelites to suppress them, and yet they only grew, so much that the Egyptians came to dread them. The oppression that was meant to thwart God's purpose of multiplying his people instead coincided with its fulfillment; affliction could not stop the blessing God had spoken. What was designed to diminish them became the backdrop of their increase.

That is an encouraging pattern that recurs through Scripture and history: God's purposes are not thwarted by opposition, and his people often flourish under affliction rather than in spite of it. Just as Israel grew under Egypt's oppression, the church has often grown under persecution; what is meant to crush God's work cannot finally stop it. When you see God's people, or God's work in your own life, under pressure and opposition, do not assume it will be crushed. Affliction cannot thwart what God intends to bless. The God who multiplied Israel under Egypt's oppression is able to bring growth and life even out of what is meant to destroy them.

Lord, when Pharaoh tried to crush your people with harsh slavery, the more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied; the oppression meant to diminish them could not stop the blessing you had spoken. When I see your people, or your work in my own life, under pressure and opposition, keep me from assuming it will be crushed. Your purposes are not thwarted by opposition, and your people often flourish under affliction rather than in spite of it. Thank you that what is meant to destroy your work cannot finally stop it. Help me trust that affliction cannot thwart what you intend to bless, and that you can bring growth and life even out of what is meant to harm.