Exodus Chapter 1
Before diving into today’s reflection on Exodus 3, I want to share that this study was guided by the journaling prompts in our book, Rooted in Truth: A Reflection Journal for Christian Books. This journal was created to help readers slow down, reflect deeply, and connect Scripture to everyday life — whether studying the Bible, reading Christian books, or preparing Bible studies or blog content like this. If you’d like to explore the same framework I used here, you can find the journal on Amazon at this link.
And with that, let’s begin this week’s reflection.
Exodus 1:1-22 (NIV) – Read it on Bible.com
Key Scriptures and Main Takeaways
Key Verses:
- Exodus 1:7
“But the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.”
Main Takeaway:
God’s blessing doesn’t stop in hardship. Even under oppression, His promise to Abraham is still unfolding. His people grow in adversity — not in spite of it, but through it. - Exodus 1:12
“But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.”
Main Takeaway:
Oppression can’t stop God’s purpose. In fact, it often accelerates it. What the enemy meant to crush them, God used to grow them. Pressure often produces promise. - Exodus 1:17
“The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do…”
Main Takeaway:
God honors holy defiance. These women feared God more than Pharaoh — and He used their quiet courage to preserve a generation. - Exodus 1:20–21
“So God was kind to the midwives… and because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.”
Main Takeaway:
When we choose obedience over fear, God sees it — and blesses it. Their faith cost them comfort, but God rewarded their trust.
Main Ideas or Points/Themes/Biblical Principals
- God’s Promises Outlive Oppression
- Theme: God is faithful to His covenant, even in crisis.
- Principle: God’s promises don’t expire in hardship — they often thrive in it. Even when His people are enslaved, the covenant made with Abraham continues unfolding.
- Support: “The Israelites were exceedingly fruitful… and the land was filled with them.” (Exodus 1:7)
This echoes Genesis 17:6, where God promises Abraham, “I will make you very fruitful.”
- The Enemy Fears What God Is Multiplying
- Theme: Opposition increases when growth becomes threatening.
- Principle: Spiritual attack often intensifies where God’s purpose is increasing. Pharaoh didn’t fear the Israelites until they began to flourish. The same is true today: pressure often follows progress.
- Support: “But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.” (Exodus 1:12)
The oppression wasn’t random — it was a reaction to God’s hand of blessing.
- Reverence for God Produces Courageous Obedience
- Theme: Fear of the Lord overcomes fear of man.
- Principle: When we fear God above all, we find the courage to do what’s right — even when it’s risky. The Hebrew midwives obeyed God rather than Pharaoh, and their quiet defiance preserved a generation.
- Support: “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do.” (Exodus 1:17)
- Obedience in Obscurity Still Moves Heaven
- Theme: God sees faithfulness even when the world does not.
- Principle: The midwives weren’t prophets or kings — they were ordinary women. Yet God rewarded them for choosing righteousness in secret. Nothing done in reverence is wasted.
- Support: “Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.” (Exodus 1:21)
Personal Reflections on Exodus 1
- What spoke to me in this chapter and why?
The verse that spoke to me most was “the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied.” It reminded me that hardship doesn’t mean failure — sometimes it’s where growth is happening most. I’ve been through seasons that felt crushing, but I can now see how God was multiplying something in me: endurance, character, even vision. This chapter reminded me not to mistake pressure for abandonment. - Was there anything that challenged you?
Yes — the midwives’ courage shook me. They didn’t have armies or platforms. Just a quiet fear of God and the boldness to disobey Pharaoh’s command. Would I have done the same? Do I fear God enough to stand for what’s right even if it costs me security, approval, or comfort? Their example pushes me to consider how I respond when culture presses me to compromise. - What truths, commands, or principles stood out?
- That God blesses obedience even when no one else sees it.
- That the fear of the Lord gives strength to resist evil.
- That God’s promises continue even in hostile conditions.
- And that oppression may be a sign of divine multiplication, not divine abandonment.
- What challenged my thinking or behavior?
It reframed how I see discomfort. I often try to escape it, but maybe discomfort is the soil God uses to multiply His work in me. The enemy might be reacting to something God is growing — not something going wrong.
Heart Check
- Is there a sin to confess, command to obey, or promise to claim?
- Confess: Trusting my own comfort more than God’s calling.
- Obey: Choose righteousness even when it’s inconvenient.
- Claim: God honors those who fear Him (Exodus 1:20–21).
- Confess: Trusting my own comfort more than God’s calling.
- Did this chapter reveal something new or deepen my view of God?
Yes — God multiplies quietly, faithfully, and often behind the scenes. I was reminded that His covenantal love doesn’t falter in hard times. - Life Application:
- Embrace hard seasons as fertile ground.
- Be courageous in obedience, even if no one else sees it.
- Encourage others who feel pressed down — God may be multiplying them.
- Is God calling me to do something with what I’ve learned?
Yes — to stop praying for escape and start praying for endurance. I believe God is calling me to be faithful in small, private moments. - Is there someone I should encourage, disciple, or pray for using this insight?
Yes — those in seasons of pressure, especially quiet servants who may feel overlooked. God sees them.
Favorite Quotes & Verses to Memorize
Favorite Quotes
- “God’s people multiplied in the fire — not despite it, but because of it.”
- “Obedience in obscurity still echoes in heaven.”
- “The enemy fears what God is multiplying.”
- “The courage of the midwives was a whisper of deliverance to come.”
Verses or Quotes to Memorize
- Exodus 1:7 – “The Israelites were exceedingly fruitful…”
- Exodus 1:12 – “The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied…”
- Exodus 1:17 – “The midwives feared God…”
- Exodus 1:20 – “So God was kind to the midwives…”
Gratitude & Prayer
- Lord, thank You for:
- Being faithful even in hardship
- Rewarding obedience in hidden places
- Multiplying what the enemy tries to destroy
- Lord, please help me:
- To reframe pressure as preparation
- To obey without needing applause
- To trust Your plan even when I don’t see the fruit yet
- Lord, show me where I need to:
- Let go of fear and choose faith
- Encourage someone who’s being crushed but still faithful
- Embrace discomfort as part of Your process
- Say “yes” even when it’s risky
- Ask God to help you apply these truths (Prayer):
Father, thank You that nothing — not pressure, not fear, not even Pharaoh — can stop Your promises. Forgive me when I let fear rule my decisions. Teach me to walk in courage like the midwives — quietly obedient, deeply rooted in reverence. Help me trust that You are growing something in me, even when life feels tight and uncertain. I want to be faithful in hidden places. Use my obedience, no matter how small, to help fulfill Your purposes. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions & Challenges for Further Study
- Questions I Have:
- What gave the midwives such fearless faith?
- Why did Pharaoh feel so threatened by fruitfulness, not rebellion?
- What did faith look like for the Israelites during this time?
- How do I respond when I feel God is silent during hardship?
- Related Topics I Want to Explore Further:
- The fear of God vs. the fear of man throughout Scripture
- The Abrahamic Covenant and how it unfolds through oppression
- Spiritual growth through suffering (biblical case studies: Job, Joseph, Paul)
- The significance of obedience in obscurity in the lives of biblical figures
- God’s providence in dark times — how divine plans continue when we can’t see them
- Growth and fruitfulness under suffering
Verse Mapping – Exodus 1:12
- Scripture
“But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.” - Key Words (Hebrew):
Oppressed (עָנָה – anah): to afflict, humiliate, subdue
Multiplied (רָבָה – rabah): to become many, to increase
Dread (קוּץ – quts): to be anxious, loathe, feel threatened - Context:
Pharaoh’s oppression was meant to break them. But God was fulfilling His promise to Abraham in real time — even in Egypt. Their growth provoked fear, but God was just getting started. - Cross References:
Genesis 17:6 – God promises Abraham fruitfulness
2 Corinthians 4:8–9 – “Pressed but not crushed…”
Acts 5:39 – “If it is from God, you will not be able to stop them.” - Paraphrase:
“The harder they were pushed down, the more God lifted them up — and their oppressors couldn’t understand or stop it.” - Life Application:
Don’t be discouraged when things get harder after a spiritual breakthrough — it might mean the enemy sees your growth. Keep pressing in. - Prayer Response:
Lord, You are the God who multiplies in the middle of oppression. Teach me to trust that You are at work, even when I feel pressed or overlooked. Use the pressure to purify, strengthen, and prepare me for what’s ahead. Amen.
Journal Entry – Exodus 1
There’s something powerful about how God moves in the shadows. No miracles yet — no plagues, no staff turning into snakes — just quiet multiplication and small acts of courage. But it was enough to shake an empire.
What moved me most was the midwives’ reverent resistance. They didn’t have armies — just holy fear. And that was enough for God to bless them. It made me wonder: What if my “small” obedience today is preserving someone else’s future?
I want that kind of obedience. Quiet. Steady. Courageous. Rooted in truth.
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