Transcript For whom do you work? Exodus 1:1-22

Bible Study - May 10, 2011
Bro. Julius Walls, Jr.
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Family Feud

Name the number question asked at a party/gathering after
asking someone’s name:
Survey says:
What do you do?
In our society, you are significantly defined by:
 What is your Occupation?
 Who is your Employer?
 How much do you earn?
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
For whom do
you work?
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Exodus 1:1-6

These are the names of the sons of Israel who
went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2
Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar,
Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad
and Asher. 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered
seventy[a] in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that
generation died,
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Exodus 1:7-10

but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they
multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and
became so numerous that the land was filled with
them. 8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant
nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said
to his people, “the Israelites have become far too
numerous for us. 10 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.” 5
7
Exodus 1:11-14

So they put slave masters over them to oppress
them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and
Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more
they were oppressed, the more they multiplied
and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the
Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They
made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick
and mortar and with all kinds of work in the
fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians
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worked them ruthlessly.
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Exodus 1:15-18

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,
whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When
you are helping the Hebrew women during
childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the
baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her
live.” 17 The midwives, however, feared God and
did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to
do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt
summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why
have you done this? Why have you let the boys
live?”
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Exodus 1:19-22

The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew
women are not like Egyptian women; they are
vigorous and give birth before the midwives
arrive.” 20 So God was kind to the midwives
and the people increased and became even
more numerous. 21 And because the midwives
feared God, he gave them families of their own.
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his
people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you
must throw into the Nile, but let every girl
live.”
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For whom do you work?

 Do they know the Lord and His promises to you? (v.
8)
 Do they see you as a threat? (v. 10)
 To their position?
 To their profits?
 In what ways are you afflicted? (v. 12)
 In what ways do they make your life bitter? (v. 14)
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Exodus 5:1-6

1
Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is
what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that
they may hold a festival to me in the desert.’” 2 Pharaoh said,
“Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do
not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”
 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now
let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to
the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the
sword.”
 4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you
taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!” 5
Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now
numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”
 6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and
foremen in charge of the people:

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Exodus 5:7-14

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“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making
bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them
to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the
quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and
sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Make the work harder for the men so that
they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”
 10 Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the
people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more
straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but
your work will not be reduced at all.’” 12 So the people scattered all
over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers
kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you
for each day, just as when you had straw.” 14 The Israelite foremen
appointed by Pharaoh’s slave drivers were beaten and were asked,
“Why didn’t you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as
before?”

11
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Exodus 5:15-23

Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why
have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no
straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten,
but the fault is with your own people.”
17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you
keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 18 Now get to work.
You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota
of bricks.”
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were
told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for
each day.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron
waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, “May the LORD look upon you
and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials
and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you
brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever
since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble
upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”
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Moses’ request

Verse 1 of chapter 5:
Moses asked Pharaoh to let the Israelites go so that they
could hold a festival of 3 days.
What happens if you don’t obey God?
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Exodus 12:31-36
31

During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron
and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites!
Go, worship the LORD as you have requested. 32 Take
your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also
bless me.” 33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry
and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we
will all die!” 34 So the people took their dough before the
yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in
kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35 The Israelites
did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for
articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The LORD
had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the
people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they
plundered the Egyptians.
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Exodus 1:12-14

But the more they were oppressed, the more they
multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread
the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They
made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and
mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all
their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them
ruthlessly.
12
Abowdah or Avodah (n.) = work, labor, ministering
(ministry)
Avadh (v.) = to serve
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Reasonable Service

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy
and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of
worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to
test and approve what God’s will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will.
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What is your reward?

From your job?
Define reward – Is there a difference between reward and
compensation?
Compensation
 you’ve earned it
 Reasonable in size
 Known beforehand
Reward
 is bestowed by the grantor
 Extraordinary in size
 Sometimes known beforehand, sometimes not
Israel’s reward:
 Multiplication 1:7, 12, & 20
 Favor 12:36
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Guided Meditation - Eyes Closed

What are you good at?
What do you enjoy doing?
What is God calling you to do?
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For Whom Do You Work?

Our talents are our gift from the Lord. What we do with
them is our gift to the Lord.
My gift from the Lord is __________________.
My service to Lord will be ________________.
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