The book of Exodus is without a doubt a sequel to the book of Genesis. The opening verses quickly link us to the first book. Exodus 1:2-5 list for us Israel’s twelve sons. They were Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali, Gad, Asher and Joseph, who was already in Egypt. We are all too familiar with the story of Joseph narrated in the book of Genesis. He was betrayed by his jealous brothers, who sold him as a slave to Egypt. And from that lowly position, he dramatically rose to be the second most powerful man in Egypt.
In total, the number of Jacob’s descendants who came to Egypt was seventy people. Verse 6 tells us that eventually all the twelve brothers, including Joseph, died. But their descendants were fruitful. They multiplied greatly and the land of Egypt was filled with them. The one special thing that made the children of Israel great was their relationship with God. He was their backing. Verse 7 is an indication that God had fulfilled the promise He made to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He promised them that they would become a great nation. What we see in verse 7 is a fulfillment of the promise God had made to them. He promised and they, “…the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty so that the land was filled with them.”
However, the story about the departure of the sons of Israel from Egypt is not so much about Joseph, the twelve brothers, and their families. It is all about God. The record of the past deeds of the brothers tells us that they wouldn’t have amounted to much if not for God’s gracious hand upon their lives. The one thing that got Israel becoming so great a nation was nothing else but God. They were God’s covenanted people and God was on their side. So, the story of Exodus is about the Almighty God, who set up the whole destiny of Israel, the miracle nation.
The question that comes to mind is, “What have all these got to do with us?” One thing we do know is that these verses set the platform and create the anticipation for us to expect what’s to come. God’s fulfillment of His promise to His people tells us that we can trust and place our confidence in Him and His plan for our life too. These seven verses point us to God who keeps His covenant and promise. When He called Abraham out of his pagan ancestry, he left everything to follow that call. Though he did not see the extent of the promise, his descendants had become a great people and a great nation. God had fulfilled it. He has set in motion the plan He has for humanity and for us. Aren’t we glad that He includes us in His plan? So, let us brace up for the journey into our destiny.
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