ISRAEL THE NATION: The Years of Slavery
(Study 2-B)

Slavery: this condition seems like an unusual starting-point for what is called to be a great nation. It is written, however, that "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." (1 Cor 1:27)

But the question may well be asked: How did Israel come to be under the bondage of a heathen nation? The history of that people began with faithful Abraham, and moved down through a chosen line: Isaac, Jacob, and so on. Among these were those who endured hardship and painful correction to become the people that Yah required them to be. Just as Jacob needed to learn of the flaws in his character, however, so would his sons, and their descendants, endure a time of struggling in order to be "gold tried in fire."

We ended our last study with Joseph being a significant political power in Egypt, and saving his brothers and father from a great famine that was spreading through the land. Things were about to take a turn for the worse.

QUESTIONS:
01) What was the total number of Jacob's family that went to meet Joseph in Egypt? (Exo 1:5)
02) How did the people fare during and after the time of the first generation of Israel's offspring? (Exo 1:7)
03) Which of Joseph's children received the greater blessing from Jacob? (Gen 48:17-20)
04) What parting promise did Joseph leave with the Israelites? (Gen 50:24)
05) What did the Psalmist say would be the purpose of this promise being fulfilled? (Psa 105:23,43-45)
06) How old was Joseph when he died? (Gen 50:26)
07) What happened after his passing? (Exo 1:8-10)
08) How were the descendants of Jacob affected as a result? (Exo 1:11)
09) How did they respond to the new conditions? (Exo 1:12)
10) What commandment were they forced to violate due to the harsh labor? (Exo 5:4,51, Exo 20:8-10)
11) To whom did the Pharaoh speak in an attempt to limit the Hebrew population? (Exo 1:15)
12) What extreme measure did he tell them to take? (Exo 1:16)
13) What caused the plan to fail? (Exo 1:17-20)
14) What did the Pharaoh do next? (Exo 1:22)
15) Unto a man and a woman of what tribe was a "goodly child" born at that time? (Exo 2:1,2)
16) What did his mother do to save him from the decree of the Pharaoh? (Exo 2:3)
17) Who observed this emergency measure to see what would happen? (Exo 2:4)
18) Who found the boy shortly thereafter? (Exo 2:5-6)
19) How was it that the mother and child were reunited? (Exo 2:7-9)
20) What name was given to the infant? (Exo 2:10)

Note1 The word "rest" in Exo 5:5 is the Hebrew word "Sabbath."