The Concept of an Emerging Nation Making Its Way Back to a Homeland
Meaning
While living in Goshen, God’s people had come under oppression and bondage, because of Pharoah’s fear of the Israelites. As their oppression grew worse, God, recognized the burdens of His people, and through divine circumstances He brought about their deliverance from Egypt. Jacob and his sons entered Egypt as a small group of approximately seventy people, they settled in the area of Goshen in Egypt at the blessing of Pharoah. And by the divine blessings and intervention of God, they grew into a mighty nation. As the decades passed Pharoah and the Egyptians had forgotten what Joseph did for the nation, and instead they oppressed the descendants of Jacob because of their fear of this growing nation. God used these political and geographical circumstances to fulfill His destiny for the nation of Israel.
God used these circumstances to build Israel into a nation of people. Through the hand of God they left Egypt as a nation several million people strong, who were a special possession of God, a people separated unto the Lord. This was done because of God’s covenant to Abraham, Issac and Jacob. However, they rebelled against God in the wilderness and their stiff-necked rebellion against the Lord resulted in forty years of wandering, while God sustained the people and disciplined a nation. This crisis permitted God to school the people in trust, because it was only by trusting in the Lord that they could survive and grow. In addition, through God’s direct intervention, organization had developed, law and legislation appeared, and rigid discipline was introduced. All of which was accomplished by God’s divine sovereignty, which He used to ensure their special destiny. A destiny which would bring forth the Messiah and Savior of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord.
“Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ‘Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the Lord as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.'” (Exodus 21:31-32)
“Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds-a great deal of livestock. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years-on that very same day-it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night of solemn observance to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. ‘But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it.'” (Exodus 21:37-44)