"THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL!"

Exodus 1:8-14                                            (ESV)
"8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
9 And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.
10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land."
11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of "THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL".
13 So they ruthlessly made "THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL" work as slaves
14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves."


It wasn't that "THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL" were a better people than the rest of Creation, rather they were GOD's chosen people, the ones set aside to be used to Glorify HIMSELF!  Israel (formerly known as Jacob) was a grandson to Abraham, whom GOD chose because of his FAITH that GOD was WHO HE said HE was.  Lest we forget, the nation of Israel was, in reality, descendants of Abraham, whose FAITH brought favor from GOD ALMIGHTY!

So why did GOD's Chosen people, "THE  PEOPLE OF ISRAEL", find themselves "enslaved" to the Egyptians?  Were they rebellious and sinful?  Yes, but the reason the Israelites were in Egypt to begin with was there was a severe famine in the homeland they where they came and GOD orchestrated Joseph (Israel's favorite son Genesis 37:3) being second only to Pharaoh in all the land.  Israel (Jacob) and his descendants came to Egypt to survive the famine and became slaves in the 400-plus years following.

However, GOD had a Plan!  In Exodus 14:4 the Bible says "And I (GOD) will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them (Israelites), AND I (GOD) WILL GET GLORY OVER PHARAOH AND ALL HIS HOST, AND THE EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD." And they did so."  Pharaoh's heart was so "mad" that he didn't consider that the parted Red Sea might not be held back for him and his host.   Of course we know what happened, Pharaoh and all his hosts, "not one of them remained" (Exodus 14:28)!

Don't let 430 years of captivity, or the Red Sea, or Pharaoh's army disgruntle you in your walk for HIM.  GOD may be using ALL of your troubles for HIS Glory?  "THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL" found out that being chosen by GOD ALMIGHTY doesn't mean that you will experience a smooth life, but rather a peaceful life.