Jacob moves to Egypt – When Jacob (Israel) heard that Joseph was alive, it immediately revived his spirit. God then visited Israel in a vision and said to him, “fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will make of you there a great nation: I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon your eyes.”

 

When Jacob arrives in Egypt, it’s a celebration for Joseph. They unite with great joy, and Jacob is brought in to see Pharaoh. Jacob blesses Pharaoh and begins establishing his people in Goshen, outside of Egypt. 

 

Again, this is proof that it was God’s will to send Israel to Egypt so they may learn how to be a great people in God and be blessed. Only by prophecy did he know that his sons would be in bondage after he died. Genesis 45-47

 

Jacob blesses Joseph’s two sons - soon after that, Jacob called Joseph and his two sons together to bless them. After he blessed Joseph, he told him that his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, were now his sons. In other words, Jacob said he was going to adopt Joseph’s two sons like they were his own. This adoption is an important event because Manasseh and Ephraim would become two of the tribes of Israel, replacing Levi and Joseph. Genesis 49:1-28

 

In these blessings, he said that Ephraim, the younger son, would be greater than Manasseh and that he would be the fullness of the nations. (The Apostle Paul also mentions this prophecy in his letter to the Romans concerning the fullness of the Gentiles. Romans 11.) Ephraim’s future has a big part in the salvation of the Gentiles.

 

Jacob blesses his twelve sons – Before Israel died, he called his twelve sons together and blessed each one of them. His prophecy over them set the future of each tribe of Israel. Each son would become a tribe. (Although Levi would fulfill the priesthood and Joseph’s tribe would be represented by his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim). It was after this that Jacob died. Genesis 49

 

Captivity in Egypt – Israel began to increase in Egypt, and as they grew, they became a great nation unto themselves. Joseph continued to have the favor of King Pharaoh until he grew old and died. 

 

After that, King Pharaoh died, and a new Pharaoh was made king. This new king of Egypt did not know Joseph and began to fear the people of Israel. He stressed that Israel would become strong and overcome them, so he decided to put the sons of Israel into captivity and slavery for four hundred years (God told Abraham that this would happen). Exodus 1

 

Birth of Moses – Abraham’s children were now in Egyptian captivity. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, wanted to stop the growth of Israel, so he gave a commandment to have all the newborn sons of Israel killed. One family spared their baby when they hid him in the brush along the riverbank. His name was Moses, and he would one day be a great prophet of God and deliverer of Israel. 

 

He was found by Pharaoh’s daughter in the brush and taken and raised in the high courts of Egypt. After many years, Moses realized that he was not of Egypt and learned that he was of his Hebrew brothers, who were now slaves in Egypt. Exodus 2:1-10

 

Moses flees Egypt – In an attempt to help his brothers, Moses killed an Egyptian, thinking he would save them. But because of this impulsive act, he had to flee Egypt and go to the desert in hiding. He no longer had the favor of king Pharaoh or Egypt. (This was a bad attempt on Moses’s part to be a deliverer before the Lord had sent him to do so). Exodus 2:11-15

 

Moses marries the daughter of Jethro – While in the desert, Moses linked with the family of Jethro, the priest of Midian, and married his daughter and raised a family. Exodus 2:16-22

 

The people of God cry out – Forty years after Moses fled Egypt, the people of God were still caught in slavery in Egypt. Their taskmasters were relentless to put them under heavy burdens. At that time, they began to cry out to God for deliverance. He heard their cry for help and went to talk to Moses about being the deliverer who would set His people free from Egypt. Exodus 2:23-25

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Moses was sent to deliver Israel – While tending sheep, Moses is called up to Mount Horeb, where the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush. The bush is on fire but is not consumed. The experience is compelling for Moses, but God spared his life and sent him to be a deliverer of Israel from their captivity in Egypt. (Moses was said to be a prophet like unto Christ because he followed the pattern of Christ in the Old Testament). Exodus 3-4:17

 

Moses returns to Egypt – Moses enters Egypt with a word from God that will teach all nations that the Lord is the one true God. In this message from Moses, Israel is given a promise by God that they will receive a new land and a new home and will see a mighty deliverance from Egypt. This is the same promise He gave Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

 

When given a place to speak to King Pharaoh, Moses delivers the message to let God's people go. At first, because God hardens Pharaoh's heart, he rejects God's word to let the people of Israel go. Exodus 4:187:13

 

Ten plagues in Egypt - God sent ten plagues upon Egypt because Pharaoh refused to let God's people go through the prophet Moses. When the ten plagues were finished, Pharaoh decided to let the people leave Egypt. Begins in Exodus 7

 

Note: Plagues are meant to punish the wicked, not the righteous.

 

Ten Plagues in Egypt

1. River turned to blood Exodus 7:14-24

2. Frogs Exodus 7:25-8:15

3. Lice (Gnats) Exodus 8:16-19

4. Swarm of flies Exodus 8:20-32

5. Cattle of Egypt died Exodus 9:1-7 

6. Boils Exodus 9:8-12

7. Hail and fire mingled Exodus 9:13-35

8. Locusts Exodus 10:1-20

9. Thick darkness Exodus 10:21-29

10. Firstborn of Egypt died Exodus 11:1-10, 12:29-32

 

The Passover - God taught Israel how to keep the Passover on the night of the tenth plague that He poured out on Egypt when He said He would kill the firstborn. He told Moses this was the beginning of the lamb sacrifice that would continual yearly in Israel. He commanded them to put blood on the doorpost of their house and to eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. This blood on the doorpost was so that when the Lord came to kill the firstborn of the Egyptians, He would pass over the children of Israel, saving their firstborn children from death. Exodus 12:1-28, 43-51

 

Israel's exodus from Egypt - After God finished the ten plagues that Moses sent upon the heart of Pharaoh and all of Egypt, Israel was finally delivered. Now it was time to be sent by God into the wilderness to face testing and to be provenbefore entering into the land of Canaan. Canaan was the land that God promised He would give them. This land was very prosperous and flowed with milk and honey. Exodus 12:33-42