January 20, 2025 - Exodus 1-2

The story of the exodus begins:  “But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.  Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.  And he said to his people, ‘Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.  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’” (1:7-10).  This is a good time to quote David.  After acknowledging “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;  he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge” (Psalm 144:1-2), he declares, “Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!  Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord! (Psalm 144:15).  Today is inauguration day and whatever political leanings we might have, with David and Moses and Israel, we testify that our blessings are from and our hope is in the Lord, not man.

Who but the Christian is happy and free,

Filled with the glory of God?

None in creation so happy as He,

Washed and redeemed in the wonderful blood.

Jesus, the one who my sorrows hath healed,

Thou are the one who my spirit hath sealed;

Only Thy glory from heaven revealed,

Only Thy favor can happiness yield.   --D. S. Warner (1893)