“During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
God saw the people of Israel — and God knew.”
Exodus 2:23-25
The book of Genesis ends with the conclusion of Joseph’s saga. Out of jealousy his brothers sell him into slavery in Egypt where he rises up the ranks in Potiphar’s house but then finds himself in jail after the run-in with Potiphar’s wife. In jail, Joseph rises up within the ranks, such as they are in prison, until someone put a good word in for him with Pharaoh. With God’s help in interpreting dreams, Joseph has the foresight to prepare the entire country of Egypt for an extended famine. Because Joseph’s work during this famine works out very well for Pharaoh, Joseph is allowed to settle his extended family in one of the best parts of Egypt. This is where the book of Genesis ends.
The book of Exodus fills in the 400 some odd years after the end of Genesis. During this time we are told that the Egyptian leaders who remembered Joseph and his family fondly have passed away. New leaders have come to power and they do not recall how they were enriched and empowered by Joseph. All they see is that there is a large group of foreigners living in their land. This is a liability and so, to control them, they enact population control measures (killing the baby boys at birth) and slave labor. This is the context of Exodus 2:23–25 quoted above. This is why the people of Israel are crying out to God for rescue.
At first it might seem superfluous to say that, “God saw the people of Israel — and God knew.” We might think to ourselves, “Of course God saw the people of Israel. He sees everything. Of course God knew. God knows everything.” But from the perspective of the Israelites, this might seem like an open question. Where was God in their lives now? Why has God allowed all these bad things to happen to them? Had God forgotten about them? Did God remember they were still down there? Did God even know all this stuff was happening to them? In response to this, God allows the words we have here in Exodus to be written, “God saw the people of Israel — and God knew.”
You may get to feeling like the Israelites from time to time. Maybe you look around at the circumstances of your life and you see that they are not all that good. Perhaps, like the Israelites, you can look back and remember better times in the past. And like the Israelites, you might begin to wonder if God has forgotten about you. You might begin to wonder if God remembers that you are still down here. Does God even know about all of this stuff that is happening to you?
Yes, God hears your groaning and remembers the promises that He has made to you. God sees you. God knows you. God knows your troubles and concerns and anxieties. God did not forget Joseph when he was a slave of Potiphar or when he was in prison. God saved Joseph. God did not forget His people when they were slaves in Egypt and being mistreated. God saved them. And God has not forgotten you in your troubles. God has sent His Son to save you from the slavery of your sins. God has sent His Son to save you from the slavery of relying on yourself and the burden of having to figure out how to turn your fortunes around. God has already sent Jesus here to give you eternal life. Is there more to be done? Yes, God knows that there is, and He promises to do that work when Christ returns.
Joseph didn’t know what God’s plan was when he was sold into slavery and worked for years as a slave. Joseph didn’t know what God’s plan was when he was unjustly imprisoned for years. But during that time, Joseph was faithful. Joseph trusted God. Eventually, Joseph was able to look back and see that, even though he didn’t know it at the time, God had a plan that was good for him and for everyone around him. (Genesis 50:20) You can have the same trust in God. Things may not look good now. It may seem like God has forgotten you and does not know your plight. But God sees and God knows. God has come to save you through Jesus. There will be a time when you too will get to look back and see that even though it didn’t look like it at the time, God had a plan that was good for you and everyone around you.
Paster Mehl