Oppression

This word carries with it “unjust, prolonged cruel treatment or control”. This is a situation that exists in some culture where a brutal leader treats his or her people unjustly. When I read stories of oppression like in World War II in the prison camps, I can’t wrap my head around those situations. I’ve never experienced oppression in big doses.

The Israelites were facing some serious oppression because a new “sheriff” (aka new Pharaoh) is in town and he takes a way different position toward the Israelites in the land of Goshen – a suburb of Egypt’s main city.

8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 ‘Look,’ he said to his people, ‘the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.’

11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Ramses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor, the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly. (Exodus 1:8-14 NIV)

During the days of this oppression, the people of God had to cling to the promise of God to help them and protect them. Sometimes the situation gets darkest before the dawn. Things are getting rough for the people of Israel, and they are going to get worse, but God is not leaving or forsaking them. Sometimes in these situations, the Lord is building up and preparing me for what is next. The Lord never wastes an opportunity to help me grow – it is usually through some hardship or trial that He does His best work.

Oppression can lead to depression unless following the Lord is my number one obsession.

Pressing On!

Dwayne