"I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians."-Exodus 6:7 (New International Version)

When Jacob (Israel) died, the age of the patriarchs (e.g., Noah, Abraham, Isaac) was over, which meant the end of God's special favor to them. God's favor was now with the children of Israel. Their families had become very large and they were called "the twelve tribes of Israel."

The families continued to grow until the Egyptians became worried that the Israelites would become too powerful, perhaps even taking over their country. They made slaves of the Hebrew people and worked them very hard, but still they multiplied. So an edict (order) went out that all Hebrew babies were to be killed.

When Moses was three months old he was placed in the little covered basket his mother had made and set afloat in the Nile River. His older sister, Miriam, watched over him from among the reeds along the river bank.

There he was found by the Egyptian princess and brought to the palace of her father, who was Pharaoh, to be reared as an Egyptian. Moses' own mother was asked to care for him-surely Jochebed could feel that her prayers for the safety of her little son had been answered.

Moses received an excellent education in "all the learning of the Egyptians," as well as the instruction he would have had from his Hebrew mother. But Moses could not enjoy the honors he had in Egypt because of the way his people were being persecuted. Eventually he killed an Egyptian while defending a mistreated Israelite and fled to Midian. He became a shepherd and lived there for forty years.

When God was ready for the Israelites to leave Egypt he appointed Moses to lead them. His brother, Aaron, was appointed to speak for the Israelites in Pharaoh's court.

This commission was given to Moses at the burning bush. This was a bush which apparently was all aflame, yet it did not burn up! Moses had learned a great lesson in humility while he lived in Midian and now God could use him in his plans to have the Israelites return to Canaan. So Moses became the great leader and man of God whom Pharaoh dreaded and the Hebrews needed (Acts 7:30-34, Living Bible).

Jacob's death marked the end of the age of the patriarchs!

God appointed Moses to lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage!

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