And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we;  come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land."  Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.

The New King’s Slavery

After 400 years, living in peace in the region of Egypt called Goshen, the new Pharaoh of Egypt rises to power, a Pharoah who did not know Joseph, he is afraid that the Hebrews would unite with the enemy he had just driven from the land or any other invader and rebel against him. He says, Exodus 1:10 “Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.”

His idea of dealing with them wisely is in the next verse, Exodus 1:11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.

The children of Israel, the Hebrews, had been in the land for almost 400 years at this stage of the narrative. God had prophesied to Abraham in Genesis 15:13-14 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Exodus 12:40 confirms this number. “Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.”

It is amazing that after 400 years, the Israelites had not been assimilated into the culture and intermarried with the Egyptians. Even more amazing after 4000 years, the Jews still stand as unique in their culture, beliefs and identity as the Covenant People of God. It is one of the strongest proofs of God’s existence and the truth of His Word. Israel still exists as a people and as a nation. They should not, hundreds if not thousands of other ancient peoples no longer exist, but God’s chosen nation is still here.

Throughout history Satan has tried to destroy them, using religious and world leaders but still they stand. Hitler rounded up millions, confined them to ghettos, stole their possession, transported them to concentration camps and shot or gassed 6 to 7 million Jews and yet, the people of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still stand. The nation of God still stands because the promises of God still stand.

And aren’t you glad because we, the New Covenant people of the Lord, stand on the promises given to us through God’s own Son, Jesus Christ.

The New Slavery

Today we can see that the goal of many who serve the King of this World is to make us all slaves. Almost every day I read stories of those who would take away our freedom of religion, freed of speech and the freedom to assemble from the church and our nation.

City after city has passed laws which prohibit churches from starting anywhere in a city except where the city allows. Some even going so far as to prohibit Bible studies and prayer meetings in private homes.

The Supreme Court had to settle the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Jack Phillips a Colorado baker, refused to design a custom cake for a gay couple's wedding in 2012. Phillips, a Christian, told the couple that while he was happy to sell them other baked goods, he could not bake them a wedding cake because doing so would be tantamount to participating in a religious ceremony to which he objected. The couple complained to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and later sued Phillips. The commission and state courts found that Phillips had violated Colorado's anti-discrimination laws. Colorado is one of 22 states that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Jack Phillip won that case but the state of Colorado has brought two other case against him since that time and he is under indictment even as we mee here this morning.

In Oregon another bakery has been fined $135,000 for doing the same and 70-year-old Barronelle Stutzman, a florist in Washington has been fined and is now liable for the court costs of her own trial that could amount to over $350,000. Both Christian companies will be driven out of business if the fines stand.

And there is an even more dangerous threat to Christians today a threat that truly could and is making us slaves.

Not slaves in the OT sense or even in the Civil war sense but slaves, nevertheless. Slaves are individuals who are not free to make their own choice in the most important matters of their life. In that sense the “new rulers” have been very successful in making new slaves. Willing and supposedly happy slaves. People today are emotional and spiritual slaves to the King of This World. They are slaves to the world’s fads and fashions, slaves to the worlds ideal of popularity, slaves to the world’s idea of love, sex or marriage. Slaves to the world’s philosophy and eventually slaves to the world’s emptiness and hopelessness. Slaves who willing take up the chains offered by this world and gladly shackled themselves to the stocks of sin and sorrow.

Paul warns of this danger in Romans 12:2 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.