When God Seems Silent
What is the Bible about? If you were with us back in 2021 when we walked through The Story, you know the answer: the Bible is about God’s redemption—His rescue—of His good creation. Genesis opens with the beauty of creation in chapters 1 and 2, then traces the tragic arc of human rebellion and corruption in chapters 3–11. But in Genesis 12, we discover God’s rescue plan: a man named Abram (later Abraham) and his descendants. The rest of Genesis follows Abraham’s family to Egypt, where God saves them from famine and blesses them.
That brings us to Exodus, the second book of the Bible and a cornerstone of Scripture. Exodus is more than a story of deliverance—it’s the story of how God comes to dwell with His people. Its images and themes echo throughout the New Testament, making it essential reading for anyone who wants to understand God’s redemptive work.
Through it all, one truth remains: God is faithful to His people, no matter what. God takes the initiative to save, to rescue, and He keeps His promises.
The Stage Is Set
Before diving into Exodus 1–2, we need to remember how Israel ended up in Egypt. Genesis 37–50 focuses on Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son. Joseph was sold into slavery, ended up in Egypt, and through God’s empowerment, saved Egypt and his family during a worldwide famine. That’s why Abraham’s descendants are in Egypt rather than the Promised Land when Exodus begins.
God’s Faithfulness in Oppression (Exodus 1:1–14)
The book opens with God’s faithfulness: He multiplies Israel, just as He promised in Genesis. But Pharaoh—who saw himself as god—opposes this blessing. He imposes hard labor, forcing the Israelites to build cities for his glory rather than live for God’s.
This sets up the central conflict of Exodus: God blessing while the powers of this world oppress. Notice this crucial point: God’s faithfulness isn’t shown by immediate deliverance—it’s shown in blessing amid hardship. He doesn’t remove oppression immediately, but He sustains Israel with children and resources. God’s faithfulness isn’t only in dramatic miracles—it’s in the small, everyday ways that allow His people to live faithfully in a hostile world.
The Courage to Fear God (Exodus 1:15–22)
God’s covenant blessing continues to be children. Pharaoh (representing the gods of the world) tries to destroy that blessing—killing the boys and enslaving the girls to erase Israel’s identity.
But God’s blessing shows up in courage. Two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, fear God more than Pharaoh. They refuse to kill the boys, and God blesses them. Throughout history, God raises up courageous people to carry out His mission.
Even when Pharaoh escalates, commanding all boys be thrown into the Nile, God preserves His people. He is faithful. That doesn’t mean He immediately changes the circumstances. Like Shiphrah and Puah, we are called to be bold and courageous, faithful through hardship.
God Prepares a Deliverer (Exodus 2:1–10)
After 400 years, God gives the deliverer—but this is unknown to the Israelites. Moses’ birth doesn’t immediately change their oppression. Yet in the midst of Pharaoh’s decree, God provides a way for the deliverer to be protected and prepared.
Here’s a key truth: your circumstances are not necessarily your preparation. God was protecting Moses, while the rest of Israel had to remain faithful. Don’t give up on God because He hasn’t given you a “Moses assignment.” Stay faithful through the oppression, and you will experience His provision.
Moses: A Man Between Worlds (Exodus 2:11–25)
Moses grew up knowing his Hebrew heritage and had a spirit of justice in his heart—but that spirit showed up wrongly when he killed an Egyptian. He didn’t earn acceptance from his people; he fled to Midian. There, his sense of justice was redirected, and he learned the humility of a shepherd. Yet he remained a man searching for identity—a foreigner in a foreign land.
More time passes as God prepares for the right moment. God doesn’t meet our time expectations, but He is still at work. Did God forget His covenant with Abraham until Israel cried out? No. The first chapters of Exodus remind us that God was faithful all along—waiting until the stage was set for a showdown with the gods of the world.
Keep your eyes on God’s blessings, because He works in all circumstances—even oppression, sickness, and hardship. We might miss His blessings if we assume He is obligated to act according to our timetable.
When God Feels Silent
In January 2021, my Uncle Tim was dying from melanoma and a brain tumor. We prayed earnestly for healing. That miracle never came. One week later, my Grandpa Steele died. No rescue. No dramatic deliverance. No Exodus moment.
So what do we do when God seems silent? When the sea doesn’t part? When Egypt is where we remain?
That following Sunday in church my Grandma Steele stood up during prayer time and said, “I thank God for heaven.”
This is similar to the answer we find in Hebrews 11:39–40:
“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
God does not always rescue His people from hardship—but He always remains faithful through it. Israel waited 400 years. God was blessing them, but not yet delivering them. Faithfulness isn’t measured by how quickly circumstances change; it’s measured by His presence, provision, and promises—even when outwardly nothing seems different.
The Waiting Generations
God is at work even when He seems silent. We want to be the Exodus generation—the ones who see the plagues, the parted sea, the victory song. But most of us are part of the waiting generations—living faithfully, raising children, fearing God, resisting evil, trusting His promises without seeing rescue. And Scripture says faith still matters.
This week, the challenge is simple: be faithful where God has placed you, whether or not rescue comes. Fear God more than Pharaoh. Look for His blessings amid hardship. Trust that He is at work, even when you don’t see deliverance. Stay obedient, courageous, and faithful.
You may not be Moses. You may be Shiphrah or Puah. You may be an unnamed Israelite building bricks in the sun. But God sees you. He remembers His covenant. And He is at work.
A Final Word
Silence does not mean absence. Waiting does not mean forgotten. Faithfulness is never wasted in the hands of a faithful God. The same God working quietly in Exodus 1 is the God who acts powerfully in Exodus 14—and He is the same God we serve today.
As you reflect, respond in three ways: thank God for your blessings, ask for strength to remain faithful, and pray that He preserves His people. And if God is calling you to follow Jesus, don’t wait. Now is the time.
