They Increased Abundantly

Ex 1:7

1-11-09

In this particular verse, we observe that there are five descriptions of the extent to which the Jews increased in the land of Egypt.  The verse says that they “were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.”  This is exactly the same way that the church should increase and the way it did increase in the Acts.

Look at the comparisons between Israel in Egypt [a type of the world] and the church:

Fruitful – Jn 15:1-8

Increased abundantly – Acts 16:5; 1 Cor 3:6-7

Multiplied – Acts 6:7; 9:31

Waxed exceeding mighty – Acts 17:6

Land filled with them – Acts 5:28

And when you read down through the first chapter of Exodus, you see that the Jews expanded in spite of slavery, rigour, hard bondage, affliction, and baby killing [Ex 1:20].  Likewise New Testament saints have gone through much tribulation entering into the kingdom of God [1 Thes 1:6; Acts 14:22].  Yet in spite of the persecution, affliction, reproach, etc, the church has grown and continues to grow. 

When the Jews came out of Egypt, they came out as armies [Ex 6:26, 7:4].  And in like manner, New Testament saints are soldiers in the Lord’s army [2 Tim 2:3-4; Eph 6:10-18].  Israel started out as one man who was already too old to have a child by his wife [Deut 26:5], they expanded into 70 souls from Jacob [Ex 1:5], and came out of Egypt as 600,000 men in Ex 12:37.  The Church started out with one unmarried man who died [1 Tim 2:5] and today the sons of God number into the millions as the gospel has spread worldwide.

How did these persecuted, afflicted Jews expand into a mighty, prolific army in slavery?  How did the church expand into the millions through centuries of persecution, tribulation and affliction?  They did it by one simple method.  And this is a method we cannot abandon today.  THEY KEPT HAVING BABIES!!!

You need to be a fruitful, increasing, multiplying Christian by bringing more sons of God into the world through preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Keep having babies!  Whatever you do, don’t quit!!