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Exodus 2:25, And God took notice.

(By Lesriv Spencer: 10/04/2010. Updated, 2013)

Have you ever felt no one cares enough about you? That God really doesn't care? If you
feel this way, you are not alone. A recent survey from Canada published Sept. 3, 2010 by
the Carleton University Survey Centre revealed that only 35% think that God concerns
himself with every human being personally. That would mean then, that at least in
Canada, roughly two thirds, or the majority of the people questioned, had serious doubt
as to whether God really cares about individual human beings. It's fair to say as well,
that in other countries, to a greater or lesser degree, many people also manifest a
similar attitude. This feeling of God not caring enough for mankind goes all the way
back to the beginning of man's history. Is there any indication that God really cares?

As soon as the first couple on earth rebelled against God, and human perfection was
lost, God lovingly made provision to save their offspring from eternal doom. For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16, King James Version; Genesis 3:15; 1
John 3:8)

Prior to the flood of Noah's day, men's wickedness was great on earth, and the whole
drift of the thoughts of their minds was purely bad all day long. And Jehovah repented
of having made men on earth, and was pained at heart. So God set out to destroy all
living flesh, because as he said: I am sorry I made them. (Genesis 6:5-8, The Bible in
Living English, Byington) But God liked Noah, and provided a way to preserve his life and
his family.

Centuries later, a man who became God's friend, Abram (whose name was later
changed to Abraham), was singled out to be a father of many. Because Abram
believed God, God considered him righteous on account of his faith. (Genesis 15:6,
Living Bible) While Abram was still living in Ur of the Chaldeans, God told him to move to
a strange land, leaving behind the comfort of his home, friends and relatives. On his
way to Canaan, at the time of crossing the Euphrates river, he made a covenant with
Abram: I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you [] and all peoples on
earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2-3,7; 17:5-8; 22:15-18, New International
Version, used throughout unless noted otherwise.)

Abraham later had a son, through his wife Sarah, called Isaac. And Isaac became a
father of twins, Esau and Jacob. It was Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel,
who became a father of a great nation. God confirmed with Jacob the divine covenant
with Abraham and Isaac. (Genesis 28:13-15)
Jacob had 12 sons, thus becoming the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. The family of
Jacob (Israel) quickly grew, so by the time a great famine occurred in the land of Canaan
and they were forced to go to Egypt, there were at least 70 family members. (Genesis
46:26-27; Exodus 1:5; Acts 7:14)

In the beginning of their living in Egypt, the Pharaoh was good to Israel. But in time, the
good Pharaoh died, and a new king came into power who, incidentally, was not kind at
all to the sons of Israel. When the Israelites experienced explosive growth, the
Egyptians came to dread their alarming presence. As a desperate effort to stem their
growth, they proceeded to kill all their newborn boys, but in the end, it did not work as
expected. Meanwhile, the Israelites were being pushed harder and harder by their slave
masters who were all the more ruthless in their oppression.

By one estimate, the sons of Israel spent physically over two hundred years in Egypt
(Some 400 years according to others). A great portion of that time, Israel suffered great
hardship at the hand of the Egyptians. However, what happened to God's promise that
Israel's offspring would become a great nation, that they would possess the land of
Canaan? Instead, the Israelites saw no relief from the Egyptian oppression at hand.
The Bible tells us that the Israelites continued to groan because of the slavery and to
cry out in complaint, and their cry for help because of the slavery kept going up to the
true God. (Exodus 2:23, New World Translation. Compare with A Distinctive Translation of
Exodus with an Interpretative Outline, by Dr. James W. Watts.)

Can we picture the Israelites in the midst of slavery thinking all along: Where is God?
What happened to all the promises God made to our forefathers? Has he become deaf
to our cry and complaint? Does God care anymore? Surely they must have felt like
many of us do today when we suffer great hardship with no relief in sight: abandoned.
Was God listening to Israel? Was he interested at all in them?

Exodus 2:24-25 answers: In time God heard their groaning, and God remembered his
covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites; and God
took notice. (NWT) The last words of verse 25 say a lot: And God took notice. It
pointedly indicated God's awareness and concern of their condition.

Interestingly, many Bible versions at Exodus 2:25 read simply as the New American Bible
does literally: And [God] knew. However, other Bible translations cognizant of the
original structure of the Hebrew, which uses an imperfect verb form, wayyedha,
render it in a way that shows action going on, or incomplete. The Hebrew literally says:
andhe-is-knowing, (Hebrew Interlinear Bible, Scripture4All). The exeGeses Companion
Bible translates it: and [God] Elohim perceives. And Youngs Literal Translation: And
God knoweth. Other Bible versions express it this way:
God saw the Israelites and took note (New Jerusalem Bible)
and God took cognizance (The Bible in Living English, Byington)
and he took heed of it (The New English Bible)
and He took notice (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
and God took cognizance of them (Leeser Old Testament)
and God took notice of them (Tanakh; New Revised Standard Version) following
the Latin Vulgate reading (et cognovit eos = he took notice of them).
and God took knowledge of them (American Standard Version)
and he became known to them (Septuagint, or, LXX).
and he was made known to them (Apostolic Bible Polyglot)
and God noticed their oppression (Peshitta Bible,, George M. Lamsa)
and [God] was concerned about them. (NIV)
and [God] knew it was time to act (New Living Translation)
He was moved to take action (the VOICE Bible)
and he knew that he would soon help them. (Easy-to-Read-Version)
and God acknowledged [them] (Darby Bible Translation, Brackets his.)
and His heart went out to them (The Clear Word)
and God cared (Dr. William F. Beck)
and He cared about them (New Life Version)

A Study Bible explains the final words of Exodus 2:25 thus: Took notice... translates a
verb often translated know or knew (1:8; 5:2; 6:3,7; 7:5; 16:12; 18:11) which like
remember typically involves more than awareness of information. Here it carries the
thought of having regard for something or someone and of exercising personal concern
(Ps 31:7; 37:18; 144:3; Hs 13:4). Because God knew their situation and took action, the
Israelites and others would come to know Him in a new way. This verse assumes that
readers are familiar with the promises that God had made and confirmed by covenants
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob... (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

A few hundred years later, King David, known to be a man after Gods heart, and who
later became the writer of many Bible psalms, found himself running for his life. He
spent many sleepless, fearful nights from insecurity, and persecution by his enemies.
David, went through times of great tears to the point that those around him questioned,
Where is your God? (Psalm 42:3)

Nonetheless, even in his deepest sorrow, he placed his trust in God, expressed belief
that God really cared for him, to the point of being confident enough to say, that God
was collecting his tears in a bottle, preserving and recording them in a book. You have
seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and
preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one in your book. (Psalm 56:8,
Living Bible) Hence, with appreciation he could say: From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mothers womb. I will ever praise you. (Psalm 71:6)

The author of Psalm 77 (Asaph) was another individual who, at one point of his life,
found himself in deep distress, and questioned God's inaction. I cried out to God for
help; I cried out to God to hear me ... Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his
favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful? (Psalm 77:1, 7-9) Gladly, the psalmist recovers from
this behavior of doubtfulness and uncertainty, by recalling God's powerful actions of the
past, and regains hope. (77:10-20) Interestingly, when the psalmist found himself in
trouble, the solution was to seek God. He wrote: When I was in distress, I sought the
Lord. (77:2) He shifted his focus from his personal despair to worshiping God. That
was the clue to his recovery. And this certainly is a lesson for us to ponder upon.

It is equally encouraging to know that God has addressed the needs of the elderly
(Leviticus 19:32; 1 Timothy 5:4); of orphans (Deuteronomy 10:17; Job 31:16-23; Psalm
10:14); of parents (Exodus 20:12; Mark 7:10; 1 Tim. 5:4); of the poor (Leviticus 19:9; Psalm
9:18; Proverbs 22:22-23); and of widows (Deuteronomy 24:19; 1 Tim. 5:3; James 1:27).

When Jesus, the Son of God, came down to earth, he showed he was sensitive to the
needs of others. Jesus, unlike others of his day, did not reject those in disadvantage,
such as the poor and sick ones. Not only did he provide spiritual consolation, he literally
fed people, and cured many of their illnesses. More importantly, Christ gave mankind
much needed hope of permanent relief for those placing faith and trust in him. On one
occasion, he showed us God's caring side by saying (as paraphrased by The Message
Bible): What's the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares
what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you,
down to the last detaileven numbering the hairs on your head! (Matthew 10:29,30,
The Message)

And to those suffering the pressures of daily life, Jesus offered this invitation: Come to
me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

We should be mindful of the fact, that, whatever we reap, we sow. Scripture says: A
mans harvest in life will depend entirely on what he sows. (Galatians 6:7, J.B. Phillips
New Testament) Therefore: He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him
who searches for it. (Proverbs 11:27) Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the
simple. (Job 5:2) Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is
hard. (Proverbs 13:15) Some of our afflictions may themselves be a product of a
certain self-imposed lifestyle, or the result of poor judgment. Which means, much
trouble and anxiety could simply be avoided with a more prudent and cautious
approach in life.

Jesus Christ also gave us fine counsel in regards to life's anxieties: That is why I tell you
not to worry about everyday lifewhether you have enough food and drink, or enough
clothes to wear. Isnt life more than food, and your body more than clothing? So
dont worry about these things, saying, What will we eat? What will we drink? What will
we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father
already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live
righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:25-33, New Living
Translation)

With good reason, God invites us to cast all our anxiety on him because He cares...
(1 Peter 5:7) He offers strength when we are weak. (Philippians 4:13) Praise be to the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all
comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any
trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Thus, no matter how sad or lonely we find ourselves at times (as we speak, some of us
may be going right now through a very difficult phase in our lives), we should never give
up. We are not abandoned for long. (Psalm 55:22) Remember, God knows. (Exodus
2:25) That says a lot. God knows what is going on with us, just as he knew, or, took
notice of what was going on with his people in Egypt. In the end, God liberated his
people from oppression. And he will do the same for us. In the mean time, let us take
Christ's invitation to come to him and find rest for our souls.

Does God care, then? Yes, he does! Cheer up! Stand upright and hold your heads high,
because your liberation is near. (Luke 21:28, New English Bible)

End

To read other related subjects, check the links below (For Spanish, see below):
For a full consideration of John 1:1, click the following link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/34916458/The-
correct-translation-of-John-1-1
For a briefer consideration of John 1:1, but with additional samples, click:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/50330864/John-1-1-List-of-Alternate-Readings
For a consideration of John 8:58, click the following link:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35318309/The-correct-translation-of-John-8-58-List-of-alternate-readings- to-I-am-I-have-been-I-was-I-exist
For a consideration of John 17:3, click the following link:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/57772552/John-17-3-%E2%80%98Taking-in-knowledge-of-%E2%80%99-God-and-Jesus

Did the NW translators know Greek?, click the following link:


http://www.scribd.com/doc/48234022/Did-the-New-World-Translation-Committee-Know-Any-Greek

For a consideration of John 1:14 (grace), click the following link:


http://www.scribd.com/doc/35002730/John-1-14-Jesus-full-of-grace
For a consideration of 1 Timothy 3:16, click the following link:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/76927834/Was-God-manifested-in-the-flesh-1-Timothy-3-16

Did the NW translators know Greek?, click the following link:


http://www.scribd.com/doc/48234022/Did-the-New-World-Translation-Committee-Know-Any-Greek

For a consideration of Translation Differences between Bible versions, click:


http://www.scribd.com/doc/59484457/Translation-Differences-Questions-and-Answers

Para una consideracin de otras Escrituras, vea los siguientes enlaces:


Para un consideracin de Juan 1:1 (un dios), vea el siguiente enlace:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35899788/Traduccion-correcta-de-Juan-1-1-Lista-de-lecturas-alternativas

Para un consideracin de Juan 8:58 (yo soy), vea el siguiente enlace:


http://www.scribd.com/doc/36126649/Traduccion-correcta-de-Juan-8-58-Lista-de-lecturas-alternativas-a-
yo-soy
Para leer, Saba griego el Comit de la Traduccin del Nuevo Mundo?:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/51623596/%C2%BFSabia-griego-el-Comite-de-la-Traduccion-del-Nuevo-Mundo
Para un consideracin de Juan 17:3 (adquirir conocimiento), vea el siguiente enlace:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74629981/Juan-17-3-%E2%80%98Adquiriendo-conocimiento%E2%80%99-de-Dios-y-
Jesucristo

Para un consideracin de 1 Timoteo 3:16 vea el siguiente enlace:


http://www.scribd.com/doc/77336247/%C2%BFFue-Dios-manifestado-en-carne-1-Timoteo-3-16

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