Know

Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

 - From Exodus 1

The Pharaoh in the book of Exodus is one of God's most important adversaries in Scripture. Following, as he does, the Book of Genesis and the Serpent narrative, he is a human representative of opposition to God.

Observe the qualities of this particular Adversary:

He is powerful, he rules a great empire.

He is unfamiliar with history.

He doesn't care about history.

He doesn't care about God.

These traits go together, and we get a ruler whose response to a social issue is to marginalize and subjugate an entire group of people. Isn't this the normal way of humanity?

What we don't know, we don't understand. What we don't understand, we don't care about it. What we don't care about, it is easy to hate.

What we hate, we aggressively try to control.

The Hebrews had been model citizens of Egypt, integral components in a period of rapid growth for the ancient country. They were a great asset to Egypt, and when they left, the decline of one of the world's earliest great empires began.

All Pharaoh needed, was to remember Joseph. All he had to do was just let God continue to unfold the plan for His people. Egypt could have been part of that group. Indeed, Egypt would continue to play a special role in some critical moments of God's story.

Evil world leaders follow the same pattern. Violence begets more violence.

Just know Joseph.