THE Life Application Study insists that Pharaoh was afraid the Israelites were becoming so numerous that they would organise and threaten his kingdom. So, he made them slaves and oppressed them to kill their spirit and stop their growth. Slavery was an ancient practice used by almost all nations to engage conquered people and other captives. Most likely, the great pyramids of Egypt were built with slave labour. Although Israel was not a conquered nation, the people were foreigners and thus lacked rights of native Egyptians.

It is important to observe that there were levels of slavery in Egypt. Some slaves worked long hours in mud pits, while others were skilled carpenters, jewelers, and craftsmen. Regardless of their skill or level, brutal slave drivers and supervisors, whose assignment was to keep the slaves working as fast as possible, watched all slaves closely. They were specialists at making a slave’s life miserable. To show the Egyptian brutality, the Bible further recorded: “So, they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortal and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves,” (Exodus 1:13-14).

One may wonder why this level of brutality? The answer that readily comes to mind is that there is deep-rooted jealousy. Concise Oxford Dictionary says of jealousy “envious of someone else’s possessions, achievements, or advantages”. The king of Egypt at that time, of course, did not know Joseph, but he allowed jealousy to becloud his reasoning. If not, how can slaves outnumber the king and his subjects in his own domain?

Every child of God should, from time to time, examine himself or herself to discover if there is any iota of jealousy that is creeping into his or her life and then take practical steps to purge it before it sticks. Yes, “casting down imaginations and every high thing that exists itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Cor. 10:5). Unguardedly, the Devil can use it to overwhelm the believer. We are still worried how the mighty can still be jealous of the small?

The story of King David and Bathsheba further illustrates this point: the Bible was clear, when it noted thus: “Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her…”, (2 Sam. 11:2-4). It was jealousy that motivated David to take another man’s wife, as he being the mighty ought not to have taken the small man’s wife.

Sometimes, I wonder what actually the mighty would benefit from trampling on the weak and unprotected. Let it be stated that God is watching and would recompense every man according to his works. However, we still have time to deal with any form of jealousy that may push us to trample on the weak and the unprotected. Let those who have ears, hear.
Ven. Ernest Onuoha

Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical
Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.
Www.Ibrucentre.Org