Exodus 1 - 3

Finally, I'm leaving Genesis and I feel like I'm moving away from an old friend. Don't worry, old friend, God willing, I'll be back.
Now begins the story of how the Israelites came to leave Egypt to return to the Promised Land. First, Moses, the author, gives an accounting of his ancestors, who came to Egypt with Jacob during the famine to live. He states there were seventy in all, including Joseph.
Joseph, his father and all his brothers die while living in Egypt, but not before producing many, many offspring. In fact, Exodus 1:7 says they soon filled the land. An ominous statement next says a new king came to the throne of Egypt who didn't know of Joseph or how he had saved his nation from starvation. He was frightened by the size and strength of the Israelite clan living among them, so he gave orders for their oppression and the Hebrews became slaves. However, God was for the Israelites and multiplied them even more, so Pharaoh gave bloody orders for the midwives to kill all the Hebrew boy babies as soon as they were born. The midwives had more regard for God than they did for Pharaoh, though, and disregarded his orders.
Fearing the king a little, they gave a slight misrepresentation when he asked them why they did not obey his orders and told him the Hebrew women had their babies so quickly, they could not be killed as they were born. Then Pharaoh gave orders that all the newborn Israelite boys must be drowned in the Nile.
In chapter 2, Moses gives an account of his own birth and early childhood. He tells us his parents were from the tribe of Levi, the tribe that would later become the priests in Israel. His mother kept him hidden for three months, then made a special waterproof ark for him when he could no longer be hidden. Her heart must have been in torment thinking what would happen to her baby, but she knew she must place him into the river. His sister, also, must have been distressed, because she watched and followed the basket to see what would happen to it.
It just so happened (remember, there are no accidents with God) that Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in the river nearby. Seeing the special little basket in the reeds, she asked that it be brought to her. Moses' helpless cries got to her, and she deducted he must be a Hebrew baby, but she had pity on him. Again, it just so happened, the baby's sister was standing nearby and offered to find a Hebrew nursemaid for him and she just happened to know a mother whose breasts were full--Moses' own mother. Imagine that.
So Pharaoh's daughter paid Moses’ mother to nurse her own baby, how great is that? In addition, she gets to keep him until he is weaned, at which time he was given back to Pharaoh's daughter to be raised as her own son. This early training in the palace of the king would serve Moses well later, when he would be called upon to go before the king to ask for the people's release from slavery.
Pharaoh's daughter must have told Moses of his Hebrew heritage, or his own family inculcated that in him in the two to three years they kept him, because Exodus 2:11 says, when he was grown up he went to visit his people, the Israelites. Upon seeing an Israeli mistreated by his Egyptian taskmaster, Moses takes action and kills the Egyptian, burying him in the sand so no one would find out.
However, as the Bible says later, "you can be sure your sins will find you out." The next day Moses tried to stop two Hebrews who were fighting with each other, however, the culprit brought up Moses' guilt in the murder of the Egyptian. Verse 14 says Moses became frightened, and with good cause, because Pharaoh ordered Moses arrested and killed when he heard of it, so Moses fled to the desert. Here he was in for another forty years of preparation for leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
Moses was just a noble character from the start, it seems. Verse 26 says the daughters of the priest of Midian came every day to draw water from a well for their father's animals, but other shepherds were in the habit of driving them away from the life-giving water. Moses stopped by the well to rest and refresh himself and put a stop to this monkey business when the girls came for water, even helping them draw water.
When the priest of Midian heard what Moses had done, he sent for him to come to his home for a meal. Like the homeless bum who might "camp out on your couch and never leave," Moses had found his home in the wilderness, later marrying one of the priest's daughters. Her name was Zipporah.
Meanwhile, back in Egypt, the Israelites were still under a heavy burden... Their cries went up to God, who remembered his promise to their ancestors. Actually, God had never forgotten it; he was working on a solution, preparing Moses to lead his people by teaching him to herd a bunch of sheep (rather the same).
In Chapter 3, we have the burning bush incident. Moses is strolling along in the Sinai Desert behind the flocks when a bush bursts into flames before his eyes, however, it was not consumed by the fire, it just continued to burn. This caught Moses' attention and he went closer to investigate. As he nears, God speaks to Moses from the bush and told him not to come any closer. Moses is instructed to remove his sandals because he is in holy territory before God.
Then God introduces Himself to Moses, and Moses hides his face in fear. God tells him of His plan to rescue the Israelites from Egypt and send them back to Canaan, the Promised Land. When God breaks the news to Moses that he is to lead them, Moses actually begins arguing with God. This seems silly as we read Exodus, but if you think about it, you and I have likely argued with God many times; I know I have.
God reassures the frightened Moses that He would be with him, but Moses is still not done arguing. He asks God who he should say sent him to lead them when they question his authority, as they had done after the murder incident. Moreover, God tells him simply to say I AM sent him. Then he goes on to say, "Tell them...the God of Abraham...Isaac...and Jacob--has sent me to you." Then God tells Moses of the opposition he will face from the king of Egypt. He tells him there will be heavy pressure and many miracles, but that his mission will be very successful, with the Egyptians sending Israel away with great wealth at the end of the struggle.
God knows the end from the beginning. If you will just go through the battle with Him and be obedient to Him, he will give you a great blessing when it is finally over.