Exodus 1:15 – 22 “Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.” The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.” So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”
Twice in my professional career as a doctor, I have had to perform first trimester therapeutic abortions to save the life of a mother. Without a doubt, those were some of the most difficult procedures I ever was forced to do. I operated in tears! I prayed before, during, and after the procedure and begged the fetus to forgive me. Life truly does begin at conception and those who argue otherwise are wrong. These days with 4 – D ultrasound, we can readily see infants in the womb sucking their thumbs and responding to pain, to music, and all kinds of things. When Dr. Ben Carson was practicing pediatric neurosurgery, he performed many procedures on fetuses who went on to be delivered at full term and to lead productive lives.
Pharaoh’s plan was simple: eliminate all Hebrew male babies and leave the girls, who would then marry Egyptians. But God foiled Pharaoh’s plot; two God – fearing midwives refused to kill infants and God gave them families as a result. At a time when many babies might not have survived the newborn period, these ladies were blessed with children. God was honoring Shiphrah and Puah. In addition, God thought so much of these two ladies that He preserved their names in His Word. What an honor! And evidently, Pharaoh’s appeals to his own people didn’t get very far either because there is no mention of the Egyptians killing boy infants. Again, perhaps the isolation of the Hebrews in the Land of Goshen section of Egypt worked to protect the boy infants. Remember that to the Egyptians, the herding of any animals was considered low – class. The Egyptians probably thought, “Why not simply ignore those Hebrews? If Pharaoh is so worried about those boy babies, let him send his soldiers.” And perhaps the Egyptians were afraid of bringing curses on themselves for shedding innocent blood.
APPLICATION: This story contains many demonstrations of God’s mercy:
1. The midwives were God – fearing. These days there are many groups pushing abortion throughout the world. God – fearing nurses and doctors may find themselves in trouble for refusing to do abortions.
2. God gave the Hebrew midwives an answer that Pharaoh would accept, thus sparing them.
3. Because the midwives had saved all the babies, God gave them babies of their own.
4. God was protecting the Hebrew boy babies from being thrown into the Nile by the Egyptians. Think about all the men who left Egypt during the Exodus. Had Pharaoh’s plans succeeded, those men would not have existed.
Proverbs 22:8 says “He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.” Galatians 6:7 says “Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.” Before the story is over, every family in Egypt will lose their first – born sons.
Times may have changed, but God has not changed. God’s Word remains forever. And the principle of sowing and reaping has not changed either. What goes around, comes around, and the measure we give out is the measure that we receive. God was merciful to the Hebrew midwives because they were faithful. Ultimately, God killed all the first-born sons, including the first – born son of the pharaoh then in power at the time of the first Passover.
We must examine our hearts! The shedding of innocent blood brings curses on a land! Ask God to show you where you are turning away from His Word to follow popular culture, and then repent.
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your mercy and grace! Thank you for loving us so much that you refuse to leave us unchanged. Lord, cause your face to shine on us, illumine our dark hearts, and show us those places where we have turned away from you to follow popular culture. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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