Episode 2–Two Midwives Deliver Israel’s Sons

Blessings in the Lord!

Welcome to Episode 2 of Keys for Kingdom Living.

Today, we will continue in the book of Exodus to look at God’s kingdom plans in history and what His plans mean for us personally today.

God’s grace be on us as we open up His Word now.

The title of today’s message is, Two Mid-wives Deliver Israel’s Sons.

Last week, we learned that God multiplies families to save and deliver us so we can become part of his greater kingdom family. Let’s look at a verse from last week.

In Isaiah 66, 8-9, we read,

Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery? says the Lord.

Well, today we will see the Lord in action as the God who delivers those he gives birth to in any situation.

You know, sometimes things can go wrong or look very bleak in our lives. Well, today’s passage took place around 1500 BC. Remember from last week, we looked at Israel’s expanding growth through Jacob’s 12 sons, whose descendants were growing so fast that they filled the suburb of Goshen just outside of Egypt. Let’s look at Exodus 1-7.

Exodus 1:7

But the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

In the beginning of Exodus chapter 1, we see God beginning to fulfill the covenant he made with Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the nighttime sky. But even as God’s kingdom expansion plans were unfolding, his promise to make Israel into a great nation came under attack. In verse 8, we see that opposition arose. Let’s read verse 8.

Exodus 1:8

Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.

So here was this small family who had grown in strength and numbers, so much so that they filled the land. Now a new king had come into power at this time in Egypt, and it didn’t take long for him to notice his non-Egyptian neighbors nearby who were increasing in numbers and strength.

By nature, we have a world-centered perspective. When we look away from God and look only at our circumstances, we become fearful. Without knowing God and the peace he brings, we can be overwhelmed with life’s challenges and even perceived threats to our well-being.

You can imagine what the new king must have been thinking about. The one small family of Israelites, who now seemed to be the size of a bustling town, made the king nervous and he became territorial. All he could see was foreign people in his land growing and prospering. His fearful view resulted in an us versus them mentality. Let’s look at verses 9 through 10.

Exodus 1:9-10

“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”

Egypt now had a worldly us-versus-them perspective of Israel. A new king, a new regime. Of course, it is prudent for a king to be territorial and protect his nation when he sees the probability of his population being outnumbered, especially by people with different cultural customs. But the king’s reaction and response to the growth among the Israelites is troubling. Look at verse 10.

Exodus 1:10

Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”

We see that the king’s first response is not to make an ally of this numerous people. His first reaction is fear. Immediately, he allows his anxious imaginings of the Israelites to rule over him. He worries that they will become his enemies, and if war breaks out, even though they are a part of Egypt, they may leave the country.

I’m sure this Pharaoh was fiscally wise. He knew that if the Israelites moved out of the country, his economy may take a dive. But instead of making a deal with this people, who were clearly an asset to his country, and gained their loyalty, Pharaoh decided to oppress them. His fear overwhelmed his reasoning.

But God, being sovereign over the earth and all our activities, was not surprised at any of the king’s reactions to his kingdom expansion plans through his people. It was part of God’s plan to stir up tumult in Egypt for his own higher reasons, as we will see in later chapters of Exodus.

But for now, let’s just focus very micro on this passage from verses 8 to 22. So, what did Pharaoh do to Israel? Look at verse 11.

Exodus 1:11

So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

Now Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites and forced them with burdensome tasks of building storehouses for two cities. Some commenters believe that taskmasters also increased taxes on the Israelites for dwelling in the land, which placed extra mental strain on them since they used much of their own money and physical labor to build these structures for the Egyptians. So there was no rest for the weary Israelites who suffered under many afflictions. However, as we see in the next verse, there was one thing in which they continued to prosper. Look at verse 12a.

Exodus 1:12a

But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread

Again, we see God take action in a miraculous way as noted by the word “but” in verse 12. It is the second time the word “but” is used in the chapter. This “but” refers to the supernatural act of God to make the Israelites continue to multiply and spread despite the stress and hardship of their lives and forced labor. Pharaoh may have hoped they would decrease in numbers, but under strenuous labor, God made them stronger and more numerous.

It is amazing how God can turn our trials into triumphs. In Genesis chapter 50, Joseph was the first of Jacob’s sons to go to Egypt as a result of being attacked by his brothers who left him for dead in a well. But God showed favor to Joseph, and he became the right hand to Pharaoh in his generation and helped to save his family and the Egyptians from a famine.

Later, in Genesis 50-20, Joseph proclaimed to his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” In the book of Romans, chapter 8, verse 28, also reminds us of how God preserves his people in trials. Let’s read.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

We who have a new life in Christ by faith are God’s chosen people. God is still working in all things for the good of his people. This means that in all things, not just in some things, he allows us to endure. He can use our situation for our good and for his glory.

So God multiplied the Israelites despite the forced physical labor and mental stress they were under. God displayed his goodness to Israel to show them he was keeping his promise to make them a great nation. Their persistent strength in numbers also put God’s power and glory on display in Egypt. Look at verse 12b.

Exodus 1:12b

So the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites

Now the spreading out of Israel made Pharaoh and all of Egypt not only fear Israel and their God, but now they felt dread. Or in some Bible versions, the word is grieved. In Hebrew, the word dread means loathing or disgust. So the Egyptians came to be disgusted and distressed at the sight of the Israelites. To see Egypt’s reaction to the persistent growth in God’s people, look at verses 12b to 14.

Exodus 1:12b-14

So the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

We see how the oppression intensified as Israel’s slaves worked under heavy burden and labor with bricks and mortar. Terms like “ruthless” demonstrate that Pharaoh wanted to break their spirit so they would feel helpless and weak and stay under his control. We also see Israel’s emotional response to the cruelty they suffered at the hands of the Egyptians. Verse 14 tells us that the Egyptians made their lives bitter.

A classic psychological study looked at the effects of oppression, when people and animals, specifically dogs in this study, suffered under adverse conditions that they could not control. And in this case, dogs were placed in boxes and given a shock but not allowed to escape.

And by the way, this is a very cruel and unethical study. Since that time, psychology has improved and every social scientist must get approval by an ethical committee before they can perform any kind of experiment to ensure the well-being and health of participants, even animals.

But what these studies found was that adverse, uncontrollable conditions lead to a phenomenon called learned helplessness, or passivity in accepting one’s circumstances that can lead to depression or other mental health issues. So the dogs who had been shocked without a way to escape for a long period would lay down and whine even when they were placed in a box that had a way of escaping the shock. For more about that study, if you’re interested, you can look at my website and click the link. 

So the Egyptians made the Israelites’ lives so harsh that they became bitter. Pharaoh was crushing their spirit so that they would feel helpless and subdued under his iron fist and just accept the cruel circumstances of their lives and forget about God.

We can be on the brink of success and feel hopeful in life when circumstances suddenly shift and crush our hopes. How do you handle fear? Is there any opposition in your life that makes you feel bitter today?

Whatever it is, we have a bigger God. Despite our situation, he is not unaware of our suffering. So it was in this very dark time that we see two very bright lights in the next passage. Look at verses 15 and 16.

Exodus 1:15-16

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”

Just when times seemed to be at their darkest, things grew even darker. The king of Egypt’s loathing turned into hatred and a plot of genocide against all of the baby boys who would be born at that time. Not only did he want to kill the might and power of Israel by getting rid of the next generation of Israel’s men, but in his craftiness and stealthy attack, he commanded two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill baby boys as their Hebrew mothers were giving birth to them.

Here is where we remember God’s promise of deliverance to Zion, another name for Israel.

Isaiah 66:8-9

Yet no sooner is Zion in labor

than she gives birth to her children.

Do I bring to the moment of birth

and not give delivery?” says the LORD.

“Do I close up the womb

when I bring to delivery?” says your God.

In our last episode, we concluded that God’s promise to deliver his people from harm are always yes and amen. Christ has overcome the trials and troubles of our world, but we must look to him when our situations make us fearful.

Let’s see what the midwives did under the crushing power of Pharaoh’s command to kill the baby boys. Look at verse 17.

Exodus 1:17

The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.

They let the boys live. We learn a life-giving and life-saving lesson from two midwives who dealt with their fear through turning to God. Now we see the third “but,” or “however” in some versions of the Bible, in Exodus chapter 1. “But the midwives feared God.” Shiphrah and Puah feared God above any man. 

Being Hebrew women, they were aware of the covenant promises God made to their ancestor Abraham, and their faith overrode their fear. In Matthew 10.28, Jesus tells us how to view fear. Let’s read.

Matthew 10:28

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Jesus understood firsthand what it meant to be afraid. He faced his fears in the Garden of Gethsemane through praying three times for God to take the bitter cup of death by crucifixion away from him. But he did God’s will, and by his resurrection, we who believe have all been saved. Jesus understands our fears, and his example shows us how to overcome. 

Shiphrah and Puah were clearly women of prayer. They must have prayed fervently under the attacks of Pharaoh’s death threats. As they prayed, God gave them strength. They put their faith and lives in God’s hands. They trusted God to either save them from death or from eternal death and hell. Let’s read verses 18 through 21.

Exodus 1:18-21

Then 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, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

The king of Egypt was stymied. He was confused by the actions of two seemingly weak and helpless Hebrew midwives. He wondered how they could possibly disobey his threats. In verse 19, the midwives gave a partial reason for why they disobeyed the Pharaoh and did not kill the male babies. They spoke of Hebrews as vigorous or very healthy and not needing assistance to give birth as much as Egyptian women did. Of course, that was not the case for all Hebrew women, but it was a response that in its diplomacy sent the king away for a time.

Not only did God respond to the faithfulness of the midwives by continuing to increase the Hebrew population, but because of their allegiance and holy fear of God, he rewarded them with their own families.

The oppression of Pharaoh did not stop. Chapter 1 ends with him commanding all his people to throw every male Hebrew baby into the Nile. But God had used two midwives to deliver the sons of Israel. It was a bright moment in a very dark time. The Hebrew midwives were like sparkling stars of hope in a dark nighttime sky in Israel’s history.

In today’s study, we learned that when God’s people fear Him and keep His commands, He is faithful to deliver us. He will never leave us alone nor forsake us.

In times of trouble, we are encouraged to persist in prayer, like our Savior did the night before His arrest, and like Shiphrah and Puah who put their hope in God to deliver them, even as God allowed them to take part in His deliverance plan, to help their nation multiply.

Is there any oppression that you feel that is beyond your control in your life? Turn to the Lord and pray for his wisdom and protection.

I’m going to pray with you, with everyone. Let’s pray now.

Dear Holy Heavenly Father, you are the God of the universe who sees all things and knows our situations. You are the Lord who works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. You made your ways known to Moses and to all the people of Israel, and you still make your ways known to us today.

Father, you are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. You do not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. As a father has compassion on his children, Lord, you have compassion on those who fear you. Because you know how we’re formed, you know that we are made of dust.

We humble ourselves before you today, Lord, and ask for your forgiveness for our sins. We run to you for shelter and protection. You are our shield and our refuge.

Lord, please hear the prayers of any listeners who are in harsh circumstances or who need courage to turn to you and seek your arm of strength. Give wisdom and discernment for when to act and when to wait on you. Help those in need to get support to leave any situations of immediate threat or harm. Help them to get support so they do not have to suffer alone, Lord. We ask your hand of sustaining grace on our lives as we look to you in prayer.

May your kingdom increase in our hearts. Amen.

Thank you for listening today. I hope you are encouraged to pray in any circumstance and know that the Lord hears your prayers. If any of you are under any threat of harm, please do not hesitate to call an emergency number in your area. Also, ask your pastor or church leaders for support.

Join me again next week when we will look at Exodus chapter 2 to see God continue to save Israel and his future servant Moses.

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You can also listen to the Keys for Kingdom Living podcast along with other resources on my website at crystalmorla.com.

Until next time, the Lord bless you and keep you.

Bye-bye!